Improvements in Counters.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Jan., 1891-Accepted, 14th Feb., 1891
Improvements in Counters.
I, FRANCIS EDWARD MACMAHON, of 24 Great Windmill Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In counters and especially in those actuated by electricity difficulty is
experienced by reason of each wheel having at the completion of its revolution to
perform an extra amount of work in turning the next wheel through one step.
This invention has mainly for its object the spreading of this work over the whole
of the revolution of the wheel.
For simplicity I will describe the invention in connection with a counter of
pence, shillings and pounds, but the invention is applicable to other counters.
The pence dial is caused to revolve step by step by an electro-magnet which
oscillates an escapement whose pallets take into the teeth of a driving and retaining
ratchet wheel fixed to the axis of the pence dial. This axis also carries a cam
disc which, as it revolves, bears against one or other of two pins carried at the
ends of two pivotted arms which are connected together by a spiral spring. These
arms also carry other pins which take into the teeth of a driving and retaining
ratchet wheel upon the axis of the shillings dial.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
As the pence dial revolves the cam gradually forces out one of the arms thereby
extending the spring, the other arm being prevented from moving inwards by
reason of the pin upon it bearing against the top of one of the inclined teeth of
the ratchet wheel upon the shillings dial. After a time the first mentioned pin is
carried outwards clear of the tooth on the shillings ratchet wheel in which it had
previously laid thus leaving the ratchet wheel free to turn. Immediately this
takes place the other pin which is bearing against the incline of the tooth is
pulled inwards by the spring and thereby forces the ratchet wheel and shillings
dial to turn through one tooth. The action is then reversed.
As the cam
continues to turn the first mentioned arm is pulled in again by the spring until
its pin bears against the top of the incline of the next ratchet tooth, whilst the
second arm is gradually forced outwards against the pressure of the spring until it
clears the ratchet whereupon the shillings dial is forced round by the first pin
through another one tooth and so on.
It will be observed that each revolution of the pence dial advances the shillings
dial through two teeth, so that it is necessary to have 24 figures upon the pence
dial.
The last or pounds dial is driven in a different manner as it is only necessary
for this to revolve once before the instrument is reset. Upon its axis I fix a
toothed pinion gearing with a toothed quadrant which at the other side of its
pivot carries a weight tending to turn the quadrant about its axis and rotate the
pounds dial. The axis of the pounds dial carries an escapement wheel gearing
with an escapement in the usual way. The arm of the escapement lever carries a
pin and the shillings dial a projection which once in every revolution comes against
the pin lifting the escapement lever and so allowing the pounds dial to be driven by
the weighted quadrant through one tooth.
These arrangements allow of the apparatus being very readily set back to zero.
Each of the dials or one of the revolving parts attached to it carries a pin parallel
to their common axis. This common axis also carries a number of radial pins
which, when the axis is slidden endwise, come into the paths of the pins upon the
D

page_text: dials. A single turn or less of the axis now brings the whole of the dials back
to zero.
1
11000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Counters.
I, FRANCIS EDWARD MACMAHON, of 24 Great Windmill Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, 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 :-
In counters and especially in those actuated by electricity difficulty is
experienced by reason of each wheel having at the completion of its revolution to
perform an extra amount of work in turning the next wheel through one step.
This invention has mainly for its object the spreading of this work over the whole
of the revolution of the wheel.
For simplicity I will describe the invention in connection with a counter of
pence, shillings and pounds, but the invention is applicable to other counters.
The pence dial is caused to revolve step by step by an electro-magnet which
oscillates an escapement whose pallets take into the teeth of a driving and retaining
ratchet wheel fixed to the axis of the pence dial. This axis also carries a cam
disc which, as it revolves, bears against one or other of two pins carried at the
ends of two pivotted arms which are connected together by a spiral spring. These
arms also carry other pins which take into the teeth of a driving and retaining
ratchet wheel upon the axis of the shillings dial.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
:-
As the pence dial revolves the cam gradually forces out one of the arms thereby
extending the spring, the other arm being prevented from moving inwards by
reason of the pin upon it bearing against the top of the incline of one of the
inclined teeth of the ratchet wheel upon the shillings dial.
After a time the first
mentioned pin is carried outwards clear of the tooth on the shillings ratchet wheel
in which it had previously laid thus leaving the ratchet wheel free to turn.
Immediately this takes place the other pin which is bearing against the incline of
the tooth is pulled inwards by the spring and thereby forces the ratchet wheel
and shillings dial to turn through one tooth. The action is then reversed.
As the cam continues to turn the first mentioned arm is pulled in again by the
spring until its pin bears against the top of the incline of the next ratchet tooth,
whilst the second arm is gradually forced outwards against the pressure of the
spring until it clears the ratchet whereupon the shillings dial is forced round by
the first pin through another one tooth and so on.
It will be observed that each revolution of the pence dial advances the shillings
dial through two teeth, so that it is necessary to have 24 figures upon the pence
dial.
The last or pounds dial is driven in a different manner as it is only necessary
for this to revolve once before the instrument is reset. Its axis carries an
escapement wheel with which an escapement gears. The shillings dial carries a
cam and the arm of the escapement lever carries a pin which is caused to bear
against the cam by this cam the escapement lever is oscillated to and fro once for
every revolution.
These arrangements allow of the apparatus being very readily set back to zero.
Each of the dials or one of the revolving parts attached to it carries a pin
parallel to their common axis. This common axis also carries a number of radial
pins which, when the axis is slidden endwise, come into the paths of the pins upon
the dials. A single turn or less of the axis now brings the whole of the dials back
to zero.

