Patent GB-738834-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to counting devices
Inventor: TOWNEND GORDON HOWARD
IPC: G06M1/08
Filed: 1952-10-16
Abstract: 738,834. Counting-apparatus; indicating output of machines. G. K. N. GROUP SERVICES, Ltd. Oct. 9, 1953 [Oct. 16, 1952], No. 25916/52. Classes 106 (1) and 106 (4). A stock-feed counter comprises a stockengaging member having a contact face for engaging with and partaking of endwise feed movements imparted to continuous elongated stock, a counting register having an actuating member to which displacement in accordance with predetermined requirements must be applied to produce unit increase in the count indicated on the register, and a transformation device operatively connecting the stock-engaging member and the actuating member, this device including means responsive to a differential function with respect to time of each displacement imparted to the stock engaging member to furnish the required displacement to the actuating member while the stockengaging member remains in contact with and is controlled by the stock. In the first embodiment, Figs. 1, 2, lateral movement of the stock which is held between a wheel 17 on a spring- loaded arm 18 and an input pulley 15 on a shaft 12 is translated by gears 22, 23 into a rotary movement of a second shaft 25 to which is fixed a collar 26 attached by rectangular spring strips 28 to a second collar 27 slidably mounted on the shaft. As the stock moves and rotates the shaft 25, weights 29 attached to the strips 28 are flung out and cause the collar 27 to slide towards the fixed collar and rock a lever 31, engaging with a pulley 30 integral with the slide towards the fixed collar and rock a lever collar 27, which registers a count of one on a counter 32. When the movement is complete the springs 28 return the lever 31 to its former position. In a second embodiment, Figs. 4, 5, the driving pulley is fixed to a shaft 43 which also carries a pinion 42 and two sleeves 67, 50, the sleeves being mounted on bearings 68, 51, respectively. Integral with the-sleeve 67 is a collar 59 to which is attached, by bolts 65 and spacers 64, an annulus 58. An operative connection between the pinion 42 on the main shaft 43 and a pinion 49 on the second sleeve is effected by two pinions 56, 57 mounted on the same shaft carried by the collar 59 and annulus 58. Owing to the relatively high inertia of the sleeve 67 and its associated parts, movement of the stock 16 is transmitted by the pulley 43 to the sleeve 50 which rotates to move on arm 55, Fig. 5, of a counter 40 via a lever 54 and a link 53, until further movement of the counter arm 55 is prevented by a stud not shown, when the sleeve 67 commences to rotate. When the stock ceases moving the momentum of the sleeve 67 causes the pinions 56, 57 to reverse their direction of rotation and drive the second sleeve 50 and the arm 55 back to their initial positions. In a final embodiment, Fig. 9, movement of the stock is transmitted by a pulley 71 to a shaft 79 attached to which are two diametrically opposite studs 91 engaging in slots 90, Fig. 10, in a ring member 81 which rests freely on the shaft 79. Surrounding the ring 81 and in frictional contact with it is a second ring member 82 which carries two spring-loaded plungers 83 sliding in a circular groove in the inner ring 81. In operation when the stock commences moving the two rings first move laterally to the right until the studs 91 strike the ends of the slots in which they are sliding when the ring 81 rotates with the shaft 79. The rotation of the inner ring 81 is gradually transmitted to the outer ring 82 via the frictional coupling, and when the stock ceases moving the inertia of the outer ring 82 causes it to continue to rotate to drive both rings laterally along the shaft 79 to their former position. The uniform lateral movement of the rings consequent upon any sufficiently large movement of the stock is used to rock a bar 86 to actuate a counter, the bar 86 sliding in a circular groove 85 in the outer ring 82. When the stock has to be moved only once for each article being manufactured the counter will then indicate the number of articles produced.