Apparatus for Recording and Delineating the Length, Direction, and Gradients of a Road.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 22nd Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 16th Dec., 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Recording and Delineating the Length, Direction, and
Gradients of a Road.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of 53,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents,
do hereby declare the nature of this Invention a communication to me from abroad
by Augusto Edouard Denis Floran de Villepigue of 71 Rue Legendre Paris France
Engineer to be as follows :-
This Invention relates to an apparatus for automatically ascertaining and graphically
delineating to a known scale the direction and gradients of a road. The apparatus
consists of a vehicle whose wheels actuate mechanism whereby two graphic delineations
are obtained upon any desired scale, one representing the direction and length of the
different portions of the road, and the other the section or profile of the ground. An
electric bell or other audible signal indicates, say at the completion of every mile, that
the paper upon which the delineations are made is filled up, and that fresh sheets must
be supplied to the apparatus.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I will proceed to
describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings in which figure 1 represents
an elevation of the apparatus, and figure 2 a plan, with the platform removed. Figure 3
shews the mechanism for ascertaining the gradients. The same letters of reference
represent the same parts in all the figures.
The carriage is supported upon three wheels, of which the hind pair R R are keyed
the one R upon the axle E and the other R' on a sleeve loose upon said axle and
carrying a pinion G which gears with an equal pinion G on a shaft E' mounted
parallel to axle E in suitable bearings on the framing C. The axle E and shaft E'
each carry a worm, the two worms gearing with the opposite sides of a worm pinion [
turning loose on a vertical stud fixed on a bar J supported by cross-heads and cars
which slide upon the axle and shaft EE. Upon the same stud turns a doublo
toothed sector K, the one sector being cycloidal in form and gearing with a pinion P,
and the other with a fixed rack U. A circular table S is fixed upon the axis of
pinion P, and is supported by friction rollers n n upon a circular rail carried by the
framing C. A horizontal shaft O is mounted above the table S so as to intersect a
prolongation of its vertical axis. At its forward end it gears by a mitro pinion X
with a similar pinion X turning upon the vertical axis of the fork A of the guiding
wheel R. The pinion X is in one with a worm wheel H² gearing with a worm y on
a cross-shaft driven from the axis of the guiding wheel R² by a pitch chain running
on chain wheels H H' having any desired relative ratio to one another. The shaft Ŏ
has a leading screw thread upon it which may be engaged when desired with a nut in

page_text: a slide block T moving along guides O¹ and carrying a pencil holder or leg in position
to mark a sheet of paper fixed on the table S. The shaft O also carries a worm which
gears with a worm wheel at the base of a vertical drum V which carries the paper
upon which the section or profile of the ground is to be delineated.
The operation of the above described mechanism is as follows;-The contact points
of the three wheels with the ground are at the angles of an isosceles triangle, the
contact point of the leading wheel R being always situated at the apex. If the vehicle
he drawn in a straight line the three wheels will revolve in parallel planes and to the
same extent, they being all of the same diameter. By the equal revolution of the
wheels RR, the axle E and shaft E' are caused to rotate in opposite directions and to
revolve the worm wheel I without shifting the position of its centre and without
therefore causing any rotary motion of the table S. The revolution of the front
wheel R² at same time rotates the shaft O through the gearing described, thereby
causing the pencil holder to advance and trace a radial right line from the centre of
the table S. If, however, the vehicle be directed to left or right, the leading wheel R
being in the middle plane will run over the true distance, whilst the one hind wheel
will turn slower and the other faster. The difference of motion of the two hind wheels
causes a difference of motion of the two shafts E E', in consequence whereof the worm
wheel I will be caused to roll along one of the worms as along a rack thereby moving
its stud towards the one side or the other of the vehicle carrying with it the double
segment K. The double segment rolling along rack U and gearing with pinion P
rotates the latter, and consequently the table S. Supposing the vehicle to be directed!
towards the right, the worm wheel I will be moved over towards the left and the
table S revolved to the right through an angular distance equal to the angular deviation
of the vehicle. As the pencil moves in a right line it will trace an are of a circle
corresponding to the said angle, and then continue its radial movement if the vehicle
follows a straight line.
The levelling mechanism is as follows;-On the left of the hollow cylinder Va
metal casing (separately represented in section in figure 3) is bolted to the framing C.
The interior of the casing is bored truly cylindrical, and is closed by a cover bolted
thereon. Upon an axis fixed at the centre of the casing rotates a drum t of thin sheet
iron a segment of which is enclosed to form a fluid tight chamber m. The casing i
is provided with a vertical guide tube of rectangular section in which is fitted to slido
a rod carrying a pencil at its upper end. The rod is tangential to the casing and
is connected to the drum by two flexible steel bands encircling opposite sides of the
drum t and attached thereto at n and to the rod at o and p respectively. These bands
convert without slip, the alternate rotary motion of the drun into alternate rectilinear
motion of the rod and pencil. The casing i having been hermetically closed and
filled with mercury, the compartiment m of the drum acts as a float whose centre of
gravity is always in a vertical line passing through the centre of the cylinder, what-
ever may be the inclination of the casing or framing C, and the casing i may there-
fore be said to gravitato around the drum. By this relative movement of the casing
and drum motion will be transmitted to the pencil carrier r. By the revolution of
the paper carrying drum V at a speed having a known ratio to distance travelled the
pencil carried by the rod r will graphically record upon the paper the distance travelled
the record being on a scale corresponding to the said ratio; and by the vertical
movement of rod the value of the gradients of the road will also be recorded.
Thus, an exact record or delineation may be obtained of the length and direction
of the road, as well as of its variation of level, relatively to the starting point of the
vehicle.
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
-Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Recording and Delineating the Length, Direction, and
Gradients of a Road.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of 53,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patont Agents,
do hereby declare the nature of this Invention (a communication to me from abroad
by Auguste Edouard Denis Floran de Villepigue of 71 Rue Legendre, Paris, France,
Engineer, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to an apparatus for automatically ascertaining and graphically
delineating to a known scale the direction and gradients of a road.
The apparatus consists of a vehicie whose wheels actuate mechanism whereby two
graphic delineations are obtained upon any desired scale, one representing the direction
and length of the different portions of the road, and the other the section or profile of
the ground. An electric bell or other audible signal indicates, say at the completion
of every mile, that the paper upon which the delineations are made is filled up, and
that fresh sheets must be supplied to the apparatus.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I will proceed to
describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings in which figure 1 represents
an elevation of the apparatus, and figure 2 a plan, with the platform removed. Figure 3
shews the mechanism for recording the gradients. The samo letters of reference
represent the same parts in all these figures.
The carriage is supported upon three wheels, of which the hind pair R R are keyed
the one R upon the axle E and the other R' on a sleeve loose upon said axle and
carrying a pinion G which gears with an equal pinion G¹ on a shaft E mounted
parallel to axle E in suitable bearings on the framing C. The axle E and shaft E
each carry a worm, the two worms gearing with the opposite sides of a worm pinion I
turning loose on a vertical stud fixed on a bar J supported by cross-heads Q and cars
which slide upon the axle and shaft EE'. Upon the same stud turns a double toothed
sector K, the one sector being cycloidal in form and gearing with a pinion P, and the
other with a fixed rack U. A circular table S is fixed upon the axis of pinion P, and
is supported by friction rollers n n upon a circular rail carried by the framing C. A
horizontal shaft O is mounted above the table S so as to intersect a prolongation of its
vertical axis. At its forward end it gears by a mitre pinion X with a similar pinion X
turning upon the vertical axis of the fork A of the guiding wheel R. The pinion X'
s in one with a worm wheel H2 gearing with a worm y on a cross-shaft driven from
he axis of the guiding wheel R by a pitch chain running on chain wheels HH'
aving any desired relative ratio to one another. The shaft O bas a leading screw
hread upon it which may be engaged when desired with a nut in a slide block T
noving along guides O' and carrying a pencil holder or leg in position to mark a sheet
f paper fixed on the table S. The shaft O also carries a worm which gears with a

page_text: worm wheel at the base of a vertical drum V which carries the paper upon which the
section or profile of the ground is to be delineated.
The operation of the above described mechanism is as follows;- -Tho contact points
of the three wheels with the ground are at the angles of an isosceles triangle, the
contact point of the leading wheel R2 being always situated at the apex. If the vehicle
be drawn in a straight lino tho three wheels will revolve in parallel planes and to the
same extent, they being all of the same diameter. By the equal revolution of the
wheels R R', the axlo E and shaft E' are caused to rotate in opposite directions
and to revolve the worm wheel I without shifting the position of its centre and without
therefore causing any rotary motion of the table S. The revolution of the front
wheel R2 at same time rotates the shaft O through the gearing described, thereby
causing the pencil holder to advance and trace a radial right line from the centre of
the table S. If, however the vehicle be directed to left or right, the leading wheel R²
being in the middle plane will run over the true distance, whilst the one hind wheel will
turn slower and the other faster. The difference of motion of the two hind wheels
causes a difference of motion of the two shafts E E', in consequence whereof the
worm wheel I will be caused to roll along one of the worms as along a rack thereby
moving its stud towards the one side or the other of the vehicle carrying with it the
double segment K. The double segment rolling along rack and gearing with
pinion Protates the latter, and consequently the table S. Supposing the vehicle to
be directed towards the right, the worm wheel I will be moved over towards the left
and the table S revolved to the right through an angular distance equal to the angular
deviation of the vehicle. As the pencil moves in a right line it will trace an arc of a
circle corresponding to the said angle, and then continue its radial movement if the
vehicle follows a straight line.
The
The levelling mechanism is as follows;-On the left of the hollow cylinder Va
metal casing (separately represented in section in figure 3) is bolted to the framing C.
The interior of the casing is bored truly cylindrical, and is closed by a cover bolted
thereon. Upon an axis fixed at the centre of the casing rotates a drum of thin
sheet iron a segment of which is enclosed to form a fluid tight chamber m.
casing i is provided with a vertical guide tube of rectangular section in which is fitted
to slide a rod » carrying a pencil at its upper end. The rod r is tangential to the
casing and is connected to the drum by two flexible steel bands encircling opposite
sides of the drum t and attached thereto at n and to the rod ato and p respectively.
These bands convert without slip, the alternate rotary motion of the drum into alternate
rectilinear motion of the rod and pencil. The casing i having been hermetically
closed and filled with mercury, the compartment m of the drum acts as a float whose
centre of gravity is always in a vertical line passing through the centre of the cylinder,
whatever may be the inclination of the casing i or framing C, and the casing i may
therefore be said to gravitate around the drum. By this relative movement of the
casing and drum motion will be transmitted to the pencil carrier r. By the revolution
of the paper carrying drum V at a speed having a known ratio to the distance
travelled the pencil carried by the rod will graphically record upon the paper the
distance travelled the record being on a scalo corresponding to the said ratio; and by
the vertical movement of rod r the value of the gradients of the road will also be
recorded.
Thus, an exact record or delineation may be obtained of the length and direction of
the road, as well as of its variation of level, relatively to the starting point of the
vehicle.
Figure 4 represents a sectional elevation of a modified arrangement of the apparatus
for recording the gradients of a road, and Figure 5 an elevation and plan of a modified
arrangement for delineating its contour. In the arrangement first described, the pencil
which traces the curve showing the gradients relatively to tho distance travelled, was
attached directly to the rod of a mercury float, while in the present arrangement the
rod r is provided with a rack and regulates the movements of the pencil a in the
following manner :-
The pencil a is mounted in any suitable manner upon the end of a screw x, to

page_text: which a faster or slower rotary motion is imparted by means of expanding cone
pulleys og operated in turn by similar cone pulleys at by means of a cord
of which pulleys is operated by the motion of the vehicle through the gear
24, the latter
wheels A B. The rotary motion of screw is regulated by means of rack 6 through
the toothed quadrant c, links df and levers gi pivoted at hand k, which levers act on
the pivoted collars l m np and so regulate the relative positions of cones og and st
and consequently the speed of rotation of cones oq, the speed of the cones st being
uniform for a uniform speed of the vehicle. A nut to is mounted upon the screw
formed in one with a pinion y which gears with wheel, said nut rotating at the same
speed as the shaft of cone pulleys st and in the reverse direction to the cone pulleys qo
in such manner that if the nut w rotates at the same speed as pulleys st and therefore
of screw ≈ and their motion be in opposite directions, the one will tend to raise the
screw and the other to lower it to a corresponding extent.
will thus remain at the same height while, if as represented in the drawing, the
The screw and pencil a
scrow turns slower than the nut we, a differential up and down movement will be
produced in the direction of the faster motion. In this manner the movement of the
rack 6 varies the position of pencil a which moves over a cylinder receiving continuous
rotary motion by means of the toothed gearing CDE.
In the modified arrangement for delineating the contour of the road represented in
Figure 5, the pencil T is stationary and the sheet of paper is caused to move beneath
it, the spring pencil T being fixed to the underside of guide O' above the centre of
table $ between cheek plates T but independent thereof.
of the former arrangement is in this case replaced by two parallel bars F F¹ provided
The pencil holder or block
with rubber covered friction rollers ' ' with this difference that the bars are movable
in the vertical direction only and restricted to following the movements of guide O¹
and cheek plates T. The bars FF are held down upon table S by the springs R R¹
fixed to check plates T. It will thus be seen that the pencil remains stationary while
the paper travels in the direction of motion of the vehicle. At each change of direction of
the vehicle, the paper pressed on table S by the friction rollers which now revolve,
rotates together with said table, but when the carriage F1 F' is traversed by the screw
shaft of guide 0, the friction rollers acting in the direction of their axes carry the
paper with them in consequence of the difference of adhesion between their india-
rubber faces and the polished metal table S, and this travel of the paper beneath the
pencil T, will cause a straight line to be traced, which will be the direction traversed
by the vehicle to a given scale.
The whole of the straight lines thus obtained will give a figure exactly corre-
sponding to a plan of the road over which the vehicle has travelled.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :—
1st. In an apparatus for delineating or recording the direction and gradients of a
road as represented in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, the com-
bination of mechanism consisting of a rotating table S, a double sector K gearing
with the axis thereof and with a fixed rack and pivoted upon the axis of a pinion I
carried by a slide J and in gear with worms on parallel shafts rotated independently
by the two hind wheels of the vehicle, the pinion and sector receiving a movement of
translation in consequence of and proportional to the differential motion of the two
worms, the said mechanism being combined and operating substantially as herein
described, so that the table is caused to retain always the saine position in space, for
the purpose specified.
2nd. The pencil carrier T receiving a movement of translation from a leading screw
shaft O and the mitre and worm and chain gear whereby the leading screw is rotated
from the axis of the guiding wheel, substantially as specified.
3rd. The drum V receiving continuous rotary motion from the travelling wheel as
described and a pencil carrier connected by crossed flexible bands to a drum having
float attached and immersed in mercury, the pencil carrier receiving vertical motion

page_text: in consequence of the relative motion of the mercury and float and of the casing
containing the same, substantially as specified.
4th. In an apparatus for delineating or recording the direction and gradients of a
road, the rack & for regulating the movement of the pencil upon a cylinder receiving
continuous rotary motion as described and illustrated in Figure 4.
5th. The mechanism for delineating or recording the contour of a road represented
in Figure 5 consisting of a stationary spring pencil T beneath which the sheet of
paper placed upon a table S is caused to move in the direction travelled by the vehicle,
the whole substantially as herein specified.
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.