Improvements in Chiming Clocks.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 14th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chiming Clocks.
I, JAMES JONES ELLIOTT, of 5 Percival Street, in the City of London, Chime
Clock Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
According to this invention I substitute stretched wires similar to piano-forte
wires for the gongs, tubes or wires free at one end, which are now employed, and I
find that the same volume of sound can be produced with a much lighter weight
and that the wear and tear on the works is therefore greatly reduced.
The wires are sounded by being struck by hammers similar to the hammers of a
piano-forte but inverted. Each hammer is mounted on one arm of a bell crank
lever which is vertical and longer than the other or horizontal arm. The latter is
connected by a vertical rod to a spring acted upon by pins on a barrel caused to
rotate by the ordinary striking mechanism of the clock. At each hour or quarter
this barrel turns and the pins upon it coming in succession against the springs raise
the hammers against their springs and their own weight and then release them
allowing them to fall and strike the wires in turn and so produce a succession of
musical notes. It will be seen therefore that by suitably placing the pins upon the
barrel the clock may be made to produce the notes of the wires in any desired
order. Any number of wires and hammers may be employed.
Dated this 15th day of March 1800
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chiming Clocks.
I, JAMES JONES ELLIOTT of 5 Percival Street, in the City of London Chime
Clock Manufacturer, 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 :-
According to this invention I substitute stretched wires similar to pianoforte
wires for the gongs, tubes or wires free at one end, which are now employed, and I
find that the same volume of sound can be produced with a much lighter weight
and that the wear and tear on the works is therefore greatly reduced.
The wires are sounded by being struck by hammers similar to the hammers of a
pianoforte but inverted. Each hammer is mounted on one arm of a bell crank
lever which is vertical and longer than the other or horizontal arm. The latter is
connected by a vertical rod to a spring acted upon by pins on a barrel caused to
rotate by the ordinary striking mechanism of the clock. At each hour or quarter
this barrel turns and the pins upon it coming in succession against the springs raise
the hammers against their springs and their own weight and then release them
allowing them to fall and strike the wires in turn and so produce a succession of
musical notes. It will be seen therefore that by suitably placing the pins upon the
barrel the clock may be made to produce the notes of the wires in any desired
order. Any number of wires and hammers may be employed.
Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line X X Figure 2 of a part of a clock
constructed according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line Y Y Figure 1.

page_text: A is the framework containing the movement of the clock the details of the
latter not being shown as they form no part of the invention. B is the back of the
clock case, it has fixed to it a frame C preferably of iron supporting two bridges C¹ C¹
across which the wires D are stretched their ends being fixed to pins D' by which
they can be tightened in a similar manner to the wires of a piano-forte. In the
arrangement shewn in the drawing there are three wires for all the notes but one
but this number may be varied. E are hammers mounted upon bell crank levers F
pivotted at F and connected by rods F to springs, G. His a barrel armed with
pins H' which, as the barrel revolves come in turn into contact with the springs G
as above described. At one end of the barrel H is a ring of teeth H' gearing with
a crown wheel J upon the axis K of the ordinary striking mechanism of the clock.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a clock the combination of a hammer, mechanism for actuating the same
and a strained wire fixed at both ends upon which the hammer strikes.
2. In a clock the combination of a barrel, mechanism for periodically turning
the same, pins upon the barrel, hammers operated by the pins and strained wires
fixed at both ends upon which the hammers strike.
3. In clocks the combination of a barrel, mechanism for periodically turning the
same, pins upon the barrel, springs deflected by the pins, rods attached to the
springs, bell crank levers having one arm pivotted to the rods, hammers fixed to the
other arms and strained wires fixed at both ends upon which the hammers strike.
4. My improvements in chiming clocks substantially as described and illustrated
by the drawings.
Dated this 14th day of November 1892.