US2068719A - Totalizing counter - Google Patents

Description

Ham 26 w37 F. B. TROUTMAN TOTALIZING COUNTER Filed Dec. 5, 1934 0000- OOOO- OOO atente dan. 26, i937 Aras PATENT sans oFFlcE 8 Claims. This invention relates to totalizing counting l systems for totalizing the output of a plurality of independently operating machines while the machines are in operation.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a counting system for totalizing the output of a plurality of independently operating machines. and which will also give the output of all of the machines in each of a number of sub-groups of machines. It is a y further object of 4the present invention to provide such a counting system wherein the count of the output of any one machine can be included in or excluded from the count of any sub-group of machines, in a simple and eX- pedi'ent manner. For instance', in a large printing establishment. a number of presses may be working on one job While a number of other presses are working on a, second job, while still 20 another number of presses are working on a thirdjob, and so forth. It is desirable to have, at all times, a count of the total `output of the presses on each job. It is an object of the present invention to provide .a single counting sys- 25 tem which will maintain a simultaneous count of the output of all of the presses on each job. At times it may become necessary to take one of the presses of a group off of, say, the second job, and put it on the thirdjob, to increase the 30 output of the third` job. It is now necessary to change the-countingr mechanism so that the' output of this press will be counted with that of the other presses on the same job, not with the output of the presses on the former job.' By

my present invention this change-over is ef fected by simply throwing a switch.

` My invention has been applied to the turnstiles at .a large fair, where the number of turnstiles exceeded one'hundred. In that case it was desired to know the number of people that entered theiair daily, and the number on the grounds at any one time. This involved counting the people as they entered the grounds, and counting them again as they left, the difference being the number on the grounds-at any one time. The counting problem was complicated by the fact that some of the turnstiles were sometimes used for entrance purposes and at other times for exit purposes. ent invention there was provided a master mechanism which controlled the totalizing of the operations of all of the entrance turnstiles and the totalization of the operations of all of the exit turnstiles, the arrangement being such that the o operations of any turnstile could be made to By my presregister on the entrance totalizing counter or on the exit totalizing counter.

The master control mechanism is motor driven. As long as there is no counting to be done, continued operation of the master motor 5 is undesirable. It has been proposed, heretofore, to start the motor when there is counting to be done. This is advantageous. However, in the past, insofar as I am aware, where automatic starting was provided for, the arrangement was such that the motor would stop immediately whenever there was no more counting to be done, that is, as soon-as the master mechanism caught up with the operating machines. 'I'his resulted in frequent starting and stopping" of the master motor, as some machine might complete a countable operation only a few seconds after the motor has stopped'. The starting losses plus losses in motor wear and tear, due to the stopping and restarting, exceeds the gain due to the non-operation o'f the motor during those few seconds. It .is an object of the present invention to avoid frequent starting of the master motor by providing means for delaying the stopping of the motor for an appreciable 'time in- 25 terval after the master mechanism has caught up with and caused counting of al1 the completed countable operations of the machines, so that, if some machine should soon thereafter complete a. countable operation, a restarting of the motor is not necessary. l

In counting systems of the kind here involved the completion of a countable operation of amachine is manifested -by the closing of an electric circuit which sets into operation certain instrumentalities which then continueV to operate until" the count is registered on the vtotalizing counter, whereuponfthe electric instrumentalities a're restored to normal, in readiness to ,make the next count when the machine completes its 40 next countableyoper'ation and again closes the electric circuit. Such systems Aaiord an unfortlmate source of error. If it should happen that one of the machines is stoppedat the instant that it happened to close its electric circuit indicative of the completion of agcountable operation that count will be made. However, upon completion of that count'and restoration of the various instrumentalities in readiness to make the next count, conditions are already ripe for making another count because the `ma-l chine/happened to stop in the position where it maintains closed the switch that indicates the completion of a countable operation. Thus the counter is continuously operated. although the machine whose operations are supposedly being counted is stopped. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple switch that is actuated momentarily by the machine upon the completion of a countable operation, and which will automatically reopen the circuit independently of the machine, thus avoiding this type of error.

The attainment ci the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent froml the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing formingl a part thereof. l

The single gure of drawing is a circuit diagram illustrating one embodiment ofniy'invention.

For the sake of simplicity I have here shown my invention applied to a system where there are only four machines, the outputs of any one -or more of which may be registered on any one of four counters while the outputs of any of the others are being registered on another counter. As the description proceeds it will beapparent that the present invention is equally applicable to any larger (or smaller) number of machines.

One of the machines whose output is to be counted is indicated at I. When the machine completes a countable operation, a lever 2 is actuated by the machine in any standard manner, as by means of a cam, and 'it actuates a switch plunger 3 of a switch S, against the action of a plunger spring 4. The plunger carries a pivoted pawl 5 which acts on a disc 6 to rotate the disc counter clockwise. The disc,6 carries a pawl E1, pivoted atv 8, which is thus brought back into engagement with a notch 9 in a second rotatable disc I0. As the disc 6 is turned by the pawl 5, a cam surface II on the disc forces the pawl radially outward, until that pawl is pushed out of engagement with the disc 6. ,The disc now snaps back to the position shown in the drawing, under the action of a spring I2. A stop pin I3 limits the extent of movement of the disc 6. Upon return movement of the disc 6, thepawl 1, in engagement with the notch 9 in the disc I0, snaps that disc counterclockwise about its axis. 'The disc I0 snaps only a short distance, and the pawl 1 clears the notch 9, whereupon the disc Il! snaps back to the position shown in the drawing, under the action of a spring I4. Fixed to the disc I0 is an insulating reed I5 that normally extends between two contact springs I6`I1 of the switch. The contact springs tend to close, due to their normal tensioning, and are held apart by the reed I5. As the reed snaps rst in one direction and then in the other, it is rst drawn out from between the contact springs `I6-I1, to permit the contact springs to close momentarily, and then is snappedback into position to reopen the contact springs. A stop I8- limits the return movement of the reed.

Momentary closure of the contacts lli- I1 completes a circuit for a register relay 20 that is individualto the machine I, and it also places negative potential on a testing contact 2E of a master controller or testing .device 22. The circuit for the relay 20 extends as follows: From the negative side of the direct vcurrent line, by way 3l places negative potential on the conductor 2.1, thus shunting the contacts lli- I1 and establishing a locking circuitfor itself. At its front contacts 32, the relay 20 establishes a circuit for a motor starting relay 33, said circuit extending from the negative line 23, through the contacts 32, conductor 34, winding of relay 33, to the positive line conductor 35. The relay 33 operates. and. at its contacts 3B completes an operating circuit for a motor 31 that operates the master controller 22,

The lmotor 31 turns a contact carrying arm 4D. When the arm engages a contact 2I that has neglative potential .thereon it completes a circuit for the operating winding of a master counting relay 4I, said circuit extending from negative contact '2|, through the arm 40 to a slip ring 42, thence by way of a conductor 43, back contact 44 of a master release relay 45, through the operating erates, and at its front contacts 41 establishes a,

holding circuit for itself and places negative potential on the slip ring 42 of the testing device, by way of conductor 43, contacts 41, Yand negative line conductor 24. 'Ihus negative potential is maintained on the slip ring 42 independently of the testing contact 2l. A moment'later, as the arm 40 continues to turnit engages a counting impulse contact 50. It thus causes the sending of an impulse of current over the following -circuit: Negative line potential on the slip ring 42, counting impulse contact 50, conductor 5I, to the wiper of a selector switch 52 that is individual to the machine I, thence by way of any one of four conductors leading to counters C1, C2, C3, or C4. In this instance the circuit extends to the counter C4, which thereupon receives an impulse of current, resulting in operation of the counter.

A moment later the Iswitch arm 40 engages a release contact 55, and thereby places negative potential thereon from the'slip ring 42. The negative potential from the individual release contact 55 extends to the lower terminal of the relay winding 20, and since the upper terminal of the winding is already at negative potential, the relay is short circuited, and drops back, thus y opening its contacts 3 I-32. At the open contacts 3I, negative potential is removed from the test- .ing contact 2|, thus conditioning the apparatus for the next count upon the next closure of the contacts lli-I1. At its contacts 32 the relay 20 opens the circuit of the motor starting relay 33. The motor starting relay is slow to release, as

will be explained more fully presently, and does not open the motor circuit immediately. During this time the switch arm 4I) is still in engagement with the contact 50, thus maintaining negative potential thereon for a comparatively long time. By this arrangement, I am assured that the counting impulse to the counter C4 will be of suiiicient duration to assure operation of the counter. engages a master release contact 60 and places negative potential thereonfrom the slip ring 42. This puts negative potential on a conductor 6l that extends to the relay 45, thus operating that relay. At the now open contacts 44, the circuit for the relay is opened. The relay 4I drops back, and at its open contacts 41 removes the negative potential from the slip ring 42. This causes the relay 45 to drop back and re-close its contacts 44. Continued operation of the arm 40 is now of no eiect unless and until the arm 46 nds nega- A moment later the switch arm 4B 'three diierent machines that are operated independently' of one another and of the machine I. When any one of these machines completes a countable operation it causes its reed to be snapped out of position between its spring contacts and back into the position shown in the drawing, thus momentarily closing its spring contacts. The contacts I5b, I5c, and I5d control individual register relays 2Gb, 26e, and 20d, respectively, over circuits identical with the circuit of the relay- 20, previously described. The register relays are ,connected to testing contacts 2lb, 2Ic, and 2Id, respectively, that. can control the starting of lthe master counting relay il, and result ultimately in the sending of impulses by way of contacts 50h, 50c, or 50d, to selector switches 52h, 52e, or 52d, individual to the respective machines that control the reeds |517, I5c, and ld, respectively.

As shown in the drawing, the selector switches 52 and 52h send their impulses to thecounter C4, which will therefore register the total output of those two machines. The selector switches 52e and 52d direct their impulses to the counting device C3. It is apparent that any of the selector 'switches can be set to direct its impulses to any of the counters C1, C2, C3, or C4. It is also apparent that no two impulses from the master control apparatus 22 to the selector switches 52b-52c-52d will be coincident in time and, therefore, even though two or more of the selector switches are set to direct their impulses to the same counter, the counters will certainly receive one impulse every time that an impulse is directed to a selector switch.

Therelays 20b--20c-20d are provided with contacts paralleling the contacts 32 of the relay 20, so that energi'zation of any one of the register relays will complete a circuit for the motor starting relay 33. The circuit for the motor starting relay 33 remains complete as long as any one of the register relays is operated. When the last one of the register relays' is deenergized and all of the contacts corresponding to the contacts 32 are open, the circuit of the starting relay 33 is opened. The winding of the starting relay is shunted by an electrolytic condenser 10. When the relay winding circuit is opened at the contacts 32, the condenser 'I0 maintains a circulating current through the loop including the condenser and the relay winding. 'I'his current maintainsA the relay in its operated position for a short length of time, depending upon the characteristics of the circuit. I have found with an electrolytic condenser with a capacity of 400 mf., and a relay winding; of 20,000 ohms resistance, the delay in opening of the contacts 36 may erceed y,25 to 30 seconds'. Duringthis time the motor 31 continues to operate. Ifno machine completes a countable operation during this interval and, therefore, no register relay is operated. the contacts' 36 ultimately open, Yand stop the motor. However, should any machine complete a countable operation during this interval, thus bringing `about operation of one of the register relays;v

- the circuit for the starting relay 33 will be reestablished at the corresponding contacts 32. thus reenergizing the starting relay before its contacts 36 have opened. This prevents repeated startin'g and stopping of the motor 3l.

It is to be noted that the master counting relay III operates once each time that any one of the reed controlled switch contacts is closed, denoting a completed countable operation of any one ofthe machines. I have therefore placed a totalizing counter 'I5 in parallel with the master counting relay til. This totalizing counter will therefore give-a count of all of the completed operations of all of the machines, whereas the counters Ci-Cz-Cs-Ci will give counts ofv thel completed operations of diierent groups of machines, as determined by the setting oi' the selector switches. It is to be noted that the contacts 44, that control the opening of the circuit to the operating winding of the master counting relay 4I, are connected between the relay winding and the master counter 75, so that, upon opening of the contacts MI, the master counter does not shunt the winding of the relay lil, hence does not delay opening of the contacts d1 of this relay. Opening of contacts I'I of the relay II results in an opening of the circuit through the operating mechanism of the counting meter l5, since the circuit for this mechanism is by way of the conductor 35, contacts 4l, to the negative line conductor 2Q.

From the above description it is apparent that my present invention is not limited to four machines, since the master testing mechanism 22 can be made to have a larger or smaller number of sets of contacts. In one installation the number ,of sets of -contacts exceeded thirty-five, there being more than thirty-five sets o machines whose opera-tions were counted and totalized. It is also to be noted that the number of selector switches 52 equals the number of machines whose operations are to be counted, while the number of contacts on each selector switch equals the number of individual counters C1- C2-C3-C4, that are provided. There may be.

say, one hundred selector switches, each provided with, say, four contacts, so that the output of any one of the one hundred machines can be totalized on any one of four counters, regardless of whether or not the output of any of the other machines is also totalized onthe same-counter.

From the description given cf the switch S, it is apparent that every time the plunger 3 is fully operated, indicating a completion of a countable operation of the machine I, the reed I5 momentarily permits a closure of the contacts AII--I'I, and 'immediately 'thereafter reopens those contacts. This reopening of the contacts IG-Il is independent of the continued operation or non-operation of the machine I. Hence, if the machine I should happen to stop with the plunger 3 in any possible position, it cannot cause the contacts IG-II to remain permanently' closed. Therefore, there is no possibility'that any one closure of the contacts I G-I'I will result in more than one operation of the corresponding register relav.

The motor 31 operatesat as slow a speed as desired, consistent with the requirements that the arm 40 shall make one complete revolution that must be less than the ininimum 'possible lapse between successive completed operations of the machine l.

Incompliance with the requirements of the patent statutes, I have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement here shown, the` same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. What I consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Means for totalizingA operation of a plurality of independently operating devices, comprising a plurality of register relays, one for each-device, means responsive to a predetermined operation of any device for operating the associated register relay, a master control mechanism, means controlled by the register relays for starting the master control mechanism, relay means common to all of the devices and controlled by the master control mechanism for stopping the sending of counting impulses after one counting impulse has been sent, whereby sending of another counting impulse yis dependent upon a re-assumption of control of the master control mechanism by a register relay, the master control mechanism inabsence of the re-assumption of control by'a register relay in the interval.

2. Means for determining the output of a plurrality of primary operating devices', comprising a plurality of impulse circuits, one for each device, means responsive to a predetermined operation .of any of the devices for sending an impulse overk .the circuit of the operated device; said means including a master controller over which said circuits are controlled successively, whereby the impulses over any two circuits are always noncoincident in time,'a motor for operating the master controller, means responsive to said predetermined operation of any of said devices for initiating the operation 'of the master controller motor and for maintaining the operation of the master controller. until impulses have beenfsent over all of the circuits associated with devices that have completed the predetermined operation., and then preparing for opening of the motor circuit, and means for delaying the opening of the motor circuit thereafter for an interval of time exceeding a substantial fraction of a' minute, whereby the conditions for maintaining the motor circuit closed may be re-established before the motor circuit is opened if any of the operating devices should make its predetermined operation in the interval.

3. In a system including a plurality of operating devices, means for totalizing the operations of all of the devices, said totalizing means including a movable switch arm and contacts engaged by the switch arm, said contacts being in groups,

one group for each operating device, each oi said- .of contacts associated with that device, means responsive to'the engagement of the switch arm with a -testing contact having the characteristic potential thereon for causing the switch arm to operating devices, a master controller comprisingl a motor driven switch arm and a plurality of groups of contacts engaged by the switch arm during its movement, there being a separate group of contacts for each operating device, each group of contacts including at least a counting contact and a release contact successively engaged during operation of the switch arm, separate circuits extending from the respective counting contacts, means responsive to the completion of predetermined operations by any of the independently operated devices for conditioning the master controller to send an impulse of current over the cir,

Acuit extending from the counting contact of the` particular device that completed the operation, whereby the impulses over the respective circuits are non-coincident in time, a plurality of counting devices, means including switches for connecting any counting device with any of the circuits that extend from the counting contacts, and means responsive to the engagement of a release contact following an engagement of a counting I contact for removing the impulse sending condition from the controller.

5. In a totalizing counting apparatus for totalizng operations of Aa plurality of independently operating devices, a master controller comprising a motor driven switch arm and a plurality of groups of contacts engaged by the switch arm during its movement, there being a separate group of contacts for each operating device, each group of contacts including at least a counting contact and a release contact successively engaged during operation of the switch arm, separate circuits extending from` the respective counting contacts, means -responsive to the completion of predetermined operations by any of the independently operated devices for conditioning the master controller to send an impulse of current over the circuit extending from the counting contact of the particular device that completed the operation, whereby the impulses over the respective circuits are non-coincident in time, a plurality of counting devices, means including switches for connecting any counting device with any of the 'circuits that extend from the counting contacts, means responsive to the engagement of a release contact following an engagement of a counting contact for removing .the impulse sending condition from the controller, and means for totalizing the number of times that the impulse sending conditioning is applied and removed.

6. Means for determining .the output of a plurality of operating devices, comprising a motor driven master controller having a rotatable switch arm and a plurality of contacts engaged by the switch arm as it rotates, said contacts being ar.- ranged in a plurality of concentric rows, therebeing a separate group of contacts for each device, the contacts of each group being adjacent one another with certain of the contacts spaced angularly of the others ior successive engagement by the switch arm, the iirst contact of each group being a testing contact, a subsequently'engaged there being two more contacts in each group, which two 'last mentioned contacts are engaged by the switch arm subsequent to the initial encontact of each group being a counting contact, l

gagement of the switch arm with the counting contact, said two last mentioned contacts including an individual release contact that is individual to the group, and a master release contact that is electrically connected with the master release contacts of the other groups.

7. Means for determining the output of a plurality of operating devices, comprising a motor driven master controller having a rotatable switch arm and a plurality of contacts engaged by the switch arm as it rotates, said contacts being arranged in a plurality of concentric rows, there being a separate group of contacts for each device, the contacts of each group being adjacent one another with certain of the contacts spaced angularly of the others for successive engagement by the switch arm, the ilrst contact of each group being a testing contact, a subsequently engaged contact of each group being a counting contact, there being two more contacts in each group, which two y last mentioned contacts are engaged by the switch arm subsequent to the initial engagement of the switch arm with the counting contact, said two last mentioned contacts including an individual release contact that is individual to the group, and a master release contact that is electrically connected with the master release contacts of the other groups, means responsive to predetermined operations of any device for placing and maintaining a characteristic potential upon the testing contact associated with that device, means controlled by the switch arm responsive to the ,engagement of the switch arm with a testing condriven master controller having a rotatable switch arm and a plurality of contacts engaged by the switch arm as it rotates, said contacts being arranged in a plurality of concentric rows, there being a separate group of contacts for each device, the contacts of each group being adjacent one another with certain of the contacts spaced angularly of the others for successive engagement by the switch arm, the first contact of each group being a testing contact, a subsequently engaged contact of each group being a counting contact, there being two more contacts in each group, which two last mentioned contacts are engaged by the switch arm subsequent to the initial engagement of the switch arm with the counting contact, said two last mentioned contacts including nn individual release contact that is individual to the group, and a master release contact that is electrically connected with the master release contacts of the other groups, means responsive to predetermined operations of any device for placing and malntaining a characteristic potential upon the testing contact associated with that device, means for starting the master controller motor and maintaining it in operation responsive to the placing of a characteristic potential on any testing contact, means controlled by the switch arm responsive to the engagement of the switch arm with a testing contact having a characteristic potential thereon for placing a characteristic potential on the counting contact next engaged by the switch arm, and means responsive to the engagement of the switch arm with the two contacts engaged subsequent to the engagement with the counting contact for removing the characteristic potential from the testing contact and for preventing the placing of a characteristic potential on a subsequently engaged counting contact prior to a subsequent re-encountering of the characteristic potential on a testing contact, said motor starting and maintaining means being slow to release, whereby the motor is maintained in operation for a short time interval after removal 'of the characteristic potential from all of said testing contacts. l

FERDINAND B. TROUTMAN.

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