Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Recording the Deflections of Pointers, Magnetic Needles, Coils and the like and the Fluctua- tions of Electric Currents and for Utilising such Deflections or Fluctuations to Actuate or Control various other Mechanisms or Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug. 1899
Complete Specification Left. 29th June. 1900-Accepted. 18th Aug., 1900
Complete Specification Left. 29th June, 1900-Accepted. 18th Aug., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Recording the Deflections
of Pointers, Magnetic Needles, Coils and the like and the Fluctua-
tions of Electric Currents and for Utilising such Deflections or
Fluctuations to Actuate or Control various other Mechanisms or
Apparatus.
I, EDGAR ALFRED GODDIN, of 138, Brooke Road, Stoke Newington, London,
N., Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to means of and apparatus for: -recording the deflec-
tions of magnetic needles, coils and the like (such as are used in marine and
other compasses, telegraph, cable and other electrical instruments or apparatus)
and other pointers. and for utilising such deflections or the fluctuations of an
electric current to sound an alarm and, or in the place thereof, to actuate or con-
trol various other mechanisms, such as the steering gear of torpedoes and other
vessels (so as to automatically keep them on a given course), apparatus for
regulating the supply of energy or matter, for perforating tape or the like (such
as is used for the automatic transmission of cable messages), for re-transmitting
or repeating messages without the employment of tapes, and for actuating
different mechanisms for varying degrees of deflection, by which means a type-
writer, for instance, might be operated, a clock caused to start and stop different
mechanisms at certain predetermined times, or caused to actuate a system of
clocks by impulses, and numerous other useful purposes served.
In carrying out my invention, I provide the needle, coil, pointer, card or
other equivalent part whose deflection is to be recorded or utilised to actuate
or control other mechanisms, with one or more suitable, perforated screens,
reflecting surfaces or equivalent parts, by means of which one or more beams
of light or other suitable rays, emanating from any convenient source, may be
projected or reflected and so caused to traverse one or more selenium cells or
other suitable variable resistances, when any deflection occurs, so as to reduce
its or their electrical resistance in the well known manner, and enable a
sufficient current to flow through a closed electric circuit and energise one or
more electro-magnets or solenoids adapted to co-operate with suitable armatures
or cores whereby one or more mechanisms may be actuated, or one or more
relay circuits closed to actuate the said one or more mechanisms.
In its simplest form my invention may consist of a closed electric circuit,
a part of which is divided into two branches. Each of these branches contains
a selenium cell and a solenoid or electro-magnet which are adapted to co-
operate with a common core or armature located between them and maintained
in a central position by means of a spring.
These selenium cells are located adjacent to the needle or other equivalent
part, whose deflection is to be recorded or otherwise used. This part is provided
with a perforated screen, reflecting surface or other equivalent means of pro-
jecting or reflecting a beam of rays, emanating from any convenient source.
in a desired direction, the relative positions of the parts being such, that one of
the selenium cells will be more strongly influenced by the "directed beam"

page_text: to its or their cores or armatures, or one of them, a movement substantially
proportionate to the deflection of the pointer, magnetic needle or equivalent
part, whereby a more suitable record could be obtained.
By the same means other relay circuits may be actuated and mechanisms
operated through them, as herein before described.
In applying my invention to the recording of the course of vessels and the
like, I employ a magnetic needle, such as is made use of in mariner's and other
compasses.
For this purpose, the magnetic needle or compass card is enclosed so as to
exclude light and certain other rays from all but one or more desired directions,
and has applied, preferably to its upper face, one or more suitable reflecting
surfaces located at a convenient distance from its centre, while the remainder
of this face is made practically non-reflecting by any well known or suitable
means.
Above this or these reflecting surfaces and preferably over or at a suitable
distance from the centre of the said needle, I provide one or more apertures
or other suitable sources of light or other suitable rays, such as an electric
or other lamp, or tube, which rays are reflected by the one or more reflecting
surfaces and projected through a suitable annular or other slit, into an enclosed
space which contains a series of selenium cells, or their equivalents, preferably
arranged around the centre of the needle's rotation but in any case so that one
or more of them may be influenced by the reflected beam whatever the position
of the needle may be, except, in some cases, one, that is, the central position
or that occupied when the vessel is on its proper course.
These selenium cells are preferably connected up so as to permit a greater or
less current to flow through a normally closed circuit or part of it according
to the angle of deflection, whereby a scriber may be caused to move to a
greater or less extent across a travelling tape, so as to trace a line upon it in
the manner herein before described.
It is obvious that the same result may be obtained by providing the com-
pass card with suitable perforated screens or transparent spots instead of
reflecting surfaces and locating the selenium cells or their equivalents in such
positions with relation to the source of the influencing rays as to be in the
path of the projected beam or beams (which may also or may not have been
reflected for this purpose by other suitably located reflecting surfaces) when
the compass card is deflected substantially as before described.
These selenium cells or their equivalents are preferably mounted in an adjust-
ably rotatable case which encloses them, in order that the "central position
may be shifted and the vessel's course changed or set for any point of the
compass. For this purpose, also, flexible, sliding or other suitable electrical
connections may be employed.
The tape or its equivalent upon which the record is to be made, is caused
to travel by clockwork or any other suitable mechanism, independently of the
recording apparatus after it has been set for a certain course, but its relative
lateral position is varied according to the course.
This lateral adjustment is automatically effected by any suitable gearing
which is actuated by the rotatable case that contains the selenium cells.
With such an arrangement, assuming a travelling tape to be employed, the
record produced would be a line whose position relatively to the width of the
tape (which might be provided with longitudinal lines indicating the points of
the compass) would indicate the course of the vessel.
The time element might be previously marked preferably transversely upon
the tape as herein before stated, or it might be printed upon or otherwise applied
to the said tape during its progress through its time controlled feed mechanism
in any well known or suitable manner.
In addition to actuating a recording device, or instead thereof, the same
means may be employed to automatically sound one or more alarms when a

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to means of and apparatus for:-recording the deflec-
tions of magnetic needles, coils and the like (such as are used in marine and
other compasses, telegraph, cable and other electrical instruments or apparatus)
and other pointers. and for utilising such deflections or the fluctuations of an
electric current to sound an alarm and, or in the place thereof, to actuate or con-
trol various other mechanisms, such as the steering gear of torpedoes and other
vessels (80 as to automatically keep them on a given course), apparatus for:-
regulating the supply of energy or matter, for perforating tape or the like (such
as is used for the automatic transmission of cable messages), for re-transmitting
or repeating messages without the employment of tapes, and for actuating
different mechanisms for varying degrees of deflection, by which means a type-
writer, for instance, might be operated, a clock caused to start and stop different
mechanisms at certain predetermined times, or caused to actuate a system of
clocks by impulses, and numerous other useful purposes served.
65
In carrying out my invention, I provide the needle, coil, pointer, card or
other equivalent part (hereinafter designated the director") whose deflection
is to be recorded or utilised to actuate or control other mechanisms, with one or
more suitable, perforated screens, reflecting surfaces or equivalent parts, by
means of which one or more beams of light or other suitable rays, emanating
from any convenient source, may be projected or reflected and so caused to
traverse one or more selenium cells (which is hereinafter deemed to include any
other suitable variable resistances) when any deflection occurs, so as to reduce
its or their electrical resistance in the well known manner, and enable a
sufficient current to flow through a closed electric circuit and energise one or
more electro-magnets or solenoids adapted to co-operate with suitable armatures
or cores whereby one or more mechanisms may be actuated, or one or more
relay circuits closed to actuate the said one or more mechanisms.
I will now more particularly describe my said invention, reference being made
to the accompanying drawings in which like letters refer to similar parts
throughout.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 are diagrams illustrating various arrangements of my
said invention, and Figures 6, 7, & 8 are details of the same hereinafter referred
to.
In its simplest form (see Fig. 1) my invention consists of a closed electric
circuit a, b, c, a part of which is divided into two branches, bs. The common
portion a contains a battery d, while each of the branches 6 & c contains a
selenium cell e & f and а solenoid & h respectively. These
solenoids are arranged axially and co-operate with a common core, i, located
within their coils which core is normally maintained in the central position
by means of springs j.
The selenium cells e & f are located adjacent to the "director," k, whose
deflection is to be recorded or otherwise used, which is provided with a trans-
parent portion, a reflecting surface or other suitable means of directing a
beam of rays, emanating from any convenient source m (see Figs. 6, 7, & 8)
in such a manner, hereinafter described, as to cause such beam to fall upon
the sensitive surface of one or other or both of the selenium cells e, f.
The selenium cells e & f, are so arranged, that under normal condition, the
directed beam falls equally upon them, whereby their respective electrical resist-
ances are equally, reduced causing the current to be evenly divided between
the two branches b & c, and the energy imparted to the solenoids & h balanced
with the result that the core is not moved from its central position. When,
however, the director is deflected from its normal position, the beam will
fall more upon one of the selenium cells than the other, reducing the resistance
in the one case and increasing it in the other and as a result, one of the sole-
noids will be more strongly energised than the other and will consequently
27
"

page_text: 18, 19, 20, 21 & 22 by means of which a wider and more even range of movement
is obtainable.
The solenoids 17 & 18 are supported in any convenient manner while their
co-operating cores 23 & 24 are fixed to the next pair of solenoids 19 & 20
which are coupled together by vokes 25. These solenoids 19 & 20 likewise
co-operate with cores 26 & 27 fixed to the solenoids 21 & 22 which are also
coupled together by means of the yokes 28, and in turn co-operate with the
common core 29.
All the elements of the combination are normally held in their respective
places by means of springs 30 which are compressed by their respective sole-
noid and core to an extent varying with the force of their attraction.
