as for Indicating the Rise and Fall of Water in Reservoirs, Rivers, or the like, for Indicating the Direction of Wind and for other Analogous Uses.
Year: 1885

page_text: as for Indicating the Rise and Fall of Water in Reservoirs,
Rivers, or the like, for Indicating the Direction of Wind,
and for other Analogous Uses.
I, JULIUS SAX, of Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury in the County of Middlesex
Electrician do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to provide simple and efficient apparatus for
electrically indicating the quantity or direction of flow of fluids and is especially
suited for indicating the rise and fall of water in reservoirs or other places so as to
always indicate the quantity contained therein and if necessary indicate by an
alarm when a certain predetermined low or high level is passed. I will describe
my Invention as applied to this latter use from which its general application will
be readily understood.
In a suitable casing is contained a shaft which projects from the casing and has
a wheel or pulley on it over which is passed a cord or chain to one end of which
a float is attached which rises and falls with the water. To the other end of the
cord or chain a weight less than that of the float is attached. This shaft has a
wheel on it gearing with a pinion on a shaft which carries two pairs of arms or
contact makers which I will call for the sake of distinction the right hand pair
and the left hand pair-One of the arms of each pair is in electrical contact with
a boss mounted on but insulated from the shaft and these arms are also insulated
from the shaft. The others of each of the pairs of arms are insulated from those
first named but are in electrical contact with the shaft. The pairs of arms are so
arranged that when the shaft turns in one direction one pair of arms is turned
with it and caused to complete an electric circuit from a battery. The other pair
of arms is carried round when the shaft revolves in the other direction and
similarly makes contact and completes an electric circuit but the connections are
so arranged that the currents caused by the contact of one pair of arms flow in
the reverse direction to the flow of the current caused by the contact of the other
pair of arms. There is a train of wheels and a dial and pointer for indicating the
revolution of the shafts due to the rise of the float with the water when the shafts

page_text: turn in one direction and complete the circuit for a current of one kind and to the
fall of the float as the level decreases when the shafts turn in the other direction
and complete the circuit for a current of another kind. The currents thus generated
are led to any suitable place where an indication is needed and at such place there
is provided an indicating dial with a pointer working in accord with those of the
first apparatus. The indication of this second pointer is obtained by the currents
from the first, apparatus being led around electro magnet coils mounted upon one
end of a permanent magnet upon the other end of which is a polarized bar working
between the cores of the coils and attracted in one direction or the other in
accordance with the direction of the current from the first apparatus. The said
polarized bar in its movement in one direction acts upon a pawl or the like to turn
a star wheel in one direction and in the movement of the said bar in the other
direction it acts upon another pawl or the like to turn the star wheel in the other
direction. The shaft of the star wheel is connected to the pointer of the dial by
gearing to give an indication corresponding to that of the first apparatus. When
the apparatus is used as an indication of the direction of the wind or the like
a vane will take the place of the wheel or pulley described as being acted upon
by the float and weight.
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the said Julius Sax.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating Electrically the
Quantity or Direction of Flow of Fluids, such for Example
as for Indicating the Rise and Fall of Water in Reservoirs,
I JULIUS SAX of Great Russell Street in the County of Middlesex Electrician
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:
The principle object of my Invention is to provide simple and efficient apparatus
for electrically indicating the height or quantity of fluids and is especially suited
for indicating the higt and fall of water in reservoirs or tidal waters but it may
also be used for other analogous purposes such for example as for indicating the
direction of the wind. If necessary an alarm may be given when a certain pre-
determined level is arrived at. One part of the apparatus is the transmitting
portion being that by which an electric current is sent to an indicating or recording
instrument at a distance along a single line wire in one direction when the
direction of flow or motion of fluid is in one direction such as the rise of water or
the turning of a vane in one direction under wind pressure the electric current
being sent in the opposite direction when the direction of the flow or motion of
fluid is in the opposite direction such as the fall of water or the turning in the
opposite direction of a vane under wind pressure. The second part of the apparatus
is the aforesaid indicating or recording instrument at a distance from the trans-
mitting portion the said second part being so constructed or arranged that its
indicator or recorder is operated in both directions by the electric currents trans-
mitted by the first portion of the apparatus along the one line wire in opposite
directions in correspondence to the direction of flow or rise or fall of the fluid.
I will describe my Invention with reference to the accompanying Drawings as
applied to indicating the rise and fall of water in a reservoir or tidal waters from
which its general application will be readily understood. The apparatus consists
of two principal parts videlicet-that shewn in Figure 1 wherein the movements
are given as the level of the water fluctuates to effect the transmission of the
requisite currents of electricity to, and the actuation of the second part of the
apparatus (shewn in Figure 2) which second part may be situated at any con-
venient distance from the first part of the apparatus so that the height of the
water in any place at which the first part of the apparatus is situated can be
ascertained at a distance even of many miles from the said place.
Referring to the apparatus shewn in Figure 1. A represents a wheel or drum of
a diameter and length in accordance with the range of motion required. Instead of
making it a simple single grooved wheel I prefer to make it with a helical groove
of a number of turns I wind the cord B round three or four turns. To one end of the
cord B is attached a float B which rests upon or in the water to be measured-At
the other end of the said cord is attached a counterweight B³ or its equivalent

page_text: The cord B should grasp the drum A tightly so that it will not slip and therefore
the helical groove in the drum should be V shaped. The shaft a of the drum A is
mounted in suitable standards a2 and has fixed to it a toothed wheel C which
gears with a pinion D on a shaft d mounted in bearings 2 on which shaft d are
carried loosely a pair of collars F F each formed of two metallic parts marked on
the one fand f³ and on the other f³ and ft. The two parts of each are insulated
from each other by the insulation at g g. Between these collars F F' is a collar H
fixed to the shaft d-Upon each of the metallic portions of the collars F F are the
raised contact pieces and which are placed to come into contact with
contact springs jjj and j. Figure 3 is a transverse section of the shaft d and
the metallic part f of the loose collar F shewing the contact piece i thereon. The
springs and are passed under the shaft d and over it from the rear as shewn
whilst the springs and are simply brought over the loose collar from the front
as shewn in figure 1-On each of the metallic parts f" and f* of the collars F and F
is fixed a tumbling weight ke k² each with a projection, 3 and 4, from its face pre-
sented towards the fixed collar H on which are two pins h and h² respectively in
the path of the projections and on the tumblers k and so that when the
shaft d is turned in one or the other direction it carries round one or other of
the collars F F to cause the contacts (i or ³) thereon to make contact with
the springs (or j³ ³) in proximity thereto-When the drum A turns in one
direction one only of the collars For F is rotated the other remaining stationary.-
This is effected by the pin h or 2 coming against the corresponding projection ³
or which are arranged as shewn in side view in Figure 4 and section in Figure 5
the said projections being bevilled on one side but not on the other and being
centered at k and pressed out by a spring 6 so that when the shaft d rotates in
one direction one or other of the pins h or h² comes against the bevilled side of one
or other of the projections or which is on the contact collar (F or F") not to
'be rotated so that the projection k¹ or k yields to the passage of the corresponding
pin h or h the fixed collar H, and the collar (F or F°) is not rotated but the other
of the pins h or h² on the fixed collar H which is in the path of the projection
(kes or ) from the tumbler of the other of the collars For F which is to be
rotated, comes against the flat face of the projection (f³ or f¹) and so the said
collar is turned. The tumblers k and k² are arranged to suddenly fall over when
they have reached their highermost position, so as to ensure the contacts, i, 28 and
The
being left in a position in which the contacts are not made.-, 12 are clicks,
which engage in notches in the metallic parts f, f³ of the collars F and F2 imme-
diately the tumblers fall over, thus preventing rebound and false indications.
clicks also serve for the attachment of the line wire as hereinafter described.
The contacts are so arranged in connection with the battery that when one collar
(F or F) is rotated, a current in one direction is sent round the coil of the instru-
ment Figure 2 (hereinafter to be described) and when the other collar is rotated a
current is sent round the coil in the opposite direction. The connections are shewn
The clicks or detents, 1, 12 are
diagrammatically in Figure 1, by the coiled lines.
connected by the wire 1, 1, from which the line wire 2, 2, is led to the coil of the
apparatus, Figure 2, which coil is indicated at 3, and thence passes to earth at E.
The springs j, j are connected by the wires 4, 4, to the one pole Z-of the battery
and the springs are connected by the wires 5, 5, to the other pole Cb of the
battery. The fixed collar His led to earth by the contact-piece h³ wire 6, and earth
plate E².
The contacts, 2, 3 and springe j, j jare relatively placed so that they
complete the circuit only during the time that the tumblers are falling over so that
the duration of contact is always the same. In Figure 1, I have shewn a dial M
and pointer N, for indicating at the place where this part of the apparatus is
situated, but it is of course not essential to use it. As shewn, the pointer is
actuated by a pinion P, on the shaft a, gearing with a pinion Q, on the shaft q,
which by a wheel, Q2, drives the wheel, N³ on the axis n, of the pointer N, moving
over the dial, M.

page_text: I will now describe the apparatus Figure 2 which is electrically operated at the
distant station by that shewn in Figure 1.-R is a permanent magnet (shewn also
in side view in Figure 6) at one pole of which is placed an electro-magnet the coils
of which are marked 2 and 3 and the two poles of which are marked R' and R³.
The other pole at R has pivotted to it a soft iron piece S so that the picce S
assumes the same polarity as the pole R of the magnet R to which it is attached.
It is situated between the pole pieces R2 and R³ and is attracted to one or the other
of them according to the direction of the current sent through the coils ³ ³ On
each side of the free end of the piece S are centered two levers or pawls T and T
the nose of one or the other of which by the movement of the piece S acting on
the tail of one or other of the said levers or pawls is caused to engage with the
star or ratchet wheel U and turn it in one or the other direction according to which
pawl is operated-The wheel U is fast on a spindle u on which there is another
star or ratchet wheel V with the same number of teeth and with a spring detent w
engaging with it which ensures the spindle and star wheel U being left in true
position after each operation. By the pinion x the motion of the spindle
transmitted to wheel y on the axis y2, the pointer Y moving over a dial z (shown
by dotted lines) exactly in accordance with the movements of the pointer N and
dial M-Figure 1, if such be used-88 are springs carried by the piece S to steady
it and maintain its normal neutral position 828 are adjustable stops for the said
piece and t t are springs to keep the pawla T T in their proper normal position
against stops t3 t4.
is
The action of the apparatus is as follows-Presuming that the drum A and
gearing are so arranged that the pointers are moved through one division of the
dials at each alteration of level by one inch of the water in which the float B rests―
Say that the water is rising-When it has risen an inch the pinion D is rotated
and carrying the shaft d and fixed collar H with it the projection on the said
collar comes against the projection k³ on the tumbler k of the collar F and the said
collar is rotated on the shaft d until the tumbler is brought to its uppermost
position and then it falls over so that the contacts i and in revolving with the
collar on which they are fixed make contact the one with the spring ; and the
other with the spring j thus completing the battery circuit so that a current passes
through the circuit thus established between the pole Z of the battery through the
wire 4 spring contact i metal portion f detent and wires 1 and 2 to the coils of
the instrument Figure 2 and back to earth and the battery through the other
contact and spring j². The current passing through the coils Figure 2 gives a
preponderance of attraction to the pole R which attracts the piece S which moves
the pawl T to operate the star wheel U and through the gearing xy move the
pointer Y through one division to indicate a rise of one inch in the water level.
When the water falls the drum A will be rotated in the opposite direction by the
lowering of the float B and the shaft d and fixed collar H being also corre-
spondingly reversely rotated the pin bears on the projection carries over the
collar F which makes contact between the projections and the springs j³ j* and
the battery circuit is completed between the battery pole at Cb and earth and a
current passes around the coils Figure 2 in a direction the reverse of that in which
the current passed when the collar F was rotated and therefore the piece S is
drawn over in the reverse direction and through the pawl T2 operates the star
wheel U also in the reverse direction which correspondingly operates the pointer Y
to indicate a fall of water. The pawls at their acting ends are so shaped and they
and the star wheel U are so relatively situated that when the parts are in their
normal position the pawls on being moved act on the inclined sides of the teeth the
one pawl so as to turn the star wheel in one direction and the other so as turn the
star wheel in the other direction.
If it be desired to give an alarm when the indication is at a certain point or
points some moving part of the instrument, Figure 2 may be caused to make the
necessary contact to complete the circuit of an aların.
arrangement which is as follows:-On the face of the dial
illustrate a suitable
are contacts 2³ and

page_text: with which a contact y³ on the pointer Y comes into contact at the desired times
to complete the circuit of an electric bell. The contacts 22 and 23 may be adjustable
to any desired position.
It will be evident that the details may be considerably varied without departing
from the nature of my Invention for example in the apparatus Figure 2 the
pawls T, T may be carried by the piece S and may each operate on separate ratchet
wheels fixed to the spindle u. From the foregoing description it will be evident
that the apparatus can be used to indicate the direction and quantity of the flow of
fluids generally. For example it can be used to indicate the direction in which the
wind is blowing for which purpose it will only be necessary to substitute a vane
exposed to the wind for the drum A and by any suitable gearing cause it as it is
turned by the wind to operate the shaft d as herein before described.
It will be desirable in this application to provide the gearing with a fly wheel or
-speed regulator which may be like that used in a musical box.
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
°
First The apparatus for transmitting along one line wire, electrical currents in
opposite directions in accordance with the rise or fall or direction of motion of
fluids substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the
accompanying drawings.
Second-The apparatus substantially as described with reference to Figure 2 of
the accompanying drawings for the purposes described.
Third The combination of the transmitting apparatus (Figure 1) and the
recording apparatus (Figure 2) constructed arranged and operating substantially as
and for the purposes herein before described.
Fourth In apparatus for transmitting electrical currents in opposite directions
in accordance with the rise or fall or direction of motion of liquids a drum with a
helical groove around it in which is supported a cord having at one end a float
resting on or in the liquid and at the other end a weight or its equivalent substan-
tially as herein before described.
Fifth In apparatus of the kind hereinbefore described the combination of
contacts in the transmitting mechanism and electrical circuits in connection with
the coils of an electro magnet, and operating, by means of one line wire, indicating
and recording mechanism substantially as and for the purposes herein before
described.