AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR INDICATING AND REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS OF THE DRIVING. SHAFTS OF MACHINERY AND DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY VEHICLES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Frederick Redfern, of the General Patent Office,
4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, and No. 10, Rue de la
Fidélité, Paris, in the Republic of France, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR INDICATING AND REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF
REVOLUTIONS OF THE DRIVING. SHAFTS OF MACHINERY AND DISTANCE
TRAVELLED BY VEHICLES." A communication from abroad by Hippolythe
Lamotte, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
.
Sealed the 10th February 1880, and dated the 12th August 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Frederick Redfern at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th August 1879.
GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the General Patent Office, 4, South Street,
Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, and No. 10, Rue de la Fidélité, Paris, in
the Republic of France, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR INDICATING
AND REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS OF THE DRIVING SHAFTS OF
MACHINERY AND DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY VEHICLES." [A communication from
abroad by Hippolythe Lamotte, of Paris, in the Republic of France.]
⋅
The Invention communicated to me consists in the construction of an automatic
counter for calculating the number of revolutions of a rotating shaft, or the number
of oscillations of a body.
The apparatus is constructed in such a manner that a weight acts independently
of the shaft, the movement of which is to be registered. Gravity acts on the weight
to prevent it from turning with the shaft or to draw it in a constant or intermittent
manner to the lowest point of its course or of the oscillations.
The movement given to the weight communicates to suitable clockwork the
necessary movement for recording the number of revolutions of the driving shaft
by means of one or more hands.
This counter may be placed in any suitable position on a machine having a
rotating shaft, and with or without the mechanism for accelerating, retarding, or
modifying the rotating movement or for changing its inclination or direction.

page_text: It will be understood that this apparatus may also be employed for registering
the distance travelled by vehicles.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a section of the improved apparatus
supposed to be placed in the axle box of a vehicle; H is a weight shewn detached
in Figure 3, such weight moving in a space reserved for it at the end of the.
axle box, the axle turning with the box B, C, whilst the weight H remains
stationary in consequence of its weight; it therefore follows that the pinion S on
the box turns the wheel b, then the wheel c, the wheel a, and so on in such a
manner as to diminish the speed of rotation up to the hand L, Figure 5, turning
behind the glass J, and indicating the number of turns; an opaque cover P encloses
the whole. A spring click h, Figure 3, engaging in a notch g, Figure 4, only allows
the apparatus to turn in one direction.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Frederick Redfern in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th February 1880.
GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the General Patent Office, 4, South Street,
Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, and No. 10, Rue de la Fidélité, Paris, in
the Republic of France, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR INDICATING
AND REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS OF THE DRIVING SHAFTS OF
MACHINERY AND DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY VEHICLES." A communication from
abroad by Hippolyte Lamotte, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
The Invention communicated to me consists in the construction of an automatic
counter for calculating the number of revolutions of a rotating shaft, or the number
of oscillations of a body.
The apparatus is constructed in such a manner that a weight acts independently
of the shaft, the movement of which is to be registered. Gravity acts on the weight
to prevent it from turning with the shaft or to draw it in a constant or intermittent
manner to the lowest point of its course or of the oscillation.
The movement given to the weight communicates to suitable clockwork the
necessary movement for recording the number of revolutions of the driving shaft
by means of one or more hands.
This counter may be placed in any suitable position on a machine having a
rotating shaft, and with or without the mechanism for accelerating, retarding, or
modifying the rotating movement, or for changing its inclination or direction.
It will be understood that this apparatus may also be employed for registering
the distance travelled by vehicles.
The accompanying Drawing represents several views of an apparatus constructed
to be placed in the axle box of the wheel of a carriage or other vehicle, but is
equally applicable to any apparatus having a rotatory motion, and will work
without requiring to be driven.
The axle box is formed with a double bottom in the front part, and is provided
with a stopper, Figure 4, which can be opened to allow of introducing the counter.
