Patent GB-537505-A (GB)
Title: An improved type-drum counting and printing mechanism
IPC: G06M1/26
Filed: 1939-10-25
Abstract: 537,505. Counting-apparatus. LANDIS & GYR AKT.-GES. Oct. 25, 1939, No. 28660. Convention date, July 11. [Class 106 (i)] A counting and printing mechanism which records, at definite intervals of time, measured values imparted thereto in the form of impulses from a measuring apparatus, such as an electricity meter, is provided with a means for driving the units and tens type drums simultaneously in accordance with the value of a two-denominational impulse unit of measurement. The driving gear between the units and tens type drums is formed as a differential unit which acts in accordance with the measurement unit and transmits the necessary transfer movements. Assuming the measurement unit is " 16 " the units drum 16 is arranged to travel six times as fast as the tens drum 35. The drive from the meter is transmitted through a crank 1 to a shaft 2 driving through interchangeable gears 3 and 5 shafts 4 and 6. The shaft 4 is connected through a ratchet gear 7 to a shaft 10 which drives the units drum 16 through gearing 11, 14 and 15. The shaft 6 is connected through gearing 19, 20 and a friction clutch 21 to the planet wheel 24 of a differential gear. The sun wheel 25 carries a pinion 28 which drives a gear 29 and ratchet wheel 31 loose on the shaft 6 and transmits the movement through gears 32, 33 and 34 to the tens drum 35. The other sun wheel 26 is connected through gearing 40, 41 to a shaft 42 to which is secured a Maltese pinion 9 that co-operates with a driving member 8 on the shaft 10. The shafts of the gears 14, 33 carry justifying pinions 13, 38 for co-operation with projections on cam controlled levers 57. The hundreds type drum and higher denominations are actuated in a known manner ; the hundreds drum as shown is actuated by a pawl lever 64 pivoted on the bi-furcated end of a lever 61 under the control of a bell crank 60 and cam 46. The type drums are loosely mounted on a shaft 17 and carry pawls 18 for co-operation with a longitudinal groove in the shaft for resetting purposes which is effected by gearing 52 by the action of a toothed sector 50 on a cam controlled lever 49. The shaft 43 carrying the cams 44 ... 47 is operated at the end of a registering period ; the type drums are aligned by the action of the levers 57, 64 and another cam (not shown) operates the impression hammers to make a record, the paper being pressed at the same time by a straight edge against the rib 70 of a drum to produce a line record. After printing the lever 49 operates to restore the type drums and other parts to normal position. If only one measurement unit is consumed during the period the value " 16 " will be recorded. In this case as the units wheel does not pass through the zero position the sun wheel 26 is held stationary so that the planet wheel rotates round it. If the consumption is greater each time the units drum passes through zero the Maltese gearing operates to rotate the sun wheel 26 to increase the movement of the planet wheel 24 and add a unit to the tens denomination. By altering the velocity ratio in the gearing 3 and 5 various measurement units can be selected.