An Improved Instrument for Graphically Producing Diagrams of the Configuration or Profile of the Ground.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 8th May, 1893-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Instrument for Graphically Producing Diagrams of
the Configuration or Profile of the Ground.
We, EMILE BENJAMIN MONTEUX, Civil Engineer, and JEAN HENRI
DESSOUDEIX, Engineer, both of 31 Rue Caumartin, Paris, France, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention forming the subject of the present application relates to a new
arrangement of apparatus or instrument for describing graphically and automatically.
the actual profile of the ground on which it is moving.
This apparatus is mounted on a vehicle which may be of any suitable kind but
which may advantageously be a bicycle or tricycle for the reasons hereinafter
mentioned.
The apparatus is characterized essentially by a special device hereinafter
described and termed the reducing apparatus which we have combined with a
recording cylinder on which a stylus of any suitable kind, pencil, pen, point or
other device marks the contour of the exact profile of the ground in accordance
with the movement of the vehicle ou said ground.
The illustrative drawings in this case show the general arrangement and the
essential details of our automatic altimeter or elevation measurer.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 shows the general arrangement of the apparatus mounted on a vehicle
running on two wheels located in the same plane. The large wheel or driving
wheel a actuates the mechanism and the small wheel serves as a guiding wheel and
support for the framing V. These two wheels impart to the framing V the same
inclination as that of the ground and enable the apparatus to travel along the
most difficult paths and moreover to travel along the flank or side of hills or slopes
without being affected by the lateral slopes of said paths because the axis of the
driving wheel a can by means of this arrangement be maintained horizontal thus
ensuring the proper working of the apparatus.
The apparatus is pushed by means of two shafts B connected together by the
stay or cross bar V₁ and capable of motion about the axis of the wheel a.
By means of this arrangement the inclination assumed by the body of the
person pushing the apparatus along and which varies with his height the slope and
speed etc. have no influence on the framing which always remains parallel to the
ground.
Fig. 2 is a plan on a larger scale of the general arrangement of the apparatus
with its essential elements.
Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section of the apparatus taken along the axis of the
mechanism of the reducing apparatus.
Fig. 4 shows in plan the detail arrangement of a roller its mode of connection to
the gearing and its connection to its axle.
Fig. 5 shows in elevation the internal double gearing with its pendulum and its
two rollers.
According to our present invention the wheel a (driving wheel) imparts motion
to the recording apparatus which comprises a cylinder on which the profile-
contour is exactly described to a determined scale by a pencil c or the like.
The cylinder rotates about its axis and the pencil c moves along a line as
hereinafter explained.
If the cylinder 6 be caused to rotate proportionally to the horizontal projection
of the distance traversed by the wheel a whilst the pencil c moves proportionally
t

page_text: to the vertical projection of the same distance the exact profile will be described
on the cylinder b.
For this purpose the motion of the wheel a is transmitted to the recording
apparatus through the intermediary of the reducing apparatus hereinafter
described said reducing apparatus imparting to the cylinder b and to the pencil c
movements respectively proportional to the horizontal and vertical projections
of the distance traversed by the wheel a.
The wheel a imparts its motion to the toothed plate d of the reducing apparatus
through the bevel gear wheels e one of which latter is fixed rigidly on the axle of
the wheel a and the other bevel toothed wheel e is fixed to the end of an inter-
mediate shaft f which terminates in an endless screw or worm fl gearing with the
teeth of the toothed disc d.
In this manner the rotation of the disc d is made proportional to the rotation of
the wheel a.
The motion of the disc d is transmitted to the cylinder b by a friction roller
keyed on the axle of the pinion gearing with an intermediate wheel h¹ which
engages in turn with the wheel d¹ of the cylinder. This same motion of the
disc d is also transmitted to the pencil c by a second roller i mounted on the axle of
a bevel wheel which actuates a bevel toothed wheel fixed on the axle of the
pulley and so the latter is revolved and serves to actuate the endless belt band or
chain c carrying the pencil c.
Such are the means for transmitting the motion of the wheel a to the recording
apparatus.
We shall now proceed to describe the special arrangement of our reducing
apparatus for obtaining the exact profile of the ground travelled over.
For instance in causing the wheel a to travel along an incline represented by the
line A-B in Fig. 6 the horizontal line being represented by A B¹ the pencil c will
describe the exact profile that is to say the line A B if it moves parallel to the axial
line of the cylinder 6 through the distance B B' whilst the circumference of the
cylinder rotates through a distance equal to A B¹.
The friction rollers g and i respectively enable the movements indicated to be
imparted exactly and simultaneously to the cylinder 6 and to the pencil c the said
two rollers as stated being rotated on their axes by the friction of the disc d.
Furthermore the said two rollers are capable of moving nearer to or further away
from the centre of the disc d by moving parallel to themselves along the horizontal
diameter of the disc d their respective planes always remaining perpendicular to
said diameter.
It will therefore be quite obvious that whatever may be the positions of the
rollers and g any point in their circumference will move through a distance equal
to that through which their point of contact on the plate moves.
Let the rollers g and i be placed at such distances from the centre that the
distance of the first roller g be proportional to A B' and the distance of the second
roller be proportional to B B'; A B and B B₁ being the projections of A B.
The said rollers will then rotate through distances proportional to A B¹ and B B¹
and as they impart their motion (the roller g to the cylinder b and the roller i to
the pencil c) the line described on the paper will be the inclination A B of the
ground travelled over by the wheel a. The position of the rollers must therefore
vary with the inclination of the ground.
Fig. 4 shows how the roller g actuates the axle g (and similarly the roller i
actuates the axle) which axles and respectively transmit their motion to the
cylinder and to the pencil c.
The axle g is provided with a small longitudinal groover in which the screw o
of the sleeve u works with slight friction. This sleeve is fixed to the journal of or
bearing carrying the roller g. The roller g is capable of moving along its axial
line by sliding along the axle g².
These movements along its axial line are imparted to it by the forked bearing p
in which the said roller g is journalled.

page_text: The fork is connected to the guiding sector & hereinafter referred to by means
of a pint which works freely in a recess formed in the block.
The axle engages at each of its ends in a slide-block H capable of moving in a
slot formed in or provided ou the main framing of the apparatus The slide-block H
is held between two springs II (see Fig. 4) of which one bears on the bottom of
the slide-block H and the other on the bearing plate J. By means of a screw L
bearing on the bearing plate J the slide-block H may be moved forward or
backward and thus the pressure of the roller g upon the disc d may be adjusted
(increased or diminished) so that it shall always be sufficient to cause the rollers g
and i to be rotated by d and receive therefrom the requisite actuating power.
Fig. 5 illustrates the arrangement for enabling the rollers g and to slide along
their axles in moving nearer to or further away from the centre of the disc d so
that the distances of their points of contact from the centre of said disc shall
always be to each other as the horizontal and vertical projections of the inclination
of the ground travelled over and shall consequently vary according to the change of
said inclination.
An internally toothed ring n Figs. 2, 3, 5 is arranged parallel to the disc d in
such a manner that its centre shall be in the axis of said disc. Two guiding
sectors and toothed externally each having as diameter a radius of the ring n
gear with the said internally toothed ring n and thus constitutes a double internal
gearing.
The axles and l' of each of said sectors are carried by two arms m m which
form a right-angled piece. This right-angled piece is capable of turning about a
fixed axis m' carried by the framing of the apparatus and passing through the
centre of the ring n.
When this right-angled piece turns (as hereinafter explained) the guiding
sectors and are thereby moved on the inside circumference of the ring n and it
will be obvious that in such case a point of the rotating circumference describes a
diameter of the ring.
For example the points of each guiding sector which are situated on the
horizontal diameter will both describe said diameter.
It is in these very points of the guiding sector k and I respectively that we fix
the connecting pins t, Fig. 4, each of which engages in the recess in the respective
forked bearing blocks p of the respective rollers g and i.
Therefore the result of any rotary movement of the right-angled piece m m will
thus move the rollers g and i nearer to or away from the centre of the disc d.
In the position shown in Fig. 5 the roller i is at the centre of the disc d and the
roller g is at a distance equal to the radius of the ring n. This is the condition in
which the apparatus must be when travelling over horizontal ground because in
such case the disc d being actuated by the driving wheel a the roller i will remain
stationary whilst the roller g will rotate and will cause the cylinder b to rotate and
consequently the line drawn on the paper of the cylinder 6 will therefore be a line
parallel to the line of motion of said cylinder that is to say a line representing on
a determined scale and depending on the dimensions of the apparatus the length of
the path travelled on the ground by the wheel a.
When the driving wheel a shall travel over an incline such as A B Fig. 6 the
right-angled piece is inclined by the means and in such a manner as hereinafter
explained as to make its first position an angle B A B' equal to the angle of said
incline and the guiding sectors k and I will thereby move the rollers g and i.
It is therefore necessary that the angle through which the right angled piece mm
is to turn shall always be equal to the angle of the inclination of the ground
travelled over. For this purpose the said right-angled piece is connected to a
pendulum subject solely to the action of gravity. This pendulum has the same
axis of oscillation as the right-angled piece. In Fig. 3 it is shown carried by and
fixed rigidly to the right-angled piece so that both rotate or oscillate (with a
minimum of friction) on the same axis or axle.

page_text: The stem or rod carrying the pendulum æ is advantageously formed of a flexible
strip of metal.
During the travel of the vehicle over the ground the pendulum with its connecting
rod remains vertical and when on an incline will always make with its position when
on a horizontal an angle equal to that of the incline and consequently the angle
through which the right-angled piece m m turns or moves will always be equal to
the angle of the incline:
It is to be understood that we can modify the manner of mounting the pendulum
and the mechanical parts herein described as far as relating to constructional
arrangements and details of mechanism.
In our system the scale of the diagram for the horizontal distances and for the
heights is determined by means of formulas in which there enter as factors the
radius of the driving wheel a the number of the teeth on the disc d the ratios
between the dimensions of the parts of the mechanism for transmitting motion etc.
which formulas it is not necessary to introduce into this Specification.
Dated this 9th day of tot 1800
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Instrument for Graphically Producing Diagrams of
the Configuration or Profile of the Ground.
We, EMILE BENJAMIN MONTEUX, Civil Engineer, and JEAN HENRI
DESSOUDEIX, Engineer, both of 31 Rue Caumartin, Paris, France, 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 invention forming the subject of the present application relates to a new
arrangement of apparatus or instrument for describing graphically and automatically
the actual profile of the ground on which it is moving.
This apparatus is mounted on a vehicle which may be of any suitable kind but
which may advantageously be a bicycle or tricycle for the reasons hereinafter
mentioned.
The apparatus is characterized essentially by a special device hereinafter
described and termed the reducing apparatus which we have combined with a
recording cylinder on which a stylus of any suitable kind, pencil, pen, point or
other device marks the contour of the exact profile of the ground in accordance
with the movement of the vehicle on said ground.
The illustrative drawings left with the Provisional Specification in this case show
the general arrangement and the essential details of our automatic altimeter or
elevation measurer.
Referring to the drawings left with the Provisional Specification :-
Fig. 1 shows the general arrangement of the apparatus mounted on a vehicle
running on two.. wheels located in the same plane. The large wheel or driving
wheel a actuates the mechanism and the small wheel serves as a guiding wheel and
support for the framing V. These two wheels impart to the framing V the same
inclination as that of the ground and enable the apparatus to travel along the most
difficult paths and moreover to travel along the flank or side of hills or slopes
without being affected by the lateral slopes of said paths because the axis of the
driving wheel a can by means of this arrangement be maintained horizontal thus
ensuring the proper working of the apparatus.
The apparatus is pushed by means of two shafts B connected together by the
stay or cross bar V₁ and capable of motion about the axis of the wheel a.

page_text: By means of this arrangement the inclination assumed by the body of the person
pushing the apparatus along and which varies with his height the slope and
speed etc. have no influence on the framing which always remains parallel to the
ground.
Fig. 2 is a plan on a larger scale of the general arrangement of the apparatus
with its essential elements.
Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section of the apparatus taken along the axis of the
mechanism of the reducing apparatus.
Fig. 4 shows in plan the detail arrangement of a roller its mode of connection to
the gearing and its connection to its axle.
Fig. 5 shows in elevation the internal double gearing with its pendulum and its
two rollers.
According to our present invention the wheel a (driving wheel) imparts motion
to the recording apparatus which comprises a cylinder b on which the profile-contour
is exactly described to a determined scale by a pencil c or the like.
The cylinder rotates about its axis and the pencil e moves along a line as
hereinafter explained.
If the cylinder & be caused to rotate proportionally to the horizontal projection
of the distance traversed by the wheel a whilst the pencil e moves proportionally to
the vertical projection of the same distance the exact profile will be described on
the cylinder b.
For this purpose the motion of the wheel a is transmitted to the recording
apparatus through the intermediary of the reducing apparatus hereinafter described
said reducing apparatus imparting to the cylinder 6 and to the pencil c movements
respectively proportional to the horizontal and vertical projections of the distance
traversed by the wheel a.
The wheel a imparts its motion to the toothed plate d of the reducing apparatus.
through the bevel gear wheels e one of which latter is fixed rigidly on the axle of
the wheel a and the other bevel toothed wheel e is fixed to the end of an
intermediate shaft f which terminates in an endless screw or worm f¹ gearing with
the teeth of the toothed disc d.
In this manner the rotation of the disc d is made proportional to the rotation of
the wheel a.
g
The motion of the disc d is transmitted to the cylinder 6 by a friction roller
keyed on the axle of the pinion gearing with an intermediate wheel ' which
engages in turn with the wheel d' of the cylinder. This same motion of the disc d
is also transmitted to the pencil e by a second roller i mounted on the axle of a
bevel wheel which actuates a bevel toothed wheel fixed on the axle of the
pulley and so the latter is revolved and serves to actuate the endless belt band or
chain c carrying the pencil c.
Such are the means for transmitting the motion of the wheel a to the recording
apparatus.
We shall now proceed to describe the special arrangement of our reducing
apparatus for obtaining the exact profile of the ground travelled over.
For instance in causing the wheel a to travel along an incline represented by the
line A-B in Fig. 6 the horizontal line being represented by A. B the pencil c will
describe the exact profile that is to say the line A B if it moves parallel to the
axial line of the cylinder through the distance B B' whilst the circumference of
the cylinder rotates through a distance equal to A B¹.
The friction rollers g and i respectively enable the movements indicated to be
imparted exactly and simultaneously to the cylinder and to the pencil c the said
two rollers as stated being rotated on their axes by the friction of the disc d.
Furthermore the said two rollers are capable of moving nearer to or further away.
from the centre of the disc d by moving parallel to themselves along the horizontal
diameter of the disc d their respective planes always remaining perpendicular to
said diameter.
It will therefore be quite obvious that whatever may be the positions of the

page_text: rollers and g any point in their circumference will move through a distance equal
to that through which their point of contact on the plate moves.
Let the rollers g and i be placed at such distances from the centre that the
distance of the first roller g be proportional to A B and the distance of the second
roller be proportional to B B'; A B and B B' being the projections of A B.
The said rollers will then rotate through distances proportional to A B' and B B¹
and as they impart their motion (the roller g to the cylinder 6 and the roller i to
the pencil c) the line described on the paper will be the inclination A B of the
ground travelled over by the wheel a. The position of the rollers must therefore
vary with the inclination of the ground.
Fig. 4 shows how the roller g actuates the axle g (and similarly the roller i
actuates the axle) which axles g² and respectively transmit their motion to the
cylinder band to the pencil c.
The axle g is provided with a small longitudinal groover in which the screw
of the sleeve u works with slight friction. This sleeve is fixed to the journal of or
bearing carrying the roller g. The roller g is capable of moving along its axial
line by sliding along the axle g.
These movements along its axial line are imparted to it by the forked bearing p
in which the said roller is journalled.
The fork is connected to the guiding sector khereinafter referred to by means
of a pint which works freely in a recess formed in the block.
The axle engages at each of its ends in a slide-block H capable of moving in a
slot formed in or provided on the main framing of the apparatus. The slide-
block H is held between two springs II (see Fig. 4) of which one bears on the
bottom of the slide block H and the other on the bearing plate J. By means of a
screw L bearing on the bearing plate J the slide-block I may be moved forward
or backward and thus the pressure of the roller g upon the disc d may be adjusted
(increased or diminished) so that it shall always be sufficient to cause the rollers g
and i to be rotated by d and receive therefrom the requisite actuating power.
Fig. 5 illustrates the arrangement for enabling the rollers g and i to slide along
their axles in moving nearer to or further away from the centre of the disc d so
that the distances of their points of contact from the centre of said disc shall always
be to each other as the horizontal and vertical projections of the inclination of the
ground travelled over and shall consequently vary according to the change of said
inclination.
An internally toothed ring n Figs. 2, 3, 5 is arranged parallel to the disc d in
such a manner that its centre shall be in the axis of said disc. Two guiding
sectors k and toothed externally each having as diameter a radius of the ring
gear with the said internally toothed ring n and thus constitute a double internal
gearing.
22
The axles and of each of said sectors are carried by two arms mm which
form a right-angled piece. This right-angled piece is capable of turning about a
fixed axis m¹ carried by the framing of the apparatus and passing through the
centre of the ring n.
When this right-angled piece turns (as hereinafter explained) the guiding
sectors and are thereby moved on the inside circumference of the ring n and it
will be obvious that in such case a point of the rotating circumference describes a
diameter of the ring.
For example the points of each guiding sector which are situated on the horizontal
diameter will both describe said diameter.
It is in these very points of the guiding sector k and respectively that we fix
the connecting pins t, Fig. 4, each of which engages in the recess in the respective
forked bearing blocks of the respective rollers g and i.
Therefore the result of any rotary movement of the right-angled piece mm
will thus move the rollers g and i nearer to or away from the centre of the
disc d.
In the position shown in Fig. 5 the roller is at the centre of the disc d and the

page_text: roller g is at a distance equal to the radius of the ring n. This is the condition in
which the apparatus must be when travelling over horizontal ground because in
such case the disc d being actuated by the driving wheel a the roller i will remain
stationary whilst the roller g will rotate and will cause the cylinder 6 to rotate and
consequently the line drawn on the paper of the cylinder 6 will therefore be a line
parallel to the line of motion of said cylinder that is to say a line representing on a
determined scale and depending on the dimensions of the apparatus the length of
the path travelled on the ground by the wheel a.
When the driving wheel a shall travel over an incline such as A B Fig. 6 the
right-angled piece is inclined by the means and in such a manner as hereinafter
explained as to make with its first position an angle B A B₁ equal to the angle
of said incline and the guiding sectors k and will thereby move the rollers
and i.
It is therefore necessary that the angle through which the right-angled piece m m
is to turn shall always be equal to the angle of the inclination of the ground
travelled over.
For this purpose the said right-angled piece is connected to a
pendulum & subject solely to the action of gravity. This pendulum has the same
axis of oscillation as the right-angled piece. In Fig. 3 it is shown carried by and
fixed rigidly to the right-angled piece so that both rotate or oscillate (with a
minimum of friction) on the same axis or axle.
:
The stem or rod carrying the pendulum a is advantageously formed of a flexible
strip of metal.
During the travel of the vehicle over the ground the pendulum with its connecting
rod remains vertical and when on an incline will always make with its position when
on a horizontal an angle equal to that of the incline and consequently the angle
through which the right-angled piece m m turns or moves will always be equal to
the angle of the incline.
It is to be understood that we can modify the manner of mounting the pendulum
and the mechanical parts herein described as far as relating to constructional
arrangements and details of mechanism.
In our system the scale of the diagram for the horizontal distances and for the
heights is determined by means of formulæ in which there enter as factors the
radius of the driving wheel a the number of the teeth on the disc d the ratios
between the dimensions of the parts of the mechanism for transmitting motion etc.
which formulæ it is not necessary to introduce into this Specification.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. An altimeter or automatic elevation measuring device for delineating
graphically the contour of the profiles of the ground travelled over by the apparatus
which is mounted on any suitable vehicle said altimeter or instrument having a
pendulum capable of inclinations with relation to the horizontal (said inclinations
being equal to those of the ground travelled over) in combination and acting in
conjunction with means to simultaneously effect the rotation of the cylinder carrying
the paper on which the contour line is described and corresponding means to effect
the movements of the stylus or pencil or the like marking device delineating the
profile substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
2. In an arrangement of apparatus for automatically recording the profiles of
ground travelled over by a vehicle carrying the said apparatus said vehicle con-
sisting of two or more wheels mounted in the same plane the arrangement and
combination of a cylinder carrying the paper on which the profile is drawn and
having a rotary motion imparted thereto from the main driving wheel by means of
suitable transmitting gear such as bevel gear wheels revolving a worm shaft having
a worm thereon revolving a toothed disc which latter bears against and revolves a
friction roller such as g with the mechanism for effecting the movements of the
stylus, pencil or other device for marking on the said paper on the said cylinder

page_text: said mechanism consisting of a second roller similar to g and similarly carried round
by the same toothed disc; said two friction rollers being mounted on a support of
the shape of a right angle which causes their movements to be in rigid connection
and is adapted to move nearer to or further away from the centre of the said
toothed disc substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.
3. In an apparatus for recording and reproducing graphically the profiles of
ground the arrangement and combination of the mechanism for driving the paper
cylinder and the pencil for marking the profile-line consisting in mounting two
friction rollers in spring bearing blocks and causing them to bear against a revolving
disc actuated by the vehicle and transmitting their motion thus received respectively
to the cylinder and to the pencil in manner varying with the position of said two
rollers with relation to the centre of the said revolving disc the bearings carrying
the rollers being mounted on a bell-crank or right-angle piece which oscillates
under the action of toothed sectors connected to the pendulum of the apparatus and
engaging with a fixed toothed ring substantially in the manner and for the purposes
hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.
Dated this 8th day of Man 1802
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.