Improvements in Registering Mechanism or Counters Actuated by Electric Currents.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 12th May, 1890-Accepted, 21st June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Registering Mechanism or Counters Actuated by
Electric Currents.
I, ROBERT JEWELL of 9 Victoria Road, Battersea Park, Surrey, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the construction of electrically actuated registering
mechanism or counters for registering or totalising at a distance numbers of any
kind, such as amounts of money received, quantities of beer, wine or spirits dispensed,
number of bottles, cigars, &c. removed from receptacles, numbers of persons passing
through turnstiles, &c.
According to one arrangement of such apparatus, the counter consists of a
number of spindles carrying discs with numerals as in ordinary counters. On each
spindle is fixed a toothed wheel with which gears a pawl or escapement lever actuated
by the armature of an electromagnet which is included in an electrical circuit
connected with apparatus at the locality where the numbers or values are to be
indicated by closing the circuit. Thus on the electromagnet of the counter being
excited by the closing of the circuit, the attraction of the armature thereby causes
this to actuate the escapement lever so as to turn the wheel and with it the spindle
and counter disc one tooth, thereby effecting the registration due to one closing of
the circuit.
On the circuit being interrupted the armature is drawn back to its original position
by a spring, thereby also imparting a reverse motion to the escapement lever, which
may or may not impart further motion in the same direction as before to the counter
spindle and disc, so that the complete movement of this from one division to the next
will in this case consist of two separate movements. For effecting the movement
of the second, third, &c. discs of the counter after the first, second &c. has had a
certain number of movements imparted to it, I employ the following arrangement.
The end of the counter spindle carries one or more radial arms corresponding to the
number of movements the disc has to make before the next one is to be moved; at
the completion of such series of movements one of these arms acts upon a pivolted
contact piece that is connected to the coil of the first electromagnet and moves it so
as to come into conducting contact with a second pivotted contact piece that is
connected to the coil of the second electromagnet so that this being now included in
the circuit and becoming excited attracts its armature and causes the second spindle
and disc to turn through one division. On the armature completing this movement,
a finger thereon acts on a tail of the above mentioned second contact piece, and
moves this out of contact with the first piece, thus interrupting the current in the
second electromagnet again after the armature has completed the movement of the
second disc.
For the above purpose it is preferred to keep both the contact pieces always in
contact by springs but to make the first one with a portion of its contact surface of
insulating material, so that when the second contact piece bears upon this, the
circuit is broken, and when the first piece is moved so as to establish the contact,
the two pieces are held in this position by a catch, which is released on the
second contact piece being actuated by the finger of the armature as described,
whereupon the first piece springs back into its original position, breaking the
contact.
Instead of connecting the coils of the electromagnets as described, the first
pivotted contact piece may in each case be connected directly with the lead of the
circuit.
Angouliner to another modification of the apparatus I dispense with the electro

page_text: magnets to the second, third, &c. discs of the counter. For this purpose the spindle
of the first disc, which is actuated by an electromagnet with armature and escapement
mechanism as before, carries a cam shaped wheel with which gears an arm on an
escapement lever acting on an escapement wheel on the second counter, the said cam
being so arranged that when the first spindle has been rotated so as to complete a
series of registrations by its disc, it actuates the escapement lever of the second
spindle, causing this to effect the turning of the second disc through one division,
after which the cam does not operate the second escapement lever again until the
first disc has completed another series of registrations. In like manner the second
spindle carries a cam acting on the escapement lever and wheel of the third spindle,
and so on.
The discs of the counter are not rigidly fixed to their spindles but are connected
thereto by a spring catch arrangement taking into a serrated disc fixed on the spindle,
so that by releasing the catch the discs can be turned back to the zero position, and
then be secured by the catch again. The catch may be fixed on the counter disc
which is capable of being slid on its spindle so as to bring the catch in and out of
gear with the notched disc.
Dated this 15th day of August 15ea
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Registering Mechanism or Counters Actuated by
Electric Currents.
1, ROBERT JEWELL of 9 Victoria Road Battersea Park, Surrey Gentleman, 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:-
My Invention relates to the construction of electrically actuated registering
mechanism, or counters for registering or totalizing at a distance numbers of any kind,
such as amounts of money received, quantities of beer, wine or spirits dispensed,
number of bottles cigars &c. removed from receptacles, numbers of persons passing
through turnstiles &c.
According to one arrangement of such apparatus, the counter consists of a number
of spindles carrying discs with numerals as in ordinary counters. On each spindle is
fixed a toothed wheel with which gears a pawl or escapement lever actuated by the
armature of an electro magnet which is included in an electrical circuit connected
with apparatus at the locality where the numbers or values are to be indicated by
closing the circuit. Thus on the electro magnet of the counter being excited by the
closing of the circuit, the attraction of the armature thereby causes this to actuate
the escapement lever so as to turn the wheel, and with it the spindle and counter disc
one tooth, thereby effecting the registration due to one closing of the circuit.
On the circuit being interrupted, the armature is drawn back to its original position
by a spring, thereby also imparting a reverse motion to the escapement lever, which
may or may not impart further motion in the same direction as before to the counter
spindle and disc, so that the complete movement of this from one division to the next
will in this case consist of two separate movements. For effecting the movement of
the second, third &c. discs of the counter after the first, second, &c. has had a certain
number of movements imparted to it, I employ the following arrangement. The end
of the counter spindle carries one or more radial arms corresponding to the number of
movements the disc has to make before the next one is to be moved; at the com-
pletion of such series of movements one of these arms act upon a pivotted contact
piece that is connected to the coil of the first electro-magnet and moves it so as to
come into conducting contact with a second pivotted contact piece that is connected
to the coil of the second electro magnet so that this being now included in the circuit
and becoming excited attracts its armature and causes the second spindle and disc to
turn through one division. On the armature completing this movement, a finger

page_text: thereon acts on a tail of the above mentioned second contact piece, and moves this out
of contact with the first piece, thus interrupting the current in the second electro
magnet again after the armature has completed the movement of the second disc.
For the above purpose it is preferred to keep both the contact pieces always in
contact by springs but to make the first one with a portion of its contact surface of
insulating material, so that when the second contact piece bears upon this the circuit
is broken, and when the first piece is moved so as to establish the contact, the two
pieces are held in this position, by a catch which is released on the second contact
piece being actuated by the finger of the armature as described, whereupon the first piece
springs back into its original position, breaking the contact.
Instead of connecting the coils of the electro magnets as described, the first pivotted
contact piece may in each case be connected directly with the lead of the circuit.
According to another modification of the apparatus, dispense with the electro
magnets to the second third &c. discs of the counter. For this purpose the spindle of
the first disc, which is actuated by an electro magnet with armature and escapement
mechanism as before, carries a cam shaped wheel with which gears an arm on an
escapement lever acting on an escapement wheel on the second counter, the said cam
being so arranged that when the first spindle has been rotated so as to complete a series
of registrations by its disc, it actuates the escapement lever of the second spindle,
causing this to effect the turning of the second disc through one division, after which
the cam does not operate the second escapement lever again until the first disc has
completed another series of registrations. In like manner the second spindle carries
a cam, acting on the escapement lever and wheel of the third spindle and so on.
Figures 1 to 4 on the accompanying drawings shew the construction of the first
above described counter or registering mechanism.
Figure 1 shews a front view, Figure 2 a plan, Figure 3 a back view and Figure 4
a longitudinal section.
A1 A2 A3 &c. are spindles carrying counter discs B¹ B2 &c. and mounted in
bearings in the framings C. F1 F2 &c. are a series of electro-magnets, one to each
counter spindle, whose armatures I' I2 are carried by escapement levers E' E² the
motion of which imparts a step by step rotary motion to escapement wheels J' J &c.
fixed on the spindles A¹ A² thus imparting the requisite step by step motion to the
counter discs B¹ B2 when the electro magnets are excited in the manner to be presently
explained. On the end of the spindle A¹ is fixed a disc G' of insulating material
having six arms or spikes g', corresponding in number to the number of sets of
divisions on the counter disc B', which, in the present case, is shewn with six sets of
four divisions, it being intended that disc B2 shall be moved one division every time
B has moved four divisions. Pivotted in an insulated manner to the framing () is a
contact piece H which is held by a spring in the position shewn, in which a second
pivotted contact piece H', also insulated from the framing and held by a spring h¹,
is made to rest upon an insulated part h² of H, so that there is then no conducting
connection between the two parts. The electric circuit for actuating the apparatus
is connected to the one end of all the electro magnet coils by the lead K, rod K¹
and wires K2, while the other lead K³ of the circuit is put by wire K* and branch
wires K K in conducting connection with the pivots of contact pieces H, H³, H* and
by wire K' with the other end of the coil of electromagnet F¹; the pivot of contact
piece His connected by wire K8 with the other end of the coil of electromagnet F.
