US1176690A - Odometer. - Google Patents

Description

A. FA POOLE.

ODOMEER.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 25, 1910.

Patented Mar. 2l, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. F. POOLE.

ODOMETER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. 1910.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

ARTHUR F. POOLE, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ODOMETER.

Application led Hay 25, 1910. Serial No. 563,258.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR F. POOLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certa-in new and useful Improvement in Odometers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to odometers. It is a radical departure from what has been done in the art and its objects are simplification of structure and improvement in operation to the common end of accuracy and reliability.

As is the case with most of the structures of the prior art, the device of my invention may be employed for a variety of purposes, but, as stated before, it is anticipated that the most popular use of my device will be in connection with road vehicles of the wheeled variety to measure distances traveled thereby, and I therefore contemplate a structure particularly adapted to such use.

The advantages of my proposed'structure are many in the ways of appearance, simplicity and compactness of construction, and the employment of uniform parts. Its most salient characteristic advantage, however, is the absolute elimination ofA carry-over gears of any kind in the application of power to the digits element or elements beyond the units element. In fact, there is no carry-over mechanism and eachl digits element is operated independently of the other. In other words, each digits element is operated by power applied directly to it and to it alone, and all the digits elements are of substantially the same construction, although probably not necessarily so, sothat the load on the exertive element is always the same while registration is taking place. Thus one of the most serious disadvantages of the prior art is overcome. In devices of this kind, as heretofore proposed, it has been universal to employ the well-known Geneva, mechanism or devices of a similar nature whereby the movement of each digits element or wheel, for wheels they most likely will be, is transmitted to the adjacent digits wheel. That is, for every revolutionvof the units wheel, for instance, the mechanism is effective to secure the advance of the tens wheel one point; and this effect was secured Specificationl of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

properly and universally by means of a gear relation between the units wheel and the tens Wheel or, at least, a carry-over mechanism of some sort. Since the same relation, in these prior art structures, exists between the tens Wheel and the hundreds wheel, it follows that when the hundreds wheel is to be operated a further burden is placed upon the units wheel. Consistently, when the thousands wheel is to be operated the power must be transmitted through the units wheel, tens and hundreds wheels before it reached the thousands wheel., and it is clear that the load on the exertive element is a very considerable one, not being directly proportional to the number of digits wheels employed but nearer proportional to the squares thereof. This constant and considerable change in the load on the exertive force is a very undesirable feature, to say nothing of the lost motion between the first and last gears of the carry-over elements` employed.

The device of my invention is not subject to the various disadvantages pointed out in the preceding paragraph relative to the structures of the prior art. As before stated, in my device, each digits wheel is operated directly and independently and the metricY relations between the digits elements is maintained wholly by way of mechanism whereby leach digits element, except of course the last, is effective to merely determine whether or not the succeeding digits element is to be actuated. In carrying out this idea, I provide an actuating member which is adapted to pass by the properly arranged digits elements and to occupy two positions, in one to operate a digits wheel as it passes and in the other to remain ineffective. Associated with this actuating member I provide a dog which follows it and which has a part which is adapted to .be engaged by some part associated with each digits wheel before the actuating member has reached the next digits wheel. If the dog is so'operated the actuating member is brought into inoperative position and the succeeding digits wheel is not actuated. If, however, the dog is not .actuated by a certain digits wheel the actuating member remains in an operative-position so that the succeeding digits wheel will be operated. This is the precise manner in which the desired result is obtained in the structure herein shown and described, but, as will later appear,the activeness and passiveness of the mention this to bring out the broad scopeof my invention and so that I may not be held to contemplate the particular construction and arrangement herein shown and described. It has been found desirable in the art, particularly in connection with road vehicles, to associate a totalizing register and a trip register, the latter being provided with means for resetting the same to zero at any desired time. The purpose of this arrangement is, of course, obvious; the driver of a vehicle may keep a totalized account of the ground covered by him by means of the totalizing register, sometimes called a season register, and may also measure specific distances by means of the trip" register. Consistent with the purposes of the prior art devices, I provide two registers, one of which has resetting .means associated therewith, and in connection with the latter I provide means whereby the possible existence of a dead point is avoided. In other words, I provide means whereby the trip register may be reset at any time. It is well known that in the prior art devices there is a certain period during which it would be impossible to vreset the register for the reason that the various parts thereof are mechanically boundtogether to form a kinematic chain and are capable of movement in one direction only, that direction being the one Vinvolved in making a registration. My invention provides for effectually eliminating this disadvantage.

My invention is embodied in the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a face view with the casing and some of the other parts broken away to clearly reveal the construction; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, the casing being shown in diametrical section and someV of the parts being removed so that the onstruction may be clear; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, more of the parts being, however, removed to further illustrate the mechanism; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary face view showing th'e'variousV parts isolated to some extent and illustrating the pawl and dog mechansm in a different position from that shown in Fig. 1.

Like reference characters are applied to the same parts throughout the various figures. I

The various operating parts are mounted upon a supporting back plate 5 to which is secured, by means of screws 6, 6, a cover 7, which is provided with openings 8, through which one of the characters on each of the number wheels may be revealed. In the specific embodiment of my invention herein shown, the supporting back plate 5 is of substantially circular form and, at its center, has secured therein a stud 9 upon which is rotatably mounted a Spur gear 10 of substantial diameter so that operating parts may be mounted therein as will hereinafter become apparent. Meshing with the spur gear 10 is a pinion 11, which is provided with a hub 12'mounted upon a shaft 13 rotatably set in the back plate 5 and in a sleeve 14 secured to the back plate. It is to be understood thatthe shaft 13 is connected by means of a flexible shaft, the sheath ofw which is shown at 13, with suitable clutch and gearing mechanism (not shown) associated with one of the front wheels of the vehicle upon which'the device is employed. The hub 12 of the pinion 11 is provided with .a transverse slot 15 into which extends a pin 16 secured to the shaft 13, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The transverse slot 15 flares outwardly in both directions, as indicated in the drawing, and the purpose of this arrangement will be taken up when the aii'ected parts are described'. It is clear that in the arrangement pointed out the pinion 11 will rotate with the shaft 13 and, by this means, that the rotation of the shaft will result in rotation of the spur gear 10.

Circularly arranged somewhat beyond the periphery of the spur gear 10 and substantially equi-distant -from eachother are a plurality of studs, 17, 17 rigidly secured in the back plate 5, one of these studs being provided for each digit desired in the totalizer. Mounted upon each of the studs 17 is a star wheel 18, and in the specific embodiment herein shown these star wheels are of suicient diameter to slightly overlap the spur gear 10. Each of the star wheels 18 is provided with a hub 19 which rests upon a collar 20 so that it may" find a suitable bearing and so that the star wheel proper may be disposed in a plane above that of the spur gear 10. The hubs 19 and the collars 20 are of restricted diameter so as to escape the spur gear. Each of the star wheels 18 is provided with an auxiliary hub 21 on the upper side thereof and to this hub is secured in some suitable manner, so that it may rotate therewith, a number wheel 22. It is to be noted that all the number wheels are alike and particularly that in the case of all the number wheels the numbers progress in the same direction, the usual decimal arrangement being, of course, employed.

