Patent GB-123830-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to the Synchonous Operation of Two or More Mechanisms.
IPC: G08B9/00
Filed: 1918-03-08
Abstract: 123,830. Robinson & Co., A., Gill, J. F., and Chaviara, J. N. March 8, 1918, Order and order-type apparatus.-The synchronous operation of the shafts of two or more mechanisms is obtained by the employment in each mechanism of two electro-magnets which control the oscillation of a contact-arm, while the magnets and contact-arms are interconnected in such a manner that the movement of one contact arm is immediately followed by a similar movement of the other arm or arms. When one mechanism controls several other mechanisms, the arrangement is such that none of the oscillating members of the controlled mechanism can make a second movement before all the oscillating members have made the first movement; and when more than one mechanism is employed to control one or more mechanisms, means are provided to exclude all the other controlling mechanisms while one controlling mechanism is in operation. Means are provided for reversing the direction of rotation of the controlled mechanisms. The arrangement may be employed as a ship's telegraph, as a signalling system for use upon trains, or as an indicator of the movements of an engine, turbine, machine, or clock. When employed as a signalling system, bells are provided to indicate that the system is in operation; while a single-stroke bell is placed at the transmitting-station, controlled by a switch at the receiving-station, to indicate that the order has been carried out. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, one mechanism comprises two electro-magnets c, d and an oscillating contact-arm a, while the other mechanism comprises two electro-magnets c', d' and an oscillating contact-arm a'. The intermediate point of the magnets c, d is connected by a lead 4 to the arm a<1> and the intermediate point of the magnets c<1>, d<1> is connected by a lead 3 to the arm a. When a switch 6 is closed and the contact-arms a, a<1> are in the position shown, the magnets d and c<1> are short-circuited and the magnets c and d<1> are energized. The energization of the magnet d<1> causes the contact-arm a<1> to disengage the contact f<1> and engage the contact g<1>, thereby removing the short-circuit about the magnet d and shortcircuiting the magnet c. The contact-arm a is thereby caused to disengage the contact f and to engage the contact g. The magnet d' is then short-circuited and the contact-arm a<1> is operated to engage the contact f<1>. The contact-arm a is then operated and the above sequence of movements repeated. If each of the contact-arms a and a<1> is connected to a wheel or index, the wheels or indices will be caused to operate in synchronism. To reverse the direction of rotation of the operated members, each mechanism is provided with a reversing-gear controlled by one or two electro-magnets as shown in Fig. 2. In this arrangement, the leads 7 and 8 are connected to the contact segments 9 of a switch, the arm 10 of which is connected in the battery circuit. Electro-magnets 11 are connected across the lead 1 and the leads 7 and 8 are adapted to operate contact-levers 12 which engage contacts 13. When the switch-arm 10 is moved to engage its upper contact 9, the lower magnets 11 are energized and the levers 12 are operated to bring into action the reversing-gear described later. Bells 14 and 15 are connected in the leads 7 and 8, and one of these bells rings continuously when its lead is in operation. A single-stroke bell 16 controlled by a switch 17 is provided at the transmitting station to indicate when the order has been carried out. In a modification, reversal of operation is provided for by duplicating the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 and by the provision of a switch adapted to place one set of magnets in circuit for one direction of movement and to place the other set in circuit for a reverse movement. The wiring of this modification is simplified by the provision of a switch 6', Fig. 4, which completes one or the other of the controlling circuits 3, 3<1>. When two or more receivers are controlled by a single transmitter, the short-circuiting controlling switches of the receivers are connected in series so that the transmitter contact-arm cannot be operated until all the receiver contact-arms have completed their movements. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, two receiving mechanisms are adapted to be reversibly controlled by either of two transmitting. mechanisms. In this arrangement, the oscillating arms a and a<1> are adapted to control spring contacts f<2> and g<2> in the controlling leads 3 and 4. When the switch-arm 10 at one of the transmitting mechanisms is operated, one of each pair of electro-magnets 11 is energized to control the direction of rotation as in the apparatus shown in Fig. 2. A contact-arm 14 is connected to the arm 10 to control the energization of a magnet 16 which operates to close a pair of contacts 17, 18 whereby the battery connexion is maintained after the contact-arm 14 is disengaged from its contact 15.