US1506939A

US1506939A - Counter

Info

Publication number: US1506939A
Application number: US608153A
Authority: US
Inventors: William G Pankonin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1922-12-21
Filing date: 1922-12-21
Publication date: 1924-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 1941-09-02

Description

Sept. 2:; 1924. v l 1,506,939

" w. GQPANKONIN COUNTER Filed nec. 21, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 1 ll i v Sept. 2 1924.

w. G. PANKONIN COUNTER Filed nec. 21, 1922 2 sheen-sheet a faxen/fof@ Zz'am 6. @H/07Min,

Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

UNITEDl STATES PATENT QFFICE.

COUNTER.

Application l'ed December 21, 19.22. Serial No. 608,153,

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. PANKo- NIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in counters of the type more commonly used in connection with p-rinting presses, punch presses and other machinery in connection with which it is desired to keep a tally or record of the operations.

One object of the invention is to provide in a counter of the class described, automatically operable means for positively locking the numeral wheels against overthrow during the registering operations thereof, thus avoiding one of the chief objections t0 counters now in use.

Another object contemplates the utilization of the overthrow stop mechanism in resetting the numeral wheels to zero. A further object of the invention resides in the provision of means whereby the overthrow stop associated with each of the numeral wheels will become operative immediately upon the commencement of the zero-to-one movement thereof and wherein such stop will be maintained in such position for each subsequent movement of said wheels, thereby overcoming the possibility of overthrow throughout the entire operation of the counter.

Another object resides in the provision of a novel form of auxiliary bearing for the counter gear wheels and driving ratchets associated therewith whereby all tendencies of these elements to bind upon the main supporting shaft are avoided.

Another object of. the invention is to provide, in a counter of the class described, a novel form of oscillatory driving mechanism by means of which a fixed step-by-step movement will be imparted to the numeral wheels for varying degrees of movement of said mechanism.

Many other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein one form of the invention is illust-rated.

transmitting the step-by-step movement to the first of the numeral wheels;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1 and showing one of the' numeral Wheels in side elevation and the mechanism within said Wheel in dotted lines;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1, showing the interior of one of the, numeral wheels in elevation and a portion of its associated ratchet wheel in section;

Fig.A 9 is a section taken on the line 9-.9 of Fig. 7

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a side eleva-tion of the reset and overthrow cam;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail view of one of the counter gear wheel and ratchet units, together with the removable bearing annulus which forms one side of each counter wheel;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail view showing the ratchet and pawl mechanism for preventing reverse movement of the driving ratchet; and

Fig. 14 is a detail view Ott the driving ratchet, overthrow stop ratchet, and associated parts.

Referrlng more in det-ail to the drawings, the counterI comprises a substantially U- shaped supporting standard 10, the base of which may be provided with apertured lugs or the like 11 by means of which the counter may be bolted or otherwise anchored in position on the machine in connection with which it is desired to use the same. A sheet metal cover 12 is rovided which fits down over the U-shap supporting standard 10 and encloses or houses all of the various operating parts of the mechanism as shown in the drawings, this cover or enclosure l2 being provided With a plurality of transversely alined sight openings, not shown in the drawings, through which the numbers on the various numeral W-heels 13 of the counter may be viewed during the operation thereof.

Extending transversely of the supporting standard and journaled in the side walls thereofis thev main or supporting shaft 14 of the counter, this shaft being journaled directly in the side wall of the supportinor standard at the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, and at the right is journa-led in a socket 15 in the operating hub member 16. Which latter in turn is journaled in bearing sleeve 17, Which is mounted in a suitable aperture formed in the corresponding side wall of the supporting standard. The numeral wheels 13 are j ournaled on shaft 14 and are adapted to be selectively rotated thereon by means to be hereinafter described, to register the number of the operations being counted'. Each numeral wheel comprises a casing 18 0n the interior of which are pivot-ally mounted a driving pawl19 and an anchor 20. One side of each of the numeral wheels is in the form of a plain notched disk 21, having superimposed thereon a. segmental gear 22, the space intervening between the tWo teeth thereof being coincident with the notch in the side' plate 2'1. The other side face of each of the -numeral wheels is in the form of an apertured annulus 23 provided with a series of arcuate slots 24 designed for engagement with the outstanding lugs 25, providedon the corresponding edge of the outer peripheral number bearing drum 26 of said Wheel. This apertured annulus 23 is also provided with tivo diametrically opposite smaller apertures 27 designed to receive the outer ends of the pivot pins on which the pawl 19 and anchor 20 are'mounted. The other ends of these pivot pins are mounted in the opposite notched face 21 of the numeral wheel. It Will thus be seen that'the annulus 23 of each numeral wheel, when these parts are in position, as shown more clearly in Figs. 7 and 9, Will be supported entirely by the latter. These annuli are provided as auxiliary bearings for the numeral. gear wheel and ratchet units 28, shown in detail in Fig. 12, and which are also rotatably mounted on` the main shaft. 14. Each of these units is provided with a hub member 29 intermediate the gear Wheel 30 and the ratchet Wheel 31 thereof, and slightly larger in diameter than the' ratchet Wheel. This hub member of each unit, when the latter is moved into operativeV position with relation to its numeral Wheel, as shown more clearly in Fig. 9, engages snugly Within the enlarged central aperture of the corresponding auxiliary bearing plate 23, thus providing against tendencies of the unit 28 to bind upon the main shaft, said unit, as thus mounted, having its bearing both upon the mainshaft.- and in the ann'ulus 23 carried by said numeral Wheel.

It will be understood that one of the units 28 is provided for each of the numeral wheels with the exception of the first one of the series, this wheel being operated through the mechanism to be hereinafter described. Splined upon the shaft14 are a plurality of notches disks or cams 32, there being one such cam for each of the numeral wheels and the same being disposed when the various parts are assembled in operative position, Within the numeral wheels immediately adjacent the sides thereof, which carries a segmental gear 22. The ratchet wheels 31 ofy the units 28 when the latter are moved -into position, as previously described, are also disposed Within the numeral wheels and immediately adjacent the cams 32. The'pawls' 19 are spring actuated so as to be maintained in constant engagement with ther ratchet wheels 31 and provide a driving connection between the said ratchet Wheels and the numeral wheels as will be readily understood. Each anchor 2O has its ends oppositely offset, one end 33 thereof being designed for cooperation with the periphery of one of the cams 32, while the other end 34 thereof is designed for engagement with the adjacent ratchet wheel 31, these anchors beingspring actuated, the tendency of t-he springs being to maintain the ends 33 in constant engagement with the peripheries of the cams. The notch in the cam is shown at 35.

Also mounted transversely of the standard 10 and journaled in the side walls thereof is a counter shaft 36 upon which are loosely mounted a pluralityv of gear pinions 3T. As best shown in Fig. 1. every other tooth of each of these gear pinions 37 is cut away so that one-half of each pinion will have. substantially only one-half as many teeth as the other half thereof. One of these gear pinions 3T cooperates with each pair of numeral wheels to the extent that the portion thereof haring the largest number of teeth meshes with the corresponding numeral gear wheel of said pair and the portion having the Smaller number of teeth is adapted to be engaged by the teeth of the segmental gear 22 thereof, in a manner as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

The operating hub 16 at the right hand end of the counter as viewed in Fig. 1 is provided on its outer end with an operating lever 38, the same being securely held in position by means of a nut and washer 39', or anyv other suitable means. Fixed on the inner end of the hub 16 is a cam 39 having a cut out portion 40 iits periphery. Ro-

tatably mounted on the main shaft 14 immediately adjacent the inner end of the hub 16 i's a member 41, which carries three

ratchet Wheels

42, 43, and 44, the latter two being reversed one with relation to the other and the teeth thereof separated by means of an upstanding annular flange 45. The outer periphery of the hub portion of the member 41 is so sized as to snugly engage within the 'central aperture of the annulus 23 carried by the first of the numeral wheels, so that said member 41 will have two bearings, one upon the shaftl 14 and the other within said annulus, much the same as previously described in connection with the numeral gear wheel and ratchet units 28 associated with the other numeral wheels. The ratchet wheel 42, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, corresponds with the ratchet wheels 31 .of the other numeral wheel assemblies and lies entirely within the first numeral wheel When the parts are in' operative position. The first numeral wheel is of substantially the same construction as the ones' previously described, having pivoted on its interior a pawl 19 and anchor 20, the former being in constant mesh with the ratchet wheel 42 and serving as a driving connection between the -latter'and said numeral wheel. The anchor is of the same design as previously described and cooperates in the same manner with the cam or.

