Apparatus for remote reading of utility meters

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR TELEMETERING TO A REMOTE LOCATION THE RELATIVE POSITIONS OF A PLURALITY OF ROTARY SHAFTS OF A METER REGISTER OF THE DECIMAL INTEGRATING TYPE, COMPRISING A CONTACT RING FOR AND ARRANGED CONCENTRIC WITH EACH OF SAID SHAFTS, EACH SUCH CONTACT RING BEING CONSTITUTED BY TEN CONTACT SEGMENTS INSULATED FROM EACH OTHER, EACH SAID CONTACT SEGMENT CORRESPONDING TO A DIFFERENT DIGITAL INDICATING POSITION FOR THE ASSOCIATED ROTARY SHAFT, ROTARY CONTACT ARMS FOR AND COOPERATIVE WITH EACH OF SAID CONTACT RINGS, SAID CONTACT ARMS BEING ADAPTED FOR ATTACHMENT TO SAID METER REGISTER SHAFT SO AS TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH THE CONTACT SEGMENTS ON SAID RINGS, AND A CODE PULSE ASSEMBLY HAVING DIFFERENT PULSE PRODUCING MEANS CHARACTERISTIC RESPECTIVELY OF THE DIFFERENTLY POSITIONED CONTACT SEGMENTS OF EACH CONTACT RING, SAID CODE PULSE ASSEMBLY BEING COMPRISES OF A SUPPORT OF INSULATING MATERIAL HAVING THEREON A PLURALITY OF CONDUCTOR STRIPS, A PLURALITY OF CONTACT MEMBERS FOR SAID CONDUCTOR STRIPS, AND MEANS EFFECTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID CONDUCTOR STRIPS AND CONTACT MEMBERS TO EFFECT ENGAGEMENT THEREBETWEEN, SAID CONTACT MEMBERS BEING CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY TO THE DIFFERENT CONTACT SEGMENTS ON SAID CONTACT RING SUCH THAT EACH CONTACT MEMBER WILL ENGAGE THE SAME NUMBER OF CONDUCTOR STRIPS AS CORRESPONDS TO THE DIGITAL INDICATING POSITION OF THE ROTARY CONTACT ARM.