Method and apparatus for sensing rotation of a dial arm of a utility meter
First Claim
1. Apparatus for detecting revolutions of a dial arm of a utility meter, said dial arm being located on a dial face of said meter and covered by a transparent face plate, said apparatus comprising:
- a base affixable over a hole in said transparent face plate at a location close to but offset transversely from said dial arm,a rotatable shaft having an axis of rotation and extending through said base, for rotation about said axis, and said hole in a direction substantially normal to said face plate,a shoe joined to, and rotatable with, the portion of said shaft which extends beyond said base towards said dial face, said shoe being radially elongated,resilient means for rotationally biasing said shaft in a first direction about said axis towards a first angular position relative to said base wherein said shoe projects into the path of rotation of said dial arm, whereby, as said dial arm rotates, it abuts said shoe, forces it to rotate in a second direction opposite to said first direction about said axis to a second angular position relative to said base, and then releases it, enabling the shoe to then return to said first angular position under the resilient urging of said resilient means,first switch means joined to, and rotatable with, the portion of said shaft which extends beyond said base and away from said dial face, said first switch means being rotated in said second direction from a third to a fourth angular position, respectively corresponding to said first and second angular positions, relative to said base by said shaft as said shoe is rotated from said first to said second angular position, andsecond switch means attached to said base adjacent said first switch means such that as said first switch means rotates between said third and fourth angular positions it also moves relative to said second switch means,one of said first and second switch means is a magnet and the other is a reed switch, said reed switch having switch open and switch closed states and changing between said open and closed states as said first switch means moves relative to said second switch means, due to changing proximity with said magnet.
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Abstract
Trip devices are disclosed for attachment to existing utility meters to detect revolutions of a dial arm of the meter. Two embodiments are disclosed, each including a spring-biased shaft extending through a base and a shoe on the end of the shaft. As the dial arm rotates, it catches and deflects the shoe, thus rotating the shaft. The shoe then slips off of the dial arm and returns to its original position under the urging of the spring. In one embodiment, shaft rotation is detected using a magnet and reed switch arrangement. In the other a mercury switch is instead used.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. Apparatus for detecting revolutions of a dial arm of a utility meter, said dial arm being located on a dial face of said meter and covered by a transparent face plate, said apparatus comprising:
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a base affixable over a hole in said transparent face plate at a location close to but offset transversely from said dial arm, a rotatable shaft having an axis of rotation and extending through said base, for rotation about said axis, and said hole in a direction substantially normal to said face plate, a shoe joined to, and rotatable with, the portion of said shaft which extends beyond said base towards said dial face, said shoe being radially elongated, resilient means for rotationally biasing said shaft in a first direction about said axis towards a first angular position relative to said base wherein said shoe projects into the path of rotation of said dial arm, whereby, as said dial arm rotates, it abuts said shoe, forces it to rotate in a second direction opposite to said first direction about said axis to a second angular position relative to said base, and then releases it, enabling the shoe to then return to said first angular position under the resilient urging of said resilient means, first switch means joined to, and rotatable with, the portion of said shaft which extends beyond said base and away from said dial face, said first switch means being rotated in said second direction from a third to a fourth angular position, respectively corresponding to said first and second angular positions, relative to said base by said shaft as said shoe is rotated from said first to said second angular position, and second switch means attached to said base adjacent said first switch means such that as said first switch means rotates between said third and fourth angular positions it also moves relative to said second switch means, one of said first and second switch means is a magnet and the other is a reed switch, said reed switch having switch open and switch closed states and changing between said open and closed states as said first switch means moves relative to said second switch means, due to changing proximity with said magnet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A trip assembly for detecting revolutions of a dial arm of a utility meter, comprising:
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a base, a rotatable shaft having an axis of rotation and extending entirely through said base, resilient means for resiliently urging said shaft to rotate in a first direction about said axis, rotational stop means for preventing said shaft from rotating in said first direction beyond a first angular location relative to said base in said first direction, an elongated shoe extending radially from one end of said shaft and rotatable with it, said shoe being adapted to briefly catch and then release said dial arm of said utility meter once in each revolution of said dial arm, first switch means attached to the other end of said shaft and rotatable with it about said axis, second switch means fixedly attached relative to said base at a location selected such that the spacing between said first and second switch means changes as said shaft is rotated in a second direction opposite said first direction away from said stop means due to contact between said shoe and said dial arms, one of said first and second switch means is a magnet and the other is a magnet field responsive switch means having an open state and a closed state. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A trip assembly for detecting revolutions of a dial arm of a utility meter, comprising:
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a base, a rotatable shaft having an axis of rotation extending entirely through said base, resilient means for resiliently urging said shaft to rotate in a first direction about said axis, rotational stop means for preventing said shaft from rotating beyond a first angular location relative to said base in said first direction, an elongated shoe extending radially from one end of said shaft and rotatable about said axis with it, said shoe being adapted to briefly catch on and then be released by said dial arm of said utility meter once in each revolution of said dial arm, when said trip assembly is mounted on a utility meter, a position sensitive switch means attached to the other end of said shaft and rotatable in a second direction opposite said first direction about said axis between a first orientation and a second orientation, said switch means having an open state and a closed state and being in one of said states when in said first orientation and being in the other of said states when in said second orientation, said switch means is normally in said first orientation and shifts to said second orientation when said shoe is caught by said dial arm during its rotation. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. Apparatus for detecting revolutions of a dial arm of a utility meter, said dial arm being located on a dial face of said meter and covered by a transparent face plate, said apparatus comprising:
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a base affixable over a hole in said transparent face plate at a location close to but offset transversely from said dial arm, a rotatable shaft having an axis of rotation and extending through said base and said hole in a direction substantially normal to said face plate, a shoe joined to, and rotatable about said axis with, the portion of said shaft which extends beyond said base towards said dial face, said shoe being radially elongated, resilient means for rotationally biasing said shaft in a first direction towards a first angular position about said axis relative to said base wherein said shoe projects into the path of rotation of said dial arm, whereby, as said dial arm rotates, it abuts said shoe, forces it to rotate in a second direction opposite to said first direction about said axis to a second angular position relative to said base, and then releases it, enabling the shoe to then return to said first angular position under the resilient urging of said resilient means, position sensitive switch means joined to, and rotatable about said axis with, the portion of said shaft which extends beyond said base and away from said dial face, said position sensitive switch means being rotated in said second direction from a third to a fourth angular position, respectively corresponding to said first and second annular positions, relative to said base as said shoe is rotated from said first to said second angular position, said switch means having an open state and a closed state. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification