Improvements in or relating to Electrical Time-switches.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 11th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1899
Improvements in or relating to Electrical Time-switches.
Victoria
We, Toм BOUSQUET BROWNE and FRANCIS LEIGH MARTINEAU, of 39,
Street, Westminster, London, S.W., Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Our improvements have reference to electrical- time-switches, and consist in
providing simple and efficient means, actuated by an ordinary clock or other time
measuring instrument, for automatically and at any predetermined time opening and
closing an electric circuit through the intervention of a balanced mercury or any other
suitable switch, whereby the electric current is instantly and automatically switched
on and off at the appointed times.
It forms a feature in our invention that in order to simplify the construction and
reduce the number of parts and consequent friction in the mechanism for effecting
the above object we arrange same in a special inanner on one central spindle secured
to or mounted in or adjacent to the frame of the clock in connection with a dial face
and two index pointers for respectively indicating the time at which it is desired to
open or close the circuit, this being effected by means of a single lever operated
alternately by two cams. For this purpose two hollow sockets or sleeves are loosely
arranged on the aforesaid spindle and normally rotate with a toothed wheel also
mounted thereon which corresponds with and is driven round by the clocktrain
preferably once in twenty four hours. Spring washers or convolute or spiral springs
are interposed between these sockets or sleeves and the toothed wheel, so that, whilst
the friction set up thereby is sufficient to cause the rotation of the sleeves with the
aforesaid toothed wheel as a whole, they can yet be rotated independently of each
other and be set or adjusted by hand by means of two external rims or buttons the
index pointers of which respectively correspond in position with the before mentioned
two cams on the opposite ends of the sleeves, the cams alternately operating a
balanced lever actuated by a weight or spring, which lever in turn actuates a balanced
mercury switch or other convenient circuit closing or opening device, the cam first
moving the lever over its dead centre against the action of the weight or spring which
latter then further actuates and completes the movement of the lever, thus operating
the switch, the lever then being in position to be similarly operated in the opposite
direction by the other cam, thus reversing the switch. Each sleeve or socket is
preferably formed in one piece with or secured to its cam, adjusting button, and index
pointer, the latter coinciding with and locating the position at which its cam is set to
operate, so that the circuit will be opened or closed at the time indicated on the dial
face. The lever we employ for operating the switch is either pivotted and weighted
above its centre so that it will retain the switch in either the open or closed position,
or, it may be provided with a spiral or flat steel spring, or it may be jointed and have
a spring action or be otherwise formed to ensure the instantaneous opening or closing
of the circuit.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Electrical Time-switches.
We, TOM BOUSQUET BROWNE and FRANCIS LEIGH MARTINEAU, of 39, Victoria
Street, Westminster, London, S.W,, Engineers, 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 :-
Our improvements have reference to electrical time-switches, and consist in
providing simple and efficient means actuated by an ordinary clock or other time
measuring instrument for automatically and at any predetermind time opening and
closing an electric circuit through the intervention of a balanced mercury or any
other suitable switch, whereby the electric current is instantly and automatically
switched on and off at the appointed times.
In the annexed illustrative drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 a
front view, shewing a portion of the dial face broken away, of the electrical time-
switch operating mechanism in accordance with our improvements and Figure 3 is a
plan of same. Figure 4 is a longitudinal section shewing the special combination
according to our invention of sleeves or sockets, cams regulating buttons, internal
friction spring washers and operating wheel hereinafter more particularly referred to
and described.
It forms a feature of our invention that, in order to simplify the construction and
reduce the number of parts and consequent friction in the mechanism for effecting
the above object, we arrange same in a special manner as shewn in the drawings on
one central spindle A secured to or mounted in or adjacent to the frame of the clock,
in connection with a dial face E and two index pointers G, G', for respectively
indicating the time at which it is desired to open or close the circuit, this being
effected by means of a single lever H pivotted at hand operated alternately in
opposite directions by two cams X, X', bearing against a knife edge, roller or pin L
on the end H¹ of the lever H. For this purpose two hollow sockets or sleeves, B, B1,
are loosely arranged on the spindle A and normally rotate with the dial face E which
is rigidly connected to and driven by a toothed wheel D which corresponds with and
is driven round by the clock train preferably once in twenty-four hours. Spring
washers or convolute or spiral springs F, F, are interposed between these sockets or
sleeves B, B, and the toothed wheel D, so that, whilst normally the friction set up
thereby is sufficient to cause the rotation of the sleeves B, B¹, with the aforesaid
toothed wheel D and dial E as a whole, they can yet be rotated independently of each
other, and he set or adjusted by hand by means of two external rims or buttons C, C¹,
the index pointers G, G¹, of which respectively correspond in position with the
beforementioned two cams X, XI, on the opposite ends of the sleeves B, B¹, the
cams X, X, alternately operating the balanced lever H which is actuated either by a
weight or by means of a spring K in conjunction with the cantrolling lever J pivotted
at and connecting link M, which lever H in turn actuates a balanced mercury
switch or other convenient circuit closing or opening device, the operating cam X
first coming in contact with the knife edge or pin Lon the end H₁ of the lever H
and moving the lever over its dead centre against the action of the controlling
lever J and weight or spring K which latter then further actuates and completes the
movement of the lever H thus operating the switch, the lever H then being in
position to be similarly operated in the opposite direction by the other cam X¹
coming in contact with the knife edge or pin L thereby throwing the lever over in
the other position and thus reversing the switch. Each sleeve or socket is preferably
formed in one piece with or secured to its cam X, X adjusting button C, C¹, and
index pointer G, G¹, the latter coinciding with and locating the position at which its
cain X or X¹ is set to operate, so that the circuit will be opened or closed at the time

page_text: indicated on the dial face E. The lever H which we employ for operating the switch
is either pivotted at h as shewn in Figure 1 and weighted above its centre so that it
will retain the switch in either the open or closed position, or it may he provided
with a spiral or flat steel spring, or it may be jointed and have a spring action, or be
otherwise formed with, for instance, a controlling lever J, connecting link. M and
weight or spring K, to ensure the instantaneous opening or closing of the circuit.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
First. The herein described method of and means employed for opening and
closing the switch of an electric circuit at any predetermined time, and, the
mechanism for permitting the operating cans and indicating pointers to be set
independently by hand substantially as set forth and shewn.
Second. In an electrical time-switch of the type specified the employment of a
single, pivotted, weighted, jointed or spring actuating lever H constructed, arranged
and operated as herein described and shewn for controlling an electric circuit by
means of two cains X, X', to which motion corresponding to that of the clock is
communicated from the wheel D by means substantially as set forth and as shewn
in the drawings.
Third. In an electrical time-switch the arrangement herein described and shewn
for automatically operating the circuit opening and closing lever H consisting of a
knife edge, roller or pin L engaged by cams X, X', sockets or sleeves B, B', driving
wheel D, adjusting buttons C, C1, spring washers F, F, pointers G, G¹, and dial face E
all mounted or arranged about one centre spindle A in such a manner that whilst
normally motion corresponding to that of the clock train is communicated to the various
parts the operating cams and index pointers or fingers can be independently set or
adjusted by hand so as to cause the circuit opening and closing lever I to come into
action at any predetermined time substantially as herein set forth and shewn and for
the purposes specified.
•
Dated this 6th day of October 1898.
BENJ. T. KING (A.I.M.E.),
165, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agent for Applicants.