page_text: Figure 2 a longitudinal section of the counter wheels and the parts for setting
them all back to zero whenever required.
Figure 3 is a section through the line A B Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a section through C D Figure 1.
Figure 5 a section through the line E˚F.
Figure 6 a section through the line G H and
Figure 7 a section through the line I J.
AA are standards standing up from a bed B which may be fixed inside of a
suitable box or case.
D is an axis
C is a portion of one end of such box or case.
passed through holes formed through the upper part of the standards A.
E F G are dial wheels capable of being turned freely on the axis D. Hare
distance pieces on the axis which keep the wheels at their proper distance apart.
The dial wheels have figures marked upon their circumference which as the wheels
are rotated are brought in succession beneath slots formed in the top or side of
the casing.
Fixed on the hollow axis of the wheel E is the escape wheel I held and driven
by an escapement lever J in the ordinary manner. This lever is drawn in one
direction by a spring K and in the opposite direction by the action of an electro-
magnet L whenever a current is passed through its coils of insulated conducting
wire. The escape wheel is moved forward one tooth for every to and fro move-
ment of the escapement lever. Fixed on the axis of the wheel E is also an
eccentric M. N N are two levers on opposite sides of the eccentric-these levers
at their lower ends turn on pins carried by arms from the bed B and at their upper
O is a
end they each carry a pin N¹ which can be acted upon by the eccentric.
spring by which the upper ends of the levers are drawn towards one another.
The levers N also carry pins N these act against the teeth of the toothed
wheel P-the front face of each tooth of this wheel is radial and the back
inclined. The toothed wheel P is fast on the axis of the wheel F.
The radial face of one or other of the teeth of this wheel normally rests against
one of the pins N and the wheel is thereby kept from being turned whilst the
other pin Nis by the action of the spring O drawn against the inclined face of
another tooth on the opposite side of the wheel and tends to turn the wheel.
As the eccentric revolves it presses back the lever which carries the first men-
tioned pin N until this pin is clear of the teeth of the wheel, the wheel is then free
to turn and the second pin N* acting against the inclined back of one of the teeth
causes the wheel to be turned until this pin comes to the bottom of the incline.
When any further movement of the eccentric takes place the pin which was
before held by it clear of the teeth of the wheel is now allowed to approach the
wheel until it rests against the inclined back of the tooth ready to again turn the
wheel so soon as the pin on the opposite side of the wheel has by the still further
movement of the eccentric been carried back clear of the wheels teeth. The
wheel is so made to turn two steps for every revolution of the wheel E.
Similar means might in some cases be used for causing the next wheel G to be
turned two steps for each complete revolution of the wheel F and so on for any
desired number of wheels.
In the construction shewn in the drawing another arrangement is used for giving
motion to the wheel G in order that the wheel G may be used for indicating
pounds.
This arrangement is as follows:-
Fast on the axis of the wheel F there is a snail wheel cam Q a pin R¹ on an
escapement and driving lever R is made to rest against this cam by the action of a
spring S.
T is an escapement wheel fast on the axis of the wheel G. The escapement
lever R carries a pawl or driver R' which engages with the teeth of the escapement

page_text: wheel and whenever the lever is allowed to move towards the wheel turns the
wheel one tooth-the lever also carries an additional pin R³ which serves to
prevent the wheel from turning too far at each of its movements. V is a spring
stop acting against the teeth of the escapement wheel T and serving to keep the
wheel at rest when the lever is being moved backwards away from the wheel. It
yields readily and allows the wheel to be turned whenever the lever makes its
forward movements.
In order that the wheels E F G may at any time be readily set back to zero the
axis D has pins W standing out from it-these pass through slots in the distance
pieces H normally they are out of the way of pins X which stand out from the side
of the wheels E F G or parts fast with them but by shifting the axis D endwise
the pins W can be brought into the path of the pins X and then by giving to the
axis one complete turn all the wheels can be simultaneously turned backwards and
brought to zero.
To allow of this movement being readily given to the axis D the axis at one of
its ends is made to pass through the hollow axis of a knob Y which is carried by a
plate Z fixed to the end C of the casing of the counter.
On the end of the axis D is a head pressed outwards by the action of a spring Y
contained within the knob. On the inner side of the casing the knob has upon it a
dise D' which is locked to the axis so as to turn with it by a pin D2 but which yet
allows the axis to be shifted endwise.
When the axis D is pressed outwards by the action of the spring Y¹ the pins W
upon the axis are out of the path of the pins X but by pressing upon the head on
the end of the axis the axis can be shifted end wise until they are brought into the
path of the pins X and then if the knob Y has one complete turn given to it the
wheels E F G will all be brought back to zero.
In order to ensure that the axis before turning it shall be pressed inwards far
enough for the pins W to engage with the pins X the axis has upon it inside the
casing a disc D³ in which at one point in its circumference is a radial slot.
A stop shewn to be formed of two fixed pins U U¹ projects into the slot in the
disc and prevents it from being turned when the axis is in its normal position.
When however the axis is pressed inwards the disc is clear of the stop and can be
turned freely and so soon as a partial turn has been given to it the disc rests on
the top of the stop and the axis cannot be pressed outwards by the action of the
spring until a complete turn has been given to the axis and the stop again enters
the slot in the disc. A portion of the disc near to the slot is inclined inwards as
shewn so that when the axis D is pressed outwards by the spring Y₁ the axis may
be returned quietly to its normal position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. A counter in which the rotation of one wheel intermittently constrains and
releases a spring and allows it when released to cause the next wheel to turn one
step.
2. The combination of eccentric M levers N N spring O and toothed wheel P
for causing the rotation of one wheel of a counter to give a step by step rotation to
the next wheel substantially as described.
3. The construction of counters substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. The means substantially as herein before described for simultaneously bringing
back all the wheels of a counter to the zero position.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1891.
F. E. MACMAHON.