Improvements in Pedometers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 19th May, 1894
Improvements in Pedometers.
We, ANTON REINISCH, of 1 Albrechtstrasse Klosterneuberg, near Vienna,
Austria, Gentleman, and LORENZ KRATOCH WIL, of 5 Bernardgasse, Vienna,
Austria, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same, is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a construction of pedometer capable of being attached
to boots, shoes, and the like and adapted to receive an impulse each time the foot is
set down whereby it is caused to register, by means of suitable counting-mechanism
the number of steps made.
Our improved pedometer comprises a box containing the counting-mechanism,
and means for suitably attaching the box to a boot, shoe, or the like (hereinafter
called a shoe), and a spring pin, lever or carrier (hereinafter called a spring pin)
provided with a tooth adapted to operate the said counting mechanism each time
the foot of the person to which the pedometer is applied, is placed on the ground.
In one arrangement of our pedometer the spring pin is arranged to project through
the box in such a manner that at each step the spring pin will be pressed upwards
by the setting down of the shoe and will thereby cause the said tooth to operate the
counting-mechanism.
In the accompanying illustrative drawings,
Figs. 1 and 2 show respectively in side elevation and plan, this arrangement of
pedometer attached to a shoe;
Fig. 3 shows a front elevation of the pedometer with the box open;
Fig. 4 shows a vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 5 a back-clevation of the
pedometer;
Fig. 6 shows a vertical cross-section of the pedometer as attached to a
shoe; and
Figs. 7 and 8 are two detail views hereinafter referred to.
Our pedometer comprises a box a containing the counting-mechanism, and
provided with a cover b that is hinged to the box a at sand is provided with
openings, through which the numerals of the counting-mechanism can be read off
and which are glazed to protect the said mechanism from dust and dirt. To the
back of the box a there is secured an attachment a' which is inserted and held in
grooves cl of a bent plate c forming a holding device which is preferably fastened
to the side or back of the heel of the shoe. In order to prevent the pedometer from
becoming accidentally separated from the heel, there may be secured to the
attachment as a leaf-spring a³ (Fig. 8) which is compressed by the insertion of the
attachment a between the heel a aud the bolding device c.
The counting-mechanism is operated by means of a spring pin or projection g
(hereinafter called a spring pin) which projects through the box a with its preferably
tapered lower end g' and is capable of being moved vertically in the box in a
suitable passage provided therein for that purpose.
The spring pin, which is preferably tapered at its outer lower end as shown, is
pressed downwards by a coiled spring k, so that its tapered lower end y¹ normally
projects below the heel of the shoc; the spring k bears with its upper end against
a pin passing through a slot y' in the post g and is preferably arranged in a cavity
in the said pin.
When the foot is placed on the ground the spring ping is forced upwards, carrying
with it a tooth h which is attached thereto. During this upward motion the tooth h
acts on the units-wheel of the counting-mechanism, and thereby rotates the

page_text: said wheel one tooth forward. When the foot is raised from the ground
the spring pin g and tooth h are moved back into their initial positions by the
spring k.
The counting-apparatus is of known construction; but the units-wheel has only
half as many teeth as each of the other wheels and the units-disc connected
thereto is so numbered that two steps are registered at each step of the foot that
carries the pedometer. The backward rotation of the wheels of the counting-
apparatus is prevented by spring-pawls m. The numeral discs are preferably
provided with milled edges so that, after opening the cover b of the box, they can
be easily set for use. The lower end g' of the spring pin may be provided with a
bearing-surface of rubber, leather, or the like in order to produce no impression or
noise when used on a wooden floor.
Instead of working the tooth by means of a downwardly and outwardly
projecting end g¹ of the pin g, a cord may for this purpose be fastened to the pin or
to the tooth and be led to a suitably arranged button on the trousers of the person
to one of whose feet the pedometer is attached so that, during the forward motion
of the foot, the said cord will be pulled tight through the stretching of the trousers
and will thus be caused to raise the tooth h.
The pedometer hereinbefore described may also be applied to the hoofs of horses
or other animals for the purpose of ascertaining either the number of steps made by
them or their speed, or both.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A pedometer comprising a counter adapted to be attached.to a person's boot,
shoe or the like, or to the shoe of a draught or riding animal and provided with a
pin, lever or the like subjected to spring-pressure and adapted to be moved upward
during each step made with the foot carrying the pedometer and thereby to operate
the said counter in such a manner as to cause it to register the number of steps taken
substantially as herein described.
2. In a pedometer of the kind specified in Claim 1 the arrangement of the
counting-mechanism in a box a adapted to be detachably secured on a person's shoe
or on the shoe of a draught or riding animal, and provided with a pin g which is
subjected to spring-pressure, and is adapted to be operated by the putting of the
foot on the ground, or by the stretching of a cord through the advance
of the foot, in such a manner that a tooth h attached to the said pin will
then act on the said counting-mechanism substantially as herein described for the
purpose specified.
Dated this 17th do of Anni 1901