US2041943A - Counting device - Google Patents

Description

C. C. MCCAlN ET AL COUNT ING DEVI CE Filed March 29, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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May 26, 1936 c. c. MccAlN ET AL 2,041,943 A COUNTING DEVICE Filed March 29, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 25, 1936- c. c. MccAlN ET AL 2,041,943

COUNTING DEVICE Filed March 29, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IJII "FMH- A llllllllllllllll/llll/l,

Patented May 26, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE La Grange,

Ill., assignors to Ditto Incorporated, a corporation of West Virginia Application March 29, 1933, Serial No. 663,388

5 Claims. (Cl. 235-132l duplicating `machine is driven by an electric mo` tor which is controlled by a switch mounted on the machine. The duplicating machine comprises a rotatable platen cylinder and during each revolution of the cylinder a complete duplicating operation is performed so that a duplicating sheet is discharged from the machine. The counting 5 mechanism comprises a scale alined with a pair of arcuate racks, the racks being engageable by pawls carried by a lever pivoted on the frame of the duplicating machine. The lever may be displaced angularly by the operator to place the pawls in engagement with the racks at any desired position with respect to the scale. Then when the machine is set in operation, mechanism actuated in synchronism with the platen cylinder causes the pawls to travel in a step by step manner toward the zero position of the scale. When the pawls reach the zero position of the racks and scale, the pivoted lever opens the switch controlling the electric motor so that the machine ceases to operate. Obviously, the operator may adjust the pawls to any desired position on the scale and thus obtain a predetermined number of duplicated copies before the machine ceases to operate. An adjustable stop is provided in connection with the racks and may be secured temporarily in any desired position so that the operator may bring the pivoted lever against the stop each time the machine is set in operation. Thus, if a predetermined number of duplicated copies are to be made of a plurality of master sheets, the

adjustable stop may be xed to permit the machine to operate a sufficient number of cycles to provide the desired number of copies in each instance. During the time the machine is in operation, the operator may watch the movement of the pivoted lever and the pawls with respect to the scale and open the switch at any desired point as it is not necessary to wait until the pawls reach the zero position of the scale and racks.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the following detailed description progrses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a hectograph machine which comprises counting mechanism embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the hecto- 5 graph machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 'l is a section taken on the same line as 10 Fig. 6, but illustrating the parts of the improved counting mechanism in changed positions.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the same line as Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken 15 on the same line as Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9, and

Fig. 11 is a section taken on line II-II of Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings wherein mechanism embodying a preferred form of the invention is illustrated, the reference character I0 designates generally a hectograph machine of the rotary type. The hectograph machine I0 comprises a 25 frame Il in which a platen cylinder I2 is journalled for rotation, the platen cylinder being provided at one end with a stub shaft I4 projecting from the frame. The outer end of the stub shaft I4 has an eccentric I5 fixed to it for a 30 purpose which will presently appear.

The duplicating cylinder I2 is provided with a removable gelatin band I8 of the type usually employed in machines of this character. Means including a feed tray I9 is provided for feeding 35 sheets to be duplicated to the duplicating cylinder I2 in such manner that the sheets are brought into contact with the duplicating band I8 and then discharged to a tray 20 mounted on the frame II. The means for driving the feeding mechanism and the duplicating cylinder I2 comprises an electric motor 22 mounted in the frame Il and connected by gearing 23 to a relatively large gear 24 carried by the duplicating cylinder I2. The electric motor 22 is controlled by 45 an electric switch 26 mounted in the frame Il. The switch 26 comprises an actuating lever 21, the switch being preferably of the type wherein displacement of the lever 21 will cause the switch mechanism to snap into and out of its closed and open positions.

The improved counting mechanism preferably comprises anti-friction rollers 30 which ride upon and are approximately diametrically disposed with respect to the eccentric Il. The antifriction rollers 30 are rotatably journaled on pins 32 which project from a sector or plate 33 pivoted on a bushing 35, the bushing being carried by a bolt 36 which is screw-threaded into the frame Il and is provided with a lock nut 31 (Figs. 4 and 5). The construction is such that each time the duplicating drum I2 makes one complete revolution, the sector or plate 33 will be oscillated through a predetermined angle. Thus. if it is assumed that the eccentric I5, the rollers 30 and the sector or plate 33 occupy the relative positions in which they are shown in full lines in Fig. at the 'beginning of each cycle of operations of the machine, it will be readily understood that during the rst 180 of rotation o! the duplicating cylinder I2, the stub shaft I4 and the eccentric i5, the parts illustrated in Fig. 5 will assume the positions wherein they are shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. During the last 180 of rotation of the duplicating drum, the Darts illustrated in Fig. 5 will be returned to the positions wherein they are shown in full lines in that figure.

