Year: 1886

page_text: I WILLIAM SOUTTER of Farm Street Works Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Brassfounder do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
My invention consists of an illuminated clock or time keeper the parts of which
are constructed arranged and used substantially as hereinafter described.
My invention is particularly suited for use with gas as the illuminating agent.
and I will describe it in connection with a gas bracket but other sources of light
may be employed such for example as oil naphtha wax and the like.
Although clocks or time keepers made according to my invention are especially
useful for indicating the time by night or in dark places yet my invention may
also be used for indicating the time by day.
In carrying my invention into effect in connection with a gas bracket I arrange
the parts as follows :—
On the fixed gas pipe of the bracket and below the burner I support a clock
rotating in a horizontal plane that is I support on the gas pipe a case containing
the works or mechanism of a clock the said case containing the clock mechanism
making one rotation every twelve hours around the gas pipe. The case of the
rotating clock carries at its top a gallery on which a globe or shade is supported
the said globe or shade rotating with the said clock. The globe or shade is made
of opal or other semi-transparent material or of a transparent material and the gas
flame is situated at or near its centre. Painted or otherwise made upon the shade
or globe is a clock dial consisting of the figures 1 to 12 and divisions between the
figures the said figures being arranged in the form of a horizontal band around the
shade or globe. Secured to the front of the gas bracket and below the rotating
clock is a fixed arm or pointer that portion of the arm or pointer under the clock
being horizontal and the other portion being turned up vertically and pointed at its
end. The pointed end of the fixed pointer is situated at about the same height as
the dial on the globe or shade. As the globe or shade is rotated by the clock the
illuminated dial travels behind the fixed pointer and the time is indicated by the
said pointer. The spaces between the figures of the dial are divided into half and
quarter hours. The clock is wound up by rotating the case and is started and
arrested by means of a small pusher operated upon from the outside of the case
acting upon the balance wheel of the clock mechanism.

page_text: Although my invention is specially designed to be used as an illuminated clock
or time keeper yet it may be, used for indicating the time of day when the gas is
turned off the gas bracket.
My invention may be carried into effect in connection with a gas pillar in
essentially the same way as with a gas bracket. When an illuminating agent
other than gas is employed such modifications in details are made as the particular
nature of the illuminating agent renders necessary or desirable.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Illuminated Clock or Time Keeper.
I WILLIAM SOUTTER of Farm Street Works, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, Brassfounder do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention consists of an illuminated clock or time keeper the parts of which
are constructed arranged and used substantially as hereinafter described.
My invention is particularly suited for use with gas as the illuminating agent
and I will describe it in connection with a gas bracket but other sources of light
may be employed, such for example as oil, naphtha wax and the like.
Although clocks or time keepers made according to my invention are especially
useful for indicating the time by night or in dark places yet my invention may also
be used for indicating the time by day.
In carrying my invention into effect in connection with a gas bracket I arrange
the parts as follows:-
On the fixed gas pipe of the bracket and below the burner I support a clock
rotating in a horizontal plane, that is, I support on the gas pipe a case containing
the works or mechanism of a clock, the said case containing the clock mechanism
making one rotation every twelve hours around the gas pipe. The case of the
rotating clock carries at its top a gallery on which a globe or shade is supported
the said globe or shade rotating with the said clock. The globe or shade is made
of opal or other semi transparent material or of a transparent material and the gas
flame is situated at or near its centre.
Painted or otherwise made upon the shade or globe is a clock dial consisting of
the figures 1 to 12 and divisions between the figures, the said figures being.
arranged in the form of a horizontal band around the shade or globe. Secured to
the front of the gas bracket and below the rotating clock is a fixed arm or pointer
that portion of the arm or pointer under the clock being horizontal and the other
•

page_text: portion being turned up vertically and pointed at its end.
The pointed end of the
fixed pointer is situated at about the same height as the dial on the globe or shade.
As the globe or shade is rotated by the clock, the illuminated dial travels behind.
the fixed pointer and the time. is indicated by the said pointer. The spaces
between the figures of the dial are divided into half and quarter hours.
The clock is wound up by rotating the case.
My invention may be carried into effect in connection with a gas pillar or
gasalier in essentially the same way as with a gas bracket.
>
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in side elevation an illumi-
nated clock or time keeper constructed according to my invention in connection
with a gas bracket and Figure 2 represents a front elevation of an illuminated
'clock or time keeper constructed according to my invention in connection with a
gas pillar; Figure 3 represents a vertical section of the illuminated clock of the gas
pillar Figure 2; and Figure 4 represents a plan of the globe or shade holder or
gallery and the fixed ratchet wheel on the gas pipe.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawing.
a is the fixed gas pipe constituting a hollow axis carrying the burner b, the said
gas pipe a being screwed to the arm c of the gas bracket Figure 1 or to the top of
the gas pillar & Figures 2 and 3, a binding screw e preventing the rotation of the
gas pipe a upon the bracket arm c or gas pillar d; f is the clock supported by the
shoulder a on the fixed gas pipe or hollow axis a the said clock f rotating in a
horizontal plane around the said gas pipe or axis and making one rotation every
twelve hours. The clock mechanism is contained in the case represented, the upper
part of the said case supporting a gallery g and the latter an independent gallery h
for carrying the shade or globe i. The construction of the independent gallery or
shade holder h is hereinafter described.
In addition to the ordinary mechanism of a clock the case of the clock f contains
the additions hereinafter described. I will enumerate some of the parts of the clock
mechanism; k is the main or going spring; the gearing between it and the lever
escapement m, and p is the balance wheel, the hair spring of which is operated
upon to lengthen or shorten it by the small lever q the end of which is situated in
a slot in the bottom of the clock case. The arbor of the main or going spring k
carries a toothed wheels which gears with the fixed toothed wheel t on the gas pipe
or hollow axis a the toothed wheel 8 when set in motion rolling upon the fixed
toothed wheel t and thereby giving rotation to the clock fand parts carried by it,
that is, the clock frotates horizontally around the fixed gas pipe or. axis a in the
direction indicated by the arrows on the globe i and as will be understood by an
examination of Figure 2. "
The globe or shade i supported by the independent gallery h carried by the
gallery g of the rotating clock f has painted or otherwise made upon it a clock dial
arranged in the form of a band around the said globe or shade. The said clock
dial consists as represented of the figures 1 to 12-and divisions between the figures
indicating half and quarter hours.
n is the fixed arm or pointer secured to the gas pipe or axis a in front of the
rotating clock f. The said arm or pointer n is bent into the form seen in Figures 1
and 3, that is to say, that part under the clock is horizontal and the other portion
is turned up nearly vertically and is pointed at its end, the said pointed end being
situated at about the same height as the dial on the globe or shade i.
When the
gas burner b is lighted and the rotating clock f set in motion, the globe or shade i
rotates with the said clock and the illuminated dial of the globe or shade travels
bebind the fixed pointer n and the time is indicated by the said pointer.
The clock is wound up by rotating its case in the direction indicated by the
arrows on the said case represented in Figures 1 and 2. As the clock case is
rotated in the direction indicated, the toothed wheel s is rotated by travelling
around the fixed toothed wheel t and the main spring k is tightened upon its arbor
in the same way as an ordinary clock main spring is tightened on its arbor.

page_text: The gallery h of the shade or globe i is not connected to the under gallery g
carried by the rotating clock ƒ but rests only upon three pins on the said under
gallery (one of the said pins is marked u in Figure 3) the weight of the globe or
shade causing it to travel with the rotating clock.
In order however to prevent the globe or shade being carried with the rotating
clock when the latter is wound up and thereby necessitating the resetting of the
globe or shade, one of the radial arms of the gallery his furnished with a pawl x
and on the fixed gas pipe or hollow axis a is a ratchet wheel y with the teeth of
which the pawl x engages. When the clock is at work and is moving in the
direction of the arrows on the globe or shade i the pawl x slips over the teeth of
the fixed ratchet wheel y but when the clock is wound up the said pawl prevents
the gallery and its globe or shade being carried' with the said clock, the under
gallery g of the clock now rotating under the temporarily fixed gallery has will be
understood by an examination of Figures 3 and 4.
•
Although my invention is specially designed to be used as an illuminated clock
or time keeper yet it may be used for indicating the time of day when the gas is
turned off the gas bracket, gas pillar or gasalier.
When an illuminating agent other than gas is employed such modifications in
details are made as the particular nature of the illuminating agent renders
necessary or desirable but in every case the horizontal clock is made to rotate upon
a fixed pillar, support or axis and the burner is situated at or near the centre of
the globe or shade carrying the clock dial.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is ;-
A new or improved illuminated clock or time keeper consisting of a clock
supported upon and rotating in a horizontal plane around a fixed gas pipe or
hollow axis carrying the burner and connected to a gas bracket or gas pillar or
gasalier or other gas support, the said rotating clock carrying a globe or shade
having a clock dial of the kind described and represented upon it, the said rotating
clock and globe or shade being combined with a fixed arın or pointer behind which
the clock dial travels and by which the time is indicated, the several parts being
constructed arranged and working substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing; also the use of the said illuminated clock
or time keeper in connection with sources of light other than gas.
Dated this Twentieth day of September 1886.