Associated with each of the star Wheels 18 is abracket 23 secured to the back plate 5, radially beyond the stud 17 relative to the center stud 9, in any suitable manner, for instance by means of the screws 24, 24. In consequence of this arrangement the various brackets 23, 23 are circularly arranged, as indicated in Fig. 1. Each of the brackets 23 is substantially L-sh-aped, although the face `part thereof is provided with a more substantial part for su porting purposes, and the forwardly exten vided with a slot 25 in which is loosely disposed a small circular disk 26, which is arranged to be held between adjacent teeth of the corresponding star wheel by means of a spring 27 extending from a stud 28 on the outside bracket at one end to a stud 29 on the outside bracket at the other end, it being clear that this arrangement provides for maintaining the spring 27 in constant con tact with all the disks employed. `Whatever movement the disk 26 may have in the slot 25 is negligible and it is clear that this arrangement, therefore, provides for always maintaining the associated star wheel in a definite position relative to the other parts of the structure regardless of its own position on its axis. In other Words, each star Wheel has certain stopping points and it is clear that the stai' teeth, the disk and the associated spring, will be effective in maintaining these stopping points, this beingv desirable so that each star wheel may be in position` to be actuated if it is to be actuated at all, as will be hereinafter described. Of course, this arrangement also provides for maintaining alinement between the digits to be exposed and the openings 8, 8 provided lfor their exposure. From the description Pthus far it is clear that each of the star wheels operates absolutely independently of the others, that they and their associated parts are all alike, and that they all proceed in the same direction, in this instance in a clockwise direction, since the spur gear 10 is adapted to be rotated in the direction of the arrow applied thereto in accordance with the opposite direction of rotation of the shaft 13.

Rotatably mounted upon a stud 30, which is suitably secured in and extends from the face of the spur gear 10,y is an actuating pawl 31 which, as shown in Fig. 1, is arranged to engage the teeth of the star wheels and to move the star wheels one point or notch for each such engagement. This is the actuating member which was referred to broadly in the introductory part of this specification. As there stated, this member was adapted to occupy two positions of importance, one of them being the position shown in Fig. 1. As there shown,the pawl is provided with a notch 32 into which extends a pin 33 secured to the spur gear 10. This notch is of such size that the pawl may have a limited movement relative to the pin which limits such movement in both directions. When ,the pawl is at the other limit of its movement it is entirely out of the path of the correspondingly positioned teeth of the star wheel which, ofcourse, are all at the same distance from the center of the stud 9. A spring 34 extends from a stud 35 secured to the face of the spur gear 10, passes about mg part thereof is prothe stud 30 and engages with a pin 36 on the pawl 31. The spring 34 finds a purchase, as will hereinafter be described, so that it will have a tendency to draw the pawl 31 in a counter-clockwise direction, this movement being arrested by the pin 33 as before explained, but being sulicient so that the pawl 31 may lie in the path of *he star wheels.

A stud 37 is provided upon the spur gear 10 near the stud 30 and upon the former is pivotally mounted a dog 38 having a tooth 39 which is arranged to engage in a notch 40 in the pawl 31 and, by Asuch engagement, to hold the pawl in its operative position in the path of the teeth of the star wheels. Thus, it is a general proposition that when the dog 38 engages the pawl 31 it holds the pawl in an operative position and that when the dog 38 is disengaged from the pawl 31 both are in an inoperative position. The dog 38 is also provided with a tooth 41 which is adapted to occupy the same position relative to the center stud 9 as does the tooth part of the pawl 31. In other words, the tooth 41 may occupy a position so that it may engage and be actuated by the teeth of the star wheels and may be held in this position by means of a weak leaf spring 42 extending from a boss 43 secured to or integral with the spur gear 10. The spring 42 is provided with the cam portion 44 which is adapted to rest in a notch 45 in the dog 38 when the dog holdsV the pawl in its operative position. The spur gear 10 is provided with the mortise 46, of circular form with the pivot stud 37 as a center, and through this mortise passes a following piece 47 which extends downwardly from the dog 38. This piece 47, as best indicated in Fig. 3, is adapted to follow a stationary cam 48, the major portion of this cam being circular and a small portion thereof having an increasing radius to restore the dog to its position with the cam portion 44 of the spring 42 in engagement with the notch 45 thereof, all for a purpose hereinafter fully set forth. Suice it to say at this time that the dog 38 is capable of movement in a counter-clockwise direction,

features of my invention and its operation will therefore be described before proceeding with the further description of the specic form.

