Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1887
Specification Accepted, 4th Oct., 1887.
A COMDunication from I ATRICK GEORGE CLOSE, Or
Real Estate Agent.
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I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. 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 :-
The object of the invention is to produce a counter which derives a direct action
from the main driving shaft of a machine and is adapted to indicate continuously
the number of revolutions made even though the action of the shaft be reversed
and which is not liable to get out of order or to fail to register the revolutions of the
shaft. This invention is specially applicable to knitting machines to indicate the
number of revolutions of the cam ring and the rows knitted when the knitting
machine is operated.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the counter from the inside.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the counter.
Fig. 3 is a detail of cap for counter.
In the drawing like letters of reference indicate similar parts in the different
figures.
In figure 1A is a bracket suitably secured to the frame of the machine and in
knitting machines is preferably let into a notch formed in the bed of the machine to
which it is secured.
B is the main shaft to which the driving wheel C (dotted in the drawing) is
attached the teeth on the periphery of which in knitting machines mesh with the
teeth formed under the rim of the cam ring.
B is the main driving shaft which has a box or bearing d formed on said bracket
and E is a graduated disc which is toothed on the inner portion of its periphery.
These teeth a correspond in number to the graduation marks a tooth being in line
with each graduation.
e is the stud for the graduated disc which is fixed in the bracket A. On this stud
the graduated disc is adapted to revolve.

page_text: F is a lever arm preferably curved and pivotted at to the small bracket which
forms part of or is rigidly attached to the lower portion of the bracket A. At the
upper end of the lever F there is a pawl G pivotted thereto at g and h is a spiral spring
attached to the pawl G and small bracket 6 which is drawn out.
When the eccentric
came formed on the main shaft comes in contact with the short or under arm of the
lever pushing it outwardly the end of the upper arm being thus pushed towards the
graduated disc straightening and thereby pushing forward the end of the pawl G
which rests against the square side of one of the teeth and thus registering one
revolution of the main shaft. At the time this forward push is given to the graduated
disc E by the straightening out of the pawl G and lengthening of the spring the
hooked end of the pivotted clutch pawl H on the opposite side of the graduated dise
slips over the bevelled side of a tooth as the graduated disc is pushed forward by the
pawl on the other side and when the push is completed clutches against the square
side of the tooth adjoining that which it has previously clutched being drawn down
into position and held therein by the spiral spring i attached to this clutch pawl H and
the bracket as shown. This clutch pawl H is pivotted at to the shoulder or bracket [
formed on or attached to the lower part of the bracket A.
In this view the eccentric cam c formed on the main shaft B has come in contact
with the lower end of the lever arm F the pawl G has just been straightened out and
pushing the graduated disc forward one graduation and the clutch pawl H has just
engaged against the squared side of another and adjoining tooth. The spiral spring h
is still drawn out and the retractile spring has just drawn in the hooked end of
the clutch pawl H against the squared side of a tooth preventing reflex action.
Figure 2 is a view from the front showing the counter immediately after the
eccentric cam c has passed over the lower end of the lever arm F leaving it free to
move inwardly; the upper end of this lever arm has been thrown out from the
graduated disc by the retractile action of the spiral spring on the pivotted pawl G'
which is now no longer straightened out but presents an arched appearance with
respect to the lever arm F the end of this pivotted pawl G having been drawn by the
action of the spring over the bevelled side of the next tooth and engaging its
opposite squared side and is now ready in position for the next forward push of the
graduated disc so soon as the eccentric cam c on the main shaft in the course of its
revolution again comes in contact with the lower arm of the lever arm F and
straightens out the pivotted pawl G with respect to the longer arm; thus lengthening
the distance from the end of the pawl G to the fixed pivot point of the lever F
causing the pawl to make the forward push herein before described under figure 1.
In this view the clutch pawl H. has remained undisturbed in the position shown in
figure 1 and is ready to engage with the next adjoining tooth as herein before
described as soon as the pivotted pawl G on the other side is again straightened out
and makes another forward push off the graduated disc.
K is an adjusting screw with a bearing in the arm k which forms part of or is
rigidly attached to the bracket I. The end of this adjusting screw K is adapted to
butt up against the lower end of the lever arm F so that by screwing it up the
drawing back of the pawl G and the length of its forward push may be decreased and
by unscrewing the adjusting screw. K the drawing back of the pawl G and the length
of its forward push may be increased as may be desired so as to ensure the proper
engagement of the end of the pawl G with the next adjoining tooth.
The number of graduations on the graduated disc may be varied as required and
the graduation marks in all cases correspond in number with the number of the teeth
formed on the inner side of the periphery of the graduated disc. Two hundred
graduations every tenth graduation being numbered has been found convenient in
counters for knitting machines.
Figure 3 is a detail showing the top of a cap M to cover the counter in order to
exclude dust &c., and has formed on one side of the slit an index point m which may
be set at the zero point on the graduated disc or as may be required so as to indicate
the number of revolutions made by the main shaft.
It will be seen from the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings that

page_text: the action of the counter depends upon the lower arm of the pivotted lever F
being actuated at each revolution of the main shaft and moving outwardly from
the graduated disc E and that the graduated disc E has an independent spindle e of
its own to revolve on and that the graduated disc is moved continuously forward
whether the action of the main shaft is direct or reverse so that this counter is
adapted to record the reverse movements of the main shaft B as well as its direct
movements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the same
is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination of the main shaft B having an eccentric came the pivotted
lever F and the bracket A which affords bearings for the main shaft and pivotted
lever F as well as the spindle for the graduated disc E the pivotted pawl G adapted
to engage with teeth formed on the periphery of the graduated disc E and the
spring substantially as specified.
2. The combination of the main shaft having an eccentric cam c the pivotted
lever F and the bracket A which affords bearings for the main shaft B pivotted lever F
clutch pawl H and stud e for graduated disc E the pivotted pawl G and the
pivotted clutch pawl H adapted to engage with teeth forined on the periphery of the
graduated disc E and actuated by the spring and the spring i substantially as
described and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination of the main shaft B having an eccentric cam c the pivotted
lever F and the adjusting screw K adapted to butt against the lower end of the
pivotted lever F the bracket A which affords bearings for the main shaft B pivotted
lever F adjusting screw K clutch pawl H and the stude of graduated disc E the
pivotted pawl G and the pivotted clutch pawl H adapted to engage with teeth formed
on the periphery of the graduated disc E and actuated by the spring hand the spring i
substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
4. The combination of the main shaft B having an eccentric cam c the pivotted
lever F the adjusting screw K the pivotted clutch pawl H graduated disc E the
spring and the spring i all of which are afforded bearings by the bracket A the
cap M having an index m and the pivotted pawl G adapted to engage with teeth
formed on the periphery of the graduated disc E substantially as described and for
the purpose specified.
Dated this 50th doen L.... 1007