US2031970A - Signaling system - Google Patents

Description

25, g N D S IGNALING SYSTEM Filed July 21, 1951. 2 Sheets-Sheet l E53 3 v awue nto'c S. N. MEAD SIGNALING SYSTEM Feb 25, 1936.

Filed July 21, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR By TI L. W A TTORNEY f atented 2 5, I936 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGNALING SYSTEM Application July 21, 1931, Serial No. 552.180

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a signaling system and more particularly to a signaling system wherein the desired signal is transmitted by a movement of a shaft in the transmitter and in- 5 dicated at a receiver by the synchronous movement of a corresponding shaft carrying a pointer, or other indicating device.

The object of this invention is to provide a signaling system wherein a single receiver or plurality of receivers may be controlled at will by any one of a plurality of transmitters.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a system wherein any one of a plurality of transmitters is also effective to control the same receiver or a series of receivers without the necessity of manually operating a switching mechanism.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described as applied to an engine order system for use on board ship for transmitting orders from the bridge to the engine room for the control of the engines.

It is customary on board ship to have two transmitters located on the bridge, one on the starboard side and one on the port side, and an indicator controlled by said transmitters in the engine room. In known systems it is not possible to change from one transmitter to the other without first throwing a switch or manually operating an interlocking mechanism for disabling one transmitter and cutting in the other as it is necessary to employ some retaining means which looks the transmitter in the various positions and if a transmitter were left in circuit while so locked it would prevent the proper operation of the rest of the system by another transmitter. The disadvantage of a manually operated switching system is that there is always a danger of forgetting to throw the switch, which in an emergency might cause delay in the reception of orders at the engine room and consequent damage of the vessel.

7 The present invention contemplates the use of polyphase motors of the well known synchronous 5 type which have their fields energized by means of a common source of alternating current and the respective windings of the armature in one motor connected in series with the corresponding windings of the other motor, the arrangement 50 being such that the movement of the handle or other device attached to the shaft of one motor and the resulting displacement of the armature will cause current to be induced in the coils of the armature of the other motor, producing a 55 torque which will cause the second motor to move the same angular distance as the shaft of the first motor. Suitable pointers or other indicating means may be controlled by the shaft of the indicating unit and a handle or other operating means may be attached to the shaft of the trans- 5 mitting unit.

Referring to the drawings of which there are two sheets,

Figure 1 shows a diagram of the circuits of one embodiment of this invention in which two trans- 10 mitters are used to operate one indicating unit.

Figure 2 is a modification of Figure 1, showing a diagram of the circuits by which one indicating unit is controlled by any one of three transmitters. 15

Figure 3 is a schematic drawing showing a transmitter.

Figure 4 is a schematic drawing of an indicator..

Figure 5 is a top view of the relay employed 20 in this invention.

Figure 6 shows the mechanical locking arrangement of the relay armature.

Figure '7 is an elementary diagram of a two transmitter system. 25

Referring to Figures 1 and 3, a transmitter has field coils l which are connected by circuits A and B to a suitable source of alternating current 5. A shaft 6 supported in suitable bearings I and 8 carries an armature 9 having a three 30 phase Y connected winding.

The teeth of a star wheel [0 mounted on shaft 6 are engaged by a detent roller ll carried by a supporting member 12 mounted on a suitable pivot l3. Spring I4 tends to hold roller ll be- 35 tween the teeth of star wheel 10. A projection of insulating material carried by member I2 is arranged to operate a series of contacts I5 held by a block of insulating material I6. The transmitters X and Y are identical and the same ref- 40 erence characters are used to indicate the corresponding parts of the respective transmitters.

One end of shaft 6 passes through a dial I! which may be laid out into a desired number of divisions or sections corresponding to those on a receiving dial in order that a handle I8 fixed to the end of shaft 6 may be turned into position with accuracy. One end of coils 21, 22 and 23 is joined together at 24 and the other ends of coils 2| and 22 are joined respectively to contacts 25 and 26 of a transfer relay 21.

A transfer relay which has been found suitable for the purpose comprises a pair of magnets Y28 and 29 having respectively armatures 30 and 3| mounted on a common member or walking beam 32 which is pivoted on an upright 33. At one end of the walking beam are mounted two members 34 and 35 both being made of a conducting material. The circuits which will be described in detail later on are such that only one of the transfer relay magnets may be operated at a time, and when either magnet is operated the corresponding end of the Walking beam will be drawn down and so when magnet 28 attracts its armature 39 the members 34 and 35 will be brought into engagement with the contact members 25 and 26 respectively, and when magnet 29 is energized 34 and 35 will be drawn away from their respective contacts, and another pair of contact members at the other 'end of the walking beam will be brought into engagement with a similar set of contacts.

Associated with contact member 25 but insulated therefrom is a similar member 40 and likewise a contact 4| is paired with 26. The contact pairs just referred to are bulged out near their upper ends as shown in the drawings and above the rounded portion the contacts are bent away from each other forming two pairs of jaws.

By having the contacts soshaped the members 34 and 35 may be locked down whenever magnet 28 is operated since during their downward travel they will force the contacts apart on their initial engagement and when they reach the place where the contact blades are bulged the blades will tend to snap together retaining the armature and a circuit will be maintained across 25 and 40 and 26 and 4| even though magnet 28 is subsequently deenergized.

Contacts 40 and 4| are connected respectively with one terminal of the coils R2 and R22 of the armature of a motor in the receiving or indicating unit R. The motor in the unit R is the same as that in the transmitter X and its field coils RI are energized from the same source of alternating current 5. Coils 23 and R23 are connected together while the remaining terminals of coils RZI, and R23 are connected together.

Coils R2|, R22, and. R23 are mounted on the shaft 42 between the field magnets RI. The shaft is free to. rotate in bearings43 and 44. One end of the shaft 42 projects through a suitable dial 45 and. the outer end of the shaft may carry a pointer 46 or beused to operate other indicating mechanism.

Contacts 49 and 4| are connected respectively to similar contacts 49 and 5| at the other end of the transfer relay. Contact 48 is paired with a contact 49 and associated with this contact pair is a contact member 52 carried by the walking beam and likewise contacts 5ll'and 5| are adapted to be engaged by the contact 53 on the walking beam. The contact members 52 and 53 are brought into engagement and retained by their respective contact pairs when magnet 29 of the transfer relay is operated.

As previously stated a star wheel I is mounted on shaft 6. There are as many teeth'in the star wheel as there are indication positions on dial I1. The arrangement is such that when handle IB is moved to the proper point for an indication the jockey roller II will rest between two teeth and. act as a retaining means for the shaft 5. When the shaft is rotated in either direction by the handle l8 jockey roller I I will ride up on a tooth and the insulated member l9 on I2 will engage the lowermost of a group of contact springs l causing all of the contacts to make with each other. Contact 51 is connected tocircuit A of the alternating current'supply5. Contact 58 is connected to magnet 28 of the transfer relay, and the other side of said magnet is connected to circuit B of the alternating current supply. Contact 59 is connected to a signal bell 39 situated in the vicinity of the indicating unit R, the other side of the bell being connected to circuit B of the alternating current supply 5.

As previously stated transmitters X and Y are identical and operate in the same manner. One end of the coils 2| and 22 of transmitter Y leads respectively to contacts 48 and 59 of the transfer switch and one terminal of winding 23 is connected to the corresponding terminals of the other motors of the system, while the remaining terminals of all three coils are jointed together. As is the case with transmitter X, contact 5'! is permanently connected to circuit A and contact 59 is permanently connected to signal bell 60. Contact 58 however is connected to the magnet 29 of the transfer relay while the other terminal of themagnet is connected to circuit B.

This invention operates as follows: Regardless of the position of the indicating unit R, or of the transmitter Y, assume that it is desired to send a signal from transmitter X. At the very beginning of the movement of the handle I8, the jockey roller II will start to ride up the face of a tooth in the star wheel l0 closing all the contacts and placing current from circuit A on all contacts of contact group I5. This will cause the operation of magnet 28 of the transfer relay by a circuit through contact 58 to circuit B. After magnet 28 is energized its armature 30 is held down by contact members 34 and 35 being locked mechanically by their respective contact pairs. The battery from circuit A will also be placed on contact 59 .and the current will flow through bell 69 to circuit B giving a signal at the indicating unit to warn that the indication has been changed. Contact members-34 and 35 establish connection between armature windings 2| and. 2|R. Armature windings 23 and 23R are permanently connected toeach other.

As handle It continues to be moved the shaft 42 and the pointer 46 will move in synchronism therewith until the desired position is reached, when the jockey roller M will drop in between another set of teeth, retaining handle I8 in position.

The circuits will retain this setting'until it is necessary to transmit a signal from transmitter Y, in which case the operation is the same as that just described in connection with transmitter X, except that when transmitter Y is operated (Figs. 5 and 6) magnet 29 of the transfer relay is energized causing contact members 34 and 35 to break with their respective contacts and 52 and 53 to make with and remain locked in by their respective contacts. connecting the armature windings 2| and 22 of transmitter Y to windings R2| and R22 of the indicating unit. Winding 23 of transmitter Y is permanently connected to winding R23 of the indicating unit. The movement of the handle of transmitter Y will operate the bell in the same manner as transmitter X. It will be seen that-this arrangement provides a positive and accurate method of controlling the indicating unit or series of indicating units, since a number of indicating units may be connected in parallel and operated by any one of a plurality of transmitters, and the various operations or changes may be made from any transmitter with the same security as when a single transmitter system is used. 1

Referring now to Figure 2 which illustrates the arrangement by which three transmitters may operate a single indicator or series of indicators. Since the three transmitter system operates according to the same principle as the two transmitter system just described with the exception of a few minor changes, it is not believed necessary to describe the three transmitter system in detail.

Transmitters X, Y and Z are identical except that the star wheels of X and Y operate four contacts while the star wheel in Z operates but three contacts. Relays M and N are also alike. Windings 2| and 22 of transmitter X are connected with contacts 25 and 26 respectively of transfer relay M. Contacts 48 and Al are connected to contacts 49 and 5|, as is the case in the two transmitter system. The leads from these last named contacts, however, do not go directly to the indicator R, as in the two transmitter system, but extend to contacts 18 and H of the transfer relay N. Contacts 12 and 13 are associated respectively with contacts 18 and H. Contact 12 is permanently connected to contact 78 and also the winding R2| of the indicator, likewise contact 13 is permanently connected to contact I9 and to winding R22 of the indicator armature. Contact 16 is associated with contact 18 but insulated therefrom, and connects with winding 2| of transmitter Z. Contact 11 is associated with contact 79 in the same manner and is connected to winding 22 of transmitter Z. Contact member 14 cooperates with contacts 18 and I2, and the contact member 15 cooperates with contacts TI and 13. Both 14 and l5 (not shown) are mounted on the same end of the walking beam of transfer relay N and engage their respective contacts when magnet 82 is operated. At the other end of the walking beam of relay N another pair of contact members 88 and 8| (not shown, but similar to 34 and 35 of Figs. 5 and 6, as well as T4 and T5) are mounted in the same manner as those just described. Contact member 88 cooperates with contacts 16 and 18, while 8| cooperates with 11 and 19 the contact members being brought into engagement with their respective contacts when magnet 83 of the transfer relay is energized.

The circuit operates as follows: Assume it is desired to transmit a signal from transmitter X to the indicator R. The initial movement of the transmitter lever l8, will cause star wheel ID to turn, causing detent roller H to ride up on to a tooth depending on the direction the handle is turned, closing contact group I5. Contact 51 connects circuit A from generator 5 to contacts 58, 54 and 59 causing the following operations: Magnet 28 of transfer relay M will be energized by a circuit from contact 51, contact 54, magnet 28, to circuit B, and this operation will establish a circuit between contacts 25 and 40 and also between contacts 26 and M which circuits extend to contact l0 and contact H of relay N. At the same time magnet 28 operated, magnet 82 of transfer relay N was operated by a. circuit from circuit A, contact 51, contact 58, winding 82, to circuit B. The closing of contacts 18 and 72 by the contact member M established a circuit from winding 2| of transmitter X through to the winding R2| of the indicator R. Likewise when contact member 15 established a circuit from contact H to contact I3 armature winding 22 of transmitter X was connected with the winding R22 of the indicator R. Windings 23 and R23 are permanently connected together. Therefore, as the handle continues to be moved in the direction of any operated relays M and N in such a manner that transmitters Y and Z were disconnected from the circuit and at the same time transmitter X was connected directly to the indicator R.

When transmitter Y is operated the contact group I5 is closed in the same manner as just described in connection with transmitter X except that when contacts 51 and 58 make magnet 29 of transfer M is energized and magnet 82 of transfer relay N is operated through contact 55. As is the case with transmitter X, the bell 60 is operated when battery is placed on contact 59.

The movement of the handle of transmitter Y causes the following circuits to be established between the armature of transmitter Y and the armature of the indicator R: Coil 2| of transmitter Y contacts 48, 52, 49 of relay M, 19, 14, 12 of relay N, and armature winding R2| of the indicator M. Winding 22 of transmitter Y, contacts 58, 53 and 5| of relay M, contacts H, 15, 13 of relay N to winding of R22 of indicator R. As in the previous cases, winding 23 of transmitter Y is permanently connected to the corresponding windings of the other motors in the circuit. By referring to the drawings it will be seen that the windings on the armature of transmitter Y are now connected to the corresponding windings of the armature of relay R and both transmitters X and Z are disconnected from the circuit.

When transmitter Z is operated the initial movement of its handle l8 establishes a path from generator 5, through circuit A, contact 57, contact 58 to magnet 83 back to circuit B, operating magnet 83 of the transfer relay N. At the same time line A is put on contact 59 and the signal bell 69 is operated. The operation of magnet 83 of the transfer relay N causes contact member 88 to close the circuit between 16 and 18, connecting the armature winding 2| of transmitter Z to R2| of the indicator. Contacts 11 and 19 are also closed by their contact member 8| and this establishes the circuit from winding 22 of the transmitter Z to R22 of the indicator. As in the other cases windings 23 and R23 are permanently connected together. The windings on the armature of transmitter Z are thus connected to the corresponding windings of the indicator R and it will be seen by referring to the drawings that the operation of magnet 83 disconnected transmitters X and Y from the circuit.

Only one indicator R has been shown in the diagram but a number of similar indicators will operate in the same manner as a single indicator if their armature windings are connected in parallel and their field windings are supplied from the same source of alternating current.

I claim:

In a self synchronous signaling system, a plurality of transmitter units and a receiver unit, each unit comprising a motor having a field winding and a. polyphase armature winding movable with respect to said field winding; a star wheel mounted for rotation with the armature winding of each transmitter, normally open switch means mounted adjacent each star wheel for closure by the teeth of said star wheel on movement of said armature winding, means for energizing all of said field windings from a common source of current, relay means adapted to connect the phase 3 windings of the transmitter armature which is moved to the corresponding phase windings of the armature of the receiver unit and to disconnect the phase windings of the other transmitter

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