US2504376A - Counting mechanism for spigot knobs - Google Patents

Description

April 18, 1950 BARONE 2,504,376

COUNTING MECHANISM FOR SPIGOT KNOBS Filed Nov. 16, 1948 a7 i as I r 25 v 33 F/G./. v

I I W v v u v v y Patented Apr. 18, 1950 STATES OFFICE August L. Barone, 'Maricopa County, 'Ariz. Application November 16,'1948, SerialNo.60,304

4 Claims.

This invention pertains todispensing spigot lever counting knob.

Qne of the objects of my invention is to provide :a dispensing spigot knob with .a counting mechanism, .by which the number of glasses or mugs of :beer :drawn through the spigot can be easily registered by the bartender, by either a simple movement'of the thumb or finger.

The second object is to provide a draft beer spi ot lever, with a knob containing counting mechanism, which is positioned within easy reach of either the thumb :or finger of the operator of the tap, and can register and indicate the number of --containers drawn through the spigot.

*The third object is to provide a device, as above mentioned, in which the counting mechanism is operated by a ratchet and plunger, attached to the side of the knob and having mechanism whereby the stroke of the plunger may be varied to house the plunger to actuate the counting mechanism throughout a desired portion of the stroke of the plunger.

The donrth obiiect :is to provide a mechanism,

as above described, in which the-counting mechanism is contained within the knob and has which can be easily observed from the position of the operator, which will indicate the number-of times the plunger has been operated.

The fifth {object to provide mechanism, as aboire mentioned, :in which the counting mechanism is supported by a shaft extending diametmally through the 'knob on the to of the spigot lever or arm and has :an extension at the side apposite the actuating plunger, to support a reset knob, whereby the rotors oi the counting mechanism can :be quickly re set independently of the ratchet and plunger mechanism.

Ether objects will appear hereinafter.

1 attain the foregoing objects by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which? Fignre' jl is aside view of the spigot lever knob includin my improvements;

F gure 2 is a hunt view thereof;

Figure .3 is a side elevation of the counter operating me anism with the iface of the case sec ioned ff substantially on line 3-;3, Figure 2, to show the in erior and, dra n on a somewhat enlarged scale;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the under Side of he counter p unge a s drawn on an enl rged scale;

Fi ure .5 is a sectional elevation of the plunger substantiall on lin s 4, of Fi ure 4;

Figure 6 is a back elevational view of the spigot lever knob, showing the position of the covered opening therein.

Similar numerals refer tosimilar par-ts in several views.

The dispensing lever knob 2 is geiziera-lly spherical in shape and has a boss 3 at the bottom, tapped to receive a standard mounting stud commonly used on spigot levers. A segmental portion of the outer or back side of this knob is sectioned off at an angle to term a circular opening 6 in the upper quadrant of the knob which is then-closed by plate :5. The-outer face of this plate may display advertising matter as shown in Figure 6, if desired, and its inner face has a rim 4 which has a push fit in opening 5 so that the plate may be frictionally retained therein. On the left sideoi knob body -2 there is a fiat area which is drilled and threaded to receive boss 8 of plunger case I. The plunger case 7 has a square portion 9 which acts as a housing for ratchet Wheel 15 and an elongated portion 12 extending somewhat 'tangentally from part 9 which forms a housing for counterplungei' H. Case i may be rotated 0n boss 5 so that the plunger housing portion l2 will extend either toward the operator, as shown by solid lines Figure l, or away from the operator as shown by dotted lines lZa or vertically as indicated by lines l2b. Case 1 is retained in any of these positions by-a pin H, which extends through the back portion of case 7 into holes drilled in knob 2 at predetermined positions. In the position shown by solid lines it is intended that the plunger be pushed by the thumb of the user, and in the latter positions shown in dotted lines it may beoperated by the forefinger. Either of these operations are easily carried out as the user grasps the body of the lever knob 2 in the act of or after drawing a container of beer.

