Patent GB-164438-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to mechanism for indicating the rate of fuel consumption in respect to distance run and movements produced by motor vehicle and like engines
IPC: G01F9/00
Filed: 1920-02-27
Abstract: 164,438. Stuber, A. R. Feb. 27, 1920. Periodic-counter speed indicators; measuring fuel - distance rate for motors; registering distance upon counters.-A mechanism for indicating the rate of fuel consumption in respect to distance run and movements produced by motorvehicles and like engines comprises a self-contained indicating-mechanism governed by variations in the pressure of a fuel-feeding system for the engine. The invention is described in connection with a motor-car, the mileage per gallon of fuel consumed together with the total fuel consumed and quantity left in the tank being registered, such indicating-devices being incorporated with usual devices for indicating the speed and mileage traversed. The spindle 37, Figs. 1 and 5, is driven from the engine and motion is transmitted through a shaft 40 and worm gears 41, 44 to a shaft 46 and hence through a change-speed gear 47 to a shaft 47<a> which through spur gear 48 drives a, shaft 49 on which is a worm 55. One end of the shaft 49 is pivoted and the other end carried in a lever 52 which is moved periodically so as to disengage the worm 55 from a worm-wheel 56. The latter is loose on a pedestal 57, Fig. 13, and a spring 60 tends to maintain the wheel 56 with its stop 58 against a fixed stop 59. A stop 63 also on the wheel 56 engages a stop 64 on a setting member 65 in one with a. sleeve 66, a spring 67 tending to maintain the member 65 with its stop 64 against the stop 63. At the other end, the sleeve carries a stop 75, and a spring 73 urges a stop 74 on the indicating disc 71 to follow and abut against the stop 75. The disc 71 is normally locked by a brake shoe 96 engaging the flange 71. The brake shoe 96 and the worm 55 are disengaged by pneumatic means connected to the fuel supply in the following manner. A cylinder 79, Fig. 10, having a piston 82 is connected by a conduit 80 to the auxiliary tank supplying the carburettor. The capacity of the auxiliary tank is one-tenth of a gallon and it is connected to the ordinary fuel tank. On consumption of the fuel in the auxiliary tank, a vacuum is formed there which is communicated to the cylinder 79 and causes the piston 82 to move into the cylinder against the influence of a spring 85 connected to a part 86 in one with the piston rod 83. An extension 86<a> on the part 86 engages a spring catch 88 on the end of a lever 91 and turns the latter counterclockwise (Fig. 9) against its spring 97 momentarily lifting the brake 96 which is almost immediately applied again. A little further in the stroke, the part 86<a> engages the lever 52 and moves the worm 55 out of gear with the worm wheel 56. The disc 71 is thus maintained at an indication, and the wheel 56 allowed to return to zero. On the out stroke of the piston the catch 88 moves idly. In order that an indication may be made with the gallon as a unit instead of one-tenth of a gallon, the movement of the piston rod is confined to a short stroke which is insufficient to disengage the brake 96 and wheel 56. A spring pawl 99 carried by the piston rod engages a ratchet wheel 104 having ten teeth. On each restricted movement of the piston, the ratchet is moved through one tooth and is held by a spring detent 104<a>. On the shaft 106 of the ratchet is feathered a sleeve 109 carrying a disc 109<a> having a slot 110, Fig. 16. When the disc 109<a> is moved into the path of a pin 111 on the piston rod, the stroke of the latter is limited and the wheel 104 is rotated tooth by tooth until given a complete rotation, when the slot 110 comes into the path of the pin 111 and allows a full stroke of the piston with consequent actuation of the indicating mechanism. It may be required to use the tenth of a gallon as the unit, and to actuate the indicating mechanism at every emptying of the auxiliary tank. To do this the disc 109<a> is moved out of the path of the pin 111 and retained out of action by a catch 112, Fig. 5. At the same time the ratio of transmission to the worm 55 is increased ten times so that the indication of miles per gallon may be made. Mechanism controlled by a spring-button 127 is described for sliding the disc 109<a> on its shaft into and out of position to determine the unit of fuel in use, a delayed spring movement ensuring that the disc is not moved until the registration has been completed. for the full gallon then being consumed. This mechanism also shifts the change-speed gear 47. Two counters 173, 174 driven from wheels 168, 169 on the shaft 106 show the total quantity of fuel consumed and the quantity left in the tank respectively, the figures on one set of reading drums being reversed relatively to the other. The usual trip and season mileages are indicated at 184, 185.