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US 4,394,935 AGranted
Zero setting mechanism for service station pumps
OwnerMario Orlandoinventor
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OwnerMario Orlandoinventor
Estimating the term…
The connection between the actuating handle of a gasoline service station pump and the pump shaft is a lost motion connection wherein the pump may be actuated in the usual manner for turning the gasoline pump on but in returning the actuation handle to the vertical position, the connection between the handle and the pump shaft is floppy, i.e. a lost motion connection, so that the dial setting of the pump cannot be altered but the attendant can reset the indicating dials to zero and release the actuation lever for further operation by holding the actuating lever stationary, inserting a tool into the pump operating shaft and rotating the shaft and sleeve counter-clockwise a specified amount.
An actuating mechanism comprising an actuatable shaft, an actuating member adapted to rotate a predetermined distance in one direction and the reverse thereof, a coupling element between said actuatable shaft and said actuating member and attached to said actuatable shaft, said coupling element and said actuating member being adapted to move relative to each other, movable stop means on said coupling element, fixed stop means for engagement by said movable stop means, interengaging means between said coupling element and said actuating member having one position for effecting movement of said coupling element upon movement of said actuating element until engagement of said fixed stop by said movable stop, whereupon relative movement in one direction occurs between said coupling element and said actuating element, said interengaging means having a second position for effecting movement of said coupling element in the reverse direction upon movement of said actuating element in the reverse direction to a predetermined position, and means for moving said interengaging means from said second position to said one position while holding said actuating member stationary.
An actuating mechanism comprising an actuatable shaft, an actuating member on said shaft and being adapted to rotate a predetermined distance in one direction and the reverse thereof and being adapted to move said shaft during same portion of the rotational movements in each direction, movable stop means on said shaft, fixed stop means for engagement by said movable stop means, interengaging means between said shaft and said actuating member having one position for effective movement of said shaft upon movement of said actuating element until engagement of said fixed stop by said movable stop, whereupon relative movement in one direction occurs between said shaft and said actuating element, said interengaging means having a second position for effecting movement of said shaft in the reverse direction upon movement of said actuating element in the reverse to a predetermined position, and means for moving said interengaging means from said second position to said one position while holding said actuating member stationary.
In a gasoline service station pump actuating mechanism wherein during operation, the nozzle is removed from its recess, an actuating lever is rotated ninety degrees on a pump shaft in one direction to activate the pump during part of the lever rotation and to set the indicating dials to zero before flow takes place and in the reverse direction of the lever to an off position to deactivate the pump and to lock the lever in the off position to require the release of the lever lock before further pump activation can occur, the improvement for assuring that the indicating dials are set to zero when the activating lever is released comprising a lost motion connection between said pump shaft and said actuating lever, said lost motion connection comprising an abutment means on said shaft separating first and second lost motion connection areas and releasable means on said actuating lever for riding on said first lost motion connection area engaging said abutment means and causing said pump shaft to rotate upon rotation of said actuating lever, a movable stop on said pump shaft, a fixed stop on said pump, said movable stop being located relative to said fixed stop to effect engagement of said stops and discontinuance of pump shaft rotation partway during said ninety degree rotation of said actuating lever, continued rotational movements of said actuating lever disengaging said releasable means from said abutment means and shifting said releasable means to said second lost motion connection area on said pump shaft, on the reverse movement of said actuating lever said releasable means rides on said second lost motion connection area, engages said abutment means and causes said pump shaft to rotate to the pump off position while said releasable means remains on said second lost motion connection area, and means on said pump shaft for enabling said pump shaft to be rotated in the pump actuation direction while holding said actuating lever stationary, thereby to move said releasable means from said second lost motion connection area to said first lost motion connection area and setting said indicator dials to zero.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.