When the core i closes the relay circuit through the first carbon tipped con-
tact 5 or 6 energy is supplied by the battery 7 or 8 to the solenoid 21 or 22
causing it to attract its spring controlled core 29 with increasing force until
the second carbon-tipped contact 9 or 10 is reached when energy will be sup-
plied by the battery 11 or 12 to the solenoid 19 or 20 which in turn attracts its
spring controlled core 26 or 27 increasingly until the third carbon-tipped con-
tact 15 or 16 is reached when the battery 13 or 14 will likewise supply energy
to the solenoid 17 or 18 which will also attract its spring controlled armature.
In each case the attraction of the solenoids will increase when the pressure
upon the carbon tipped contacts increases, while the relay circuit is always
completed through the common return of and in some cases any intervening
solenoids also.
By this arrangement the movement of the central core 29, which carries the
scriber n, and may operate the valve of a servo-motor by means of any suitable
connection (not shown) or serve other useful purposes, with or without the aid
of auxiliary apparatus, may be made substantially regular and proportionate
to the angle of deflection of the "director" k.
In Fig. 5 is shown a further modification according to which different
apparatus may be operated when the "director" k is deflected at different
angles. For this purpose the selenium cells 31 are arranged around the
director and each controls the admission of current supplied by a battery d
in a common return a to a separate electro-magnet 32, by means of which
various apparatus, such as the keys of a typewriter or the like may be operated
directly or by means of suitable relays.
In applying my invention to the recording and controlling of the course of
torpedoes or other vessels the selenium cells e & f are arranged around the
compass card k, all of which are contained in a closed compass box 33, (see
Figs. 6, 7 & 8). The compass card k is of ordinary form and is provided with
a reflecting surface / consisting preferably of a polished or silvered portion
of the card itself (see Figs. 1, 2, 3 & 6) from which light or other rays emanat-
ing from a lamp m or its equivalent are reflected into the annular chamber 34
wherein the selenium cells e & f are arranged in the manner hereinbefore
described.
Instead of the compass card k having a reflecting surface it may instead be
provided with a transparent portion 7 (see Figs. 7 & 8). In Fig. 7 the selenium
cells are located beneath the compass card so that the rays that pass through
it at 7 fall directly upon them, while in Fig. 8 the said rays after passing through
the transparent portion 7 first fall upon an annular reflecting surface 35 from
which they are reflected on to the selenium cells.
In all these arrangements that portion of the box 33, that contains the
selenium cells is rotatable and carries with it a pinion 36 (see Fig. 6) which
gears with a rack 37 attached to the paper feed mechanism 38. By these means
the course of the vessel may be altered by varying the angular position of the
selenium cells relatively with the vessel, while the same operation will cause the
paper feed mechanism 38 to be moved laterally along suitable guides 39 and
thereby effect the necessary change in the zero position of the scriber n.

page_text: reflecting surfaces or their equivalents applied to such deflected parts co-
operating with a suitably located lamp and two or more selenium cells or their
equivalents (all of which are suitably enclosed) in such a manner as to cause a
beam of rays to fall upon one or other of the said selenium cells according to the
angle of deflection whereby its resistance is reduced and an electric current
of sufficient strength is caused to energise one or other of two or more solenoids
or electro-magnets by means of which a scriber is caused to make a record on
a travelling tape or the like, or the steering gear of a vessel operated or other
mechanisms actuated or controlled with or without the use of one or more relays
substantially as described and for the purposes set forth in the specification.
2. In means and apparatus of the kind referred to in the preceding claim
the use of a relay closing device actuated by gradually increasing the current
in parts of a divided closed electric circuit provided with solenoids on electro-
magnets whose cores or armatures operate one or other of two or more carbon
tipped contacts of the relay circuit whereby their resistances are reduced and
additional energy gradually cut in" as pressure upon them is increased sub-
stantially as described in the specification with reference to the drawings and
for the purposes set forth.
"
3. The combination and arrangement of parts constructed and co-operating
substantially as described in the specification with reference to Figs. 1, 6, 7 & 8,
constituting means and apparatus for recording and utilising the deflections
of magnetic needles, coils, other pointers and the like.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constructed and co-operating
substantially as described in the specification with reference to Figs. 2, 6,
7 & 8 constituting means and apparatus for recording and utilising the deflec-
tions of magnetic needles, coils, other pointers and the like.
5. The combination and arrangement of parts constructed and co-operating
substantially as described in the specification with reference to Figs. 3, 6, 7 & 8
constituting means and apparatus for recording and utilising the deflections
of magnetic needles, coils, other pointers and the like.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constructed and co-operating
substantially as described in the specification with reference to Figs. 4, 6, 7 & 8,
constituting means and apparatus for recording and utilising the deflections of
magnetic needles, coils, other pointers and the like.
7. The combination and arrangement of parts constructed and co-operating
substantially as described in the specification with reference to Figs. 5, 6, 7 & 8,
constituting means and apparatus for recording and utilising the deflections
of magnetic needles, coils, other pointers and the like.
Dated this 20th day of June 1900
EDGAR A. GODDIN.