US3311299A - Counter with zero-setting device - Google Patents

Description

March 28, 1 967 5 uT E|s R 3,311,299

COUNTER WITH ZERO-SETTING DEVICE Filed May 21, 1965 f7 )5 ATTORNEY United States Patent many Filed May 21, 1965, Ser. No. 457,869 13 Claims. ((Il. 235-144) The present invention relates to counters in general, and more particularly to a counter which is provided with a novel zero-setting or resetting device.

In many conventional counters, the drums are rotated by pinions which form part of the drive mechanism and insure that the drums rotate with and are relative to each other in sequence, at intervals and at a speed determined by the drive mechanism. Such counters are further provided with means for disengaging the drive mechanism from the drums and with a resetting or zero-setting device which can rotate the drums to a predetermined angular position subsequent to disengagement of the drive mechanism. In other words, when the user wishes to reset the drums, he must disengage the drive mechanism and he must thereupon effect such rotary movement of each drum as is necessary to return the drums to zero or starting positions. As a rule, the force necessary for actually resetting the drums exceeds, often several times, the force which is necessary to disengage the drive mechanism. The resetting mechanism can comprise cams and followers which are subjected to considerable wear, especially if the parts of the resetting mechanism consist of plastic or soft metal. Also, the force necessary to operate the resetting mechanism depends on the number of drums, i.e., if the counter comprises a large number of drums which must be reset at frequent intervals, the resetting operation will be tiresome ,to the person in charge. If the resetting opera tion is carried out by an electromagnet, this magnet must be very strong and consumes considerable energy. In fact, the resetting magnet must be much stronger than the magnet which operates the drive mechanism of an electromagnetic counter. In many types of such counters, the resetting magnet occupies a substantial part of the interior of the housing so that the number of drums must be limited if the counter is to form a compact unit.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a counter whose resetting or zerosetting device is constructed and assembled in such a Way that it adds little, if anything, to the bulkiness of the instrument and wherein the resetting operation can be carried out by exertion of a negligible force or in a fully automatic way.

Another object of the invention is to provide a counter wherein the drums are mounted, configurated and assembled in such a way that they automatically return into or close to zero positions as soon as they are disconnected from the drive mechanism. g

A further object of the invention is to provide a coun ter wherein the force necessary to reset the drums is the same regardless of the number of drums and wherein such force is or can be smaller than the force necessary to operate the drive mechanism.

An additional object of the instant invention is to provide a counter wherein the resetting device occupies little room, wherein theresetting of drums causes negligible wear on thedrums and on other component parts of the instrument, and wherein the resetting operation can be carried out very rapidly and with utmost accuracy.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a resetting or zero-setting device of the above outlined characteristics which can be installed in many types of present- 1y known counters and which can be produced and assembled at a low cost.

3,311,299 Patented Mar. 28, 1967 Briefly stated, one feature of my invention resides in the provision of a counter which comprises one or more counter drums or similar elements rotatable about a common substantially horizontal axis and each having a center of gravity which is distant from such common axis. The counter further comprises drive means normally engaging with and arranged to rotate the elements at intervals or continuously, depending on the intended use of the counter, and manually operated or automatic means for disengaging the drive means from the rotary elements. If the drive means is disengaged, the elements will automatically rotate toward a position in which their centers of gravity are located at a level below the axis around which the elements rotate. Such position may correspond to or at least approximates the zero or starting position of the respective element.

In order to positively arrest the elements in accurately selected zero positions, the counter may comprise one or more magnets which are positioned at a level below the aforementioned axis and attract weights of magnetizable material which are embedded in, integral with, or otherwise secured to the elements and which are placed in or close to the centers of gravity of the respective elements.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved zero-setting or resetting device itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of a specific embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front elevational view of a counter which is provided with a zero-setting or resetting device embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section as seen in the direction of arrows from the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a similar fragmentary sectional view but showing one of the counter drums in an intermediate position during movement to zero position;

FIG. 4 is another fragmentary sectional view showing one of the counter drums in zero position; and

