US2035715A - Overthrow mechanism - Google Patents

Description

March 1935- w. J. PEARSON ET AL 2,035,715

OVERTHROW MECHAN I SM Filed April 9, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. 1.

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OVERTHROW MEGHAN I SM Filed April 9, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ii L .175 660 I 7 4 5665 Z llh "l NW 'lfl 44 HLLO 4. William Jlkansaon T homais 1.171 mun Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OVERTHROW MECHANISM geles, Calif.

Application April 9, 1932, Serial No. 604,294

7 Claims.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide an overthrow mechanism so constructed as to prevent the spinning of the register wheels at the time when the operating means has reached the limit of its travel.

A further object is to provide means for locking said registering wheels when said operating means is moving from normal position and means for releasing said locking mechanism while the operating means is returning to normal position.

Another object of our invention is to provide a convenient means for the normal resetting of the register wheels in a meter unit so that they may be placed in any decided position without the necessity of previously releasing the register locking mechanism.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the meter unit.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 with one of the register wheels shown in section, the others being in elevation.

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevation of one of the wheels and taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevation of one of the register wheels and taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a register wheel showing the relation of a spring ratchet dog to the internal and external ratchet notches. This view also makes clear the assembly of the other parts of the register wheel.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the relation of the various parts of the overthrow mechanism.

The overthrow preventing mechanism disclosed in this invention is included in the meter unit 65. Also included in the meter unit 65 are a descending register 11, and an ascending register 18, which registers are composed of a series of similar indicia wheels 364. For the purposes of this application we will refer to only one of each series. The register wheels are operated by the movement of the sector 441. The point 446 of the sector 44'! engages with any suitable positioning means (not shown in this drawing) the position of which is predetermined by means of a controlling apparatus, thus limiting the movement of the sector 441. When the shaft 46| and the cam B, is rotated, the sector 441, supported by the cam roller 445 is permitted to rotate, around the shaft 435i, under the influence of the spring 450 'until point 446 engages with the aforesaid positioning means. This movement rotates the pinions 313 in a clockwise direction.

The overthrow mechanism consists of a multiple number of latches I, all of which are similar in construction and operation, the latch stop pin 1, the connecting fork m, the spring IS, the operating lever l3, and the springs 1. As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the fork I9 is located on the near a side of the latch and the stop pin l" is provided to insure the positive withdrawal of the latch 1, While at the same time permitting the spring I6 to stretch when the latch is engaged. The fork I0 is provided with a slot it adapted to engage the stud l3 on the operating lever l3. The latch engages with the ratchet wheels i8 and I9, which are riveted to the webs 353 of the indicia drums 364 as shown in Figures 4 and 5. Any counter-clockwise motion of these wheels is prohibited while the latch is so engaged, by means of the fingers 20 and 2|. Upon the shaft 46| being rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the cam surface 24 which is rigidly fixed to the cam B is revolved until it disengages from the point 25 of the lever l3, permitting said lever to move counterclockwise under the influence of the spring H.

The disengagement, so eifected, is timed to occur after the completion of the downward movement of the point 446, and before the beginning of the upward movement of the said point. Upon the further counter-clockwise rotation of shaft 46| the cam B engages with the cam roller 445 and restores the sector 44? to its normal position. This clock-wise movement of the sector 441 is transmitted to a counter clockwise movement in pinions 313 and through them to the indicia drums 364 by means of the ratchet dogs 315 as will be further explained. The leading edge 26 of the cam 24 is so disposed that it will engage the point 25 of the lever i3 at the moment when the roller 44% and the sector 44'! have attained their maximum clock-wise movement. When the lever I3 is forced back by the cam surface 24, the motion is transmitted through the fork ID, the spring l6, and the latch l, to the fingers 20 and 2|, which engage with the ratchet wheels l8 and I9, said ratchet wheels being an 45 integral part of the indicia drums 364 as will be shown. By this means the indicia drums are brought to a definite stop at the moment when the sector 44'! ceases to impart motion, and any further movement of the wheels 365; due to momentum or other causes is rendered impossible.

