Patent GB-656843-A (GB)
Abstract: 656,843. Counting-apparatus. TOTALISATORS, Ltd. (Automatic Totalisators, Ltd.). Oct. 16, 1947, No. 27721. [Class 106 (i)]  In an adding unit for a race totalizator a counter drive train comprises : a counter drive shaft, an escapement drive shaft, a differential gear unit associated with said escapement drive shaft, motor devices able to operate through said gear unit to urge rotation of said escapement drive shaft and means able to rotate the counter drive shaft in consonance with rotation of said escapement drive shaft and to restore energy to said motor devices through the agency of said gear unit. A continuously rotated main drive shaft 13, Figs. 1 and 6, has a slipping clutch 23, the driven plate 29 of which carries a pinion 31 and a ratchet wheel 30 which is normally prevented from rotating by a pivoted restraining pawl 32 held in engagement therewith by a radial arm 35, Figs. 1 and 3, carried by the cage 37 of a differential gear 38. The sun wheel 39 of the differential 38 is fixed on an escapement drive shaft 42 rotatable in a bearing sleeve 43 fixed in the adding unit frame 11. The planet cage 37 is mounted on a sleeve 44 revolvable on the escapement drive shaft 42 and the sun wheel 40 free on the sleeve 44 carries a gear wheel 45 and a pinion 46 which constitutes the first element in a gear train 47 for actuating an odds indicator. The gear wheel 45 meshes with the pinion 31 and with a pinion 48 on the operating shaft 49 of the adding unit counter 50 removably bolted on a bracket 72, Fig. 1, on the frame 11. The sleeve 44 is normally urged to rotate by a coiled spring 51, Fig. 6, the inner end of which is anchored at 52 to the sleeve 44 and the outer end of which is anchored within a drum 54 adjustably secured to the frame 11. The shaft 42 at its end remote from the differential gear 38 is drivingly connected to the axially alighed escapement shaft 62 of a known type of escapement assembly 63, Fig. 5, including differential gears 64, escapement wheels 65, levers 67 and electromagnets 66 and formed as a self-contained unit with a frame 68 removably secured to the adding unit frame 11. In use, when the shaft 62 is freed for rotation upon energization of any of the electromagnets 66 this rotation is effected by the spring 51 through the differential 38 and the shaft 42. Movement of the cage 37 causes the radial arm 35 to leave the restraining pawl 32 which is then moved by a spring 34 away from the ratchet wheel 30 which is thereupon rotated by the slipping clutch 23. The counter unit 50 is then driven through the pinion 31 and gear wheels 45, 48, and the spring 51 is rewound by rotation of the sun wheel 40 which resets the cage 37 and the arm 35 again pushes pawl 32 into engagement with ratchet wheel 30. If there is a plurality of escapement assembles 63 their final gear wheels 45 have their rotation summed by an additional differential gear which is connected to the counter 50. The frame 11, Fig. 9, is seated in a channel sectioned socket 75 on a chassis 76 having a seating 77 on which the escapement assembly 63 rests. The frame 11 is located longitudinally in its socket by an adjustable screw and is clamped by a channel sectioned clamp plate which engages pins on the frame 11, Fig. 10 (not shown).