AN IMPROVED VANE AND INDICATOR
Year: 1885

page_text: I FRANCIS MURRAY ROGERS of 21 Finsbury Pavement in the City of London
Consulting Engineer and Electrician do hereby declare the nature of my Invention
for AN IMPROVED VANE AND INDICATOR to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved Vane and Indicator for shewing the
direction of the wind, or currents of air.-The Indicator may be placed at any
distance from, and out of sight of the vane and by its means the direction of the
wind or the currents of air may at any time be ascertained within an office,
dwelling house, or observatory.-The way in which the Invention is carried out is
as follows. An ordinary arrow-head or other device is pivoted by means of a tube
upon a spindle, good metallic connection coupled with free movement being insured.
The spindle is connected to the positive pole of the battery, or other source of
Electricity, at the lower end of the tube an arm is placed, which points in the
same direction as the arrow-head or other device. The point of this arm may be
tipped with a spring coated with platinum or other non-corroding metal. The
spindle has at its lower end a plate, made of ebonite, wood, vulcanized fibre or
other good insulating substance, which is covered by a dome mounted preferably
upon the vane tube so as to exclude the said plate from rain or moisture. The
insulated plate is pierced by a series of metallic contact points, placed at the four
cardinal and intermediate divisions, said contact points being tipped with non-
corrodable metal so as to insure good contact with the arm on the vane tube before
referred to.
Insulated wires are led from the contact points to the Indicator which is
constructed as follows.-A carefully balanced, magnetized, or induced magnetic
needle carrying a pointer is pivoted on a brass or other suitable frame, and around
this needle are placed a series of bobbins occupying the same relative position as
the contact pins in the insulated plate, the bobbins are filled with well insulated
wire, one end of the wire from each bobbin being led to a return wire or earth-plate,
the other end of the wires surrounding each bobbin being connected up to the
insulated contact pins, so forming a series of circuits having one common return or
earth wire. The cores of the bobbins consist of pieces of soft iron, the upper ends
of which are bent over towards the axis of the needle. In order that, the needle
may be dead beat, and deprived of the directive influence of the earth, each core is
condensed.at its upper end by hammering, or hardening, so as to retain a slight
trace of residual magnetism, after being once excited by the flow of current round
the insulated wire covering the respective bobbins.

page_text: The action is as follows.-So long as the arm does not touch any one of the
insulated contact points, the needle of the Indicator remains in the last position
taken up, but so soon, as the wind or current of air, turns the vane so that the arm
makes contact with any one point, a current flows along the wire connected to the
corresponding bobbin, exciting the core and causing the needle to turn towards it.
When the circuit is broken by the arm moving from a contact point .the needle
remains fixed on account of the trace of residual magnetism left in the hardened tip
of the cores. Should the vane shift to any other contact point, the needle is
instantly drawn towards the corresponding bobbin, so that the exact position of
the vane can be at once seen on the marked dial of the Indicator. For short
distances the multiple wire system just described is preferable, but should the vane
be placed at any considerable distance from the Indicator, the same result can be
accomplished by means of a single wire in the following manner. Each contact
pin is connected to a separate spool of wire which varies in resistance for every
contact, the free ends of these spools are all connected to the line wire which is
joined up to an oval shaped spool in which floats a magnetized or induced needle
carrying a pointer. The other end of the wire being led to earth, or the opposite
pole of the battery or other source of Electricity. It is well understood that with
a constant electro-motive force the amount of current flowing out to line will vary
as the resistance in the circuit, and consequently the effect upon the needle placed
within the spool will vary in a ratio proportional to such resistance.
The
deflections of the needle are now calibrated by causing the arm to cover each
contact point connected to the graded resistance bobbins. The relative points
taken up by the needle being marked upon the dial of the Indicator. In this
way the exact position of the vane may be read off in the way and manner
already described.

page_text: FRANCIS MURRAY ROGERS, 21 Finsbury Pavt. in the City of London, Consulting
Engineer and Electrician do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN
IMPROVED VANE AND INDICATOR, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
This Invention relates to an improved vane, and indicator, for shewing the
direction of the wind, or currents of air-The Indicator may be placed at any
distance from, and out of sight of the Vane and by its means the direction of the
wind, or other currents of air may at any moment be ascertained within an office,
dwelling house, or observatory.
In my provisional specification, I have already generally described my invention,
but in order that it may be better understood, I will now proceed to explain it in
detail by means of the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1, Shews a sectional elevation of the sending part of the apparatus and the
vane operating it.
Fig. 2, Is a plan of Receiver.
Fig. 3, Is a sectional elevation of the receiver, or Indicator.
Fig. 4, An elevation of Sender, as arranged for working with one wire-in
section.
Fig. 5 The Receiver, or Indicator for same.
Fig. 6, A sectional elevation of receiver, having floating needle & straight cores.
An Insulated wire is taken from the positive pole of a battery, or other source of
electricity and connected securely to the clamping screw A, Fig. 1, good metallic
contact being made with the rubbing spring, or sliding arm B, which is fastened to
the vane spindle C, in such a way as to point in the same direction as the arrow
head, or other device forming the vane.
The rubbing spring, or sliding contact B, is tipped with some non corroding
metal, so as to ensure good metallic contact with the pins F, which are also tipped
with non corroding metal, and are fastened, in any suitable manner into the
plate D, which may consist of wood, ebonite, vulcanized fibre, or other good
insulating substance, said pins being arranged in such a manner as to point to
the cardinal and intermediate points of the compass.
The insulated plate D, is fastened to a metal stock E, which supports the vane,
and sender, and the rubbing spring, or sliding arm, with the contact-pins, and
insulated plate are covered with a dome, or other device for excluding rain, or dirt.
Insulated wires are soldered, or securely fastened to the lower ends of the contact
pins F, ranged round the plate D, the other end of each of the wires being joined
up to the respective bobbins G, See Figs. 2 & 3, 6, which are ranged round or
under the receiver dial or indicator, in such a manner as to correspond in direction
with the 4 cardinal and other points in the sender.
The Bobbins G, Fig. 2 & 3. 6, are filled with well insulated wire their respective
centres, consisting of soft iron cores H. One end of the cores is fastened into the

page_text: -frame, or dial plate of the receiver, and the free end may be turned over the top of
the bobbin, so as to point to the pivot of the magnetic needle J, or if more suitable
to the instrument, they can be left straight, Fig. 6.
The soft iron cores are before mounting up, carefully annealed, and the extreme
point of the free end of each core is condensed by hammering, or by heating and
quenching in water, or oil, so as to enable them to retain a trace of residual
magnetism after a current has once passed round the wire surrounding them.
As already stated, a separate insulated wire is joined up to one end of the
insulated wire surrounding each bobbin G, in the receiver; the other ends of the
wire upon these bobbins are joined together, and connected to earth, or to a return
wire fastened to the negative pole of the battery, or other source of electricity.
A carefully balanced, magnetic, or induced magnetic bar, or needle J, carrying a
pointer, or other device for shewing the position of the distant vane is pivoted so
as to revolve within, and very close to the poles of the bobbins G, surrounding it
See Figs. 2, & 3, 6 or in some cases the needle, or bar J, floats or is pivoted above
the bobbins, see Fig. 6 and itself forms the pointer, the dial of the receiver being
engraved, or painted, or having a compass card fastened upon it, to enable the
indications of the pointer to be read.
The action is as follows.
So long as the rubbing spring, or arm B, see Fig. 1 fastened to the Vanes
spindle C, does not touch any one of the insulated contact pins F, in the plate D,
the needle J, Figs. 2. 3. 6 remains in the last position taken up: Its directive
tendency due to the earths influence being overcome by the trace of residual
magnetism in the tip of the hardened core, to which it was attracted; but so soon
as the wind, or other current of air turns the vane, so that the rubbing spring, or
sliding arm makes contact with any one of the pins F, in the insulated plate D, a
current flows along the wire by which it is connected to its respective bobbin,
exciting the core and setting up a strong magnetic field in its vicinity, whereby the
needle is attracted, and held fast; the pointer, or the needle itself shewing upon the
dial, the exact position of the vane see Fig. 2.
For short distances the multiple wire system just explained is preferable, but
should the vane be placed, or fixed, at any considerable distance from the receiver,
its variations may be read by means of one wire only; I accomplish this in the
following manner. Each contact pin F, in the insulated plate D, Fig. 4 is sur-
rounded by a spool, or bobbin, of insulated wire g, having a different electrical
resistance, from any other in the series. For instance, one bobbin may measure
25 ohms, another 50 ohms, another 75 ohms: One end of the wire upon each
bobbin, or spool, is fastened to its own metal contact pin F, in plate D, but the free
ends of all the bobbins, or spools, in the series are joined together, and soldered up
to the single line wire leading to the indicator or receiver Fig. 5. This receiver
consists of an oval, or round bobbin filled with well insulated copper wire, and
within it floats, or is pivoted a magnetic, or induced magnetic needle J, carrying
a very light pointer for shewing upon a dial, or its equivalent the position of
the vane.
The line wire is joined up to one end of the insulated wire upon the spool in
which the needle is pivoted, the other end being led to earth or fastened to a return
wire going to the opposite pole of the battery to that joined up to the vane spindle,
and rubbing spring, as already described.
It is well understood, that with a constant electro-motive force, the flow of any
current through the circuit, will be governed by the resistance interposed in that
circuit, and consequently the amplitude of the deflections of a magnetic, or induced
magnetic needle mounted up as now described will vary in a manner dependent
upon the extent of the current flowing.
The apparatus being constructed as described, the sliding arm is caused to
traverse over the contact points F, connected to the resistance bobbins g, and the
position of the needle is marked for each, upon the dial, or its equivalent, with
the letter corresponding to the sending pin F, and its resistance bobbin g.
If

page_text: the length of the line wire be not great, no adjustment need be made when the
instruinent is finally fixed in its working position, as the resistance interposed will
always be large relatively to the line.
One Vane will operate a number of receivers, if placed in "parallel" and a switch
interposed, and the receivers can be arranged to hang up, or be fixed so as to shew
the points of the compass.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would like it understood that I do not
confine myself to the exact detail as herein set forth, as it may be varied, without
in any way departing from the essential features described, and peculiar to it.
What I believe to be novel, and therefore claim is
1st. A Vane combined with an indicator, or receiver, operated by electricity for
the purpose of shewing the direction of the wind, or other currents of air, said
vane actuating a sender consisting of contacts placed at the cardinal, and inter-
mediate points of the compass, by means of a rubbing spring, or arm; said
contacts being joined by wires to the directive bobbins of receiver, or indicator,
which by their inductive, or other influence, direct the needle, or bar pivoted
within them, so as to reproduce the direction, and variation of said vane, and
enable the position of same to be read upon the dial of said indicator, or
receiver, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.
2nd. In a combined Vane, and Indicator, for the purposes described, the arrange-
ment of sender whereby electrical currents of one, and the same direction are
caused to attract, or repel a magnetic, or induced magnetic needle, or bar, pivoted
in said indicator for the purposes set forth, and substantially as described.
3rd. In a combined Vane and Indicator, the arrangement of spools, or bobbins,
having soft cores with condensed, or hardened points, for the purpose of over-
coming the directive inclination of said induced, or magnetic needle or bar mounted
therein, in the way and manner and for the purposes set forth.
4th. The combination of a vane and sender, with a receiver, said sender having
its contact pins (which are operated by the sliding arm attached to the vane
spindle) surrounded by spools, or bobbins of varying electrical resistance, coupled
up to a single line wire, in such a manner as to control the amplitude of the
deflections of the bar, or needle mounted in such receiver, or indicator for the
purpose of shewing upon the dial, or its equivalent, the direction of said vane
substantially as set forth.
Dated this alawanth day of Dhan 100K