An Improved Speed Indicating or Checking Apparatus for Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Speed Indicating or Checking Apparatus for Vehicles.
I, EDWARD GRIFFIN DORCHESTER, of 52 Park Place, of Geneva, in the County of
Ontario, and State of New York, United States of America, Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a compact, convenient and efficient
instrument for accurately timing the speed of a vehicle, which instrument I
designate a timing instrument.
The mechanisms of said instrument are mounted on horizontal plates or
diaphragms secured within the case, preferably of annular or cylindrical shape.
From the interior of this case extends a shaft, which in contradistinction from other
shafts hereinafter referred to, I designate a driving shaft, which is journaled in
suitable bearings on the case and on one of the diaphragms. The outer end of
said shaft has attached to it a star-wheel, which, by contact with the revolving
vehicle-wheel, transmits intermittent rotary motion to the said shaft. The inner end
of this shaft is provided with a worm-gear, which engages a pinion pivoted to the
aforesaid diaphragm. This pinion meshes with the gear-wheel secured to a shaft
which is journaled in the first and second diaphragms. Between these diaphragms
is a cone of gears on the last mentioned shaft. Parallel with this shaft is another
sbaft, which passes through the second diaphragm and is pivoted to the first and
third diaphragms. To this latter shaft are fastened two gears of different diameters
and permanently united. On the same shaft is pivoted a yoke, which is formed
with a screw-threaded rod disposed parallel with the shaft. On this rod is pivoted
an arm, to one end of which is pivoted a gear-wheel, which can be adjusted to
engage any desired sized-gear of the aforesaid cone and simultaneously with one of
the two different sized-gears heretofore mentioned. Said adjustment is effected by
turning the yoke on the shaft and swinging the aforesaid arm on the yoke and
sliding it vertically until the wheel, which is pivoted to the arm, is opposite the said
gear of the cone and with one of the two different sized-gears, and then swinging
the arm so as to cause the said wheel to engage the said gears. By said shifting
the speed of transmission of motion can be varied, as may be desired.
Between the second and third diaphragms is a ratchet-wheel fixed to a shaft,
which is pivoted to the first and second diaphragms and over this wheel is a spur-
wheel mounted loosely on said shaft and receiving motion from the ratchet-wheel by
means of pawls attached to the spur-wheel and engaging the teeth of the ratchet-
wheel. In the upper end of the case is a chronometer, over the face of which move

page_text: two pointers to enable the rider of the vehicle to compare the movements of said
pointers with the movements of the second and minute hands of the chronometer,
and thus ascertain if he is traveling at the desired speed. Said pointers are attached
to two gears mounted revoluble in a fourth diaphragm, which is provided with an
opening concentric to the dial of the chronometer seated between the third and
fourth diaphragms. The gear which carries one of said pointers receives motion by
means of pinions attached to a vertical shaft and meshing with two different gears.
One of the gears which carries one of the pointers aforesaid is caused to make one
revolution during sixty revolutions of the other gear. This reduction of motion is
obtained by a lug on the latter gear engaging a star-wheel attached to a shaft,
which has also secured to it a pinion meshing with the gear carrying the aforesaid
pointer. In order to further graduate the transmission of motion to the aforesaid
pointers, I pivot to the hub of the aforesaid mentioned ratchet-wheel a segment,
which is concentric to the shaft pivoted to the first and third diaphragms, as
herein before mentioned and has connected to it spring-pawls engaging the teeth of
the ratchet-rim which is formed on one of the gear-wheels which imparts motion to
one of the aforesaid pointers. The teeth of said rim are pitched in opposite
direction of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel and allows the said gear-wheel to .be
turned independently of the latter ratchet-wheel by the pawls connected to the
segment when the latter is swung to its position of rest by force of the spring.
On the hub of the gear-wheel which receives motion from the worm-gear on the
aforesaid driving-shaft is loosely mounted a smaller wheel and under this is another
wheel fastened to the aforesaid hub. The loosely mounted wheel is provided with
seven teeth on its periphery while the other wheel has fourteen teeth, which are
shorter than the other teeth. The alternate teeth of the fastened wheel are provided
with radial channels, in which are seated radially movable pins. The underside of
this wheel is formed with a circular recess, in which is seated a revoluble cam-ring
having cam-shaped projections on its periphery. Said ring is provided with
suitable knobs by which to turn it so as to cause one or more of the cam-shaped
projections to push out a corresponding number of the aforesaid pins so as to cause
them to project from the outer end of the tooth. By means of a suitable latch
connected to the first diaphragm and adapted to engage one of the teeth on the
aforesaid loosely mounted wheel, the latter shaft can be locked in its position so as
to prevent its rotating. To the rigidly mounted wheel is connected a pin, which is
adapted to be inserted through a hole in said wheel and enter a socket in the loosely
mounted wheel and thereby compel the latter wheel to turn with the rigidly
mounted wheel when desired. In this case the latch must be adjusted to release
the loosely mounted wheel. In connection with the said two wheels I employ a
tumbler pivoted to the first diaphragm having on its heel a spur, against which bears
a pin attached to the heretofore mentioned segment and forced in said direction by
a spring. The tumbler is thereby forced toward the aforesaid loosely and rigidly
mounted wheels so as to cause the teeth of said wheels to strike the tumbler and
oscillate the same during the revolution of said wheels. The segment is thus
oscillated correspondingly and by means of the pawls attached to said segment and
engaging the adjacent ratchet-rim, the wheel on which said ratchet-rim is formed
receives intermittent rotary motion.
To allow the tumbler to be adjusted to come in contact with the teeth of either
the loosely mounted or rigidly mounted gear, hereinbefore mentioned, I employ a
latch, which is pivoted to the first diaphragm and is provided with steps by which
to engage the heel of the tumbler. The tumbler is sustained in its position by an
eccentric pivoted to the aforesaid diaphragm and having the latch held upon it by
a spring.

page_text: An Improved Speed Indicating or Checking Apparatus for Vehicles
I, EDWARD GRIFFIN DORCHESTER, of 52 Park Place, of Geneva, in the County of
Ontaria, State of New York, United States of America, Merchant, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and
to be particularly described and ascertained, in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide a compact, convenient and efficient
instrument for accurately timing the speed of a vehicle, which instrument I designate
a timing instrument.
In the annexed drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan view of the timing instrument.
Figure 2 is a transverse section on line X-X in Fig. 4.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section of that part of the instrument which
contains my present improvements.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the under side of the mechanism of the instrument.
Figs. 5 and 7 are horizontal transverse sections, respectively, on lines Y-Y and
0-0 in Fig. 2.
Fig. 6 is a section in line z-z in Fig. 2.
Fig. 8 shows the shifting gears in different position from that shown in Fig. 6.
Fig. 9 is a detail view of the pointers, and
Fig. 10 is a detail view of the means for transmitting motion to said pointers.
Similar letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts.
The mechanism is mounted on horizontal plates or diaphragms 1 2 34, secured in
a suitable case, preferably of annular shape. (Not shown.)
b denotes the shaft, which extends from the interior of the case and is journaled
in suitable bearings on the case and on the diaphragm 1. The outer end of said
shaft has attached to it the star-wheel c, which by contact with the revolving
vehicle-wheel transmits intermittent rotary motion to the shaft b. The inner end of
said shaft is provided with a worm-gear d, which engages a pinion d', pivoted to
the diaphragm 1. This pinion meshes with the gear-wheel e, secured to the shaft e¹,
which is journaled in the diaphragms 1 and 2. Between these diaphragms is a cone
of gears f, fastened to the shaft el. Parallel with this shaft is the shaft h, which
passes through the diaphragm 2 and is journaled in the diaphragms 1 and 3. To
the shaft h are fastened the gears g and g of different diameters and permanently
united. On the same shaft is pivoted the yoke P, which is formed with the screw-
threaded rod P1 disposed parallel with the shaft h. On the rod P¹ is pivoted the
arm R, to one end of which is pivoted a gear-wheel h¹, which can be adjusted to
engage any desired sized gear of the cone f and simultaneously with one of the
gears g g'. Said adjustment is effected by turning the yoke on the shaft h and
swinging the arm R on the yoke and sliding said arm vertically on the rod P¹ of the
yoke until the wheel h¹ is opposite the desired gears ƒ and g or g' and then swinging
the arm so as to cause the wheel h¹ to engage said gears. By said shifting of the
wheel h¹ the speed of the transmission of motion can be varied as may be desired.
Between the diaphragms 2 and 3 is the ratchet-wheel n fixed to the shaft h and
over this wheel is the spur-wheel o mounted loosely on the said shaft and receiving
motion from the ratchet-wheel n by means of the pawls r attached to the wheel o
engaging the teeth of the ratchet-wheel.
t and u represent the two pointers which are ovor the face of the chronometer D
to enable the rider of the vehicle to compare the movements of said pointers with
the movements of the seconds and minute hands of said chronometer, and thus

page_text: ascertain if he is traveling at the desired speed. Said pointers are attached,
respectively, to the annular gears t' and u¹ mounted revolubly in the rabbet 1 in
the diaphragm 4, which is provided with an opening concentric to the dial of the
chronometer D seated between the diaphragms 3 and 4. The gear t, which carries
the pointer 4, receives motion by means of pinions i and it attached to a vertical
shaft and meshing, respectively, with the gears o and t, as shown in Fig. 10 of the
drawings. The other annular gear w, which carries the pointer w, is caused to
make one revolution during sixty revolutions of the gear . This reduced motion is
obtained by a lug on the gear engaging a star-wheel attached to a shaft,
which has also secured to it à pinion meshing with the annular gear u as shown
in Figs. 1 and 9 of the drawings.
The mechanisms thus far described are arranged by shifting the gear-wheel h¹ in
the manner herein before described to co-operate with one of the gears f, g or g¹ so
that the pointers t and u move in unison with the seconds and minute hands of the
chronometer D at a predetermined speed of the motion of the vehicle, and any
deviations between said pointers and hands apprises the rider of the vehicle that he
is not traveling at the desired speed.
To permit the instrument to be further adjusted for indicating the speed by
seconds of time, I pivot the segment C on the ratchet-wheel n, concentric with the
shaft h; said segment C carries spring-pawls engaging the teeth of the
ratchet-rim o, which is attached to or integral with the wheel o, as shown in
Fig. 2, 7 and 10 of the drawings. The teeth of said rim are pitched in opposite
direction to the teeth of the ratchet-wheel n and allow the wheel o to be turned
independently of the wheel n by the pawls of the segment C when the latter is
swung to its position of rest by force of the spring C¹.
On the hub of the wheel e is loosely mounted a wheel v and under this is another
wheel a fastened to the aforesaid hub. The wheel v is provided with seven teeth v¹
on its periphery while the lower wheel « has fifteen teeth a', which are shorter than
the teeth. The alternate teeth a' are provided with radial channels, in which are
seated radially-movable pins k, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The
under side of the wheel a is formed with a circular recess w, in which is seated a
revoluble cam-ring & having cam-shaped projections on its periphery, as shown in
Fig. 4 of the drawings. Said ring is provided with suitable knobs mi by which to
turn it so as to cause one or more of the cam projections to push out a corresponding
number of pins k, so as to cause them to project from the outer end of the teeth al.
By means of a suitable latch ma connected to the diaphragm 1 and adapted to engage
one of the teeth of the wheel v, the latter can be locked in its position, so as to
prevent its rotation. To the wheel a is connected a pin s', which is adapted to be
inserted through a hole in said wheel and enter a socket in the wheel v, and thereby
compel the latter to turn with the wheel a, when desired. In this case the latch m
must be adjusted to release the wheel v. In connection with the said wheels
I employ the tumbler 15, which is pivoted to the diaphragm 1 and has on its heel
the spar 6, against which bears a pin 7 attached to the segment C forced in said
direction by a spring C. The tumbler is thereby forced toward the wheels v and a,
so as to cause the teeth of said wheels to strike the tumbler and oscillate the same
during the revolution of said wheels. The segment C is thus oscillated.
correspondingly and by means of the pawls r attached to the segment and engaging
the ratchet-rim ol on the wheel o, the latter receives intermittent rotary motion.
To allow the tumbler to be adjusted to come in contact with the teeth v₁ and a¹
of different lengths, I employ the latch 8, which is pivoted to the diaphragm 1 and
is provided with steps X by which to engage the heel of the tumbler. The latch 8
is sustained in its position by the eccentric 9 pivoted to the aforesaid diaphragm and
having the latch held upon it by the spring 5.
The operation of the described mechanism is as follows: Assuming it is desired
to accelerate the movement of the time-indicators one second of time during the
revolution of the wheel e, the wheel v is to be fastened by the latch m and the
locking-pin a is to be withdrawn to disconnect the wheel v from the wheel a

page_text: Then the cam-ring & is to be turned so as to cause it to push out one of the pins k.
the projection of the outer end of which increases the thrust of the tumbler 15 and
segment C sufficient to cause the wheel o to move the indicator-gear u' to advance
the indicator u one second of time. This motion can be further accelerated by
turning the cam-ring 8 to push out additional pins k. There being seven pins in the
wheel a the speed of the indicator can be accelerated seven seconds. If seven more
impulses are to be imparted to the tumbler 15, the wheel vis to be released from the
latch m and the locking-pin s' is to be inserted to lock the wheel v to the wheel a,
and thus compel said wheels to turn in unison. When the wheel is thus fastened to
the wheel a the teeth of the former lie under those teeth of the wheel a which are
without pins k, and thus the long teeth of the wheel v are intermediate the pins le,
which latter project to the same degree as said long teeth.
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. In combination with the wheel o, segment C, pawl and ratchet transmitting
motion from said segment to the wheel, the tumbler 15 actuating said segment,
and the wheel e actuated by the wheel of the vehicle, the wheel a fixed to wheel e
and provided with the teeth a' and the radially movable pins k and the cam-ring s
mounted revolubly on the wheel a and pushing by its cams the aforesaid pins
outward to project from the teeth as set forth.
2. In combination with the wheel o, segment C, pawl and ratchet transmitting
motion from said segment to the wheel, the tumbler 15 actuating the segment,
and the wheel e actuated by the wheel of the vehicle, the wheel v pivoted to the hub
of the wheel e and provided with the teeth v', an adjustable catch for detaining and
releasing the wheel v, the wheel a fixed to the aforesaid hub and provided with
teeth a double the number of, but shorter than the teeth v', radially movable pins k
in the teeth a', which are intermediate the teeth v¹, the cam-ring s mounted
revolubly on the wheel a, and the adjustable pin 8' locking and unlocking the
wheel v to and from the wheel a as set forth and shown.
..
el 1
11007
EDWARD GRIFFIN DORCHESTER.
W. P. Thompson & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.