The sector or plate 33 carries an arcuate rack bar 40 which is disposed opposite a rack bar 4| fixed to a sheet metal housing member 42, the housing member 42 being secured to the frame Il by bolts 43 (Figs. 4, 6 and 7). The bolts 43 are provided with spacing sleeves 44. These spacing sleeves 44 ride in arcuate slots 45 provided in the side edges of the sector or plate 33.

The rack bars 4U and 4i are engageable by dogs or pawls 50 and 5i, respectively, the pawls being urged yieldingly into engagement with the teeth of the rack bars by springs 53. The pawls 5|! and 5I are pivoted on a pin 54 carried by a lever 55, the pawls 50 and 5l being disposed on opposite sides of the lever (Fig. 11). The lever 55 is Journaled on a bushing 56 disposed around the bushing 35. A spring 51 disposed around a hub 59 provided on the lever 55 yieldingly urges the lever 55 in a clockwise direction (Figs. 1, 6, 7, 8 and 9). The lever 55 is provided with an arcuate slot 60 to accommodatethe stub shaft I4.

Pivoted to the free end of the lever 55 is a lever 62 carrying a pin 63 which is engageable with the tail ends oi the pawls 50 and 5I. The lever 62 is L-shaped and its lower end 62a is disposed approximately horizontally. The end 62a is pivoted on a pin 62h projecting from the lever 55. The lever 62 is provided with a nger piece 64 in close proximity to a finger piece 65 formed on the lever 55, the construction being such that the operator may displace the ringer piece 64 toward the iinger piece 65 to displace the lever 62 angularly about the pin 62h and against the action of the springs 53 to cause the pin 63 to disengage the pawls 5D and 5i from the rack bars 4U and 4I, respectively. An

gular displacement of the lever 62 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 6) around the pin 62h is limited by a stop pin 68 which projects from the lever 55.

Disposed above the rack bar 40 and carried by the housing member 42 is a scale 68 with appropriate indicia.

A finger projecting from the free end oi the lever 55 is adapted to engage the switch lever 21 when the lever 55 is displaced in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 6). Il the lever 21 is then in the position in which it is illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1, it will be displaced into the position wherein it is shown in dotted lines in the same figure to open the switch 23.

An adjustable stop member 12 is mounted on the housing member 42 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). The stop member 12 comprises a bent bar 13 pro vided with a U-shaped portion 1li which projects through a slot formed between the scale 69 and a strip 16 carried by the upper edge oi the housing member 42 and formed integral with the scale 69. A pin 11 which projects through the U-shaped portion '14 is engageable with the bottom surfaces oi' the scale 63 and the fiange 16 and prevents Withdrawal of the bent bar 13 from the counting mechanism but permits the bent bar to be displaced longitudinally in either direction along the scale 69. A downwardly extending lug '18 forming part of the bent bar 13 has a pin B0 screw-threaded through it, the outer end of the pin 80 being provided with a knurled knob 82 whereby the operator of the duplicating machine may rotate the pin to cause longitudinal displacement thereof relative to the lug 1S and the housing member 42. Swiveled upon the pin 80 but held against longitudinal displacement relative thereto is a block 34. The pin 83 may be rotated to bring the block 64 into frlctlonal engagement with the outer surface of the housing member 42 to hold the stop member 12 in any desired position upon the scale 65. Assuming that the stop member 12 has been secured in the position wherein it is illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 6, it will be readily understood that the lever 55 may be displaced in a clockwise direction (Figs. 1 and 6) by the operator to bring it into engagement with the stop member 12. When the operator displaces the lever 55 in this manner, it is necessary to displace the ringer piece 64 to disengage the pawls 50 and 5i from the rack bars 40 and 4 I, respectively.

The operation of the improved counting mechanism is substantially as follows: Assuming that the gelatin band IB has been treated with a master sheet in the usual manner and that it is desired to obtain a predetermined number oi duplicates of the master sheet, the lever 55 is adjusted so that its upper end is alined with the corresponding mark on the scale 69. So long as the machine is not in operation, the pawls 50 and 5i will remain in engagement with the rack bars 40 and 4|, respectively, and retain the lever 55 in its adjusted position. Now, if the electric motor is set in operation by displacing the switch lever 21 from the position wherein it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 to the position wherein it is shown in full lines in the same ligure, the duplicating machine will operate as described above so that the sheets to be duplicated will be fed one by one from the feed table I8 to the duplicating drum and thence to the tray 20. During each revolution of the duplicating drum, the sector or plate 33 will be displaced from the position wherein it is shown in full lines in Fig. 5 to the position wherein it is shown in dotted lines and then returned to the position wherein it is shown in full lines. The action of the pawls 50 and 5| during this oscillatory movement oi the sector or plate 33 is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. Fig. 8 illustrates the action of the pawls 50 and 5I when the sector or plate is being displaced in a counterclockwise direction (Figs. 5 and 8) to shift the plate 33 from the'position wherein it is shown in full lines in Fig. 5 to the position wherein it is shown in dotted lines in the same figure. During this movement of the sector 33 the pawl 5l remains in engagement with the rack 40 carried by the plate 33 so that the lever 55 is displaced angularly with the plate 33 and in the same direc- 7s tion. When the plate 33 is returned to the position wherein it is shown in f ull lines in Fig. 5, the pawl 50 trails over the rack 40 and the pawl 5l engages the rack 4| and prevents the lever 55 from returning with the plate 33. The action oi the pawls 5U and 5I during the return stroke of the plate 33 is illustrated in Fig. 9. It will be readily understood that the pawl 5I will advance one tooth upon the stationary rack Il for each revolution of the duplicating cylinder and that when the required number of copies have been duplicated, the finger 'l0 will displace the switch lever 21 to open the switch 26 so that the machine will cease operating. However, as stated above, it is not necessary to wait until the iinger opens the switch 26 as the operator may open the switch 26 at any time by means of the lever 21.

While we have shown and described certain embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modiiications. Changes, therefore in the construction and ar- Y rangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is our intention to claim all novelty inherent in our invention as broadly as possible, in view of the prior art.

We claim:

1. Mechanism for counting the number of operations of a machine. which mechanism comprises a stationary rack, a movable rack, means for oscillating the movable rack in timed relation to the operation of the machine, a movable lever, and pawls carried by said movable lever and engageable with said racks, one of said pawls cooperating with said movable rack to displace said movable lever step by step during operation of the machine and another of said pawls cooperating with said stationary rack to hold said movable lever against retraction each time it is advanced a step.

2. Mechanism for counting the number of operations of a machine, which mechanism comprises a stationary rack, a movable rack, means for oscillating the movable rack in timed relation to the operation of the machine, a movable lever, spring pressed pawls carried by said movable lever and engageable with said racks, one

of said pawls cooperating with said movable rack to displace said movable lever step by step during operation of the machine and another of said pawls cooperating with said stationary rack to hold said movable lever against retraction each time it is advanced a step, and means for retracting said pawls to disengage them from said racks.

3. Mechanism for stopping a power driven machine at the end oi!v a predetermined number of cycles of operation of said machine, said mechanism comprising a stationary rack, a movable rack, means actuated by said machine for oscillating said movable rack and in timed relation therewith. a movable lever, pawls carried by said movable lever and engageable with said racks, one of said pawls cooperating with said movable rack to displace said movable lever step by step and another of said pawls cooperating with said stationary rack to hold said movable lever against retraction each time it is yadvanced a step, and

means controlled by said lever for stopping said machine.

4. Mechanism for counting the number o! operations of a machine, which mechanism comprises a stationary rack, a movable rack, means for oscillating the movable rack in timed relation to the operation of the machine, a movable lever, pawls carried by said movable lever and engageable with said racks, one of said pawls cooperating with said movable rack to displace said movable lever step by step during operation of the machine and another of said pawls cooperating with said stationary rack to hold said movable lever against retraction each time it is advanced a step, and yielding means tending to prevent the step by step movement of said movable lever.

5. Mechanism for counting th cycles of operation of a machine, said counting mechanism Acomprising a rack, a second rack, means actuated by the machine for oscillating said second rack, pawls engaging said racks, and visual indicating means including a scale and a member carrying said pawls and displaced by movement of the second rack in a step by step manner during the

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