Counting devices

A counting device comprising a counter having coaxial rotatable number wheels, a reset cam provided with each number wheel to rotate therewith, transfer pinions, a shaft on which the transfer pinions are rotatably mounted and which is displaceable relatively to the number wheels, the pinions being disposed respectively intermediate successive number wheels, each pinion meshing with gear teeth on one of the number wheels adjacent thereto and adapted to engage drive means on the other number wheel during rotation of said other number wheel thereby partially to rotate said one of the number wheels, reset fingers together rotatable about a common axis to engage respectively with the reset cams to reset the number wheels, the reset fingers and the transfer pinions being located, prior to resetting, respectively out of engagement with the reset cams and in engagement with the gear teeth on the number wheels, and a reciprocably movable actuating member adapted to effect resetting of the number wheels during movement thereof in one sense by rotation of the reset fingers and upon movement in the reverse sense to be repositioned for subsequent resetting action, characterised in that a cam element is rotatable relatively to the number wheel axis during an initial part of the resetting movement of the actuating member to effect displacement of the transfer pinion shaft to disengage the pinions from the gear teeth on the number wheels, and abutment means are fixed relatively to the reset fingers and adapted, during a subsequent part of the resetting movement of the actuating member, to reverse the rotation of the cam element so that after resetting of the number wheels and whilst the reset fingers are engaged with the reset cams return movement of the pinion shaft with consequent re-engagement of the transfer pinions with the gear teeth on the number wheels is effected.