In the arrangement of digits wheels the units wheel is, of course, farthest to the right, the tens wheel next to the left, the hundreds wheel next, etc. It is clear that if but the units wheel were employed the pawl 31 could be securely fastened in its operative position upon the spur gear 10 so that for each revolution of the spur gear the units wheel would be advanced one notch or point. The length of the star teeth, the length of the actuating part of the pawl, and the distance between the studs 17 and the stud 30, are, of course all' gaged so that the angle of action may not be too large for the proper operation of the disk and spring arrangement which helps to advance the star wheels, and, when once advanced, locks them in place. It will be clear from Fig. 1 that the angle of actionis a very small one and the significance of this feature will hereinafter more fully appear when the trip register and resetting mechanism are taken up for description.

As before stated, if but one star wheel were provided, the actuating pawl 31 could be securely fastened upon the spur gear 10. The dog arrangement which has been described is provided, however, for the purpose of increasing the capacity of the register and its operation to secure this result will now be described.

It is to be noted that each of the star wheels in the register, except the last considering the direction of the actuating pawl, has one tooth thereof mortised as indicated at w, this mortise being such that merely the bottom of the tooth is cut away. The mortised tooth is preferably the tooth corresponding to the 0 point in the corresponding digits wheel; a t least', it should bear the same -relation to that point in the case of all the digits elements. The actuating pawl 31 is made of such thickness that it may actuate any one of the teeth of the star wheel, even the mortised tooth, but the dog 38 is made of somewhat less thickness so that it may pass through the mortise should it occur that that particular tooth be in its path at that time, the arrangement, of course, being such that but one tooth on each star wheel can be in the path of either the pawl or`d0g at the same time. When the actuating pawl approaches the Star .Wheels from the right in its counterclockwise rotation, it is always in the position shown in Fig. 1, that is, in its operative position as held by the dog 38. This result is secured in a manner which will be presently pointed out. It is, of course, understood that the units wheel is to be advanced one point for each rotation of the spur gear 10, while the other wheels are all to remain inert until the units wheel has made a complete revolution as would vbe the case in any odometer. Considering the units wheel as beginning its registering ro- 'Of the other digits Wheels.

tation with 1 it is clear that one revolution thereof will brin the mortised tooth, the 0 tooth, into te path of the tooth 41 of the dog 38. This is, of course, just after the 9 tooth has been actuated by the pawl 31. Now, with the star wheel in this position it is clear that the dog 38 will pass through the mortise in the tooth 0 and that the primary relation between the pawl and dog will not be disturbed and the pawl will be in position to actuate the tens wheel. If that wheel is at 9 the pawl will actuate it to throw it into the 0 position and, the dog passing through the mortise in that wheel, the primary relation just referred to will continue so that the hundreds wheel may be actuated. This relation may goon indeiinitely. If, however, it should occur that the mortised tooth is not in the path of the dog when the dog reaches the star wheel, the dog will engage a tooth and will be swung, in a clockwise direction, about the pivot stud 37, the spring 27 overpowering the spring 42 so that this result may take place. As soon as the dog is thus thrown, the part 39 thereof is released from the notch 40 of the pawl 31 and,.the spring 34 being merely a weak spring, the pawl will yield in its engagement with the teeth to follow instead of actuating them. And this is the case with the other nine teeth on each of the star wheels. The last digits wheel does not have a mortised tooth so it always throws the dog into an inoperative position. The cam 48 is effective inrestoring the dog 38 to its operative position.- It will be noted that' thev main portion of the cam 48 is circular, but that, relatively just before the units wheel is reached, the diameter is increased so that, by way of the part 47 on the dog, the dog is raised to its operative position, withI the part 41 thereof in the path of the teeth of the star wheels and with the spring 42 engaging in the notch 45, it being, of course, understood that thepawl 31 is held in its outward position by the slight tension of the spring 34 so that the part 39 of the-dog 38 may properly enter and engage in the and for each revolution of the tens wheel the hundreds wheel is operated, etc. Upon the exposure of each of the other nine digits of the units wheel the dog is thrown into inoperative position and, the pawl not having a direct bearing, cannot operate any So also the pawl may be kept in position to operate the units and tens wheel but not the hundreds wheel, etc.

The mechanism above described comprises but Ione register, a totalizer or season iso register. It is common in the art to associate, with a totalizer, a trip register which can be reset substantially at any desired time. I have, therefore, illustrated a trip register comprising the number wheels 49, 49. It is clear that this trip register could be operated precisely as is the season or totalizing register and that the only difference need be that auxiliary mechanism is provided for resetting it. This would be the case especially were the number Wheels of the trip register arranged in the same direction, relative to the travel of the actuating pawl, as are the number wheels of the season register. If the season register wheels and the trip register wheels were arranged in substantially vertical arcs, this would be a very simple matter, but to facilitate reading it is usually desired that they be arranged in substantially horizontal arcs. And thus, so far as the travel of the actuating pawl in the present instance is concerned, it is necessary that the direction of the digits Wheels in the trip register be the reverse of that of the number Wheels ofthe season register. And for this reason some special mechanism must be employed, since the actuating dog 38, which determines whether or not the actuating pawl 31 is to' actuate a certain digits wheel, follows and does not lead the pawl which it so controls. Thus I do not employ the dog 38 at all in the operation of the trip register and, as will be noted, it is in its inoperative position when passing the trip register.

-As indicated in Figi 4, the star wheels of the trip re 'ster arel of the same type and are similar y arranged as those of the season register, there being but three star wheels employed for the trip register, however, since that number of digits is usually sufficient. As a leading element to determine whether or not the actuating pawl is to be el'ective, I provide the dog 50 mounted upon the pivot stud 35 which has heretofore been referred to. The spring 34, which has heretofore been referred to, after passing around the stud 35, is secured upon a pin 51 on this dog and tends to throw it outwardly. The dog 50 is provided with a downwardly extending portion 52 which extends through an opening 53 in the gear 10 so that it may engage with the inside of a circular cam 54, as best shown in Fig. 3. The opening 53 is circular with the stud 35 as a center so that the dog is free to swing within ample limits. The cam 54 is in suchr` position that it `is effective in maintaining the engaging surface 55 of the dog 50 out of any effective engagement with the teeth of the star wheels of the season register.l However, after the dog 50 has left the region of the season register it is released fromthe cam 54 and 1s eiective in connection with the starwheels of the trip register.

as will be presently described. The dog 50 is provided with the abutment part 56 which is adapted to engage in a notch 57 in the pawl 31 in quite the same manner and for quite the same reason as has been described relative to the other dog and the pawl.- Thus, when the abutment part 56 is in engagement in the notch 57 the pawl 31 is held in its operative position so as to actuate the star wheels of the digits elements of the trip Yregister which are arranged exactly in the same manner as has been described tural parts of the trip register have been 'lettered the same as analogous parts in the season register and further description in this connection would be superfluous. Considering the direction of rotation of the spur gear 10 it is to be noted that the dog 50 leads the actuating pawl 31, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

Y In the trip register, as in the totalizing register, the units wheel is farthest to the right. It is to be noted that in the tri register, in the case of the tens and hundreds wheel the 9 teeth are mortised and the reason for this will presently appear. It is clear that the units wheel of the trip register, as in the case of the season register, must be advanced one notch or point for each rotation of the spur gear 10, and such will be found to be the case, for it is clear that the actuating pawl 31 does not reach theunits wheel of the trip register until after the dog 50 is entirely free therefrom so that the spring 34 may be operative to hold the pawl and the dog in the operating relation shown in Fig. 4. In passing the digits wheels of the trip register the dog 50 is adapted to ride upon the points of the teeth, this engagement holding the dog in such position that the pawl 31 is not held in a positive position to and cannot actuate any of the star Wheels. In the case of a mortised tooth, however, the dog 50 may move outwardly so that the abutment part 56 en- 'gages the notch 57 in order to place the pawl 31 in its operative position. It is to be noted that the engaging surface`55 is of suicient length to simultaneously engage` the teeth of two of the star wheels, and thus if it finds a mortise in both theunits and tens wheel it will move into operative position and the pawl will actuate the hundreds wheel, being spaced from the dog the proper. amount for this purpose. Considering the approach of the dog 50 lto `the tri register from the left, it will be seen that t e engaging surface 55 first rides upon oney of the g teeth of the hundreds wheel and then u on engagement and the actuating pawl will not operate the hundreds wheel. If it does find a mortised tooth in both, which means that both the units and tens wheel have made the necessary complete revolution, the dog will be brought into operative engagement with the actuating pawl and the hundreds wheel will be operated. Similarly, as the pawl approaches the tens Wheel, it will actuate it only if the dog finds a mortise in the units wheel. There being nothing to affect the dog 50 after it leaves the units wheel, it is clear that the units wheel will be operated 'ever time the actuating pawl passes it. As

the ollower 50 again approaches the season register it will be drawn into inoperative position by the engagement of the follower 52 with the cam 54. As before stated, the dog 38 is always thrown into an inoperative position by the last wheel of the totalizer and this efectually takes it from the region of the trip register.

In order that the trip register may be reset to zero at any time, each of the register wheels has operating therewith a ratchet 56 each of which, having primarily the number of teeth of the associated star wheels, is deprived of one tooth, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Associated with the three ratchets thus provided is a bar.57 which is provided with teeth 58, 58 disposed in corresponding relation to the ratchets. Since all the wheels are reset in the same direction a one-piece pawl member may be used. This bar 57 is adapted to be oscillated in its own arc between the abutments 59 and 60 by means of the manipulation of a thumb piece 61, from -which extends a shaft 62 mounted in a beargated opening in the back plate 5 to the rear of which the bearing 63 is secured. It

, follows that oscillation of the thumb piece 61 will result in oscillation of the bar 57, the latter being held against its stud 60 by means of the spring 66 connecting the end thereof with a pin 67 on the back plate.

This oscillation is effective in successfully engaging the teeth of the ratchets, the spring 66 being effective in holding the teeth 58, 58 in engagement with them. The blank portions ofthe ratchets are so disposed that they occur at the regions of the teeth 58, 58 when the O of the corresponding number wheel is exposed. Thus, continued manipulation of the thumb piece 61 will rotate all the ratchetsv simultaneously and when any one of them has reached the 0 position the corresponding tooth 58 will merely reciprocate along the blank space in vain. Thus it` takes no more than ten oscillations to reset all the wheels and it is clear that they are all reset in the same direction and without carry-over mechanism of any kind.

It is evident that the units wheel of the season register and the units wheel of the trip register are both operated once for each revolution of the spur gear 10 and it further follows that the season register will totalize the various trip registers. The spur gear relations are, of course, properly determined relative to the diameter of the road wheel with which the odometer is connected to that accuracy and reliability may be had. Although it has been stated that the digits wheel farthest left in each of the registers is not mortised, clearly in the trip register a slot would do no harm and that, for the sake of uniformity in construction, these may also be mortised if desired. In fact, it is one of the objects of my invention to embody the principles above outlined in a simple construction which can be made up so far as possible with structural units. Thus, it is to be noted that all of the number wheels are alike. The numbers increase around their peripheries in the same direction, quite the contrary to the number wheels of odometers of the prior art. The star wheels may all be alike, the case of the two star wheels of the trip register in which the mortise occurs at the 9 point being merely a matter of displacement.

In the earlier part of this specification it was pointed out that the angle of action between the actuating pawl and the star wheels is a very small one and it follows that that time during which mechanically resistant parts are locked together is a very small one relative to the time during which the device is operated. It is lwell known that in the odometers of the prior art there is a certain time, once for each revolution of the units wheel, when resetting cannot take place since all the parts are mechanically connected together. The angle of action, at the time when the parts are mechanically connected together in my structure, is so small that it can be met by the play given the pinion 11 relative to the shaft 13 by the pin and slot arrangement 15, 16, to overcome this serious diiiiculty in the prior devices If the actuating member is engaging any one of the star wheels of the trip register when said star wheels are being reset, the

