Patent FR2437103A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3721901A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Zero-reset mechanism for an indicating demand register
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1971-08-24
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Granted: 1973-03-20
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Expires: 1991-08-24
Abstract
Abstract A zero-reset mechanism is provided for accurately and consistently resetting the rotatable indicating pointers of a dial register of a demand meter to zero. The reset mechanism includes a pre-loaded spring that cooperates with an adjustable stop member to return the indicating pointers of the dial register to their zero positions, after they have been manually driven in a down-scale direction past their zero indicating position.
Inventors
- 👤 D Ham
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 18:51
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R11/00; G01R11/02; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/19; Y10T74/19623
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
232 words
A zero-reset mechanism operatively mounted on an electric demand meter for accurately resetting to a zero position a geartrain-actuated dial register pointer for indicating electric demand, comprising a dial register having a scale with a zeroindicating position and having a rotatably mounted indicating pointer that cooperates with the scale, a drive gear train operatively coupled to rotate said pointer in response to the gear train being driven, drive means for driving said gear train to move said pointer in an up-scale direction, manually operable rotatable means for exerting a rotating force on said gear train in a reverse direction thereby to move said pointer in a downscale direction past said zero-indicating position, an adjustable stop member mounted adjacent said rotatable means and effective to discontinue the force exerted by said rotatable means on said gear train in response to the rotatable means being moved to a predetermined point with respect to said stop member, resiliently loaded means coupled to said rotatable means, said resiliently loaded means being operable to cooperate with said stop member to exert a force on said rotatable means to cause it to move said pointer to its zero-indicating position in response to said rotatable means being operated to move said pointer past its zero-indicating position in a down-scale direction to said predetermined point where the rotating force exerted on the gear train by the rotatable means is discontinued.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
232 words
A zero-reset mechanism operatively mounted on an electric demand meter for accurately resetting to a zero position a geartrain-actuated dial register pointer for indicating electric demand, comprising a dial register having a scale with a zeroindicating position and having a rotatably mounted indicating pointer that cooperates with the scale, a drive gear train operatively coupled to rotate said pointer in response to the gear train being driven, drive means for driving said gear train to move said pointer in an up-scale direction, manually operable rotatable means for exerting a rotating force on said gear train in a reverse direction thereby to move said pointer in a downscale direction past said zero-indicating position, an adjustable stop member mounted adjacent said rotatable means and effective to discontinue the force exerted by said rotatable means on said gear train in response to the rotatable means being moved to a predetermined point with respect to said stop member, resiliently loaded means coupled to said rotatable means, said resiliently loaded means being operable to cooperate with said stop member to exert a force on said rotatable means to cause it to move said pointer to its zero-indicating position in response to said rotatable means being operated to move said pointer past its zero-indicating position in a down-scale direction to said predetermined point where the rotating force exerted on the gear train by the rotatable means is discontinued.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
An invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said rotatable means comprises a manually operable lever arm that is mounted in fixed relationship to one gear of said gear train, and wherein said resiliently loaded means comprises a pre-loaded spring mounted on said lever arm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
97 words
An invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said spring is pre-loaded so that the force exerted by it on said rotatable means, after the spring is moved into contact with the stop member where its cooperative relationship with the stop member causes the spring to be further loaded, is always at least greater than the forces of friction and inertia tending to retain the pointer and gear train in a position where the pointer is down-scale from its zero-indicating position, whereby the spring is effective to move the pointer accurately and consistently to said zero position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
An invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said spring is formed as an integral part of said lever arm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
An invention as defined in claim 3 including braking means mounted adjacent said rotatable means, said braking means being operable to exert a friction force on said rotatable means that restricts the movement thereof, whereby said pointer is prevented from being driven by the spring past said zero-indicating position in an up-scale direction, and wherein the pre-loading of said spring is adequate to overcome the friction force of said braking means sufficiently to move the pointer consistently to said zero-indicating position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
An invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said lever arm has a mass that is eccentrically positioned with respect to the axis of rotation of said one gear of said gear train, and including a counter-balance weight mounted on said one gear at a position where it essentially nullifies the tendency of the eccentrically positioned mass of said lever arm to rotate said one gear.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
77 words
An invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said zero-reset mechanism is operatively mounted in an electric demand meter in which said dial register is operatively connected to indicate electric demand, said demand meter including a housing comprising a base member and a transparent cover, said dial register being positioned within said cover so it is visible through the cover, and said adjustable stop member beiNg made readily accessible for adjustment at the front of said meter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
An invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said dial register is a multi-dial register having a plurality of rotatably mounted pointers each positioned to cooperate, respectively with one of said dials, each of said pointers being coupled respectively to a different gear of a decade gear train.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
120 words
An invention as defined in claim 2 including a limit stop means that is effective to stop the movement of said drive gear train in a ''''down-scale'''' direction in response to a member driven by said train being moved into contact with said limit stop means, and wherein said adjustable stop member is positioned to be effective to discontinue the force exerted by said rotatable means on said gear train before it is operated to drive said driven member into contact with the limit stop means, thereby to prevent an overload force from being applied to said gear train by movement of said rotatable means when the gear train is held in a fixed position by said limit stop means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-03-19 | 1976-09-18 | 1977-03-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-03-19 | 1980-09-18 | 1981-03-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-03-19 | 1984-09-18 | 1985-03-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |