US3812329A

US3812329A - Semi-automatic type register apparatus for use at a gasoline service station

Info

Publication number: US3812329A
Application number: US00259167A
Authority: US
Inventors: H Tatsuno
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-06-15
Filing date: 1972-06-02
Publication date: 1974-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 1991-05-21
Also published as: GB1398553A; DE2228399A1; GB1398554A

Abstract

A semi-automatic type register apparatus is disclosed which is commercially usable at a gasoline service station and the like provided with a plural number of gasoline-meter devices in order to issue an oil service chit recorded therein with the requisites such as the gasoline-meter device number, price, date, customer''s name and the like, and which is provided with a case in which housed is an electric control part functional to memorize, select and calculate said requisites and a mechanical control part functional to mechanically control said requisites, and a shaft position detecting device for the mechanical control part is connected via a drive mechanism to printing dials which are exposed on the top face of the case, thereby, figures on the printer dials are directly printed on the oil service chit by a manually operated roller.

Description

United States Patent 2 1191 Tatsuno May 21, 1974 [54] SEMI-AUTOMATIC TYPE REGISTER 3,624,362 11/1971 Kelch 235/92 EA APPARATUS FOR USE AT A GASOLINE 2,855,149 10/1958 Bickford 235/92 FL SERVICE STATION 3,548,163 12/1970 Allen 235/92 WT [76] Inventor: l-liyoshi Tatsuno, 4-4-11, Shirogane, Primary Examiner pau] Henon Mmato-ku, Tokyo-to, Japan Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Gnuse [22] Filed; June 2 1972 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Watson, Cole, Grindle & 1211 Appl. No.: 259,167 Watson 1 57 ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 1 5 19 h an 4642142 A seml-automatic type reglster apparatus 1s disclosed J ne 971 Japan 46 44489 which is commercially usable at a gasolme servlce stafi 1971 Japan 46-54472 tion and the like provided with a plural number of Feb 1972 Japan 6912 gasoline-meter devices in order to issue an oil service p chit recorded therein with the requisites such as the gasoline-meter device number, price, date, customers [52] 2.35/92 235/92 g l name and the like, and which is provided with a case [51] lm Cl 4 G06m 3/06 in which housed is an electric control part functional 58] Fieid WT 92 FL to memorize, select and calculate said requisites and a 235/92 mechanical control part functional to mechanically control said requisites, and a shaft position detecting [56] References Cited device for the mechanical control part is connected via a drive mechanism to printing dials which are ex- UNITED STATES PATENTS posed on the top face of the case, thereby, figures on 3,402,253 9/1968 groom 22555/52 E the printer dials are directly printed on the

oil service

3,14 ,47 91964 611 2 A a a 0 e t dr lle 3,012,719 12/1961 Hohmann 235/92 EA 1 y m n a y p ra e r 3,631,506 12/1971 Nielsen 235/92 FL 3 Claims, 19 Drawing Figures 10 MECH CONT PT 15 112 I FMALLSEI III l I 12 I3 4 HO RESET CONSOLE SFT POS MAG MECH PT -BET MECI- 2 4 7 J MEMOR -ADRESS MAG DRV CKT DESIG CKT CKT L 'L 3 L 5 A 6 140 u PRICE CALC MEMOR CKT CKT CKT ELEC CONT PT :ATENTEBMYZHQH 3,812,329

saw can? 10 PATENTEBHAY 2 I am sum as of 10 5 Q s g rmwsnmm w 3,812,329 saw us (If 10 (C) 5 FIG.IOd

FATENFEDmm 1914 3,812,329 saw '10 0F-10 SEMI-AUTOMATIC TYPE REGISTER APPARATUS F OR USE AT A GASOLINE SERVICE STATION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a semi-automatic type register apparatus which is used at a commercial gasoline service station provided with plural gasolinemeter devices and issues a gasoline service chit on which are recorded the gasoline-meter device number (oil grade), the price of supplied oil, the date, the customers name and the like.

I-Ieretofore, there have been provided in a gasoline service station with such types of facilities registers that are individually fixed to the respective gasoline-meter devices to record the supplied oil quantity, oil grade, date and the like by any suitable mechanical means, or else, one register is used for number of gasoline-meter devices to electrically read a customers credit card and to automatically record the supplied oil quantity, oil grade, date and the like on a record medium by selecting and memorizing the data on the credit card. However, the former type is defective in that even though it is not expensive, the same number of registers as the number of the gasoline-meter devices should be provided and therefore their operation is troublesome. Whereas, the latter type is convenient in that the gasoline supply can be carried out merely by inserting a credit card thereinto and a chit having the credit card number, the price for the supplied gasoline and the like are automatically recorded therein. However, the latter type is also defective in that the facility is too complex as an installation for a general commercial gasoline service station as well as it is too expensive.

However, all register devices being used at any gasoline service station or the like have, without regard to whether they are automatic or manual, a lot of chits folded and encased therein. Further, each chit is placed at a predetermined position while a printing dial is rotated, and it is printed by virtue of signals or the like generated upon completion of the gasoline supply, the chit printed thereat being then transported from the register. In this case, however, the chit is frequently caught within the case of the register to cause trouble. Therefore, for the purpose of obviating such difficulties, the chit transporting mechanism should be made more dexterous, resulting in a complicated and expensive apparatus which is not suited for use at a normal gasoline service station.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved semi-automatic type register apparatus conveniently operable when used at normal commercial gasoline service stations.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a semi-automatic type register apparatus which is capable of issuing a gasoline supply chit in its own selected sequence regardless of the order in which gasoline is supplied from a number of supply stations.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a semi-automatic type register apparatus which is capable of determining a price of the supplied gasoline in response to the demand of a customer by selectively combining the unit prices and the gasoline grades for each customer.

It is further another object of the present invention to provide a semi-automatic type register apparatus which can easily disengage each gear of printing dials from its drive source and thereby simply indicate all set values on the gasoline supply record.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a semi-automatic type register apparatus which is provided on the exterior side of its case with a receptacle of gasoline supply chits and a chit printing surface so as to minimize any trouble due to clogged chits at the time each chit is taken out therefrom.

It is also another object of the present invention to provide a semi-automatic type register apparatus which is provided with indicator lamps, setting button switches, a printing roller and a reset switch which is reset by the printing roller, for the purpose of improving the feasibility of the printing operation.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a semi-automatic type register apparatus of which the printed circuit pattern and a rotary brush means of a shaft position detecting device are both simplified in their construction so as to enable them to be easily fabricated.

ment of the control part of a semi-automatic type register apparatus in accordance withthe present invention,

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the meshing relationship of a gear train and the like in the driving mechanism of the semi-automatic type register apparatus in the above embodiment,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial view of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view which is partly viewed from the bottom side of the side view in FIG. 3, and which shows the positional and engaging relationship of the gears, pawls, cams, swing levers and the like included therein,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view which is partly viewed from the bottom side of the side view in FIG. 2, and which shows the positional relationship of gears,printed circuit boards and the like included therein,

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the operating panel of the semi-automatic type register apparatus,

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an example of the printed circuit board of a shaft position detecting'device,

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a rotary brush means which is slidably rotated on the printed circuit board,

FIG. 9 is a side view showing only the arm portion of a brush plate shown in FIG. 8,

FIGS. 10a through 10e each are an illustrative view showing the engaging relationship between each segment of a circuit pattern and contact points of the brush means, wherein, FIG. 10a shows the case where the contact points are located on the 0 0' line, FIG. 10b is the case where they are on the l 1 line, FIG. 10c is on the line 2 -2', FIG. 10d is on the line 5 5', and FIG. We is on the line 9 9,

FIG. 11a is a plan view showing another embodiment of a printed circuit board, FIG. 1 lb is a plan view showing a rotary brush means which is rotated on the printed circuit board shown in FIG. 11a, and

FIGS. 12a through 12c each are an illustrative view showing the engaging relationship between the circuit pattern and the contact points of the rotary brush means of the embodiment shown in FIG. 11a and FIG. 11b.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

The constitution of each embodiment of the present invention will be hereinbelow described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The control section, as shown in FIG. 1, of a register apparatus 40 (refer to FIG. 2) is composed of an electric control part 1 and a mechanical control part 10 with respect to four gasoline-

meter devices

110, 120, 130 and 140.

The electric control part 1, which receives as its inputs the measured quantity signals from each of the gasoline-

meter devices

110, 120, 130 and 140 consists of a memory circuit 2 which stores the above: inputs simultaneously in binary format, an address designation circuit 4 which is capable of setting the gasoline-meter device number (gasoline grade) by operating gasolinemeter device selecting button switches 22 (realistically shown in FIG. 6) in aconsole part 12. Address designation circuit 4 extracts the metered signal for the set gasoline grade selectively from all metered signals stored in the storage circuit 2 and generates calculation starting signals. Unit price setting circuit 3 receives as its inputs the binary unit price signals for all gasoline grades corresponding to their respectively set unit price ranks, which signals are transmitted thereto via the address designation circuit 4 by the operation of unit price setting button switches 23 (refer to FIG. 6) by which the unit price ranks of all gasoline grades are set therein. Binary calculation circuit 5 receives as its inputs both the metered signals and the unit price signals and calculates using all these signals. Temporary storage circuit 6 memorizes the calculated values, and a magnet drive circuit 7 which is an amplifier circuit for allowing a magnet mechanism 14 to be operable. The above these circuits are constituted in such a manner that they are all reset when a reset mechanism 11 is operated.

The mechanical control part 10 consists of reset mechanism 11 which resets all circuits in the electric control part 1, a console part 12 which includes indicating lamps, setting buttons and the like, a shaft position detecting device 13 which sets the position of a rotary brush means in response to the outputs from electric control part 1, a magnet mechanism 14, and a manual setting member 15 which enables the control to be manually set, if required.

The console part 12 is shown in FIG. 6, and its com ponents are arranged on an operating console 33 located at the lower area of operating panel of the register apparatus 40.

The arrangement of operating console 33 is such that laterally disposed in the top row are four indicator lamps 21 for the individual gasoline-meter devices (A, B, C, D) independently illuminated upon completion of the gasoline supply from each of the gasoline-meter devices. Mounted in the middle row are four button switches 22 for independently selecting respective gasoline-meter devices (A, B, C, D). Disposed in the lowest row are four unit price setting button switches 23 each of which indicates either one of four unit price ranks (W, X, Y, and Z class). Mounted adjacent to the lowest row are a setting completion indicator lamp 24 which indicates when all setting for the register apparatus has been finished. A manually operating button 25 is located at the rightward end of the lowest row and used when a manual setting is required. A manual setting dial 26 is located just above the manually operating button 25 and to which a price of any merchandise exclusive of the calculated price of the gasoline measured by the gasoline-meter devices is manually set so as to have a printing dial 30 driven by the operation of the manually operating button 25.

Further, mounted at the left end of printing operation surface 34 of the intermediate area is a manually operated printing roller 27 which is constituted such that it can be manually moved in the right and left directions, and presses against a printing face of a chit, only when it is travelling rightwards.

Provided on the right side of the roller 27 is a printing face 32 in which the portion shown by a dotted line is the location where a chit is placed, and a printing dial 30 which indicates the gasoline grade (or gasolinemeter device number), the price 'or the like in a digital combination consisting of dials of six figures is automatically driven in response to the output from the electric control part 1 of the register apparatus 40. A dataprinting dial 29 is also located below the printing dial 30 for manually setting the date six figures.

A receptacle 35a for chit blanks is provided in the upper area 35 of operating panel 20 as shown in FIG. 6

A shaft position detecting device 13 which will behereinlater described in detail is composed of a printed circuit board 62 (refer to FIG. 7) including a circuit corresponding to the output for the price of the supplied gasoline and the like from the memory circuit in the electric control part 1. Rotary brush means 91 (refer to FIG. 8) is slidingly rotated on the printed circuit board 62, and as shown in FIG. 2, a gear 59 bodily fixed to the rotary brush means 91 is interconnected via an intermediate gear 56 with a drive mechanism for driving the printing dial 30.

The drive mechanism 60 drives both the rotary brush means 91 and the printing dial 30 onaccount of the rotation of a motor 41 which is started separately from the starting of the gasoline-

meter devices

110, 120, etc., through a gear 42, a pair of cams 43, swing levers 48, a ratchet-gear S1 and respective intermediate gears 56 and S7. g

A gear 45 fixed to an axle 44 onto which the pair of cams 43 is also fixed is meshed with the gear 42 fixed to the rotating shaft 41a of the motor 41 which is started when the gasoline-meter device number selecting button switches 22 and the unit price setting button switches 23 (refer to FIG. 6) are both pushed in. Cams 43 are accordingly rotated as the motor 41 rotates.

As shown in FIG. 4, a rod 46. is kept in contact with the cam faces 43a of the cams 43. The rod 46 is supported by two supporting plates 47 at both sides thereof, as both ends 46a thereof are idly put into the supporting plates 47 with a finite clearance.

This finite clearance between the rod 46 and the supporting plates 47 enables the rod to swing by itself always keeping in contact with the cam faces 43a. Moreover, the rod 46 is held inserted through all holes 48a provided in each swing lever 48.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the swing levers 48 are together mounted pivotally on a shaft 49 borne by both supporting plates 47, and fitted at the upper end of each swing lever 48 is a pawl 52 which is engaged to a ratchet 51a of a ratchet-gear 51. And the pawl 52 is end of the lever 48, all of which form a magnet mechanism 14.

The ratchet-gear 51 is provided with ratchets 510 on its front side as seen in FIG. 3, and with a spur gear on its rear side and is mounted on its shaft 53 in such a manner that it can be rotated counterclockwise only. Accordingly, as the cam 43 is rotated, the swing lever 48 is swung laterally within the limits defined by the unevenness of the cam face 43a, the ratchet-gear 51 having its ratchets 51a which are sequentially meshed with the pawl 52 of the lever 48 is accordingly rotated counterclockwise.

A stopper 69 is fixedly located at the rightside position of the pawl 52 in order to regulate the pawl 52 so as to have it stopped at its proper position.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the spur gear (ratchet-gear 51) fixed to the ratchet wheel 51a is meshed with both

intermediate gears

56 and 57 which are respectively meshed with a gear 59 fixed to the rotary brush means 91 and a gear 61 of the printing dial 30.

The constitution of a train of these

gears

61, 57, 51, 56 and 59 is such that the gear 61 of the printing dial 30 and the gear 59 of the rotary brush means 91 are rotated in the ratio of 2 vs 1. This rotation ratio of 2 vs 1 is selected in order that, for instance, the printing figure 1 is indicated on the printing face of the printing dial 30 when a brush plate 92 of the rotary brush means 91 is located at the index position of either 1 l or 1 l of the printed circuit board 62 (Refer to FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8), and the printing figure 2 is similarly indicated on the dial printing face when the plate 92 is located at the index position of either 2 2' or 2' 2.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the

respective center shafts

53, 64 and 66 of these

gears

51, 56 and 59, together with the shaft of the printed circuit board 62 are all rotatably borne by the supporting plate 47, and these

gears

51, 56, 59 and the printed circuit'board 62 each are respectively composed of, each of which six gears and six boards is mutually of the same configuration and function in the same way with each other.

The magnet drive circuit 7 in the electric control part 1 of the register apparatus 40 is set in response to the output of the control part 1, that is, it is set when the price of the supplied gasoline in the gasoline-meter device becomes consistent with the turned position (index position) of the contact points of all brush plates 92 of the rotary brush means 91 which contact points are concurrently turned on each printed circuit board 62 of the shaft position detecting device 13 lower end of the swing lever 48 is then pulled by the connection rod 58 of the activated magnet 55 so as to have the swing motion of the swing levers 48 stopped, the ratchet-gear 51 is accordingly stopped. In addition, when swing motion of six swing levers 48 are all terminated, not only the rotation of the printing dial 30 and the rotary brush means 91 is concurrently stopped, but also the power source circuit of the drive motor 41 is simultaneously cut off.

Moreover, the

center shafts

65 and 68 of the intermediate gear 57 and the printing dial gear 61 are similarly borne by a pair of other supporting plates 50 as shown in FIG. 5, and both

gears

57 and 61 are respectively composed of six gear plates and kept in a meshing relationship with each other similarly to the case of both

gears

56 and 59 described hereinbefore.

Gears

57 and 61 function similar to that of

gears

56 and 59.

The printing dial 30 bodily constructed with the printing dial gear 61 is constituted such that its protrusions on its individual dial plate faces are slightly higher than the top face of the register apparatus 40 when they are located atop the dial plates, so that a number of six figures is thereby composed on the top face of the register apparatus 40, making it possible to print a number comprising six figures onto a chit (copy sheets) by means of the roller 27 shown in FIG. 6.

Additionally, in the description of the embodiment above, indications on the printing dial 30 are concerned merely with the gasoline-meter number (gasoline grade), the price of the supplied gasoline and the like. However if the memory circuit 2 and the temporary memory circuit 6 of the electric control part 1 are directly connected to each other as shown by the broken line in FIG. 1, the register apparatus 40 can be used in such a manner that the quantity of the gasoline supplied from each of the gasoline-

meter devices

110, 120, etc. can be directly indicated on the printing dial 30.

The shaft position detecting device 13 is composed of a printed circuit board 62 shown in FIG. 7 and a rotary brush means 91 shown in FIG. 8. Printed circuit pattern 73 as shown in the drawing has been formed on the printed circuit board 62 by means of a printing process.

The printed circuit pattern 73 consists of five

conductive segments

74, 76, 75, 7'7 and 78 having their respective types denoted by five notations (0), (1), (2), (4) and (8) respectively, with the segments being disposed individually along two circular paths with their respective radii of r, and r through which paths four

contact points

92a, 92b, 92c and 92d of the rotary brush means 91 to be hereinlater described are rotated so as to sweep the segment surfaces, The vertical diameter of both the outer circular path having its radius 'of r and the inner circular path having its radius of r, is first denoted as an index position of 0 0', and the whole circumference thereof is equally divided into twenty arcs so as to denote each of the dividing lines clockwise in sequence as individual index positions of 1 1', 2- 2', 3 3, through 9 9'. Moreover, several segmental scales of about 13 are provided where necessary as shown in FIG. 7 in order to constitute the circuit pattern 73, the center line of each segmental scale being consistent with any of the indices 0, l, 2, through 9 and 0', l, 2', through 9.

The conductive segment 74 with its continuous width is formed along the outer circular path by printing on the circuit board 62 in a nearly semi-circular range from the right end line (viewed from the outside of the circular path) of the scale at the index 4 to the left end line of the scale at the index 3, the left end being located nearly opposite to the right end of the scale at the index 4. This segment 74 is referred to a common segment (0), and is connected to a power supply circuit through a printed circuit conductor 79 and a printed terminal 80 of the common segment The conductor segment 77 with its continuous width is similarly formed along the outer circular path in a range from the right end line of the scale at the index 4' to the left end line of the scale at the index 7, and it indicates the values (4) as the weight of the binarycoded decimal. This segment 77 is connected via a printed circuit conductor 81 to a printed conductor terminal 82.

The conductor segment 78 with its continuous width is further formed along the outer circular path by printing in the range from the right end line of the scale at the index 8' to the left end line of the scale at the index 9', and it indicates the values (8) as the weight of the binary-coded decimal. The segment 78 is connected through a printed circuit conductor 83 to a printed conductor'terminal 84.

With respect to the inner circular path with its radius of r,, the conductor segment 75 is formed therealong by a printed conductor in the range from the right end scale line at the index 2 to the left end scale line at the index 7, but the width of the conductor in its region from the left end scale line at the index 3 to the right end scale line at the index 6 is narrowed so that no contact point of the brush means 91 will be brought into contact with the conductor in this region. The com ductor segment 75 indicates the value (2) as the weight of the binary-coded decimal, and it is connected to printed conductor terminal 86 via a circuit conductor 85 whichis printed on the rear side of the circuit board 62 as shown by a dotted line.

The conductor segment 76 is formed along the inner circular path by a printed conductor in a range from the right end scale line at the index 1' to the left end scale line at the index 9', but the width of the: portions only of the conductor consistent with the respective segmental scales at the indices 1', 3', 7' and 9' is identically constructed. The width of the remaining portions thereof is narrowed so that no contact point of the brush means 91 will be brought into contact with the conductor at these remaining portions. The conductor segment 76 indicates the value l as the weight of the binary-coded decimal, and it is connected to a printed conductor terminal 88 via a circuit conductor 87 which is printed at the rear side of the circuit board 62 as shown by a broken line.

The brush means 91 is, as shown in FIG. 8, composed of a brush plate 92 and a gear 59 which are both fixed to shaft 66 (refer to FIG. 2), and it is assembled together with the printed circuit board 62 by putting 66 into the center hole 89 of the circuit board 62, so that it is capable of being turned clockwise on the circuit board 62 when the gear 59 thereof is rotated.

The conductive brush plate 92 is provided with four

contact points

92a, 92b, 92c and 92d which are aligned ona straight line and disposed at two distances of r, and r, from their common turning axis so as to make up two pairs of contact points. Each arm of the brush plate 92 is formed by bending it as shown in FIG. 9 so that each contact point is elastically pressed onto the circuit pattern 73 and rotated while it is kept in contact thereto.

' It is clearly understood that the pair of

contact points

92b and 92c located at the inner side (its radius is n) is rotated along the inner circular path (its radius is n) of the circuit pattern 73 so as to slide thereon, and the outer another pair of

contact points

92a and 92d is similarly rotated along the outer circular path (its radius is r thereof.

The gear 59 of the brush means 91 is driven by the drive mechanism 60 shown in FIG. 2, and the turning ratio thereof with respect to the printing dial 30 is 2 vs 1 as described hereinbefore. Thus, the gear 61 fixed to the printing dial 30 and the gear 59 of the brush means 91 rotated slidingly on the circuit board 62 are concurrently rotated in the ratio of 2 vs 1 by virtue of their respective

intermediate gears

56 and 57 together with the ratchet-gear 51.

The operation of the register apparatus in accordance with the present invention constituted as described hereinabove in the case of a single supply is as follows:

1. When a supply nozzle 111 of the gasolinemeter device with its grade identification A in FIG. 1 is removed from the position shown in the drawing and the gasoline supply is started, the supplied quantity is indicated from one moment to the next on an indicator 112 of the gasoline-meter device 110, and it is concurrently stored by the binary memory circuit 2 of the electric control part 1.

2. When the supply is finished and the supply nozzle 111 is returned to its initial position, the lamp (A) at the left end of the gasoline supply completionlamps 21 which are provided, as shown in FIG. 6, on the opera tion face 20 of the register apparatus 40 shown in FIG. 2 is illuminated to indicate the completion of the gasoline supply through the gasoline-meter device No. A.

3. Thereupon, if the manager of the gasoline service station pushes one button (A) selected from four gasoline-meter selecting button switches 22 in the middle row below the completion lamps 21, the address designation circuit 4 of the electric control part 1 is activated. Accordingly, not only its output is fed to the memory circuit 2, but also a circuit for the corresponding address is set up by one of the six printed circuit boards 62 (In this embodiment, the one at the right end in FIG. 5) of the shaft position detecting device 13, and the contactpoints of the brush plate 92 of the rotary brush means 91 are rotated on boards 62.

4. Assuming that the unit price ranks of the gasoline supplied through the gasoline-meter device No. A is a class W, when one button (W) selected from the four unit price setting buttons 23 is pushed, the information (W) is fed through the unit price setting circuit 3 to the calculation circuit 5 in which the supplied quantity (L) from the gasoline-meter device no. A is multiplied by the unit price (E) for the class. The result is stored in the temporary memory circuit 6, thereby set up in order to indicate this price (E X L) of the supplied gasoline is a circuit corresponding to the valve consisting of five figures by virtue of five remaining circuit boards in the six printed circuit boards 62 and the rotary brush means 91 of the shaft position detecting device 13. (The setting of a circuit by each printed circuit board will be hereinafter described.)

During the operation above, the motor 41 shown in FIG. 2 is kept rotated on account of both button switches 22 and 23 which have been previously closed, and the rotation of the motor 41 is transmitted, as shown in FIG. 4, to the gear 45 via the gear 42 which is fixed to the motor 41. Concurrently, the cam 43 fixed to the gear 45 is also rotated thereby.

one of six printed circuit Consequently, six swing levers 48 having a rod 46 inserted therethrough and kept in contact with the cam face 43a are swung together with the rod 46, since the levers 48 are respectively endowed with a counterclockwise turning tendency by virtue of the spring 54. (Refer to FIG. 3.)

Since the pawl 52 at the extreme end of each swing lever 48 is meshed in sequence with the ratchets Sla in company with the swinging motion of the swing levers 48 so as to push the ratchets 51a counterclockwise, the six ratchet-gears 51 are also turned counterclockwise in company with the rotation of the motor 41. Accordingly, the six gears 59 having respective brush plates fixed thereto and the six printing dial gears 61 which are all meshed through their respective six

intermediate gears

56 and 57 with the six ratchet-gears 51 are also rotated simultaneously.

And, if a definite circuit corresponding to the address (gasoline grade) or the price (1, 2, 3, etc.) of the supplied gasoline is set up on one set of the six circuit boards 62 and the rotary brush plates 92 in response to the output from the electric control part 1 by virtue of the relative rotation of the rotary brush plates 92 with respect to the six circuit boards 62, only one magnet of the six magnets 55 (only one of them is shown in the drawing) is excited so as to have only one swing lever 48 corresponding thereto retained through its connection rod 58. The swinging motion of only that swing lever 48 only is thereby terminated, accordingly, only one of six printing dials 30 corresponding thereto is stopped at its position synchronized therewith.

Since the motor 41 and the cam 43 are still kept rotated, the other five swing levers are also kept swinging and when a certain circuit is selected by virtue of the other fixe printed circuit boards 62 and five rotary brush plates 92, one of the five remaining magnets 55 corresponding to that circuit is excited so as to have one swing lever 48 corresponding thereto retained. The motion of that swing lever 48 is thereby terminated, so that only one of the five remaining printing dials corresponding thereto is stopped at its position synchronized therewith.

As described above, each of the six printing dials 30 is capable of being stopped, in response to each output from the electric control part I, at its synchronized position which is detected by the shaft position detecting device 13. Namely, the identification number (gasoline grade) of the gasoline-meter device No. A and the price (of five figures) of the supplied gasoline are indicated on the printing dial 30, then the motor 41 is concurrently stopped. At the same time the setting completion lamp 24 of the console part 12 on console 33 is illuminated.

5. Further, a credit card of the customer is placed at a predetermined location 28 as shown in FIG. 6, and the dials of the data printing dial 29 are set up. A blank sheet for a chit to'be copied is also placed on a location 32 shown by a broken line within the printing operation face 34, then the printing roller 27 is manually rolled rightwards so as to press the chit blank on which recorded in turn will be the credit number, the customers name, the gasoline-meter device number (gasoline grade), the price of supplied gasoline, the date and the like, so that a completed chit will be obtained.

When the roller reaches the right end of the operation face 34, it rides on the reset button 31 so as to allrmtheleset mechanism .11 of h m han nr,

trol part to be activated. Thus the memory circuit 3, the calculation circuit 5 and the temporary memory circuit 6 are reset. Moreover the gasoline-meter device No. A is concurrently unlocked so that it becomes possible to commence the subsequent supply of the gasoline by means of that device.

The following is the operation for the case of a sequential supply by means of a plural number of gasoline-meter devices No. A and No. B:

1. Referring to FIG. 1, the gasoline quantity supplied from the device No. A is indicated from one moment to the next on the indicator 112 of the gasoline-meter device 110, and it is simultaneously stored in the memory circuit 2 of the electric control part 1, to the case tasisslsssssly by m a s t t e d vissNq- A a ne 2. The gasoline quantity supplied from the device No. B is also indicated on the indicator 122 of the device and similarly stored in the memory circuit 2 of the electric control part 1.

3. No sooner than the supply from the device No. A is first finished and its supply nozzle 11 1 is returned to its initial location, the lamp (A) in the gasoline supply completion lamps 21 shown in FIG. 6 is illuminated to inform the completion of the supply from the device No. A. Immediately thereafter, when the supply from the device No. B is finished and the supply nozzle 121 of the device 120 is hooked to a nozzle hook, another completion lamp (B) in the gasoline supply completion lamps 21 is illuminated to inform the completion of the supply from the device No. B.

4. At this point, the manager of the gasoline service station selects either one of the devices No. A and No. B which one is to be first handled, and if No. B is selected, the button (B) in the gasoline-meter device selection button switches 22 is pushed, the unit price rank setting button switch 23 being also pushed at the same time.

The address designation circuit 4 is accordingly activated so as to have its output fed into the memory circuit 2, thereby, the stored value of the gasoline quantity supplied from the device No. B is put into the calculation supply 5 as an output from the memory circuit.

The unit price output from the unit price setting circuit 3 is simultaneously put into the calculation circuit 5 which commences the calculation by the calculation starting signal from the address'designation circuit 4, and an output from the calculation circuit 5 is put into the temporary memory circuit 6 to have it memorized therein.

Accordingly, the identification of the device No. B and the detection of the price of the supplied gasoline from the device No. B can be carried out by means of the shaft position detecting device 13. Subsequently carried into effect thereafter is the same operation as that in the case of the single supply from the device No. A, therefore, the identified number (gasoline grade) of the device No. B and the detected price of the supplied gasoline are together indicated on the printing dial 30. And when the roller 27 is rolled rightwards so as to have a chit printed thereon to inform the use of the device No. B, the reset mechanism 11 is activated so as to put the gasolinemeter device 120 in its status operable for the subsequent gasoline supply.

6. Subsequently, when the selecting button (A) and either one of the unit price rank setting button switches 23 are both pushed for the waiting device No. A, the identified number of the device No. A and the detected price of the supplied gasoline are indicated on the printing dial 30 after following the same operation as l. the TableNo. 1 below the device No. A returned to its status capable of supplying the gasoline.

Consequently, it is possible to supply any grade of gasoline by sequentially putting to use the individual devices No. A, No'. B, No. C and No. D respectively as required, and the description of the operation therefor will be omitted, as it is merely a repeated operation of the same operation as that described hereinabove.

The following is a description for the case where any merchandise exclusive of the price of supplied gasoline is desired to be recorded:

1. By manipulating the manual setting dial 26 on console 33 shown in FIG. 6, an item, a number and a price of the article are set therein, and the manual button 25 is then pressed. Thereby, a circuit corresponding to the set values is set up by virtue of the shaft position detecting device 13 and the electric control part 1. During this setting, the motor 41 shown in FIG. 2 is rotated, ac-

cordingly rotated following thereafter similarly to the on the printing dial 30 in the same manner as that in the I 4 aforementioned cases of the gasoline supply. As the setting completion lamp 24 is illuminated without delay, if a credit card ispIac'ed on the printing location, the date is set, and the roller is rolled rightward, a chit having the required information printed thereon can be obtained accordingly.

The function of the shaft position detecting device 13 will be explained in relation to the price of the supplied gasoline as an example.

When the rotary brush means 91 is driven so as to be clockwise rotated on the circuit pattern 73 of the printed circuit board 62 as shown in FIGS. 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d and 10e, set up by both the output of the electric control part I and the circuit pattern 73 and such circuits of the binary-coded decimal codes as shown by TABL Consequently, when a measuring operation of a gasoline-meter device is finished, if it is assumed that, for instance, one of the digits representing the price of the supplied gasoline is 5, this digit 5 is converted to the binary notation by the instruction signal from the electric control part 1. Thereby set up is a circuit comprising the weights (1) and (4). As the brush means 91 of the shaft position detecting device 13 is kept rotated by the drive mechanism 60,-when the contact points of the brush plate 92 of the brush means 91 is rotated at the index line of 5 5' as shown in FIG. 10d, the segments of the weight (4) and (l) are connected as seen from the Table No. I, so that a circuit corresponding to the decimal coded digit 5 becomes conductive in the electric control part 1. Also, a magnet having its coil included in the power supply circuit thereof is thereby activated so as to have the drive mechanism controlled. Accordingly, the rotary brush means 91 and the printing dial 30 which are both interlocked withthe drive mechanism 60 are stopped at their respective positions where the digit 5 is just indicated, so that one digit 5 of a figure representing the price of gasoline supplied from the gasoline-meter device can be indicated a 4 fis lsi in islsrintins dialfia sn, a.

FIG. 11a and FIG. 11b each show an example in a case where four contact points of the rotary brush means 91 are'not located on a straight line, and these drawings FIG. 11a and FIG. 11b show respectively a circuit pattern and a rotary brush means of another empoints l0lc and 101d (the radius is r the both pairs being crossed perpendicularly to each other. Whereas, the other components thereof are completely similar to those in the case of the first embodiment. Therefore, as the brush means 101 is clockwise rotated on the circuit pattern so as to have the contact points of the brush means 101 properly engaged with each conductor segment as shown in ElGi.. l2q, E ICv. 12 2,2114 FL Price of the Index position on Conductor Segment engaging with Contact points of the Brush means Circuit of the binary supplied gasoline the circuit board coded decimal code (one digit)

I

92a 92b 92c 92d l-l 1 (c) l 2 2-2: (2) (c) 2 3 3-3 (2) (I) (c) 2+1 4 4-4 (c) 4 4 5 5-5 (0) (I) 6 6-6 ('0) (2) (4) 4+2 7 7-7' (c') (2) (I) (4) +2+ S 8-8 (0) (8) 3 9 9-'-)' (c) (I) (8) 8+! 0 0'--=0 (0) (l merely disposed at two symmetrical positions with respect to the rotation center. Especially in the case of the circuit pattern as in the first embodiment, they can TABLE 2 Price of the Index position on Conductor Segment engaging with Contact points of the Brush means Circuit of the binary supplied gasoline the circuit board coded decimal code (one digit) 101a llb 1010 I011! 0 0-0 (c) 0 l l l l l) (C) 2 2 2-2 (2) (0) 2+1 3 3-3 (2) (l) (c) 4 4 4 4' 4+1 5 55' (l) 4+2 6 66 (2) (L) 4+2+1 7 7 7' 2 (1) (c) The following advantages are obtained from the prebe disposed on a straight line, allowing the brush plate viously described structures.

I. It is possible that the apparatus is conveniently used in any commercial gasoline service station provided with a plural number of gasoline-meter devices, so that the manager of the service station issues a chit by his own selection, without regard to the sequence of gasoline to be supplied, by virtue of the gasoline-meter selecting button switch. This is possible even though an identical grade of gasoline is sold at any different unit price because of the unit price rank setting button switch provided therein.

ll. As the printing panel is provided externally of the case, it is unnecessary to have a chit blank set into the inside of the case and to provide such a complicated transporting mechanism for transmitting the printed chit therefrom, resulting in a cheaper apparatus which eliminates chit fouling the case within. Moreover, since a reset operation is performed by the manual roller engaging a reset button without fail upon completion of its printing operation, the reset operation will always sw .thatuzo mplet cacfrqnc rindnaqpera;

tion the setting for the next operation can be completed without delay. Furthermore, on account of indicator lamps and setting button switches all of which are compactly arranged on the console, they can be easily operated by an operator with the aid of the indicator lamps.

III. In the drive mechanism, by means of a motor which is the'only drive source therein, the gears of a rotary brush means and the gears of'a printing dial are all driven synchronously through a respectively plural number of cams, levers and ratchets. Therefore, the interlocking of the motor with each individual gear can be easily released, so that their respective setting values can be simply indicated on the printing dial.

IV. The circular paths of the circuit pattern formed by printing on a circuit board consist of two paths, therefore, the size of the circuit board itself can be reduced as compared with that of any conventional one consisting of four paths. Moreover, the printed circuit board can be easily manufactured, because each circular path is equally divided into twenty arcs and the configuration of each segment of the circuit pattern has been simplified in comparison with that of the conventional pattern in the prior art.

Furthermore, since the circuit pattern is composed of two circular paths, the contact points of the rotary brush means slidingly rotated on the paths can be to be easily made.

What is claimed is: 1. A semi-automatic type register apparatus for dispensing fluids from a plurality'of fluid-meter devices each generating dispensed fluid signals, comprising: v

a memory circuit for storing said dispensed fluid signals;

an address designation circuit for extracting said dispensed fluid signals from said memory circuit, and generates a calculation starting signal;

a price setting circuit for setting a unit price for said fluid; v

a calculation circuit for multiplying said dispensed fluid signals by said unit price and providing calculation signals representative thereof;

a temporary memory circuit for storing said calculation signals and including a rotatable member, the positions of which represent said calculation signals;

a reset mechanism for resetting said address designation circuit and said price setting circuit;

a console including indicator lamps and setting buttons for setting said memory, address designation, price setting, calculation and temporary memory circuits;

a position detecting device for detecting the position of said rotatable member and including a rotary brush means and a printed circuit board which together form a circuit corresponding to the outputs from both said address designation circuit and said temporary memory circuit;

a magnet driving circuit activated by said position detecting device; a

means for manually setting data therein;

a motor started concurrently with the closing of any one of said setting button switches and stopped subsequent to the actuation of said magnet driving circuit; i

a plural number of swing levers andan equal number of cams interconnected with said motor through first gears; I

a plural number of ratchet-gears which are rotated in one direction by being meshed with an identical number of pawls of said swing levers;

a plural number of second gears fixed to said rotary brush means, and an identical number of printing dial gears, said second gears and said printing dial gears being meshed together with said ratchet-gears via respective intermediate gears;

a plural number of magnets each of which respectively and independently attracts a respective one of said swing levers to terminate the rotation of said first gears;

printing control means including a printing console which is composed of said printing dial, a station for placing a credit card thereon, a date printing dial, a manually operative roller by means of which a record medium is pressed between said printing dial and said credit card, and a reset button actuated by said roller for resetting said register apparatus; and

setting control means including a console having indicator lamps and setting buttons, and said manual setting dial.

2. A semi-automatic type register apparatus for dispensing fluids, comprising:

a number of fluid-meter dispensing devices each generating signals representing the quantity of dispensed fluid; 1

storage circuits of the same number as said fluidmeter devices each responsive to a respective one of said signals for storing the dispensed quantity of fluid from said fluid-meter devices;

means for'calculating the price of the dispensed fluid;

selection dispensing switches of the same number as said fluid-meter dispensing devices for transmitting indicating signals from a selected one of said storage circuits to said means for calculating;

price setting switching means for selecting a unit price of said fluid;

means for transmitting said unit price to said means for calculating;

temporary storage means for storing the price of the fluid dispensed by any one of said number of fluidrneter dispensing devices, which price has been calculated by said means for calculating;

means for imprinting at least the price of said dis- .A S id tempered s a es: m ns.

means for actuating said means for imprintin and means for transmitting at least the price of said dispensed fluid from said means for temporarily storing to said means for imprinting and comprising driving means actuated by said selection dispensing switches and said price selection switches;

cam means and a plurality of rotatable levers actuated by said cam means driven by saidmeans for driving;

ratchet gears of the same number as said rotatable levers and movable in one direction by engagement with said rotatable levers;

gears of the same number as said ratchet gears and engageable therewith via first intermediate gears;

rotary brushes of the same number as said gears;

gear means mounted to said rotary brushes and engageable with said ratchet gears via second intermediate gears;

circuit board means in contact with said rotary brushes and connected to said temporary storage means; and

means for attracting one of said rotatable levers when said rotary brushes contact said circuit board means at a position wherein said one of said rotatable levers has been identified by said temporary storage means.

3. Semi-automatic type register apparatus as in claim s 2, wherein said means for imprinting further includes a printing station for receiving said record medium, and

wherein said semi-automatic type register apparatus further comprises control means including means for indicating the operation of said fluid-meter dispensing devices, said'selection switches-and said price setting switches, means for mechanically setting said means for imprinting with data relating to the price of said dispensed fluid, the unit price thereof, and the quantity of fluid dispensed.

s a rs!

Claims

1. A semi-automatic type register apparatus for dispensing fluids from a plurality of fluid-meter devices each generating dispensed fluid signals, comprising: a memory circuit for storing said dispensed fluid signals; an address designation circuit for extracting said dispensed fluid signals from said memory circuit, and generates a calculation starting signal; a price setting circuit for setting a unit price for said fluid; a calculation circuit for multiplying said dispensed fluid signals by said unit price and providing calculation signals representative thereof; a temporary memory circuit for storing said calculation signals and including a rotatable member, the positions of which represent said calculation signals; a reset mechanism for resetting said address designation circuit and said Price setting circuit; a console including indicator lamps and setting buttons for setting said memory, address designation, price setting, calculation and temporary memory circuits; a position detecting device for detecting the position of said rotatable member and including a rotary brush means and a printed circuit board which together form a circuit corresponding to the outputs from both said address designation circuit and said temporary memory circuit; a magnet driving circuit activated by said position detecting device; means for manually setting data therein; a motor started concurrently with the closing of any one of said setting button switches and stopped subsequent to the actuation of said magnet driving circuit; a plural number of swing levers and an equal number of cams interconnected with said motor through first gears; a plural number of ratchet-gears which are rotated in one direction by being meshed with an identical number of pawls of said swing levers; a plural number of second gears fixed to said rotary brush means, and an identical number of printing dial gears, said second gears and said printing dial gears being meshed together with said ratchet-gears via respective intermediate gears; a plural number of magnets each of which respectively and independently attracts a respective one of said swing levers to terminate the rotation of said first gears; printing control means including a printing console which is composed of said printing dial, a station for placing a credit card thereon, a date printing dial, a manually operative roller by means of which a record medium is pressed between said printing dial and said credit card, and a reset button actuated by said roller for resetting said register apparatus; and setting control means including a console having indicator lamps and setting buttons, and said manual setting dial.

2. A semi-automatic type register apparatus for dispensing fluids, comprising: a number of fluid-meter dispensing devices each generating signals representing the quantity of dispensed fluid; storage circuits of the same number as said fluidmeter devices each responsive to a respective one of said signals for storing the dispensed quantity of fluid from said fluid-meter devices; means for calculating the price of the dispensed fluid; selection dispensing switches of the same number as said fluid-meter dispensing devices for transmitting indicating signals from a selected one of said storage circuits to said means for calculating; price setting switching means for selecting a unit price of said fluid; means for transmitting said unit price to said means for calculating; temporary storage means for storing the price of the fluid dispensed by any one of said number of fluid-meter dispensing devices, which price has been calculated by said means for calculating; means for imprinting at least the price of said dispensed fluid on a record medium and settable by said temporary storage means; means for actuating said means for imprinting; and means for transmitting at least the price of said dispensed fluid from said means for temporarily storing to said means for imprinting and comprising driving means actuated by said selection dispensing switches and said price selection switches; cam means and a plurality of rotatable levers actuated by said cam means driven by said means for driving; ratchet gears of the same number as said rotatable levers and movable in one direction by engagement with said rotatable levers; gears of the same number as said ratchet gears and engageable therewith via first intermediate gears; rotary brushes of the same number as said gears; gear means mounted to said rotary brushes and engageable with said ratchet gears via second intermediate gears; circuit board means in contact with said rotary brushes and connected to said temporary storage means; and means for attracTing one of said rotatable levers when said rotary brushes contact said circuit board means at a position wherein said one of said rotatable levers has been identified by said temporary storage means.

3. Semi-automatic type register apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said means for imprinting further includes a printing station for receiving said record medium, and a reset button for resetting said register apparatus by said means for actuating said means for imprinting subsequent to the imprinting of said record medium; and wherein said semi-automatic type register apparatus further comprises control means including means for indicating the operation of said fluid-meter dispensing devices, said selection switches and said price setting switches, means for mechanically setting said means for imprinting with data relating to the price of said dispensed fluid, the unit price thereof, and the quantity of fluid dispensed.