US785989A - Counting apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

N0. 785,989. PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905.

W. P, WATTS.

COUNTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, 26, 1904.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

" lNVENTOF? f Mafia WA TTOHNE Y PATENTBD MAR. 28, 1905.

W. P. WATTS.

COUNTING APPARATUS.

APPMOATION FILED MAR. 26, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, W/TNESSES:

Patented March 28, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEIcE.

WALTER P. IVATTS, OF COVINA, CALIFORNIA.

COUNTING APPARATUSn SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 785,989, dated March 28, 1905.

Application filed March 26, 1904. Serial No. 200,132.

To rtZZ whom it nuty concern:

Be itknown that LVVALTERRVVAT'rs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Covina, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counting Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to counting devices, and particularly to a device for ascertaining the number of articles handled; and some of the objects of the invention are to provide a device of this general character which will be simple and cheap in construction and at the same time efficient for the purpose intended.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device capable of diversified uses.

WVith these and other objects in view the invention consists, essentially, in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts substantially as more fully described in the following specification and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of one form of this invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the same. Fig. 3 is a partially-enlarged view of the invention, showing the parts removed and broken away, illustrating one application or use of the invention; and Fig. t is a side elevational view of the construction before illustrated.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character 1 designates a frame, which may be of any size, construction, or configuration, but is here shown as circular, and is constructed to receive a sheet of transparent material 2, beneath which is secured a dial or indicator-card 3, whereon are delineated gradnations or divisions suitable for the particular use to which the invention may be put. In

this illustration of an application of this invention the dial is shown as divided into an outer rim or portion 4, whereon are delineated graduations from 1 to A8, while on the inner or central portion 5 of the dial are delineated graduations from 1 to 12. However, the graduations here shown and described are only typical, and the invention is in no manner limited thereto.

Formed on or connected with the frame 1 is a casing 6, of any preferred form and construction, adapted to preferably receive a clock mechanism? of the usual construction provided with an escapement 8, one claw of which is normally retracted by a spring or other device 9 and which is constructed to engage with the teeth on an escapernentwheel 10, Fig. 3, and formed on or connected with the escapement 8 is an armature 11, adapted to be attracted by an electromagnet 12 whenever the same is energized through the extremities 13 of the winding thereof, which extremities may be connected with binding-posts let, formed on or connected with the casing 6 in the usual manner.

This invention will now be described when it is used for counting or computing the number of oranges handled, as in a packing-house, although the invention is not limited to this use.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings, there is illustrated a portion of atrough or runway 15, constructed to receive or into which is introduced oranges, (designated as 16,) which are constructed to pass over and depress a rod or platform 17, connected with the intermediate portion of a circuit-closing or contact plate 18, whereby when the weight of the orange depresses the plate or red 17 the contact-plate 18 will be forced upon or against a c0ntact-post 15), connected by a wire 20 with the post 1st and which is in turn connected with the extremity 13 of the wrapping of the magnet 12, the other extremity 13 being attached to the opposite post 1%, and the latter is in turn connected by a wire 21 with a battery or other source of electric energy 22, while the battery is finally connected with a binding-post 23, attached to the contact-plate 18, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains.

The operation of this invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the following explanation thereof.

The hands or indicators A and B being in proper position for the starting of the device, the oranges are introduced into the trough or runway 15, which is preferably inclined to cause the same to travel therethrough and to contact with in such travel and depress the rod or platform 17, thereby forcing the same into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and drawing the contact-plate or circuitcloser 18 against the contact-post 19, thereby completing the electrical circuit and energizing the electromagnet 12, which in turn attracts the armature 11 and oscillates the escapement 8 against the action of the spring 9, permitting the escapelnent-wheel 10 to revolve the distance of one tooth, whereupon as soon as the orange shall have passed over the actuating rod or platform 17 the latter will spring back into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and release the contact-plate or circuit-closer 18, thereby breaking the elec- It is not desired to limit or confine this invention to the specific construction, combination, and arrangement of parts herein shown and described, and the right is reserved to make all such changes in and modifications of the same as come within the spirit and scope of the invention.

A counting apparatus provided with a run way, electric terminals secured upon the exterior thereof having connection with the source of supply, a circuit-closing plate secured to one of said terminals, a resilient rod extending through said runway and plate, whereby the weight of an article in said runway will bend said rod and draw said plate against the other terminal, an indicating mechanism and means operated by the closing of said circuit to actuate said mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two sub scribing witnesses, at Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, State of California, this lOth d ay of March, 1904:.

trical circuit and deenergizing the electromagj net 12, which releases the armature 11 and permits the spring 9 to draw the escapement i 8 back into the normal. position, but allowing 1 the passage of another tooth therebelow.

l/Vitnesses:

CHARLns S. Roeuns, MIGNoN FORD.

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