Automatic Damper Attachments.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1896-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Automatic Damper Attachments.
I, WARREN DUDLEY KING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peabody
in the County of Essex and State of Massachusetts, U.S.A. Electrical Engineer,
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:-
This invention relates to an apparatus for controlling the action of dampers of
boilers, furnaces or for other purposes, and the object thereof is to provide means
whereby the dampers may be operated from any floor or at a distance, and also to
provide means whereby the damper may be automatically operated at any
predetermined time, and with these and other objects in view the invention consists
in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more fully
described in the specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in
which:-
Fig. 1, is a front elevation of the controlling apparatus, which is suitably
connected with the damper (not shown).
Fig. 2, is an end view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3, is a detailed view of a portion of the clock mechanism showing the means
of forming clectrical contact, and,
Fig. 4, is a detailed view of the contact wheel.
Similar numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.
Referring to the drawing and particularly to the construction shown in Fig. 1,
the numeral 1 indicates a wooden frame or back, to which is connected a suitable
base portion projected at each side of the back 1, aud to the base 2 is secured a
vertical standard or support 3 in front of said back, and a similar standard 4, in
the opposite side of the back, and in these supports 3 and 4 is journaled a shaft 5,
carrying a drum 6 which is located on the shaft in front of the back 1, and on the
opposite side of the back, and mounted on said shaft 5, is a brass ratchet wheel 7,
and pivotally mounted on the back 1, is a pawl 8, made of soft iron which is
adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 7, and secured to the outer end of
the drum 6 is a chain or cord 9, one end of which is secured to said drum, and to
the opposite end of the cord is secured a weight 10, and the object of which is to
act as a counter-weight to the pawl or weight of the damper (not shown), which is
attached to the drum 6 by means of a cord or chain 11.
Located directly above the pawl 8 and the gear wheel 7 are two electro-
magnets 12, which are preferably bored and copper plugged to prevent the sticking
of the pawl 8 and which are suitably secured to the back 1 by means of a bracket 13,
and secured to said back and above the electro-magnet is a push button 14, and
the electrical connection is made between the push button 14, and the electro-
magnets by means of a conductor 15, which extends over one side of the push
button and communicates with one of the said electro-magnets, and from the other'
side of the push button extends a similar conductor 16, the opposite end of which
is connected with a battery 17, and from the battery 17 extends a conductor 18,
the opposite end of which is connected with the second electro-magnet, thereby
completing the circuit between the push button 14, and the battery 17, through the
electro-magnets 12, so that when the circuit is closed by pressure upon the push,
button 14, the armature of the electro-magnets will become magnetized and will
attract the soft iron pawl 8, thereby disengaging the pawl from the ratchet wheel 7

page_text: and releasing the drum 6, which will then turn by means of a chain or cord 11,
attached to the damper, the weight of the latter revolving the drum.
I may also provide means for automatically operating the dampers, and in this
connection provide a clock 19 provided with a leg 20, and this clock is connected
with a conductor 15 by means of a wire 21, and said leg 20 of the clock is connected
with the conductor 16 by means of a wire 22, so that when the clock mechanism
closes the circuit the electro-magnets will be magnetized, as before stated, and the
damper will be operated in the same manner as before described.
The method of closing the circuit within the clock is obtained by means of the
mechanism shown in Fig. 3.
The clock 19 differs from an ordinary alarm clock in having an escapement
instead of a bell, and having an extra wheel 23, Fig. 3 and 4, mounted on the
alarm spring shaft 25, and mounted in the clock frame adjacent to said spring
shaft 25 parallel therewith, is a shaft or post 26, of hard rubber or suitable insulating
material, which shaft is screw-threaded at its ends, and in which is formed a screw-
threaded opening adapted to receive a contact screw 27, and adapted to contact
with the wheel 23, mounted on the spring shaft 25, and this screw 27, is electrically
connected with the foot 20, which is insulated from the rest of the clock.
The wheel 23, is made in two parts, one of which parts 28, is formed into a
pointed projection made of hard rubber or other suitable material, and the main
portion of the wheel is made of brass or similar material. The object of thus
constructing said wheel 23, is to prevent the closing of the circuit until the wheel
shall have assumed a pre-determined position when it is desirable to close the circuit
and operate the damper (not shown).
The clock 19 sets into a hole cut into the base 2 of the frame, and is not fastened
to said frame, and the back of the clock's case rests on one piece of brass, and the
leg with which the wire 22 is connected is set upon another piece of brass, which
latter piece of brass is set into the frame, and these plates are connected by suitable
wires with the battery 17 and the electro-magnets 12.
The operation of the apparatus will be readily understood from the foregoing
description when taken in connection with accompanying drawing.
The damper is closed by pressing the push button 14, thereby closing the circuit
through the electro-magnets which magnetize the soft iron pawl 8, and releases the
same from engagement with the ratchet wheel 7, and the weight of the damper
through the cord 11 will revolve the drum and when it is desired to open the
damper, it is only necessary to raise the handle 11, thus taking the weight of the
damper off the drum & the counterweight 10 will revolve the drum which will open
the damper, and when the latter is closed or opened it will be retained in such
position by the engagement of the pawl 8 of the ratchet wheel 7.
The damper may be operated manually when desired. When the clock mechanism
is used to operate the damper, it is only necessary to set the wheel 23, in the desired
position, so that when the predetermined time arrives, the circuit will be closed
and the damper operated as aforesaid.
It is obvious that various modifications and changes may be made in the
construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described without
departing from the spirit of this invention, and I reserve the right to make
modifications thereof as fairly come within the scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is;-
1. An apparatus for operating dampers from a distance, consisting of a frame in
which is mounted a counter-weighted drum, a ratchet wheel mounted on the drum
shaft to operate and engage the ratchet wheel, and retain the damper in a desired
position, and 'means for releasing the pawl and to open the damper, substantially.as
described.
2. A'n apparatus for operating dampers from a distance, consisting of a frame in

page_text: which is mounted a counter-weighted drum, a ratchet wheel mounted on the drum.
shaft to operate and engage the ratchet wheel, and retain the damper in a desired
position, a weight provided with a chain or cord, which is attached to the drum,
and an additional chain or cord attached to the damper, and means for releasing.
the pawl, whereby the ratchet wheel will be released, and the damper open by its
own weight, substantially as described.
3. An apparatus for operating dampers from a distance, consisting of a frame in
which is mounted a counter-weighted drum, a ratchet wheel mounted on the drum
shaft to operate and engage the ratchet wheel, and retain the damper in a desired
position, a weight provided with a chain or rod, which is attached to the drum,.
and an additional chain or cord attached to the damper, and electro-magnets having
electrical connections, and a push button to close the electric circuit, and magnetize
the pawl to release the ratchet wheel and to operate the damper, substantially as
described.
4. An apparatus for operating dampers from a distance, consisting of a frame in
which is mounted a counter-weighted drum, a ratchet wheel mounted on the drum
shaft to operate and engage the ratchet wheel, and retain the damper in a desired
position, a weight provided with a chain or cord, which is attached to the drum,
and an additional chain or cord attached to the damper, and electro-magnets having
electrical connections, and means for automatically closing the circuit to open the
damper, substantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of June 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.