Electrical Apparatus for Effecting Rotation at a Distance.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1900-Accepted, 24th Mar.,
1900
I, ALPHONSE LOUIS CRONEAU, of No. 18, Rue Mogador, Paris, France, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to electrical apparatus by which rotary motion as for
instance of a turret or steering rudder can be caused at a distance from the trans-
mitting station.
For this purpose, in applying the invention for example to a rudder, a com-
mutator at the transmitting station is set to such angle as the tiller may be
required to take, and thus relays are actuated which start a motor in the one
direction or the other. As the tiller moves in obedience to the motor it acts on
a sliding commutator by which the motor current is cut off when the tiller has
moved to the desired angle.
The conductors are connected to glow lamps one corresponding to each of a
number of positions of the tiller so that the lamp that is alight indicates the
position of the tiller as long as that position is maintained.
Dated this 7th day of Tune 1900
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Electrical Apparatus for Effecting Rotation at a Distance.
I, ALPHONSE LOUIS CRONEAU, of No. 18, Rue Mogador, 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:
This invention relates to electrical apparatus by which rotary motion as for
instance of a turret or steering rudder can be caused at a distance from the trans-
mitting station.
For this purpose, in applying the invention for example to a rudder, a com-
mutator at the transmitting station is set to such angle as the tiller may be
required to take and thus relays are actuated which start.a motor in the one
direction or the other. As the tiller moves in obedience to the motor it acts on
a sliding commutator by which the motor current is cut off when the tiller has
moved to the desired angle.
The conductors are connected to glow lamps one corresponding to each of a
number of positions of the tiller so that the lamp that is alight indicates the
position of the tiller as long as that position is maintained.

page_text: When the apparatus is applied as above described to a rudder it is necessary
to increase the power of the motor as the rudder moves further and further from
its middle position and is acted on with increasing force by the water. The
sliding commutator is therefore arranged to make contacts by which resistances
are cut out or introduced into the motor circuit according as greater or less power
is required.
The accompanying drawings represent apparatus according to this invention
for moving a rudder to various positions and holding it in the position to which
it is moved.
'ין
+1
Fig. 1 is a diagram of the commutator, the motor, the relays and the electrical
communications.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the sliding commutator, Fig. 3 is a section on the line C D
and Fig. 4 is a section on the line A B of Fig. 2.
The same reference numerals are employed to denote like parts in the several
figures.
The transmitting commutator has its axis 101 always in communication with
the positive pole of the source of electricity; it has an index 40 pointing to
divisions and lamps each indicating a displacement of say 5° from the middle or
zero and it brushes over corresponding contacts 41 to 47 insulated from each other
and connected by wires 61 to 67 to a set of contacts 51 to 57 also insulated from
each other.
The sliding commutator shewn in Fig. 1 as a single bar made in two parts 1, 2
separated by an insulator 9 is more conveniently made as shewn in Figs. 2 to 4
as two parallel bars connected together by a crosshead having an eye 30 linked
to the tiller so that both bars move with it in either direction.
The one bar 11, which is insulated from the crosshead slides through insulated
bearings 32 one of which is connected by a wire 33 with the lead of the source.
of electricity, and it has in a case 21 at its middle, a spring plunger 22 to make
contact with a series of contacts 71 to 77 which are connected through resistances
to the motor. The other bar 1, 2 consists of a central rod 36 enclosed in an insu-
lating sleeve 37 over which is a brass sleeve 38 made in two lengths separated by
an insulating piece 9, on which is fixed a metal casing 19 that on one side bears
against a series of spring contact plungers 51 to 57 and has on its other side a
spring contact plunger 35 which makes contact with a series of contacts 91 to 97
which communicate each with one leading in wire of a lamp 31, all the other
leading wires being connected to the lead.
-
The field magnet coil 103 of the motor is always connected in shunt with the +
and leads from the source of electricity. The one brush 90 of the motor is
connected by wire 58 to a contact 14 of relay 13 and to a contact 99 of relay 10.
The other brush 100 of the motor is connected by wire 68 to a contact 98 of relay 8
and to a contact 89 of relay 10.
In order to understand the operation of the apparatus we may assume that the
transmitting commutator is moved to the contact 46 so as to move the rudder 10°
to starboard. Then the current flows from the axis of the commutator by
contact 46, wire 66 contact 56, bar 1, contact 50, wire 49 to coil of electromagnet 4
(which attracts the relay arm 8) then by wire 69 to coil of electromagnet 12
(which raising the relay arm 13 breaks contacts 7 and 14) and from 12 to wire 78
lead. The relay arm 8 being thus attracted closes the contacts 88
and 98 so as to bring the motor into action by a current taking the following
and the
course.
-
From the lead to bars 3 and 11 contact 74 resistances 18, 15, 17, wire 48,
contact 88, wire 58, the motor brush 90, while the other brush 100 communicates
by wire 68, contacts 98, wire 78 to the lead. The motor thus being caused
to turn to the right moves the bars 1, 2 and 11 and 19 to the left converting 66
and 96 and 3 to 76. During the movement of 11 towards 76, when for instance
it is at 75, the resistance 18 is cut out, a smaller resistance 102 being sub-
stituted, then when it is at 76 both are cut out but then as the insulated part 9

page_text: -
is at 56 the circuit of the magnets 4 and 12 is opened and the contacts 88 and 98
are broken and the contacts 7 and 14 are made. This causes immediate stoppage
of the motor (its brushes being short circuited and consequently of the rudder
and the bars 1, 2, 11. The contacts completes the circuit of the leads as
follows. From the lead current flows to 3 and 11, contact 76, the
resistance 15, 17 wire 48, resistance 16, contacts 7, wire 78 to
lead. The object of introducing resistances into the circuit is to prevent. shocks
to the generator of current on the sudden stoppage of the motor, and the resist-
ance 16 is so adjusted that the generator has approximately the same load as
when it supplies the motor. When the generator is such that it is not liable to
be hurt by shocks, the resistance 16 and contacts may be dispensed with.'
During the movement of the bar 1, 2, the contact piece 19 moving over the
contacts 94 and 95 causes the successive lamps connected to these contacts to be
lighted and extinguished until it rests at contact 96, the corresponding lamp
remaining lighted. The circuit of the lamp is from + lead and 101 to contact 46
wire 66 contact 56 and through 19 to 96 then by 86 to one leading in wire of
lamp 36, its other wire being connected with those of the other lamp to the
lead.
The rudder having been moved as described 10° to starboard, should it be desired
to move it say 5° to larboard, it is only necessary to move the commutator to
contact 43 then the current takes the following course. From lead and 101
to contact 43 wire 63 contact 53 part 2 of the bar 1, 2, contact 60 wire 59, coil
of electromagnet 5 (making contacts 89 and 99), wire 69, coil of magnet 12-
(breaking contacts 7 and 14) wire 78, and lead. Also from + lead to 3,
11 contact 76 (then 75, 74 to 73 as the bar moves varying the resistances) wire 48,
contacts 89, wire 68 to motor brush 100 while brush 90 connects by wire 58,
contacts 99 and wire 78 to the lead. The motor then turns to the left moving
the rudder to larboard and the bars 1, 2, 3, 11 to the right until it stops when 9
comes to 53, the lamps being successively lighted and extinguished until 33*
remains alone lighted.
-
Obviously the number of divisions of the commutator and lamps may be varied,
and the resistances may also be varied as required to suit the forces required to
move the rudder and to provide against shocks due to sudden stoppages.
Although I have described apparatus according to my invention applied to
effect control and indicate the movement of a rudder, it might obviously be
applied to movements of other objects at a distance from the transmitter.
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 effecting rotation at a distance comprising a trans-
mitting commutator moved by hand, a sliding commutator moved by the rudder
or other object caused to rotate, relays, motor and electrical connections arranged
and operating substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
2. In combination with the apparatus set forth in Claim 1 a set of electrical
glow lamps arranged to indicate the position to which the rudder is moved, sub-
stantially as described.
Dotad this 1541 i. of a 1000.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.