US2863710A - Data recorder - Google Patents

Description

Dec- 9; 1958 B.' COOPER ET AL 2,863,710

DATA RECORDER Filed April 21. 1953 United States Patent O DATA RECORDER Benjamin Cooper, Joseph S. Wapner and John G. Robaek,

Brooklyn, N. Y.; said Wapner and said Roback assignors to said Cooper Application April 21, 1953, Serial No. 350,137

1 Claim. (Cl. 346-34) This invention relates generally to automatic `event recording devices, and in particular to an automatic recording device that will print a record of the occurrence of each event.

The invention is directed toward the provision of a data recorder designed for use in a situation where many events are to be recorded. An example of such a situation would be a Power House wherein electricity is manufactured. In this instance, it is desirable that the controlling engineer know when certain events happen for proper maintenance and operation of the Power Plant. Por example; when a. =failure occurs, it is desirable that the source be readily determined so that it may be corrected to remove the failure. Therefore, each of the major possible sources of failure will be provided with a detecting device which will indicate to the apparatus of the present invention that a failure has occurred. These devices may be utilized on the generator proper, on transformers or on switch points, or any of a multitude of locations. The present invention provides means for sensing an abnormal condition at any one or more of the plurality of locations. The occurrence of an abnormal condition is stored in a memory device which is read out and data corresponding to the abnormal condition is printed on a record or the like.

Therefore, one of the principal objects of the invention resides in the provision of a recording device that will receive data from one or more sources and will store said data in memory means.

Another object of the invention is to provide read-out means for reading the data out of said memory means.

Another object is to provide printing means for printing a record of the data that is read out of the memory means.

Another object is to provide in an automatic data recorder, means to differentiate between the occurrence of an event and the ending of an event.

Another object of the invention is to provide manually operative means for actuating the automatic data recorder to indicate the present individual status of each of the plurality of event detecting devices.

Other ancillary objectives will be, in part, hereinafter pointed out and will be, in part, hereinafter apparent.

In the drawings;

Figure l is a schematic diagram of the invention; and

Figure 2 is a plan elevation of the means for dierentiating between the beginning of an abnormal condition and the return thereof to normal condition.

Referring to the drawings in detail, generally designates relay means. There is a relay means 10 provided for each possible event or condition that it is desired to detect.

Each relay means 10 is similar to the other and therefore the description of more than one is not deemed neceSsary. It will be understood that all relay means 10 will appear in an identical manner as will be hereinafter described.

Each relay means 1li comprises a relay coil 12, a pair switch generally designated as 39.

i' ice of normally closed contacts 14, a pair of normally open contacts 16, a second pair of normally closed contacts designated as 18 and a second pair of normally open contacts designated as 20. Further, each relay means includes a capacitor 22 that is provided for reasons hereinafter appearing.

Associated with each relay coil 12, is a switch 24 that is positioned remotely at a possible source of trouble where it is desirable to record the occurrence of the trouble. Switch 24 is of the normally-open type and is adapted to close upon the existence or happening of an abnormal condition. While it has not been shown, conventional external devices well known to those skilled in the art such as thermostats, gauges etc., may be utilized to actuate Athe switches 24. The structural relationship of these devices with the switches 24 forms no part of the invention and is not described in detail herein. For the purpose of this application it will be understood that the switches 24 respond to these devices when a condition other than normal occurs. Switch 24 is disposed in a series circuit with coil 12. This circuit may be traced from a positive source of potential through switch 24, when closed, through the ooil 12, over a conductor 26 and through a normally closed manually operative switch 28 to a source of negative potential.

