US3231191A - Counter apparatus - Google Patents

Description

W. F. BERCK Jan. 25, 1966 COUNTER APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 4, 1965 INVENTOR. WILL/AM F BERCK AJTQJZMEYX Jan. 25, 1966 w. F. BERCK COUNTER APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 4, 1963 IN\/ENTOR. W/AL/AM F851? MQJMW/ Jan. 25, 1966 w. F. BERCK COUNTER APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March INVENTOR VV/LL/AM F BERCK Jan. 25, 1966 w, BERCK 3,231,191

COUNTER APPARATUS Filed March 4, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Jan. 25, 1966 w. F. BERCK COUNTER APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 4, 1963 I NVENTOR. WILL/AM F BEPCK BY WWW W. F. BERCK Jan. 25, 1966 COUNTER APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 4, 1963 I N VENTOR. W/LL/AM F BFRCK AZ'Z'aZMEYs' a m P United States Patent 3,231,191 COUNTER APPARATUS William F. Berck, Hayward, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Rockwell Manufacturing (gompany, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 262,393 9 Claims. (Cl. 235-132) This invention relates to counting mechanisms and more especially to those counters which operate a con trol cam at the end of the cycle, such as is customary with predetermining counters.

Predetermining counters are constructed so that its counter wheels are rotated in a subtractive manner from a given starting position or number. Thus, the counting operation involves a retrogressive count in the direction toward Zero, and at the end of the cycle the counter may be used to provide a signal, which may be interpreted in a variety of ways. A device of this kind is described in United States Patent No. 2,251,974 where a control cam is brought into operation at the end of a counting cycle. The control cam is used to trip a latch which holds a normally closed valve in an open position, allowing the valve to close. This general method of operation is the same as that method employed in connection with the present invention.

Predetermining counters of the prior art teachings comprise a plurality of number wheels which are driven through a gear train. The movements of the gear train are directly transmitted to the first or units number wheel and digit wheels of a higher order are driven through a transfer mechanism. Each count of ten, or a complete revolution of one digit wheel, automatically subtracts one count from the next higher order digit wheel, and each subtraction originates from some movement of the first number wheel.

p The present invention is particularly directed to a counter mechanism of the predetermining. type butwhere means are provided for individually resetting each digit number wheel without disturbing the setting of any other digit wheel. 7 The counter mechanisms contemplated are, therefore, settable to a predetermined count from zero to nine.

One principal object of this invention is to provide a counter apparatus having a transfer mechanism for each digit wheel which can be operated independently of other digit wheel movements or operation.

Another object is to provide a count-er apparatus comprising means positioned by the separate rotation of the second digit wheel and higher order digit wheels for conditioning the next higher order counter wheel, respectively, to be advanced and further comprising means operated by each complete revolution of the first digit wheel for advancing any higher order digit wheel that is conditioned for being advanced.

It is another object of this invention to provide a counter of the kind described including means for inhibiting an advancement of any higher order digit wheel when the first digit wheel is being reset and advanced to a position completing a revolution of counting.

A still further object is to provide a counter of the kind described including means for. advancing the first digit wheel to a whole number position independently of its main drive connection, and without imposing a back drive through the primary driving unit such as a meter.

Other Objects of this invention will become apparent in view of the following detail description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like parts are identified by like reference numerals throughout the same.

, smaller and smaller count.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the counter that embodies the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the counter mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the counter with the top portion of the housing removed;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on lines 55 of FIG. 3;

' FIG. -6 is a section taken on lines 6--6 of FIG. 3; FIG. 7 is a section taken on lines 7-7 of FIG. 3; FIG. 8 is a view of mechanism shown in FIG. 6 with parts broken out to illustrate cooperating mechanism;