A small notch A serves as a stop for the head of the closing spring rivetted to the
corresponding part A' of the axle box, Figure 3. The accidental unscrewing of
the stopper and axle box cover is prevented by means of a washer R, Figures 1
and 2, which encloses the ring of the washer, and presses on its sides, as shewn
at R, R, Figure 1. The washer is provided with a hook A and an eye bolt C,
Figures 1 and 2, which being introduced into the hoop of the wheel, and sealed or
leaded at D, prevents the cover of the axle box from coming off. Figures 5 and 6
shew top views respectively of the stopper and the cover without stopper. The
box, Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, containing the counter is glazed to allow the
hands to be seen, and has rivetted to the bottom thereof the motive pinion of the
apparatus. The mechanism consists of the motive pinion A, Figures 7 and 9,
turning with the box; of the wheelwork, Figures 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, which is
connected with the driving pinion by the first wheel m, Figure 13, for receiving its
motion and to transmit it to the pinion n, Figure 16, shews the position and form
of the weight suspended by the plates, Figures 14 and 15, by means of set screws,
Figure 17. This weight constantly holds or draws in the vertical position the
gearing to which it is fixed, while the driving pinion A, Figure 7, and the box
turning with the wheel of the carriage performs the office of a crank applied on the
pinion m. T, Figure 11, is the mechanism for communicating motion to the hand
of the dial. This mechanism consists of a pinion D, Figure 18, passing through
the stopper of the false plate F, Figure 11; this stopper carries a hook a lodging
in the notch at the hole R of the plate d, keeping the stopper and the transmitting
mechanism in the same fixed position as the wheelwork, whilst the false plate F,

page_text: screwed on the edges B, B, (Figures 10 and 11) is drawn along in the movement.
The hand is moved by the rod of the transmitting pinion, and is kept on this rod
by the screw v, Figures 18 and 12. A finger placed at the bottom of the hand
gears with a wheel which advances one tooth for each turn of the hand. The
divisions on the dial and the relative proportions of the gearing are calculated to.
mark the number of revolutions which are accomplished, or the length of the cir-
cumference of the wheel multiplied by the number of revolutions.
The counter placed in the box is represented in Figure 18; the cover o may be
put on or not according to circumstances.
It will be understood that when the wheel turns in a vertical plane the trans-
mitting pinion tends to raise the first pinion of the wheelwork, but as the weight
prevents it from rising it turns on its axis, and communicates movement to the
hand whilst the whole of the wheelwork remains still, or will simply have an
oscillating motion similarly to a pendulum.
To prevent the hand moving in the opposite direction if the wheel moves back-
wards a spring D is provided on the circumference of the box, rivetted at A", the
other end being free. It is provided with a hook, which slides under the counter-
weight of the apparatus, but if the wheel revolves in the opposite direction the
hook comes against the edge of the counterweight, and draws it in such a manner
that there is no displacement of the hand on the dial.
Figures 19 and 20 shew an arrangement for registering in the same direction the
number of both forward and backward revolutions, and which is in some cases
necessary, as, for example, in the cases of tramway cars, in which the horses are
alternately put to the opposite ends of the vehicle, also to allow of the counter
being placed either on the right hand or left hand wheel.
It will be seen by referring to Figure 20 that the driving pinion A, shewn in
Figures 7 and 9, is replaced by an eccentric oval shaped cam, which, at each revolu-
tion of the box, moves throughout its course a lever acting on a ratchet R, which
carries a driving click K and a retaining click, both clicks being provided with
springs. In this manner the hand of the apparatus is moved in the same direction,
whatever be the direction of rotation, and the number of revolutions in both
directions are added together by the hand.
Having thus described the Invention communicated to me, and the best means I
am acquainted with for carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that
what is claimed is,-
Firstly. The apparatus hereinbefore described, in which motion is given to the
hand without any separate driving mechanism, the counter being simply placed
on a suitable part of the moving carriage or machine.
Secondly. The application and employment of a free weight or counterweight
for constantly keeping the whole of the wheel work of the counter in a vertical
position.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Frederick Redfern, have hereto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
G. F. REDFERN. (L.S.)