notched disk 32 within the first numeral wheel and the ratchet wheel 42.

As best shown in Figs. 5 and 6 a bell crank lever 46 is mounted upon the counter shaft 36, one arm 48 of which is of substantial length and extends under the main shaft 14 of the counter and beneath the double ratchet wheel at the outer end of the member 41. At its outer end, this arm' 48 has pivotally mounted thereon a pawl 49, spring pressed into constant engagement with the ratchet wheel 43 of the member 41. The other arm 50 of the bell crank lever ek-tends upwardly and forwardly and is provided at. its outer end with a roller 51 which engages the periphery of the cam 39, a coil spring 52 on the counter shaft 36 serving'to maintain this roller 51 in constant engagement with the cam surface. Provided on the arm 48 of the bell crank lever intermediate its pivotal point and its outer end, and disposed upwardly beneath the ratchet wheel 44 of the member 41, is an overthrow stop 53 designed to engage the ratchet wheel 44 upon each operation of the bell crank lever so as to prevent overthrow of the member 41 and consequently of the first of the numeral Wheels. Also pivoted on the counter shaft 36 immediately adjacent the bell crank lever 46 is a pawl 54 held b v means of spring 55 in constant engagement with the ratchet wheel 43, this pawl 54 bing in the nature of a backing-up butt,

tion of the roller 51 with relation thereto is such, that the bell crank lever will be operated to advance the member 41 (and consequently the first of the numeral wheels) one tooth or step forward upon a movement of said cam or its operating handle 38 through a fraction of a revolution equal to such advancement, at which time the roller 51 will have reached the extreme outer periphery of the cam, thus preventing any further movement of the bell crank lever even though the movement of the operating handle 38 be continued to substantially complete one entire revolution. A coiledV sprin 38 is provided for automatically returmng the handle 38 and cam 39 to starting position from any of their various positions of advancement, stops 56 and 57 carried respectively by said handle and the end plate of the counter being provided for limiting this return movement. The overthrow stop 53, as will be observed, functions each time the bell crank lever is operated, the same engaging upwardly into the teeth of the ratchet wheel 44 to prevent any advancement thereof in excess of one stef) or tooth at a time.

t is desired to call attention at this time to the fact that, if desired, the operating hub 16 instead of being operated by the oscillatory handle 38 might be operated by means of gears or other continuously rotating drive. In the event of such substitution, the cam 39 would be continuously revolved and by reason of its cut-out portion 40 would operate the bell crank lever upon each complete revolutionl to lift its pawl 49 and advance the member 41 one step forward. The oscillatory drive is preferred in most uses of counters such as the one herein described, however, and the particular drive shown herein is believed to possess many advantages over those heretofore devised, its chief advantage residing in the realization of a fixed step-by-step movement for varying degrees of movement of the driving member.

The step-by-step advancement of the first or units wheel of the series, has just been described, it being transmitted to said wheel from the member 41 by means of the pawl 19, which provides a driving engagement between the ratchet 42 of said member 41 and the said units wheel. Upon each comp'ete rotation of the units wheel the segmental gear 22 thereof will engage one of the teeth of the cooperating gear pinion 37, (the other half of which, as above described, is in constant mesh with the nu-l meral gear wheel 30 of the adjacent numeral wheel) and advance the adjacent numeral wheel one step forward. After this operation has been completed the smooth outer periphery of the side plate 21 of the firstv units wheel will rotate in the recess intere vening between two of the teeth on the gear pinion, thus holdin the same against operation and4 preventing further registering movement of the second numeral wheel until the units wheel completes another rotation. The selective operation of the remaining numeral. wheels of. the series is the same as that just described in connection with the first two and will, therefore, not be repeated.

The operation of the anchors 20, or as they may be conveniently termed, the combination over-throw stop and reset pawls, which form one of the chief features of the present invention will now be described more in detail. The position of these anchors both with relation to the several numeral wheels and the cams and ratchet wheels with which they cooperate, has already been described. When the numeral wheels are all in zero position the end 33 of the anchor in each wheel is in engagement with the notch 35 of the cam 32 and the other end 34 thereof is supported out of engagement with its corresponding ratchet wheel 31, as shown more clearly in dotted lines in Fig. 7 of the drawings. As previously pointed out, the spring associated with each of the anchors exerts a down pressure on the end 33 thereof and a corresponding up pressure on the opposite end, so as to maintain the said end 33 in constant engagement with the outer periphery of the cam 32. It is opportune at this point to explain that the shaft 14, upon which the cams 32 are keyed, as previously pointed out, is normally maintained by means of mechanism to be hereinafter described, in a stationary position wherein the notches 35 of all of the cams 32 are in alinement, and in a position to receive the ends 33 of the anchors 20 within said notches 35 when the numeral wheels are in zero position. The peripheral extent of the notch 35 of the cams 32 and the design and arrangement of the anchors is such that immediately upon the commencement of a zero-toone movement of any one of the numeral wheels, the end 34 of the anchor therein will be rocked into locking engagement with its corresponding ratchet wheel 31, thus positively locking the numeral wheel against overthrow. After this locking engagement between the end 34 of one of the anchors and its ratchet wheel 31 has been effected, such engagement is maintained throughout each subsequent registering movement of said wheel by the cam 32, the latter remaining stationary on the shaft 14 during such movements and the end 33 of the anchor sliding around the periphery of said cam during such move.-

ments, as will be clearly understood. The locking engagement between the anchor 2') and ratchet wheel 31 in each .wheel is, released only upon the arrival of said wheel at zero position, at which time the end 33 of said anchor drops into the notch 35 of the cam.

In order to reset all of the numeral wheels back to' Zero after a given registering operation of the counter, it is merely necessary to grasp the knurled knob 56, fixed upon the left hand end of the shaft 14, as viewed in Fig. 1, and rotate said shaft in the same direction in which the numeral wheels rotate during their registering movements. This rotation of the shaft 14 rotates the cams 32 which are keyed thereto,

the latter each turning freely within its numeral wheel unt-il the notch 35 thereof is engaged by the end 33 of its corresponding anchor 20, thus connecting the cam to the wheel so that further rotation of the shaft causes a corresponding rotation or resetting of the wheel back to zero. In a resetting operation, the numeral wheel showing the lowest numeral through its sight opening in the casing is picked up first, because, as will be appreciated, its anchor 2() has been the least removed from the notch in its corresponding cam. The numeral wheel showing the next highest numeral will next be picked up and so on throughout the series until all of the wheels have been thus engaged, at which time they will be rotated or moved in unison back to zero position. Immediately adjacent the knob 56 on shaft 14, said shaft carries a notched disk or keeper 57, cooperating with which is a spring pressed lever 58 pivoted as at 59 to the side ofthe counter casing. This 1ever 58 carries a depending finger 59 which is designed to engage the'notch in the disk 57 when the wheels are in zero position. The cooperation between the finger 59 and the notched periphery of the disk 57 is such that upon rotation of said shaft as in a reset operation, the lever 58 is raised upwardly so that its finger 59 may ride around the periphery of the disk, said finger snapping into the notch upon the cornpletion of one revolution of the shaft, this, as will be understood, being all that is necessary in order to reset all of the wheels back to zero position. The notch 59 is slightly undercut as shown best in Fig. 2 so that as the finger 59 snaps into engagement therewith, it will cause a slight back or reverse movement of the shaft 14, this being to insure full engagement of each of the anchors in the notches 35 of their corresponding cams.

The engagement of the finger 59 of lever 58 in the notch of the disk 57 serves to se- (urely hold the shaft 14 and the cams 32 carried thereby stationary throughout the registering operations of the counter, the shaft 14 being only rotated as above described when it is desired to reset the various numeral wheels to zero.

Many machines in connection with which counters are used contain mechanism which may be employed for directly imparting the step-by-step movement to the units or first wheel of the series without the interposition or employment of step-by-step mechanism in or as a part of the counter, and when such a machine is encountered, the step-by-step mechanism of the counter may accordingly be dispensed with, as will be readily understood.

As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, the present improvements are susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention, and accordingly it is not desired to limit or'restrict the same to the particular form, construction or arrangement of parts herein described and illustrated, except where limitations appear in the appended claims.

What I claim is- 1. In a device of the class described', the combination with a numeral wheel and means for operating same, of means carried by said wheel for preventing overthrow thereof during its step-by-step rotation.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a numeral wheel and means for operating same, of means housed within said wheel for preventing overthrow thereof during its step-by-step rotation.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a numeral wheel and means for operating same, of positive locking means carried by said wheel for preventing overthrow thereof during operation.

4. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a numeral wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft, an actuating member rotatably mounted on said shaft, a power transmitting member interposed between said actuating member and said wheel, means for operating said actuating member, and means associated with the latter for preventing said Wheel being moved more than one step at a time.

5. In a counter, the combination with the numeral wheel supporting shaft, a numeral wheel thereon and means for operating same, of means carried by said wheel and cooperating with said shaft and said operating means for preventing overthrow of` said wheel during operation thereof.

6. In a counter, the combination with the numeral wheel supporting shaft, a numeral Wheel thereon and means for operating same, of means associated with said wheel and cooperating with said shaft and said operating means for preventing overthrow of said wheel during operation thereof, said means being in the form of a locking pawl adapted to be moved into locking position by said shaft immediately upon the commencement of the zero-to-one movement of said wheel,

7 In a counter, the combination with the numeral wheel supporting shaft, a numeral wheel thereon and means for operating same, of means associated with said wheel and cooperating with said shaft and said operating means for preventing overthrow of said wheel during operation thereof, said means being in the form of a locking pawl adapted to be moved into locking position by said shaft immediately upon the commencement of the zero-to-one movement of said wheel, and means for actuating said operating means for advancing said wheel step-by-step while said locking pawl remainsV in its locking position.

8. In a counter, a normally stationary shaft, a cam keyed thereto, a numeral wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for rotating said wheel step-by-step, and means carried by said wheel and actuated by said cam for locking the former against overthrow throughout its step-by-step movements.

9. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a numeral wheel rotatably mounted thereon, a cam fixed to said shaft, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for operating said ratchet wheel stepby-step, means for transmitting the movement of said ratchet wheell to said numeral wheel, and means operable by said cam and cooperating with saidY ratchet wheel for locking said numeral wheel against overthrow throughout its registering movements.

10. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a numeral wheel rotatably mounted thereon, a cam fixed to said shaft, a ratchet Wheel rotatably mounted on saidv shaft, means for operating said ratchet wheel step-by-step, means for transmitting the movement of said ratchet wheel to said numeral wheel, and an anchor carried by said numeral wheel and movable by said cam into engagement with said ratchet wheel immediately upon commencement of the zero-to-one movement of said numeral wheel for locking of the latter against overthrow.

11. In a/ device of the class described, a shaft, a numeral wheel rotatably mounted thereon, a cam fixed to said shaft, a ratchet Wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for operating said ratchet wheel stepkby-step, means-for transmitting the moveof the latter against overthrow, said cam being so designed as to maintain said engagement umnterruptedly throughout all positions of said wheel except the zero position thereof.

12. In a device of the'class described, a shaft, a numeral wheel rotatably mounted thereon, a cam lixed to said shaft, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for operating said ratchet wheel stepby-step, means for transmitting the movement of said ratchet wheel to said numeral wheel, and an anchor carried by said numeral wheel and movable by said cam into engagement with said ratchet wheel immediately upon commencement of the zero-to-one movement of saidnumeral wheel for locking y of the latter against overthrow, and spring means for rocking said anchor out of engagement with said ratchet and into engagement with a notch in said cam when said wheel reaches zero position or upon movement of said cam to receive said anchor in said notch, said anchor and notch when engaged providing a drivingconnection between said shaft and said wheel whereby.

upon rotation of the former the latter may be reset to zero from any of its various registering positions.

13. In a vdevice of the class described, a shaft, a pluralityy of counter wheels rotatably mounted thereon, means for operating the first of said wheels step-by-step, transfer mechanism operable upon each complete revolution of said first wheel' for selectively operating the following wheels of the' series step-by-step, and means carried by each of said wheels for preventing overthrow thereof.

14. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a plurality of counter wheels rotatably mounted thereon, means for operating the first of said wheels step-by-step, transfer mechanism operable upon each complete revolution of said first wheel for selectively operating the following wheels of the series step-by-step, and means associated with each of sald wheels for preventing overthrow thereof, said means also serving to reset said wheels to zero upon rotation of saidl shaft in the direction of the step-by-step registering movements of said wheels.

15. In a device of the class described, a

shaft, a plurality of counter wheels rotatably mounted thereon, means foroperating' the first of said wheels step-by-step, transfer mechanism operable upon each complete revolution of said first wheel for selectively operating the following wheels of the series step-by-step, means associated with each of said wheels for preventing overthrow thereof, said means also serving to reset said.

wheels to zero upon rotation of said shaft in the direction of the step-by-,step registering movements of said wheels, and means for checking the rotation of said shaft and for imparting a slight reverse impulse thereto when the zero position has been reached in the resetting operation.

16. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a numeral wheel rotatably mounted thereon, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for imparting a stepby-step movement to said ratchet wheel, a driving pawl carried by said numeral wheel and in constant engagement with said ratchet wheel, a cam .fixed upon said shaft adjacent said ratchet wheel, an anchor pivoted to said numeral wheel and having one end designedfor cooperation with said cam and its other end adapted for engagement with said ratchet wheel, spring means for maintaining said anchor in constant engagemenft with said cam, said cam being provided with a notch which when engaged by said anchor permits the latter to swing free of said ratchet wheel, said cam atall other times maintaining said anchor in engagement with said ratchet wheel whereby the latter and said numeral wheel are locked together to prevent overthrow of the latter throughout its step-by-step operation.

17. In a device of the class describeda shaft, a numeral wheel rotatably mounted thereon, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft, -means for imparting a stepby-step movement to saidratchet wheel, a driving pawl carried by said numeral wheel and in constant engagement with said ratchet wheel, a cam fixed upon said shaft adjacent said ratchet wheel, an anchor pivoted to said numeral wheel and having one end designed for cooperation with said cam and its other end adapted for engagement with said ratchet wheel, spring means for maintaining said anchor in const-ant engagement with said cam, said cam being provided with a* notch which when engaged by said anchor permits the latter to swing free of said ratchet wheel, said cam at all other times maintaining said anchor in engagement with said ratchet wheel whereby the latter and said numeral wheel are locked together to prevent overthrow of the latter throughout its step-by-step movement, said cam.. notch and anchor serving as a reset driving connection between said shaft and said numeral wheel upon rotation of the former in the direction of the registering movements of the latter.

18. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a numeral wheel rotatably mounted thereon, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for imparting a stepby-step movement to said ratchet wheel, a driving pawl carried by said numeral wheel and in constant engagement with said ratchet wheel, a cam xed upon said shaft adjacent said ratchet wheel, an anchor pivoted to said numeral wheel, and having one end designed for cooperating with said cam and its other end adapted for engagement with said ratchet wheel, spring means for maintaining said anchor in const-ant engagement with said cam, said cam being provided with a notch which when engaged by said anchor permits the latter to swing free of saidv ratchet wheel, said cam at all other times maintaining said anchor in engagement with said ratchet wheel whereby the latter and said numeral wheel are locked together to prevent overthrow of the latter throughout its step-by-step operation, said anchor being free of said ratchet wheel only when the same is in full engagement with said notch, the latter being so designed as to rock said anchor into its ratchet engaging position immediately upon commencement of the zero-to-one movement of said numeral wheel.

