US2468334A - Adding and subtracting indicating counter mechanism - Google Patents

Description

April 26, 1949. w. A. KENNEDY ADDING AND SUBTRACTING INDICATING COUNTER MECHANISM Filed Aug. 27, 1948 2 Sheets-Shet l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. A. KENNEDY ADDING AND SUBTRACTING INDICATING COUNTER MECHANISM v IN V EN TOR: Wow/men A. A ENNEDY.

A T TOENE Y IIIIIII Y April 26, 1949.

Filed Aug. 27, 1948 Patented Apr. 26, 1949 ADDING AND SUBTRACTING INDICATING COUNTER MECHANISM Woodford A. Kennedy, Charlotte, N. C. Application August 27, 1948, Serial No. 46,401

6 Claims.

This invention relates to indicating counters such as are used in production manufacturing and more especially to a yardage counter for textile cloth.

After cloth has been drawn through various processes of manufacture, it is necessary that the cloth be inspected, During the inspection of the cloth, the cloth is drawn across a table, usually by mechanical means, and a yardage counter engages the cloth and is caused to register the length of the cloth as it passes by the yardage counter. Due to the fact that the cloth is usually drawn across the inspection table by mechanical means, it often happens that some areas of the cloh may be faulty the extent that the cloth will pass over the table faster than it may be inspected, and as a result, it is necessary that the cloth be pulled reversely across the inspection table and reinspected at this particular area.

In order to insure that the correct length of the cloth be indicated on the counter, it is necessary when the cloth is caused to move reversely over the inspection table, that the yardage counter subtract an amount equivalent to the length of the cloth that is reversely moved over the table. Although most counters have been able to reverse their rotation according to the direction in which the cloth passes by the counter, it has heretofore been impossible to insure that the counter subtracts the correct amount as the cloth is passed reversely over the table inasmuch as parts of the counter often would s-li-p during reverse movement of the counter and would thus not indicate the correct overall length of the cloth upon forward movement of the cloth being resumed.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a counter which will indicate multiples of a particular unit of length as the cloth is passed by the same and to provide positive means whereby upon reverse movement of the cloth past the counter, the counter will subtract the exact amount equivalent to the length of cloth passed reversely by the same, thereby insuring that the exact length of the cloth which has passed by the counter will be indicated :on the counter.

It is another object of this invention to provide a counter having a plurality .of conventional counter wheels therein and having conventional means for moving the counter wheels in one direction and also having conventional resetting means associated therein and to provide a shaft having a longitudinally extending groove therein and on which the counter wheels are 'rotatably mounted and a pinion rotatably mounted-on the shaft and having a dog-carrying disk integral v.2 therewith and disposed between the pinion and the first of the counter wheels.

The disk has a dog therein, which, upon reverse rotation of the pinion, will engage the longitudinally extending groove .in the shaft thereby causing the shaft to be positively rotated by the pinion, and inasmuch as the conventional reset pawls of the counter wheels normally engage the longitudinally extending grooves for the resetting operation, the dog in the disk connected to the pinion will cause the shaft to rotate in such a manner that the groove in the shaft will remain ahead of the reset pawls in the conventional counter wheels, thereby eliminating resistance to rotation of the counter wheels which has heretofore not been possible. If the shaft does not turn with the counter wheels upon reverse rotation of the same, conventional pawls which induce rotation to the counter wheels in an :adding operation would merely slip by the counter wheels upon reverse rotation of the pinion due to resistance by frictional contact between the counter wheels and the shaft on which they are mounted.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the .de-

scription proceeds, when taken in-connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an isometric view :of an inspection table showing the yardage counter mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is an elevation with parts in section and being taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure-3 is a :top plan View of the yardage counter shown in Figure 2, and with the observer standing on the right-hand'side of Figure 1, but showing the same removedfrom the inspection table and omitting the cover therefrom;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view with parts broken away and being taken along the line '44 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view withparts broken away and being taken along the line ;55 in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view with parts broken away and being taken along the line 6--.6 in Figure 3 and showing the main features of this invention;

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view with parts broken away and being taken along theline 1-1 in Figure 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the framework of a conventional inspection table having an angularly disposed table top I I mounted on the upper end thereof (Figure 1) and suitably mounted adjacent the rear of the framework in Figure 1 is a roller [2 on which the fabric cloth material l3 to be inspected -is disposed. This cloth material I3 extends upwardly and passes over a suitably mounted idler roll l4 and then passes across the top surface of the tabletop l l and then passes over an idler roll l5 disposed at the front edge of the table top II. The cloth I3 then passes downwardly to a suitable take-up means, not shown.

Suitably secured to the upper surface of the table top H is an upwardly extending bearing block in which a portion of a support bracket 2| is 'oscillatably mounted. This bracket 2| has a plate portion 22 integra1 therewith (Figures 1 and 2) on which is mounted a casing for a counter having a cover 25 secured on the upper end thereof by screws 23 which slidably penetrate the plate 22 and also slid-ably penetrate the easing 25. The cover 2'5 has a window 21 therein through which the numerals on the counter wheels, to be later described, may be observed.

The casing 25 has a transverse shaft notatably mounted therein on the opposite ends of which knurled wheels 3| are fixedly mounted and these wheels 3! are adapted to engage the cloth l3 as it passes over the table top ll, the cloth being adapted to pass between the Wheels 3 l and the table :top H. The transverse shaft 33 has a worm 34 fixedly mounted thereon which engages a worm gear 35 mounted on a tubular hub portion 36 of a disk 37 which is a part of the invention to be later described.

The tubular hub portion is rotatably mounted on a longitudinally extending shaft d0 disposed within the casing 25 and rotatably mounted in thickened bearing portions in the end walls of the casing 25. This longitudinally extending shaft 40 has a longitudinally extending keyway ll therein which terminates a substantial distance from the left-hand end of the shaft 48 in Figure 7 and is adapted to be engaged by the conventional reset pawls of the counter wheels to be later described.

The left-hand end of the shaft 43 in Figure 7 has a collar 42 fixedly mounted thereon as by a tapered pin 33 and this shaft it also has peripheral grooves id and t5 therein which are adapted to be independently engaged by the lower end of a pin 46 slidably mounted in an inwardly projecting bearin portion 6? of the left-hand end wall of the casing 25 as observed in Figure 3. The upper end of the pin it is adapted to be engaged by a leaf sprin member 53 which extends over the inwardly projecting portion ill and is secured as by a screw 5! to the casing 25 (Figure 3).

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, it may be observed that the longitudinally extending shaft 49 extends from the left-hand end of the casing 25 to the right-hand end of the casing and penetrates the right-hand vertical wall of the casing 25 in which the shaft ift is rotatably mounted. The shaft 40 extends outwardly beyond the righthand side of the casing 25 in Figures 2 and 3 and has fixedly secured thereon, by a pin 5d, a collar 55 having secured to the right-hand end thereof, as by screws 55, a crank arm 5'! having a handle 58 secured on the outer end thereof. The right-hand side of the casing 25 in Figures 2 and 3 has a pin 63 secured therein and projecting outwardly therefrom, the lower side of which, in Figure 3, is cut at an angle indicated at 6|.

The collar 55 has a cavity 52 therein in which the head portion 63 of an outwardly extending pin 66 is mounted for sliding movement in cavity 62 and this cavity is restricted at its outer end by a washer 55 which is pressed into the outer end of the cavity A compression spring 56 engages the head portion 63 of the pin 54 at one end thereof and the other end of the compression spring engages the right-hand end of the cavity 52 in the collar thus urging the pin 64 outwardly against the rightehand side of the casing 25 in Figures 2 and 3.

Upon revolving the collar 55 and the associated shaft lll in a direction where the handle 58 moves away from the observer in Figure 3, the pin 64 being positioned on the same radius as the pin engages the angularly cut surface iii of the pin $33 and is thus urged into the bore (52 for a substantial distance to where the pin a l will pass over the outer end of the pin 63 thus permitting the shaft to be rotated in one direction as desired, which is necessary in a subtracting operation as will be later described.

However, it is necessary upon moving the collar 55 in the opposite direction, that the pin 64 engage the side of the pin 63 remote from the surface iii to thus prevent the shaft t9 from being rotated during the time the shaft ill is in the longitudinal position shown in Figures 2, 3 and 7. This necessity arises due to the fact that a dog in the apparatus, to be later described, would interfere with rotation of the shaft it and would damage the counter mechanism in a manner to be later described, during a resetting operation, unless the shaft were moved from left to right in Figures 3 and 7 to where the pin G8 in Figure '7 would engage the peripheral groove i5 instead of the peripheral groove i l in the shaft 313.

Rotatably mounted in parallel spaced relation to the longitudinally extending shaft ill in the casing is a shaft it, one end of which is fixedly mounted in the right-hand wall of the casing 25 and the other end of which is fixedly mounted in a bearing block ll integral with the upper wall of the casing 25 as observed in Figure 3. This shaft "it has Geneva pinions l2, l3, l4 and T5 rotatably mounted thereon which are spaced apart from each other. Attention is called to the fact that the Geneva pinions l2, l3, l4 and 15 each has every other tooth extending from one side to the other side thereof all the way across, whereas the other teeth extend only half way from one side to the other side thereof.

By referring to Figure 3 there may be observed a plurality of conventional counter wheels, each of which bears the reference character 8i] and since all of the counter wheels are identical, like reference characters will apply to all parts, as a description of one of the counter wheels will equally apply to the structure of the other counter wheels, except that since the Geneva pinions have received separate reference characters, it might be stated that the Geneva pinion it engages the proximate sides of the first and second counter wheels at from the left-hand side of Figure 3, the first counter wheel at being adapted to impart step by step rotation to the second counter wheel through the Geneva pinion 2. The Geneva pinion lt enga es the proximate sides of the second and third counter wheels from the left in Figure 3 so the second counter wheel will impart step by step rotationto the third counter wheel from the left in Figure 3 through the Geneva pinion 13. The Geneva pinion id engages the proximate sides of the third and fourth counter whels from the left in Figure 3 so the third counter wheel, will impart step by step rotation to the fourth counter wheel through the pinion l4 and the pinion l5 engaging the proximate sides of the fourth and fifth counter wheels from the left in Figure 3 will cause the fourth counter wheel to impart step by step rotation to the fifth counter wheel all by means to be later described.

Although the. counter wheels ti are conventional in all. respects, such as shown in Kennedy et a1. Patent Number 2,224,396 of December 10, 1940, a complete description of the same follows in order to clearly define the cooperating functions between the counter wheels to and the invention. The numerals on the counter wheels 80 in Figure 3 are shown inverted to provide a clearer conception of the other views of the apparatus, because the point or view is that of an observer standing on the right-hand side of Figure l and lookin down on the apparatus.

The right-hand sides of the counter wheels 3G in Figure 3 are counterbored as shown in land have secured in the counterbored portions, as by a pressed fit, a disk 55 (Figures i and 7) having an out-turned ring 66 having a plurality ofradially disposed formed notches ill in the same. The notches 81 are adapted to be engaged by corner portions or ratchet pawls 9i and 82 (Figure l) which are pivotally mounted on, 93 and 94, respectively, which project inwardly from a disk 9f; loosely mounted on a hub portion ill of the counter wheels 851 and covering the open end of the counthores therein. The corner portions 9d of the ratchet pawls ill and 52 are urged into engagement with the notches t! in the out-turned ring 8% by a leaf spring member tilt the opposite ends of which engage the proximate sides of the ratchet pawls Bl and 92 and the medial portion of which is curved to pass by the shaft it.

