US3863839A

US3863839A - Fuel pump computer conversion to quarts/liters pricing and cost computation

Info

Publication number: US3863839A
Application number: US442476A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bradley L Batson
Original assignee: Veeder Industries Inc
Current assignee: Veeder Industries Inc
Priority date: 1974-02-14
Filing date: 1974-02-14
Publication date: 1975-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1992-02-04

Abstract

Conversion of a conventional mechanical fuel pump computer for converting the computer for establishing and posting a unit volume price of a quart/liter of fuel, registering the volume amount of fuel delivered in quarts/liters and registering the cost amount of fuel delivered in accordance with the delivered volume in quarts/liters and the established quart/liter price, and comprising substitute lowest order volume and cost counter wheels having forty graduations and four equi-angularly spaced two-tooth transfer segments operative for indexing the next order wheel one count for each ten graduations of the lowest order counter wheel.

Description

United States Patent Batson Feb. 4, 1975 [54] FUEL PUMP COMPUTER CONVERSION TO 3,635,395 1/1972 Walsh 1. 235/117 R QUARTS/IJTERS PRICING AND COST 3,727,833 4/1973 Muller 235/117 R COMPUTATION P E St h J T k r1mary xammer ep en oms y [75] Inventor. Bradley L. Batson, Marlborough, Attorney Agent or Firm prutzman, Hayes Kalb &

Conn Chilton [73] Assignee: Veeder Industries,lnc., Hartford,

Corm- [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Feb. 14, 1974 Conversion of a conventional mechanical fuel pump computer for converting the computer for establishing [2]] Appl' 442476 and posting a unit volume price of a quart/liter of fuel, registering the volume amount of fuel delivered in [52] U.S. Cl. 235/94 R, 235/1 C, 235/61 M, quarts/liters and registering the cost amount of fuel 235/94 A, 235/117 R delivered in accordance with the delivered volume in [51] Int. Cl G06c 15/42, 867d 5/22 quarts/liters and the established quart/liter price, and [58] Field of Search 235/94 A, 61 M, 117 R, comprising substitute lowest order volume and cost 235/1 C, 103 counter wheels having forty graduations and four equi-angularly spaced two-tooth transfer segments op- [56] References Cited erative for indexing the next order wheel one count lTED STATES PATENTS for each ten graduations of the lowest order counter 2,463,594 3/1949 Brigham 235/103 wheel- 2,s14,444 11/1957 Bliss 235/94 R 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 3,618,852 11/1971 Avon 1 1 t 1 235/117 R TOTAL SALE I E QuARTsQ/ {NM PAIENTED 41975 3.863.839

sum 10F 2 /Z FIG.

6K 7/ 11mm? TOTAL SALE 1 FUEL PUMP COMPUTER CONVERSION TO QUARTS/LITERS PRICING AND COST COMPUTATION BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to conventional mechanical fuel pump computers of the type employed in fuel dispensing apparatus for computing and registering the volume and cost amounts of fuel delivered and to conventional mechanical registers employed in such computers of the type shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,8l4,444 of Harvey N. Bliss dated Nov. 26, 1957 and entitled Register" and relates more particularly to the conversion of such mechanical computers for establishing and posting a unit volume price of fuel in quarts/liters, registering the volume of the fuel delivered in quarts/liters and registering the cost of the fuel delivered in accordance with the volume of fuel delivered in quarts/liters and the posted quart/liter unit volume price.

The conventional mechanical fuel pump computer incorporates a mechanical register having a pair of counters on each of two opposite faces of the register for registering on each of the opposite faces the cost and volume amounts of the fuel delivered. Such a register is shown in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 2,8 H.444. The fuel pump computer also incorporates a mechanical variator of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,867 of Richard B. Hamlin dated Dec. 3, I968 and entitled Variator" for establishing and posting the unit volume price ofa gallon of fuel. The variator is connected for being mechanically driven by a conventional gasoline meter and is connected for driving the volume and cost counters of the register for registering the volume amount of fuel delivered in gallons and the cost amount of fuel delivered in accordance with volume amount delivered in gallons and the established gallon unit volume price. Because of the increasing cost of gasoline, the price of a gallon of gasoline may now exceed the maximum range of 49 and 9/10 cents of conventional limited range variators in the field and in the not too distant future may exceed the maximum range of 99 and 9H0 cents of conventional greater range variators in the field.

It is therefore a principal aim of the present invention to provide conversion means for modifying conventional mechanical fuel pump computers for establishing and posting a unit volume price of a quart/liter of fuel, for registering the volume amount of the fuel delivered in quarts/liters and registering the cost amount of the fuel delivered in accordance with the volume amount delivered in quarts/liters and the established quart/liter unit volume price.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved conversion means of the type described which does not increase the required torque load of the fuel meter for driving the computer and which permits conversion of existing conventional computers with minimum inconvenience and down time.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved mechanical gasoline pump register providing a price and cost readout in quarts/liters.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

A better understanding of the invention will be obtained from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings of an illustrative application of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. I is a partial front elevation view, partly broken away, of a fuel pump having a mechanical computer modified in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevation view, partly broken away, of a register of the fuel pump computer;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of at lowest order counter wheel of the register;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial elevation view. partly broken away and partly in section. of a counter of the register; and,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged elevation view, partly broken away and partly in section. of a gear box of the modified mechanical computer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several figures, a gasoline delivery pump I0 employing a mechanical computer 12 incorporating an embodiment of the present invention is shown having a nozzle I4 for delivering fuel and a suitable nozzle storage receptacle 15 for storing the nozzle 14 between fuel deliveries. In a conventional manner, a meter 16 provided in the fuel delivery conduit has a rotary output shaft 17 driven in accordance with the volume amount of fuel delivered. The meter shaft I7 is suitably coupled to an input shaft 18 of a modified variator l9. Excepting as modified as hereinafter described the variator I9 is of the type described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,4] 3,867 and comprises three settable range arms (not shown) of ascending order of significance which can be individually manually set into engagement with selected gear steps of a cone gear (not shown) to collectively establish the desired unit volume price of fuel within a three place price range. The variator also comprises three price posting wheels 20-22, corresponding to the three range arms, which are mechanically connected to the range arms to automatically post the unit volume price established by the settings of the range arms. The variator has a center shaft 30 which is driven by the variator input shaft 18 and which extends through the variator and is mechanically connected via bevel gears 32, 33 (conventionally providing a 4:1 speed reduction), shaft 34 and gears 35, 36 for driving the drive gears 41 of the lowest order counter wheels 23 of a pair of volume counters 24 of a resettable register 25 for registering the volume amount of fuel dispensed. A rotary output gear 26 of the variator rotatably mounted on the variator center shaft 30 is driven by the meter I6 via the variator cone gear and variator range arms in accordance with the established unit volume price. The output gear 26 is mechanically connected somewhat like the variator shaft 30 for driving the drive gears 41 of the lowest order counter wheels 37 of a pair of register cost counters 38 for registering the cost amount of fuel dispensed in accordance with the unit volume price established by the variator I9.

The resettable register 25 is of the type shown in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,444 and is operable by a control handle 39 positioned adjacent the nozzle storage receptacle such that the handle 39 has to be rotated to its vertical or of position to permit the nozzle 14 to be placed in its storage receptacle at the completion ofa fuel delivery, and the nozzle 14 has to be removed from its storage receptacle 15 to permit the handle 39 to be rotated to its horizontal or on" position. Rotation of the handle 39 to its vertical or off position provides for disengaging all of the counter wheel drive gears 41 (as hereinafter described with more particularity) for conditioning the register 25 for being reset, and rotation of the handle 39 to its horizontal or "on" position provides for sequentially resetting all of the number wheels ofthe cost and volume counters to zero and then re-engaging all of the counter wheel drive gears 41 for re-conditioning the register 25 for registering the cost and volume of the fuel delivered. The register 25 is also connected in a known manner to provide for de-energizing a motor 46 for a pump 48 when the handle 39 is turned to its off" position and for re-energizing the motor 46 after the volume and

cost counters

24, 38 of the register 25 have been reset and the register is conditioned for recording the subsequent delivery.

As more fully described in the aforementioned US. Pat. No. 2,814,444 the register 25 comprises a frame with a pair of side plates 50, 5i and two banks or pairs of vertically spaced axially shiftable wheel supporting shafts 52 (FIG. 4) mounted on the

side plates

50, 51 for supporting the counter wheels of the cost and

volume counters

24, 38. Four number wheels of ascending order are rotatably mounted on each of the axially shiftable shafts 52, and the wheels are connected by intermediate eight-tooth transfer pinions 55 rotatable on pinion shafts 56 extending parallel to the wheel shafts 52. The lowest order counter wheel drive gear 41 of each cost counter 38 is mechanically connected to be driven by the meter via the variator 19 for registering the cost of each fuel delivery, and the lowest order counter wheel drive gear 41 of each volume counter 24 is mechanically connected to be driven by the meter 16 via the variator 19 for registering the volume of each fuel delivery.

Each of the cost and volume counter wheels has a hub 60, a twenty-tooth drive gear 41 rotatably mounted on one end of the hub (at the right end of the hub 60 as viewing the wheel when reading the counter), and (at the opposite end of the hub 60) a reset gear 62 rotatably mounted on the hub 60. Also each of the counter wheels of higher order than the lowest order counter wheels 23, 37 has a combination locking ring and single two-tooth transfer segment gear 64 integrally formed with the hub The lowest order counter wheels 23, 37 have modified combination locking ring and transfer segment gears 68 as hereinafter described. Each transfer pinion 55 is mounted on the transfer pinion shaft 56 for engagement with the drive gear 41 and combination locking ring and transfer segment gear of the adjacent higher and lower order counter wheels respectively for timely generating a one-count or 36 transfer from the lower order counter wheel to the adjacent higher order counter wheel.

Each drive gear 41 is formed with a serrated annular portion 70, and a drive pawl 72 pivotally mounted on the wheel hub 60 and spring biased into engagement with the serrations providing for selectively engaging the drive gear 4]. In similar fashion each reset gear 62 is provided with an annular arrangement of pockets 73, and a reciprocable plunger 74 is mounted on the wheel hub 60 and actuated by a pivotal pawl 75 to provide for selective engagement of the reset gear 62.

The counter shafts 52 are provided with axially spaced annuluses 76 which normally receive the inwardly projecting ends of the pawls 72, 75 to provide for engagement of the wheel drive gears 41 and disengagement of the reset gears 62. By axially shifting the counter shafts 52, the pawls 72, 75 are pivoted to engage the reset gears 62 and disengage the drive gears 41 and thereby condition the counter wheels to be reset to zero via reset drive gears 78 which mesh with the reset gears 62. The reset drive gears 78 are connected to be driven by a reset spring to rotate the counter wheels to zero, and when each counter wheel reaches its zero or fully reset position the inner end of the reset gear pawl 75 is received within an axial slot 86 in the counter shaft 52 to disengage the reset gear 62 and simultaneously lock the counter wheel against further rotation. When the counter shafts 52 are axially shifted back to their normal position, the inner ends of the pawls 72, 75 are received within the annuluses of the counter shafts 52 to re engage the drive gears 41 and unlock the counter wheels and thereby re-condition the counters for registering the cost and volume of the fuel delivered.

The conventional mechanical computer of the type described is installed to establish and post the unit volume price of a gallon of fuel with the variator l9, register the volume amount of fuel delivered in gallons and compute the cost amount of fuel delivered in accordance with the number of gallons delivered and the gal [on unit volume price established by the variator setting. A type of conventional limited range variator is capable of setting the gallon unit volume price up to 49 and 9/l0 cents and is now becoming obsolete by the rapidly escalating price of fuel. Another type of conventional variator which is capable of setting the gallon unit volume price up to 99 and 9/10 cents may become obsolete in the not too distant future for the same reason.

In accordance with the present invention the computer is modified for establishing and posting a unit volume price of a quart/liter of gasoline with the variator l9 and for thereby expanding the maximum available price which may be established by the variator setting and for converting the computer to register the volume amount of fuel delivered in quarts/liters and compute and register the cost amount of fuel delivered in accordance with the volume amount of fuel delivered in quarts/liters and the unit volume price of a quart/liter of fuel established by the variator setting.

The cost and

volume counters

24, 38 are modified in accordance with the present invention to provide substitute lowest order counter wheels 23, 37 having

rims

86, 87 respectively with 40 equi-angularly spaced graduations instead of the conventional ten graduations and a combination locking ring and transfer segment gear 68 having four equiangularly spaced two-tooth transfer segments 90 (instead of a single two-tooth transfer segment 90 as in the higher order counter wheels) and four intermediate angularly spaced locking ring portions 92 (instead of a single locking ring portion as in the higher order counter wheels). The second or immediately higher order counter wheel of each counter is thereby indexed one count of 36 for each 90 or 10 graduations of the lowest order or right hand wheel of the counter.

Each graduation of the lowest order counter wheel 37 of the cost counter 38 represents one cent and each set of IO graduations represents ten cents and is properly numerically designated, for example, with a full set of numerals 0 9 or preferably with a set of

alternate numerals

0, 2, 4, 6, 8, at alternate graduations as shown in the drawings. Accordingly. the cost counter 38 provides for registering a cost which is four times the cost which would be registered by a conventional unmodified register. By setting the variator 19 at one-fourth the price of a gallon of fuel and therefore setting the variator at a unit volume price for a quart of fuel (a useable and generally readily understood unit of measure) the cost counter would then properly count and register the cost of fuel. The posted unit volume price provided by the variator price wheels 20 22 accordingly becomes a quart unit volume price and the register cover plate 100 is therefore modified to appropriately designate the posted unit volume price. Since a quart unit volume price is being used to compute the cost of the gasoline delivered, the computer price range has in effect been expanded by a factor of four and such that the price range ofa gallon of gasoline (i.e., the posted quart price times a factor of four) is extended to 199 and 6/10 cents per gallon with the limited range variator previously having a gallon price range to 49 and 9/10 cents and to 399 and 6/10 cents per gallon with the greater range variator previously having a gallon price range to 99 and 9/10 cents.

The price change from a gallon unit volume price to a quart unit volume price is therefore made without changing the drive connection between the cost counters 38 and the fuel meter 16 excepting to reduce the cost gear ratio through the variator 19 with the variator range arms and whereby the actual meter torque required to drive the cost counters 38 is in fact substantially reduced.

The volume counters 24 if not modified would continue to accurately register the volume amount of fuel delivered in gallons. However, in accordance with the preferred embodiment the lowest order volume counter wheel 23 is modified to provide forty equiangularly spaced graduations providing four sets of ten graduations each and a combination locking ring and transfer gear 68 having four equi-angularly spaced twotooth gear segments 90 and intermediate locking ring portions 92 to convert the volume counter 24 to multiply the volume count by a factor of four and such that it will then register the volume amount of fuel delivered in quarts. (Alternatively the bevel gears 32, 33 in the drive train to the pair of volume counters 24 can be replaced by substitute bevel gears (not shown) which increase the drive ratio by a factor of four.) The register cover plate 100 is then also further modified to properly designate the volume readout. Accordingly, the product of the three digit number posted by the variator l9 representing the quart unit volume price and the numerical readout of the volume counter 24 will be equal to the numerical readout of the cost counter 38 and so as to permit customer verification of the computer cost. Each of the forty graduations on the rim 86 of the right hand volume counter wheel 23 represent a tenth of a quart and the graduations can be suitably designated for example, by indicating alternate graduations of each set of ten graduations with the indicia 0,

2/10, 4/10, 6/10 and 8/10 respectively to facilitate accurately reading the volume in quarts.

Also the second or next lowest order wheel of each counter can be modified as shown to facilitate properly reading those wheels during the 36 transfer interval while the second wheel is being indexed with the right hand wheel. In this modification, the second wheel is provided with a primary numeral having less height and a secondary or auxiliary repeating numeral having the same height and angularly spaced in the advancing di rection from the primary numeral to facilitate proper numeral reading during transfers. As a result, inaccurate reading of the second number wheel at the next count before that count is actually reached is substantially less likely. The further higher order counter wheels can be similarly modified if desired.

Alternatively, the lowest order volume counter wheel can merely be modified to have for example, sixteen equi-angularly spaced graduations properly identified to register the volume in quarts and with the remaining volume counter wheels continuing to register the volume in gallons, in which case the lowest order volume counter wheel would have only one two-tooth transfer segment like the remaining higher order counter wheels. Each of the sixteen graduations on the lowest order volume counter wheel would then represent onefourth of a quart and for example, alternate one-half quart graduations could be identified with the indicia, 0, V2 QL, 1 Qt., 1% Qt.,.. .4 Qt.

An advantage of converting the fuel pump computer 12 in the manner described is that it could then be readily further converted from a quart unit volume price to a liter unit volume price at such time as such conversion to the metric system is required or becomes desirable. No further modification of the register would be required excepting to modify the cover plate to properly show that the posted price is the unit volume price for a liter of fuel and the registered volume is provided in liters. The only further modification would be the addition ofa variator input gear box for example, mounted on the underside of the variator 19 as shown in FIG. 4. If desired, the input gear box 110 could be installed on the underside of the variator 19 when the computer is modified to establish and post a unit volume price of a quart of gasoline, and in that event the gear box 110 is designed as shown in FIG. 4 to selectively provide a 1:1 drive ratio for quart pricing or a 56:53 drive reduction for liter pricing. The gear box 110 shown in FIG. 4 incorporates an axially shiftable compound gear 102 driven by the gear box input shaft 18. The compound gear 102 has a lower position providing a 1:1 drive ratio for quart pricing and an upper position providing a 56:53 (or 1.0566z1) drive reduction for liter pricing. (A liter is equal to 1.0567 quarts and the difference between the described l.0566:1 gear reduction and the required slightly greater 1.056721 gear reduction is accommodated by adjustment of the meter 16 within its available adjustment range.) The shiftable compound gear 102 in its lower position drives the variator center shaft 30 via

gears

103, 104 having the same number of teeth (e.g., 53 teeth) to provide a 1:1 drive ratio. The compound gear 102 is fixed onto a support sleeve 106 which is suitably keyed to 'the input shaft 18. The support sleeve 106 has a depending reduced portion 107 which extends through the gear box housing 108 and which is held in its lower position by a suitable locking ring 110.

In its upper position the gear 112 of the compound gear 102 engages a gear 114 on the variator center shaft to provide a 56:53 drive reduction (e.g., by 53 and 56 tooth gears). The support sleeve 106 is held in its upper position in engagement with the variator base 120 by mounting another locking ring (not shown) within a suitable annulus 122 of the shaft 18. The settable compound gear 102 can then be quickly set for quart or liter pricing as desired.

As will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art, various modifications. adaptations and variations of the foregoing specific disclosure can be made without departing from the teachings of the present invention.

I claim:

1. Conversion means for expanding the price range of a mechanical fuel pump computer having a variator driven by a fuel meter in accordance with the volume amount of fuel delivered and settable for independently establishing each place of a gallon unit volume fuel price within a three place price range and having at least one set of three number wheels for posting the three places respectively of the gallon unit volume price established by the variator setting; and a resettable register having at least one volume counter connected to be driven by the meter to provide a gallons readout of the amount of fuel delivered and resettable to zero between fuel deliveries and at least one cost counter connected to be driven by the meter and via the variator in accordance with the variator setting to provide a dollars readout of the cost amount of fuel delivered in accordance with the gallons readout and the gallon unit volume price established by the variator setting; each of said counters comprising a counter shaft, a transfer pinion shaft extending parallel to the counter shaft, a plurality of counter wheels of ascending order mounted on the counter shaft each having an outer rim with one decimal set of angularly spaced count indicia, adjacent counter wheels of relatively higher and lower order each having a disengageable wheel reset gear for resetting the counter wheel to zero, a disengageable wheel drive gear for rotating the counter wheel for counting, and gear engagement means operable by the counter shaft by axially shifting the counter shaft in one direction for disengaging the wheel drive gear and engaging the wheel reset gear for conditioning the counter wheel for being reset and by axially shifting the counter shaft in the opposite direction for engaging the wheel drive gear and conditioning the counter wheel for counting, the adjacent lower order counter wheel having a combination locking ring and single two-tooth segment transfer gear, and a plurality of transfer pinions mounted on the transfer pinion shaft each mounted in engagement with a wheel drive gear and combination locking ring and single two-tooth transfer gear of adjacent counter wheels of relatively higher and lower order for generating a one count transfer from the lower to the higher order counter wheel for every revolution of the lower order wheel; the conversion means comprising a substitute lowest order counter wheel for each counter; each substitute counter wheel having a said disengageable wheel drive gear, a said disengageable wheel reset gear, a said gear engagement means operable by the counter shaft, an outer rim bearing four decimal sets of angularly spaced count indicia, and a combination locking ring and transfer gear with four equi-angularly spaced two-tooth transfer gear segments and intermediate locking ring portions for generating a one count transfer from the substitute lowest order counter wheel to the next order counter wheel for every one-fourth revolution of the substitute counter wheel; whereby a fuel pump computer converted by the conversion means is operative to set and post a quart/liter unit volume price with its variator. provide a quarts/liters volume readout of the volume amount of fuel delivered, and provide a dollars readout of the cost amount of fuel delivered in accordance with the quarts/liters volume delivered and the quart/liter unit volume price established by the variator setting.

