Improved Apparatus for Adapting Telephone Line Wires for use in Synchronizing Clocks
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th June, 1590-Accepted, 2nd Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Adapting Telephone Line Wires for use in
Synchronizing Clocks.
I, ALFRED GEORGE BURRELL of 5 King Street, Sheffield, Clockmaker do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for adapting telephone line wires for
use in synchronizing or controlling clocks and it comprises (1) a switch arrangement
situated in the telephone central exchange by means of which on the passing of a
current from a standard clock or regulator to which it is connected the telephone
circuit is broken and a synchronizing circuit through the clocks to be controlled:
is completed (2) a device by means of which each clock to be controlled puts a
synchronizing instrument on it in circuit at the intervals required for correcting
the clock's time (3) an improved synchronizer for acting on the minute hand of
the clock and which is also applicable to clocks controlled by a regulator in the
ordinary way and (4) a polarised relay by means of which the ringing instrument
of a telephone subscriber is prevented from actuating the synchronizer.
The switch arrangement consists of an electro magnet the coils of which are in
the standard regulator circuit and having a keeper attached to one of a series of
transmitting rods connected each with a subscriber's telephone and pivotted over the
electro magnet. The rod carrying the keeper is provided with a counterpoise which
normally tilts the rods so that conductors at one end dip into mercury cups electrically
connected to wires leading to the telephone exchange test board and closes the circuit
thence from the telephone line wires but which by the attraction of the electro magnet
on the transmission of a current is overcome and the rods tilted to break said circuit
and close circuits through conductors at the opposite ends of the transmitting
rods dipping in mercury cups connected to wires leading to the subscribers clock
batteries.
The device by means of which the clock to be controlled puts the synchronizer on
it in circuit consists of two contact springs which when in contact complete a circuit
from the telephone line wire through the synchronizer but which are normally held
out of contact by means of a bell crank lever having three arms one of which is
provided with a pin serving to hold up one of the contact springs whilst the other two
are furnished with pins bearing on discs on the hour and minute wheel respectively.
These discs have each a notch cut in them and when by the movement of the
clockwork the notches are brought in line and both pins drop therein off the
péripheries of the discs the bell crank lever is tilted by the pressure of the contact
spring and the said springs are permitted to come in contact and so remain for the
space of about two minutes when by the further movement of the clock-work one of
the pins is pushed out of its notch and the contact springs separated to break the
circuit. The notches in the hour and minute wheel discs are of such a length us to
allow the contact springs to remain in contact from the time the clock hand points
to e.g. one minute to the hour until one minute past the hour, and one or more
notches may be cut in the hour wheel disc to bring the springs into contact once in
twelve hours or oftener. If the standard regulator sends the current at any instant.
during the time the springs are in contact the synchronizing instrument on the
clock is actuated and the hand of the clock is set to correspond with that of the
regulator.
The improved synchronizer consists of a pair of electro magnets on the armature of
which is a projecting pin engaging a forked lever on a socket pivotted on a stud
passing through the centre of the figure XII on the clock dial. On the socket piece
in front of the dial is a short hand or lever which in its normal position of rest

page_text: is inclined but which on a current passing through the electro magnet coils and
attracting the armature is brought to a vertical position by the action of the pro-
jecting pin of the armature on the slotted lever. The lever on the dial face acis upon
two pins projecting from the inner side of the minute hand, in the manner usual in
devices for synchronizing clocks, by bringing the hand forward or back to the stroke
of the hour when the current from the standard regulator passes through the electro
magnet coils of the synchronizer.
The relay which is introduced into the circuit when necessary to ensure that only
the continuous current from the standard clock and not the alternating current of
the telephone magnets or call bell will act on the synchronizer consists of a pair
of polarised electro-magnets to whose pivotted keeper is attached a weighted lever the
normal position of which is such as to raise the keeper and press down on one
end of a lever at whose opposite end is a plunger fitted in a cup containing oil or
other liquid or viscous matter. To the rocking centre of this lever are fixed two
arms each carrying a conductor over a cup of mercury electrically connected through
a battery to the synchronizing instrument-when a continuous current passes through
the electro magnet coils the armature is attracted and held down to the poles of
the electro magnet whereby the weight bearing on the lever carrying the oil plunger
is relieved and the latter gradually sinks in the oil cup. The conductors carried
on the lever centre are thereby permitted to drop into contact with the mercury
and complete the circuit of the battery and sychronizing instrument; but when
an alternating current passes through the electro magnet coils the armature is only
vibrated and the period of vibration being short the weighted end of the armature
lever is not freed for a sufficient time to permit the oil plunger to sink and the
conductors to reach the mercury to complete the battery circuit.
In the operation of the improved apparatus the clock to he controlled by the action
of the notched discs on the hour and minute wheels brings together the contact
springs to close the circuit to earth from the telephone line through the polarised
relay the circuit being maintained for about two minutes every twelve hours or at
other intervals, a continuous current is transmitted from a standard regulator through
the switch arrangement described as provided in the telephone exchange whereby the
subscriber's telephone circuit is broken for two or three seconds whilst the current.
passes either through the synchronizing instrument direct or by way of the polarised
relay and causes the relay battery to operate the synchronizer by means of which the
clock hand is brought exactly to correspond with that of the regulator.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of September 1889.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Adapting Telephone Line Wires for use in
.Synchronizing Clocks.
1. ALFRED GEORGE BURRELL, of 5 King Street, Sheffield, Clockmaker, 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:
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for adapting telephone line wires for
use in synchronizing or controlling clocks and it comprises (1) a switch arrangement
situated in the telephone central exchange by means of which on the passing of a
current from a standard clock or regulator to which it is connected the telephone
circuit is broken and a synchronizing circuit through the clocks to be controlled is
completed (2) a device by means of which each clock to be controlled puts a
synchronizing instrument on it in circuit at the intervals required for correcting the
clock's time (3) a polarised relay by means of which the ringing instrument of a
telephone subscriber is prevented from actuating the synchronizer.

page_text: As represented in side elevation and plan at figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
drawings the switch arrangement consists of an electro magnet the coils A of which
are in the standard regulator circuit a, and having a keeper B, attached to one of a
series of transmitting rods C, connected each by a wire c, with a subscriber's telephone
and pivotted on the brackets C', over the electro magnet. The rod C, carrying the
keeper is provided with a counterpoise, or counterpoises C³, are separately attached to
the keeper which normally tilts the rods C, so that conductors d, at one end dip into
mercury cups D, electrically connected to wires d', leading to the telephone exch
test board and closes the circuit thence from the telephone line wires c, but which by
the attraction of the electro-magnet A, on the transmission of a current is overcome
and the rods C, tilted to break said circuit c, and close circuits through conductors e
at the opposite ends of the transmitting rods C, dipping in mercury cups E, connected
to wires e, leading to the subscribers clock batteries.
hinge
The device by means of which the clock to be controlled puts the synchronizer on
it in circuit consists as represented in front and side elevations at figures 3 and 4
of two contact springs F, F, which when in contact complete a circuit f, from the
telephone line wire c, through the relay N, but which are normally held out of
contact by means of a bell crank lever having three arms H, H', H2, one of which (H)
is provided with a pin h, serving to hold up one of the contact springs whilst the
other two H, H2, are furnished with pins h, 2, bearing on discs I, I, on the hour
and minute wheel respectively. These discs I, I', have each a notch i, i, cut in
them and when by the movement of the clockwork the notches are brought in line
and both pins, h², drop therein off the peripheries of the discs the bell crank
lever H, is tilted by the pressure of the contact spring and the said springs F, F1,
are permitted to come in contact and so remain for the space of about two minutes
when by the further movement of the clockwork one of the pins h, i.e. that on the
minute wheel is pushed out of its notch, which is bevelled for that purpose and
the contact springs F, F, separated to break the circuit f The notches in the
hour and minute wheel discs I, I', are of such a length as to allow the contact
springs F, F, to remain in contact from the time the clock hand points to e.g. one
minute to the hour until one minute past the hour and one or more notches may
be cut in the hour wheel disc to bring the springs into contact ones in twelve hours
or oftener.
If the standard regulator sends the current at any instant during the
time the springs are in contact the synchronizing instrument G, on the clock J, is
actuated and the minute hand of the clock is set to correspond with that of the
regulator. Other equivalent devices operated by the clock may be employed in lieu
of the notched discs and levers to close the circuit through the synchronizer at the
proper time.
Any suitable synchronizing instrument may be employed to. set the hands of the
clock for example the synchronizer shown at figures 3 and 4, consists of a pair of
electro magnets K, on the armature K', of which is a projecting pink, engaging a
forked lever L, on a socket 1, pivotted on a stud 1, passing through the centre of the
figure XII, on the clock dial J. On the socket piece 1, in front of the dial is a short
hand or lever, which in its normal position of rest is inclined as shown but which
on a current passing through the electro magnet coils K, and attracting the armature
is brought to a vertical position by the action of the projecting pin k, of the
armature K¹, on the slotted lever L. The lever 12, on the dial face acts upon two
pins m, m, projecting from the inner side of the minute hand M, in the manner usual
in devices for sychronizing clocks by bringing the band forward or back to the stroke
of the hour when the current from the standard regulator passes through the electro
magnet coils K of the synchronizer.
The relay which is introduced into the circuit from the telephone line wire to earth
through the clock contact making springs to ensure that only the continuous current
from the standard clock and not the alternating current of the telephone magnets or
call bell will act on the synchronizer consists as represented in elevation and plan at
figures 5 and 6 of a pair of polarised electro magnets N, N, to whose pivotted
keeper N, is attached a weighted lever O, the normal position of which is such as

page_text: to raise the keeper and press down on one end of a lever P, at whose opposite end is
a plunger p, fitted in an oil cup pl, containing oil or other liquid or its equivalent.
To the rocking centre p², of this lever are fixed two arms p³, p³, each carrying a
conductor, over a cup p³, of mercury electrically connected by wires p, through a
battery to the synchronizing instrument. When a continuous current passes through
the electro magnet coils N, the armature N1, is attracted and held down to the poles
of the electro magnet whereby the weight 01, bearing on the lever P, carrying
the oil plunger p. is relieved and the latter gradually sinks in the oil cup. The
conductors pp, carried on the lever centre are thereby permitted to drop into
contact with the mercury and complete the circuit pº, of the battery and synchronizing
instrument; but when. an alternating current passes through the electro magnet
coils N, the armature N¹, is only vibrated and the period of vibration being short the
weighted end of the armature lever O is not freed for a sufficient time to permit the
oil plunger p, to sink and the conductors p', to reach the mercury to complete
the battery circuit p. I have effected this same purpose by means of a mechanical
relay consisting of an electro magnet, ratchet wheels and springs so arranged that
alternate currents cancel the action of each other, thus allowing the telephone ringing
current to pass through without the relay making contact, but I prefer the simpler
oil-slide method.
In the operation of the improved apparatus and as diagrammatically represented at
figure 7, the clock J, to be controlled by the action of the notched discs on the hour
and minute wheel brings together the contact springs F, 1, to close the circuit f, to
earth from the telephone line c, through the polarised relay N, the circuit being
maintained for about two minutes. Every twelve hours or at other intervals a
continuous current is transmitted from a standard regulator R, through the switchi
arrangement A, described as provided in the telephone exchange whereby the
subscribers telephone circuit c, is broken for two or three seconds whilst the current
passes either direct through the synchronizing instrument G, or by way of the
polarized relay N and causes the relay battery n, to operate the synchronizer G, by
means of which the hand of the clock J, is brought exactly to correspond with that
of the regulator R..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The adaptation of telephone line wires for use in synchronizing clocks by means
of apparatus substantially such as herein before described with reference to the annexed
drawings.
2. The combination of improved switch apparatus and relays for adapting telephone
line wires for use in synchronizing clocks substantially as herein before described with
reference to the annexed drawings.
3. The improved switching apparatus hereinbefore described with reference to
figures 1 and 2 for the purposes set forth.
4. The relay apparatus herein before described with reference to figures 5 and 6
for diverting alternating currents from the synchronizer of controlled clocks.
Dated this Twenty-eighth day of June 1890.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.