member will be moved ahead of its driving shaft 12 due to the slot and pin connection 15 and 16. Thus, even during thetime when the parts are mechanically connected together as pointed out, the actuating pawl can be removed from the zone of action by the mere manipulation of the thumb piece i 61 without being arrested by the load on the shaft 13. The shaft 13 is, of course, ar-

ranged to operate in but one direction,

proper clutch mechanism being provided for this purpose, and it is clear that even though the actuating pawl were within the angle of action of, say, the units wheel, it

would merely be removed therefrom by the manipulation of the thumb piece in the direction to reset the number wheel, for such movement will clearly be permitted by the play between the shaft and pinion 11, as described.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an odo-meter, a plurality of digits elements, a single device for operating said digits elements independently of each other and automatically successively, and means whereby the position of one digit element is effective in determining whether or not the succeeding elements are to be operated by said device.

2. In an odometer, a plurality of digits elements, a single device for operating said digits elements independently of each other and automatically successively, and means for each digit element for affecting said 0perating means to determine whether or not it shall operate the succeeding digits elements.

3. In an odometer, a plurality of digits elements, a single actuating member for operating said digits elements independently of each other, said actuating member being adapted to occupy two positions, in one of which it can operate said digits elements, in the other of which it avoids operating said digits elements, and means for engaging said digits elements for affecting said actuating member to place it in either of said positions.

4. In an odometer, a plurality of digits wheels, a single actuating member for advancing said digits wheels, said actuating member being adapted to occupy two positions, in one of which it can operate the digits wheels and the other of which it avoids operating said digits wheels, and means for engaging any one of said digits wheels for placing said actuating member in an inoperative position but once in its revolution.

5. In an odometer, a plurality of star wheels, a single actuating member for actuating said star wheels, said actuating member being adapted to occupy two positions, in one of which it can operate the star wheels and the other of which it avoids operating said star wheels, and a dog arranged to be engaged by one of said star wheels to render said actuating member inoperative, said star wheel being such that. it will fail once to actuate said dog for each revolution thereof.

6. In an odometer, a pinion, a gear meshing with said pinion, a plurality of star wheels disposed beyond the periphery of said gear, an actuating pawl carried by said gear and adapted to advance said star wheels, a dog for holding said actuating pawl in an operative position, said star wheels being arranged for tripping said dog so that said actuating pawl may pass to an inoperative position.

7. In an odometer, a pinion, a gear meshing with said pinion, a plurality of star wheels disposed beyond the periphery of said gear, an actuating pawl carried by said gear and adapted to advance said star wheels, a dog for holding said actuating pawl in an operative position, said star wheels being arranged for tripping said dog so that said actuating pawl may pass to an inoperative position, and a cam for returning said dog to hold said pawl in its operative position after the last star wheel has been passed.

8. In an odometer, a season register comprising a plurality of digits elements, a trip register comprising a plurality of digits elements, and a single device for operating each of said digits elements independently of all the others, and mechanism connected with each of said elements for determining whether or not the succeeding elements are to be operated by said device.

9. In an odometer, a rotating element, a plurality of digits wheels disposed beyond the periphery of said rotating element, an actuating pawl carried by said rotating element, a weak spring tending to hold said actuating pawl in an operative position, a strong spring tending to prevent operation of said digits wheels, a dog arranged to coact with said actuating pawl to hold it in operative position, said digits wheels being arranged for throwing said dog out of coaction with said pawl.

10. In an odometer, a totalizing register comprising a plurality of digits wheels, a-

trip register comprising a plurality of digits wheels, a rotating element, an actuating member for actuating all of said digits elements, and a dog for each of said registers for holding said actuating member in an operative position.

11. In an odometer, a totalizing register comprising a plurality of digits wheels, a trip register comprising a plurality of digits Wheels, a rotating element, an actuating member for actuating all of said digits elements, a dog for each of said registers for holding said actuating member in an operative position, and mechanism for maintaining each of said dogs in an inoperative position while it is passing the register with which it is not desired to co-act.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 21st day of May, A. D. 1910.

ARTHUR F. POOLE.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR H. BOETTCHER, ALBERT G. MCCALEB.

Vso

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