Apparatus for Measuring Electric Currents or Electrical Counter.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 19th July, 1888.
Complete Specification Accepted, 14th Sept., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Measuring Electric Currents or Electrical Counter.
I, MARIE JULES RAOUL JACQUEMIER of 24 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris in the
Republic of France, Naval Captain do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an apparatus for measuring electric currents or "Coulomb
meter. which consists of an integrating apparatus in which the expenditure of
electrical energy is indicated upon a counter having several dials, and which operates
generally in the following manner.
At regular intervals of time a stud is made to move through a distance which is
increased or decreased in proportion to the increase or decrease of the current flowing
through the apparatus, and such greater or less movement of the stud is caused to
impart a corresponding movement to the counter mechanism, the divisions of the
counter being such as to indicate the portions of electric energy expended during the
successive equal intervals of time that elapse between the movements of the stud.
The device which allows the stud to be subjected to a movement which, at each
moment is proportional to the electric current to be measured, is an excentric sector
mounted on the axis of a soft iron armature that moves between the poles of two
electro magnets.
A spiral spring always tends to bring the sector back to its original position.
When a current passes through the coils of the electromagnets the armature is
moved through a certain angle which produces a corresponding tension of the spring,
so that according as the current passing through is more or less energetic, the resulting
increased or decreased movement of the armature will be resisted with greater or less
force by the spring.
The arrangement of apparatus for carrying out this mode of operating may be
variously modified.
A suitable arrangement is as follows:
The before mentioned stud is carried upon a pivoited arm so placed relatively to the

page_text: before mentioned excentric sector actuated by the armature, that when the arm descends
periodically either by its own weight or by spring action as will be presently described,
the stud is arrested by coming in contact with the periphery of the excentric sector.
The excentricity of the sector is such that when the current passing through the
electro magnets is weak, the periphery of the sector in its then position is nearer the
stud than when it is in the position into which it is moved by a stronger current, so
that in the latter case the stud together with its arm would descend through a greater
distance than in the former case, and thus the motion of the stud is proportional to the
strength of current. The arm of the stud has a toothed segment gearing with a
pinion which has a projection that, when the arm is in the raised position, comes in
contact with an adjustable stop, so that, in rising, the arm and stud are always brought
back to the same position thereby. The axis of the pinion has an escapement wheel
which is held by a detent until this is moved out of gear at regular intervals of time
by a tappet actuated by an ordinary clockwork mechanism; thus at regular intervals,
the escapement being released, the pinion permits the descent of the arm and stud
as before described. The axis of the pinion also carries an arm having a bevil pinion
at its end gearing with two opposite bevil pinions, one of which is held stationary
or released by the before mentioned detent, while the other is connected to a second
train of clock work which actuates the counter mechanism and which is released by
a second detent acted upon by a second tappet on the first named train of clock work,
such release being effected directly after the arm and stud have descended as before
described. The action of the second train of clockwork will be firstly to raise the
arm and sind again to their original position, and secondly, during such motion to
mpart motion to the counter mechanism, and as this action will be of greater or
shorter duration, according as the arm and stud have to be raised through a greater
or less distance as before explained, it follows that the counter will be actuated to a
corresponding greater or less extent, and thus at each regular interval of time a
registration will be effected in proportion to the amount of current passing through
the apparatus at that time.
In order to render the apparatus equally sensitive to feeble currents as to strong
ones, the spiral spring, the inner end of which is fixed to the armature spindle, has
its outer end attached to a bar that is connected by a spring of less strength to a
fixed point, and that can be brought against a fixed support. Thus when the current
passing through is feeble, the weaker spring acts upon the armature, but when the
latter is turned through such a distance by an increase of current as to bring the
bar against the support, the strong spring comes into action.
According to another modification for raising the arm and stud after their descent,
and actuating the counter, the axis of the arm carries a finger that bears against a
curved tappet on the second train of clockwork, which tappet holds the arm and
stud in the raised position on account of the action of two stops on the clockwork
train gearing with two detent levers, the common axis of which carries a third
lever that is acted upon by a stud on the first train of clockwork, at regular intervals.
so as to move the detent levers and allow the said cam to release the finger of
the arm.
The third lever also actuates an elbow lever, one arm of which carries one end of
the axis of the pinion that gears with the loothed segment of the arm, so that by the
movement of the third lever, the elbow lever is made to move the pinion out of gear
with the toothed segment, and the arm and stud are consequently free to descend.
As soon as this has taken place, the third lever, being released by its clockwork,
allows the elbow lever to bring the pinion into gear with the toothed segment again
and the curved tappet, in being rotated by its clockwork, acts upon the finger so as to
raise the arm and stud into their original position again. By this motion of the
arm, the pinion gearing with its toothed segment is rotated, and its motion is imparted
to the counter mechanisia.
According to another modification the descending and ascending arm and stud
are replaced by a toothed wheel, the axis of which can slide longitudinally so as
to bring the teeth of the wheel against the edge of the excentric segment.

page_text: The wheel's axis gears with the second train of clockwork and also with the
counter mechanism and it has a screw thread formed on it into which takes a
segmental female screw thread on the end of an arm, so that on the rotation of the
axis the screw thread causes it to advance as described.
A detent on the first train of clockwork releases the said toothed wheel at regular
intervals of time when in its backward position, whereupon it rotates, actuating the
counter and at the same time advancing as described, until it is stopped by the
excentric segment. As soon as this takes place, a stud on the second train of clock-
work moves the before mentioned arm so as to bring its female thread out of gear
with the screw on the spindle, whereupon this, together with its wheel is pushed back
into its original position by a spring. The above described arrangement may he
modified by substituting for the toothed wheel a flyer, the wings of which are
formed with a curvature or slope, and for the excentric segment, a radial arm, so
arranged that according as it is turned into a more or less angular position relatively
to the axis of the flyer, the curved edges of the latter in rotating and at the same
time advancing will come in contact with the extremity of the arm at an earlier or
later period.
The above described apparatus is enclosed entirely in an iron box in order that its
action may not be interfered with by the action of any external magnet that may be
situated near it.
Dated this 10th day at Catalu 1907

page_text: 1, MARIE JULES RAOUL JACQUEMIER of 24 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris in
the Republic of France, Naval Captain, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described.
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
My invention relates to an apparatus for measuring electric currents or
"Coulomb
meter, which consists of an integrating apparatus in which the expenditure of
electrical energy is indicated upon a counter having several dials, and which operates,
generally in the following manner :-
At regular intervals of time a stud is made to move through a distance which is
proportional to the intensity of the current flowing through the circuit, and this
movement of the stud is caused to impart a corresponding movement to the counter
mechanism, the graduations of which indicate the portions of electric energy expended
during the successive equal intervals of time that elapse between the movements of the
stud. The device which allows the stud to be subjected to a movement which, at each
moment is proportioned to the intensity of the electric current to be measured, is an
eccentric sector mounted on the axis of a soft iron armature that can move between
the poles of two electro magnets.
A spring always tends to bring the sector back to its original position.
When a current passes through the coils of the electromagnets the armature is
moved through a certain angle which produces a corresponding tension of the spring,
so that according as the current passing through the coils is more or less energetic,
the resulting increased or decreased movement of the armature will be resisted with
greater or less force by the spring.
The arrangement of apparatus for carrying out this mode of operating may be
variously modified; as I will describe referring to the accompanying drawings.
One arrangement is shewn in Fig. 1, a back view, Fig. 2 a front view, Fig. 3a
plan, and Fig. 4 a front view on line M N Fig. 3 behind the integrating mechanism.
EE are two electromagnets between the poles of which is mounted the armature A
having fixed on its axis B the sector C, counterbalanced by a leaden weight a and a
small adjusting weight. The sector is eccentric, its radius diminishing from Be
to Bd. Round the axis B is wound a volute spring D having its inner end attached
to B and its outer end fixed to a bare attached to one end of a weak spring the other
end of which is fixed at g. When a current passes through the coils of E E the-
armature A is deflected. If the current be very weak the spring yields until the
bar e rests against a stationary piece F and then the farther deflection of A is resisted
by the spring D. Above the sector C is a toothed segment G from which projects
the stud h. The segment G is pivotted at and gears with a pinion j carrying a stud k
which abutting against a set screw / or other stop, limits the ascent of the segment G
and its stud . The segment G urged by a spring m as well as its own weight descends
until the stud bears on the sector C, the descent being greater the more the
armature is deflected bringing towards the right that part of the sector which has the
least radius. The movements of the stud take place at regular intervals as I will
now describe. In the apparatus there are two clockwork mechanismns, the one worked
from the barrel K effecting at regular intervals, such as every minute, the starting of

page_text: the other and moving the hands on a dial H the other worked from the barrel M
moves the counter at every disengagement effected by the former.
In its normal condition the stud his raised as shewn in Fig. 1 with the stud k
against the stop l. At each interval, which I may assume to be a minute; one of the
arbors 1 of the time clock acts by its cam n upon a detent lever o thereby liberating
a wheel pon
an arbor on which is a pinion gearing with wheel s.
wheel, which is free on the arbor, has on it a bevil pinion gearing with an inter-
mediate wheel e which gears with u¹.
The intermediate wheel is mounted on an
This
arm projecting from the arbor and this arbor carries the pinion which carries the
stud and gears with the segment G.
When the cam moves the detento releasing the wheel p, and the parts geared to
it, the arbor & can turn as shewn in Fig. 5 allowing the segment G to descend until
the stud meets the sector C, but the counter gear is not moved.
Immediately after the movement last described, the second cam n² on the arbor 1
acts on the detent o releasing the wheel p' on the arbor which has a pinion
gearing with a wheels having on it the third bevil wheel ². The pinion is
connected by the gear a²bcdefgh with the spring barrel M, whilst the arbor
of el is connected by gear to the counter T which has dials for units, tens &c. Thus
when is released the counter clockwork starts and moves till it brings back the
segment G to the position shewn in Fig. 1 when it is stopped by k meeting 1, the
counter being thus moved to an extent proportional to the distance through which the
studis raised from the sector (.
A modified arrangement of the apparatus is shewn in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 which are
views corresponding to those shewn by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 respectively, corresponding
parts being as far as possible marked by similar letters of reference. In this case the
two clock work barrels K M are arranged on right and left respectively. The arbor i
of the segment G has on it a hook y which bears against a cam on one of the time
clock arbors. On a wheel on the same arbor is a stud acting with a lever j', and
on the next wheel is another stud acting with another lever . Both the levers j¹
and are on one abor m¹ on which is fixed an arm J having two studs the one t¹
arranged to be acted on by the time gear worked from the barrel K, the other v1
arranged to act on a bell crank lever L which is pivotted at and has at the end of
its upper arm a bearing for one end of the arbor y and the pinion j.
Every minute (or other determined interval) the stud #being moved by the time
gear the lever J is raised, its stud e' moves the lever L withdrawing the pinion from
the teeth of the segment G which is so far liberated but is still retained in position by
the hook y on its arbor being stopped by the cam The ascent of the lever J with-
draws from allowing the counter gear worked by M to start and release the
hook y.
Almost immediately after starting, the counter gear is stopped by the stud /
meeting the lever .
The time gear also very soon leaves the stud t¹, the levers J and L resume their
original positions, gearing again with G, and j and descending. The counter gear
thereupon goes on moving until the stud is stopped again by, the can moving
away the hooky and thus raising the segment G which causes the pinion j to revolve,
and a pinion on its arbor through gearing NN works the counter. As in the former
arrangement, the distance through which the stud is raised determines the extent of
motion given to the counter, and this distance is proportioned to the extent to which
the hook y is moved by a revolution of the cams, this extent being the greater,
the greater the distance the stud has descended to come in contact with the
sector (.
Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 shew an arrangement of the apparatus with vertical electro-
magnets E E. The armature A has attached to it an eccentric sector on which
comes to bear h, in this case a ratchet wheel mounted on the arbor O of a long
pinion P which gears with one of the wheels of the counter gear worked from the
barrel M. The arbor O has a screw thread at Q on which bears the end formed as a
nut of a lever R. This lever is pivotted at S and its lower arm R' is arranged to be
moved by a stud a² on an arbor 12 which is moved by the time gear worked from

page_text: the barrel K and which has another stud e² arranged to raise a lever 2 pivotted
on an arbore. This arbor] carries another lever having a stud which holds
the wheel h. At each minute or other determined interval the stud c² lifts the
lever thus withdrawing from which then is turned by the counter gear.
Owing to the engagement of the nut of R with the screw thread Q the arbor O
advances and the wheel approaches the sector C and stops when it reaches it.
While the wheel thus advances the counter moves to an extent proportional to the
distance moved forward by the arbor O. Immediately after the stoppage of the
stud a² acts on the lower arm R of the lever R lifting R from the screw thus
leaving free to be pushed back by a spring U.
Fig. 14 is a plan corresponding to Fig. 12 but on a smaller scale shewing a
modification according to which a needle V is substituted for the sector, and the
arbor O has, instead of the wheel two wings so curved that the needle V in its
various positions of deflection due to the currents in the coils of E determines the
advance of O proportionally.
Apparatus of the kind described should be kept in a locked case made of iron so
that there may be no tampering with their indications by the use of a powerful magnet
outside.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an electrical counter, in combination with electromagnets excited by the
current to be measured an armature with an eccentric sector and a movable stud
which at intervals determined by clockwork permits counter gear to be moved to an
extent proportional to the intensity of the current.
2. In combination with the armature, a volute spring resisting the deflection due to
the current in the electromagnets.
3. The combination of the volute spring with an external weak spring which
yields until the bar holding the end of the volute spring comes to bear against
a stop.
4. The arrangement of the moveable stud combined with a toothed segment and
gear which permits the stud to descend without removing the counter, but which by
the ascent of the stud moves the counter proportionally to the space moved over by
the stud.
5. The combination of two sets of clockwork, the one which releases the stud at
regular intervals of time, the other which moves the counter in returning the stud from
contact with the sector.
6. The arrangement of the segment that carries the stud, in combination with a
cam of the time gear, two catch levers and release mechanism acting at regular
intervals of time.
7. The arrangement wherein there is substituted for the stud a ratchet wheel on a
screw threaded arbor which acts with a nut lever to advance the wheel, in combination
with the mechanism releasing the gear at regular intervals.
8. The combination of the armature with a needle and an arbor having curved
wings which advance to meet the needle a distance proportional to the intensity
of the current.
9. The enclosure of the counter in an iron case to protect it from the action of
an external magnet.
Dated this 18th day of July 1888.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.