Each of the disks $8 on the counter wheels has a plurality of equally spaced notches H35 in itsperiphery which are adapted to be engaged by both the broader and the narrower teeth of the corresponding Geneva pinions E2, E3, "i l and '15. It is thus seen that when the disk to is rotating in a clockwise manner in Figure 4, the pawls ill and 92 being imbedded in t; e notches 3?, will be locked in these notches and the dire"- tion ofrotation would thus cause the disk to propel the disk 85 and the Wheel 80 along with it.

Pins it]? and I88, which secured the plate 85 to the counter wheel 8!], also serve to secure a disk M0 to the right-hand side of the counter wheel as and also secure a disk I l l to the cou' wheel Bil, said disk lib having a notch lit the ein and the disk it! having a projection H3 thereon having a notch [I l therein coinciding with the notch H2. These notches H2 ll l are adapted to engage the Geneva pinions "12, 13,2! and 15 depending upon which of the wheels 89 are disposed adjacent the same, the pinions, having alternate broad and narrow teeth therein, the notches H2 and H4 engaging the lore teeth and rotating the associated Geneva plnlOll and allowing the short teeth to move into one of the notches in the disk so on the proximate side of the adjacent counter wheel 8!! to thus impart a one-step movement in the next succeeding counter wheel.

The disk H!) has a substantially T-shapcd cavity Ht therein in the left-hand end of which is loosely pivoted a reset pawl H1 in Figure 5. The free end of the pawl H! is adapted to be pressedinto the longitudinally extending keyway till in the shaft 40 by means of aleaf spring meme ber I20 disposed in the other end of the T-shaped cavity I [6.

This completes the description of the conventional counter wheels; however, the disk of the first counter Wheel from the left in Figure, 3 has a bore I25 therein in which a pin liltiprojecting from a disk lll'l is adapted to be in-, serted.

Mounted between the disks and 3'! (Figures 6 and 'Z) is a disk ltil which is. very similar to the disk llil (Figure 5) heretofore described. The disk to has a T-shaped cavity 535 the lefthand end of which is loosely pivoted a dog I32, the free end of which is adapted to be presse to fall into the longitudinally extend l-zeyway i! in the shaft do by means of a leaf spng mem ber l 33 disposed in the other end of the T-shapecl cavity I31. The disks i21 Lid El as well as the worm gear 35 are secured integral with each other by longitudinally et iwnding pins I35 and which are secured therein as by a pressed fit.

The disks 12's, [3t and 3'5 and the spring pressed dog E32 are the main features of this invention.

Method of operation As heretofore stated, this counter has three basic functions, the first being that of counting a normal manner, in which instance the counter wheels all rotate on the shaft to and the shaft remains stationary, the con ter who being caused to rotate in step by s relation in a clockwise direction in Figure l and in a counter clockwise direction in Figure 5. The second function is that of reverse rotation the counter wheels in a subtracting operation in which instance the shaft to is caused to rotate in a clockwise direction in Figures and in a counterclockwise direction in F gure as will be presently described, the purpose of this reverse rotation of the counter wheels b ing to subtract an amount equivalent to the length of the material drawn reversely past the counter mechanism.

The third of these functions is that of resetting the counter wheels which is a conventional function of the counter wheels in which instance the counter wheels are caused to rotate in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 5 as the free ends of the reset pa -*3 iii are engaged by the keyway in the shaft the shaft being manually rotated as will be la" l.

In the normal function or" this counter mechanism, which is that of providing a visible count of the length of cloth I25 passing by the knurled wheels 3!, the knurled wheels are caused to rotate in a clockwise direction in Figure 2, thus causing the shaft so and the worm in Figure 7 to also rotate in a clockwise direction. Now, as the worm 34 rotates in a clockwise direction it transmits rotation to the worm gear (Figure 7) to where the upper portion of the worm gear 35 moves away from the observer. This will cause rotation of the parts in Figures 5 and 6 around the shaft 2-6 in a counterclockwise direction and will cause rotation of the parts in Figure 4 around the shaft M3 in a clockwise direction.

The disks 31, I39 and I37 being integrally connected with the worm gear 35, Will rotate about the shaft 49 in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 6 and the pin l26, being integral with the disk [21 and projecting into the bore I25 in the disk 96, will thus transmit rotation to the disk 96 in a clockwise direction in Figure 4, thus causing the first of the wheels 80 from the left in Figure 3 to rotate constantly with rotation of the worm gear 35. It has already been described how upon rotation of the disk 96, the pins 93 and 94 which are integral therewith will cause the ratchet pawls 9i and 92 to rotate in a clockwise direction in Figure 4, thus imparting rotation to the first counter wheel 88 from the left in Figure 3.

In the instance of the first counter wheel 89 the notches I65 in the disk 56 are superfluous in that they have no function but are merely carried by the first of the disks 96 inasmuch as this first counter wheel 86 is conventional in all respects with the exception of the bore 525 in the disk 96. However, the disk ill on the opposite side of the counter wheel 89; that is the righthand side of the first counter wheel in Figure 3, has the disk Ill thereon and the notch ill; in the disk ll! engages the alternate longer teeth of the Geneva pinion F2 to impart rotation to the same, whereby the narrow teeth as well as the broad teeth will engage the notches Hit in the disk 96 associated with the second of the counter wheels 80 from the left in Figure 3 thus imparting a step in the rotation of the same with each revolution of the first of the counter wheels A step in rotation is then imparted successively to the third, fourth and fifth counter wheels from the left in Figure 3 in a like manner, it being understood that the second of the counter wheels would impart one step in rotation of the third counter wheel through th Geneva pinion it with each. revolution thereof and the third of the counterwheels would impart a step in rotation with each revolution thereof to the fourth of the counter wheels 80 through the pinion it and the Geneva pinion '55 would impart a step in rotation to the fifth of the counter wheels at with each revolution of the fourth of the counter wheels 80.

Now, as these counter wheels 80 are caused to rotate in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 5, it is obvious that the free ends of the conventional reset pawls i ll would merely slide over the keyway M in the shaft ie and would thus permit the associated sleeve 9? to rotate about the shaft 40, This completes the description of the normal adding function of these counter wheels at.

Now, as the cloth I3 is moved in the reverse direction, across the table top l I in Figure 1; that is, from the lower edge of the table toward the upper edge of the table, the knurled wheels 3| would be caused to rotate in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 2, thus imparting rotation to the worm gear 35 whereby the lower half of the worm gear 35 would move away from the observer in Figure '7.

This would impart rotation to the disks 3?, I30 and [2! in a clockwise direction in Figure 6, and, in this instance, the dog I32 would engage the keyway M of the shaft id to thus transmit rotation to the shaft 4! from the worm gear 35. There being a direct connection between the disk I2! and the disk 96 associated with the first counter wheel 80 from the left in Figure 3, by the pin I28, this would cause the disk to rotate in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 4. The dog I32 is so positioned relative to the reset pawl H1 in the first of the counter wheels 88 that the free end of the ratchet pawl H7 will not encounter resistance from the keyway H in the shaft ii) inasmuch as the free end of the dog I32 will engage the keyway 4! before the reset pawl Ill would do so.

Now, if it were not for the dog H2 in the disk 536 being adapted to engage the keyway 4| in the shaft 48, the worm gear 35 would transmit rotation directly to the disk 95 on the first of the counter wheels 853 from the left in Figure 3, in which instance, the disk 95 would rotate in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 4. In this instance, the rotation between the disk 96 and the counter wheel 8E3 is dependent upon the pawls 9i and Q2 remaining in engagement with the notches 8'! in the disk 85 and it often happens that frictional resistance to rotation of the counter wheel 8%! around the shaft 46 is great enough to where the resistance of the leaf spring member ifiii would be overcome by the pawls 9i and 92 in such a manner that the ends of the same would be caused to move out of engagement with the notches Bl in the disk 85 and would thus partially rotate within the counter wheel and as a result, the counter wheel 80 would not subract the correct lentgh of the material drawn reversely by the counter wheels El and consequently, when the cloth I3 is again drawn by the knurled wheels 3! in its original direction of travel, the overall length of the cloth would not be indicated correctly on the wheels 8! During the time that the knurled wheels 3| are transmitting rotation in either direction to the counter wheels at, as has heretofore been described, the shaft til is in the position shown in Figures 2, 3, 6 and 7. Now, when it is desired to reset the mechanism of these counter wheels, it is necessary that the shaft 40 be pulled from left to right in Figures 3 and 7 to where the peripheral groove M will be moved out of engagement with the lower end of the pin 46 in Figure 7 and the peripheral groove 45 will be moved into engagement with the lower end of the pin 46 in Figure 7. This not only causes the keyway M in Figure 7 to move out of engagement with the free end of the ratchet pawl 532, but also causes the pin (it at the right-hand side of Figure 3 to be moved to the right to where the pin 60 would not interfere with manual rotation of the collar 55 in such a manner that the handle portion 58 would move towards the observer in Figure 3,

The shaft til would then be rotated in a counterclockwise direction in Figures 5 and 6 to where the keyway M would be moved into engagement with the free end of the reset pawls Ill associated with each of the counter wheels 80, thus transmitting rotation to the counter wheels 80 in such a manner as to reset the same in a conventional manner. The reason for the shaft 40 being moved longitudinally of the casing 25 in such a manner that the keyway H is moved out of engagement with the free end of the dog H2, is so that the shaft 46 will not transmit rotation to the disks E36, E21 and 3? thereby transmitting rotation to the worm gear 35 and thus to the knurled wheels 3!, inasmuch as this would probably be too much of a load for the small dog I32 to carry and may cause breakage of the various parts associated therewith. It is obvious that the purpose of the pin et at the right-hand side of Figure 3 is to prevent reverse rotation of the shaft '30 while the free end of the dog I 32 is in engagement with the keyway 4! in the shaft 40.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved counter mechanism embodying a positive means for reverse movement of the counter wheels when it is required that reverse rotation be transmitted to the counter wheels automatically due to reverse movement of other mecha- 9 nism associated therewith such as that of moving a strip of cloth in a reverse direction during an inspecting operatio in the case of a yardage counter or the ,e. Obviously, there are many other applications for counters embodying the principle of a reversibly positively driven counter mechanism the counter shown in the drawings is to be regarded. only a typical application of this feature.

In the drawings specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a counter having a casing and a front cover provided with a transparent window and having a counter shaft with its ends rotatably mounted in the walls of the casing h h a longitudinally extending groove therein and having a plurality of counter wheels rotatably mounted thereon, said counter wheels having gears associated with the same and Geneva pinions and means for driving the said gear in the first of said counter wheeis, whereby a pre determined amount of rotation of one counter wheel will impart a one-step rotation to the next adjacent counter wheel, each of the counter wheels having a pair of spring pawls pivotally mounted on the gears associated with the counter wheels, said spring pressed pawls being pointed in a direction to transmit rota tion to the counter wheels when the gears are caused to rotate in one direction, each of said counter wheels also being provided with a reset pawl adapted to engage the longitudinally ex tending groove in said shaft to transmit for- Ward rotation to the shaft durin a resetting operation, and whereby upon reverse rotation of the gears the reset pawl would normally engage the groove in the lon itu ally extending shaft, thereby causing resistance to rotation of said gears, and whereby the spring pressed pawls may have sufficient tension thereon to be depressed by reverse rotation of the gears associated with each of the counter wheels thereby causing the gear to rotate reversely independentl of the associated counter wheel, a disk disposed adjacent the first of the counter wheels, said disk having a spring pressed dog therein which is adapted to engage the longitudinally extending groove in the shaft, a positive connection between the driving means for the gears and the disk through the dog whereby the will impart rotation to the longitudinally extending shaft upon rovers rotation of the driving means to thus overcome the resistance encountered by the gears to such an extent that the first-named spring-pressed pawls will remain contact with the counter wheels thereby c 5111;; direct rotation of the counter wheels with reverse rotation of the associated gear.

2. In a counter having a rotatable shaft with a longitudinally extending groove therein and having a plurality of counter wheels rotatably mounted on the shaft and provided with consecutively appearing numerals on. the periphery thereof, said counter wheels having a, counterbore in one side thereof the inside periphery of which has circular m mber disposed therein having a plurality of equally spaced notches in the inside periphery thereof, each of said counter wheels also comprising a disk member covering the open end of the counterbore in the counter wheel and having a pair of pins thereon on which a pair of pawls are pivotally mounted, spring means urging the free ends of said pawls into engagement with the notches in the counterbores and said disks on which the pins are disposed being rotatably mounted on the shaft, each of said counter wheels having a spring pressed reset pawl mounted therein, the free end of which is adapted to be engaged by the longitudinally extending groove in the rotatable shaft a resetting operation, said reset pawl engaging the keywa being pointed in a direction opposite to that of the pawls engaging the notches in the internal periphery of the bore, said shaft having a driven gear thereon, a dog-carrying disk integral with said gear and having means integral therewith for locking the dog-carrying disk in engagement with the first of the disks on which the conventional spring pressed pawls engaging the inner periphery of the counterbore are pivotally mounted, said dog-carrying disk having spring means therein for urging the free end of the dog in the said clog-carrying disk into engagement with the longitudinally extending groove in the shaft, whereby upon normal adding operation of the counter wheels the gear will transmit rotation to the first of the disks carrying the pawls which engage the internal periphery of the counterbore in the direction in which the pawls are pointed to move the counter wheels in an adding direction, and whereby upon reverse rotation of the driving gear, the disk on which the pawls are pivotally mounted which engage the internal periphery of the counterbore will rotate in a direction away from the direction in which the ratchet pawls are pointed and the spring means engaging said pawls associated with the counterbore will suffice to hold the pawls in engagement with the notches in the internal counterbore provided the shaft on which the counter wheel is rotatably mounted is caused to rotate in a like manner, the dog in the dogcarrying disk being caused to engage the longitudinally extending groove in the shaft upon rotation of the gear in a subtracting direction to thereby cause said shaft to rotate with the gear thus overcoming the usual point of resistance to rotation of the counter Wheel in a subtracting direction and accordingly permitting the pawls pivotally mounted on the disk associated with the coonterbore in the counter wheel to transmit subtracting rotation to the counter wheels.

3. In a structure according to claim 2, said rotatable shaft being adjustable longitudinally thereof and the longitudinally extending groove terminating a substantial distance from one end of said shaft whereby the rotatable shaft may be moved longitudinally in one direction, thus moving the longitudinally extending groove out of engagement with the dog in the dog-carrying disk and thereby taking the load oif the dog in the dog carrying disk during a resetting operation.

4:. In a structure according to claim 3, spring pressed locking means for locking the longitudinally extending shaft in adjusted position whereby the dog in the dog-carrying disk may engage the longitudinally extending groove in the longitudinally extending shaft during subtracting rotation of the counter Wheels.

5. In a structure according to claim 4, said rotatable shaft having means on one end thereof whereby rotation of said shaft in a resetting op- 1 l eration will be restricted in the event that the longitudinally extending groove in the rotatable shaft is in engagement with the dog in the dogcarrying disk.

6. In a structure according to claim 3, said longitudinally extending shaft being rotatably mounted in a casing, said shaft extending outardly from one of the walls of the casing, a collar fixedly mounted on the outwardly extending portion of the shaft, the proximate ends of said collar being disposed apart from the Wall of the casing, an eccentrically mounted pin in the collar and spring means for urging said pin into engagement with the wall of the casing, a pin projecting outwardly from the wall of said casing, said pin being tapered on one side thereof whereby upon rotation of the shaft in one direction the spring pressed pin will pass over the tapered side of the fixed pin and will thus permit free rotation of the shaft and whereby upon reverse rotation of the shaft the spring pressed pin will engage the other side of the fixed pin,

10 thus locking the shaft against rotation.

WOODFORD A. KENNEDY.

No references cited.

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