One way drive for remote reader register

Claim 2

In combination with a fluid meter register including a register drive gear train, an impulse generator assembly including a generator drive gear train driven from the register drive gear train and having as its output a generator drive cam gear, the improvement which comprises a one-way drive connection within said generator drive gear train, said one-way drive connection normally conditioning said generator drive gear train to drive said impulse generator so long as said register drive train is driven forwardly and being operative to disrupt said generator drive gear train upon reversal of said register drive gear train.

Claim 3

The improvement of claim 1 wherein the one way drive connection comprises driving and driven rotating members coupled by means of oppositely facing, axially directed abutment surfaces formed by opposing helical end faces, and spring means arranged to bias one of said members axially to engage said end faces, whereby said generator drive gear train drives said impulse generator in one direction only.

Claim 4

The improvement of claim 2 wherein the one way drive connection comprises one of the compound gears which is constructed in two separate parts to provide (1) a gear wheel part having an integral stub shaft on one face the free end of which defines a helix having an axial lead in a direction away from said one face to provide an axially directed abutment surface inclined to face in the direction of rotation of said gear wheel; (2) a pinion part having a recess opening through one end dimensioned to rotatably receive said stub shaft, the inner end of said recess defining a helix having an axial lead in a direction away from said one end to provide an axially directed abutment surface inclined in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of said gear wheel part whereby said opposing abutment surfaces define oppositely facing, axially directed, driving shoulders disposed to be in driving contact so long as the gear wheel portion acts as the driver and will separate upon overrunning rotation of said pinion portion disrupting the driving connection and due to the relative movement of said helical surfaces, acting to shift said pinion part axially along said stub shaft in a direction away from said one face of said gear wheel portion; and (3) a biasing spring engaGing the other end face to yieldingly resist said shifting movement and return said pinion part to normal meshed engagement when said axially directed shoulders become aligned.

Claim 5

The improvement of claim 3 wherein the two part compound gear comprises the gear of the generator drive gear train meshed with said drive cam gear, the other end face of the pinion part is provided along a radius lying in the plane defined by its axially directed, driving shoulder with a synchronization reference mark used in assembling the generator drive cam, and said generator drive cam comprises a gear wheel having an upstanding, henerally diametrically directed, camming vane on one face, one of the leading corners of which is aligned with said reference mark to establish synchronization between the drive cam gear and the impulse generator drive train.

Claim 6

The improvement of claim 4, wherein said impulse generator assembly includes a support ring for said generator drive gear train, the one face of said gear wheel part of said two part compound gear carrying said stub shaft is provided along a radius defined by its axially directed driving shoulder with a synchronization reference mark; an alignment ring selectively removably associated with said support ring of said impulse generator assembly is provided for assembling said generator assembly and fluid meter register, said alignment ring and support ring including cooperating engaging elements to predetermine a relative angular orientation of said alignment ring on said support ring, and said alignment ring having a reference pointer fixedly angularly related to said orientation engaging elements and with which said gear wheel synchronization reference mark is aligned by manually rotating the generator drive train to establish a preselected preloaded condition of said impulse generator drive gear train to be maintained as the impulse generator assembly is assembled with the register drive gear train.

Claim 7

In combination with a fluid meter register having a register drive gear train, an impulse generator assembly including a generator drive gear train driven from said register drive gear train and adapted to energize a remote register, the improvement comprising a one way drive connection within said generator drive gear train, said one way drive connection normally conditioning said generator drive gear train to drive said impulse generator so long as said register drive train is driven forwardly and being operative to disrupt said generator drive gear train upon reversal of said register drive gear train.

Claim 8

In combination with a fluid meter register having a register drive gear train, an impulse generator assembly including a generator drive gear train driven from said register drive gear train and adapted to energize a remote register, the improvement comprising a one way drive connection within said generator drive gear train, said one way drive connection normally conditioning said generator drive gear train to drive said impulse generator so long as said register drive train is driven forwardly and being operative to disrupt said generator drive gear train upon reversal of said register drive gear train.