Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster and 323 High
Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication from abroad by William Voit of Magdeburg in
the Empire of Germany, Engineer) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
To record automatically the revolutions or fractions of revolutions or strokes
made in a certain space of time by a machine, a revolution or stroke counter has
been hitherto used connected by means of a lever contrivance with any moving
part of the machine. But this lever contrivance was very complicate in a great
number of machines, especially when the counter had to be placed at any distance
from the machine.
According to this invention the lever contrivance can be entirely spared by
utilizing the change of pressure in steam cylinders and pump barrels for putting
the counter in motion. By means of small narrow tubes this pressure can easily
be transmitted to a counter placed at a distance from the machine; for moving the
counter a simple apparatus only is required. Several modifications of this
apparatus are shown in the annexed drawings.
The first construction is shown in the Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus.
Figure 2 is a cross section.
Figure 3 is a top view.
The second construction is shown in the Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section.
Figure 5 a cross section and
Figure 6 a top view.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 show the stopping contrivance of the crank slot respectively
the disengaging gear of the counter.
The Figures 10 and 11 show the third construction in a longitudinal and cross
section.

page_text: The valve chamber V is put in communication by means of the tubes A and B
with the two ends of a cylindrical machine (steam engine, pump, pneumatic
machine etcetera) or with the two chambers of a pulsometer, or in general with
a machine, in which the steam pressure is changing. For this purpose the two
tubes are screwed directly in the two extremities of the steam cylinder. or the
pump barrel or in the case of steam engines directly in the two steam channels, or
in general they are screwed in a part of the machine where the pressure is changing.
The lever is hinged to the valve v so that it will oscillate round the shaft P when
the valve moves up and down. The motion of the lever h is transmitted by the
shaft p to the crank slot k and then by k to the crank m sitting on the driving
shaft w of the counter 2. To balance the crank slot, the crank and the anchor
of the counter k is provided with a counter weight q.
In lieu of crank and crank slot a toothed segment or a toothed wheel or any
other suitable contrivance may also be used for transmitting the motion from the
shaft p to the counter z.
In order to obtain a small stroke of the valve v acted upon by the change of
pressure the motion has not been transmitted directly from the shaft p to the
counter, but as described above by the interposition of crank and crank slot or of
a mechanism producing the same effect and by which a ratio of transmission may
be obtained.
As revolution counter I preferably employ a counter with anchor motion because
these apparatus offer the smallest resistance by friction and because the wearing of
the different parts is insignificant. Every other kind of revolution counter may
however also be applied (provided only that they require for being moved a
rotation which is inferior to 360 degrees. The revolution counter as they are
applied for the most part require for being moved a rotation of the driving shaft
of 35 degrees to 45 degrees.)
The construction shown in the Figures 4, 5 and 6, is a modification of the
construction above described; as here are two valve chambers V and V₁ with the
valves and v¹; The valve chambers are in communication by means of
the pipes A and B for instance with the two extremities of a cylinder of a steam
engine or in general with two spaces of a machine (pump, air pump, gas motor,
pulsometer etcetera) where exists a change of pressure. The lever of the first
kind h h¹ sitting on the shaft p is moved by the play of the two valves v and v!.
The motion is transmitted as in the first construction from the shaft p to the
shaft w of the counter. The horizontal connecting tube R of the two valve
chambers V and V, in which the lever hh¹ is lodged is provided on one side with
an outlet pipe F which allows the apparatus to be used besides to the above said
purpose also for turning off waste water.
When the apparatus is to be used only as a revolution counter, the nut with the
pipe F is taken off and replaced by a blind nut, whereby the space R is shut off
again.
This apparatus is furthermore provided with a contrivance which allows the
revolution counter to be disengaged, so that the apparatus serves only for turning
off waste water. For this purpose the crank is adapted to the driving shaft of
the counter in a movable manner (it slides on a square piece) and it is embraced
by the forks gg of the disengaging rod 8. A rod 8 provided with a clutch i serves
for placing k in a horizontal position. In the raised position the rod s¹ is prevented
from falling down by a bolt n.
The disengaging contrivance works as follows:
The rod s¹ is first let down in order to place the crank m and the slot k in a
horizontal position, the crank m is then displaced on the square shaft w by the
rod 8 and the rod 8¹ is withdrawn.
The communication between the crank and slot is now cut off, and the apparatus
serves only for letting off the waste water. When the counter. is to be put again
in activity the rod s is lowered by withdrawing the bolt m (Figure 7); b is now
brought back into the horizontal position and the crank which was brought before

page_text: the disengagement also into the horizontal position can be moved back again. The
rod 81 is now raised again and stopped by the bolt n. The counter can then be
put again in activity by reopening the cocks which are inserted in the pipes A
and B between the machine and the revolution counter and which were shut
whilst the apparatus was disengaged. Any other construction of the disengaging
gear may also be applied, the above described arrangement is shown only as a
specimen. Another construction of the counter is represented in the Figures 10
and 11. In a cylinder L the two extremities whereof communicate by means of
the pipes A and B with the two rooms, where the pressure is changing in the same
manner as in the above described construction, a piston K is moved to and fro by
the change of pressure. This motion is transmitted to the slot k¹, the crank m,
and then to the counter by the lever r, which preferably catches, as shown in the
Figures 10 and 11 with its inferior spherical part into a hole bored into the piston K.
Small quantities of water which may accumulate in the socket M in consequence
of leakages of the piston, can be led away through the small tube G.
In single acting machines, or when it is desired to connect the apparatus for
moving the counter only with one side of the cylinder, the arrangement shown in
the Figures 12 and 13 may be used.
The small valve v is pressed during the suction period or the period of emission
by a spring f against the cylinder and moved backwards during the period of
pressure or of introduction. This motion is transmitted to the counter.
In opposition to the above described arrangement for transmitting this motion
to the counter, a toothed wheel segment Z with a tooth wheel Z' is here employed.
In steam engines this valve can at the same time be used for letting off waste
water by putting the inferior part of the valve chamber in communication with
the atmosphere (see Figure 12) In the other case the inferior part is closed.
In the construction shown in Figure 13 (pump) the inferior part of the small
valve chamber communicates with the atmosphere not directly but by way of
a small accumulator allowing at o the free entrance of air. The small quantities
of water, which at the play of the valve v should penetrate downwards during the
period of pressure, are hereby retained in distributing themselves over the accumu-
lator. The water level in the accumulator will then change only a little, and at
a violent motion of the water level the spouting out is prevented by a small
shield y which is adapted close under the opening of the accumulator. At the
suction period a part of the small quantity of water is sucked again and the
entrance of air into the pump is thus prevented.
In applying the above described apparatus for. putting the revolution counter in
motion, the latter can be adapted at a larger distance of the machine, because only
the necessary conduits of pipes are to be placed, (as shown in Figure 14) yy are
here the two cocks which are inserted into the conduits of pipes, by shutting these
cocks the apparatus is stopped.
F is a cock which is inserted when the conduit of pipes is very long, and which
serves for letting escape the water when the apparatus is stopped. When the
apparatus is adapted directly to the machine the pipes A and B may serve at the
same time as supports of the apparatus and carry the same.
It is furthermore now possible to observe at the same time several apparatus
indicating the revolutions and strokes of several machines; for that purpose the
apparatus are applied at suitable places one near the other. This advantage is
very important for several branches of industry, especially for chemistry.
The compendious arrangement of the whole apparatus allows to lodge the latter
into a small box entirely closed so that any manipulation on the apparatus by
a stranger is quite impossible. In the annexed drawing the revolution counter is
adapted on the outside and the moving apparatus and counter are fixed to the
same plates; but the counter is screwed to the inside of the plate so that it is
impossible to detach it from outward.
To prevent the buttons of the disengaging rods 8 and 81 from being displaced by
strangers, they can easily be stopped by a simple arrangement so that they can be

page_text: moved only when, by means of a small key a small mechanism has been dis-
engaged. Or the buttons may be covered by caps which can be removed by means
of a key.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1st. The utilisation of the change of pressure of cylindrical rotating machines
(steam, watre air or gas) or in pulsometers for putting a revolution or stroko
counter in motion substantially as described.
2nd. The utilisation of the change of pressure for moving a revolution counter
and at the same time for letting off the waste water, substantially as described.
3rd. For transmitting the changing pressure to the counter, an apparatus which
is characterised (a) by the arrangement of a valve chamber V, the two extremities
whereof are in communication with the two sides of the cylinder of the machine
and where the motion of the valve is transmitted by a suitable mechanism (crank
and slot, tooth wheel and tooth wheel segment etcetera) to the counter, substan-
tially as described and shown in the Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the annexed drawing
or (b) by the arrangement of two valve chambers V and V1 which are in communi-
cation with the two sides of the cylinder of the steam engine, so that by the
motion of the two valves vv, the revolution counter is put into activity,
substantially as described and shown in the Figures 4, 5, and 6 of the drawing,
or (c) by the arrangement of a piston K in a pipe L, the two extremities whereof
are connected with the sides of the cylinder, so that by the motion of the piston K
the revolution counter is moved, substantially as described and shown in the
Figures 10 and 11 of the drawing, or (d) by the arrangement of a valve chamber
on the end of the cylinder of single action machines, where the valve V is pressed
by a spring f and shut during the suction or emission period, but opened in the
period of pressure and introduction and where as formerly the motion of this valve
is transmitted to the counter, substantially as described and shown in the Figure 12
of the drawing, or (e) by the arrangement of a similar valve chamber as at (d) in
combination with an accumulator for being used in single acting pumps, substan-
tially as described and shown in Figure 13 of the drawing.
4th. The arrangement of eduction pipes F in the valve chambers (Figures 4,
5 and 12) so that the apparatus for putting the counter in activity can serve at the
same time for letting off the waste water, substantially as described.
5th. The arrangement for disengaging the counter so that the apparatus can be
used only for letting off the waste water, substantially as described.
5a. The arrangement mentioned under 5 consisting of the rod 8¹ embracing the
crank m by means of the clutches g g so that by displacing the rod the crank is
withdrawn out of the slot, and the counter thereby put out of activity, substan-
tially as described.
6th. The arrangement of the rod 8' with clutches in order to stop the slot k and
the crank, so that the counter may be inserted again, substantially as described.
7th. The arrangement of a counter weight q, on a part of the machine which is
used in the transmission of the motion from the shaft p to the counter, that is to
say, on a tooth wheel segment a slot and a crank for the purpose of balancing
these parts, substantially as described and shown in the Figures 1 to 9 of the
drawing.
1005