Patent GB-1510184-A (GB)
Title: Adjustment indicators for rotary spindles
IPC: B60N2/90
Filed: 1975-08-26
Abstract: 1510184 Indicating apparatus ISRINGHAUSEN GEBR 26 Aug 1975 [27 Aug 1974 2 Dec 1974 22 March 1975] 35170/75 Heading G1J [Also in Divisions G4-6] A hollow transparent hand wheel for operating a multiple-turn spindle, e.g. to adjust the spring and damping characteristics of a vehicle seat, encloses an indicator the reading of which is a function of the number of turns of the spindle from a datum, and is visible both when the hand wheel is viewed axially and when it is viewed from a radial direction. In Figs. 1, 2 the hand wheel 4, of transparent plastics, is moulded on to a shaft 8 connected to the spindle 13. A cover 27 closes the rear of the hand wheel. A dial 5 rotatable on the hub 10 of the hand wheel carries a front scale 6 and a circumferential scale 7. A gear-wheel 26 on the shaft 8 is drivingly connected to the dial 5 via pinions 21 rotatably mounted on a fixed carrier 19, so that the dial 5 makes one revolution as the spindle 13 is turned through its maximum number of revolutions. The gears may be toothed or friction gears. Gear-wheel 26 may have interrupted toothing, for step advancement of the dial. A reference pointer 20 on the carrier 19 is visible adjacent both scales 6, 7. The carrier 19 is held stationary by connection to structure 14 via a sleeve 17 and a bush 15. The sleeve 17 can be slidden a distance 18 into the bush 15 to expose the split pin 12. Alternatively a pendulum weight on the carrier 19 prevents the latter from rotating. In a modification, Fig. 3 (not shown), a carrier (30) supports a stepped pinion (32) which engages the hand wheel shaft (34) and a second pinion (33) which also engages the rim of the dial (29). In another modification of the Fig. 1, 2 embodiment, the gearing is epicyclic, with the sun gear held stationary and the planets 21 rotatably mounted on the cover 27. A separate reference pointer is provided, with a pendulum weight. In Figs. 4, 6 a hollow shaft 45 rotatably surrounds the shaft 39 of hand wheel 38 and is integral with, Fig. 4, or frictionally coupled to, Fig. 6, the dial 47. Axial movement of a nut 42 on the spindle 36 is transmitted by a rod 43 to a sleeve 44 which engages a helical rib 46 on the shaft 45. For the full axial movement of the nut 42, the shaft 45 and dial 47 make one turn. The hand wheel 38 includes an annular channel 50 partially filled with a coloured liquid so that a bubble 52 forms a stationary reference index visible adjacent the scales on the dial 47. In a modification, Fig. 5 (not shown) the hand wheel and the spindle, with the hollow shaft, move axially as the hand wheel is rotated, and the sleeve (60) engaging the helical rib is held stationary. In Figs. 8, 10, a frusto-conical spiral link 66 is housed in the hand wheel 67 and is either integral with the back cover 65 or secured thereto. A pendulum dial 68 having a weight 70 to prevent it from rotating, is screwed on to the spiral link 66 so that as the hand wheel is rotated the scale 82 on the dial is progressively covered by the spiral link as the latter screws through the non-rotating dial 68. Clear portions (67) Fig. 11 (not shown) on the periphery of the hand wheel 67 between gripping zones (81) carry identical scales (85) under which the edge of the dial 68 is visible as a pointer. The dial may have braking fins 71 and the hand wheel may be filled with a transparent damping and lubricating liquid.