IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOCKS AND OTHER TIME KEEPERS
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM RICE, of 86 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Publisher do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOCKS AND OTHER
TIME KEEPERS, to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to construct a clock or other time keeper so that
it will not only indicate the local and universal time at the place or country in
which it is used, but also the local time in various other countries or places of the .
world.
For this purpose I take a fixed dial divided into 24 parts or sections each
representing one hour and with such subdivisions as may be required. The
divisions are numbered in two ways: Firstly, in an outer circle, the numbers 1 to 12
are duplicated that is to represent from 12 noon to 12 midnight and from 12 mid-
night to 12 noon, these two portions being distinguished from each other by distinct
coloring or otherwise; secondly in an inner circle the numbers run consecutively
from 1 to 24 (or from 1 to 23 with 0 for the 24th number). The numbers in the
inner circle are so arranged in juxta-position with those in the outer circle as to
shew their corresponding numbering in universal time. For use in this country for
instance the numbers from midnight to noon will be identical in both circles, but
from noon to midnight the inner circle will contain the numbers from 13 to 24
(or to 23 and 0). Thus 1 o'clock p.m. in the outer circle will be represented by 13
in the inner circle and so on. To this fixed dial with its two sets of numbering as
described I however make no claim per se. Concentric with this dial and preferably
outside it I have a movable ring on which the names of the chief cities or places
of the world are marked in accordance with their respective longitudes.
This ring
is inade to revolve synchronously with the hour hand of the clock or time keeper
and is so set relatively to this hand as to indicate the local time at the place where
the time keeper is to be used. For instance for this country the hour hand would
be set to point constantly to the word London (or Greenwich) on the ring; for
Austria to the word Vienna and so on. When once fixed or set the hand and the
ring move round the dial synchronously and if it be required at any time to
ascertain the local time at any other country or place marked on the ring, this
local time will be that which appears on the outer ring of the dial opposite the
name of the place.

page_text: If the ring bearing the names of the places be within the fixed circles of figures
it can be in the form of a disc and the hour hand can be fixed directly to it; but
if the ring be outside the fixed circles then I prefer to fix the dial beneath a sheet
of glass pierced in the centre to give passage to the arbor of the hour hand which
would be above the glass while I connect the ring to the arbor below the glass and
dial by radial arms so that it can be supported at any required number of points;
the ring would thus move around the dial beneath the glass.
'
It will of course be understood that the hour hand must make only one revo-
lution in 24 hours.
As the use of a minute hand travelling around the_dial concentrically with the
hour band would be objectionable and inconvenient I arrange a distinct circle of
figures on the dial plate excentric with the circles of figures already described and
I cause the minute hand to travel once round this circle every hour so as to mark
or indicate minutes in a manner analogous to that in which seconds are marked
on many ordinary watches. There may if required be another distinct circle of
figures for indicating seconds.

page_text: I WILLIAM RICE, of 86 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Publisher do hereby:
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be.
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
.
The object of my invention is to construct a clock or other time keeper so that.
it will not only indicate the local and universal time at the place or country in
which it is used, but also the local time in various other countries or places of the.
world.
For this purpose I take a fixed dial divided into 24 parts or sections each.
representing one hour and with such subdivisions as may be required. The divi-
Bions are numbered in two ways:-Firstly, in an outer circle the numbers 1 to 12.
are duplicated, that is to represent from 12 noon to 12 midnight and from 12 mid-
night. to 12 noon; these two portions may be distinguished from each other by
distinct coloring or otherwise, or as I prefer, the portions from 6 to 6 as representing
average day and night may be distinguished from each other; secondly, in an
inner circle the numbers run consecutively from 1 to 24 (or from 1 to 23 with 0 for
the 24th division). The numbers in the inner circle are so arranged in juxta-
position with those in the outer circle as to shew their corresponding numbering in
universal time. For use in this country for instance the numbers from midnight
to noon will be identical in both circles but from noon to midnight the inner circle.
will contain the numbers from 13 to 24 (or to 23 and 0). Thus 1 o'clock p.m. in. the
outer circle will be represented by 13 in the inner circle and so on. To this fixed-
dial with its two sets of numbering as described I however make no claim per, se.
Concentric with this dial and preferably outside it I have a movable ring on which
the names of the chief cities or places of the world are marked in accordance with
their respective longitudes. This ring is made to revolve synchronously with the
hour hand of the clock or time keeper and is so set relatively to this hand that the
hand indicates the local time at the place where, the time keeper is to be used.
For instance for this country the hour hand would be set to point constantly to
the word London (or Greenwich) on the "ring; for Austria to the word Vienna-and
60 on, When once fixed or set the hand and the ring move round the dial
synchronously and if it be required at any time to ascertain the local time at any
other country or place marked on the ring this local time will be that which
appears on the outer ring of the dial opposite the name of the place.
If the ring bearing the names of the places be within the fixed circles of figures
it can be in the form of a disc and the hour hand can be fixed directly to it, but
if the ring be outside the fixed circles then I prefer to fix the dial to a sheet of
glass pierced in the centre to give passage to the arbor of the hour hand which
would be in front of the glass while I connect the ring to the arbor behind the
glass and dial by radial arms so that it can be supported at any required number
of points; the ring would thus move around the dial behind the glass.
It will of course be understood that the hour hand must make only one revo-
lution in 24 hours,

page_text: As the use of a minute hand travelling around the same figures of the dial as
the hour hand would be objectionable and inconvenient, I arrange a distinct circle
of figures on the dial plate described and I cause the minute hand to travel once
round this circle every hour so as to mark or indicate minutes.
The annexed drawings represent a clock constructed according to my invention.
Figure 1 is a face view the case or frame not being shown. Figure 2 is a central
vertical section with the case but showing only so much of the clockwork as is
a, b is the fixed dial
necessary to enable the invention to be fully understood.
divided into 24 equal parts or sections to represent hours. In the outer circle a of
this dial the numbers 1 to 12 are duplicated to represent from 12 noon to 12 mid-
night and from 12 midnight to 12 noon and the 12 hours from 6 evening to
In the
6 morning are distinguished from the other 12 hours by being shaded.
inner circle b the numbers run consecutively from 1 to 23 with 0 for the 24th divi-
sion. As has been already stated the numbers in the circle b are so arranged in
juxtaposition with those in the outer circle as to show their corresponding num-
bering in universal time. c is the movable ring on which the names of the chief
cities or places of the world are marked in accordance with their respective.
longitudes. This ring may be inside the dial a, b but I prefer to place it outside as
shewn. It is made to revolve synchronously with the hour hand d of the clock
and is so set relatively to this hand that the hand indicates the local time at the
place where the time keeper is to be used. Figure 1 shows it set so that the hand d
points to London. The dial a, b is fixed to a sheet of glass e pierced in the centre
to give passage to the arbor f of the hour hand d' which is in front of the glass;
the ring c is carried by radial arms g, g which at their inner ends are screwed or
fixed to a boss h of the arbor f. is the minute hand; it is carried by arbor k
that passes through the arbor f and it travels once an hour round the circ
figures l.
The figures may be marked on the dial and the names of places on the ring e in
any suitable manner. A simple and economical way is to print them upon paper
and to paste or fix the paper to the dial and ring respectively. The ring is shown
as marked off in degrees round its inner edge but this is not essential.
sheet of glass covering the clock face.
m is a
said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim in respect of clocks and other time keepers is
1. A fixed dial divided into 24 parts and having in one circle the numbers 1 to 12
duplicated and in another circle the numbers 1 to 24 (or 1 to 23 with 0 for the
24th division) in combination with a concentric movable ring or disc bearing the
names of cities or places of the world in accordance with their respective longi-
tudes, this ring or disc being made to revolve synchronously with the hour hand
and being so set relatively to this hand that the hand indicates the local time at
the place where the time keeper is to be used; all substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
2. Constructing clocks or time-keepers`as · hēreinbefore described and shown in
the annexed drawings.
J. C. MEWBURN,
169, Fleet Street, London,
Agent.