A RECORDING AND REGISTERING LEVEL FOR MAKING SECTIONS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER SURVEYS THAT SHOW DIFFERENCES OF LEVEL
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Manson Rymer-Jones, of 52, Cornwall Road,
Westbourne Park, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "A
RECORDING AND REGISTERING LEVEL FOR MAKING SECTIONS FOR RAILWAY AND
OTHER SURVEYS THAT SHOW DIFFERENCES OF LEVEL."
Sealed the 14th May 1880, and dated the 21st November 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Manson Rymer-
Jones at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st November
1879.
ALEXANDER MANSON RYMER-JONES, of 52, Cornwall Road, Westbourne Park,
in the County of Middlesex. "A RECORDING AND REGISTERING LEVEL FOR
MAKING SECTIONS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER SURVEYS THAT SHEW DIFFERENCES
OF LEVEL."
This Invention of a recording and registering level for making sections for
railway and other surveys that shew differences of level is intended to dispense
with the recording of levels by the surveyor in the ordinary method, as well as the
subsequent plotting from the field book, the machine itself recording the differences
of level and plotting them down upon a continuous roll of paper.
It is composed of a wheel or prime mover of any convenient diameter, which is
propelled or guided over the track to be surveyed; in connection with this wheel
is another of the same size, and a small wheel or wheels connected by suitable
framing forming the body of the instrument or carriage or framing for holding the
several parts required. Turning with the first wheel named is a small vertical
pinion, from which is driven another horizontal wheel or pinion carrying on its
axis a horizontal surface plate or wheel; upon this surface wheel is carried a
vertical wheel capable of traversing from the centre of the surface wheel to its
periphery.
It is evident that this vertical wheel resting on the centre of the surface wheel
will in such position have no movement of rotation, but if moved from the centre
towards the periphery will have motion imparted to it, and that such motion will
be increased as the vertical wheel or level motor is taken further froin the centre
of the surface wheel; in connection with the axis of the vertical wheel or level
motor is a chain or spring connection forming the junction with the edge of a
.

page_text: vertically suspended wheel on a suitable axle, so that the suspended wheel being
oscillated the vertical wheel will carry the level motor to or from the centre of the
surface wheel; the suspended wheel is heavily weighted in one or more of its
segments so as always to remain in one vertical position relative to the horizontal
level. It follows, therefore, that any change of level in the carriage will corre-
spondingly affect the position of the level motor carrying it, either on one side or
the other of the centre of the surface wheel, and will then revolve with a greater
or less velocity as it is more or less distant from the centre.
Connected by axles and pinions this motion is transmitted to a pencil held in
any convenient manner, so that it may act upon a sheet of paper coiled upon a
roller, or passing over a curved or other surface. The sheet of paper, of any
convenient width, may be plain or graduated, and the speed of the paper can be
adjusted to any ratio with the speed of the prime mover. It is evident from this
description that so long as the machine is rolling over a perfectly level surface the
pencil will describe a single plain line parallel and continuous with the length of
the roll, but that any movement arising from the ascent of the carriage or the
descent will cause the pencil to deviate from such parallel course, and will register
itself on either side of such single plain line as the machine is either ascending or
descending. It will, however, be necessary to compensate for the greater length of
course described by the prime mover in traversing the bypothenuse of the base
when ascending or descending from the level, and this is accomplished in the
following manner :-'
-The cylinders of paper are connected and put in motion by a
pinion on the prime mover and axles and gearing so adjusted as to give the desired
ratio of travel in the paper from the prime mover, according to the scale required,
so long as the machine is travelling over a uniform plane or level surface, and the
adjustment for compensating the greater length of the hypothenuse is accomplished
by giving to the cylinders, or one of the cylinders carrying the paper or over
which it passes, a variable diameter. This is given by making the circumference of
the compensating cylinder or cylinders of a sheet of flexible steel or other metal
distended by radial arms jointed to a collar free to play upon the axle of the paper
cylinder or compensating cylinder, the outer ends of the radial arms carrying friction
wheels or rollers; it is obvious that any movement of rotation in either direction
given to this collar will contract the outer circumference formed by the ends of the
friction rollers, and the coiled flexible sheet of steel will act in unison with it.
This adjusting motion is caused by wheels, or portions of wheels, or radial arms
attached to the collar or collars, and weighted in their segments or arms by weights,
as in the suspended wheel described. The normal position of the cylinder will
then be the full distension of the radial arms, and the contraction of the cylinder
will take place whenever the machine is either ascending or descending from the
normal level, and thus compensate for the greater length of the course of the prime
mover.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Manson Rymer-Jones in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st May 1880.
.
ALEXANDER MANSON RYMER-JONES, of 52, Cornwall Road, Westbourne Park, in
the County of Middlesex. "A RECORDING AND REGISTERING LEVEL FOR
MAKING SECTIONS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER SURVEYS THAT SHOW DIFFERENCES
OF LEVEL,"
This Invention of a recording and registering level for making sections for
railways and other surveys that show differences of level is intended to dispense
with the recording of levels by the surveyor in the ordinary method, as well as the
subsequent plotting from the field book, the machine itself recording the differences
of level and plotting them down upon a continuous roll of paper.
It is composed of a wheel or prime mover a of any convenient diameter, which
is propelled or guided over the track to be surveyed; in connection with this
wheel is another of the same size b, which might if preferred be the prime mover,
or both may be employed, and a small wheel or wheels c, connected by suitable
framing & forming the body of the instrument or carriage or framing for holding
the several parts required. Turning with the first wheel named and upon its
axle a' is a small vertical pinion or worm screw which drives another hori-
zontal wheel or pinion carrying on its axis a horizontal surface plate or wheel e;
upon this surface wheel is carried a vertical wheel ƒ capable of traversing from the
centre of the surface wheel to its periphery. It is evident that this vertical wheel
resting on the centre of the surface wheel will in such position have no movement
of rotation, but if moved from the centre towards the periphery will have motion
imparted to it, and that such motion will be increased as the vertical wheel or level
motor is taken further from the centre of the surface wheel; in connection with the
axle of the vertical wheel or level motor f is a chain or flat spring connection like
a pump head, and also with a swivel f¹ (an adjustment if required) forming the
junction with the edge of a vertically suspended wheel g on a suitable axle, so
that the suspended wheel being oscillated the vertical wheel will carry the level
motor to or from the centre of the surface wheel e; the suspended wheel g is
heavily weighted in one or more of its segments gl so as always to remain in one
vertical position relative to the horizontal level. It follows, therefore, that any
change of level in the carriage will correspondingly affect the position of the level
motor f, carrying it either to one side or to the other of the centre of the surface
wheel e, which will then revolve with a greater or less velocity as it is more or less
distant from the centre.
Connected by axles and pinions this motion is transmitted to a pencil h held on
the rack wand h₁; the rack wand receives its motion from a system of gearing
deriving its motion from the motor f, and consequently the wand h¹ will carry the
pencil horizontally right and left of the medial line of the machine as the angle is
up or down during the travel of the instrument, and so that it may act upon a
sheet of paper coiled upon a bobbin roller i, which passing over a curved or other
surface or cylinder j is received upon another bobbin roller similar to and placed
above or below the bobbin roller i The sheet of paper, of any convenient width,
may be plain or graduated, and the speed of the paper can be adjusted to any ratio
with the speed of the prime mover. It is evident from this description that so long'
as the machine is rolling over a perfectly level surface the pencil will describe a
single plain line parallel and continuous with the length of the roll, but that any
movement arising from the ascent of the carriage or the descent will cause the
pencil to deviate from such parallel course, and will register itself on either side of

