Improvements in Electrically Operated Clocks
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1894-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrically Operated Clocks.
A communication from HENRI CAMPICHE, of Geneva, Republic of Switzerland..
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,.
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This improved electrically operated clock, like other clocks of the same kind
comprises a toothed wheel acted upon at regular intervals of time by a click or
pawl set into motion by means of an electric current passing temporarily through.
an electro-magnet, the arbour of said toothed wheel bearing the minute-hand and.
imparting rotation to the hour-hand by means of the usual train of gearing.
The accompanying drawing is a back-view of such an electrically operated clock,.
and indicates two different positions of the click A: supported by the armature B
of the electro-magnet C. The shape and arrangement of the click A constitutes
the main part of this invention, but the working of the same could not be represented.
without the help of the other parts of the clock.
The click A hinged at a to the armature B is acted upon through an arm a² by
means of a weak metallic spiral spring D which is intended for the double purpose
of swinging the said click A so as to make it engage its free end with the teeth of
the wheel E, and of lifting up again the armature B when the electric current no
longer flows through in the electro-magnet C that is to say each time the said.
armature has been depressed.
The spring D has the tendency to bring back the click A and the armature B
to the respective positions indicated in dotted lines, whilst the electric current
passing through the electro-magnet, tends to bring the armature B and the click A
to the respective positions indicated in full lines.
The head of the click A is provided with a projection a¹ and is shaped so as to-
stop the wheel E when the said projection a' meets an abutment or stop F after
the click has caused the wheel E to advance to the extent of one tooth. The com--
bination of the head of the click A of the shape indicated the spring D and the
abutment F realizes in the simplest possible way an absolutely irreproachable
working of the jump of the hands. Whilst the armature B is lifted and the
click A raised to catch the next tooth of the wheel E the latter is held in its place
by means of a click G provided with a weak spring 9 which prevents the wheel E.
from making any retrograde movement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In an electrically operated clock a click or pawl A with a projection such as a
in combination with a spring D and a stop or abutment F substantially as and
for the purpose described.
2. In a clock such as described the combination with the driving ratchet wheel E
of a click or pawl such as A a' a² operated electrically and by a spring substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 3rd day of March 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.