Patent GB-190301886-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in, or Additions to, Instruments for Recording the Return of Homing Pigeons and for Analogous Purposes
Inventor: TURNER ALEC
Filed: 1903-01-27
Granted: 1903-12-03
Abstract: 1886. Turner, A., and Turner, W. H., [trading as Turner Bros.]. Jan. 27. Timing pigeons.-Relates to means for preventing tampering with the timing-dials of instruments for recording the return of homing pigeons, and for analogous purposes. In the instrument shown in Fig. 2, a clockwork mechanism is provided with three spindles a, b, c, carrying three discs a', b<1>, c<1>, which are capable of being perforated by a series of piercers a<2>, b<2>, c, to indicate the time of return of a pigeon in hours, minutes, and seconds respectively. The piercers are carried by a rocking and sliding shaft c<3>, which is operated by means of an external key d. The top of the framing supporting the clockwork and perforating-mechanism is provided with a drum head e, surmounted by a chamber e<1> containing a rotary receptacle for receiving the foot-rings, by means of which the pigeons are identified. The whole is covered by a screwed lid or cover g. A gap g<1> in the cover is made to coincide with a similar opening f<1> in the side of the chamber e', through which the pigeon foot-rings have to be inserted prior to actuating the perforating-mecbanism. The ring receptacle f consists of a number of radial compartments, each provided with a radial rod f<3> to receive one or more foot-rings The key d for turning the receptacle passes through the cover and through a fixed cross-bar e<3>, and engages in a recess f<4> in the rotary receptacle f. The initial movement of the key, which is given by the officials previous to starting a race, causes the ward of the key to engage under the cross-bar e<3>, so that the key cannot be withdrawn until the receptacle has made a complete revolution ; the outside head or enlargement of the key forms a stop which prevents the lid from being screwed off and the indicating-mechanism tampered with during the time the instrument is with the operator. The perforators are operated from the rotary receptacle f by means of an attached ratchet-wheel h, Fig. 4, having the same number of teeth as there are compartments for the rings. The ratchet-wheel acts upon a spring lever i on the shaft c<3> ; a sliding movement is also imparted to the shaft c<2> by a grooved cam j, Fig. 2, secured to the ratchet-wheel. An additional checking-device for automatically recording the movements of the ring receptacle consists of a revolution counter, driven by a star or sprocket-wheel by the teeth of the ratchetwheel, or by the rock-shaft of the perforating- mechanism, or from the cam j, or otherwise. To prevent the counting-mechanism from being turned backwards, whereby the lid might be removed, and the dials tampered with, the end of the spindle k<5>, Fig. 7, of the counting-mechanism is provided with a ratchet stop-wheel k<8> engaged by a spring pawl k<6>. The counting-mechanism is enclosed in a closed and brazed-up casing k<3> provided with an inspection window k<3>. The mechanism is made with a recording-range sufficient for the life of the instrument. To prevent the mechanism. from being turned deliberately past the maximum number of movements, a blocking-stop is inserted between two teeth of one of the gear-wheels.