An Electric Mechanism for Driving Turret and other Clocks.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Electric Mechanism for Driving Turret and other Clocks.
SHARMAN DERMOTT NEILL, 12, Donegall Place, Belfast, Clockmaker, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
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The scape wheel may have 24 or any number of teeth, according to length of
pendulum. The scape wheel is driven by a roller crutch attatched to the pen-
dulum. This crutch works in the slot of an eccentric crank, on which is a loose
cam or lifter. This cam takes the scape wheel forward one tooth every swing
of the pendulum, and owing to its jointed construction, the backward swing of
the pendulum, brings the cam back over the next tooth into position ready for
the next forward motion. This wheel is mounted with 4 or other number of pins,
which make an electric contact any number of times per minute with a powerful
coil and armature connected with a battery. At every contact the armature of
coil, draws a ratchet wheel one tooth forward, to prevent wheel moving more
than 1 tooth forward at a time, there is a steel arm fixed to armature which falls
on the ratchet wheel every movement. There is also a click spring to keep ratchet
stationary. On the same arbor as ratchet wheel is a double worm which drives
crown wheel and motion work of clock.
1
101
1
1000
An Electric Mechanism for Driving Turret and other Clocks.
I, SHARMAN DERMOTT NEILL, of 12, Donegall Place, Belfast, in the County of
Antrim, Clockmaker, 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 :-
This invention relates to electric mechanism for turret and other clocks, and for
the purpose of more clearly understanding the said invention, I will describe the
same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
On Sheet 1, Figures 1 and 2 show respectively elevation and párt plan of my
invention, and
On Sheet 2, Figures 3 and 4 show elevations of modified forms of my, invention.
Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings...
I may carry out my invention as follows. A roller or block 1 is pivotted upon
a small pin projecting from the pendulum 1ª and extends into the slot 1 of the
rocking crank 2 (pivotted at 2ª), thereby causing the ends of said crank to oscil-
late to and fro. Upon the forward movement of this crank (see arrow, Figure 1),
[Price 811

page_text: a loose pawl or lifter 3, pivotted on said crank and bearing against the pin 31,
gears with the toothed wheel 4, propelling the latter forward one tooth, and upon
the backward swing of the crank falls back behind the next tooth ready to urge
said toothed wheel forward again upon the next forward swing of the crank, and
so on. Mounted on the side of said toothed wheel 4 are a number (say four)
of projecting pins 5, which, as the toothed wheel revolves, make metallic contact
with the arm 6 which may be of some flexible yielding substance capable of con-
ducting a current of electricity. Said arm G is connected by means of wires with
one terminal of an electric battery and coil 7, the other terminal being connected
up to the plate bearing the toothed wheel 4, as shown. Upon every contact
between pin 5 and lever 6, the circuit is completed through the coil 7 energising
the latter which thereupon attracts to itself the swinging armature 8 pivotted
at one end, at the same time urging the ratchet wheel 10 one tooth forward
through the medium of the hook-ended lever 9 pivotted to the free end of the
armature, 8, and also causing the arm 11, secured to said armature, to fall upon
and control said ratchet wheel at every movement. A click spring 13 serves to
steady the ratchet wheel. A tension spring 12 returns the armature 8 and
levers 9 and 11 to their original positions, a guard 14 preventing the armature 8
from being pulled too far over by said spring. Upon the same arbor as the ratchet
wheel is a worm 15 (Figure 2) gearing with a pinion 16 suitably connected with
the bevel wheel 17 which is geared with the arbor 24 (of which there may be more
than one) of the train mechanism of the clock hands by bevel wheels 25. The
worm wheel gear prevents the mechanism of the hands from being prejudicially
affected by wind pressure.
In the modification shown on Sheet 2 of the drawings, I am enabled to dispense
with the worm and pinion aforesaid and to simplify the ratchet gear as follows.
The free end of the armature S oscillates under the influence of the electro-
magnet and spring 12 as above described. Pivotted to said free end are two
pawls or lifters 18, which, at every swing of the armature, engage with the teeth
of the ratchet wheel 10 and urge it forward. Stops 19 are provided for checking
the pawls or lifters 18 and also serve to counteract any undue strain upon the
mechanism of the clock due to wind pressure on the hands of same. Mounted on
the same arbor as the ratchet wheel is a spur wheel 20 in driving connection with
a spur wheel 171 which actuates the other mechanism of the clock or the ratchet
wheel may actuate the spur wheel 171 direct.
Figure 4 (Sheet 2) is intended to show an arrangement by which a more
gradual movement is given to the train mechanism of the hands as follows. The
armature 8, in its swing towards the coil 7 as above described, takes with it the
pawl or lifter 181 out of engagement with one tooth and into engagement with the
next tooth of the ratchet wheel 10. The tension spring 12, which thus becomes
elongated, in tending to return to its normal position slowly draws the armature
and pawl to itself thus urging the ratchet wheel forward. A flier 21 placed in
engagement with the train mechanism of the clock acts, by reason of its inertia,
also to prevent any sudden movement of the mechanism. The guard 14 prevents
the armature being pulled too far over by the spring 12. For regulating the
tension of said spring I may provide a screwed bolt 23 secured, say, to the frame
work of the clock.
Instead of toothed wheel 4 as shown, any form of "make and break" contact
wheel may be used.
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. An electric mechanism for driving turret and other clocks consisting of a
free toothed wheel 4 or any other form of "make and break" contact wheel
actuated by the swinging of the going pendulum in combination with an electric
coil. and armature 8, the latter carrying a hook-ended lever 9 engaging in a

page_text: ratchet wheel 10 which drives the train wheels of the hands of the clock through
a worm and pinion gear substantially as described and shown by Figures 1 and 2
of the accompanying drawings.
2. An electric mechanism for driving turret and other clocks consisting of a
free toothed wheel 4 or any other form of "make and break" contact wheel
actuated by the swinging of the going pendulum in combination with an electric
coil and armature 8 the latter carrying two pawls or lifters 18 engaging in a
ratchet wheel 10, the latter being in rigid connection with a spur wheel 20 upon
the same arbor driving directly the train wheels of the hands of the clock, sub-
stantially as described and shown by Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
"
3. An electric mechanism for driving turret and other clocks consisting of a
free toothed wheel 4 or any other form of "make and break contact wheel
actuated by the swinging of the going pendulum in combination with an electric
coil 7 and armature & the latter carrying a pawl or lifter 18 engaging in a ratchet
wheel 10, the speed of the train wheels or mechanism of the hands of the clock
being brought down by a flier 21, substantially as described and shown by Figure 4
of the accompanying drawings.
4. In electric clocks, the method of controlling a ratchet gear by means of a
steel arm 11 fixed to the armature S of an electro-magnet in the manner described
with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
5. The method of employing a worm and wheel to avoid the disturbing influence
caused by wind pressure on the hands of electric turret clocks substantially as
described.
6. In electric clocks the use of a swinging armature 8 fitted with two pawls
or lifters 18 controlled by pins 19 to avoid the disturbing influence caused by wind
pressure on the hands of turret or other clocks in the manner described.
7. In electric clocks, the method of controlling the armature of electro magnets
by means of a tension spring 12 in combination with a flier 21 in the manner
described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of October 1899.
For the Applicant,
STANLEY POPPLEWELL & Co.,
61 & 62, Chancery Lane, (7 & 8, Southampton Buildings), London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agents.