GB190412213A - Improvements in Electrical Timing Devices for Fire Brigade Competitions, Military Drills, Race Meetings, and the like. - Google Patents

Abstract

12,213. Nichols, A. E., and Brown, A. C. May 30. Races, timing.- Races, fire-brigade and military competitions, &c., are timed by a stop-watch, which is started and stopped by electric currents set up by signal arrangements indicating the starting and stopping of the competition. The stop-watch is placed in an adjustable holder consisting of an adjustable stop Y, Fig. 3, and side clips Z arranged on a plate T, which slides in a frame and is moved relatively to the frame by a screw U, around the thread of which is a spring to return the plate T when the screw is slackened. The button of the stop-watch is placed against a projection X of a pivoted armature of an electromagnet, which is energized when the starting signal is given. This signal is given by pressing a plunger A, Fig. 2, on a rod B which works in a support C ; in descending, a pin D on the rod B operates through levers E, J, connected by toggle mechanism to prevent the signal from being spoilt by trembling, to close an electric circuit by the lever J coming into contact with a platinized contact-block K. The completion of the electric circuit causes a signal to be given by a gun, detonator, or, as shown in Fig. 2, a bell. Inside the bell is an electromagnet, which, when energized by the completion of the circuit which actuates the stop-watch, attracts an armature and releases a depending lever N from a hook catch on the armature. The lever N is attached to a lever 0 acted on by a spring Q, which is attached to a projection R on the rod B and tends to move the lever so that a hammer on a lever P attached to the lever O will strike the bell, the striking being effected when the lever N is released from its catch. At the end of the race, a signal device, as in Fig. 2, may be struck, and the current produced be caused to stop the watch ; or, the circuit to stop the watch may be closed by the breaking or pulling of a cord or thread, produced by the falling of a target, or by competitors. As shown in Fig. 5, an arm a acted on by a spring contacts temporarily with a block d when a cord c is broken. Or, the arm a may be normally held by a pin e, which is withdrawn when the cord c is pulled. The electric circuits are preferably connected to an external circuit by an insulated spring, such as s, Fig. 3, and an ordinary telephone plug which fits in a socket in a boss p. A switch may be included in the external circuit, and other relay arrangements may be used to operate the stop-watch ; for example, the Provisional Specification states that the timing-device may consist of a clock with an electromagnetic clutch arrangement for starting the time movement, and that the timing-device may carry type-wheels to stamp the time on a sheet.