Self generating remote reader register

Claim 2

In a fluid meter register having a register drive gear train including an output gear assembly: a remote reader electrical generator assembly comprising an impulse generator assembly having a magnetic field assembly and including a rotor having a drive pin radially offset from the rotor axis with an end protruding from one end of the impulse generator assembly in axial parallelism to the rotor axis; a generator drive gear train having an input gear meshing with said output gear assembly and an output gear rotating on an axis parallel to said rotor axis and disposed in a plane delimited by the rotor axis and the drive pin axis, said output gear including radially directed, upstanding drive elements moving in a path to intercept the protruding end of said drive pin during a predetermined increment of rotational movement of said output gear in one direction to engage said pin end and rotate said rotor at low speed in one direction; and spring means operatively connected to said drive pin and adapted upon said rotor rotation in said one direction to store energy in said spring means and effective upon termination of said increment of rotational movement of said output gear to release its stored energy to said drive pin and impart high speed rotation of said rotor in the opposite direction thereby generating an output impulse charge of electricity for use in actuating a remote electrical reader.

Claim 3

The remote reader electrical generator assembly of claim 1 wherein said drive elements comprise a pair of diametrically arranged vane members movable in respective sequence through said path intercepting said protruding end of said drive pin whereby two output impulse charges of electricity are generated during each complete revolution of said output gear.

Claim 4

The remote reader electrical generator assembly of claim 1 wherein said one end of said generator assembly is provided with a coaxially arranged arcuate slot through which said drive pin protrudes and one end of said slot is angularly located to predetermine a normal stop position of said drive pin and rotor under driving influence of said spring means.

Claim 5

The remote reader electrical generator assembly of claim 1 wherein said spring means comprises a coil tension spring having one end fastened to said drive pin end out of the path of movement of said drive elements and its opposite end fixed to a stationary portion of the support structure for the generator drive gear train.

Claim 6

The fluid meter register and impulse generator of claim 1 wherein said impulse generator assembly includes a frame section comprising upper and lower end plates journalling opposite ends of said rotor shaft and said drive pin is fixed to the rotor pole structure in radial outward relation to the rotor shaft and extends through an arcuate slot in the lower end plate one end of which determines a predetermined stop position of said drive pin and rotor.

Claim 7

The fluid meter register and impulse generator of claim 5 wherein said generator drive gear train is supported by a frame section comprising a base wall having an upstanding, radially offset, arcuate wall on one face of said base the upper edge of which abuttingly engages a peripheral marginal portion of an end plate of said impulse generator assembly and the peripheral outer face of which adjacent its oppositely related vertical edges is annularly slotted and respective spring clip strips having opposing inturned edges adapted to respectively enter said annular slots and overlie the opposite end plate of said impulse generator assembly tO removably clamp said impulse generator assembly in operative position against said arcuate wall upper edge.

Claim 8

The fluid meter register and impulse generator of claim 6 wherein the underside of said frame section is provided with a pair of angularly spaced ears having through passages and coaxially arranged, depending, annular bosses, said register drive gear train is supported by a frame section provided with respective stepped through bores positioned to be aligned with and receive said depending annular bosses, and a casing and bracket assembly is provided to receive and mount said interfitted frame sections and comprises a cross arm bracket having tapped openings in its opposite arms positioned to align with said through passages and stepped through bores and respective securing screws entered through said through passages and stepped through bores and threaded into said tapped openings are provided to secure said interfitted frame sections together and fixedly mount said register drive gear train, said generator drive gear train, and said impulse generator assembly to said cross-arm bracket, thereby providing a unit assembly for attachment to a fluid meter.

Claim 9

The fluid meter register and impulse generator of claim 1 wherein said register gear train ratios are chosen to assure a rotation of said output gear assembly at a rate to drive a units counter of a digital counter provided in said fluid meter register one tenth of a revolution for each measured unit flow through said fluid meter, said generator drive input gear fixedly mounts a transparent disk dimensioned to rotate its marginal edge in superjacent relation to the counter wheels of said digital counter, said disk having radially directed, marginally disposed division markings arranged in groups of ten numbered 0 through 9 and the gear ratio between said generator drive input gear and said output gear assembly is chosen to assure one complete revolution of said disk during one tenth of a revolution of said units counter whereby the digital counter units counter and said division markings of said transparent disk together provide meter readings to one one-hundredth of a unit flowing through said fluid meter.

Claim 10

The fluid meter register and impulse generator of claim 8 wherein said digital counter and transparent disk are mounted in a frame section provided with a through horizontally disposed window opening to expose said counter and a portion of the marginal edge of said transparent disk for sight reading from a position above the register and impulse generator said frame section supports a second frame section mounting said generator assembly in tiered relation to said meter register, a casing and bracket assembly having an annular, axially upwardly facing shoulder inset axially from its upper end, and an axially elongated, cylindrical plastic cover chordally delimited at one side and having a cylindrical base dimensioned to sealing rest upon said annular shoulder is provided to house said second frame section, said generator assembly, and said cylindrical base outwardly of said chordally delimiting portion of said cover is formed to provide a laterally directed, transparent, planar wall section adapted to overlie said window opening whereby reading of said counter and disk through said wall section is assured with said cover in place.

Claim 11

The fluid meter register and impulse generator of claim 9 wherein said plastic cover adjacent and rearwardly of one end of said chordally delimiting portion is provided with an axially elongated depressed area of generally rectangular configuration in cross section through drilled at two spaced points along its base wall and fitted with respective electrical contacts including contact pins disposed inside said cover for effecting an electrical connection to the leads of the impulse generator and externally tapped to receive screws for connecting the leads of a remote reader thereto.

Claim 12

The fluid meter register and impulse generator of claim 9 wherein said uppeR end of said casing comprises an axially extending, annular rim of a length to protrude upwardly beyond the cylindrical base of said plastic cover, a seal ring of generally L-shaped configuration is interposed between said bore of said plastic cover and said upwardly facing inset shoulder and annular rim of said casing and the protruding portion of said annular rim and the overlying portion of said seal ring are folded inwardly over the peripheral edge of said cylindrical base of said cover to sealing clamp said cover in the upper end of said casing.

Claim 13

A fluid meter register and impulse generator for energizing a remote reader comprising a casing and bracket assembly for mounting the register and impulse generator on a fluid meter measuring chamber having a fluid driven output rotor, said casing and bracket assembly including an input drive pinion drive connected to said fluid driven output rotor; support frame means fixedly mounted to the bracket of said casing and bracket assembly and mounting a. a counter, b. a first gear train drivingly connected to said input drive pinion and including an output gear assembly drive connected to the units counter of said counter, said first gear train being geared to advance said units counter to indicate volumetric fluid flow through said measuring chamber, c. a second gear train including an input gear drive connected to said output gear assembly and including an output gear having an upstanding, driving vane generally diametrically disposed on one gear face, said second gear train being geared to advance said output gear driving vane continuously in one direction at a predetermined speed rate compared to the rotation of said units counter to move the opposite radial sections of said driving vane through one half a revolution of said output gear for a predetermined rotation of said units counter of said digital counter, d. an impulse generator having a rotor shaft carrying a radially offset drive pin extending into the path of movement of said driving vane whereby rotation of said output gear through engagement of said driving vane with said pin advances said pin and rotor unidirectionally at low speed from a predetermined position of rest through less than 180* rotation to a predetermined release position, and e. a spring post mounted along an extension of the radius defined by a plane containing the axis of said rotor shaft and spring means interconnecting said drive pin and said spring post normally biasing said drive pin to its position of rest and effective, upon said drive pin reaching its release position, to snap said drive pin and rotor shaft to said position of rest to generate an impulse current for energizing a remote reader registering multiple increments of rotation of said units counter.

Claim 14

A fluid meter register and impulse generator for energizing a remote reader comprising a casing and bracket assembly for mounting the register and impulse generator on a fluid meter measuring chamber having a fluid driven output rotor, said casing and bracket assembly including an input drive pinion drive connected to said fluid driven output rotor; support frame means fixedly mounted to the bracket of said casing and bracket assembly and mounting a. a counter, b. a first gear train drivingly connected to said input drive pinion and including an output gear assembly drive connected to the units counter of said counter, said first gear train being geared to advance said units counter to indicate volumetric fluid flow through said measuring chamber, c. a second gear train including an input gear drive connected to said output gear assembly and including an output gear having an upstanding, driving vane generally diametrically disposed on one gear face, said second gear train being geared to advance said output gear driving vane continuously in one direction at a predetermined speed rate compared to the rotation of said units counter to move the opposite radial sections of said driving vane through one half a revolution of said output gear for a predetermined rotation of said units counter of said digital counter, d. an impulse generator having a rotor shaft carrying a radially offset drive pin extending into the path of movement of said driving vane whereby rotation of said output gear through engagement of said driving vane with said pin advances said pin and rotor unidirectionally at low speed from a predetermined position of rest through less than 180* rotation to a predetermined release position, and e. a spring post mounted along an extension of the radius defined by a plane containing the axis of said rotor shaft and spring means interconnecting said drive pin and said spring post normally biasing said drive pin to its position of rest and effective, upon said drive pin reaching its release position, to snap said drive pin and rotor shaft to said position of rest to generate an impulse current for energizing a remote reader registering multiple increments of rotation of said units counter.

Claim 15

In a fluid meter register having a register drive gear train including an output gear assembly: a remote reader electrical generator assembly comprising an impulse generator assembly including a stator and a rotor having a drive pin radially offset from the rotor axis with an end protruding from one end of the impulse generator assembly in substantial axial parallelism to the rotor axis; a generator drive gear train having an input gear meshing with said output gear assembly and an output gear rotating on an axis substantially parallel to said rotor axis and disposed in a plane delimited by the rotor axis and the drive pin axis, said output gear including radially directed, upstanding drive elements moving in a path to intercept the protruding end of said drive pin during a predetermined increment of rotational movement of said output gear in one direction to engage said pin end and rotate said rotor at low speed in one direction; and spring means operatively connected to said drive pin and adapted upon said rotor rotation in said one direction to store energy and effective upon termination of said increment of rotational movement of said output gear to release its stored energy to Said drive pin and impart high speed rotation of said rotor in the opposite direction thereby generating an output impulse charge of electricity for use in actuating a remote electrical reader.

Claim 16

In a fluid meter register having a register drive gear train including an output gear assembly: a remote reader electrical generator assembly comprising an impulse generator assembly including a stator and a rotor having a drive pin radially offset from the rotor axis with an end protruding from one end of the impulse generator assembly in substantial axial parallelism to the rotor axis; a generator drive gear train having an input gear meshing with said output gear assembly and an output gear rotating on an axis substantially parallel to said rotor axis and disposed in a plane delimited by the rotor axis and the drive pin axis, said output gear including radially directed, upstanding drive elements moving in a path to intercept the protruding end of said drive pin during a predetermined increment of rotational movement of said output gear in one direction to engage said pin end and rotate said rotor at low speed in one direction; and spring means operatively connected to said drive pin and adapted upon said rotor rotation in said one direction to store energy and effective upon termination of said increment of rotational movement of said output gear to release its stored energy to Said drive pin and impart high speed rotation of said rotor in the opposite direction thereby generating an output impulse charge of electricity for use in actuating a remote electrical reader.