Apparatus for Giving at a Distance the Thermometrical, Barometrical, and other like Indications Occurring at a Certain Locality.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 16th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 7th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Giving at a Distance the Thermometrical, Barometrical,
and other like Indications Occurring at a Certain Locality.
I, JULES RICHARD, of No. 8 Impasse, Fessart Paris, France, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It is often necessary, in a great number of cases, to know at a particular place
the thermometrical, barometrical, hygrometrical and other like conditions existing
at different localities situated at a distance from the place where the observations
have to be made. Thus I will cite for example the case of a heating apparatus in
which it is useful that the fireman should, when necessary, be able to ascertain the
temperature existing at the various localities to which the apparatus supplies heat,
in order that he may properly control the supply of heat through the pipes or
flues, to such localities."
As it is not necessary that the transmission of the indications should be permanent,
the apparatus which forms the subject of my present invention only has a single
receiver, which, when required, supplies an indication of the temperature existing
at a given point, but which does not preserve such indication, as the indicating
pointer returns to zero as soon as the receiver is put out of action, so that it is
always ready to give a fresh indication.
The construction of the apparatus for this purpose as applied to the indication of
temperatures is as follows. It consists of the combination of a transmitting
apparatus and a receiving apparatus; the transmitting apparatus consists of a metal
casing on which is fixed a thermometer.
This is of the known construction consisting of a curved compound metal bar, the
curvature of which varies with variations in the temperature. The free end of this
bar is connected by a rod to a crank arm on an axis which carries a pointer, so that
according as the temperature of the locality where the transmitter is situated varies,
the position of the pointer will be varied in a corresponding manner. In line with
the said axis is situated a second axis carrying an arm that ordinarily rests against
an insulated stop a distance away from the said pointer, but which can be turned
on the axis until it comes against the said pointer. This movement can be effected
at will by the following electrical arrangements. Fixed on the boss of the arm is
a toothed sector with which can gear a pawl carried by the armature of an electro
magnet, the coils of which are in the circuit of an electric battery, so that when the
electro magnet is excited by the closing of the circuit, so as to attract the armature,
the pawl moves the toothed sector and thereby raises the arm by a step-by-step
motion until it comes in contact with the before mentioned pointer. The sector is
held in the positions into which it is turned as above, by a retaining pawl controlled
by the armature of a second electro magnet which can also be placed in the before
mentioned electrical circuit.
The inclusion of the last named electro-magnet in the circuit is effected by an
electrical contact formed between the pointer and the arm when the latter has been
brought up against the former. The armature of the second electromagnet being
thus attracted, effects the raising of the retaining pawl out of gear with the toothed
sector.
At the same time a contact arm on the armature of the second electromagnet is
moved off a contact which established the connection of the first electromagnet with
the circuit, so that this electro magnet now becomes inoperative, and its armature
is withdrawn by a spring into its original position, whereupon the arm and toothed
sector are also free to be turned back by gravity or by a spring into their original
positions.

page_text: At the observing station is situated the receiving apparatus which also consists of
a casing carrying an axis on which is fixed a pointer moving over a graduated
scale, and a toothed sector or wheel.
With the latter gears a pawl actuated by the armature of an electromagnet,
which can also be coupled up with the before mentioned circuit so that on this
electromagnet being excited, the said pawl is made to act upon the toothed wheel;
turning it and the pointer through a certain distance. The armature is made to
operate an automatic make-and-break device, consisting of two spring contact arms,
that are alternately moved by the armature or an arm connected thereto so as to
alternately make and break the circuit of the electro magnet and thereby produce
a step by step advance of the toothed wheel and pointer, the toothed wheel being
held in the positions into which it is moved, by means of a retaining pawl. This
continues until the before mentioned electrical contact between the pointer and
arm of the transmitter has been established, whereby the circuit of the second
electromagnet of that apparatus is closed which effects, as before described, the
breaking of the circuit of the first electromagnet.
The electromagnet of the receiving apparatus being connected with the battery
through the circuit of the said first electromagnet, it follows that on the breaking
of the latter's circuit, the circuit of the electromagnet of the receiving apparatus
is also broken, and the pointer of this instrument now remains stationary, indicating
on the scale the same position as that given by the thermometer to the pointer of
the transmitter. The receiving apparatus has a push-button which, when not acted
upon, effects the breaking of the battery circuit, so that the apparatus then remains
inoperative.
When it is desired to make an observation, the push-button is depressed and the
circuit being closed, the before described reciprocal action of the two apparatus
takes place.
The push-button is also made to act upon the spring retaining pawl of the toothed
wheel of the receiver, so as to put it in gear with and retain the latter as described.
When the observation has been made, the push-button is released, thereby breaking
the circuit and also releasing the retaining pawl, which springs out of gear with
the toothed wheel and allows this, as also the pointer, to be moved back into their
original positions by a coiled spring.
It will be readily understood that the above described apparatus can be readily
applied to the giving of barometrical or hygrometric indications, by providing in
the transmitter in place of the thermometer any known device wherein a certain
movement is produced either by variations in atmospheric pressure or by variations
in the degree of moisture in the atmosphere.
Dated this 17th day of February 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Giving at a Distance the Thermometrical, Barometrical,
and other like Indications Occurring at a Certain Locality.
I, JULES RICHARD, of No. 8 Impasse, Fessart, Paris, France, 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 :-
It is often necessary, in a great number of cases, to know at a particular place
the thermometrical, barometrical, hygrometrical and other like conditions existing
at different localities situated at a distance from the place where the observations
have to be made. Thus I will cite for example the case of a heating apparatus in
which it is useful that the fireman should, when necessary, be able to ascertain the
temperature existing at the various localities to which the apparatus supplies heat,

page_text: in order that he may properly control the supply of heat through the pipes or flues,
to such localities.
As it is not necessary that the transmission of the indications should be permanent,
the apparatus which forms the subject of my present invention only has a single
receiver, which, when required, supplies an indication of the temperature existing
at a given point, but which does not preserve such indication, as the indicating
pointer returns to zero as soon as the receiver is put out of action, so that it is
always ready to give a fresh indication.
The construction of the said apparatus as applied to the indication of temperatures
is shown on the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 shews a front view and Fig. 2 a cross section of the transmitting
apparatus.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew respectively an interior view and a horizontal section of the
receiver.
Fig. 5 is a diagram shewing the electrical connections of the transmitter and
receiver.
The transmitter is composed of a metal casing A on which is fixed the ther-
mometer B consisting of a curved compound metal bar the curvature of which
varies with the temperature. A rod a fixed to this bar, is connected by links ↳ b
to the axis of a pointer c which moves over a graduated arc d.
The casing A and the thermometer are electrically connected by the columns e
a wire with an insulated
and by a non insulated screw e¹, which communicates by
contact 9, which is also connected to the electro magnet E by a wire g¹. On the
bottom of the box A is fixed an insulated copper plate C connected electrically to
the battery P by the screw and screw terminal . The plate C carries an axis k
on which are mounted a toothed sector and a copper arm m; this arm bears
against an ivory stop n which insulates it from the casing A.
Two electro magnets D and E also fixed to the plate C serve, the first, to
actuate the toothed sector in the direction of the arrow, and the second to release
the said sector again in order to bring it back to its position of rest.
The electro magnet D actuates an armature F fixed on an arm o which is pivotted
at p; this armature, the motion of which is limited by a stop g, is brought back by
a spring; it carries at the upper end a pawls the beak of which is guided by two
studs t fixed on a bridge piece u.
The electro magnet E is provided with an armature G fixed on an arm v pivotted
at ; one end y of this arm is bent at right angles and carries a regulating screw z
which raises at the required moment the retaining pawl a', thereby disengaging the
sector 1. The arm v, which is drawn back to its position of rest by a spring b
carries at its lower end a contact spring c¹ which ordinarily bears upon a contact f
insulated from the plate C, but which communicates by a wire d' with the electro
magnet D. The two contacts g and f¹, both mounted on the same insulating plate e¹
form an automatic commutator.
The electro magnet E communicates by a wire h¹ with an insulated contact i¹
connected to the screw terminal k. The third screw terminal is connected to a
second insulated contact m¹ which communicates with the electro magnet D by a
wire n¹.
The receiving apparatus shewn at Figs. 3 and 4 consists of a plate H on the
underside of which is fixed an electro-magnet K the armature o' of which is
pivotted at pl.
This axis p' carries an elbow lever g' the upper end of which carries an advancing
pawl, the end of which works between two studs s¹; this lever q' as also the
armature formed in one therewith, is drawn back by a spring t¹.
The movements of the armature are regulated and controlled by a detent device
formed of two levers, the position of which is regulated by two screws x²x².
