US3562763A - Motor-driven stepping timer - Google Patents

Abstract

A TIMING DEVICE IS PROVIDED IN WHICH A RATCHET WHEEL IS ADVANCED STEP-BY-STEP BY MOTOR-DRIVEN CRANK MEANS TO ADVANCED TERMINAL POSITIONS AND RETURNED BY SPRING MEANS TO A STARTING POSITION, WITH SUPERVISORY SWITCH MEANS ACTUATED IN AND BETWEEN SUCH POSITIONS FOR EFFECTING CONNECTIONS IN A CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR ANY DESIRED INSTRUMENTALITY AND ALSO TO GOVERN SUBCIRCUITS CONTROLLING THE STARTING AND STOPPING OF THE MOTOR MEANS AND CERTAIN RESETTING COMPONENTS IN TIMING CYCLES.

Description

Feb. 9, 1971 E, F HEPPNER ET AL 3,562,763

MOTOR-DRIVEN STEPPING TIMER Filed Dec. lO, 1968 [-13.1 FISQ.

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:United States Patent O 3,562,763 MOTOR-DRIVEN STEPIING TIMER Earl F. Heppner and Thomas M. Hata, Chicago, Ill., and Herman L. Seiden, deceased, late of Skokie, Ill., by Freida B. Seiden, administratrix, Skokie, Ill., assignors to Bally Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 10, 1968, Ser. No. 785,856 Int. Cl. H01h 3/34 U.S. Cl. 307-1413 7 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A timing device is provided in which a ratchet wheel is advanced step-by-step by motor-driven crank means to advanced terminal positions and returned by spring means to a starting position, with supervisory switch means actuated in and between such positions for effecting connections in a control circuit for any desired instrumentality and also to govern subcircuits controlling the starting and stopping of the motor means and certain resetting components in timing cycles.

Step-up ratchet wheel mechanisms of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,010,055 have numerous applications in coin-controlled vending and amusement apparatus owing to their relatively simple, rugged, and economical construction and the fact that the ratchet wheel may be advanced in positive and equal steps under control of pulse-type signals, and may be returned at will or automatically to a starting or zero position under control of like signals from any desired source.

The disclosed timing apparatus eliminates the usual pulsed solenoid means heretofore used in such devices to drive the stepping pawl by which the ratchet wheel is advanced, and instead oscillates the driving pawl at a substantially uniform rate by means of a crank driven by a small alternating current motor having a substantially constant speed or, where greater accuracy may be required, by a synchronous motor. Restoration of the ratchet wheel to starting position is effected by the usual pawl-releasing solenoid means, but the solenoid is connected in a control circuit governed by the supervisory switch means in a cycling circuit for initiating and terminating the timing operations.

A preferred embodiment of the device and control circuit therefor is described for purposes of illustration in view of the annexed drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the timer unit;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the same;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragment of the front elevation showing parts of FIG. l in dotted-line release, pawlreleasing and wheel-resetting condition;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram and schematic.

The step-up mechanism depicted in FIG. 1 is similar to that described in the aforesaid Pat. 3,010,055 in that both devices include a ratchet wheel, an advancing or stepping pawl, a holding pawl, spring means serving to restore the wheel to its starting position on release of the holding dog or pawl, and electromagnet means for resetting the wheel.

In the construction of FIG. 1, the ratchet Wheel is indicated at and rotates upon a stud shaft 11 journalled as at 12 in FIG. 2 ou an upright plate 13 having an offset mounting foot 14 (FIG. 2).

Coiled about the hub of the wheel is a wire spring 16 having one end 17 anchored suitably on the wheel and 3,562,763 Patented Feb. 9, 1971 ice an opposite end 1S anchored on a stationary pin 19 upon which the holding dog or pawl 20 also pivots, the latter having a dog portion 21 which engages in the teeth of the ratchet wheel to hold the gain of the same against the restorative action of the return spring.

Means for releasing the holding dog comprises a solenoid 24, the plunger of which is connected to the tail of the dog lever as at 25, such that when the solenoid is energized in a resetting operation, the holding dog portion 21 is raised to the dotted-line position seen in FIG. 3, so that the return spring 16 can turn the ratchet wheel retrogressively back to its normal starting position, for example as seen in FIG. 1.

Means for advancing the ratchet wheel step-by-step from its starting position comprises a stepping pawl 28 pivoting on pin 29 on an oscillatory drive lever 30 and normally urged, with the holding dog, into engagement with the ratchet teeth by a traction spring 31 connecting at its opposite ends 31A, 31B with respective hook formations on the stepping and holding pawls in a manner such that both pawls are normally urged thereby into engagement in the ratchet teeth. When the holding dog or pawl is raised to the dotted-line release position, as depicted in FIG. 3, a finger extension 20A thereof engaging another linger extension 28A on the stepping pawl, raises the latter free of the teeth in order that there will be no restraint on the ratchet wheel in returning to its starting position.

'Ihe stepping or driving lever 30 is pivoted as at 34 on a pin secured in the mounting plate, and has a lower end portion pivotally connecting as at 36 with one end of a driving link 37 the opposite end of which connects to a crank pin 38 on motor crank wheel 39 xed on -Inotor shaft 40 extending through an opening in the mounting plate from a reduction gear unit 42 (FIG. 2) forming part of an assembly with a small motor 44 of the squirrelcage or other alternating current type tending to maintain a speed which is fairly constant for a uniform light load matched to it.

The ratchet Wheel controls a supervisory switch means which may be of any suitable type, such for example as a stack switch 50 having a plurality of spring blade contacts 51 to 57 (FIG. 1) moved variously into and out of circuit-closing and opening relationships as the result of flexing of certain of the longer blades such as 51 and S6 by index pin means 58 and tripping pin 59 on the ratchet wheel in its limiting positions, as will more fully appear hereafter.

The condition of the ratchet wheel shown in FIG. 1 is that of its reset or actual starting condition at zero count, wherein the switch-actuating index pin 58 engages the switch blade 51 and flexes it out of engagement with its normal contact 52 and into circuit-closing engagement with its companion contact 53. For example, when the wheel takes its first step from zero (clockwise), contacts 51 and 53 open, and 51 and 52 close.

The switch actuating index pin 58 is preferably formed as an integral part of the Wheel where the latter is molded. as from plastic materials such as nylon; but the tripping pin 59 is not, being a separate screw-threaded pin Which is selectively positionable in any of several seating holes- H-distributed at different angular positions about the wheel.

In the illustrative-arrangement (FIG. 1), the tripping pin 59 has been situated somewhat less than half-way about the wheel from the index pin 58, so that when the wheel has advanced some forty or so steps, pin 59 will engage the switch blade 56 and ex the same into circuitclosing engagement with its companion blade 57, the

blade 54 being flexed also due to the insulated transfer stud 54T attached thereto and engaged by blade 56, with the result that contact 54 would be separated from contact 55 in the illustrative blade stack. Such contact arrangements may be modified as required for connection in a variety of control circuits, the arrangement of FIG. 1 illustrating the fact that different switching conditions exist in the zero or starting and the terminal or tripping wheel positions, as well as at positions in between said limiting positions.

By way of example, one of the uses to which the novel timing device may be put is in timing the period of play permitted in a coin-released amusement game to condition the latter for operation for a limited time of, say, two or three minutes for each coin deposited.

Such a control circuit is illustrated in FIG. 4, wherein the mode of operation is such that the ratchet wheel is left standing at the end of each timing cycle in an advanced position (opposite that depicted in FIG. l), this being the usual condition of the wheel at the time any given round of play is terminated, the intended operation being such that whenever a new round of play is coinnitiated, the ratchet wheel will be automatically reset or returned to its starting position (FIG. l) for the new timing cycle.

