Improvements in Electric Clocks.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 10th June, 1899
Improvements in Electric Clocks.
I, JOSEPH BUTCHER, of Nos. 78 & 80, Cortlandt Street, in the Borough of Man-
hattan, and City, County, and State of New York, United States of America,
Mechanician, 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 the class of electric clocks wherein the clock is actuated
by a weight raised at intervals by the automatic closing of an electric circuit
through an electro-magnet; and the first part of the invention relates to improve-
ments in the "going" mechanism for operating the hands of the clock, while
the second part thereof relates to the striking mechanism, all as will be hereinafter
described.
The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and
in these
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the clock-movement; and Figure 2 is a side
elevation thereof.
Figures 3, 3 and 3" are diagrammatic views of the mechanism for lifting the
weight which runs the clock; and Figures 4, 44 and 4ª are similar views illustrat-
ing the elastic contacts; and Fig. 4° illustrates the mounting of the weight.
Figures 5 and 5 are detail views illustrating a device which may or may not
be employed, for maintaining the movement of the hands during winding."
Figures 6, 6 and 6º are detail views of the striking mechanism under different
conditions.
A is an
1 is the pendulum, suspended from a support 2, in the usual way.
upright base supporting the frame 3, of the clock. The ordinary escapement, 4,
is connected with the pendulum by a forked arm 5, also of the ordinary kind.
The arbor 6 of the escapement wheel bears a pinion 7, gearing with a wheel 8
and on the arbor, 9, of this wheel is a pinion, 10, gearing with a wheel, 11, on
the center, or main arbor, 12. On this arbor are the minute hand, 13, and hour-
hand, 14, the latter being fixed to a sleeve and driven from the hand 13 in the
usual way. The dial is not shown as it may be of the usual kind.
The "going mechanism comprises an electro-magnet 15, mounted in the frame
and provided with an armature 16, pivotally mounted at (Figure 3), and held
away from the magnet-poles by a spring 17. On the arbor 9 is mounted a ratchet
wheel 18, and it may be loose on the arbor and connected by a volute spring 8ª,
to the wheel 8, for maintenance; or the wheel 18 may be fixed to the arbor and
the spring 8 be omitted. This spring is not essential to good work in the opera-
tion of the clock.
On the arbor 9 is a loose sleeve 19 (Figure 4), on which is an arm 20, which
carries a spring pawl 21, engaging the teeth of the wheel 18, and also a clock-
driving weight 22. The construction and operation is illustrated in Figures 3 to 3*
and 4 to 4°.
When the weight 22 is elevated as in Figures 3 and 4, it descends by gravity,
the pawl 21 acting on the ratchet wheel 18 to drive the clock; but when the

page_text: weight descends to the point indicated in Figures 3 and 4, a lug 28 on the
sleeve 19, will have pressed a spring terminal 27, on the armature, into electric
contact with the other circuit terminal 25, thus closing through the electro-
magnet 15, a circuit c, including a battery 26 (Figure 4). The magnet 15, being
now excited, instantly attracts its armature 16, and a shoulder or bracket 24, on
the latter, engages a lug 23 (Figure 3), on the sleeve 19, and by the sudden
depression of the lug throws up the weighted lever 20, the pawl 21 wiping over
the teeth of the ratchet wheel. Figures 3" and 4" show the parts under these con-
ditions. The movement of the armature to the magnet instantly breaks
the circuit through the magnet, and the spring 17, again draws the armature away
from the magnet-poles. The parts now again assume the positions seen in
Figures 3 and 4.
The generator 26 may be a simple dry battery; the terminal 25 may be a stiff
arm, and the terminal 27, a light spring arm. Preferably these latter will carry
platinum contact-pieces or points. A shunt may be employed to avoid sparking
at the contact, and the parts may, obviously, be somewhat varied in their arrange-
ment and mechanical construction, as will be understood by those skilled in the
art, without departing from this invention.
This "going
mechanism of the clock differs from that formerly employed in
electric clocks, in having special elastic or spring contact devices distinct from the
weight-lifting devices, whereby the attraction of the armature raises the weight.
It will be noted that the contact devices are actuated by a special lug on the
sleeve 19, and the instant the armature is drawn down so as to raise the weight,
these spring contact terminals separate and break the circuit.
The striking mechanism will now be described.
29 is a gong or annunciator of any kind, and 30 is its hammer. The hammer
is fixed to a rocking arbor 31, on which is fixed a rocking armature 16*, of an
electro-magnet, 15, in circuit with the battery. Normally the armature and
hammer assume the position seen in Figures 6 and 6, but when the magnet is
excited it rocks the armature to the position seen in Figure 6" and the hammer
strikes the gong or bell. The hammer-arm actually encounters a stud 47, in
striking, and the momentum of the hammer-head causes it to spring the arm
and strike the gong, thus insuring a clear tone.
On the center arbor 12, is the usual snail 32, to determine the number of
strokes for the hour; 33 is the rack, suspended from a rock-shaft 33, in the
frame, and provided with an arm having a stud 34, to bear on the snail, and a
weight 35, to return the rack and bring the stud up to the snail.
36 and 37 are two spring terminals of a circuit including the coils of the
magnet 15 and generator 26*. On the terminal 36, is a suitable contact-piece or
pin, 36, which may be brought to bear on the terminal 37 by a light pressure
on the terminal 36.
On the pendulum 1, the forked arm 5, or any other part moving with the pen-
dulum, is a block 1, which approaches closely to the terminal 36 (Figure 6) at
each swing of the pendulum, and suspended from one arm of a lifting lever 38, is
an interposing piece 39. When this piece is dropped or moved so as to interpose
between the block 1* and the terminal 36, a contact is made and the clock will strike
at each swing of the pendulum until the interposing piece is removed. On the other
arm of the lever 38, is a pin 38", which takes behind an upright arm 40, pivoted
at its lower end, said arm being in the path of the usual life-hook 41, on the
center arbor 12. Fixed to the pivot-boss of the arm 40, is the detent pawl 42,
which engages the rack 33, the operating pawl 43, being mounted pivotally on a
swinging pawl-carrier 44, suspended from the frame 3 at its upper end and having
a slot at its lower end which is engaged by a short arm 45, on rocking arbor 31.
carrying the bell-hammer and armature. The pawl 43 is held to the rack by a
light weight 43, back of its pivot (Figures 1 and 2).
OPERATION.
Whan the

page_text: hook 41 will be in position to engage the upright arm 40 (Figure 6), and
as the hand nears the hour-numeral the arm 40 will be pressed back by the
hook 41. The effect of this is to depress the detent pawl 42 out of engagement
with the teeth of the rack 33; and as this pawl has a laterally projecting stud 42",
which takes over the operating pawl, this latter pawl will also be disengaged from
the rack-teeth. The rack 33, being set free, now swings to the position seen in
Fig. 6 until the stud 34 impinges on the snail. The hook 41 passes the end of
the arm 40 at the moment the minute-hand reaches 12 on the dial, and the
weighted arm of lever 38 swings the arm 40 over to the position seen in Figure 6",
allowing the pawls to again engage the rack 33 and also permitting the piece 39
to descend and interpose between the block 1* and the terminal 36.
Now when the pendulum 1 swings to that side (Figure 6") the movement will
be transmitted through piece 39 to terminal 36; the circuit is closed through the
magnet 15, and the hammer strikes the bell. The rocking of the armature 16*
acts through the arm 45 and pawl-carrier 44, to retract the operating pawl one
tooth. The pendulum swings back and breaks the circuit; and the hammer falls
back by gravity, thus again acting through the arm 45, the pawl-carrier 44, and
pawl 43, to advance the rack 33 one tooth. This operation will be repeated at
each swing of the pendulum until the last stroke, when the operating pawl, by
engaging the last tooth of the rack, pushes the rack forward and causes the uncut
heel, or inclined face thereof to wipe over the detent pawl, thus depressing the
latter slightly and acting through the arm 40 and lever 38 to thus raise the
piece 39 up out of the. path of the block 1, when the striking ceases. Tho
operating pawl now acts as a detent pawl to hold the rack (Figure 6) in the
normal position until the minute-hand shall have again traversed the dial.
The snail 32, rack 33, and stud
34 are well known in clock-
striking mechanisms, and are not herein claimed. The mechanism com-
prised in the parts 38, 39, 40 and 43 may be varied without depart-
ing materially from the present invention. Indeed where the magnet 15*,
its armature 16, bell or gong 29, and hammer 30, are placed in a different
position, as they may be, some detail changes will be necessary, as will be
readily understood by any skilled workman; but minor changes come within the
scope of the present invention.
