A Contrivance for Indicating and Registering the Direction in which Power Engines are Working.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Aug., 1899-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Contrivance for Indicating and Registering the Direction in which
Power Engines are Working.
We, HINRICH CHRISTIAN FRIEDRICH KÄHLER, First Machinist, of Weidensteig,
18, CHRISTIAN ANDREAS CONRAD, Merchant, of Alterwall, 36, and JACOB GOLD-
SCHMIDT and ANTON GOLDSCHMIDT, trading as Jacob Goldschmidt, Bankers, of
Gr. Bleichen 46, all residing at Hamburg, in Germany, 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:-
The present invention relates to a contrivance for indicating and registering
the direction in which power engines in general, and ship engines in particular,
are working and for indicating at the same time whether the machinist has under-
stood and executed the order received, and is also registering the direction in
which the engine is working during the time it is set to work in one or the other
direction.
The contrivance consists essentially of three lever arms, of which two are geared
to the reversing mechanism and one to the indicator couplings. The two arms
connected with the reversing mechanism remain in the same position while the
engine is going in one direction, but the lever arm connected with the indicator
gearing is continually reciprocating, and this reciprocation causes certain bars to
move under the influence of springs, and to open and close electric circuits. After
each upstroke of the piston one of these bars touches for a moment one of the
levers connected with the reversing gearing, each time closing an electric circuit
and actuating an indicating device arranged at a distance. The other arm
connected with the reversing gearing remains stationary while the direction in
which the engine is working remains unchanged and maintains electric connection
with the contact head, by means of which arrangement the movement of the
machine, whether in one or the other direction is registered on a slowly rotating
drum.
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of the contrivance.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section,
Figure 2 a cross section,
Figure 3 is a view from below,
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the indicator stationed, for instance, on the
bridge of the vessel.
Figure 5 is a side view of the registering apparatus also stationed at a distance
from the engine, say in the navigation cabin.
Figure 6 is a top view of the latter.
Figure 7 represents a strip containing the registered diagram taken off the
drum.
Figure 8 is a top view of the register.
Figures 9 and 10 are respectively a top view and a vertical section of a modifi-
cation in the construction of the indicator according to Figures 4 and 7.
Figure 11 represents diagrammatically the whole arrangement of the con-
trivance and

page_text: Figures 12 and 13 represent a front view and a top view respectively of a
hood for the purpose of darkening the indicator.
In the case 1 which is fixed on a suitable place of the frame of the engine, are
arranged two cross shafts 2 and 3. On the shaft 2 are fixed the two arms 4
and 5 both directed upwards, arm 4 being fixed about the middle of the shaft,
while arm 5 is fixed at the side. Another arm 6, firmly connected with the
shaft 2 is directed downwards and connected by means of the rod 7
and a
suitable lever gearing with the reversing shaft. On the shaft 3 are arranged
within the case 2 arms 8 and 9 of equal length, and passing out of the case 1
is another lever 10, which by means of the rod 11 connected with the indicator
gearing or any other mechanism actuated by the operating piston, receives an
oscillating movement. Owing to this oscillating movement the lever arms 8
and 9, arranged to form angles of about 1200 with the said lever arm 10 are
involved in the oscillating movement. Contact rods 12 and 13 are in touch with
the latter and connected between themselves and with the walls of the case
by means of springs 14. These springs are of equal power and nertralize each
other, so that it requires but very little force to actuate the contact rods 12 and
13. These rods are electrically connected with the divisions 16 and 17 respec-
tively of the indicator (Figure 4) indicating the forward or reverse movement.
Both arms 4 and 5 are connected with the source 15 of electricity.
By way of example let us suppose that during the forward movement of the
engine the lever arms 4 and 5 occupy the position represented in Figure 1. The
arm 5 is in contact with the contact knob 18, while the arm 4 is touched by
the contact of the reciprocating rod 13 after every up and down stroke of the
operating piston. Owing to this arrangement two electric circuits are closed,
the current in one causing a continuous flashing in the compartment of the
indicator marked with "forward," while the other current actuates the registering
apparatus, and registers the forward movement of the engine on a slowly
rotating drum. On the order to reverse the two arms 4 and 5 are placed by the
working of the reversing gear, in a position indicated by the dotted line in
Figure 1. In this position the contact rod 12 indicates the reverse movement in
the corresponding compartment of the indicator, while the reverse movement of
the machine is registered by the current in the circuit closed by means of the
arm 5 and contact 19.
The contact rods 12 and 13 are preferably guided in a slot provided for that
purpose in the cross-head 20 arranged in the case 1.
The indicator (Figures 4 and 7) consists of a case 22 divided by a partition 21
into two compartments 16 and 17, and made water-tight by means of a lid
frame 23 provided with a glass pane 24. Each compartment is provided with an
incandescent lamp 25. The switches for the wires are arranged in the flange of
the case 22 by means of which the latter is screwed on a plate serving for the
fixing of the incandescent lamps. The glass pane 24 tightly fixed in the lid
frame 23 is provided with transparent marks, letters or words corresponding to
each of the compartments of the indicator. The lid frame 23 is fixed to the case
by means of a hinge 26 and can be tightly secured to the case by means of one
or several screws 27. The registering apparatus 33 consists essentially in the
arrangement of two coils 28 and 29, which will attract a lever arm 30 according
to whether one or the other is affected by the forward-or reverse-movement
of the engine respectively, the said lever arm imparting an oscillating movement
to a lever 51 swinging around a point 50. The lever 51 is provided with a
tracing point pressing against a paper strip 34 drawn over the drum 31 from
which it can be taken off for purposes of examination, and on which paper strip
the direction of the movement is registered in a continuous line during all the
time the direction of the movement is not changed. The drum 31 rotates with
uniform velocity and is actuated by a clockwork 35. During the forward move-
ment of the engine the arm 5 touches the contact 18 (Figures 1 and 2) and
actuates the solenoid 29, while during the reverse movement the arm 5 touches

