Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating the Speed and the Direction of Movement of Rotary Shafts.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1850-Accepted, 22nd Aug. 1891
UMI LEIE
Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating the Speed and the
Direction of Movement of Rotary Shafts.
I, BERNHARD EGGER, of 23, Kleine Neugasse, Vienna, in the Empire of
Austria, Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates to apparatus designed for indicating the speed and the
direction of movement of a rotary shaft by means of an electric current.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a view of the dial plate.
Figure 2 is a front view of the device for moving the hand and the signalling
disc.
Figure 3 is a side view of the device for moving the hand.
Figure 4 a side view of the device for indicating the direction of the rotation.
Figures 5 and 6 show in front and side view the contact device and the commutator
on the shaft.
Figure 7 shows a front view of the clock controlling device.
Figures 8, 9, 10, 11 show diagrams of the connections for various positions of the
apparatus.
Figure 12 shows the connection for two apparatus connected with each other.
The improved apparatus constructed according to this invention comprises three
main parts, that is to say, the commutator A, Figures 5, 6; the contact device B,
Figures 3 and 7 arranged in connection with a clock; and the indicator proper
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4.
The commutator determines the direction of the electric current in accordance
with the direction of movement of the rotary shaft in each case, and also the flow
of the electric current to the electro-magnets of the indicator by means of the
contact device B. It consists of the shaft y which is supported in a metallic casing Z
adapted to be properly closed, and which according to the given local conditions is
coupled in any suitable manner with the shaft to be controlled. Upon the shaft
is secured a wooden drum m which carries a contact ring i provided with a
projection c. Above the same shaft are supported upon a common axis e two
insulated sliding strips and a slotted arm D2 which can be displaced and is
continually pressed downwards by a spring d fixed above it.
y
This
An insulated contact spring a is provided for conducting the battery current to
the sliding-strips, from these to the indicator, next to the clock and then back
to the battery. The aforesaid arm D² slides upon the collar y on the shaft Y.
collar is provided with recesses or grooves on its periphery so as to form two
projecting parts o o' which have for their object to displace the arm D2 and the
sliding-strips ff secured together with the latter upon the common axes e from
which the strips are insulated, in the same direction either from right to left or vice
versa in accordance with the direction of movement of the revolving shaft y, thereby
reversing the current in two pairs of electromagnets M and N of the indicator.
The above mentioned clock constitutes a mechanism of very strong construction
and possesses an anchor escapement. In connection with the contact device B it
has to conduct the current to the numbering device of the indicator during a definite
period of time and at equal intervals which succeed each other regularly. For
this purpose on the second-wheel of the clock is provided a contact spring n which
slides upon an insulated disc s firmly attached to the casing of the clock. This disc
consists of an ivory plate provided as shown in the drawing, with sector shaped

page_text: metallic contact-pieces ew which are in connection with conductors extending to
the battery and to the indicator.
I employ an indicator which comprises a round metallic casing which is tightly
closed and provided in front with a dial plate Figure 1 and a hand or pointer L.
At intervals of fifteen seconds the hand points to the figure corresponding to the
number of revolutions which are made by the rotary shaft. In the lower half of
the dial plate is formed an opening behind which a direction-plate is situated bearing
the letters F (forwards) and B (backwards). The dial plate and hand are covered
by a glass plate.
The interior arrangement of the apparatus is as follows (Figures 2, 3, 4). For
the forward movement of the hand a pair of electromagnets D are arranged upon a
plate P for the purpose of actuating the armature lever . This lever is provided
with a helical spring p and two adjusting screws e e' to enable its movement to be
regulated and is balanced. It carries at one end a spring pawl I which when the
armature lever is attracted engages with the teeth of a ratchet wheel and always
moves the latter forwards only one tooth in the direction of the hand of a clock.
The ratchet wheel is slid loosely upon the axis F3 which also supports the axis G'
for receiving the hand or pointer Figure 3.
By means of the springs Sp the ratchet projection K made of any suitable form
is pressed against a crown wheel K' firmly secured upon the axis G³.
For the purpose of obtaining a regular forward movement the ratchet wheel is
firmly connected with a disc R toothed in the opposite direction and having an equal
number of teeth, with which the spring Rx, fixed to the armature engages so as to
limit each forward movement of the ratchet wheel. A pair of electromagnets E
serve for the return movement of the hand these electromagnets are also arranged
upon the plate P, and are provided with an armature D' adapted to be regulated by
means of a spiral spring Sp. When this armature D is attracted after the power
of the spang Sp has been overcome the said armature is displaced along the axis F³,
thus releasing or uncoupling its projection K from the crown wheel K. Upon the
axis for the hand or pointer is fixed a drum T upon which is wound a silk thread
kept stretched by means of a spiral spring Sp tending to pull the same in the
opposite direction to that of the forward movement of the hand so that the latter is
returned to its position of rest, that is to say put back to zero.
For actuating the direction-plate G use is inade of two pairs of electromagnets M N
which are likewise fixed upon the above mentioned plate P, but by means of a
special bracket Z. This bracket supports a bearing for the axis of the armature
this axis having firmly secured to it the arm G2 of the direction-plate. Above the
electro-magnets M N and upon the axis is arranged the double-armed armature B',
which is provided at each of its extremities with a thin strip, tt, through the medium
of which the said armature is held by stop springs M' M² placed on either side of
the electromagnet when it is attracted by the corresponding electromagnet Mor N
traversed by the current. Moreover below the armature B is provided a double
armature II, presenting the form of a yoke which performs a to-and-fro movement
at right angles to the magnet cores, and which carries at each of its extremities a
projecting pin for the purpose of pushing off the stop spring at the opposite
magnet if the said armature is attracted by one or the other electromagnet, and
thus releasing the end of the armature B'.
The arrangements for connecting the various conductors or the apparatus with
each other are shown in Figures 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.
The operation of my improved apparatus is hereinafter described with reference
to Sheet III of the drawings.
The first position Figure 8, represents the rotary shaft y turning forwards. The
armature B is attracted by the electromagnet M and held by the stop-spring M'.
By every pulsation of the current passing through the electromagnet D, caused
by the circular movement of the rotary shaft or the commutator coupled with it,
the armature b is actuated so as to cause the ratchet wheel F to move forward one
tooth each time. This forward movement of the ratchet wheel lasts as long as the

page_text: sector in the contact device B is in contact with the spring n. The battery
current then takes the following course: From the positive pole to the casing of
the clock or the spring n in contact therewith, then to the contact sector v, the
electromagnet D then by reason of the position of the commutator it passes to the
electromagnets M and through the conductor to the sliding-strip of the commutator f¹
to return to the battery. The position Figure 9 represents the apparatus during
the fifteen seconds when the hand indicates the number of revolutions of the shaft
to be controlled.
The position Figure 10 shows the apparatus at the moment when the hand is
returned. In this case the circuit is established as follows: From the positive pole
it. flows to the casing of the clock, or the spring n, from this to the sector w, then to
the electromagnet I, and back to the battery. By reason of the establishment of
this circuit the armature D' is attracted or the pin K disengaged from the crown-
wheel K, and the hand returned through the medium of the helical spring Sp to its
position of rest that is to say to zero.
The position Figure 11 represents the shaft y rotating in the opposite direction
or backwards, and the consequent change in the circuit and in the position of the
armature g together with the direction plate G. Owing to the rotation of the shaft
in the opposite direction the commutator is reversed and the sliding strip f² put
in contact.
In this case the current flows from the positive pole to the casing of the clock or
the spring n in contact therewith, then to the contact sector further to the
electromagnets D, whence it passes to the electromagnets N and further through
the conductor to the sliding-strip f* of the commutator back to the battery. This
passage of the current causes the attraction of the yoke-shaped double armature at I¹
whereby the stop spring M is forced back and the armatures B' released in order
to be at once attracted by the electromagnet N and to be held by the stop spring M².
In consequence of this movement of the armature the direction-piate in connection
with the armature is turned through a certain distance so as to bring its sign B
backwards before the opening in the dial-plate.
The position Figure 12 represents two indicators connected with each other, as
may be the case on ships, one of the indicators together with the clock and
commutator being arranged in the engine room, whilst the other is arranged upon
the bridge or at some other suitable place, for instance next to the engine
telegraph.
As shown in the diagram these two indicators are included in parallel series, the
terminals of the same name being joined with each other. In order to enable them
to be optionally included or cut out from either station, in the circuit between the
positive pole of the battery and the casing of the clock are included two keys W W¹,
one of which is placed in the engine room and the other on board upon the bridge.
Finally the diagram shows that several indicators placed at different stations may
be operated with only one clockwork B and one battery in which case of course the
battery must be more powerful in proportion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
:-
In apparatus for indicating the speed and the direction of movement of a rotary
shaft:-
First. The commutator consisting essentially of the arm D² which is adapted to
slide upon a collar on the shaft y and is displaced according to the direction of
movement of the latter, thereby changing the circuit.
Second. The contact device 13 put in connection with a clock, which has for its
object to conduct the current, at definite intervals of time succeeding each other, to
the numbering device of the indicator, and which consists essentially of a contact
spring n provided on the second-wheel to slide upon the contact disc s.
Third. The indicater proper, comprising a device for moving back the hand L to

page_text: zero, which consists of the electromagnets E attracting the armature D' and
disengaging the crown wheel K¹ by means of the projection K so as to allow the
spring Sp to act, and a device for indicating the forward and backward movement
of the shaft, which consists of the direction plate G attracted in one or the other
direction by the pair of electromagnets M N.
Dated this 8th day of November 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.