GB833177A - Counter - Google Patents

Abstract

833,177. Counting-apparatus. VEEDERROOT Inc..July 15, 1958 [July 25, 1957], No. 22643/58. Class 106 (1). ). In a counter in which the number wheels and/or transfer pinions are fabricated of a non- metallic material having a relatively high coefficient of thermal expansion and a relatively high hydroscopic coefficient, means are provided to compensate for variations in size of the expansible parts. As described, a counter has number wheels 20 of a non-metallic material referred to as nylon and associated mutilated tooth transfer pinions 30, and a driving pinion 34 also of nylon, the transfer pinions cooperating with a gear on the higher order number wheel and a transfer tooth and locking ring on the lower order number wheel in the conventional manner. The pinions 30, 34 are mounted on a shaft 31 supported in a yoke 36 whose end pieces 37 are pivotally mounted on a shaft 42 supported in the counter housing. A resetting lever 46 comprising arms 48 cooperating with heart cams 29 on the numeral wheels is pinned to the shaft 42, a torsion spring 52 mounted on the shaft 42 being adapted to urge the yoke 36 and resetting lever 46 towards each other. movement being limited by engagement of one of the arms 48 with an ear 40 on the yoke. Resetting is effected by depressing a plunger 64 arranged by a mechanical linkage to pivot the shaft 42 in a counterclockwise direction against the action of a spring 60, thereby pivoting the reset lever and arms correspondingly to return the number wheels to zero and, through the spring 52 causing counterclockwise pivoting of the yoke 36 to disengage the transfer pinions. The transfer pinions when disengaged are maintained in correct alignment relative to the number wheels by entering notches 68 in a fixed transfer pinion spacer plate 66. A stop member 70 engageable with the ear 40 limits clockwise rotation of the yoke. 36 and is also formed of nylon so that when expansion occurs the transfer pinions are moved radially outward thereby preventing binding of the number wheels and transfer pinions due to temperature and humidity changes. The stop member 70 is substantially semi-circular, having a diameter approximately equal to that of the number wheels, and is mounted eccentrically on the counter frame by a screw 72. In an alternative arrangement, Fig. 6, the transfer pinions are rotatably mounted on a shaft which is supported at either end by nylon brackets 84 loosely supported on the number wheel shaft 77.