Improvements in Dynamometrical Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 13th May, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Dynamometrical Apparatus.
I, HENRI BOURON, of 20, Avenue de Gigant, Nantes, France, 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:
For the purpose of calculating the work absorbed by a transmitting shaft in
motion, it is the general practice to make use of balance springs placed between
the shaft, which imparts the motion, and the part actuated. This arrangement
can hardly be adopted except for relatively inconsiderable motion, in consequence
of the flexure of the springs which may give rise to accidents, owing to the shocks
produced by starting and stopping, as also in consequence of the errors which may
result, from the reaction of the effect of the springs, in indicating the energy trans-
mitted, a reaction which increases the resistance without the possibility of its
being accurately taken into account.
In order to obviate these disadvantages, I have conceived the idea of replacing
the balance springs by hydraulic balances. These latter may be formed in different
ways, as for example, of hydraulic press cylinders with hemp or leather packed
pistons, but those which are decidedly preferable are indicated in detail in Figs. 1
and 2, and are composed of a reservoir O filled with water communicating with a
manometer M and closed by an elastic and impermeable membrane B, attached to
the reservoir by means of a bridle R, in which a block S can slide, this block
bearing evenly on the whole surface of the membrane left free in the interior of
the bridle.
This arrangement has the advantage of preventing any loss of the liquid and
of being also very exact in regard to the indications. It will be readily under-
stood that if pressure be applied to the block S, it will be conveyed to the liquid
contained in the reservoir and the manometer M will indicate it very exactly
without apparent displacement of the block, in consequence of the liquid being
but slightly compressible and of the small size of the reservoir.
If the same pressure instead of being applied to a single block, be distributed
at the same time over several balances, the reservoirs of which communicate with
one another by means of conduits T, a single manometer mounted on one of the
conduit pipes will suffice for indicating the pressure imparted to the liquid, this
pressure being the same in all the parts.
In these conditions each block will transmit a part of the total pressure, in
proportion to its surface.
I place the balances, of an even number, diametrically opposite, two by two,
in relation to the shaft and at equal distances from this shaft; or proportionally
to the surface of the blocks, according as the dimensions of the balances are
equal or different, so that the re-action of one balance on the shaft, is nullified
by that of the corresponding one.
Figures 34 and 6 show the whole arrangement of the hydro-dynamometrical
apparatus having 4 equal balances; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section along
the line A B of Figure 3, and shows the moveable part of the arrangement which
is placed between two plates J J fixed on the shaft İ.

page_text: Figure 2 represents a hydro-dynamometrical apparatus analogous to those
shown in Figure 3.
Fig. 5 is a section on the line C D of Fig. 3, the upper part being arranged
for one shaft and the lower part for two shafts separated from each other. Fig. 6
represents a half front-elevation of the arrangement with the reservoirs placed on
the moveable part m, the half lower part shows an arrangement having 4 balances
for the transmission of motion of two separate shafts. The pressure is imparted
to the blocks through the medium of intermediate bolts a, a to which the
slides are linked. The blocks are guided on one side by the bridle R which
secures the membrane to the reservoir, and on the other side by a similar bridle Q,
fixed to the moveable part.
In order to ensure that the blocks pressed by the bolts a a, of the fixed plates JJ,
may all be placed equally in relation to the membranes P closing the reservoirs O,
that is to say, that they may all be ready to act on the liquid at the same time with-
out deforming the membrane P, the slides are placed between two adjustable
quoins II (Fig. 2) fixed to the blocks S, and which enable them to be moved
forward or put back according to requirements.
Although the displacement of the moveable part of the arrangement in relation
to the fixed part may, so to speak, be "nil" in consequence of the small volume
of water contained in the reservoirs and the water being but slightly compressible.
this motion takes place none the less, since according to the energy transmitted,
the blocks exercise more or less pressure on the liquid.
In order to facilitate this displacement and to obtain as exactly as possible the
indication of the energy, instead of making the moveable part slide directly on
the fixed part, I interpose between the two a series of rollers g g which alter the
sliding into a rolling motion and reduce the friction. The figures of the annexed draw-
ings illustrate different arrangements of the hydrodynamometrical apparatus for the
transmission of motion, either for a single shaft, as shown in Figs. 4 and 7, and
in the upper part of Figure 5, or for two shafts, as shown in the lower part of
Figure 5 and in Fig. 8, as well as different arrangements of reservoirs, either in
one piece with the moveable part m (Figs. 3, 4 and 8) or joined thereto (Figs. 6, 7).
Figure 7 is a section on the line G L of Fig. 6, and Fig. 8, in the upper part,
is a section on the line G H of Fig. 6, and in the lower part, a section on the
line G K of the same figure.
If, for any reason whatever, it be desired to transmit the motion without causing
the balances to operate, it is sufficient to connect the moveable part rigidly with
the plates JJ fixed on the shaft. A very simple means of effecting this is to put
the rings (Figs. 5, 8) in place at this moment. Neither these rings nor the
washers and screws which fix them should be on the coupling pins as shown
also in Figs. 3 and 6, when the balances are operating, they being only in use
when it is necessary to momentarily stop the apparatus. Other arrangements may
be adopted as for instance, the bolts shown in Fig. 6.
The registering manometers M and M¹ (Figs. 1, 4, and 7) being fixed to the
shafts and rotating therewith, and being in direct communication with the reser-
voirs of all the balances, by means of tubes T T, it will be seen that, when motion
takes place, and consequently, the moveable part m is actuated by the balances,
these manometers will indicate the different pressures transmitted to them, by a
variation of the needle which will trace a diagram of it on the roller N and N¹
(Figs. 4 and 7).
The rollers of the manometers may be actuated either by clock work as shown
in Fig. 4, or by a motion in direct connection with that of the shaft by means of
an endless screw or a gearing v fixed to the pedestal as shown in Figs. 7 and 7^.
For a coupling on the end of a shaft, it is possible, instead of causing the mano-
meter to rotate with the latter, to make it immoveable, the junction of the
manometer with the tubes connecting the reservoirs being carried into a stuffing
box with air-tight ball and socket joint concentric to the shaft.
If, during the working of the apparatus, care has been taken to record the speed

page_text: of rotation or number of revolutions, it will be easy with the diagrams produced
to determine the amount of work which has been expended, as also to tell what
amount is absorbed by the different parts of the gear or machines as well as to
fix the points of the greater or lesser resistance in certain operations.
With an arrangement of this kind applied to a motor machine, it will be easy
to register mechanically and continuously the work utilised, in order to compare
it with the expense rendered necessary for its production, and the same for
secondary machines of varied use and application.
The principle of the present invention being in the application of hydraulic
balances for the purpose of automatically and, if necessary, continuously measuring
the different pressures received or transmitted by the same, I claim this application
as my whole and exclusive property, reserving the right of arranging the balances,
and making them in any shapes or sizes as I may consider suitable, as well as of
applying any number thereof to each part as I may believe to be serviceable, not
limiting myself to the particular forms &c. illustrated in the figures of the
annexed plan, and reserving also the right of constructing the whole as may be
convenient and of suitable material.
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 I
claim is
Dynamometrical apparatus having hydraulic balances arranged to operate
substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein before described.
LILIS
To day of January TOUS
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.