FIG. 9 is a section taken on lines 9-9 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a section taken on lines 1010 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 11 is a detail view showing an alternate position for the recycling mechanism shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular, there is shown a counter mechanism 10 having a housing comprising a cover 11 supported upon rim 12 of a mounting collar 13. Collar 13 is adapted to be supported upon a device such as a fluid meter that drives the counter mechanism 10 through a drive shaft 14. Cover housing 11 is formed with a window opening 15 through which appears one digit or number of a plurality of consecutive number counter wheels 16. Cover 11 is also formed with a slotted opening 17 through which a plurality of reset actuating levers 18 are projected. Each actuating lever is provided with a finger button 19 which is manually operated to independently advance one of the counter wheels 16, respectively. A recycling rod 20 having a finger button 21 operates an internally housed recycling mechanism, which will advance the units number wheel to a whole number position. The button 21 is operated prior to the start of each counting ope-ration. In addition to advancing the units counting wheel, a movement of rod 20 produces rotation of a control cam 22 normally driven by shaft 14 through an overrunning clutch. Cam 22, as will be later described, is positioned by control cams on each of the counter Wheels 16, and when the counter reads zero cam 22 actuates the latch mechanism releasing a shaft 23, which in turn operates a switch 24. It is to be understood that shaft 23 might also be used to operate a valve. I

Counter mechanism 10 will be especially useful as a predetermining counter where the consecutive number wheels 16 are initially set for a given number, such as the number of gallons to be delivered through a flow control valve. As the counting progresses, the number wheels 16 are operated regressingly so as to register a When each of the wheels 16 has returned to zero, cam 22 will trip a latch mechanism thereby releasing shaft 23 and actuating the switch 24.

The counter wheels 16 may be reset to any predetermined number by selective operation of their respective reset buttons 19. Also, an operation of the finger button 21 will orient the units counting wheel to a full number position while also resetting and orienting control cam 22 to its starting position.

The mechanism for carrying out the above described operations will now be explained in detail.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a shaft 30 is coaxially mounted for rotation with drive shaft 14. Rod 30 is mounted in a guide collar 31 supported in an opening of plate 32. A narrow gripping nut 33 is secured to the upper end of shaft 30, and a ratchet clutch comprising a spring pressed plate 34 and a coil spring 35 transmits rotative movement to a driven clutch plate 36 back along and down shaft 30. Spring pressed plate 34 is, of course, spline connected to shaft 30 and is movable axially along a the shaft against the bias of spring to disengage from the clutch plate 36. A gear 37' is coaxially connected to driven clutch plate 36 for simultaneous rotative movement.

The rotation of gear 37 is transmitted through a gear drive comprising a gear 38 coaxially secured to a worm gear 39, a worm pinion 40 secured to a shaft 41, and gears 42, 43, 44 and 45. Gear 45 is rotatably supported upon a support shaft 46 which extends across the entire counter. A ratchet wheel 47 is coaxially connected to and driven by gear 45.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 7 in particular, the units counter wheel 16a is adapted for being driven by ratchet wheel 47 through an overrunning clutch comprising a plate 48 which pivotally supports a tooth pawl 49. Plate 48 also supports a pivoted pawl 5d which is used primarily to help position the pawl 49 in the ratchet wheel 47. Pawls 49 and. 50 are urged into engagement with ratchet wheel 47 by means of springs 51 and 52, respectively,

each spring being anchored to plate 48. Although pawls 4? and 5.0. are normally driven in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 7, it will be evident that they may be moved in an overrunning clockwise direction independently of the ratchet wheel 47. The means by which such an overrunning movement may be produced isto be later described.

Plate 48 carries a pin 53 radially disposed outward from the axis of shaft 46. The end of pin 53 is received in a complemental slot formed in the side of units wheel 16a. Accordingly, rotation of either plate 48 or wheel 16a will impart. corresponding movement tothe other.

Pin 53 carries a roller member 54 that is adapted for engaging the surface of a rocker arm 55. Rocker arm 55 is secured to and supported upon a shaft 56 which extends transversely across the counter and is rotatably supported at its ends upon a frame 57. A rocker arm 58 is mounted to shaft 56 at the end opposite from which rocker arm 55 is mounted, and both rocker arms support a rod 59 which extends between them, as shown in FIG. 3.

Each counter wheel 16 is respectively held by a holding pawl 61, and each of the holding pawls is pivotally mounted upon the shaft 56. Holding pawls 61 are urged against a ratchet wheel 62, one of which is mounted to each counter wheel 16. Pawls 61 are held in engagement with the ratchet wheel 62 by means of springs 63.

An advancement pawl 64 is provided for each counter {wheel 16, with the exception of units counter wheel 16a.

Advancement pawls 64 are pivotally supported upon rod 59 and are urged into contact with ratchet wheel 62 by means of the spring 63, which is anchored between an arm 64aof pawls 64 and lip 61a of associated holding pawls 61. Although springs 63 also tend to pivot rocker arm 55 in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 6, the rocker arm is moved clockwise in a positive fashion by the contact between surface 5'50 and roller 54. Thus, surface 55a is normally positioned where it will be engaged by the roller 54 as it is rotated counter-clockwise.

Roller 54 moves across the surface 55a pivoting rocker arm 55 until it comes into engagement with the 'arcuate surface 55b. During the movement of roller 54 across I the surface 551), rocker arm 55 is held in a fixed position and the units counter wheel of a predetermining counter will then occupy positions of approximately zero. Further counter-clockwise rotation of units wheel 16a will bring the roller 54 into engagement with the camming surface 550, thereby pivoting the rocker arm 55 clockwise. The clockwise movement of rocker arm 55 from the position shown in FIG. 8 to the position shown in FIG. 6 is accomplished in approximately 36 movement of the roller pin 54. This, of course presumes that the counter wheels 16 and ratchet wheels 62 are angularly divided by ten. Thus, as units wheel 16a advances one full regressive count from zero to nine, rocker arm 55 which carries rod 59 will produce a ratcheting movement of pawls 64. Any pawl 64 which engages its ratchet wheel 62' will thereby advance its associated counter wheel 16 one-tenth of a revolution.

Referring to FIG. 3, it will be noted that pawls 64 are pivoted upon rod 59 at a position to the right of the next lower order advancement pawl, with arm 64a of a given pawl extending across a portion of the arm 64a of that ;next lower pawl. A counter-clockwise movement of the Qtens digit wheel advancement pawl will, therefore, cause a similar counter-clockwise movement of each higher number pawl 64. The significance of this construction is that by moving pawl 64 of the tens digit wheel away from its ratchet wheel 62-, no advancement will be imparted thereto, or to other higher order wheels, although rocker arm 55 is oscillated.

The advancement of counter wheels 16 which are higher than the second digit, that is counter wheels 16c, 16d and 16a, depend upon a means which is positioned by the separate rotation of the nextlower order counter wheel. But counter wheel 16b, the second digit counter wheel, is rotated one-tenth of a turn each time rocker arm 55 is pivoted clockwise following a counter-clockwise pivot.

Referring again to FIG. 3, it will be noted that counter wheels 16b, 16c and 16d are provided with cam plates 65. Each cam plate 65 is formed wtih acircular cylindrical surface having a V-shaped notch 65a formed there in. The ratchet engaging lip 64b of those advancement pawls 64 which engage ratchet wheels 62 mounted to counter wheels 16c, 16d and 16a extend across and are adapted to make peripheral surface engagement with a cam plate 65 mounted on the next lower order counter wheel. This arrangement is best illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. FIG. 5 illustrates a position where a cam plate 65 is oriented such that its notch 65a will receive the lip 64b when its pawl 64 is moved towards the right by the return clockwise pivotof the rocker arms 55 and 58, such a position being shown in FIG. 4. It will be evident that the next ratcheting movement. of the lever 64 will cause its lip 64b to be moved outwardly onto the peripheral surface of cam plate 65. As a consequence, ratchet wheels 62 are only advanced when associated V- shaped notch 65a of the cam plate 65 attached to the next lower order counter wheel is positioned for receiving the lip 64b. Obviously, then, the ratchet wheels 62 respectively associated with counter wheels 16c, 16d and 162 are only engaged one time out of every ten times the next lower order counter wheel is advanced.

Each of. the counter wheels 16b, 16c, 16d and 16e are provided with a secondary drive ratchet wheel 66 coaxially mounted to respective counter wheels. Ratchet wheel 62 of counter wheel 16a is used as a secondary drive ratchet for that counter wheel, inasmuch as no primary driving ratchet is used and since movement is imparted thereto by pin 53 and plate 48. Ratchet wheel 66 (and ratchet wheel 62 associated with counter wheel 16a) are each adapted for being engaged by a reset pawl 67 pivotally mounted by pin 68 to an actuating slide 18. Pawls 67 are separately urged in a direction toward their respective. ratchet wheel by a spring 69 connected between a mounting bracket 70 and a lip 71 provided on pawl 67 at a radial distance from the pivot axis of pin 68. A stop lip 72 is provided on each pawl 67 so as to engage the lower arm of a bifurcated guide 73, thereby limiting the clockwise rotation of pawl 67, as shown in FIG. 6. Guide members 73 straddle a spacer sleeve 74, thereby confining the movement of slides 18 to a sub substantially linear reciprocating movement between its extreme positions. Each guide member 73 is provided with a surface 75 which contacts a stop plate 76 when the slide 18 is moved to the left, as viewed in FIGS. 6 and 9.

In operation, any counter wheel may .be independently advanced and thereby reset by movement of the manually operated finger button 19, which causes slide 18 to be moved from the position shown in FIG. 6 to the position of FIG. 9. In being so moved, the associated reset pawl 67 is brought into engagement with its respective ratchet wheel 66 (or in the case of resetting counter wheel 16a, its ratchet wheel 62). Slides 18 are allowed to move forward a distance sufficient to move the reset ratchet wheels one-tenth of a turn, and during this movement ratchet wheels 62 overrun the holding pawls 61. A resetting of counter wheel 16a will also produce an overrunning movement of pawls 49 and 50 over ratchet wheel 47.

Referring to FIG. 9 in particular, it will be noted that the lower arm 73a of guide member 73 is adapted for engaging lip 64b of advancement pawl 64 when slide 18 is actuated for resetting a counter wheel. With respect to counter wheels 16b, 16c and 16d, such camming action would have the desirable eifect of lifting the lip 64!; from peripheral contact wtih the cam plate 65, thereby making the advancement of the counter wheels easier and reducing the wear on the surfaces of cam plate 65. But the carnming action of the arm 73a associated with the guide 18 used for resetting counter wheel 16a is of even greater importance. If counter wheel 16a were reset from a position zero to the next number nine, (remembering that this explanation is given with respect to a predetermining counter) then rocker arm would be moved clockwise, and each of the advancement pawls 64 would be ratcheted forward. Except for the overlapping arrangement of pawl arms 64a, this might produce an advancement of each higher order counter wheel that was conditioned for being so advanced by its associated control cam 65. Since counter wheel 16b is advanced each time rocker arm 55 is oscillated in a clockwise direction, that wheel would necessarily be advanced if its advancement pawl 64 were allowed to engage its ratchet wheel 62. However, the camming action of arm 73a against the lip 64:; which normally advances counter wheel 16b prevents an engagement with its ratchet wheel 62, thereby preventing an inadvertent resetting of that wheel; and since the arms 64a of higher order advancement pawls are overlapped with each other, and since each would be pivoted away from. their respective ratchet wheels by a counter-clockwise movement of the tens digit advancement pawl, none of the counter wheels can be advanced while the units wheels is moved from zero to nine.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 11 in particular, there is shown a mechanism for advancing the units counter wheel 16a to a whole number position. Actuating rod 20 operates a slide bar which carries a pivotally mounted advancement pawl 82 that engages a ratchet wheel 83 coaxially mounted to gear 38 and worm gear 39. Ratchet wheel 83 is provided with ten teeth including a pair of teeth 84 and 85 which are longer than the others for a purpose to be described.

Slide bar 80 is reciprocally guided by a pair of fixed mounting pins 86 and 87, which are received through elongated openings 38 and 89, respectively. A gripping slide 90 is mounted to slide bar 80 by a pair of guide pins 91 and 92 received through openings 93 and 94, respectively. A spring 95 is connected to one end of gripping bar 90 and being anchored to pin 86. A second spring 96, somewhat stronger than spring 95, interconnects the left end of slide bar 80 and the left end of gripping bar 90, as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 11. Gripping bar 90 includes a bifurcated member 97 having a serrated edge 98 for engaging the knurled gripping nut 33. Referring to FIG. 11, as actuating rod 20 is moved toward the left slide bar 80 and gripping bar 90 are moved against the tension of spring 95 until the serrated edge 98 comes into engagement with nut 33. Additional leftward movement of slide bar 80 increases the tension in spring 96, while the pawl 82 moves into engagement with ratchet wheel 83. In the event that ratchet wheel 83 is positioned with one of its long teeth 84 or 85 opposite to the pawl 82, as shown in FIG. 11, the ratchet wheel 83 cannot be advanced.

As previously indicated, ratchet wheel 83 is adapted to be rotated together with gear 38 which is meshed with gear 37. Gear 38 is selected with a diameter twice as great as gear 37, so that it rotates once for each two revolutions of the smaller gear. Therefore, gear 37 will be rotated once for each half revolution of ratchet wheel 83; and no more than one-half revolution of ratchet wheel 83 is necessary to rotate gear 37 to a pre-selected position.

It will be evident, of course, that the recycling mechanism described permits a repositioning of units counter wheel 16a to a whole number or full cycle position without back driving shaft 30, since clutch plate 34 is held fixed while clutch plate 36 is rotated in overrunning fashion.

Referring to FIG. 4, each counter wheel 16 includes a control cam 100 which engages its own roller follower 101. The roller followers of each counter wheel are rotatably supported upon a shaft mounted to a pivotally supported plate 102. A finger 103 of plate 102 is received between shoulders of a sleeve 104 that is driven through a slidable connection with a sleeve 104a coaxially mounted to gear 37. Control cam 22, which operates a latching device, is mounted to the lower end of sleeve 104.

Control cams 100 are formed with depressed surfaces 100a, which would allow the contacting roller follower 1131 to move upwardly (and plate 102 to pivot clockwise relative to the position shown in FIG. 4) under the gravity bias imposed upon plate 102 by the combined weight of sleeve 104 and cam 22. However, plate 102 can be pivoted clockwise only when each of the depressed surfaces 100a is positioned opposite each roller follower 101. With the predetermining counter disclosed, cams 100 would be oriented relative to the counter wheels 16 such that each wheel would indicate the number zero when the respective surfaces 100a are opposite roller followers 101.

In operation, counter wheels 16 would be initially set to indicate a predetermined number, as for example the number of gallons of a fluid to be delivered through a meter which drives the counter mechanism 10. When each number wheel has returned to zero, indicating a complete delivery, cams 100 will be positioned allowing plate 102 to pivot clockwise. This movement allows control cam 22 to fall against the roller 106 of a self-setting latch lever that is pivoted upon a pin 107. The very next rotation of cam 22 will then trip lever 105 into a position releasing the control rod 23, which operates switch 24. A spring bias 108 may be used to bias control rod 23 and hold it against lever 105, although an equivalent action might be derived by using the inherent biasing force of a self-closing valve.

Since cam 22 and gear 37 which drives the counter mechanism are both driven together, a rotation of gear 37 to a start position will also recycle and position cam 22. Therefore, it will be apparent that the recycling mechanism described in connection with repositioning units counter wheel 16a into, a whole number position is also useful in repositioning control cam 22. This is important from the standpoint of obtaining repeated ac curacy in actuating the switch 24, or a like device, in response to a counter.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that various modifications or changes may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the attached claims, and each of those modifications or changes is contemplated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A resettable counter mechanism including apparatus for signaling a predetermined count comprising: a drive shaft, a driven shaft, an overrunning clutch connected for driving said driven shaft by said drive shaft, a counter device including a plurality of counter Wheels operatively connected to be driven by rotation of said drive shaft, means for resetting each counter wheel independently of other counter wheel movements, a control cam operatively connected to be driven by said drive shaft, a signaling cam follower mounted for being positioned in positions of engagement and non-engagement by said control cam, and means responsive to a predetermined count upon said counter device for placing said control cam follower in position for cam engagement.

2. A counter drive mechanism comprising: a rotatably mounted first counter wheel, means for rotating said first counter wheel comprising a first ratchet wheel and a pivoted dog mounted upon a rotatably driven support piate, said dog being resiliently held into engagement with said ratchet Wheel for being driven by said ratchet wheel but capable of over-running same; a rocker arm, means for pivoting said rocker arm each time said first counter wheel completes a revolution; a second counter wheel, a second ratchet wheel for driving said second counter wheel, a second advancement pawl for rotatably advancing said second ratchet wheel, means for actuating said second advancement pawl and advancing said second ratchet wheel each time said rocker arm is pivoted, a control cam rotatably mounted to move with said second counter wheel; a third counter Wheel, a third ratchet wheel for driving said third counter wheel, a third advancement pawl engageable with said third ratchet wheel and said control cam for advancing said third ratchet wheel each time said second counter wheel completes a revolution, means for actuating said third advancement pawl each time said rocker arm is pivoted, a fourth ratchet wheel rotatably operated with said first counter wheel, a fourth holding pawl engageable with said fourth ratchet wheel and means resiliently holding said pawl into engagement with said ratchet wheel.

3. The mechanism of claim 2 and further including a first secondary drive ratchet wheel mounted concentrically with said, first counter wheel and reset means engageable with said first secondary drive ratchet wheel for advancing said first counter wheel independently of said means for rotating said first counter wheel.

4. The mechanism and apparatus of claim 3 and further including a recycle ratchet wheel driven by said driven shaft, said wheel having at least one long tooth, a recycle slide bar, a recycle pawl mounted upon said slide bar and engageable with said recycle ratchet wheel for advancing said wheel, means including a gripping slide mounted upon said slide bar for preventing rotation of said drive shaft, means interconnecting said slide bar and said gripping slide resiliently biasing said gripping slide toward a holding engagement of said drive shaft, and means resiliently biasing said gripping slide toward a position out of holding engagement with said drive shaft, said last named means urging said slide bar to position said recycle pawl out of engagement with said recycle ratchet.

5. The mechanism of claim 2 and further including a reset slide for each counter wheel, each reset slide pivotally supporting a reset pawl that is engageable with respect-ive secondary drive ratchet wheels.

6. The mechanism of claim 5 wherein said reset slide for said first counter wheel includes a cam surface engageable with said second advancement pawl for inhibiting an advancement of said second ratchet wheel.

'7. A counter drive mechanism comprising: a rotatably mounted first counter wheel, means for rotating said first counter wheel comprising a recycling ratchet wheel, said wheel having at least one long tooth, a recycle pawl engageable with said recycle ratchet wheel for advancing said wheel until engageable with a long tooth; a rocker arm, means for pivoting said rocker arm each time said first counter wheel completes a revolution; a second counter wheel, a second ratchet wheel for driving said second counter wheel, a second advancement pawl for rotatably advancing said second ratchet wheel, means for actuating said second advancement pawl and advancing said second ratchet wheel each time said rocker arm is pivoted, a control cam rotatably mounted to move with said second counter wheel; a third counter Wheel, a third ratchet wheel for driving said third counter wheel, a third advancement pawl engageable with said third ratchet wheel and said control cam for advancing said third ratchet wheel each time said second counter wheel completes a revolution, and means for actuating said third advancement pawl each time said rocker arm is pivoted.

8. A counter drive mechanism comprising: a rotatably mounted first counter wheel, means for rotating said first counter wheel comprising a drive shaft, a driven shaft, an overrunning clutch connected for driving said driven shaft by said drive shaft, a recycle ratchet wheel driven by said driven shaft, said wheel having at least one long tooth, a recycle pawl engageable with said recycle ratchet wheel for advancing said wheel until engageable with a long tooth, and means for holding said drive shaft prior to and during the movement of said recycle pawl in advancing the recycle ratchet wheel; a rocker arm, means for pivoting said rocker arm each time said first counter wheel completes :a revolution; a second counter wheel, a second ratchet wheel for driving said second counter wheel, a second advancement pawl for rotatably advancing said second ratchet wheel, means for actuating said second advancement pawl and advancing said second ratchet wheel each time said rocker arm is pivoted, a control cam rotatably mounted to move with said second counter wheel; a third counter wheel, a third ratchet wheel for driving said third counter wheel, a third advancement pawl engageable with said third ratchet Wheel and said control cam for advancing said third ratchet wheel each time said second counter wheel completes a revolution, and means for actuating said third advancement pawl each time said rocker arm is pivoted.

9. A counter drive mechanism comp-rising: a rotatably mounted first counter wheel, means for rotating said first counter wheel comprising a drive shaft, a driven shaft, an overrunning clutch connected for driving said driven shaft by said drive shaft, 1a recycle ratchet wheel driven by said driven shaft, said wheel having at least one long tooth, a recycle slide bar, a recycle pawl mounted upon said slide bar and engageable with said recycle ratchet wheel for advancing said wheel, means including a gripping slide mounted upon said slide bar for preventing rotation of said drive shaft, means interconnecting said siide bar and said gripping slide resiliently biasing said gripping slide toward a postion of holding engagement of said drive shaft, and means resiliently biasing said gripping slide toward a position out of holding engagement with said drive shaft, said last named means urging said slide bar to position said recycle pawl out of engagement with said recycle ratchet; a rocker arm, means for pivoting said rocker arm each time said first counter wheel completes a revolution; a second counter wheel, a second ratchet wheel for driving said second counter wheel, a second advancement pawl for rotatably advancing said second ratchet wheel, means for actuating said second advancement pawl and advancing said second ratchet wheel each time said rocker arm is pivoted, a control cam rotatably mounted to move with said second counter wheel; a third counter wheel, a third ratchet wheel for driving said third counter wheel, a third advancement pawl engageable with said third ratchet wheel and said control cam for advancing said third ratchet wheel each time said second counter wheel completes a revolution, and means for actuating said third advancement pawl each time said rocker arm is pivoted.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Wardwell 235-417 Browne 235-117 Bradley 235132.1 Hazard et 'al. 235132.1 Billeter 235-132 LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner. C. G. COVELL, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A RESETTABLE COUNTER MECHANISM INCLUDING APPARATUS FOR SIGNALING A PREDETERMINED COUNT COMPRISING: A DRIVE SHAFT, A DRIVEN SHAFT, AN OVERRUNNING CLUTCH CONNECTED FOR DRIVING SAID DRIVEN SHAFT BY SAID DRIVE SHAFT, A COUNTER DEVICE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF COUNTER WHEELS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO BE DRIVEN BY ROTATION OF SAID DRIVE SHAFT, MEANS FOR RESETTING EACH COUNTER WHEEL INDEPENDENTLY OF OTHER COUNTER WHEEL MOVEMENTS, A CONTROL CAM OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO BE DRIVEN BY SAID DRIVE SHAFT, A SIGNALING CAM FOLLOWER MOUNTED FOR BEING POSITIONED IN POSITIONS OF ENGAGEMENT AND NON-ENGAGEMENT BY SAID CONTROL CAM, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A PREDETERMINED COUNT UPON SAID COUNTER DEVICE FOR PLACING SAID CONTROL CAM FOLLOWER IN POSITION FOR CAM ENGAGEMENT.

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