Digital clock or other counting device with resilient coupling means in the drive train

Claim 2

A transfer counter such as a clock, which comprises, in combination: a plurality of transfer elements including a lower order element and a higher order element; resiliently biased transfer means interconnecting the lower order element with the higher order element for operating the higher order element in response to operation of the lower order element and in predetermined relationship therewith; speed reducing means in driving relationship with the lower order element; means including a stepper motor having a rotary output shaft rotatable in discrete increments of motion for operating the speed reducing means; and a resilient coupling between the operating means and the speed reducing means for permitting relative rotational movement therebetween, the resilient coupling including a coil spring connected at one end to the motor output shaft, a fly wheel connected to the opposite end of the spring and in driving relationship with the speed reducing means, and means for frictionally resisting axial movement of the fly wheel, the speed reducing means remaining stationary during the initial portion of the operation of said operating means, then accelerating during a succeeding portion of said operation, and thereafter continuing its movement upon the termination of each said increment under the control of said resilient coupling.

Claim 3

A transfer counter as defined in claim 1, in which the means for frictionally resisting axial movement of the fly wheel comprises a thrust bearing for supporting said wheel.

Claim 4

A transfer counter such as a clock, which comprises, in combination: a plurality of register drums rotatably arranged in progressively increasing order with each other; first transfer means interconnecting the lowest order drum with the adjacent higher order drum, the first transfer means including a resiliently biased transfer mechanism for rotating said adjacent drum only during a selected portion of the rotation of the lowest order drum; second transfer means interconnecting said adjacent higher order drum with the next higher order drum, the second transfer means including means for rotating the next drum only during a selected portion of the rotation of said adjacent drum; speed reducing means in driving relationship with the lowest order drum; means including a stepper motor having a rotary output shaft for operating the speed reducing means in discrete increments of motion; and a resilient coupling between the motor output shaft and the speed reducing means for permitting relative rotational movement therebetween, in which the resilient coupling comprises: a coil spring connected at one end to the motor output shaft, a fly wheel connected to the opposite end of the spring and in driving relationship with the speed reducing means, and means for frictionally resisting axial movement of the fly wheel.

Claim 5

A transfer counter such as a clock, which comprises, in combination: a plurality of register drums rotatably arranged in progressively increasing order with each other; first transfer means interconnecting the lowest order drum with the adjacent higher order drum, the first transfer means including a resiliently biased transfer mechanism for rotating said adjacent drum only during a selected portion of the rotation of the lowest order drum; second transfer means interconnecting said adjacent higher order drum with the next higher order drum, the second transfer means including means for rotating the next drum only during a selected portion of the rotation of said adjacent drum; speed reducing means in driving relationship with the lowest order drum; means including a stepper motor having a rotary output shaft for operating the speed reducing means in discrete increments of motion; and a resilient coupling between the motor output shaft and the speed reducing means for permitting relative rotational movement therebetween, in which the resilient coupling comprises: a coil spring connected at one end to the motor output shaft, a fly wheel connected to the opposite end of the spring and in driving relationship with the speed reducing means, and means for frictionally resisting axial movement of the fly wheel.

Claim 6

A transfer counter such as a clock, which comprises, in combination: a plurality of register drums rotatably arranged in progressively increasing order with each other; first transfer means interconnecting the lowest order drum with the adjacent higher order drum, the first transfer means including a resiliently biased transfer mechanism for rotating said adjacent drum only during a selected portion of the rotation of the lowest order drum, the lowest order drum moving the transfer mechanism against its resilient bias during the remaining portion of the lowest order drum''s rotation; second transfer means interconnecting said adjacent higher order drum with the next higher order drum, the second transfer means including a Geneva transfer mechanism for rotating the next drum only during a selected portion of the rotation of said adjacent drum; speed reducing means in driving relationship with the lowest order drum; means including a drive motor having a rotary output shaft for operating the speed reducing means; and a coupling member between the motor output shaft and the speed reducing means for transmitting rotational movement thereto.

Claim 7

A transfer counter such as a clock, which comprises, in combination: a plurality of register drums rotatably arranged in progressively increasing order with each other; first transfer means interconnecting the lowest order drum with the adjacent higher order drum, the first transfer means including a resiliently biased transfer mechanism for rotating said adjacent drum only during a selected portion of the rotation of the lowest order drum, the lowest order drum moving the transfer mechanism against its resilient bias during the remaining portion of the lowest order drum''s rotation; second transfer means interconnecting said adjacent higher order drum with the next higher order drum, the second transfer means including a Geneva transfer mechanism for rotating the next drum only during a selected portion of the rotation of said adjacent drum; speed reducing means in driving relationship with the lowest order drum; means including a drive motor having a rotary output shaft for operating the speed reducing means; and a coupling member between the motor output shaft and the speed reducing means for transmitting rotational movement thereto.

Claim 8

A transfer counter such as a clock, which comprises, in combination: a plurality of register drums rotatably arranged in progressively increasing order with each other; first transfer means interconnecting the lowest order drum with the adjacent higher order drum, the first transfer means including a compensating cam secured to the side of the lowest order drum facing said adjacent drum, first drive means secured to the side of the adjacent drum facing said lowest order drum, and a resiliently biased transfer mechanism controlled by the compensating cam for rotating said first drive means only during selected portion of the rotation of the lowest order drum; second transfer means interconnecting said adjacent higher order drum with the next higher order drum, the second transfer means including second drive means secured to the side of said next drum facing said adjacent drum and a Geneva transfer mechanism only during a selected portion of the rotation of said adjacent drum; speed reducing means including a gear train in driving relationship with the side of the lowest order drum opposite that facing said adjacent drum; means including a stepper motor having a rotary output shaft for operating the gear train; and a coupling member between the motor output shaft and the speed reducing means for transmitting rotational movement thereto.

Claim 9

A transfer counter such as a clock, which comprises, in combination: a plurality of register drums rotatably arranged in progressively increasing order with each other; first transfer means interconnecting the lowest order drum with the adjacent higher order drum, the first transfer means including a compensating cam secured to the side of the lowest order drum facing said adjacent drum, first drive means secured to the side of the adjacent drum facing said lowest order drum, and a resiliently biased transfer mechanism controlled by the compensating cam for rotating said first drive means only during selected portion of the rotation of the lowest order drum; second transfer means interconnecting said adjacent higher order drum with the next higher order drum, the second transfer means including second drive means secured to the side of said next drum facing said adjacent drum and a Geneva transfer mechanism only during a selected portion of the rotation of said adjacent drum; speed reducing means including a gear train in driving relationship with the side of the lowest order drum opposite that facing said adjacent drum; means including a stepper motor having a rotary output shaft for operating the gear train; and a coupling member between the motor output shaft and the speed reducing means for transmitting rotational movement thereto.

Claim 10

A transfer counter as defined in claim 5, in which the Geneva transfer mechanism comprises a star wheel.

Claim 11

A transfer counter such as a clock, which comprises, in combination: a plurality of register drums rotatably arranged in progressively increasing order with each other; first transfer means interconnecting the lowest order drum with the adjacent higher order drum, the first transfer means including a compensating cam secured to the side of the lowest order drum facing said adjacent drum, first drive means secured to the side of the adjacent drum facing said lowest order drum, and a resiliently biased transfer mechanism controlled by the compensating cam for rotating said first drive means only during a selected portion of the rotation of the lowest order drum; second transfer means interconnecting said adjacent higher order drum with the next higher order drum, the second transfer means including second drive means secured to the side of said next drum facing said adjacent drum and a Geneva transfer mechanism for rotating the next drum only during a selected portion of the rotation of said adjacent drum; speed reducing means including a gear train in driving relationship with the side of the lowest order drum opposite that facing said adjacent drum; means including a stepper motor having a rotary output shaft rotatable in discrete increments of motion for operating the gear train; and a resilient coupling between the motor output shaft and the speed reducing means for permitting relative rotational movement therebetween, the speed reducing means remaining stationary during the initial portion of the operation of said output shaft, then accelerating during a succeeding portion of said operation, and thereafter continuing its movement upon the termination of each said increment under the control of said resilient coupling.

Claim 12

A transfer counter such as a clock, which comprises, in combination: a plurality of register drums rotatably arranged in progressively increasing order with each other; first transfer means interconnecting the lowest order drum with the adjacent higher order drum, the first transfer means including a compensating cam secured to the side of the lowest order drum facing said adjacent drum, first drive means secured to the side of the adjacent drum facing said lowest order drum, and a resiliently biased transfer mechanism controlled by the compensating cam for rotating said first drive means only during a selected portion of the rotation of the lowest order drum; second transfer means interconnecting said adjacent higher order drum with the next higher order drum, the second transfer means including second drive means secured to the side of said next drum facing said adjacent drum and a Geneva transfer mechanism for rotating the next drum only during a selected portion of the rotation of said adjacent drum; speed reducing means including a gear train in driving relationship with the side of the lowest order drum opposite that facing said adjacent drum; means including a stepper motor having a rotary output shaft rotatable in discrete increments of motion for operating the gear train; and a resilient coupling between the motor output shaft and the speed reducing means for permitting relative rotational movement therebetween, the speed reducing means remaining stationary during the initial portion of the operation of said output shaft, then accelerating during a succeeding portion of said operation, and thereafter continuing its movement upon the termination of each said increment under the control of said resilient coupling.

Claim 13

A transfer counter such as a clock, which comprises, in combination: a plurality of register drums rotatably arranged in progressively increasing order with each other; first transfer means interconnecting the lowest order drum with the adjacent higher order drum, the first tranfer means including a compensating cam secured to the side of the lowest order drum facing said adjacent drum, first drive means secured to the side of the adjacent drum facing said lowest order drum, and a resiliently biased transfer mechanism controlled by the compensating cam for rotating said first drive means only during a selected portIon of the rotation of the lowest order drum; second transfer means interconnecting said adjacent higher order drum with the next higher order drum, the second transfer means including second drive means secured to the side of said next drum facing said adjacent drum and a Geneva transfer mechanism for rotating the next drum only during a selected portion of the rotation of said adjacent drum; speed reducing means including a gear train in driving relationship with the side of the lowest order drum opposite that facing said adjacent drum; means including a stepper motor having a rotary output shaft for operating the gear train; and a resilient coupling between the motor output shaft and the speed reducing means for permitting relative rotational movement therebetween, the coupling comprising a spiral spring connected to the gear train and affixed at one end to the output shaft for permitting the speed reducing means to remain stationary during the initial portion of the operation of said stepper motor, then accelerating the speed reducing means during the remaining portion of said operation, and thereafter continuing the movement of the speed reducing means.

Claim 14

A transfer counter such as a clock, which comprises, in combination: a plurality of register drums rotatably arranged in progressively increasing order with each other; first transfer means interconnecting the lowest order drum with the adjacent higher order drum, the first tranfer means including a compensating cam secured to the side of the lowest order drum facing said adjacent drum, first drive means secured to the side of the adjacent drum facing said lowest order drum, and a resiliently biased transfer mechanism controlled by the compensating cam for rotating said first drive means only during a selected portIon of the rotation of the lowest order drum; second transfer means interconnecting said adjacent higher order drum with the next higher order drum, the second transfer means including second drive means secured to the side of said next drum facing said adjacent drum and a Geneva transfer mechanism for rotating the next drum only during a selected portion of the rotation of said adjacent drum; speed reducing means including a gear train in driving relationship with the side of the lowest order drum opposite that facing said adjacent drum; means including a stepper motor having a rotary output shaft for operating the gear train; and a resilient coupling between the motor output shaft and the speed reducing means for permitting relative rotational movement therebetween, the coupling comprising a spiral spring connected to the gear train and affixed at one end to the output shaft for permitting the speed reducing means to remain stationary during the initial portion of the operation of said stepper motor, then accelerating the speed reducing means during the remaining portion of said operation, and thereafter continuing the movement of the speed reducing means.

Claim 15

A transfer counter as defined in claim 8, which further comprises: a rotatable fly wheel for connecting the spiral spring to the gear train; and thrust bearing means for frictionally resisting rotary movement of the fly wheel.