US3586974A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reset mechanism for a cumulative demand register
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1969-04-02
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Granted: 1971-06-22
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Expires: 1989-04-02
Abstract
Abstract A demand register reset mechanism that is characterized by having resiliently mounted gears that insure proper gear meshing without risk of jamming its gears when the reset mechanism is actuated. In the idle condition of the reset mechanism, the gears of the mechanism are locked in a fixed position. The reset mechanism is further characterized by utilizing a gear shifting means that can be ultrasonically cleaned without damaging any of its components, and that can be easily and precisely calibrated.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald M Ham
- 👤 Joseph G Russillo Jr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 05:14
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R11/00; G01R11/56; G01R11/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
347 words
In a demand meter, an operating mechanism comprising an operating member adapted to move from a base position a distance proportional to the magnitude of a variable quantity, an operated member adapted to be engaged by the operating member and to be moved by it to a position representing the maximum distance in a given direction said operating member is moved from its base position, a first indicating means responsive to the movement of the operated member and adapted to move from a zero position to a position indicative of the maximum movement in said given direction of said operated member, means permanently and directly coupling the first indicating means to the operated member, a reset mechanism for returning the first indicating means to its zero position, a second indicating means comprising at least one rotatably mounted indicator coupled in driven relationship to a dial gear, mechanical means adapted to couple said second indicating means to the reset mechanism, said mechanical means including a gear train one gear of which is shiftable from a first position where it is uncoupled from meshing engagement with other gears in said gear train to a second position where it is coupled in non-slip, direct driving relationship to other gears in said gear train and thereby is coupled in direct driving relationship to said reset mechanism, shifting means that are operable to selectively shift said one gear of the mechanical means from its first position to its second position and to hold said one gear in either of said positions, whereby said rotatably mounted indicator of the second indicating means is coupled in driven relationship through said mechanical means to said reset mechanism when the shifting means is operated to shift said one gear of the mechanical means into its second position, said reset mechanism being further operable in response to said one gear of the mechanical means being shifted into its second position to drive said rotatably mounted pointer of the second indicating means to a position indicative of said maximum movement in said given direction of the operated member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
347 words
In a demand meter, an operating mechanism comprising an operating member adapted to move from a base position a distance proportional to the magnitude of a variable quantity, an operated member adapted to be engaged by the operating member and to be moved by it to a position representing the maximum distance in a given direction said operating member is moved from its base position, a first indicating means responsive to the movement of the operated member and adapted to move from a zero position to a position indicative of the maximum movement in said given direction of said operated member, means permanently and directly coupling the first indicating means to the operated member, a reset mechanism for returning the first indicating means to its zero position, a second indicating means comprising at least one rotatably mounted indicator coupled in driven relationship to a dial gear, mechanical means adapted to couple said second indicating means to the reset mechanism, said mechanical means including a gear train one gear of which is shiftable from a first position where it is uncoupled from meshing engagement with other gears in said gear train to a second position where it is coupled in non-slip, direct driving relationship to other gears in said gear train and thereby is coupled in direct driving relationship to said reset mechanism, shifting means that are operable to selectively shift said one gear of the mechanical means from its first position to its second position and to hold said one gear in either of said positions, whereby said rotatably mounted indicator of the second indicating means is coupled in driven relationship through said mechanical means to said reset mechanism when the shifting means is operated to shift said one gear of the mechanical means into its second position, said reset mechanism being further operable in response to said one gear of the mechanical means being shifted into its second position to drive said rotatably mounted pointer of the second indicating means to a position indicative of said maximum movement in said given direction of the operated member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
An invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said first indicating means comprises a rotatably mounted pointer adapted to rotate through an angle less than 360* and said second indicating means comprises at least one rotatably mounted pointer adapted to rotate through an angle greater than 360*.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
105 words
An invention as defined iN claim 1 wherein said reset mechanism comprises a second gear train, driving means for driving said second gear train, and reset-initiating control means for selectively connecting said driving means to drive said second train, said reset-initiating control means being manually operable to connect it in driven engagement with said driving means and being further operable to be driven by said driving means through a range of movement that is proportional to the maximum movement in said given direction of the first indicating means before said reset-initiating control means is effective to connect said driving means to said second gear train.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
84 words
An invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said shifting means comprises lever means, lever-position control means for selectively moving said lever means to and from first and second predetermined positions, said lever means being effective when moved to said first position to uncouple the second gear train from said one gear of the dial gear train, said lever means being further effective when moved to said second position to couple the second gear train to said one gear of said dial gear train.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
150 words
An invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said lever means comprises a first gear wheel and a second gear wheel positioned on a pivotally mounted drive shaft, means mounting said drive shaft for pivotal movement whereby said first gear wheel is maintained in driving engagement with said one gear of said dial gear train while said second gear wheel is adapted to be moved to and from driving relationship with said second gear train, first and second pivotally mounted levers, and link means operatively interconnecting said first and second levers, said first lever being adapted to move said pivotally mounted drive shaft to move said second gear wheel to and from driving relationship with said second gear train, said second lever being operatively coupled to said lever-position control means and adapted with said link means to make the movement of the first lever responsive to said lever-position control means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
103 words
An invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said link means comprises a resilient member connected to said first and second levers and adapted to provide a flexible drive therebetween that moves said first lever to uncouple the second gear train from said one gear of the dial gear train when the second lever is moved to said first position by said lever-position control means, and that yieldably biases said first lever to couple the second gear train to one said one gear of the dial gear train when the second lever is moved to said second position by said lever-position control means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
An invention as defined in claim 6 including resilient means operatively connected to bias said lever means toward said first position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
An invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said lever-position control means comprises a cam member having a surface adapted to contact said lever means and move it to and from said first and second positions when said cam member is moved in a predetermined manner, and means for selectively moving said cam member is said predetermined manner.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
An invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said means for selectively moving said cam member comprises manually operable means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
An invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said means for selectively moving said cam member comprises mechanical means for coupling said drive means to said cam member in driving relation, whereby said cam member is driven by said drive means in said predetermined manner.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
An invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said means for selectively moving said cam member comprises manually operable means and also includes mechanical means for coupling said drive means to said cam member in driving relation, whereby said cam member is selectively movable by either said drive means or manually.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
An invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said cam member comprises a rotatably mounted cam disc having a substantially cirCular peripheral surface with a single recessed portion therein of predetermined length, said circular peripheral surface and recessed portion being the surface of said cam member adapted to contact said lever means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
121 words
An invention as defined in claim 12 wherein said cam disc is provide with at least one slot radially spaced between the center of the cam disc and said peripheral surface, a dog adapted to fit into said slot and prevent the cam disc from rotating with respect to said dog, means for causing relative movement between said dog and said cam disc to remove said dog from said slot whereby the cam disc is freed for rotary movement, said means for causing relative movement including a sloped surface disposed on said cam disc adjacent one end of said slot and adapted to engage said dog to force the cam disc away from the dog when the cam disc is rotated.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
75 words
A demand meter as in claim 1 including a gear locking means and a first gear that is adapted to be moved from a first position where it is prevented from rotating by said locking means to a position where it is meshed with a second gear and rotated, the improvement comprising means operable to free said first gear from the motion preventing effect of said locking means before said second gear is meshed therewith.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
105 words
A demand meter as in claim 1 including a first gear that is adapted to be moved into meshing engagement with another gear mounted adjacent thereto, the improvement comprising means operable to resiliently bias said second gear toward first gear but further operable to allow one of said gears to be forced to move away from the other of said gears if meshing engagement is not attained therewith, whereby said second gear is caused to rotate by engagement with the first gear even when not meshed therewith until the teeth of the two gears become aligned and proper meshing takes place without jamming the gears.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
131 words
In a demand meter as defined in claim 1 having a rotatable cam disc, a cam-riding lever adapted to engage a control surface of said disc, a second lever movably mounted on said cam-riding lever and also mounted for pivotal movement around a fixed point on the meter, the improvement comprising a threaded calibrating screw rotatably mounted in a threaded aperture of said cam-riding lever and through a bore in said second lever, said screw being adapted to adjust the position of the cam-riding lever with respect to said cam disc control surface and said fixed point on the meter when the screw is rotated, and a compression spring mounted around said screw and adapted to bias the two levers away from each other thereby to bias the screw against rotation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
81 words
An invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said one gear of said dial gear train is selectively coupled by said shifting means in non-slip, meshing engagement with the gears of said second gear train when said reset-initiating control means is manually operated to connect it in driven engagement with said driving means and wherein said dial gear train is driven by said driving means only after said driving means has driven said reset-initiating control means through said range of movement.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
63 words
An invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said manually operable means comprises a calibrating means that is manually operable to move a cam-contacting surface of said lever means with respect to said cam member thereby to selectively vary the relative position of said lever means with respect to said cam member whereby the actuation of the second indicating means is precisely calibrated.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
An invention as defined in claim 1 wherein all the operating parts of said reset mechanism and said mechanical means are made of materials that will not be damaged by ultrasonic vibration, whereby said parts are adapted to be cleaned by an ultra-sonic cleaning process.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
An invention as defined in claim 19 wherein said materials are taken from a class including metals, metal alloys, and high-impact-resistant plastics.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-06-21 | 1974-12-21 | 1975-06-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-06-21 | 1978-12-21 | 1979-06-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-06-21 | 1982-12-21 | 1983-06-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |