Abstract:
A street clock comprising a master movement, at least one slave movement controlled by said master movement and communicating with said master movement via a controller conduit or via said controller conduit in conjunction with adjacent said slave movement(s). The street clock may have a plurality of clock faces, each face having hands operated by and mechanically engaged with either said master movement or one of said slave movement(s); a backlight mounted behind each of said faces for illuminating each of said faces; a battery cradle engaging a plurality of batteries for powering said master movement, said slave movement(s) and said backlights via a common electrical conduit. The street clock employs a housing enclosing said master movement, said slave movement(s), said backlight, at least a portion of said electrical conduit, at least a portion of said controller conduit and said clock faces.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to outdoor clocks. The embodiments shown and described herein are more particularly for use in pedestal or wall type street clocks. 
       CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0002]    None 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0003]    No federal funds were used to develop or create the invention disclosed and described in the patent application. 
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX 
       [0004]    Not Applicable 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  shows a pedestal clock embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  shows a detailed view of the clock face of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  shows a cross sectional view of the housing in one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  shows a wall clock embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  shows an internal perspective view of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  shows a detailed view of the base of a pedestal clock embodiment of the present invention with the access door removed. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  shows a detailed view of the battery cradle and parallel circuitry in one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a wall clock showing a battery cradle mounted in another embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 9A  is a schematic illustrating the electrical system and master slave relationship with a quart master movement. 
           [0014]      FIG. 9B  is a schematic illustrating the electrical system and master slave relationship with a radio control master movement. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION—LISTING OF ELEMENTS 
       [0015]      
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Element Description 
                 Element Number 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Clock Face 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 Housing 
                 2 
               
               
                   
                 Base 
                 3 
               
               
                   
                 Battery Cradle 
                 4 
               
               
                   
                 Battery 
                 5 
               
               
                   
                 Diode 
                 6 
               
               
                   
                 Parallel Circuitry 
                 7 
               
               
                   
                 Intentionally blank 
                 8 
               
               
                   
                 Electrical Conduit 
                 9 
               
               
                   
                 Master Movement 
                 10 
               
               
                   
                 Slave Movement 
                 11 
               
               
                   
                 Controller Conduit 
                 12 
               
               
                   
                 Backlight Mounting Rod 
                 13 
               
               
                   
                 Remote Time Adjuster 
                 14 
               
               
                   
                 Antenna 
                 15 
               
               
                   
                 Hands 
                 16 
               
               
                   
                 Pedestal Clock 
                 17 
               
               
                   
                 Button 
                 18 
               
               
                   
                 Switch 
                 19 
               
               
                   
                 Backlight 
                 20 
               
               
                   
                 Battery Cradle Lid 
                 21 
               
               
                   
                 Intentionally blank 
                 22 
               
               
                   
                 Access Panel 
                 23 
               
               
                   
                 Interior of Housing 
                 24 
               
               
                   
                 Access Door 
                 25 
               
               
                   
                 Wall Clock 
                 26 
               
               
                   
                 Backlight Attachment Strap 
                 27 
               
               
                   
                 Interior of Base 
                 28 
               
               
                   
                 Alternating Current (AC) Electrical Conduit 
                 29 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  discloses and describes one embodiment of the present invention, showing a pedestal clock  17  with four clock faces  1  mounted in a housing  2 . The pedestal clock  17  has a base  3  with an access door  25  that is typically connected to the base  3  via screws. Although not shown, a locking means may be employed to secure the access door  25 . In one embodiment, the base  3  and housing  2  are constructed of commercial-grade aluminum because of its desirable corrosion resistance and density attributes, but the scope of the current invention is not limited by the materials of construction. 
         [0017]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the position of the hands  16  may be viewed at night by the placement of a backlight  20  behind the clock face  1 . The distance between the backlight  20  and the clock face  1  may be varied for appearance and brightness. Typically the distance ranges from one-half inch to five inches. (See  FIG. 4 .) Methods and means to vary the distance are known to those skilled in the art and not described further herein. The backlight  20  is mounted in the housing  2  to a backlight mounting rod  13  in the housing  2  by a backlight attachment strap  27  as shown at  FIG. 4 . In the present embodiment, the backlight attachment strap  27  is composed of plastic, but other materials and means known to those skilled in the arts may be used to secure the backlight  20  to the backlight mounting rod  13 . The color and lumen output of the backlight  20  may be specified for the desired characteristics according to the application of the clock face  1 . The backlight  20  illuminates the translucent clock face  1  and accentuates the position of the opaque hands  16  as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The backlight  20  may be sized to surround an area equal to or slightly less than the area of the clock face  1 , or it may be of a similar shape as the clock face  1  with a smaller perimeter. The backlight  20  is constructed of an electrically powered continuous tubular neon type bulb so that it provides a continuous light source behind the clock face  1 , thereby providing uniform light dissipation. The resulting view from the outside of the clock face  1  presents the clock face  1  at a uniform brightness, reducing areas of less intense light (shading) and more intense light (hot spots). The electrical power source for the backlight  20  may be any source known to those skilled in the art, such as 110 volt AC power, but in one embodiment, the backlight  20  is powered by lithium batteries  5  connected to the backlight  20  via electrical conduit  9 . The clock face  1 , hands  16  and the backlight  20  are enclosed in the housing  2  so that they are protected from fluctuations in weather and the elements associated with the outdoors. 
         [0018]    The hands  16  of each clock face  1  are mechanically coupled to either a master movement  10  or a slave movement  11 , and the hands  16  are positioned by the respective movement  10 ,  11  coupled to the respective hands  16 . That is to say, for each clock face  1  and set of hands  16 , there must be one movement, either a master movement  10  or a slave movement  11 . (See  FIG. 8A .) The present invention employs one master movement  10  and may employ as few as no slave movements  11  (in a clock with one clock face  1 ), or as many as three slave movements  11  (in a clock with four clock faces  1 ), or any number in between (in a clock with two clock faces  1  or a clock with three clock faces  1 ). The present embodiment uses a microprocessor, not shown, to control the quartz master movement  10 . It should be understood by those practiced in the arts that using a microprocessor is one means of controlling a master movement, as recited in the claims. As illustrated in  FIG. 9A , both the master movement  10  and any slave movement(s)  11  are powered through an electrical conduit  9  from a battery cradle  4  ( FIG. 8 ). The master movement  10  communicates with the slave movement(s)  11  through a controller conduit  12 , and if more than one slave movement  11  is used, the master movement  10  communicates with the slave movements  11  not adjacent to the master movement  10  via the combination of controller conduit  12  and adjacent slave movements  11  ( FIG. 9A ). The master movement  10  directs the slave movements  11  to match the hand  16  position of the master movement  10  and in this way synchronizes the motion of the hands  16  on each clock face  1 . If the master movement  10  is a quartz-type movement, the position of the hands  16  coupled to the master movement  10  (and subsequently the hands  16  coupled to any/all slave movement(s)  11 ) is adjusted by a remote time adjuster  14  in communication with the master movement  10  via controller conduit  12 . The remote time adjuster  14  may be used to set the position of the hands  16  coupled to the master movement  10  through use of a logic controller in the master movement  10  which is currently available and known to those skilled in the art. By pressing and holding the button  18  on the remote time adjuster  14  for four seconds, one may accelerate the movement of the minute hand coupled to the master movement  10  and cause it to move forward in one-minute increments on the clock face  1  at approximately a rate of one increment per second. The minute hand will automatically resume normal operation after it has advanced sixty minutes. At any time during the accelerated movement of the minute hand, normal operation may be resumed by pressing and holding the button  18  for one second. The minute hand may also be adjusted by holding the button  18  for one second, which causes the minute hand to advance one one-minute increment on the clock face  1 . This one second pressing of the button  18  and resulting one-minute increment movement of the minute hand may be repeated indefinitely until the desired time is displayed on the clock face  1 . In this way, the time of all clock faces  1  in a single housing  2  may be set using the remote time adjuster  14 . In one embodiment, the button  18  of the remote time adjuster  14  is situated in a place convenient for adjustment, but secure from tampering.  FIG. 4  shows the button  18  positioned in the interior of the base  3  of a pedestal clock  17  so that the button  18  may easily be accessed through the access door  25 , allowing for convenient adjustment of the hand  16  position, but also ensuring the button  18  is not tampered with since a locking means (not shown) may be employed on the access door  25  to limit accessibility.  FIG. 6  shows the button  18  positioned in the interior of the housing of a wall clock  26 , so that the button  18  may easily be accessed through the access panel  23 , allowing for convenient adjustment of the hand  16  position, but also ensuring the button  18  is not tampered with because a locking means (not shown) may be employed on the access panel  23  to limit accessibility. 
         [0019]    The master movement  10  may also be of the radio control type movement, also known to those skilled in the art, which continuously receives signals from the United States Naval Observatory atomic clock, located in Boulder, Colo., through a receiver antenna  15  which communicates with the master movement  10  through controller conduit  12 . The transmissions received by the antenna  15  direct the master movement  10  to position the hands  16  coupled to the master movement  10  so that a clock employing this type of master movement  10  is set automatically and requires no input from the owner. A radio control type master movement  10  communicates with and controls slave movements  11  in the same manner as a quartz-type master movement  10 , so that the hand  16  position of the hands  16  coupled to slave movements  11  do not need to be adjusted, but are controlled by the master movement  10 . For optimal reception, the antenna  15  should be pointed towards Colorado. The antenna  15  may be mounted directly to the top of the master movement  10  inside the housing  2 . When mounted inside the housing  2 , the antenna  15  should be mounted on a caster mechanism so the direction of the antenna  15  may be adjusted for optimal reception. Alternatively, the antenna  15  may be mounted to the outside of the housing  2  for optimal reception, depending on the specific geographical location and application of the clock. If mounted on the outside of the housing  2 , the antenna  15  may be colored and textured to match the exterior of the housing  2  so as not to detract from the aesthetic value of the clock. The master movement  10 , all/any slave movement(s)  11  and at least a portion of the controller conduit  12  are enclosed in the housing  2  so that they are protected from fluctuations in weather and the elements associated with the outdoors. Additionally, in another embodiment, the button  18  for the remote time adjuster  14  and battery cradle  4  may also be enclosed in the housing  2  (shown in  FIG. 6 ). 
         [0020]    The battery cradle  4  is mounted within the interior of the base  28  and constructed to accept a plurality of batteries  5 . In one embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 , the battery cradle  4  is fashioned to accept four 3.6 volt lithium batteries  5 . (See also  FIG. 7 .) In one embodiment, the battery cradle  4  employs a common electrical switch  19  that does not allow electricity to flow through a common electrical conduit  9  to the master movement  10 , slave movement(s)  11  or backlight  20  when the switch is in the “off” position, but does allow for current flow to these elements through a common electrical conduit  9  when in the “on” position. In another embodiment, only the master movement  10  and the slave movement(s)  11  are connected to the battery cradle  4  via the electrical conduit  9  and the backlight  20  is powered by alternative means, such as common 110 volt AC power routed through a separate electrical conduit  9 . The electrical conduit  9  in the battery cradle  4  is constructed so that the electrical conduit  9  connects the batteries  5  in parallel, which ensures the total voltage available from the battery cradle  4  is equal to the total voltage available from one battery  5  (3.6 volts in one embodiment), but the current available from the battery cradle  4  is fourfold that of a single battery  5 . Therefore, in one embodiment, the total amount of electrical energy available from the battery cradle  4  is four times the electrical energy available from a single battery  5 . In this embodiment, the master movement  10  and each slave movement  11  share a common electrical conduit  9  for connection with the battery cradle  4 . In this way, the battery cradle  4  ensures that the hands  16  of each clock face  1  will simultaneously stop when the batteries  5  in the battery cradle  4  are no longer able to supply the minimum amount of current required for the master movement  10  and slave movement(s)  11 . The battery cradle  4  also ensures that when the hands  16  stop, all batteries  5  in the battery cradle  4  will be exhausted. Powering the master movement  10  and all slave movements  11  from a common electrical conduit  9  eliminates frivolous service requests caused by a scenario in which the hands  16  on one clock face  1  are moving while the hands  16  on another clock face  1  are stationary and the possibility of changing out batteries  5  that still have some current available. To ensure electricity does not flow from one battery  5  to another battery  5 , but rather to the master movement  10 , slave movements  11  and backlight  20 , a diode  6  is mounted on the electrical conduit  9  adjacent each individual battery  5 . This design alleviates any concern of one battery  5  charging another battery  5  through electrical conduit  9  adjacent each battery  5  if the first battery  5  has a larger charge than that of the second battery  5 . In one embodiment, the battery cradle  4  is outfitted with a lid  21  to protect the batteries  5 , diodes  6  and parallel circuitry  7  from outdoor conditions. The lid  21  may be secured to the main body of the battery cradle  4  by any means known to those skilled in the art, but in one embodiment, the battery cradle lid  21  is secured to the battery cradle with screws. In one embodiment, the internal elements of the battery cradle  4  are further protected from outdoor conditions by placing the entire battery cradle  4  in the base  3  so that it may be accessed from the access door  25 . Such placement also adds to the convenience associated with changing the batteries  5  in the battery cradle  4  because of the physical elevation of the access door  25  and in most designs the base  3  is large enough to also enclose a spare set of a plurality of batteries  5 . Since lithium batteries are of high value, in one embodiment some type of locking means, such as a padlock (not shown) may be employed to lock the access door  25  to the base  3  and avoid unwanted access to the base  3  via the access door  25 . In another embodiment, the battery cradle  4  is placed in the housing  2  for easy access through the access panel  23 . The access panel may also incorporate a locking means (not shown) similar to the locking means used with an access door  25  in a different embodiment. 
         [0021]    It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments pictured and described herein, but is intended to apply to all wall, pedestal or otherwise mounted outdoor clocks powered by means of batteries employing from one to three clock faces  1 . Modifications and alterations from the described embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art without departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention.