EP0039347B1 - Number wheel counters - Google Patents

Number wheel counters Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0039347B1
EP0039347B1 EP19800901960 EP80901960A EP0039347B1 EP 0039347 B1 EP0039347 B1 EP 0039347B1 EP 19800901960 EP19800901960 EP 19800901960 EP 80901960 A EP80901960 A EP 80901960A EP 0039347 B1 EP0039347 B1 EP 0039347B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
armature
transfer
number wheels
wheels
counter
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP19800901960
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0039347A1 (en
Inventor
Peter Alway
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Mecom Standard Ltd
Original Assignee
Mecom Standard Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Mecom Standard Ltd filed Critical Mecom Standard Ltd
Publication of EP0039347A1 publication Critical patent/EP0039347A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0039347B1 publication Critical patent/EP0039347B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06M—COUNTING MECHANISMS; COUNTING OF OBJECTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06M1/00—Design features of general application
    • G06M1/08—Design features of general application for actuating the drive
    • G06M1/10—Design features of general application for actuating the drive by electric or magnetic means
    • G06M1/102—Design features of general application for actuating the drive by electric or magnetic means by magnetic or electromagnetic means
    • G06M1/104—Design features of general application for actuating the drive by electric or magnetic means by magnetic or electromagnetic means electromagnets, clicks
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06M—COUNTING MECHANISMS; COUNTING OF OBJECTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06M1/00—Design features of general application
    • G06M1/04—Design features of general application for driving the stage of lowest order
    • G06M1/041—Design features of general application for driving the stage of lowest order for drum-type indicating means
    • G06M1/044—Design features of general application for driving the stage of lowest order for drum-type indicating means with escapements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06M—COUNTING MECHANISMS; COUNTING OF OBJECTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06M1/00—Design features of general application
    • G06M1/22—Design features of general application for visual indication of the result of count on counting mechanisms, e.g. by window with magnifying lens
    • G06M1/26—Aligning means

Definitions

  • This application relates to counters and particularly to counters comprising a plurality of coaxial number wheels; transfer pinions respectively disposed intermediate successive number wheels, each pinion meshing with gear teeth on one of the number wheels adjacent thereto and adapted to engage transfer means on the other number wheel during rotation of said other number wheel thereby partially to rotate said one of the number wheels and drive means intermittently actuable to rotate a first one of the number wheels thereby to effect counting of the counter.
  • the angular position of the number wheels in the rest position - that is to say between counts - is determined in the case of the first number wheel by the ratchet or other drive means and in the case of the remaining number wheels by the engagement of successive number wheels with the transfer pinion disposed between them.
  • necessary clearances and manufacturing tolerances lead to play in the engagement between transfer pinion and number wheel and since the transfer pinions are freely rotatable, this play is cumulative as one proceeds along the sequence of number wheels.
  • the engagement of the first number wheel with the drive means will adequately locate the first number wheel in the rest position of the counter, but the error in alignment of the remaining wheels - and particularly the higher order wheels - is significant and may in certain cases amount to one half of a digit. This mis-alignment leads to a ragged appearance of the display and may even result in misreading of the displayed number.
  • one form of the present invention consists in a counter comprising a plurality of coaxial number wheels; transfer pinions respectively disposed intermediate successive number wheels, each pinion meshing with gear teeth on one of the number wheels adjacent thereto and adapted to engage transfer means on the other number wheel during rotation of said other number wheel thereby partially to rotate said one of the number wheels; drive means intermittently actuable to rotate a first one of the number wheels thereby to effect counting of the counter and alignment means disposed in a rest position to engage at least the last number wheel or a transfer pinion in mesh therewith, thereby to inhibit rotation of said number wheel away from a defined count position, characterised in that the alignment means is momentarily displaced from said rest position upon actuation of the drive means to a position out of engagement with the said last number wheel or the transfer pinion in mesh therewith, to enable unhindered rotation of the number wheels during counting.
  • the alignment means comprises leaf spring means carried upon a reciprocating element of the drive means.
  • the alignment means is arranged in the rest position to engage each number wheel or a transfer pinion in mesh therewith, thereby separately to align the number wheels.
  • the transfer pinions include respective integral bosses formed with flats equal in number to the number of discrete angular positions adopted by the transfer pinions, said leaf spring means comprising separate leaves respectively engaging the flats.
  • the drive means includes a solenoid and a reciprocating armature, the leaf spring means being carried on said armature.
  • an electrical impulse operated number wheel counter comprises a housing 1 formed by two generally similar parts.
  • the housing is shown somewhat diagrammatically since the exact form plays no part in the present invention.
  • a suitable housing is shown in UK Patent Application No. 7943213 (Publication No. 2 039 398 A) to which reference is directed.
  • a series of coaxial number wheels 2 are freely rotatably mounted on a first shaft 3, ends of which engage in respective blind apertures in the housing 1.
  • the number wheels 2 are of known form, having on opposite sides thereof a ring of gear teeth 4 and a generally smooth ring 5 provided with a single transfer element 6.
  • Extending parallel with the first shaft 3 is a second shaft 7 - similarly located in the housing - on which are freely rotatably mounted transfer pinions 8, each provided at one side thereof with an integral boss 9, the exact form and purpose of which will be described hereinafter.
  • each transfer pinion is provided with alternating full and half width teeth, there being in this example five of each.
  • each pinion 8 mesh with the gear teeth 4 of one of the adjacent number wheels and the transfer element 6 on the other of the adjacent number wheels engages the full width pinion teeth once per revolution of that number wheel to drive that pinion through an angle sufficient to drive the teeth 4 of the number wheel with which that pinion is engaged by the amount necessary to effect a count of that number wheel.
  • a pawl 12 having drive elements 13 and 14 and a slot 15 which extends generally radially of the second shaft 7. As further described hereinafter, the pawl 12 is reciprocally rotated to effect a count.
  • Electrical impulse actuated means of the counter comprises a solenoid 20 provided on a bobbin 21.
  • the bobbin 21 threads over a solenoid core 22 which projects from an L-shaped frame 23 mounted within the housing.
  • the mounting of the frame 23 can take a variety of forms but is preferably as shown in the aforementioned UK Patent Application.
  • the magnetic circuit of the solenoid 20 is formed by the core 22 and the frame 23 and is completed by an armature 24 pivotally mounted on the free edge of the part of the L-shaped frame 23 which projects parallel to the solenoid core 22.
  • the pivotal mounting of the armature 24 is effected by means of notches 25 in the armature which engage respective opposite ends of a rectangular recess 26 formed in the frame 23.
  • the frame 23 is further provided with a spring anchor 27 between which and a similar anchor 28 provided on the frame 23, is connected a helical biassing spring 29 which -when the solenoid 20 is de energized - holds the armature 24 out of engagement with the core 22 of the solenoid.
  • a spring 29 returns the armature to the position (shown in Figure 2) where it is out of engagement with the core 22.
  • the armature 24 is formed with a lug 30 which projects within the slot 15 of the pawl so that whenever the armature is reciprocated as a result of a current pulse passing through the solenoid 20, reciprocation of the pawl 12 takes place to register a count on the first number wheel. It will be seen that the reciprocation of the armature 24 effects reciprocal movement in an opposite sense of the pawl 12.
  • leaf spring means 32 Carried upon the armature 24 is leaf spring means 32 in the form of a series of parallel leaves 33 extending between an integral support plate 34 which is riveted to the armature and an integral bridge piece 35.
  • the leaves 33 cooperate respectively with the bosses 9 of the transfer pinions, these bosses being of polygonal cross section with the number of flats equalling the number of discrete positions adopted by the transfer pinions-in this case five.
  • the leaves engage the respective bosses and are stressed by this engagement. It will be appreciated that the individual pinions are positively held against rotation and much improved alignment of the number wheels is achieved.
  • the effect of the armature moving toward the seolenoid core 22 is to retract the leaves 33 from the respective bosses 9 leaving the transfer pinions free to rotate as required for counting.
  • the number wheels 2 and the transfer pinions 8 are able to rotate unhindered by the leaf spring means.
  • the leaf spring means 32 significantly reduces the power consumption of the counter.
  • a shock resistance member 50 is provided in the counter, extending generally parallel to the number wheel and transfer pinion shafts.
  • the element 50 is an integral plastics moulding and can be seen to comprise a body portion 51 having a quadrant shaped cross section, end spigots 52 and an operating lug 53.
  • the spigots 52 are located in blind apertures of the housing and abutments (not shown) provided in the housing limit the angular movement of the member.
  • the shock resistance member is pivotally and eccentically mounted for free oscillation within limits about an axis parallel to that about which pawl 12 pivots during counting.
  • the operating lug 53 underlies the drive element 14 of the pawl.
  • the purpose of the shock resistance member 50 is to eliminate spurious counts resulting from shock induced movements of the armature 24 and pawl 12. fn the event of a shock causing pawl 12 to rotate in a direction which would cause drive element 13 to impart movement to the ratchet teeth 16, the lug 53 of the shock resistance member will collide with the drive element 14 the member 50 having itself been set into oscillatory motion by the same shock, but at a much greater frequency that the interconnected pawl and armature, due to the absence of any movement inhibiting elements such as helical spring 29. The effect of the shock resistance member colliding with the pawl is to bring the pawl to rest by absorbing its energy thus preventing a count being made. Since there is no direct connection between the pawl and the shock resistance member, the effect of the shock resistance member upon the power consumption of the counter during normal operation is negligible.
  • the described leaf spring means includes a plurality of leaves one for each transfer pinion, a reasonable degree of alignment can be achieved with a single leaf spring engaging only the lasttransfer pinion remote from the drive pawl.
  • the maximum possible mis-alignment increases progressively from the first to the last transfer pinion and if the last transfer pinion is correctly aligned, the misalignment of the intermediate pinions is very much reduced.
  • leaves are provided, these could be arranged to engage the number wheels directly rather than the transfer pinions.
  • elements other than leaf springs could be used to form the alignment means; an example being rigid toothed arms meshing, in the rest position, with the teeth of the number wheels.
  • the alignment means be displaced momentarily as the drive means is actuated so that rotation of the numberwheels and transfer pinion is not hindered during counting.
  • the most convenient arrangement is to mount the alignment means directly on the armature.
  • the alignment means could however be mounted on another element of the drive means or could be separately mounted in the housing in a manner so as to be engageable with the armature or some other element of the drive means.
  • the described reduction in power consumption can be achieved with the leaf spring means engaging a part of the counter other than the number wheels or transfer pinions.
  • the leaf spring means could for example engage, in the rest position of the armature, an abutment provided on the housing. In appropriate case, the leaf spring might even be mounted on the housing so as to engage an abutment formed on the armature.
  • spring means other than a leaf spring could be employed, for example a second helical spring or an appropriately positioned block of foamed plastics material.
  • Modifications can similarly be made to the described shock resistance member.
  • This could be mounted in the path of a drive element other than the pawl, such as - in the example of an electric impulse operated counter - the armature.
  • the shape of the member would be adapted to suit counters having a different configuration and other forms of mounting of the member can be employed, if desired.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Transmission Devices (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Distances Traversed On The Ground (AREA)
EP19800901960 1979-10-26 1980-10-27 Number wheel counters Expired EP0039347B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB7937228 1979-10-26
GB7937228 1979-10-26

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0039347A1 EP0039347A1 (en) 1981-11-11
EP0039347B1 true EP0039347B1 (en) 1986-08-06

Family

ID=10508794

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19800901960 Expired EP0039347B1 (en) 1979-10-26 1980-10-27 Number wheel counters

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0039347B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS56501388A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE3071690D1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
WO (1) WO1981001212A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT221659Z2 (it) * 1989-10-20 1994-07-25 Veglia Borletti Srl Dispositivo di allineamento delle cifre di un numeratore totalizzatorea tamburi numerati di visualizzazione.

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3306537A (en) * 1965-02-03 1967-02-28 Standard Instr Corp Aligning device for the printing wheels of an electro-magnetic counter
GB1192015A (en) * 1966-06-25 1970-05-13 Counting Instr Ltd Improved Drive for Mechanical Counters
GB1200258A (en) * 1967-08-01 1970-07-29 Hengstler Kommanditgesellschaf Transfer mechanism for digital counters
US3619577A (en) * 1969-05-21 1971-11-09 Veeder Industries Inc Clapper counterweight
GB1339163A (en) * 1971-06-02 1973-11-28 English Numbering Machines Counter with shock proofing mechanism
DE2362163A1 (de) * 1973-12-14 1975-06-19 Emmerich Christoph Kg Elektromechanischer zaehler
DE2422951A1 (de) * 1974-05-11 1975-11-13 Elmeg Zaehlwerk mit ziffernausrichtung
DE2509813A1 (de) * 1975-03-06 1976-09-16 Elmeg Zaehlwerk mit ziffernausrichtung

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE3071690D1 (en) 1986-09-11
EP0039347A1 (en) 1981-11-11
WO1981001212A1 (en) 1981-04-30
JPS56501388A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1981-09-24

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