US3801841A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Drive gearing for generator of electrical signal pulses
Assignee: Neptune Meters Ltd
•
Filing: 1973-01-03
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Granted: 1974-04-02
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Expires: 1993-01-03
Abstract
Abstract The generator includes a permanent magnet and a concentric stationary coil, mounted for relative axial translation. The permanent magnet and the coil have rest positions in which two poles, directed radially of the magnet, are aligned with two flanges on a stationary core member which supports the coil. The rest position of the magnet is determined by its magnetic field and by the contour of the core. A cooperating cam element and a cam follower element are connected respectively to the magnet and to the coil, and follow their axial movements. One of the cam elements is rotated by the rotation of the meter, through a drive gearing including two elements constructed to provide for a substantial backlash. As the meter turns, the cam and follower cause relative axial movement between the magnet and the magnet core, away from their rest positions, being driven slowly by the meter. The backlash between the gearing elements is taken up at this time by the driving force acting through the cam and follower. Substantially no current is induced in the coil at this time. When the cam follower reaches the end of a helical riser on the cam, the follower drops off the riser of the cam and into a recess on the follower so that the magnet is restored to its rest position, with a slight amount of over-travel. During this rapid return, a sharp pulse of electrical current is produced in the coil and is delivered to appropriate pulse counting mechanism located remotely from the meter. The backlash in the gearing is freed at this time, so that there is no frictional engagement between the cam and follower during this rapid return.
Inventors
- 👤 A Hall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 06:13
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02K; H02K35/00; H02K35/02; H02K39/00; H02K7/00; H02K7/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 58
Claim 1
Independent Claim
345 words
A generator of electrical signals, comprising: a. a permanent magnet assembly; b. a magnetic circuit assembly; c. means supporting the magnet assembly and the magnetic circuit assembly for relative movement in one direction; d. means holding one of the assemblies agaiNst movement; e. means including the magnet assembly biasing the other assembly toward a position of rest with respect to said one assembly; f. means for driving the other assembly relatively slowly away from its rest position for a predetermined distance and then releasing it for rapid restoration by the biasing means to its rest position, said driving means including: 1. a first cam element connected to the other assembly for movement therewith in a second direction transverse to said one direction; 2. a second cam element connected to said one assembly and cooperating with the first cam element; 3. means for moving the other assembly so that the cam elements engage and produce relative movement of the two assemblies in said one direction, said moving means including cooperating gears; 4. a common shaft supporting said cooperating gears in axial alignment; 5. a diametrically extending tooth on the end of one gear adjacent the other gear; 6. said other gear having a recess in its face adjacent said diametrical tooth, said recess being substantially wider than said tooth to provide backlash; 7. one of said cam elements including a sloping riser terminating at its upper end at a recess extending in said one direction; 8. the other cam element including a projection smaller than said recess, which engages the riser during movement of the other assembly in said second direction, and which becomes aligned with the recess upon passing beyond the high end of the riser, whereupon the biasing means becomes effective to restore the driven assembly rapidly to its rest position, and said backlash allows said restoration substantially without friction between the cam elements; and g. a coil in the magnetic field of said permanent magnet assembly and having a substantial electrical signal potential induced therein during rapid axial movement of said other assembly.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
345 words
A generator of electrical signals, comprising: a. a permanent magnet assembly; b. a magnetic circuit assembly; c. means supporting the magnet assembly and the magnetic circuit assembly for relative movement in one direction; d. means holding one of the assemblies agaiNst movement; e. means including the magnet assembly biasing the other assembly toward a position of rest with respect to said one assembly; f. means for driving the other assembly relatively slowly away from its rest position for a predetermined distance and then releasing it for rapid restoration by the biasing means to its rest position, said driving means including: 1. a first cam element connected to the other assembly for movement therewith in a second direction transverse to said one direction; 2. a second cam element connected to said one assembly and cooperating with the first cam element; 3. means for moving the other assembly so that the cam elements engage and produce relative movement of the two assemblies in said one direction, said moving means including cooperating gears; 4. a common shaft supporting said cooperating gears in axial alignment; 5. a diametrically extending tooth on the end of one gear adjacent the other gear; 6. said other gear having a recess in its face adjacent said diametrical tooth, said recess being substantially wider than said tooth to provide backlash; 7. one of said cam elements including a sloping riser terminating at its upper end at a recess extending in said one direction; 8. the other cam element including a projection smaller than said recess, which engages the riser during movement of the other assembly in said second direction, and which becomes aligned with the recess upon passing beyond the high end of the riser, whereupon the biasing means becomes effective to restore the driven assembly rapidly to its rest position, and said backlash allows said restoration substantially without friction between the cam elements; and g. a coil in the magnetic field of said permanent magnet assembly and having a substantial electrical signal potential induced therein during rapid axial movement of said other assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
