US3077546A

US3077546A - Impulse counter

Info

Publication number: US3077546A
Application number: US801605A
Authority: US
Inventors: Schroter Fritz
Original assignee: Ringsdorff Werke GmbH
Current assignee: Ringsdorff Werke GmbH
Priority date: 1958-03-27
Filing date: 1959-03-24
Publication date: 1963-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 1980-02-12

Description

Feb. 12, 1963 F. scHRTER 3,077,545

IMPULSE COUNTER Filed March 24, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

I m 1/ L L Feb. 12, 1963 F. $CHR6TER 3,077,546

IMPULSE COUNTER Filed March 24, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3

Fig. 4 J

INVENTOR.

F. SCHR6TER 3,077,546

IMPULSE COUNTER Feb. 12, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 24, 1959 vvvu INVENZOR. FRITZ SCHROTER nited States Patent ()fihce artists 3,t)77,546 HMPULSE (IGUN'EER Fritz Schriiter, End Godesherg, Germany, assignor to Ringsdortf-Werhe Gasnhfi, liiad Godesberg-Mehiern, Germany, a company of Germany Fitted Mar. 24, 1959, Ser. No. $91,695

Claims priority, appiication Germany Mar. 27, 1953 The present invention relates to an impulse counter of the type which comprises a rotor member and two electromagnetic pole systems each of which, when energized, is adapted to rotate said rotor for a part of one step.

Counters for electrical impulses operate under the action of two forces. The first force, which for example is produced by the electrical impulses to be counted, actuates a rotating member, while the second force also acting upon said rotating member restores the initial condition, i.e. completes the counting step initiated by said first force so that the counter is again ready to receive the next following impulse. With the known ratchet counters, the second force is, by way of example, produced by a spring tensioned by the magnet which is energized by the impulse. In addition, a stop for the movement must be provided which is caused by the impulse. With the ratchet counter, this limit is provided by the armature which engages the energizing magnet and there finds its terminal position.

Ratchet counters, however, admit of no high impulse rate, and their life is not very long owing to the impact stress at the joints. Such disadvantages are eliminated by counters operating according to the principle of the electric motor. The usual design provides a toothed rotor formed of iron of which the teeth are alternately attracted by two electromagnetic pole systems. One of the drawbacks involved consists in that they require two pulses following each other for each counting step, each of which pulses energizes one of said pole systems. The two impulses constitute two halfsteps of which the second returns the rotor to its initial position, is. completes the counting cycle. The second impulse may he dispensed with if the second pole system is formed by a permanent magnet. In this case, the impulses to be counted are called upon to exercise a substantial force in order to remove the rotor from the permanent system. This is undesirable in view of the load to which the impulse transmitter contacts are subjected. A further disadvantage of motor counters is the absence of an amplitude limit. If the impulse is more powerful than necessary to overcome the resistance of the counting member and friction, the rotor may move too far and count one impulse twice.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an impulse counter of the motor type with a toothed iron rotor and two electromagnetic pole systems which requires only one current pulse for each impulse and of which the movement is effectively braked when the terminal position is reached.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an impulse counter which needs one impulse only per each counting step of reduced energy.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an impulse counter which contains electromagnetic means to avoid a double counting of one impulse.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a powerful impulse counter of the mentioned type, which is adapted to be energized by pulses closely following each other in irregular intervals.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an impulse counter having a toothed rotor and two electromagnetic pole systems in electrically parallel relationship. In serial connection with the first of said pole systems is a capacity, while the second pole system is Patented Feb. 12, 1963 serially connected with an inductance, so that an impulse applied to said two pole systems, first energizes said first pole system and, thereafter, said second pole system.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the attached drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a plan view of an impulse counter including the wiring diagram,

FIG. 2 a graph showing the exiting current in the different windings of the counter shown in FIG. 1, in dependency of time,

FIG. 3 a wiring diagram of another embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 4 a graph showing the exiting current in the windings of the diagram of FIG. 3, in dependency of time, and

FIG. 5 is a Wiring diagram of another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a rotor 3 made of ferromagnetic material having several radially extending poles or teeth. The rotor may be mechanically connected to a counter mechanism well known in the art. Two electromagnetic pole systems 1 and 2 each having a core provided with e.g. two pole shoes and a winding arranged on said core are provided as stator elements. The distance between the pole shoes of said pole systems corresponds to the distance between the poles or teeth of the rotor 3. The pole systems are so arranged that, when one pole system has attracted the poles of the rotor 3, the pole shoes of the remaining pole system are facing the space between two other poles of the rotor 3.

The winding 4 of the pole system 1 is serially connected to a capacitor 5 and a resistor 6, while the winding 7 of the pole system 2 is serially connected to an inductance 8 and a resistor 9. These two circuits are arranged in parallel and are connected to the terminals 11 by a switch it).

The pole system 1 moves the rotor teeth in the direction of the arrow when energized by an impulse applied to the terminals 11 when the switch 10 is closed. The current in system 1 performs a damped oscillation of which the frequency and damping factor are determined by the capacity of the capacitor 5 and the resistor 6. The curve is plotted in FIG. 2. The reference symbol a designates the current path in system 1, b that in the system 2. The current in system 2 increases as an e-function at a rate determined by the magnitude of the inductance 3 and the resistor 9. i

At the time t (FIG. 2) the magnetic flux in the system 1 is assumed to have beco .e powerful enough to attract the rotor teeth. The magnetic flux in the system 2 is still very small so that the movement of the rotor is not impeded.

According to this invention, this slight impediment due to the system may be avoided by applying to the second pole system a compensating coil, as shown in the wiring diagram of FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the coil 7 corresponding to the winding of the pole system 2 is divided into the

sections

7a and 7b which are opposed as indicated by the arrows, both sections being physically members of the pole system 2; section 7a, however, is included in the circuit of the pole system 1. The ratio of turns in the

sections

7a and 7b is so selected that the ampere turns in the pole system 2 just cancel one another at the time 1, (FIG. 2). The path of the magnetic fiux in the second pole system is represented in FIG. 4. The reference symbol b is the current path in the coil 7b and c that in 701. Both form the resultant d which passes zero at the time 13.

The current in system 1 passing through zero at the time 1, (FIG. 2), this system cannot hold the rotor; the latter passes below it and is then engaged by the system 2 which corneas has n eanwhile becomehighly energized, and brought into initial position. As the rotor has been given a certain speed by the system 1 and. is further accelerated by the system 2, a brake must be provided which brings the rotor to rest under system 2. A mechanical brake would not be advantageous since it does not operate uniformly and free from wear.

The invention provides an eddy-current brake. The system 2 is equippedwith a winding 12 formed ofa highly conducting metal (FIG. 1). This brake operates only when the system 2 is-energized' and does not therefore interfere with starting. However, if the rotor passes-below the energized system 2, the change in the magnetic resistance causes flux fluctuations below the rotor teeth which induce electric currents in 1 2 which in turn brake the rotor movement. The braking action can easily be regulated by the size of the cross-section and of the electric resistance ofthe winding 12.

The winding 12 alsodelays the generation ofthe magnetic field in the system 2 when the coil 7 is energized. It has therefore the same effect as the-series-connected inductance 8 and can thus replace it, which enables a substantial saving in the construction to be obtained.

Provided; that the terminals 11 are connected to a DC. voltage source,- the counter disclosed springs into its-finai position immediatelywhenthe switchltl'is turnedon and remains in this position-irrespective of the durationof the current impulse. In contradistinction' to the known arrangements, no overload is produced at the switch upon interruption; the electromagnetic energy is equalized indie-two pole systems without involving the switch confacts. As-current passes through both

coils

7a and 7b after interrupting, the rotor is heldby the system 2- also afterwards. Itcannot therefore be pulled away by the system 1 ofwhich the coil 4 is re-energized by the discharge current of thecapacity S'after interrupting. After decay of the equalization process, the counter is again ready to receive a new impulse.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that such obvious changes and modifications be embraced by the annexed claims.

Having thus describedthe invention, what is claimedas new and desired'tobe secured by Letters Patent, is:

l-. An-electric impulse counter of the motor type, which comprises: a'rotor having a plurality of radially extending substantially evenly spaced poles; a first electromag; netic system having a first core with at least one pole shoe and having first coil means arranged on said first core; a second electromagnetic system having a second core with at least one pole shoe and, having second coil means arranged on said second core; said two systems being so arranged that the pole shoe of one system is facing-- the space between two poles of said rotor when said pole shoe of'said other system is facing another pole ofs'aid' rotor; a first circuit comprising in serial arrangee ment a capacitor, a resistor, and said first coil means; a second circuitin serial arrangement comprising an inductance, a second resistor, and said second coil means; said two circuits being arranged in a closed circuit; and means for connecting a sourceof' electric current to said first and secondcircuits. and for disconnecting it, therefrom, whereby said first circuit when supplied with an impulse by said source of electric current will energize said first coil. means after a first predetermined interval and whereby said second circuit when supplied with said energizing impulse will energize said second coil means after a second. predetermined interval; said second interval being. longer. than saidfirst interval, so that said rotor will be turned.

2; An electric impulse counter of the motor type, comprising a rotor having a plurality ofradially extending substantially evenlyspaced poles; a first electromagnetic system having afirst corewith two pole shoes and having first coil means arranged on said first core; a second electromagnetic system having a second core with two pole shoes and second coil means arranged on said second core; said two systems being so arranged that the pole shoes of one system are facing the spaces between poles of said rotor when said two pole shoes of said other system are facing poles of said rotor; a first circuit comprising in serial arrangement a capacitor, a resistor and said first coil means; a second circuit comprising in serial arrangement an inductance, a second resistor and said second coil means; said two circuits being in parallel for connection with a source of electric current and being arranged in a closed circuit, means for connecting said source of electric current to said first and second circuits and for disconnecting it therefrom, whereby said first circuit when supplied with an impulse from said source of electric current, will energize said first coil means after a first predetermined interval, and said second circuit when supplied with said impulse will energize said second coil means after a second predetermined interval, saidsecond interval being longer than said first interval so that said rotor will be turned.

3. Anelectric impulse counter according to claim 2, wherein eddy current coil means'is arranged onsaid core ofsaid second electromagnetic system completely surrounding. the core.

4. An electric impulse counter of the motor type, comprising a rotor having a plurality of radially extending substantially evenly spaced poles; a first electromagnetic system having a first core with two pole shoes and having first coil means arranged on said first core; a second electromagnetic system having a second core with two pole shoes and having secondcoil means arranged on said second core, said second coil means being sub-divided into two sections; said twosystems being so arranged'that the pole shoes of one system are facing the spaces between poles of said rotor. when said two pole shoes of said other system are facing poles of said rotor; a first circuit comprising in serial arrangement a capacitor, a resistor, said first coil means, and one section of said second coil means; a second circuit comprismg in serialarrangcment an inductance, a second resistor and said other section of said second coil means; said two circnitsbeing in parallel for connection with a source of electric current and being arranged ina closed circuit, means for connecting said source of electric current to said first and second circuits and for disconnecting it therefrom, whereby said first circuit, when supplied with art-impulse from said source of electric current, will energize said first coil means after a first predetermined interval; and said second circuit when supplied; with said impulse, will energize said second coil means after a second predetermined interval, said second interval being longer than said first interval so thatsaid rotor will be turned.

5-. An electric impulse counter. according to claim 4, wherein eddy current coil' means isarrauged on said core of said second electromagnetic system and completely surrounding said core.

6. An electric impulse counter according to claim 4, wherein said two sections of said second coil means are so arranged as to compensate the magnetic fluxes of each other.

said two systems being so arranged that the pole shoe of one system is facing the space between two, poles of said rotor when said pole shoe of said other system is facing another pole of said rotor; a first circuit comprising in serial arrangement a capacitor, a resistor, and said first coil means; a second circuit comprising in serial arrangement a second resistor and said second coil means; said two circuits being arranged in a closed circuit, means for connecting said source of electric current to said first and second circuits and for disconnecting it therefrom, whereby said first circuit, when supplied with an impulse from said source of electric current will energize said first coil means after a first predetermined interval, and said second circuit when supplied with said impulse will energize said second coil means .after a second predetermined interval; said second interval being longer than said first interval so that said rotor will turn.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims

1. AN ELECTRIC IMPULSE COUNTER OF THE MOTOR TYPE, WHICH COMPRISES: A ROTOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY EVENLY SPACED POLES; A FIRST ELECTROMAGNETIC SYSTEM HAVING A FIRST CORE WITH AT LEAST ONE POLE SHOE AND HAVING FIRST COIL MEANS ARRANGED ON SAID FIRST CORE; A SECOND ELECTROMAGNETIC SYSTEM HAVING A SECOND CORE WITH AT LEAST ONE POLE SHOE AND HAVING SECOND COIL MEANS ARRANGED ON SAID SECOND CORE; SAID TWO SYSTEMS BEING SO ARRANGED THAT THE POLE SHOE OF ONE SYSTEM IS FACING THE SPACE BETWEEN TWO POLES OF SAID ROTOR WHEN SAID POLE SHOE OF SAID OTHER SYSTEM IS FACING ANOTHER POLE OF SAID ROTOR; A FIRST CIRCUIT COMPRISING IN SERIAL ARRANGEMENT A CAPACITOR, A RESISTOR, AND SAID FIRST COIL MEANS; A SECOND CIRCUIT IN SERIAL ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING AN IN-