Improvements in Registering Instruments.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Registering Instruments.
I, DENNY LANE of 72 South Mall, Cork in the County of Cork, Ireland, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to sum up mechanically the product of two or more
variables, the amount of each variable having been ascertained by an independent
indicator.
In most cases one of the variables is time, for which I propose to use a time piece
or time measurer which, at certain definite intervals, will register the amount of the
other variable, or the product of the other variables.
As a simple example I will first take time and one other variable-for instance gas
consumption. If the pressure of the gas be maintained constant the delivery will
depend on two variables viz. the area of the aperture, and the time during which it is
open. Now suppose the area of the aperture to vary directly as the angle through
which the key of the tap is moved the quantity delivered is represented by
the product of the angle multiplied by the time, during which the cock is opened.
A suitable construction of cock for example would be one provided with the gas
aperture of the fixed part in the form of a segmental slit and the moving part in the
form of a segmental slide or cover pivotted at the centre from which the curve of
the slit is struck the said slide or cover carrying a pointer or index to indicate by a
scale the extent to which the cock is opened.
The time piece carries an arm or an arbour which is arranged coaxially with the
moving part of the cock and is arranged to move freely so as to be brought back to
zero at an interval of time determined by the time piece after which the arm follows
the path of the index until it is stopped by it, when it will have moved through the
same angle as the said index, the arm then being brought back to zero by the time
piece and the operation is repeated. The register arm carries a pawl which engages
with a ratchet-wheel driving it in one direction only, and slipping back when moving
in the opposite direction, the ratchet wheel being then held by a click. This ratchet
wheel acts as an integrator and sums up the angles through which the index has been
moved. In most cases an interval of 6 minutes or 1 of an hour will be sufficiently
small for the interval of time and these 10 indications if taken only once an hour
the consumption would be 60 ft., but as they are taken at intervals of 6 minutes
or of an hour the total must be multiplied so as to show that 6 feet had been
burned in the hour.
In many cases the index hand is so easily moved that the pressure of the registering
arm would alter its position, in such cases the index must be clamped before the
register arm is allowed to touch it. The cycle of operations therefore would be as
follows:-
1. Time piece locks or clamps index.
2. Register arm which was at zero is moved, until it touches or feels index.
3. Register arm is brought back to zero.
4. Index arm is unlocked and becomes free to take up a new position. Everything
being thus restored to its original state, ready for the next action of the time piece,
when the same cycle of operations is repeated.
If for some purposes an interval of minutes is too long the interval can be
shortened to 1 minute or less, a corresponding factor of 5 or other number being
employed.
In the before mentioned example it has been supposed that the pressure of gas
remained constant. If however the pressure changed there would be a third variable

page_text: to be summed up by the ratchet wheel. For this purpose I introduce a multiplying
system which will vary the indications of the second variable in proportion to the
third variable. For example with an index which shows for equal angles equal
increments of consumption produced by increased pressure of gas-this factor may be
mechanically introduced by arranging the index (herein termed the aperture index)
showing the extent of the aperture exposed as before and the index showing rate of
consumption (herein termed the consumption index) with a feeler and mounted on a
pivot the distance between which and the aperture-index may be varied, the
construction being such that when the feeler is equidistant from the axes of the two
indices, the said indices will move through the same angle but if the pivots are moved
nearer to or farther from each other the angle described by the consumption index
will be decreased or increased. Now the pressure gauge index may be made to
effect this.
The operation would then be as follows the before-mentioned ratchet wheel being
actuated by the consumption index and not by the aperture index.
1st. The index of pressure gauge is clamped.
2nd. The axis of the consumption index which was at zero is moved horizontally
until stopped by the pressure gauge index.
3rd. The aperture index is clamped.
4th. The consumption index which was at zero is allowed to descend until it touches
the aperture index and by its action moves the ratchet wheel.
5th. The consumption index is brought back to zero.
6th. The pressure gauge index is brought back to zero.
7th. The aperture and pressure gauge indices are unclamped.
The same effect may be produced by two conical pulleys with parallel axes the
larger end of one being opposite to the smaller end of the other. The two pulleys are
independent of each other except when a friction roller is made to touch both. The
relative velocities of the two pulleys depend on the position of the friction roller
and the position of the friction roller is determined by the index of the pressure
gauge.
Or a wheel may at its circumference rub against the face of a flat dise the relative
velocities of the wheel and disc depending on the distance of wheel from centre of
disc. This distance may be varied by index of the pressure gauge.
In all the previous examples it has been assumed that the angular change of the
indices is proportional to the quantity to be measured, but in many cases the quantity
is not proportional to the angle, but to some function of the angle, for instance in the
tangent galvanometer the current is proportional not to the angle itself but to the
tangent of the angle. For such cases, I provide as follows
--
The pivot of the index carries with it a snail or spiral wheel which revolves with
the index and after being clamped is felt at its point or outer extremity by a
registering arm.
Now the outline of the spiral may be the spiral of Archimedes where the radii are
proportional to the angles described, but the length of the radii might be proportional
not to the angle itself but to any function of it-the tangent for instance. The
requisite curve can be produced by making the polar ordinates of the curve proportional
to the division of the scale of the instrument.
The same principle applies to the conical pulleys already mentioned, their cross
section may not be bounded by right lines, but by curves to vary their relative
velocities according to any law.
For measurement of electric currents if the electro-motive force is kept constant
(as should be the case for incandescent lamps) it is only necessary to measure the
current in Amperes. The electric meter then has only to record at equal intervals of
time, the amperes, and the time, just as in a gas meter supplied at constant pressure,
it is enough to register the aperture and the time.
Some instruments as the Watt meter already indicate compound units or the product
of the amperes and the volts, and in such cases it is necessary only to register time
and Watts as the instrument has already multiplied two of the factors to indicate the

page_text: Watts. The curves already referred to may be not in the plane of the disc but may
be cut in a cylinder at right angles to the face of the disc in the same position as the
teeth of a crown wheel. For instance the vertical axis of an ammeter may carry
a vertical cylinder whose upper edge is cut according to any law.
The integrating wheel may be employed to calculate the area of a curve such as
that of a steam engine indicator card. The curve is to bo cut out in stiff paper or
card-board and moved horizontally by equal steps at end of each step card-board rests
until register arm descends touches it and returns to zero, the length of each ordinate
is thus obtained and the sum of all registered by integrating wheel.
The time piece can be actuated by the electric current through an electric pendulum
or other known device, or by the passage of the gas on its way to the burner and be
wound up by either of these agents.
For electric currents the three indicators would be a time piece, volt meter and
ampere meter.
I
propose to use an improved pressure meter for gas which will show not the actual
pressure but the rate at which the gas passes through a given orifice, which is nearly
as the square root of the pressure.
Or I may fix on the hour arbor of a clock a disc having on its face preferably ten
radial triangular projections adapted to operate a roller which is pushed nearer to or
further from the axis of the disc by the arm of the gas valve or cock. As the said
valve opens the roller is drawn further from the axis and is consequently moved by
the friction of each projection through a longer path which is communicated to the
counting mechanism.
Dated this 10th day of January 1889.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Registering Instruments.
I, DENNY LANE of 72 South Mall, Cork in the County of Cork, Ireland, Secretary
to Cork Gas Consumers Company 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 :—
The object of this invention is to sum up mechanically the product of two or more
variables, the amount of each variable having been ascertained by an independent
indicator.
In most cases one of the variables is time, for which I propose to use a time pieco
or time measurer which, at certain definite intervals, will register the amount of the
other variable or the product of the other variables.
As a simple example I will first take time and one other variable, for instance gas
consumption. If the pressure of the gas be maintained constant the delivery will
depend on two variables viz. the area of the aperture, and the time during which it is
open. Now suppose the area of the aperture to vary directly as the angle through
which the key of the tap is moved the quantity delivered is represented by the
product of the angle multiplied by the time, during which the cock is opened. A
suitable construction of cock for example would be one constructed in the manner
represented in diagram in figs. 1, 2 and 3 where it is shown provided with the gas
aperture a in the fixed part A in the form of a segmental slit and the moving part B
in the form of a segmental slide or cover pivotted at the centre b from which the
curve of the slit a is struck the said slide or cover carrying a pointer or index B¹
to indicate by a scale the extent to which the cock is opened.
In figure 1 the. cock is shown with the index B¹ pointing at zero so that when so
adjusted no gas passes; in figure 2 the index being at 5 indicates that 5 feet per hour
can pass while in figure 3 the index being at 10 shows that 10 feet per hour
can pass.

page_text: The time piece used in conjunction with the before described gas cock as shown in
diagram at figure 4 carries an arm D which is arranged co-axially with the moving
part of the cock and is arranged to move so as to be brought back to zero at an
interval of time determined by the time piece after which the arm is released and
follows the path of the index B¹ until it is stopped by it, when it will have moved
through the same angle as the said index, the arm D then being brought back to zero
by the time piece and the operation is repeated. The register arm carries a pawl D¹
which engages with a ratchet wheel E driving it in one direction only, and slipping
back when moving in the opposite direction, the ratchet wheel being then held by a
click F. This ratchet wheel E acts as an integrator and sums up the angles through
which the index B¹ has been moved. In most cases an interval of 6 minutes
or of an hour will be sufficiently small for the interval of time and it is intended
that on the gas meter shall be marked the following scale ;---
If these 10 indications were taken only once an hour the consumption would be
60 feet, but as they are taken at intervals of 6 minutes or 1 of an hour the total
must be multiplied by so as to show that 6 feet had been burned in the hour.
In many cases the index hand B is so easily moved that the pressure of the
registering arm would alter its position, in such cases the index must be clamped
before the register arm D is allowed to touch it. The cycle of operations therefore
would be as follows;-
1. Time piece locks or clamps index B¹.
2. Register arm D which was at zero is moved, until it touches or feels index B¹.
3. Register arm-D is brought back to zero.
4. Index arm B is unlocked and becomes free to take up a new position.
Everything being thus restored to its original state, ready for the next action of the
time piece, when the same cycle of operations is repeated.
An arrangement of mechanism for accomplishing this series of operations is shown
in diagram in figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 of which figure 4 is a vertical section on the
line a
of fig. 5 which is a plan, fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section on the line c d
of figure 5 and figure 7 is a front clevation of portion of the mechanism. In these
figures G represents a disc rotated once in six minutes by the time piece. G' is a
segment extending over about one tenth of the circumference of the disc G and
gearing by frictional contact or otherwise with the pinion H so that it will be rotated
only when the said segment gears with it. H' is a disc or wheel secured to the
same spindle as is the pinion H and H is a pin fixed in the said disc and adapted
to operate the arm D in the manner shown in figure 4. H is an arm secured to
the disc H so as to project beyond its periphery as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. His
a rod or detent pivotted at H and adapted to be moved from the position in which
it is shown in full lines in fig. 6 when it supports the arm D, to that in which it is
there shown in dotted lines when it leaves the said arm D free to fall to its. normal

page_text: position. It is by means of the arm H³ that the rod H is moved from the former
to the latter of these positions as will be well understood by referring to the
accompanying drawings. The means for clamping the index B are shown most
clearly in figs. 5 and 7 wherein J represents a wheel secured on the same spindle as
the disc or wheel H' and carrying a projection or cam J¹. J2 is a spring against one
side of which the cam is adapted to bear so as to clamp the index B between the
said spring and a fixed standard J³.
The foregoing is a description of the operation, when only one variable besides
time is recorded, and this variable is proportional to the angle through which the
index B moves. If this variable however is proportional, not to the angle through
which B moves but to some function of the angle, such as sine, tangent, square,
square root &c. then the pin D² on arm D is stopped in its descent not by B but
by the periphery of a helical cam, fixed on the pivot of B¹ and the distances from
the centre of the cam to the periphery (otherwise the polar ordinates) are proportional
to the function, of the angle which it is desired to record.
In certain cases the wheel carried by the index may be a crown wheel the depth
of the crown varying proportionally to the required function of the angle. When
the index is arranged so that its movement is rectilineal it carries a plane curve the
ordinates of which are proportional to the function.
An example showing the application to the system of a curved cam, carried by
index arbor of instrument to be registered is shown in diagram in fig. 8 wherein a
grooved wheel K is mounted loosely on the same arbor as that to which is firmly
attached the integrating wheel E. In the groove lies a flexible cord K' fixed at one
end K² to the periphery of K and at the other end carrying a weight-K³ ending in
a flat plate K which falls until it is stopped by periphery of cam K³. This cam is
cut into a spiral according to the law of variation, of the curve viz. proportional to
the angle or any function of the angle, this is the spiral of Archimedes, if the index
is proportional to the angle, and the polar ordinates may form. a logarithmic or
other spiral, according to the nature of the instrument, with a tangent galvanometer
the ordinates will be proportional to the tangents of the angles.
The wheel K is wound up by action of pin H2 on arm D which is held by detent H*
until allowed to fall at the time when the disc or wheel H' pushes back detent H¹ and
allows weight to fall until it is stopped by periphery of K³. The grooved wheel K
carries a pawl D¹ which moves integrating wheel E which is prevented from moving
in opposite direction by the click F fixed to the frame, of the instrument.
The lifting of the arm D or turning of the grooved wheel K may be effected by
the pressure of the fluid to be measured or by a small electro motor brought within
the action of the time piece; or the power for moving the arm D may be derived
from a separate spring or weight released at suitable intervals like the striking
movement of an ordinary clock.
If for some purposes an interval of 6 minutes is too long the interval can be
shortened to 1 minute or less, a corresponding factor of or other number being
employed.
In the before mentioned example it has been supposed that the pressure of gas
remained constant. If however the pressure changed there would be a third variable
indicated by a pressure gauge which would enter as a third factor into the products
to be summed up by the ratchet wheel. For this purpose I introduce a multiplying
system which will vary the indications of the second variable in proportion to the
third variable. For example with an index which shows for equal angles equal
increments of consumption produced by increased pressure of gas-t
-this factor may
be mechanically introduced in the manner shown in diagram in figs. 9 and 10 by
arranging the index B₁ (herein termed the aperture index) showing the extent of
the aperture exposed as before and the index L showing rate of consumption (herein
termed the consumption index) with a feeler L' and mounted on a pivot the distance
between which and the aperture index may be varied, the construction being such that
when he feeler is equidistant from the axes b and L2 of the two indices, the said indices
will move through the same angle but if the pivots are moved nearer to or farther

page_text: from each other the angle described by the consumption index L will be decreased
or increased. Now the pressure gauge index L³ may be made to effect this.
The operation would then be as follows the before mentioned ratchet wheel E fig. 4
being actuated by the consumption index L and not by the aperture index B',
1st. The index L³ of pressure gauge is clamped.
2nd. The axis L2 of the consumption index L which was at zero is moved horizontally
until stopped by the pressure gauge index L³.
3rd. The aperture index B is clamped.
4th. The consumption index L which was at zero is allowed to descend until it
touches the aperture index B' and by its action moves the ratchet wheel E.
5th. The consumption index 1, is brought back to zero.
6th. The pressure gauge index L³ is brought back to zero.
7th. The aperture and pressure gauge indices B' and L are unclamped.
The same effect may be produced by two conical pulleys with parallel axes the
larger end of one being opposite the smaller end of the other. The two pulleys are
independent of each other except when a friction roller is made to touch both. The
relative velocities of the two pulleys depend on the position of the friction roller
and the position of the friction roller is determined by the index of the pressure
gauge.
Or a wheel may at its circumference rub against the face of a flat dise the relative
velocities of the wheel and disc depending on the distance of wheel from centre of
disc. This distance may be varied by index of the pressure gauge.
Or another way of dealing with this third variable is by means of the instrument.
shown diagrammatically in figs. 11 to 14 of which fig. 11 is a sectional elevation,
Fig. 12 a plan, and fig. 13 an elevation of a detached portion and fig. 14.a transverse
section of the same.
-
These figures show an arrangement for giving the product of three variables a
portion of this instrument as indicated by the reference letters being the same as
that already described with reference to fig. 4. The index of the third variable is
marked L and moves in a horizontal plane round a vertical axis IA.
The index is carried in a gimbal joint L' and its weight preponderates slightly at
its non-indicating end so that it always is above the index B₁ until pressed down by
registering arm D. The vertical axis L' carries also a horizontal plate or disc L6 on
to which at a determined time the lever L' falls so as to clamp the axis L' and
prevent the same from turning. The lever L is moved by cam wheel L³ on time
wheel axis.
The edge of B is curved, the centre from which the said curve is struck, being
the axis L4.
The registering arm D when released descends as far as it is allowed to move, and
carries with it the index L* which is stopped by B¹.
The extent to which D can drop therefore depends on two factors viz. 1st, the
extent to which B¹ has fallen and 2nd, the extent to which the axis L' and index L*
have rotated, the zero of B' being at the highest point and the zero of L to the left
as shown in the drawing. These represent two variables the third being time.
In all the previous examples it has been assumed that the angular change of the
indices is proportional to the quantity to be measured, but in many cases the quantity
is not proportional to the angle, but to some function of the angle, for instance in
the tangent galvanometer the current is proportional not to the angle itself but to
the tangent of the angle. For such cases I provide an arrangement such as is
diagrammatically shown in figs. 15 and 16 wherein the pivot of the index carries
with it a snail or spiral wheel M which revolves with the index and after being
clamped is felt at its point or outer extremity M. by a registering arm M².
Now the outline of the spiral may be the spiral of Archimedes where the radii
are proportional to the angles described but the length of the radii might be
proportional not to the angle itself but to any function of it-the tangent for instance.
The requisite curve can be produced by making the polar ordinates of the curve
proportional to the division of the scale of the instrument.

page_text: The same principle applies to the conical pulleys already mentioned, their sections
through their axes may not be bounded by right lines, but by curves to vary their
relative velocities according to any law.
For measurement of electric currents if the electro-motive force is kept constant
at say 100 volts as is usual (as should be the case for incandescent lamps) it is only
necessary to measure the current in amperes. The electric meter then has only to
record at equal intervals of time, the amperes, and the time, just as in a gas
meter supplied at constant pressure, it is enough to register the aperture and the
time.
Some instruments as the Watt meter already indicate compound units or the
product of the amperes and the volts, and in such cases it is necessary only to
register time and Watts as the instrument has already multiplied two of the factors
to indicate the Watts; and so in every case where one of the quantities is made
invariable by a governor or where the indicating instrument already gives the product
of two variables nothing further is required. The curves already referred to may be
not in the plane of the disc but may be cut in a cylinder at right angles to the face
of the disc, in the saine position as the teeth of a crown wheel. For instance the
vertical axis of an ammeter may carry a vertical cylinder whose upper edge is cut
according to any law.
The integrating wheel may be employed to calculate the area of a curve such as
that of a steam engine indicator card. The curve is to be cut out in stiff paper or
cardboard and moved horizontally by equal steps at end of each step cardboard rests
until register arm descends touches it and returns to zero-the length of each ordinate
is thus obtained and the sum of all registered by integrating wheel.
The time piece can be actuated by the electric current through an electric pendulum
or other known device, or by the passage of the gas on its way to the burner and be
wound up by either of these agents.
For electric currents the three indicators would be a time piece, volt meter and
ampere meter.
I propose to use an improved pressure meter for gas which will show not the actual
pressure but the rate at which the gas passes through a given orifice, which is nearly
as the square root of the pressure.
.
Or in the manner shown in figs. 17 in plan and in fig. 18 in section I may fix on
the hour arbor N of a clock a disc N having on its face preferably ten radial
triangular projections N2 as shown in full lines in fig. 17 adapted to operate a roller O
which is pushed nearer to or further from the axis of the dise by the arm of the gas
valve or cock. As the said valve opens, the roller O is drawn further from the axis
and is consequently moved by the friction of each projection through a longer path
which is communicated to the counting mechanism. Instead of forming the projections
with straight sides in the manner shown in full lines in fig. 17 one side of each such
projection may be curved in the manner shown in dotted lines in fig. 17 these curves
being constructed according to the law of variation of the given variable.
The apparatus is so applied to the regulator by which the supply of gas, electricity
or other fluid is controlled that the position of the index which is under the control
of the person supplied, will be registered at equal fixed intervals of time by the
before described apparatus which will be inaccessible to the said person.
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 ;-
1. In a registering instrument clamping the index while it is touched by the
registering portion of the apparatus substantially as herein described.
2. In a registering instrument the use of a helical wheel the circumference of which
is shaped and the polar ordinates of which are proportioned according to the curve
which represents the law of variation of the given variable substantially as herein
described.

page_text: 3. In a registering instrument the employment of a crown wheel the perpendiculars
to the axial plane of which are proportioned to the curve which represents the law of
variation of the given variable.
4. In a registering instrument. wherein the motion of the index is rectilinear and
not circular an index with a surface to be felt by register in the form of a flat plate
cut to a plane curve representing the law of variation substantially as herein
described.
5. In a registering instrument the combination of the motion of two indices at
right angles to each other so that the motion of the second index is increased in
proportion to the product of the two angles or any functions of the two angles
respectively substantially as herein described.
6. In a registering instrument arranging two indices on axes parallel to and
capable of being moved nearer to or further from each other a feeler on the second
index being made to touch the first index at a point nearer to or further from the
centre of its motion and so diminishing or increasing the motion of second index
which is then registered substantially as herein described.
7. In a registering instrument the employment of two conical rollers whose axes
are parallel but with the larger end of one opposite the smaller end of the other the
point of connection between the two being capable of adjustment substantially as
and for the purpose herein described.
8. In a registering machine the employment of triangular or tapered projecting
plates carried by time piece the narrow ends of said plates being turned towards
the axis the feeler of the registering apparatus being capable of adjustment so as
to touch the said triangles nearer to or farther from the centre of clock work
wheel.
9. In a registering machine the employment of a clock-work or equivalently driven
wheel or disc such as N¹ of projections such as N2 tapering towards the axis of the
disc and bounded by curves constructed according to the law of variation of the
given variable substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
10. In a registering intrument an index so arranged that its position will he
registered at equal intervals of time the regulator of supply to which the index is
applied being accessible but the registering mechanism inaccessible to the person
supplied substantially as herein described.
Dated this Seventh day of November 1889.
DENNY LANE,
72, South Mall, Cork, Secretary to Cork Gas Consumers Co.