Improvements in Workmen's Time Checking Apparatus.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 29th Jan., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Workmen's Time Checking Apparatus.
I, RICHARD BURK, of The Wurttembergische Uhrenfabrik, Schwenningen,
Wurtemberg, in the Empire of Germany, Watch and Clock Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention has for its object an improved workmen's time checking
apparatus, and consists of an ordinary clockwork in combination with a type
mechanism and stamping mechanism operated by the said clockwork, in which
the workman on entering and leaving the works has to insert and have stamped a
card which is given him for this purpose for a given period of time for instance
extending over a week.
"
As shown in the accompanying drawings in Figure 13, the card is blank on
one side, and has on the other side preferably an arrow (Figure 14) indicating the
direction in which to insert the card in the checking apparatus and its upper side
has also the number of the workman and his name. and if desired also the words
"hour" and "shillings" (Figure 15) or "hours," "days" and "shillings" and
pence" (Figure 16,) or as shown in the drawings the corresponding German
terms for these so that when the card is full the differences between the times of
entrance and the times of exit of the workman on the one side of the card may be
calculated and correctly entered in the column and added up (Figure 17) and the
total be then filled in on the other side as shown in Figures 18 and 19, so that
the card can serve at the same time as a basis for the calculation of wages. If
desired the back of the card may also bear the date of the week or the like.
The apparatus itself, shown in Figure 1 in front view, and Figure 2 in side
view, which is erected at the entrance to the works, consists as already mentioned
of an ordinary clockwork A which by means of a spur wheel B operates the type
mechanism. The latter in the present instance shows minutes, hours, the date
and the day of the week, and consists of three type wheels C D E (Figures 3-8)
mounted on a common spindle F. Of these type wheels C serves for indicating the
day of the week and the date, D the hours, and E the minutes in. intervals of five
minutes. The wheel C has further on its periphery (Figure 4) the marks Im, Ia,
IIm, 1a, and so forth, that is to say the first day of the pay week-morning, the
first day, afternoon; second day,-morning, second day, afternoon, and so forth.
The second wheel 1) has on its periphery the hours 1-12 (Figure 6) whilst the
wheel E (Figure 8) has indications of the minutes 5, 10, 15 and so on up to 55.
These three type wheels are driven by the clockwork in steps so that the types
do not gradually place themselves on the marking line under the stamp but inter-
mittently or step-by-step. For this object the minute wheel E (Figure 7) is
keyed together with a pin wheel G firmly on a spindle F whilst on the spindle b
of the driving spur wheel B there is firmly mounted
a disc with
an arm or link 6 eccentrically pivoted on it, the other end of said link 63
being slotted to receive the pin g of the wheel G. In consequence of the rotation

page_text: of the spindle the link 62 under the action of a spring will spring in succession
over 12 rollers H which are arranged around the shaft 6 at equal distances apart
in a circle, the said link being slowly drawn by the disc ₁first from the one
roller (compressing the spring) until it slips off this roller and is thrown by the
spring against the next roller and so forth, as is easily seen by reference to
Figure 9. As however the link 62 engages by means of its slot the catch pin g
mounted on the disc G, the minute wheel E will also receive such a step by step
or intermittent movement which is arranged to take place every five minutes.
The wheel E conveys its rotation to the type wheels D and C by means of scape
dises e by spur wheels i and c and the toothed wheels di¹ in the ordinary manner
and in such a way that the wheel D moves every hour and the wheel C every
12 hours to the extent of one step. The wheels i¹ and are compulsorily
revoluble with one another on a spindle J. In this manner at a given place on
the wheel E the numbers 5, 10, 15, etcetera; on the wheel D the numbers 1, 2,
3, 4, etcetera, up to 12; and on the wheel C finally the indications Im Ia IIm IIa,
etcetera, appear successively so that an impression taken at that given place yields
the appearance of one of the lines shown on the card in Figure 17.
In order to obtain these impressions, various devices may be employed.
In the example shown in the drawings, there is preferably employed a stamp K
(Figures 1, 2, 11 and 12) adjustably mounted at the side of the frame of the
apparatus and hinged on the base plate at which stamp engages diagonally
across all the type wheels with a projection & formed on its upper end.
The whole apparatus on the other hand oscillates on bolts or trunnions L on the
base plate. On a card being inserted in the space between the type wheels and
the projection ¹, and an oscillation in the direction of the arrow 1, Figure 1,
being then imparted to the apparatus, the projection will press the card on to
the type wheels and the card will thus receive on its underside the indications of
the type wheels which are precisely brought by the clockwork under the pro-
jection ; for instance Im, hours 0 minutes, which indicates that the stamping
took place on the first day of the pay week at 7 o'clock in the morning.
In order that the separate stampings may follow one another in regular succession
(Figure 17) that is to say, that the card may be inserted each time to a given
height of line further under the projection ³, the stamp K in addition to its
projection has also a side slot 2 and a projection of rectangular cross section
adapted at each stamping to act in combination with the sharp upper edge M of
the guide of the stamp to cut off from the side of the card a rectangular piece
so that the card at the next stamping can be inserted to the amount of this cut off
piece further under the projection kl.
In place of this stamping apparatus, the one shown in Figure 20 may be
employed, in which the whole apparatus is immovably mounted on the base plate
whilst the stamp K has a knob K₁ at the top and is mounted on spring in the
casing of the apparatus and so forth.
In order to avoid frauds, a check type q consisting of a cross, circle or the
like (see Figures 11, 12 and 17) is arranged beside the type wheels, which check
device is changed at irregular times and without the knowledge of the workmen.
This check device is mounted in a suitable recess and is secured in the same by
means of a pointed screw or other suitable device.
It must further be noted that a slot N (Figure 1) is preferably formed in the
dial of the clock behind which moves a disc which is partially black and partially
white, which disc is driven from the type wheel E by the intermediary of the pin
wheel G and a pinion n, Figure 7. In this manner it can be known at any time
whether the printing mechanism is indicating night or day time. The type
mechanism may of course be arranged to indicate continuously separate minutes
or for 14 days or for a month or the like without the essential part of the apparatus
being altered and without departing from the scope of the invention.
The apparatus may also have a number of type mechanisms or rather several
sets of type wheels C, D, E, in order that for instance several workmen can simul-

page_text: taneously stamp their cards. In order to allow of this the shaft F is suitably
extended and the desired number of sets of type wheels C, D, E, are mounted on
the said shaft at suitable distances apart, with the necessary stamping devices K.
All the sets of type wheels C, D, E, mounted on the extended shaft F are actuated
every five minutes from the common clockwork A exactly in the manner herein-
before described.
In case the clockwork A is too weak to operate all these type mechanisms, a
second clockwork or driving gear, with a stronger spring is arranged on the end
of the shaft F opposite the disc G, which clockwork then assists the rotation of the
shaft as soon as the first clockwork A has drawn the free end of the arm 62 off
one of the rollers H.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A workmen's time checking apparatus consisting of an ordinary clockwork (A)
adapted to operate type or printing mechanism (C D E) in such a way as to con-
stantly indicate with a suitable stamping device the day, time of day, hour,
minute, or any other desired period of time, in combination with a stamp (K)
engaging over the type wheels which is either mounted on springs in the frame of
the apparatus and adapted to be pressed down directly on the type by striking
its knob (K), or is arranged to act indirectly on the said type, in which case this
stamp and also the whole apparatus is pivotally mounted on the base plate so
that the descent of the stamp may be effected by tilting the apparatus in such a
way that after the insertion of a card and operation of the stamp device the time
of this stamping is marked on each card, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
2. A checking apparatus such as described, in which one of the type wheels (E)
is connected with the driving spindle (b) operated by the clockwork by an arm
or link (62) eccentrically mounted on the said spindle with a spring action, whilst
a ring of contact rollers (H) is arranged round the spindle (6) in such a way that
the constant rotation of the spindle (6) causes the arm or link (62) to spring from
roller to roller and thereby produce an intermittent rotation of the type wheel (E),
which movement is conveyed to the other type wheels in the ordinary manner (by
means of spur wheels, pinions and the like) and within certain periods of time,
substantially as described.
3. A checking apparatus such as described, in which the stamp (K) is provided
with a projection (3) for the object of cutting out a piece from the card at each
stamping and thereby allowing of a deeper insertion of the card at the next
stamping so that the several successive stampings appear on the card in separate
rows standing one below the other substantially as described.
4. A checking apparatus such as described in which in addition to the type
wheels a check type or printing device (9) consisting of a star, cross, circle or the
like is removably arranged so as to be capable of being changed from time to
time without the knowledge of the workpeople with the object of preventing
forgeries or alterations in the stamping substantially as described.
5. A checking apparatus such as described, in which the operation of the type
mechanism or several type mechanisms simultaneously is effected by means of a
separate train which is periodically released or set in action by the clockwork
substantially as described.
100%
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.