US1950832A

US1950832A - Apparatus for recording the periods of operation of an electrical installation

Info

Publication number: US1950832A
Application number: US607640A
Authority: US
Inventors: Winter Gustav
Original assignee: FIRM OF FABRIQUES DES MONTRES
Current assignee: FIRM OF FABRIQUES DES MONTRES; Firm Of Fabriques Des Montres Zenith Successeur De Fabriques Des Montres Zenith Georges Favre-Jacot & Cie
Priority date: 1931-05-04
Filing date: 1932-04-26
Publication date: 1934-03-13
Anticipated expiration: 1951-03-13

Description

March 13, 1934. Q wlNTER 1,950,832

APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE PERIODS 0F OPERATlON OF AN ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION Filed April 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l mfim f77 zf'e 77 for;

March 13, 1934. G, WINTER 1,950,832

APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE PERIODS OF OPERATION OF AN ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION Filed April 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 13, 1934 APPARATUS FOR RECORDING TBEPERIODS F OPERATION 0F AN ELECTRICAL IN.-

STALLATION Gustav Winter, Le Locle, Switzerland, assigner to the llrm of Fabrique: Des Montres Zenith Successeur De Fabriques Des Montres Zenith Georges Favre-.lacet Cie, Le Locle, Switzerland Application April 26, 1932, Serial No. 607,640

y In Germany May 4, 1931 Claims. (Cl. 23d-625) Various kinds of apparatus are in existence, in

y which the power, current intensity or voltage of an electrical circuit at each instantis transmitted to and recorded on a moving band or similar recording device, which isorwarded by means oi a clockwork mechanism at a predetermined rate, so that a continuous diagram is obtained, which records the power or` voltage of the circuit during a given period. The kinds oi apparatus which have been on the market hitherto (e, g. recording watt-meters) are, however, very complicated, and, above all, thecost of production thereof is so high they are employed for the most part only in electrical works or in very large industrial installations.

The. present invention, however, relates to an apparatus forelectrically recording only the periods ot operation of an electrical power or lighting installation, the value of the power or voltage at any instant not being taken into account. The diagram which will be obtained with this apparatus is intended only to show whether and over what intervals of time the installation in question has been in operation or has had current sup- 'plied to it.

The means for operating the recording medium or sheet on which the diagram is to be described,

. which may consist either of an endless strip passng over rollers (band recorder) or of a dial (disc recorder), are known per se.

In the improved apparatus the stylus which is adapted to cooperate with the recording sheet is controlled by a simple electro-magnet by means of a lever mechanism, in such a manner that the stylus moves radially out of its normal or restposition when the electro-magnet is energized, so that the alteration in the path of the stylus along the sheet is recorded on the latter even if it is only temporary. As the movable member of the electro-magnet remains in one position so long as current is supplied to the apparatus under observation, the period of operation thereof may be readily ascertained from the recording sheet, which is moved by the clockwork mechanismand is divided into intervals representing intervals of time.

The electro-magnet will only bring the stylus out of its normal position or permit it to return thereto, according to whether the circuit is closed through it at the commencement of a period of operation or interrupted at the end of a period of operation, and this in such a manner, that the stylus is moved in a substantially radial direction outwards towards the edge of the sheet or inwards towards the centre thereof in order to vindicate on the sheet, by these radial displacements, the commencement or end of a period of operation within the curve or diagram traced on the recording sheet.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, two constructior'ial embodiments of an electrical recording apparatus for recording periods of operation constructed in accordance with the inventiorl will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of one construction, in part a sectional elevation thereof,

Figure 2 being a pla-n view thereof partly in section with the covering of the casing removed.

Figure 3 shows a second form in open position of the casing. l

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, a is an electro-magnet which is rigidly mounted in the casing of the apparatus, b is a loosely mounted supporting arm for a stylus c, adapted to cooperate with a recording sheet m, a support member r being provided for the latter.

A lever d, which is subject to the action of a tension spring f is rotatably mounted together with the supporting arm b of the stylus on a pin g, the free end of the lever d being connected to the armature h of the electro-magnet a in such a manner that, when the armature h is attracted, the lever d is rotated about the pin g against the action of the spring f, thereby rotating the supporting arm b so that the stylus c is moved radially outwards with respect to the recording sheet m. In order that a blank recording sheet may be readily inserted, the stylus supporting arm b is formed of two distinct parts, one of which is connected to the lever d, whilst the other is pivotally mounted on a horizontal pin p carried by said first arm part to allow a tilting up of the stylus carrying arm part. Clockwork mechanism i is connected by a friction gearing (not shown in the drawings) with the keyed shaft k and causes the latter to rotate together with the recording sheet m placed thereon in the direction of the arrow a. The keyed shaft 1c, and therefore the recording sheet m is connected with the clockwork mechanism i through a friction gearing, in order that the diagram sheet m may easily be adjusted with respect to a time notch n provided in the support member r, to av determined initial time.

This apparatus is connected to a subsidiary electrical circuit which is connected to the electrlcal installation under observation, in such a manner that, in order to set the latter into operation the circuit leading to the coil of the electro-magnet a is closed. When this occur-s the amature h of the electro-magnet a is attracted, and, through the intermediary of the lever d, effects a corresponding deflection of the supporting arm b of the stylus c, which will commence to trace on the sheet m a line such as a, having inner and outer curved parts interconnected by radial straight lines. l

As soon as the circuit is broken, the electromagnet a becomes deenergized again, so that the tension spring j returns the lever d, and therefore the stylus c, to the initial or rest position. As shown in the drawings, a spring o may also be provided, if desired in the electro-magnet a itself, for supplementing the action of the spring f in effecting the return movement of the lever d.

The apparatus may be closed while in use by means of a safety lock, in order to prevent removal or exchange of the recording sheets by unauthorized persons. The clockwork mechanism may also be so arranged that one rotation of the sheet is performed over any desired interval of time, e. g. 24 hours, 12 hours or less, according to Whether smal or large intervals on the recording sheet are to represent predetermined intervals of time.

As will be evident from the foregoing description, ythe stylus c is so arranged with respect to the recording sheet, that by its own weght or by other means it remains in contact therewith during pauses in operation, and at a distance from the edge thereof which is different from that maintained during the periods of operation.

Figure 3 shows a construction where n the mechanism is located within the cover-like part B oi' the casing, hinged to the base-plate A thereof, which serves for the connection of the apparatus with the circuit to be controlled. a is the electro-magnet, d the armature lever connected to the core piece h and pivoted at y together with the two-part supporting arm b for the stylus c; i is the clockwork for rotating the recording sheet passing over the support r where the stylus c rests thereon. The circuit of the electro-magnet a comprises a pair of contacts tl arranged to cooperate with a corresponding pair of contacts t on the inside of the base-plate A when the cover part B is turned over on to the base-plate A so as to connect the said circuit to the line v corning from the electrical installation to be controlled and connected to the terminal piece fixed on the inside of the base-plate A. The circuit of the electro-magnet a still contains a signalling lamp u together with a safety fusible w, said lamp u being arranged to indicate through a window in the casing ywhether the electromagnet is energized or not, so as to signalize the operative or inoperative condition of the apparatus.

What I claim is:-

1. Apparatus for recording the rest or operatlng periods of an electrical installation, comprising a shaft, time-operated means for rotating said shaft, a chart carried by said shaft, a solenoid disposed on its side beneath said chart. a spring-biased arcuate lever attached at one end to the armature of said solenoid and adapted to be moved thereby, the lever extending around said shaft to a position substantially diametrically opposed to said solenoid, a pivot pin on which said lever is mounted, and a stylus consisting of two arms, the first being pivoted to said pin and the second being hinged to the first arm on a pivot pin substantially perpendicular to the first-mentioned pivot pin, so that the point of said stylus swingably overlies the chart.

2. Apparatus for recording the rest or operating periods of an electrical instalation, comprising a shaft, time-operated means for rotating said shaft, a chart carried by sad shaft, a solenoid disposed on its side beneath said chart, a spring-biased arcuate lever attached at one end to the amature of said solenoid and adapted to be moved thereby, the lever extending around said shaft -to a position substantially d'ametrically opposed to said solenoid, a pivot pin on which said lever is mounted, a stylus consisting of two arms, the first being pivoted to said pin and the second being hinged to the first arm on a pivot pin substantially perpendicular to the first-mentioned pivot pin, so that the point of said stylus swingably overlies the chart and a supporting member underneath the point of the stylus and over which the chart passes.

GUSTAV WINTER.