Patent GB-785360-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to clockwork control mechanisms
IPC: G04B1/00
Filed: 1954-03-09
Abstract: 785,360. Clockwork mechanism. DAVALL & SONS, Ltd., S., and KRIVOCHEEF, G. June 9, 1955 [March 9, 1954], No. 6791/54. Class 10. A clockwork device for automatically controlling a wireless transmitter comprises within a watertight box 100 a spring and two gear trains, one " functional " and one " going," so arranged that the " going " train sets in motion the " functional " one at predetermined time intervals. Essentially the clockwork mechanism (Fig. 1) comprises a spring the barrel 14 of which is geared through wheel 27 with the " functional " train 30, 31, 32, 33 and escapement and balance wheel 34, 44, whilst the arbor 13 of which is geared through wheel 16 with the "going" train 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and escapement and balance wheel 22. The spring is wound (Fig. 5) by key 103 and the " going " train is started by moving handle 101 to the " Distress " position. The clockwork mechanism is mounted within the box 100 between plates 11, 12, whilst most of the operating mechanism is mounted on the front plate 11. The spring is mounted between plate 12 and a quarter plate 15 whilst the shaft 35 mounting the gear wheel 32 mounts at the front of plate 11 two cam plates 36, 37. The peripheral edge of the cam plate 36 is so shaped that as it rotates it operates a key-switch 50 which controls the wireless transmitter the cam being such that on commencement of its rotation it switches on the wireless battery or other power supply through interengagement of block 136 and switch contacts 150 and then after the wireless valves have warmed up it changes, through interengagement of block 136 and a switch 151 the wireless circuit such that repeated "S O S" and " ship data " signals may be transmitted automatically. The speed of the cam plate 36 is such that it rotates once in less than twelve minutes. The peripheral edge of the cam plate 37 is such that when it is set in motion and its key switch, similar to the one 50 controlled by cam 36, is operating the wireless transmitter an " alarm " or " alert " signal is sent out. The cam 37 operates the wireless transmitter before the cam 36 although both are rotating together there being an arrangement connected with the cam 37 such that at the end of its " alarm " or " alert " movement a change-over switch secured on the back plate 12 of the device is operated through a lever 96 to disconnect the key switch associated with cam 37 from the wireless transmitter simultaneously connecting the key switch 50 associated with cam 36 with the transmitter. A handle 106 (Fig. 5) on the box 100 connects with a switch 107 (Fig. 3) mounted in the device which either connects the transmitter and associated switchgear within the device with " main " or " emergency " battery or alternative supply " A/A " or cuts the current off entirely. The lever 101 when moved to " distress " is retained by a catch which is released when necessary by a " push to stop and reset " button 104. In operation of the device after winding the spring through key 103 and selecting the power supply via handle 106 the following sequences occur. The handle 101 is moved to the " alarm " position. This causes (Fig. 4) lever 52 to move to the left and actuate via 73 a pivoted quadrant 74 which is provided with teeth meshed with a gear wheel 76 freely rotated on the shaft 35 but fixedly secured to an arm 77 carrying at its end a spring-loaded plunger 78. Rotation of the arm thus ensues. The plunger is initially within a sloping inset portion 45 of the cam plate 37 (Fig. 2) thus this cam commences to rotate an initial rotation and does so until a pin 80 on the quadrant 74 becomes trapped between two spring-latches 79, 81 on the back of cam 36. The cam 37 then stops and everything is now ready for the cam 37 and its associated key-switch to operate the wireless transmitter. Rotation for the rest of the revolution, i.e. the transmitting part of cam 37, is effected by spring power a stop wire 42 which normally brakes balance wheel 44 of the " functional " train which drives cams 36, 37, being removed from the wheel by the initial rotation of cam 37 which caused the spindle 43 of the stop wire 42 to move longitudinally it initially residing in " brake on " position of wire 42 with the plunger 78 in the sloping insert 45 (Fig. 2). Initial movement of the lever 52 to the " alarm" caused the change-over switch controlled by the lever 96 to operate connecting transmitter and key switch of cam 37 and this switch is held in position by interengagement of spring-loaded hooked lever 98 and a catch-pin 99 fixed to the plate 11 and is only released near the end of the rotation of cam 37 when a pin on the underside of 37 encounters the lever 98 and moves it clear of the catch-pin. The spring-loaded handle 101 is released immediately after initial rotation of cam 37 and before the transmission of the alarm signal whereupon it returns to its centre position and causes the quadrant 74 to move under the influence of spring 82. This movement brings the arm 77 back to its position of Fig. 4 thus withdrawing the plunger 78 from the inset 45 and freeing the cam 37 by withdrawing the pin 80 from the latches 79, 81. At the same time rotation of wheel 44 and hence rotation of cam 37 is guaranteed by the arm flicking a finger 83 which connects with a wire brush 87 which flicks the wheel 44. Thus the " alarm " signal is transmitted. At the cessation of this signal the handle 101 is moved to " distress " thus setting in motion the " going " train. This is effected bywithdrawing (Fig. 4) a wire brush 61 from the balance wheel 22 by the interaction of levers 52, 54, 55, 56, 57, pin 58 and crank-arm lever 60. The gear wheel 19 rotates once every hour and it carries with it, through a pawl-andratchet 64, 65 (Fig. 2), a cam 24 provided with five equidistantly spaced notches 25. The lever 57 is mounted freely rotatable on the shaft 23 of the wheel 19 and it carries a member 63 which passes through a curved slot 62 in the plate 11 and is adapted to engage one of the notches 25. A lever 26 carrying a notchengaging tip 28 is mounted between the plates 11, 12 and is spring-urged such that the tip 28 bears upon the periphery of the cam 24. The lever 26 actuates, through a crank member 40, a wire 42 (Fig. 1) bearing upon the balance wheel 44 of the " functional " train. If on movement to " distress " of the handle 101 the tip 28 of lever 26 is not in a notch 25 the member 63 sweeps the peripheral surface of cam 24 to find a notch 25 for engagement. It then moves the cam free-wheel like to such a position where the tip 28 may drop into a notch. The subsequent movement of lever 26 frees the wheel 44 of the " functional " train even though the spindle 43 of the wire 42 is held in the inset 45 of the cam plate 37. The " functional " train then commences to rotate and an " S O S " and " ship data " signal is transmitted through interengagement of cam 36 and switch 50 even though the tip 28 due to the continued rotation of cam 24 is pushed from the notch 25. This is possible as due to the rotation of cam 37 the spindle 43 has been rejected from the inset 45. On the cessation of the " S O S " and " ship data " signal which occupies one revolution of cams 36, 37 and is less than twelve minutes the " functional " train stops due to the re-engagement of inset 45 and spindle 43 and the subsequent engagement of brake wire 42 with wheel 44. The operation, however, automatically restarts when the tip 28 of lever 26 once again engages a cam wheel notch 25. A projection 160 on the lever 60 engages a catch 161 fixedly mounted on the spindle of the lever 26 when the handle 101, and hence the lever 60, is in the " stop " position. This prevents lever tip 28 dropping into a notch 25, should one be beneath it, when the " going " train is stopped. Thus the " functional " train is prevented from working if the " going train is stopped. The handle 101 is retained, when moved to the " distress " position, by a catch engaging behind the lever 54 which can be released by a spring- loaded push-button (104) actuated catchlever 105.