US3251546A - Register resetting means - Google Patents

Description

May 17, 1966 5. J. RIGO ETAL REGISTER RESETTING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 24, 1964 a cw WM 55 n my m J5 "A .TLLAM May 17, 1966 5. J. RIGO ETAL REGISTER RESETTING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1964 INVENTQRS Sfep/ven J ep J Rage 5. McEvoy y Ernst c/vrempp HTTOEA/E) May 17, 1966 5. .J. RIGO ETAL REGISTER RESETTING MEANS 4 SheetsSheet 5 Filed D80; 24, 1964 ATTOKNEY May 17, 1966 5. J. RIGO ETAL REGISTER RESETTING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed Dec. 24, 1964 INVENTORS SLep/wn J1 R/gO Joseph .E. /7cEvay BY E rust Sabre/17,0

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,251,546 REGISTER RESETTING MEANS Stephen J. Rigo and Joseph E. McEvoy, Stamford, and

Ernst Schrempp, Norwalk, Conrr, assignors to Pitney- Bowes, Inc., Stamford, Comm, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 421,039

9 Claims. (Cl. 23s 1o1 This invention pertains to register resetting means. More particularly, it pertains to resetting means for registers of the type which are lockable against unauthorized resetting or other operation.

A principle application of the invention is in postage meters. The subsequent detailed description will set forth one specific embodiment of the invention in such an environment. However, it will be understood that the invention can readily be applied in other types of registering devices, cash registers being just one example.

Postage meters customarily contain a descending register into which is set the postage value credit purchased. As the machine is used for printing postage upon letters, it subtracts the postage value from the descending register. In one widely used type of postage meter, when the registered value descends to something that is less than the maximum value which can be printed by the machine,

the meter automatically looks out. It must then be taken to the post ofiice, where additional postage credit is bought and the register reset to a new, higher value whereby the meter can once again be used.

The present common practice in resetting the descending register is for the post office clerk to break the machines seal, unlock the door which blocks access to the descending register, and then by means of a stylus reset the register wheels in accordance with the amount of postage which has been purchased. This stylus technique of resetting the register wheels to a new value is cumbersome, time-consuming, and can damage the meter.

Another arrangement is shown in United States Patent No. 2,339,852 issued January 25, 1944 to W. J. Hanson et al. A resetting knob operable to reset only one order of the register is normally within the machine casing. When the machine is unlocked, the knob is spring urged to an accessible position for use outside the casing.

In accordance with the present invention, the operation of the lock itself is effective to reset thenumeral wheels. In the preferred form disclosed herein, a key operated pin tumbler lock is employed. The rotary unlocking movement of the key is employed to operate suitable means for resetting the register wheels to any selected value. As a further feature of the invention,'the lock with the key in it is first shiftable longitudinally to select different ones of the register dials for resetting. After resetting, the key cannot be withdrawn from the lock until it and the remainder of the resetting mechanism are returned to normal unoperated condition.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel register resetting means.

It is a further object to provide a novel resetting arrangement for machines which are provided with a lock means to prevent unauthorized access to the register.

Another object is an arrangement whereby in a ma chine having a resettable register and a lock for preventing unauthorized access to the register, the lock itself is used to reset the register.

Another object is an arrangement whereby the lock itself is used to select different order of the register for resetting.

The above and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preto be reset.

3,.Z5l,54b Patented May 17, 1966 ferred embodiment of the invention, when read in conjunction with accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a postage I meter incorporating theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation in section of the mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a detail view of the resetting sleeve;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 5- 5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a detail view taken on line 66 of FIG. 9 showing the resetting wheels and the drive shaft therefor;

FIG. 7 is a view generally similar to FIG. 3, showing the relative position of the parts when the leftmost order of the descending register has been selected for resetting; 7

FIG. 8 is a section taken on line 8--8 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a section taken on line 99 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a section taken on line 1010 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of one of the resetting wheels.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates the outer casing of a postage meter in which the present invention is embodied. The meter includes the usual descending and ascending registers 2, 3 (FIGS. 1, 9) each comprising an ordinarily arranged series of numeral wheels with tens transfer mechanism between adjacent 'wheels. Each numeral wheel 2a, 3a has associated therewith a pinion 2b, 3b which is actuated by suitable differentially rack means operable (not shown) to subtract values from the descending register and add them into the ascending register.

The machine includes a lock 4 which prevents unauthorized access to the register. In accordance with the present invention, the lock itself is used to reset the register and also to select the order to be reset.

Lock 4 is a key-operated pin tumbler lock comprising a central plug 5 rotatable within a barrel 6. The plug is normally blocked against rotation by pairs of spring biased lock pins 7. When the proper key S is inserted into the plug, it raises the pins differential amounts to align each pin-pair interface with the outer edge of the plug, and the latter is now free to be rotated by the key. The key 8, which has a large cylindrical end 3a to facilitate its manipulation, is inserted. into the plug through an opening 10 in the meter casing 1. Access to the plug is normally blocked by a swingable cover plate 11 sealed in closed position (FIG. 8) by a conventional wire lead seal 12. Under postal regulations and laws, only authorized postal employees may break the seal to have access to the lock.

In the present arrangement, after the key has been inserted into the lock, it is first rotated a short distance to condition the mechanism by freeing it for resetting of the register numeral wheels 2a. The key is used to shift the lock longitudinally to select a particular ordinal wheel of the descending register for resetting. Then, the key is rotated to reset the selected wheel.

At this juncture, it should be explained that a resetting device is provided for each numeral wheel 2a which is Each resetting device comprises a wheel 13 (FIGS. 9-11) having a radial lobe or segment to which is afiixed a concentric shoe 13a of yieldable rubber or similar elastomeric material. The various resetting wheels 13 are supported loosely on a shaft 14 and are held against axial movement by a comb structure 15. The latter comprises a backing member 15a having forwardly extending fingers 1512, each having a forwardly opening slot closely receiving the related resetting wheel 13. To reset a numeral wheel to any desired value, its associated resetting wheel 13 is rotated. On each turn of the resetting wheel, its shoe 13a will frictionally engage and drive the register wheel a distance sufficient to change the numeral wheel setting by a value of 1.

This incremental change in the setting of the numeral wheel will either be plus or minus depending upon the direction of rotation of the resetting wheel. The latter is rotated as many turns in the appropriate direction as is necessary to cause the numeral wheel to be reset to the desired value.

The radial spacing between each related numeral wheel 2 and resetting wheel 13 is such that the cylindrical body of the latter is spaced from the numeral wheel, whereas the outwardly projecting friction shoe 13a will engage and rotate the numeral wheel when the resetting wheel is operated. See FIG. 9. The arcuate length of the shoe 13a is such that each revolution of the resetting Wheel will cause the numeral wheel to be advanced (or retracted, depending upon the direction of rotation) by a digital value of 1.

As mentioned above, the resetting wheels are normally free on shaft14. However any selected one of the resetting wheels is adapted to be driven by the shaft, as follows.

Extending through and fast with shaft 14 to the left of each resetting wheel 13 is a driving pin 16. As seen in FIGS. 9-11, each resetting wheel has a radial slot 17 to closely receive the driving pin whereby the wheel is coupled in driven relationship with the shaft. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3 each successive right hand pin 16 is spaced a greater distance to the left of its relative resetting wheel. Shaft 14 is adapted to be shifted different amounts lengthwise toward the right from its normal left hand ineffective position of FIG. 3 to align any one of the three pins 16 in driving relation with the adjacent resetting wheel 13 lying immediately to the right thereof. It will be clear from FIGS. 1 and 3 that when any one of the driving pins is aligned with and lying in the radial slot of its resetting wheel, the other two resetting pins will be out of the plane of their related resetting wheels and will therefore be ineffective to drive the latter. Stated somewhat differently, a first rightward step of movement of shaft 14 will bring the first driving pin 16 into driving relation with the leftmost resetting wheel 13, an additional step of movement will bring the middle driving pin into the plane of (and driving relationship with) the second from the left resetting wheel; and similarly, an additional rightward step of movement of the shaft will place the third, rightmost pin 16 is driving relation with the third resetting wheel 13.

