Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
332 words
In an accounting device used for allocating the cost of use of machines such as copying machines, computers, machine tools, printing presses, self-service gasoline pumps and the like to respective authorized users thereof, the combination comprising: a housing; a plurality of counters within said housing, each counter being associated with a different respective authorized user of the machine for storing a quantity which is a function of the cost of operating the machine by that authorized user; a source of electrical power for powering said machine; an electrical interlock disposed between said source of power and said machine for preventing use of said machine by unauthorized users; enabling means for selectively defeating said electrical interlock to permit application of electrical power from said power source to said machine, said enabling means being actuatable by only authorized users of said machines; at least one receptacle disposed in said housing, said one or more receptacles being adapted to receive said enabling means, the number of said receptacles being less than the number of counters disposed within said housing; a source of electrical signals which are a function of the cost of operating said machine; means coupled between said source of electrical signals and said plurality of electrical counters for selectively coupling said source of electrical signals which are a function of the cost of using said machine to the respective cOunter associated with a particular authorized user of the machine when that authorized user inserts said enabling means into said receptacle whereby said plurality of counters allocate the cost of operation of said machine on an authorized user basis; said enabling means and said means coupled between said source of electrical signals comprising in part: a plurality of portable cassettes at least equal in number to the number of said counters; each cassette having a counter disposed therein; and each of said counters being selectively connectable to said source of electrical pulses upon insertion of a different one of said cassettes into said receptacle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
332 words
In an accounting device used for allocating the cost of use of machines such as copying machines, computers, machine tools, printing presses, self-service gasoline pumps and the like to respective authorized users thereof, the combination comprising: a housing; a plurality of counters within said housing, each counter being associated with a different respective authorized user of the machine for storing a quantity which is a function of the cost of operating the machine by that authorized user; a source of electrical power for powering said machine; an electrical interlock disposed between said source of power and said machine for preventing use of said machine by unauthorized users; enabling means for selectively defeating said electrical interlock to permit application of electrical power from said power source to said machine, said enabling means being actuatable by only authorized users of said machines; at least one receptacle disposed in said housing, said one or more receptacles being adapted to receive said enabling means, the number of said receptacles being less than the number of counters disposed within said housing; a source of electrical signals which are a function of the cost of operating said machine; means coupled between said source of electrical signals and said plurality of electrical counters for selectively coupling said source of electrical signals which are a function of the cost of using said machine to the respective cOunter associated with a particular authorized user of the machine when that authorized user inserts said enabling means into said receptacle whereby said plurality of counters allocate the cost of operation of said machine on an authorized user basis; said enabling means and said means coupled between said source of electrical signals comprising in part: a plurality of portable cassettes at least equal in number to the number of said counters; each cassette having a counter disposed therein; and each of said counters being selectively connectable to said source of electrical pulses upon insertion of a different one of said cassettes into said receptacle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
189 words
An accounting device of the type recited in claim 1 wherein all of said portable cassettes further comprise: a plurality of pairs of male projections; a first pair of said male projections in all of said portable cassettes being short-circuited together; said first pair of projections comprising said enabling means when any one of said portable cassettes is inserted in said receptacle; a different pair of said remaining pair of male projections in each of said portable cassettes being coupled in series with said counter disposed in said cassette; upon insertion of said cassette into said receptacle, one of the projections of said different pair of projections being coupled to a first terminal of said electrical pulse source, a second terminal of said electrical pulse source also being coupled to said counter associated with said authorized user, the other of said projections of said different pair of projections also being coupled to said counter associated with said authorized user; and said receptacle further comprising a plurality of pairs of sockets for receiving said male projections, said number of pairs of male projections and female sockets being equal in number.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
An accounting device as recited in claim 2 wherein a rectifier is connected in parallel with said pulse source to prevent coupling of bipolar pulses from said electrical signal source with one of said plurality of counters disposed in said housing and the counter disposed in said portable cassette which has been inserted into said receptacle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
132 words
An accounting device as recited in claim 3 further comprising: a plurality of silicon-controlled rectifiers equal in number to the number of said counters associated with different authorized users of said machine, said silicon-controlled rectifiers having a gate, an anode, and a cathode; said gate of each of said silicon-controlled rectifiers being coupled to said second terminal of said electrical pulse source; each of said anodes being coupled to a first terminal of a different one of said counters disposed in said housing; a second terminal of each of said counters disposed in said housing being coupled to said second terminal of said electrical pulse source; and one of said cathodes of silicon-controlled rectifiers being coupled to said first terminal of said pulse source upon insertion of said cassette into said receptacle.