US3207433A

US3207433A - Counting device

Info

Publication number: US3207433A
Application number: US239486A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond H Devanney
Original assignee: Veeder Root Inc
Current assignee: Veeder Industries Inc
Priority date: 1962-11-23
Filing date: 1962-11-23
Publication date: 1965-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 1982-09-21
Also published as: GB1048650A

Description

Sept. 21, 1965 R. H. DEVANNEY 3,207,433

COUNTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 23, 1962 3 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTOR. RAYMOND H. DEVANNEY ATTORNEYS Sept. 21, 1965 Filed Nov. 25, 1962 R. H. DEVANNEY COUNTING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RAYMOND l-l. DEVANNEY WW @M M??? ATTORNEYS Sept. 21, 1965 R. H. DEVANNEY 3,207,433

COUNTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 23, 1962 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 4

INVENTOR.

RAYMOND H DEVANNEY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,207,433 COUNTING DEVICE Raymond H. Devanney, Berlin, Conn., assignor to Veeder- Root Incorporated, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Nov. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 239,486 Claims. (Cl. 235139) This invention relates particularly to counting devices of the type usually having a plurality of rotary indicator wheels and mechanical transfer or motion translating mechanisms between the rotary indicator wheels providing intermittent advancement from indicator wheels of lower order of the next higher order indicator wheels.

It is a principal aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved motion translating mechanism having particular applicability for providing the transfer or intermittent advancement within a counter and which provides an impulse transfer or advancement without the usual concomitant substantial increase in the reactive torque to the drive thereof. Included within this aim is the provision of a motion translating device usuable at high speeds and which when used to effectuate a counter transfer provides an impulse or intermittent transfer at a rate which is substantially unaffected by the rotational speed of the counter.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved counter having an association of parts providing an unique and compact assembly which may be economically manufactured and readily assembled.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved counter which even though driven at high speed provides intermittent transfer motion translation with minimum acceleration and deceleration of the effected parts resulting in minimum stress thereon and a high degree of mechanical reliability over a long period of use.

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

The 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 which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view partly broken away and partly in section of a counter incorporating the present invention used as a clock for displaying time in seconds, minutes and hours through a twelve hour period;

FIG. 2 is a reduced exploded isometric view partly broken away and partly in section of a portion of the counter of FIG. 1 showing the two minutes wheels and the transfer mechanism therebetween;

FIG. 3 is a partial axial section view of the counter of FIG. 1 showing the seconds and lower order minutes wheels and the transfer mechanism therebetween;

FIG. 4 is an end view partly broken away of the transfer mechanism between the seconds wheel and the lower order minutes wheel, showing the transfer mechanism in a first position; and

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are views similar to FIG. 4 with further parts broken away showing the transfer mechanism in second, third and fourth positions, respectively.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to the isometric view of FIG. 1, a clock counter embodying the present invention includes a support bracket having a pair of parallel sheet metal end plates 10 and 12, a counter drive shaft 14 rotatably mounted within the end plates with its axis extending in a direction perpendicular thereto and, mounted coaxially on the drive ice shaft, a rotary seconds Wheel 16, a minutes units-wheel 18, a minutes tens-wheel 20 and an hours wheel 22. In the well known manner these wheels or rotary indicators bear numeral indicia on the periphery thereof to display the time through a twelve hour period, preferably with the wheel 16 hearing a sequence of numerals for displaying time intervals of six seconds, the minutes units-wheel 18 bearing a sequence of numerals of 0 through 9, the minutes tens-wheel 20 bearing two numeral sequences of 0 through 5 and the hours wheel bearing a sequence of numerals of 0 through 12.

Significant to the compact and sturdy construction of the counter is the use of

flat plate dividers

24, 25, 26, 27 and 28, preferably made of sheet metal, extending perpendicularly of the axis of the counter drive shaft 14 and parallel to the end plates 10 and 12. The dividers enclose the transfer mechanisms positioned between the rotary indicators as well as provide stationary parts in the transfer mechanisms, and are readily secured with the end plates to provide a sturdy assembly by means of a pair of hexagonally shaped rods 29 and a circular rod 30. The rods 29 have reduced portions 31 snugly received within U-shaped grooves 32 extending from the inner edges of the sheet metal dividers and are fastened to the end plates as by screws 33. The rod 30 is received within aligned openings 36 in the sheet metal dividers and secured to the end plates as by a pair of screws 38.

As best shown in FIG. 2, transfer between the minutes units-Wheel 18 and the minutes tens-wheel 20 is provided by the pair of sheet

metal divider plates

25 and 26, and a mutilated pinion 40 rotatably mounted on a pin 42 on the wheel 18 eccentrically of the counter drive shaft 14. The stationary divider 26 has stamped therein a mutilated internal gear 44 substantially identical to an internal gear 46 formed on the Wheel 20 except for a groove or recess 48 in the sheet metal divider 26 provided by the elimination of two teeth. The stationary sheet metal divider 25 has stamped therein an opening defined in part by an internal land 50 located adjacent the groove 48 and which is adapted to engage and hold against rotatable movement the transfer pinion 40 as its planetary movement carries it along the groove 48. Therefore, with the transfer gear or pinion 40 in mesh with the internal gear 46 of the wheel 20 and in mesh with the teeth of the stationary internal gear 44 the wheel 20 remains stationary during the planetary movement of the transfer pinion. However, as the planetary movement of the pinion 40 carries it along the groove 48 the land 50 holds the mutilated pinion against rotational movement with the result that a transfer to the wheel 20 is generated, such transfer accompanying the advancement of the wheel 18 from the display of 9 to the display of 0. A similar transfer mechanism is provided between the minutes tens-wheel 20 and the hours wheel 22 using the sheet metal dividers 27 and 28 which are contoured similarly to the

dividers

25 and 26, but which provide a transfer for every of rotation of the minutes wheel 20 by the provision of two diametrically opposed grooves in the internal gear of the divider 28 and corresponding internal lands on the divider 27.

As best shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, transfer between the seconds wheel 16 and the minutes units-wheel 18 is provided by a mutilated planetary or transfer gear 60 rotatably mounted on a cylindrical eccentric hub 62 of the wheel 16. The wheel 16 is driven by the drive shaft through the knurled portion 64 thereon and is rotatably mounted in the end plate 12 by a bushing 63. The minutes units-wheel 18 has an internal gear 65 in mesh with the transfer gear 60 and the sheet metal divider 24 is stamped with a mutilated internal gear 66 which, as more 3 fully described hereinafter, is adapted for intermittent meshing engagement with the transfer gear 60.

For biasing the planetary gear 60 in one rotational direction, clockwise as seen from the right side of the counter as viewed in FIG. 1, there is provided a tension spring 67 having one end secured on an anchor pin 68 fixed to the planetary gear 60 and its other end secured to an axial projeection or lug 70 of an anchor arm 72. The tension spring 67 is arcuately deflected by a collar 74 rotatably mounted on the eccentric hub 62 and having a reduced portion 76 to which the anchor arm 72 is secured. The stationary divider 24 is provided with an internal groove or recess 80 defined in part by a pair of generally radially extending

shoulders

82 and 84, and the lug 70 is maintained in abutting engagement with the shoulder 82 by the tension spring 67 to prevent the anchor arm 72 from rotating during the rotation of the eccentric hub 62. For providing a unitary subassembly consisting of the transfer gear 60, the collar 74, the spring 67 and the anchor arm 72, and to simplify the assembly of this subassembly on the eccentric hub 62 of the seconds wheel 16, the collar 74 is provided with an internal annulus 86 and the transfer gear 60 is provided with an axially tapering projection 88 interfitting within the annulus for maintain ing the collar 74 and gear 60 in correct axial alignment prior to the mounting of the subassembly on the eccentric hub 62.

Referring to FIGS. 4 through 7, the mutilated transfer gear 60 has in the plane of the sheet metal divider 24, a radial projection or lug 100 supporting the anchor pin 68 and adapted toabut the shoulder 84 for limiting the rotational movement of the transfer gear 60 in the clockwise direction as viewed in these figures. Gear 60 also has in the plane of the divider 24, a pair of irregularly

larger intertooth grooves

102 and 104 provided by eliminating portions of the gear teeth, such grooves being adpted during the planetary movement of the gear 60 to receive teeth-

like projections

106 and 108, respectively, of the mutilated gear 66 having irregularly greater intertooth spacing. Beginning with the position of the gear 60 in FIG. 4 where the projection 100 is in abutment with the shoulder 84, rotation of the counter drive shaft 14 and eccentric hub 62 in the clockwise direction provides planetary movement of the gear 60 initially downward and to the left to position the tooth 106 within the groove 102, it being understood that with this initial movement of the gear 60 the projection 100 thereof is retained against the shoulder 84 by the tension spring 67. Further clockwise planetary movement of the gear 60 due to the clockwise rotation of the hub 62 brings about engagement of a toothed 103 on the transfer gear with the tooth 106 to initiate rotating the gear 60 counterclockwise about the axis of the hub 62 and thereby move the projection 100 out of engagement with the shoulder 84, as shown in FIG. 5. Continued planetary movement of the gear 60 further displaces the projection 100 and positions the tooth 108 within the groove 104 of the gear 60 and into contact with a gear tooth 105 of the gear 60, as seen in FIG. 6 With further planetary movement of the gear 60, engagement of the tooth 103 with the tooth 106 is terminated and the engagement of the tooth 105 with the tooth 108 alone provides for further displacement of the projection 100 from the shoulder 84, as seen in FIG. 7. Subsequent planetary movement of the gear 60 brings about disengagement of the tooth 105 with the tooth 108 to allow the spring 67 to provide an impulse or snap-return of the projection 100 into abutment with the shoulder 84. Inasmuch as the gear 60 is in constant mesh with the internal gear 65 of the wheel 18 this snap movement of the planetary gear 60 generates a transfer to the wheel 18.

Thus the transfer gear 60 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction about the axis of the hub 62, due to the coaction between

teeth

103, 106 and

teeth

105, 108, simultaneously with the planetary movement of the eccentric hub and the transfer gear 60 about the axis of the shaft 14.

Because of this simultaneous counterclockwise rotation of the transfer gear the internal gear 65 of the minutes unitswheel 18 remains substantially stationary, it being understood that the

teeth

106, 108 are located so that the counterclockwise rotation of the transfer gear 60 substantially offsets the clockwise planetary movement of the transfer gear. However, when the transfer gear is disengaged and is returned by the spring 67 to its initial rotational position, a transfer is transmitted to the wheel 18 through the internal gear 65, which transfer is effected as a result of the prior planetary movement of the transfer gear 60. Inasmuch as it is desired in the counter embodiment shown to index the wheel 18 one-tenth of a revolution or 36 for each revolution of the wheel 16, the ratio of the number of teeth on the transfer gear 16, the ratio of the number of teeth on the transfer gear 60 to the number of teeth on the internal gear 65 is 9: 10, there being shown 18 and 20 teeth on the transfer gear 60 and internal gear 65, respectively.

Consequently, during a major part of the rotational movement of the shaft 14 and the resulting planetary movement of the gear 60, the projection is being displaced from the shoulder 84 to deflect the tension spring 67, and when the meshing engagement of the tooth with the tooth 108 is terminated the energy stored in the tension spring 67 provides a rapid return of the projection 100 against the shoulder 84 to give an impulse transfer to the higher order wheel without a reactive force to the counter drive shaft. This impulse transfer is accomplished by the spring 67 and is thereby substantially unaffected by the rotational speed of the shaft 14. Additionally, due to the manner in which the

teeth

106 and 108 are first brought within the

grooves

102 and 104 of the gear 60 and then into engagement with the teeth of the gear 60, the engagement and disengagement of the

teeth

103, 105 of the planetary gear with the

teeth

106, 108, respectively, of the stationary gear is provided smoothly and without interference notwithstanding the drive speed of the counter. Further, since the anchor arm 72 is mounted coaxially with the gear '60, the deflection of the spring 67 is due entirely to the displacement of the projection 100 from the shoulder 84.

It can therefore be appreciated that the counter of the applicants invention provides advantageous structural features which enable the counter to be compactly and rigidly constructed of economical parts capable of rapid and convenient assembly. Additionally, the motion translating or transfer mechanism of the applicants invention provides for a rapid impulse transfer which is substantially uniform and which is brought about without any increase in the reactive force to the counter drive shaft notwithstanding the rotational speed of the counter.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure above described will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A counter comprising a pair of parallel sheet metal end plates, a drive shaft rotatably mounted on the end plates about an axis extending in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto, a first rotary indicator wheel of lower order mounted on the drive shaft and operatively connected thereto for drive thereby, a second rotary indicator wheel rotatably mounted on the drive shaft, a transfer gear rotatably mounted eccentrically on the indicator wheel of lower order for planetary movement about the axis thereof, an internal gear on the rotary indicator wheel of higher order in mesh with the transfer gear, a stationary multilated internal gear meshing with the transfer gear during only a part of the planetary movement thereof for controlling the transfer drive be tween the indicator wheels during said part of the planetary movement of the transfer gear, said stationary internal gear being provided by a substantially flat plate extending between the indicator wheels substantially parallel to the sheet metal end plates, means biasing the transfer gear in one rotational direction, means including abutting parts on the transfer gear and the fiat plate limiting rotational movement of the transfer gear in said one rotational direction and means securing the fiat plate with the parallel end plates whereby the flat plate provides control of the motion translated between the indicator wheels during said part of the planetary movement of the transfer gear and the biasing means provides control of the motion translated between the indicator wheels during the remaining planetary movement of the transfer gear.

2. A motion translating device for providing a drive between two rotary members comprising a transfer gear rotatably mounted eccentrically on one of the rotary members for planetary movement about the axis thereof, a gear on the other of the rotary members in mesh with the transfer gear, means biasing the transfer gear in one rotational direction, and a control gear, the control gear and transfer gear being contoured to provide for intermeshing engagement thereof during only part of the planetary movement of the transfer gear whereby the control gear controls the drive to said other rotary memher during said part of the planetary movement of the transfer gear and the biasing means controls the drive to said other rotary member during the remaining planetary movement of the transfer gear.

3. A motion translating device for providing a drive between two rotary members comprising a driving element rotatably mounted eccentrically on one of the rotary members for planetary movement about the axi thereof, a driven element on the other of the rotary members in operative engagement with the driving element, means biasing the driving element in one rotational direction, and a stationary control element, said stationary control element and driving element being contoured to provide for operative engagement therebetween during only part of the planetary movement of the driving element whereby the stationary element controls the translation of motion to said other rotary member during said part of the planetary movement of the driving element and the biasing means controls the translation of mot-ion to said other rotary member during the remaining planetary movement of the driving element.

4. A motion translating device for providing a drive between two rotary members comprising a planetary gear rotatably mounted eccentrically on one of the rotary members for planetary movement about the axis thereof, a gear on the other ofthe rotary members in mesh with the planetary gear, a mutilated stationary gear contoured to mesh with the planetary gear during only part of the planetary movement thereof, and means biasing the planetary gear in a first rotational direction including an anchor member rotatably mounted on said one rotary member coaxially with the planetary gear, means limiting rotational movement of the anchor member in at least one rotational direction, and spring means connected to the anchor member and to the planetary gear biasing the planetary gear in said first rotational direction whereby the stationary multilated gear controls the translation of motion to said other rotary member during said part of the planetary movement of the planetary gear and the biasing means controls the translation of motion to said other rotary member during the remaining planetary movement of the planetary gear.

5. A motion translating device for providing a drive between two rotary members comprising a transfer gear rotatably mounted eccentrically on one of the rotary members for planetary movement about the axis thereof, a gear on the other of the rotary members in mesh with the transfer gear, a stationary mutilated internal gear contoured to provide intermeshing engagement with the transfer gear during only part of the planetary movement thereof for controlling the drive to said other rotary member during said part of the planetary movement of the transfer gear, means biasing the transfer gear in one rotational direction for controlling the drive to said other rotary member during the remaining planetary movement of the transfer member, and means including abutting parts on the transfer gear and stationary gear limiting rotational movement of the transfer gear in said one rotational direction.

6. A motion translating device for providing a drive between two rotary members comprising a multilated transfer gear rotatably mounted eccentrically on one of the rotary members for planetary movement about the axis thereof, a gear on the other of the rotary members in mesh with the transfer gear, means biasing the transfer gear in one rotational direction, a stationary mutilated internal gear contoured for meshing with the transfer gear only a part f the planetary movement thereof for controlling the transfer drive between the rotary members during said part of the planetary movement of the transfer gear, said mutilated internal gear having a pair of teeth with irregularly greater intertooth spacing and said mutilated transfer gear having .a pair of irregularly larger intertooth grooves for receiving the pair of teeth during the planetary movement of the transfer gear, and means biasing the transfer gear in one rotational direction for controlling the transfer drive between the rotary wheels during the remaining part of the planetary movement of the transfer gear.

7. The motion translating device of claim 6 wherein said internal gear is provided by a substantially fiat plate extending between the rotary members to provide a compact motion translating device and further comprising means including abutting parts on the transfer gear and the flat plate limiting rotational movement of the transfer gear in said one rotational direction.

8. A motion translating device for providing a drive between two rotary members comprising an accentric on one of the rotary members, a transfer gear rotatably mounted on the accentric for planetary movement about the axis of the one rotary member, a gear on the other rotary member in mesh with the transfer gear, a stationary mutilated internal gear meshing with the transfer gear during a part of the planetary movement thereof for controlling the transfer drive to the other rotary member during said part of the planetary movement of the transfer gear, a collar rotatably mounted on the eccentric having an anchor arm, and biasing the transfer gear in one rotational direction including a tension spring having one end secured to the anchor arm and the other end se cured to the transfer gear, said stationary gear and said transfer gear having abutting parts limiting rotational movement of the transfer gear in said one rotational direction, and said stationary gear and said anchor arm having abutting parts limiting rotational movement of the anchor arm in the opposite rotational direction.

9. The motion translating device of claim 8 wherein the transfer gear and collar have axially extending interfitting parts preventing movement therebetween in a direction laterally of the axis thereof to provide a unitary subassembly with the tension spring and anchor arm.

10. A counting device comprising a pair of substantially parallel end plates, a shaft mounted on the end plates having its axis extending substantially perpendicular thereto, a pair of rotary wheels of higher and lower order mounted on the shaft, a transfer gear rotatably mounted eccentrically on the wheel of lower order for planetary movement about the axis thereof, a gear on the wheel of higher order in mesh with the transfer gear, a stationary mutilated internal gear contoured for meshing with the transfer gear during only a part of the planetary movement thereof for controlling the advancement of the rotary wheel of higher order during said part of the planetary movement of the transfer gear, said internal gear being provided by a substantially flat plate extending between the wheels, and means securing the flat plate with 7 the end plates to provide a rigid and compact assembly References Cited by the Examiner comprising first and second spaced substantially parallel elongated rods extending between and secured to the end UNITED STATES PATENTS plates, the flat plate having a pair of grooves extending 1,632,489 11/ 28 11Sm0re 235'139.1 from the edge thereof and the first and second elongated 5 1,797,273 Mln r 235139.1 rods having reduced portions received Within the grooves, 2,693,317 11/54 Demlllenaere 235136 a third elongated rod extending between the end plates, the flat plate having an opening receiving the rod, and means LEO SMILOW Primary Exammer' removably securing the third rod to the end plates. LEYLAND MARTIN, Examiner-

Claims

1. A COUNTER COMPRISING A PAIR OF PARALLEL SHEET METAL END PLATES, A DRIVE SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE END PLATES ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR THERETO, A FIRST ROTARY INDICATOR WHEEL OF LOWER ORDER MOUNTED ON THE DRIVE SHAFT AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED THERETO FOR DRIVE THEREBY, A SECOND ROTARY INDICATOR WHEEL ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE DRIVE SHAFT, A TRANSFER GEAR ROTATABLY MOUNTED ECCENTRICALLY ON THE INDICATOR WHEEL OF LOWER ORDER FOR PLANETARY MOVEMENT ABOUT THE AXIS THEREOF, AN INTERNAL GEAR ON THE ROTARY INDICATOR WHEEL OF HIGHER ORDER IN MESH WITH THE TRANSFER GEAR, A STATIONARY MULTILATED INTERNAL GEAR MESHING WITH THE TRANSFER GEAR DURING ONLY A PART OF THE PLANETARY MOVEMENT THEREOF FOR CONTROLLING THE TRANSFER DRIVE BETWEEN THE INDICATOR WHEELS DURING SAID PART OF THE PLANETARY MOVEMENT OF THE TRANSFER GEAR, SAID STATIONARY INTERNAL GEAR BEING PROVIDED BY A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT PLATE EXTENDING BETWEEN THE INDICATOR WHEELS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE SHEET METAL END PLATES, MEANS BIASING THE TRANSFER GEAR IN ONE ROTATIONAL DIRECTION, MEANS INCLUDING ABUTTING PARTS ON THE TRANSFER GEAR AND THE FLAT PLATE LIMITING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE TRANSFER GEAR IN SAID ONE ROTATIONAL DIRECTION AND MEANS SECURING THE FLAT PLATE WITH THE PARALLEL END PLATES WHEREBY THE FLAT PLATE PROVIDES CONTROL OF THE MOTION TRANSLATED BETWEEN THE INDICATOR WHEELS DURING SAID PART OF THE PLANETARY MOVEMENT OF THE TRANSFER GEAR AND THE BIASING MEANS PROVIDES CONTROL OF THE MOTION TRANSLATED BETWEEN THE INDICATOR WHEELS DURING THE REMAINING PLANETARY MOVEMENT OF THE TRANSFER GEAR.