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the counter with each of its drums in zero position.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a resettable direct-reading counter which comprises a housing 1 including a front panel 2 having a window 3 which allows for observation of rotary elements 11, 11a, 11b here shown as counter drums of ascending order. Each of these drums is freely rotatable on a horizontal shaft 12 which is mounted in the housing 1, and each drum is rigid with a driven gear (11, 11a, 11b) normally meshing with one of a series of coaxial driver pinions 13 (only one shown in FIG. 2). The shaft 14 of the pinion 13 is parallel with the shaft 12 and is movable toward and away from the drums 11-1112. A pushbutton 4 or an analogous actuating or shifting device serves to move the shaft 14 from the operative position of FIG. 2 to the idle position of FIG. 3 in which the pinion 13 is disengaged from the gear 11'. The shaft 14 then bears against a fixed stop 17 which prevents rotation of the pinion 13 so as to make sure that the teeth of gear 11' and pinion 13 will mesh again when the shaft 14 is allowed or caused to return to the operative position of FIG. 2. The pinion 13 is mounted behind the drums 11-1117 so that it cannot be seen through the window 3.

The drums 11-1112 preferably consist of lightweight synthetic plastic material and each thereof carries a Weight 15 which is eccentric to the common axis of the drums so that, and referring to the drum 11 shown in FIG. 2, this drum tends to rotate in a clockwise direction (see the arrow 5 in FIG. 3) when the gears 1111b 3 are disengaged fromthe respective sprockets. As a rule, the weights 15 will be mounted close to the peripheries of the drums to make sure that the drums will be caused to rotate without delay as soon as the gears 11'-11b are disengaged from the respective pinions. In other words, the center of gravity of each counter drum should be as distant as possible from the axis of the shaft 12.

When the knob 4 is depressed to disengage the drums from the drive mechanism (see FIG. 3), the weight 15 will cause the drum 11 to rotate in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow 5, and will tend to move toward and beyond the position of FIG. 3 in which the weight 15 is located directly below the shaft 12. This is due to the fact that the inertia of the weight 15 will carry the drum 11 beyond such angular position in which the Weight15 is located nearest to the bottom panel 6 of the housing. In the absence of any means for preventing oscillation of the drum 11, the weight 15 would swing back and forth with a gradually decreasing amplitude and would finally come to rest in the position shown in FIG. 3. Thus, and if the zero digit on the periphery of the drum were provided in such position that it would be located directly behind the window 3, as soon as the drum 11 reaches the position of FIG. 3, the eccentric weight 15 would constitute the sole zero-setting or resetting means for this drum. Of course, the drum 11 would assume such position with a certain delay whose direction would equal the time required for movement of the weight 15 from the position of FIG. 2 to that of FIG. 3 plus the time required for oscillation of the drum 11. The duration of such oscillation can be reduced by mounting the drums 11-111) in such a way that some friction will exist between their hubs 11h and the periphery of the shaft 12.

In order to insure that the time necessary for resetting the counter drums 1111b may be reduced to a minimum and to further insure that each drum is actually held in zero position, there is provided a one-piece or composite magnet 16 which is mounted on one or more brackets 7 fixed to the bottom panel 6 and is closely adjacent to the peripheries of the drums. This magnet 16 may be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet, and its length preferably equals the combined length of the unit consisting of drums 11-1112. The weights 15 consist of iron or other magnetizable metallic material and are attracted by the magnet 16 so that each drum is arrested in a fully automatic way as soon as the corresponding weight reaches the angular position shown in FIG. 4. It is preferred to install the magnet 16 in such position that it arrests the drums at a time when the weights 15 have moved beyond their dead-center positions shown in FIG. 3. For example, the magnet 16 may be installed in such a way that the weights 15 will be attracted and held in a zone extending between two radii of the drums 11-111) respectively making an angle of degrees and 45 degrees with a vertical symmetry plane 88 passing through the axis of the shaft 12. In FIG. 4, the weight 15 is held in an angular position in which a line connecting its center with the axis of the shaft 12. makes an angle of approximately 20-25 degrees with the symmetry plane 88 which halves the drums 1111b. The zero digits of the drums 11-11!) are then located directly behind and can be seen through the window 3, see FIG. 5.

The weights 15 may be permanently embedded in the plastic material of the drums 1111b, or each such weight may be removably accommodated in a complementary recess, bore or cavity of the respective drum. When the pushbutton 4 is released or shifted so as to return to the position shown in FIG. 2, the pinions 13 return into mesh with the gears 1111b and the counter is ready for use.

It is also clear that each drum may consist entirely of magnetizable material and that its material may be distributed in such a Way that the center of gravity is distant from the axis of the shaft 12.

Alternately, the lightweight material of each drum may weight 15 can be attached to the respective drum at a 7 maximum distance from the shaft 12.

The angular distance between the weight 15 and the zero digits of the respective drums is selected in such a way that the zero digits will assume the positions shown in FIG. 5 when the weights are moved nearest to the magnet 16. If the zero-setting device consists solely of weights 15, the distance between the weights and the zero digits of the respective drums is selected in such a way that the zero digits are behind the window 3 when the weights are located directly below the shaft 12, i.e., in angular positions corresponding to that of the weight 15 shown in FIG. 3. It is further obvious that the window 3 need not be located in a vertical plane, i.e., the zero digits can be observed from above, from below or from another direction when the drums are reset to their original or starting positions. For example, and if the counter is installed behind a control panel which is located in an inclined plane 99 indicated in FIG. 2, the angular distance between the weights 15 and the zero digits will be such that the zero digits will be located behind an inclined window when the weights reach positions which correspond to the position of the weight 15 shown in FIG. 4.

The position of the magnet 16 is so selected that, when the drums 11-11b return to the positions shown in FIG. 5, the gears 11'11b are ready to mesh with the respective pinions 13 as soon as the pushbutton 4 is released to follow the bias of a return spring or is withdrawn back to the position of FIG. 1. During resetting of the drums 11-11b, the pinions 13 are held against rotation by the stop 17 which may be made of resilient material and may include one or more leaf springs. This stop acts not unlike a locking device and insures that the pinions 13 will automatically mesh with the corresponding gears 11'11b whenever the drums are reset and the operator releases the pushbutton 4. Clearly, the pushbutton 4 may be depressed in a fully automatic way by resorting to a trip or the like, for example, when the counter of my invention is mounted on a reciprocating, revolving, orbiting or otherwise moving part of a vehicle, machine or similar structure wherein the drums must be reset at regular intervals or in predetermined positions of the support which carries the counter.

The position of the magnet 16 and weight 15 could be reversed, i.e., the weight of the drum 11 could constitute a magnet.

A very important advantage of my counter is that the operation of the zero-setting or resetting device is fully automatic and that no energy is required for actual resetting of the counter drums. Thus, all an operator has to do is to apply a force which is sufficient to disengage the pinions 13 from the gears 11'11b in order to place the counter in condition for resetting of the drums. The actual resetting takes place automatically, i.e., without necessitating the exertion of a force on the part of the operator because the zero-setting operation is performed under the influence of the magnet 16 and/or under the influence of gravity. In many conventional counters, the force which the operator must exert in order to return each of a series of counter drums to zero position exceeds many times the force which is necessary to disengage the drums from the driving mechanism. If the invention is embodied in an electromechanical counter, the force necessary to initiate the zero-setting operation is much smaller than the force necessary to disengage the counter drums and/or the force necessary to rotate the drums when the counter is in actual use. If the drums are rotated by one or more electromagnets, the magnet 16 is preferably (but not necessarily) replaced by a single electromagnet or by a battery of electromagnets. Also, the pushbutton 4 may be operated by an electromagnet or by hand. If the pushbutton 4 is depressed by hand, the operator must perform a single operation, i.e., to depress the pushbutton and to hold it in depressed position until the zero digits of the drums return to the positions shown in FIG. 5. Since the return movement of drums to zero position is not effected in response to manipulation of levers, knobs, cranks or similar movable parts, the mechanism of the counter may be accommodated in a relatively small and compact housing and its elements can be made of lightweight and less expensive material because they need not undergo any wear during the resetting operation. The wear on the hubs 11h of the drums 11-11b during rotation with reference to the shaft 12 is negligible.

