Improvements in Speed or Distance Indicators for Cycles, Motor Cars, and other Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Oct., 1898- Accepted, 26th Nov., 1898
Improvements in Speed or Distance Indicators for Cycles, Motor Cars,
and other Vehicles.
We, WATKIN HALL, of Croft Cottage, College Road, Great Crosby, in the
County of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, and PETER LEONARD, of 75, Victoria Road,
Great Crosby, aforesaid, Master Plumber, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to enable the occupant or rider of a vehicle
to ascertain without trouble the speed at which he is going, and also to enable
him to prove to a policeman or other person who may unjustly accuse him of
furious driving or riding that he is not going in excess of the regulation rate.
To this end we provide a speed indicator or cyclometer, and combined with
this cyclometer we provide a gong or other alarm so arranged that it is struck
or put into action at each mile or half mile or otherwise. Our invention also
includes combining with this cyclometer, a watch or other like time keeping
device, so arranged that the time which the rider has taken to ride a given dis-
tance is graphically or visibly indicated on the face of the dial. The indication
can be retained when required so that the rider can prove to a policeman who
may unjustly accuse him of overstepping the regulation pace, that he is not
doing so, and provide him with a record that gives the speed at which he was
actually riding when he was arrested or stopped.
In carrying our invention into effect, we will describe our model device which
has been designed more especially for use in connection with a bicycle it being
understood that this being a model, it can be varied to suit circumstances with-
out however departing from the nature of our invention. The cyclometer is
fixed in any convenient part, say to an arm of the fork of the front wheel, and
is actuated by a pin clipped to one of the spokes so that the cyclometer will be
operated at each revolution of the wheel, any suitable train of wheels or
mechanism being employed to indicate the distance travelled on a
bicycle with
a given diameter of wheel. This cyclometer is by preference one, having a flat
circular dial, with a graduated circle marked on its face near the edge, this circle
constituting a fractional index, shewing one mile and fractions thereof. There
is an index finger travelling in a circle round the edge of the dial and making
a complete revolution in a mile. There are also orifices in the dial displaying
units, tens, hundreds or even thousands, in which case the cyclometer will
register up to 9999 and then start again. On the same dial but in a smaller
circle than the fractional readings of the cyclometer, there is the graduated and
numbered face of a watch with the usual hour and minute hands worked by any
suitable watch or clock movement that will keep correct time, so that the rider
can ascertain from this combination of watch and cyclometer, the exact time
taken in travelling a mile or part of a mile, thus settling all disputes as to rate
of speed. To facilitate this being effected, we provide in addition to the hour and
minute hands, and concentric therewith, an independent, auxiliary finger on the

page_text: face of the watch dial mounted on a central arbor, and traversing the same dial
as the hour and minute hands. The action of this auxiliary finger is independent
of the regular going works of the watch, it having a separate spring so that the
regular time may be maintained by the watch independent of the auxiliary
finger. This finger is moved intermittently by a suitable moving part of the
cyclometer, such for example as a stud, on the outer annular wheel of the cyclo-
meter train, this stud being so placed as to move the said finger intermittently
every mile or every half mile. The finger moves intermittently in the same direc-
tion as the hands of the watch, whilst the watch hands have of course a continuous
movement. The arrangement of the mechanism is such, that at the commencement of
a mile the minute hand of the watch, and the auxiliary finger on the centre arbor
occupy exactly the same position one above the other. The auxiliary finger
remains absolutely motionless and is maintained in that position whilst the hands
of the watch move continuously forward. When however one mile of the journey
is completed, the finger is released by the momentary pressure of a pin projecting
from the cyclometer wheel, when it will move forward to whatever position is
occupied at that moment by the minute hand. Any momentum which the finger
may attain is overcome by suitable mechanism, so as to prevent any swaying back
and forth of the finger and give it a dead motion. In this manner therefore the
device records the exact time occupied in riding one mile, and furthermore it
will be seen that supposing the rider is suddenly stopped before the completion
of an individual mile, and the minute hand is at the moment of stoppage indi-
cating for example, four minutes beyond the point which is occupied by the
auxiliary finger, and the index finger on fractional index of the cyclometer
indicates half a mile, then the rider will at once know that he has taken four
minutes to ride half a mile, that is to say that at the moment of stoppage he was
riding at a speed of something less than 8 miles an hour.
In order to enable a rider to register the speed he was riding at the moment
he was stopped, a stop device may be provided, which by pressing an exterior
pin will stop the watch dead, thus providing a record which he can produce
as proof that he was riding at a given speed at the moment of stoppage, which
no amount of assertion to the contrary can overcome.
To overcome the difficulty of the journey being broken at any proportion of
the complete mile, and the operator wishing to register the exact time of re-
starting, an independent index finger may be provided which does not interfere
in any way with the movement of the rest of the invention. This finger may
be operated by means of a milled head at the back or elsewhere.
The mechanism of the cyclometer may be so arranged by means of a stud or
studs on the outer wheel of the cyclometer or otherwise as to operate a small bell
or other alarm, so as to strike it once for a half mile and twice at a mile, but
the number of rings is of course optional, and the bell can be rung at each
quarter mile or at each mile or otherwise as preferred.
In thus describing our invention we wish it to be understood that we do not
confine ourselves to the exact arrangements set forth, as it is obvious that having
given the general idea of combining a watch with a cyclometer, various modifica-
tions can be made without departing from the principle of the invention. Thus
for example, we do not confine ourselves to the special form of cyclometer de-
scribed, and furthermore instead of having one dial for both the cyclometer and
avatch readings, two separate dials may be employed, one for the cyclometer
readings and one for the watch-readings independently. From this it will be
seen that numerous alterations can be introduced in detail without departing from
the general principle. Furthermore the invention may be applied not only to
bicycles but to road, railway and tramway vehicles generally.
Dated this 20th
3

page_text: Improvements in Speed or Distance Indicators for Cycles, Motor Cars,
and other Vehicles.
We, WATKIN HALL, of Croft Cottage, College Road, Great Crosby, in the
County of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, and PETER LEONARD, of 75, Victoria Road,
Great Crosby, aforesaid, Master Plumber, 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 has for its object to enable the occupant or rider of a vehicle
to ascertain without trouble the speed at which he is going, and also to enable
him to prove to a policeman or other person who may unjustly accuse him of
furious driving or riding that he is not going in excess of the regulation rate.
To this end we provide a speed indicator or cyclometer, and combined with
this cyclometer we provide a watch or other like time keeping device, so arranged
that the time which the rider has taken to ride a given distance is graphically or
visibly indicated on the face of the dial. The indication can be retained when
required so that the rider can prove to a policeman who may unjustly accuse him
of overstepping the regulation pace, that he is not doing so, and provide him with
a record that gives the speed at which he was actually riding when he was
arrested or stopped.
In our Provisional Specification we described our model device which was
designed more especially for use in connection with a bicycle, and we pointed out
that this being a model could be varied to suit circumstances without however
departing from the nature of the invention.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a front view of our speed or distance indicator;
Figure 2 a front view of the same with the cap and dial removed;
Figure 3 a front view with the cap, dial etc. removed, showing the mechanism
for releasing the auxiliary finger and making it spring back to its normal
position:
Figure 4 a cross section through the speed or distance indicator;
Figure 5 a slight modification of Figure 3; and
Figure 6 the speed or distance indicator in use on a bicycle.
The cyclometer is fixed in any convenient part, say to an arm of the fork of
the front wheel, and is actuated by pins clipped to the spokes, so that the cyclo-
meter will be operated at each revolution of the wheel, any suitable train of
wheels or mechanism being employed to indicate the distance travelled on a
bicycle with a given diameter of wheel. This cyclometer is by preference one
having a flat circular dial, with a graduated circle marked on its face near the
edge, this circle constituting a fractional index, showing one mile and fractions
thereof. There is an index finger travelling in a circle round the edge of the
dial and making a complete revolution in a half mile. There are also orifices
in the dial displaying units, tens, hundreds or even thousands, in which case
On the same
the cyclometer will register up to 9999 and then start again.
dial but in a smaller circle. than the fractional readings of the cyclometer, there
is the graduated and numbered face of a watch with the usual hour and minute
hands worked by any suitable watch or clock movement that will keep correct
time, so that the rider can ascertain from this combination of watch and cyclo-
meter, the exact time taken in travelling a mile or part of a mile, thus settling
all disputes as to rate of speed.

