A NEW COSMO- GRAPHIC CLOCK
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Hénard, Manufacturer, and Etienne Lasnier, both
of No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris, France, for the Invention of "A NEW COSMO-
GRAPHIC CLOCK."
Sealed the 6th October 1877, and dated the 2nd May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Hénard and Etienne
Lasnier at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd May 1877.
CHARLES HÉNARD, Manufacturer, and ETIENNE LASNIER, both of No. 1, Rue
Laffitte, Paris, France. "A NEW COSMOGRAPHIC CLOCK."
Our Invention consists in combining clockwork and a sphere representing the
earth, in such a manner as to indicate the hours and minutes as an ordinary clock,
and to impart simultaneously to the sphere its double motion, viz., rotation and
translation, whilst the two fixed indications represent, the one a vertical dial, the
days and months of the year, and the other the radius vector or imaginary line
directed constantly from the centre of the sun to the centre of the earth; and
further, an arcade, surrounding diametrically the sphere, is adapted to our machine,
with reference to the radius vector, in such a manner as to indicate at all times
the hemisphere lighted by the sun and the one which remains in darkness.
In practice we mount the clockwork for indicating the minutes and the hours,
and which may be made of any usual description in an open or in a closed frame
or stand, but on one side or out of the centre of the same, and we place the sphere
above this with its actuating mechanism immediately below, and from the
usual said clockwork we start off a horizontal spindle terminated by a pinion which
actuates the said mechanism of the sphere by its action on a cross shaft adapted
horizontally below and terminated at each of its extremities with a square to which
a handle can be adapted for adjustive and remonstrative purposes; the above gears
into a spur wheel on the said cross shaft which by a pair of bevel wheels imparts the
rotary motion to the earth, id est, its daily revolution on its own axis, whilst a
worm on the said cross shaft, by means of a worm wheel and a series of wheels,
impart to it the requisite slow motion to correspond with its translation or travel
round the sun.

page_text: In order to adjust the sphere to the clock as well as to demonstrate rapidly by
hand the motions of the former, we make use of a handle placed on one or other
of the square ends of the above-mentioned cross shaft; if both motions are to be
imparted to the sphere the handle is applied to the left-hand square, and simply
rotated in the same direction as that communicated by the clockwork, but more
rapidly than the latter when it is merely necessary to impart one motion to the
sphere, viz, its rotation on its own axis; then the handle is applied to the other end
of the shaft and rotated at the required speed after disconnecting the parts
imparting the same motion by the clockwork.
Lastly, we also, for the purpose of demonstration, drive the entire mechanism at
a more rapid rate by means of the clockwork; to this end we free the clockwork
of the control of its pendulum, and limit its action by a mechanical agent, less
resisting, such as a fly, and by means of a clutch, bring one or other of these parts
into gear as may be required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Hénard and Etienne Lasnier in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 31st October 1877.
CHARLES HÉNARD, Manufacturer, and ETIENNE LASNIER, both of No. 1, Rue
Laffitte, Paris, France. A NEW COSMOGRAPHIC CLOCK."
$6
Our new cosmographic clock consists, as the title indicates, in a special clock and
a terrestrial globe combined in such a manner on the one part to indicate the hours
and minutes as an ordinary timepiece, and on the other part to impart to the globe
its double motion or astronomical life, second by second, that is to say, at each beat
of the pendulum its double motion of rotation and of translation; therefore the
earth is moved directly by the pendulum within sight of the sun and rendered life-
like to our eyes as in nature. This arrangement is completed by the adjunction
of two stationary hands or indicators, one of which indicates on a horizontal
rotating dial at all times the hours and the months of the year, and the other the
vector radius or imaginary line starting from the sun and directed constantly to the
centre of the earth; further, an arcade surrounding diametrically the earth is
arranged in such a manner with respect to the hand of the vector radius, as to
indicate constantly and with precision the hemisphere which is lighted by the sun
and the other which remains in darkness.
For the practical adaptation of our Invention we have imagined several mechanical
arrangements, devices, and forms which each have their importance individually
and collectively, and we will describe them in detail conjointly with the 14 Figures
of the accompanying Drawing, in which we have represented, half size, one of our
cosmographic clocks under different aspects as well as its principal parts detached.
In these views Figure 1 is a plan of our cosmographic clock in section through
R, S, T, U, Figure 2; Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same in section through
A, B, C, D, Figure 1; Figure 3 a lateral elevation of the same in section through
E, F, G, H, Figure 1.
Figure 4, a front elevation; Figure 5, a back elevation partially in section of the
mechanism, by means of which we impart by hand, and that rapidly compared to
the clockwork, either the rotative motion or the translative motion of the earth,
or both these motions simultaneously.
Figure 6, a rear elevation; Figure 7, a plan in section through K, L, Figure 6.
Figure 8, a diagram in front elevation; Figure 0, a lateral elevation partly in
section; Figure 10, a second diagram; and Figure 11, a plan of a mechanism
serving to impart by means of the clockwork a rapid motion both to the clock and
to the globe.
Figure 12, a lateral elevation; and Figure 13, a plan partially in section of a

page_text: mechanical arrangement, serving to ensure the precise motions of the globe and to
prevent its rotating backwards; and Figure 14, a front detached elevation of the
disengaging gear.
GENERAL ARRANGEMENT.
In the above-mentioned Figures a represents the stand of the apparatus; b, b,
the plates, containing the clockwork, which may be of the ordinary description,
serving to drive the hands c, c, of the clock, and which at the same time imparts
the double rotary motion to the globe d; e is a casing of metal or other appropriate
material, which surrounds and completely protects the internal mechanism; an
arcade mounted on this casing, and which encircles diametrically the globe, divides
the same clearly in two hemispheres, the one lighted by the sun and the other in
darkness; g, a vertical rod fixed to the cross bar h, attached to the arcade, the
hand of which represents on the sphere the point struck by the vector radius,
whilst a lower band j, fixed to the casing of the clock dial, indicates on the dial k,
which is rotated by the globe, the days and months of the year, and also has also
marked on it the signs of the zodiac, as well as the principal stars and constelations
of the planetary system, which latter however are not figured in the accompanying
Drawing.
GEARING AND MOTION.
The clockwork fitted between the plates b, b, is of the usual make, and it drives
the hands indicating the hours and the minutes in the usual manner. It imparts
rotary motion to the globe d by means of the driving pinion 1, which gears in the
wheel 2, running loose on the spindle 3; this latter by means of the volute 4,
resting on the pin 5, projecting from the bevel wheel 6, drives this said wheel 6,
which is pinned to the spindle 3, and which drives the globe by means of the
gears 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, at the same time it imparts simultaneously the translative
motion to the sphere by means of the spindle 12, which is partly passed over the
spindle 3, and which is driven by means of a ratchet wheel 13 and a click adapted
on the face of the bevel wheel 6; this partly hollow spindle 12 is provided with a
worm 14, which by means of the worm wheel 15, the pinion 16, and the gear 17,
rotates at the requisite slow speed the cage 18, in which is fixed at the proper angle,
see Figure 2; the axis 10 of the sphere and these parts impart simultaneously to
the dome or cap the same rotary motion; a vertical spindle 20, fixed in the
pillar 21; serves as a rotating centre to the parts above mentioned, which commu-
nicate the translative motion to the sphere.
เ
MODE OF FIXING THE GLOBE AND PREVENTING ITS ROTATING BACKWARD.
We insert in the axis of the globe a socket 22, provided with two ears 23, which
embrace exactly two flats, filed on the smaller socket 24, forming part of the
wheel 11; in this manner the globe can be mounted instantaneously, according to
one or other of its phases, diurnal or nocturnal, and it is not possible to mount it
in any other position. In order to ensure the fixity of motion of the globe, and to
preclude the possibility of its rotating backwards we adapt on the wheel 11 a small
pulley 25 with a smooth surface, against which we place in an angular direction, as
indicated in Figure 13, a point 26, maintained constantly in contact with the pulley
by the action of a spring pushing against the tail of the said point; it will be
understood that as this point butts constantly against the periphery of the said
pulley it prevents efficaciously any tendency on the part of the pulley to turn
backwards.

page_text: spring is paid out, on which being rewound the same action will be continued.
In order to regulate the position of the globe with reference to the clock it is
necessary to be able to impart by hand the rotary and translative motions to the
globe, either simultaneously or one or other of these two motions separately; to this
effect we have adapted to our instrument the following mechanism :-The ex-
tremities of the spindles 3 and 12 are filed square so as to receive one or the other
a handle 22, see Figures 2 and 4, when it is necessary to impart by hand to the
globe its two motions, this handle is fitted on the square of the spindle 3, which is
rotated in the same direction as it would be by the clockwork, but at a more rapid
speed; when under these conditions the bevel wheel 6, which is fast to the spindle 3,
pushes back at each revolution the elastic volute 4, which at each passage replaces
itself automatically in the position shown at Figure 2; when the motion to be
imparted to the globe is limited to its rotation on its own axis, the pinion 16 is
disconnected from the wheel 15 by the withdrawal of the plate 28 by means of the
external button 29 into the position indicated in the partial elevation, Figure 14;
the effect of this traction is to raise the pinion 16 and the upper part of the
clutch 29* out of the teeth of its lower half, and when this has been effected the
handle 27 is rotated in the above-mentioned direction without removing it from
the square on which it was fitted in the first case; in order to gear these parts
again together it is merely necessary to push back the plate 28 to the position
indicated in Figure 2, and then the spiral spring 30 will lower the upper half of
the clutch 29*, which is solidary with the pinion 16, into its lower half, which is
solidary with the worm wheel 15; when, on the contrary, it is desired merely to
impart the translative motion to the sphere the handle 27 is placed on the square
of the spindle 12, and turned in the same direction as that imparted by the clock-
work; in this case the teeth of the ratchet 13 slide over the click fitted on the
face of the gear 6 without hindering in any way the rotary motion on its axis
imparted to the globe by the clockwork.
In order to demonstrate more clearly, and to render more apparent the motions
of the globe and of the clockwork, it is advisable to accelerate the working of the
instrument, although still driven by the clockwork; to this end we have made a
small addition to the wheel work of the clock which consists in a means for
liberating the spring barrel from the control of the pendulum, and in controlling
the action of its unwinding by means of a mechanical agent presenting less
resistance, such, for instance, as a fly. This arrangement of parts is shown full size
in Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, above mentioned, and consists in mounting the
external extremities of the two spindles 33 and 34 on a fork 35, having its fulcrum
at 36 on the plate b, and which is susceptible by the effect of traction exerted on
the button 36* of assuming two positions, limited by the action of the spring 37 on
one or the other face of the arm of a triangular section forming part of the fork 35;
it is the wheel 31 on the spindle 32 which serves to connect the barrel either with
the pendulum escapement 33* for the normal working of the clockwork, as shown
at Figures 8 and 9, or with the fly 38, as shown at Figures 10 and 11, for the rapid
working of the entire apparatus; when it is necessary to cease this rapid motion
and return to the normal speed of the apparatus it is necessary, as will be well
understood, to push the pendulum by hand in order to start the clockwork as in
all ordinary clocks.
We claim as our Invention,-
Firstly. The arrangement of the stand a and casing e containing clockwork
mechanism for indicating the time like an ordinary timepiece, and for imparting
the two motions to the globe situated above, the whole forming one undivided
object or apparatus.
Secondly. The gears and other parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, for rotating
the globe on its own inclined axis.
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Secondly. The gears and other parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, for rotating

page_text: Fourthly. The parts 22, 23, 24, and 11, for mounting the globe instantaneously
according to one or other of its phases.
Fifthly. The smooth surface pulley 25, the point 26, and the spring mentioned
for the purpose of preventing the globe from rotating backwards.
Sixthly. The spindles 3 and 12, handle 27, pinion 6, pin 5, and elastic volute 4,
for the purpose of imparting rapid rotary motion to the entire mechanism by
hand.
"
Seventhly. The arrangement of the pinion 16, the worm wheel 15, disengaging
plate 28, button 29, clutch 29*, spring 30, and handle 27, for disconnecting the
mechanism and imparting to the globe simple rotary motion on its own axis.
Eighthly. The arrangement of the spindle 12, of the ratchet 13, with its click,
the gear 6, and the handle 27, for imparting to the globe merely its yearly travel.
Ninthly. The lever 35, the rod 36*, the spring 37, the spindles 33 and 34, the
pendulum escapement 33*, the spindle 38, with its fly, as shown in Figures 6, 7,
8, 9, 10, and 11, for the purpose of driving at will the clock and the globe either at
their regular slow speed or at an accelerated speed, for the purpose of demonstration
or otherwise, but in both cases by means of the clockwork.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles Hénard and Etienne Lasnier, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-second day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.