Improvements in and relating to Speed Indicating and Registering Apparatus.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 31st July, 1894-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Speed Indicating and Registering
Apparatus.
We, JACQUES PHILIPPE DUMAS, and ERNEST DE LA ROULLE, both of
21 Boulevard Poissonnière, Paris, in the Republic of France, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows
Our invention relates to an improved apparatus designed to indicate and register
in a graphic form the various incidents, such as speed, stoppages, change of motion
and the like, of locomotive engines on their journey. It is also applicable to
stationary engines, carriages, velocipedes, balloons, machines, and in general to any
mechanical movements in respect of which it is desirable to register the speed and
successive stoppages.
This apparatus comprises:
(1) A rotary plane disc having printed on it concentric circles and radiating
lines, the former for the speed and the latter for the time.
(2) A clockwork provided with an automatic winding device and designed to
turn the plane disc.
(3) A first stylo mounted upon a spring slide and set in action by one of the
movable parts of the machine and designed to trace upon the rotary plane disc
curves or lines giving the various phases of the movement.
(4) A second stylo indicating the direction of the movement at the moment
considered; this stylo begins to act for the movement in a given direction and
its action is suspended during the whole time of the movement in the opposite
direction.
(5) Use may also be made of a pointer set in motion by a centrifugal governor
and indicating on a fixed dial plate the velocity of the machine at the moment
considered.
In order that the arrangement, the relation and the operation of these various
constitutive parts of our speed indicating and registering apparatus may be
properly understood we hereinafter describe the same in detail with special
reference to locomotive engines, but its essential arrangements are the same for
other uses.
In all cases the apparatus has three principal functions, that is to say, firstly the
automatic winding of the clockwork, secondly the registration of the movement
and stoppages in one direction, the forward movement; and thirdly the registration
of the movement and stoppages in the other direction, the backward movement.
At the lower part of the apparatus is a chain wheel over which passes an endless
chain connecting the same with a similar wheel keyed upon one of the movable
parts of the locomotive engine, for example upon one of the driving axles or
upon a shaft connected by any suitable means with these axles.
The rotary movement thus communicated to the chain wheel is transmitted by a
pair of bevel pinions to a vertical shaft made of two parts. The upper part is
always carried away by the lower part with the aid of a pin provided in a bayonet
slot, but it is capable relatively to the first part of making a longitudinal movement
according to the direction of the rotation by means of an inclined plane with a
spring upon which a pin on the said upper part bears and slides as it rises. Upon
this part are two bevel wheels gearing one or the other, according as the upper part
of the shaft is raised or lowered, with a third wheel the axis of which carries a

page_text: worm engaging with a helicoidal wheel. The axis of this wheel carries a pinion
which by a series of intermediate wheels imparts movement to an axis provided
with a bevel wheel which gears with a corresponding wheel connected with a
helicoidal plane hereinafter referred to.
The axis of the said bevel wheel or that of one of the intermediate wheels
above mentioned receives the spring casing of the clockwork mechanism so that the
spring is constantly under tension by reason of the rotation imparted to the said
axis. The excess of tension which may be produced need not be feared, for the
spring is not attached to the side of the casing so that it simply slides thereon,
and the pressure which it exerts is strong enough for preserving a sufficient tension
for the proper operation of the mechanism. This spring casing sets in action, by
the aid of suitable wheels, the clockwork which comprises all the ordinary accessories
necessary for its operation.
Upon the axis of one of the wheels of the mechanism is keyed a plane metallic
disc provided with clips enabling a sheet of paper or cardboard to be easily
placed thereon. On this sheet are printed concentric circles and radiating lines,
the former being designed for the speeds and the latter for the time. The
said disc, provided with its paper or cardboard, revolves after the manuer
of pointers; it makes a complete revolution in twelve hours or in any number
of hours.
The sheet placed upon the said disc receives impressions from two stylos, one of
which indicates the direction of the movement while the second traces curves
corresponding to the speed.
The stylo for indicating the direction of the movement is mounted upon a lever
on an axis carrying a second lever upon which acts the extremity of the upper
part of the before-mentioned vertical shaft. When this part is raised, which takes
place for instance when the engine moves backwards, the aforesaid second lever
and consequently the first lever are raised and the stylo is removed from the disc
upon which it leaves no impression. But as soon as the engine moves again
forwards the upper part of the vertical shaft descends again and with it, under
the action of a spring pressing upon the second lever, the said stylo tracing on the
paper a concentric curve during the whole time of the movement in this direction
irrespective of the speed of this movement.
The stylo for indicating the speed is mounted upon a lever fixed to the upper
part of a slide guided vertically and constantly tending to move downwards under
the action of a spring. Another lever fixed to the same part of the slide
rests with its extremity upon the helicoidal path herein before mentioned. Under
the action of the rotary movement imparted to this helicoidal plane or path the
aforesaid two levers and slide are raised and with them the stylo which describes
upon the paper a more or less extended curve according to the greater or smaller
speed.
The pitch of the helicoidal path is equal to the space between the two extreme
concentric circles of the rotary disc and there is only one helical convolution, and
by reason of the above-mentioned slide the stylo describes in the said space an
absolutely straight line whilst in reality a curve is traced upon the disc.
When the second lever reaches the top of the helicoidal path this lever
encounters a vertical escapement and under the action of the aforesaid spring of
its slide is abruptly moved to the bottom of the helicoidal path in order to
commence another upward movement and so on.
It will be understood that in the place of the helicoidal path we may employ a
spiral cam, but we prefer the said path which by its nature and by reason of the
facility afforded for ensuring precision gives more exact indications.
The second stylo traces upon the disc a line which would be a radius if the speed
were infinitely great and a circumference if this speed were nil, as for instance in
stoppages. In the case of motion the curve traced resulting from the rectilineal
displacement of the stylo and from the rotation of the disc approximates the
straight line of the radius the more the greater the speed.

page_text: While the second stylo draws its line the first stylo traces or does not trace its
curve upon the edge of the disc, thus indicating whether the motion takes place
forwards or whether it takes place backwards.
On the side of the above described mechanism and enclosed in the same metallic
box by which the whole is protected from inclement weather and unauthorized
interference is placed a centrifugal governor of any desired kind set in operation
by means of a suitable transmitting gear connected with the said vertical shaft
actuated by the chain wheel. According to the speed of the motion the balls or
arms of this governor open more or less and displace a sleeve the movement of
which is transmitted by the aid of an appropriate arrangement of levers and rods
to a sector gearing with a pinion keyed on the axis of a pointer which turns in
front of a fixed dial plate placed in proximity to the mechanism and the gradua-
tions of which in kilometres correspond to the speed and the diameter of the wheels
of the locomotive engine. A pointer or index may at the beginning be placed
opposite the figure for the speed which the driver must not exceed.
In this manner the driver is instructed respecting the speed of his engine and
knows at the same time whether or not he exceeds the maximum speed of the
movement, which enables him to regulate the latter accordingly.
The different variations of speed are therefore indicated to the driver and they
are at the same time registered upon the sheet which, being kept among the
documents, may serve for purposes of information or control.
In the face of the said box is a small hole through which an inspector may
insert his punch and mark upon the edge of the disc the hour of his visit.
It will be understood that our apparatus may be constructed of any desired form
and dimensions and that these constitutive parts may be made of any suitable
materials. We may also vary the relation and arrangement of each of the parts,
which has no effect upon the result or upon the indications given or registered.
Thus for example the worm herein before referred to may be placed at the lower
part instead of being placed at the upper part.
The rotary plane disc may also be replaced by a drum.
The circular indicating dial-plate may be replaced by a simple arc of a circle.
All modifications of detail evidently depend upon the uses to which the said
apparatus is applied.
By way of example we will describe a modification for the special application
of our indicating and registering apparatus to fans or to fixed machines. In this
modification the transmission to the apparatus is effected by the aid of a ratchet-
mechanism set in operation by means of an eccentric or in any other suitable
manner, and the helicoidal path is replaced by a cam. The indicating dial plate is
here dispensed with.
In like manner we may replace the helicoidal path or the spiral cam by a pinion
gearing with the toothed edge of the slide which carries the tracing stylo; this
pinion has part of its teeth cut away in order that the backward movement of the
said slide may take place under the action of its spring.
For the control or the verification we may have discs of gelatine or other
transparent material for the different velocities, which discs for their application
to the disc of the apparatus enables deviations in the motion or speed to be very
rapidly noticed.
It is also possible to provide for the transmission to the indicating dial plate
directly from the axis of the aforesaid worm in lieu of from the axis of the
chain wheel, and to actuate the pointer of the indicator by means of a worm in
lieu of using a sector. For this purpose the axis of the above-mentioned worm
is prolonged and carries at its extremity a bevel pinion engaging with another
pinion the axis of which is connected by a short shaft and two universal joints
to an axis transmitting the movement by a shaft and two pairs of bevel wheels
to the axis carrying the worm which gears with the pinion keyed upon the axis of
the pointer.
The transmission is such that when the axis makes 100 revolutions the pointer

page_text: makes one revolution upon the dial plate. We may regulate the wheels so that
60 revolutions of the vertical shaft cause one revolution of the pointer, in which
case the divisions of seconds correspond exactly to the revolutions.
We provide a clockwork moving the two pointers of a supplementary dial plate
(hours and minutes) and a trotter moving round the dial plate.
This part of the apparatus operates in the following manner:
We press upon a knob in order to bring the said pointer to zero, which pointer
makes 100 revolutions while the said trotter makes 60 revolutions.
When this trotter has made one revolution we look to see how many revolu-
tions are marked by the said pointer and this will show exactly the number of
revolutions.
This pointer need not be moved back to zero at the moment when the two
pointers cross, for example by observing the figures upon which they are at the
moment when the operation begins.
In 5, 10 or 20 seconds we have the elements for determining the revolutions and
consequently for the speed in kilometres, because below or in place of the revolú-
tions we put 30, 40 or 45 kilometres per hour according to the diameter of the
wheels of the.machine so that without troubling about the number of revolutions
made the driver reads in front of the said pointer the number of kilometres which
he drives per hour by continuing to move at this speed.
The trotter may also be moved back to zero by the aid of a knob.
Each of the two knobs may be moved so as to stop its pointer at the place which
it occupies at the moment considered, to move the pointer back to zero and to
put it in motion at a definite moment. By pressing upon the two knobs simul-
taneously the two pointers are set in motion at the same moment and the reading
is extremely easy.
ופנית.
1
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Speed Indicating and Registering
Apparatus.
We, JACQUES PHILIPPE DUMAS, and ERNEST DE LA ROULLE, both of
21 Boulevard Poissonnière, Paris, in the Republic of 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 :-
Our invention relates to an improved apparatus designed to indicate and
register in a graphic form various incidents, such as speed, stoppages, change of
direction and the like, of locomotive engines on their journey. It is also
applicable to stationary engines, carriages, velocipedes, machines, and in general
to any mechanical movement in respect of which it is desirable to register the speed
and successive stoppages.
This apparatus comprises:
(1) A rotary plane dise having printed on it concentric circles and radiating
lines, the former for the speed and the latter for the time.
(2) A clockwork provided with an automatic winding device and designed to
turn the plane disc.
(3) A first style mounted upon a spring slide and set in action by one of the
movable parts of the machine and designed to trace upon the rotary plane disc
curves or lines giving the various phases of the movement.
(4) A second style indicating the direction of the movement at a certain
moment; this style begins to register the movement in a given direction and its

page_text: direction.
WHOR
Line OI
the movement in the opposite
(5) Use may also be made of a pointer set in motion by a centrifugal governor
to indicate on a fixed dial plate the velocity of the machine at the moment
considered.
In order that the arrangement, the relation and the operation of these various
parts of our speed indicating and registering apparatus may be properly understood
we hereinafter describe the same in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the general arrangement of the apparatus.
Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 1-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows in detail a front view of the indicating dial plate.
Figure 4 shows in detail a front view of the plane disc designed to receive the
indications.
Figure 5 shows a modification for stationary engines, for example as applied to
a fan.
Figure 6 shows a diagrammatical view of the meaus for transmitting directly to
the indicating dial.
The apparatus represented in Figures 1 to 4 is specially designed for locomotive
engines, but its essential arrangements are the same for other uses.
In all cases the apparatus has three principal functions, that is to say; firstly,
the automatic winding of the clockwork; secondly, the registration of the move-
ment and stoppages in one direction, the forward movement; and, thirdly, the
registration of the movement and stoppages in the other direction, the backward
movement.
At the lower part of the apparatus is a chain wheel A over which passes an
endless chain connecting the same with a similar wheel keyed upon one of the
movable parts of the locomotive engine; for example on one of the driving axles
or upon a shaft connected by any suitable means with these axles.
The rotary movement thus communicated to the chain wheel A is transmitted
by a pair of bevel pinions to a vertical shaft a made of two parts a and a¹.. The
upper part a¹ is always operated by the lower part a by the aid of a pin a² on the
end of the part a¹ which works in a slot as in the socket end of the part 'a.
The upper part a' is provided with a pin c adapted to engage with an inclined
face b of a bolt 6*. This bolt is provided with a spring b¹ in such a manner that
when the lower part a revolves in the direction of the arrow, the pin c will ride
up the face of the bolt 6x and will thus lift the pin a² in the slot a³ so that the
said pin will rest in the recess at in the socket of the part a.
rotated in the opposite direction the pin c will turn the inclined plane b on its axis
If the part a is
and pass the same, the spring 61 acting to return the said inclined face to the
normal position in which it is retained by a suitable stop.
Upon this part a' are two bevel wheels d and di gearing one or the other,
according as the upper part a¹ of the shaft is raised or lowered, with a third
wheel d² the axis of which carries a worm e engaging with a helicoidal wheel e'.
The axis of this wheel e' carries a pinion e² which by a series of intermediate
wheels imparts movement, to an axis g provided with a bevel wheel g' which gears
with a corresponding wheel g² connected with a helicoidal plane B hereinafter
referred to.
The axis g of the said bevel wheel or that of one of the intermediate wheels
above mentioned receives the spring casing of the clockwork mechanism so that
the spring is constantly under tension by reason of the rotation imparted to the
said axis.
Too great a tension need not be feared, for the spring is not attached to
the side of the casing, but simply slides thereon, and the pressure which it exerts
is strong enough to produce a sufficient tension for the proper operation of the
mechanism. By the aid of suitable wheels this spring actuates the clockwork
which comprises all the ordinary accessories necessary for its operation.

page_text: Upon the axis of one of the wheels of the mechanism is keyed a plane metallic
disc D provided with clips i enabling a sheet of paper or cardboard to be easily
placed thereon. On this sheet (Figure 4) are printed concentric circles and
radiating lines, the former being designed for the speeds and the latter for the
time. The said disc D, provided with its paper or cardboard, revolves in the
direction of the arrow; and it makes a complete revolution in twelve hours or in
any number of hours.
The sheet placed upon the said disc D receives impressions from two styles,
Figures 1 and 2, e indicating the direction of the movement while y traces curves
corresponding to the speed.
The style for indicating the direction of the movement is mounted upon a
lever a on an axis m carrying a second lever a2 upon which acts the extremity of
the upper part a¹ of the before-mentioned vertical shaft. When this part is raised,
which takes place for instance when the engine moves backwards, the aforesaid
lever and consequently the lever ' are raised and the style a is removed from
the disc D upon which it leaves no impression. But as soon as the engine moves
again forwards the upper part a' of the vertical shaft descends again and with it,
under the action of a spring pressing upon the lever ² the style x, tracing on
the paper a concentric curve during the whole time of the movement in this
direction irrespective of the speed of this movement.
The style y for indicating the speed is mounted upon an arm y' fixed to the
upper part of a slide E guided vertically and constantly tending to move down-
wards under the action of a spring R. Another arm y² fixed at the same point of
the slide E rests with its extremity upon the helicoidal path B hereinbefore
mentioned. Under the action of the rotary movement imparted to this helicoidal
plane or path aforesaid the two arms y² y' and slide E are raised and with them
the style y which describes upon the paper a more or less extended curve according
to the greater or smaller speed of the engine or the like.
The pitch of the helicoidal path is equal to the space between the two extreme
concentric circles of the rotary disc there being only one helical convolution, and
by reason of the above-mentioned slide the style describes in the said space an
absolutely straight line whilst in reality a curve is traced upon the disc.
When the arm y³ reaches the top of the helicoidal path it is under the action of
the aforesaid spring R of its slide E abruptly moved to the bottom of the said path
in order to commence another upward movement and so on.
It will be understood that in the place of the helicoidal path we may employ a
spiral cam, but we prefer the said path which by its nature and by reason of the
facility afforded for ensuring precision gives more exact indications.
The style y traces upon the disc D a line which would be a radius if the speed
were infinitely great and a circumference if this speed were nil, as for instance in
stoppages. In the case of motion the curve traced resulting from the rectilineal
displacement of the style y and from the rotation of the disc D approximates more
closely to the straight line of the radius the greater the speed.
While the style y draws its line the style a traces or does not trace its curve
upon the edge of the disc, thus indicating whether the motion takes place forwards
or whether it takes place backwards.
On the side of the above described mechanism and enclosed in the same metallic
box M, by which the whole is protected from inclement weather and unauthorized
interference, is placed a centrifugal governor N Figure 1 of any desired kind set
in operation by means of a suitable transmitting gear (for instance that shown in
Figure 1) connected with the vertical shaft a a¹ actuated by the chain wheel A.
According to the speed of the motion the balls or arms of this governor open more
or less and displace a sleeve n the movement of which is transmitted by the aid of
an appropriate arrangement of levers and rods to a sectors Figure 3 gearing with
a pinion s keyed on the axis of a pointer k which turns in front of a fixed dial
plate I placed in proximity to the mechanism and the graduations of which in

page_text: kilometres correspond to the speed of the locomotive engine. A pointer or index z
may at the beginning be placed opposite the figure for the speed which the driver
must not exceed.
In this manner the driver is instructed respecting the speed of his engine and
knows at the same time whether or not he exceeds the maximum speed allowed,
thereby enabling him to regulate the said speed as required.
The different variations of speed are therefore indicated to the driver and they
are at the same time registered upon the sheet which being placed among the
documents to be preserved serve for the purpose of subsequent reference.
In the face of the box M is provided a small hole through which an inspector
may insert his punch and mark upon the edge of the disc the hour of his visit.
It will be understood that our apparatus may be constructed of any desired form
and dimensions and that these constitutive parts may be made of any suitable
materials. We may also vary the relation and arrangement of each of these parts,
which has no effect upon the result or upon the indications given or registered.
Thus for example the worm e hereinbefore referred to may be placed at the lower.
part instead of being placed at the upper part.
The rotary plane disc may also be replaced by a drum.
The circular indicating dial-plate may be replaced by a simple arc of a circle.
All modifications of detail evidently depend upon the uses to which the said
apparatus is applied.
In this
By way of example we will describe a modification for the special application of
our indicating and registering apparatus to fans or to fixed machines.
modification (Figure 5) the transmission to the apparatus is effected by the aid of
a ratchet mechanism set in operation by means of an eccentric or in any other
suitable manner, and the helicoidal path B is replaced by a cam B. The indicating
dial-plate is here dispensed with.
In like manner we may replace the helicoidal path or the spiral cam by a pinion
gearing with the toothed edge of the slide which carries the tracing style; this
pinion has part of its teeth cut away in order that the backward movement of the
said slide may take place under the action of its spring.
For the control or verification we may use discs of gelatine or other transparent
material for the different velocities, which discs for their application to the disc of
the apparatus enables deviations in the motion or speed to be very rapidly noticed.
These discs for the control have, traced beforehand, lines or diaphragms of
velocity (there being as many controlling discs as velocities desired) so that by
applying one of these discs (the one which is suitable of course) to the disc
detached from the apparatus the deviations of velocity and the moment of these
variations are seen at once. The control is thus rendered easier or more rapid.
It is also possible to provide for transmission to the indicating dial plate directly
from the axis of the aforesaid worm, e as represented in Figure 6, in lieu of from
the axis of the chain wheel A and to actuate the pointer of the indicator I by
means of a worm m¹ in lieu of using a sector s. For this purpose the axis of the
above-mentioned worm e is prolonged and carries at its extremity a bevel pinion n
engaging with another pinion the axis of which is connected by a short shaft and
two universal joints to an axis n¹ transmitting the movement by a shaft n² and two
pairs of bevel wheels to the axis carrying the worm m¹ which gears with the
pinion keyed upon the axis of the pointer k.
The transmission is such that when the axis makes 100 revolutions the pointer k
makes one revolution upon the dial plate I. We may regulate the wheels so that
60 revolutions of the vertical shaft cause one revolution of the pointer k, in which
case the divisions of seconds correspond exactly to the revolutions.
We provide, at Q, a clockwork moving the two pointers of a supplementary dial
plate (hours and minutes) and a hand q moving round the dial plate I.
This part of the apparatus is consulted in the following manner:
Suppose the seconds-hand q to be opposite the number 60, that is to say at zero
on the seconds dial, and we press upon the knob u for bringing the hand k opposite

page_text: the hand 100, that is to say to zero on the dial for the revolutions. The hands are
then caused to move, one y under the action of the clockwork, and the other k
under the action of the transmitting device branched on the machine. When the
hand has accomplished a revolution we note what is the number of revolutions
opposite which the hand k is situated, and this number will be exactly that of the
revolutions made in one minute. The apparatus may however be consulted without
any necessity for carrying back the hand k to zero at the moment when the hand 9
is itself at zero. It is sufficient for this purpose to commence the operation at the
moment when the two hands cross each other and to note this moment in order to
have a starting point; the operation may also be effected by noting the numbers
on which the hands are at the moment of the experiment. In 5, 10, 20 seconds or
more we have the elements for fixing the revolutions and consequently the
kilometric velocity, because in the place of the numbers indicating the numbers of
revolutions we may put the numbers indicating the numbers of kilometres per
hour. In this manner the driver of a locomotive may find the number of kilometres
at which he runs per hour if he continues to drive at the same velocity.
The hand q may also be moved back to zero by the aid of a knob q¹.
Each of the two knobs u and q¹-may be moved so as to stop its pointer at the
place which it occupies at the moment considered, to move the pointer back to zero
and to put it in motion at a definite moment. By pressing upon the two knobs
simultaneously the two pointers are set in motion at the same moment and the
reading is extremely easy.
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 :-
The speed indicating and registering apparatus and any modifications of which
it is susceptible and its application to locomotives, carriages, velocipedes, stationary
engines, machines with reversing gear and the like substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 31st do of Tule 1904
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants..