US3711684A

US3711684A - Resetting device for the digital rolls of counters

Info

Publication number: US3711684A
Application number: US00140514A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Zielke
Original assignee: ELMEG Elektro Mechanik GmbH
Current assignee: ELMEG Elektro Mechanik GmbH
Priority date: 1970-05-15
Filing date: 1971-05-05
Publication date: 1973-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-16
Also published as: DE2023808A1; FR2090048A1; GB1358278A; CH522254A; FR2090048B1; DE2023808B2

Abstract

The invention relates to a resetting device for the cipher rolls of counters with transmission pinions which are disconnected during the return of the cipher rolls by resetting fingers acting upon cams of the cipher rolls. The axle shaft of the transfer pinions is supported in slotted holes stationary in relation to the cipher roll axes.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 11 3,711,684 Zielke 1 Jan. 16, 1973 RESETTING DEVICE FOR THE 3,357,637 l2/l967 Stautmeister ..235/l44 HC DIGITAL ROLLS 0 N R 3,53 L047 9/]970 Pfeiffer ..235/144 HC 3,552,644 l/l97l Zielke ..235/144 HC [75] inventor: Alfred Zielke, Peine, Germany FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [73] Assignee: ELMEG Electro-Mechanik GmbH,

p i Germany 1,143,348 2/1963 Germany ..235/144 HC [22] Filed: May 1971 Primary ExaminerStephen J. Tomsky 2 AppL 40 Attorney-Molinare, Allegretti, Newitt & Witcoff [57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data v The Invention relates to a resettmg device for the May 15, I970 Germany ..P 20 23 80.8 i h r ll of counters with transmission pinions I which are disconnected during the return of the cipher [52] US. Cl. ..235/144 HC rolls by resetting fingers acting upon cams of the [51] Int. Cl. ..G06c 15/42 cipher rolls. The axle shaft of the transfer pinions is [58] Field of Search ..235/144 HC supported in slotted holes stationary in relation to the cipher roll axes. I 56] References Cited 1 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.l78,l ll 4/1965 Aucr ..235/l44 H(' i b 3 t 5 71 A O c l J, l o 2" I 7 f e :J E

PATENTEUJAH 16 1973 3.71 l. 684

RESETTING DEVICE FOR THE DIGITAL ROLLS OF COUNTERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the case of known counters of this kind which can be set back, the transfer pinions serve the purpose of stepping up the cipher roll of the next higher magnitude by one step after the preceeding cipher roll has completed one revolution. The transfer pinions have to be disengagedfrom the cipher rolls during the resetting process because these cipher rolls have to be able to turn freely during the engaging of the resetting fingers on the appropriate cardioids or cam surfaces. In the case of the known counters, it has been attempted to coordinate the action of the resetting fingers upon the cardioids or cam surfaces and to disengage the transfer pinions with one another in such a manner that on the one hand, the pinions are disengaged from the cipher rolls before the resetting fingers start to act upon the cardioids or cam surfaces, and that on the other hand after the disengaging, the transfer pinions engage with the cipher rolls again before the resetting fingers leave the cam surface segments corresponding to the zero position of the cipher rolls again. This chronological succession of the motional work cycles serves the purpose that on the one hand, the cipher rolls do not already receive a torsional moment through the resetting before the transfer pinions have been disengaged since otherwise these transfer pinions could lock or be destroyed, and that in addition thereto after their zero position, the cipher rolls are rotationally fixed before the re-engaging of the transfer pinions and can, consequently, not be moved under the influence of vibrations of the like. This chronological motion working sequence (disengaging of the transfer pinions, acting of the resetting fingers upon cardioid or cam surface and zero positions of the cipher rolls, holding of the cipher rolls in their zero position through the resetting fingers, re-engaging of the transfer pinions and swinging back of the resetting fingers into their rest position) is indeed relatively often performed in satisfactory manner through the known resetting devices. However, in the case of the known resetting devices, this strictly systematic succession is not always 100 percent guaranteed since under certain circumstances, disturbances may easily occur. It is, therefore, the purpose of the invention in question to create a resetting device for the cipher rolls of counters in the case of which the described cycle of the motional processes is necessarily consecutive so that no disturbances can result.

In the case of one known counter execution, a reset slide supported at a lateral sheet bar is provided which can be operated either manually or eleetro-magnetically. At this reset slide, a lever arm is set up in rotary fashion which is rigidly connected with a return comb pivoting on an axle, carrying the reset fingers. In this set-up, a pinion bridge carrying the transfer pinions is set up, likewise pivoting, on the same axle as the return comb, between the return comb and the pinion bridge, a friction coupling is provided. When the reset slider of this counter is operated, the pinion bridge as well as the reset comb are deviated simultaneously. However, dur ing this process the pinion bridge is disengaged before the reset fingers have reached the cardioids or cam surfaces of the cipher rolls. After the deviating of the pinion bridge, this pinion bridge is placed against a stop so that with further moving of the return slider, the reset fingers can act upon the cardioids or earn surfaces during which process the return comb is further deviated in relation to the pinion bridge. In this case it is effected through the friction between pinion bridge and return comb that during the moving-back of the return slider effected through a spring, the pinion bridge engages with the cipher rolls before the reset fingers are swung out of grooves in the cardioid cam curve corresponding to the zero position. After the engaging of the transfer pinions, the return comb is deviated in relation to the pinion bridge again so that the reset fingers leave the cardioid grooves and the cardioids. With normal stress, this counter functions in sufficiently dependable manner. In spite of this disturbances during the return process may occur. This can, for example, take place when the return slider is charged in jerky or sudden manner. In this case, the reset fingers may since their motion is necessarily coupled with the motion of the return slider engage with the cardioids before the pinion bridge has a certain inertial and its deviation is only effected over a frictional force as a function of the motion of the return slider. If a moment of rotation is directed upon the cipher rolls in this manner through the reset fingers before the transfer pinions have disengaged, no resetting can take place at all. If the transfer pinions are only disengaged a little, but not completely, this can result in an incomplete resetting and also in a damaging of the transfer pinions and of the cipher rolls. In this case the transfer pinions can also be twisted so that when they are swung in again, they are located in a wrong position. A further disadvantage consists of the fact that even when the reset fingers release after the resetting has taken place, the reset fingers can possibly be detached from the cardioids or cam surfaces before the transfer pinions have engaged again. This can be caused if the spring effecting the friction between the pinion bridge and the return comb weakens, or if the pinion bridge is jammed in some other manner. Such a process allows the cipher rolls to turn freely until the transfer pinions engage again whereby subsequent counting results can be adulterated.

Another known counter is constructed in similar manner and has likewise a friction coupling between its return comb and the pinion bridge carrying transfer pinions. However, here the shaft common to all transfer pinions is, in addition to being supported in the pinion bridge, still set up in slotted holes extending in the direction of motion of the return slider. In this case, these slotted holes serve exclusively as additional guideways for the axle shaft of the transfer pinions. Because of this, this counter has likewise the same previously described disadvantages. Here, too, it is possible that the reset fingers can act upon the cardioids or cam surfaces before the transfer pinions are disengaged and that the cipher rolls are through vibrations or the like before the re-engaging of the transfer pmlons.

