Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Supply of Fluids or other Matter or the Application of Force where Periodio Variations are Required in Quantities Supplied or in Force Applied.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application; 30th Apr., 1887 -
Complete Left, 27th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 27th Apr., 1888
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Supply of Fluids
or other Matter or the Application of Force where Periodio
Variations are Required in Quantities Supplied or in Force
Applied.
I Major General Sir JOHN CLAYTON COWELL, K.C.B., R.E., of Clifton Castle,
Bedale, in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
According to this invention I employ a cam surface of such a shape as to give
varying motion to the supply mechanism corresponding to the periodic variations
required and I drive this cam by clock-work, so that it performs one revolution during
each cycle. I find it advantageous to arrange the cam surface in the form of a
horizontal ring or disc, the curved or cam surface being uppermost and having upon
it a roller whose centre rises and falls as the cam surface is revolved beneath it. The
axis of the roller is connected to suitable supply mechanism so that its rising and
falling opens and shuts a cock or breaks and makes an electric circuit or otherwise
produces the required variation.
In place of mounting the roller so that its axis rises and falls in one plane I in some
cases carry it at the end of a rod whose other end is pivotted, so that the axis roller
as it rises and falls turns about the pivot as a centre.
In order to be able readily to set the roller so as to start at any hour I employ a
link sliding on the axis of the roller the ends of the link being pivotted to two
rods whose other ends are pivotted to fixed points or equivalent mechanism may
be used.
The link may carry an indicator, the link motion being so arranged that the
indicator hanging vertically shows the point of the cam on which the roller
should rest.
The apparatus is peculiarly suitable for delivering measured quantities of dis-
infecting or precipitating agents to sewage matters whose quantity or flow varies
according to the time of day.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Supply of Fluids.
or other Matter or the Application of Force where Periodic
Variations are Required in Quantities Supplied or in Force
Applied.
I, Major General Sir JOHN CLAYTON COWELL, K.C.B., R.E., of Clifton Castle.
Bedale, in the County of York, 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 :-
According to this invention I employ a cam surface of such a shape as to give
varying motion to the supply mechanism corresponding to the periodic variations
required and I drive this cam by clock-work so that it performs one revolution during
each cycle.
I find it advantageous to arrange the cam surface in the form of a horizontal ring
or disc, the curved or cam surface having upon it a roller whose centre rises and falls
as the cam surface is revolved. The axis of the roller is connected to suitable supply
mechanism so that its rising and falling opens and shuts a cock or breaks and makes
an electric circuit or otherwise produces the required variation.
In the annexed drawings Figure 1 shows the general arrangement of the apparatus
as I prefer to construct it. A is a wheel or cylinder mounted upon an axis which
may conveniently be vertical. B is a clock driving this wheel so that it rotates at
uniform speed making say one rotation in 24 hours but the period will be varied to
suit the purpose to which the apparatus is applied.
Figure 2 shows to a larger scale a portion of the periphery of the wheel or
cylinder A; it has in it a series of slots A¹ A¹ parallel to the axis and in these slots
clip pieces A2 A2 are able to slide and in these clip pieces a flexible metal blade C is
held. Figure 3 is a section on the line 3, 3, in Figure 2. Each clip piece as will be
seen has a stem projecting through its slot A', the stem has a screw thread cut
upon it and this receives a nut by screwing up which the clip piece can be fixed
upon the periphery of the wheel any where along the slot in which it is carried.
The clip piece is forked and the blade Centers between its jaws; when it has been
set to the desired position it is held fast by screwing the pinching screw A³ down
upon it.
D is a roller the periphery of which bears upon the blades C clamped as described
upon the periphery of the wheel or cylinder. The simplest way in which this
roller can be carried is at the end of a radial bar F as shown in elevation at Figure 4,
and in plan at Figure 5.
Thus it is obvious that as the wheel or cylinder A revolves the ascending incline C
in Figure 2 serves to lift the roller and the descending incline to depress it. From
the axis of the roller D a connection is made by means of the rod E with the
part to be moved. The apparatus can be used for the starting and stopping of
machinery and it is especially useful for this purpose in the manufacture of dangerous
explosives.
If the apparatus be employed to maintain an uniform electric potential in an
electric main notwithstanding the switching on and off of electric lamps at regular
hours of the day and night, then the rod E may operate to introduce and remove
electrical resistances or to insert or cut out of circuit additional battery cells or
electric generators.

page_text: Supposing the apparatus to be employed to apply a precipitant disinfectant or
deodorizer to sewage flowing in a sewer its quantity varying with the quantity of
sewage passing which in turn is dependent upon the time of day in accordance with a
known law; then the axis of the roller is connected with the valve which allows the
precipitant to flow out from a tank or holder in which it is contained and it opens the
valve more or less and allows more or less of the precipitant to pass in accordance
with the form of the curves to which the blades C are set. In like manner the
apparatus is applied in other cases to periodically vary the quantity supplied or the
force applied.
It will be seen in Figure 2 that at A' the periphery of the wheel or cylinder A is
graduated with a scale of hours and minutes and the position of the rod E against
this scale will show the time approximately or the scale will serve to set the apparatus
correctly in position when starting it.
But in the apparatus which so far I have described the indication of the rod E upon
the scale is not accurate but only approximate. It may be rendered accurate by so
mounting the roller D that it rises and falls in a direction parallel to the axis of the
wheel or cylinder.
In order to be able readily to set the roller so as to start at any hour the axis of the
roller, in addition to being carried at the end of the link F is also made to slide in a
short link the ends of which are pivoted to two rods whose other ends are pivoted to
fixed points or equivalent mechanism may be used.
The link may carry an indicator, the link motion being so arranged that the
indicator hanging vertically shows the point of the cam on which the roller should
rest.
Figure 6 shows in elevation, and
Figure 7 in plan, the mechanism for doing this. G is the roller axis. Its motion
is controlled by the radial rod F figure 4. H is a sliding block, I and K are radial
rods, L, L, their fulcra and supports. M is the link and M'M' plates thereon to carry
the ends of the radial rods. N is a rod passing to the valve or part to be controlled.
O is a line and plummet for indicating on the time scale A*.
Figure 8 is a diagram further showing the motions.
fg, lh, extreme length of link. hi, vertical rod to actuate valve and indicate time
on cam wheel when the roller is ascending. I m, plummet to indicate time when the
roller is descending. The centre e is at the intersection of the line ca, with the
arc bd.
el, and b h, are the radial bars for the link 1 h. ki, valve lever for
hydraulic relay, or main valve. The radius ki=bh. bh, may be any length
depending on the diameter of the roller and height of the cam curve. gn hop outer
end of link. fqlrs, inner end of link. b is centre for gn ho P, and e is centre
for fqlrs. a being the pivot of the link F Fig. 4, is centre for ft u v p―the path
of the centre of roller.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Apparatus in which a roller bearing upon a cam driven by a clock regulates
the supply of fluid or other matter or the application of force substantially as
described.
2. Apparatus substantially as described and represented by the annexed drawings.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.