GB1287734A - Devices for recording the distance travelled and speed of a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

1287734 Recording apparatus C L INSTRUMENTS Ltd 11 Sept 1969 [13 Sept 1968] 43709/68 Heading G1J Apparatus for recording the distance travelled and speed of a vehicle comprises means for driving a recording medium 11 at constant speed, means 20 for providing indicia upon the medium at intervals corresponding to equal distances travelled by the vehicle and a security device arranged to provide an indication on the medium 11 in the event of the apparatus being interfered with during a recording period. The recording medium 11 may be a tape or wire suitable to receive indicia in the form of visible or magnetic marks and as shown in Fig. 1 a paper tape is drawn from a supply spool 12 by a sprocket wheel 17, driven by clockwork or electric motor, through a punching mechanism 20 and over a take-up spool 13, whereby the spool 13 is driven. The punching mechanism 20 includes a gear wheel 21 driven at the rate of one revolution a mile and a punching wheel 22 linked by a spring 23 to the frame of the apparatus and by a shaft 29 to a cam 25 to operate a punch 26. As a flexible drive from the vehicle gear box rotates the wheel 21, pins 27, 28 engage to rotate the wheel 22, extending the spring 23. After turning through 180 degrees the punching action is completed under the influence of the spring 23. When the tape has been loaded in the apparatus, preferably by means of a cassette, the action of closing and locking its housing starts the tape drive and causes a hole to be punched in a second channel of the tape. The security device also provides indicia in this channel to indicate the end of a recording period, irregular opening and closing and removal of the flexible drive cable. When present the drive cable 38, Fig. 3 presses on a nylon shaft 39 and if it is removed a spring 36 frees a lever 35 from a wheel 33 which under the bias of a spring 34 stressed when the housing was locked, operates a punch. Parameters other than distance travelled may also be recorded in further channels e.g. fuel consumption, engine running time and vehicle load by arranging for the frequency of holes punched per mile in one channel to be proportional to the load.