GB2066533A - Improvements in counters with butted rollers - Google Patents

Abstract

Counter rollers (131-135) are mounted on a hub (12) formed integrally with one end cap (11). A second end cap (14) has resilient arms (151, 152) which extend along the hub and engage shoulders (231, 232) thereon adjacent the first end cap (11) to lock the end caps together. The hub (12) may be of cruciform section and include a recess for carry pinions between the rollers. By shifting the fixing of the second end cap (14) to the first end cap (11) sufficient space is provided in the least significant roller (131) to accommodate an input drive member without requiring that roller to be oversize. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in counters with butted rollers The present invention relates to counters with butted rollers, that is to say counters in which the transfer mechanism between decades is disposed within the interior of the rollers.

Two principal forms of such counters are actually known: on the one hand, counters with partition plates, in which the rollers are mounted on a central axis and the pinions of the transfer or carry mechanism are supported by intermediate plates disposed between consecutive rollers; and on the other hand, counters with annular rollers, mounted on a support such as arms or a cylindrical hub partially hollowed to accommodate the pinions of the carry mechanism inside it.

Counters of the first form described above are of complex structure making use of a large number of parts the assembly of which is naturally lengthy and delicate. Counters of the second form have a simpler structure. But, whereas in the first form of counter the wheels are generally all identical, in the second form of counter the roller of least significant rank or weighting has a width yreater than that of the other rollers, this difference in width being imposed by the need to accommodate therewithin the driving arrangement for this roller as well as the end cap, with its fixing, which keeps the assembly together.

The use of two types of roller of different widths also leads to complications of manufacture and assembly.

The invention has as its object a counter with butted rollers of annular form, the structure of which is such that all the rollers are identical and can in consequence be mounted equally well at any position whatever.

According to the invention there is provided a counter with butted rollers, comprising: rollers of annular form, associated with respective carry pinions disposed within the rollers; a first end cap supporting a shaft for the carry pinions; a hub integral with the first end cap for supporting the rollers coaxially; and a second closure cap secured by fixing means to the remainder of the counter; wherein the said second cap has resilient arms parallel to the axis of the rollers, these arms extending through recesses provided in the hub and being secured to the first cap by the said fixing means.

Thus, the shift of the fixing of the second closure cap to the first end cap permits a reduction in the thickness of this second cap and, in consequence its accommodation in a standard roller of normal dimensions, simplifying manufacture, by reducing it to one type alone of roller, as well as assembly. The fixing of the arms of the second cap to the first can be accomplished by gluing, soldering, etc., but more advantageously by a ratchet in order to make the counter easily dismantlable.

Preferably, the rollers, the carry pinions and the other parts of the counter, with the exception of the shaft for the carry pinions, are made of injection-moulded plastic material, and the said rollers have numerals relief-moulded in two colours.

A counter with butted rollers in accordance with this invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the counter in axial section; Figure 2 is a transverse section of the counter along the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an outer view of the first end cap; and Figure 4 is an outer view of the second closure cap.

Referring to the figures, the counter 10 essentially comprises a first end cap 11, integral with a central hub 12 on which are mounted annular rollers, for example five in number, 131 to 135, and a second closure cap 14 accommodated within the first or least significant roller 131. The cap 14 is provided with a pair of resilient arms 151,152 ending in hooks 161, 162 and constituting a ratchet with the cap 11 (hereinafter similar parts, such as the rollers 131 to 135, are identified jointly by only the first two digits, such as 13, of their reference numbers).

The hub 12 has a transverse section of generally cruciform shape partially hollowed at its centre, as can be seen in Figure 2, the ends of the four branches of the cross serving to support the annular rollers 13. Between two of the arms of the cross there is disposed the carry mechanism comprising the usual carry pinions 30 mounted on a common shaft 31, journalled in the cap 11, each pinion having, in known manner, an alternating series of long and short teeth to co-operate with the locking loop 33 of the adjacent less significant roller and with the teeth 32 of the adjacent more significant roller. The two adjacent recesses provided in the arms of the cross of the hub 12 permit the passage of the arms 1 51, 1 52 noted above.

The cap 11, shown in Figure 3, has three openings: the first 21, of circular form, is provided for mounting the common shaft 31 of the pinions 30: the other two 221 and 222 are diametrically opposed and disposed symmetrically relative to the opening 21. Opposite these openings 22, the hub 12 has two shoulders 231,232 intended to co-operate with the hooks 161 and 162 respectively at the ends of the arms 1 5 of the second cap 14 to form a ratchet. The openings 221 and 222 are provided to permit the insertion of a tool enabling separation of the hooks 1 6 from the shoulders 23 with a view to being able eventually to disassemble the counter after assembly. The ends of the hooks have a taper facilitating the insertion of the arms 1 5 in the hub 12 as well as the entry of the disassembly tool.

the cap 11 has inside it a central hole 1 7 here shown blind, at the end of the hub 12 to serve as a bearing for an input shaft carrying drive fingers for the first roller 131. It also has on the outside two lugs 18 to prevent it from turning when mounted on a support and serving as an angular reference for the counter.

Likewise, the second cap 14 shown in Figure 4 has a central bearing 25 and an opening 28 serving respectiveiy as a bearing for the input shaft and for the shaft 31 of the carry pinions 30.

The central bearing 25 is formed in a central core 26 having flats 27 which partially match at the periphery the form of the central hollow of the hub 12.

The assembly of the cap 14 and the arms 15 is so dimensioned that, when positioned, that is to say with the hooks 16 engaging the shoulders 23 of the cap 11, the cap 14 should be accommodated within the first roller 131, completely clearing the location of the drive fingers, and so that the ends of the arms 15 should not project outside the cap 11 Each roller 13 has internal drive teeth 32 on its right-hand face and a drive or locking loop 33 on its left-hand face to co-operate with the adjacent carry pinion. Furthermore, notches 34, for example three in number at 1200 to each other, are provided on the inside of the rim to enable drive of a roller by fingers forming part of an external drive member when that roller is the ieast significant roller.These rollers are for example injectionmoulded rollers in two colours with numerals in relief, of the type described in U.K. Patent Application No. 32 776.

The collection of constituent parts of the counter, with the exception of the shaft 31 for the carry pinions 30, can be made by injectionmoulding of plastic material, the cap 11 and the hub 12 being made as a unitary part. The assembly of such a counter presents no difficulty given the simplicity of its structure: the shaft 31 is first journalled in the cap 11, then the rollers 13, appropriately angularly oriented, are threaded successively on to the hub 12 alternately with the pinions 30 on the shaft 31. When all the rollers 13 have been positioned, it suffices to close the assembly with the second cap 14, the resilient arms 15 of which spread apart and pass through the recesses provided in the hub 12 for this purpose and, in closing together, fix by ratchet action upon the first cap 11. The assembled counter is then ready for use.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the sole embodiment which has been described by way of example. In particular, the form of the hub, the number of arms and the type of fixing can be modified.

Claims (9)

1. Counter with butted rollers, comprising: rollers of annular form, associated with respective carry pinions disposed within the rollers; a first end cap supporting a shaft for the carry pinions; a hub integral with the first end cap for supporting the rollers coaxially; and a second closure cap secured by fixing means to the remainder of the counter; wherein the said second cap has resilient arms parallel to the axis of the rollers, these arms extending through recesses provided in the hub and being secured to the first cap by the said fixing means.

2. Counter according to claim 1, wherein the said fixing means comprises a ratchet.

3. Counter according to claim 2, wherein the said rachet comprises hooks at the ends of said arms co-operating with shoulders formed in the first cap at the end of the hub.

4. Counter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the said arms have a length such that, when the closure cap is positioned, they extend through the rollers without projecting outside the first cap.

5. Counter according to claim 3, wherein openings are provided in the first cap opposite each hook to permit disengagement of the ratchet.

6. Counter according to claim 5, wherein the ends of the hooks have a taper facilitating insertion of the arms into the hub and permitting their separation by means of a tool extending through the said openings.

7. Counter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second cap has a central opening coaxial with another opening provided in the first cap at the end of the hub to support the shaft of input drive means.

8. Counter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rollers are all identical.

9. Counter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.