US496728A - Electbic meter - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. 'BDMONDSON & J. OUL'TON'."

ELECTRIC METER.

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Patented May 2', 1893.

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J'. EDMONDSON & J. OULTON. ELBGTRIG-MBTBR.

No. 496,728. Patented May 2 1893'.

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(No Model.)

BLEGTRIG METER.

No. 496,728. Patented May 2, 1 893.

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No. 496,728. Patented May 2', 1893.

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(No Model.)

ELECTRIC- METER.

Patented May 2,1893.

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ELECTRIC METER.

'No. 496 728. Patented May 2, 1 893 @KQAR an 8 Sheets'Sheet 8.

(No Model.)

J. EDMONDSON 8v-J; OULTON. ELECTRIC METER; No. 496,728. Patented May 2, 1893.

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I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH EDMONDSON AND JOSEPH OULTON, OF BRADFORD, ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,728, dated May 2, 1893.

Application filed September 29, 1892. Serial No. 447,288. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOSEPH EoMoNDsoN and JOSEPH OULTON, subjects of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, residingatBradford, in the county of York, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electricity-ll/Ieters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electricity meters in which the vibrations of a chronometric balance or balances, pendulum or pendulums in combination with magnets or solenoids are made to record the amount of electric current or energy passing into consumption, and consists in the use of a pendulum or pendulu ms each driven by an arm actuated by gravity or by a spring such for instance as the gravity arms in the well known Becketts gravity escapement but lifted in our improved manner by electromagnetic force instead of by clockwork driven by a spring or weight.

In the case of a chronometric balance the impulse arm is actuated by a spring. It also consists in combining a resistance with a condenser and the electric circuit of the electromagnet, so as to lessen or prevent sparking at the point where the pendulum or balance opens, or closes the said circuit. It also deals with apparatus for stopping the said pendulums or balances when the electric current is intermitted and also for restarting the said pendulums, or balances when the current is again switched on such with electricity meters in which two pend ulums or chronometric balances are employed, such pendulums or balances being required to'beat synchronously when no current is passing into consumption. In order the more effectually to insure such synchronism we attach the two pendulu ms to a bar which is common to both of them and which is itself held by a more or less elastic support. In the case of two chronometric balances we suspend these from more or less elastic supports which are connected together by a rod or bar by which the vibrations are more or less communicated from the one to the other. Such being the nature and object of our invention the following is a complete description of same, in the case where two pendulums or chronometric balances are used, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which similar lettersof reference point to the same or similar parts throughout.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the pendulu m form of our improved electrical meter or apparatus for measuring and indicating the amount of electric current or energy passing into consumption such apparatus being electrically connected with a train of wheels and dials such as illustrated by Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Fig. 2 is a detail of part of Fig. 1 drawn to an enlarged scale in order to show its construction more clearly. Fig. 2 is is a similar View to Fig. 2 but showing the action of the magnet and weight reversed. Fig. 3 is'an end sectional elevation on line A B of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the indicating dials. Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 4 showing the train of wheels for operating the hands of the dials. Fig. 6 is a detail of part of the indicating mechanism drawn detached in order to show its construction more clearly. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a part of Fig. 1, drawn detached and with the pendulum rod removed in ordermorc clearly to illustrate part of the invention. Fig. Sis an end view of Fig. 7 the pendulum rod bein in position. Fig. 9 is a plan view of Figs. 7 and 8 showing the apparatus connected with a condenser. Fig. 10 is a similar view to Fig. 9 but showing a resistance coil connected to and combined with the apparatus and the condenser. Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the apparatus as constructed when chronometric balances are employed in lieu of the pendulums. Fig. 12 is an end view of a part of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a plan view of part of Fig. 11 the position of the chronometric balance being indicated bythe dotted lines. Fig. 13 is a detail of Fig. 13 drawn to an enlarged scale in order to show its construction more clearly. Fig. 14. is a similar view to Fig. 13, without the trapping motion, which may be dispensed with in some cases.