page_text: To go more into detail, A is the main case with a cap B and glass C. On one
edge of the main case is the screw case D containing a screw, one end of which
projects from D and is provided with a star wheel E. At the back side of the
case there is provided means such as an arm F which enables it to be secured
to the axis of the front wheel or other suitable part, the star wheel being actuated
by pins G clipped to the spokes so that the screw contained in the case 1) will
be intermittently operated by the revolution of the wheel. H is a flat annular
dial with a graduated scale h marked on its face near the edge, this circle con-
stituting a fractional index showing one half mile and fractions thereof in
yards. Within the annular dial H containing the fractional readings of the
cyclometer, there is the graduated and numbered face H¹ of a watch with the usual
hour, and minute hands worked by any suitable watch or clock movement that
will keep correct time, so that the rider can ascertain from this combination of
watch and cyclometer the exact time taken in travelling a mile or part of a mile,
thus settling all disputes as to rate of speed. Any suitable train of wheels or
mechanism is employed to indicate the distance travelled on a bicycle with a
given diameter of wheel, the train we prefer being set forth in the figures, in which
I is an annular toothed wheel, whose teeth engage the threads of the screw within
the case D whereby a rotation of said screw will rotate the annular wheel I. It is
provided with an index finger travelling with the annular wheel round the
edge of the dial H, and making a complete revolution in 880 yards. J is a stud
mounted on the said annular toothed wheel I so as to move with it, this stud
serving as a driving projection for engaging the teeth of the wheel K. The
wheel is provided with teeth for being ongaged by the stud J. It is mounted
on a fixed stud k and also carries a numeral disc preferably bearing on its front
face ciphers (or blanks) and 's, all round, which are alternately displayed
through the orifice K². The said wheel K also carries a pinion K' which drives
the toothed wheel L on the fixed stud 7, which in its turn drives a pinion Mon
the fixed stud m. by means of the pins . This wheel is provided with ten
teeth for engagement by the studs on the wheel L, and rotating with this wheel
there is a numeral disc bearing on its front face the nine digits and a cipher,
which are successively exposed through the orifice M. The wheel M carries a
stud which drives a wheel N, which in its turn drives a wheel O each of these
carrying numeral discs displaying the numerals through suitable orifices in the
dial. This arrangement of mechanism therefore enables the distance traversed
by a bicycle to be depicted in miles and fractions thereof, the orifices M' N & O¹
displaying units, tens and hundreds respectively, while the orifice K2 displays
half miles and the annular dial H indicates yards. The cyclometer train is
contained within the space P in the case A while the going works of the watch
are contained within the space P¹.
In order to facilitate the rider ascertaining from this combination of watch and
cyclometer the exact time taken in travelling a mile or fraction thereof, we pro-
vide in addition to the hour and minute hands and concentric therewith, an
auxiliary or seconds finger Q on the face of the watch dial H' mounted on a
central arbor Q and traversing the same dial as the hour and minute hands.
The action of this auxiliary or seconds finger Q can be made independent of
the regular going works of the watch, it having a disconnection spring U so
arranged that the regular time may be maintained by the watch independent of
the auxiliary finger. This finger when independent of the going train of the
watch is moved intermittently by a suitable moving part of the cyclometer, such
for example as notches on the outer annular wheel of the cyclometer train, these
notches being so placed as to move the said finger intermittently by suitable
mechanism (e.g.) every 220 yards as hereafter more fully described. The finger
moves intermittently in the same direction as the hands of the watch, while the
watch hands have of course a continuous movement. The arrangement of the
mechanism may be such that at the commencement of the 220 yards, the minute
hand of the watch and the auxiliary finger of the centre arbor occupy exactly the

page_text: same position one above the other, in which case the auxiliary finger remains
absolutely motionless and is maintained in that position while the hands of the
watch move continuously forward. When however a given distance of the
journey is completed, the finger is released by one of the notches on the cyclo-
meter wheel, when it will move forward to whatever position is occupied at that
moment by the minute hand. It is obvious however that instead of the finger
being released when a given distance of the journey has been completed to move
it forward to whatever position is occupied at that moment by the minute hand,
we may arrange that it shall be operated like the seconds hand of a watch, and
when the given distance is completed shall spring into the position it started from
at the outset and commence rotation again.
To go again more into detail, Q as already mentioned is the seconds or auxiliary
finger, operated by the same movement that operates the watch hands, but it is
capable of disconnection therefrom automatically by the spring U. R is a sleeve
on the arbor Q to which the auxiliary hand which is a seconds hand is fitted.
On this sleeve R is a pinion R¹ and disc S the latter having a pin S¹ which under
certain conditions engages a stop T, but which when the seconds hand is in
movement denoting seconds does not do so. The sleeve R with its seconds hand,
disc and pinion is loose on the arbor Q¹, but it normally engages with the going
train of the watch so as to be revolved thereby. The spring U is made a fixture
at one end while at the other it goes under the annular wheel I, in which how-
ever there are grooves I¹ at intervals as shown, preferably four. As therefore I
rotates, these grooves will successively come opposite the end of the spring U,
and enable it to spring upward slightly, thus disconnecting the sleeve R from
the going train of the watch and stopping the movement of the hand Q, but
bringing the stop T into the path of the pin S¹. V is an arm pivoted at and
carrying at its end a quadrant V₁ adapted to engage the pinion R. The end of the
arm V rests against the ring I and is thus kept in the position shown by the full
lines (Figure 3). W are the notches aforesaid in the annular wheel I, four in
number. These notches are placed so that they will momentarily release the
arm at the same moment that the grooves I come opposite the end of the
spring U. The consequence is the quadrant will, under the force of its spring V³,
and about the same moment that the seconds hand is disconnected from the going
train of the watch, fly forward into engagement with the pinion R¹ and so rotate
the seconds hand forward into the position from whence it started, the stop T
forming an abutment against which the pin S¹ strikes and so stops the seconds
hand dead. This action is momentary, as immediately the groove I' has passed
the end of the spring U the latter is pressed down again, thus putting the
seconds hand into engagement with the going train of the watch, and setting
it into motion again, while the stop T is simultaneously moved out of the path
of the pin S¹. At the same moment the notch turns back the arm V from the
position shown in dotted lines (Figure 3) into its original position which is shown
in full lines, the return movement of this arm being effected without operating
the pinion R¹ because the putting of the seconds hand into engagement with
the going train moves the pinion R' out of the path of the quadrant VI, and
enables the latter to return from the position set forth in the dotted lines to its
first position without turning the pinion. The seconds hand thus again starts
its time movement, the action being repeated by preference at every 220 yards.
In this manner therefore the device records the exact time occupied in riding
each 220 yards, and furthermore it will be seen that supposing the rider is
suddenly stopped before the completion of 220 yards, and the seconds hand is at
the amount of stoppage indicating for example that it has gone 22 seconds,
and the index finger on the fractional index of the cyclometer indicates 25 yards,
then the rider will at once know that he has taken 22 seconds to ride 25 yards
and can calculate the rate per hour accordingly. In Figures 1 and 3 the
mechanism is in such a position that the seconds hand is about to be discon-

page_text: nected from the going train, whilst in Figures 4 and 5 the disconnection has just
taken place.
The action of the auxiliary finger Q when independent of the going-train of
the watch will be understood from the following description, reference being had
to the same figures as are referred to in the previous paragraph. The finger Q
is in this case moved intermittently by a suitable moving part of the cyclometer,
such for instance as notches W on the outer annular wheel I of the cyclometer
train acting on the pivoted arm V with its spring V2 and quadrant V₁ operating
the pinion R¹ on the arbor of the said finger Q, these notches being so placed
as to move said finger intermittently by a suitable mechanism (e.g. every 220
yards). The finger moves intermittently in the same direction as the hands of
the watch, whilst the watch hands have of course a continuous movement, and
at the commencement of the 220 yards, or whatever distance may be fixed upon,
the hand of the watch and the auxiliary finger Q on the centre arbor Q occupy
exactly the same position one above the other. The auxiliary finger Qremains
absolutely motionless and is maintained in that position while the hands of the
watch move continuously forward. When however a given distance of the journey
is completed, the finger Q is released by one of the notches W on the
cyclometer wheel I, when it is moved forward to whatever position is occupied
at that moment by the minute hand, this being effected by providing the minute
hand where it is mounted on the arbor with an abutment and the auxiliary finger
with an upwardly projecting ridge which will catch against the abutment when
the auxiliary finger Q springs forward at the completion of the 220 yards or what-
ever distance may be fixed upon. This causes the auxiliary finger to stop dead
in whatever position is occupied at the moment by the minute hand.
In order to enable the rider to register the speed he was riding at the moment
he was stopped, any suitable stop device may be provided which by pressing an
exterior pin X will stop the watch dead, thus providing a record which he can
produce as proof that he was riding at a given speed at the moment of stoppage
which no amount of assertion to the contrary can overcome.
The mechanism of
the cyclometer may be so arranged by means of stud or studs on the annular
wheel I, or otherwise, as to operate if desired a small bell or other alarm so as to
strike it once for 220 yards and twice at 440 and so on, but the number of rings
is of course optional, and the bell can be rung at each quarter mile or at each
half mile or otherwise as preferred.
The arrangement shown in Figure 5 is practically the same as that shown in
Figure 3, the only difference being that an arm s is substituted for the pinion R¹,
and a plain arm V¹ for the quadrant arm V, the action in each case being
identical.
It is desirable to use a device for stopping any possible momentum of the
wheels M N and so as to stop the numeral discs dead at each indication. For
this purpose therefore we forni the bottom of the sleeves Y on which the said
wheels are mounted with serrations and we add a spring Y¹ having upwardly
projecting ridges Z that will engage the serrations, the said serrations in the lower
face of the sleeves being ten in number to correspond with their ten periods of
rest. There are by preference two of these springs employed, one with ridges
engaging the serrations on the sleeves of the wheels O and M and the other one
arranged crosswise thereto, engaging the serrations on the bottom face of the
sleeves of the wheels N and K. The movement of each sleeve therefore has a
tendency to force the ridges downwardly and permit the sleeve to make its
fractional part of a revolution. The ridge then enters the next groove with all
the force of the spring, thereby preventing the numeral discs from being moved
too far and also having a tendency to carry them to a definite point and complete
their movement in case the driving projections did not carry them quite fan
enough. The springs will then act to hold each sleeve with their numeral discs
in position, until the next forward movement thereof.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The improvement in speed indicators which consists in combining with a
cyclometer or distance recorder a watch or other like time keeping device, so
arranged that the distance the vehicle has travelled and the time it has taken
to travel a given distance, are graphically or visibly indicated on the face of the
dials, from which data the speed of the vehicle can be readily calculated.
2. In cyclometers, forming the stationary dial thereof (around the edges of
which travels the index finger) of annular form, and placing concentrically
within this annular dial a watch or other time keeping device, whereby an indi-
cation of the distance the vehicle has travelled and the time it has taken to travel
that distance can be obtained and thus the speed calculated therefrom, sub-
stantially as described.
3. In a speed indicator comprising a cyclometer for recording the distance
traversed and a watch or other like time-keeping device for indicating the time
taken to accomplish the distance traversed, the use or employment in addition to
the hour and minute hands, and concentric therewith, of a seconds or auxiliary
finger operated by the going train of the watch, but capable of being disconnected
therefrom, this finger being so arranged that it can be held stationary and moved
forward to whatever position is occupied by the minute hand when a given dis-
tance of the journey has been completed, or it can be operated by the going train
of the watch and then disconnected therefrom when a given distance is traversed
so that it can be moved round into the position it started from at the outset to
commence rotation again, substantially as described.
4. In a speed indicator comprising a cyclometer for recording the distance
traversed and a watch or other like time keeping device for indicating the time
taken to accomplish the distance traversed, the latter having a seconds hand
which is operated by the going train of the watch, the mechanism for auto-
matically and momentarily disconnecting the seconds hand from the going train
the moment a given distance has been covered by the vehicle, substantially as
and for the purpose described.
5. In a speed indicator, the combination with the mechanism set forth in
Claim 2 for automatically and momentarily disconnecting the seconds hand from
the going train, of a device for rotating the seconds hand immediately it is
liberated from the going train into the exact position from which it started, sub-
stantially as described.
6. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming our
improved speed indicator, substantially as set forth.
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London.