Improvements in Chiming Clock or Carillon Mechanism.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application. 28th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 20th June, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chiming Clock or Carillon Mechanism.
A communication from STEPHEN WILLCOCK, Watch Maker, and SAMUEL
DAVISON, Manufacturers' Agent, both of No. 14, Colborne Street, in the City
of Toronto, County of York, Province of Ontario, Canada.
1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., 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 :-
The object of this improvement is to design simple mechanism by which various
chimes may be produced and the invention consists in the peculiar construction,
arrangement and combination of parts, hereinafter more particularly described.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved finger wheel and operating
mechanism connected therewith.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the said mechanism from the side opposite to
that shown in Figure 1, a portion being broken away to expose the operating
mechanism.
Figure 3 is a detail of the bell hammer and operating spring.
In all chime-ringing clocks, with which my correspondents are familiar, the
wheel by which the bell hammers are operated, forms a part of the train of wheels
constituting the driving mechanism, and consequently the clock provided with the
chime, can only play a single chime, or tune, for which it is made. By this inven-
tion various chimes and tunes can be played without in any way interfering with
the driving mechanism which may be attached to any kind of a clock of any size
and whether simple or complicated or it may be arranged to operate without being
connected to a clock. All that has to be changed in order to produce a different
chime, or tune, is the single wheel from which the bell-hammers are operated, and
there is no limit to the number of tunes, or the number of octaves, which can be
produced by this invention.
In the drawing A represents what is called the finger wheel from which a series
of fingers project. These fingers are cut on the periphery of the wheel and are
bent and arranged in such a manner that when moving, they will act against and
trip the different bell hammers C so as to produce the desired chime, or tune.
The finger wheel A is carried on a suitable spindle and has connected to it a spur
wheel D which meshes with the spur wheel E located in and forming part of a
driving mechanism. The wheel A is made so that it can readily be removed and
be replaced by another with fingers arranged to play a different chime, or tune.
F is a notched rim or wheel formed upon, or connected to, the finger wheel A.
G is an arm fixed to the rock shaft H from which rock-shaft another arm I also
projects. The end of this arm rests upon the cam J which is connected to the
spur-wheel K. L is a hooked arm also fixed to the rock-shaft H the hook on the
said arm being designed to engage with a pin M which projects from the spur-
wheel K as indicated. N is an arm projecting from the rock-shaft O to which
another arm P is also fixed, projecting down to a point that will bring it in the
path of a pin Q which projects from the disc R fixed to or connected with the
minute-hand spindle W of the time movement.
If desired to ring the chime but once an hour only one pin Q will be provided
but if it is to be rung every quarter of an hour it will of course follow that four
pins Q will be used. When the pin Q comes in contact with the arm P it will in
passing the said arm push it so as to cause the rock-shaft O to rock. The rocking
of this shaft O causes the arm N (see Fig. 2) to move upwardly and come in
contact with the arm L and raise it clear of the pin M. The wheel K being thus

page_text: released will of course revolve until its pin M comes in contact with the arm S
which is fixed to the rock shaft O as shown. At this instant the pin Q has passed
the arm P leaving it free to fall back into its initial position which motion of the
arm P carries the arm S clear of the pin M thus releasing the wheel K which
then continues to revolve until arrested by the stop mechanism hereinafter
described.
When the invention is adapted to ring large bells, such as those used in churches
and public buildings, and where it is not desired to attach it to a clock, the
mechanism for autematically operating the starting of the mechanism may be
dispensed with, and the arm P moved by the attendant.
The fly T which operates in the usual way and for the ordinary purpose, has, it
will be observed, six blades arranged to balance each other, which arrangement
makes the fly more sensitive and more effective than if only two blades were
used.
It will be observed on reference to Figure 1 that the arm G is shaped so as to fit
the notches a formed on the wheel F. When the arm N (see Fig. 2) comes in
contact with and raises the arm L clear of the pin M the arm G is simultaneously
raised clear of the notch a leaving the wheel A which is geared to the ordinary
chain of wheels as before described also free. As the cam J is connected to the
wheel K the said cam revolves with the said wheel, said cam J being shaped for
that purpose holds the arm I up until the notch a has passed the end of the arm G
which then rests upon the periphery of the wheel F and holds the arm I clear of
the cam and the arm L clear of the pin M until the next notch a is reached when
the arm G falls into the said notch which action causes the arm I to fall into
contact with the cam J and the arm L to fall in the path of the pin M thereby
locking the mechanism until it is once more put into action by the movement of the
arm P.
From the hub of each of the bell hammers C a crooked arm V extends and is
arranged to engage with a spring arm U. Depending from the hub of each
hammer is an arm X in the path of the fingers B. As each bell hammer C is
raised by a finger coming in contact with its arm X the arm V pushes against
the spring U but as soon as the finger B has passed the arm X the spring U reacts
against the arm V and forces the hammer against the bell.
It will be observed that the wheel D on the shaft of the finger wheel A forms no
part of the train of driving mechanism but is entirely independent of it, so that the
train will operate just as well without it as with it, and the wheel A its shaft and
the wheel D through which motion is given to the wheel A may be entirely
removed without, in any way, affecting the integrity or the operation of the train
of gearing normally used to drive the same. This is deemed an important point
inasmuch as it allows of the ready change of finger wheels to play different
tunes, without the necessity of allowing the train to run down before removing
the wheel A.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and in what manner
the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In combination with two or more bells and hammers therefor, a rotary wheel
having a series of teeth cut on the periphery thereof and bent to engage with
different hammers substantially as described.
2. The combination of a driving mechanism, two or more bells, and corresponding
hammers therefor, with a wheel having a series of fingers projecting from the same
and constructed and arranged to be removed without breaking the connection of the
driving mechanism, substantially as described.
3. In combination with a driving mechanism, a wheel having a series of fingers
projecting from it and driven by and independently geared to said driving
mechanism, whereby said wheel may be detached from said mechanism withou
affecting the latter, in combination with two or more pivotted bell-hammers arranged

page_text: in the path of the fingers formed on said wheel substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
4. In combination with a driving mechanism, a wheel having a series of fingers
projecting from it and driven by and independently geared to said driving
mechanism whereby said wheel may be detached from said mechanism without
affecting the latter, two or more pivotted bell-hammers arranged in the path
of the finger formed on the said wheel, in combination with mechanism arranged
to start and stop the driving mechanism substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
5. A wheel having a series of fingers B projecting from its rim or periphery and
independently geared to an ordinary striking mechanism of a clock, a rim or wheel F,
fixed to the wheel A, and having notches a made in its periphery, in combination
with the arms G, I and L, fixed to the rock-shaft H and arranged to operate in
connection with the notches a cam J and pin M substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
6. The arm G fixed to the rock-shaft H and extending to the notched wheel F
the arm I fixed to the rock shaft H and extending to the cam J the arm I fixed to
the shaft H and extending to the path of the pin M in the spur wheel K in com-
bination with an arm N fixed to the rock-shaft O and extending to a point below
the arm L the finger P fixed to the rock-shaft O and extending to a point in the
path of the pin the arm S fixed to the rock-shaft O and extending to a point in
the path of the pin M substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 28th day of Anril 1891
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.