US3838410A

US3838410A - Multi-station engine control system

Info

Publication number: US3838410A
Application number: US00324523A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Bachmann; E Scheffel; K Weissenfels; H Ziehe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-05-28
Filing date: 1973-01-17
Publication date: 1974-09-24
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-24

Abstract

Remote control apparatus for ship engines and the like comprising a plurality of manually operable control devices each remotely situated from the others at respective stations and each having means for transmitting and receiving, simultaneously to and from all the other stations, a command signal initiated at any one of the stations, said apparatus being further characterized by means for selectively cutting out or activating certain ones of the control devices so that operation of the ship''s engines can be effected only by a control signal initiated from the control device at the station thus activated, though the command signal is initiated at one of the other stations and transmitted to the activated control device.

Description

tlnited States Patent [1 1 Bachmann et al.

[ MULTI-STATION ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM [76] Inventors: Wilhelm Georg Bachmann, Am

Lienkamp 9, 3001 Godshorn; Ehrenfried G. Scheffel, Bernhard-Ahlers-Str. 14, 282 Bremen-Aumund; Klaus J. Weissenfe'ls, Stockenerweg 30, 3011 Letter; Hermann Ziehe, Okerstr. 18, 3301 Watenbuttle, all of Germany [22] Filed: Jan. 17, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 324,523

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 41,380, May 28, I970,

abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl 340/286 R [51] Int. Cl H04g 1/18 [58] Field of Search 340/286 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 2,738,489 3/1956 Borden 340/286 X Sept. 24, 1974 Primary Examiner-Harold I. Pitts Attorney, Agent, or Firm-R. W. Mclntire, Jr,

[57] ABSTRACT Remote control apparatus for ship engines and the like comprising a plurality of manually operable control devices each remotely situated from the others at respective stations and each having means for transmitting and receiving, simultaneously to and from all the other stations, a command signal initiated at any one of the stations, said apparatus being further characterized by means for selectively cutting out or activating certain ones of the control devices so that operation of the ships engines can be effected only by a control signal initiated from the control device at the station thus activated, though the command signal is initiated at one of the other stations and transmitted to the activated control device.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Pmmmsrrmn 3.838.410

ENGINE ROOM STAND WILHELM G. EHRENFRIED G.SCHEFFEL KLAUS J.WEISSENFEL S HERMANN Z! ATTORNEY REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 41,380, filed May 28, 1970 and now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Some of presently known ship engine control apparatus normally comprise, though are not necessarily limited to, two remote control devices, one of which may be situated or stationed for-example on.a bridge stand of the ship, while the other may be stationed on an engine room stand. Although each of control devices located on the bridge and in the engine room, respectively, is independently capable of initiating or effecting a control operation of the ships engines, the two control devices do function, in all respects, independently of each other, so that a person stationed in the engine room, for example, is not apprised of a control signal initiated by a person stationed at the control device on the bridge unless other means of communication are available. It is possible, therefore that confusing control signals might be inadvertently initiated from the different stations should there be a lack of proper communication between the two stations or means for inactivating the stations other than the one being used or attended.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide ship engine remote control apparatus whereby a command signal initiated at any one of a plurality of control stations remotely located on the ship relative to each other is transmitted to and received at all the other stations simultaneously and whereby the control apparatus may be conditioned such that only preselected ones of the control stations are rendered operative for executing the control signal to effect operation of the ships engines, notwithstanding that all stations simultaneously receive the command signal.

Briefly the remote control apparatus for ship engines embodying the invention comprises a plurality, such as two for example, of control stations, remotely situated on the ship relative to each other, each being manually operable for initiating a command signal indicating the nature of engine operation desired, each having means for transmitting a locally initiated command signal simultaneously to all other stations, each having means for receiving and for indicating or recording the command signals initiated at any one of the other stations and transmitted thereto, and each having actuating means for executing a control signal for effecting operation of the ships engine according to the command signal, whether initiated locally or at any one of the other remotely situated control stations, said apparatus being further characterized by means for selectively rendering the actuating means of one or more of the control stations effective for executing the command signal while excluding the others.

In the drawing,

FIG. 1, generally in outline, is a schematic view of a ship engine remote control apparatus embodying the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a position diagram showing the various connections effected in respective positions of one of the valve devices of the apparatus.

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION As shown in the drawing, the ship engine control apparatus comprises two manually operable remote control devices 1 and 2 remotely situated on the ship relative to each other, in this instance at control stations located on the bridge and in the engine room and indicated as Bridge Stand and Engine Room Stand, respectively, in the drawing.

The remote control devices 1 and 2 are provided with selector means comprising rotatably joumaled shafts 3 and 4 rotatable about their respective axes by angularly displaceable hand levers or handles 5 and 6 fixed to said shafts, respectively. The levers 5 and 6 have respective neutral positions in which they are shown in the drawing and in which, as will be more fully explained hereinafter, the ships engine or engines are shut off. The levers 5 and 6 are manually selectively operable either in a clockwise direction, indicated by respective arrows designated Fin the drawing, to a series of what may be called forward positions for effecting forward propulsion of the ship, or in a counterclockwise direction, indicated by respective arrows designated R in the drawing, to a series of what may be called reverse positions for effecting reverse propulsion of the ship.

The control devices 1 and 2 have respective series of electric indicator lights or

lamps

7, 8, 9 and 10, 11, 12 arranged in dial-like fashion on the respective forwardpositions sides of the levers 5 and 6, said lights being so angularly spaced as to coincide with the respective forward positions of said levers. The control devices 1 and 2 are also provided with respective series of electric indicator lights or lamps 13, l4, l5 and 16, 17, 18 disposed and arranged, similarly to

indicator lights

7, 8, 9 and 10, l 1, 12, on the respective reverse-positions sides of levers 5 and 6. The indicator lights, above mentioned, on the control devices 1 and 2, are also disposed behind respective

protective shields

19 and 20 having a necessary degree of transparency to permit passage of light therethrough.

When either one of the levers 5 or 6 is moved, either forward or reverse, to a selected position (indicated by

respective pointers

21 and 22 formed on said levers), on one of the control devices 1 and 2, the indicator light disposed on the other control device in the position corresponding to said selected position on said one control device, is lighted in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter. For example, therefore, if lever 5 on control device 1 is operated to a forward position coinciding with theposition of indicator light 8, the correspondingly situated indicator light 11 on the control device 2 is lighted, thereby indicating the specific command signal initiated on control device 1.

Transmission of the command signal from one of the control devices 1 or 2 to the other is effected by providing each of the control devices with multiple-contact switches each having electrical conductors (not shown) leading from the switch device on one control device to the several indicator lights on the other control device and vice versa. The multiple-contact switch devices may be of any suitable type for accomplishing the purpose above set forth.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the control device 1 is provided with a cam operated multiple-contact electric switch device 23 mounted on a casing portion 24 in such position as to have a cam follower 25, carried at the end of an operating stem 26 of said switch device, in rolling contact with a cam member 27 fixed to the shaft 3 for rotation therewith, said stem having affixed thereto a single electrical contact element (not shown). The switch device 23 has fixed therein a plurality of contact elements (not shown), so disposed that one of said contact elements is contacted by the contact element (not shown) carried on the operating stem 26. Depending upon which direction the lever 5 is operated (either to a forward or reverse position), the operating stem 26 of the switch device 23 is correspondingly axially moved, out of a normal position in which it is shown, either inwardly or outwardly of the switch device, so as to bring the contact element carried on said stern into contact with a predetermined one of the fixed contact elements (not shown) in said switch device.

The fixed contacts in the switch device 23 are connected by respective wires or conductors (not shown) carried in a conduit 28 to the

indicator lights

10, 11, 12, 16, 17 and 18, respectively, of the control device 2, said switch device, conductors and indicator lights all forming portions of respective electrical circuits which are not shown in their entirety since it is not deemed essential to an understanding of the invention. Depending upon the position to which the handle 5 is operated, as for example the position corresponding to indicator light 7, and, therefore, the corresponding fixed contact element in the switch device 23 contacted by the contact element on the movable stem 26, a circuit (not shown) including the indicator light is thereby closed to cause the indicator light 10 on the control device 2 to be lighted. The control device 1 functions in similar manner for each one of the positions of the handle 5 corresponding to the

other indicator lights

8, 9, 13, 14 and 15. It should be understood that the cam member 27 is designed to produce the desired movement of stem 26 compatible with the several angular positions of handle 5.

The control device 2, in similar fashion to the control device 1, is provided with a multiple-contact switch device 29 mounted on a casing portion 30 and having an operating stem 31, a cam follower 32 and a contact element (not shown) affixed to said movable stem, and a plurality of fixed contact elements (not shown) in the switch device, said control device also comprising a cam member 33 rotatable with shaft 4, and circuit wires or conductors (not shown) carried in a conduit 34 and connecting to the

indicator lights

7, 8, 9, 13, 14 and of the control device 1, all such components being arranged on the control device 2 and relative to each other in a fashion similar to the corresponding components described above in connection with the control device 1.

The multiple-contact switch devices for the control devices 1 and 2 are not necessarily limited to the camoperated

type

23 and 29 above described. Each of the control devices 1 and 2 could be provided with a rotary type switch device (not shown) which would include a rotatable member or disc (not shown) having fixed thereon a single contact element, said rotatable member being connected to the shafts 3 and 4 by a drive belt (not shown) to produce rotation of the rotatable member corresponding to angular displacement of the handle 5 or 6. The rotary type switch device would further comprise a fixed disc member (not shown) complementarily disposed relative to the rotatable member and having a plurality of contact elements (not shown) corresponding in number to the number of angular positions of the handle 5 or 6, said contact elements being connected to respective circuit wires in the conduits 28 and 34 and being arranged and spaced on said disc so as to be selectively contacted by the contact element on the rotatable member, the particular contact made depending upon the position to which said handle is operated.

If desired, the contact elements of the rotary type switch device, above described, may be alternatively arranged so as to have a single contact element (not shown) carried on the shafts 3 and 4 for contacting one of a plurality of contact elements (not shown) arranged on a disc (not shown) or a cylinder member, either one of which would be complementarily disposed in a fixed position relative to said shaft.

The control device 1 is further provided with a fluid pressure type engine-starting and directional control device 35, or what may be called a starter-directional controller, mounted on the casing section 24. The starter-directional controller 35 is cam operated by the cam member 27 which acts on a cam follower 36 mounted on the end of a spring-biased operating stem 37. With the handle 5 in its neutral position (in which it is shown), operating stem 37 of the starter-directional controller 35 assumes a neutral position in which the ship engines are shut off and in which delivery of control fluid pressure to a directional clutch (not shown) is cut off, the functional details of said controller not being deemed essential to an understanding of the invention.

If the handle 5 is operated to a forward position for initiating a control signal to effect engine operation, cam member 27 allows the cam follower 36 to drop down onto a shorter-radius sector of said cam member so that the spring-biased operating stem 37 is biased outwardly to a start-forward position in which fluid pressure supply, in conventional manner, is connected to a pipe 38 leading from the controller 35, for a purpose to be hereinafter described, to a flow path control valve 39, the latter to be described in greater detail hereinafter.

If the handle 5 is operated to a reverse position, the

cam follower 36 rides up onto a longer-radius sector of the cam member 27, and the operating stem 37 is moved inwardly to a start-reverse position in which supply of fluid pressure, in conventional manner, is cut off from pipe 38 and connected to a pipe 40 leading to the flow path control valve 39 for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth.

The control device 2 also has mounted on casing section 30 a starter-directional controller 41 having an operating stem 42 with a cam follower 43 which cooperates with cam member 33 to effect operational results similar to those of starter-directional controller 35 associated with control device 1. Operation of handle 6 to a forward position effects movement of operating stem 42 out of a normal position to a start-forward position in which fluid pressure supply is connected to a pipe 44 leading to the flow path control valve 39, and operation of handle 6 to a reverse position effects movement of said operating stem to a start-reverse position in which fluid pressure supply is cut off from pipe 44 and connected to a pipe 45 leading to said flow path control valve.

The control devices 1 and 2 also have cam-operated

speed controllers

46 and 47 of the fluid pressure type mounted on the

casing sections

24 and 30, respectively, said controllers having

cam followers

48 and 49 carried by operating stems 50 and 51 and being actuated by the

cam members

27 and 30, respectively. Since both the

speed controllers

46 and 47 function in similar fashion for controlling engine speed, operation of the controller 46 only will be described. As the handle 5 is moved to a forward position, for example, to initiate a control signal, the cam member 27, acting through the cam follower 48, causes the operating stem 50 to actuate valve mechanism (not shown) in the controller 46. The valve mechanism operates in conventional manner to cause fluid pressure, at a degree proportional to the amount of movement of operating stem 50 (which is determined by the amount of movement of handle 5 out of its neutral position in the forward direction and consequent movement of cam member 27) to be supplied to a throttle device (not shown) via-a pipe 52, the flow path control valve 39, and a pipe 53 to effect engine speed accordingly. Of course, movement of the handle 5 back toward its neutral position effects corresponding reduction of engine speed, which is zero in said neutral position.

If handle 5 is moved out of its neutral position to a reverse position, the speed controller 46 again functions to effect increasing engine speed (from zero in the neutral position of said handle) to a speed corresponding to the amount of handle movement away from said neutral position.

Speed controller 47 functions similarly to speed controller 46 in causing fluid pressure, at a degree corresponding to the amount of movement of handle 6 out of its neutral position, to be supplied to the throttle device (not shown) via a pipe 54, valve 39 and pipe 53.

through the flow path control valve 39 is cut off to render both control devices 1 and 2 operatively ineffective.

If the handle 55 is set in position B, the flow path control valve 39 is so constructed as to communicate pipe 52 with pipe 53, which, as ab ove noted, is connected to the engine throttle. Also with the handle in B position, pipe 38 is communicated with a pipe 56, and pipe 40 is communicated with a pipe 57.

Pipes

56 and 57 connect to a clutch mechanism (not shown), it being deemed sufficient for an understanding of the present invention to merely know that said clutch mechanism is operable responsively to pressurization of pipe 56 to cause the engine (not shown) to propel the ship in a forward direction, and to pressurization of pipe 57 to cause the engine to propel the ship in a reverse direction. Thus, depending upon which of the

pipes

38 and 40 is pressurized by the start-directional controller 35 of the control device 1, as above described, either pipe 56 of pipe 57 is accordingly pressurized to determine the direction of propulsion.

Also, in the B position of handle 55,

pipes

44, 45 and 54 leading from control device 2 are cut off from

pipes

53, 56 and 57, so that any manipulation of handle 6 produces no control signal or operational results of the start-directional controller 41 and the speed controller 47 associated with the control device 2.

To render the start-directional controller 35 and the speed controller 46 of the control device 1 ineffective, and to render the start-directional controller 41 and the speed controller 47 of. the control device 2 effective, the handle 55 of the flow path control valve 39 is operated to position E, as above noted. With handle 55 in position E, pipe 44 is communicated with pipe 56, pipe 45 with pipe 57, and pipe 54 with pipe 53. Manipulation of handle 6 of the control device 2 effects operation of the start-directional controller 41 and the speed controller 47 to thereby produce a control signal and consequently effect results similar to those described above in connection with control device 1 when handle 55 of the flow path control valve is in its B position and handle 5 of the control device 1 is manipulated.

The resulting connections or cut-offs between the

pipes

38, 40, 44, 45, 52, 53, 54, 56 and 57 effected by the several positions B, N and E of the handle 55 of flow path control valve 39 are graphically shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing by a position diagram in which said positions, B, N and E, of said handle appear on the horizontal axis, and the reference numerals of said pipes are disposed on the vertical axis. For example, each clear bar underneath position B spans certain lines of intersection representing the several pipes; thus, with handle 55 in its B position, pipe 38 is in communication with pipe 56, etc.

In order that the apparatus herein disclosed be rendered operative, handle 55 of the flow path control valve 39, as above noted, must be moved to one or the other of its positions B and E. For the purposes of describing the operation, therefore, let it be assumed that handle 55 is set in its B position, in which case the control device 1 is operatively actuated and, as seen from the position diagram in FIG. 2, pipe 38 is communicated with pipe 56, pipe 40 with pipe 57, and pipe 52 with pipe 53. To drive the ship in a forward direction, the operator initiates a control signal by moving lever 5 of the control device 1 to a selected forward position, that is, in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, to one of the positions corresponding to the positions of indicator lights, 7, 8 or 9. In so doing, the valve mechanism (not shown) in the starter-directional controller 35 is actuated to start the engine and to effect pressurization of pipe 38 and, therefore, pipe 56. As was above noted, pressurization of pipe 56 sets the clutch (not shown) for forward propulsion. The rate of propulsion is determined by the position to which handle 5 is operated, which, as above noted, causes the cam member 27 to effect a corresponding degree of displacement of the operating stem 50 of the speed controller 46 and, therefore, a corresponding degree of pressurization of

pipes

52 and 53 to determine the speed of the ship.

In addition to the effects above discussed, movement of handle 5 to a selected forward position, such as to position 8, for example, also produces a command signal by effecting operation of the switch device 23, as hereinbefore explained, to close the appropriate circuit for causing the corresponding indicator light 11 on the control device 2 to be lighted, thus apprising a person stationed in the engine room of the control signal and engine operation initiated by the operator on the bridge. This arrangement has the advantage of permitting the operator on the bridge to temporarily leave his post on the bridge if he deems it necessary to go to the engine room, and designate a subordinate to stand by at the control device 1 on the bridge. While in the engine room, he can use lever 6 of the control device 2 to transmit a command signal to the subordinate at control device 1 if he wishes to change the speed or direction of propulsion. For example, if the operator wishes to increase the speed, he simply moves handle 6 of the control device 2 to position 12. Since flow path control valve 39 is still in position B, the starterdirectional controller 41 and speed controller 47 of control device 2 are operatively ineffective, and only the switch device 29 of the control device 2, as above noted, is operatively effective for transmitting a command signal by causing the corresponding indicator light 9 on the control device 1 to be lighted. The subordinate at the control device 1 on the bridge, being thus apprised of the command signal transmitted by the operator from the engine room, moves the handle of said control device 1 to position 9 thereby initiating a new control signal and causing a corresponding increase in speed. When handle 5 is moved to position 9, the corresponding indicator light 12 on the control device 2 in the engine room is accordingly lighted, thereby apprising the operator in the engine room that his command has been carried out.

It should be understood, that movement of handle 55 of the flow path control valve 39 to position E, sets up the apparatus such that the starter-directional controller 35 and speed controller 46 of control device 1 are rendered operatively ineffective, and the starterdirectional controller 41 and speed controller 47 of the control device 2 operatively effective. Thus, depending upon where the operator expects to be primarily stationed, that is, on the bridge or in the engine room, he will probably set the handle 55 of the flow path control valve 39 accordingly, so that the control device at which the operator is stationed may be considered as the control command device.

Having now described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Multi-station engine control apparatus comprising at least two remote control devices each comprising:

a. a plurality of control signal emitting devices each having an inoperative position, in which no control signal is emitted, and each being operable to a plurality of operative positions for emitting respective control signals of predetermined character;

b. operating means for effecting simultaneous operation of said plurality of control signal emitting devices, said operating means having a neutral position, in which all of said signal emitting devices resume their respective inoperative positions, and

being selectively operable to a plurality of selective positions for effecting simultaneous operation of all said signal emitting devices to one of their respective operative positions determined by the selected position to which said operating means is operated; and

c. a plurality of indicator elements responsive to one of the control signals emitted from one of the signal emitting devices at any one of the other stations for indicating the selected position to which said operating means has been operated at the respective station at which the signal is initiated.

2. Multi-station engine control apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said signal emitting devices are provided with respective cam followers and wherein said operating means comprises a manually rotatable member having a shaft secured thereto and rotatable therewith and cam means secured to said shaft and rotatable therewith for engaging said cam followers and effecting operation of the signal emitting devices, said manually rotatable member being operable to said plurality of selective positions.

3. Multi-station engine control apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein a first one of said signal emitting devices is interposed in a fluid pressure speed-controlling conduit and is effective when operated to one of its said operative positions for emitting a first fluid pressure signal via said speed-controlling conduit for controlling engine speed, and wherein a second one of said signal emitting devices is interposed in a fluid pressure engine-starting and clutch-engaging conduit and is effective when operated to one of its said operative positions for emitting a second fluid pressure signal via said engine-starting and clutch-engaging conduit.

4. Multi-station engine control apparatus, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the degree of said first fluid pressure signal and consequently the degree of engine speed is determined by the extent of movement by said cam means of the cam follower associated with said first one of said signal emitting devices.

5. Multi-station engine control apparatus, as set forth in claim 3, further characterized by means for selectively cutting out operative effectiveness of said first one and said second one of said signal emitting devices on selected ones or on all of the remote control devices.

6. Multi-station engine control apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, further characterized by electrical circuitry interconnecting the several remote control devices, and wherein said plurality of indicator elements comprises a plurality of electrical lamps positionally arranged in corresponding relation to the several selective positions of said manually rotatable member, and a third one of said signal emitting devices comprises a multiple-contact electrical switch device effective when operated to one of its said operative positions for emitting an electrical signal through said electrical circuitry to each of the remote control devices for effecting illumination of the respective lamps corresponding to the selective position to which the manually rotatable member is operated.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. ,838, r1o DATED September 2M, 197

INVENTOR(S) Wilhelm Georg Bachmann, Ehrenfried G. Scheffel,

' Klaus J. Weissenfels 8c Hermann Ziehe It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown beIow:

Frant Page, insert --Assignee: Wasting use Bremsen-und Apparatebau G.m.b".

Signed and Sealed this Seventeenth Day of May 1977 [SEAL] Arrest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner of Parents and Trademarks

Claims

1. Multi-station engine control apparatus comprising at least two remote control devices each comprising: a. a plurality of control signal emitting devices each having an inoperative position, in which no control signal is emitted, and each being operable to a plurality of operative positions for emitting respective control signals of predetermined character; b. operating means for effecting simultaneous operation of said plurality of control signal emitting devices, said operating means having a neutral position, in which all of said signal emitting devices resume their respective inoperative positions, and being selectively operable to a plurality of selective positions for effecting simultaneous operation of all said signal emitting devices to one of their respective operative positions determined by the selected position to which said operating means is operated; and c. a plurality of indicator elements responsive to one of the control signals emitted from one of the signal emitting devices at any one of the other stations for indicating the selected position to which said operating means has been operated at the respective station at which the signal is initiated.