Improved Counter or Meter for Electric Lamps, Motors and other Electric Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Counter or Meter for Electric Lamps, Motors and other
Electric Apparatus.
I, GIUSEPPE DI PAOLO MAGINI, of 5, Viale in Curva, Florence, Italy, Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is based upon the characteristic principle of introducing in the
circuit of each incandescent or are lamp or each group of lamps or each electric
apparatus of a set (motors, etc.,) between the interruptor and the lamp or other
apparatus, an electro-magnetic coil provided with an armature serving to retain a
clock movement during the whole time that the lamp is extinguished and to
allow such movement to operate during the whole time that the lamp is alight
(or during the time that the motor or other apparatus is at work). When the
current passes between the interruptor and the lamp (or the group of lamps or
the motor) the armature is attracted by the coil and leaves the clock movement
free when the current does not pass, the armature no longer attracted by the
coil, is forced by a spring towards the clock movement, and tears on one of
the parts of such movement, (either upon the balance wheel, one of the wheels
of the movement, or upon any part of same) whereby the movement is arrested;
so that the latter, only operating when the current passes between the interruptor
and the coil, that is to say when the lamp or group of lamps is alight, or when
the motor operates, marks the units of time of electric operation. And in order
to be able to read the indication and to make same continuous, the movement of
the clock mechanism may be transmitted to drums bearing numerals, each of
which corresponds to a set of hours (12, 24 etc.).
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows as an example the manner in which
the invention may be applied to a circuit in which several lamps are inserted;
to each of the wires which lead to the different lamps (the number of which
may be multiplied at will) a coil b, 61, 61, is applied, the action of which is
exerted upon the apparatus as will be hereinafter described. All the wires
proceed from a main lead c which passes through the coil c¹, serving to release
the clock mechanism. When the interruptor which serves to allow the current
to pass to the circuit of a series of lamps, is open, such coil c¹ (see Fig. 2 which
shows the meter in side elevation and Fig. 3 which shows the releasing mechanism
in detail) attracts the armature el which served to firmly retain the clock
mechanism; this armature then suddenly displaces the stop attached to the
lever c; this stop by its hooked form communicates the movement to the
balance wheel e' in the same manner as a friction transmission: this trans-
mission of motion is very certain, so that at the moment when the circuit is
closed, the clock mechanism is certain to begin to operate. But this movement
is imparted only to the clock mechanism, not to the drums e, e¹ (all mounted on
the same shaft f, and the number of which may be increased indefinitely, one
drum being necessary for each lamp or for each electric apparatus). The office
of these drums is to indicate the number of hours during which cach lamp has

page_text: been alight or each electric apparatus has operated. In order that each of
these drums should operate, it is necessary that the current should be directed
through the special circuit of each lamp or electric apparatus. For example
when an electric appliance begins to work or a lamp is lighted, a current passes
through one of the coils-b for instance-(or through several coils); the arma-
ture is then attracted by the coil, and this armature through the fork i (shown
separately in two views in Figs. 4 and 5) shifts the clutch / which is in the
form of a pulley. This clutch by reason of an internal groove and a key rotates
together with the shaft m, m, which in its turn receives rotary motion from
the pinion n forming part of the clock movement, and when shifted it is brought
into contact with the loose pinion o. The contiguous faces p, and 2 of these
two parts being formed with small projections or roughened, when they are in
contact with each other, by reason of same the sleeve 7 imparts its rotary move.
ment to the loose pinion o, which in this manner is actuated by the clockwork
mechanism and transmits its motion to the toothed wheel q keyed to the drum i,
on which are marked the hours, which are visible through a small opening
formed in the cover of the apparatus.
Each time that the wheel has completed one revolution, the pin r of such
wheel displaces for the space of one tooth the drum son which are marked
multiples of the number of hours, that is to say the sets of hours represented by
each complete revolution of the drum c. These numbers of the sets of hours
are also visible through a small opening formed in the cover of the apparatus.
At the moment when the current ceases to flow to one of the lamps or the electric
apparatus, the armature h returns to its position, the counterweight (the weight
of which is calculated according to the strength of the current) causes the
clutch to leave the loose pinion o and the movement of the two drums belong-
ing to the extinguished lamp or the apparatus ceasing to operate is stopped.
The whole apparatus consisting in the coil b, the armature h, the counterweight f,
the fork i, sleeve 7, loose pinion o, toothed wheel q, and the two hour drums e
and s may be either single, if the meter is to serve for a single lamp or a single
electric apparatus, or may be duplicated indefinitely for any number of lamps or
apparatus, the same shaft m, m, which receives motion from the clock mechanism
always being employed, the strength of the spring of such mechanism being of
course proportioned to the number of counting or recording mechanisms that
are to be employed. In the drawing (Fig. 2) for simplicity, only two of these
apparatus are shown. The application of the pinion », which imparts motion
to the shaft directly to the barrel of the spring, permits of the whole force
of the spring being utilized.
If anyone tried to fraudulently substitute for a lamp of small candle power
another lamp or electric apparatus of greater intensity, a stronger than the
ordinary current would pass through one of the coils : this current would
then have the power to attract the heavier armature which is connected with
the interruptor k; the circuit will then be opened and the lamp would not be
lighted. If the intensity of the current diminishes, so that the lamps give too
little light, the lamps remain alight but the meter ceases to operate, the coil not
having sufficient power to attract the armature.
:
In order that the lamps cannot remain ignited or the electric apparatus continue
to operate when the clock mechanism has run down a stop pin (Fig. 2 and Fig. G
which shows a front elevation of the movement) is situated on a wheel C which
makes a single revolution during the complete running down before the clock
mechanism has quite run down this stop pin raises the small lever which
breaks the circuit at y, so that the lamps are extinguished. To re-wind the
clock mechanism a key is employed the handle of which is situated outside the
cover of the case, but which by reason of a conical washer z cannot be removed
from its position. If this key could be removed, one would by means of a hook
or pin be able to break the contact between the small lever and pin , and
the lamps could be lighted or the apparatus caused to operate fraudulently when

page_text: the clock mechanism was stopped. This key shown in side elevation in Fig. 7
rewinds the mechanism by means of the squared pivot A (Figs. 2 and 6);
further, to the end of its stem is keyed a pinion B which, by means of the
toothed wheel C, serves to carry the stop with it in its travel, that is to say to
impart a complete revolution to the toothed wheel C which makes one revolution
while the pinion B of the key makes four, which is the number of turns which
the key has to make to rewind the clock mechanism. When the mechanism
is rewound, it could not operate if the key were left in position, and in this case
the lamps would be ignited, and the electric apparatus operate, while the counter
would produce no indication. To prevent this fraudulent use of electricity, a
cone z is keyed to the stem of the key; this cone, while the mechanism is being
rewound, causes the small lever to rise which breaks the circuit, the lamps
are extinguished and the mechanism can no longer operate, for the balance
wheel cremains arrested by the hook cl If the key is drawn back (without
being able to remove it from the cover of the case by reason of the washer)
the cone allows the lever we to fall, the circuit is closed, the lamps are ignited.
the clock mechanism begins to operate, indicating exactly the duration of the
use of the electric power. Fig. 8 shows the drums e and sin side elevation.
Dated this 18th day of July 1899.
ALLISON BROS.
Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Counter or Meter for Electric Lamps, Motors and other
Electric Apparatus.
I, GIUSEPPE DI PAOLO MAGINI, of 5, Viale in Curva, Florence, Italy, Merchant,
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:-
-
This invention is based upon the characteristic principle of introducing in the
circuit of each incandescent or are lamp or each group of lamps or each electric
apparatus of a set (motors, etc.,) between the interruptor and the lamp or other
apparatus, an electro-magnetic coil provided with an armature serving to retain a
clock movement during the whole time that the lamp is extinguished and to
allow such movement to operate during the whole time that the lamp is alight
(or during the time that the motor or other apparatus is at work). When the
current passes between the interruptor and the lamp (or the group of lamps or
the motor) the armature is attracted by the coil and leaves the clock moveinent
free; when the current does not pass, the armature no longer attracted by the
coil, is forced by a spring towards the clock movement, and bears on one of
the parts of such movement, (either upon the balance wheel, one of the wheels
of the movement, or upon any part of same) whereby the movement is arresteri:
so that the latter, only operating when the current passes between the interruptor
and the coil, that is to say when the lamp or group of lamps is alight, or when
the motor operates, marks the units of time of electric operation. And in order
to be able to read the indication and to make same continuous, the movement of
the clock mechanism may be transmitted to drums bearing numerals, each of
which corresponds to a set of hours (12, 24 etc.).
In order to enable my invention to be clearly understood I will proceed to
describe same with the aid of the drawings accompanying the Provisional
Specification of this application.

page_text: manner
Fig. 1 of the drawings shows as an example the
in which
the invention may be applied to a circuit in which several lamps are inserted;
to each of the wires which lead to the different lamps (the number of which
may be multiplied at will) a coil b, b1, b, is applied, the action of which is
exerted upon the apparatus as will be hereinafter described. All the wires
proceed from a main lead c which passes through the coil c¹, serving to release
the clock mechanism. When the interruptor which serves to allow the current
to pass to the circuit of a series of lamps is closed, such coil c¹ (see Fig. 2 which
shows the meter in side elevation and Fig. 3 which shows the releasing mechanism
in detail) attracts the armature el which served to firmly retain the clock
mechanism; this armature then suddenly displaces the stop clll attached to the
lever this stop by its hooked form communicates the movement to the
balance wheel in the same manner as a friction transmission: this trans-
mission of motion is very certain, so that at the moment when the circuit is
closed, the clock mechanism is certain to begin to operate. But this movement
is imparted only to the clock mechanism, not to the drums e, e¹ (all mounted on
the same shaft f, and the number of which may be increased indefinitely, one
drum being necessary for each lamp or for each electric apparatus). The office
of these drums is to indicate the number of hours during which each lamp has
been alight or each electric apparatus has operated. In order that each of
these drums should operate, it is necessary that the current should be directed
through the special circuit of each lamp or electric apparatus. For example
when an electric appliance begins to work or a lamp is lighted, a current passes
through one of the coils-b for instance (or through several coils); the arma-
ture is then attracted by the coil, and this armature through the fork i (shown
separately in two views in Figs. 4 and 5) shifts the clutch 7 which is in the
form of a pulley. This clutch by reason of an internal groove and a key rotates
together with the shaft m, m, which in its turn receives rotary motion from
the pinion n forming part of the clock movement, and when shifted it is brought
into contact with the loose pinion o. The contiguous faces and p₁ of these
two parts being formed with small projections or roughened, when they are in
contact with each other, by reason of same the sleeve imparts its rotary move-
ment to the loose pinion o, which in this manner is actuated by the clockwork
mechanism and transmits its motion to the toothed wheel q keyed to the drum i,
on which are marked the hours, which are visible through a small opening
formed in the cover of the apparatus.
Each time that the wheel has completed one revolution, the pin r of such
wheel displaces for the space of one tooth the drums on which are marked
multiples of the number of hours, that is to say the sets of hours represented by
each complete revolution of the drum c. These numbers of the sets of hours
are also visible through a small opening formed in the cover of the apparatus.
At the moment when the current ceases to flow to one of the lamps or the electric
apparatus, the armature returns to its position, the counterweight (the weight
of which is calculated according to the strength of the current) causes the
clutch to leave the loose pinion o and the movement of the two drums belong-
ing to the extinguished lamp or the apparatus ceasing to operate is stopped.
The whole apparatus consisting in the coil b, the armature h. the counterweight t,
the fork i, sleeve 7, loose pinion o, toothed wheel g. and the two hour drums e
and s may be either single, if the meter is to serve for a single lamp or a single
electric apparatus, or may be duplicated indefinitely for any number of lamps or
apparatus, the same shaft m, m, which receives motion from the clock mechanism
always being employed, the strength of the spring of such mechanism being of
course proportioned to the number of counting or recording mechanisms that
are to be employed. In the drawing (Fig. 2) for simplicity, only two of these
apparatus are shown. The application of the pinion n, which imparts motion
to the shaft, directly to the barrel u of the spring, permits of the whole force
of the spring being utilized.

page_text: In order to meet the case of anyone trying to fraudulently substitute for a
lamp of small candle power another lamp or electric apparatus of greater inten-
sity, a stronger than the ordinary current would pass through one of the coils b;
this current would then have the power to attract the heavier armature & which
is connected with the interruptor k; the circuit will then be opened and the
lamp would not be lighted. If the intensity of the current diminishes, so that
the lamps give too little light, the lamps remain alight but the meter ceases to
operate, the coil not having sufficient power to attract the armature.
In order that the lamps cannot remain ignited or the electric apparatus continue
to operate when the clock mechanism has run down a stop pin v (Fig. 2 and Fig. 6
which shows a front elevation of the movement) is situated on a wheel C which
makes a single revolution during the complete running down; before the clock
mechanism has quite run down this stop pin raises the small lever w which
breaks the circuit at y, so that the lamps are extinguished. To re-wind the
clock mechanism a key is employed the handle of which is situated outside the
cover of the case, but which by reason of a conical washer cannot be removed
from its position. If this key could be removed, one would by means of a hook
or pin be able to break the contact between the small lever and pin *, and
the lamps could be lighted or the apparatus caused to operate fraudulently when
the clock mechanism was stopped. This key shown in side elevation in Fig. 7
rewinds the mechanism by means of the squared pivot A (Figs. 2 and 6);
further, to the end of its stem is keyed a pinion B which, by means of the
toothed wheel C, serves to carry the stop with it in its travel, that is to say to
impart a complete revolution to the toothed wheel C which makes one revolution
while the pinion B of the key makes four, which is the number of turns which
the key has to make to rewind the clock mechanism. When the mechanism
is rewound, it could not operate if the key were left in position, and in this case
the lamps would be ignited, and the electric apparatus operate, while the counter
would produce no indication. To prevent this fraudulent use of electricity, a
cone is keyed to the stem of the key; this cone, while the mechanism is being
rewound, causes the small lever w to rise which breaks the circuit, the lamps
are extinguished and the mechanism can no longer operate, for the balance
wheel remains arrested by the hook c. If the key is drawn back (without
being able to remove it from the cover of the case by reason of the washer)
the cone allows the lever w to fall, the circuit is closed, the lamps are ignited,
the clock mechanism begins to operate, indicating exactly the duration of the
use of the electric power. Fig. 8 shows the drums e and s in side elevation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1
1. A time indicator or meter of the employment of electricity consisting in a
clockwork mechanism which only operates when the current passes through a
coil, the armature of such coil effecting a release of the mechanism.
2. A time indicator as specified in Claim 1, having the different drums which
indicate the time of operation of the different electric apparatus through wheels
all keyed to the same shaft operated from the spring of the clockwork mechanism,
cach of these drums only acting when the current passes through a coil which
corresponds with the circuit of each electric apparatus, and the armature of
which causes the displacement of a clutch which transmits the motion to the
corresponding drum.
3. A time indicator as specified in Claims 1 and 2, each coil of which corre-
sponding to each electric apparatus causes the circuit to be broken by means
of a heavier armature if a stronger current than usual is fraudulently sent
through the circuit.
4. An indicator as specified in Claims 1 and 2 in which a stop pin breaks the
circuit automatically if the clockwork mechanism runs down.

page_text: 5. An indicator as specified in Claims 1 and 2 in which a key for winding
the clockwork mechanism cannot be removed in order to prevent the eircuit
being closed, when the mechanism is not wound up.
6. An indicator as specified in Claims 1 and 2 in which a key as described
in Claim 5 can be drawn backwards to enable the mechanism to operate and
the circuit to be closed, without being capable of removing the key, so as not to
allow the circuit to be closed with a tool as specified in Claim 5.
Dated this 18th day of April 1900
ALLISON BROS.
Agents for the Applicant.