Improvements connected with Engine Counters.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 6th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1899
Improvements connected with Engine Counters.
I, CHARLES MCLEOD, of 95, Everton Terrace, Liverpool, in the County of Lan-
caster, Nautical Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to counters used for counting and indicating the
number of revolutions performed by a steam engine; and has special reference
to counting and indicating the revolutions of a ship's engine at the bridge, so
that the officer in charge of the ship may know or ascertain the rate at which
the engines are going.
The invention has primarily for its object and effect to provide a simple,
inexpensive, and efficient means for operating a counter at the bridge for this
purpose. According to the invention, this end is effected electrically by a
"break and make" device, or circuit closing and opening device, part of which
is worked from a suitable moving part of the engine, or part moved by the
engine; a solenoid in the circuit and energized by the current; a core working
in the said solenoid, and a wheel, arc, or the like, which is reciprocated by the
solenoid, giving it movement in one way, and a spring giving the return motion
in the opposite direction. As an example of this apparatus, on the air pump
lever (or a similar reciprocating lever) there is a contact maker or circuit closing
and opening device; while on a stationary part there are spring contact arms,
by which the contact block or part on the lever moves in making contact, or
closing the circuit, and out of which it is drawn when opening the circuit. The
base of these contact springs is connected up to the circuit wires, to which cur-
rent is supplied from a dynamo or other source; and on this circuit solenoid
is placed. And there is also preferably employed on the circuit a switch device,
and governor, such as a resistance on the wire conveying current to the solenoid.
The disc or wheel on the counter shaft receives sufficient movement to move the
counter actuating pawls or mechanism to the required degree.
In operation, when the air pump, or other lever, with the contact maker,
descends, the end enters in between the two contact springs, and being of suitable
metal, closes the circuit; and current flows through the solenoid, pulls down the
core, and actuates the counter; and then when the contact part is removed, and
the circuit opened, the current ceases, and the spring connected with the counter,
which was put under strain by the pulling in of the solenoid core, moves the
counter actuating mechanism back, and the solenoid out. This action, of course,
is repeated every revolution of the engine, or movement of the lever.
If the lever carrying the contact making device, is moved a slower rate than
the engine, the movement of the counter actuated mechanism must be such as to
make up the required movement, and indicate the actual numbers and revolutions
of the engine.
1000

page_text: '
Improvements connected with Engine Counters.
I, CHARLES MCLEOD, of 95, Everton Terrace, Liverpool, in the County of Lan-
caster, Nautical Instrument Maker, 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:-
This invention has reference to counters used for counting and indicating the
number of revolutions performed by a steam engine; and has special reference
to counting and indicating the revolutions of a ship's engine at the bridge, Bo
that the officer in charge of the ship may know or ascertain the rate at which
the engines are going.
The invention has primarily for its object and effect to provide a simple,
inexpensive, and efficient means for operating a counter at the bridge for this
purpose. According to the invention, this end is effected electrically by a
break and make device, or circuit closing and opening device, part of which
is worked from a suitable moving part of the engine, or part moved by the
engine; a solenoid in the circuit and energized by the current; & core working
in the said solenoid, and a wheel, arc, or the like, which is reciprocated by the
solenoid, giving it movement in one way, and a spring giving the return motion
in the opposite direction. As an example of this apparatus, on the air pump
lever (or a similar reciprocating lever) there is a contact maker, or circuit closing
and opening device; while, on a stationary part, there are spring contact arms,
by which the contact block or part on the lever moves in making contact, or
closing the circuit, and out of which it is drawn when opening the circuit. The
base of these contact springs is connected up to the circuit wires, to which cur-
rent is supplied from a dynamo, or other source; and on this circuit the solenoid
is placed. And there is also preferably employed on the circuit a switch device,
and governor, such as a resistance on the wire conveying current to the solenoid.
The disc or wheel on the counter shaft receives sufficient movement to move the
counter actuating pawls or mechanism to the required degree.
In operation, when the air pump, or other lever, with the contact maker,
descends, the end enters in between the two contact springs, and being of suitable
metal closes the circuit;. and current flows through the solenoid, pulls. down the
core, and actuates the counter; and then when the contact part is removed, and
the circuit opened, the current ceases, and the spring connected with the counter,
which was put under strain by the pulling in of the solenoid core, moves the
counter actuating mechanism back, and the solenoid out. This action, of course,
is repeated every revolution of the engine, or movement of the lever.
If the lever carrying the contact making device, is moved at a slower rate than
the engine, the movement of the counter actuated mechanism must be such as to
make up the required movement, and indicate the actual numbers and revolutions
of the engine.
The drawings illustrating this invention are hereto annexed.
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view shewing one arrangement or modification;
and Figures 2 and 3 are front elevation, and transverse section, respectively,
showing another arrangement, or modification under the invention.
Referring in the first instance to Figure 1, a represents a contact maker on a
reciprocating part of the engine, the number of revolutions of which are to be
counted; and it may be taken that this contact maker is on the air pump'lever
of the engine. b are spring contacts with which the arm a will engage and dis-
engage in its alternate vibrations. care the wires conveying current from a
dynamo, represented by the circle X in the drawings, to the contacts b; and d are
the wires conveying the current from these contacts to the solenoids. e représents

page_text: the solenoids, the current to which is conveyed by the wires d; and f are the
cores working in the solenoids. h is a counter, say an integrating counter of any
known suitable kind, and i is a wheel on the actuating shaft of this counter,
to which the cores f are connected by the bands or cords j, and by which
reciprocating movement for actuating the counter (which is of a type operated
by reciprocating movement) will be imparted to the counting mechanism inside.
is the return wire from the solenoids e to the dynamo or generator, and 7 is a
switch thereon for putting the instrument or mechanism in and out of operation.
The counter will be disposed on or near the bridge of the vessel, or a place
convenient to the view of the officer in charge of the ship; and the solenoids and
cores will be placed in a suitable case or cover.
In action, as the contact arm a vibrates up and down, it alternately supplies
ourrent to the two solenoids e, and cuts it off, so that first one solenoid is ener-
gized, and then de-energized; and then the other is energized, and de-energized;
the effect being that the cores f of these respective solenoids will be pulled down
by the power of the current, and then allowed to be pulled up by the other, and
will thus impart a circular reciprocating movement to the wheel i of the counter,
and its actuating shaft h¹.
In the modification shewn in Figures 2 and 3, the solenoids e and their cores f.
are placed within the case of the counter h, and actuate the wheel i on an
internal spindle h', on the end of which is a counting pointer m.
Current may be supplied to the solenoids e, similarly as set forth with refer-
ence to Figure 1; and these solenoids will actuate the counting pointer m through
the wheel i, similarly as above described. And a reciprocating movement will
thus be imparted to the pointer m for each revolution of the engine, through the
electrical circuit opening and closing mechanism, as above described. Hence
the number or rate of revolutions being made by the engines can be seen.
15
In this modification, there is also shewn a disc n having upon it the words
Ahead," "Stop" and "Astern"; and this disc is worked from the engine
through suitable transmitting gear from the reversing machinery of the engine
in the well known way, and through a wheel o on the shaft p; on which also the
lise is mounted. Hence, there will be shewn through the window & in the face r
of the instrument, one or other of these words, corresponding with the condition
in which the engines are set, so as to show the captain or officer what direction
his engines are running in. This mechanism makes the apparatus more com-
plete, but forms no part of the present invention.
In some cases, if desired, the counters h, both in Figure 1 and Figures 2 and 3,
can be used in combination, and worked from a common circuit closing and
opening mechanism, operated by the engine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The apparatus for counting or indicating at the bridge or similar position
of a ship, the rate of revolutions an engine is running, comprising a counter or
indicator h, and a solenoid or solenoids connected with and adapted to operate
the said counter or indicator; and circuit opening and closing devices operated
by the engine, and electrically connected with said solenoid or solenoids; sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The apparatus for counting or indicating at the bridge or similar position
of a ship, the rate of revolutions an engine is running; substantially as set forth
and shewn in Figure 1; and Figures 2 and 3, respectively.
1000
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
Applicant's Patent Agents, 15, Water Street, Liverpool.