The ratchet wheel 18 will have a back-pawl 48. This is a common device with
ratchet wheels. There may also be a detent 49 (seen in Fig. 1) to limit the move-
ment of the rack 33. There may be, when required, a cushion stop to limit the
upward movement of the weight 22 and check its momentum. In some cases
this may be necessary, and such a stop is seen at 50, in Figure 1.
Obviously mechanical equivalents for the several devices shown may, of course,
be substituted therefor; the invention is not, as has been stated, strictly limited
to the devices shown. The circuits c, cx, may be complete circuits, including one
generator, or separate generators, may be used, the latter being within or adjacent
to the clock-case; or they may be partial circuits, so far as the clock is concerned,
adapted to be completed by coupling them to public or street wires..
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. As a means for imparting rotation to an arbor of a shaft by regular impulses,"
the combination with a ratchet wheel fixed on said arbor, and a weighted pawl-
carrier and pawl adapted, in its descent, to impart a partial rotation to said
ratchet wheel, of an electro-magnet, its armature provided with a bracket 24, to
engage a lug 23 on the pawl-carrier and raise the same when the armature is
attracted, the said lug 23, a partial electric circuit including said electro-magnet,
and means for closing the circuit through said magnet when the pawl-carrier
descends, said means comprising the arm 25, mounted on and insulated from the
armature and forming one terminal of the circuit, the spring-arm 27, carried by
the armature and forming the other terminal of the circuit, the contact on the

page_text: arm 27 being situated below that on the arm 25, and a lug 28, carried by the
weighted pawl-arm and situated below the arm 27, said lug being in position to
press upward the spring terminal into contact with the upper terminal when the
pawl-arm shall have descended to its lowest point, substantially as set forth.
2. In a clock, the combination with the driving arbor 9, the wheel S, fixed
thereon, the ratchet wheel 18, loose thereon, and the maintaining spring 8, con-
necting said wheels 8 and 18, of the sleeve 19, loose on the arbor 9, and provided
with the lifting lug 23 and circuit-closing lug 28, the pawl-carrying arm 20, fixed
to said sleeve, the pawl 21 and weight 22, on said arm, the electro-magnet 15, pro-
vided with an armature 16 and armature-spring 17, the bracket 24 on the arma-
ture and engaging the lifting lug, and an open, partial electric circuit having ter-
minals 25 and 27, one of said terminals being in the path of the upwardly moving
lug 28, whereby the descent of the weight 22 is adapted to bring said terminals
together, substantially as set forth.
3. In a clock, the combination with a bell, its hammer, and a rock-shaft to
which the hammer is attached, of an electro-magnet, its armature carried by
said rock-shaft, a normally open electric circuit including a generator and said
electro-magnet, said circuit having terminals'adjacent to the path of some part of
the pendulum of the clock, the said pendulum, a movable interposing piece
adapted to be moved into the space between the pendulum and one of said ter-
minals, whereby the pendulum is caused to close the said circuit at each of its
vibrations, means for regulating the number of strokes on the bell and means
independent of the pendulum for operating the said interpòsing piece, substan-
tially as set forth.
4. In an electrically operated striking mechanism for a clock, the combination
with the rack 33, the hammer and bell, the former fixed to a rock-shaft 31, the
said rock-shaft, electrical means for rocking said shaft and thus causing the
hammer to strike the bell, the operating pawl engaging the rack 33, said pawl
being mounted on a suspended pawl-carrier 44, said pawl-carrier, the arm 45 on
the rock-shaft engaging said pawl-arm, whereby the pawl is moved to and fro at
each stroke of the hammer, a stop pawl engaging the said rack, and means for con-
trolling the electric energy which actuates, the hammer.
5. In an electrically operated striking mechanism for a clock, the combination
with the rack 33, the hammer and bell, a rock-shaft 31 carrying said hammer,
electrical means for rocking said shaft and thus. actuating the bell-hammer, an
operating pawl 43, engaging said rack, means whereby the rocking of said shaft
operates said pawl, a stop-pawl 42, engaging said rack, an arm 40, rigidly con-
nected with the stop-pawl and situated in the path of the strike-pin of the clock,
the said pin, the lever 38, having a pin 38 which takes behind the arm 40, an
interfering piece 39, carried by said lever and adapted to be moved by the
depression of the stop-pawl, the pendulum of the clock, and means substantially
as described whereby the position of the piece 39 governs the electric energy
actuates the hammer.
Dated this 28th day of February 1899
which
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.