Cylinder Patents (Class 235/117R)
  • Patent number: 5376776
    Abstract: A number wheel assembly for a counter mechanism has a plurality of hubs with an eccentrically shaped aperture for slideable assembly and orientation on a shaft and eccentric lobe. Each hub having a recess and a pinion spindle in the recess for receiving an internal pinion gear having narrow teeth alternated with wider teeth that extend outside the hub. The number wheels, which represent successive orders of magnitude, are slipped over the hubs. Each number wheel has a single tooth that engages one of the wider teeth of the pinion gear driving the next higher order number wheel once for each revolution of the number wheel. This moves the pinion which, in turn, moves the next higher order number wheel. The gear ratio is 1:10 for a decimal counter. The lowest order number wheel is a drive wheel which includes means operable by a drive mechanism for advancement in increments of 1/10 revolution for each cycle of operation of the drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Badger Meter, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Paese, Mark D. Slaugenhoup
  • Patent number: 4975564
    Abstract: An odometer wheel assembly has a retainer cooperating with a groove in an end disc of the assembly to automatically establish end play in the wheel assembly by the difference between two accurately controlled component dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: Delco Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Dale C. Maschino
  • Patent number: 4914278
    Abstract: An internally illuminated reset counter employs a shaft and counter wheel portions which are manufactured from light transmissive materials. A series of axially spaced grooves in the shaft function to direct light through the counter wheels and axially balance the light intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Western Pacific Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Achim J. Rudolph, Arnold C. Johnson
  • Patent number: 4889976
    Abstract: A tamper-proof odometer having an odometer register including a plurality of sequentially driven odometer dials carried on a common shaft with a pinion gear supported on an individual bracket disposed between each adjacent pair of dials to engage gears formed as part of each dial of an adjacent pair. A protective cover for the odometer register comprising a shield supported on each of the brackets with all shields forming collectively a partial barrier cover over the odometer register dials exposing only the register readout numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Inventor: Thomas P. Powell
  • Patent number: 4841130
    Abstract: A disk on a wheel-tpe odometer assembly is provided with a integral spring pawl that operates with the normally provided transfer teeth on the highest number wheel to effect a positive detent that prevents this last wheel from backward droop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1989
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Dale C. Maschino
  • Patent number: 4829164
    Abstract: A counter employs a barrel for rotatably mounting high order counter wheels and a shaft integrally extending from the barrel for mounting the lowest order counter wheel. The barrel forms a groove in which the transfer pinion assembly is located. The walls of the groove are engageable by the pinion assembly to limit skewing of the pinion assembly components. The transfer pinions are configured to prevent axial jamming displacement against the counter wheels. The lowest order wheel is snapped onto the shaft and secured in position by means of a semi-flexible mounting hub and cooperative shaft detents. The counter forms an efficient internal light path for illumination of the counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: Western Pacific Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Achim J. Rudolph, Arnold C. Johnson, Paul L. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 4774398
    Abstract: A counter employs a barrel for rotatably mounting high order counter wheels and a shaft integrally extending from the barrel for mounting the lowest order counter wheel. The barrel forms a groove in which the transfer pinion assembly is located. The walls of the groove are engageable by the pinion assembly to limit skewing of the pinion assembly components. The lowest order wheel is snapped onto the shaft and secured in position by means of a semi-flexible mounting hub and cooperative shaft detents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Western Pacific Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Achim J. Rudolph, Arnold C. Johnson
  • Patent number: 4728782
    Abstract: A cyclometer register in an electric watthour meter includes a free counterweight for producing a kinetic-energy kick for advancing superior cyclometer drums. A drum counterweight, affixed to the units cyclometer drum, is disposed 180 angular degrees out of phase with the free counterweight. The drum counterweight has a moment equal to one-half the moment of the free counterweight, whereby the maximum sum of moments and the peak-to-peak moment is reduced by half. A harmonic counterweight rotates at twice the angular rate of the units cyclometer drum and reflects one-quarter of the moment of the free counterweight back to the driving elements. The harmonic counterweight reduces further the maximum moment as seen by the driving elements and also increases the minimum moment so that the variability in moment is reduced, thereby enabling an offsetting constant increase in meter torque and reducing metering error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1988
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Samuel G. Hardy
  • Patent number: 4572945
    Abstract: A reset mechanism for a cyclometer register employs teeth formed on an axially resiliently urged shaft to engage abutments formed on cyclometer drums to permit resetting of the cyclometer drums. The teeth are normally maintained out of alignment with the abutments by resilient urging of a spring and are manually displaced into engagement for resetting. Carry pinions on a pinion shaft are urged into mesh with respective gearwheels on the cyclometer drums by a pair of springs. During resetting, the pinion shaft, with its pinions, is displaced outward. When the pinions are displaced outward, one or more teeth on each pinion enter a window disposed adjacent thereto in the frame of the cyclometer register. The windows lock the pinions into a predetermined angular position which enables proper mesh to be made with the gearwheels at the conclusion of the resetting operation when the springs again urge the pinions into meshed engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1986