2. Conversion means according to claim I wherein each substitute counter wheel has an outer rim bearing 40 equi-angularly spaced graduations providing four sets of 10 decimal graduations and bearing said decimal sets of count indicia for identifying the four sets of graduations.

3. Conversion means according to claim 1 further comprising a substitute next to lowest order counter wheel for at least each cost counter having an outer rim bearing one decimal set of repeating count indicia of the sequence of 0 through 9, a said disengageable wheel reset gear, a said disengageable wheel drive gear, a said combination locking ring and single two-tooth segment transfer gear and a said gear engagement means operable by the counter shaft.

4. Conversion means according to claim 1 further comprising variator input gear means selectively settable at a lzl ratio for providing quarts pricing and a quarts volume readout and at approximately a 56:53 drive reduction for providing liters pricing and a liters volume readout.

5. A register for a mechanical fuel pump computer having a variator driven by a fuel meter in accordance with the volume amount of fuel delivered and settable for independently establishing each place of a unit volume fuel price within a three place price range and having at least one set of three number wheels for posting the three places respectively of the unit volume price established by the variator setting, the register comprising at least one cost counter adapted to be connected to be driven by the meter and via the variator in accordance with the variator setting to provide a dollars readout of the cost amount of fuel delivered in accordance with the volume amount of fuel delivered and the unit volume price established by the variator setting; each counter comprising a counter shaft, a plurality of counter wheels of ascending order mounted on the counter shaft, each of the counter wheels having an outer rim with angularly spaced count identifying indicia, adjacent counter wheels of relatively higher and lower order each having a disengageable wheel reset gear for resetting the counter wheel to zero, a disengageable wheel drive gear for rotating the counter wheel for counting, and gear engagement means ope rable by the counter shaft by axially shifting the counter shaft in one direction for disengaging the wheel drive gear and engaging the wheel reset gear for conditioning the counter wheel for being reset and by axially shifting the counter shaft in the opposite direction for engaging the wheel drive gear and conditioning the counter wheel for counting, the adjacent lower order counter wheel having a combination locking ring and transfer gear, a transfer pinion shaft extending parallel to the counter shaft, and a plurality of transfer pinions mounted on the transfer pinion shaft each mounted in engagement with a wheel drive gear and combination locking ring and transfer gear of adjacent counter wheels of relatively higher and lower order for generating count transfers from the lower to the higher order counter wheel, the lowest order counter wheel having an outer rim bearing four decimal sets of angularly spaced count indicia and a combination locking ring and transfer gear with four equi-angularly spaced twotooth transfer gear segments and intermediate locking ring portions for generating a one count transfer from the lowest to the next order counter wheel for every one-fourth revolution of the lowest order counter wheel; the remaining counter wheels other than the lowest order counter wheel having an outer rim bearing one decimal set of angularly spaced count indicia and variator setting.

t i l k

Claims

1. Conversion means for expanding the price range of a mechanical fuel pump computer having a variator driven by a fuel meter in accordance with the volume amount of fuel delivered and settable for independently establishing each place of a gallon unit volume fuel price within a three place price range and having at least one set of three number wheels for posting the three places respectively of the gallon unit volume price established by the variator setting; and a resettable register having at least one volume counter connected to be driven by the meter to provide a gallons readout of the amount of fuel delivered and resettable to zero between fuel deliveries and at least one cost counter connected to be driven by the meter and via the variator in accordance with the variator setting to provide a dollars readout of the cost amount of fuel delivered in accordance with the gallons readout and the gallon unit volume price established by the variator setting; each of said counters comprising a counter shaft, a transfer pinion shaft extending parallel to the counter shaft, a plurality of counter wheels of ascending order mounted on the counter shaft eaCh having an outer rim with one decimal set of angularly spaced count indicia, adjacent counter wheels of relatively higher and lower order each having a disengageable wheel reset gear for resetting the counter wheel to zero, a disengageable wheel drive gear for rotating the counter wheel for counting, and gear engagement means operable by the counter shaft by axially shifting the counter shaft in one direction for disengaging the wheel drive gear and engaging the wheel reset gear for conditioning the counter wheel for being reset and by axially shifting the counter shaft in the opposite direction for engaging the wheel drive gear and conditioning the counter wheel for counting, the adjacent lower order counter wheel having a combination locking ring and single two-tooth segment transfer gear, and a plurality of transfer pinions mounted on the transfer pinion shaft each mounted in engagement with a wheel drive gear and combination locking ring and single two-tooth transfer gear of adjacent counter wheels of relatively higher and lower order for generating a one count transfer from the lower to the higher order counter wheel for every revolution of the lower order wheel; the conversion means comprising a substitute lowest order counter wheel for each counter; each substitute counter wheel having a said disengageable wheel drive gear, a said disengageable wheel reset gear, a said gear engagement means operable by the counter shaft, an outer rim bearing four decimal sets of angularly spaced count indicia, and a combination locking ring and transfer gear with four equiangularly spaced two-tooth transfer gear segments and intermediate locking ring portions for generating a one count transfer from the substitute lowest order counter wheel to the next order counter wheel for every one-fourth revolution of the substitute counter wheel; whereby a fuel pump computer converted by the conversion means is operative to set and post a quart/liter unit volume price with its variator, provide a quarts/liters volume readout of the volume amount of fuel delivered, and provide a dollars readout of the cost amount of fuel delivered in accordance with the quarts/liters volume delivered and the quart/liter unit volume price established by the variator setting.

2. Conversion means according to claim 1 wherein each substitute counter wheel has an outer rim bearing 40 equi-angularly spaced graduations providing four sets of 10 decimal graduations and bearing said decimal sets of count indicia for identifying the four sets of graduations.

4. Conversion means according to claim 1 further comprising variator input gear means selectively settable at a 1:1 ratio for providing quarts pricing and a quarts volume readout and at approximately a 56:53 drive reduction for providing liters pricing and a liters volume readout.

5. A register for a mechanical fuel pump computer having a variator driven by a fuel meter in accordance with the volume amount of fuel delivered and settable for independently establishing each place of a unit volume fuel price within a three place price range and having at least one set of three number wheels for posting the three places respectively of the unit volume price established by the variator setting, the register comprising at least one cost counter adapted to be connected to be driven by the meter and via the variator in accordance with the variator setting to provide a dollars readout of the cost amount of fuel delivered in accordance with the volume amount of fuel delivered anD the unit volume price established by the variator setting; each counter comprising a counter shaft, a plurality of counter wheels of ascending order mounted on the counter shaft, each of the counter wheels having an outer rim with angularly spaced count identifying indicia, adjacent counter wheels of relatively higher and lower order each having a disengageable wheel reset gear for resetting the counter wheel to zero, a disengageable wheel drive gear for rotating the counter wheel for counting, and gear engagement means operable by the counter shaft by axially shifting the counter shaft in one direction for disengaging the wheel drive gear and engaging the wheel reset gear for conditioning the counter wheel for being reset and by axially shifting the counter shaft in the opposite direction for engaging the wheel drive gear and conditioning the counter wheel for counting, the adjacent lower order counter wheel having a combination locking ring and transfer gear, a transfer pinion shaft extending parallel to the counter shaft, and a plurality of transfer pinions mounted on the transfer pinion shaft each mounted in engagement with a wheel drive gear and combination locking ring and transfer gear of adjacent counter wheels of relatively higher and lower order for generating count transfers from the lower to the higher order counter wheel, the lowest order counter wheel having an outer rim bearing four decimal sets of angularly spaced count indicia and a combination locking ring and transfer gear with four equi-angularly spaced two-tooth transfer gear segments and intermediate locking ring portions for generating a one count transfer from the lowest to the next order counter wheel for every one-fourth revolution of the lowest order counter wheel; the remaining counter wheels other than the lowest order counter wheel having an outer rim bearing one decimal set of angularly spaced count indicia and the remaining lower order counter wheels having a combination locking ring and transfer gear with a single two-tooth gear segment and an intermediate locking ring for generating a one count transfer from each remaining lower order counter wheel to the next order counter wheel for every revolution of the lower order counter wheel, whereby the register is operable in a fuel pump computer for providing a dollars readout of the cost amount of fuel delivered in accordance with the quarts/liters volume amount delivered and a three place quart/liter unit volume price established by the variator setting.