From this arrangement it will be seen that every time the electric circuit is
closed at a distance by the action of the apparatus, whose movements the counter is
required to register, the electro magnet F will be excited, and will turn the counter
spindle A' and disc B₁ one division, the return motion of the armature I' after the
cessation of the current being effected by a spring L.
When spindle A' has moved three divisions and is completing its fourth move-
ment one of its arms g¹ comes in contact with the tail h³ of the contact piece H, and
in depressing it turns H so as to move the insulating piece 2 from under contact
piece H, and cause the two parts to assume the locked position shewn at H H³, the
two parts being then in conducting contact. The electric current then passes from K³

page_text: through K, K, H, H' and wire K to the coil of electromagnet F2, thus com:
pleting the direct connection hereof with the main circuit and by the consequent
attraction of armature 1² the turning of spindle A² and disc B² one division will be
effected.
By the attraction of the armature I also an arm thereon is caused by means of a
screw carried thereby to press upon the tail of H', thereby throwing H H' out of
the conducting contact described, back into the non-conducting contact shewn, in
which position consequently electromagnet F2 is thrown out of circuit again, and
will remain so until spindle A' has again completed a set of tour movements.
The disc B2 has two complete sets of twelve divisions, and is consequently required
to effect the turning of the spindle A³ and disc B³ one division at every semi-revolu-
tion. Its disc G² is therefore provided with only two opposite arins g², one of which
on the completion of twelve movements of A² causes the contact pieces H², H³ to be
brought from the position shewn at H H to that in which H2, H3 are shewn.
The current now passes from K through K, H2, H3 and wire K' to the coil of
electromagnet F³, which is now also in direct connection with the main circuit; in
attracting its armature it firstly causes spindle A³ and disc B³ to turn one division,
and secondly it causes the arm 3 of the armature to act upon H³ so as to throw it out
of conducting contact with H2 again, thus breaking the connection between the
circuit and F3. The disc B³ has a single set of 20 divisions, so that spindle A³ has to
make a complete revolution before it causes spindle A and disc B4 to advance one
division. For this purpose its disc G³ has only a single arm 93 which, on completing
one revolution, acts upon contact piece H* so as to make conducting contact with Ho,
in the same manner as above described, with reference to H Hand H2 H³. The
current then passes through wire K* contacts H H and wire K leading from the
latter to the coil of electromagnet F4, thus connecting this directly with the main
circuit and causing its armature I firstly to turn spindle A and disc B one division.
and secondly to throw the contacts H4, H5 out of gear again by acting upon H
with its arm, thus cutting electromagnet F4 out of circuit again.
From the above described mode of action it will be seen that the counter can be
worked by a comparatively weak electric current, as the full strength of current is
made available for actuating each electromagnet separately, instead of requiring the
current to actuate the whole mechanism of the counter simultaneously or to pass
through all the coils of the several electro magnets in series.
The counter discs as shewn are arranged to indicate, on the first one, fractions of
a penny, on the second one, pence, on the third, shillings and on the fourth pounds,
but it will be understood that any other arrangement of divisions, may be employed,
the number of arms on the several discs G1 G2 G3 being modified accordingly.
The several discs B1 B2 can be set to zero in any suitable known manner; in the
arrangement shewn, the discs are loose on their spindles which have fixed thereon
notched discs 0' 02 &c. into the notches of which takes a tooth ' &c. fixed to the
disc, which is thereby carried round by the spindle. The tooth is kept in gear with
the disc by a small spring pressing the counter disc B1 B2 outwards. On pressing
the disc inwards, the tooth is moved out of the notch of O¹, so that B¹ can then
be turned round upon A¹ into zero position, and then be allowed to gear with O
again.
Figure 5 shews a front view of the second above described construction of counter,
Figure 6 shews a longitudinal section and Figure 7 shews a plan.
In this case only the first spindle A' of the counter has its motion imparted to it by
the electric current, for which purpose the ratchet wheel D on the spindle is acted
upon by the escapement lever E¹ to which is attached the armature Fi of the electro
magnet F, so that each time the armature is attracted by the closing of the circuit the
one arm of the escapement lever moves the ratchet wheel and its spindle through the
distance of half a tooth, and on the breaking of the circuit again, the other arm of
the escapement, actuated by the spring G', causes the wheel to move through the
distance of half a tooth, thus completing the registration.
The spindle A carries a cam shaped wheel H¹, the curved sides h of which are

page_text: formed with serrations, into which takes the tail e of the escapement lever E³, the two
arms of which act alternately upon the ratchet wheel D2 of the counter spindle A².
Thus as spindle A' receives its step by step motion from the electromagnet escape-
ment, one curved side h of the wheel H' gradually moves the lever E² outward,
against the action of a spring G² until when in the extreme outward position, the
one arm of the lever moves the escapement wheel D2 and its spindle through the
distance of half a tooth, whereupon, as the curved side of H' releases the lever E,
this is drawn back again by its spring G2, and thereby effects the completion of the
movement of the ratchet wheel D² and spindle A² so as to move the dial of the
latter forward one division. In the arrangement shewn, the dial B2 is supposed to
move one division every time the dial B completes four movements, and as A' has
six sets of four divisions, the wheel H₁ has six cam shaped faces h. In like manner
spindle A2 carries a cam shaped wheel H2 with two opposite serrated faces h, which
operate in the same manner as above described upon the tail e of the escapement
lever E³, so as to cause this to turn ratchet wheel D³ and spindle A³ one tooth at
every semi revolution of H2, the disc B² of A² having two sets of twelve divisions.
Spindle A³ carries a cam wheel H³ having one cam surface acting on lever E
of ratchet wheel D₁ of spindle A*, so as to move this through the distance of one
division at every complete revolution of A³, the disc B³ of the latter having only one
set of twenty divisions.
The counter discs are adjustable on their spindles in the same manner as described
with reference to the first arrangement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In registering mechanism or counters actuated by electric currents, a counter
spindle receiving a step by step motion by means of an electromagnet and armature
with ratchet or escapement gear, which spindle has one or more radial arms that
are caused at a complete or partial revolution of the spindle, to actuate a contact
mechanism so as to include a second electromagnet in the circuit, whose armature is
thereby made to actuate the second spindle of the counter, such armature being
provided with an arm which, on the completion of its motion, effects the breaking
of the said contact again, so as to throw the second electromagnet out of circuit
again, until the contact is again completed by the movement of the first counter
spindle.
2. In registering mechanism or counters actuated by electric currents, the combi-
nation of a counter spindle A' receiving a step by step motion from an electro-
magnet F, armature l' and escapement lever E, an armed dise G on spindle A¹
the arms of which actuate a pivotted contact piece H, in connection with the coil of
the electromagnet F¹, a second pivotted contact piece H' adapted to make conducting
contact with H so as to put in circuit the electromagnet F and to be put out of
conducting contact again by means of an arm of the armature 12 when this is
attracted by its magnet F2, the motion of the armature I being made to effect the
partial rotation of the second counter spindle A², substantially as described with
reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings.
3. In registering mechanism or counters actuated by electric currents, a counter
spindle receiving a step by step motion by means of an electromagnet and armature
with ratchet or escapement gear, which spindle carries a cam with curved face or
faces, in gear with which is a tail on an escapement lever acting upon an escapement
wheel on the second counter spindle, so that by the step by step motion of the first
counter spindle, the curved face of its cam gradually moves the escapement lever of
the second counter spindle until it gears with the escapement wheel thereof, and then
releases the lever so as to allow it to be moved back by a spring, whereby the second
counter spindle is advanced one step, substantially as described.
4. In registering mechanism or counters actuated by electric currents, the
combination of a counter spindle A¹ receiving a step by step motion from an

page_text: electro-magnet F, armature F' and escapement lever E', a cam H¹ with serrated faces h,
an escapement lever E with tail e gearing with cam H₁ and acted upon by a spring G²,
so that when by the step-by-step motion of the counter spindle A¹ the cam H₁ has
moved the lever E2 to the extreme extent of its motion, the latter acts upon the
escapement wheel D² so as to turn spindle A2 to the extent of one division of its
disc B², substantially as described with reference to Figures 5 to 7 of the
drawings.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.