GB404303A - An improved acceleration and gradient meter - Google Patents

Abstract

404,303. Accelerometers; gradient meters. BREWERTON, A. E., 39, Higher Drive, Purley, Surrey. July 11, 1932, No. 19538. [Class 106 (iii).] In a gradient meter for use in a vehicle, the acceleration force acting upon one gravity controlled member is neutralized while a second gravity controlled member is responsive to acceleration, means being provided for indicating the displacement between the two members. One member 5 of a differential gear is loose on the shaft 8 and is driven by worm gear 3, 4 from an impeller 1 driven by the air correspondingly to the speed of the aeroplane. The bevel wheel 6 turns to a sleeve 9 which is free on the shaft 8. The other member 7 of the differential gear is fast with a flywheel 10 loose on the shaft 8 which is carried in brackets 11, 12. Attached to the sleeve 9 is a pendulum 13, 14 which carries an engraved quadrant 15 co-operating with a fixed pointer 16 and with a pointer 17 on a second pendulum 18. The quadrant is toothed to drive an air-beater 20. The pendulum 18 is carried by a sleeve 22 free on the shaft 8 and geared to an air-beater 25. By suitably proportioning the masses of the flywheel 10 and the pendulum 14, the drive from the impeller 1 is utilized to neutralize the acceleration force on the pendulum due to the movement of the aeroplane the pendulum 14 thus hanging vertically under all normal conditions, and the inclination of the machine is given by the reading of the pointer 16. The reading given by the pointer 17 gives the acceleration. To adapt the machine to a railway vehicle, the shaft 2 is driven from the wheels. In a modification two arms pivot on a shaft supported at right angles to the direction of travel of the vehicle and carry a shaft on which rotates a fly-wheel which is geared to a wheel on the first shaft which is driven by a gear so that the accelerator component is neutralized as before.