Apparatus for Indicating the Time During which Electricity is Used for Lighting or other Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 20th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 9th Nov., 1888
Apparatus for Indicating the Time During which Electricity is Used
for Lighting or other Purposes.
1, EDWARD FREDERICK HERMANN HEINRICH LAUCKERT, of Charlton, in the
County of Kent, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for indicating the time during which electricity
is used for a lamp or a group of lamps, or for any other purpose to which electricity is
applied.
I provide for each lamp or consumer or each group of these a counter mechanism
of any suitable known kind, it may be in its simplest form merely a graduated dial
with an index.
This counter or index is connected with clockwork by a magnetic clutch which may
consist of a pair of iron bosses facing each other, the one of them on an axle driven
by the clockwork, the other on an axle belonging to the counter or index either
or both of these bosses being surrounded by a coil of wire forming part of the
circuit of the lamp or other consumer of electricity, or being in a shunt from that
circuit.
When a current passes through the coil, the two bosses are held together by
magnetic attraction and the counter or index is driven by the clockwork, indicating
and registering the time during which the current passes.
When the current ceases, the clutch is released and the counter or index remains at
rest while the clockwork may continue to move.
Dated this 21st day of December 1887
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Indicating the Time During which Electricity is Used
for Lighting or other Purposes,
I, EDWARD FREDERICK HERMANN HEINRICH LAUCKERT, of Charlton, in the
County of Kent, Electrical 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:-
My invention relates to apparatus for indicating the time during which electricity
is used for a lamp or a group of lamps or for any other purpose to which electricity is
applied.
I provide for each lamp or consumer or each group of these a counter mechanism
of any suitable known kind, it may be in its simplest form merely a graduated dial
with an index.
This counter or index is connected with clockwork by a magnetic clutch consisting
of a pair of iron bosses facing each other, the one of them on an axle driven
by the clockwork, the other on an axle belonging to the counter or index, either or
both of these bosses being surrounded by a coil of wire forming part of the circuit of
the lamp or other consumer of electricity or being in a shunt from that circuit. When
a current passes through the coil, the two bosses are held together by magnetic
attraction and the counter or index is driven by the clockwork, indicating and
registering the time during which the current passes.
When the current ceases, the clutch is released and the counter or index remains at
rest while the clockwork may continue to move.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a part longitudinal section, Fig. 2 is a
transverse section, and Fig. 3 is a part plan of apparatus according to this invention
for indicating the time during which electrical currents are used in a number of
circuits.
The apparatus shewn is one applicable to twelve separate circuits three pairs of
indicators being arranged on each side of clock work which occupies the middle of
the casing, but obviously, by varying the number of indicating parts the apparatus
might be suited to a greater or less number of circuits. In the middle of a closed
casing is fixed a clockwork (which by means of bevil gear e d gives rotation to a
spindle A that extends along the casing and has fixed on it a number of worms D.
Each of these worms engages with a pair of wheels E one on each side of it, and
thus a number of spindles carrying iron cylinders B are caused to revolve.
At a little distance from the end of each of the cylinders B is an iron disc B¹
which is fixed on the spindle of an index P and which is drawn away from B by
a spring Z. The cylinder B is surrounded by a coil of insulated wire Y within
This wire forms part of the circuit to which. the indicator is applied, or of a shunt
to that circuit, so that when an electrical current passes through the circuit, the
an iron box R.

page_text: iron cylinder B becomes magnetised and attracts the iron disc B¹ thus forming a
magnetic clutch whereby the index P is caused to revolve along with the cylinder B,
and therefore at a definite rate as determined by the clockwork and the proportions
of the connecting gear. The spindle of the index P is geared to the spindle of
another index in the proportion of 1 to 10 or in any other desired proportion, and
there may be several such indices indicating units, tens, &c. of hours or other
denominations of time, these indices shewing on dials seen through glasses in the
cover the time during which currents are maintained in the several circuits. As
soon as the current in any circuit ceases, the cylinder B ceases to attract and the
disc B¹ being drawn away from B by the spring Z, the indices for that circuit stop.
Fig. 4 shews diagrammatically several different circuits such as those for glow
lamps, arc lamps or motors can have their time indicators worked by one set of
clockwork.
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 :-
Apparatus for indicating the time during which electricity is used, the said
apparatus consisting of clockwork driving electro-magnetic clutches which engage
and move indices while electrical currents pass through coils that excite the magnetism
of the clutches, but which become disengaged when the currents cease, substantially
as herein described.