Counter for thin objects moving on a conveyer

Claim 1

A COUNTING DEVICE FOR REGISTERING PASSAGE OF A SERIES OF FLAT PRODUCTS ALONG A CONVEYER, COMPRISING A SUPPORTING SLED MOUNTED IN FIXED LONGITUDINAL POSITION ON THE CONVEYER ABOVE SAID PRODUCTS AS THEY PASS THEREBENEATH, AN ELONGATED APERTURE IN SAID SLED, STAND MEMBERS MOUNTED ON SAID SLED, ROTATIVELY SUPPORTING A SHAFT EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE CONVEYER, A WHEEL CARRIED FOR ROTATION WITH SAID SHAFT AND HAVING A PERIPHERY EXTENDING TO SAID APERTURE, TWO PAIRS OF PINS EXTENDING DIAMETRICALLY ACROSS ONE FACE OF SAID WHEEL, THE PIN ENDS BEING AT 45* SPACINGS, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID PINS FOR LIMITED FREE LONGITUDINAL MOTION BEYOND SAID PERIPHERY AT EACH END THEREOF, MEANS RETRACTING EACH PIN END AS IT IS ROTATED TOWARD SAID APERTURE, MEANS RELEASING EACH PIN TO ENTER SAID APERTUE AS THE WHEEL ROTATES IN ONE DIRECTION, MEANS URGING EACH PIN DOWNWARDLY WITHIN SAID APERTURE WHEN RELEASED, THEREBY TO ENGAGE SAID PRODUCTS IN SUCCESSION AS THEY PASS THEREUNDER, MEANS STOPPING SAID WHEEL AFTER IT IS ROTATED BY ONE SAID PIN SUFFICIENTLY TO CAUSE THE NEXT SAID PIN TO ENTER SAID APERTURE, AND MEANS COUNTING SUCCESSIVE ROTATION AL INCREMENTS OF SAID WHEEL.