US2332197A - Registering mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 19, 1943. H. N. Buss REGSTERING IECHANISM Filed lay 23, 1940 'Z Sheets-Sheet l SQ @www Swan/who@ ARVEYNLIJJ Oct. 19, 1943. H. N. BLlss REGISTERING MECHANISM Filed May 23, 1940 7. Sheets-Sheet 2 gwn/nm NEUSS HARVEY Oct 19, 1943- n H. N. Buss 2,332,197

REGISTERING MECHANISM F11-ed nay 25, 1940 '7 sheets-sheet s I Ji Ja' if",

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3mm/vbo@ HARVEY NELISJ Od. 19, 1943. Nl B'Llss REGISTERING MECHANISM Filed May 23, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 3 wu amm HARVEY /V BLISS Oct. 19, 1943. H, N Buss REGISTERING MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 23, 1940 Oct. 19, 1943. H. N. BLISS REGISTERING MECHANISM Filed May 25, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 @WMO/v HARVEY/V' 51165 Oct. 19, 1943. H. N. BLISS REGISTERING MECHANISM Filed May 25; 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 (jme/who@ QNVINN Patented Oct. 19, 1943 REGISTERING MECHAN ISM Harvey N. Bliss, Windsor, Conn.-l assigner to Veeder-Root Incorporated, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application May 23, 1940, Serial No. 336,706

(Cl. 23E-135) 17 Claims.

The present invention relates to registering or counting apparatus and has particular relation to a mechanism including means for registering the total amount or number of units of material dispensed and means for simultaneously registering thel total cost of the units dispensed. In the present instance, the mechanism is shown as being adaptable for use with apparatus for dispensing gasoline or other fluids and wherein it is desired-'to simultaneously register and indicate boththe number of units dispensed and the cost thereof.

An object of the present invention is an apparatus of this type wherein the counters are of improvedV construction and utilize a transfer mechanism whereby the step by 'step advance of the wheels of higher order is controlled through means driven synchronously with and in direct relation to the wheel of lowest order.

Another object is an apparatus of this type wherein a plurality of counters are utilized and wherein thestep by step advance of the wheels of higher order of all of the counters is controlled thro-ugh means driven synchronously with and in direct relation to the wheel'of lowest order.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved 'apparatus of this type wherein the number of parts required is substantially less than the number of parts heretofore required in like apparatus and wherein substantially allv of the parts may be metal stampings, thus greatly reducing the manufacturing costs.

A still further object is to provide an improved registering or counting mechanism of the aboveindicated type including resetting mechanism and Ywherein the resetting operations may be easilyA and quickly effected and the entire mechanism being characterized by its compactness in arrangement, simplicity in operation, and dependability and reliability in service and perormance.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

rlhe invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the'construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of the registeringmechanism embodying the invention herein; v

Fig. 2-is aplan View of the apparatus shown in Figi 1;

Fig; 3 is a side elevational view through the center line of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end view'with the front supporting rrame removed to show the transfer mechanism with the parts in position during thev resetting operation; l

Fig. 5 is an end View showing the means for disconnecting the counters from the drive means therefor;

Fig. 6 is an end View looking from the back of the mechanism and with parts removed to show details of' construction;

Fig. 7 is a sectional View through one of the counters to show details of construction;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the counter wheels;

Fig. 9 is a more or less diagrammatic perspective View showing the transferV mechanism; and

Fig. l0 is a more or less diagrammatic perspective view showing an alternative transfer mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, the mechanism includes a front frame plate I0 and a rear frame plate I2 stamped from any suitable metal and secured together in spaced relation by a plurality of tie rods I 4. Supported by the frame platesare aplurality of counters, generally designated as A, B, C, and D; the counters A and B being adapted to indicate the cost of material dispensed and the counters C and D the amount of material dispensed.

Each counter includes, in the embodiment illustrailed, three numeral wheels, and referring specifically` to lcounter A, it comprises a numeral wheel I6a of lowest order and a plurality of numeral wheels lila and 23a of successively higher order. Each ofthe numeral wheels has indicia en its periphery from 0 to 9; the lowest order wheel Ia designating units, the wheel I8a tens, and the wheel 29a hundreds. The numeral wheels are mountedfor free rotation on a shaft 22a journalled in bushings 24 secured in the frame members lil and I2 and held against longitudinal movement by collars 26 pinned thereon adjacent the ends of the shaft.

The counters B, C, and D are of like construction, except when otherwise noted, and the parts corresponding to the parts of counter A have beenl given a similar number with a small letter suiiix corresponding to the capital letter desighating the counters. As the counters C and D are used to designate the amount of material dispensed, the lowest order wheel is graduated to show tenths, the second order wheel units, and

i the highest order wheel tens.

vTo properly arrange the counters, the shafts 22a vand 22h are spaced in an upper horizontal plane and the shafts 22e and 22d are spaced in a lower horizontal plane and respectively in vertical alignment with the shafts 22d and 22h, thus positioning a cost and material counter to each side of the mechanism, whereby the cost and the amount of the material dispensed may be simultaneously read through openings provided in the side walls of a usual enclosing casing (not shown).

To drive the counters, there is supported between the frame plates an upper drive shaft 28 located in horizontal alignment with and midway between the cost counter shafts 22a and 22h, and below the shaft 28 a second drive shaft 30 is similarly arranged relative to the material counter shafts Zic and 22d. The drive shaft 28 is connected to avariator (not shown) as, for example, by having pinned thereon a bevel gear 32, s

which gear meshes with a bevel pinion 34 carried on the upper end of a shaft; 36 operatively connected to the variator in any suitable way. In like manner, the drive shaft has pinned thereon a. bevel gear 33 having in mesh therewith a bevel pinion 4i) carried on the upper end of a shaft 42 operatively connected in any suitable way to the meter (not shown).

Upon rotation of the drive shafts, means are provided for transferring their'rotation to the counters aligned therewith, and as the means for accomplishing this and the means lfor resetting the counters are duplicated in both the cost and amountcounters, the description of these parts will, except where otherwise indicated, relate to the cost counter, and like numerals will be employed with like parts of the amount counters, except that the lnumerals associated with the parts of the amount counters are primed.

To accomplish the transfer of rotation from the drive shaft 28, it has pinned thereon an elongated collar or sleeve 44, and rotatably mounted on the sleeve is a main drive gear 46. The drive gear46 is located on the sleeve by a positioning plate 48j secured to its back face and having its inner periphery located in a groove 50 cut in the sleeve 44. The means for connecting the drive gear 46 to the drive shaft 28 comprises a clutch, generally designated by the numeral 52, and including a female clutch member 54 secured to the front face of the drive gear 46 and a male clutch member 56v slidably mounted on the sleeve 4,4. The clutch members are normally maintained' in clutchingl engagement by a spring 58 compressed between the male clutch member 56 and a rearwardly facing radial shoulder 60 on the sleeve 44.

TheA drive gear 46 is of such size that it meshes directly with a transfer gear 62a (see Fig. 2) directly connected to the lowest order wheel of the counter A and a transfer gear 6217 directly connected to the lowest order wheel of the counter B, and thus Vwhen the main drive gear 46 is clutched to the drive shaft the lowest order wheels of two oppositely disposed counters will be simultaneously and synchronously rotated in a counting direction; this direction being clockwise when viewed from the front of the mechanism.

To drive the lowest order whee1 from its associated transfer gear, the order wheel comprises a cup-shaped member 64a having av discoidal face 66a and a peripheral flange 68a upon which the indicia is printed. The face 66al has a central aperture lila for mounting same on a hub 12a rotatably carried on the supporting shaft 22a. The hub 12a extends rearwardly from the face bij Lio

Lio

66a for mounting thereon the transfer gear 62a, and the latter is integrally secured to both the lowest order wheel and the hub 12a by a plurality of studs Ma, whereby the entire assembly will continuously rotate as long as the main drive gear 46 is clutched to the main drive shaft. As is usual, means are provided for advancing the order wheel 18a one step upon the order wheel i550, completing a revolution and for advancing the order wheel 26a one step upon the order vxfheel [6a completing ten revolutions. In the present instance, this step by step advance is accomplished through transfer mechanism actuated by a means driven by the main drive shaft synchronously with the rotation of the lowest order wheel; in the embodiment illustrated, this means comprising a cam generally designated as '.35 and comprising complementary cam members 'i6 and lil. For convenience in manufacture, the cam members are shown as mounted on the hub 'llaof the lowest order wheel Iia and secured by the studs 14a for simultaneous rotation with he transfer gear 62a and numeral wheel I6a.

To utilize the cam 'I5 for advancing the wheels of higher order, there is associated therewith a transfer lever 8l) including a vertically extending long arm 82 having a follower 84 positioned intermediate of its ends and in contact with the cam member 'i6 and a horizontally extending short arm 'having a follower 36 at its outer end contacting the cam member 13. The transfer lever is pi d on a stud 90 extending from the front fri ne member I8 and of such length that the transfer lever is positioned with the followers 84 and Effi in engagement with their associated cams.

` The cam member 16 also has a peripheral incline 92'so located relative to the lowest order wheel |6a that when the numeral 9 of the latter is visible the low point of the incline will contact the follower 84 of the transfer lever, and when the numeral il of the lowest order is visible the follower will have reached the top of the incline 32 and pivoted the transfer lever clockwise to the dotted position indicated in Fig. 9.

The cam member "i8 is constructed in like manner to the cam member 16, but is complementary thereto, and the corresponding incline is advanced'sufliciently to enable the follower 88 to always maintain the transfer lever positioned with the follower 84 in engagement with the cam member lt. Obviously a single cam could be used, but theconstruction shown is advantageous in that the'cam members may readily be like metal stamping and merely mounted in complementary positions to obtain the results desired.

To transfer the movement of the transfer lever 88 to the higher order Wheels, there is connected thereto means, generally designated by the numeral S4, for-advancing the higher order wheels i541 and 2Sa of the counter A and means, lgenerally designated by the numeral 96, for advancing the higher order wheels |817 and 20h of the counter B. Referring initially to the means 84,

it includes a link 68 pivoted at its respective ends to the arm 82 of the transfer lever 80 and the end of a crank arm |00, depending from and pinned to a transfer shaft IBZ journalled in the frame plates lrand I2. Also pinned to the shaft i132 is a second arm 184 of like construction to the arm |00 and so spaced therefrom as to lie in a vertical plane extending centrally between the order wheels I8a and 2Go. rIhe lower end of arm |84 has pivoted thereon a laterally extending transfer arm |06 carrying on its free end a pair of spaced-fingers |08 and I0 located between and respectively adjacent the order wheels |60, and 2011. The outer end ofnnger |08 is bent downwardly to provide a long pawl ||2 engaging a ratchet ||4a secured tothe `order wheel |8a whenever thecounter is operating in a counting direction, and the ringer ||0 is bent downwardly to provide a short pawl ||6 engageable at predetermined intervals when the counter is operating in a counting direction with a ratchet Haasecured tothe order wheel 2011. 1

The engagement of the short pawl ||6 with y the ratchet ||8a is controlled by the movement of the order wheelrla byproviding the ratchet |,|4a,y with v nine shallow teeth and one deep tooth, designated by the numeral |20. With this construction, when the long pawl l2 of the transfer arm |06l is positioned in any of the nine shallow teeth of the ratchet ll4a, the short pawl H6 will be raised out ofcontact with the ratchet Illia, the Vteeth ofwhieh are all of like depth to the nine shallow teeth of the ratchet Ma. However, when the deep tooth |23 of the ratchet I ita aiigns with the long pawl ||2, the pawl will then drop a sufficient. distance to position the short pawlV ||`6 behind one of the teeth of the ratchet Illia, this occurring when the numeral of the order wheel Ilia is visible, whereupon both wheels will then be simultaneously advanced one step.

As it Yis essential that the order wheels kwill not overthrow, means are provided for preventing this from occurring. For this purpose the transfer arm liicarries on its outer end a transverse stop |22 formed integrally therewith and supported by a pair of'spaced iingers |24 and |26 extending outwardly from the base of the pawls of higher vo'rderalso has/secured on vits discoidal face` a retainer plate |28 having ten laterally extending teeth |30 each having a leading edge |3| and trailing edger |33 with respect to the direction'of counting rotation. As seen in Fig. 6, when the transfer arm |06 is at rest with the transfer teeth thereof Lin engagement with the ratchets, the stop |22 is positioned out of the rotative path of teeth |30. Upon reciprocation of the transfer arm the stop |22 will be carried into the rotative path of the leading edge |3| of a retainer tooth |30, and when the arm reaches theV extent of its reciprocating motion the next succeedingv retainer tooth |30 will abut the stop |22 and prevent further rotation of the wheel.

Referring now to the means 96 for advancing the higher order wheels V|812 and 20h upon rotation of the lowest'order wheel of the counter A, the transfer lever 80 has` pivoted to the upper end of the long arm 82 a transfer arm |32; the other end of the transfer arm terminating in spaced ngers |34 and |36 ypositioned between the order Wheels |82) and 201). The outer end of the finger |34v is bent upwardly to provide a long pawl. |38 engaging the ratchet Mb of the order wheel |85, and the outer end of the finger |36 is provided with a short pawl |40 engageable with the teeth of the ratchet ||8b of the order wheel 20h. As indicated, this construction is substantially similar to the construction of the arm |06, except thatl the pawls are turned upwardly, for upon reciprocation of `samethe ratchets are pushed instead` of being pulled, The arm |32 also includes a stop |42 corresponding to the stopV |22 of thearm |06, but. is. positioned intermediate of the ends ofy the pawl and .movable into therotative path of the retainer teeth when the pawl is reciprocated to advance the order wheels.

It is necessary to also provide means for preventing a reverse rotation of the order wheels as the pawls |06 and |32 are reversely reciprocated following an advance thereof, and this is attained by associating with each wheel of higher order a retainer pawl |44 also adapted to cooperate with the teeth |30 of the order wheel retainer plate |23. To obtain this cooperation, the retainer pawl comprises an arm |46 pivotally mounted at one end on the tie rod lll and bent upwardly at its other end to provide a shoulder |158. The arm |46 is of such length that it will overlie one of y the retainer teeth |30 and position the shoulder |48 as a stop behind the trailing edge |33 of the next retainer toot |30 in a counting direction. When the order wheel is advanced, the retainer stop underlying the arm |46 will lift same until the shoulder |43 is cleared, whereupon the retainer pawl will again drop into retaining position.

Briefiy summarizing the counting operation; upon rotation or the drive shaft 28 the gear 46 will rotate simultaneously therewith and cause synchronous rotation of the lowest order wheels |6a and lh and of the transfer actuatin means-namely, the cam 15. When the numeral 9 of each of these wheels is visible, the incline 92 of the cam member E6 will engage the follower S4 and pivot transfer lever 80 in a clockwise direction to reciprocate the transfer arms |536 and |32 to the dotted lines indicated in Fig. 9, and advance the next highest order wheel one step.

f Simultaneously, the stops |22 and |122 will move into the path of the order wheel retainer teeth and prevent overthrow thereof. Upon reverse reciprocation of the arms |06 `and |32, reverse rotation of the order wheels is prevented by the re tainer pawls |44. When the higher order wheeLs |8a and |81) are so positioned that the numeral 9 is visible, the long transfer pawls will drop into the deep notches of the respective ratchets and engage the short pawls with the next wheel,

- and upon reciprocation of the transfer arms all the higher order wheels will be advanced one step.

As it is desirable that the higher order wheels wiil not be advanced with a sudden movement, means are provided ior giving the transfer mechv anism a harmonious motion. To do this, the ineline 92 of the transfer means actuating cam member 16 is so designed as to provide a long gradual rise 93 and a fairly sudden rise Sii, and .in this manner the pivotal movement of the transfer lever S0 will start at an extremely sicav g rate and gradually increase as the i oline passes over the pawl. In this way it is possible to start the rotation of the higher order wheels prior to the full showing oi the numeral D of the lowest order wheel. However, the motion oi the t higher order wheel will be so slow as not t' be noticeable, but will gradually increase in L f so that upon continued rotation will ca" with the lowest numeral wheel, whereby tl.. proper numerals will be simultaneously displayed. In this manner, the higher order wheels are not rotated with sudden motion, thus substantially the possibility of overthrow.

Although the ratchets and retainer pl .es associated with the order wheels have been shown as separate parts, they could be readily stamped from the discoidal faces of the Wheeis, thus further adding to the simplicity and economy of the mechanism. In like manner, with the exception of the various. transfer shafts, practicall o the parts heretofore described comprise metal stampings. A further advantage of the present structure is that the order wheels could be molded from plastic material, and if this were done the cam 75 could be molded directly on the lowest order wheel and the ratchet teeth and retainer teeth molded directly on the higher order wheels.

Referring to the resetting means, there is provided a centrally located reset shaft |50 journalled in the frame members in like manner to the counter supporting shafts. Upon rotation of the reset shaft it operates means for releasing the transfer pawls from the order wheels, releasing the retainer pawls from the order wheels, clutching the order wheels to their counter shafts, breaking the clutching engagement between the drive shafts and the counters, and thereafter rotating the order wheels and transfer actuating means to Zero position. To accomplish these various steps,v the reset shaft |50 has pinned thereon a reset cam |52 having a peripheral notch |54, which, when the counters are in zero position, lags behind approximately thirty.. seven degrees. the reset cam is a follower-|50 carried on the end of a crank arm iiiS extending from and pinned to a control. shaft |60 journalled in the frame members. The crank arm |58 is normally urged towards rotation in a clockwise direction by a spring |52 having one end connected to the arm and the other to the frame member, and this` rotation also tends to rotate the reset shaft in a counterclockwise direction.

To limit this rotation of the arm 58 and the reset shaft, the control shaft lilo also carries a non-back-up lever |54 which engages the periphery of a non-back-up cam |65 carried on the hub of the reset cam |52. The non-back-up cam includes a reverse facing shoulder |68 engaging the end of the non-back-up lever |64 when the reset'ca-m is at Zero position, and a second reversefacing shoulder |10 trailing the shoulder |68 and engageable with the non-backlever |34 after the reset shaft has been rotated to lift follower |56 out of the notch mit and onto the periphery of the reset cam and thereafter necessitating a full rotation in a reset direction.

Upon the lifting of follower |50 out of the notch, thearm |58 and control shaft |60 will both be rotated in a counterclockwise direction. When this occurs, the shaft |60 will also rotate a pair of crank arms H2 pinned thereon at one and pivotally and slidably connected at their opposite ends to spaced actuating slides |'|'4 posi tioned in vertical alignment and in a plane midway between the two higher order wheels of each counter. For mounting the slides, there is cut therein slots V10, |78, and lill] through which the drive shafts 2B and 30 and the reset shaft lll extend; the top and bottom of the slots actas stops to limit the vertical movement hereof. Upon the slides being raised vertically, they function to release the transfer pawls and retainer pawls from their ratchets and simultaneously clutch the order wheels to the counter shafts, positioning the parts as indicated in Fig. 4. "lo release the pawls, the slides have struck out laterallyV extending tongues |82 eng'ageable beneath the transfer arms and |32 for lifting same out of Contact with their associated ratchets. As the transfer arms are raised, they in turn engage depending tongues |811 provided on each of the retaining pawls IM, thus lifting Positioned in the notch l@ of same from behind the retainer stops |30, wherebythe order wheels will be free to rotate on their counter shafts.

To clutch the order wheels to their respective counter shafts, the slides also actuate four levers |86, one associated with each counter. As seen in Fig. 4, one end of each lever |86 is slidably and pivotally mounted on a slide and the other end |88 is plvotally mounted on the counter shaft intermediate of the two higher order wheels of the counter with which it is associated. As the slide is raised, the lever |86 will be rotated to slightly rotate a pair of oppositely disposed cams |90 provided on the pivoted end |83 of the lever these cams merely being detents provided in the lever when the same is stamped out.

To cooperate with the cams |90, there is also arranged between each pair of higher order wheels a vertically arranged spacer |92 provided with apertures alignable with the counter shafts to permit its mounting thereon and extending above and below the shafts and between the pawl arm transfer fingers to function as guides therefor. The spacer |92 includes a pair of cams |90 complementary to the cams and so positioned relative thereto that upon rotation of the lever |85 the cams |90 will ride onto the cams |911. When this occurs, the spacer |92 and the inner end |88 of the lever |36 will spread apart and each will engage against a friction spring |96 keyed to the counter supporting shaft so as to rotate therewith but be slidable thereon. As seen in Fig. 8v, the spring |96 includes a central body portion |91 and a plurality of lingers |98 bent out of the plane of the body portion to abut against the discoidal face of the order wheel with which it is associated. When pressure is applied to the body portions, the lingers will frictionally engage against the wheel and clutch it to the counter shaft for rotation therewith, although permitting slippage if the frictional force is overcome. Simultaneously, the intermediate order wheel will also be moved longitudinally of the counter shaft, and the forward end of its hub will compress a friction spring |90 associated with the drive gear of the lowest order wheel (see Fig. 7) to clutch it to the counter shaft, whereby upon rotation of the counter shaft all the wheels may reset to zero.

To simultaneously disconnect the drive gears 06 and 46 from the drive shafts, there is slidablyl mounted on the reset shaft |50 a yoke 200 having its top and bottom ends positioned in a. collar 202 provided on each of the male members of the clutches 52. To slide the yoke 200 longitudinally of the resetshaft and thus break the main drive clutches, there is associated therewith one end 200 of a toggle link 20B, which end is provided with cams 208 normally aligned with and positioned in a vertical groove 2li) in the yoke 00. The end 204 of the toggle link 200 is maintained in proper position by a collar 2|2 pinned to the reset shaft |50 rearwardly of the link.

To actuate the link 206, it is connected through a second toggle link 2|4 to the control shaft |60, and upon rotation of the latter the toggle will move from its normal position indicated by full lines in Fig. 5 to the broken line position to rotate the cams 203 out of the yoke groove 2W onto the lace of the yoke, sliding the latter longitudinally of the reset shaft and breaking the clutches between the drive shafts and the drive gears.

All of the foregoing occurs as the reset cam |52 is rotated from the position indicated in Fig,

i. to' the position indicated ni nig. f4, and :thereafter ltheresetting rotation ofthe counter wheel occurs. "I'o vaccomplish this resetting, the shaft lever 2 I6 Iand is normally held stationary by friction means including a plate i224 having a depending `finger 226 pinned to the frame plate IQ.

, '.Rearwardly of the plate224 is a `friction spring 2,28o'f like construction tothe friction spring ziet and normally held under compression by `a securing washer 23D seated vin a groove in the hun 222.. There may also be positioned between the spring 228 and plate 224 a friction washer 2.32 and a like friction washer positioned between .the plate 224 and the rearface of. the main 'reset gear 220.

Thefreset gear 220 simultaneously meshes with a secondary reset gear 234 pinned on the forward end of each of the vcounter `supporting shafts, and thus upon rotationof the main reset gear all of the counter `shafts will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction, and as the order wheels have been previously clutched to the counter .shafts-they Will be simultaneously rotated towards zero position and 'the transfer actuating means `rotated simultaneously with the lowest .order wheel. As this rotation is in a direction opposite to the counting direction and independent of any movement .of the drive means, backlash is eliminated. f

To assure 'accurate zero setting, each higher order wheel `retainerplate |28 includes one -stop 236 having a trailing edge |31 at a greater radial distance from the center of the wheel than those of the remaining stops |30. This stop is so located that when zero 'becomes visible the stop will engage the stop shoulder |48 of the retaining p awls |44; these pawls having only been raisedsufiiciently to permit the' other retainer stops to clear same upon the resetting operation. When so held, the friction clutch will -slip and the counter shaft rotate4 independently :of the y order wheel.

' should-er v2.14v which will limit the pivoting in a clockwise direction. Obviously as the main Idrive gear moves in a counting direction the stud 238 will ride beneath the Vstop 240 `and simply lift it outof its path of movement, and the stop will drop by gravity when the stud has cleared same.

To assure that all of the wheels-will be rotated to zero position, the gear ratio between -the main reset Agear 220 and the secondary gears 234 is such that the latter will be rotated approximately one and one-quarter times for each revolution of the main reset gear. Thus should any slippage occur between the order wheels and the counter shafts, the extra extent of movement will compensate for same.

Upon completing a revolution of the reset shaft, the follower |56 of the arm |58 will again be "rotatably mounted on a hub 222 pinned to the drawn by the tension of spring |52 into the notch |54 to reverse the rotation of the reset shaft through the medium of the spring |62 until the non-back-up lever |64 engages behind the nonback-up cam shoulder |68. When this occurs, the control shaft |6il will be rotated in a clockwise-direction and, through its associated mechanism, will move'the actuating slides downwardly and reset the various parts for counting operation.

In theernbodiment illustrated in Fig. l0, there is shown an alternative means for advancing the higher order wheels of each counter. In this embodiment, the means for advancing the -ratchets -IMb and ||8b of .the numeral wheels 98h and 20`o of the counter B is similar to that shown in 9, and the parts have been similarly numbered. However, to advance the ratchets |I4b and H81) of the lnumeral wheels la'and 20a, the pawl carrying arm |06, instead of fbeing driven through interconnecting linkage to the lever 80, is directly driven by means rotated synchronously with the transfer gear 6227 and the lowest numeral wheel |611 ofthe counter B. These means include a transfer leverand cam lever of like construction to those associated `with the lowest numeral wheel of the counter A and have been given like numerals.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language .used in the following claims is intended to cover allv `of the generic and specific features of the lnvcntion herein described and all statements of the vscope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

.Iclaimas my invention:

l. In combination, a pair of counterseach having a plurality of numeral wheels of successively higher order, means for synchronously rotating the wheel of lowest order of each counter, oscillatable .transfer means for the wheels of higher order, and means rotated in synchronism with the Vwheels of lowest order for operating said oscillatable transfer means to effect a transfer movement of the wheels of higher order.

2. In combination, a pair of counters each having a V.plurality of numeral wheels of successively higher order, means for synchronously rotating the wheel `of lowest order of each counter, and transfer means for effecting a transfer of the wheels ofhigher order and including a cam rotated in synchronism with the wheels of lowest order and a pawl and ratchet associated with each Wheel of higher order and operatively connected to the cam.

3. In combination, a pair of counters each having a plurality of numeral wheels of successively higher order, means for synchronously rotating the numeral wheels of lowest order, transfer pawls for the wheels of higher order, means for operating said transfer pawls for effecting a transfer movement of the wheels of higher order and including an actuating member rotated synchronously with said wheels of lowest order, and operative connections between said actuating member and said transfer pawls.

4. In combination, a pair of counters each having a plurality of rotatable numeral wheels, a

rotatable drive shaft, and means for advancing said numeral wheels after a predetermined rotation of the drive shaft and including an actuating member rotated synchronously with the drive shaft, and oscillatable means operatively connected to said numeral wheels and periodically operated by said actuating member to rotate said numeral wheels.

5. In combination, a pair of counters each having a plurality of numeral wheels of successively higher order, means for synchronously rotating the wheels of lowest order of each counter, com-- mon transfer means for advancing all of the wheels of higher order of both of said counters, and means associated and rotated synchronously with the lowest order wheel of one of said counters for actuating said transfer means.

6. In combination, a pair of counters each having a plurality of numeral wheels of successively higher order, means for synchronously driving the lower order wheels of each of said countersy and means rotated synchronously with the driven wheel of one counter for advancing the higher order wheel of the other counter.

7. In combination, a pair of counters each having a plurality of numeralwheels of successively higher order, means for synchronously rotating the wheels of lowest order, transfer means movable in reverse directions and operable when moved in one direction for advancing the wheels of higher order in acounting direction, and means rotated synchronously with the rotation of the wheel of lowest order for operating said transfer means in reverse directions. l

8. In a counter, a numeral wheel of lowest order, second and third numeral wheels of successively higher order, means for rotating said lowest order wheel, a transfer pawl engageable with said second wheel, a second transfer pawl engageable with said third wheel, means on the second wheel for controlling the engagement of the second transfer pawl with the third wheel, and means rotated synchronously with the lowest order wheel for actuating both of said transfer pawls.

9. Ina counter, a numeral wheel of lowest order, a second numeral wheel of higher order, a reciprocating pawl associated with said second wheel for advancing'same after a predetermined rotation of the first wheel, and rotatable means operated synchronously with the rotation of the lowest order wheel 4for reciprocating said pawl.

10. In combination, a pair of counters each having a plurality of numeral wheels of successively higher order, means for synchronously driving the lower order wheels of each counter, transfer means for the higher order wheels including a ratchet associated with each wheel and a pawl for operating said ratchet, and means for operating said pawls comprising a member rotated synchronously withv the driven wheel of one counter and operatively connected to each of said pawls.

11. In combination, a pair of counters each having a plurality of numeral wheels of successively higher order, means for synchronously driving the lower order wheel of each of said counters, and means for operating the higher order wheels of each ofsaid counters including a ratchet associated with each wheel and a pawl for operating said ratchet, and means for operating said pawls including a member synchronously driven with the driven wheel of one f counter and operatively connected to the pawls of the other counter.

12. In a counter having a pair of order wheels of successively higher order, drive means for rotating the wheel of lowest order, pawl and ratchet means for advancing the wheel of higher order on predetermined rotation of the wheel of lower order, and an operative connection between said pawl and said drive means and including a first member rotated synchronously with the lowest order wheel and a second member operated by the first member for converting the rotating movement of said rst member into oscillating movement to oscillate said pawl.

13. In combination, a pair of counters each having a plurality of numeral wheels of successively higher order, drive means for simultaneously rotating the wheel of lowest order of each counter, transferV means for the higher order wheels including a ratchet associated with each wheel and a pawl for operating said ratchet,

' and means for operating said pawls comprising a cam simultaneously rotated with the wheels of lowest order.

14. In a counter, a plurality of numeral wheels of successively higher order, drive means for the wheels of lowest order, transfer means for the higher order wheel comprising a ratchet associated with the wheel and a pawl for operating the ratchet, means for operating said pawl and comprising a cam operatively connected to said drive means for synchronous rotation with the wheel of lowest order, and operative connections between saidv cam and said transfer pawl.

l5. In a counter, a plurality of numeral wheels of successively higher order, means for driving the lowest order wheel, means for advancing the highest order wheels after a predetermined rotation of the lowest order wheel, said means comprising a pawl associated with each wheel, a transfer lever to which said pawls are commonly connected, and a member rotated synchronously with the lowest order wheel for actuating said transfer lever.

I6.' In a counter, a plurality of numeral wheels of successively higher order, drive means, means for actuating said order wheels and comprising a pawl associated with each wheel, a transfer le- Verto which said pawls are commonly connected, and a member having an operative connection to said drive means for synchronous rotation therewith for oscillating said transfer lever.

17. In combination, a pair of counters each having a plurality of numeral wheels of successively higher order, means for synchronously rotating the wheel of lowest order of each counter, and means for effecting a transfer movement of the wheels of higher order following a predetermined rotation of the wheel of lower order and comprising a ratchet associated with each wheel and a pawl for operating said ratchet, and means for operating the pawls comprising a transfer lever to lwhich said pawls are commonly connected and a member operated synchronously with said lowest order Wheel for actuating said transfer lever.

- HARVEY N. BLISS.

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