The spring I6 is included in the power transmission means as a safe guard against undue pressure on the fingers 23 and 2| and also to provide a means of manually releasing the latch 1 without revolving the shaft 46!. This operation is performed as fo1lowsWhen the door 294 in the cover plate 296 is opened the cam surface 29 is rotated around the shaft 30 so as to engage with the cam surface 3! of the latch 1 and to rotate the said latch in a clock-wise direction around the shaft 39!, thus disengaging the latch 1 from the ratchet wheels I8 and i9, and so from the indicia drums 364. This feature is included as a convenience in the manual resetting of the wheels 364 in the descending register 11.

r The construction of the register wheel 364 is made plain by referring to Figures 3, 4 and 5, and the relation of the cam surface 24, the operating lever [3, the fork l6, and the latch 1 to the ratchet wheels l8 and I9, is illustrated in Figure 2, which is a partial sectional elevation through line 2-2 of Figure 1. The relation of the sector 441 and cam roller 445 to the cam B is also shown in this figure.

The register wheels 364 include an inner sleeve 356 having a spring disc 351 provided on the inner end thereof, this disc having two spring dogs 358 which are deformed so as to be continually urged in the direction in which one of these is shown in Figure 5. On the opposite end of the sleeve 356 is rigidly mounted a large diameter transfer gear 366 which is shown in Figure 2.

Rotatably mounted on the sleeve 356 is a sleeve 36!, which has a flange at its inner end, upon which is secured the web 363 of an indicia drum 364. The indicia drum 364 is adapted to carry digits from one to nine and zero, serially arranged. Also secured to the sleeve 36! is a carry-over disc 366, which in the present embodiment is formed by a pair of discs, the outermost of which is provided with ratchet notches 361, which are adapted to receive the dogs 358 as shown in Figure 5. There are ten of the ratchet notches 361 which are uniformly spaced circumferentially about the axis of the disc 366, as shown in Figure 4. The disc 366 has a recess 368 formed therein and a pair of teeth 366 are provided to extend outwardly from the disc alongside of this recess as shown in Figure 4.

Formed in the inner face of the web 363 of the indicia drum 364 are ten ratchet notches 310 which are similarly arranged to the ratchet notches 361.

Rotatably mounted on the sleeve 36! is a third sleeve 312 having a gear 313 at its outer end and carrying a spring dog plate 314 on its inner end, there being a pair of oppositely disposed spring dogs 315 formed from this plate so as to be continually urged into engaging with the ratchet notches 316 as shown in Figure 5.

A series of register wheels 364, are placed close together on the shaft 355to form the descending register 11 so that the carry-over gear 366 of each of these wheels is disposed adjacent to the carryover disc 366 of the adjacent register wheel. The teeth 39!! of the carry-over gears 402 are disposed in the same radius, and are of the same pitch as the teeth 369 on the carry-over disc 366 and the teeth of the carry-over gears 366.

The ratchet wheels !8 and !9 are rigidly fixed as by rivets 362 between the webs 363 of the indicia drums 364 and the discs 366 as shown in Figure 5. The teeth of the ratchet Wheels are so disposed as to engage with the fingers 26 and 2! of the latch 1 at the moment when the fingers are depressed by the influence of the cam surface 24 on the point 25 of the operating arm I3.

Included in the assembly of the wheels 364 are two spacers 32 which will preclude any possibility of the fingers 26 and 2! binding on either the drum 364 or the disc 366. r

, While the construction shown and above described is entirely satisfactory for the purpose primarily set forth, the ideas are capable of various embodiments, with suitable. modifications and changes, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

A more detailed description of the operation is as follows: The rotation of the cam B by means of the shaft 46!, to which it is rigidly fixed, permits the counterclockwise movement of the sector 441 when the surface B of the cam B is removed from the path of the roller 445. This movement of the sector 441 is imparted to each of two pinions 313, which together, with their respective spring ratchet dogs 315, are impelled in a clockwise direction.

The pinions 313 are mounted within the register Wheel assembly 11, and are so constructed as to turn in this direction without influencing the position of the indicia drum 364, the Geneva tooth 369 or the carry-over pinion 390. The indicia drum is held against clockwise movement by the external spring ratchet dog 358, to which it is rigidly aflixed, and the aforesaid pinion 396.

The movement of the sector 441, if unchecked would continue until the roller 445 came to rest on the low point of the cam B and this movement is designed to be equal to exactly nine teeth on the sector 441 and the pinion 313 which in turn will equal nine ratchet teeth 316 in the indicia drum 364. However, the counterclockwise movement of the sector 441 may be arrested at any one of nine equal spaces, each corresponding to one ratchet tooth 316, by the introduction of any suitable stop such as a step of a step-cam under the point 446 of the sector 441.

At this point in the rotation of the cam shaft 46!, the point 25 of the arm !3 disengages from the surface 24 of the cam 26 and the arm moves in a counterclockwise direction under tension of the spring 11. This motion is transmitted through the stud !3, the slot !0' of the fork l0, and the stud 1 to the latch 1, which moves in a clockwise direction a distance sufficient to disengage the hooks 26 and 2! from the teeth of the ratchet discs !8 and !9 which discs are rigidly aifixed to their respective indicia drums 364.

Upon further movement of the cam shaft 46! the leading edge of the cam B engages the roller 445 of the sector 441 and impells said sector in a clockwise direction. This movement is transmitted to the pinions 313 in each of the two register wheels, and so tothe ratchet dogs 315. The counterclockwise movement of the said ratchet 'dogs 315 is imparted to the indicia drum 364 by means of the ratchet teeth 310 with which the dogs engage.

It is obvious then, that the amount of clockwise -movement of the sector 44'! is determined by the counterclockwise movement previously imparted by the spring 450 and limited by the position of a stop placed under the point 446, so that when the roller 445 of the sector 441 is fully restored to the high point of the cam B, the pinions 313 will have turned a number of teeth corresponding to the position of said stop under point 446.

Furthermore, this counterclockwise movement of the pinions 313 will turn the indicia drum 364 a corresponding distance and a new figure will appear in the window 294. However, the momentum imparted to the indicia drum 364 might cause said drum to continue its motion after its driving ratchet dog 315 had come to rest, so at the precise moment that the. roller arrives at the highest point on the cam B, the leading edge of the cam 26 engages the point 25 of the arm l3.

The clockwise movement so imparted to the arm I3 is transmitted through the stud l3, the slot of the fork l0, and the spring I 6 to the latch 'l. The hooks 20 and 21 of the latch 1 engage simultaneously with each of the two register wheels and the said engagement is so timed as to occur when the driving dogs 315 reach the limit of their counter-clockwise motion. This completes one cycle of the mechanism.

I claim:

1. In an overthrow preventing mechanism, latching means, an operating lever, said means comprising a latch, and a fork, said fork connecting said latch and said lever said latch and said fork being constrained to act simultaneously by a spring.

2. In combination with a meter unit, two register wheels and means for simultaneously looking sai-d register wheels, said means comprising a latch common to said register wheels and operating means for said latch, said operating means consisting of a positively driven cam and a lever connecting said latch and said operating means.

3. In combination with a meter unit, two register wheels and means for simultaneously looking said register wheels, said means comprising a latch common to said register wheels and operating means for said latch, timing means so arranged as to prevent movement of said register wheels beyond the points to which they are positively driven.

4. In combination with a meter unit, a gear sector plate in said unit, two register wheels and means for simultaneously locking said register wheels, said means comprising a latch common to said register wheels and operating means for said latch, timing means comprising a cam and a latch operating arm, said arm arranged to operate in conjunction with a register operating sector plate.

5. In combination with a meter unit, two register wheels, means for simultaneously locking said register wheels, gear sector plates in said meter for actuating said register wheels, means for causing said sector plates to move from normal position and means for causing said locking means to remain engaged with said register wheels during said movement of said sector plates.

6. In combination with a meter unit, two register wheels, means for simultaneously locking said register Wheels, gear sector plates in said meter for actuating said register wheels, means for causing said sector plates to move from normal position and means for causing said locking means to remain engaged with said register wheels during said movement of said sector plates, and means for releasing said locking means while said gear sector plates are being restored to their normal position.

'7. In an overthrow preventing mechanism, latching means comprising a mechanically operated device, said device comprising a latch, a connecting fork, a spring controlling said connecting fork, an operating lever and a cam, said latch and said operating lever connected together by said connecting fork said latch being constrained by said connecting means to engage simultaneously with two register wheels.

WILLIAM J. PEARSON. THOMAS I. BROWN.

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