In the case of another known counter design different from the two described counter executions (German Patent No. l,l43,348), the return comb has a cam lying between two stops of the reset slider over which cam the return comb can be moved. The pinion bridge set up on the same shaft as the return comb is in this case connected with the reset slider over a leg spring which is supported at the axle shaft of the transfer pinions and at the cam. This spring serves simultaneously as top dead center spring 'for the cam. In the case of this counter, when the reset slider is manipulated, first of all the pinion bridge is moved through the leg spring connection. Thereafter, the cam engages with one stop of the reset slider so that the return comb is moved and, consequently, the cipher rolls are brought into the zero position. The return comb is held in this position through the spring acting upon the cam so that when the reset slider is returned, first of all the transfer pinions engage again and then the return comb is' returned into its initial position again through acting of the other stop of the reset slider upon the cam. However, this sequence of the motional procedures is not positively actuated because the motion of the reset slider is only transmitted onto the pinion bridge over a spring. Here too it is possible that because of the inertial of the pinion bridge or through its jamming, the reset fingers engage with the cardioids before the transfer pinions have disengaged. During the return motion of the reset slider, it may also occur that the pinion bridge remains in its disengaged position and the reset fingers are detached from the cardioids in spite of this.

In the case of a further known counter, a return comb and a pinion bridge are likewise set up on a common shaft, in which case the pinion bridge and the return comb are pressed apart through a spring. In this design, two stops are provided at the reset slider of this counter one of which stops presses the pinion bridge in the direction towards the cipher rolls when the reset slider is not operated while the other one acts directly upon the return comb when the reset slider is operated. Because of the spring, the return comb as well as the pinion bridge is moved when the reset slider is operated. In this case, the turning paths are proportioned in such a manner that the transfer points are disengaged before the reset fingers can act upon the cardioids. When in this execution the cipher rolls have been brought into zero position through the effect of the reset fingers upon the cardioids, the reset fingers drop into depressions in the cardioids in this position. In this position, the return comb is locked by means of a spring-loaded blocking lever. When the reset slider moves back, this locking is terminated again through this slider after the transfer pinions have become engaged again. In the case of this execution (just as in the case of the other known executions) it is disadvantageous that the power transmission from the reset slider to the pinion bridge takes place over a spring. In other words, because of this spring, it is possible that with jerky manipulation of the resetting key, the pinion bridge remains in its engaged position when the reset fingers are already acting upon the cardioids. In addition when the reset slider is returned, the pinion bridge may remain in its disengaged position through jamming and possibly also through inertia and the stopping of the reset fingers may already be cancelled through the reset slider again in spite of this. Thus, the cipher rolls would be, although they should not be freely rotary. in their position. I

Summarizing, it may be stated with regard to, the known reset installations that all of them show jointly the same disadvantage. Namely, the moving of the pinion bridge is in none of the cases necessarily coupled with the motion of the reset slider. Because of this fact, these devices cannot guarantee that the transfer pinions are disengaged in t ime before the reset fingers act upon the cardioids and that the transfer pinions are engaged again before the reset fingers haveleft the point of the cardioids corresponding to the zero position.

This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the known resetting devices and solves the tasks of attaining a positively actuated succession of the described motional processes. This feature is achieved in that, after the setting to zero of the cipher rolls, the reset fingers are capable of being engaged in that position in which they rest against the cardioid segments assigned to the zero position until the transfer pinions engage with the cipher rolls again. Then the engaging of the reset fingers can be cancelled, and the axle shaft of the transfer pinions is in operative connection with a reset member in such a manner that it is necessarily removed from the cipher rolls at the time of the beginning of the motion of the reset member in return direction. The reset member only arrives at an operative connection with the reset fingers after the transfer pinions have disengaged from the cipher rolls.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the principles of this invention in this case, the moving of the pinion bridge is necessarily coupled with the motion of the reset member. The reset fingers hold the cipher rolls in their zero position through their catch until the transfer pinions have engaged with the cipher rolls again. Therefore, when the reset member is operated, the motional processes of (l) the disengaging of the transfer pinions, (2) the acting of the reset fingers upon the cardioids and the setting to zero of the cipher rolls, (3) the holding of the cipher rolls in their zero position through the reset finger, (4) the re-engaging of the transfer pinions and (5) the returning of the reset fingers into their rest position, follow one another chronologically by necessity. Consequently, in the case of the execution according to this invention, the indicated disadvantages of the known resetting devices are eliminated because the transfer pinions cannot be engaged when the reset fingers are already acting upon the cardioids, and because the cipher rolls cannot be released by the reset fingers before the deviated transfer pinions are engaged with the cipher rolls again.

The mentioned reset member is preferably a reset slide which, for example, embraces the axle shaft carried in slotted holes extending in the direction of the motion with a bore. Thereby, an operative connection is created through which necessarily at the beginning of the movement of the reset slide, the transfer pinions are deviated.

A further advantageous execution of the invention consists of the feature that the axle shaft of the transfer pinions seizes through slotted holes of the reset member proceeding in inclined fashion in relation to its slotted guide holes.

In this case one can, for example, provide a vertically proceeding slotted hole in the reset slide while the slotted guide holes for the axle shaft run at an acute angle thereto. Thus, ratio of the course of the reset member or reset slide to the deviation course of the transfer pinions is greater. In other words, the transfer pinions only need to be deviated for a relatively short distance and, nevertheless, a longer path of the reset member or reset slide is available for the operating of the reset fingers. This is favorable because on the one hand, as a rule, the deviation path of the transfer pinions has to be kept as small as possible in order to hold them in the proper position so that they engage into the proper positions of the cipher rolls when they are swung back again. On the other hand, the path of the reset member should be as great as possible for the moving of the reset fingers so that not too high of a force is necessary for the resetting and the reset fingers do not engage too early with the cardioids of the cipher rolls at the beginning of the movement of the reset member.

A further development of the invention through which the just mentioned ratio between the path of the reset member and the deviation path of the transfer pinions can be rendered even more favorable consists of the feature that the slotted holes of the reset member consist respectively of a slotted hole extending in the motional direction of the reset member which slotted hole passes over into a slotted hole thereto. Thus the deviation path of the transfer pinions can be kept arbitrarily small and the path of the reset members can be rendered arbitrarily big. Accordingly, the transfer pinions only need to be deviated just so far that they just disengage from the cipher rolls. Since their devia' tion path can be rendered constant, they can in this position, be placed against suitable stops to secure their position. In this position their axle shaft has then just traveled in their guide holes for such a distance that it arrives within the range of the slotted hole of the reset member extending in the direction of the motion of the reset member. Thereupon, the reset member can be moved on without any more changes in the position of the transfer pinions. In this case the path of the reset member then only still conforms to the length of this slotted hole extending in the direction of the motion which slotted hole can, of course, be designed arbitrarily with regard to its length.

A further advantageous development of the invention consists of the feature that the catch of the reset fingers can be terminated directly through the axle shaft of the transfer pinions. When this catch is terminated directly by the axle shaft, it is assured that the stopping of the cipher rolls in their zero positions is only eliminated after the transfer pinions have re-engaged with the cipher rolls again. If this catch is terminated through other members, it may because of manufacturing tolerances or wearing manifestations possibly be difficult to accurately determine the moment of the unlocking of the cipher rolls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the following a preferred embodiment of the invention is explained in more detailed mannerby means ofthe drawings.

In the drawings,

FIGS. 1-3 show similar longitudinal sections of a counter with a reset device according to the invention, in which case elements which are not essential for the invention have been omitted.

(ill In FIG. 1, the resetting device is shown in its rest position;

In FIG. 2, the resetting device is shown during its operation with transfer pinions completely swung out, but with reset fingers not yet engaged; and

In FIG. 3 the resetting device is shown in that position in which the transfer pinions have been deviated and the reset fingers are engaged in the position corresponding to the zero position of the cipher rolls.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the counter illustrated in the drawings, a casing l is shown with cipher rolls 2 provided with cardioids or heart-shaped inner cam surfaces 3 designed as inner curves. At these cardioids or cam surfaces 3, reset fingers 5 can move over axle journals 4 which are jointly rotary with fingers 5 around a shaft 6 as a bridge. An operating lever 7 is rigidly connected with this reset finger bridge, which lever 7 is pivoted at one end of an intermediate lever 8. The other end of the lever 8 engages with a fork over a pin 9 stationary in the casing l.

A reset slide member 10 designed in U-shaped manner is set up in casing l in such a manner that its U- shaped legs extend on both sides of the cipher rolls 2 while the bottom of the U runs outside of and transversally to the casing 1. At the end of the U-shaped legs, the reset slide member 10 is pivoted at an armature l2 rotary around a shaft 11. In this case, the armature 12 serves to guide reset slide member 10 and simultaneously serves as a magnetic armature which can be pulled up against an electro-magnet 13. The reset slide member 10 can be manipulated manually or by electromagnet 13 toward the right in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. As its upper longitudinal edge, the reset slide member 10 has a recess 14 into which an offset 15 ofintermediate lever 8 extends.

In addition thereto, reset slide 10 has at each of its legs an angularly shaped slotted hole which respectively consists of a slotted hole 16 extending in the direction of the motion of the reset slide member 10. The slotted hole 16 passes over into a slotted hole running vertically thereto. With these angular slotted holes, the reset slide member 10 embraces an axle shaft 18 over transfer pinions 19. This axle shaft 18 is additionally supported in slotted holes 20 proceeding in inclined manner, stationary in relation to the axle of the cipher rolls 2. In the illustrated example, these slotted holes 20 are defined in bearing ribs 21 rigidly connected with casing l.

A two-armed stopping lever 23 is pivotal around a shaft 22 which shaft 22 is stationary in casing l. The lever 23 is provided with a nose-shaped end or catch 24 at one lever end with which it can engage over an offset 25 at the reset lever bridge. With its other free lever end 26, stopping lever 23 is directed into the range of axle shaft 18. A two-armed spring 27 is placed around shaft 22 and is supported at lever end 26 and shaft ll so that nose-shaped end 24 of stopping lever 23 is biased in the direction towards offset 25 at the reset lever bridge.

lf reset slide 10 is now manipulated in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 either by electromagnet 13 or manually, axle'shaft 18 of transfer pinions 19 moves up to the lower end of its slotted guide holes 20 whereby the transfer pinions 19 are disengaged from the cipher rolls 2. In this position a stop or the like can be provided for the transfer pinions 19 which holds them in accurate alignment. When the reset slide 10 is moved to the right in the position shown in FlG. 2, it glides with its slotted hole 16 over axle shaft 18 without any further moving of the axle shaft 18 during this process. With this motion of the reset slide member 10, this slide 10 engages with the left edge of its recess 14 with offset 15 at intermediate lever 8 so that this lever 8 is pivoted around pin 9 stationary in the casing 1, during this process it deviates reset fingers over operating lever 7. These reset fingers 5 act during this process upon cardioids or cam surfaces 3 over their axle journals 4 so that the cipher rolls 2 are turned into their zero position. When they are in their zero position, axle journals 4 plunge into cardioid or cam traps 28 set up at the peak of the cardioids or cams 3. During this process, the spring-loaded blocking lever 23 can-engage over offset 25 with its nose 24 so that the reset fingers 5 are locked in the position corresponding to the zero position of the cipher rolls 2. This position is illustrated in FIG. 3.

When the manual or magnetic action upon the reset slide stops now, this reset slide member is pulled back again into its initial position through a spring 29. During this process, axle shaft 18 of the transfer pinions 19 arrives at the right end of slotted hole 16 again so that it has to necessarily slide up into its stationary slotted guide holes 20 again and therewith causes the transfer pinions 19 to engage with the cipher rolls 2. Only after these transfer pinions 19 are somewhat engaged again, axle shaft 18 strikes against the free end 26 of blocking lever 23 and, consequently, terminates the blocking of the reset fingers 5 at a moment at which the transfer pinions 19 are guaranteed to be engaged with the cipher rolls 2. With the further moving of the reset slide member 10 to the left as shown in the drawings, this reset slide It) acts with the right edge of its recess 14 upon offset and thereby returns reset fingers 5 into their rest position again.

From the described mode of operation, it should be understood that the chronological sequence of the individual motional processes is positively actuated and that at no time it may happen that a moment is exercised upon the cipher rolls 2 when the transfer pinions 19 are still engaged with them. Also, at no time may it happen that the 7 transfer pinions 19 are disengaged from the cipher rolls 2 when these cipher rolls 2 are freely rotary. Consequently, it is assured that necessarily first of all the transfer pinions 19 are deviated, then the reset fingers engage with the cardioids or cam surfaces 3 of the cipher rolls 2, then the cipher rolls 2 are blocked in their zero position until the transfer pinions 19 are engaged with them again. Thereafter the cipher rolls 2 are first of all unlocked andv the reset fingers 5 are returned into their initial position.

As an alternative to the above described embodiment, the angular slotted hole could also be setup in armature 12 or another reset member (not shown)'instead of in the reset slide 10. The position and precise construction of the individual slotted holes, the position of the transfer pinion shaft 18 and of the remaining parts can vary widely, too, within the principles of this invention. 1

It is to be understood that the embodiment of the invention which has been described'is merely illustrative of one application of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiment without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A reset device for resetting the cipher roll of a counter having a transfer pinion for operating said roll comprising, in combination:

a casing;

a reset member mounted for sliding movement within said casing;

a transfer pinion moving means responsive to the operation of said reset member including a pair of channels defined in said reset member and a pair of inclined channels defined in a rib member connected in fixed relation to said casing, and including an axle shaft on which said transfer pinion is mounted, said axle shaft being journaled in said slide member channels and in said inclined channels for disengaging said transfer pinion from said cipher roll at a first predetermined time after the movement of said reset member in a predetermined direction and for engaging said transfer pinion with said cipher roll at a second predetermined time after said reset memberis moved in a second predetermined direction;

cipher roll setting means responsive to the operation of said reset member and connected to said cipher roll for rotating said cipher roll to a predetermined zero position at a third predetermined time after said transfer pinion is disengaged from said cipher roll; and

means responsive to the operation of said reset member for holding said cipher roll in fixed position after said cipher roll is set to said zero position and until said transfer pinion re-engages with said cipher roll.

2. The device as set forth in claim l including means for holding said transfer pinion rotationally motionless when said transfer pinion is disengaged from said cipher roll.

3. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resetmember is substantially U-shaped having a pair of legs which extend on each side of said cipher roll.

4. The device as set forth in claim 1 including a solenoid having an armature operatively connected to said reset member to move said reset member in said first predetermined direction.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1 including a bias ing spring connected between said reset member and said casing to return said member in said second predetermined direction.

6. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cipher roll setting means includes a reset finger rotationally mounted in relation to said roll and adapted to act on the inner cam surface of said cipher roll to control the position of said roll and linkage means responsive to the movement of said reset member for operating said reset finger to set said cipher roll at a predetermined zero position at said third predetermined time after said transfer pinion is disengaged from said cipher roll.

7. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cipher roll setting means includes a reset finger rotationally mounted in relation to said cipher roll and adapted to act on the inner cam surface of said cipher roll, and wherein said cipher roll holding means comprises a lever pivotally mounted within said casing having an engaging end biased to block movement of said reset finger when said finger locks said cipher roll, said lever also having a free end disposed in the return path of said transfer pinion such that when said transfer pinion re-engages with said cipher roll, said lever is pivoted to release said finger locking said cipher roll and said cipher roll is thereby released.

8. A device for resetting the cipher roll of a counter having a transfer pinion for operating said cipher roll comprising, in combination:

a casing in which said cipher roll is mounted for rotatlon;

a reset slide member substantially U-shaped having legs extending along each side of said cipher roll mounted for sliding reciprocal movement withing said casing;

a reset finger pivotally mounted within said casing and adapted to set said cipher roll to a predetermined zero position when said finger is actuated;

means directly coupling said transfer pinion to said reset slide member including an axle shaft on which said transfer pinion is said shaft being channeled within a straight inclined path directed toward and remote from the center of said cipher roll such that when said shaft rests against one end of said path said transfer pinion is engaged with said cipher roll and when said shaft rests against the other end of said path, said transfer pinion is disengaged from said cipher roll, and also including a pair of slotted holes defined in said legs -of said reset member, said axle shaft being journaled within said slotted holes, said holes having a first longitudinal passage in the direction of reset member movement, and a second passage connecting to said first passage and angularly inclined in relation thereto for disengaging said transfer pinion from said cipher roll when said reset member passes a first predetermined point on the forward movement thereof and for engaging said transfer pinion with said cipher roll when said reset member passes said first predetermined point on the return movement thereof;

means linking said reset member with said reset finger for actuating said finger to set and lock said cipher roll to said predetermined zero position when said reset member passes a second predetermined point beyond said first predetermined point on the forward movement thereof; and

means responsive to movement of said transfer pinion for releasing said cipher roll from said reset finger after said transfer pinion is moved toward said cipher roll and is re-engaged with said cipher roll.

Claims

1. A reset device for resetting the cipher roll of a counter having a transfer pinion for operating said roll comprising, in combination: a casing; a reset member mounted for sliding movement within said casing; a transfer pinion moving means responsive to the operation of said reset member including a pair of channels defined in said reset member and a pair of inclined channels defined in a rib member connected in fixed relation to said casing, and including an axle shaft on which said transfer pinion is mounted, said axle shaft being journaled in said slide member channels and in said inclined channels for disengaging said transfer pinion from said cipher roll at a first predetermined time after the movement of said reset member in a predetermined direction and for engaging said transfer pinion with said cipher roll at a second predetermined time after said reset member is moved in a second predetermined direction; cipher roll setting means responsive to the operation of said reset member and connected to said cipher roll for rotating said cipher roll to a predetermined zero position at a third predetermined time after said transfer pinion is disengaged from said cipher roll; and means responsive to the operation of said reset member for holding said cipher roll in fixed position after said cipher roll is set to said zero position and until said transfer pinion re-engages with said cipher roll.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 including means for holding said transfer pinion rotationally motionless when said transfer pinion is disengaged from said cipher roll.

3. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said reset member is substantially U-shaped having a pair of legs which extend on each side of said cipher roll.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1 including a biasing spring connected between said reset member and said casing to return said member in said second predetermined direction.

8. A device for resetting the cipher roll of a counter having a transfer pinion for operating said cipher roll comprising, in combination: a casing in which said cipher roll is mounted for rotation; a reset slide member substantially U-shaped having legs extending along each side of said cipher roll mounted for sliding reciprocal movement withing said casing; a reset finger pivotally mounted within said casing and adapted to set said cipher roll to a predetermined zero position when said finger is actuated; means directly coupling said transfer pinion to said reset slide member including an axle shaft on which said transfer pinion is said shaft being channeled within a straight inclined path directed toward and remote from the center of said cipher roll such that when said shaft rests against one end of said path said transfer pinion is engaged with said cipher roll and when said shaft rests against the other end of said path, said transfer pinion is disengaged from said cipher roll, and also including a pair of slotted holes defined in said legs of said reset member, said axle shaft being journaled within said slotted holes, said holes having a first longitudinal passage in the direction of reset member movement, and a second passage connecting to said first passage and angularly inclined in relation thereto for disengaging said transfer pinion from said cipher roll when said reset member passes a first predetermined point on the forward movement thereof and for engaging said transfer pinion with said cipher roll when said reset member passes said first predetermined point on the return movement thereof; means linking said reset member with said reset finger for actuating said finger to set and lock said cipher roll to said predetermined zero position when said reset member passes a second predetermined point beyond said first predetermined point on the forward movement thereof; and means responsive to movement of said transfer pinion for releasing said cipher roll from said reset finger after said transfer pinion is moved toward said cipher roll and is re-engaged with said cipher roll.