US1051922A - Counting mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

J. E. SHEPPARD.

COUNTING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 26, 1908.

1,05 1,922, Patented Feb.4, 1913.

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J. E. SHEPPARD. COUNTING MECHANISM.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 26, 1908. 1,05 1,922, Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

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JAMES E. SHEPPARD, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JULIUS WARREN SHEPPARD, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

COUNTING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4,1913.

Application filed June 26, 1908. Serial No. 440,439.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. SHEPPARD, a citizen of the United States, residing a- VVorcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Counting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, accompanied by drawings forming a part of the same, in which Figure l is a front view of a counting mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view through two of the units forming the counting system on the plane of the broken line 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a similar transverse view on the broken line l, Fig. 2. Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse sectional views through two of the units on the broken lines 5 and 6 respectively, Fig. 2, and Fig. 7 is a detached view of the locking plate. Fig. 8 denotes the same sectional view of the unit G as is shown in Fig. 3, but wit-h the ring 9 rotated to bring its tooth 11 against the stop pin 12. Fig. 9 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the unit Gr. Fig. 10 is a side view of the latch 27. Fig. 11 is a sectional view throngh the mechanism for locking the latch 27 on the plane of the broken line ll, 11, Fig. 2, and Fig. 12 is a detached view of the key 37.

Similar reference letters and figures refer to similar parts in the different views.

My present invention relates to a counting and registering mechanism such as is employed to indicate the aggregate individual operations of a machine as, for example, the number of revolutions of a shaft, the reciprocating movements of an engine piston, or the number of completed products of any given machine. Like similar mechanisms now in use it comprises a series of individual units, each capable of registering numbers containing a single figure and being successively geared together ina ratio of one to ten, whereby the first series of numbers will register units, the second, tens, the third, hundreds, the fourth, thousands, and so on to the end of the series employed.

My present invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and pointed out in the annexed claims, whereby greater certainty of operation is secured and a liability of erroneous registration, either by accident or design, is obviated.

In the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings 1 have shown an assemblage of eight individual units, indicated by the letters A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H. Each of the units is provided with a disk containing numbers comprising the nine digits and zero, arranged in a concentric circle with equidistant spaces. An initial intermittent rotary motion is given to the unit A through the medium of an oscillating lever 1, which is actuated at each movement of the machine to be counted. At each complete revolution of the unit A, a similar intermittent movement is given to the unit B, and at each complete revolution of the unit B a similar intermittent movement is given to the unit C, and so on throughout the entire series, each of said units being securely locked from any movement except that imparted to it in the normal operation of the mechanism.

The different units are preferably arranged in a single straight row and mounted upon fixed studs 2. As the units are substantially duplicates of each other a description of G will suflice for all. Rotating upon the stud 2 is a sleeve 3 to which is rigidly attached a disk i, a ratchet wheel 5, a disk 6, and an outer sleeve 7 provided with a digit disk 8. Between the sleeve 7 and disk 6 is mounted a loose ring 9, best shown in Fig. 3, provided with a single actuating tooth 10 and a stop tooth 11, between which is inclosed a pin 12-carried by the disk (3. The disk 4; is provided with ten equal peripheral concave recesses, as shown at 13, Fig. &, adapted to receive the periphery of the disk 6 of the next adjacent unit F, by which the unit G is held from rotation in dependently of the unit F. The disk 6, best shown in Fig. 4t, is a circular plate having its periphery fitting the concave recess 13 of the disk 4 of the next adjacent unit, and provided with a recess 1%. to allow the two units to be turned in unison.

The ring 9 is provided that, when the unit G is turned in the direction of the arrow 15, the tooth 10 will engage one of the ratchet teeth of the ratchet 5 carried by the unit H and impart :1 limited rotative movement thereto. The disks with a tooth 10 so 6 and 4, having interlocking peripheries corresponding to the well known Geneva stop motion, are the locking means for holding the adjacent units from independent movement and the loose ring 9, having a driving tooth 10 which bears against the pin 12 carried by the disk 6, constitutes the driving mechanism through its engagement with the teeth of the driven ratchet 5. The movement imparted to the ratchet 5 by the tooth 10 is just sutlicient to rotate the driven unit far enough to substitute one digital number in the place of another on the disk 8, and cause the disk 6 to interlock with the next succeeding concave recess 13 on the disk 4;. This limited rotative movement of each of the units takes place once at each complete rotation of the preceding or driving unit. The initial movement is given to the unit A through the oscillating lever 1 by means of a driving pawl 16 engaging the ratchet 5 of the first unit, and the reverse movement of the ratchet is prevented by a retaining pawl 17, Fig. 5. Immediately behind the ratchet 5 of the unit A is a smaller ratchet 18, Figs. 2 and 6, having its teeth upon its upper side engaged by a pin 19 carried by a gravity plate 20, which is pivoted at 21. The movement of the unit A, as actuated by the lever 1, is in the direction of the arrow 22, Fig. 5, but motion in this direction is normally prevented by the pin 19.

As the lever 1 is raised, it lifts the gravity plate 20 and carries the pin 19 out of engagement with the ratchet 18 by means of a pin 23, carried by the gravity plate 20 and passing through a slot in the lever 1. At the highest point in the elevation of the lever 1 a corresponding locking tooth 24 on the gravity plate 20 is carried into engagement with the under side of the ratchet 18; the unit A is, therefore, locked against movement in one direction by the retaining pawl 17, and against movement in the opposite direction by one of the pins 19 or 24 at the extreme upper or lower ends of the movement of the lever 1.

The gravity plate 20 is loosely pivoted at 21 so that it is capableof a lateral swinging movement on its pivot, but it is normally held against the side of the ratchet 18 by means of a blade spring 25 attached to the lever 1, The object of the lateral swinging movement of the gravity plate is to enable it to be pushed sidewise, so as to entirely disengage the pins 19 and 24 from the ratchet 18. The ratchet 5 upon each of the units overlaps the locking plate upon the next preceding unit, so that the ratchet of the unit H prevents the longitudinal withdrawal of the unit G from its stud. Similarly the ratchet of the unit G locks the unit F from longitudinal movement and so on through the series. The last unit H of the series has attached to the inner end of its sleeve a collar 26, which is locked against longitudinal movement on its stud by means of a pivoted latch 27, which is pivoted at one end, with its opposite end engaging the side of the collar 26.

The latch 27 is attached to a pivotal pin 28 which is free to rotate in a post 29. The latch 27 is preferably locked in the position shown in Fig. 10 by any suitable locking mechanism, in the present instance, the latch is locked by a sliding spring actuated locking pin 30 having its tip adapted to enter a diametrical hole 31 in the pivotal pin 28, and held in position by a spiral spring 32. The post 29 is provided with a vertical hole 33 in alinement with the diametrical hole 31 in the pivotal pin 28 allowing a key, consisting of a small metal rod, to be inserted in the hole 33 for the purpose of pushing the spring actuated locking pin 30 downwardly out of engagement with the pivotal pin 28. \Vhen this has been accomplished the latch 27 is rocked slightly, in order to catch the end of the locking pin 30 beneath the edge of the hole 31, when the key is removed and the latch raised into the position shown by the broken lines 3 1, Fig. 10.

In order to prevent the locking mechanism from being tampered with, I introduce in the hole 33 a slidable safety pin 35 held in an inclined hole 36, so it will slide by gravity into the position shown in Fig. 11 with its lower end in the hole 33, thereby preventing the insertion of an ordinary metal rod into the hole 33. In order to remove the safety pin 35 I use a key 37, shown in Fig. 12, having one end beveled at 38 and adapted to enter past the lower end of the stop pin and by the beveled surface 38, crowding the stop pin upwardly in the hole 36.

lVhen the latch 27 has been raised in the position of the broken lines 3 1-, the collar 26 will be released and allow the unit II to be drawn forward out of engagement with the unit G, so its disk 8 may be set with the zero mark uppermost. In order to withdraw the unit H on its stud, however, it will be neces sary to turn the ring 9 on the sleeve 3 sulfieiently to bring the tooth 11 against the stop pin 12, as shown in Fig. 8. This move mentof the ring 9 changes the position of the actuating tooth 10 so as to allow the. disk 4- to be drawn out, which would otherwise be locked in position by the overlapping of the tooth 10.

The release of the unit I-I effects the release of the preceding unit G which, when drawn out of its stud, will release the preceding unit F and so on through the series, allowing each of the disks 8 to be turned to bring their zero marks uppermost as shown in Fig. 1. In the position shown in Fig. 1 all the units are set at zero and, when they are pushed back in the position shown in Fig. 2 and the collar 26 locked by the latch 27, as shown in Fig. 2, it is impossible to tamper with the mechanism to cause it to indicate an erroneous count.

I claim,

1. In a mechanism of the class described, comprising a series of registering units, the combination with the first unit of said series, of an actuating mechanism for imparting an intermittent movement thereto in one direction, means for locking said units against a movement in the reverse direction, and an automatic locking mechanism for locking said unit from movement in a forward direction except during said intermittent forward movement, comprising a pivoted lever having a pair of pins, with one of said pins arranged to engage and lock said unit by gravity, and means operating simultaneously with said actuating mechanism to move said pin out of and the other of said pins into locking engagement with said unit.

2. In a mechanism of the class described, comprising a series of registering units, the combination with the first unit of said series, of a locking mechanism, comprising a lever pivoted at one end, a pair of locking pins carried by said lever, one above and one below said unit, means for raising said lever to carry one pin into locking engagement with said unit, and means for releasing said lever to allow gravity to carry the other of said pins into locking engagement with said unit.

3. In a mechanism of the class described, comprising a series of registering units, means for actuating the first unit of said series, and means for automatically locking said series against movement, comprising a lever pivoted at one end and provided with a pair of pins arranged to alternately engage said unit, said lever being capable of a lateral movement on its pivot, whereby both of said pins are moved out of engagement with said unit.

4. In a mechanism of the class described, comprising a series of registering units, the combination with the first unit in said series, of means for automatically locking said unit, means for releasing said unit, and means for imparting a limited rotative movement to said unit while it is released, said locking means arranged to be moved out of operative relation to said unit at will.

5. In a mechanism of the class described, comprising a series of registering units, means for imparting an intermittent movement to the first unit of said series, and means for operatively connecting said series, comprising a toothed wheel upon the driven unit, a loose ring held concentrically upon the driving unit, having a projectin tooth adapted to engage said toothed whee and means for limiting the rotative movement of said ring.

6. In a mechanism of the class described, comprising a series of registering units, means for imparting an intermittent movement to the first unit of said series, and means for operatively connecting said series, comprising a toothed wheel upon the driven unit, a loose ring upon the driving unit, having a projecting driving tooth adapted to engage said toothed wheel of the driven unit, a stop tooth on said ring, and a stop pin between said stop tooth and said driving tooth to limit the rotative move ment of said ring.

Dated this 23rd day of June, 1908.

7 JAMES E. SHEPPARD.

Witnesses PENELOPE CoMBERBAoH, RUrUs B. TowLEs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

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