US2590974A - Odds ratio relay unit for race - Google Patents

Description

April 1952 A. F. JULIUS ET AL 2,590,974

ODDS RATIO RELAY UNIT FOR RACE TOTALIZATORS Filed June 30, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet l lzz/v 61272-01 6 1i. SJiba/hgExecutozw, a" a! April 1, 1952 A. F. JULIUS ET AL 2,590,974

0015s RATIO RELAY UNIT FOR RACE TOTALIZATORS Filed June 30, 1948 4 She'ets-Sheet 3 luv anions Nd lJcalzu/s Julius fiecezmsQ April 1, 1952. A. F. JULIUS ETAL 2,590,974

ODDS RATIQ RELAY UNIT FOR RACE TOTALIZATORS Filed June so, 1948 Y 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. '1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ODDS RATIO RELAY UNIT FOR RACE TOTALIZATORS Application June 30, 1948, Serial No. 36,169 In Australia June 30, 1947 2 Claims.

This invention relates to odds relay units for race totalisators. Such units are used for relaying, with necessary power magnification, the odds ratio (prevailing at any instant of a totalisator transaction run in respect of a particular cornpetitor in the event for which totalisator transactions are being effected) from an odds ratio computing unit to one 01' more odds indicators or barometers which may be viewed by investors and prospective investors. The odds computing unit manifests its operation in terms of the paying out or hauling in of a tensed cable, cord or other flexible (but substantially in-extensible) tension member, the effective length of this member being directly proportional to the odds ratio obtaining for the particular competitor at any given moment of operation.

Odds relay units as used heretofore are efficient at the expense of considerable adjustment and sustained maintenance and servicing if they are to be kept functioning in an accurate and reliable manner. Moreover, the prior relay units are expensive to manufacture, largely due to the mechanical complexity of the reversing switch arrangements and the operating elements asso used heretofore is of more simple and inexpensive construction and is more reliable and sensitive in operation.

An odds ratio relay unit according hereto may be summarised as comprising, a pair of springloaded switches each having alternative circuit closure positions, a reversible electric motor circuit-ed with these two switches in such manner that the direction of motor rotation is contingent upon which of the switch closure positions is obtaining, a pair of cam followers respectively associated with the switches, a cam which through the agency of the two followers is able to effect concerted opening and closing of the switches, means for turning the cam in consonance with an odds ratio variation manifested by an odds computer, and means operable by the motor for actuating an odds indicator and for reverting the cam to a neutral position in which both of the switches are held open.

An example of the invention is illustrated by the drawings herewith.

Figure l is a side elevation of an odds ratio relay unit.

Figure 2 is a plan projected from Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation projected from Figure 1, looking from the left of that figure.

Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the main parts of the unit shown by Figures 1 to 3.

Figure 5' is a circuit diagram of the motor and switch arrangements.

The relay unit subject hereof comprises a gear and switch assemblage of which the several parts are mounted in a frame 5 preferably removably secured upon a base i by bolting or the like. This base preferably also constitutes a bed for bolting thereto or the reversible electric motor 8 forming part of the relay unit; and, if required, a Selsyn generator 9. The motor and the generator (if present) may be separably coupled to the gear and switch assemblage so that in the event of it being necessary (due to breakdown or otherwise) to remove either the assemblage, the motor or the generator, the affected item may be readily replaced by a reserve item so to avoid undue halting of the installation as a whole.

The frame 6 has a number of shafts in bearings therein. The first shaft It! has a driving sheave l i and a resetting gear :2 freely revolubly mounted thereon. The sheave and the gear are respectively fixed to the two face-to-face crown wheels 13 and i i of an epicyclic gear unit having two planetary pinions l5 which are freely mounted on the arms of a centre cross [5 fixed to the first shaft Iii. loaded by cable ii and weight it and is operated in known manner by a tensed cable H! from an odds computer which may be of conventional design. ihe first shaft It] has a cam disc 20 keyed thereon. This cam disc has about half of its periphery of slightly greater radius (shown exaggerated in Figure 4) than the remainder, so that two smoothly graded peripheral areas of radius change (indicated by 2!) are present at substantially diametrically opposite parts thereof, The difference between the two radii of the cam disc may be as littl as only a few thousandths of an inch, as described later herein.

Two follower levers 22 and 23 are associated with the cam disc. These follower levers are pivotally mounted (at 26) on the mentioned frame and they have projecting contact spurs The driving sheave is weightoperating buttons 28 of the switches are at alltimes loaded to bear against the followers 22' and 23 and hold them in contact with the c'am The two switches are mounted on the disc 29. frame 6 and are preferably provided with adjustment screws 29 so that-they may befinely adjusted relative to the followers-Hand 23.

The two switches are circuited with, the motor 8 as shown in Figures 4 and 5, for operation thereof as described below. The motoris separa bly drive coupled to a second shaft30' through a pair of drive plates 3| and 32, one of which is radially slotted to receive a projecting drive peg 33 on the other. Shaft 30 carries a worm pinion 34 meshing a worm wheel 35 on a third shaft 36'. A gear train consisting of worm pinion 37, worm wheel 38, pinion 39, gear 40, and pinion 4!, drive connects shaft 33 with there-setting gear l2 fixed to the second crown wheel it of the epicyclic gear unit. This gear train includes a fourth shaft 22 carrying a driven sheave 43- to which a cable 44 is connected for the operation of an odds barometer pointer or like movable indicator member. The third shaft 36' may carry abevel pinion 45 to constitute a separable drive coupling when meshed with a similar or complementary gear 46 on the shaft d1 of the Selsyn generator 9 (assuming such a generator is required and included in the installation).

As previously indicated herein, the two switches are of well-known type, each having (see-Figure two stationary contacts 58, i9 and 5&3, 5! respectively; and'a movable contactarm, 52 and 53 respectively. Arms 52- and 53 are connected acrossthe'field 5d of the motor 8. The spring loading of'arms 52 and 53 is such that they always seek to close on contacts 49 and 50 respectively.-

Such uselessclosure is prevented by the cam as, whichcompels concerted opening and closing of the switches asdescribed below.

Prior to operation of the unit for relaying-of odds ratios, the several parts-arein a-neutral or non-operating condition. In this condition-both ofthe switches are held open, as shown in'Figure 5, by-reason of the followers 22 and 23 bearing uponthe "mean radius portions 2| of the cam disc 20. Therefore, the motor is halted, for the time being;

As soon as an odds ratio variation is tobe relayed, cable i9 is paid out or hauled in by an odds computer in direct proportion to variations in the odds ratio obtaining in respect of a-particular competitor. This initiates a proportional turning of sheave l i (either due to a pull of cable I!) or a paying out of that cable to enable the weight loading of cable IT to turn thesheave).

As the motor s is still halted when sheave Ii commences to-turn, the crown wheel it is also tion-ofthe cam and switch-mechanism is-identi calthough opposite in sign. Assuming thecamis turned clockwise as indicated by the arrows in Figure 4, then the follower 22 will ride on to the large radius part of the cam, and the follower 23 will ride on to the smallradius part. Thus, the arm 52 will be pressed on to contact 68 by the cam, and arm 53 will be pressed on to contact 5% by its own loading spring.

The resulting operation of the motor turns sheave 53 so that cable actuates the odds barometer or other indicator, and also turns the crown wheel i l. The arrangement is such that when themovement of sheave ll represents an improvement or a deterioration in the odds ratio, thenthe indicator is operated by cable M .-to displaya corresponding improvement or deterioration, as the case may be, and the crown wheel i l in,- either case is turned in a direction opposite to; the immediately prior turning of crown wheel is thus reverting (or tending to revert) the centre cross it to its initial position inwhich the cam 2c is neutral and the motor rehalteddue to both of the switches again being open. Where several odds barcmeters or other indicators are to be operated in concert, a Selsyn generator such as Si is included to actuate the extra indicators in synchronism with the parent indicator as well understood.

What we claim is:

1. In a race track tctaiizer including an odds computerand an odds indicator, a shaft driven from the odds computer, a cam on said shaft, said cam having diametrically opposed rest portions with a raised portion of increased radius therebetween, a pair of single-pole double throw switches each biased to close on one fixed contact, a pair of'cam followers operatively connected respectively to the movable contacts of said switches and normally in engagement respectively with the rest'portions of said cam to hold the switches in open circuit position and each operable to close the corresponding switch on one fixed contact or to allow said switch to close on the other fixed contact according to the direction of rotation of said cam, a motor for driving the odds indicator, and a field circuit for said motor including one side of a power line and one fixed contact of each of said switches, the movable contact of both switches and the field, and the other fixed contact of each of said switches and the opposite side of the power line.

2. In a race track totalizator including an odds computer and an odds indicator, aligned first and second shaft sections, a pair of crown gears fixed to the shaft. sections and positioned in opposed relationship, a center cross fixed to a first shaft section and rotatably carrying crown pinions meshing with both of said crown gears, a motor having a'shunt field, a gear transmission between said motor and the'first shaft section, a drive from the transmission to the odds indicator, a sheave 0n the second shaft section, a weight tangentially connected to said sheave and biasing same in one direction of rotation, a flexible transmission from the odds computer and biasing the sheave in the opposite direction of rotation, a cam on said second shaft section, said cam having diametrically opposed-rest portions with a raised portion of increased radius therebetween, a pair of single-pole, double-throw switches each biased to close on one fixed contact, a pair of cam followers operatively connected respectively to the movable contacts of switches and normally in engagement respectively with the rest portions of said cam to hold the switches in open circuit positions and each operable to close the correallow said switch to close on the other fixed contact according to the direction of rotation of said cam, and a reversing circuit for the motor including the shunt field and both of said single-pole, double-throw switches.

AWDRY FRANCIS JULIUS.

EVA DRONGHSIA ODIERNA JULIUS.

AWDRY FRANCIS JULIUS RUSSELL STUART HICKS, Executors of the Estate of George Alfred Julius,

Deceased.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS

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