Device for the transmission over a distance of indications in particular of a meter
First Claim
1. In a device for transmitting over a distance the angular position of rotary elements such as indicator drums of a meter, comprising an exterior connector, a current generating and decoding reading apparatus for making a reading of the angular position of the rotary elements, the reading apparatus being detachably connected in the connector, an encoding unit comprising for each rotary element a stepped cam which has steps in successive equal sectors of the stepped cam and is connected to rotate with the corresponding rotary element, the steps being positioned on radii of the cam which increase progressively from a first of said steps to a last of said steps, a movable follower combined with the cam to be driven by the cam, elastically yieldable means for biasing the follower against the stepped cam, a smooth cam coaxial with the stepped cam, drive means for driving the smooth cam in rotation, the smooth cam having a camming surface cooperative with the follower and capable of maintaining the follower spaced away from the steps of the stepped cam outside periods in which the reading apparatus makes said reading, and a device for detecting movement of the follower;
- the improvement comprising the following features;
the smooth cam has in at least a part of the smooth cam a camming surface which has a radius which increases progressively to shift the follower to the same extent as said radii of said steps between a minimum radius corresponding to the radius of said first step and a maximum radius corresponding to the radius of said last step, a substantially radially extending surface interconnecting the maximum radius part and the minimum radius part of the camming surface, said drive means being capable of causing the smooth cam to effect a predetermined number of rotational steps in the direction of increasing radii of said camming surface, the angular extent of said rotational steps corresponding to the angular extent of said steps of the stepped cam, means being provided in the reading apparatus for counting the steps effected by the smooth cam while the follower cooperates with said part of the smooth cam.
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Abstract
A meter to be read which has indicator drums and an exterior connector and, on the other hand, a reading apparatus for making a reading of the indications of the drums detachably connected to the connector. A coding unit in the meter comprises for each drum a stepped cam connected to rotate with the corresponding drum. A movable follower is elastically biased against the stepped cam. A smooth cam driven by drive means is capable of maintaining the follower spaced away from the stepped cam outside periods in which the reading apparatus makes said reading. A device detects the movement of the follower.
The smooth cam has, in part, a camming surface whose radius increases regularly between values corresponding to the bearing of the follower on end sectors of the stepped cam. A substantially radially extending surface interconnects the maximum and minimum radius parts of the camming surface. The drive means are adapted to cause the smooth cam to effect a predetermined number of rotational steps in the direction of increasing radii of the camming surface. A counter in the reading apparatus counts the steps effected by the smooth cam when the follower cooperates with said part of the smooth cam.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. In a device for transmitting over a distance the angular position of rotary elements such as indicator drums of a meter, comprising an exterior connector, a current generating and decoding reading apparatus for making a reading of the angular position of the rotary elements, the reading apparatus being detachably connected in the connector, an encoding unit comprising for each rotary element a stepped cam which has steps in successive equal sectors of the stepped cam and is connected to rotate with the corresponding rotary element, the steps being positioned on radii of the cam which increase progressively from a first of said steps to a last of said steps, a movable follower combined with the cam to be driven by the cam, elastically yieldable means for biasing the follower against the stepped cam, a smooth cam coaxial with the stepped cam, drive means for driving the smooth cam in rotation, the smooth cam having a camming surface cooperative with the follower and capable of maintaining the follower spaced away from the steps of the stepped cam outside periods in which the reading apparatus makes said reading, and a device for detecting movement of the follower;
- the improvement comprising the following features;
the smooth cam has in at least a part of the smooth cam a camming surface which has a radius which increases progressively to shift the follower to the same extent as said radii of said steps between a minimum radius corresponding to the radius of said first step and a maximum radius corresponding to the radius of said last step, a substantially radially extending surface interconnecting the maximum radius part and the minimum radius part of the camming surface, said drive means being capable of causing the smooth cam to effect a predetermined number of rotational steps in the direction of increasing radii of said camming surface, the angular extent of said rotational steps corresponding to the angular extent of said steps of the stepped cam, means being provided in the reading apparatus for counting the steps effected by the smooth cam while the follower cooperates with said part of the smooth cam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- the improvement comprising the following features;
Specification