US1008225A - Electrical ship-log apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

T. F. 6: T. S. WALKER.

ELEOTRIGAL SHIP LOG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1910.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

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T. F. 61: T. S. WALKER.

ELECTRICAL SHIP LOG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1910.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

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ELECTRICAL SHIP LOG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1910.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS FERDINAND WALKER AND THOMAS SYDNEY WALKER, 0F BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

ELECTRICAL SHIP-LOG- APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

Application filed November 25, 1910. Serial No. 594,197.

.apparatus and the invention relates more particularly to the electrical make and break contact-controlling mechanism employed therein.

It has been found in practice that the regulation of the duration of each period of contact is both desirable and important as a means of overcoming the irregularities which sometimes occur in the indicating or registering apparatus controlled thereby.

In View of the sudden and variable oscil lations to which log indicating or registering apparatus are frequently subjected and the consequent tendency to chattering contact and multiplication of impulses resulting therefrom, it is important that the action of closing and opening the circuit should take place with rapidity.

On the other hand too brief a period of contact is disadvantageous on account of the liability of the indicating or registering apparatus to receive too feeble an impulse to be of any reliable effect.

In order therefore to obviate the above mentioned disadvantages and to render the apparatus capable of producing uniform results it is desirable to adopt some means whereby to regulate the duration of each period of contact so that regular indications or registrations may be obtained irrespective of the disturbances to which, through any of the usual causes, the appa ratus may be subjected.

To this end the present invention provides means for positively regulating the duration of each period during which the electrical circuit is closed whereby electrical impulses of the correct strength to operate the indicating or registering mechanism with certainty are obtained.

According to this invention the make and break contact mechanism is so constructed and arranged that the member serva capacity suflicient to properly actuate the indicating or registering apparatus. In one form of the invention part of the mechanism employed is of substantially known construction and as described in our United States Letters Patent No. 720508, dated February 10th, 1903, that is to say the rotary movement of the rotator is transmitted to a toothed wheel upon which is mounted a barrel containing a coiled spring one extremity of which is attached to the spindle of said toothed wheel and the opposite extremity of which is attached to the interior of the spring barrel. The said toothed wheel and spring barrel are mounted free to rotate between a bridge or frame and a plate or base, and upon said bridge or frame a pair of resilient contact arms suitably insulated therefrom and respectively electrically connected to the indicating or registering mechanism are so arranged that a circuitclosing member or contact piece mounted on and rotating as one with said spring barrel may alternately and intermittently make and break contact therewith whereby to close and open the electric circuit. Upon the periphery of said spring barrel a lug or projection is formed, integral therewith or attached thereto, and a spring-controlled detent normally presented in the path of rotation of said lug or projection is pivotally mounted upon said plate or base; suit-able means being provided for regulating the extent to which said detent normally enters said path of rotation. Upon the toothed wheel a stud is disposed which serves in the course of each rotation of said wheel to withdraw the spring-controlled detent from the path of rotation of the aforesaid lug or projection and which also serves as a stop to limit the extent of the angular movement of the spring barrel when the detent has been tripped. The said spring-controlled detent is formed with two suitably positioned stops, so disposed relatively to each other and to the path of rotation of the said lug or projection that upon the disengagement, by means of the stud upon the toothed wheel, of the peripheral lug or projection from the first stop on the detent the spring barrel is moved angularly, under the action of its contained spring, through such a distance as will bring the contactpiece into the circuit-closing position, when the lug or projection upon the periphery of said spring barrel becomes. arrested by the second stop on the detent and engaged thereby for a determined period during which the circuit remains closed and an electrical impulse is transmitted to the indicating or registering apparatus, after which the second stop on the detent is withdrawn by said stud from the path of rotation of said lug or projection and contact is broken.

Alternatively, instead of the above described construction, the said spring-controlled detent may be formed with only one stop thereon, while the periphery of the spring barrel may be formed with two suitably separated lugs or projections, so disposed relatively to each other and to the contact piece, that upon the disengagement, by means of the stud upon the toothed wheel, of the detent from the first lug or pro jection the spring barrel is moved angularly under the action of its contained spring, through such a distance as will bring the contact piece into the circuit closing position, when the second lug or projection upon the periphery of the said spring barrel becomes arrested by the detent and engaged thereby for a determined period during which the circuit remains closed and an electrical impulse is transmitted to the indicating or registering apparatus, after which the detent is withdrawn by said stud from the path of rotation of said second lug or projection, and contact is broken.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figures 1 to 4 inclusive show one method of constructing the mechanism. Fig. 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the positions occupied by the parts just prior to the closing of the circuit. Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views partly in section in which for the sake of clearness certain portions of the apparatus have been omitted. Fig. 3 shows the positions of the parts when the circuit is closed, and Fig. 4 shows their positions after the opening of the circuit.

