US1512969A - Means for controlling the activity of work-performing circuits - Google Patents

Description

| F. W. WOOD ET AL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE ACTIVITY OF WORK PERFORMING CIRCUITS Filed March 15 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Oct. 28, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,512,969 PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK W. WOOD, or MONTGLAIIR, AND PAUL GRIEBSON, OF SOUTH onANG E, NEW

JERSEY.

MEANS For. CONTROLLING THE ACTIVITY or woRir-rER-ronmNG Graeme.

App'liation fil ed March 15, 1919.

To all whom "it may concem:

Be-it known that FRANK V. V000 and PAUL GRIERSON,..CltlZ8HS of the United States, residing at Montclair and South Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Means for Controlling the Activity of WOIlf-PBI'fOIHliDg Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for controlling the activity of work-performing circuits, referring more particularly to theo'pening and closing of such circuits in a uniform succession of intervals.

The invention is adapted for use in various connections where it is desirable that workbe performed at definite intervals of time, by the activity of the circuits either in performing the work or providing a signal or indication. For instance, one use is in connection with the firing of boilers, where it is desirable that a boiler or a series of boilers be fired at regular periods. Another use may be in connection with the f 1 I V s v operation of a mine-laying vessel, where it is desired to lay a succession of mines at regular'distances apart on a given course and while the vessel is traveling at a constant speed; And while the present invention as disclosed, is designed to produce the results by giving a signal or indication at the particular period, it will be understood, of course, that this is not to be considered as a limitation of the invention for the reason that the apparatus may be connected up to provide work-performing apparatus of an automatic: nature so that the apparatus may be employed as a means for starting cycles of operation of such automatic apparatus.

The ability to provide for this more or less universal adoption is due to the fact that the time control is made operative through one or more circuit make and break devices, which devices are active on one or more work-performingcircuits, and the particu lar type of work which such circuits provide becomes a matter of particular installation.

The general objects of the present invention are to provide an apparatus by means of which the make and break action on the circuits can be rovided in a simple and-efib cient manner, n which the length oftime intervals may be varied as desired with the practical assurance that successive inter Serial No. 282,901.

vali's will be of similar-length, and to. provide an apparatus which is simple and efficient in operation,

durable in construction, and which can be manufactured and installed at a relatively low cost. 7 v v To these and other ends, the nature of which will be readily understood as the invention is hereinafter disclosed, said invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts in each of the views,

Fig. 1 is a face view of an apparatus, adapted to carry out the general principles of the invention, portions being broken away and others shown in section for the purpose of clearncss.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same taken on line 2'2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4t is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus and of wiring connections adapted to operate signals or indications.

Before giving a detailed description of the parts of the apparatus, a brief statement is made of the general principles underlying the invention.

The circuit make and break devices are of the rotating type, in that each device carries one or more elements adapted to provide a temporary contact with a fixed contact or brush in the completion of the circuit, the time interval between successive contacts being provided by controlling the speed of rotation of a shaft on which the rotatable elements are mounted. This control in speed of the shaft is had through control of the speed of an electric motor which is operatively connected to the shaft through speed reducing connect-ions, thus permitting the use of a motor running at high speed with a shaft, which, itself, is designed to rotate at slow or very slow speed.

As will be understood the regularity of the make and break operations is dependentupon the regularity of speed of rotation of the motor, and to provide this result, the motor regulation is designed to the voltage of the armature system, the voltage of the field magnet system remaining con stant. .By varying the voltage of theatres.

' crating under the general principles of a potentiometer, this mechanism being connected up in series with the coils of the armature, so that in providing the movements of the movable element of the potentiometerwith the latter having definite positions of activity-it is possible, by the adjustment "of an indicator of the potentiometer relative to a calibrated scale, to pro duce a desired speed by the simple adjustment of this movable part of the potent-iometer. Y e

The number of circuits which may thus be controlled is more or less immaterial, it being understood that with an individual make and break rotating element for each circuit, any desired number of circuits can be controlled in this manner. In the present structure, two of such circuits are utilized, each having its individual rotatable make and break member mounted on the shaft, and the circuits are arranged in such manner that they can be operated concurrently, or either can be used as the work-performing circuit by opening the other circuit, and the interval-regulation of the activecircuit can be varied by placing the results of the opera tionsof both make and break elements on to the single circuit, this being one of the developments which form part of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a suitable casing for the apparatus, the casing carrying a base or panel 11 on which the parts are mounted.

l2indicates a shaft on which are mounted one or more elements 13, these elements being shown as in the form of a hub carrying outwardly projecting members 13 spaced apart at regular distances and giv ing the appearance of a toothed structure to the-element. The number of elements 13 employed will depend upon the number of circuits tobe controlled.

' Eachelement forms the rotatable member of a make and break device for its circuit, the element cooperating with a contact or brush 14shown as in the form of a spring projecting into the path of travel of members13 and secured to the base. The members 13 are spaced in such manner that each member provide'siindividual closing of the circuit when in contact with the spring 14, the member, in passing out'of contact with the spring, breaking the circuit which is then again completed when the succeeding member'13 passes into such contact.

One terminal of the circuit at the make and break device is provided by spring 14, the complemental terminal of the circuit being provided by a spring or brush 15 cooperating with a disk 16 also mountedon shaft 12, disk- 16 and elements 13 being electrically connected in suitable manner so that whenever the contact is had between a member 13 and its complemental spring or brush 14, the individual circuit will be completed.

In the embodiment illustrated, two circuits are controlled, and the arrangement is designed to provide alternate activity of the circuits. 'To' provide this result, the two elements 13 are so positioned on shaft 12 that a member 13 of one element is angularly displaced with respect to a similar member of the other element, the displacement in the particular instance shown being equal to half the distance between adjacent members of the other element. f

Shaft 12 is driven by a motor 17 mounted on base 11, shaft 12 rotating at a greatly ,decreased speed compared to that of the motor shaft by reason of the presence of a speed-reduction structure interposed between the shafts, this structure being'of any preferred type, that shown in the drawings being of simple formation,shaft 17 a of the motor carrying a worm 18 operatively en gaged' With a worm gear 19 mounted on a shaft 20extending transversely of shaft 17, shaft 20 in turn carrying a worm 21 engag= ing a' worm gear 22 mounted on shaft 12, shafts 12 and 17"' extending in substantial parallelism. As shown, this speed-reduction structure is preferably mounted in a case 23 and provides a definite speed relation between shafts 17 and 12. Hence by controlling the speed of rotation of shaft 17 it is possible to vary the length of interval of time existing between the break of the circuit by one member 13 and the succeed-- ing completion of, the circuit by the next member passing into contact with its brush.

As heretofore pointed out, this control of the speed of the motor is provided by control of the voltage of the armature coils, the general wiring arrangement for producing this effect being shown in Fig.4 in which a represents the armature system and b the field'magnet system of the motor, the general supply circuit being'indicated by contacts c and 0 of a switch d.

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 4, the field magnet coils b are connected directly to the supply circuit when switchd is closed, the circuit being completed as follows: Contact 0, lead coils 6, lead 100", lead 100 to contact 0, thus giving the field magnet coils a constant voltage c-ondi lLlOIl.

The armature coils, however, are connected to the supply circuit in series with a mechanism of the potentiometer type, this latter mechanism being designated at 9A in Figs. 1 and 2 and shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4, the slide wire being shown as a resistance coil 6 provided with taps c at regular distances in the length of the coil, these taps being adapted to cooperate with a movable element 6 0 indicates a fixed resistance coil employed in connection ith potentiometer structures. As will be readily understood, mechanism 24 has the parallel circ idea employed in potentiometers, one circuit running from contact 0 through lead 100'; lead 101 to coil 6 to coil 6 and lead 100 to contact 0, the other branch leadingfrom contact 0 through leads 100 and 101 to coil 6 and then to that tap 6 with which element 6 is in contact, the line then running through lead 101 to and through the armature system a to lead 100 and thence to con-tact 0 as before.

o By locating mechanism 2 1 as a part of the armature system supply circuit, it will be readily understood that the voltage of the armature'will, vary with the shift in position of member 0 this shift movement of he: element varying the difference in potential which exists between lead 101 and lead 101 according to the value of the particular portion of coil 6 that is located between lead 101 and the tap c with which element 6 is in contact. For instance, with element 6 in contact with thec'onnection between lead 101 and the coil, the entire coil will be practically shunted from the armature circuitso that the latter will carry the full voltage; I If ele-niente is shifted to the succeeding tap, the valtie of the interposed portion of the coil in producing a difference of potential will decrease the voltage of lead 101 to a definite extent, and this decrease will be increased as element 6 is shifted successively over the various taps.

Hence with mechanism 2% formed with its coil '6 and taps 6 arranged to provide for a definite stage variation, the voltage of the armature circuit can be definitely controlled and through the resultant speed variations of the motor, this variation can be translated into a time measurement through the operation of the make and break structures as described.

In Fig; 1, mechanism 24 is shown as provided with a calibrated scale 2% with which a pointer 24* forming a part of the element structure c cooperates in bringing said element 6 on to the proper tap e.

The two work-performing circuits are shown for illustrative purposes, as follows: Contact 0, lead 100, lead 102, brush 15, disk 16, and then in parallel, one branch extending through lead 103, switch 7, lead 103 lamp m, lead 103*, switch f, lead 103 to contact 0, the other branch extending through lead 104, to switch 9, lead 10 1 lamp 'n, switch 10 1 switch glead 104, to lead 103 and contact 0. Lamps m and a. may be considered as work-performing structures, and as will be observed, other wort-performing structures can be added by locating their. in circuits extending in parallelism with circuits 103 103 and 10%, 101*, Fig. i indi cating such additional circuits as carrying respectively lamps m and n, and bells m and 71- it being understood that the signals or indicators m and m operate concurrently as do the signals a and 02. as long as switches f and g are thrown to place these groups in the circuit. The particular arrangement indicated in the embodiment shown is such that when each switch is thrown outward, both work-performing circuits will be completed for operation; obviously, opening of either circuit by its switch open that circuit without aifecting the other.

lVith both circuits completed in the manner described, it will be readily seen that the two circuits will be rendered active alternately by reason of the angular displacement conditions of the members on elements 13, and that the length of the interval in time will be controlled by the speed of motor 17. Hence each circuit will have its individual time intervals, while the operation of both circuits concurrently will provide for successive signals or indications at time intervals having half the length of those of each of the circuits, the particular arrangement shown being such as to give these indications or signals at spaced apart points, as for instance different points of a vessel where the mines are being laid.

This composite effect of decreasing the length of intervalor doubling the number of indications or signalsmay be applied to either circuit individually by throwing the switch of the opposite circuit, to its opposite contacts, these contacts of the switches f and 9' being arranged to superpose the action of a make and break device of one circuit on to the other circuit. F or instance, if switch 7' be thrown toward the right in Fig. 4- thus breaking the work-performing circuit 103 and 103 lead 103 is connected up with a lead 105 which extends to lead 10%, return lead 105 extending to the switch 7 from lead 104 so that the action of the make and break device of lead 103 is superposed upon the work-performing circuit represented by signal a, so that this signal will not only receive the effects of the make and break.

action of lead 104 but also the make and break action of lead 103, thus decreasing the length of intervals between successive workperformance of the signal to substantially half of its normal operation. For purposes of convenience, it will be noted that when switch f is so shifted, this switch and switch 9 will extend in the same general direction in completing the circuits, whereas for concurrent operation of the circuits, these switches will extend in opposite directions.

To superpose the effects of the circuit extending through lead 104 on to signals m, leads 106 and 106' extend from switch 9 to the proper points in connection with the circuit of signals m; throwing the switch 9 toward the left in Fig. 4: with switch f also in the same direction-cutting out signal at and superposing the action of the circuit of lead 104; on to signal m.

By this general arrangement it will be readily understood that with switch (Z closed the field magnet and armature circuits will be completed, thuscausing motor operation .and providing rotation toshaft 12. The speed of the motor will be dependent upon the position of element 6 For instance, assuming that with the pointer of mechanism 24 on the mark indicated as 3, and that .this mark represents time interval in minutes, then the speed of the motor will be such -as to cause the elements 13 to operate to produce signals three minutes apart, each circuit being made active at intervals of six minutes. If the pointer beshifted for instance to the position 5, the speed of motor .will be changed so as toincrease the length vof the time interval, it being understood that .the speed of shaft 12 relative to that of the motor shaft will be so arranged as to provide for a general proportional value, as

for instance seconds, minutes or other periods, through the speed reduction arrangement, this being more or less mechanical in character. The Variations in these units of time are provided by the adjustment of mechanism 24 which controls the speed of rotation of the motor.

As will be understood this general arrangement provides a simple and efiicient structure for the purpose, it being possible to maintain motor speeds substantially uniform when the proper speed is obtained, so that the translation of the motor speed into time interval operation can be readily accomplished through simple mechanical structures which require no delicacy of adjustment; and

since mechanism 24 is of simple and rugged type, it will be understood that an apparatus of this type is capable of use under severe service conditions without liability of serious breakdown or uncertainty in timing action.

As will be clear the number of elements 13 may be increased if desired to accommodate additional work-performing circuits; and since these elements are mounted on-a shaft capable of removal without material disturbance of the apparatus, it will be readily understood that the elements 13 may thus provide variations in unit of measurement through varying the number of members 13 of an element, this being made possible by simply substituting one element for another when the shaft is removed, thus making it possible to change from one unit of measurement of time to another, without affecting the general scheme of speed reduction. 7

While we have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be readily understood that changes and modifications therein may be found desirable or necessary in meeting the various exigencies of use to which an apparatus of this type can be put, and we desire to be understood as reserving the; right to make any and all such changes and modifications as may be found desirable or essential in so far as the same may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims when broadly construed. V

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, is

1. In apparatus for controlling the activity of electrical circuits, a pair of separate electrical circuits, separate means for making and breaking each circuit in a fixed cycle, means for driving said making and breaking means at a constant speed, and means for placing both making and breaking means in a single circuit so that the cycles of operation will be superposed in said circuit. a

2. In apparatus for controlling the activity of electrical circuits, a shaft, means for driving said shaft at constant speed, a plurality of electric circuits, separate means including elements mounted on said shaft and operated by the rotation thereof to make and break each circuit, and means for switching one of said make and break means into the circuit controlled by the other make and break means, to superpose the action of both of said last mentioned means on one circuit.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto

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