IMPROVEMENTS. IN MOTION INDICATORS AND GOVERNORS FOR REGULATING AND SHOWING THE NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE OF MARINE AND OTHER STEAM ENGINES, AND MACHINERY WHOSE
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Heyer Crickmer, of Rotherhithe, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS. IN MOTION INDICATORS AND
GOVERNORS FOR REGULATING AND SHOWING THE NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS PER
MINUTE OF MARINE AND OTHER STEAM ENGINES, AND MACHINERY WHOSE
Sealed the 11th September 1874, and dated the 30th March 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Heyer Crickmer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th March 1874.
I, ROBERT HEYER CRICKMER, of Rotherhithe, London, do hereby
déclare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTION
INDICATORS AND GOVERNORS FOR REGULATING AND SHOWING THE NUMBER OF REVO.
LUTIONS PER MINUTE OF MARINE AND OTHER STEAM ENGINES, AND MACHINERY
WHOSE PARTS HAVING ROTARY AND RECIPROCATING MOTION," to be as follows:
My improved motion indicator is intended more particularly to show
the number of revolutions marine engines perform in a given time, and

page_text: regulate their motion, but it is equally applicable to any other class of
engines or kinds of machinery having rotating and reciprocating parts.
The instrument is provided with a dial and pointer similar to a steam
pressure gauge with numbers from one to a hundred or more marked
around the edge of the dial for showing the number of revolutions per-
formed by the engine in a given time, which may be ascertained by
looking at the pointer on the dial, similar to ascertaining the pressure of
steam, by looking at the pointer over the dial of any ordinary steam

page_text: and supplied with quicksilver, is provided with a rod, which is supported
or made to float on the quicksilver in the tube, and, as before stated, the
upper end of this rod is connected to the pointer over the dial of the
indicator, and as the floating rod is made to move up and down by
reason of exhausting or pumping the quicksilver out of the tube by the
rotary motion given to the tube, and thereby gives motion to the pointer
over the face of the dial connected with the rod, which when properly
adjusted will indicate or tell the number of revolutions the engine is
making in a given time. When the tube in the neck of the reservoir is
rapidly revolved it will lower the quicksilver in the tube in obedience to
the law of centrifugal force, and force it into the reservoir in proportion
to the increase or decrease of motion given to the tube, and thereby
cause the floating rod to fall or rise and move the pointer over the face
of the dial a greater or less distance, and thus indicate correctly the
increase or decrease of the motion of the engine or machine, as the case
may be, at all times. The tube in the instrument may be revolved by
motion taken through the medium of a strap from any part of the
machinery. The face of the dial for reading may be placed vertical, at
an angle, or horizontal. When it is placed horizontal the motion will
be given to the pointer through a medium of levers and rods or any
other analogous means. The dial of the instrument is attached to the
neck of the reservoir or to the reservoir itself by brackets or other

page_text: instrument thereby is made to regulate the motion of the engine, and
also indicate the number of revolutions made in a given time, in the
manner before stated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Heyer Crickmer in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
HEYER CRICKMER, of Rotherhithe, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert Heyer Crickmer, Her special licence
that I, the said Robert Heyer Crickmer, my exccutors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Heyer Crickmer, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ircland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MOTION INDICATORS AND GOVERNORS FOR REGULATING AND SHEWING THE NUMBER
OF REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE OF MARINE AND OTHER STEAM ENGINES, AND
MACHINERY WHOSE PARTS HAVE ROTARY AND RECIPROCATING MOTION," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Heyer Crickmer, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Heyer Crickmer, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-

page_text: My improved motion indicator is intended more particularly to show
the number of revolutions marien engines performe in a given time, and
regulate their motion; but it is equally applicable to any other class of
engines or kinds of machinery having rotating and reciprocating parts.
The instrument is provided with a dial pointer similar to a steam
pressure gauge, with numbers from one to a hundred or more marked
around the edge of the dial for showing the number of revolutions per-
formed by the engine in a given time, which may be ascertained by
looking at the pointer on the dial, similar to ascertaining the pressure of
steam by looking at the pointer over the dial of an ordinary team
pressure gauge..
The nature of my improvement consists in the manner of operating
the pointer of the indicator over the dial, which is effected by means of
any suitable liquid or fluid medium placed in a revolving tube, by pre-
ference quicksilver is used, which is made to float or support a rod in
the tube. The upper end of this rod is attached to the pointer by means
of a rack and pinion in the usual way, or by any other known mechanical
means for moving the pointer, and by clvating or lowering the rod
through the medium of quicksilver.
By the revolving motion of the tube the indicator is made to point
or show the number of revolutions performed by the engine in a giveri
time in the following described manner:-The instrument is composed
of a suitable shaped vessel or reservoir, and provided with a proper
quantity of quicksilver. The reservoir is furnished with a neck or stem
from four to five inches long, more or less, for the purpose of receiving a
portion of the quicksilver from the reservoir in an annular space, or by
two, three, four, or more holes made or drilled through the entire length
of the neck near its circumference for giving the quicksilver a head.
The centre of the neck is also furnished with a cylindrical opening bored
through its entire length for receiving a tube, which is made to extend
down to the bottom of the reservoir on which it works. The tube is
made to revolve by a band passing around a puley attached to the tube
above the end of the neck; sufficient of the tube projects above the
neck for the purpose of receiving the pulley. The lower end of the tube
in the reservoir is furnished with hollow arms, two or more, or a wheel
furnished with openings from centre to circumference, and made to form
communication between the reservoir and inside of the tube, so that
the quicksilver in the reservoir and tube when at rest is on the samo

page_text: level or nearly so. The tube thus fit in the neck of the reservoir and
supplied with quicksilver is provided with a rod, which is supported or
made to float on the quicksilver in the tube; and, as before stated, the
upper end of this rod is connected to the pointer over the dial of the
indicator; and as the floating rod is made to move up and down by
reason of exhausting or pumping the quicksilver out of the tube by the
rotary motion imparted to it, and thereby gives motion to the pointer
over the face of the dial connected with the rod by the rising and
falling of the fluid, which when properly adjusted will indicate the
number of revolutions the engine is making in a given time. When the
tube is rapidly revolved it lowers the quicksilver in it by exhaustion,
and discharges it into the reservoir and annular space around the neck
or column of the instrument in proportion to the increase or decrease of
motion given to the tube, and thereby cause the flating rod to fall or
rise, and move the pointer over the face of the dial a greater or less
distance, and thus correctly indicate the increase or decrease of motion
of the engine.or machine at all times, as the case may be. The tube in
the instrument may be revolved by motion taken through the medium
of a strap from any part of the machinery. The face of the dial for
reading may be placed vertical, at an angle, or horizontal. When it is
placed horizontal the motion will be given to the pointer by shafting rods
and gear wheels, or any other analogeous means. The dial of the
instrument is attached to the neck of the reservoir or to the reservoir
itself by brackets or other suitable means.
At times the indicator may have to be placed in situations where it
would be subject to a change in the temperature; in such cases,
owing to the susceptible nature of the quicksilver to expand or contract
by changes of temperature the instrument would incorrectly indi-
cate. To remedy this defect a plug or piston may be screwed into the
body of the vessel containing the quicksilver to increase or lessen its
cubical capacity to suit the temperature, and thereby keep the head of
the fluid or quicksilver at the same level or head in the vessel under
all temperatures, which would cause the same velocity of the tube to
indicate a given number of revolutions of the engine at all times.
When the instrument is applied to steam engines the throttle valve
for governing the quantity of steam admitted to the engine for regu-
lating its motion is attached to the rod placed in the revolving tube of
quicksilver by the medium of any known suitable connecting link, and

page_text: the instrument thereby is made to regulato the motion of the engine,
and also indicate the number of revolutions. made in a given time in
the manner before stated.
In order to give a fuller understanding of the said Invention I will
5 now refer to the accompanying Drawings hereunto annexed by the
figures and letters of reference marked thereon, and made to form part
of this Specification. Similar letters of reference refer to like parts of
the instrument.
:
Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 are longitudinal sectional views of four modified
) forms of the improved motion indicator; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional
view of the instrument through the line X, X, Fig. 1; and Figs. 6, 7,
and 8 are separate views of various forms of wheels for exhausting the
liquid or quicksilver from the hollow revolving tubes.
The following is a description of Fig. 1, which represents an instru.
5 ment made to perform the double function of indicating the number of
revolutions, and regulating the speed of the engine.at the same time, by
working an ordinary throttle valve to govern the pressure of steam
admitted to the cylinder. The other instruments represented by Figs. 2,
3, and 4 are only intended to indicate the number of revolutions of the
O engine in a given time.
A, A, Fig. 1, is a metal circular column provided with a recess at its
base, as represented, to form a chamber which the exhausting wheel g
works, and to form a reservoir for the fluid or quicksilver. This column
is provided with a cylinder B,,B, which is fit in it from its top. The
; cylinder is made sufficiently small, so when it is placed inside of the
column an annulus space C, C, is formed entirely around the outside of
the cylinder B, B, and inside of the hollow column A, A, as more fully
represented in Fig. 5. d is a hollow tube made to revolve in the
cylinder B, B, by means of a belt working over the pulley m and gear
) wheel k, as represented. The revolving tube d may be made part of the
wheel g, or the wheel may be separately made, and attached to the tube.
E is a frame attached to the upper end of the column for carrying the
dial D, segment lever H, and guiding the rod e, as represented;. J is a
circular rack screwed on the upper end of the rod ẹ for working the
5 throttle valve F through the medium of the rod G and segment lever H.
The hollow tube d is made to communicate with the annulus space C, C,
by openings h, h, of circular or other forms, through the wheel from its

page_text: circumference to the interior of the tube. The lower part of the tube or
wheel
I is furnished with a projection as a point of contact for revolving
on the bottom of the reservoir or bas plate, as shown.
The following is a description of the action of the instrument:-The
reservoir at the base of the column A is supplied with the proper
quantity of quicksilver to support the floating ball when the apparatus
is at rest. When the instrument is set to work, and motion sufficient is
imparted to the hollow tube d, the quicksilver in the lower part of the
tube by the acting of the wheel g is exhausted from the tube through
the channels made in the wheel, and forced into the annulus space C, O,
and thereby causes the float fand rod e in the tube to fall, and by the
falling or rising of the rod e, which depends on the speed of the motion.
imparted to the tube d, the pointer over the dial D is moved, and made
to indicate the number of revolutions per minute the engine is working
at any given time. In the meantime the steam throttle valve F for
governing the motion of the engine is worked through the medium of
the rod G, segment lever H, and circular rack J, screwed to the upper
end of the rod e. The extent of the movement of the throttle valve F
is regulated by lengthenening or shortening the connection by right and
left handed screws and a swivel nut placed at the centre of the rod, as
shewn.
The instrument represented by Fig. 2 is only intended for indicating
the number of revolutions of the engine per minute, or other machines
having rotary or reciprocating parts, and for this uso it is constructed
and worked in every particular similar to the instrument before described
and represented by Fig. 1, therefore no further description of its
structure and action is required.
The plan of instrument shown by Fig. 3 is constructed so that the
dial D is placed horizontal when in working position, and is intended for
use more particularly on board of steamships to bo placed on deck or
other parts of the vessel. The principle and structure of the instrument
for working the float fis the same as that described and represented
by Fig. 1, excepting it is placed in a casing P, P, as represented, and the
power for working the hollow tube dis taken through the vertical shaft n,
and gear wheel o, o; the shaft n is supposed to extend down into the engine
room, and is made to communicate with some rotating part of the engine
for giving the required motion to the hollow tube d in the manner before

page_text: stated. The pointer on the dial D in this instance is attached to the
cylinder or tube R in any convenient manner, this cylinder R is provided
with spiral slots through its sides, in which the cross pins q attached to
the
upper end of the rod e is made to work, cach end of the cross pin
2 is attached to the guide rods S, S. The parts thus constructed and
arranged is made to move the pointer on the dial in the following
described manner:When the instrument is set to work and the float
f made to fall or rise, the cross pins q attached to the other end of the
rode presses on the sides of the spiral slots in the cylinder R, and
thereby causes the cylinder to revolve and move the pointer to which
it is attached, and indicate the number of revolutions of the engine.
The proper working of this instrument is not effected by the motion of
the vessel moving it out of a vertical position, as it has no effect on
the relative level of the quicksilver in the revolving tube and annulus
space, either when the instrument is at rest or in operation.
The instrument represented by Fig. 4 is the same in principle and
action as far as working the float fis concerned as those before described,
but instead of being provided with a dial and pointer, the upper end of
the rode is made to serve as a pointer which works by the side of one or
more scales properly marked to show the number of revolutions of the
engine per minute by the upper end of the rod c, which will be provided
with some coloured material and made largo-enough to be readily seen
from any side of the instrument.
The relative position of the two opposing column of fluid or quick-
silver in the tube d, and annulus space C, C, may be changed if desired
when the instrument is used for some purposes, without departing from
its principle or correct action of the instrument when in use; for instance,
instead of using the annulus space C, C, to form a head or one of the
opposing collumns of quicksilver, a tube could be made to communicate
with the reservoir in which the wheel g works, and carried upon one side
of the instrument to receive the quicksilver to form one of the opposing
columns; an instrument thus constructed would work all right providing
it was not subjeet to any motion similar to that aboard of a steam vessel;
in such position it would not answer as the level of the fluid in the tube
d would change with the motion of the vessel, which is not the case
when it is constructed as represented by the Drawings, for thon the
surface of the fluid in the tube d is the axis of the motion, and there,

page_text: fore its level is not effected by any motion or change of position which
may move it out of a vertical position.
The instument may be made of any size and form to suit the purposes,
and develope power sufficient to do the work to which it may be
applied.
Having now described the manner of constructing and working my
improved motion indicator, what I claim as my Invention is,-
First. The two opposing columns of fluid or quicksilver in the tube d,
and annulus space C, C, made to communicate with each other through
the medium of the wheel g, or its known mechanical equivalent, as 1
represented and for the purposes herein-before described..
Second. The construction and arrangement of the motion indicator as
represented for working the float f by exhausting the fluid or quick-
silver from the revolving tube d, and forcing it into the annular space
C, C, by the wheel g, in the manner and for the purposes herein-before 1
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Heyer Crickmer, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-third day of Septem-
ber, in the year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and
seventy-four.
2
TATT
ROBERT HEYER CRICKMER.
(L.S.)