US1208144A - Recording mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

C. l. HALL.-

RECOHDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION men n.3, 1911.

5 SHEETS-SHEET Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

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Attorneys C. I. HALL.

RECORDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED m4.3.19u.

Patented Dec.12,1916.

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(I. I. HALL.

RECORDING MECHANISM.

APPucmok man um. 3. Ian.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

5 S HEETSSHEET 3.

C. I. HALL.

RECORDING MECHANISM;

APPLICATION men mm, 19!!- Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

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RECORDING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED lAN- 3. IBM.

Patented D60. 12, 1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHESTER I. HALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO CHICAGO ELECTRIC METER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Application filed January 3. 1911.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHESTER I. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ofCookand State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Recording Mecha nisms, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to printing attachments for power watt meters. It is useful in connection with the so-called Chicago system of selling electric power in which there is an annual demand or primary charge which covers all fixed charges on the investment in that portion of the central station system which is actually used by the particular consumer and which primary charge is based on the greatest watt-hour demand in the year. In addition to this demand charge there is-an output or secondary charge at a fixed rate per kilowatt hour to cover fuel, labor and other operating expenses, and which charge is based on the total registration at the end of each month.

It is apparent that an instrument for measuring with great accuracy the greatest one hour-demand in the year is oftheutmost importance. 1

My invention is intended to secure an automatic measurement and record of the hourly demand, and from the record thus obtained it is possible to determine the greatest one hour demand in the year. The device may, however, and frequently is used in various other connections where the maximum demand is desired for purposes of fixing the rate, and in such cases, as also in the case where the Chicago method is' em-- ployed, it is often desirable to record the demand for periods of less than one hours duration. Thus it may be desired to secure an accurate record of the watt meter reading as oftenasonce in every half hour or once every fifteen minutes, or ten minutes, or five minutes, as the case may be. .My present invention is designed to meet these requirements and to provide an instrument in which the watt meter reading will be automatically recorded with great accuracy at the end of every five minute period or at the end of any multiple of five minutes up to a period of one hour.

Specification of Letters Patent.

RECORDING MECHANISM.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

Serial No. 600,426.

My invention comprises a clock-driven controller which serves to close an electric circuit for a period of time at the end of every such period for which the record is to be made. The circuit controlled by this clock mechanism leads to an electromagnetic device which, when energized, causes the reading of a set of numeral wheels to be printed upon a strip of paper which is automatically fed between them and an associated-platen. The actuation of the numeral wheels is controlled by a watt meter, there being provided in conjunction with the watt meter a small commutator or cir cuit closer'which controls the energization of an 'electromagnet adapted by actuation to advance the printing wheels. The result of the combination is, therefore, that the watt meter controls the advancement of the printing wheels, whereas the clock controls the time at which the impressions are made upon the record strip of paper. In conjunction with the watt printing wheels there is a type wheel for printing the hour at which the impressions are made. It is ordinarily unnecessary to print the minutes at which the readings are printed, because with. the hourly indications printed in conjunction with the watt meter readings it is a simple matter to interpolate to learn the time at which any intermediate record is printed.

The particular features of my present invention will more clearly appear from a consideration of the details. In order to direct' attention particularly to the features of my present invention, I will enumerate certain advantageous features as follows: All of the mechanism for controlling the closure c of the time circuit is driven from the quill on the hand side of the friction of a clock movement, thus making it possible to set the time of the circuit closing mechanism merely by setting the hands of the clock. Furthermore, all of the clock-driven circuit-controlling mechanism is made up in the form of a self-contained unit wheel which is easily fastened to a standard is shipped. The circuit-controlling mechanism is so arranged as not to interfere with the time keeping or indicating function of the clock and the device, therefore, becomes a very convenient powerhouse accessory in that the time of day is indicated by the ordinary clock hands. The circuit-controlling switch of the clock-driven mechanism is arranged to require a minimum of power. The contacts are, however, arranged in such a way as to have a quick and wide break, thereby reducing arcing and consequent burning of contacts to a minimum. These contacts are arranged to wipe over one another, thereby keeping them bright. The contacts are arranged in such a way as to insulate the clock movement from the electric circuit. Notwithstanding this arrangement, however, the contacts may be adjusted to confine the arcing and burning to one of the pair of contacts which are periodically broken in the operation of the device. Although the contact mechanism of the time circuit-controller is so delicate that such an extremely small amount of power as is a vail able from a clock will drive it, still the snap action of the switch points when opening the circuit is so successful that no condenser is needed to bridge the gap and thus to out down the arcing. This, of course, elfects a considerable saving in the cost of the apparatus when manufactured in quantities. The time circuit-controlling apparatus being readily detached from the clock, may be shipped in for repairs if needed, a duplicate clock attachment having been sent to the customer to replace the device which must needs undergo repairs. This is a great convenience because it saves the shipment of large and bulky clock mechanism which is almost certain to get out of time-keeping adjustment in transit.

Another feature of advantage resides in the arrangement of the circuit-controlling mechanism in conjunction with the printing mechanism per 86 whereby it becomes a very simple matter to adjust both mechanisms in conformity with one another to print a rec- 0rd once each hour or once each half hour or once each five, ten, fifteen or twenty minutes, as may be desired.

lVithout attempting now to point out the several advantageous features of my invention, I shall proceed to a more detailed description, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically the electrical circuits and the electromagnets controlled thereby; Fig. 2 represents a similarly diagrammatic representation of the electrical circuits and electromagnets where batteries are utilized as the source of electrical power for driving the printing and recording mechanism; Fig. 3 is a front view of the clock and associated circuit-controlling mechanism; Fig. 4: is a side view of the circuit-controlling attachment to the clock; Fig. 5 is a detail taken in cross section just behind the fiber disk of the snap switch and showing the action of the switch contacts when released; Fig. 6 is a sectional detail showing the construction and manner of mounting the rotary switch member of the time circuit-controller; Fig. 7 is a view in front elevation of the printing attach-- ment per 80,- Fig. 8 is a top view of the same; Fig. 9 is a partial view in front elevation, some of the parts having been removed, however, by a cross-sectional cut taken a little back of the front plates of the numeralwheel frame; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view in central cross section to show the action of the numeral wheels and platen in printing the watt meter readings; and Fig. 11 is a central cross'sectional view illustrating the mounting of the alternating switch mechanism associated with the electromagnet for actuating the watt indicating numeral wheels.

Like characters of reference are applied to corresponding parts in all of the figures.

It will perhaps simplify the understanding of the more complicated mechanism if at the outset I refer to the diagrammatic circuit drawing of Fig. 1. In this drawing the spindle of a watt meter is indicated at 11. This watt meter in turn drives the small and delicate commutator 12, this being associated with a brush 13 riding on a slip ring connected with the commutator segment or segments and also with a pair of alternating brushes 14: and 15. The brush 13 is connected with one of the service mains A, and the energizing circuit of the numeral wheel actuating magnet 16 is connected to the other service wire B. The circuit of the electromagnet 16 leads through a brush 17 to the saw-toothed connector disk 18. It will be noted that the alternate teeth of this disk are undecut', and this for the following reason: The brushes 19 and 20 are adapted to engage the faces of the teeth where they are not thus undercut. If, now, we trace the circuit from the main A, we shall find that it may lead from brush 13 through the commutator to brush 1 1, thence to the brush 20 on the printing attachment, thus through the contact disk 18 to the brush 17, and thus through the numeral wheel actuating magnet 16 to the negative main B. The closure of this circuit will energize the electromagnet 16 to advance the numeral wheels (diagrammatically shown at cl) one step. The contact disk 18 being associated with the units numeral wheel, is simultaneously advanced. Wherefore, the circuit previously traced from the brush 20 through the face of a tooth of the contact disk 18 is broken. At the same time a circuit is closed between the brush 19 and the face of the tooth thus brought into engagement with it. The circuit of the electromagnet 16 is not, however, completed until the commutator segment 12 is rotated by the watt meter into engagement with the brush 15. At this instant, however, the circuit of the electromagnet 16 is again closed to advance the numeral wheels and simultaneously to advance the contact disk 18 into position where the circuit through the brush 19 is opened.

The electromagnet indicated at 20 is adapted when energized to force the platen 21 into engagement with the paper strip 22, thus bringing it into sharp contact with the type wheels, a typewriter ribbon r intervening to cause the impression to be made in color upon the paper. The circuit of this electromagnet is, in the arrangement of Fig. 1, controlled by the contacts 23, 24 and 25 of a relay whose electromagnet 26 is controlled by the time-controlling contacts diagrammatically shown at 27 and 28. This diagrammatic representation of these clockcontrolled contacts does not correspond very closely with the actual mechanism, but the diagram will surffice to show that when the clock indicated by the dotted line 29 brings the contacts 27 and 28 into engagement with one another, the electromagnet 26 is energized to close the circuit of the printing magnet 20, thus causing the platen to come into play to print upon the paper strip the ular instant.

reading of the numeral wheels at the partic- Thus, in a general way, will be apparent the operation of the apparatus of my invention. The watt meter by its commutator controls the advancement of the watt printing numeral wheels. The clock controls the closure of the time circuit to regulate the actuations of the platen to print the readings of the numeral wheels upon the record strip.

The circuit shown in Fig. 2 corresponds in a general way with that already de scribed. However, in this case a set of batteries 30 is provided to supply the power for actuating the printer magnet 20 and the numeral wheel magnet 16, and since the current delivered by the battery is not a heavy one, the contacts 27 and 28 suflice to control the printer magnet circuit directly rather than through the agency of a relay as shown in Fig. 1.

Coming now to the details of the clockdriven circuit-controller, we shall make particular reference to Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive. Here a standard clock movement is indicated at 31. The power springs, gear trains, balance wheel and regulating mechanism are not shown, as these parts have no connection with my present invention. It will suffice therefore to sa that the uniform movement of the clocz train is delivered through the spindle 32. A clock friction 33 intervenes between this spindle and the minute hand spindle 34. The hour hand quill 35 is mounted upon the minute hand spindle and connected by the ordinary twelve-to-one gearing with the minute hand spindle. The intermediate gear and pinion 86 is the point of connection for the circuitcontrolling unit which I have described as a self-contained attachment to be secured to the clock which is to be put into the service of my invention. The vital feature of the switch is the double involute disk 37 of brass or other suitable metal riveted to the double involute disk 38 of fiber or other insulating material. The center of the metal involute is cut out so as not to engage the metal hub 39 of the fiber disk. There is a slight angular displacement between the tips of the metal disk and the associated fiber disk, with the result that the fiber disk protects the rim of the metal disk except at the diametrically opposite points at which the tips of the metal project beyond the tips of the fiber.

A block 40 of insulating material serves as a mount for the pivoted lever contacts 41 and 42. These contacts are each provided with a light spring tending to swing them inwardly toward the involute disks. Each contact,

furthermore, has a projection bent at right angles to the body of the contact, the projections riding upon the rim of the fiber disk except when. the tips of the latter reach points at which the ends of the contact levers drop off and onto the projecting tips of the metal disk. When this occurs an electric circuit is closed between the two lever contacts. This circuit continues closed until one or the other lever drops off the tip of metal and onto the rim of insulating material. The parts are so adjusted that they contact 41 drops off the tip of the metal just slightly in advance of the contact 42, wherefore the arcing and burning is confined to the lever contact 41, which alone serves to break the circuit.

The right-angled upper end of the lever contact 42 is slightly extended to carry a bushing 43 of insulating material. This bushing is adapted to be engaged by the depending arm of the bell crank lever 43. The horizontal arm of this lever is provided with a cam surface 44 adapted to be engaged in succession by the pins numbered 10, 20, 30, 40, and in the face of the minute plate 45. This minute plate is pivoted on a suitable stud carried by the back plate 46 of the circuit-controlling attachment. A pinion 47 is brought into mesh with the gear of the intermediate idler between the minute and hour hands of the clock, and the minute plate is mounted upon the hub with this pinion 47 The periphery of the minute plate is gear cut to mesh with the pinion 48 which causes the rotation of the involute F disks of the switching member. The gear ratios are such that the involute disks make six revolutions during one revolution of the minute plate. The minute plate is provided with a set of twelve equally spaced machine screw holes, and into these holes may be screwed one or more of the pins numbered 10, 20, 30, 40, etc. In the drawing all of the twelve pins are in place in the minute plate. The result of the clockwise rotation of the minute plate is to cause the pin marked 10 to engage the cam surface 4% of the bell crank lever, thus rotating this bell crank in a clockwise direction against the tension of a comparatively stiff spring mounted on the pivot of the lever. The depending lever 4:3 being swung to the left, the contact lever 42 is permitted to drop down into engagement with the periphery of the involute disks. hen, therefore, the involute disks have rotated to a point at which the tips of the fiber pass the right angle projections on the contact levers, the latter will drop into engagement with the tips of the brass disk as previously explained to close the circuit. Such will be the operation whenever a pin in the minute plate is driven against the cam surface 4A of the bell crank lever. If, say, the pin marked No. 10 were withdrawn from the minute plate, then the bell crank lever would not be rocked to permit the contact lever 42 to come into engagement with the involute disks. Under such circumstances circuit would not be closed notwithstanding the rotation of the involute disks. Vhile the contact lever 41 would drop down into engagement with the metal tip of the involute disk at one side, the circuit would remain open at the diametrically opposite side. The springs on the contact levers ll and 42 are very light indeed, thereby reducing friction to a minimum, and in so far as the lever 42 is concerned lightness of its spring permits the bell crank lever 43, acting under the tension of its spring, to hold the lever out of engagement with the involute disks.

It will be noted that the tips of the metal involute are considerably undercut and the right-angling ends of the contact levers are skewed in such a way that when the contact lever drops over the tip of the involute a wide, quick gap will be formed to prevent the formation of an are which might continue the circuit and cause the contacts to be destroyed in but a short time.

It will be apparent that if all twelve of the pins are screwed into the minute plate, the circuit controlled by the switch mechanism will be closed once in every five minutes, the gear ratios being such as to cause a complete revolution of the involute disks once in every ten minutes and such also as to bring a hole in the minute plate into juxtaposition with the cam a l once in every five minutes. By omitting alternate pins from the minute plate the circuit closure will be eflected once in every ten minutes. If every third pin is inserted in the minute plate the circuit will be closed every fifteen minutes. If but two diametrically opposite pins remain in the plate, the circuit will be closed every half hour. If the circuit is to be closed but once each hour, a single pin will be screwed into the minute plate. It will be apparent that the pins may be inserted so as to cause the closure of the circuit at any recurring periods which may be desired within the limits of the mechanism.

It will be understood that the switch mechanism shown in Fig. 3 is diagrammatically illustrated at 27 and 28 in Figs. 1 and 2, and that where the relay is used these contacts marked 41 and 4-2 in conjunction with the involute disk 37 will serve to control the energizing circuit of the relay magnet 26. The contacts of this relay are mounted upon the shell of the electromagnet proper as shown. As in the diagrammatic figures, the contacts are marked in Fig. 3 with the reference characters 23, 24 and 25. The plunger of the electro-magnet of the relay is permitted to rotate, whereby various parts of the circular contact 2a are brought successively into engagement with the stationary contacts 23 and 25. Thus the wear due to friction and to sparking is distributed over considerable area with corresponding durability to the device as a whole.

Coming now to the mechanism for printing the record of watts and time, we turn to Figs. 7 to 11, inclusive. We shall consider first the numeral wheels and the mechanism for actuating them to correspond with the operation of the watt meter. The circuit having been traced it will suffice to say that the electromagnet 16 of the diagrammatic figures is indicated at 16 in Figs. 7 and 8. This electromagnet is intermittently energized as controlled by the rotation of the watt meter mechanism. Upon energization the armature lever 50 is attracted to throw the push rod 51 toward the left. Fig. 9 best illustrates the form of the dog at the end of this rod which engages the teeth of a ratchet wheel 52 to cause the step by step advancement of the watt type wheels. The motion is delivered from the ratchet wheel 52 through a pinion 53 to the intermediate gear 54, which meshes with a gear wheel 55 secured to the face of the units type wheel 56.

The type wheels with their carry-over mechanism will be understood from the drawing without further description. The contact wheel 18, with alternately undercut teeth, is mounted along side the gear wheel 52, to which it is attached by insulated connections, as best illustrated in Fig. 11. In

view of the description given in connection with Fig. 1, it will. be unnecessary to refer more in detail to the mechanical construction and mode of operation of the brushes 19 and 20 and the contact Wheel with which they cooperate. It will be apparent from the description and from the construction illustrated that the type wheels will be advanced through the agency of electromag netic mechanism to represent the power consumption in watt hours.

The mechanism for printing the indication of the type wheels upon the paper strip comprises an electromagnet 60 with its core 61, the retracting spring 62, adjustable washer and lock nut 63, the platen 6 1 carried on the end of the rod extending from .the core of the solenoid. When the magnet is energized the platen is pushed sharply up Ward toward the type wheels. The paper strip is passed over a sheet metal guide 65 and the platen passes through an opening in this guide to engage the paper. The paper is wound upon a roller 66 under the action of the pawl and ratchet mechanism so fully shown that description is unnecessary, except possibly to say that the lever pivoted at 67 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction when the solenoid is energized. The return of the plunger of the magnet 60 causes a one step advancement of the roller. The roller 68 carries the strip of paper on which the impressions are to be made.

A slot 69 in the front plate 70 serves, in connection with a small screw pin 71, to guide the platen and to prevent rotation around the axis of the solenoid. A lever 72 is pivoted at 73. The idler end of the lever is forked at 74 to engage the screw pin 71, whereby the oscillation of the lever 72 is effected upon the reciprocation of the plunger of the solenoid. It is the purpose of this lever 72 to control the advancement of the type wheel for printing the hours at which the several watt type wheel readings are printed upon the paper strip. The lever is therefore provided with a pivoted dog 75 which cooperates with the ratchet teeth of the pin wheel 76 to cause the step-by-step rotation of the latter. The pin wheel is provided with twelve screw holes into which may be screwed any desired number of screw pins 77. A rotatably mounted star wheel 78 is provided with an associated pinion adapt ed to engage the teeth of the gear wheel 79 which, together with a positioning wheel 80, is attached to the side of the hour printing type wheel 81. A dog 82 cooperates with the teeth of the positioning wheel 80 to aline the raised numerals on the periphery of the hour type wheel 81. The lower edge of the hour type wheel 81 is on a line with the lower edges of the five watt type wheels, as indicated in Fig. 10, the result being thatthe hours 1 to 24, inclusive, will be printed in conjunction with each watt meter reading. The operation is as follows: As the platen is raised due to the energization of the electromagnet 60, the pawl 75, carried on the end of the lever 72, is dropped down slightly more than the space of one tooth on the periphery of the pin wheel 76. Therefore, upon the return of the solenoid plunger to its normal position, the pawl 75 returns to advance the pin wheel 7 6 one space, the pawl 83 having cooperated of course to prevent the back rotation of the pin wheel. The screw pins 77 engage the teeth of the star wheel to cause the admncement of the hour type wheel. The one step advancement of the pin wheel 76 advances the hour type wheel through the space of one hour, as represented by the type on the periphery of the wheel. If, therefore, the solenoid is energized at the end of each hour, the full quota of twelve screw pins should be inserted in the pin wheel to cause an advancement of the hour type wheel immediately following each energization of the magnet 60. The type wheel bearing numbers from 1 to 21 may be set to print the hours at which the several readings are recorded. If, on the other hand, the solenoid 60 is energized at the end of every five minutes, then all but one pin will be removed from the pin wheel 76, with the result that only the last of the twelve energizations during the hour will cause the advancement of the hour type wheel. The impressions printed onthe tape will therefore have the hour printed opposite the reading which is taken on the hour. The eleven printed readings which intervene before the next hour is reached will be printed with the same hour appearing opposite each such reading. The result as printed on the tape will, however, be clearly intelligible to one familiar with the operation of the device. He will know that the watt meter reading which appears opposite the first impression of the hour 3 is the reading which was taken exactly on that hour. He will know that the next reading appearing opposite the hour 3 will have been made at five minutes after three; the next one at 3:10; the next one at 3 :15, etc. If the magnet 60 is energized at other intervals, as for example ten, fifteen, twenty or thirty minutes, the pins will be arranged correspondingly in the pin wheel 76, wherefore the hour type wheel will in any instance be advanced to the next position as soon as the last reading within the preceding hour has been recorded. t

For convenience, the spindle upon which. the hour type wheel is mounted is provided with a pointer or hand 84: which, in conjunction with the dial 85 upon the face of the instrument serves to indicate the position of the hour type wheel and roughly also the time of day. This device is of'convenience in setting the hour type wheel to print the correct hour at any given time.

In order that the type wheels may print a colored impression upon the paper strip, I provide a typewriter ribbon 86 which passes from the supply roller 87 across the face of the type wheels, where it is Wound upon the intake roller 88 under the action of the pawland-ratchet mechanism controlled by the lever 89, this lever being engaged by the pin 90 which projects from the rear end of the platen. As the platen is raised, the free end of the lever is pushed upwardly to retract the pawl 91. The return of the solenoid plunger to its normal position permits the return of the actuating lever under the tension of its spring 92, thus to advance the ribbon after each impression.

I have, I think, sufficiently pointed out the operation of the mechanism in connection with the description of the apparatus itself and I shall not, therefore, review the matter.

It will be apparent that with thecircuit arrangement of Fig. 2, the whole apparatus, including the clock, the time circuit-controller and the printing attachment, may be mounted in a portable case and taken to any place at which it is desired torecord the watt meter readings. It is only necessary to add the small commutator and brushes to the watt meter whose measurements are to be recorded.

lVhile I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it will be apparent that many variations may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. I do not mean, however, to limit myself to the precise details heretofore described.

The scope of my invention is rather indicated by the following claims.

1. In combination, a time-controlled disk, make-and-break mechanism, means on said disk for determining Whether said makeand-break mechanism shall operate, a printing wheel, an electromagnet controlled by said make-and-break mechanism for effecting the printing operation, a rotary disk controlled by said electromagnet, and means on said last-mentioned rotary disk for determining whether or not said printing Wheel shall be advanced.

2. In combination, a time-controlled element, make-and-break mechanism, means on said element for determining Whether said make-and-break mechanism shall operate, printing mechanism, an electromagnet controlled by said make-and-break mechanism for effecting the printing operation, a rotary element controlled by said electromagnet, and means on said rotary element for determining whether or not said printing mechanism shall be operated.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 29th day of December, A. D. 1910.

CHESTER I. HALL.

Witnesses:

LEONARD E. BOGUE, ARTHUR H. BOETTGI-IER.

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

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