the Speed of Revolving Shafts and for like Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: the Speed of Revolving Shafts and for like Purposes.
We, WILLIAM CHADBURN, Optician and Instrument Maker, and GEORGE SMITH,
Mechanic, both of 11 Waterloo Road, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster do
hereby declare the nature of our said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN
CONNECTION WITH APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE SPEED OF REVOLVING SHAFTS
AND FOR LIKE PURPOSES to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates to certain improvements in and in connection with
apparatus for indicating the speed of revolving shafts and for like purposes,
namely, that class of apparatus or instrument which is used to indicate at sight
the number of revolutions, or movements per minute, or other period of time of
shafts or other moving parts of machinery, and the variations of such revolutions,
or movements. The action of an apparatus according to our Invention consists in
the application of the power possessed by a fan revolving in air, or in a fluid (by
means of a train of wheels and actuated from the shaft or other moving part, the
movements of which are to be enumerated) to govern or control the swinging, or
pendulous movement of a frame, or equivalent device, having a normal position
which is secured by springs or weights. The train of wheels and the fan being
arranged to work in either direction so as to indicate backward, or forward move-
ment and proportioned so that their speed and the movement given to, or allowed
thereby to the swinging, or pendulous frame coincides with certain movements of
a pointer worked by such frame, in connection with a suitably divided dial, or so
that the movement of the frame can be transmitted by any convenient means such
as mechanical, electric, or pneumatic appliances to any convenient forms of dials,
or other devices which will exhibit the position of the frame and thereby indicate
the speed of the moving part to be recorded, which through the means used,
coincides with the position of the frame.
An apparatus constructed according to our Invention and to the above described
ends may consist as follows; of a balanced frame within which is mounted a train
of wheels working a fan. The spindle or shaft of the primary wheel of the train
passes through the frame and is connected by means of toothed wheels, or other
suitable gearing to the shaft or other part of the machinery, the movement of which
1177

page_text: is to be recorded, the frame being free to swing to the right or left on the shaft of
the primary wheel. The frame is connected to the spindle of a pointer, which has
movement to the right or left on a suitably divided dial and the whole mechanism
is supported on suitable carriers. The swinging frame having a normal position
by means of spring connections between the frame and the carriers.
The action of the instrument as above set forth is as follows. Rotary movement
being given (by the part of the machinery, the movements of which are to be
recorded) to the primary shaft and thereby to the train of wheels and the fan
revolved, causes the swinging frame to move, or swing against its retaining spring
or weight, the amount of such movement is however controlled by the resistance
caused, due to the revolving of the fan by the train of wheels in the swinging
frame, the normal position being maintained by the springs or weights. As the
speed of the train of wheels is increased the speed of the fan is increased and
thereby the resistance to the. swing of the frame against its retaining spring or
weight. This action holds good in whatever direction the train of wheels may be
caused to revolve. The swinging frame being connected direct to or through
nechanical, electrical, or pneumatical connections to the pointer of the dial, the
position of the swinging frame, which is due to the speed of the train of wheels
and the resistance of the fan is indicated by the pointer on the dial, and such
indication corresponds with the number of movements of the shaft, or other part of
machinery which have to be indicated.

page_text: the Speed of Revolving Shafts and for like Purposes.
We WILLIAM CHADBURN, Optician and Instrument Maker and GEORGE SMITH
Mechanic, both of 11, Waterloo Road, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of our said 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 certain improvements in and in connection with
apparatus for indicating the speed of revolving shafts and for like purposes,
namely that class of apparatus, or instrument which is used to indicate at sight
the number of revolutions, or movements or speeds per unit of time such as a
minute, or other period of time, of shafts, or other moving parts of machinery or
instruments at any given, or desired moment and the variations of such revolutions,
or movements. The action of an apparatus according to our Invention is effected
by and involves the application of the power possessed by a fan revolving in air,
or in a fluid (by means of a train of wheels, or its equivalent actuated from the
shaft, or other moving part, the movements of which are to be enumerated) to
govern, or control the swinging, or pendulous movement of a frame, or equivalent
device, having a normal position, which is secured by springs, or weights; the train
of wheels, or its equivalent and the fan being arranged to work in one, or in either
direction so as to indicate backward or forward movement. And it is proportioned
so that their speed and the movement given to or allowed thereby to the swinging,
or pendulous frame coincides with certain movements of a pointer worked by such
frame, in connection with a suitably divided dial, or so that the movement of the
frame can be transmitted by any convenient means such as mechanical electric, or
pneumatic appliances to any convenient forms of dials, or other devices, which
will exhibit the movement of the frame and thereby indicate the speed of the
moving part to be recorded, which through the means used, coincides with the
movement of the frame.
The following is a description of an apparatus constructed according to our
Invention and to the above described ends, reference being had to the accom-
panying three sheets of Drawings and to the letters and figures of reference
marked thereon, like letters and figures being used to denote the same, or
corresponding parts throughout the Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
front aloxation of a anged indicating annaratus containing the

page_text: Figure 18 a perspective view of the speed indicating mechanism according to
our Invention in its preferred form.
Figure 4 is an elevation of a dial of a single action apparatus suitable for
showing, or indicating the number of revolutions of a revolving shaft per minute
at any given moment,
•
Figure 5 is an elevation of the dial of a double action apparatus suitable for an
apparatus for indicating, or showing the number of revolutions of a revolving shaft
per minute at any given moment.
•
Figure 6 is an elevation of the dial of an apparatus suitable when used for
indicating the speed in knots, or nautical miles per hour.
The apparatus shown in the Drawings being an example of a speed indicator
with our improvements applied thereto consists of a casing in which works the
balanced frame a within which is mounted a train of wheels b working the fan c.
d is the primary or initial spindle or shaft on which the wheel e of the train is
fixed and it passes through the frame a. This shaft is connected by means of a
toothed wheel f and pinions and shafts such as g, or h, or by other suitable gearing
to the shaft, or other part of the machinery, or instrument the movement of which
is to be recorded. To the frame a is fixed a spindle i and a pointer k. . The
frame a, the train of wheels. b and the wheel fare supported by means of the
spindles d and in the bracket which is, contained in the casing, or box m,
the front of which is provided with a dial p and a glazed cover. The spindle d
runs loose in the frame a and in the bracket the wheels e and f being fixed to the
spindle d. The spindle i is fixed to the frame a and runs loose in the bracket l.
The frame a is thus free to revolve, or oscillate about the spindle d to the right, or
to the left or to either direction. The pointer "K moves with the frame a and
indicates its movement over the dial p which is suitably divided, for example as
shown in Figures 4. 5 and 6, but preferably as in Figure 5. The swinging frame a
is retained in a normal position by means of spring connections between the
frame a and the fixed bracket 1, thus when the apparatus is required to indicate
in one direction only one spring connection such as shown in full lines in Figure 1
may be used, a stop 9 being provided at the normal position of the frame a.
When it is required to indicate in either direction the stop q is removed and a
second spring and cam as shown in dotted lines is provided. The springs shown
in the Drawings are of convenient construction and consist of a spiral metal coil r
acting in compression and connected by a chain a passing over a pulley t to a cam u
fixed to the frame a. The spiral metal coil r is contained in a barrel v and carried
by the brackets from the bracket 7, the wheel t being carried by a bracket Z²
from the same source. The spring is adjustable by means of the screwed rod
and nut w.
The action of the instrument above set forth is as follows. Rotary movement
being given (by the part of the machinery, or instrument the movements of which
are to be recorded) to say the shaft g and so through the wheels g and f to the
spindle d and through the wheel e to the train of wheels b; the fan c is set in
motion and the frame a is thereby caused to revolve, or oscillate about the shaft d
and so compresses its retaining spring r; the amount of this movement is however
controlled by and depends upon the resistance due to the revolving of the fan c,
the normal position being attained by the spring, or springs r. As the speed of
the part to be indicated is increased so does the speed of the train of wheels and
the fan c increase, and this increase of speed causes the frame a and the fan c to
revolve according to such increase about the spindle d carrying with it the
pointer which indicates upon the dial the increase of revolutions per unit of time
at any given moment. When a decrease of speed takes place the reverse action
takes place, namely the frame revolves back about the shaft d its movement being
effected by the spring r. It will be thus seen that an increase of speed causes a
greater resistance to the oscillation of the frame a against its retaining spring r
and vice versa. This action holds good in whatever direction the train of wheels b

page_text: may be caused to revolve. The frame a through being connected to the pointer k
causes the pointer to indicate the movement of the frame a upon the dial p the
movement of the frame corresponding with the number of revolutions, or speed of
the machine, or instrument to which the apparatus is connected.
In the Drawings a spiral spring is shown, but it will be obvious that a flat,
helical, or other spring may be substituted, or weight can be used for retaining the
normal position of the swinging frame a-The apparatus is also shown connected
direct to a pointer and provided with a dial, but we would have it understood that
it may be connected to the pointer and its movement indicated at a distance
through any suitable mechanical, electrical, or pneumatical connections to the
pointer of the dial p.
We would also have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise
construction of the apparatus particularly set forth with reference to the Drawings
as these may be varied without departing from our Invention, the essential features
of which, that is the principle involved and apparatus employed to give effect to
such principle, are set forth more particularly with reference to the mechanism
shown in Figure 3. In this Figure examples of the means suitable for carrying
out our Invention are given, the chief of which are the fan c, a means of moving it
about an axis (represented by the shaft d) which is provided in the wheel e, and
the train of wheels b; the frame a being the means by which the fan c is conducted
and in which it oscillates or vibrates about its axis, at the same time serving as a
means for supporting the mechanism for revolving the fan. The means for
bringing the mechanism to its normal position, or zero consists in this example of a
spring such as shown in Figure 1 contained in the case v. The shaft i is the
means by which the varying velocities of the movement of the part, or mechanism
to be indicated are transmitted and the shaft d serves as the means through and
by which the movement and velocity of the part mechanism, or instrument to be
indicated is transmitted to the fan and its operating gear.
It will be seen that the movement to be transmitted to the indicating apparatus
must exist as, or be resolved into a rotary movement when it is communicated to
the fan revolving mechanism which in Figure 3 is the shaft d.
The number and types of mechanism or instruments to which our Invention may
be applied is not limited to those herein named, engines and machinery shafts,
ships logs being those to which it, as will be seen, can readily be applied. The
dials of the apparatus in such cases as will be understood are designed and marked
to suit the particular purpose of its application. When applied to a ships log to
indicate the speed of a vessel, the log line is led and connected in any suitable and
convenient way to the operating shaft of the apparatus, and the dial marked as in
Figure 6.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
First Effecting the indication of the number of revolutions speeds or motions of
shafts mechanisms or instruments for a given unit of time and at any moment
substantially in the manner and by the means herein set forth which consist
essentially of a fan mounted and working in a frame, or equivalent device free to
Oscillate or vibrate about an axis substantially in the manner set forth, or any
mere modification thereof.
Second In apparatus for indicating the speed, or number of revolutions of shafts,
mechanisms, or instruments the use of a vibrating, or oscillating frame, such as a,
the movement of which is governed by a fan such as c revolved by means of a
train of wheels such as b, or its equivalent operating and constructed substantially
as herein set forth.
Third The combination in an apparatus for indicating the number of revolutions
speeds, or movements of shafts mechanisms, or instruments at any moment of a

page_text: swinging frame a and indicating device such as the pointer k, a fan device ca train
of wheels b and a retaining device, such as a spring, or springs r or a weight, or
weights, and a dial p substantially as described.
Fourth The apparatus combined operating and constructed substantially as
herein described with reference to the Drawings consisting of the swinging frame a
spring, or springs train of wheels b fan c spindle d toothed wheels ƒ (and g or h)
spindle pointer k bracket / case m and dial p.
נ..
L
1000