Referring first to meters in which pendu lums are employed and to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, at 11 are two pendulu ms whereof one is an ordinary pendulum which may be conveniently regulated by a screw 33 as shown and the other is a pendulum influenced by the current to be meas ured in any convenient manner. We prefer the method shown in the drawings which 0011- sists of a fixed main coil 58 together with the volt or high resistance coil and a correcting coil on the pendulum as hereinafter described and marked 65. The pendulums are made to vibrate the required motion being maintained by gravity impulse arms 2-2 said arms 2-2 being mounted on axes free to move in the carrying frames or brackets 3-3 (see Figs. 7, 8, 9). Mounted loosely in the said brackets 3-3 and below each of the arms 2-2 is an armature 4 one end of which is near to the electro magnet 5 and the other end is provided with a counterbalance weight 6.

On each pendulum rod 7 is a short cranked finger 8 (see Fig. 2) at the outer end of which is an adjusting screw 9 and, also a small blade spring 10 fixed at one end by a screw or otherwise on the said cranked finger 8. The free end of the spring 10 rests on the adjusting screw 9. On the upper side of the spring 10 is a small projection, or a piece of platinum 11 which as the pendulum vibrates, comes into contact with a similar projection 12 011 the impulse arm 2. A screw 13 (Figs. 7, 8 and 9) limits the amount of movement of the armature 4. v

The action is as followsz-In a state of rest or in the normal position the counterbalance weight 6 holds the armature 4 in contact with the screw 13 and away from the electro magnet 5 the gravity arm resting on the top side of the armature 4. As the pendulum vibrates and moves to nearly the limit of its arc in in a reverse direction the gravity impulse arm 2 falls with it until the arm rests upon the armature 4. The circuit is then opened by the part 11 moving awayfrom the part 12 and the armature leaves, the magnet and lifts the gravity arm to its original position. It will be seen that the impulse arm falls through a longer are than that through which it is raised by the vibration of the pendulum the difference being the height to which the impulse arm is raised by the armature 4. The repeated fall of the impulse arm 2 through this short distance is sufficient to maintain the vibrations of the pendulum. The impulse arm may be actuated by a spring instead of by gravity. It will be evident that the action of the magnet 5 and Weight 6 may be reversed as shown in Fig. 2". In this case the impulse arm 2 is mounted in bushes which insulate it from the frame 3 its arbor being electrically connected to the bar 30 by a light flexible connection. When the impulse arm 2 rests on the top of the weight 6 the electric circuit of the magnet 5' is completed the armature 4 is consequently drawn down and the impulse arm 2 is lifted along with the weight 6. When the pendulum moves in the direction of the arrow and lifts the impulse arm 2 by means of the screw 9 the circuit is broken at 11-12, the magnet 5 releases the armature 4 and the weight 6 falls as far as permitted by the stop 13. When the pendulum moves in the reverse direction the arm 2 falls with it until the arm rests again on the weight 6 completes the circuit and the magnet 5 again lifts the weight 6 and arm 2 to the first named position.

In order to lessen or prevent sparking at the points of contact 11-12 whenever the electric circuit is opened or closed, we combine an ordinary condenser such as 14 and a resistance coil such as 17 with the electriccircuit of the electro magnet 5 a wire 15 from the frame 3 being connected with one side of the condenser, and a wire 16 connecting the opposite side of the condenser 14 and the resistance 17 (see Figs. 1 and 10.)

The improved apparatus for stopping the pendulums 1-1 when the current is intermitted, and for restarting the said pendulums when the current is switched on, consists of an electro magnet 18 near the. bottom of which is hinged an armature 19 the outer ends of which are cranked as at 20 and the cranked ends 20-20 pass underneath the two arms 21-21 which latter rest on the cranked ends 2020. The arms 21-21 are at their inner ends hinged, or free to move on fulcrum pins 22-22 and their outer ends carry the pins 23-23.. A hook 24 is fixed on the rod 7 of each of the pendulums 1-1 in such a position as to engage with the pins 23-23 when these are in theirlowest position. When current is passing through the circuit of the electro magnet 18 the said magnet holds up the armature 19 which then supports the arms 21-21 in a position too high for the hooks 24-24 to engage with the pins 23-23. But when the current is switched off the armature 19 falls and allows the arms 21-21 to fall by gravity to their lowest position. When this is so (as the pendulums 1-1 vibrate toward one another) the inclined edges 25 of the hooks 24 will comein contact with and move underneath the pins 23-23 until the latter fall into the catches 26-26 of such hooks. The pendulums 11 are thus stopped and will be held stationary at an elevation above their dead point. As soon as the electric current is again switched on,the electro magnet 18 will draw to it the armature 19 and the cranked ends 20-20 will raise on their centers the arms 21-21 and pins mares the circuit of the magnet by way of the hooks 24-24 pins 2323 and arms21-21 as hereinafter described.

In order that the synchronism of the'two pendulums 1-1 may be efiectually maintained when no current is passing into consumption we attach the two pendulums 1-1 by the usual suspension springs 2727 to a bar 28 common to both pendulums and this bar 28 is itself supported by springs 2929 (or other elastic support or supports) which are attached to a bar 30,secured to the box or casing of the meter. Passing through a slot or hole in the bar 28 is a screwed pin 31 fixed in the bar 30 and nuts 32 are placed on each side of the bar 28 so that the latter can be held rigid or nearly so by causing the nuts 32 to nip it betweenthem. This bar 28 being thus made rigid or nearly so the pendulums 11 are made to vibrate synchronously by the regulating weight 33 which is screwed up or down on the pendulum rod as required. The bar 28 is then released from the grip of the nuts 3232 and the synchronism is maintained by the vibration of the one pendulum being able to slightly influence those of the other. The screwed pin 31 and the nuts 32- 32 may be dispensed with, but in this case the primary adjustment of the pendulumsfor synchronism will not be so accurate. When in lieu of the pendulums 11 we employ chronometric balances 1-1 (see Figs. 11 and 13) the said balances 1 1 being made to vibrate, their motion is maintained by the im-' pulse arms 2-2 which are mounted on axes 35 free to move in the carrying frames or" brackets 33. On the axis 35 is a vibrating spring 34 (preferably similar to the balance spring of a watch). Mounted loosely in the brackets 3-3 is an armature4 one end of which is near to the electro magnet5 but held (when no current is passing round such magnet) against the adjusting screw 13 by the spring 6. It is shown in the drawings Fig. 13 as attracted by the magnet, and away from the said adjusting screw 13. 'On each balance 1 is a pin 11 which as the balance vibrates, comes in contact with the end 12 of the impulse arm 2.

The action is as follows: In a state of rest, or in the normal position, the spring 6 holds the armature 4 against the adjusting screw 13 and away from the electro magnet 5. The impulse arm 2 then rests against the armature'4 being retained there by the'force of the spring 34. As the balance vibrates, and moves to nearly the limit of its arc in the direction of the arrow the pin 11 will come in contact with the end 12 of the impulse arm 2. The balance continues its motion through its supplementary arc (the circuit being closed as hereinafter described when referring to the coils and their connections)-the armature 4 is attracted to and held by the electro magnet 5. WVhen the balance moves in the reverse direction the impulse arm 2 is made by the spring 34 to follow it until it comes in contact with the armature 4 the pin 11 then leavesit behind, the'circuit is broken and the armature 4 being released the spring 6 brings it back to the stop 13 and carries the impulse arm 2 with it. It will be seen that the impulse arm 2 moves through ashorter are when carried by the balance in the direction of the arrow than when it returns with it, the difference being the distance between the position of the armature 4 when it is against the magnet and its position when against the adjusting screw 13. This difference gives the required impulse to the balance.

The apparatus employed for stopping, and restarting the balances 1-1 is similar to that described with reference to Figs. 1 and 3 excepting that the pin 23 is fixed to and at about the center of gyration of the radius of the balance 1 and the springs 36 (see Fig. 13) are employed to keep the arms 21-21 in contact with the cranked ends of the armature 19. The arms 21-21 terminate in the hooks 24-24. As long as the current is passing round the magnet 18 the armature is held by it and the arms 21-21 are held with their books 24-24 out of reach of the pin 23 but whenthe current is switched off the armature 19 is released and the hooks 24-24 are by'the springs 36 brought within range of the pins 23. which they catch and so hold the balances in a position away from their neutral or dead point,

until the hooks are withdrawn by the renewed action of the current.

In order that the synchronism of the balances 1-1 may effectually be maintained when no current is passinginto consumption we attach the two balances 11 by the usual torsion suspension springs 2727 (Figs. 11 and 12) which are supported by the much stronger springs 2929 or other somewhat elasticsupport or supports attached to a bar 30 secured to the box or casing of the meter. The elastic supports 29-29 are conn'ected'to one another by the bar 28 the supports 29 -29 being bent or having a crank formed on them, and these cranks 37 are received in the recesses 38 formed one at each end of the bar 28 and held by means of the small springs 'of the recesses .3838.- The action, and -re-,

sult of suspending the balances 1; 1. as described is similar to that hereinbefore described in reference to' Figs. 1 and 3.

The index which records the amount of electric current or energy passing into consumption to which we make no separateclaim consists of the dials and hands (see Figs. 4 and 5) the hands being actuated by'the train of wheels (see Fig. 5) such train of wheels be ing operated and operating as follows. The electric circuits of the two electro-magnets 41-41 are connected in series with the electric circuits of the magnets which a'ctuate'the impulse arms (one to each) and near toeach magnet 41 is an axis 42 (seen mostclearly in' Fig. 6) on which is fixed the armature 43 and two cross arms -45 in which are pins 46-46 carrying the blade springs 47-47 which engage with the teeth of a ratchet or catch wheel 48 carried on an arbor 49 which passes through the slot 50 in the lever 44. On the arbor 49 is a pinion 51 gearing with and driving the wheel 52 of the differential motion 53 and on the arbor 49 is the pinion 51 gearing with and driving the wheel 52 of the differential motion. When current passes around the electro magnets 41-41 (in consequence of the circuits being closed at the contacts 11 and 12 by the vibration of the re spective pendulums. or balances) the armatures 43-43 are attracted to such magnets 41-41 consequently the axes 42-42 are turned part of a revolution and the levers 44-44 are moved in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 6 the ends of the upper blade springs 47-47 come in contact with the teeth of the ratchet or catch wheels 48-48 and the latter areturned a space of half a tooth. When the circuit is again opened the spiral springs 54-54 move the levers 44-44 in a reverse direction to that indicatedby the arrows in Fig. 6 and the lower blade springs 47-47- now move the ratchet or catch wheels 48-48 a space of half a tooth'in the same direction as before. This to and fro movement of the levers is repeated so often as the circuit is open and closed by the pendulums or balances consequentlythe pinion 51 rotates and drives the wheel 52 in a reverse direction to that in which" the pinion 51 drives the wheel 52'.- So long as thespeed of these wheels 52, 52 is the same the wheel 55 will remain stationary. When the speed of the wheel 52 varies from the speed of the wheel 52 in consequence of the deviationfrom synchronism of the pendulums or balances caused by current going into consumption the wheel 55 will rotate and set in motion the train of wheels or clockwork which drives the hands or indices. The stop pins 56-56 on the levers 44-44 prevent the ratchet or catch wheels 48-48 moving more than the distance or space of half a tooth at one time or for one vibration of the levers 44-44.

The electro magnets in this invention may beeither with or without iron cores and their armatures may be .either of iron or of a coil or coils placed in a shunt circuit and with or without iron cores.

Although we have here described the application of electrically actuated impulse arms on two pendulums 0r balances of electric m'eters where the basis of measurement is the amount of variation from synchronism of the -the main wire for supplying the lamps.

+ main supply wire along which the current passes around the fixed main coil 58 to the lamps. The wire 57 is connected by shunt wire 59 with the bar 30 through which a current for actuating the movements and index passes down the springs 29-29 and pendulum rods 7-7 and (when contact is made between the parts 11-12) along the impulse arm 2 to the frame 3 which is connected (as shown in Fig. 10) by the wire 15 to the resistance 17 thence by wire 15 to one side of the condenser 14 the opposite side of the condenser being connected by the wire 16 to the bar 30 or the reverse as shownin Fig. 1. We

prefer inductive resistances as shown in the drawings and one of them may be placed on each side of the condenser 14 if desired or thought necessary. The circuit is continued from the frame 3 by wire 60 round the magnets 5-5 and by wire-61 to the index. Another current passes along the pendulum-rod to the fork 63 thence by wire 64 to-correcting and volt coils 65 which are upon and form part of the pendulum or balance and whose functions are hereinafter described. From the correcting coil 65 the current passes up the pendulum rod 7 by thewire 66 away to A wire 67 from the volt coil 65 also passes along the pendulum rod to the frame 3 of the electro magnet 18 and the current flows by wire 68 to'said electro magnet and thence by wire 69 to the supply terminal. The wires 66-67 may be carried inside the pendulum rod 7 the latter being made hollow for this purpose. When the hooks 24-24 are engaged with the pins 23-23 of the arms 21-21 a short circuit is formed between the pendulum rod 7 through such hooks 24 pins 23 arms 21 and frame 3 to the electro magnet 18 thence to the supply terminal. The volt coil 65 being thus temporarily out out the magnet 18 is much more powerful, and when the current is switched on the armature 19 is strongly attracted and moves sharply to themagnet 18. The connections are similar when torsion balances are employed excepting that Wires 70-70 are employed dipping into the mercury cups 71-71 by way of which the current passes as indicated in Fig. 11. It willbe seen that instead of the current to the magnet 18 being passed through the volt coil, when the pendulums are vibrating it might equally well be passed instead thereof through a separate coil of similar resistance coupled between the frame 3 and the main wire 57, or further instead of the contact between the hooks 24 and the pins 23 cutting out the said separate resistance coil or the volt coil, the said contact might close the circuit of a second coil placed on the core of the magnet 18 by which the magnetism would be temporarily increased as required. A very small current is continually passing through the shunt circuit which includes the volt coil 65, the magnetic effect of which is in proportion to the electro-motive force of the current. When current is passing throughthe fixed main coil to the lamps, the magnetic force of the main coil and of the volt coil combined, accelerate or retard the vibrations of the pendulum such acceleration or retardation being registered on the dials and being, except as hereinafter described in proportion to the watts passing into consumption. The force required to produce the vibrations of a pendulum is in proportion to the square of the number of vibrations. If therefore a equals the'normal numberof vibrations and 1) equals the number to be added by thecurrent the force required to produce a will be a and to produce a-i-b will be a,+2ab+b the difference (2ab+b being the force to be exerted by the current under measurement.

With the volt coil alone the force actually ex-- erted would be in the ratio Qab-l-b only. Upon each volt coil therefore there is wound the correcting coil carrying a very small proportion of the current passing into consumption. If correctly calibrated this small current brings the ratio up to Qab-I-b and makes the readings proportional throughout any range.

In the following claims we have used the term vibrating contact maker as broadly defining the hereinbefore described pendulums and chronometric balances, or their equivalents, and we wish to be so understood.

What we claim is 1. In an electric meter, the combination with a vibrating contact maker of an impulse arm adapted to impel the said contact maker, an electro magnet, and an armature for the said magnet adapted to lift the said impulse arm, substantially as described.

2. In an electric meter, the combination with a magnet, of a vibrating contact maker, an impulse arm lifted thereby through a part of its movement and making contact therewith, the said contact maker and impulse arm being in circuit with the said magn'et,'and an armature for the said magnet lifting the said impulse arm through the remainder of its path, substantially as described.

3. In an electric meter, the combination with a vibrating contact maker having a hook thereon, of a coil mounted on the said contact maker, a fixed electro magnet an electric circuit including the said magnet and hook, a second electric circuit including the said ma net and coil, an armature for the said magnet, and a lever actuated by the said armature and adapted to engage the said hooks, and to cut out the said coil and to short circuit the first named circuit through the said magnet, substantially as described.

4. In an electric meter, the combination with a plurality of vibrating contact makers, of a flexibly suspended bar carrying the contact makers, whereby the vibrations of eachcontact maker slightly influences those'of the others, substantially as described.

5. In an electric meter, the combination with a magnet, of a vibrating contact maker,

movement thereby and making contact therewith, the said contact maker and impulse arm being in circuit with the saidmagnet, an armature for the said magnet adapted '[Ollffi the said impulse arm through th'e rcinainder of its path and a condenser'placed' in a parallel circuit of suitable resistance to the said-magnet, contact maker, and impulse ari i,substan- 'tially as described.

6. In an electric m'eter,'the combination with a vibrating contact maker having a hook thereon, of an impulse arm adapted to impel the said contact maker, an electro-magnet arranged in circuit with the said contact maker, and impulse arm, an armaturefor the said magnet adapted to lift the said impulse arm, a second electro-magnet, and an armature therefor, and a lever actuated by the last named armature adapted to engage the hook upon the said contact maker, substantially as described. I

' 7. In an electric meter, the comb nation with a vibratin g contact maker hav ng a hook thereon, of a coil carried on the sa d contact maker, a fixed magnet, an electric circuit having includedtherein the said magnet and 0011, an armature for the said magnet, and a' lever actuated by the said armature and adapted to engage the hook upon the said contact maker, substantially as described.

8. In an electric meter, the combination With a vibrating contact maker, of an impulse arm adapted toimpel the said contact maker and to make contact therewith, an electromagnet arranged in circuit with the said contact maker andimpulse arm, and an arma-' ture for the said magnet adapted to lift the said impulse arm, and to release it upon the completion of the circuit between the saidimpulse arm and the vibrating contact maker, substantially as described.

I 9. In an electric meter, the combination with a vibrating contact maker, of an impulse arm adapted to impel the said contact maker and make contact therewith, an electro ma net in circuit with the said contact maker and impulse arm, and an armature therefor adapted to lift the'said impulse arm, substantially as described. I

10. In an electric meter, the combination with a vibrating contact maker having a hook thereon, of a coil carried by the said contact maker, a fixed electro-magnet, an electric circuit including the said hook, coil and electro magnet, an armature for the said magnet and a lever actuated by the said armature and adapted to engage the said hook and electrically connected with the said magnet, whereby the said coil will be short circuited, substantially as described.

11. In an electric meter, the combination with a vibrating contact maker of an impulse an impulse arm lifted through a part of its by one of the said magnets and an armature for the other magnet adapted to raise the said impulse arm, substantially as described.

12. In an electric meter, the combination with a vibrating contact maker having a hook therein of an impulse arm adapted to impel and armature, and a lever actuated thereby and adapted when at rest to engage the hook upon the contact maker, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof wehave hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing and make contact with the said vibrating conwitnesses.

tact maker, two magnets arranged in circuit JOSEPH EDMONDSON. with the said contact maker andimpulse arm, a I JOSEPH OULTON. clockwork driven by one of the said magnets, WVitnesses:

an armature for'the other magnet adapted to WALTER BRIERLEY, lift the said impulse arm, an electro magnet J. BRIERLEY HOWARD.

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