As will noW be described, shaft 14 is shifted axially to selectively couple it in driving relation with any one of the resetting wheels; and is rotated to drive the thuscoupled resetting wheel; all by corresponding movement of the key 8 which has been inserted into lock 4. This is done by means of a mechanical drive train directly connecting the lock to shaft 14.

The lock, comprising barrel 6 and plug 5, is mounted in a casting 18 fixed to the meter framing. The lock barrel has a depending rib 19 to give it a non-circular cross section (see FIG. 8) and is slidably received for axial movement in a correspondingly shaped non-circular hole in the left hand portion of casting 18. The lock barrel is thus blocked against rotation but can move longitudinally. Casting 18 contains a cylindrical hole 20 in which is slidably and rotatably received a hollow cylinder 21 in whose right hand end is disposed the leftwardly extending wide flange of a gear 22. Gear 22, cylinder 21, and the lock plug 8 are all rigidly clamped together by screws 23 threaded into the right hand end of the plug. Mounted fast at the left hand end of the shaft 14 is a gear 24 meshed with gear 22 in a one-toone ratio. It will be recalled that shaft 14 is shifted lengthwise to be selectively coupled by one of drive pins 16 in driving relation with one of the resetting wheels 13, and is rotated to'operate the resetting wheels.

Gear 24 includes circular side flanges 24a. These are of such radial extent that the teeth of gear 22 extend into the space between said flanges in the portion of the two gears which are in mesh, whereby the flanges prevent the gears from moving apart axially. Thus, lock 4, cylinder 21, gears 22, 24, and shaft 14, hereinafter called the resetting unit, are all movable longitudinally as one unit. Also, it will be seen that when lock plug 5 is rotated, it will drive gear 22 which will drive gear 24 and the latter will in turn cause rotation of the resetting shaft 14.

The normal longitudinal position of the aforedescribed resetting unit (FIG. 3) is such that it must be shifted to the right to place any of the pins 16 of shaft 14 in driving relation with the associated selected resetting Wheel 13. When the key 8 is first inserted into the lock, but before it has been turned, longitudinal shifting movement of the resetting unit and therefore of shaft 14 is prevented until the key has been partially rotated, say 45. Also, means are provided whereby the inserted key cannot be withdrawn from the lock unless the plug is in its normal rotated position relative to the lock cylinder and also cannot be removed unless the lock unit has been shifted axially to the left to its normal home position of FIG. 3. This insures that once the resetting drive shaft has been longitudinally shifted to the right to couple any selected resetting wheel to resetting shaft 14, for example the rightmost resetting wheel, the key cannot accidentally be pulled out of the lock when it is desired to shift the shaft to the left. It also insures that the postal clerk resetting the register always knows that the resetting mechanism is in its leftmost position when he first inserts the key into the lock.

The mechanism is prevented from being shifted longitudinally until the inserted key has first been rotated from its inserted position as follows. Cylinder 21 is provided with a number of annular grooves 25 of square cross section. A pin 26 spring biassed into the rightmost groove 25 blocks longitudinal shifting movement of cylinder 21 when plug 5 is in its home, lock angular position. However, initial rotation of the plug by key 8 through an angle of 45 degrees will bring a longitudinal slot 27 (FIGS. 4, 5) connecting grooves 25 into alignment with pin 26, freeing the cylinder for rightward movement. Now, by pushing forwardly on the key, the entire resetting unit can be shifted longitudinally to the right to align any one of the drive pins 16 of shaft 14 in the slot 17 of its associated resetting Wheel 13. Spring urged ball detents 30 cooperable with annular detent recesses 31 of cylinder 21 yieldably maintain the resettingunit in its three shifted positions.

Thus, up to this point the resetting mechanism has been selectively adjusted to choose a particular order of the descending register 2 to be reset. Now, key 8 is rotated to turn plug 5 and drive the selected resetting wheel 13 through cylinder 21, gear train 22, 24, shaft 14 and the 0 one drive pin 16 which is coupled to the resetting wheel.