At this time, I contemplate using the improved zerosetting device in counters wherein the drums rotate in response to electromagnetic impulses. However, it is obvious that the improved zero-setting device can be embodied in all such counter mechanisms wherein one or more rotary elements may be disengaged from the driving mechanism to return into a predetermined angular position. Included among such counter mechanisms are mechanical counters, all types of tachometer and socalled decard counters wherein each drum is rotated by a separate driving unit. It is equally within the scope of my invention to replace the drums 11-1lb with rotary elements which are not provided with visually observable digits or characters, i.e., which serve as presser drums or as rotary carriers of coded information which is sensed by electrical or electronic components.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention-that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to the art, and therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In a counter, a rotary element rotable about a substantially horizontal axis and having a center of gravity spaced from said axis; support means supporting said rotary element for rotation about said axis with such minimal friction between said element and said support means as to enable the gravitational force acting on said element to overcome said friction and turn said element into an angular position in which said center of gravity is located at a level below said axis; drive means for rotating said element about said axis; means for disengaging said drive means (from said element so as to allow for rotation of said element into said angular position; and; magnetic means for arresting said element in a predetermined position, said magnetic means comprising a magnetizaible portion of said element and a stationary magnet arranged at a level below the xis.

2. In a counter, in combination, a substantially hori zontal shaft having an axis; a drum having a center of gravity distant from said axis and rotatably mounted on said shaft with such minimal friction as to enable the gravitational force acting on said drum to overcome said friction and turn said drum into an angular position in which said center of gravity is located at a level below said axis of said shaft; drive means normally engaging with and adapted to rotate said drum; means for disengaging said drive means from said drum so as to allow for rotation of said drum to said angular position; and magnetic means for arresting said element in a predetermined position, said magnetic means comprising a magnetizaible portion or said element and a stationary magnet arranged at a level below said axis.

3. In a counter, a rotary element rotable about a substantially horizontal axis, the material of said element being distributed in such a way that its center of gravity is spaced from said axis; support meanssuipporting said rotary element for rotation about said axis with such minianal friction between said element and said support means as to enable the gravitational force acting on said element to overcome said friction and turn said element into an angular position in which said center of gravity is located at a level below said axis; drive means for rotating said element about said axis; means for disengaging said drive means from said element so as toallow for rotation of said element into said angular position; and mag netic means for arresting said element in a predetermined position, said magnetic means comprising a magnetizable portion of said element and a station=ary permanent magnet arranged at a level below said axis and spaced from a vertical plane passing through said axis.

4. In a counter, a rotary element rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and comprising a first portion consisting of a first material which is distributed substantially uniformly about said axis, said element further comprising a second portion eccentrically secured to said first portion and consisting of a magnetizable second material which is heavier than said first material so that the center of gravity of said element is distant from said axis; support means supporting said rotary element for rotation about said axis with such minimal friction between said element and said support means as to enable the gravitational force acting on said element to overcome said friction and turn said element into an angular position in which said center of gravity is located at a level below said axis; drive means for rotating said element about said axis; means for disen gaging said drive means from said element so as to allow for rotation of said element into said angular position; and a permanent magnet located at :a level below said axis and adjacent to said element so as to attract said second portion in response to rotation of said element under the influence of gravitational force and to arrest said element in a predetermined angular position.

5. A structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein said magnet is located at one side of a vertical plane passing through said axis.

6. A structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein said magnet 'is located at one side of a vertical plane passing through said axis and is arranged to arrest said element in such angular position that said center of gravity is located within an area bounded by two radii extending from said axis and respectively making angles of 5 and 45 degrees with said vertical plane.

7. A structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein said element is a counter drum and wherein said predetermined position corresponds to the zero position of said drum.

8. In a counter, a plurality of drums rotatable about a common substantially horizontal axis and each having a center of gravity spaced from said axis; support means supporting said plurality of drums for rotation about said axis with such minimal friction as to enable the gravitational force acting on said drums to overcome said friction and turn the respective drums into an angular position in which the respective center of gravity is located at a level below said axis; drive means for rotating said drums about said axis; means for disengaging said drive means from said drums so as to allow for rotation of each drum into said angular position; and magnetic means for arresting each of said driuns in a predetermined position, said magnetic means comprising a magnetiza-ble portion of each of said drums and at least one stationary permanent magnet arranged at a level below said axis.