Thus, with the closing of switch 24, it is evident that the coil 12 energizes. The energizing of coil 12 opens the normally closed contacts 14 and 18 and closes the normally open contacts 16 and 20. The closing of normally open contacts 16 completes a circuit to capacitor 22 to place an electrical charge on said capacitor. This circuit may be traced as follows: from a source of positive potential over conductor 30, through the closed switch 16 and through closed switch 14 over conductor 32 to one terminal of capacitor 22. yThe other terminal of capacitor 22 is connected to a source of negative potential, thus, capacitor 22 becomes energized. It may be pointed out at this time that contacts 14 and 16, 18 and 20 are the make before break type. That is, contacts 16 will make or close before the contacts 14 break or open. In a similar manner, contacts Z0 will close before contacts 18 open. This make before break permits a momentary closing of both contacts to provide a complete circuit for the charging of capacitor 22. Conductor 32 is connected to a contact designated as 37 of a rotary contact Contact 37 is not connected in any circuit.

It will be understood that the fixed contacts adjacent to the fixed contact 37 will each be connected by an individual conductor to a respective capacitor, not shown. There will be las many capacitors as there are relay means 10 and the differing detecting devices.

The concurrent actuation of contacts 18 and 20 similarly completes a circuit that controls the operation of a conventional thyratron vacuum tube generally designated as VTI.

This cir-cuit may be traced as follows: from a source of positive potential through the closed contacts 18 and 21), over conductor 34 to the grid circuit of thyratron VTI. Thyratron VTi is a conventional thyratron and the circuit is such that the thyratron is normally biased at cut-off, i. e., no current ows in the plate circuit thereof. The pulse increases the potential on the grid circuit 36 of the thyratron VTl and lires or ignites said thyratron thereby conducting plate current over conductor 40. Conductor 4i) is connected to one terminal of solenoid 42. The other terminal of solenoid 42 is connected by conductor 44 to a rotary contact 46 of a rotary switch generally designated as 4S. Rotary switch 48 is of the type wherein the rotary -contact is continuously in engagement with a ring contact Si), except for a few degrees of its rotation. In normal position, rotary contact 46 is in contact with ring contact 50. Ring contact 50 is connected to a source of positive potential. Therefore, the conducting of current by the thyratron VT1 results in the energization of solenoid 42 and actuation of armature 52. Associated .with armature 52 is a normally open switch 54 and a switch actuator 56. Switch actuator 56 is in the form of a cam follower and is adapted to ride on the periphery of a cam 60.

The rotary contact 39a of stepping switch 39, rotary contact 46 of stepping switch 50 and cam 60 are jointly mounted on a common shaft 62 represented in Figure l as a broken line. Shaft 62 is connected` by means of gears 64, 66 and 68 to a friction clutch 70, which is in turn driven by an electric motor 72. Motor 72 is energized by the closing of switch 54 over a circuit which may be traced as follows: from ACG through motor 72, over conductor 74, through a normally closed switch 76, over conductor 78, through closed switch 54', over conductor S to normally closed contacts 82a and 82h of switch S2 to ACH. The energizing of motor 72 thereby rotates shaft 62 in the direction of t-he arrows, Figure l. Rotary contact @t5-breaks contact with ring contact 50, upon a few degrees of rotation of shaft 62, thereby shutting off from a source of positive potential, the plate of thyratron VTI. Accordingly, solenoid 42 de-energizes and cam follower 56 is spring urged toward its normal position. However, by this time, the low dwell 60a in which cam follower normally resides when the shaft is not rotating, has rotated and the high dwell of cam 60 holds switch 54 in actuated condition until one revolution has been completed by said cam. Thyratron VT1 does not reignite when contact 46 reengages ring contact 50 since contacts 18 are open. Thus, motor 72 continues to rotate shaft 62 for one revolution. Upon the engagement of rotary Contact 39a with the charged contact 37, a circuit is completed which charges or ignites the thyratron VT2. This is accomplished by conductor 84 interconnecting the now charged rotary contact 39a with the grid circuit 86 of the thyratron VT2. Thyratron VTZ is similar in respect to the thyratron VT1, and upon the charging of the grid circuit thereof, thyratron VT2 conducts current through its related plate circuit.

The plate circuit of the thyratron VT2 includes aconductor 88 in series with a solenoid 90, a conductor 92, and a normally closed pair of contacts 94. One of the contacts 94 is connected to a source of positive potential. Thus, with the ring of thyratron VT2, soleno-id 90 is energized. Solenoid 90 -controls a pawl 96 which is adapted to engage a ratchet wheel 98 affixed to shaft 62. Pawl 96 is adapted to instantaneously engage the ratchet wheel 98 and arrest the rotation of shaft 62 while said shaft is still in the angular position wherein rotary contact 39a is in engagement with charged contact 37. It will be understood however, that the capacitor charge on contact 37 will now have dissipated through the grid circuit of thyratron VT2.

Drum 100 is similarly affixed to and rotatable with shaft 62. The periphery of drum 100 is engraved with indicia corresponding to the various trouble points at which each of `the contacts 24 of the relay means 10 are disposed. Thus, with the arresting of the shaft 62 in a selected position, a pre-determined engraved indicia will be presented to a printing mechanism that is simply shown as a printing solenoid 102. It will be understood, however, that the necessary paper recording medium is provided to transfer an imprint of the indicia thereon.

With the energization of solenoid 90 and the arresting of shaft 62 by pawl '96 and ratchet wheel 93, switch. 82 is actuated to open contact 52a from engagement with 3212 and close contact 521) with contact 82e. The opening of contacts 82a and g2b, of course, opens the cir cuit that energizes motor 72, thus stopping said motor and further completes a circuit which energizes the printing solenoid 102. This circuitmay be traced as follows: from ACH through closed contacts 82b, 82e, over non-conducting condition.

ation.

102. The other terminal of the coil 0f solenoid 102 is connected to ACG. Therefore, solenoid 102 energizes and the platen 10201 is actuated to etfect a printing oper- Platen 102g, during the printing operation, engages and opens normally closed switch 94 which interrupts the positive source of supply to the plate of thyratron VT2, thereby restoring said thyratron to its initial Concurrently, solenoid deenergizes and pawl 96 is disengaged from the ratchet wheel 98. Motor 72 is once more energized with the closing of contacts 8212 and 82a and shaft 62 continues to revolve. If another relay means 10 is actuated, and its respective contact of the stepping switch 39 charged then upon rotary Contact 39a reaching the charged contact, the aforesaid cycle of operation will be repeated to print a record of the related abnormal condition. I-f no other xed contact of rotary switch 39 is charged, shaft 62 will complete one revolution as defined by the cam 60. That is, when cam follower 56 enters the low dwell 60a of cam 60, switch 54 will open and motor 72 will de-energize.

Upon the opening of contact 24, such as would be the case when the trouble was manually corrected or if the abnormal condition corrected itself, relay coil 12 will be de-energized and conta-cts 18-20 and 14-16 will restore to a normal position. The restoring of these contacts produces pulses similar to that produced upon the initial actuation of the contacts and the aforesaid cycle of operation is repeated with the printing of the related indicia.

Means is provided to differentiate between the initiation of an abnormal condition and the cessation of an abnormal condition and to this end there is provided a printing slug mechanism generally'designated as 120, Figures 1 and 2. Slug mechanism 120 consists of a printing solenoid 122 that controls a type wheel 124 to position said type wheel in one of twoV positions. As shown in the drawings, the energizing of solenoid 122 will condition the type wheel 124 to concurrently print with the selected indicia on drum 100, other indicia that identifies the printing as being the beginning of an abnormal condition. When solenoid 122 is de-energized, type wheel 124 will print indicia representative of the fact that the abnormal condition has been cleared. As shown in Figure l, a circuit is provided to control the selection of the printing wheel 124. To this end, there is provided a rotary switch 126, similar in all respects, to the rotary switch 39 which is also mounted on and rotatable with the shaft 62. A conductor is provided between each of the switches 24 and a respective contact of the stepping switch 126. The present circuit is shown existing from a sour-ce of positive potential through the closed contact 24 over conductor 129l to a fixed contact 130 of rotary switch 126, through switch 126, over conductor 132 to one terminal of solenoid 122. The other terminal coil 122 is connected to a source of negative potential.

Thus, when switch 24 closed, positive potential was present on the related contact of rotary switch 126. With the rotation of shaft 62 during the normal cycle, the rotary contact 126e of rotary switch 126 concurrently engages the contact 130 to complete lthe circuit and energize solenoid 122. Therefore, solenoid 122 will either be energized or `de-energized during each printing operation, in accordance with whether or not a switch 24 has just opened or just closed. l

From the foregoing, it is evident that the closing of a switch 24 by extraneous means resulting from an abnormal condition at one of the remote detecting locations, will cause a predetermined operation to result in the apparatus of the present invention. This operation will in fact, produce La printed record of the abnormal condition.

Should two or more abnormal conditions arise con currently or otherwise arise at different detecting locations, both abnormal conditions will be stored and read out, and a print made thereof without respect to the time sequence of occurrence.

1t may be pointed out at this time, that as many switches 24 and related relay means 141 may be provided as desired. The restrictions of as to how many may be utilized, lies solely in the physical construction of the rotary switches 126, 39 and the drum 189. lt has been found by experiment, that approximately one hundred locations enables the present invention to operate in an efficient manner.

Means are provided to make a status print of every detecting location, and to this end there is directed a push button 28 and push button 29. Push button 28 is of the normally closed type' and is disposed in series with the source of negative potential common to all of the relay coils 12 of each of the respective relay means 10. Thus, operation of the push button ZS will interrupt the negative return of all those coils 12 that are energized as a result of an abnormal condition. Release of the push button 28 will restore all of the coils 12 that are in an abnormal condition to energized condition. Deenergization and re-energization of the abnormal conditioned coil 12 Will produce a double charge on the respective contacts of the rotary switch 39. Since a double charge has no effect, only one operation will result. Those switches 24 that were closed by an abnormal condition Will be resultingly printed on the record thereby indicating the present status of all detecting devices that control the switches 24. Obviously, those detecting devices that are not abnormal, would be unaffected and would not cause printing operations to occur with respect thereto. However, should it be desirable to have printing operations occur for every detecting device whether abnormal or normal, then the push button 28 may be pressed and released and the push button 29 rapidly thereafter pressed and released. Further, push button 29 controls a relay 140 which when energized closes a plurality of switches 142, each of which is normally open and disposed in parallel with the switches 24 of the detecting devices. Thus, energization of relay 140 will simulate the closing of all of the switches 24 which are open and will produce a pulsing operation for every switch 24 that is normal or open. Thus, every line of indicia on the drum 100 will be printed successively as shaft 62 rotates, and the solenoid 122 will identify each line of indicia, as to whether or not an abnormal condition exists.

It will be noted that a relay 144 is provided under control of the push button 29, so that when said push button 29 is energized, the motor controlling switch 76 will be opened, thereby preventing rotation of the motor while push 4button 29 is depressed. This prevents the recording of false information.

Thus, it will be evident that there is provided a device in which several objects of the invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

While the foregoing description and embodiment has been applied to recording failures or malfunctions in a power installation, it will bel understood that the present invention could be readily adapted Without alterations or changes to any type recording installation having means to actuate the switches 24 to record an event or a plurality of events.

The invention claimed is:

In combination, a plurality of detecting devices, means to independently actuate and deactuate said devices, a plurality of data representations, each corresponding to a respective detecting device, means controlled by actuation or deactuation of one of said detecting devices to automatically select a corresponding data representation, manually operable means, and means 'responsive to the actuation of said manually operable means to successively select only those data representations of the plurality of data representations that are actuated, a second manually operable means, and means responsive to the actuation of said second manually operable means to successively select only those data representations corresponding to all of the detecting devices irrespective of whether they are deactuated or actuated, and means to dierentiate between the actuated and deactuated detecting devices.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,294,555 Spamer Feb. 18, 1919 1,763,879 Burns et al. lune 17, 1930 1,803,614 Hershey May 5, 1931 1,814,529 Remington July 14, 1931 1,877,635 Antoniono Sept. 13, 1932 2,128,812 Fricke Aug. 30, 1938 2,129,762 Harrison Sept. 13, 1938 2,333,783 Harrington Nov. 9, 1943 2,712,128 Woodrui June 28, 1955

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