Thus, when a coin is deposited in the usual coin control device commonly associated with such games (not shown) the associated Coin Switch 60, designated here for convenience as a Master Switch Means (in the respeet that its operation for present purposes may be regarded as the agency which starts a new cycle) is momentarily operated, thus applying power from the feed conductor of power terminal-A-via a set of normally closed contacts 61 on an Anti-Cheat switch of known type which is inertia-sensitive and intended to cut out the power supply responsive to fraudulent jolting or tilting of the usual game cabinet (not shown).

Operation of the Coin Switch or a Master Switch Means, as aforesaid, will establish a first subcircuit by energizing a Coin Relay (CR.) coil 63 to effect closure of Coin Relay contacts 64 and 65, in consequence of which the Coin Relay is locked-in via its own nowclosed holding contacts `65 and conductor 66 the moment the Supervisory Switch contact 51 is moved by the returned index pin S8 to closed circuit engagement with contact 53, whereby holding power from conductor `67 is now applied to the Coin Relay coil 63.

When the Master Switch Means, for instance the Coin Switch l60 is momentarily coin-operated, as aforesaid, to energize the Coin Relay initially, the normally-closed Coin Switch contacts 68 are momentarily opened to prevent premature operation of the reset coil 24 and the Controlled Device 71-72; but as soon as the coin has completed its switch-operating function in the known manner, Coin Switch contacts 68 reclose, and because the Coin Relay is now locked-in, its contacts 64 now remain closed and complete second and third subcircuits, one via conductor 69 to energize the release or Reset Coil 24 for the timer unit thereby causing the ratchet wheel to be returned to its starting position (to reclose contacts 51-53 as last described), while the other or third said subcircuit energizes via conductor 70 the controlled instrumentality 71, which may be any device such as the coil 72 of a garner-resetting means, as generally indicated in the block diagram 71. For example, the controlled coll device 72 may be the reset coil for a score registering device or the like such as disclosed in the aforesaid patent, or a resetting coil analogous to the timer resetting coil 24 herein, or a relay coil or the like.

As soon as the ratchet wheel 10 returns to starting or index position in the foregoing operation, its pin 58 engages the contact spring 51 and opens the locking or holding circuit at 51, 52 for the Coin Relay and the latter is thereby dropped out; but this supervisory switching operation then also closes contacts 51 and 53 thereby completing, via conductor 83, a fourth subcircuit energizing Hold Relay coil 75, thereby causing closure of its Hold Relay (HR.) contacts 76 and 77.

Hold Relay contacts 77 start the timer motor 44 by applying power from conductor 78 and another pair of normally closed contacts 79 on the Coin Relay (C.R.), which has by now been restored to normal or non-energized condition, and conductor 8f), so that the motor crank 39 and driving lever means 30 begin to step the ratchet Wheel at a more or less uniformly timed rate, depending upon the constancy of the motor speed, calculated to bring the trip-out pin 59 back to the advanced position shown in FIG. 4 in the desired time interval.

Holding Relay contacts 7:6 lock-in a -fth subcircuit for the Holding Relay coil 75 for the duration of said timing interval via another pair of supervisory switch contacts 54', 55 (which remain closed so long as the wheel is anywhere between starting and fully-advanced position) and conductors 82, 83. When the ratchet wheel reaches the permitted fully-advanced position, its trip-out pin 59 will cause movement of contact 54 out of engagement with contact 55 to break the aforesaid holding circuit via conductor 83 for the Holding Relay and drop out the latter, thereby stopping the timing motor by opening of holding contacts 79. This terminates the cycle and leaves the ratchet wheel standing in advanced condition until the next game is to be initiated by deposit of still another coin to effect a repetition of the timer operating cycle such as just described.

It is understood that the foregoing apparatus is not limited to coin-controlled operation nor to amusement apparatus; that the so-called Master Switch Means need not be coin-actuated, but may be manually actuated or photoelectrically actuated, or by any other type of switch or control device capable of supplying or applying the needed signal to start the timing cycle.

In general, it will be recognized that the novel timing means takes advantage of both electrical and mechanical timing factors and functions of its components in that the motor means 42, 44 may utilize either a highly accurate synchronous motor or a more economical inductionrepulsion motor of the split-phase squirrel-cage variety which can maintain a fairly constant speed for a rated load and prove entirely adequate for many timing operations to oscillate the driving pawl lever at uniform intervals, once for each rotation of the crank wheel, and effect uniform advance of the wheel in a way which loads the motor uniformly and only moderately during the timing excursion.

A choice of reduction-gear ratios together with the selective positioning of the trip-out pin and a suitable number of ratchet teeth, afford a selection of timing ranges. Moreover, the mechanical advantage of the wheel system enables handling of a fairly substantial terminal switching load by a simple and inexpensive open-stack switch, it being apparent that other and more sensitive types of supervisory switch can also be actuated. Importantly, the wheel is not loaded in the excursions between its limiting positions, and the on-off switching for the principal driving means, namely the small crank motor, is not particularly critical in either its starting or stopping phases; that is to say, neither a lag in the starting and coming up to speed of the motor at the beginning of a cycle, nor in its coming to rest at the end of a cycle, is significant in relation to the total time spread achieved by the crank cycle and incremental advances of the wheel.

Apart from its timing functions, the crank-actuated sequential stepping drive means afforded by the motor system permits elimination of high-current pulses and pulsing equipment previously needed for rapidly energizing a solenoid type of pawl lever drive in the prior solenoid-driven stepping units, thus broadening the possible applications for such step-by-step ratchet devices.

The wheel-actuated supervisory switch means S may have a variety of contact arrangements depending upon the nature of the device 71-72 to be controlled. For example, the contact pair i56-57 shown in FIG.4 1 is available to close any desired operating circuit to actuate some controlled device other than, or in addition to the device 71-72, if required, as will be well-understood in the art.

A control circuit such as described in View of FIG. 4 is particularly advantageous in adaptations of the timer to coin-controlled apparatus in that it eliminates the danger of burningr out operating coils owing to jamming or hanging-up of coin-operated and controlled switches.

What is claimed is:

1. Motor-driven step-up apparatus including, in cornbination with the known type of step-up mechanism which includes a rotary ratchet wheel and switch means actuated thereby, and releasable stepping and holding pawls cooperable therewith for respectively advancing the Wheel from a starting position and holding the wheel in advanced positions, and spring means acting to restore the wheel, when released from said pawls, to said starting position, together with electromagnet means for actuating said pawls, the improvements which comprise, namely: provision of a stepping pawl and lever means operative to retract and advance the pawl relative to the wheel in stepping action; a rotatable crank; link means positively interconnecting said lever and crank; an electric motor rotating shaft means at a substantially uniform predetermined rate; means drivingly interconnecting said shaft means and crank whereby the stepping pawl is actuated as aforesaid at a substantially uniform but slower rate to step the wheel in substantially uniform steps between said starting and advanced positions; supervisory switch means disposed in adjacency to said wheel; and means operative by the wheel dependent upon movement thereof for actuating said switch means.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said step-up mechansm, including the supervisory switch means and lever means thereof, are cooperatively assembled on a base plate with said crank and motor, and said means drivingly connecting the shaft means to said crank comprises a speed-reducing means such that the lever is completely oscillated once for each cycle of rotation of the crank and the rate of rotation of the crank is substantially slower than that of said motor shaft means, and said motor is connected in an energizing circuit which is governed at least in part by said switch means under control of the wheel to enable starting and stopping of the motor in the respective starting and stopping positions of the wheel.

3. The combination according to claim 2 further characterized by the provision of a control circuit for actuating the apparatus in operating cycles, said control circuit including a master switch and connections controlled thereby in conjunction with connections controlled by said rst-mentioned supervisory switch means and operative such that actuation of the master switch means will effect energization of said electromagnetic releasing means as an incident to commencement of each said operating cycle, with starting and running of the motor governed by said supervisory switch means under control of the wheel initiated by return of the wheel from advanced to starting position, and stopping of the wheel on arrival in said advanced position.

4. Timing apparatus comprising in combination with a ratchet wheel and means defining a starting position and selectable advanced limit positions therefor, spring means normally acting to return the wheel to said starting position from an advanced position; stepping pawl means actuatable in strokes to step the wheel a predetermined number of steps per stroke; crank means connecting with said pawl means for cyclic operation to advance the wheel a predetermined number of steps for each cycle of operation thereof; electric motor means having a rotatable shaft and means drivingly interconnecting the same with said crank means to rotate the latter; releasable holding pawl means normally cooperable with the ratchet wheel to hold the advance gain thereof but releasable to permit return of the wheel to starting position by said spring means; electromagnetic release means energizable to release the holding pawl means; and supervisory control means disposed adjacent the wheel and having at least one actuatable part exposed for operation by a member moved by the wheel along the angular path between and including the starting and limit position thereof.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said supervisory control means comprises supervisory switch means having a plurality of circuit controlling conditions dependent upon the movement of said actuatable part thereof in accordance with positions of the wheel and said switch operating means thereof along said angular path; said apparatus further including a rst circuit including a master switch means operable to initiate a cycle of operation of the apparatus; a second circuit including connections governed by said supervisory switch means for energizing said electromagnetically releasable means to effect return of the wheel to starting position; a third circuit governed by said supervisory switch means to energize the motor to advance the wheel from starting position to said limit position and stop the motor thereat; circuit means and connections governed by said supervisory switch means in said limit position of the wheel rendering said first and second circuits effective for operation responsive to operation of the master switch means to restore the wheel to starting position; and circuit means and connections governed by the supervisory switch means in said starting position of the Wheel rendering said third circuit effective to start and run the motor until the wheel arrives at said limit position at which the motor is stopped as aforesaid.

6. Step-by-step apparatus comprising a ratchet wheel, spring means acting constantly to return the wheel to a starting position; releasable holding pawl means acting to hold the wheel in advanced positions against said return bar releasable for resetting the wheel in said starting position; means for advancing the wheel in uniform steps including a stepping pawl and an oscillatory lever moving the same in stepping action whereby the wheel is advanced one step for each oscillation of said lever; crank means drivingly connected with said lever to oscillate the same once for each revolution of the crank means; an electric motor having a shaft revolved thereby at a substantially uniform rate and means drivingly interconnecting said shaft to rotate said crank; switch-actuating means moved by the wheel in travel between said starting and advanced position; control switch means situated relative to said switch-actuating means for actuation by the latter in at least two positions of the wheel relative to said starting and advanced positions thereof; electricallycontrolled reset means operable to release said holding pawl means; and circuit means governed by said control switch means and including a starting switch and first relay means energized thereby establishing a circuit to energize said reset means; a second relay energized by said control switch means operated in the condition of said wheel at said starting position, and circuit means governed by said control switch to hold said second relay energized during the travel of the wheel from starting to advanced position; a motor circuit controlled by said second relay to hold the motor energized to move the wheel from starting to advanced position; and circuit means governed by said control switch and effectuated by arrival of the wheel at advanced position for dropping out the second relay to stop the motor; and contact means governed by said control switch means for controlling the operation of a desired device to be controlled dependently upon the position of said wheel.

7. In combination with a ratchet wheel, stepping pawl means oscillable to advance the Wheel step-by-step from a starting position, releasable holding pawl means acting to hold the wheel in advanced positions, electrically-actuated means for releasing said holding pawl means, and switch means actuated by means moved by the wheel in its range of travel, improvements comprising, namely: an electric motor rotating a driving shaft at a substantially steady rate of speed; crank means rotated from said shaft and means connecting the same with said stepping pawl means to oscillate the latter commensurately with said rate; circuit means including at least a starting circuit and a stopping circuit for said motor, and a circuit for said electrically-actuated releasing means, and connections controlled by said switch means actuated at least in said starting and advanced positions and operative to condition said circuits for operation to initiate and terminate operating cycles for the ratchet wheel wherein each said cycle includes an advance from and return to said starting position, and an arrival at a particular advanced position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner H. J. HOHAUSER, Assistant Examiner

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