Operating apparatus for taximeter

Claim 1

FOR USE IN A TAXIMETER OR THE LIKE, IN COMBINATION A UNIT INCLUDING A ROTARY CONTROL MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OF ANGULARLY SPACED CONTROL POSITIONS; AN ELECTRIC MOTOR HAVING A STATOR AND A ROTOR CONNECTED TO SAID CONTROL MEANS FOR ROTATING THE SAME; BRAKE MEANS FOR BRAKING ROTATION OF SAID ROTOR OF SAID ELECTRIC MOTOR, SAID BRAKE MEANS HAVING AN INACTIVE CONDITION, A POTENTIALLY ACTIVE CONDITION AND AN ACTIVE BRAKING CONDITION, WHICH LATTER BRAKING CONDITION SAID BRAKING MEANS IS ADAPTED TO ASSUME ONLY FROM SAID POTENTIALLY ACTIVE CONDITION AND FROM WHICH BRAKING CONDITION IT AUTOMATICALLY RETURNS TO ITS INACTIVE CONDITION AFTER A LIMITED BRAKING TIME PERIOD; ENERGIZING MEANS FOR ENERGIZING AND DE-ENERGIZING SAID STATOR AND ROTOR OF SAID MOTOR; ACTUATING MEANS FOR PLACING SAID BRAKE MEANS FROM SAID INACTIVE INTO SAID POTENTIALLY ACTIVE CONDITION THEREOF; MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY ACTUATING SAID ENERGIZING MEANS SO THAT THE SAME CAUSES ENERGIZATION OF SAID MOTOR AND COOPERATING WITH SAID ACTUATING MEANS FOR PLACING SAID BRAKE MEANS INTO SAID POTENTIALLY ACTIVE POSITION THEREOF; AND AUTOMATIC OPERATING MEANS DRIVEN IN SYNCHRONISM WITH SAID CONTROL MEANS AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPERATING POSITIONS CORRESPONDING TO SAID CONTROL POSITIONS OF SAID CONTROL MEANS AND ACTUATING IN EACH OF SAID OPERATING POSITIONS THEREOF SAID ENERGIZING MEANS SO AS TO DEENERGIZE SAID ROTOR SO THAT SAID DE-ENERGIZED ROTOR CONTINUES TO ROTATE DUE TO INERTIA AND PLACING SIMULTANEOUSLY SAID BRAKE MEANS FROM SAID POTENTIALLY ACTIVE INTO SAID ACTIVE BRAKING CONDITION THEREOF, WHEREBY SAID BRAKE MEANS WILL AUTOMATICALLY AND INSTANTANEOUSLY BE PLACED INTO ACTIVE BRAKING CONDITION INSTANTANEOUSLY BRAKING SAID ROTOR, AND AFTER BRAKING OF SAID ROTOR SAID BRAKE MEANS WILL THEN AUTOMATICALLY RETURN INTO ITS INACTIVE CONDITION THEREOF.