On the plate H slides a rod y' moved by the hand, having a button y² on its
outer end; ordinarily this rod is pushed upward by a spring ¹ which at the same
time raises the retaining pawl. During the action of the apparatus the retaining
1

page_text: pawl is in gear with the ratchet wheel a² which turns through a number of
divisions corresponding to the figures indicated at the transmitting thermometer.
The axis e² of the wheel a² carries a pointer 2 which travels over divisions on
the dial c²; the axis e² carries in addition a spring d2 tending to turn it backwards
the other end of which spring is fixed on the bridge piece f2.
This spring serves to bring the pointer 2 back to the point of depart when the
rody is pushed upward by its spring; for limiting such backward motion,
the wheel a² carries a stud 9 which bears against a stop h² fixed on the bridge
piece f³.
The copper plate H communicates with the screw terminal k² by a wire ; this
terminal is connected to the terminal k' of the transmitter. The second terminal m
is connected to the terminal of the transmitter and it communicates, within the
receiver, with the electro magnet K by means of wires n².
On the plate H is fixed an insulated contact o2 connected by a wire p² with the
screw terminal which communicates with the negative pole of the battery P.
When it is desired to ascertain the temperature indicated by the transmitting
apparatus, the rod y' of the receiving apparatus is pushed inwards; a circuit is
closed thereby and by the contact o, and the electromagnets D of the transmitter,
and K of the receiver are actuated so as to cause, on the one hand, the toothed
sector of the transmitter to advance while on the other hand the ratchet wheel a
of the receiver is turned until the arm m comes in contact with the pointer c.
this moment the current is sent through the electromagnet E, the armature G is
attracted and the retaining pawl a' which held the sector being raised at this
moment, it frees the sector which moves back to its original position being made
to fall back by its own weight.
At
If required, there might be arranged round the axis of the sector a small spiral
spring which would assist in the return of the pointer to zero. At the same time
that the electromagnet E is in action, the commutator c' breaks the circuit, so that
the current no longer passes through the electromagnets D and K. After having
noted the position of the pointer 62 of the receiver, the button y is released, the
circuit is then broken in the entire installation, and the pointer 32 will move back
into its position of rest under the action of the spring d².
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 :-
1. Electrical apparatus for giving at a distance the thermometrical, barometrical
and other like indications occurring at a certain locality, which apparatus consists
of the combination with one single receiving instrument having a pointer and dial
or other suitable indicating appliance of one or more transmitting instruments
communicating with the former by means of an electric circuit or circuits controlled
by commutators, the electrical appliances being put in action so as actuate the
pointer by the depression of a button at the receiving instrument on releasing
which the electric circuits are broken and the pointer or other indicating device is
made to return to zero, ready for giving a fresh indication, substantially as
described.
2. In transmitting apparatus such as is referred to in the first claim, the
combination of the electromagnet D serving to actuate a toothed sector by means
of a pawl, the axis of the sector being provided with a metallic arm that closes an
electric circuit when it comes in contact with the indicating pointer of the apparatus,
substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
3. In transmitting apparatus such as is referred to in the preceding claim, the
use of a second electromagnet E the armature of which is actuated when the said
metallic arm touches the indicating pointer, this motion having the effect of dis-
engaging a retaining pawl, whereby the toothed sector is enabled to return to its
original position, substantially as described.
4. The construction of the armature E referred to in the preceding claim in such

page_text: manner as to form an automatic commutator interrupting at the desired moment
the current passing through the electromagnet D of the transmitter and through
the electromagnet K of the receiver, substantially as described.
5. In the receiving apparatus referred to in the first claim, the combination of an
electro magnet the armature of which is actuated a certain number of times until
the metallic arm of the transmitting apparatus comes in contact with the pointer of
the said apparatus, such movements of the armature having the effect of turning a
ratchet wheel in the receiver through a number of teeth corresponding to the
indications marked on the transmitter, substantially as described.
6. In combination with the devices of the receiver referred to in the preceding
claims, the use of levers v v² serving as a regulator for insuring the transmission
of the electric currents by means of reliable and durable contacts, substantially as
described.
7. In the receiver referred to in the preceding claim, the use of a rod with push-
button acted upon by a spring for effecting the closing of the electric circuit on
pushing the button, in order to ascertain the indications of one or other of the
transmitting apparatus in connection therewith, the said rod having also the effect
of throwing out of gear on its return motion a retaining pawl which prevents the
backward motion of the ratchet wheel when the apparatus is in action, so that the
ratchet wheel and pointer can then return to the zero position, substantially as
described.
Dated this 16th day of November 1892
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.