19. In a device of the class described, a rotatably mounted numeral wheel and means for rotating the numeral wheel step-by-step, said means comprising a ratchet wheel, a pawl in constant engagement therewith, an oscillatory operating member, and power transmitting mechanism inter osed between the latter and said pawl, sai power transmitting mechanism being so designed that rotation of said ratchet wheel is limited to one step upon each operation of said operating member regardless of the throw of the latter.

20. In a device of the class described, a rotatably mounted numeral wheel and means for rotating the numeral wheel step-by-step, said means comprising a` ratchet wheel, a Eawl in constant engagement therewith, a

' ell crank lever carrying said pawl and means for operating said lever in such Wise that such ratchet wheel is advanced but one step on each operation of said operating means, said operating means including an oscillatory cam in engagement with one arm of said lever and so designed that its full throw is available upon a small fraction of a rotation thereof, whereby a fixed step-bystep movement of said ratchet may be e'ected by oscillating said cam, through said fract1on of a rotation or any fraction in excess thereof.

21. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a numeral wheel rotatably mounted thereon, a gear wheel associated with said numeral wheel and also rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for advancing said gear wheel step-by-step, means for transmitting said step-by-step movement to said numeral wheel, and means carried by said numeral Wheel providing an auxiliary bearing for said gear wheel.

22. In a device of the class described, a.

on said shaft, means for advancing said gear wheel step-by-step, means for transmitting said step-by-step movement to said numeral wheel, a hub member carried by said gear wheel, the adjacent side of said numeral Wheel being provided with an opening, and said hub member being journaled in said opening to provide an auxiliary bearing for said gear wheel.

23. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a numeral wheel rotatably mounted thereon, a gear wheel associated with said numeral wheel and also rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for advancing said gear wheel step-by-step, means for transmitting said step-by-step movement to said numeral wheel, a hub member carried by said gear Wheel, a removable centrally ape-rtured side plate carried by said .numeral wheel adjacent said gear wheel, and said hub member being journaled in the opening in said plate to provide an auxiliary bearing for said gear wheel.

24. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a numeral wheel rotatably mounted thereon, a gear wheel associated with said numeral wheel and also rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for advancing said gear wheel step-by-step,: means for transmitting said step-by-step movement to said numeral wheel, a plurality of lugs carried by said numeral wheel, a centrally apertured plate for the side of said numeral wheel provided with openings adapted to receive said lugs, whereby said plate is supported by said numeral wheel, and a hub member carried by said gear wheel and journaled in the central opening of said plate to provide an auxiliary bearing for said gear wheel.

25. In a counter, a shaft, a cam keyed thereto, a numeral wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft and adapted to be rotated step by step, and means carried by said wheel and actuated by said cam for locking the former against overthrow throughout its step by step movements.

26. In a counter, a shaft, a plurality of numeral wheels mounted thereon, means for operating the same, and means coacting with said shaft and said operating means and interposed between said wheels for preventing overthrow thereof.

27. In a counter, a shaft, a plurality of numeral wheels mounted thereon, means for operating the same, and means interposed between said wheels for preventing overthrow thereof.

28. In a counter, a shaft, a numeral wheel mounted thereon, means for operating said wheel, locking means for preventing overthrow thereof, and means for actuating said operating means for advancing said wheel step by step, said locking means remaining in fixed locking position throughout said step by step movement.

29. In a counter, a shaft, a numeral Wheel upon rotation of the 'former the latter may rotatably mounted thereon, means for operbe re-set to zero romany of itsI various ating the same, and means functioning in registering positions. 10 the two capacities of preventing overthrow 'in testimony whereof, I have subscribed 5 of said Wheel during registering movements my' name.

thereof and providing a driving connection between said shaftv and said Wheel whereby 'WILLIAM G. 'PANKONIN