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Julio J. Bianchi
  • Patent number: 4551621
    Abstract: A flip-over mechanism for a cyclometer register includes an eccentrically balanced fly-wheel freely rotatable on a drum shaft between a driver drum and a first driven drum, each drum being marked with decimal digits 0-9. The driver drum is driven in smooth rotation by a measuring device whose measurements are to be accumulated. At a certain point in its rotation, the driver drum engages and begins rotating the fly-wheel. As the driver drum is rotated into a position at which it performs a 9-to-0 transition, the fly-wheel becomes overbalanced and rotates forward on its stored potential energy until a striker thereon engages a tooth of a first carry pinion located between the fly-wheel and the first driven drum. This applies a momentary forward tap to the first carry pinion. The tap on the carry pinion provides a substantially instantaneous carry operation to be performed in all of the driven drums which are in position to require a carry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1985
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Julio J. Bianchi
  • Patent number: 4524265
    Abstract: The mechanical acreage counter of the present invention is connected to a shaft of a planter unit which rotates only when seed is being planted therefrom. The counter includes a first gear connected to the shaft for rotation therewith, a bracket adjustably connected to the framework of the planter unit, and an odometer having a second gear in meshing combination with the first gear for sequentially rotating the numbered wheels within the odometer. The two gears are always in mesh so as to minimize wear upon the counter and to improve accuracy thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1985
    Inventors: Thomas G. Dillman, Glen W. Dillman
  • Patent number: 4507548
    Abstract: Means is provided for converting a fuel pump mechanism price display for reading in either lower or higher order increments. The number wheel utilized has relatively short and relatively long graduation marks, with the relatively short marks being masked by the selective application of a masking strip transversely across the corresponding window of the pump face plate, to thereby render only the relatively long marks visible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1985
    Assignee: Petroleum Meter & Pump Co., Ind.
    Inventors: Thomas G. McGee, Richard L. Hockmuth
  • Patent number: 4499370
    Abstract: A zero-reset type counter comprising an order shift pinion built in an inner space formed between two adjacent digit wheels in order to make the space between the adjacent digit wheels as small as possible and to form a compact counter as a whole. The zero reset lever to pivot the order shift pinion is so arranged as to be able to fill up the gap between adjacent digit wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1985
    Assignee: Dai-Ichi Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshio Nishiuchi
  • Patent number: 4431909
    Abstract: An improved counter assembly comprises an electrically operable counter module insert, a transparent viewing crystal, and an outer box-like case which are held together by an improved mechanical arrangement. The outer case is provided with inwardly projecting abutments engageable by the counter module insert for aligning the insert within the case. The counter module insert includes a pair of laterally spaced rearwardly facing shoulders at its front end, and the crystal includes a pair of laterally spaced rearwardly projecting retention fingers engageable with the shoulders of the module insert for retaining the case, crystal and module insert in an assembled relationship. The improved construction provides increased resistance to tampering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1984
    Assignee: Veeder Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Paul L. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 4280035
    Abstract: Plural totalizers having axially shiftable shafts, and key actuated locks for moving the shafts, are mounted on a plate adapted to be connected over an opening in the case of a gasoline sales pump. Plural key actuated locks with lugs on the undersides of their cylinders selectively cam the ends of the shafts to connect one shaft to a shaft driven by the sales register of the pump. Detents co-act with slides on the bottom of each cylinder to permit only one cylinder and totalizer shaft to be engaged at a time. One detent closes a switch on the plate when actuated to complete a circuit to the pump delivery device. The other detent is actuated by a lever supported on the plate and adapted to be connected to the reset lever of the pump to release both detents and a first actuated lock cylinder prior to a succeeding actuation of the pump. Flanges turned from the plate support the totalizers with the shafts of the totalizers projecting therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1981
    Assignee: Austin A. Webb
    Inventor: Eugene F. Settlemire
  • Patent number: 4267438
    Abstract: A tamper-proof odometer of the type having digit wheels mounted for rotation about a shaft by gears on gear plates separating the wheels. At least one wheel is formed, for example, by scoring so as to break when an attempt is made to pry that wheel from an adjacent wheel to reset the odometer. The shaft is grooved and end caps are fixedly attached to the shaft ends so that the shaft will break if an attempt is made to remove the caps by drilling or sawing. The caps have different cross-sections so that the shaft can be engaged in a frame in only one orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1981
    Inventor: Thomas D. Regan
  • Patent number: 4217485
    Abstract: A plate adapted to be mounted over an opening in the casing of a gasoline sales pump supports a frame which in turn rotatably and axially slidably supports a plurality of totalizer shafts and dial wheels, and a drive shaft with plural gears each associated with one of the totalizers. Each totalizer shaft has a gear engagable with a gear on the drive shaft by axial motion of the totalizer shaft. A drive gear on the drive shaft is permanently connected to the resettable register of the pump. Springs bias the totalizer shafts out of engagement with the drive shaft gears. Actuating levers pivoted on the plate engage the totalizer shafts in opposition to the springs. A selector bar slidable through the plate opposite each level has an angled end that cams the lever to totalizer engaging position. Springs bias the selector bars, and plural locks having key actuated cylinders move the selector bars against their springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1980
    Assignee: Austin A. Webb
    Inventor: Eugene F. Settlemire
  • Patent number: 4199676
    Abstract: A position encoder has a plurality of measured value embodying carriers mechanically coupled so that those of lower position value drive those of higher position value. The carriers contain encoding step markings (n,m) in which n is the number of encoding step markings per position and m is a whole, even number. For a decade encoder, n equals 10 and m equals 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1980
    Inventor: Hellmut Heuer
  • Patent number: 4195768
    Abstract: An internal pinion revolution counter includes a bearing member rotatably supporting an input shaft. At least first and second number wheels are provided each having a radially outwardly extending web portion joined to an annular flange portion, the first and second number wheel flange portions respectively extending toward each other. Each web portion has an annular bearing surface which defines a central opening. The flange portion of the first number wheel has an internal gear segment and cooperating internal locking cam formed thereon, and the flange portion of the second number wheel has an internal full tooth gear formed thereon. The first number wheel is connected to the input shaft for rotation therewith. A pinion carrier is arranged within the center opening in the web portion of the second number wheel, surrounds the input shaft, and is secured against rotation with respect to the input shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1980
    Assignee: Bowmar Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Herr, Edward D. Sigl
  • Patent number: 4140899
    Abstract: A distance measuring meter includes counting wheels which are indexed by transfer pinions mounted on an axle parallel to the axis of the counting wheels. In order to prevent fraud by rotating the counting wheels back so as to decrease the distance displayed, one end of the axle is detachably secured. When an attempt is made to rotate the counting wheels back, the axle detaches at one end, thereby indicating that the meter has been tampered with.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1979
    Assignee: Record Taxameter AB
    Inventor: Lennart Borgstrom
  • Patent number: 4130755
    Abstract: A mile post and mileage indicator for maintaining the exact mile post position of a vehicle while said vehicle is travelling upon a roadway containing designated mile post signs, which increase or decrease in a particular direction. This indicator may also be used to indicate exactly how far the vehicle has travelled or how much further it must travel before it reaches a certain destination. The indicator contains a plurality of dials, each dial having two columns of numbers. One column is numbered in an increasing sequence, and the second column is numbered in a decreasing sequence. A shutter is provided for enabling only the increasing or the decreasing columns to be viewed at any one time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1978
    Inventor: Nathaniel E. Schochat
  • Patent number: 4015109
    Abstract: An improved "reset" type odometer assembly having counting wheels rotatably supported on a shaft and interconnected by pinion gears therebetween for sequential counting as mileage progresses. A gear wheel between each of the counting wheels is engaged on its right side by a pinion gear which moves with each revolution of the counting wheel located to its right. In turn the gear wheel engages an outer pawl on a molded ratchet spring to cause corresponding rotation of the leftwardly positioned counting wheel. The ratchet spring also has an inner pawl which is engaged by a groove in the shaft when rotated to cause the ratchet spring and counting wheel to rotate during a reset mode of operation. During resetting, the gear wheel and pinion gears are stationary and the outer pawl moves between circumferentially spaced detents in the gear wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1977
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth R. Deming
  • Patent number: 3999704
    Abstract: A fuel delivery pump with resettable volume and cost counters having counter resetting means with a zero detent mechanism for accurately positioning the lowest order number wheels of the counters at zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1975
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1976
    Assignee: Veeder Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Seitz
  • Patent number: 3981441
    Abstract: A counter comprises a body housing a set of discs which are freely rotatable on a sleeve and which have numerals on their peripheries. A series of drive plates are keyed to the sleeve and interleaved with the discs. At one end of the set of discs a spring-loaded collar also keyed to the sleeve urges the drive plates and discs into frictional engagement. The sleeve is rotatable with a reset wheel while the collar is driven by a star counting wheel through an orbital drive arrangement. The orbital drive arrangement may include a further collar having outwardly directed projections thereon which engage an abutment carried by a resilient arm, the abutment and projections restraining the further collar against rotation during counting. Each disc has a set of first abutments and a second abutment on its periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1975
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1976
    Assignee: The Lucas Electrical Company Limited
    Inventor: John Benjamin Leslie Walters
  • Patent number: 3949204
    Abstract: A counter includes a housing, a mask having an opening therein defining a viewing station and units and tens counter wheels coaxially aligned and rotatably mounted on the housing in alignment with the viewing station. Means are provided for operably connecting the counter wheels to drive the tens wheel in accordance with the rotation of the units wheel. A detent wheel is mounted on the hub of the units wheel for movement therewith. A partition member is situated between the counter wheels and spring means mounted on the partition member cooperate with the detent wheel to position the units wheel relative to the viewing station after each rotation thereof. The spring means includes a base member and a pair of leg members one of which extends from each end of the base member to form a U-shape configuration. The leg members are bent to form a pair of protrusions which are spaced to receive the detent wheel therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1975
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1976
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventor: Chun-Wei Yang