page_text: such single plain line as the machine is either ascending or descending. The datum
line is given by a fixed pencil h², which can be adjusted or fixed at the commence-
ment of the survey at such a distance from the medial line as may be desired. It
will, however, be necessary to compensate for the greater length of course described
by the prime mover in traversing the hypothenuse of the base when ascending or
descending from the level, and this is accomplished in the following manner :-The
cylinders of paper are connected and put in motion by a pinion on the prime mover,
and axles and gearing so adjusted as to give the desired ratio of travel to the
paper from the action of the prime mover, according to the scale required, so long
as the machine is travelling over a uniformly plane or level surface, and the adjust-
ment for compensating the greater length of the hypothenuse is accomplished by
giving to the cylinders, or one of them over which the paper passes, a variable
diameter. This is given by making the circumference of the compensating cylinder
or cylinders of a sheet of flexible steel or other metal, to be distended by radial
arms jointed to a collar free to play upon the axle of the paper cylinder or com-
pensating cylinder, the outer ends of the radial arms carrying friction wheels or
rollers; it is obvious that any movement of rotation in either direction given
to this collar will contract the outer circumference formed by the ends of the friction
rollers, and the coiled flexible sheet of steel will act in unison with it. This
adjusting motion is caused by the wheels, portions of wheels, or radial arms attached
to the collar or collars, and weighted in their segments or arms by weights, as in the
suspended wheel described. The normal position of the cylinder will then be the
full distension of the radial arms, and the contraction of the cylinder will take
place whenever the machine is either ascending or descending from the normal
level, and thus compensate for the greater length of the course of the prime mover.
In the Drawings an alternative plan is shown by which the motion of the paper is
regulated by the acceleration or retardation of the sheet of the bobbins and
cylinders. This is accomplished by a frictional motion derived from the prime mover
axle a', worm wheel a³, and worm pinion a³, but by which a friction pinion k
drives a vertical friction plate l, the friction pinion k being, by the action of the
weight m, drawn nearer to or further from the centre of the friction plate 1,
exactly as the angle of travel of the machine is up or down. The friction plate
being keyed on the axle of the cylinder j, and both deriving their motion from the
same source, carry the paper in exact unison with the requirements of the angles
of the grades, be they greater or less; for clearness of description one journal
supporting bracket is omitted on the plan, but its position will be evident to any
mechanic.
The bracket end in connection with the frame d is for the purpose of sup-
porting the two points o, p, of the system of levers q, q, q, q, which adjust the
length of the axle of the friction pinion k, as is evidently necessary from the
description.
In cases where the machine is wished to be out of gear to make a detour, or to
travel from point to point, or in travelling round a curve, one or both wheels may
be thrown out of gear with the level recording paper or level motor by the
following contrivance :-The action of the wheels a and b are made conical where
they enter the boss of the wheel, and the ends of the axle are tapped with a screw
to take radial spoke wheels or nuts r; these at any moment, either to one wheel
or both, make the connection with the axle loose or rigid as desired.
Having now described and particularly set forth my Invention, and the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I
claim is,
Firstly. The recording and registering level acting primarily from a suspended
weight for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.
Secondly. The recording and registering level for the purpose set forth, substan-
tially as described.
Thirdly. The horizontal friction plate and vertical wheel or level motor acted

page_text: upon by a suspended weight, and operating upon a sheet of paper for tracing the
levels, in the manner and by the means substantially as set forth.
Fourthly. The vertical friction plate and friction pinion for adjusting the speed of
the paper to receive the tracings of the level, substantially as set forth.
Fifthly. The means indicated of compensating the speed of travel of the paper
by the expansion and contraction of a cylinder of flexible metal, substantially as
described for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Manson Rymer-Jones, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
A. M. RYMER-JONES. (L.S.)