Year: 1887

page_text: We, JOHN BARR, of Gardners Cottage, Kilmarnock,. in the County of Ayr, North
Britain, Accountant, and WILLIAM MCWHIRTER of 106, Elliot Street, Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
Our said Invention has for its object to improve the construction of automatic
water level indicators and recorders and to render such apparatus more certain and
reliable.
In carrying out our Invention electric currents are employed with a single wire for
indicating and recording at any desired distance changes in the water level in
A float acts by a pitch
a reservoir, tank, floating dock, or other structure or vessel.
chain on a sprocket wheel fixed on a shaft which has fast on it a spur wheel in gear
with a pinion on a second shaft. The pinion is proportioned relatively to the spur
wheel so as to make a complete turn for an up or down movement of the float to the
extent of three inches or whatever other distance is fixed upon as the least that is to
be indicated by the apparatus. The second shaft is in two parts connected by an
insulating conpling so as to turn together, and a weighted tumbling arm is fitted
loosely on each part. The ends of the tumbling arms are made with narrow platinum
edges to form contacts with platinised spring-blade contact pieces of which there are
four, all fixed on insulated supports and connected two on one side of the second shaft
to the positive pole of an electric battery and the other two on the other side of the
second shaft to the negative pole of the battery. One part of the second shaft is con-
nected to the line wire and the other part to earth. One of the tumbling arms is
heavier than the other and when turned by a projection or tooth on the shaft past its
highest position it falls over and makes a scraping contact with the spring contact
blade at the side thereby connecting the positive or negative pole of the battery to
earth according to the direction in which the shaft is turning. To prevent too great
concussion from the falling over of the tumbler its boss is provided with an eccentric
and strap connected to the plunger of a small dash pot. When the heavier tumbler

page_text: falls over to one side, the other tumbler or loose arm is turned up on the other side
and makes contact with the spring contact blade on that side thereby connecting
the other pole of the battery to the line wire and causing the transmission of a
current.
At the receiving station the line wire is connected to a relay which puts into
operation for working the indicating apparatus a battery of sufficient strength and
which may be stronger than that required for the line wire. The level is indicated by
an index moving over a suitably graduated dial and which is fixed on an arbor
having also fixed on it two ratchet wheels with oppositely inclined teeth. A pawl or
catch is provided for acting on each ratchet wheel and is provided with an inclined
part arranged to ride upon a stationary roller or guide which is adjusted so as to
move the catch clear of the ratchet wheel teeth at the completion of each stroke.
Each pawl or catch is moved by a lever which is acted on by an adjustable spring to
effect the stroke which acts on the ratchet wheel; and each lever has attached to it an
armature placed near the poles of an electro magnet. There are two electro magnets,
and the two armatures are quite separate from each other, and attached to the
separate pawl levers of the two ratchet wheels. The relay is arranged to send a
current through the coil of one electro magnet or through that of the other accordingly
as a positive or negative current is transmitted through the line wire; and when
either electro magnet is excited it attracts its armature and moves the pawl lever so as
to cause its pawl to drop into gear with the ratchet wheel. Then on the current
being broken the spring acting on the pawl lever causes the ratchet wheel to be
turned to the extent of one tooth. In this way the force acting on the ratchet wheel
is always the same notwithstanding variations in the strength of the electric current ;
and the indicating action will be effected properly so long as the current is strong
enough to draw the armatures to the electro magnets. A third wheel is fixed on the
indicator arbor or shaft to insure the proper position of the shaft after each stroke,
this wheel being made with teoth having equally bevilled sides, and having pressed
against it by a spring an angular piece to fit in between two feeth. The bevil or angle
of the teeth is such that the wheel in turning can push out the angular piece which on
returning after the passage of a tooth tends to bring the wheel to rest accurately in its
proper position.
For recording changes of level the indicator arbor or shaft is arranged by means
of a pinion and rack or a pitch chain to move a pencil which is in contact with paper
on a drum turned by clockwork.
Dated this First day of November 1887.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent,
Per pro D. Ferguson.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Water Level Indicators and Recorders.
We, JOHN BARR, of Gardners Cottage, Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North
Britain, Accountant, and WILLIAM MCWHIRTER, lately of 106 Elliot Street, Glasgow,
but now of Campbell Street, Govan, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Electrical 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, that is to say :-
Our said Invention has for its object to improve the construction of automatic
water level indicators and recorders and to render such apparatus more certain and
reliable.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood we hereunto append five sheets of explanatory drawings to be
hereinafter referred to and representing our improved apparatus.
Figure, 1, on sheet, 1, of the accompanying drawings is a plan; and figure, 2, on
sheet, 2, is a sectional end elevation of a transmitting instrument forming part of our
apparatus figure, 3, on sheet, 3, being a vertical section of part of same as at right
angles to figure, 2. Figure, 4, on sheet, t, is a horizontal section; and figures, 5,
and 6, on sheet, 5, are sectional front and side elevations of the indicating part of the
apparatus. In these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the
same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
In carrying out our Invention electric currents are employed with a single wire
for indicating and recording at any desired distance changes in the water level in a
reservoir, tank, floating dock, or other structure or vessel. A float (not shown) acts
by a pitch chain, 10, (figure 2) on a sprocket wheel, 11, fixed on a shaft, 12, carried
in bearings in standards, 13, extending up from a sole plate, 14. This shaft, 12, has
fast on it a spur wheel, 1, in gear with a pinion, 16, on a second shaft, 17, 69,
carried in bearings in standards, 18, also extending up from the sole plate, 14. The
pinion, 16, is proportioned relatively to the spur wheel, 15, so as to make a complete
turn for an up or down movement of the float to the extent of, say, three inches, or
whatever other distance is fixed upon as the least that is to be indicated by the
apparatus. The second shaft, 17, 69, is in two parts connected by an insulating
coupling, 19, so as to turn together, and a weighted tumbing arm, 20, 21, is fitted
loosely on each part. The ends of the tumbling arms, 20, 21, are made with narrow
platinum edges, 22, 23, to form contacts with platinised spring-blade contact pieces of
which there are four 24, 25, 26, 27, all fixed on supports, 28, 29, 30, 31, insulated
from the sole plate, 14. Two, 26, 27, of the contact pieces, on the one side of the
second, shaft, 17, 69, are connected through their supports 30, 31, by wires, 32, 23, to
the binding screw, 34, of the positive pole of an electric battery and the other
two, 24, 25, on the other side of the second shaft, 17, 69, are similarly connected by
wires, 35; 36, to the binding screw, 37, of the negative pole of the battery. The ends

page_text: of the second shaft, 17, 69, are each fitted with a small platinum button to form
contacts with platinised spring-blade contact pieces, 38, 39, fixed on supports, 40, 41,
one, 40, of which, only, is insulated from the sole plate, 14. One end of the line wire, 42,
leading to the receiving station, is connected by a binding screw or otherwise to the
support, 40, and the earth wire, 43, is similarly connected to the support, 41, so that
the part, 69, of the second shaft (the left hand part in figures, 1, and 3) is in electrical
contact with the line wire, 42, and the other part, 17, with the earth wire, 43. The
wire, 43, may in some cases be dispensed with, the electrical contact of the part, 17,
of the second shaft with earth being in that case made through the sole plate, 14.
One, 20, of the tumbling arms is heavier than the other and when turned by a
projection or tooth, 44, jointed to a boss on the part, 17, of the second shaft, past its
highest position it falls over and makes a scraping contact with one of the spring
contact blades, 24, 27, thereby connecting the positive or negative pole of the battery
to earth according to the direction in which the shaft, 17, 69, is turning. To prevent
too great concussion from the falling over of the tumbler, 20, its boss is provided with
an eccentric and sirap, 45, connected to the plunger, 46, of a small dash pot, 47, which
may contain glycerine or other suitable liquid. Before the heavier tumbler, 20, falls
over to one side, the other tumbler or loose arm, 21, will have been turned up on the
other side by a pin, 48, on a boss, fixed on the part, 69, of the second shaft and will
be in contact with the spring contact blade, (25 or 26) on that side; and the two
contacts will complete the circuit and cause the transmission of a current through the
line wire, 12. When the heavier arm, 20, rises on either side it touches the contact
piece, 24, or 27, but no current passes as the other arm, 21, does not then touch, the
contact piece, 26, or 25, on the other side, owing to the relative position of the pin, 48.
Should the smaller arm, 21, at any time not full clear of the contact piece, 26, or 25,
when it ought to do the pin, 48, in coming round acts on a short arm, 71, and moves
it down.
At the receiving station the line wire, 42, is connected to one terminal of a relay (not
shown) which puts into operation for working the indicating apparatus a battery of
sufficient strength and which may be stronger than that required for the line wire, 42.
The level is indicated by an index moving over a suitably graduated dial, 50, (figure 6)
and which is fixed on one end of an arbor, 51, carried in bearings in the framing, 52,
of the instrument. The arbor, 51, has also fixed on it two ratchet wheels, 53, 54,
with oppositely inclined iceth. A pawl or catch, 55, is provided for acting on each
ratchet wheel, 53, 54, and is provided with an inclined part, 56, arranged to ride upon
a stationary roller or guide, 57, fixed one in each side of the framing, 52, and adjusted
so as to move the catch, 55, clear of the ratchet teeth at the completion of each stroke.
Each pawl or catch, 55, is moved by a lever, 58, centered on the outer end of a
stud, 59. Each lever, 58, is acted on by an adjustable spring, 60, to effect the stroke
which acts on the ratchet wheel, 53, 54, the adjustable springs, 60, being attached to
an armature, 61, fixed by screws to the lower end of the levers, 58, and placed near
the poles of an electro magnet, 62. There two electro magnets, 62, and the two
armatures, 61, are quite separate from each other, and attached to the separate pawl
levers, 58, of the two ratchet wheels, 53, 54. A terminal screw, 19, connected to the
relay battery is in electrical connection by wires, 63, 64, with the coils of the electro
magnets, 62, these coils being connected to the relay by wires, 65, 66, and the relay
is arranged to send a current through the coil of one electro magnet or through that
of the other accordingly as a positive or negative current is transmitted through the
line wire, 42. When either electro magnet, 62, is excited, it attracts its armature, 61,
and moves the pawl lever, 58, so as to cause its pawl, 55, to drop into gear with the
corresponding ratchet wheel, 53, or 54. Then on the current being broken the
spring, 60, acting on the pawl lever, 58, causes the ratchet wheel to be turned to
the extent of one tooth. In this way the force acting on the ratchet wheel is
always the same notwithstanding variations in the strength of the electric current ;
and the indicating action will be effected properly so long as the current is strong
enough to draw the armatures, 61, to the electro magnets, 62. The distance that each
armature, 61, can be moved away from the magnets, 62, is determined by an

page_text: adjustable screw spindle, 67. A third wheel, 68, (figure 6) is fixed on the indicator
arbor or shaft, 51, to insure the proper position of the shaft after each stroke, this
wheel, 68, being made with teeth having equally bevilled sides, and having pressed
against it by a spring an angular piece, 70, to fit in between two teeth. The bevil or
angle of the teeth is such that the wheel, 68, in turning can push out the angular
piece which on returning after the passage of a tooth tends to bring the wheel to rest
accurately in its proper position.
For recording changes of level the indicator arbor or shaft, 51, is arranged by
means of a pinion and rack or a pitch chain to move a pencil or pen which is in contact
with paper on a drum turned by clockwork.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed; we declare that what
we claim is―
1-Combining the parts of a transmitting instrument substantially in the improved
manner hereinbefore described with reference to figures, 1, 2, and 3, of the accom-
panying drawings, such instrument transmitting positive or negative electric currents
through a wire to an indicating instrument at a distance accordingly as changes of
water level move a float up or down.
2-The arrangement of the contact arms, 20, 21, and parts acting on them in the
manner substantially as herein before described, the contacts necessary for the
transmission of a current being thereby effected only when the heavier arm
descends.
3-Combining the parts of water-level indicating apparatus substantially in the
improved manner hereinbefore described with reference to figures, 4, 5, and 6, of the
accompanying drawings.
4-In water-level indicating apparatus worked by positive and negative electric
currents transmitted through a wire from a distance-providing separate electro-
magnets actuated by relay apparatus and separate armatures for moving the oppositely
acting pawls, substantially as hereinbefore described.
5 In water-level indicating apparatus combining ratchet wheels on the indicating
arbors with pawls and with adjustable springs applied to move the pawls in the
directions for turning the ratchet wheels, the reverse movements of the pawls being
effected by electro maguets, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Thirty-first day of July 1888.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.