Improvements in Counters or Indicators for Windlasses and other Machinery, to Indicate the Number of Turns, Distance Run, or Amount of Cable Paid Out, or the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Lett, 21st jan., 1890-Accepted, 19th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Counters or Indicators for Windlasses and other
Machinery, to Indicate the Number of Turns, Distance Run, or
Amount of Cable Paid Out, or the like.
1, DAVID H. RIVERS of Stoneham in the County of Middlesex and State of
Massachusetts U.S.A. Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention was originally invented for use as indicator for a ship's windlass
but it is applicable also to any other type of machine where the apparatus runs only
a definite limited course and then comes to an end, such as for instance in winding
machinery, setting the sails of a windmill or the vanes of a feathering propeller.
My apparatus consists of a dialplate properly subdivided and having an index arm
or pointer driven by gearing so as to move this plate and in connection therewith a
device which connects the gearing with the windlass or other machinery so that the
rotation of the latter will indicate upon the dial the amount of chain paid out or taken
in or the number of revolutions performed, or other work done, so that the attendant
can see at a glance exactly how much of the entire stroke is accomplished or chain
paid out.
As applied to a windlass situated say on deck a wheel with an indiarubber tyre is
pressed by means of a spring against the side of the wildcat. This wheel is fixed on
a shaft connected with the gearing. The bearings of this shaft slide in guides so that
the wheel can follow any roughness or inaccuracies of outline in the cathead, the
spring pressing against the bearing causes the wheel always to press with equal force.
The shaft on which this wheel is situated is connected to a worin-wheel on a counter-
shaft by means of a worm and this counter shaft has a second worm that works the
wheel on the pointer shaft. The entire mechanism is attached to a slotted plate on
the bearing of the cathead or other suitable position by means of a catch in the base
plate of the apparatus. Other means however can be adopted for clamping the
apparatus in position, for instance, where the wildcat and brake are below the level of
the deck the dial or counter can be placed on the deck dial uppermost and covered
with a removable or hinged cap, a shaft is brought down from the gearing to the
wild-cat or brake side and is pressed against the latter by a spring on a bracket
suspended from the deck above, this bracket also carries in a slotted guide the
bearing of the shaft. The tension of the spring pressing, on the bearing of the rubber
wheel shaft can be adjusted to any desired degree by means of a screw or its
equivalent. The index hand can be made moveable independent of the gearing so
that the attendant can always bring it back to zero and thus he can see at a glance
the amount of run made at that particular actuating of the machinery. It is better
as a rule however to arrange that zero shall be at the centre of the chain or at one
end of it and then the dial can be graduated to show the exact length of the chain
run out in the case of a windlass. Where the apparatus is applied to a constantly
running machinery the hand will of course continually circulate round the dial, and
counting machinery can be added so as to show the exact amount of run made during
the day or any specified time.
WM. P. THOMPSON Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Counters or Indicators for Windlasses and other
Machinery, to Indicate the Number of Turns, Distance Run, or
Amount of Cable Paid Out, or the like.
I, DAVID H. RIVERS, of Stoneham, in the County of Middlesex, and State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, Master Mariner, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to he
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention was originally invented for use as an indicator for a ship's windlass,
but it is applicable also to any other type of machine where the apparatus runs only
a definite limited course and then comes to an end, such as, for instance, in winding
machinery for mines and the like, where a given number of turns have to be given
each time. The motion is in all cases given in the manner hereafter described
being taken from a moving part of the machinery to be indicated.
My apparatus consists of a dialplate or seale properly subdivided, and having an
index arm or pointer driven by gearing so as to move over this plate, and in
connection therewith a device which connects the gearing with the windlass or other
machinery, so that the rotation of the latter will indicate upon the dial the amount of
chain paid out or taken in, or the number of revolutions performed, or other work
done, so that the attendant can see at a glance exactly how much of the entire stroke
is accomplished or chain paid out.
I will describe my invention as applied to a windlass, situated, say, on the deck
of a vessel, for paying out or hauling in a chain cable, such as is connected to the
anchor.
In the drawings :—
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the case containing the gearing, the dial, and the
index-hand, showing the shaft by which the gearing is driven and the operation of the
windlass which actuates the shaft.
Figure 2 is a modification of my invention, the indicator (which is here shown in
front elevation) being geared to the vertical motion shaft by a belt, gut band, or its
equivalents.
Figure 3 shows an alternative arrangement, an outline of the windlass being shown
in side elevation.
In the present case, I have shown only such a portion of the windlass as ordinarily
constructed as will be sufficient to illustrate its application to my invention.
Referring to Figure 1 :-
A. is that portion of the windlass around which the chain cable of the anchor passes,
and by which it is hove in when necessary by any of the usual mechanisms employed
upon a windlass. Connected with this portion of the windlass, is the compressor
wheel or disc C, around which passes a strap or band brake C, operated by a suitable
lever, so that when the chain is allowed to run out, this portion of the windlass
(which is termed the "wild-cat") is allowed to turn freely and independently of the
rest of the windlass; but when the chain is to be hove in, it is locked to the other
portion of the windlass, so that when the windlass is turned, it will rotate the portion
around which the chain passes, and thus shorten up the chain.
D is the train of gearing contained within the case E, which is supported upon the
deck E' above the windlass and in plain view of the operator who controls the
compressor-brake by which the drum carrying the chain is released, so as to allow
the chain to run out. a is the pointer which moves over the face of the dial a'. From
the said gearing box or case E, a shaft F extends downward to a point opposite the
periphery of the drum or wheel C. The upper end of this shaft is sufficiently steadied
by its connection with the gearing in the case. The lower end of the shaft passes
through a journal-box G, which fits in a slot H in the horizontal arni of the
supporting-standard I. This standard, as shown in the present case, is bolted to the
under side of the deck E¹, and this supports the shaft with its lower end in close

page_text: proximity to the drum C. Upon the lower end of the shaft F is fixed a wheel or
disc J, the periphery of which is preferably covered with rubber or other elastic
material which will have sufficient frictional adherence to cause it to rotate when it
travels in contact with the side of the drum 'C.
K is a spring, the upper end of which is bolted to the side of the standard I, and
the inner end presses against the inner side of the journal-box G, so as to press it
outward in the slot H, and thus keep the friction wheel, disc, or roller J in contact
with the drum C, and it compensates for any irregularities in the rotation of the
drums, which might otherwise throw it temporarily out of contact with the friction-
roller J. It also allows an adjustment for any end-play in the journal-shaft of the
windlass or the parts connected therewith.
The shaft F may be telescopic, and its length adjustable by a set screw or its
equivalent. By lengthening or shortening the shaft F (thus throwing the friction
roller J nearer or further from the centre of the wild-cat) the speed of rotation can be
adjusted so as to accurately indicate the number of turns of the wild-cat and the
amount of chain cable paid out.
The tension of the spring K is adjusted to any desired degree by means of a
screw L passing through the side of the standard I and pressing upon the inner
face of the spring, as shown.
The operation will then be as follows :-
When the anchor is dropped, it is desirable to know how much cable is paid out,
and when all is in readiness, the wild-cat, having been unlocked from the remainder
of the windlass, is held temporarily by the brake-band or compressor C¹, and when
it is allowed to rotate, its contact with the frictional roller J rotates the shaft F, and
through this shaft the gearing D in the box E. The index-hand a will thus be
caused to move over the dial, and when it indicates that a sufficient quantity of chain
has been paid out, it may be stopped and held by the compressor. If, for any reason,
it is desired to heave in a portion of the cable, or to shorten it preparatory to
tripping the anchor, the index-hand, which is movable independently of the gearing,
is turned back to zero, and the amount of chain hove in will be accurately indicated
by the dial and index-hand. I have not particularly described the train of gearing,
as it would vary to suit different forms of windlass, the diameter of the friction-wheel,
or the drum.
By this device, the ship's master is able to know exactly the amount of chain
which is out, and to increase or diminish the amount accurately.
Figure 2 shows an arrangement by which it is possible to locate the indicator at
some distance from the windlass. In this figure, the spindle F is provided, near its
top, with a grooved pulley f, which is geared with another similar pulley fi
(attached to the indicator mechanism) by means of a cord or belt g, or a light chain
might be used instead and the pulleys ff constructed accordingly.
When two or even more indicators are employed, so as to enable the captain or
master, or the other officers of the vessel to observe individually, without leaving
their respective posts, the amount of cable paid out, I gear the spindles of the
respective indicators together by a cord, belt, or the like, passing round pulleys such
as f2, Figure 2, or, if preferred, they may be operated each independently of one
another.
The cord g can, if desired, be driven direct from a groove on the periphery of the
wild-cat C, as shown on Figure 3, and in that case, suitable guide or tension
pulleys are provided, mounted upon a bed plate such as i and capable of being
moved thereon, by which means the tension of the cord or band can be adjusted.
In another arrangement, the indicator is operated by a shaft or shafts geared to
the vertical spindle of the former by bevel wheels, and motion is imparted from the
wild-cat to the said shafts by a belt, cord, or the like.
Where the apparatus is applied to a constantly running machinery, the hand a
will, of course, continually circulate round the dial, and counting machinery can be
added so as to show the exact amount of run made during the day or any specified
time.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is :-
1. A counting or indicating apparatus, comprising a dialplate or scale properly
subdivided and having an index arın or pointer driven by gearing so as to move
over the plate, and in connection therewith a device which connects the gearing
with the windlass or other machinery so that the rotation of the latter will indicate,
upon the dial, the amount of chain paid out or taken in or the number of revolutions
performed, or other work done, so that the attendant can see at a glance exactly
how much of the entire stroke is accomplished or chain paid out, substantially as
described.
2. In combination with the rotary drum of a windlass or other like machinery
and with a dial index and train of gearing, a driving shaft F extending downwardly
from said gearing, a friction roller J, fixed to the lower end of the shaft and bearing
against the rotary drum aforesaid, and a spring adapted to hold said roller in contact
with the drum, whereby the roller may adjust itself to irregularities in the drum
during the rotation of the same, substantially as described.
3. In combination with counting or indicating apparatus for machinery having a
definite maximum stroke, course or run in any one direction, the apparatus sub-
stantially as described and set forth in the drawings for communicating the motion of
the machinery to the indicating scale or dial apparatus.
Dated this 90th do
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, and London, Patent Agents.