Improvements in or relating to change speed mechanisms and liquid dispensing apparatus including the improved change speed mechanisms

摘要

562,976. Registering mechanism. BUGG, K. C. July 25, 1942, No. 10441. Convention date, Sept. 4, 1941. [Class 106 (i)1 A change-speed mechanism particularly for use in the registering and computing mechanism of a liquid dispensing apparatus comprises a driving gear train, intermediate shafts arranged parallel and spaced apart, selecting gears non-rotatably mounted on said intermediate shafts, all of said gears being rotated continually while the operating means is operated, and means for selecting a number of selecting gears to rotate a driven shaft in accordance with the solection. The shaft 28, Fig. 2, is driven from the meter of a liquid dispensing apparatus and carries at one end a gear for driving a counter or a distributer for an electrical register at a distance. The gear 30 at the other end drives through gears 35, 36 a shaft 38 which through gears 40, 42, &c. drives a sequence of drive shafts 44, 48, 52 ... 88 grouped circumferentially around the shaft 28. Selecting gears.-These shafts carry gears 90, 92, 94 ... 110, Fig. 3, for fractions of a cent, gears 112, 114, 116, 118, &c. for cents, and gears 130, 132, 134 and 136 for tens of cents. Fractions switch.-This consists of spaced insulated plates 146, 148, Figs 2, 5, provided with terminals 150, 152 and electrically connected to contact terminals on both faces of a selector ring 176, the upper and lower contacts not being aligned, the power terminal 150 being connected to rotary switch 204 which carries upper and lower displaced arms 206 to engage the contacts. The switch 204 is rotated by gears 210, 208 from a shaft 212 normally pressed upward by a spring fitted with a locking pin for wheel 208. Fractions differential mechanism.-The gear 208 drives the gear 218 through gear 216. The gear 218 carries a planet gear 220 gearing with wheel 224 which is connected by a ratchet 228, Fig. 12, with a gear 230 adapted to engage selectively any of the gears 90, 94, 98 ... 110. A planet gear 232 also mounted on wheel 218 and in one with gear 236 is adapted to have selective engagement with any of the gears 92, 96 ... 108. A spring pawl 238 on a base formed on wheel 216 engages the gear 232 and locks it when the switch member 206 has been moved to " zero " position, that is, in contact with terminal 178. The gears 220, 236 mesh with gear 244 on the hollow shaft 246 which extends upwardly and is provided with a gear 248. Similar switch arrangements and differential gears are provided for the " units " and " tens " of cents. The shaft 212 for fractions and the similar shafts for " units '' and " tens " instead of projecting through the end frame plate, may be set through gear, each shaft having a collar below its gear which is engaged by the gear on the setting stub shaft to depress the spindles 212 &c. against its spring. The stub shaft has an indicator moving over a price setting dial and it may be turned by a detachable wrench. Operation.-Assume the mechanism is at " zero " when the switch arms 206 &c. engage contacts 178 &c. and pawls 238 &c. engage gears 230 &c. preventing rotation of the differentials. The shaft 28 if rotated would allow quantity dispensed to be registered, but the gear 444 remains stationary, and there is no price computation. To set the price, the lever 458 is rotated, the cam 456 tilting lever 452 so that gear 444 is moved out of gear with the differentials, The shafts 212 &c. are now depressed in turn to free gears 208 &c. from their locking pins and then rotated until the switch arms 206 &c. engage the required contacts and the dials associated with the shafts 212 &c. indicate the set price. The wheel 444 is now returned, when, if the shaft 28 rotates, the shaft 38 is rotated and the drive shafts operate through their differentials to effect computation. The shaft 52 causes gear 96 to rotate gear 232 .and 236 to rotate 244 and hence 248 and 354. The rotation of shaft 52 also causes gear 116 to rotate 344 which rotates 352 and plate 348, consequently gears 354, 358 and gear 360 which drives gear 364 and differential gears 438. The selected gears for the units and tens operate in similar manner. Distant indication of daily price.-This is accomplished electrically as shown in Fig. 15. The numeral wheels 510, 512, 514 indicating " fractions," " units and "tens '' are frictionally mounted on a shaft 490. Sleeves 530, 544, 546 carry solenoids 536 &c. and each solenoid is provided with a spring-pressed plunger 538 which is retracted when the solenoid is de-energized. When the latter is energized, the plunger is projected to-engage a stop (not shown) on the numeral wheel and arrest it so that the proper numeral appears in the window. The shaft 490 is driven from a motor 508 and the solenoids are selected by the switch arms 206 &c. described above. A modification is described in which the gears are arranged somewhat similarly, but are set by gearing operated by knobs, gears on which have holes into which a fixed pin engages to fix the setting. The setting shafts drive through bevel gear switch shafts for the distant setting indications.