US3684845A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Article counting sensor apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-05-08
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Granted: 1972-08-15
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Expires: 1990-05-08
Abstract
Abstract A sensor of articles and discontinuities in general but particularly suited for counting newspapers arranged in overlapping fashion and flowing past the counter in a stream. A trip is engaged by the leading edge of a paper, or other article, and is moved in the direction of stream movement to actuate a switch enabling the use of an external power source to effect a count. The count having been made, the trip lifts out of the paper stream, is reset to an initial position, and is returned to the stream. The switch action which accomplishes the count is used to initiate forcible removal of the trip from the stream followed, after a time delay, by forcible return to the stream.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles G Palmer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 21:28
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06M; G06M7/00; G06M7/08; G06M7/10; H; H01; H01H; H01H3/00; H01H3/02; H01H3/16; G06M2207/00; G06M2207/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
In a counter for use in counting articles moving relative to the counter along a path, comprising in combination: a trip movable between a position in the path of article movement and a position out of the path of article movement; trip retraction means, other than the article being sensed, sensitive to engagement of said trip with an article for forcibly moving the trip to a position out of said path; and means for returning said trip to a position in said path after having been retracted therefrom comprising a resilient stop; and in which the trip is mounted upon a pivoted arm, and in which said retraction means comprises an electromagnetic device for rotating the arm on its pivot against said resilient stop.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
124 words
In a counter for use in counting articles moving relative to the counter along a path, comprising in combination: a trip movable between a position in the path of article movement and a position out of the path of article movement; trip retraction means, other than the article being sensed, sensitive to engagement of said trip with an article for forcibly moving the trip to a position out of said path; and means for returning said trip to a position in said path after having been retracted therefrom comprising a resilient stop; and in which the trip is mounted upon a pivoted arm, and in which said retraction means comprises an electromagnetic device for rotating the arm on its pivot against said resilient stop.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
125 words
In a counter for use in counting articles moving relative to the counter along a path, comprising in combination: a trip movable between a position in the path of article movement and a position out of the path of article movement; trip retraction means, other than the article being sensed, sensitive to engagement of said trip with an article for forcibly moving the trip to a position out of said path; and said trip being mounted upon an arm; which further comprises the electromagnetically operated means for returning the trip to said path of article movement after having been retracted therefrom; and said trip retraction means comprising a spring in which energy is stored when said trip is forced into said path of article movement.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
125 words
In a counter for use in counting articles moving relative to the counter along a path, comprising in combination: a trip movable between a position in the path of article movement and a position out of the path of article movement; trip retraction means, other than the article being sensed, sensitive to engagement of said trip with an article for forcibly moving the trip to a position out of said path; and said trip being mounted upon an arm; which further comprises the electromagnetically operated means for returning the trip to said path of article movement after having been retracted therefrom; and said trip retraction means comprising a spring in which energy is stored when said trip is forced into said path of article movement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
106 words
In a counter for use in counting articles moving relative to the counter along a path, comprising in combination: a trip movable between a position in the path of article movement and a position out of the path of article movement; trip retraction means, other than the article being sensed, sensitive to engagement of said trip with an article for forcibly moving the trip to a position out of said path; and a switch actuated by movement of said trip along said path said retraction means comprising means for moving the trip out of said path of article movement in response to actuation of said switch.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
106 words
In a counter for use in counting articles moving relative to the counter along a path, comprising in combination: a trip movable between a position in the path of article movement and a position out of the path of article movement; trip retraction means, other than the article being sensed, sensitive to engagement of said trip with an article for forcibly moving the trip to a position out of said path; and a switch actuated by movement of said trip along said path said retraction means comprising means for moving the trip out of said path of article movement in response to actuation of said switch.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The invention defined in claim 3 in which said switch includes a light source and a light sensitive receiver and a shutter between them, said shutter being operated by movement of said trip.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a counter for use in counting articles moving relative to the counter along a path, comprising in combination: a trip movable between a position in the path of article movement and a position out of the path of article movement; trip retraction means, other than the article being sensed, sensitive to engagement of said trip with an article for forcibly moving the trip to a position out of said path; and said retraction means comprising a retraction member and means for moving the retraction member from a first position to a retracted position in response to an actuating signal; said trip being carried on said retraction member and movable relative thereto to spaced positions in the directIon of said path of article movement; and further comprising a switch carried by the retraction member and operated by said trip to provide said actuating signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a counter for use in counting articles moving relative to the counter along a path, comprising in combination: a trip movable between a position in the path of article movement and a position out of the path of article movement; trip retraction means, other than the article being sensed, sensitive to engagement of said trip with an article for forcibly moving the trip to a position out of said path; and said retraction means comprising a retraction member and means for moving the retraction member from a first position to a retracted position in response to an actuating signal; said trip being carried on said retraction member and movable relative thereto to spaced positions in the directIon of said path of article movement; and further comprising a switch carried by the retraction member and operated by said trip to provide said actuating signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The invention defined in claim 5 which further comprises means responsive to displacement of said trip along said path in greater than selected degree for moving said retraction member toward retracted position independently of switch operation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention defined in claim 6 which further comprises leveling means for moving the retraction member as an incident to displacement of the path of article movement whereby the penetration of said trip within the path of article movement remains relatively uniform.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
115 words
The invention defined in claim 7 in which said leveling means comprises a pivoted arm mounting the retraction member at a point spaced from the pivot of the arm; in which said trip is pivoted on the retraction member at a trip pivot and said retraction member is carried on a pivot spaced from the trip pivot; in which the retraction member is moved to carry said trip into and out of said path of article movement by operation of a stepping motor; and in which said stepping motor is stepped by operation of said switch to retract the retraction member and, after a time delay, to return said retraction member to said first position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-15 | 1976-02-14 | 1976-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-15 | 1980-02-14 | 1980-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-15 | 1984-02-14 | 1984-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |