US137262A - Improvement in counting-registers - Google Patents

Description

G. H. VAN VLECK.

Counting-Registers.

N0. 137,262. PatentedMarch25',1873.

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GEORGE H. VAN VLECK, OF BUFFALO, NEYV YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN COUNTING-REGISTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,262, dated Marrh 25, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HENRY VAN VLECK, of Bufialo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Numbering- Wheels or Mechanical Movements, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to mechanical movements or wheels having letters or figures on their peripheries for registering movements of machinery, such as engines, presses, carriages, gas and water meters, &c.; and the invention consists in the employment of a series of wheels, each one having ten pins placed in a circle on one side, and one pin and a segmental circular-guide on the other, working in connection with a peculiarly formed catch-wheel placed between each wheel, all to be hereinafter fully explained.

In the drawing, Figure l is a plan view of the device as in operation. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 show the wheels detached. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the catch-wheel.

A MA A are a series of numbered wheels moving loosely on short shafts or bearings a, which pass through the centers of the wheels, and are connected between each wheel to strips of metal b. These pass upward at a slight angle (see Figs. 2, 3, and 4) and are connected together, leaving a space between at the top, by a pin or pivot, 0, upon which a peculiarly-shaped pinion or catch, 0, revolves loosely. These pinions are so formed that they will mesh into a series of pins, d d, ten in number, representing units, (see Figs. 1 and 4,) placed equidistant in a circle upon one side of each wheel. These catch-wheels are formed with four teeth, and each tooth has cut in its face a small groove, 6, (see Fig. 4,) in which moves the segment of a ring or guide,

f, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) which is formed on the opposite side of the wheels from the pins d, before described. This ring or guide f has a portion cut out, as shown at g, Figs. 2 and 3, for a distance a little more than twice the space between two of the pins d, and which has a carrying-pin, h, set in the center of the space g. This pin, in every revolution of the wheel, carries the first catch-wheel forward, which is engaged between two opposite teeth, just one pin, corresponding to one number on the next wheel N, which number remains up permost and exposed to view until another full revolution of the wheel moves the catchwheel forward another pin, and so on. As the carrying-pin h moves forward it slides over the rounded tooth of the catch-wheel; at the same time the guide f engages in the groove 0 of the next tooth of the catch-wheel,

which remains between the two opposite pins until moved forward by the contact of the pin h in the next revolution of the first wheel.

This operation repeats itself throughout. The wheels A can be formed with any number of the pins cl, but preferably of ten, as shown, and have a number from nought to nine exposed on the face of the wheel, as in Fig. 1, each wheel and pinion being precisely alike, except the two outer wheels A and A, the former of which will have no circle of pins h and the latter no guide f, as shown.

The whole operation is as follows: The connection is made to the shaft of wheel A from the machine or meter to be recorded, and as the shaft revolves the wheel will assume the position shown in Fig. 2. This will bring the pin it into contact with the point of the pinion or catch-wheel C, which will turn it slightly and allow the guide f to enter the groove 0 in its face, which will thus prevent its revolving any further until the wheel A has made another revolution, when the pin it will again turn the pinion the distance of one tooth, and so the action continues. Every time the pinion 0 is moved it acts upon one of the circle of teeth d on the opposite wheel, and by this means turns the second wheel A one-tenth of a revolution, or the distance of one pin. This action continues until the first wheel A has made ten revolutions, which will then have caused the second wheel A to make only one revolution, which will force the pin it on wheel A to act upon the second pinion O and cause the wheel A to move the distance of one pin. It will then be seen that when the first wheel A has made one hundred revolutions the second has made only ten, while the third has only moved one point, or one-tenth of a revolution, and the fourth wheel A will not be af fected at all until the first wheel has made one thousand revolutions, and so on indefinitely, any number of wheels being added, as may be desired. Its great advantage for a meter, &c., is, that after passing a single pin it forms a perfect lock with the next pin, the catch-wheel tooth remaining between the two uppermost pins, and the guide in the groove preventing any turning backward of the wheels.

Its exceeding simplicity, and doing away with springs of all sorts, are other important advantages.

These wheels will be set in any suitable box, with a single or series of openings, so that the figures can be seen, indicating the number of revolutions or state of ameter, 850.-

This device will be found adaptable to any machinein which a recording instrument would be useful, such as printing-presses, cloth- ,measuring machines, engines, &c., and also to gas and other meters.

Claims.

' 1 1. I claim the construction of the numbering-wheel A, having on one side the pins d d, and on theother the segmental guide f and carrying-pin h, and moving on short shaft 1, all arranged as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

2. I also claim the locking and moving pinion or catch-wheel 0, formed as described, and arranged between each numbering-wheel, and in combination with the pins d h and guide f, on wheelsA A, as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

'3. I claim the mechanical movement pro- I duced by means of the wheels A A, having the pins d d h, and guide f, and the catchwheel 0, all arranged, constructed, and operating as hereinbefore fully specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

GEO. H. VAN VLEOK. Witnesses J. R. DRAKE,

G. N. WOODWARD.

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