Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating Road Gradients.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Loft 28th Sent 1907 Accented 30th Out
4007
Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Loft, 29th Sept, 1907 Accepted, 30th Oct., 1907
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating Road Gradients.
I, MARIE LOUIS JULES ROGER L'ABBÉ DE MONTAIS of the Château de Beauvoir,
pres Cloyes (Eure et Loir) France, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
this Invention to be as follows:
This Invention relates to improvements in the apparatus for indicating road
gradients which formed the subject of a previous application for Letters Patent
dated August 28th 1896 No. 19,072; and it has for its principal object to prevent
transmission of vibrations and shooks from the vehicle to the index hand of the
apparatus mounted thereon.
The improvements consist essentially in filling the casing of the apparatus
with non-freezing liquid and also in making the pendulum bob or weight of semi-
circular form to which the liquid opposes a certain amount or resistance, thus
preventing any sudden oscillation of the pendulum and index hand.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 represents a face view and
Figure 2 a vertical section of the apparatus on line 1-2 Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a rear view of the mechanism and
Figure 4 a horizontal section ou line 3-4 Figure 2.
The same letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.
In this improved apparatus the bob or weight b is in the form of a semi-circular
pallet or blade concentric with the casing of the instrument, a space of from
two to three millimetres only being left between the semi-circular edge of the
blade and the side of the casing so that the liquid meets with a certain amount
of resistance to its passage from one side of the pallet to the other, as hereinafter
explained, which prevents sudden oscillations of the pendulum. The movements
of the pendulum are transmitted in an increased rotio to the index
hand h, as described in my said former application, by means of a toothed
sector d attached to the pendulum and a pinion g keyed on the axis of the index
hand h. The pallet b may be provided on each face with studs or buffers
of indiarubber for cushioning the impact of the pendulum against the front and
back of the case. When the instrument is to be applied ou automotive cars the
casing is mounted on a foot to which the instrument is jointed in any suitable
manner for enabling the pointer to be returned to zero. An example of such an
arrangement is represented in Figure 2 in which the instrument is pivoted upon an
axis m and can be fixed in any position in which it is adjusted by tightening
the wing nut the shank of which passes through a slot o in the standard
which the instrument is attached. Any other form of joint may be employed, a
universal joint for example, admitting of inclining the instrument in any direction.
In order to prevent the pointer from being constantly subject to irregular move-
ments due to vibration of the vehicle, the casing of the instrument is filled with
to

page_text: a non-freezing liquid, such as vaseline oil for example. To prevent leakage, the
glass cover g is received between a hollow external rim on casing k filled with
white lead or other waterproof matter, and an inner rim r screwing in a threaded
rings on the casing k, the joint being sealed by means of cement, insoluble in
fatty matters but capable of being dissolved by hot water in order to permit of
dismounting the apparatus for repairs. Behind the rim r is applied the dial and
behind the latter is placed the plate upon which the whole mechanism is carried.
Under these conditions the joint of the glass face q is sealed on the inside by a
material insoluble in the fatty liquid which fills the casing and on the exterior
by a material insoluble in water. The dial and plate are each provided at
their lower part with a hole v to allow of the liquid entering and filling the space
between the glass cover and the dial. The instrument would not be completely
filled with liquid, a small volume of air being left sufficient to allow of the expan-
sion of the liquid on a rise of the external temperature, so as to avoid leakage.
The apparatus would be fixed to a cycle by means of a suitable clip.
In certain cases when the apparatus is not filled with liquid, the penilulum
may be retained by a suitable stop so that by pressing on a knob for example the
pendulum will be released and immediately assumo a vertical position, the
graduation at which the pendulum is arrested indicating the gradient.
Dated this 31st day of December 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London Chartered Patent Agents.
Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating Road
tenta.
I, MARIE LOUIS JULES ROGER L'ABBÉ DE MONTAIS of the Château de Beauvoir,
près Cloyes, (Eure et Loir), France, Gentleman, 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 relates to improvements in the apparatus for indicating road
gradients which formed the subject of previous Letters Patent dated August 28th
1896 No. 19,072; and it has for its principal object to prevent the traitsmission
of vibrations and shocks from the vehicle to the index hand of the apparatus
mounted thereon.
The improvements consist essentially in filling the casing of the apparatus with
a non-freezing liquid and also in making the pendulum bob or weight of semi-
circular form to which the liquid opposes a certain amount of resistance, thus
preventing any sudden oscillation of the pendulum and index hand.
The Invention is illustrated in the drawings hecompanying my Provisional
Specification in which
Figure 1 represents a face view and Figure 2 a vertical section of the apparatus
on line 1-2 Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a rear view of the mechanism and
Figure 4 a horizontal section on line 3-4 Figure 2.
The same letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.
In this improved apparatus the bob or weight bis in the form of a semi-circular
pallet or blade concentric with the casing of the instrument, a space of from two
to three millimetres only being left between the semi-circular edge of the blade
and the side of the casing so that the lequid meets with a certain amount

page_text: of resistance to its passage from one side of the pallet to the other
as hereinafter explained, thus forming a kind of dash pot which prevent;
sudden oscillations of the pendulum. The movements of the pendulum are trans-
mitted in an increased ratio to the index hand h, as described in the Specification
of my said former l'atent, by means of a toothed sector d attached to the pendulum
and a pinion g keyed on the axis of the index hand h. The pallet b may be
provided on each face with studs or buffers j of indiarubber for cushioning the
impact of the pendulum against the front and back of the case.
When the instrument is to be applied on automotive cars the casing & is mounted
on a foot to which the instrument is jointed in any suitable manner for enabling
the pointer to be returned to zero. An example of such an arrangement is repre-
sented in Figure 2 in which the instrument is pivoted upon an axis m and can be
fixed in any position in which it is adjusted by tightening the wing nut n the
shank of which passes through a slot o in the standard p to which the instrument
is attached. Any other form of joint may be employed a universal joint for
example, admitting of iuclining the instrument in any direction.
In order to prevent the pointer from being constantly subject to irregular move-
ments due to vibration of the vehicle, the casing of the instrument is filled with
a non-freesing liquid such as vaseline oil for example. To prevent leakage, tho
glass cover 9 is received between a hollow external rim, or bead on casing k
filled with white lead or other waterproof matter, and an inner rim r screwing
in a threaded rings on the casing k, the joint being sealed by means of cement
insoluble in fatty matters but capable of being dissolved by hot water in order to
permit of dismounting the apparatus for repairs. Behind the rim is applied
the dial and behind the latter is placed a plate u upon which the whole
mechanism is carried. Under these conditions the joint of the glass faco q is
sealed on the inside by a material insoluble in the fatty liquid which fills the
casing and on the exterior by a material insoluble in water. The dial and
plate u are each provided at their lower part with a hole v to allow of the liquid
entering and filling the space between the glass cover and the dial. The instru-
ment would not be completely filled with liquid, a small volume of air being left
sufficient to allow of the expansion of the liquid on a rise of the external
temperature, so as to avoid leakage.
A communication may also be established between the interior of the casing
and the exterior by means of a long capillary tube of spiral form into the coils of
which the liquid would penetrate in the event of the internal pressure becoming
excessive, the coil being made of such capacity as to be capable of containing a
volume of liquid greater than that which would be liable to escape from the casing.
In this manner all risk of excessive pressure in the interior of the casing which in
the event of a high external temperaturo would be liable to cause leakage at
the joint of the glass cover is avoided and escape of the liquid is prevented.
The apparatus would be fixed to a cycle by means of a suitable clip.
In certain cases when the apparatus is not filled with liquid, the pendulum
may be retained by a suitable stop so that by pressing on a knob for example the
pendulum will be released and immediately assume a vertical position, the
graduation at which the pendulum is arrested, indicating the gradient.
Tho form, dimensions, and accessory arrangements of the apparatus may be
varied to suit the nature of each particular application of the instrument.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be perforined I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In apparatus for indicating rond gradients of the kind described in the
Specification of my said former Patent, the herein described means for preventing
violent oscillations of the index hand and consisting of a dash-pot formed by a
broad pallet-like pendulum bob, and a filling of uncongealable liquid in which
the pendulum is immersed substantially as specified.

page_text: 2. The herein described means of sealing the glass cover in the casing to prevent
leakage substantially as specified.
Dated this 28th day of September 1897.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.