IMPROVEMENTS IN STRIKING OR CHIMING APPARATUS SUITABLE FOR TIME KEEPERS to be as follows
Year: 1885

page_text: Time-keepers.
I, CHARLES SHEPHERD, of No 2 Alexandra Road, South Hampstead, in the
County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said.
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STRIKING OR CHIMING APPARATUS SUITABLE FOR
TIME KEEPERS to be as follows :—
"
My invention has for objects to dispense with weights and springs such as
heretofore have been usually employed in striking or chiming apparatus for
operating the striking or chiming mechanism and also to enable the speed of such
mechanism to be regulated where desired without the use of a fly or separate speed
regulator,
In lieu of the means described, according to my invention a dynamo electric, or
magneto electric motor is adapted to drive the striking or chiming mechanism
which may form part of a time keeper or otherwise. This motor (when a fly or
separate regulator is to be dispensed with) is made to revolve at a constant speed.
It is connected to that end of the train of striking mechanism at which the fly
regulator is usually situated, additional gearing being employed where necessary to
increase or reduce the speed of the motor in order to adapt it to the particular
striking mechanism. The motor is thrown in and out of circuit at the desired
times to start and stop the striking or chiming mechanism by means of make and
break devices which in the case of a timekeeper may be operated by the going.
portion of the clock.

page_text: Improvements in Striking or Chiming Apparatus suitable for
Time-keepers.
I, CHARLES SHEPHERD, of No 2 Alexandra Road, South Hampstead, in the
County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, 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 :-
My invention has for objects to dispense with weights and springs such as
heretofore have been usually employed in striking or chiming apparatus for
operating the striking or chiming mechanism and also to enable the speed of such
mechanism to be regulated where desired without the use of a fly or separate speed.
regulator.
In lieu of the means described, according to my invention a dynamo electric, or
magneto-electric motor is adapted to drive the striking or chiming mechanism
which may form part of a time keeper or otherwise. This motor is made to revolve
at a constant speed. It is connected to that end of the train of striking mechanism
at which the fly regulator is usually situated, additional gearing being employed
where necessary to increase or reduce the speed of the motor in order to adapt it to
the particular striking mechanism. The motor is thrown in and out of circuit at
the desired times to start and stop the striking or chiming mechanism by means of
make and break devices. which in the case of a timekeeper may be operated by the
going portion of the clock.
Referring to the accompanying two sheets of drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of
so much of a timekeeper as is necessary to illustrate the application of my inven-
tion thereto and Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of an electric motor.
1, 2, 3 and 4 are the spindles of a train of gearing shown in dotted lines, con-
stituting the striking mechanism of the time-keeper. 5 is the main spindle of the
going portion of the time-keeper which may be of ordinary construction. 6 is a
snail plate for regulating the number of blows struck according to the hour of
the day; it is carried by a spindle 7 and operated in a manner well understood by
the going portion of the time-keeper so as to present a different part of its
segmental circumference 8 every hour to a lever 9. To the spindle 1, which in
ordinary arrangements of striking mechanism, would carry a fly or other device for
regulating the speed of the gearing due to the action of a spring or weight acting
on the spindle 4 there is according to this invention, secured an armature 10 of an
electric motor 11. This armature which rotates at a constant speed and carries a
pinion 10 (shown in dotted lines) is thrown in and out of motion every hour by
the closing and breaking of its electric circuit by the going portion of the time-

page_text: keeper. The striking mechanism is thus set in motion from the opposite end to
that usually adopted, the use of an actuating spring or weight being thus dispensed
with. The last wheel of the gearing or the spindle 4 carries a cam or equivalent
device for operating a lever (or levers) to effect the striking of a bell (or bells) in a
manner well understood.
An arrangement of mechanism for closing and breaking the circuit of the electric
motor at the required times by the going portion of the time-keeper, comprises the
following parts: 12 is a segmental rack provided with a counterbalance 13 and
teeth 14; it is secured to a spindle 15 to which the lever or arm 9 is fixed. 16 is
a rack-hook pivotted at 17 to the frame-work 18 its other end normally taking
into the teeth 14 of the rack 12 and holding it in the position shown.
19 is a pin
or projection secured to the rack-hook 16 and 20 is another pin or projection
secured to the rack 12. 21 is a lever-arm secured to a spindle 22 carrying another
lever-arm 23. The lever-arm 21 is provided with a slot or opening 24 into which
takes the pin or projection 19; it is also provided with a pin or projection 25 and
with weights 26 at its end. The outer end of the spindle 3 is provided with a
rotating tooth 27 so arranged with reference to the teeth 14 of the rack 12 that as
it is rotated it engages with one of the teeth and moves the rack forward in the
direction of the arrow, at each rotation. 28 and 29 are metallic plates secured to
but insulated from a plate 30 fixed to the framework 18. To these plates 28
and 29 the terminal wires of the electric motor 11 are secured as shown.
plate 28 carries three contact screws one of which is shewn at 31, the others being
in line with it. The plate 29 carries three contact springs 32 which are normally
kept out of contact with the screws 31 as shown by the raised arm 33 of a bent
lever pivotted at 34. The lever arm 33 is normally maintained in its raised
position by the pin or projection 20 taking against another arm 35 of the bent lever.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
The
Just before the completion of each hour the lever-arm 23 is moved through a
short space in the direction of the arrow thereby raising the lever-arm 21 and
lifting the rack hook 16 by means of its pin or projection 19 out of gear with the
teeth 14 and, allowing the rack 12 to rise under the action of its counterweight 13
so that the lever-arm 9 falls into contact with one of the segments of the snail
plate 6. The pin or projection 25 is, by the upward movement of the lever-arm 21,
brought into contact with the lever-arm 35 at the point or projecting part 25 and
thus still maintains the lever-arm 33 in its raised position and keeps the electric
circuit broken.
Upon the completion of the hour the lever-arm 23 is released by the going
portion of the time-keeper and the lever arm 21 descends into its normal position,
the rack hook 16 falling at the same time into gear with the rack. The lever 35
being then left free by the pin 25 passing clear of the projecting part 25° the
arm 33 falls and allows the contact springs 32 to come into contact with the
screws 31 thereby completing the circuit and setting the motor in operation. As
the train of gearing revolves the tooth 27 revolves and engages with one of the
teeth 14 at each rotation gradually moving the rack 12 downward until the pin 20
comes into contact with the lever-arm 35 whereupon the lever-arm 33 is again
raised, the circuit broken, and the striking mechanism stopped. A similar arrange-
ment of striking mechanism may be employed for chiming purposes when desired,
the motor circuit being then closed or broken at every quarter hour or other
interval of time as required.
By inserting a resistance or resistances in the motor circuit the speed of the
motor and the rate of striking or chiming may be altered as desired.
Although I have described my invention as applied to the ordinary rack arrange-
ment of mechanism for striking, it may evidently be used in connexion with what
is technically known as the locking plate arrangement.
:

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said.
declare that what.
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed;
I claim is
1. Striking or chiming apparatus comprising a rotary electric motor whereby the
striking or chiming mechanism is actuated.
2. The arrangement of striking or chiming apparatus with rotary electric motor
whereby the striking or chiming mechanism is actuated and regulated as shown in
and described with reference to the drawings annexed.
Dated this 29th day of January 1886.
C. SHEPHERD.
W. Lloyd Wise,
Agent for the Applicant.