page_text: contact 19 and actuates solenoid 28. The arm 30 is attracted to one or to the
other solenoid according to the case and transmits the movement on to lever 51.
According to the drawing (Figure 5) the lever 51 occupies a central position
indicating that the engines are at rest. According to the electric connections
introduced here the forward movement of the engine will be registered on the
right side and the reverse movement on the left side of the paper strip 34 such
a diagram is represented in Figure 7 illustrating the paper strip taken off the
drum. This strip being equally divided and moving with uniform velocity will
not only indicate the direction of the movement but will also afford an absolute
control and a reliable witness indicating what time the reversing of the machine
had taken place, or in what order and intervals of time the various orders were
executed during the command.
In Figures 8 and 9 is represented a modification of the indicator which may
be used particularly on vessels without electric plant. It is based on the principle
of electro-magnetism. It consists of solenoids 36 which attract a T shaped
armature whenever the electric current is made to pass through either, the T
shaped armature actuating levers 39 swinging on supports 38. The levers 39
are provided with plates 40 carrying a distinctive mark which plates appear
under a corresponding opening 41 in the lids 42 of the case 43 whenever the
corresponding armature is attracted. A spring 44 draws the lever 39 back to its
central position whenever the current is opened. As will be observed the effect of
this arrangement is exactly that produced by the arrangement represented by
Figures 4 and 7.
In each current a commutator or switch may be arranged by means of which the
current leading to the indicator, or to the register, may be closed or opened. A
resistance in the shape of an incandescent lamp 45 is provided in the return
conduit of the registering apparatus.
Figure 11 represents a contrivance according to this invention in connection
with an engine. The case 1 is suitable fixed to the frame-work of the engine.
The lever 10 is in connection with the indicator gearing 52 by means of the
rod 11. The arm 6 is connected by means of the rod 7 to a two-armed lever 53
the other end of which is connected by a rod 46 with a bolt 47 fixed to the
reversing shaft 48.
It is however to be observed that this kind of connection of the case 1 with
the cross head of the piston on the one hand, and on the other hand with the
reversing shaft 48, is not the only one; on the contrary such connection can be
modified according to the construction of the engine and the exigencies of each
case.
The indicator 22 is preferably stationed on the bridge on a separate column by
the side of the engine telegraph, while the registering apparatus 33 is best housed
in the navigation cabin.
The indicator may be darkened by means of a hood or the like provided with
a spy hole and placed over the indicator, an arrangement which will render the
flashes visible during the day or when the sunlight would otherwise interfere
with it. Such a hood is represented in Figures 12 and 13, illustrating a front
and top view respectively.
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. A contrivance for indicating and registering the direction of movement of
power engines, characterised by two arms (4 and 5) connected with the reversing
gear and with an arm (10) connected with the indicator gear, the arms (4 and 5)
continuing in one position while the direction of working of the engine is unaltered
while the latter arm (10) is continually oscillating, owing to which contact
rods (12 and 13) controlled by springs (14) are actuated, of which one, after
every lifting of the working piston touches the arm (4) and thereby closes a

page_text: circuit working an indicator contrivance (22) stationed at a distance, while the
other arm (5) by means of a contact head (18 or 19) remains in constant electric
connection, registering the movement of the engine at that time on a drum (31)
rotating with uniform movement, and carrying a strip of paper (34) which can
be placed over, and taken from the said drum.
2. In the contrivance for indicating and registering the direction of movement
of power engines as specified in Claim 1, an indicator consisting of a case (22)
with two compartments (16 and 17) separated from each other by a partition (21)
each compartment provided with an incandescent lamp (25) which owing to the
closing and opening of an electric current illuminates in equal time intervals a
transparent mark provided for in the back plate (24) of the lid (23), thus
indicating in which direction the movement of the engine is taking place.
3. In the contrivance for indicating and registering the direction of movement
of power engines as specified in Claim 1, a registering apparatus (33) characterised
by the arrangement of two solenoids (28, 29) which direct an arm (30) according
to whether the one or the other of them is actuated by the forward or reverse
movement, respectively, of the machine, which arm (30) acts on a lever (51)
swinging on a projection (50) in such a manner that the direction in which the
engine moves, and the changes of the successively given orders as executed are
registered on a strip of paper (34) placed over a slowly rotating drum (31).
4. A modification of the construction of the indicator as specified in Claim 2,
characterised by the arrangement of a solenoid (36) in each of the compartments
of the case (43) which solenoids attract a T-shaped armature (37) every time
the current is passing through owing to which arrangement a mark (40) is
rendered visible under an opening (41) provided in the cover of the case such mark
being fixed on a lever (39) supported by a projection (38) and corresponding
every time to the direction in which the engine is moving, which mark however
is instantly withdrawn by a spring (44) whenever the current is opened.
5. The complete contrivance for indicating and registering the direction of
movement of engines substantially as described or illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
D
1 11
201
.
1000
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.