Intermediate Pinion Patents (Class 235/139R)
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Patent number: 5377975Abstract: An electronic gaming apparatus which preferably corresponds to and effectively electronically automates games of chance as for example, that game of chance known as "Pull-Tab." A primary strip of a suitable substrate in the form of a roll is provided in the apparatus. Indicia is printed in individual strip segments and upon actuation of the apparatus, a segment of the strip is severed to provide a strip segment or so-called "game card" ticket and is dispensed. If the indicia on the severed strip segment corresponds to a winning indicia, then the player would win the game or a round of the game. A duplicate copy of each severed segment of the primary strip, and containing the same indicia as the primary strip segment, is maintained on a duplicate strip and stored for purposes of later auditing. In addition, an electronic display is provided on the apparatus. The primary or duplicate strip of indicia contains a code corresponding to the indicia printed on each dispensed strip segment.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 1992Date of Patent: January 3, 1995Inventor: Ronald C. Clapper, Jr.
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Patent number: 5168146Abstract: A bi-directional snap-action register mechanism for an odometer-type mechanical register display. The mechanism includes at least one register display wheel and a bi-directional cam mounted coaxially along a common shaft with the register display wheel. The bi-directional cam engages a helical groove formed along the shaft to allow lateral displacement of the bi-directional cam in a direction parallel to a rotational axis of the shaft. A pin is biased by a spring into contact with the bi-directional cam. Rotation of the shaft causes the bi-directional cam to be moved with respect to the pin. The cam abruptly rotates through a predetermined angular distance when the point of contact of the biased pin with the cam moved from a smooth portion to a step transition portion of the cam. The abrupt rotation of the cam is communicated to the register display wheel to cause a new display position to be moved into view.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 1989Date of Patent: December 1, 1992Inventors: John D. Marshall, Thierry W. Swinson, Richard L. Bennett, Kenneth L. Cole
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Patent number: 5162637Abstract: An odometer apparatus having an error elimination mechanism for eliminating an error in an indication figure. The odometer apparatus includes a set of gears rotatably supported on a first shaft for indicating each digit of a set of digits in the indication figure, a set of pinions coupled with the gears and rotatably supported on a second shaft for transmitting a rotation force to the gears, a set of bosses each arranged between two adjacent pinions and formed integrally with the pinions, each of the bosses having a substantially square section taken in a plane perpendicular to the second shaft, and a pressure member for eliminating an error in the indication figure due to a backlash between the gears and the pinions.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1991Date of Patent: November 10, 1992Assignee: Jeco Company LimitedInventor: Yoshiyuki Ariki
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Patent number: 5122642Abstract: A reset device (7) for the digit rollers (3) of a counter has a positioning spring (22) developed integrally on a shift drive bridge (9), the positioning spring being adapted to engage by means of a detent projection (21) into detent recesses (17-20) of the side surfaces (13-16) of a position setter (12). In this way, the position setter (12) passes in particularly reliable manner into each of its four possible positions.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1991Date of Patent: June 16, 1992Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AGInventor: Werner Herrmann
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Patent number: 5118928Abstract: An external pinion type odometer, in which the outer diameter of at least a lower digit wheel, a surface portion of which has numbers stamped, is made smaller than the outer diameter of the lower digit wheel, another surface portion of which slidingly contacts with a wide tooth of the corresponding transfer pinion. The stamped numbers do not contact with the wide teeth of the transfer pinion, thereby excluding the likelihood that the stamped numbers will come to peel off.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 1991Date of Patent: June 2, 1992Assignee: Yazaki CorporationInventors: Yukio Ohike, Tomohiro Sugiyama
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Patent number: 4970378Abstract: Geared drive for reset trip odometer in which a transfer tooth on each of the rotatable odometer wheels is immediately ahead of the tooth space in the circular track on the wheels for tracking the wide teeth of the associated transfer pinion gear and laterally clear of the narrow pinion teeth. With the wide teeth normally riding on the track of the wheel, there is a gear locking action if a reverse drive occurs to limit wheel droop from a reference line and anti-locking action when reset is attempted so that the wheels can be forwardly driven to record trip distances.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 1989Date of Patent: November 13, 1990Assignee: Delco Electronics CorporationInventor: William L. Bleicher
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Patent number: 4970377Abstract: An odometer having a reset mechanism with a single spring that has a torsion section acting on the reset mechanism to bias pinions into engagement with the odometer wheels and a compression section for biasing the pinions into a predetermined axial position relative tot he odometer wheels.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 1990Date of Patent: November 13, 1990Assignee: Delco Electronics Overseas CorporationInventor: Michael J. Corcoran
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Patent number: 4914278Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 22, 1989Date of Patent: April 3, 1990Assignee: Western Pacific Industries Inc.Inventors: Achim J. Rudolph, Arnold C. Johnson
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Patent number: 4889976Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 3, 1986Date of Patent: December 26, 1989Inventor: Thomas P. Powell
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Patent number: 4829164Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 18, 1988Date of Patent: May 9, 1989Assignee: Western Pacific Industries Inc.Inventors: Achim J. Rudolph, Arnold C. Johnson, Paul L. Kennedy
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Patent number: 4774398Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 2, 1987Date of Patent: September 27, 1988Assignee: Western Pacific Industries Inc.Inventors: Achim J. Rudolph, Arnold C. Johnson
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Patent number: 4572945Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 27, 1984Date of Patent: February 25, 1986Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Julio J. Bianchi
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Patent number: 4493988Abstract: In a highly compact odometer an electric motor which drives a mechanical display thereof, is disposed within the set of annular figure wheels used in the display and drivingly connected to said wheels through a worm and worm wheel drive train. In the case of integrated "total" and "trip" odometers a multipole rotor having a torque capacity adequate for driving both odometers is disposed within the set of figure wheels used for the "total" odometer display while the coil is disposed within the "trip" odometer set. Yokes extend between the sets of wheels to provide a magnetic connection between the coil and rotor. To prevent reversing of the odometer and gear chatter in the drive train a one-way clutch type bearing is used to support the output shaft of the electric motor.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 1981Date of Patent: January 15, 1985Assignee: Kanto Seiki Co., LimitedInventor: Etsuo Ichimura
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Patent number: 4362927Abstract: A preselection counter having a switch-off counter which is adapted to actuate a desired function when a quantity of this function determined by a preset value has been reached includes presettable indicating means having number rollers adapted to have the preset value set therein and to retain this setting through repeated cycles of operation of the switch-off counter. The presettable indicating means enable continuous display of the preset value during operation of the counter with the preset value being transferred from the number rollers of the switch-off counter by a sensing wheel mechanism which is operatively interposed therebetween and which may be repeatedly reset to the preset value on the preset counter after each cycle of operation of the switch-off counter without requiring changes in the preset value in the presettable indicating means.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 1981Date of Patent: December 7, 1982Assignee: Kienzle Apparate GmbHInventors: Lothar Herrmann, Helmut Muller
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Patent number: 4314149Abstract: A daily mileage recording unit, of the type comprising a plurality of drums mounted side by side on the same shaft and supported in rotation by a frame, a swinging member mounted to pivot with respect to the frame, a series of gears carried by the swinging member, each disposed between two drums to displace one drum by one graduation when the preceding drum has effected a complete revolution, a sliding member guided in translation in the frame and provided with a push button, a mechanism connecting the sliding member to the swinging member to pivot the latter when the push button is displaced, a cam rigidly locked with each drum and an actuator associated with each cam and carried by the swinging member for returning to zero the corresponding drum when the push button is actuated, a square rigidly locked with each gear and ramps carried by the frame which are engaged by respective squares during the pivoting of the gears, the contact surface of the ramp being a circular sector centered on the pivoting axis.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 1979Date of Patent: February 2, 1982Assignee: e.d. VegliaInventor: Michel Gomez
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Patent number: 4284882Abstract: A tamper resistive odometer having a construction whereby manual attempt to reverse the number setting thereon, by separating the pinion gear engagement with number wheel gears, results in a fractured pinion gear that permanently disengages all the pinion gears from the number wheel gears.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 1979Date of Patent: August 18, 1981Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventor: Gary F. Woodward
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Patent number: 4281240Abstract: A fuel pump register cost counter having a transfer mechanism permitting count transfers at a substantially reduced torque through the use of a torsion spring drive of the transfer ring of the units wheel and the use of transfer pinions between the counter wheels having transfer gear sections with alternating involute gear teeth and non-involute resilient gear teeth providing for relatively gradually accelerating and decelerating the transfer pinion at the beginning and end of the transfer interval.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 1979Date of Patent: July 28, 1981Assignee: Veeder Industries Inc.Inventor: Bruno S. Smilgys
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Patent number: 4273995Abstract: A fuel pump register cost counter having a transfer pinion permitting count transfers from the units to the tens counter wheel at a substantially predetermined maximum torque through a torsion spring connection between input and output gear sections of the transfer pinion and which prevents transfer overtravel and oscillation and provides for accurately locating the tens counter wheel.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 1979Date of Patent: June 16, 1981Assignee: Veeder Industries Inc.Inventor: Raymond H. Devanney
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Patent number: 4218609Abstract: A mechanical calculator employs a register consisting of gears. Each register gear has two sets of teeth. One set has teeth all around the circumference of the wheel while the other set consists of a single carry-over tooth. The register gears are spaced widely enough apart that they do not engage one another. An intermittent carry-over motion is transmitted from one register gear to an adjacent register gear by a selectively insertable and removable carry-over gear, which is mechanically unconnected to the remainder of the calculator. The operations of multiplication and division are enabled by a set of individually selectively insertable and removable multiplying gears. The number of teeth on these gears, and their diameters, are integral multiples of those on the register gears. The multiplying gears are mechanically unconnected to the remainder of the calculator.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1978Date of Patent: August 19, 1980Inventor: Yi Chin
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Patent number: 4192136Abstract: A digital readout apparatus includes a housing, a plurality of members providing, respectively, a presentation of units-of-minutes, tens-of-minutes, and hours, a shaft for supporting the members within the housing for movement in rotation imparted either by a timed or manual setting input to the member of lowest order. The digital readout apparatus also includes an endshake element received on the shaft between the hours member and the housing. The endshake element includes cam structure on a side surface which cooperates with cam structure similarly contoured on the housing thereby through selective rotational adjustment of the endshake element relative to the shaft, both the hours and tens-of-minutes members are moved axially along the shaft relative to the units-of-minutes member which is fixed to the shaft for varying clearance between the members.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 1977Date of Patent: March 11, 1980Assignee: General Time CorporationInventor: Ralph C. Robinson
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Patent number: 4140899Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 6, 1976Date of Patent: February 20, 1979Assignee: Record Taxameter ABInventor: Lennart Borgstrom
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Patent number: 4096377Abstract: A resettable mechanical counter having a plurality of number wheels and transfer pinions is mounted in a molded plastic housing in which are integrally formed fixed bosses that index the transfer pinions when the number wheels are reset. The transfer pinions are axially located by means of slots formed in the housing and the number wheels are axially located relative to the reset lever mechanism which itself is axially located relative to the housing to thus position the transfer pinions relative to the number wheels.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 1976Date of Patent: June 20, 1978Assignee: California Injection Molding Co., Inc.Inventors: James A. Prentice, John George Mitchell
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Patent number: 3945563Abstract: This invention has for its object to do away with the defects of the prevailing transfer pinion carrier plates made of metal. In the process of manufacturing a metallic carrier plate, a separately prepared small shaft for supporting the transfer pinion should be planted vertically to the plate with care. Further, as the transfer pinion is only partially surrounded by the plate, a gap is always formed between each pair of the figure wheels of the completed odometer. Such a gap not only admits the intrusion of dust and dirt into the odometer but invites the destruction of the transfer pinion permitting the insertion of a sharp tool through the gap inadvertently or by a malicious person. All such defects may be effectively avoided by producing carrier plates with plastic materials in accordance with the present invention.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 1975Date of Patent: March 23, 1976Assignee: Kabushiki Kaishya Inoue SeisakushyoInventor: Shiro Inoue