a second cam element connected to said one assembly and cooperating with the first cam element;
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
a second cam element connected to said one assembly and cooperating with the first cam element;
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
66 words
A generator as in claim 1, in which: a. one of said gears is substantially elongated in the direction of said shaft; and b. said first cam element is fixed on a shaft parallel to said common shaft; and c. an axially short gear on said first cam element slides axially of said elongated gear during movement of said first cam element in said one direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
a second cam element encircling the axis and connected to said one assembly and cooperating with the first cam element;
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
a second cam element encircling the axis and connected to said one assembly and cooperating with the first cam element;
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
93 words
an axially extending core connecting said flanges; c. means supporting the magnet assembly and the magnetic circuit assembly for relative axial movement; d. means holding one of said assemblies against axial movement; e. means including said magnet assembly biasing the other assembly toward a rest position in which the poles are radially aligned with the flanges; f. means for driving the other assembly relatively slowly away from its rest position for a predetermined distance and then releasing it for rapid restoration by the biasing means to its rest position, said driving means comprising:
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
93 words
an axially extending core connecting said flanges; c. means supporting the magnet assembly and the magnetic circuit assembly for relative axial movement; d. means holding one of said assemblies against axial movement; e. means including said magnet assembly biasing the other assembly toward a rest position in which the poles are radially aligned with the flanges; f. means for driving the other assembly relatively slowly away from its rest position for a predetermined distance and then releasing it for rapid restoration by the biasing means to its rest position, said driving means comprising:
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
10 words
means holding one of the cam elements against rotation; and
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
10 words
means holding one of the cam elements against rotation; and
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
A generator of electrical signals, comprising: a. a cylindrical permanent magnet assembly having two poles of opposite polarity spaced apart along the axis of the assembly and directed radially of said axis; b. a cylindrical magnetic circuit assembly concentric with the magnet assembly and comprising:
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
A generator of electrical signals, comprising: a. a cylindrical permanent magnet assembly having two poles of opposite polarity spaced apart along the axis of the assembly and directed radially of said axis; b. a cylindrical magnetic circuit assembly concentric with the magnet assembly and comprising:
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
means for moving the other assembly so that the cam elements engage and produce relative movement of the two assemblies in said one direction, said moving means including cooperating gears;
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
means for moving the other assembly so that the cam elements engage and produce relative movement of the two assemblies in said one direction, said moving means including cooperating gears;
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
10 words
a common shaft supporting said cooperating gears in axial alignment;
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
10 words
a common shaft supporting said cooperating gears in axial alignment;
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
means for rotating the other cam element so that the cam elements engage and produce relative axial movement of the two assemblies, said rotating means including cooperating gears; beingsubstantially wider than said tooth to provide backlash;
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
means for rotating the other cam element so that the cam elements engage and produce relative axial movement of the two assemblies, said rotating means including cooperating gears; beingsubstantially wider than said tooth to provide backlash;
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
means for rotating the other cam element so that the cam elements engage and produce relative axial movement of the two assemblies, said rotating means including cooperating gears;
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
means for rotating the other cam element so that the cam elements engage and produce relative axial movement of the two assemblies, said rotating means including cooperating gears;
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
50 words
A generator as in claim 3, in which: a. said one gear has an axially projecting boss at the center of said tooth; and b. the recess on the face of said other gear is defined by segments axially shorter than the combined height of the tooth and the boss.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
10 words
a common shaft supportiNg said cooperating gears in axial alignment;
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
10 words
a common shaft supportiNg said cooperating gears in axial alignment;
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
212 words
A generator of electrical signals comprising: a. a cylindrical permanent magnet assembly having two poles of opposite polarity spaced apart along the axis of the assembly and directed radially of said axis; b. a cylindrical magnetic circuit assembly concentric with the magnet assembly and comprising: 1 two radially extending flanges spaced apart along said axis by a distance substaitially equal to the axial spacing between the poles; and 2 an axially extending core connecting said flanges; c. means supporting the magnet assembly and the magnetic circuit assembly for relative axial movement; d. means holding one of said assemblies against axial movement; e. means including said magnet assembly biasing the other assembly toward a rest position in which the poles are radially aligned with the flanges; f. means for driving the other assembly relatively slowly away from its rest position for a predetermined distance and then releasing it for rapid restoration by the biasing means to its rest position, said driving means comprising: 1 afirst cylindrical cam element encircling the axis and connected to said other assembly for axial movement therewith; 2 a second cam element encircling the axis and connected to said one assembly and cooperating with the first cam element; 3 means holding one of the cam elements against rotation; and
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
212 words
A generator of electrical signals comprising: a. a cylindrical permanent magnet assembly having two poles of opposite polarity spaced apart along the axis of the assembly and directed radially of said axis; b. a cylindrical magnetic circuit assembly concentric with the magnet assembly and comprising: 1 two radially extending flanges spaced apart along said axis by a distance substaitially equal to the axial spacing between the poles; and 2 an axially extending core connecting said flanges; c. means supporting the magnet assembly and the magnetic circuit assembly for relative axial movement; d. means holding one of said assemblies against axial movement; e. means including said magnet assembly biasing the other assembly toward a rest position in which the poles are radially aligned with the flanges; f. means for driving the other assembly relatively slowly away from its rest position for a predetermined distance and then releasing it for rapid restoration by the biasing means to its rest position, said driving means comprising: 1 afirst cylindrical cam element encircling the axis and connected to said other assembly for axial movement therewith; 2 a second cam element encircling the axis and connected to said one assembly and cooperating with the first cam element; 3 means holding one of the cam elements against rotation; and
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
a diametrically extending tooth on the end of one gear adjacent the other gear;
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
a diametrically extending tooth on the end of one gear adjacent the other gear;
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
said other gear having a recess in its face adjacent said diametrical tooth, said recess being substantially wider than said tooth to provide backlash;
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
said other gear having a recess in its face adjacent said diametrical tooth, said recess being substantially wider than said tooth to provide backlash;
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
14 words
a diametrically extending tooth on the end of one gear adjacent the other gear;
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
14 words
a diametrically extending tooth on the end of one gear adjacent the other gear;
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
24 words
said other gear having a recess in its face adjacent said diametrical tooth, said recess being substantially wider than said tooth to provide backlash;
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
24 words
said other gear having a recess in its face adjacent said diametrical tooth, said recess being substantially wider than said tooth to provide backlash;
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
one of said cam elements including a sloping riser terminating at its upper end at a recess extending in said one direction;
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
22 words
one of said cam elements including a sloping riser terminating at its upper end at a recess extending in said one direction;
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
100 words
the other cam element including a projection smaller than said recess, which engages the riser during movement of the other assembly in said second direction, and which becomes aligned with the recess upon passing beyond the high end of the riser, whereupon the biasing means becomes effective to restore the driven assembly rapidly to its rest position, and said backlash allows said restoration substantially without friction between the cam elements; and g. a coil in the magnetic field of said permanent magnet assembly and having a substantial electrical signal potential induced therein during rapid axial movement of said other assembly.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
100 words
the other cam element including a projection smaller than said recess, which engages the riser during movement of the other assembly in said second direction, and which becomes aligned with the recess upon passing beyond the high end of the riser, whereupon the biasing means becomes effective to restore the driven assembly rapidly to its rest position, and said backlash allows said restoration substantially without friction between the cam elements; and g. a coil in the magnetic field of said permanent magnet assembly and having a substantial electrical signal potential induced therein during rapid axial movement of said other assembly.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
13 words
one of said gears being substantially elongated in the direction of said shaft;
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
13 words
one of said gears being substantially elongated in the direction of said shaft;
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
13 words
one of said gears being substantially elongated in the direction of said shaft;
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
13 words
one of said gears being substantially elongated in the direction of said shaft;
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
15 words
said first cam element being fixed on a second shaft parallel to said common shaft;
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
15 words
said first cam element being fixed on a second shaft parallel to said common shaft;
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
15 words
said first cam element being fixed on a second shaft parallel to said common shaft;
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
15 words
said first cam element being fixed on a second shaft parallel to said common shaft;
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
26 words
an axially short gear on said first cam element sliding axially of said elongated gear during movement of said first cam element in said one direction;
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
26 words
an axially short gear on said first cam element sliding axially of said elongated gear during movement of said first cam element in said one direction;
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
26 words
an axially short gear on said first cam element sliding axially of said elongated gear during movement of said first cam element in said one direction;
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
26 words
an axially short gear on said first cam element sliding axially of said elongated gear during movement of said first cam element in said one direction;
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
15 words
one of the cam elements including circularly spaced helical risers separated by axially extending recesses,
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
15 words
one of the cam elements including circularly spaced helical risers separated by axially extending recesses,
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
15 words
one of the cam elements including circularly spaced helical risers separated by axially extending recesses;
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
15 words
one of the cam elements including circularly spaced helical risers separated by axially extending recesses;
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
95 words
the other cam element including circularly spaced projections smaller than said recesses, which projections engage the helical risers during rotation of said driven assembly, and which become aligned with said recesses after passing beyond the high ends of the risers, whereupon said biasing means becomes effective to restore the driven assembly rapidly to its rest position and said cooperating gears allow said restoration substantially without friction between the cam elements; and g a coil encircling said axis and having a substantial electrical signal potential induced therein during rapid relative axial movement of said two assemblies.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
95 words
the other cam element including circularly spaced projections smaller than said recesses, which projections engage the helical risers during rotation of said driven assembly, and which become aligned with said recesses after passing beyond the high ends of the risers, whereupon said biasing means becomes effective to restore the driven assembly rapidly to its rest position and said cooperating gears allow said restoration substantially without friction between the cam elements; and g a coil encircling said axis and having a substantial electrical signal potential induced therein during rapid relative axial movement of said two assemblies.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
94 words
the other cam element including circularly spaced smaller than said recesses, which projections engage the helical risers during rotation of said driven assembly, and which become aligned with said recesses after passing beyond the high ends of the risers, whereupon said biasing means becomes effective to restore the driven assembly rapidly to its rest position and said cooperating gears allow said restoration substantially without friction between the cam elements; and g. a coil encircling said axis and having a substantial electrical signal potential induced therein during rapid relative axial movement of said two assemblies.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
94 words
the other cam element including circularly spaced smaller than said recesses, which projections engage the helical risers during rotation of said driven assembly, and which become aligned with said recesses after passing beyond the high ends of the risers, whereupon said biasing means becomes effective to restore the driven assembly rapidly to its rest position and said cooperating gears allow said restoration substantially without friction between the cam elements; and g. a coil encircling said axis and having a substantial electrical signal potential induced therein during rapid relative axial movement of said two assemblies.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3681631A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-04-01 | 1977-10-01 | 1978-04-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-04-01 | 1981-10-01 | 1982-04-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-04-01 | 1985-10-01 | 1986-04-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |