Improvements in Stroke-counting Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1896-Accepted, 23rd May, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stroke-counting Apparatus.
I, JOHANN ULRICH MEIER, of 25 gr. Elbstrasse, Altona, Germany, Head'
Miller, 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 aud by the-
following statement :-
Stroke-counters as heretofore usually employed indicate merely the numbers of
strokes that have been made in definite periods of times, but do not enable it to be
ascertained whether the strokes have taken place in equal times-that is to say,.
whether the engine or apparatus (hereinafter called the engine) whose strokes have
been counted has been working uniformly-which it is in many cases of extreme
importance to know.
Now this invention relates to an apparatus which records the engine-strokes upon
a strip of paper in such a manner as to enable the time elapsing between consecutive
strokes or sets of strokes to be accurately determined from the said record.
This apparatus is illustrated in elevation in the accompanying drawing, and
comprises a cylinder a, which serves to receive a strip of paper and is mounted on
a screw-threaded spindle c fixed in a frame b. The cylinder a is rotated by.clock-
work d through a rod fwhich is connected to the cylinder and projects into the-
fork of an arm g that is rotated by the clockwork. Laterally adjacent to the
cylinder there is arranged an electro-magnet h, whose armaturei which is shaped
like that of an electric bell, carries a pencil k. The coils of the electro-magnet
are connected to a conductor I whose circuit is arranged to be closed by the ongine.
at each of its strokes. It will be readily understood that the pencil & will make a
dot upon the paper strip each time the circuit is closed, and as the cylinder that
carries the strip revolves with uniform spoed, the distances between consecutive
dots thus made will be equal to one another when the engine is working uniformly..
In order that any irregularity in the rate of working of the engine may be plainly
visible, the speed of rotation of the cylinder a, especially when the strokes are made
in rapid succession, must not be too small; and it would therefore be necessary, for
permanent registration or for registering during long periods, to employ very
large cylinders unless, as is the case in this improved apparatus, the cylinder had
imparted to it a longitudinal motion produced by the screw c in addition to its.
rotatory motion.
Notwithstanding this, however, when the strokes are made in very rapid successiou
the distances between the successive dots on the paper are too small, that is to say,.
a line is formed by the dots-and in such cases it becomes necessary to employ a
ratchet-device such as that illustrated by dotted lines in the drawing, in which a
ratchet-wheel o which is operated from the engine by means of a lever m aud
a pawl n, carries a stud p that strikes at every revolution of the wheel o against
another stud g in such a manner as to press the pencil against the paper on the
cylinder a. As will be obvious, it is not necessary that the stud on the ratchet
wheel should act directly upon the pencil, in which case the apparatus would have
to be situated in the immediate vicinity of the engine; but it may be arranged that
the stud p shall, at each revolution of the ratchet-wheel, close the circuit of the
electric conductor (as in the first case was arranged to be done by the engine
itself at every change of stroke) whereupon the record will be produced by the
electrical device herein before described.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion und in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
olaim is :-
1. A stroke-counting apparatus adapted to record in a readily observable manner
not only the number of the strokes made by an engine, but also the intervals of time
that clapse between the consecutive strokes by means of a cylinder which is
arranged to be rotated uniformly by clockwork and serves to carry a strip of paper,
and which is mounted on a stationary screw-threaded spindle whereby it will be
caused to move longitudinally during its rotation, substantially as herein before
described.
2. My improved stroke-counting apparatus constructed, arranged and operating as
herein before described with reference to and shown in full lines in the accompanying
drawing or modified as described and shown by the dotted lines thercof.
Dated this 23rd day of April 1896.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.