Mechanical counter

In a mechanical counter comprising a plurality of presettable digit wheels, each of which is rotatable on a first axis to a plurality of preset positions corresponding to respective values of an associated digit position of a preselected count, retaining means for retaining said presettable wheels in said preset positions during a counting operation of the counter, and a signal generator comprising axially movable cam follower means arranged to generate a signal when said counter has counted to said preselected count, the improvement which comprises

• a plurality of presetting members, which are associated with respective ones of said presettable wheels,
• a stationary pivot on which said presetting members are pivoted,
• a guide member which engages said presetting members at portions thereof which are remote from said pivot and which is pivotally movable between first and second positions to move said presetting members about said pivot out of and into engagement with said presettable wheels,
• first spring means adapted to urge said guide member to said first position,
• said presetting members being displaceable relative to said pivot and said guide member to rotate said presettable wheels when said presetting members are in engagement with said presettable wheels,
• a plurality of indicating wheels are rotatably mounted on a second axis, which is parallel to and spaced from the first, and are associated with respective digit positions and rotatable to a plurality of count-indicating positions,
• each of said presettable wheels has on one side a hub and an end face formed with a cam recess,
• a set of first gears are arranged to rotate on said second axis in unison with respective ones of said indicating wheels, and
• said signal generator comprises a set of second gears, which are associated with respective ones of said presettable wheels and rotatably mounted on the hubs thereof and in mesh with respective ones of said first gears, each of said second gears having a hub, which axially protrudes on the same side as the hub of the associated presettable wheel, and a set of cam follower rings, which are mounted on the hubs of and non-rotatably coupled to respective ones of said second gears and axially slidable relative thereto, each of said cam follower rings having a projection, which protrudes through the associated second gear and engages said end face of the associated presettable wheel and is adapted to fall into said cam recess of said end face when the associated indicating wheel has rotated to a count-indicating position which corresponds to the preset position of the associated presettable wheel.