An Improved Automatic Electric Alarm Clock.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Apr., 188g
Complete Specification Left, 7th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1890
An Improved Automatic Electric Alarm Clock.
I, ANDREW LEYLAND of 13 Ollerton Terrace, Engley Bank, near Bolton in the
County of Lancaster, Finisher, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to
be as follows :-
This invention relates to an improved automatic electric alarm clock and has for its
object that of providing an electric aların that will ring until stopped and re-set itself
ready for being operated according to the time intended by the alarm dial. This I
accomplish in the following manner :-To the case or framework of the clock is fixed
a centre on which is mounted an arm or lever carrying a projection or projections
operated upon by a pin or its equivalent on the alarm dial. As the alarm dial is
rotated by the action of the clock the said pin or its equivalent operates on one or both
projections on the arm or lever and places the latter in contact with a spring and
completes the electric circuit and sets the bell or gong ringing. The end of the spring.
is insulated and pointed with a metallic ring or thimble to prevent wear when in action
with the slot or rim on the alarm dial. The electric arrangements are of the well
known type, consisting of battery and magnets connected by wires in the usual
manner. To the arm or lever is pivoted an adjustable rod connected to a fixing
mounted in any convenient manner to suit various kinds of clocks. The adjustable
rod is attached loosely to a fixing by a screw and spring to allow of the adjustment of
the former to compensate for wear and other purposes. One end of the adjustable rod
is provided with a slot or fork to slide on a screw or centre to allow of the alarm being
operated only once in twenty-four hours. This is effected by the pin on the alarm
dial operating one of the projections and lifting or moving the arm or lever only
half-way, which will not pull the bell or gong in action at the same hour of the day as
the bell or gong was operated in the night or early morning, and thus allow the alarm
dial to move for another twelve hours. When the alarmn dial completes its second
revolution in twenty-four hours the pin operates on the second projection on the arm
or lever, and places the end of the latter or its attachments in contact with the spring
or its equivalent connected to the electric apparatus. If desired the projection or
projections on the arm or lever can be constructed to operate the alarm every twelve
hours, or at other periods when intended to arouse sailors and other persons perform-
ing work and taking rest at short intervals. The various parts of the apparatus are
insulated in the usual or other manner to allow of the electric current being conducted.
The mechanical parts are constructed so as to be evenly and perfectly balanced or
thereabouts to relieve the clock of undue strain. To stop the alarm ringing it is
effected by operating the adjustable rod attached to the arm or lever to break contact
between the latter and the spring connected to the electric apparatus, at which point
the adjustable rod is left by the person stopping it. One of the essential features of
this invention is that the apparatus re-sets itself to operate the alarm automatically by
the pin or pins on the alarm dial when the clock is in motion. This invention is
equally applicable to clocks running any number of days, and will operate without
hinderance so long as the battery is kept charged and the electric apparatus intact. A
switch can be provided to stop the alarm in case it is not required for a season.
DI
11000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Automatic Electric Alarm Clock.
I, ANDREW LEYLAND of 13 Ollerton Terrace, Eagley Bank, near Bolton in the
County of Lancaster, Finisher, do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 an improved automatic electric alarm clock and has for its
object that of providing an electric alarm that will ring until stopped and re-set itself
ready for being operated according to the time intended by the alarm dial. This I
accomplish in the following manner :-To the case or framework of the clock is fixed
a centre on which is mounted an arın or lever carrying a projection or projections
operated by a pin or its equivalent on the alarm dial. As the alarm dial is rotated by
the action of the clock the said pin or its equivalent operates on one or both projections
on the arm or lever and places the latter in contact with a spring and completes the
electric circuit and sets the bell or gong ringing. The end of the spring is insulated
and pointed with a metallic ring or thimble to prevent wear when in action with the
slot, or rim on the alarm dial. The electric arrangements are of the well known type,
consisting of battery and magnets connected by wires in the usual manner. To the
arm or lever is pivoted an adjustable rod connected to a fixing mounted in any
convenient manner to suit various kinds of clocks. The adjustable rod is attached
loosely to a fixing by a screw and spring to allow of the adjustment of the former to
compensate for wear and other purposes. One end of the adjustable rod is provided
with a slot or fork to slide on a screw or centre to allow of the alarm being operated
only once in twenty-four hours. This is effected by the pin on the aların dial operating
one of the projections and lifting or moving the arm or lever only half-way, which
will not put the bell or gong in action at the same hour of the day as the bell
or gong was operated in the night or early morning, and thus allow the alarm dial
to move for another twelve hours. When the alarm dial completes its second revolu-
tion in twenty-four hours the pin operates on the second projection on the arm or
lever and places the end of the latter or its attachments in contact with the spring
or its equivalent connected to the electric apparatus. If desired the projection or
projections on the arm or lever can be constructed to operate the alarm every
twelve hours, or at other periods when intended to arouse sailors and other persons
performing work and taking rest at short intervals. The various parts of the
apparatus are insulated in the usual or other manner to allow of the electric current
being conducted. The mechanical parts are constructed so as to be evenly and
perfectly balanced or thereabouts to relieve the clock of undue strain. To stop the
alarm ringing it is effected by operating the adjustable rod attached to the arm or
lever to break contact between the latter and the spring connected to the electric
apparatus, at which point the adjustable rod is left by the person stopping it. One
of the essential features of this invention is that the apparatus re-sets itself to operate
the alarm automatically by the pin or pins on the alarm dial when the clock is in
motion. This invention is equally applicable to clocks running any number of days,
and will operate without hinderance so long as the battery is kept charged and the
electric apparatus intact. A switch can be provided to stop the alarm in case it is not
required for a season.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a clock with my improved automatic apparatus for
operating the electric alarm once or more during each revolution of either of the hands
of the clock-Fig. 2 is a front view of the internal arrangements of the same-Fig. 3
is a front elevation of my improved apparatus in position to complete the electric
circuit-Fig. 4 is a side view of same-Fig. 5 is a front elevation showing the
position of my improved apparatus when set to operate once in twenty-four hours.
Fig. 6 is a part side elevation of the slide for setting the alarm-Fig. 7 is a
side elevation of the operating slide provided with projections to carry the weight
of the operating rod-Fig. 8 is an enlarged part front elevation of the alarm dial

page_text: provided with means for operating the alarm at a point of time between one
quarter of an hour and another-Fig. 9 is a part section through Fig. 8-Fig. 10
is a front elevation of my improved alarm dial applicable to clocks with electric
alarm apparatus requiring to be operated once in twelve hours, and Fig. 11 is a
section through line A¹ B¹ in Fig. 10.
In all the figures the same letters are employed to indicate corresponding parts.
To the case or framework A of the clock is fixed the centre B on which is
mounted the arm or lever C carrying the projections D and E. The latter are
operated upon by the pin or pins F on the alarm dial G. To the end of the arm
or lever C is attached the adjustable rod P by the pin Q. The rod P extends to
the upper side of the clock case R, and is attached to the slide S mounted on the
pin T in the fixing U secured to the clock case R. The adjustable rod P is attached
loosely to the fixing U by the screwed pin T and the spiral spring V; the latter
being altered in tension by the screwed pin T to hold the slide S against the fixing U
with the least possible strain. When my improved automatic apparatus is intended
for alarm clocks to ring the electric bell or gong once or more during each revolution
of either. of. the hands W and W₁I construct the alarm dial G with forty-eight
slots X representing each quarter of an hour for the twelve hours on the dial of
the clock. Corresponding with the slots X the alarm dial G is provided with the
holes Y, in which are mounted loosely the sliding pins F. In case it is desired to
operate the alarm at a point of time between one quarter of an hour and another
I provide the adjustable arm b pivoted to the ring a by the centre c.
The ring a
is mounted on the face of the alarm dial G as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and can
be swivelled in either direction to the time the alarm is intended to be rung.
When an intermediate point of time between one quarter of an hour and another
is not required the adjustable arm is swivelled sideway as shown in dotted lines
in Fig. 9. The space betwixt the slots X and the pins F is indexed with the hours
and intermediate parts the reverse way to the index on the clock face, and in setting
the same the hour hand W¹ of the clock is firmly secured opposite the hour of twelve
on the alarm dial G as shown on the drawings. To the case or framework A is fixed
the arm H carrying the centre I on which is mounted the spring or other arm J.
The latter is insulated at the point K to prevent the electric current being conducted
to the working parts of the clock. To the spring or other arm J is attached the arm L
insulated at M. The end of the arm L is fitted with the pin N on which is mounted
the ferrule O as shown in Fig. 4 to minimise friction. The ferrule rests in the
slots X as in Figs. 1 and 4, and as the alarm dial G rotates with the hour hand wi
the ferrule O with the pin N and arm L rises up the inclines G2 and drops into the
slots X as they present themselves.
This apparatus operates in the following manner :-When it is decided at what
hour or part of an hour the electric alarm is to be operated the sliding pin F opposite
the time on the reversed index is pushed in as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9. The
arm or lever C is lowered to the correct position by pressing down the slide S until
arrested by the end of the pivoted lever d coming into contact with the upper side of
the fixing U as shown in Fig. 2. As the dial G rotates with the hour hand W₁ of the
clock the pin F is brought in contact with the projection D and raises the arın or
lever C with the adjustable rod P and slide S to the position shown in Fig. 3. When
the ferrule O on the pin N drops into the slot X opposite the inserted pin F the
spring or other arm J drops into contact with the adjustable rod P and completes the
electric circuit, by which the bell or gong C2 is set ringing. The electric current is
supplied from the battery D², and is connected by the wires E2 in the usual manner.
The bell or gong C'will continue to ring for a considerable period every quarter ofan hour
until the slide S is pressed down to the position shown in Fig. 2, which action re-sets
the arm or lever C to be operated at the same hour by the same pin or any others that
may have been pressed into position according to the time the bell or gong is to be
rung. When it is desired to operate the alarm bell or gong C2 only once in twenty-
four hours the pivoted lever d is swivelled as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 to allow of the

page_text: arm or lever C being lowered to place the projection E in the path of the operating
pin or pins F. Immediately the pin or pins F operate on the projection E the arm or
lever C is altered to the position shown in Fig. 2, which allows of the inserted pin F
travelling on for another twelve hours without raising the rod P sufficiently high to
make contact with the arm J, at which point the arm. or lever C will remain until the
operating pin F presents itself at the set time in twelve hours and operates on the
projection D and raises the same as in Figs. 3 and 4, and completes the electric
circuit as herein before described. This invention allows of the electric alarm being
operated forty-eight times in twelve hours, or any number of times below that number
according to the number of pins F inserted or pushed in to operate the arm or lever C
in the act of rotating with the hour hand W₁ of the clock. To relieve the arm or
lever from the weight of the rod P and slide S the latter can be provided with the
projections to rest on the upper side of the fixing U as shown in Fig. 7. When it
is desired to push the rod P and slide S down the latter is pressed sideways to allow
the point of the projection f to pass the fixing U; being held thereto by the spring V.
This arrangement of my invention is intended to operate the electric alarm once
in twelve hours, or once in twenty-four hours, or at any other period to arouse
or warn persons performing work and taking rest at short or other intervals and
is admirably adapted for a ship clock. In case none of the pins F are pushed
through the dial G into the path of the projections D and E of the lever C the
clock will work without sounding the electric alarm. The electric apparatus of the
clock can be provided with a switch M' to stop the alarm without disturbing
the pins F in case they are set.
In adapting my invention to clocks wherein the electric alarm is only required to
be operated once in twelve hours I provide the alarm dial G with the fixed pin F
and the adjustable cam L as shown in Fig. 10, of which Fig. 11 is a sectional
elevation through line A¹ B' in Fig. 10. The alarm dial G is provided with the
reversed index as previously described; the hour hand W₁ being fixed thereto
opposite the hour of twelve. When it is desired to set the pin F to operate the
aların at a certain time the cam L'is rotated by the handle O¹ until the pointer P¹
is opposite the numeral on the reversed index corresponding with the time at which
the alarm is to be operated. As the cam L' rotates with the alarm dial G the
ferrule 0, pin N, and arin L are gradually raised clear of the rod P to prevent
contact when the latter is being raised by the pin F operating the arm
Immediately the pin F has raised the arm or lever C and the ferrule ()
the point g of the cam L¹ the arm J drops into contact with the
completes the electric circuit and sets the bell or gong C2 ringing.
or lever C.
drops from
rod P and
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. In combination with electric alarm clocks the use construction and arrangement
of the alarm dial and movable pins to operate the electric alarm apparatus one or
more times each hour or any part or parts of an hour or otherwise, substantially
as described and illustrated on the drawings.
2. In combination with electric alarm clocks the use of the arm or lever C with
the projections D and E, and the means for regulating the position of the same to
allow the pin or pins F in the aların dial G to operate the electric alarm once or
twice in twenty-four hours or at any intermediate time or times according to the
setting of each operating pin F, substantially as described and illustrated on the
drawings.
3. In combination with electric alarm clocks the use of the adjustable rod P
mounted on the fixing U or its equivalent and attached to the arm or lever C for
the purpose of stopping the electric alarm, and by which action the arm or lever C
is re-set for the next pin F set to operate the electric alarm, substantially as described
and illustrated on the drawings,

page_text: 4. The combination of the alarm dial G, cam L¹, reversed index, pointer P¹, and
the fixed pin F arranged to operate the electric alarm apparatus once in twelve
hours according to the setting of the cam L¹, substantially as described and illustrated
on the drawings.