Apparatus for Indicating Road Gradients, more particularly intended for Use in Connection with Oyoles and Auto-motor Cars.
Year: 1896

page_text: being date of first Foreign Application (in (318l Jan., 1898
France),
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 28th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 14th May, 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
France),
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 28th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 14th May, 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Indicating Road Gradients, more particularly intended
for Use in Connection with Oyoles and Auto-motor Cars.
I, MARIB LOUIS JULES ROGER LABBÉ DE MONTALS of the Château de Beauvoir près
Cloyes (Eure et Loir) Franco, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-"
This invention relates to a device which is moro particularly intended to be applied
to bicycles, tricycles, auto-motor cars, and other vehicles, for indicating the gradients
of the road travelled over. The device consists essentially of a pendulum which
controls the movements of an index hand over a dial in a plane perpendicular to the
vertical plano of oscillation of said pendulum.
In order that the invention may be more readily understood the instrument is
represented by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 is an elevation, with the casing in section, and Figure 2 a face view.
Figure 3 shews a modification of the instrument.
The same letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.
The instrument consists essentially of a pendulum formed of a rod a weighted at
its lower end with a bob or weight b and at its upper end provided with a cross-bar c
one end of which carries a toothed soctor d while its other end is weighted at e
so as to counterbalance the sector, the bar oscillating freely on a fulcrum f. Tho
teeth of the sector d project from its face so as to mesh with a pinion 9 whose
axis lies in a plane intersecting that of the fulcrum f the arhor of the pinion carrying
a pointer which moves over a graduated dial I so as to indicato the movements of
the rod a which constantly tends to maintain a vortical position under the influence
of gravity and is guided at its lower end by two parallel wires ii. jjaro studs of
india-rubber or other material for deadening the impact of the pendulum. All the
mechanism of the instrument is enclosed within a casing k of suitable form, the
dial and pointer being of course arranged externally.
The instrument may be mounted upon a bicycle, for examplo, and so long as
the vehicle travels on level ground the pointer h will remain at zero but on climbing
a hill the vehicle, and consequently the casing k of the instrument, will become
inclined accordingly whilst the pendulum roumains vertical so that the pinion g
rotated and moves the pointer hover the dial to an angular distance corresponding
to the angular inclination of the road relatively to the horizon. If the gradient
increases the pointer will continue its movement whilst if the gradient varies in
direction the pointer will be moved beyond zoro in the opposite direction. The
graduation opposite which the pointer stops indicates, more or less approximately,
whether the cycle is running up-hill, or down-hill, and also the steepness of the
radiant

page_text: The instrument of my invention is capable of being applied to various uses and
among others in topography, and may be employed in combination with other
apparatus. For example the pointer may carry a stylus moving over a strip to
which continuous rotary motion is imparted so as to constitute a recording apparatus.
The apparatus may also be combined with a cyclometer for recording upon a paper
strip receiving continuous motion the number of miles travelled, tho nature of the
ground travelled, and also tho altitudes attained en route. The apparatus may be
supported in any suitable manner and suspended by means of springs or otherwise to
deaden shocks or vibration.
In Figure 3 tho apparatus is represented as mounted upon a base for use as a
clinometer. A lever may be substituted for the toothed gear described.
Dated this 27th day of August 1806
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
Apparatus for Indicating Road Gradients, more particularly intended
for Use in Connection with Oyoles and Auto-motor Cars.
I, MARIB LOUIS JULES ROGER LABBÉ DE MONTAIS of the Château de Beauvoir près
Cloyes (Eure et Loir) France, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention 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 instrument which is more particularly intended to be
applied to bicycles, tricycles, auto-motor cars, and other vehicles, for indicating tho
gradients of the road travelled over. The dovice consists essentially of a plumb bob
or pendulum geared or connected with an index hand movable over a dial in a plane
perpondicular to the vertical plane in which the plumb bob or pendulum is mounted
to swing.
In order that the invention may be more readily understood, tho instrument is
represented by way of examplo in the drawing accompanying my Provisional
Specification in which
Figure 1 is an elevation with the casing in section and Figure 2 a face view.
Figure 8 shows a modification of the instrument.
The same letters of reference denote like parts in all the figuros.
The instrument consists essentially of a plumb bob or pendulum formed of a rod a
weighted at its lower end with a hob or weight b and provided at its upper end with
a cross-head c one end of which carries a toothed sector d whilo its other end e is
weighted to counterbalance the sector, the pendulum and cross-head being free to
on a fulcrum f. The teeth of the sector d project from its face and mesh
with a pinion g whose axis is perpendicular to the fulcram the arbor of the pinion
carrying a pointer h movable over a graduated dial in response to the relative
movements of the whole instrument and of the plumb bob or pendulum which
constantly tends to maintain a vertical position under the influence of gravity and is
guided at its lower end by two parallel wires i i. jj are cushions of india-rubber or
other material for deadening impact of the pendulum. The mechanism is enclosed
within a casing k of suitable form, the dial and pointer being external.
The instrument may be mounted upon a bicycle for example, and so long as the
vehicle travels on level ground tho index / will remain at zero but when climbing a
bill the inclination of the vehicle, and consequently of the oasing k, whilst the plumb
bob remains vertical, will cause tho pinion g to be rotated and move the index h over
the dial to an angular distance corresponding to the angular inclination of the road

page_text: relatively to the horizon. If the up-gradient increases the pointer will continue its
movement whilst if it changes to a down-gradient the pointer h will be moved back
beyond zero in the opposite direction, the graduation denoting whether the cycle is
running up-hill or down-hill, and also the steepness of the gradient.
The instrument is applicable to various uses and among others in topography and
may be employed in combination with other apparatus. For example the pointer
may carry a stylus moving over a strip to which continuous rotary motion is imparted
80 as to constitute a recording apparatus. The apparatus may also be combined with
a cyclometer for recording upon a paper strip receiving continuous motion the number
of miles travelled, the nature of the ground travelled over, and also the altitudes
attained en route. The apparatus may be supported in any suitable manner and
suspended by means of springs or otherwise to deaden shocks or vibrations.
In Figure 3 the apparatus is represented as mounted upon a base for use as an
ordinary clinometer. A lever may be substituted for the toothed gear described, and
the accessory arrangements may be modified to suit the nature of the application.
The apparatus may be made of any forin or dimensions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The herein described apparatus for indicating road gradients, consisting essentially
of a plumb bob or pendulum geared or connected with an index (movable over a dial
in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which the pendulum or plumb bob can swing)
so that the index will be moved over the dial in response to the relative motion of the
instrument and plumb bob substantially as illustrated in the accompanying drawing
for the purpose specified.
rated this 11th day
muy
A. M. & WM. OLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.