Within body part Q of case J there is a ratchet wheel l6 keyed or otherwise secured, to a shaft l8, which extends diametrically through knob -2 and which carries a counting mechanism 20. This shaft is journalled in boss 8, at the left end and directly in knob body 2 at the right end. Counting mechanism 2% which has a number of indicator drums is standard in form and well known to the art. It is mainly supported on shaft l8, however, stationary portions of this mechanism may be retained in position by a pin 24 extending through body 2 parallel to shaft 18. A window is cut through body 2 in a position as to expose a row of figures on the several drums of the counting mechanism whereby these numbers or figures will be easily visible to the o erator using the spigot.

In order to cause the counting mechanism to function cleanly and accurately each time the plunger is depressed, I provide the mechanism shown particularly in Figure 3. A square hole 28 is cut through the tangential extension l2 and adjacent portion of guide case 1. The plunger is made of square stock to fit this squared hole at the inner end portion. The outer portion of the housing 12 is drilled and counterbored large enough to receive a spring 29 which surrounds the outer portion of the plunger, which is also turned to have a round section. In this way a channel 30 is provided to house the spring, the inner end of which beds at the corners left by the square portion 28'. The outer end of the spring is retained by a collar 32 on the outer rounded portion of the plunger. A threaded stop thimble 33 is then slipped over the outer portion of the plunger and threaded into the outer end portion of housing l2, which is tapped to receive it. The inner end of this thimble is counterbored at 34 to receive the spring 29 and retaining collar 32. The outer movement of collar 32 is limited by the bottom of this counterbore, and thus forms a means for retaining the spring under tension. A thumb or finger button 36 is positioned on the outer end of the plunger and has an inner face 31 which contacts the outer face 38 of thimble 33. The position of the outer face of thimble 33 then determines the limit to which button 36 may be forced inward and thus limits the inward position of the inner portion of the plunger.

The inner squared portion of plunger Hi is slotted at 4B and the slot extended as a keyway 4| outward to the outer end of the slot. A ratchet pawl 42 is supported by a pin 4.3 in slot it so that its engaging point 44 extends inward and above the top surface of the inner portion of the plunger I4, as shown in Figure 5. It is maintained in this position by a spring 45 which is embedded and secured in keyway 4i by collar 32 and thumb button 36. Its inner tip engages the rear portion of ratchet pawl 42 at point 48.

The above mentioned parts are proportioned so that the tip 44 of pawl 42 engages the teeth 50 of ratchet wheel IB.

To prevent backlash pawl on the ratchet teeth a friction spring 52 is inserted in case I in the opening 53, in which the ratchet wheel operates. Its ends are supported in notches 54 and its mid-portion '5 bears on the ratchet wheel with a slight predetermined friction. The cavities and openings in which the above parts operate are enclosed by a case cover In which is retained by a push fit therein.

In use, dispensing lever knob 2 is attached to a stud on the top of the dispensing spigot lever, of an ordinary conventional dispensing spigot. The housing I may be positioned as shown in Figure l. The counting mechanism is then adjusted by re-set mechanism knob 56 so that various drums of the counting mechanism will show 0-0-0-0 as viewed through window 25. After the valve is opened to draw a glass or other container of beer it requires only a simple movement of the thumb of the user to push plunger button 36 inward until it is stopped by thimble 33. This operation registers 0-0-0-1 on the counter. This operation is continued each time a container of beer is drawn.

It is understood that the spigot lever may due to any drag of the I have to be operated several times to draw a glass of beer with the proper collar of foam. However, the plunger is only operated as and when a glass is fully and completely drawn. It is the object of this device to count, not the number of times the tap valve is opened, but to count the number of fully drawn glasses or containers of beer. In this way the number of glasses or containers of beer that can be drawn from any given keg can be accurately checked. After a keg is checked and empty the counting mechanism may be easily re-set to zero reading by use of the knob 56. The counting mechanism will also indicate, after a few trials, the amount of beer drawn from a keg and from this indication the amount remaining in the keg can be easily calculated.

It is to be observed that when plunger 14 is in the fully retracted or outer position, the tip 44 of pawl 42 is moved to a position out of engagement with the teeth of ratchet wheel I6, as shown by dotted outline 44, Figure 3. The complete stroke of the .plunger moves this tip to the position indicated by dotted outline 44", or as desired to move the Wheel one or two teeth per stroke. However, when in the outer position, the teeth 50 of wheel iii are always disengaged and the wheel and its shaft is ready for re-set operation.

While in the above description I have referred to the device as being particularly useful for counting glasses of beer drawn from kegs, it is to be understood that the device is also useful for counting the number of glasses of Coca-Cola or root beer drawn from syrup mixing and carbonating mechanisms. It is also intended that it may be used wherever liquids are drawn or dispensed from containers into glass or other receptacles.

I claim: a

1. A counting knob for attachment to spigot valve levers comprising a hollow knob body, an access hole therein, a transverse diametrically positioned shaft extending therethrough supporting a counting mechanism having a series of drums, and having a ratchet wheel at one end and a reset knob at the other end, a viewing window formed in said knob body positioned to expose a row of numbers on said counting mechanism drums, a case having a square body portion with a centrally positioned boss adapted to include and journal said shaft and thread into said knob body to gain support therein, and a tangental portion enclosing a plunger mechanism, said case being rotatable relative to said knob body, whereby said tangental case portion can be ex tended in various desired directions around said shaft, a plunger operative in said tangentalcase portion having a pawl within its inner portion adapted to engage said ratchet wheel, a spring surrounding its outer portion and operative between said case and said plunger to force said plunger outward, a thimble threaded into the outer portion of said tangental case portion surrounding said plunger and having an outer face adapted to form an outer stop, a button on the outer end of said plunger adapted to be operated by the thumb or finger of a person grasping said knob body, and to engage against said thimble stop to limit its inward travel.

2. A knob for spigot valve levers, including in combination, a hollow knob body, an access hole formed by removal of a segment in theupper quadrant of the back side thereof, a viewing window formed in the front side thereof, a fiat area iaving a centrally positioned tapped hole formed on a side lateral to said viewing window, a shaft extending diametrically therethrough from said flat area, and journalled in said body, a ratchet wheel attached to the end of said shaft adjacent said fiat area, and a reset knob attached to the protruding opposite end, a drum type counting mechanism supported on said shaft within said knob body so that rows of figures on said counter drums are visible through said window, and means for actuating said counting mechanism including a case having a square portion adapted to house said ratchet wheel, a threaded boss on its inner face, and a tangentally outwardly extending plunger housing, a plunger operative longitudinally in said plunger housing, having a pawl adapted to operatively engage said ratchet wheel, a thimble threaded into the outer end of said plunger housing adapted to limit the outward and inward movement of said plunger, a

spring surrounding said plunger within said plunger housing normally urging said plunger outward, and a thumb or finger bottom on the outer end of said plunger; said ratchet wheel boss being adapted to screw into the threaded hole in said knob body and to journal the end of said shaft adjacent said ratchet wheel whereby said case may be supported on said knob body with said plunger housing extending in various rotative positions relative to said knob body, and a pin inserted through said ratchet wheel hous ing and said knob body to secure said housing in desired rotative positions.

3. A counting knob for dispensing spigot knobs comprising a hollow knob body, a drum counting mechanism therein, a viewing window formed in said knob body, and mechanism for manually actuating said counting mechanism including a ratchet wheel and pawl operatively associated with said counting mechanism said pawl being mounted on a manually operable plunger disposed in a housing tangentally extending from a case enclosing said ratchet wheel, said case having a boss extending radially into said knob body whereby it is revolvably attached to a side of said knob.

4. In a counting knob for dispensing spigot knobs having a knob body, counting mechanism disposed on a transverse shaft one end of which extends outwardly therein from said knob body, and a ratchet wheel on the outwardly extending end of said shaft, the combination therewith of a case enclosing said ratchet wheel and having a boss extending from one side thereof adapted to receive said transverse shaft and extend into said knob to afford rotatable support on said knob body, and a plunger housing extending outward from said case in a direction substantially tangent to said ratchet wheel, a plunger having a button at its outer end slidably operative in said housing, a pawl on said plunger adapted to engage the teeth of said ratchet wheel, a spring in said housing urging said plunger outward, and a thimble in the outer end of said housing adapted to limit the inward and outward movement of said plunger.

AUGUST L. BARONE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 578,906 Wood Mar. 16, 1897 835,218 Edsall Nov. 6, 1906 1,496,544 Johnson June 3, 1924 1,657,828 Henderson Jan. 31, 1928

Images