US3518412A - Counter storage and visual readout means - Google Patents

Counter storage and visual readout means Download PDF

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Publication number
US3518412A
US3518412A US609206A US3518412DA US3518412A US 3518412 A US3518412 A US 3518412A US 609206 A US609206 A US 609206A US 3518412D A US3518412D A US 3518412DA US 3518412 A US3518412 A US 3518412A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
storage
cylinders
counting
shafts
counter
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US609206A
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English (en)
Inventor
Werner Schurmann
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Mettler Instrumente AG
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Mettler Instrumente AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
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Publication of US3518412A publication Critical patent/US3518412A/en
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06M—COUNTING MECHANISMS; COUNTING OF OBJECTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06M1/00—Design features of general application
    • G06M1/04—Design features of general application for driving the stage of lowest order
    • G06M1/048—Design features of general application for driving the stage of lowest order with switching means between two or more counting devices
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06M—COUNTING MECHANISMS; COUNTING OF OBJECTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06M1/00—Design features of general application
    • G06M1/04—Design features of general application for driving the stage of lowest order
    • G06M1/06—Design features of general application for driving the stage of lowest order producing continuous revolution of the stage, e.g. with gear train
    • G06M1/068—Design features of general application for driving the stage of lowest order producing continuous revolution of the stage, e.g. with gear train with switching means between two or more counting devices
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06M—COUNTING MECHANISMS; COUNTING OF OBJECTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06M3/00—Counters with additional facilities
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06M—COUNTING MECHANISMS; COUNTING OF OBJECTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06M3/00—Counters with additional facilities
    • G06M3/02—Counters with additional facilities for performing an operation at a predetermined value of the count, e.g. arresting a machine
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06M—COUNTING MECHANISMS; COUNTING OF OBJECTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06M3/00—Counters with additional facilities
    • G06M3/06—Counters with additional facilities for printing or separately displaying result of count
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06M—COUNTING MECHANISMS; COUNTING OF OBJECTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06M3/00—Counters with additional facilities
    • G06M3/06—Counters with additional facilities for printing or separately displaying result of count
    • G06M3/062—Counters with additional facilities for printing or separately displaying result of count for printing
    • G06M3/065—Counters with additional facilities for printing or separately displaying result of count for printing with drums

Definitions

  • the storage cylinders normally have a retracted position relative to the frame in which said storage cylinders are coupled with the shafts at the same orientation as said counting cylinders, respectively, displacement means being provided for shifting said set of storage cylinders axially relative to the frame to a read-out position in which the storage cylinders are decoupled from the shafts.
  • the displacement means include arrester means for preventing rotation of the storage cylinders when in the decoupled read-out position.
  • This invention relates to a counter apparatus for numerically indicating measurements given by an input device.
  • a counter apparatus comprises a frame and a plurality of digit-bearing counting cylinders rotatably mounted in said frame and adapted to display multiplace figures.
  • the counting cylinder representing the lowest-value decimal place is driven by said input device and tens-transfer mechanisms are provided to act between said counting cylinders in a manner to advance a given counting cylinder by the adjacent counting cylinder representing the next lower-value decimal place.
  • the main object of this invention is to provide in a counter apparatus of the kind outlined simple and reliable means for storing measurements which are displayed at given moments without stopping the counter apparatus for this purpose.
  • the said counter apparatus in addition comprises a plurality of shafts rotatably mounted in said frame, each of said shafts having but one of said digit-bearing counting cylinders fastened to it and extending in a direction transverse to the direction in which said multi-place figures are read-off ⁇ said counting cylinders; at least one set of digit-bearing storage cylinders, each of which being mounted on one of said shafts to be axially movable between two limit positions in one of which it is coupled to the respective shaft and in the other of which it is decoupled from said shaft; coupling means which bring the digit shown by each of said storage cylinders automatically into agreement with the digit shown by the counting cylinder sitting on the same shaft when said storage cylinder is in said coupled position; arresting means for preventing a rotation of each of said storage cylinders 4when the same
  • the counter apparatus illustrated in the drawing has a three-place decimal counter 11 with counter shafts 12 extending vertically.
  • the tens-transfer mechanisms each have a toothed intermediate spindle 13, which spindles are also vertical.
  • On each of the three shafts 12 is fastened a digit-bearing counting cylinder 14, and the counting cylinders 14 of the counter set are juxtaposed in a horizontal direction.
  • the shaft 12 on the extreme right is driven through an intermediate gearing by an input device 15; this may, for example, be an electrically actuated step-by-step motor but is not shown in detail in the drawing.
  • the shafts 12 and the intermediate spindles 13 are mounted in the frame 16 of the apparatus; the input device 15 may also be attached to the frame.
  • the frame 16 further has a front plate 17 containing a series of windows 18 through which the digits on the display surfaces of the counting cylinders 14 can be successively seen. In the drawing the counting cylinders 14 display the decimal figure 145.
  • the counter apparatus further has a first set 21 of three digit-bearing storage cylinders 22 which are each mounted for axial displacement on one of the associated shafts 12.
  • Each of the three storage cylinders 22 has a rim 23 with ten teeth. It also has a cam 24 which surrounds the associated shaft 12 and extends axially of the latter, as can be seen in the case of the storage cylinder 22 on the extreme right of the set 21.
  • the cylinders 22 are moved axially with the aid of a displacement device 25 associated with the storage set 21.
  • This device 25 includes a shaft 26 pivotally mounted in the frame 16 with a ratchet 29 fixed to one end.
  • the shaft 26 also has attached to it a pin shaped arresting member 27 and a leaf spring 28 for each of the storage cylinders 22, the leaf spring 28 sliding over one flat surface of the associated storage cylinder 22 and endeavouring to move it towards the arresting member 27.
  • the ratchet 29 is engaged by a tension spring 30 which raises the free ends of the ratchet 29, arresting members 27 and leaf springs 28, and thus the storage cylinders 22.
  • the arresting members 27 engage in the toothed rims 23 on the storage cylinders 22 and prevent them from rotating, but since the shafts 12 go on turning, the storage cylinders 22 have to be uncoupled therefrom in this uppermost limit position.
  • a pin 31 extending radially from each shaft 12 is provided at a level such that it can go on turning below the cam 24 of the appropriate storage cylinder 22.
  • the windows 32 in the front plate 17 are positioned so that the digits on the storage cylinders 22 appear in the windows 32 only when these cylinders 22 are in the said uppermost position, in which they are uncoupled from the respective shafts 12.
  • the set 21 is thus shown with its storage cylinders 22 in the uncoupled and uppermost limit position and with the associated displacement device 25 in its corresponding end position.
  • the leaf springs 28 will force down the storage cylinders 22 until the pins 31 enga-ge in the top corner of the cams 24 and the arresting members 27 have been disengaged from the toothed rims 23 of the storage cylinders 22.
  • the storage cylinders 22 are then coupled to the counter shafts 12 in such a way that the front surface of each cylinder 22 shows the same digit as the counting cylinder 14 xed to the same shaft 12.
  • the storage cylinder 22 in question will be further rotated by the action of the cam 24 and the pin 31 sliding along it until the pin 31 has engaged in the top corner of the carn 24. This is a simple and effective way of automatically ensuring that when the storage cylinders 22 are in the coupled position their digits always agree with those on the corresponding counting cylinders 14.
  • the displacement device 25 associated with the storage set 21 has an electro-mechanical relay 33 with a movable armature 34 which is acted on by a compression spring 35.
  • the spring 35 endeavours to shift the armature 34 forwards when the relay coil is not energized.
  • the ratchet 29 can engage in the pin 36 on the armature 34 so that the ratchet 29 is then-against the action of the tension spring 30-kept in its lowermost position in which the storage cylinders 22 are coupled to the shafts. But if the coil of the relay is energized the armature 34 will move back against the compression spring 35 and will release the ratchet 29.
  • the illustrated embodiment of the invention has another two storage sets 41 and 61 in which all the associated parts are identical with those in set 21.
  • the set 41 has digit-bearing storage cylinders 42 an associated displacement device in which the ratchet is shown at 49 and the relay at 53.
  • the storage set 61 similarly has the storage cylinders 62, a ratchet 69 and a relay 73.
  • the ratchets 49 and 69 are shown in their lowermost engaged position, so that the storage cylinders 42 and 62 are each in their coupled limit position, with the result that the digits on them are not visible through the series of windows 52 or 72.
  • three independently operable storage sets 21, 41 and 61 are used it is possible to store the numerical reading of measurements obtained at the counter 11 at any three predetermined times.
  • the counter apparatus described prefferably has a resetting key 77 to move one or more of the storage sets 21, 41, 61 from the uncoupled end position of the storage cylinders back to the coupled end position thereof so that the storage sets in question can he made ready for further storing action.
  • the key 77 is fixed to a slide 78 which is guided parallel in the frame 16 and kept in a raised position by means of a tension spring 79.
  • the slide 78 has pegs 80 with which the ratchets 29, 49, 69 can be brought into contact from below as shown in the case of the ratchet 29.
  • By temporarily depressing the key 77 it is possible to lower all the ratchets (eg. 29) which are in contact with the pegs 80 so that they come into engagement as illustrated in the case of ratchets 49 and 69.
  • the shaft 12 at the extreme right, which is driven by the input device 15, has a cam plate 81 fixed to it.
  • the cam plate 81 opens an electric contact 82 in the line 83 leading jointly to relays 33, 53 and 73.
  • This angular position of the cam plate 81 is such that the contact v82 is open whenever the shaft 12 carries over a ten-transfer, i.e. wherever more than one of the counting cylinders 14 is simultaneously advanced one step.
  • the opening of contact 82 thus prevents one of the storage sets 21, 41 or 61 from being transferred from the coupled to the uncoupled position just when a tentransfer is being carried over.
  • One of the storage sets 21, 41 or 61 can thus respond and store a figure or value only before or after'the carrying over of a ten-transfer. This prevents any erroneous storage, particularly in the higher-value decimal places of the figure to be stored.
  • the current value of a measurement received from the input device 15 is indicated by means of the counting cylinders 14 of the counter 11 and this value usually alters in the course of time.
  • the purpose is to store the current value of the measurement at three predetermined times so that these values can be read off later as required.
  • the times for storing the measurements may, for example, be determined by a time switch or can even be made dependent on the occurrence of a given event.
  • Relays 33, 53, and 73 are connected to the appropriate circuits including the comon lead 83, which thus act as control circuits and may bring the various storage sets 21, 41 and 61 into action.
  • the key 77 is first depressed so as to bring the storage cylinders of all three storage sets into the coupled position as already illustrated in the case of sets 41 and 61.
  • the storage sets 41 and 61 will store the figures indicated by the counting cylinders 14 when the relays 53 and 73 are energized.
  • the storage sets 21, 41, 61 have responded once the stored figures will be retained and remain visible in the windows 32, 52, 72 until the key 77 is depressed once more.
  • the counter apparatus is particularly suitable for laboratory work, in carrying out measurements which can be automated and which extend over long or indefinite periods of time as may, for example, be the case when determining the melting points of series of different samples.
  • the counter cylinders 14 of the counter 11 can indicate the furnace temperature, which may possibly be varied according to a test program, the assumption being that all the samples are in the same furnace.
  • the melting process is investigated photoelectrically and separately for each sample, and one of relays 33, 53, 73 will be associated with each sample.
  • the relay in question may be connected, possibly by an electronic intermediate amplifier, to the photoelectric cell belonging to the sample in such a way that it responds as soon as the sample begins to melt. By the response of the storage set associated with the sample the melting temperature of the latter is then immediately indicated and stored.
  • the counter 11 and thus the set of the counting cylinders 14 may have any desired number of decimal places, and the same applies to the storage sets.
  • the number of storage sets may also be increased without any dfiiculty depending on requirements.
  • each storage cylinder is shown as having a cam 24 cooperating with a pin 31 carried by its respective shaft, it is also feasible to mount the cam on the shaft and arrange for a pin or equivalent member to project from the storage cylinder in question.
  • Counter apparatus comprising:
  • counting means including a plurality of parallel shafts (12) journalled in said frame, a set of digit-bearing counting cylinders (14) secured to said shafts, respectively, and tens-transfer means (13) connecting said shafts to cause said counting cylinders to display a multi-place decade number;
  • storage and visual readout means including at least one set of digit-bearing storage cylinders (22) mounted for free rotational and sliding movement on said shafts, respectively;
  • coupling means (24, 31) operable when said set of storage cylinders has a retracted coupled position relative to said frame for coupling said cylinders with said shafts at the identical orientation as the corresponding counting cylinders, respectively;
  • displacement means for simultaneously displacing said set of storage cylinders axially relative to said frame to a read-out position in which said storage cylinders are decoupled from said shafts, respectively, said displacement means including arresting means (27) for preventing rotation of said storage cylinders when said cylinders are in the decoupled read-out position;
  • said coupling means comprises for each of said storage cylinders a cam member (24) having a cam face surrounding and extending axially of the corresponding shaft, and a pin member (31) extending radially of said shaft, one of said members being mounted on said storage cylinder and the other of said members being mounted on said shaft.
  • said arresting means comprises for each of said storage cylinders a toothed rim portion (23) on said storage cylinder, and a pin-shaped arresting member (27) connected with said frame for engaging said rim portion when said storage cylinder is in the decoupled read-out position.
  • said displacement means comprises a displacement member (26) rotatably connected with said frame for movement about a transverse axis contained in a plane normal to said shafts, means including said arresting means for connecting said displacement member with said set of storage cylinders, and spring means (30) normally biasing said displacement member in a direction to shift said storage cylinders toward the read-out position; and further wherein said means for normally retaining said set of storage cylinders in the coupled position comprises latch means including a ratchet (29) connected with said displacement member.
  • said latch means further includes a latch pin (36), and solenoid means (33) connected with said frame and including an armature (34) for operating said latch pin between locked and unlocked positions relative to said ratchet.
  • said frame includes an apertured panel containing a first set of apertures arranged to afford continuous view of the digits on said counting cylinders, said panel containing a second set of apertures affording view of said storage cylinders only when said set of storage cylinders are in the read-out position relative to the frame.
  • second displacement means for simultaneously displacing said second set of storage cylinders axially relative to said frame to a read-out position in which said second storage cylinders are decoupled from said shafts, respectively.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Time Recorders, Dirve Recorders, Access Control (AREA)
  • Vertical, Hearth, Or Arc Furnaces (AREA)
US609206A 1966-05-25 1967-01-13 Counter storage and visual readout means Expired - Lifetime US3518412A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH758366A CH436750A (de) 1966-05-25 1966-05-25 Einrichtung zur zahlenmässigen Anzeige von Messwerten

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US3518412A true US3518412A (en) 1970-06-30

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US609206A Expired - Lifetime US3518412A (en) 1966-05-25 1967-01-13 Counter storage and visual readout means

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US (1) US3518412A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH436750A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (2) DE1251061B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1101559A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3655951A (en) * 1968-11-28 1972-04-11 Elitex Zavody Textilniho Electroimpulsive decimal counter

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1278153B (de) * 1967-01-06 1968-09-19 Ibm Anzeigevorrichtung zum Sichtbarmachen und Speichern von Werten einer Veraenderlichen

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1923759A (en) * 1930-08-30 1933-08-22 Int Communications Lab Inc Combined current value and totalizing dial
US3304414A (en) * 1963-05-31 1967-02-14 Gen Electric Pulse counting device with visual and electrical storage and readout

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1923759A (en) * 1930-08-30 1933-08-22 Int Communications Lab Inc Combined current value and totalizing dial
US3304414A (en) * 1963-05-31 1967-02-14 Gen Electric Pulse counting device with visual and electrical storage and readout

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3655951A (en) * 1968-11-28 1972-04-11 Elitex Zavody Textilniho Electroimpulsive decimal counter

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1251061B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1967-09-28
DE1966384U (de) 1967-08-17
GB1101559A (en) 1968-01-31
CH436750A (de) 1967-05-31

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