Jenkins Synchronizing Forks
The accompanying photographs show a vibrating-fork-control employed to keep distantly separated motors in synchronism. This is the motor control employed in the system developed by the author for the sending and receiving of photographs and photograms, by radio and by wire.
The control unit is surprisingly simple and dependable, and is believed might be found useful for many other purposes where it is desired to keep motors in step with each other which are separated by long distances, the control signals being sent by wire or by radio, and from fixed or moveable stations, on land, on water, or in the air.
The fork illustrated is about fifteen inches long, mounted on a cast brass frame with a bakelite cover plate upon which the fork, motor coil, and binding posts are mounted. A single cell of dry battery keeps the fork in vibration.
The device is designed on a new principle, and has a very sharp control of the motor revolutions. Simple means are provided for easily verifying the continuity of the motor control.
These fork motor units will control any number of motors of any size, at any distance, and on moveable or stationary platforms.