9. In a counter, drum means freely rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and having a center of gravity which is distant from said axis; support means supporting said drum means for rotation about said axis with such minimal friction as to enable the gravitational force acting on said drum means to overcome such friction and turn said drum means into an angular position in which said center of gravity is located at a level below said axis; a drive for rotating said drum means; a device for disengaging said drive from said drum means so as to allow for rotation of said drum means toward said angular position; and means for arresting said drum means in a predetermined angular position, one of said means comprising a stationary permanent magnet and the other of said means comprising a portion consisting of m agnet'izable material which is adjacent to and attracted by said magnet in said predetermined angular position of said drum means, said arresting means being located at a level below said axis.

10. In a counter, drum means 'freely rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and having a center of gravity which is distant from said axis; support means supper-ting said drum means for rotation about said axis with such minimal friction as to enable the gravitational force acting on said drum means to overcome such friction and turn said drum means into an angular position in which said center of gravity is located at a level below said axis; a drive for rotating said drum means; a device for disengaging said drive from said drum means so as to allow for rotation of said drum means toward said angular position; and means for arresting said drum means in a predetermined angular position, one of said means comprising a stationary permanent magnet and the other of said means comprising a portion consisting of magnetizable material which is adjacent to and attracted by said magnet in said predetermined angular position of said drum means, said magnet being located at a :level below said axis close to the periphery of said drum means and in a plane passing through said axis and which forms with a vertical plane similarly passing through said axis an angle of between 5 and 45 degrees.

11. A structure as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a panel having a window adjacent to the periphery of said drum means, said drum means having a plurality of digits applied to said periphery thereof including a zero digit which is located behind and is observable through said window when said ma-gnetizab'le portion is adjacent to said magnet.

12. A structure as set forth in claim 10, wherein said drum means comprises a first gear ooaxially afiixed thereto and said drive comprises a second gear movable with and out of mesh with said first gear.

13. A structure as set forth in claim 12, further comprising means for preventing rotation of said second gear when said second gear is out of mesh with said first gear.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,870,000 8/1932 Cunningham et al. 235-91 2,312,342 3/1943 Lang 235-91 2,588,038 3/1952 Pagenhardt 235-91 2,844,316 7/1958 Liebknecht 235-91 3,053,441 9/1962 Vroom 235-144 3,064,893 11/1962 Grinstead 235-144 3,116,875 1/1964 Wolfenden et al 235-91 3,122,315 3/1964 Krefsdzio 235-144 3,159,759 12/1964 Conrad et a1. 235-91 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

LEO SMILOW, Examiner. C. G. COVELL, J. G. MURRAY, Assistant Examiners.

Claims (1)

1. IN A COUNTER, A ROTARY ELEMENT ROTATABLE ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS AND HAVING A CENTER OF GRAVITY SPACED FROM SAID AXIS; SUPPORT MEANS SUPPORTING SAID ROTARY ELEMENT FOR ROTATION ABOUT SAID AXIS WITH SUCH MINIMAL FRICTION BETWEEN SAID ELEMENT AND SAID SUPPORT MEANS AS TO ENABLE THE GRAVITATIONAL FORCE ACTING ON SAID ELEMENT TO OVERCOME SAID FRICTION AND TURN SAID ELEMENT INTO AN ANGULAR POSITION IN WHICH SAID CENTER OF GRAVITY IS LOCATED AT A LEVEL BELOW SAID AXIS; DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID ELEMENT ABOUT SAID AXIS; MEANSFOR DISENGAGING SAID DRIVE MEANS FROM SAID ELEMENT SO AS TO ALLOW FOR ROTATION OF SAID ELEMENT INTO SAID ANGULAR POSITION: AND MAGNETIC MEANS FOR ARRESTING SAID ELEMENT IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION, SAID MAGNETIC MEANS COMPRISING A MAGNETIZABLE PORTION OF SAID ELEMENT AND A STATIONARY MAGNET ARRANGED AT A LEVEL BELOW THE AXIS.

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