pproved Apparatus
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1888
Complete Left, 29th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 11th May, 1888
pproved Apparatus
Energy.
1. HENRY HARINGTON LEIGH, Fel. Inst. P.A., Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., practising as
Phillips & Leigh, at No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C., Engineer
& Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention, as the same has been communicated to me, relates to apparatus for
the registration of the consumption of electric energy by means of a triangle,
quadrant, or cam having a scale marked thereon.
In carrying my invention into effect, I employ a current indicator, either ampero-
meter or watt-meter, in each apparatus, and transmit to the quadrant or cam, a move-
ment proportional to the indication through the agency of a coil adapted to move'
back to zero which is excited by a special circuit by means of a clock adapted to
operate the said special circuit at equal and determinate intervals.
When I use an amperc-meter for the purpose of my invention, I pass the current
into a coil having an iron core depending from a cord passed over a pulley upon the
axis of which is fixed a triangular plate or equivalent cam, the outer edge of which is
furnished with a scale.
I provide a second coil, the core of which is likewise suspended from a cord, which
cord is passed over a pulley, and carries at its opposite end a counterpoise. The said
pulley is provided with a pawl adapted to engage with a ratchet wheel upon a pro-
longation of the axis of the pulley.
When the current flows through the second coil above mentioned, its core is lifted;
the counterpoise drops, and comes in contact with the outer edge of the triangular
plate above mentioned, rotating the pulley over which its cord is passed accordingly,
and the pawl with it which slips over the teeth of the ratchet wheel.
The said second coil is wound with fine wire, and is excited by a special circuit
controlled by a reheostat actuated by a clock adapted to this particular purpose.
This clock, every 5 minutes for instance, will move the arm of the reheostat, and will

page_text: transmit through the circuit of the said second coil, a current gradually increasing
and then decreasing by 'means of the resistances of the rcheostat, which at first,
considerable drop to zero, then recover themselves, and become considerable, according
to the motion of the said arm.
When the current decreases, the iron core of the said second magnet slowly drops,
and by means of the pawl hereinbefore mentioned as adapted to engage in its ratchet
wheel, moves the said wheel accordingly, which motion is communicated to the
indicating wheel train.
Instead of an ampere-meter, I may, according to my invention, make use of a watt-
meter, in which case I arrange it vertically. The fine wire, or second, coil is located
inside the other coil, which is wound with a thick wire. I provide a spiral spring for
the purpose of counterbalancing the reciprocal action of the said two coils. Current
will flow into and out of the said second, or fine, wire coil by a pair of leads. The
finely wound coil, which is suspended, carries a vertical rod which supporis a
horizontal rod one end of which is furnished with a pawl, which is duly balanced by a
counterpoise on the other end of said horizontal rod. This vertical rod also carries at
its lower extremity a horizontal rod to which are fixed two arc-shaped cores each one
at the same distance from the said vertical rod, which cores are actuated by finely
wound coils, the cavities of which are arc-shaped to receive the said cores.
The said coils are excited in the same manner as described above with reference to
the first mentioned second-coil. Thanks to the current first gradually increasing and
then decreasing proportionally to the motion of the arm of the reheostat actuated by
the clock, the pair of arc-shaped cores slowly move the fine wound coil of the watt-
meter, which is let down to zero, and afterwards slowly regains its equilibram.
The balanced pawl engages with a gear wheel over which it slides when the watt-
meter leaves zero, and rotates the wheel when the watt-metre returns to zero by the
pair of arc-shaped cores. The said gear wheel, the motions of which are proportional
to the deviations of the watt-meter, actuates a suitable indicator.
In both constructions above described, whether I use an ampere-meter in com-
bination with a cam, or a watt-meter, it may happen that difficulty may be encountered
in registering from zero io n amperès. Under such circumstances, two or more
counters are used which work alternately. Supposing that it be found necessary to
use 3 counters; I provide a thickly wound coil adapted to attract an armature. Up to
20 amperès, for example, the armature is kept in touch with a contact-screw above it
by means of a spring, and the current passes into the counter. Beyond 20 amperès
the armature is in touch with a second contact screw beneath the former, while the
armature of a relay is in touch with its upper screw-contact under the influence of its
spring, when the current will flow into the second counter, whereupon the consumption
of electric energy is registered.
In like manner as above described would a further excess of current flow into the
third counter and register itself there.
If I have to deal with a current of constant intensity, the ampere meter is replaced
by a volt-meter, and the energy is counted in volt-hours, and if the intensity and the
potential vary, the watt meter device is to be used and the energy registered in watt
hours.
Dated this 3rd day of March 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Registering the Consumption of Electric
Energy.
I, HENRY HARINGTON LEIGH, Fel. Inst P.A., Assoc. M. Inst. (.E., practising
as Phillips & Leigh, of No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Engineer and Patent Agent, 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 :—
My invention, as the same has been communicated to me from abroad, relates to an
improved apparatus for registering the consumption of electric energy by means of a
triangle, quadrant, or cam, having a scale marked thereon.
My invention consists in the use of a current indicator, either ampere meter or watt-
meter, in each apparatus ; and in transmitting to the register (the triangle, qua Irant
or cam above mentioned) a movement proportioned to the indication by means of a
coil adapted to move back to zero.
In order that my invention, and the means by which the same may be carried into
practical effect, may be thoroughly understood, I will now describe it in detail,
referring in so doing to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as part of
this specification and read therewith.
Fig. 1 illustrates the use of my invention with a solenoid ampere meter.
The current flows through the coil, A, which attracts the soft iron core B. The fall
of the core imparts a circular motion to the pulley, c, to the axis of which is fixed the
register, D, which has a scale cut on its edge, the divisions of which are proportional
to the amperes.
E is a second solenoid, the soft iron core, F, of which is adapted by means of a
suspension cord to move the pulley, P. A pawl, p, is pivotted to the periphery of the
said pulley, and engages with a ratchet wheel, Q, on the same axis as the pulley.
The core, F, is in part balanced by a counterpoise, G, in such manner that the
apparatus resembles a slow moving Atwood machine.
When the current flows through the coil, E, the core F is raised by the electro-
magnetic attraction; and the counterpoise, G, comes into contact with the register
plate, D, rotating the pulley, P, and carrying the pawl, p, over the wheel, Q,
accordingly.
The coil, E, is wound with fine wire. It is excited by a special circuit controlled
by a rheostat, R, actuated by a clock provided for this particular purpose. Every ve
minutes, for instance, this clock will move the finger, , of the rhcostat, and will send
through the circuit of the coil, E, a current gradually increasing, then decreasing, in
virtue of the resistances of the rheostat which, at first considerable, drop to zero, then
increase until they become considerable again according to the motion of the finger r.
In this way shocks and jerky movements are avoided.
When the current decreases, the core, F, drops slowly, the counterpoise G acting as
a brake, and by means of the pawl, p communicates a corresponding motion to the
indicating wheel train according to the ampere-hours.
Instead of an ampere-meter, I may employ a watt-meter, in which case I arrange
the apparatus vertically, as illustrated in Fig. 2.
The fine wire coil, H, is placed inside the other, or coarsely wound, coil, J. A
spring, S, counterbalances the reciprocal motion of the two coils for the purpose of
steadying the action of the meter. The current will flow into and out of the coil, H,

page_text: through two flexible wires. The said coil, H, which is suspended by a wire, is
furnished with a vertical rod, u, which supports in its turn a horizontal rod, v,
terminating at one end in a pawl, a, and at the other in a counterpoise, a¹. The rod, u,
carries besides, at its lower extremity, a horizontal bar, upon which are fixed two soft
iron cores a, a, each one equidistant from the axis of the rod, u. These cores are
portions of a torus of a circular section, and are actuated by two finely wound
coils, E¹, E', the cavities of which correspond to the curvature of the cores.
The coils last mentioned are excited in the same manner as described with reference
to the coil, E, of Fig. 1. Thanks to the current, which gradually increases and then
decreases proportionally to the motion of the finger of the rheostat effected by the
clock, the pair of cores a, a, slowly move the fine wire coil, H, of the watt-meter,
which is let down to zero and then slowly regains its position of equilibrum without
jerking. The balanced pawl, a, engages with a toothed wheel, N, over which it slips
when the watt-meter leaves zero, while it moves the wheel when the watt-meter is sent
back to zero by the cores a. This wheel, N, whose movements are therefore pro-
portional to the deviations of the watt-meter, actuates a register, O, which, in
combination with a suitable scale, indicates the consumption.
According to either of the constructions above described, whether I use an ampere-
meter in combination with a cam or whether I use a watt-meter, it may happen that
difficulty will be met in attempting to register from zero to n amperes.
Under such circumstances, two or more apparatus are used which work successively.
Fig. 3 illustrates, diagrammatically, the general arrangement-of-a-triple apparatus.
A' is a thick wire coil, which is adapted to move an arm, a¹, up to 20 amperes for
example. This arm is held by a spring, b', against the top contact as shewn in the
figure, the current flowing the while into the apparatus, I, or in other words into the
fine wire coil thereof. Above 20 amperes, the arin, a³, rests upon the bottom contact,
while the arm of the relay coil, A2, is held against its top contact by the spring, 63.
It is easy to follow the course of the current in the figure. It will be seen that it
passes into the fine wire coil of the second apparatus, II, by which the consumption of
energy is registered. Supposing that the apparatus according to Fig. 3 be adjusted
by means of the relay, A2 and spring 2, so that the arm, a, has just made contact
with its bottom contact, being attracted by the relay as soon as the current had
exceeded 200 amperes, then is it clear that under these circumstances the current,
instead of flowing to apparatus II, will flow into the fine wire coil of apparatus III,
and so on in like manner, the excess of energy over the registering capacity of each
apparatus being registered by the next in turn, according to the intensity.
If I have to deal with a current of constant intensity, the ampere-meter is replaced
by a volt-meter and the indications are registered in volt hours; and if the intensity
and the potential vary, the watt-meter apparatus must be used, and the indications
will be registered in watt hours.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The use of a single clock adapted at given times and by means of a special
rheostat to return indicating apparatus to zero without shocks, and to transmit a
motion, proportional to the indication, to a register provided with a scale in each
apparatus; substantially as described with reference to the accompanying figures 1
and 2.
2. The combination of relay, arm, and spring, by means of which electric energy
can be registered by different apparatus successively, according to the intensity of the
current, substantially as described with reference to Fig. 3.
Dath: 30th Law of Ma... 1000
HENRY HARINGTON LEIGH.