Extended range variator conversion mechanism

In an extended range unit volume price variator settable for establishing the amount of each place of a multiple place unit volume price and having a rotary input with a primary stack of coaxial gears adapted to be rotated by a fluid meter in accordance with the volume amount of metered fluid;

• a plurality of rotatable drive range arm assemblies for a plurality of places of ascending order respectively of the multiple place unit volume price having respective rotatable range arm shafts with axes radially offset from and generally parallel to the axis of the primary gear stack, respective range arms pivotally and axially shiftable on the respective range arm shafts for selective engagement with the primary stack of gears for rotating the respective range arm shafts therewith, and a range arm output gear on each range arm shaft;
• a rotary differential gear mechanism coaxial with the primary gear stack in engagement with the range arm output gears for combining the rotatable drives through the range arms with relative drive ratios in accordance with their respective places;
• and an auxiliary price adder mechanism for adding a predetermined unit volume price adder to the unit volume price established by said plurality of range arms and having an auxiliary rotatable drive take-off assembly with a rotatable take-off shaft generally parallel to and radially offset from the primary gear stack, a take-off shaft input gear driven by the rotary input and rotatably mounted on the take-off shaft for being coupled for directly rotating the take-off shaft therewith, and a take-off shaft driven gear driven by the take-off shaft;
• and a rotary auxiliary differential operatively connected for combining the rotatable drives through the differential gear mechanism and the take-off shaft driven gear with relative drive ratios establishing, with the take-off shaft input gear coupled for directly rotating the take-off shaft, a predetermined price adder of a;
• the improvement wherein the extended range variator comprises a standby conversion mechanism for selectively converting the auxiliary price adder mechanism for establishing a predertermined price adder of b;
• the conversion mechanism comprising an auxiliary compound gear with a plurality of gears including first and second gears of different diameters respectively, means for rotatably supporting the auxiliary compound gear with said first gear thereof in operative engagement with said take-off shaft input gear to be driven thereby, a take-off shaft drive gear mounted on the take-off shaft for operative engagement by said second gear of said compound gear for rotating the take-off shaft therewith, and means for selectively coupling said take-off shaft input gear to the take-off shaft for selectively driving the shaft directly with said input gear at a first drive ratio for establishing a price adder of a and via the compound gear and take-off shaft drive gear at a second drive ratio which is b/a times the said first drive ratio for establishing a said price adder of b.

A standby conversion mechanism for an extended range unit volume price variator settable for establishing the amount of each place of a multiple place unit volume price and having a rotary input with a primary stack of coaxial gears adapted to be rotated by a fluid meter in accordance with the volume amount of metered fluid;

• a plurality of rotatable drive range arm assemblies for a plurality of places of ascending order respectively of the multiple place unit volume price having respective rotatable range arm shafts with axes radially offset from and generally parallel to the axis of the primary gear stack, respective range arms pivotally and axially shiftable on the respective range arm shafts for selective engagement with the primary stack of gears for rotating the respective range arm shafts therewith, and a range arm output gear on each range arm shaft;
• a rotary differential gear mechanism coaxial with the primary gear stack in engagement with the range arm output gears for combining the rotatable drives through the range arms with relative drive ratios in accordance with their respective places;
• and an auxiliary price adder mechanism for adding a predetermined unit volume price adder to the unit volume price established by said plurality of range arms and having an auxiliary rotatable drive take-off assembly with a rotatable take-off shaft generally parallel to and radially offset from the primary gear stack, a take-off shaft input gear driven by the rotary input and rotatably mounted on the take-off shaft for being coupled for directly rotating the take-off shaft therewith, and a take-off shaft driven gear driven by the take-off shaft;
• a rotary auxiliary differential operatively connected to the differential gear mechanism and the take-off shaft driven gear for combining the rotatable drives through the differential gear mechanism and the take-off shaft driven gear with relative drive ratios establishing, with the take-off shaft input gear coupled for directly rotating the take-off shaft, a predetermined price adder of a;
• the standby conversion mechanism being operable for selectively converting the auxiliary price adder mechanism for establishing a predetermined price adder of b, the conversion mechanism comprising a compound gear with a plurality of gears including first and second relative small and large diameter gears respectively, means for rotatably supporting the compound gear with the first relatively small diameter gear thereof in operative engagement with said take-off shaft input gear to be driven thereby, a first take-off shaft drive gear adapted to be mounted on the take-off shaft in operative engagement with the second relatively large diameter gear of said compound gear and for rotating the take-off shaft, the take-off shaft input gear being adapted to be selectively coupled to the take-off shaft for selectively driving the shaft directly with said take-off shaft input gear at a first drive ratio and via the compound gear and first take-off shaft drive gear at a second drive ratio which is b/a times said first drive ratio for selectively establishing a said price adder of b.

In an extended range unit volume price variator settable for establishing the amount of each place of a multiple place unit volume price and having a rotary input with a primary stack of coaxial gears adapted to be rotated by a fluid meter in accordance with the volume amount of metered fluid;

• a plurality of rotatable drive range arm assemblies for a plurality of places of ascending order respectively of the multiple place unit volume price adapted for selective engagement with the primary stack of gears;
• a rotary differential gear mechanism coaxial with the primary gear stack for combining the rotatable drives through the range arm assemblies with relative drive ratios in accordance with their respective places;
• and an auxiliary price adder mechanism for adding a predetermined unit volume price adder to the unit volume price established by said plurality of range arm assemblies and having an auxiliary rotatable drive take-off assembly with a rotatable take-off shaft generally parallel to and radially offset from the primary gear stack, a take-off shaft input gear driven by the rotary input and rotatably mounted on the take-off shaft for being coupled for directly rotating the take-off shaft therewith, and a take-off shaft driven gear driven by the take-off shaft;
• and a rotary auxiliary differential operatively connected for combining the rotatable drives through the differential gear mechanism and the take-off shaft driven gear with relative drive ratios establishing, with the take-off shaft input gear coupled for directly rotating the take-off shaft, a first predetermined price adder;
• the improvement wherein the extended range variator comprises a standby conversion mechanism for selectively converting the auxiliary price adder mechanism for establishing a different predetermined price adder;
• the conversion mechanism comprising an auxiliary compound gear rotatably supported for being continuously driven by the rotary input, a first auxiliary take-off shaft drive gear mounted on the take-off shaft for operative engagement with said auxiliary compound gear for rotating the take-off shaft therewith, and means for selectively coupling said take-off shaft input gear to the take-off shaft for selectively driving the shaft directly with said input gear at a first drive ratio for establishing said first predetermined price adder and via said auxiliary compound gear and said first take-off shaft drive gear at a second drive ratio different than said first drive ratio for establishing a said different predetermined price adder.