US2930528A - Register resetting mechanism - Google Patents

Description

March 29, 1960 E. A. ROBBINS REGISTER RESETTING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 12, 1958 -ll lL hil ll 21 new INVENTOR.

S N B B O R A R E M L E ATTORNEY March 29, 1960 E. A. ROBBINS REGISTER assz'rwmc MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 12, 1958 Y a H m m m T BW T O R A R E M L Y E B Unite States REGISTER- RESETTING MECHANISM This invention relates to: a resettingmechanism for a resettable register and it has, for one of its objects, the provision of a simple and inexpensive structure which is easy to manufacture and assemble.

Another object is to provide a resetting mechanism whichis rugged and which is positive in its operation.

These and other objects will become apparent from a study of this specification and the drawings which are attached hereto, made a part hereof and in which:

Figure l.is a side elevation ofa register equipped with the resetting mechanism.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of. an indicator wheel with parts broken away to show the driving ratchets.

Figure 3 is an elevation similar. to Figure. 2 showing the resetting pawl.

- Figure 4 is an exploded view of the resettingcontrol mechanism.

Figured is an end ele ation of thestructure of Figure.-4, viewed from the :left thereof and showing. the movable stop in variouspositions of a cycle.

Referring first to Figures 1,2 and 3 in which the register in. indicated generally by the numeral 1 and comprises a. number of indicator wheels 3, 5 and'7 of ascending order.

The lowest order or tenths wheel is driven by gearing 9-froma volume meter or. other device. Each time as the wheel or dial. 3 completes a revolution the transfer mechanism 4 will advance the units dial 5 one-tenth of a revolution. Similarly as the units dial 5 completes a whole revolution, it will? advance the tens dial 7 by onetenth of a revolution through the transfer mechanism 13. Since the-transfer mechanisms are Well known in the art, no further description is believed to be necessary.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 especially it will be seen that each of the dials such as 5, is fixed to a hub which is rotatably mounted on a resetting shaft 17. The dial carries one or more drive pawls 19 which are pivotally mounted for oscillation about an axis which is parallel to that of the reset shaft.

Freely rotatable on the hub 15 is a unit comprising a ten tooth ratchet 21, which is aligned with the pawls 19 to receive one end thereof, and a drive gear 23 which is driven by the gearing 9 in the case of the tenth dial 3- or by the transfer gearing/l or 13 in the case of the higher order dials. The gear 23 and ratchet 21 are fixed together.

As will be seen from inspection of Figure 2, the pawls 19 will permit the dial to rotate clockwise relative to the ratchet 21 but will prevent opposite rotation. Suitable springs 25 urge the pawls into engagement with the ratchet.

As seen in Figure 3, the hub 15 is provided with a circumferential slot 27 which receives the free end of a resetting pawl 29 which is mounted to pivot about an axis parallel to that of the reset shaft 17. The latter is provided with an axially directed V-groove 31 which is adapted to engage the tip of pawl 29 when the shaft is rotated clockwise (Fig.3) so as to drive the dial in a atent 2,930,528 Patented Mar. 29, 1980 clockwise direction but which permits-the dial tobe driven relative to the shaft in the clockwise direction by the gear 23, ratchet 21 and pawls 19. Pawl 29 is urged into engagement with the shaft 17 by a suitable spring 32.

The numerals on the dial are arranged so as to increase the count upon said clockwise rotation and this occurs whether the dial is actuated by the drive pawls. 19, ratchet 21 and gear 23 or by the resettingshaft 17 and reset pawl 29.

Assuming-that the dials display a number such as 12 /2 at the end of a transaction. Tostart anew transaction it is desirable to reset the dials to zero. The gears 23 and their ratchets 21 are held fixed by the drive gearing. To insure that all of the reset pawls are picked up by. the V-groove 31, it isdesirable to first-rotate the reset shaft in an anti-resetting direction a few degrees and thereafter clockwise to a fixed position in which the zeros are displayed on all of the dials.

The mechanism thus far disclosed is conventional and is fully disclosed in the patent to Slye Number 2,264,557, December 2, 1941.

To compel the operation of the reset shaft as described, the novel control mechanism is provided which is shown in Figures 4 and 5.

The reset shaft has a projection 39 which extends through the register end plate 37. The projection has its end preferably chamfered at 41 and and is cut away on one side at 43 so, that the projection has a D-shaped cross-section.

Adished r0tor'45 has a radial'web 47 and a flange 49 which extends axially toward the end plate 37 as shown by the broken away portion, Figure 4. A D-shaped opening 51 is formed centrally in said web 47 to receive the projection 39 so as to be driven thereby as the reset shaft is rotated.

A spring 51 is housed within the dished portion of the rotor. 'It comprises an arcuate portion 53 which extends for about 180 degrees and terminates at the upper end in a stop or projection 55 which extends axiallyparallel to the reset shaft and projects through the radial slot 57 in the Web of the rotor and beyond the web a short distance. At the lower end of the arcuate portion, the spring extends in a substantially straight run 59 across the web where it terminatesin an axially directed anchor portion. 61 which enters, but does not pass through the hole 63 in the web of the rotor.

A cam plate 65 has a central planar portion 67'and offset flanges 69, '71 at its upper and lower ends, which rest on and are welded or otherwise fastened to the register end plate 37. The rotor 45 is confined between the portion 67 and the end plate 37.

The central portion 67 is cut out so that the edge defines a reverse travel stop 73, a guide projection and a generally spiral cam 77. The latter starts with a substantially horizontal portion which extends from the top of the stop 73 to a point about vertically above the free end of projection 75, continues in a spiral of shortening radius and terminates at the end of projection 75 which lies substantially on the vertical centerline of shaft 17. The end surface of the projection is also a guide surface for stop 55.

Two locating holes 79, 81 are formed in the portion 67 to receive locating pins or projections 83, 85 respectively of the stop plate 87 which is fastened to the cam plate. This stop plate is provided with a central opening 89.

Above the opening 89 the plate is cut through along a vertical line 91 which is slightly to the right of the vertical centerline of the hole 89, along a line 93 at right angles to 91 and running leftward therefrom, along a line 95 parallel to 91 at the left end of line 93 and along are 97 which runs from the top of line 93 to the right and to a radius 99 which is preferably about 45 degrees from the vertical centerline of the hole.

. The ear or .tab 101 outlined by these lines. and the edge of thethole 89 disposed between line 91 and the radius 99, is bent out of the plane of plate 87 about the radius 99 so that the edges of the tab coinciding with lines 91, 93, 95 and 97 are disposed so as to intersect the plane of the cam plate portion 67 and so as to lie in the path of the first stop 55. The radial positions of the edges of this tab 101 and the various edges of the cam plate opening are clearly shown in Figure 5. This figure also shows the various representative positions occupied by the first stop 55 during its cycle. The stop 55 projects through the cam plate far enough to fall just short of the plane of contact between the portion 67 of'the cam plate and the stop plate 87, so that it will be either stopped or guided by the various edges but will not scrape on the stop plate.

It will thus be seen that the end of tab 101 which is defined by line 91 constitutes a zero stop and it connects with the intermediate or second stop defined by line 93. Further, the end of the tab defined by line 95 also is in position to guide the stop 55 in a radial direction. The remaining portions of the stop plate, from which tab 101 is cut, do not extend into the path of stop 55 and hence cannot control it.

7 Operation 7 The stop portion 55 of the spring 51 which is the first stop, will normally occupy the position A (Fig.

at the intersection of the zero stop 91 and the second stop 93 of the tab 101, from the completion of one resetting until the start of a subsequent resetting operation. The rotation of the reset shaft 17 is transmitted to the rotor 45 by the projection 43 and D-shaped hole 51. The rotor in turn imparts such rotation to the projecting end 55 of the spring, this first stop will thus follow the rotative movement of the shaft. It will however be free to move radially inwardly and outwardly with respect to the shaft by reason of the slot 57.

In the position A of the stop 55 (Figure 5) therefore, the tab will prevent the rotation of the shaft 17 in a clockwise direction which is the same direction in Figures 2 and 3. This is the resetting direction as will be seen from the latter figures, since the notch 31 of the reset shaft 37, when rotated clockwise, will pick up the reset pawls 29 and cause the dials 3, 5 and 7 to rotate clockwise while the drive pawls 19 idle past the teeth of their respective ratchets 21. Thus in order to free the stop 55 it is necessary to rotate the reset shaft and stop .55 in the counterclockwise or anti-resetting direction until the stop is free from the edge 93 of the tab. When stop 55 is so rotated to a position between edge 95 and the position B (Fig. 5), the stop 55 will move radially outwardly, due to the resilience of the spring, to an outer limit position C in which the first stop contacts the edge of cam 77.

As will be seen from Figures 2 and 3, the numeral dials are prevented from participating in the counterclockwise motion by their drive pawls 19 and ratchets 21. Therefore the reset notch 31 will be rotated counterclockwise relative to the reset pawls 29. This insures that any such pawl 29 which may be hanging on the left edge of slot 31 will be positively forced into the slot by its spring 32. The described anti-resetting movement of shaft 17 is positively limited by the contact of the stop 55 and edge 73 of the cam plate which serves as a third stop, so that such rotation will not be continued beyond a reasonable point.

It will be seen that when the first stop is in position C, there is nothing to prevent the clockwise or resetting rotation of the reset shaft and the first stop 55 through the positions D to J and that the latter position is deter mined by contact between the zero stop defined by the edge 91 of the tab 101 and the first stop 55. These elements therefore determine the zero position of the dials and the edge 91 must be so located with respect to stop 55 and the latter with the reset notch 31 of the shaft so that the Zero indicia of the numeral dials will be properly displayed when the parts are in the position I.

It will be noted that the cam edge 77 adjacent the stop edge 73 determines the limit of radially outward movement of the first stop 55 under the action of its spring. It thus defines the outer limit position 'of the stop 55. As the stop moves in its rotative path through the positions from C to the position H just under the end of projection 75, it will havebeen moved radially inwardly by the cam 77 to its inner limit position which is just to the left of the end of projection 75 which is the terminal of thecam 77. It will thus be tensioned so thattwhen it'reaches the zero stop position I, i t will fly radially outwardly through the gap between the zero stop and the end of projection 75, which is just wide enough to permit passage of the stop 55 and it will return to its initial position A. The zero stop edge 91 extends all the way to the edge of 93 so as to compel a counterclockwise or anti-resetting rotation of the stop and shaft before further resetting rotation can occur.

It will thus be seen that the zero stop position for the dials is definitely determined and the reset shaft is compelled to move a distance in a direction reverse to thetresetting direction and then in the resetting direction more than 360 degrees to insure that the reset pawls of all of the dials will be picked up and that all of the dials will be zeroized so as to prevent starting a transaction with other than a zero indication on the dials.

It will also be seen that these functions are accomplished very simply and inexpensively by merely form'- ing a special drive projection on the reset shaft, three stamped metal pieces 45, 65 and 87 and a simple integral springa51 and stop 55 and adding these to any resettable registers of the type disclosed. If desired, holes 103 and 105 may he provided in the flanges 69 and 71 of the cam plate to receive screws 107, 109 for attaching the control mechanism to the register endcplate.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the form, structure and arrangement of parts of the specific embodiments of the invention disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, applicant does not desire to be limited to such specific embodiments but desires protection falling fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

said shaft, numeral dials of various orders rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for advancing the lowest order dial in accordance with the count, transfer means connecting the adjacent dials, a reset pawl for each dial, positioned for engagement by said groove so as to move its dial toward zero position uponresetting rotation of said shaft, the improvement which includes a first stop connected for rotation with said shaft and mounted for movement transversely of the direction of rotation, between first and second limits, means for urging said stop toward one of said limits, control means disposed in the rotational path of said stop for moving it transversely from one of said limits to the other, against the action of said urging means, as said stop is rotated in the resetting direction, a zero stop disposed for engagement by said first stop to halt the resetting rotation of said stop and shaft in a position with said dials zeroized, said control means terminating adjacent said zero stop so as to release said first stop for return toward said one limit upon engagement of said first and zero stops, a fixed stop disposed in the path of return of said first stop so as :to interrupt its return at estates a position intermediate said limits, 'said zero stop extending to said fixed stop, said extending a predetermined distance in "the anti-resetting direction so as to compel reverse rotation of said reset shaft and said first stop to free the latter for return to said one "limit.

2. The structure defined by claim 1 wherein said control means comprises a fixed cam disposed so as to support said first stop against the action of said urging means.

3. The structure defined by claim 2 wherein said cam is defined by a substantially spiral cam surface, the terminal portions of which define the limits of the transverse movement of said first stop.

4. In a resettable register which includes a reset shaft having a longitudinal reset groove, means for rotating said shaft, numeral dials of various orders rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for advancing the lowest order dial in accordance with the count, transfer means connecting the adjacent dials, a reset pawl for each dial positioned for engagement by said groove so as to move its dial toward zero position upon resetting rotation of said shaft, the improvement which includes a member mounted on said shaft, for rotation thereby and extending generally radially therefrom, a first stop mounted for rotation by said member and also mounted for movement relative to said member, transversely of its direction of rotation, between first and second limits, means for urging said stop toward one of said positions, control means disposed in the rotational path of said stop, for moving said stop from one of said limits to the other, against the action of said urging means, as said stop is rotated in the resetting direction, a zero stop disposed for engagement by said first stop to halt the resetting rotation of said stop and shaft in a position with said dials zeroized, said control means terminating adjacent said zero stop so as to release said first stop for return toward said one limit upon engagement of said first and zero stops, a fixed stop, disposed in the path of return of said first stop, so as to interrupt its return at a position intermediate said limits, said zero stop extending to said fixed stop, said fixed stop extending a predetermined distance in the anti-resetting direction so as to compel reverse rotation of said reset shaft and said first stop to free the latter for return to said one limit position by said yieldable means.

5. The structure defined by claim 4 wherein said member comprises a rotor which is mounted coaxially on said shaft and for rotation thereby, said control means comprises a cam having a substantially spiral edge and is mounted axially adjacent said rotor, and said rotor defines a substantially radial slot, said first stop comprises a projection disposed axially, transversely of said spiral edge and said slot so as to be moved in a spiral path defined by said cam edge when said rotor is rotated.

6. The structure defined by claim 5 which includes a spring member having one end mounted on said rotor and the other end attached to said first stop and arranged to urge said stop toward said cam edge.

7. The structure defined by claim 4 which includes a third stop disposed in the path of said anti-resetting movement of said first stop to limit such motion.

8. In a resettable register which includes a reset shaft having a longitudinal reset groove, means for rotating said shaft, numeral dials of various orders rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for advancing the lowest order dial in accordance with the count, transfer means connecting the adjacent dials, a reset pawl for each dial positioned for engagement by said groove so as to move its dial toward zero position upon resetting rotation of said shaft, the improvement which includes a first stop, mounted for movement in directions transversely of said shaft, between first and second limits, control means disposed for engagement by said stop, so as to control the transverse movement of said stop, and defining said lim- "shaft for relatively rotating so as to move said stop from one limit to the other, in

,zero stop, in the anti-resetting direction,

ment with "said control means, means operable by 'said s'aid -stop and control means opposition to said yieldable means, a zero stop disposed to prevent relative rotation beyond a position in which said dials are zeroized, said control means terminating adjacent said zero stop so as to release said first stop for return to said one limit by said yieldable means, a second stop disposed adjacent said zero stop and in the path of return transverse movement of said first stop so as to interrupt its return to said one limit, said zero stop extending along the return path to said second stop, said second stop extending a predetermined distance from said so as to require reverse relative rotation of said reset shaft to free said first stop for return to said one limit position by said yieldable means.

9. The structure defined by claim 7 wherein said control means comprises a cam disposed so as to support said first stop against the action of said urging means.

10. The structure defined by claim 8 wherein said cam is defined by a spiral surface, the terminal portions of which define the limits of the transverse movement of said first step.

11. In a resettable register which includes a frame having an end plate, a reset shaft rotatably mounted in said end plate and having a longitudinal reset groove, means for rotating said shaft, numeral dials of various orders rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for advancing the lowest order dial in accordance with the count, transfer means connecting the adjacent dials, a reset pawl for each dial positioned for engagement by said groove so as to move its dial toward zero position upon resetting rotation of said shaft, the improvement which includes a rotor mounted on said shaft, outside of said end plate, for rotation with said shaft, a spring mounted on said rotor for rotation therewith and having one end disposed for movement substantially radially of said shaft, said rotor defining a substantially radial slot adjacent said one end of said spring, a first stop mounted on said end of said spring and extending substantially axially through said slot for rotation by said rotor and also mounted for radial movement in said slot, relative to said member, between first and second limits, said spring serving to urge said stop toward one of said positions, a cam plate mounted on said end plate and disposed axially adjacent said rotor, said cam plate defining a substantially spiral cam disposed in the rotational path of said stop, for moving said stop from one of said limits to the other, against the action of said spring, as said stop is rotated in the resetting direction, a stop plate mounted on and axially adjacent said cam plate and having a zero stop disposed for engagement by said first stop to halt the resetting rotation of said stop and shaft in a position with said dials zeroized, said cam terminating adjacent said zero stop so as to release said first stop for return toward said one limit upon engagement of said first and zero stops, said stop plate including a second stop, disposed in the path of return of said first stop, so as to interrupt its return at a position intermediate said limits, said zero stop extending to said fixed stop, said fixed stop extending a predetermined distance in the anti-resetting direction so as to compel reverse rotation of said reset shaft and said first stop to free the latter for return to said one limit position by said spring.

12. The structure defined by claim 11 wherein said zero stop and said second stop are offset axially from said stop plate so as to enter the plane of said cam plate and the path of said first stop.

13. Thestructure defined by claim 11 wherein said cam is defined by the radially inwardly extending wall of said cam plate and said spring urges said first stop radially outwardly against said cam.

. 14. The structure defined by claim llwherein said 16. The structure defined by claim 11 in which said first stop comprises the movable end of said spring. cam plate defines a third stop which is disposed in the 15. The structure defined by claim 11 wherein said path of the anti-resetting movement of said first stop to rotor is dished and has an axial flange directed toward limit such movement.

said end plate and said spring is housed within said 5 flange. No references cited.

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