Patent GB-191306192-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Wireless Clock-synchronising Apparatus.
Inventor: ORDONS RAYMOND LOUIS ROZE DES
IPC: G04C11/06
Filed: 1913-03-12
Granted: 1913-11-20
Abstract: 6192. Des Ordons, R. L. R. March 13, 1912, [Convention date]. Synchronizing hands.-In apparatus for synchronizing a clock by means of electro-magnetic waves, means are provided for enabling time signals to be selected from other wireless signals, so that the apparatus may respond only to such signals as are necessary for the periodic synchronization of the hands. An arbor 2, rotated by the clock 1 once in say six minutes, carries two disks 3, 4, which are under the control of springs 13, 14 respectively. The disks are loose on the arbor 2, but are adapted to be clutched thereto by coned sleeves 11, 12 operated by forked spring-controlled levers 5, 6. These levers form the armatures of electro-magnets 7, 8, the connexions between the magnets, a battery P, a relay R, and a coherer D being as shown in Fig. 1. The disk 3, Fig. 3, is toothed, and a pawl 21 fixed on a spindle 20A coacts with it, but is normally held out of engagement therewith by the pressure of a projection 19 on a disk 4 against an arm 20 also fixed on the spindle 20<A>. When a signal operates the relay R, the magnet 8 is energized, and the armature 6 is attracted, unclutching the disk 4 which is thereupon turned by the spring 14 until a projection 27 on the disk strikes against a fixed stop 28, Fig. 4. In this position, the pawl 21 is free to engage the toothed disk 3, and the projection 27 on the disk 4 presses against a contact 29, closing the circuit of the electro-magnet 7. This attracts its armature 5, which then effects the clutching of the disk 3 to the arbor 2. The disk, normally in the position shown in Fig. 3, begins to turn in the direction of the arrow b and rotates or tends to rotate so long as the magnet 7 remains energized. On the cessation of the initial signal, the clutch 12 is again thrown into engagement with the disk 4, and the projection 27 moves away from the stop 28. Contact with the spring 29 is not, however, broken until say six seconds afterwards, and if in the meantime another signal is received, reversal of the disk 4 again occurs. Thus, a rapid succession or series of signals, such as a preparatory Morse code message, is effective in causing the toothed disk 3 to be turned until it is stopped by a pin 30 thereon pressing a spring 34 flat against the armature 5. When a certain interval has elapsed after the completion of the said series of signals, the circuit of the magnet 7 is broken at 27, 29 and the armature 5 releases the disk 3, which is then held against backward rotation by the engagement of the pawl 21 in the first notch 35. The disk 3 is advanced step by step in the manner described by the reception of successive series of signals emitted at definite intervals of time, the pawl 21 engaging in the notches 35, 36, and 37 in turn after each series, and pins 31, 32, and 33 acting in turn in the same way as the pin 30. The final series of signals brings a projection 17 on the disk 3 into engagement with a contact-spring 38, so that if waves are emitted at that instant from a standard clock the relay R closes a circuit through a synchronizing electromagnet 39. This sets the hands of the clock 1 to time by means of levers acting on the usual heartcams. After the clock is set, the projection 17, still turning for a little while in the direction of the arrow b, passes the contact 38 and is afterwards held away from it by the engagement of the pawl 21 in a notch 37<a> until the parts return to the normal position. This occurs when, by the rotation of the disk 4, (the magnet 8 being no longer energized) the projection 19 presses on the arm 20, and thereby raises the pawl 21.