On each turn of the resetting wheel, its friction shoe 13a will engage and drive the associated register wheel 2a an angular distance sufficient to change its setting by a value of 1. This is repeated by continuing to rotate key 8 in one or the other direction the number of times needed to bring the numeral wheel to the desired value. Each of the resetting wheels 13 is releasably held in its angular home position (FIGS. 9-1l) by a spring detent finger 32 engageable in a recess 33 in the wheel.

The other resetting wheels can then be set in like fashion by using key 8 to longitudinally shift the resetting unit to selectively align a resetting drive pin 16 with the radial slot 17 in the desired associated resetting wheel. It will beunderstood that cylinder 21, and therefore the entire resetting unit, 'can be shifted only when the cylinders axial slot 27 is in line with blocking pin 26. The resetting pins 16 are so oriented on shaft 14 that they will then be parallel with the receiving slots 17 of the resetting wheels when the latter are in normal home position. This insures that when the pins are shifted to the right or left,

they will pass freely into or through the resetting wheels 13, without striking the latters side faces.

Means are provided to prevent withdrawal of the key 8 from the lock 4 until the resetting unit has been returned to leftmost, home position, as follows.

The front end of the key has a tapered notch 34. The notch is so contoured that when the key is first fully inserted into the lock, the notchs sloping side walls will hold an abutting aligned pair of separate pins 35, 36 raised to position their line of contact flush with the outer edge of cylinder 21. Pins 35, 36 are movable vertically in holes in casting 18 and cylinder 21, which holes are aligned when the cylinder is in leftward position (FIG. 3). When the cylinder subsequently is moved to the right during ordinal selection, the lower pin 36 will be carried along with it while the upper pin 35 will remain in its hole in casting 16. Hence, so long as pin 36 is out of alignment with its cooperable pin 35, it will stand in blocking relation with the right hand edge of the key notch 34 and will prevent the key from being pulled out. When the resetting unit including the lock is subsequently returned to its unoperated leftmost position of FIG. 2, lower pin 36 will once again be aligned with upper pin 35, whereby the two are free to be cammed upwardly by the key when it is removed. When the keyis removed, the lower pin 36 rests on the ledge formed by the intersection of its hole in cylinder 21 with the slot 37 for receiving the key in the cylinder (FIG. 5

The particular order which has been selected for resetting is visually indicated, as follows. A plate 40 (FIG. 9) has display markings 41 (FIG. 3) each corresponding to a particular one of the register wheels 2a which can be reset. The plate includes a leftwardly extending tongue 42 which is bent downwardly at its end and is mounted fast on resetting drive shaft 14. The ordinal display markings 41 lie beneath a cover member 43 which is opaque except for having transparent windows 44. When the resetting mechanism has been shifted longitudinally to couple any one drive pin 15 in effective relation with its resetting wheel 13, the associated display marking 41 will have been shifted to be visible through the window aligned with the corresponding register wheel 2a. The operator is thus aware at all times which order, if any, of the descending register has currently been selected for resetting.

Each descending register wheel 2a is detented in its various digital positions by the nose of a spring biassed detent plate 44 (FIG. 9), which also detents a corresponding order of the ascending register wheels 3a.

While there has been shown and described herein a preferred form and application of the invention, it will be understood that numerous modifications and adaptations can be made of the invention without departing from its principles. Accordingly, it is intended that the foregoing detailed description be only illustrative of the invention and not in any way limitative of the following claims.

We claim: 1. In a registering machine: a register comprising a series of numeral wheels; a series of resetting devices, each operable to reset a related one of said numeral wheels; a resetting drive shaft for operating said resetting devices; means for selectively coupling said drive shaft to any selected one of said resetting wheels; a lock; operating mechanism for operating said resetting drive shaft; said operating mechanism including'said lock. 2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein:. each resetting wheel includes a radially projecting resetting segment engageable with the associated numeral wheel on rotation of the resetting wheel to reset the numeral wheel.

3. In a registering machine:

a register comprising a series of numeral wheels;

a series of resetting wheels, each operable to reset a related one of said numeral wheels;

a resetting drive shaft on which said resetting wheels are mounted;

means for selectively coupling said drive shaft to any selected one of said resetting wheels in response to longitudinal shifting movement of said shaft;

a lock;

mechanism for longitudinally shifting said shaft to couple it to a selected one of said resetting wheels, and for operating said shaft to operate said one re setting wheel;

said mechanism including said lock; and

means responsive to the shifting of said shaft to visually indicate to which resetting wheel said shaft is coupled.

4. In a registering machine:

a register comprising a series of numeral wheels;

a series of resetting wheels, each operable to reset a.

related one of said numeral wheels;

a resetting drive shaft on which said resetting wheels are mounted;

means for selectively coupling said drive shaft to any selected one of said resetting wheels in response to longitudinal shifting movement of said shaft;

alock;

mechanism for longitudinally shifting said shaft to couple it to a selected one of said resetting Wheels, and for operating said shaft to operate said one resetting wheel;

said mechanism including said lock.

5. In a registering machine:

a register comprising a series of numeral wheels on a first shaft; r

a series of resetting wheels, each operable to reset a related one of said numeral wheels, said resetting wheels mounted on a second shaft;

means for selectively coupling said second shaft to any selected one of said resetting wheels in response to longitudinal shifting of said shaft;

a lock;

mechanism for longitudinally shifting said second shaft to couple it to a selected one of said resetting wheels, and for operating said second shaft to operate said one resetting wheel;

said mechanism including said lock.

6. In a registering machine,

a register comprising a series of numeral wheels;

a series of resetting wheels, each operable to reset a related one of said numeral wheels;

a resetting drive shaft on which said resetting wheels are mounted;

means for selectively coupling said drive shaft to any one of said resetting wheels in response to longitudinal shifting of said shaft;

a lock;

mechanism for longitudinally shifting said shaft to couple it to a selective one of said resetting wheels, and for operating said shaft to operate said one resetting wheel;

said mechanism including said lock;

said mechanism further including a continuously engaged coupling means to said drive shaft, whereby movement of said lock in a given direction imparts the same relative movement to said drive shaft.

7. In a postage meter:

a descending register comprising an ordinally arranged series of numeral wheels;

a series of resetting wheels, each operable to reset a related one of said numeral wheels;

a resetting drive shaft on which said resetting wheels are mounted;

means for selectively coupling said drive shaft to any and for operating said shaft to operate said one re-- setting wheel;

said mechanism including said lock.

8. In a postage meter:

a descending register comprising an ordin'ally arranged series of numeral wheels;

I a series of resetting wheels, each operable to reset a related one of said numeral wheels;

21 resetting drive shaft on which said resetting Wheels are mounted;

means for selectively coupling said drive shaft to any selected one of said resetting wheels in response to longitudinal shifting movement of said shaft;

a key-operated lock including a barrel and a plug rotatable in said barrel and adapted to receive said y;

mechanism for longitudinally shifting said shaft to couple it to a selected one of said resetting wheels, and for operating said shaft to operate said one resetting wheel;

'8 said mechanism including said lock. 9. The invention according to claim 8, including: means to prevent removal of said key from said lock until said resetting shaft is returned to an inoperable position.

' References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 548,523 10/1895 Curtis 235 -116 936,591 10/1909 White 235144 1,046,835 12/1912 Moon 235 -117 1,214,886 2/1917 Brown 235144 1,679,905 8/1928 Kassner 235144 1,749,365 3/1930 Zubaty 235117.1 2,058,056 10/1936 Brubaker et al. 235117 2,451,084 10/1948 Hennessy 23591 FOREIGN PATENTS 103,935 5/1938 Australia.

LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner.

C. G. COVELL, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A REGISTERING MACHINE: A REGISTER COMPRISING A SERIES OF NUMERAL WHEELS; A SERIES OF RESETTING DEVICES, EACH OPERABLE TO RESET A RELATED ONE OF SAID NUMERAL WHEELS; A RESETTING DRIVE SHAFT FOR OPERATING SAID RESETTING DEVICES; MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY COUPLING SAID DRIVE SHAFT TO ANY SELECTED ONE OF SAID RESETTING WHEELS; A LOCK; OPERATING MECHANISM FOR OPERATING SAID RESETTING DRIVE SHAFT; SAID OPERATING MECHANISM INCLUDING SAID LOCK.

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