Patent · US Expired

Number wheel counters

US5026973A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
5References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 18, 1989
Grant dateJun 25, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 18, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06M1/26
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A number wheel counter has a worm wheel connected with the least significant number wheel. A worm gear engaged with the worm wheel is mounted for both rotational and translational movement about a spindle. Cam means are provided such that as the worm gear is rotated, it is also displaced bodily by the cam means so that the worm wheel remains unmoved. At the end of a defined travel of the cam means, the worm gear is returned rapidly to a rest position driving the worm wheel in the manner of a rack and pinion. In this way the number wheels are driven intermittently with the time interval during which the number wheels are between discreet number positions being minimized.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.