Patent GB-190617844-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Range Keepers for use with Guns.
Inventor: DAWSON ARTHUR TREVOR
Filed: 1906-08-08
Granted: 1907-06-27
Abstract: 17,844. Dawson, A. T., and Buckham, J. T. Aug. 8. Range-finders. - Relates to the apparatus described in Specification No. 9461, A.D. 1904, for continuously and automatically indicating the varying range between a gun and its relatively moving target. Instead of employing independent, hand - controlled transmission apparatus, such as is described in Specifications No. 29,422, A.D. 1904, and No. 4741, A.D. 1905, [Abridgment Class Signalling &c.], for actuating the range-indicators at distant stations, the transmission apparatus is combined with the indicating - apparatus in s u c h a manner that the readings are transmitted directly. The movements of the pointer B, Fig. 3, rotated by clock-work at a predetermined speed, as described in the first-mentioned Specification, are communicated to the transmission switch E, Fig. 4, operating as described in Specification No. 29,422, A.D. 1904, by rotating a handle F' which is connected through gearing to the switch and to a second pointer F. This pointer is rotated by the handle to follow continuously the movements of the pointer B. The dial A is rotated, when setting the known initial range or when making a correction of the indicated range, by a handle A', which is also connected to the switch E. A pointer G, connected through gearing to the dial, indicates the alteration made in the range reading at each setting or correction. The handle A' rotates, through an electro-magnetic clutch A<3> shown in end elevation in Fig. 14, a hollow spindle a<5> carrying a worm a<4>, which gears with a worm-wheel a<3> on a sleeve a' connected to the dial. The handle F<2> rotates in a similar manner the worm-wheel f<3> on the spindle of the following pointer F. The armatures A<4>, F<4> of the clutches A<3>, F<3> are formed with bevel-wheels, which gear with corresponding wheels on the armatures of clutches A<6>, F<6> mounted on spar-wheels a<9>, f<9> in the gearing of the switch E. An electro-magnetic clutch A<7> is also interposed in the gearing of the "correction " pointer " G. The clutches are so connected electrically that only one of the handles A<2>, F<2> is operative at the same time. The windings of the clutches A<3>, A<6>, A<7> are connected, as shown in Fig. 16, to one of the segments P of a two-way switch I, and the windings of the clutches F<3>, F<6> are connected to a second segment I<3>. The third segment is connected to a terminal of the main switch H. The contact-arm of the switch H is so connected by rods a<6> to levers a<10> pivoted on the handles A<2>, F<2> that the switch is closed in the act of grasping either of the handles. The transmission switch E is joined up to the armature terminals j<1>, j<2>, j<3>, and to the field terminals j<4>, j<5> of the distant motors, as described in Specification No. 29,422, A.D. 1904. The figures of the dial A are marked on an angularly-displacable peripheral ring A‹, as described in Specification No. 13,865, A.D. 1906. The ring is now displaced, in order to expose a fresh series of figures through the apertures Ax in the dial face, by a wheel f<24> on the spindle of the pointer F. This wheel has two teeth which, upon engaging with a pinion-wheel f<26> in gear with the ring A<o>, give the ring the required angular movement. The remainder of the periphery of the wheel f<24> is of two diameters, one corresponding with the top of the two teeth and the other with the bottom. The pinion f<26> has alternately wide and narrow teeth. The wide teeth rest upon the larger diameter of the wheel f<24>, thus locking the pinion and preventing the ring A<o> from being irregularly displaced. In order to bring the distant indicators to zero so that errors in their readings may be corrected, the cross-bar of the switch E may be rotated independently of the dial or of the pointer F. This may also be effected by so connecting the dial and the pointer F that they lock together when the zero indication is reached. The switch bar may then be rotated without moving the pointer relatively to the dial, which, in this case, is connected to its sleeve a<2> through a friction coupling consisting of a spring plate a<24> held by a collar a<25>. The leads M' from the distant stations are joined up to the contacts of a terminal box M, constructed as described in Specification No. 8902, A.D. 1906, [Abridgment Class Electric telegraphs &c.].