US3855454A

US3855454A - Validating system and method

Info

Publication number: US3855454A
Application number: US00314330A
Authority: US
Inventors: I Eisen; G Maresca
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-12-12
Filing date: 1972-12-12
Publication date: 1974-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-17

Abstract

A system and apparatus are described for validating parking lot tickets and the like. The system comprises three components, the validator, the counter and the resetter. The validator contains within a time clock casing, a stamping mechanism including the logo of the validating organization, control circuitry and a receptacle plug for receiving the counter. The stamping mechanism will not work unless the counter is in place in the receptacle. The counter is preset to a predetermined number of validating units and each time a validation is made by the validator, the count on the counter descends one unit. When the counter is emptied of all its validating units, reed switches within the counter are automatically opened and further validations are prevented. The resetting unit is utilized to charge a counter with any predetermined number of validating units. It contains a receptacle plug for the counter and a switch for determining whether a load or recycle operation is to take place. During the recycle operation, the counter is fully charged with the maximum number of validating units it can contain, i.e., 1,000, and during the load operation, the counter is stepped down to the predetermined number of validating units purchased. An operations and a unit counter are provided in the resetter to record the number of operations which have taken place and the number of validating units sold.

Description

Unite States atent Eisen et al.

[ Dec. 17, 1974 VALIDATING SYSTEM AND METHOD Inventors: Irving A. Eisen, 9516 Clement Rd.,

Silver Spring, Md. 20904; Gerard Maresca, 823 Sixth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10009 Filed: Dec. 12, 1972 Appl. No.: 314,330

Primary Examiner-Gareth D. Shaw Assistant ExaminerRobert F. Gnuse Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Herman, Bishoff & Platt [57] ABSTRACT A system and apparatus are described for validatin g parking lot tickets and the like. The system comprises three components, the validator, the counter and the resetter. The validator contains within a time clock casing, a stamping mechanism including the logo of the validating organization, control circuitry and a receptacle plug for receiving the counter. The stamping mechanism will not work unless the counter is in place in the receptacle. The counter is preset to a predetermined number of validating units and each time a validation is made by the validator, the count on the counter descends one unit. When the counter is emptied of all its validating units, reed switches within the counter are automatically opened and further validations are prevented. The resetting unit is utilized to charge a counter with any predetermined number of validating units. It contains a receptacle plug for the counter and a switch for determining whether a load or recycle operation is to take place. During the recycle operation, the counter is fully charged with the maximum number of validating units it can contain, i.e., 1,000, and during the load operation, the counter is stepped down to the predetermined number of validating units purchased. An operations and a unit counter are provided in the resetter to record the number of operations which have taken place and the number of validating units sold.

14 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures Ca/vreo L tnecwr 80420 /5 iI lTEH E 1 71974 U UL smrwfs FIG. 8.

1 VALIDATING SYSTEM AND METHOD FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to validating apparatus and more particularly relates to apparatus for validating parking lot or garage tickets. The invention also relates to an improved pluggable counter for use in validating apparatus and a resetting unit for charging the counter with a predetermined number of validations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART It has been common practice throughout large cities in the United States to encourage customers to patronize the shopping establishments located in the downtown areas by offering either free parking at a commercial parking establishment, or a discount at such an establishment. This has been accomplished by means of an organization formed of merchants, parking lot and garage operators and institutions such as banks, banding together in a common enterprise to disperse and control the granting of such free parking rights. The organization controlling the dispensing of such rights is sometimes known as a park and shop assocation.

In the past, the park and shop association sells gummed stamps, bearing appropriate indicia to the various merchants and institutions who are members of the association. The stamps, each of which represents a monetary unit, such as 50 cents, for example, are then distributed to customers of the participating organizations to be applied to the cost of parking in a commercial parking lot or garage. The stamps are affixed by the customer to the parking lot ticket and the garage or parking lot operator appropriately reduces his charges in accordance with the value of the stamps affixed to the ticket. The tickets bearing the stamps are saved by the parking lots and garages participating in the plan, and are later redeemed by the park and shop association.

While the above-described system has been widely utilized, it has presented extremely serious problems. The foremost among these, has been the widespread theft and misuse of the validating stamps. It is virtually impossible for a merchant to control each of his employees who has access to the stamps from dispensing more than the authorized amount to a customeror from using the stamps himself. Losses, due to such unauthorized use of the validating stamps, have been quite considerable in the experience of most park and shop organizations utilizing the validating stamp plan.

Other problems which arise with the use of validating stamps are their frequent inadvertent separation from the parking lot tickets, the difficulty in maintaining accurate records by the park and shop association and the cumbersomeness of the entire operation of dispensing the stamps and pasting them to the tickets.

Attempts have been made in the past to solve the abovestated problems, none of them notably successful. Possibly the best known of such prior art devices is the validating meter apparatus, set forth in US. Pat. No. 3,180,258 to Ringholz. The Ringholz patent discloses a validating meter apparatus which stamps a parking ticket with a distinctive logo and is charged with a predetermined number of validations by means of a perforated tape having numbers thereon and which is advanced by a sprocket wheel for each validation which takes place. The numerals are visible through a window, and descend until there are no validations left in the particular tape. An authorized member of the park and shop organization may then visit the location of the validator, open the case by means of a key and rewind the tape through a tool, such as an Allen wrench, to the number of validations purchased by the merchant having custody of that particular validator.

While the apparatus described in the Ringholz patent overcomes some of the difficulties of the gummed stamp system, it is notably deficient in many areas. The apparatus described in the Ringholz patent is extremely cumbersome and inconvenient to operate. For example, whenever a merchant wishes his validator to be recharged, he must call the park and shop association and have a representative come down to his place of business in order to reset the tape. Either that, or he must carry the heavy, cumbersome validator to the park and shop association headquarters in order to have the tape reset. Further, and equally, if not more important, is

the total lack of any tamper-proof provision in the Ringholz apparatus. It would be extremely simple for a merchant, or some other larcenous minded individual, to force open the case of the validator and with a readily available standard Allen wrench, rewind the tape to any desired number of validations. Clearly, such a situation would be intolerable and would offer no advantages in this respect over the gummed stamp systern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention overcomes the abovedescribed problems in the prior art devices in at least two major respects. First, the present invention utilizes an electronically operated counter which is plugged into the validating unit and which may be readily removed therefrom and recharged with any number of purchased validations. Second, the validating unit and the pluggable counter are provided with safeguards which insure that an unauthorized validation may not be made without detection and that without a charged pluggable counter inserted in the appropriate place in thevalidating unit, no validation whatever may be made.

In essence, the present invention comprises three major components, the validator, the pluggable electronically actuated descending counter and the resetting unit. The validator comprises a conventional time clock casing having disposed therewithin, a printing mechanism, a mechanical plunger for actuating the printing mechanism, an electronic control circuit for actuating the plunger when certain specified conditions have been satisfied, and a slot and socket for receiving a pluggable descending electronically actuated counter.

The counter contains a conventional set of number wheels, through the number 999, and a window for viewing the number registered. Disposed within the casing of the counter is a permanent magnet which closes a normally open reed switch in the control circuit within the validator to permit the validator to be operated. Also disposed within the counter are two additional reed switches which are automatically opened by a further magnet actuated by the number wheels when the count on the counter is exhausted. When these two additional reed switches are opened, the

validator is deactuated and further validations cannot occur.

The resetting unit comprises a receptacle for receiving the counter and a switch for setting the operation to be performed at recycle or load. The recycle operation sets the counter to the fully loaded condition and then during the load operation, the counter is stepped down to the number of units purchased. The resetting unit also comprises a counter for providing a running count of all validating units sold and an additional counter for recording the number of load operations performed.

The above-described validating system, thus achieves the objects of this invention which are as follows:

1. To overcome the deficiencies, as noted above, in the prior art systems;

2. To provide a validating system which is convenient to operate and does not require frequent visits by an employee of the validating organization to the location of the validators;

3. To provide a validating system which is essentially tamper-proof, i.e., one whichis not susceptible to being operated in an unauthorized manner without detection; and

4. To provide a validating system which conveniently and accurately provides a record of the total number of validating units sold, and thus simplifies the entire accounting and record keeping procedures associated with running a validating organization.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be more readily appreciated from a con sideration of the detailed description set forth hereinbelow, when taken in conjunction with the appended sheets of drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the validator of the present invention, with the counter in place and showing a parking ticket or the like being inserted for validation;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 in FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 in FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the plate bearing the identifying logo of the validating organization to be impressed on the parking ticket for validation purposes;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 in Flg. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating the interior of the pluggable counter of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 in- FIG. 5, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating the functional interrelationship of the counter and the various components contained within the validator;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the resetter of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged elevational detail of the switch used in the resetter for changing its function from load to recycle;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line l010 in FIG. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the functional interrelationship of the various components contained within the resetter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The validating system of the present invention will now be described in detail. Reference first will be made to the structural details of each of the three major components of the system, the validator, the counter and the resetter.

THE VALIDATOR Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown the validator of the present invention generally designated by the reference character 10. The particular purpose of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is to generally describe the arrangement of the various parts within outer casing 20, it being understood that many of these components, such as the printing mechanism, are entirely conventional, forming no part of the present invention and hence are not illustrated in great detail.

Casing 20, which may be made of a suitable material, such as cast iron, comprises an upper shell portion 27 and a lower shell portion 26, within which are mounted the various components of the validator. The two shell portions are hinged at 21 for opening when the proper key is inserted in lock 22. In order to provide an additional measure of security, a seal may be connected between wires wound about posts 23 to provide a ready visual indication that the validator has been opened. Upper portion 27 and lower portion 26 are separated so as to form a slot 28 therebetween for receiving a parking ticket 25 or the like, for validation purposes in a manner to be more fully explained below.

Mounted within the upper half 27 of casing 20 is lettered logo plate (shown in more detail in FIG. 4) for cooperating with a printing ribbon 72 and ink pad 71 mounted at the upper extremity of lower, casing portion 26. Logo plate 70 is mounted on support which is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the inner top surface of upper casing portion 27.

Ribbon 72 is wound on ribbon advancing mechanism 74 of the pawl and ratchet type which automatically winds the ribbon and advances it one space each time an imprint is made. Mechanism 74 is secured to supporting structure 76, which in turn is secured to the upper extremity of lower casing portion 26. Ink pad 71 is mounted on top of print solenoid l2 and is urged upwardly with considerable force against ribbon 72, causing the logo on plate 70 to be imprinted on ticket 25, each time a pulse is developed in output relay 13, as will be more fully explained below in connection with FIG. 7.

When ticket 25 is inserted in slot 28, it pushes against mechanical linkage 62 which urges normally open contact switch 61 to the closed position. This will cause a pulse to be developed in output relay 13 and activate plunger 65, raising pad 71 and causing an imprint on the ticket, as described above. Contact switch 61 will remain closed only momentarily since, when plunger 65 rises, cam member 64 carried by the plunger will strike resetting finger 63, causing contact switch 61 to open.

Disposed at the lower left-hand area of lower casing portion 26, as viewed in FIG. 1, is slot 50 for receiving pluggable descending counter 30 (to be more fully described below in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6). Counter 30 plugs into six pin socket 49 which is wired to the various other electrical components, as will be more readily apparent from a consideration of the schematic wiring diagram of FIG. 7, as set forth below. Screw 51, tightened by Allen head wrench socket 53, threadedly engages base 48 of counter at threaded sleeve 52 provided therein. This screw connection prevents counter 30 from being removed from the front of the validator until an Allen wrench has been inserted in socket 53 and screw 51 loosened.

Disposed below counter 30 is circuit board 11 which contains on the lower side thereof conventional printed circuitry for interconnecting the various electronic elements, as will be described more fully below in connec tion with FIG. 7. Disposed at the upper portion of circuit board 11 are full wave rectifier 18, read switch 14 and output relay 13. Holding capacitors 15 are mounted just to the left of circuit board 11, as viewed in FIG. 2. Mounted at the rear of lower casing portion 26, or at the left, as viewed in Flg. 3, is terminal strip 17 for providing electrical interconnections between the various circuit components and suppression capacitor 16.

THE COUNTER Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown the pluggable descending counter of the present invention, generally designated by the reference character 30. The outer frame 47 of the counter may be formed of steel with an aluminum shell over it to prevent stray magnetic fields from affecting the operation of the counter. Base 48, having six pins for engagement with socket 49, is provided at one end of the counter, while the other end is provided with a viewing window 32 for permitting the number registered by

number wheels

33, 34 and 35 to be observed, as shown, for example, in FIG. 1.

Disposed within frame 47 and electrically interconnected with the pins of base 48, in a manner to be more fully explained withrespect to FIG. 7, are pulse coil 31 and

reed switches

36 and 37. Each time pulse coil 31 is activated, pawl is momentarily depressed, engaging ratchet wheel 44 and advancing the count on

number wheels

33, 34 and 35, one digit.

Number wheels

33, 34 and 35 are conventional in design and are mounted for rotation on shaft 41 and geared together in the usual manner. Disposed on wheel 40 for rotation about shaft 53 are permanent magnets 38 and 39. When

number wheels

33, 34 and 35 go from 000 to 999, indicating that no further validating units are left in the counter, gear tooth 43 will be rotated into position so as to engage gear 42 and rotate wheel 40 90 from its indicated position. This will cause

reed switches

36 and 37 to open and deactivate pulse coil 31 and the control circuit board in a manner to be more fully explained below in connection with FIG. 7.

Also mounted within frame 47 of counter 30 is permanent magnet 46 which is positioned so as to control the closing of reed switch 14 when counter 30 is inserted in the validator, as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, with no counter inserted in the validator, reed switch 14 will normally be open.

OPERATION OF VALIDATOR AND COUNTER With reference now to the schematic wiring diagram of FIG. 7, the operation of the validator and counter will be explained. Assume that counter 30 is in place within slot 50 in validator l0, as-shown in FIG. 2, and that the counter number wheels are at a position somewhere between 000 and 999, indicating that the counter is charged with some validating units. Assume further that AC plug 19 is attached to a source of AC voltge. With the number wheels in the position shown in FIG. 6, magnets 38 and 39-will be in position to retain

reed switches

36 and 37 in the normally closed position. As can be seen, pulse coil 31 of counter 30 will, therefore, be connected between pins 1 and 6 of base 48 and pins 4 and 5 will be internally connected together. DC voltage to counter 30 is supplied by fullwave rectifier 18 from the AC source via plug 19 and terminal strip 17. With the counter in place, as noted above, permanent magnet 46 will retain reed switch 14 in a normally closed state. The validator will now be ready for operation when a parking ticket or the like is inserted in slot 28.

When a parking ticket or the like is inserted in slot 28, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, mechanical linkage 62 will close contact switch 61 of trigger 60. Voltage from the AC source will be supplied to output relay 13 through the circuit, including closed contact switch 61, closed reed switch 36 connected between pins 4 and 5 of counter 30, closed reed switch 14 and the upper terminal of terminal strip 17. The lower end of output relay 13 is permanently connected to the AC source via terminal strip 17. When voltage is applied across output relay 13, its associated contact arm 19 will switch from contact 190 to contact 19b and its associated contact arm 29 will switch from contact 29a to contact 29b.

Contact 29b applies a DC pulse to pin 6 of counter 30, and hence across pulse coil 31, via closed reed switch 37 and pin 1. The appearance of a pulse across coil 31 will cause the count registered on the number wheels of counter 30 to descend one digit, as explained above in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6. Capacitor 15 is provided across pins 1 and 6 to hold the pulse for a sufficient length of time to insure that the count is registered.

