Patent US3056699A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3427202A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3702925A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3702925A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Signature counter
Assignee: Electronic Design & Services Inc
•
Filing: 1971-07-01
•
Granted: 1972-11-14
•
Expires: 1991-07-01
Abstract
Abstract Signatures moving in a substantially continuous stream and arranged in overlapping fashion, folded edge forward, pass beneath the counter to activate a signature intercepter mounted with a self-cleaning housing. The intercepter, in turn, drives a cam which activates a cam follower each time a signature passes beneath the intercepter. The cam follower moves an interrupter blade whose positioning alters the magnetic field of a magnet means to control the operation of a switch means providing a switch closure for each signature counted. The cam, cam follower, intercept blade, magnetic field generating means and hermetically sealed switch means are mounted within a separate independent housing maintained in a dirt-free condition whereas the compartment receiving the intercept member is kept dirt-free by virtue of the manner of its operation. The counter housing acts to deviate the signatures from their normal plane of movement immediately after having been counted to facilitate the accuracy of the counting operation regardless of the thickness of the signatures. Spring means may be positioned to the side of the signature stream opposite said counter to eliminate the need for critical adjustment and positioning of the counter relative to the signature stream.
Inventors
- 👤 Bruce J Anderson
- 👤 Charles R Noegel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 19:29
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06M; G06M7/00; G06M7/08; G06M7/10; G06M2207/00; G06M2207/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
Means for counting an overlapped stream of signatures and the like comprising: a housing, one surface of said housing having a recess; a signature interceptor rotatably mounted within said recess, said interceptor having radially aligned projections each extendable beyond said surface as said interceptor is rotated; said counter being positioned adjacent said stream whereby the projections of said interceptor are engaged by the forward edges of said signatures to be urged into rotation; said housing having a closed compartment positioned adjacent said recess; switch means mounted within said compartment; means coupled to said interceptor for activating said switch means each time said interceptor rotates through a predetermined angle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
Means for counting an overlapped stream of signatures and the like comprising: a housing, one surface of said housing having a recess; a signature interceptor rotatably mounted within said recess, said interceptor having radially aligned projections each extendable beyond said surface as said interceptor is rotated; said counter being positioned adjacent said stream whereby the projections of said interceptor are engaged by the forward edges of said signatures to be urged into rotation; said housing having a closed compartment positioned adjacent said recess; switch means mounted within said compartment; means coupled to said interceptor for activating said switch means each time said interceptor rotates through a predetermined angle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
128 words
The counting means of claim 1 wherein said projections are spaced at predetermined equal angles about the axis of said interceptor; said projections each having a first signature engaging surface and a second runner surface; said first and second surfaces being diagonally aligned to one another to form a configuration at the free end of each projection which tapers to a point; only one of said projections extending outward and beyond said housing surface when said counting means is in a neutral non-counting state; the first surface of said outwardly extending projection being aligned transverse to said signature stream when said counting means is in said neutral state whereby the forward edge of the next signature engages said first surface to rotate said interceptor in a first direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The counting means of claim 2 wherein said second surfaces of said interceptor projections are aligned to selectively slidably engage the confronting surface of the signature whose leading edge has driven the interceptor into rotation to prevent rotation of said interceptor beyond a predetermined angle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
83 words
The counting means of claim 2 wherein the rotation of said interceptor by engagement of the leading edge of a signature drives the outwardly extended projection into said recess and rotates the next projection toward said driving signature; said projection surface being aligned to slidably engage the confronting surface of the driving signature and thereby terminate the rotation of said interceptor until the leading edges of the next signature in line strikes the first surface of the projection just emerging from said recess.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The counting means of claim 1 wherein said switch means has a first and a second position; magnetic field generating means positioned adjacent said switch means for maintaining said switch means in said first positions; said activating means comprising means for interrupting said magnetic field when said interceptor is rotated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
155 words
The counting means of claim 1 further comprising a shaft for mounting said interceptor at one end thereof; said activating means comprising: cam means mounted near a second end of said shaft; pivotably mouNted cam follower means having a cam follower arm engageable with said cam to be driven in a first direction away from its neutral position when said cam is rotated; bias means coupled to said cam follower means for urging said cam follower means toward said neutral position when said cam follower arm is released from said cam; said cam follower means having a second arm; an interrupter member secured to said second arm; magnetic field generating means for normally urging said switch means into a neutral position; said interrupter member being movable to interrupt the magnetic field of said magnetic field generating means to move said switch from said neutral position when said cam follower means is rotated by said cam.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
104 words
The counting means of claim 1 wherein said housing surface is comprised of first, diagonal and second surface portions; said first and second housing surface portions being respectively on the upstream and downstream sides of said diagonal surface portion as determined by said signature stream; said housing first surface portion being further removed from said signature stream than said housing second surface portion to exert less squeezing pressure on the signature stream than said housing second surface portion, whereby said diagonal surface portion gradually increases the squeezing pressure exerted upon signatures as they move from the housing first portion toward the housing second portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The counting means of claim 7 wherein said second surfaces of said interceptor projections are aligned to selectively slidably engage the confronting surface of the signature whose leading edge has driven the interceptor into rotation to prevent rotation of said interceptor beyond a predetermined angle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The counting means of claim 8 wherein said housing second surface portion is substantially coplanar with the runner surface of the outwardly extended interceptor projection when said runner surface slidably engages a signature.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The counting means of claim 9 wherein said recess communicates with said housing diagonally aligned surface portion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
The counting means of claim 1 wherein said housing is provided with means for urging the signature passing said interceptor in the downstream direction away from said housing to create a gap between that signature and the leading edge of the next delivered signature to facilitate rotation of the interceptor by the next delivered signature.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The counting means of claim 1 further comprising leaf spring means positioned on the side of said stream opposite said counting means for urging said signatures toward said housing at a substantially constant pressure regardless of signature thickness.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
147 words
The counting means of claim 1 further comprising a shaft for mounting said interceptor at one end thereof; said activating means comprising: cam means mounted near a second end of said shaft; pivotably mounted cam follower means having a cam follower arm engageable with said cam to be driven in a first direction away from its neutral position when said cam is rotated; bias means coupled to said cam follower means for urging said cam follower means toward said neutral position when said cam follower arm is released from said cam; said cam follower means having a second arm; a projecting member secured to said second arm; means for normally urging said switch means toward a neutral position; said projecting member being movable with said cam follower means to move said switch means from said neutral position when said cam follower means is rotated by said cam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1544860A
Cited
US1841711A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-11-14 | 1976-05-15 | 1976-11-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-11-14 | 1980-05-15 | 1980-11-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-11-14 | 1984-05-15 | 1984-11-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |