US1975308A - Vibratory tuning and regulating device - Google Patents

Description

0d. 2, 1934. J ASHDOWN 1,975,308

VIBRATORY TUNING AND REGULATING DEVICE Filed Sept. 3, 1931 llllllllll I INVEHT'OR I! mesm- JASPER Hsnoowrr TTORHEY I Patented Oct. 2, 1934 PATENT OFFICE VIBRATORY TUNING AND. REGULATING DEVICE Albert Jasper Ashdown, Westminster, London, England Application September 3, 1931, Serial No. 560,986 In Great Britain September 5, 1930 1' Claim.

This invention comprises a vibratory tuning and regulating device capable of use for a number of purposes such for example as the continuous vibration or operation of a tuning fork or the I like for the purpose of producing a sustained noise or musical note which may be prolonged over any suitable period and also for regulating or synchronizing the speed of moving objects or mechanisms or for regulating clockwork or other mechanism.

Broadly a speed regulating or tuning device according to my present invention comprises a vibratory body having a predetermined periodicity of vibration and being free to be vibrated by successive impulses, means for producing said impulses being operated in synchronization with said periodicity and being controllably connected to a prime mover, whereby any tendency of a divergence from a synchronized relation of said means and said body is utilized to control the speed of the prime mover or to maintain the desired sequence of impulses to produce a sustained musical note or noise.

According to this invention a tuning fork, reed or other vibratory member is employed in combination with a pawl, stop, detent or the like so that it may regulate or control the motion of a toothed wheel or surface combined with suitable mechanism so as to act as a regulator or controller for the mechanism and/or to receive impulses from the mechanism so as to maintain the tuning fork, reed or the like in continuous vibration so as to maintain a sustained noise or musical note.

In carrying out my invention as applied to the actuation of a tuning fork, reed or the like I may employ a tuning fork of any convenient size or period suitably mounted or supported so that it may be vibrated freely to produce the desired musical note or sound. At the free end of the tuning fork or reed is arranged a pawl or projection adapted to engage with a toothed wheel which may be rotated at a convenient speed by any suitable mechanism such for example as an electric motor, clockwork, spring motor or the like. The electric, spring or other motor is driven at or above a speed which will rotate or tend to rotate the toothed wheel so that the passage of its teeth and spaces past the pawl or projection on the tuning fork or reed will or can be made to correspond with the vibratory period of the tuning fork or reed. The tuning fork or reed will thus be kept in vibration continuously by the movement imparted to it by the rotation of the toothed wheel, and at the same time these vibrations will act to regulate and control the speed at which the toothed wheel rotates. For this purpose the pawl or projection is arranged to engage withthe teeth of the wheel in the manner of an escapement so as to regulate the speed thereof. This can only be correctly effected when the toothed wheel rotates or tends to rotate at or above a speed corresponding with the vibratory period of the tuning fork or reed. There will thus be a mutual interaction between the toothed wheel and the pawl or projection on the tuning fork or reed whereby the vibratory movement of the tuning fork or reed is maintained and the speed of rotation of the toothed wheel is controlled and regulated.

In order that my invention may be clearly 7 0 understood and readily carried into effect I have appended hereto a sheet of drawings illustrating embodiments thereof, and wherein,

Figs. 1 and 2 are broken side elevation and plan views respectively showing a suitable arrangement of mechanism for producing a sustained musical note from a tuning fork or for using a tuning fork as a governer.

Fig. 3 is a view showing how a vibratory body, shown for example as a tuning fork can be utilized to govern a gramaphone motor or other clockwork gear required to be governed.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing my invention applied to the governing of an electrical prime mover.

Referring to the drawing the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 shows a tuning fork 1 the limbs of which are free to be vibrated to produce a musical note, the vibration preferably being effected by forming on one limb near its free extremity a on lateral thin steel or other suitable projection 2 which engages with the teeth of a toothed wheel 3 the vibrations imparted to the fork being such that for a predetermined speed of rotation of the toothed wheel 3 the projection 2 engages regularly between successive teeth of the said toothed wheel. By this means the tuning fork will be maintained continuously vibrating, the toothed wheel 3 being rotated from any suitable prime mover, for example a clockwork motor 4 as shown which can be wound when required by a spindle 5.

As the periodicity of the vibrations of the tuning fork is constant it will be appreciated that there will be a mutual interaction between the vibrations of the tuning fork and the rotation of the toothed Wheel 3, which will result in a combined governor effect of the motor 4. and protracted note of the tuning fork 1 either or both of which results can be usefully applied to appropriate purposes. For example the tuning fork 1 in Fig. 3 has its lateral projection 2 engaged with a toothed wheel 6 driven at a predetermined speed by suitable gearing '7 from a gramaphone motor 8 so that a constant speed of the gramaphone motor is maintained. Alternatively as shown in Fig. 4 the lateral projection 2 of the tuning fork l engages a toothed wheel 9 driven at a predetermined speed from a gear accommodated in a housing 10, this gear being in mechanical control with an electric motor 11, so that should the motor 11 vary its predetermined speed the consequent momentary drag or resistance of the projection 2 on the gear Wheel 9 will apply through suitable reduction gearing in the housing 10 the appropriate load to counteract any tendency of the motor to vary its proper speed.

The relative positions of the projection 2 and the toothed wheel 3, 6 or 9 can be finely adjusted by any suitable means. For example the shank 12 of the fork can be adjustably supported in a steel or other suitable resilient arm 13 fixed at one end 14 and bent or flexed to move the fork slightly by a set screw 15 threaded through the bar 13 and engaged with a frame member 16 or other suitable abutment. The fork shank 12 can be axially adjusted in the bar 13 and secured in selected position by lock nuts 17.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the invention may be conveniently employed for the purpose of regulating clocks and clockwork or other mechanisms and for synchronizing the speeds of any number of units of electrical or other machinery. In this connection it is a well known fact that tuning forks of any particular pitch or note have a definite vibratory period and by employing any number of similar tuning forks in connection with separate installations or ma-- chines, any number of such installations or machines may be controlled to operate at substan- 'tially identical speeds and may accordingly be synchronized with great accuracy since the interaction between the moving part and the tuning fork or reed maintains the latter in vibration.

The invention is also applicable for governing the production of continuous sound or musical notes by mechanical means.

I claim:

A device for regulating speed of a prime mover comprising a constant period tuning fork, a toothed wheel driven from' the prime mover, a projection on said tuning fork engaging the periphery of said toothed wheel so that the fork is vibrated by its engagement with said wheel, the relative speed of said wheel and the vibratory periodicity of the fork being such that there is -a mutual interaction between them, the said pro jection being directed substantially radially against the toothed periphery of the wheel so that said projection is engaged in the successive spaces between the teeth of the Wheel during rotation of the wheel.

ALBERT JASPER ASHDOWN.

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