A modified construction is shown in plan View, partly in section, in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, and a second modified construction is shown similarly in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, parts of the mechanism being omitted for the sake of clearness. Figs. 5 and 6 show the parts in position when the circuit is open. Figs. 6 and 9 show the circuit closed, and Figs. 7 and 10 show the circuit just broken.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

The registering mechanism and other parts of the apparatus may be those shown or described in our United States Letters Patent No. 720508, dated February 10th, 1903, the revolutions of a rotator in the water being transmitted to the contact controlling mechanism by means of a pinion 1 projecting through an aperture in the base-plate 2 and engaging a toothed wheel 3 mounted between said base-plate and a bridge 4. Loosely mounted upon the spindle of said toothed wheel 3 is a barrel 5 which contains a coiled spring 5 whereof one extremity is attached to said spindle and the opposite extremity is attached to the interior of the barrel 5. The toothed wheel 3 and spring barrel 5 are mounted free to rotate between the base-plate 2 and the bridge 4, and upon said bridge 4 a pair of resilient contact arms 6, 6, insulated therefrom by means of a plate 7 of vulcanite or other suitable material and respectively connected electrically by means of binding screws 8, 8, terminals 9, 9, and

leads (not shown) to the indicating or registering apparatus, are so arranged that a segmental circuit-closing member or contact piece 10 insulated from and mounted on and rotating as one with said spring barrel 5 may alternately and intermittently make and break contact therewith whereby to close and open the electric circuit.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. Upon the periphery of said spring barrel 5 a lug or projection 11 is formed, integral there with or attached thereto, and a detent l2 controlled by a spring 13 (see Fig. l) and formed with stops 14, 15, normally presented in the path of rotation of said lug or projection 11 is pivotally mounted between a bridge 16 and said base plate 2, a set screw 17 or other adjustable abutment for the limb 18 of detent 12 being provided for regulating the extent to which the stops 14, 15, upon the detent 12 are normally presented to the said path of rotation. Upon the toothed wheel 3 a stud 19 is disposed which serves in the course of each rotation of said wheel 3 to withdraw the stops 14, 15, upon the spring-controlled detent 12 from the path of rotation of the aforesaid lug or projection 11 and which stud also serves as an abutment to limit the extent of the angular movement of the spring barrel 5 when the stops upon the detent 12 have been tripped. This withdrawal is effected by means of the engagement of said stud 19 with a cam surface or cam stud 20 formed upon the detent 12. The stops 14, 15, are so disposed relatively to each other and to the path of rotation of the lug or projection 11 that upon the disengagement of the lug 11 from the first stop 14 the spring barrel 5 is moved angularly, under the action of its contained spring, through such a distance as will bring the segmental contact piece 10 into the circuit-closing position, as shown in Fig. 3,

when the lug or projection 11 becomes arrested by the second stop 15 and engaged thereby for a determined period during which the circuit remains closed and an electrical impulse is transmitted to the indicating or registering apparatus, after which the second stop is withdrawn by the action of the stud 19 from the path of rotation of the lug or projection 11 and contact is broken.

'The operation of this form of the apparatus is as follows: Assume the mechanism to have been set in operation from rest, the position of the parts being as shown in Fig. 4 and the circuit being open, the rotary movement of the rotator in the water is transmitted by means of pinion 1 to the toothed wheel 3 which is set in motion, in a clockwise direct-ion. Vheel 3 car ries with it the stud 19 followed by the lug or projection 11, the front edge 11 of the base 11 of said lug being caused by the action of the spring, contained within barrel 5 to abut against the stud 19 until arrested by engagement with the stop 14. The toothed wheel 3 is rotated by pinion 1 carrying stud 19 with it and compressing the spring connecting the wheel with barrel 5, said stud 19 being actuated from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 2 so that practically a revolution of the toothed wheel 3 has been completed when the stud 19 first engages the cam stud 20 and, moving the detent 12 angularly outward, disengages the stop 14 from the lug or projection 11. Immediately this disengagement occurs the energy stored within the spring barrel 5 asserts itself and the barrel is instantaneously moved angularly, in a clockwise direction causing the segmental contactpiece 10 to be thrown under the contact arms 6, 6, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to close the circuit \Vhen released from the stop 14 the lug 11 travels angularly forward until arrested by the stop 15 upon the detent 12, and, the toothed wheel 8 continues to be rotated by pinion 1 and continues to advance the stud 19 over the cam stud 20 gradually moving the detent 12 farther angularly outward until the stop 15 becomes withdrawn from engagement with the lug 11. Upon the disengagement or tripping of the lug 11 from the stop 15 the spring barrel 5 is again moved angularly, instantaneously removing the contactpiece 10 from beneath the resilient arms 6, 6, and so opening the circuit, as shown in Fig. 4. The angular advance of the barrel 5 is more rapid than that of the toothed wheel 60 3 and the lug 11 consequently overtakes the stud 19 against which latter the front edge 11 of its base 11 abuts until the lug proper is again engaged by the stop 14. The electrical circuit therefore remains closed for 65 an appreciable and definite period, namely substantially during the time which elapses between the disengagement of the lug 11 from the stops 14 and 15 respectively.

The above cycle of operations continues as long as the rotator remains in the water.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 it will be seen that the detent 12 embraces the spring barrel 5 and that the stop 14 is located at the forward extremity of said detent, while the stop 15 is formed upon the rearward limb 18. Also, instead of the cam stud, the detent 12 is formed with a cam surface 20, adapted to be engaged by the stud 19 during its travel. The operation of this modification is very similar to that of the previous construction. As the toothed wheel 3 is rotated by the pinion 1 and the stud 19 engages the cam surface 20 the detent 12 is moved angularly so as to withdraw the stop 14 from engagement with the lug 11 and at the same time to present the stop 15 in the path of rotation of said lug 11. Upon disengagement of the stop 14 from lug 11 the contact piece 10 is moved (as before) into position to close the circuit beneath the arms 6, 6, (see Fig. 6). The circuit remains closed until the stud 19 has ridden over the salient portion of the cam surface 20 after which the detent 12 under the action of spring 13 is returned to its normal position, releasing the lug 11 from stop 15 and breaking the circuit, the barrel 5 moving angularly forward and carrying with it the contact piece 10 and lug 11, which latter is stopped at the proper point in the manner already described.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show another alternative construction. In this form the barrel 5 is provided with two peripheral lugs 11, 21, the lug 21 being greater in length than the lug 11, and the detent 12 has only one stop, namely the stop 14. Further, while the lug 11 is capable of serving, when necessary, as an abutment for stud 19, the lug 21 is so arranged that the stud 19 may pass thereunder without contact therewith. The detent- 12 is formed, as before, with a cam surface 20 and with a rearward limb 18 for abutting against an adjustable screw 17 Referring to Fig. 8 and assuming the mechanism to be in motion, the stud 19 is about to engage the cam surface 20. Upon such engagement the detent 12 is moved angularly sufficiently to release the lug 11 and to enable the barrel 5 to rotate rapidly until the longer lug 21 is arrested by stop 14. The contact piece 10 is by said rotation of the barrel 5 thrown beneath the arms 6, 6, so as to close the circuit as shown in Fig. 9. The circuit remains closed whilethe stud 19 continues to ride forward over the cam surface 20, when, as said stud rides over the salient portion of the cam surface 20 the detent is moved angularly farther outward and releases the lug 21 from stop 14. The contained spring immediately further rotates the barrel 5 and removes the contact piece 10 from beneath the arms 6, 6, breaking the circuit, the rotation of the barrel being arrested by con tact of the lug base 11 with stud 19 (Fig. 10), and the operation is then repeated so long as the pinion l continues to be actuated by the rotator.

By means of the invent-ion a difficulty hitherto frequently experienced in connection with the manufacture of existing mech anisms may be overcome. For instance, it has heretofore been found troublesome and tedious to so regulate the normal tension of the spring contained in the spring barrel that while the energy exerted by the spring may be suflicient to overcome all frictional resistance due to the pressure exerted by the contact arms upon the contact piece and necessary to insure proper electrical connection therebetween yet said energy shall not be of such strength as will cause the contact piece to make and break contact with too short an interval for the transmission of an adequate electrical impulse.

An apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention, it will. be observed, ob viates the necessity for exercising any especial care in adjusting the tension of the spring and by reason of the fact that the circuit-closing member or contact piece is positively arrest-ed when contact is made, entirely prevents any liability of the contact piece to move too rapidly past the contact arms.

5 The electrical energy may be derived from a dry battery or from any other suitable source of electricity.

What We claim is 2- 1. Contact mechanism for electrical shiplog apparatus, comprising a frame, a pair of contact arms carried by said frame, continuously rotatable means adapted to receive motion from a rotator in the water, an intermittently rotatable member, means associated with said continuously rotatable means for operating said intermittently rotatable member, a circuit-closing contact piece carried by said intermittently rotatable member, and means controlled by said continuously rotatable means for arresting mechanically and positively the travel. of said intermittently rotatable member for a definite and predetermined period immediately the electrical circuit is closed.

2. Contact mechanism for electrical shiplog' apparatus comprising a frame, a pair of contact arms carried by said frame, continuously rotatable means adapted to receive angular motion from a rotator in the water, an intermittently rotatable member, a circuitclosing contact piece carried by said intermittently rotatable member and insulated therefrom, a resilient connection between said continuously rotatable means and said intermittently rotatable member for automatically operating the latter, and means controlled by said continuously rotatable means for arresting mechanically and positively the travel of said intermittently rotatable member for a definite and predetermined period immediately the electrical circuit is closed.

3. Contact mechanism for electrical shiplog apparatus comprising, a frame, a pair of contact arms carried by said frame, a spindle, a pinion fast upon said spindle and adapted to receive motion from a rotator in the water, a continuously rotatable toothed wheel meshing with said pinion, an intermittently rotatable barrel, a contact piece carried by said intermittently rotatable barrel and insulated therefrom, a resilient connection between said continuously rotatable toothed wheel and said intermittently rotatable barrel for automatically operating the latter, a lug upon the periphery of said intermittently rotatable barrel, and means controlled by said continuously rotatable toothed member to engage said lug whereby to arrest said intermittently rotatable barrel for a definite and determined period immediately the electrical circuit is closed.

4. Contact mechanism for electrical shiplog apparatus comprising, a frame, a pair of contact arms carried by said frame, a spindle, a pinion fast upon said spindle and adapted to receive motion from a rotator in the water, a continuously rotatable toothed wheel meshing with said pinion, an intermittently rotatable barrel, a contact piece carried by said intermittently rotatable barrel and insulated therefrom, a resilient connection between said continuously rotatable toothed wheel and said intermittently rotatable barrel for automatically operating the latter, a lug upon the periphery of said intermittently rotatable barrel, a stud upon said continuously rotatable toothed wheel, and means controlled by said stud to engage said lug whereby to arrest said intermittently rotatable barrel for a definite and determined period immediately the electrical circuit is closed.

5. Contact mechanism for electrical shiplog apparatus comprising, a frame, a pair of contact arms carried by said frame, a spindle, a pinion fast upon said spindle and adapted to receive motion from a rotator in the water, a continuously rotatable toothed wheel meshing with said pinion, an intermittently rotatable barrel, a contact piece carried by said intermittently rotatable barrel and insulated therefrom, a resilient connection between said continuously rotatable toothed wheel and said intermittently rotatable barrel, a lug upon the periphery of said intermittently rotatable barrel for automatically operating the latter, a stud upon said continuously rotatable toothed wheel, a springcontrolled arm controlled by said stud and mounted upon said frame adjacent to the periphery of said intermittently rotatable barrel, and means mounted on said spring controlled arm to engage said lug whereby to arrest said intermittently rotatable barrel for a definite and determined period immediately the electrical circuit is closed.

6. Contact mechanism for electrical shiplog apparatus comprising, a frame, a pair of contact arms carried by said frame, a spindle, a pinion fast upon said spindle and adapted to receive motion from a rotator in the water, a continuously rotatable toothed wheel meshing with said pinion, an intermittently rotatable barrel, a contact piece carried by said intermittently rotatable barrel and insulated therefrom, a resilient connection between said continuously rotatable toothed wheel and said intermittently rotatable barrel for automatically operating the latter, a lug upon the periphery of said intermittently rotatable barrel, a stud upon said continuously rotatable toothed wheel, a spring controlled arm controlled by said stud and mounted upon said frame adjacent to the periphery of said intermittently rotatable barrel, a projection on said springcontrolled arm for engagement by said stud, and means mounted upon said spring controlled arm to engage said lug whereby to arrest said intermittently rotatable barrel for a definite and determined period immediately the electrical circuit is closed.

7. Contact mechanism for electrical shiplog apparatus comprising, a frame, a pair of contact arms carried by said frame, a spindle, a pinion fast upon said spindle and adapted to receive motion from a rotator in the water, a continuously rotatable toothed wheel meshing with said pinion, an intermittently rotatable barrel, a contact piece carried by said intermittently rotatable barrel and insulated therefrom, a resilient connection between said continuously rotatable toothed wheel and said intermittently rotatable barrel for automatically operating the latter, a lug upon the periphery of said intermittently rotatable barrel, a stud upon said continuously rotatable toothed wheel, a spring controlled arm controlled by said stud and mounted upon said frame adjacent to the periphery of said intermittently rotatable barrel, a projection on said spring controlled arm for engagement by said stud, and a pair of stops on said spring-controlled arm to successively engage said lug whereby to arrest said intermittently rotatable barrel for a definite and determined period immediately the electrical circuit is closed.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS FERDINAND WALKER. THOMAS SYDNEY WALKER. WVitnesses:

ERNEST HARPER, ETHEL M. WEBB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents; Washington, D. G.

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