US708478A - Electrical position-indicator. - Google Patents

Description

L No.;708,478, Patented Sept. 2, I902..

A-. S. HUBBARD.

ELECTRICAL POSITION INDICATOR.

(Application filed Feb. 20, 1902.) (No Model.) 2 Shee-ts-Sheat I.

No. 708,478. Patented Sept. 2, I902;

A. S. HUBBARD; ELECTRICAL POSITION INDICATOR.

(Application filed Feb. 20, 1902.)

2 Shays-Sheet (No Model.)

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ALBERT S. HUBBARD, OF GREENYVICH, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRICAL POSITION-INDICATOR.

sPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 708,478, dated September 2, 1902. Application filed February 20, 1902. Serial No. 94,913. (No model.)

To all whom it nutty concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT S. HUBBARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenwich, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Position-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in means for indicating at a distance the position of a movable object, such as an electric end cell-switch for storage batteries or any other object that travels progressively through a series of positions.

The invention comprises a movable index armature device having a'magnetically polarized part and a fixed field-magnet having aseries of magnetizing coil-sections whereby its field or line or axis of polarization may be varied or shifted, so as to cause the armature to move, electrical contacts controlled by the movement of the object whose position is to be indicated, and connections from said contacts to said coil-sections whereby the direction of the field-axis and the position of the armature are determined by the position of said object.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a partly-sectional front view of an indicator controlled according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a partly-sectional plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the circuit connections of the indicator with the switch-contacts.

The indicator proper comprises a field-magnet 1, supported in a casing or frame 2, and an armature 3, mounted in the field of said magnet on a pivot, with an index or pointer 5 on said pivot traveling over a fixed scale 6. Armature 3 has an annular core 3 and ring- Winding connected at opposite points through sliding contacts consisting of collector-rings 7 7 and brushes 8 8 with opposite sides of an energizing-circuit f) 9. The field-magnet 1 is also annular, havinga core 1 and a ringwinding divided into coil-sections 1", which are connected, by circuit-wires 10, with the contacts of the controlling device. Said controlling device isshown in Fig. 3, where the bar or part 11 is attached to or connected with the-part whose position is to be indicatedfor example, the handle of an end cell-switch for storage batteries or the drum or cable of an elevatorit being understood that in the latter case a motion-reducing connection will be provided. This part 11 carries contacts 11, engaging with fixed circuit terminals or bars 12 12 and with the insulated segments or contacts 13, which are connected to the field-magnet sections 1 above referred to, the order of connection of the sections corresponding to the order of the contacts 13,

and the contacts 13 that are opposite each other being connected to diametrically opposite points of the field-magnet 1. The energizing-circuit 9 9 includes a generator or source of current 15, one side of which is connected to one of the bars 12, the other bar 12" being connected to one of the collector-brushes 8, while the other brush 8' is connected to the other side of the generator. The circuit is therefore from the generator to contact 12, through the switch-contact to one of the fixed contacts 13, then to the fieldmagnet 1, dividing and passing both ways in said magnet, passing out at the other side of said magnet to a contact 13 on that side, then by switch contact and bar 12 and through the brushes and collector-rings to one side of the armature, in which it divides, and passing from the other side of the armature back to the generator. The coil-sections 1 may be separated; but I prefer to make them as parts of a continuous ring-winding, the connections from the contacts 13 being made to different parts of said winding, thus dividing the latter into sections. The splitting of the circuit in both the armature and the fieldmagnet causes polarization of both of them, the axis or line of polarization passing through the points of entrance and exit of the current. As the armature tends to set itself in the direction of field-magnetization and as. this direction depends on the point at which contact is made in the switch devices 11 12 13, the position of the part 11 is thereby indicated. When the switch-contact is in intermediate position, so as to make contact with two of the fixed contacts 13 13 on each side at thesame time, the line of polarization of the field-magnet 1 will be half-way between the corresponding connections, so as to cause the index device to indicate the intermediate position, and I prefer to make the contacts so long that this bridging action takes place except when the part 11 is in exact position at some one of the steps which is to be indicated. Another advantage of the device is that the position of the pointer is not affected at all by variations of current or of electromotive force in the circuit, contrasting favorably in that respect with those devices that depend on variation of current for the indicating movement and which are liable to give Wrong indications on accidental disturbance of the proper conditions of electromotive force or resistance.

It will be understood that the index device 5 need not be a pointer, but may be any suitable indicating means, and need not be attached to the armature, but may be connected to the armature 3 in any suitable manner, so as to be moved thereby. Moreover, the armature need not be moved, as an armature of magnetic material, suitably shaped or polarized, so as to be capable of setting itself along lines of force, may be used instead. Thus a needle or bar of iron or steel may be used.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An electrical position-indicator,comprising a ring-armature provided with a winding and with energizing-circuit connections, an index device connected to said armature, an annular field-magnet with a ring-winding, and a switch device connected to the object whose position is to be indicated and having a plurality of contacts electrically connected to different parts of the said winding and to an energizing-circuit.

2. An electrical position-indicator,comprising a ring-armature provided with a Winding and with energizing-circuit connections, an index device connected to said armature, an annular field-magnet with a ring-winding, and a switch device connected to the object Whose position is to be indicated and having a plurality of contacts electrically connected to different parts of the said winding and to an energizing-circuit. v

3. An electrical position-indicator comprising an annular field-magnet provided with a series of coil-sections, a ring-armature having energizing-circuit connections, windings on said armature to divide the current around and polarize the same, said armature mounted to move in response to polarization of the field magnet, an index controlled by the movements of said armature, a switch device having contact-pieces connected to the object whose position is to be indicated, and said contact-pieces connected with the'corresponding coil-sections of the field-magnet.

4. An electrical position-indicator comprising an annular field-magnet provided with a series of coil-sections, a ring-armature having energizing-circuit connections, windings on said armature to divide the current around and polarize the same, said armature mounted to move in response to polarization of the fieldmagnet, an index controlled by the movements of said armature, a switch device having contact-pieces connected to the object whose position is to be indicated, said contact-pieces connected with the corresponding coil-sections of the fieldmagnet, said switch device being of such construction as to pass from one contact-piece to the adjacent contact-piece without breaking circuit.

5. An electrical position-indicator comprising an annular field-magnet provided with a series of coil-sections, a ring-armature having energizing-circuit connections, windings on said armature to divide the current around and polarize the same, said armature mount ed to move in response to polarization of the field magnet, an index controlled by the movements of said armature, a switch device having contact-pieces connected to the object whose position is to be indicated, said contact-pieces connected with the corresponding coil-sections of the field-magnet, the interval between adjacent contact-pieces being so small with relation to the switch device that said switch device will maintain contact with adjacent contact devices in passing from one to the other and bring in circuit corresponding adjacent coil-sections on the fieldmagnet whereby an intermediate position of the object whose position is to be indicated will be shown.

ALBERT s; HUBBARD.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR P. KNIGHT, J. GREEN.

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