New or Improved Apparatus for Registering and Recording the Time of Arrival of Homing Pigeons.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 27th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Apparatus for Registering and Recording the
Time of Arrival of Homing Pigeons.
I, HENRY HAYES, Junior of 142 Ramford Street, Parr, St. Helens, in the
County of Lancaster, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for registering and recording the time at
which homing pigeons arrive, and consists in new or improved devices or
mechanisms, which at once simplify the procedure, and prevent fraudulent --
tampering.
When homing pigeons fly races, as each return to its own cot or home, it is
obviously necessary to adopt means whereby time allowances are made to the birds
which have longer distances than otliers to traverse; and this renders necessary a
cumbrous and more or less uncertain system.
This invention obviates the necessity of relying upon the official time of
Bending a telegram, as the means of deciding the time of the arrival of the
birds.
For this purpose, each of the owners of competing birds is furnished with one
of the apparatuses which is the subject of this invention and all that is necessary
for him to do is to ascertain, by inspection of the bird as soon as it arrives, what
number has been stamped on its wing, and mark this number upon a small exposed
portion of the suitably prepared surface of a sliding plate or carriage, which is
situate inside the case, and visible and accessible, only through a slit or orafice in
the same.
He then operates a lever or handle and the exposed portion of the carriage upon
which the number has been marked, moves on, and is hidden until a second number
is marked' upon another portion of the carriage as before.
These numbers remain hidden in such manner as to prevent their being tampered
with, until the case is unlocked or the seals broken, which is done only in the
presence of duly appointed officials.
The essential features or necessary parts include a clock movement of suitable
description; two revoluble cylinders connected to the clock movement in such
manner that one rotates on its axis once in an hour, and the other once in twelve
hours, and having their surfaces covered with white unpolished gelatine or other
similar substance which enables pencil marks to be made and wasbed off; pencils
or equivalent markers rising and falling vertically, and sliding horizontally on
guides, in such manner that they can be pressed into, or withdrawn from contact.
with the surfaces of the cylinders; a sliding plate or carriage arranged so as to be
moved backwards and forwards by a worm, and a small portion only of the prepared
surface of which is exposed to view at any one time, through the slit in the case;
dials and hands which enable the hour, minute, and second, at which a number was
marked upon the carriage to be ascertained; a shaft and cam directly connected
to the worm shaft; and a bell crank lever so arranged and operated by the cam
as to insure the pencils coming into contact with the surfaces of the cylinders
when the lever or handle is operated, and the carriage thereby moved.
Upon the arrival and inspection of a bird its number is written upon a portion
of the carriage which is visible through the slit: and by giving the handle a turn

page_text: the carriage is moved along a distance equal to the whole of the pitch of the
worm.
The cam shaft is by the same movement, rotated to a like extent, and by rocking
the bell crank lever, operates the guides and brings the pencils into contact with
the surface of their respective cylinders, along which they slide and mark, until
lifted off by the cam operating the bell crank lever.
The movement of the carriage exposes another portion of its prepared surface
under the slit, and upon the arrival of a second bird, its number can be inserted
or marked in like manner; the number of arrivals which it is possible to register
being limited only by the length of the carriage.
When it is necessary to read the time of arrival, the officials in charge unlock,
or break the seals of the case, and remove the clock and cylinders from it.
The position of the marks upon the cylinders then indicate exactly the time of
arrival of each bird, and prevents all fraudulent tampering.
In order to insure the detection of anyone breaking the seals I, in some cases
add mechanism which registers, and records the time at which the case or box is
closed.
I affect this by causing a piece of felt saturated with ink to press upon and
mark the surface of the hour cylinders or a strip of paper pasted thereon.
Dand this neth dan of Al 100%
Time of Arrival of Homing Pigeons.
I, HENRY HAYES, Junior, of 142 Ramford Street, Parr, St. Helens, in the
County of Lancaster, Mechanic, 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 : -
mechanisms which at
tampering.
This invention relates to apparatus for registering and recording the time at
which homing pigeons arrive, and consists in new or improved devices or
once simplify the procedure, and prevent fraudulent
When homing pigeons fly races, as each returns to its own cot or home, it is
obviously necessary to adopt means whereby time allowances are made to the birds
which have longer distances than others to traverse; and this renders necessary a
cumbrous and more or less uncertain system. This invention obviates the necessity
of relying upon the official time of sending a telegram as the means of deciding
the time of the arrival of the birds.
For this purpose each of the owners of competing birds is furnished with one
of the apparatuses which is the subject of this invention, and all that is necessary
for him to do is to ascertain by inspection of the bird as soon as it arrives, what
number has been stamped on its wing, and mark this number upon a small exposed
portion of the suitably prepared surface of a sliding plate or carriage, which is
situate inside the case, and visible aud accessible only through a slit or orifice in
the same. He then operates a lever or handle and the exposed portion of the
carriage upon which the number has been marked, moves on, and is hidden until a
second number is marked upon another portion of the carriage as before.
These numbers remain hidden in such manner as to prevent their being tampered

page_text: Fig.
removed.
is a front elevation of the apparatus the front of the containing box being
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same the cover being open.
Fig. 3 is an end elevation, the end of box being removed.
Fig. is an elevation, and
Fig. 5 is a plan on an enlarged scale of the marking pencils and carriage.
Fig. 6 is a development of part of the surface of the hour time cylinder.
Fig. 7 is a development of part of the surface of the minute time cylinder.
Fig. 8 is an elevation, and
Fig. 9 a plan of a spring marking pad.
Fig. 10 is an elevation, and
Fig. 11 a plan of gearing employed.
The mechanism is enclosed inside a box A which has a cover a opening in the
ordinary mauner, and also preferably opens at the back a', the latter swinging on
hinges a²; by opening the back the clock and its attached mechanism may be
removed for winding or adjustment. The cover a is pierced to form an opening a³
which has sloping sides, by this means enabling a person to write a number upon
the prepared surface arranged immediately underneath. The box has a basp at
which can be fastened by a lock or seal in such manner that it will prevent opening
of the box by unauthorized persons, or show that attempts have been made to
tamper with it.
Disposed inside this box is a clock B, or a clock movement alone may be
employed in either case the central spindle upon which the hour hand is mounted
is joined by a coupling to a central spindle b' which runs in bearings in the
frame C which carries most of the parts. This central spindle b¹ has fixed to and
revolving with it the cylinder D which thus rotates once in an hour, and the
surface of which is divided into minutes in the manner shewn in Fig. 7. At its
extreme end it has the hour hand fixed to it, this rotating round a clock dial c of
the ordinary kind; and it is connected by a train of mechanism c with a sleeve b²
which rotates once in 12 hours upon the spindle b, and carries the hand which
travels round the dial once in 12 hours thus indicating the time upon the dial c.
The central spindle b¹ is also connected by a train of mechanism d with a spindle e'
which runs parallel to 6' in bearings in the frame C; and the train of mechanism d
is so arranged and proportioned that the spindle e and a cylinder E which is fixed
upon it make one revolution in 12 hours. The surface of the cylinder E is divided
into hours in the manner shewn in Fig. 6; and the surface of each of the
cylinders D and E is divided into any convenient number of bands for a purpose
hereinafter to be described. The mechanism already referred to practically forms
a clock the surfaces of the cylinders D and E serving as dials which move under-
neath fixed hands or pointers, instead of hands or pointers moving round fixed
dials as in ordinary clocks. These cylinders D and E are enclosed by hollow
cylinders of glass (d* and ex) which fit tightly upon and rotate each with its
cylinder, and being transparent allow the time and band divisions (shewn in
Figs. 6 and 7) to be seen by any one opening the box. The ontside of each of
these glass cylinders is treated in any convenient manner to roughen the surface
sufficiently to allow a pencil to leave a mark upon it at any point it touches. Or
instead of using glass cylinders I sometimes enamel or otherwise treat the surfaces
of the cylinders D and E in such manner that while the time marks or divisions
remain visible, a mark can be made by a pencil pressed upon it at any point, which
mark can be easily rubbed off with a wet cloth or otherwise.
Attached to the inside of the front of the case A near the opening a³ is a
bracket a', and arranged so as to slide horizontally over this is a carriage G.
Fixed to the top of this carriage and moving with it is a plate g which is divided

page_text: transversely to its line of movement, as shewn in Fig. 2; and this divided plate is
covered with a slip of glass g' of a similar description to that of which the
cylinders d and ex are made, the upper surface being roughened sufficiently to
allow of pencil marks being made upon it while the glass remains sufficiently
transparent to allow the divisions unlerneath it to be seen. These divisions upon
the plute
are equal in number to the bands upon the cylinders D and E, and are
correspondingly numbered, from 1 to 7 (as shewn in Fig. 2); but any convenient
number of divisions may be employed. The surface of the glass slip g is arranged
to slide close underneath the opening a in the cover a, so that when the cover
is fastened down each of the divisions upon the plate g may be placed (in succession)
in such a position that a person may through the opening a³, write a number upon
the glass slip gl in one of the numbered divisions.
Formed integrally with and depending from the bottom of the carriage G is a
projection g² which is bored and screw threaded to form a nut for the operating
screw H, one end of which takes a bearing in the bracket a³, while the other end
has a bearing in and passes through one end of the box, its outside end having a
cranked handle & fixed to it by means of which it can be turned. A guide rod h¹
is fixed rigidly to and passes from the end of the box to the bracket a³, and a part
of the projection 9 of the carriage G has a hole bored in it for the guide rod /¹
upon which it slides thus maintaining the carriage G in the proper position. The
worm H has a wheel h² fixed upon it near the handle end, and this wheel gears
with an equal sized wheel fixed upon a spindle K one end of which has a bearing
in the end of the box and the other end in the bracket a; thus the spindle K
makes one revolution while the worm H revolves once. I have referred to K as a
spindle, but it really is a cam, the section (as shewn in Fig. 4) being such as to
operate a lever the end of which rests upon it as hereinafter explained. A catch /*
engages with the teeth of the wheel and normally prevents movement being
given to the worm H and spindle K in a backward direction while the box is
closed; but when it is open, by lifting the catch h out of contact with the teeth of
the wheel h³, the worm H and cam K can be turned backwards for the purpose of
bringing the carriage to such a position that No. 1 of the divisions upon the plate g
is brought under the opening a³ in the cover.
From the foregoing description it is obvious that the turning of the handle h
rotates the worm H and moves the carriage G and division plate g forward a
distance equal to the pitch of the thread of the worm H; this being arranged so
as to be equal to the width of one of the divisions upon the plate 9; thus a fresh
division of the plate g is presented to the opening a³ at each turn of the handle.
This also causes the cam K to make one complete revolution, by means of the
equal sized wheels 2 and h. A spring catch * is used to prevent accidental
movement of the handle h.
Fixed rigidly to one end of the carriage G is a projection having a flange g
through a hole in which passes freely the guide rod h'; and between the projection g
and the flange g is placed a lever L which is pivoted on the rod in such manner
as to be free to slide (with the carriage G) upon it, and also free to rock upon it.
The rocking movement is caused by the cam K (see Fig. 4) pressing upon the end
of an arm formed integrally with the lever L, which is pressed downwards by the
spring and forces the end of the arm into contact with the cam K. Thus each
rotation of the cam K first allows the end of the lever L to descend and then
raises it to the normal position.
In Figs. 4 and 5 is shewn on an enlarged scale the marking frame which carries
the pencils M, M¹ by means of which the glass cylinders d* and e* are marked.
Fixed rigidly to the frame C are two guide rods c³, and upon these is mounted in
such manner as to slide freely a bracket N through holes in which the guide rods e
pass. Fixed to and projecting downwards from the bracket are two guide pins n
and upon these slides the marking frame P which carries the pencils M, M'.
These pencils may be fixed in the frame as shewn at M, but are preferably
arranged with a spring m and collar m² as shewn at M¹ thus ensuring a light but

page_text: firm pressure of the pencil points upon the cylinders. Fixed firmly to the upper
member of the marking frame is a vertical pin p. which passes loosely through a
hole in the bracket N, and has its upper end shaped so as to form a grooved
head p; through this groove p³ passes the end of the lever L, which is retained
therein by a pin p³ passing across the groove above the lever L. A spiral spring p
encircling the pin p keeps the pencil points from contact with the cylinders at all
times except when the movement of the cam K allows the spring to force the
lever L downwards, being much stronger than p¹.
1
The system of working, and the operation of the mechanism is as follows:
A different number is stamped by some independent and reliable person or
persons upon the wing of each bird competing, and the owners of the birds are
prevented from knowing any of the numbers until the birds have arrived; and
thus the knowledge by the owner of the number marked upon any bird is a proof
that the bird has arrived. Each owner of a bird or birds has a clock given out
to him, by the person or persons managing the race; each of the clocks having
previously been wound and set to the same time, the handle h of each turned
backwards until the division No. 1 is visible through the opening a³; and the box A
locked or sealed in such manner as to prevent raising of the lid or cover a until the
clock is returned after the race.
The owner of a bird or birds competing is in general able to estimate with
tolerable accuracy the time which will be occupied in flight, and is therefore
watching the pigeon house to which the bird belongs. As soon, as it arrives it is
caught in any convenient manner, and the number which is marked upon its wing,
or attached thereto, ascertained. Then taking a pencil the owner inserts its point
into the opening a³ in the cover of the box and marks upon the visible portion of
the glass plate g¹ in division 1, the number of the bird just arrived; and pressing
inwards the spring catch *, he turns the handle h once round.
The turning of the handle h and its attached worm H moves forward the
carriage G and the plates 9, 9la distance equal to the pitch of the worm thread,
which is also equal to the width of one of the divisions upon the plate g, and to the
width of the bottom of the slit a³ in the cover a. Consequently the division No. 1
on the plate with the peucil marked number is passed onwards and hidden by the
cover, and a fresh blank division exposed ready for marking the number of the
second bird arriving, in the case of the one owner having two or more birds
competing. The turning of the handle h also by means of the gearing wheels h
and rotates the cam K which is so shaped and arranged that during the first
part of its revolution a flat or recessed part comes into contact with the point of
the arm of the lever L. This allows the point of the arm to move slightly
towards the axial line of the cam K, and consequently the lever L moves about
its pivot h, and the end with the bracket N, and carriage P is depressed to
such an extent as to bring the points of the pencils M and M' into contact with
band No. of each of the cylinders dx and ex. A mark is thus made upon each
which registers the time of arrival of the bird upon the surfaces of the slowly
rotating cylinders D and E, these surfaces having time divisions for that purpose
as before described. The pencil points having made their marks are immediately
lifted off the surfaces by the further revolution of the cam K, and when the bandle
has completed its revolution the points have assumed the normal position a slight
distance above their cylinders. The whole apparatus is thus in a position ready
to register the arrival of a second bird, division No. 2 of the plate g being exposed
through the opening a³, and the pencils M and M' being just above the 2nd bands
of their respective cylinders.
The race being over the clocks are delivered up to the managers and opened by
persons appointed at a chosen time, when the pencil marks in bands 1 of the two
cylinders gives the exact time of arrival of the bird whose number is marked
in No. 1 division of the plate g; the pencil marks in bands 2 give the time of
arrival of the bird whose number is marked in division 2 of plate, and so on to any
convenient number of birds.

page_text: The exact time of arrival of each bird being thus known as well as the time at
which all the birds were simultaneously liberated (this being wired to the managers);
and also the distance of each competing owners' dove cot from the point at which
the birds were liberated, it is obvious that a simple calculation will enable any.
person to discover which bird has travelled with the greatest velocity and won
the race.
In Figs. 8 and 9 is shewn a device by means of which the times at which the
box is closed and opened may be registered. To the side of the box A in close
proximity to the cylinder E is attached a spring t which normally retains a small
inking pad at a little distance from the surface of the cylinder E. Pivoted to
the side of the box at a point u just above t is a lever U which presses upon and
is normally supported by the spring; the lever U has its upper end bent at right
angles so as to engage with one of two inclined planes formed upon one side of the
lower end of a catch Y which is fixed to the cover of the box. Consequently when
the box cover is shut down the lower inclined plane of the catch Y presses the
upper end of the lever U outwards and forces the inking pad into momentary
contact with the cylinder E leaving a mark upon it which indicates the time of
closing as soon as the point where the two inclined planes meet passes the end
of the lever U the latter is forced by the spring t upwards removing the inking
pad from contact with the cylinder surface. Again when the cover is raised
the upper of the two inclined planes moves the lever, spring, and inking
pad in a similar manner thus marking the time of opening the box. Any
other convenient mechanism may be used to mark the time of opening and closing
the box,
In cases where races occupy a longer time than usual it is necessary to have a
clock which will register not less than 7 days; in such cases I make the box larger
so as to contain an extra cylinder and marking pencil. The extra cylinder Z and
gearing for propelling the same are shewn in Figs. 10 and 11 the cylinders D and E
being arranged and connected as before, and an additional cylinder Z which by
means of a pinion on the spindle of the cylinder E and a wheel on the spindle of
the cylinder Z bearing a proportion of 14 to 1 I secure one revolution of the
cylinder Z in 7 days. In the marking frame used with such 3 pencils are required
instead of 2, otherwise the operation is the same.
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 registering and recording the time of arrival of homing
pigeons, consisting essentially of two or more cylinders the surfaces of which are
so divided as to form dials moved so as to keep time, by a clock, or clock movement,
a plate upon which the number of a bird can be marked, and means for moving the
mark as soon as made so as to render it inaccessible, such movement taking place
at the same time as the contact of a pencil point with each of the cylinders,
substantially as described and shewn.
2. An apparatus for registering and recording the time of arrival of homing
pigeons, constructed and operating in the manner and for the purpose described
and shewo.
3. In an apparatus for registering and recording the time of arrival of homing
pigeons, the combination of two or more cylinders, the surfaces being divided so as
to form dials and which are moved by a clock, a carriage which is movable by a
worm operated from the outside of the case and which carriage has a portion of its
upper surface exposed through an opening in the cover, and a pencil frame operated
by a cam in such manner that the sliding of the carriage is accompanied by the
descent of the pencils on to the cylinders for the purpose of marking the surfaces
of the same, substantially as described and shewn.
4. In an apparatus for registering and recording the time of arrival of homing
pigeons, the combination of the box A having an opening a³, the clock B, the

page_text: cylinders D and E the surfaces of which form dials, the carriage G operated by the
worm H, the cam K, the lever L and the marking frame P carrying pencils M
and M, all operating together in the manner and for the purpose described and
shewn.
5. For use with apparatus for registering and recording the time of arrival of
homing pigeons as hereinbefore described and claimed, the marking pad and
mechanism for operating the same substantially as described and shewn with
reference to Figs. 8 and 9..
Dated this 25th day of January 1896.
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
106 Priory Park Road, Kilburn, London, N.W.,
Agent for the Applicant.