Improvements in Clocks.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE NEW HAVEN CLOCK COMPANY, of New
Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.]
Improvements in Clocks.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent
Agents 45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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:--
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1, represents a view in front elevation of one form which a clock move-
ment constructed in accordance with my invention may assume.
Figure 2, an enlarged sectional view thereof on line -c of the preceding
figure.
This invention relates to an improvement in that class of clocks in which the
going rate of the pointers is not derived from a shaft of the escapement-train,
rotating once an hour, and called the "center-shaft," but from one or more wheels
driven by the said train and adapted in size and in the number of their teeth to
convert the running rate, whatever that may be, of one of its members, into time.
Such was the principle of the clock described in Letters Patent of Great Britain
No. 19,596 of 1889, bearing date as of Dec. 5th 1889, which disclosed the use of
one or more equalizing wheels for converting into time the running rate of ordinary
dial-work partaking of the rate of an escapement-train constructed and operated
as a constant motor rather than as a keeper of time.
The present invention has the same objects in view as set forth in that Patent,
but aims also at a still greater simplicity of construction.
With these objects in view, the invention consists in the combination with an
escapement-train, of a wheel fixed to an arbor of the said train and carrying an
intermediate wheel, a cannon pinion meshing into the said arbor wheel, and a
socket-wheel meshing into the said intermediate wheel, the said wheels and pinion
being adapted in the number of their teeth to convert the running rate of the said
arbor into time. The invention further consists in certain details of construction.
and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed it in the
claim.
In illustrating the invention a clock-movement is shown, which, when running at
the desired rate, is found to rotate the arbor A of the first wheel of its escapement-
train once in three hours. In order to convert that running rate of the train into
time, a wheel B, is rigidly attached to the projecting outer end of the said arbor,
having thirty teeth, and carrying an intermediate wheel C, of eight teeth. This
wheel meshes into a cannon pinion D, having ten teeth, and mounted upon a suitable
stud E, projecting from the center of the outer plate F, of the clock movement.
The intermediate wheel C, of eight teeth meshes into and drives a socket-wheel G,
having thirty-two teeth, and adapted to be sleeved over and rotate upon the cannon
pinion before mentioned. It will be understood that the minute pointer which is
not shown, will be fastened to the outer end of the cannon-pinion, while the hour
hand which is also not shown, will be fastened to the outer end of the socket-
wheel. By employing these two wheels and two pinions constructed and arranged
as described, the running rate of the escapement-train will be converted into time,
whereby the clock-movement is made to keep time without constructing its escape-
ment-train to rotate any one of its members once an hour, according to the con-
struction heretofore adopted. This invention is not, of course, limited to use in
connection with movements which have a member rotating once in three hours, but

page_text: is applicable to any movements in which it is practicable to employ two wheels and
two pinions for converting the running rate of their trains into time by constructing
the said wheels and pinions with a suitable number of teeth, the range of usefulness
of this idea being only limited by the space in which the wheels and pinions must
be confined.
It may be well to call attention to the fact that the wheels and pinions employed
do not correspond to the dial work ordinarily used in clocks, for the reason that
ordinary dial-work reproduces in a true ratio the running rate of the escapement-
train with which it is employed, while the wheels and pinions used herein do not
do this, but in themselves convert into time the running rate of an escapement-
train not designed in itself to keep time.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what 1 claim is :-
First. In a clock, the combination with an escapement-train, of a wheel fixed
to an arbor of the said train, and carrying an intermediate wheel a cannon-
pinion meshing into said arbor-wheel, and a socket-wheel meshing into the
said intermediate wheel, the said wheels and pinion being adapted in the number
of their teeth to convert the running rate of the said arbor into time, substantially
as described.
Second. In a clock, the combination with an escapement-train having one of its
arbors rotating once in three hours, of a wheel having thirty teeth fixed to the
projecting outer end of the said arbor and carrying an intermediate wheel having
eight teeth, a cannon-pinion having ten teeth meshing into the said arbor wheel,
and a socket-wheel having thirty-two teeth meshing into the said intermediate
wheel, substantially as set forth, and whereby the said wheels and pinion convert
the running rate of the escapement-train into time.
Dated this 10th day of Lana 1905
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.