Contact 19b applies the AC source voltage across the useful output portion of print solenoid 12 via terminal strip 17. As explained above, voltage across print solenoid 12 will cause plunger 65 to raise ink pad 71 into contact with ribbon 72, urging it against logo plate and marking the parking ticket with a validating imprint. After the imprint has been made, as explained above, cam member 64 will strike resetting finger 63, causing contact switch 61 to open, removing voltage from output relay l3, returning

contact arms

19 and 29 to their original positions, thus removing the actuating voltages from pulse coil 31 and print solenoid 12. The apparatus will now be in condition to perform further validating operations until reed switches 36 and 37 open, as explained above.

THE RESETTER Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, there is shown the resetter of the present invention. As explained above, the function of the resetter is to recharge a counter with a predetennined number of validating units. This will generally be done by bringing the counter to a central station where the resetter is located. However, the resetter may also be made in a portable model so that it may be carried around to the location of the various validators at the business establishments of the participants in the park and shop programs, and the counters recharged on the premises.

The resetter, generally designated by the reference character 80, is housed within a casing having a top panel 81. Mounted in top panel 81 are control buttons 82, comprising operation start button 82a and power on and off button 82b. Key switch 86 also provides an on and off control which insures that the resetter can only be turned on by authorized personnel having the proper key. In addition, receptacles for the usual fuses are provided.

Slot 83, having socket 92, is adapted to receive a counter for loading. Load-recycle switch 84 determines whether the load or recycle function is to be performed, depending upon the position of the switch. The recycle position is used when a counter is to be loaded, which has completely run down to a zero count. For this purpose, permanent magnet 87 is mounted on handle 88 of switch 84 so that when the switch is in the recycle position, the magnet will close reed switch 37 on the counter, since, as described above, when the counter has reached a zero count, the switch will have been opened by the action of magnets 38 and 39. When the handle 88 of switch 84 is in the load position, magnet 87 is sufficiently removed from the vicinity of the counter so as to play no function.

In order to perform the load function, load control counter 85 is provided which has set switches 85b, 85c and 85d for manually setting any predetermined number such as 345 illustrated in FIG. 8, into the load control. Reset switch 850 is provided for setting the number wheels in the load control counter back to all zeros.

Operation counter 90 and units counter 91 are nonresettable continuous counters for providing a record of the loading operations. Operations counter 90 provides a single count each time a loading operation is performed, while units counter 91 provides a running count of all validating units read into counters during the loading procedure.

It will be understood that counters 90, 91 and 85 are conventional in design and comprise number wheels of the type illustrated and described above with respect to the counter of FIGS. and 6. As will be explained more fully below, load control counter 85 has associated therewith a zero cut-off switch 95 which is actuated in the manner similar to wheel 40 in counter 30 (described above) when the number wheels in load control counter 85 are all at zero, indicating that the preset number of validating units have been charged into the counter. As will be described below, the zero control switch prevents further loading operations until another number has been read into the load control counter.

OPERATION OF THE RESET'I'ER With reference now to the schematic wiring diagram of FIG. 11, the operation of the resetter will be described. Assume that a counter on which the count reads 999 (zero count) is to be recharged with 655 validating units. Initially, plug 97 is plugged into a source of AC voltage, which places the source voltage across full-wave rectifier 93 at points 930 and 93d, resulting in a rectified DC voltage across points 930 and 93b. Key switch 86 is closed, and load-recycle switch 84 is moved to the recycle position, as shown in FIG. 11. In this position, contact

arms

84d and 84e, which are rotated by handle 88, are in electrical contact with contacts 84a and 84f, and 84a and 84g, respectively. In

this position, also, magnet 87, as explained above, is adjacent the position which magnets 38 and 39 and reed switch 37 occupy, when the counter is inserted in socket 92. As explained hereinabove, the opposite magnetic force exerted by magnet 87., overcomes the force exerted by magnets 38 and 39 on reed switch 37 and causes the switch to close, thus completing the circuit to the pulse coil 31 of the counter.

The counter to be charged is inserted in socket 92, power on-off switch 82b is closed and operation start switch 82a is closed.

Power will now be supplied to coil 89a of pulser 89 from the AC source via terminal strip 94 and closed switches 82a and 82b. Through well known pulse forming circuits (not shown) coil 89a will cause contact arm 89b to close at a predetermined repetition rate. In a preferred embodiment, contact arm 89b is closed at the rate of seven times per second and remains closed for 60 milliseconds. Thus, pulses of a predetermined length and repetition rate will be produced via point 93a of rectifier 93, across contact arm 89b. These pulses will be fed directly to pin 6 of the counter. Pin 1 of the counter is connected to point 93b of rectifier 93 by the circuit including key switch 86, contact 84g, contact arm 84e, contacts 84a, contact arm 84d, and contact 84f. When counter 30 is fully charged (i.e., when the count reads 999, indicating a fully charged condition of 1,000 units) magnets 38 and 39 will again shift, and now the opposite field exerted by magnet 87 opens reed switch 37, interrupting the circuit in the pulse coil 31 of counter 30. It will be remembered from the explanation of FIG. 7 above, that reed switch 37 and pulse coil 31 are in series circuit between pins 1 and 6 of counter 30.

Set switches 85b, 85c and 85d of load control counter 85 are now set to the complement of the number of validating units purchased. Switch 84 is then moved to the load position, wherein contact arm 84d is in electrical contact with contacts 84b and 84f, while contact arm 84e is in electrical contact with contacts 840 and 84g. Since magnet 87 is now outside the field of reed switch 37, the switch will again close and pulse coil 31 of counter 30 will be connected between pins 1 and 6 of the counter in socket 92.

Power will be supplied to pulser coil 89a in the same manner as described above and DC voltage pulses of the same predetermined width and repetition rate will be applied via contact arm 89b to pin 6 and to coil 96 of control counter 85. Point 93b of rectifier 93 will be connected to the other side of coil 96 through the circuit, including key switch 86, contact 84g, contact arm 84e, contact 840, and normally closed zero cut-off switch 95. The connection from point 93b to pin 1 will be completed through the circuit, including key switch 86, contact 84g, contact arm 84e, contact 84c, zero cut-off switch 95, contact 84b, contact arm 84d and contact 84f.

When the load operation is taking place, coil 910 of units counter 91 will also be pulsed at the same repetition rate as coils 31 and 96 and coil 90c will be pulsed with a single pulse at the commencement of the operation. Thus, units counter 91 will record the total number of validating units sold while operation counter 90 will record the number of loading operations performed.

Terminal 91a of units counter 91 is connected to point 93b of rectifier 93 through key switch 86, contact 843, contact arm 84e, contact 840, and zero cut-off switch 95, while terminal 91 of units counter 91 is directly connected to point 93a of rectifier 93 via contact arm 89b.

Coil 90c of operation counter 90 is not connected in circuit with contact 8% and, therefore, is not pulsed. Rather, a single pulse is supplied to the operation counter for the duration of the operation, causing its number wheels to advance one digit.

The circuit between coil 90c and points 93a and 93b of rectifier 93 is as follows. Terminal 90a is directly and permanently connected to point 93a. Terminal 90b is connected to point 93b by the circuit, including zero cut-off switch 95, contact 84c, contact arm 84c, contact 84g, and key switch 86. This circuit will be completed so long as zero cut-off switch 95 is closed and switch 84 is in the load position.

When the count set into load control counter 85 has been pulsed down to zero, zero cut-off switch 95 will switch to its open position, and all further pulsing will stop. At this point, counter 30 will be charged with the complement of the number originally read into load control counter 85, since counter 30 will have been pulsed down from the fully loaded condition the number of units read into load control counter 85. In the example illustrated in FIG. 8, counter 30 will be charged with 655 validating units. The counter may then be taken by the purchaser of the units to his place of business and reinserted in the validator wherein it will perform 655 additional validations before it will require reloading.

It should be realized that the numbers appearing at the window of counter 30 indicate one less than the actual count. Thus, when a counter is charged with 655 units, the number wheels will read 654. By the same token, a reading of 000 indicates one validating unit left in the counter and a reading of 999 indicates either no validating units left or a fully charged condition of 1,000 units.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There has thus been described a validating system, apparatus and method having, among others, the following unique features:

l. A validator adapted to receive a pluggable descending counter, which will not operate unless the counter is in place.

2. A counter which may be charged with a predetermined number of validating units and which is automatically rendered inoperative and renders the validator inoperative,'when its validating units have been exhausted.

3. A resetter which can be located at a central place, automatically reload counters with a predetermined number of validating units, and automatically provide a continuous record of the validating units sold and the number of loading operations performed.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated, it will be realized that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A validating system for parking tickets and the like comprisingg in combination:

a. a validator adapted to receive tickets to be validated, including:

i means for impressing validating indicia on said tickets; ii normally open first switch means for rendering said impressing means inoperative; and iii trigger means for actuating said validating means when a ticket is inserted in said validator;

b. socket means mounted in said validator for pluggably receiving a counter; and

0. counter means charged with a predetermined number of validation units, mounted in said socket means for enabling said impressing means, including:

i means for registering a count representative of said predetermined number of units comprising a plurality of rotatably mounted geared number wheels;

ii means for reducing said count by one unit each time a validation is made;

iii means for closing said first switch means when said counter means is inserted in said socket means;

iv second magnetically responsive switch means in circuit with said trigger means for rendering said trigger mans inoperable when said predetermined number of validation units have been exhausted;

v third magnetically responsive switch means for rendering said reducing means inoperble when said predetermined number of validation units have been exhausted; and

vi rotatably mounted magnetic means actuated by said count registering means and means for rotating said magnetic means with respect to said second and third switch means in response to a predetermined rotation of one of said number wheels for causing said second and third switch means to open when said predetermined number of validation units have been exhausted.

2. The validating system set forth in claim 1, further includingmeans for loading said counter with said predetermined number of validation units.

3. The validating system set forth in claim 2, wherein said loading means comprises:

a. means for fully loading said counter with its maximum capacity of validation units; and

b. means for subtracting a predetermined number of validation units from said maximum capacity.

4. The validating system set forth in claim 3, wherein said means for subtracting comprises load control counter means for recording said predetermined number of validation units and means actuated by said load control counter for deactivating said subtracting means when said predetermined number has been subtracted.

5. The validating system set forth in claim 3, wherein said loading means includes means for automatically recording the number of loading operations performed and the number of validation units loaded.

6. The validating system set forth in claim 3, wherein said loading means further includes socket means for receiving said counter and means for selectively connecting said socket means to said means for fully loading and said means for subtracting.

7. The validating system set forth in claim 6, wherein said means for selectively connecting comprises third magnetic means for closing said second and third switches when said socket means is connected to said means for fully loading.

8. A pluggable, descending counter, comprising in combination:

a. a plurality of rotatable number wheels mounted on a first shaft for registering a count;

b. gear tooth means afi'ixed to one of said number wheels;

0. pulse coil means for rotating said number wheels to incrementally change said count;

d. a second shaft disposed in parallel relationship to said first shaft;

e. wheel means mounted on said second shaft for rotation therewith and having disposed thereon permanent magnet means;

f. magnetically responsive switch means in circuit with said pulse coil means and normally aligned with said permanent magnet means to maintain said magnetically responsive switch means closed; and

g. gear means mounted on said second shaft for rotation therewith and disposed in proximity to said gear tooth means for engagement therewith; so that when said count is changed to a predetermined point, said gear tooth means will engage said gear means and rotate said permanent magnet ninety degrees with respect to said magnetically responsive switch means, opening said magnetically responsive switch means and deactivating said pulse coil means.

9. The counter set forth in claim 8, wherein said switch means is a reed switch.

10. The counter set forth in claim 9, further including a mounting base having a plurality of externally extending pins for mounting in a socket, said pulse coil and said reed switch being internally connected between two of said pins.

11. The counter set forth in claim 10, further including an additional reed switch, connected internally between two other of said pins and responsive to said rotatably mounted magnet.

12. A resetter for loading a pluggable counter, having an internally disposed magnetically responsive switch for controlling the operation of its number wheels, with a predetermined number of validating units, comprismg:

a. socket means for receiving said counter;

b. means for fully loading said counter with its maximum capacity of validating units;

c. means for substracting a predetermined number of validating units from said maximum capacity; and

d. switch means for selectively connecting said socket means to said means for fully loading or said means for subtracting, including permanent magnet means selectively movable into or out of proximity with said magnetically responsive switch to cause said switch to open or close depending on the operation to be performed on said counter.

13. The resetter set forth in claim 12, wherein said means for subtracting comprises load control counter means for recording said predetermined number of validation units and means actuated by said load control counter for deactivating said subtracting means when said predetermined number has been subtracted.

14. The resetter set forth in claim 13, wherein said loading means includes means for automatically recording the number of loading operations performed and the number of validation units loaded.

Claims

1. A validating system for parking tickets and the like comprisingg in combination: a. a validator adapted to receive tickets to be validated, including: i - means for impressing validating indicia on said tickets; ii - normally open first switch means for rendering said impressing means inoperative; and iii - trigger means for actuating said validating means when a ticket is inserted in said validator; b) socket means mounted in said validator for pluggably receiving a counter; and c) counter means charged with a predetermined number of validation units, mounted in said socket means for enabling said impressing means, including: i - means for registering a count representative of said predetermined number of units comprising a plurality of rotatably mounted geared number wheels; ii - means for reducing said count by one unit each time a validation is made; iii - means for closing said first switch means when said counter means is inserted in said socket means; iv - second magnetically responsive switch means in circuit with said trigger means for rendering said trigger mans inoperable when said predetermined number of validation units have been exhausted; v - third magnetically responsive switch means for rendering said reducing means inoperble when said predetermined number of validation units have been exhausted; and vi - rotatably mounted magnetic means actuated by said count registering means and means for rotating said magnetic means 90* with respect to said second and third switch means in response to a predetermined rotation of one of said number wheels for causing said second and third switch means to open when said predetermined number of validation units have been exhausted.

2. The validating system set forth in claim 1, further including means for loading said counter with said predetermined number of validation units.

3. The validating system set forth in claim 2, wherein said loading means comprises: a. means for fully loading said counter with its maximum capacity of validation units; and b. means for subtracting a predetermined number of validation units from said maximum capacity.

8. A pluggable, descending counter, comprising in combination: a. a plurality of rotatable number wheels mounted on a first shaft for registering a count; b. gear tooth means affixed to one of said number wheels; c. pulse coil means for rotating said number wheels to incrementally change said count; d. a second shaft disposed in parallel relationship to said first shaft; e. wheel means mounted on said second shaft for rotation therewith and having disposed thereon permanent magnet means; f. magnetically responsive switch means in circuit with said pulse coil means and normally aligned with said permanent magnet means to maintain said magnetically responsive switch means closed; and g. gear means mounted on said second shaft for rotation therewith And disposed in proximity to said gear tooth means for engagement therewith; so that when said count is changed to a predetermined point, said gear tooth means will engage said gear means and rotate said permanent magnet ninety degrees with respect to said magnetically responsive switch means, opening said magnetically responsive switch means and deactivating said pulse coil means.

12. A resetter for loading a pluggable counter, having an internally disposed magnetically responsive switch for controlling the operation of its number wheels, with a predetermined number of validating units, comprising: a. socket means for receiving said counter; b. means for fully loading said counter with its maximum capacity of validating units; c. means for substracting a predetermined number of validating units from said maximum capacity; and d. switch means for selectively connecting said socket means to said means for fully loading or said means for subtracting, including permanent magnet means selectively movable into or out of proximity with said magnetically responsive switch to cause said switch to open or close depending on the operation to be performed on said counter.