IMPROVEMENTS IN "TIME CONTROLLING AND CORRECTING SYSTEM
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM FRANKLIN GARDNER of Baltimore in the County of Baltimore and
State of Maryland in the United States of America, gentleman, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN "TIME CONTROLLING AND
CORRECTING SYSTEM," and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My invention relates to a system for automatically controlling clocks and sending
time signals and is an improvement on the system granted to me October 23, 1883
No 5047. The invention consists,
First In a clock controlled by a transmitting control clock in an observatory or
other main line circuit with means for controlling a series of clocks from a main line
and on lines used for telegraphic telephonic and for other purposes.
It further consists in an adjustable frictional control for the second minute and
hour hands of said clocks. It further consists in an adjustable push bar for
actuating the cams on the arbors of the several hands of the clocks and finally
consists in details of construction and operation of the several parts as will be
hereinafter more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the
accompanying drawings in which
Fig 1 is a front elevation of the controlling clock showing the hand train,
adjustable cam actuating bar, the controlling magnet and its armature lever and a
controlled clock.
Fig 2 is a perspective view of the adjustable cam actuating bar the cams,
adjustable friction springs on the dial or bands arbors and the dial train.
Figs 3 and 4 are longitudinal sections through the minute and second hand arbors
and the adjustable friction springs.
Fig 5 a plan view of the seconds hand friction spring.
Fig 6 a vertical section through one of the cains and the cam push point.
Fig 7 a detail perspective view of the lower part of one of the cam push
points.
Fig 8 a front elevation of the cam actuating bar and cams with the hands train
removed.
Figs 9 and 10 detail plan view of the cams and modifications of the adjustable
friction springs,

page_text: Fig 11 a perspective view of one form of adjustable friction spring the hand arbor
being shown in section.
Fig 12 a section on the line x-x.
Fig 13 a transverse section through the minute hand arbor and sleeve showing
another form of friction spring.
The object of the invention is to provide a time controlling and correcting
system in which any corrected and controlled clock may be used as a central
transmitting clock for a series of clocks in a local circuit and thus avoid the use of
an expensive primary transmitter.
The clocks herein described are not electric clocks but are actuated by an
independent dial train entirely free from electric currents so that no matter whether
the daily correction is made or not the clocks continue to run.
This system like the one referred to in my former patent is applicable to cities
railways, steamship lines factories and large commercial establishments.
I will now proceed to describe the cam actuating mechanism The front plate K
of the clock forms a support for said mechanism The cam actuating bar which in
my former patent was made in one piece is now made in two pieces or sections I I¹
vertically adjustable with relation to each other The upper section I projects
above the top of plate K and is provided with two arms i which receive the free
end of the armature lever A¹ and prevent any side movement or slipping of said
lever from positive contact with the bar, This upper section is slotted as at ³ to
receive a guide screw which passes into a block. a, attached to plate K This
guide screw and slot insures a positive vertical movement and prevents any slipping
or side movement of said bar. A spring & engages with a hook 82 on the cam bar
and returns the bar to its normal position At a point about midway the length of
the piece I said section is enlarged so as to form a circular or rectangular opening 12
within which the cam moves when the bar is actuated.
Said section is then continued downward in a straight form until it unites with
the lower piece I' which overlaps it and is slotted at in which the adjustable sot
screws 2¹ enters and said screws enter the piece I.
By means of this slot and set screws the adjustment of the bar is effected, as it
is only necessary to unlooso said screws and slip the lower section up or down and
then tighten up the screws.
This adjustment is valuable and important in that a cam actuating bar can be
adjusted to clocks of different size (by lengthening or shortening the bar) and thus
I avoid the necessity of making a particular size cam bar for each particular size
clock.
This lower section also has an opening I like the one just described and its lower
end passes through a guide block a'.
The slot z in the upper section of the bar and the block a¹ limit the stroke of
the cam bar and thereby check all undue strain on pivots or on any part of the
movement. As the cam bar is raised above the plate K by means of the block a, a¹,
there is no friction of the bar on said plate.
Each section of the bar is provided with a detachable push point to engage with
the cams.
These push points are secured to the bar by pins ƒ (or in any other suitable
manner) and are cut away at the end and on their inner face as shown in Fig. 7 so
as to leave the outer and lower portion & flat.
The inner part just above is curved as at, o¹, to fit the groove at the top of the
cam the point, o, centering with the center of the cam. The flat part of course
extends slightly beyond the outer face of the cam and is intended to strike a ledge
or lip on the cam (vide Fig 6.) so that when the cam has been struck by the push
points the flat part 7 will rest squarely against the lip or ledge the center o
centering in the cusp of the groove. This prevents any forward or backward
movement of the cams and therefore of the hands.
The top of the cam may be flat and the part o. of the bar flat so that the cam
may be struck squarely. I prefer however the construction above described.

page_text: It is preferred to have the push points detachable so that if they become worn
they can be replaced without the necessity of making a new cam bar.
With the exception of the ledge or lip on the cams said cams are plain and are
substantially the same and operate the same as in my former patent.
I will now proceed to describe the friction springs on the hands arbors and which
form an essential element of my device.
The cams are mounted on the seconds and minute hands arbors and are turned
by the push points this action which centers the cams also turns the hands to a
predetermined zero point as explained in United States patent No 207015, and this
movement carries the hands with them.
It is essential that an adjustable friction be placed on said arbors so as to prevent
the hands being carried beyond the zero point or in other words to bring about
exact coincidence of the hands and prevent the cams and hands moving too far
either to the right or left according as the clock error is fast or slow.
To accomplish this result I have constructed the cams push points and friction
springs as shown in the accompanying drawings.
In Fig. 4 the friction spring for the seconds, hand consists of a piece of metal M
perforated centrally and passing over the arbor n of said hand and is curved as here
shown and has at one extremity a slot m. The plate M is flat and has a pin m¹
which enters the slot m. of the spring. This engagement of the pin and slot causes
the parts to move in unison and serve another purpose of preventing the spring M
from becoming disengaged and slipping off the flat plato M².
It will be understood that the spring and cams move with the hands arbors The
curved part M abuts against a collar c integral with the sleeve p through which the
arbor n passes.
The outer extremity of the arbor n is screw threaded to receive a nut g which is
in contact with a washer h at the end of sleeve p.
If it is desired at any time to increase the friction of the spring on the arbor and
therefore against the collar, c, it is only necessary to tighten up nut g which presses
forward washer h and this in turn presses forward sleeve p and collar c against
spring M and expands it causing a greater degree of friction to be exerted by it and
plate M on the arbor.
The reverse of this lessens the friction.
This adjustment is of course very slight, the turning of nut g the hundredth part
of an inch giving all the adjustment usually necessary. This friction is made
necessary by changes of temperature and power employed.
The spring & on the minutes hand arbor r passes through the plate K one end
abuts against the bridge plate K¹ the opposite end being secured to a collar t made
integral with or attached to the cam F¹.
The outer end of arbor r is screw threaded to receive a nut q' and washer 9 this
washer rests against the square shoulder 71 of the sleeve 7 of wheel R so that when
the nut is tightened the washer presses against shoulder 7 and this presses
inward the sleeve 73 cam F¹ and collar t thus compressing spring S and therefore
increasing the friction on the arbor.
Figs 9 and 10 show forms of springs secured to the cams on the second hand
arbor the adjustment being made by turning an eccentric head screw n.
In Fig 10 I have shown a bent spring secured in a shoulder on the second hand
arbor and sleeve said spring being adjusted by means of a set screw j and nut j³.
Fig 12 shows the shoulders cut in the sleeve and arbor of the second hand.
Fig 13 shows the form of spring adjustment for the minute hand in which a bent
spring & enters a slot in the sleeve and bears on the arbor the adjustment being
made by a set screw Z which passes through the spring.
Having now described the cam bars and friction springs I will describe the
auxiliary transmitting and controlling mechanism. I will premise by stating that
the cam bar is acted upon by an armature lever A of magnet B as in my former
patent.

page_text: The arm A (Fig 1) which supports this magnet B is a part of the metal frame
on which the clock movement is mounted although it may form a part or outward
projection of plate K. Secured to the horizontal arm A' is a vertical bar A to
which the armature lever A¹ is pivoted at a. Secured to the standard A is a har
of vulcanite C to which an upper and lower contact spring b. b. is fastened by
screws or other-wise as desired.
The spring b has two projecting pins or arms & which pass around the lever A¹
and hold the bar evenly in position.
This spring has also a platinum contact point 6" near the extremity of its free
ond.
The lower spring 61 is provided with a platinum contact plate b³ in a local
circuit of a corrected clock or serios of clocks but one of which T is here shown.
These springs are placed immediately below in the path of the armature lever A¹
so that when said lever is depressed the springs are brought into metallic contact
and a local circuit closed through clock T or series of clocks and these clocks are
It is a desired
continuously controlled at the same time and in the same manner.
feature in time controlling and correcting system that any primary controlled
clock may be a controlling clock for a series of clocks in a local circuit thus
avoiding the use of a large number of expensive primary transmitting clocks.
It will be seen from the foregoing that this has been attained in my device and
that any controlled clock outside of an observatory may be a transinitting clock for
a series or may be used as a central transmitter and all the clocks for hundreds of
miles be corrected in one second as is accomplished in my former patent.
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 a time controlling and correcting system, a controlled clock in an obser-
vatory or other main line circuit provided with a magnet and armature lever
as described to actuate the controlling mechanism said lever acting upon contact
springs in a local circuit of a series of clocks in such manner as to form a
transmitting clock of such controlled clocks and thereby automatically and
simultaneously control the clock or clocks in the local circuit substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
2. In a time controlling and correcting system, a controlled clock the movement
of which is not actuated by electric impulse said clock having a magnet in a
controlling circuit the armature of said magnet operating a cam actuating bar in
said controlled clock and contact springs for closing a circuit in a series of local
controlled clocks whereby the first controlled clock becomes a transmitting clock
for the series substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a controlled clock as described the combination with a magnet B and its
armature lever arranged to actuate the controlling mechanism of contact springs
secured to an insulating bar in such a manner that the said springs will be brought
into contact when the magnet is energized to complete a circuit to one or more
secondary controlled clocks as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a time controlling system a controlled clock provided with a cam actunting
bar made in sections adjustably secured to each other substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
5. In a time controlling system a clock provided with a vertical and adjustable
cam actuating bar said bar having two pins or arms i to receive the free end of the
armature lever substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
6. In a time controlling system a clock having a vertical cam actuating bar
made in two or more sections and slotted to receive guide and adjusting screws as
Bet forth.
7. In a time controlling system a clock having a cam actuating bar provided
with detachable push points as and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: 8. In a time controlling system a clock having a cam actuating bar provided
with push points the ends of which simultaneously strike two separate points on
the cams substantially as set forth.
9. In a time controlling system a clock provided with a cam actuating bar said
bar having circular or rectangular projections I' within which the cams move when
acted upon by the push points as set forth.
10. In a time controlling system a clock provided with a cam actuating bar and
push points each point having a flat edge land points o as and for the purpose
set forth.
11. In a time controlling system a clock provided with cams F F' having a
projection lip or ledge as and for the purpose set forth.
12. In a time controlling system a clock the hand arbors of which are provided
with adjustable friction springs as and for the purpose set forth.
13. In a time controlling system a clock the seconds hand arbor of which is
provided with an adjustable friction spring M having a slot m as and for the
purpose set forth.
14. In a time controlling system a clock the seconds hand arbor of which is
provided with the adjustable spring M having slot m in combination with the flat
plate M having the pin m¹ as and for the purpose set forth.
15. In a time controlling system a clock the minutes hand arbor of which is
provided with an adjustable spiral friction S as described.
16. In a clock in a time controlling system the combination with the hands
arbors provided with screw threaded ends, a nut and adjustable friction springs, of
the movable hands sleeves moved forward and backward by said nut whereby the
adjustment of the springs on the arbors is effected substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
17. In a time controlling and correcting system the combination with inde-
pendent clock movements of a cam actuating bar, the magnet B and its armature
lever the insulating bar C and contact springs in the path of the armature lever
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 15th day of October 1884.