IMPROVE- MENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC CLOCKS AND BATTERIES FOR THE SAME AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Shepherd, of 2, Alexandra Road, South
Hampstead, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC CLOCKS AND BATTERIES FOR THE SAME AND
OTHER PURPOSES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Shepherd at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th August 1881.
"
CHARLES SHEPHERD, of 2, Alexandra Road, South Hampstead, in the County of
Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC CLOCKS AND BATTERIES FOR
THE SAME AND OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in electro-magnetic clocks and
batteries for the same and other purposes.
I drive the clockwork or actuate the gravity escapement for a pendulum by the
reciprocating motion of the poles of a permanent magnet in electro magnetic coils,
or of electro-magnetic coils near the poles of a fixed permanent magnet, also com-
municating thereby continuous rotary motion to a fly wheel or weights so that the
same shall revolve in equilibrium. The magnet or coils is or are suspended by a
cord, a spring, or on knife edges. For producing the electric currents to work
electro-magnetic clocks I use a battery wherein a vessel perforated with holes
loosely stopped or guarded by tufts or bunches of asbestos is immersed to a slight
depth (say, one quarter of its total depth) in a second vessel, in which there is a
zinc element in a solution of chloride or nitrate of ammonium. The first named
vessel is sustained by any suitable means, such as a rim or flange, and contains a
rod of carbon packed in or surrounded by well burnt cinders. The said vessel is
covered in the usual manner and provided with vent pipes.
Such batteries may be used also for various other purposes.

page_text: Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC CLOCKS AND BATTERIES FOR
THE SAME AND OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in electro-magnetic clocks and
batteries for the same and other purposes.
We
I drive the clockwork or actuate the gravity escapement for a pendulum by the
reciprocating motion of the poles of a permanent magnet in electro-magnetic coils,
or of electro magnetic coils near the poles of a fixed permanent magnet, also com-
municating thereby continuous rotary motion to a fly wheel or weights so that the
same shall revolve in equilibrium. The magnet or coils is or are suspended by a
cord, a spring, or on knife edges.
Referring to the accompanying Sheets of Drawings,—
Fig. 1 is an elevation of electro magnetic apparatus, according to my Invention,
for actuating the hands of clock dials and for driving the gravity escapement.
pendulum by which such dials are controlled.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the same.
A is a permanent magnet carried on the arbor B, which is able to partially
rotate or to oscillate in bearings or on centres or knife edges. The two ends n, s,
of the said magnet vibrate, when the apparatus is in operation, within or partly
within two electro magnetic coils C, C¹, and are drawn into or impelled out of such
coils according as the current traverses them in one direction or the other. Attached
to the said magnet, or to the arbor on which it is carried, is an arm or lever D, the
outer end of which embraces or is embraced by a connecting rod E, which is able
to vibrate thereon in two directions. "The other end of the connecting rod is
connected to and drives a crank F on the rotary shaft G. This shaft may stand in
a vertical or other attitude, but I consider the vertical attitude to be the best. It
carries a fly H, which may either be a wheel or two or more weighted arms. It is
important that the fly should be exactly balanced, and stand in equilibrium in all
positions. The motion of the magnet may be communicated to the wheel work or
mechanism in connexion with the hands or with the pendulum either from the
arbor on which it is carried or from the crank shaft. In the latter case upon
the said crank shaft there is fixed a pinion or other device I for communicating
the motion as aforesaid. As shewn in the Drawings, this device is a pinion with
two teeth, fingers, or pallets, which gear into a toothed wheel J corresponding to
the escapement wheel of an ordinary clock, but other forms of mechanism might be
employed for the purpose, such as a lantern pinion engaging with a crown wheel, a
pair of bevel wheels, a pawl and ratchet wheel, or an escapement wheel and pallets.
The wheel J is fixed to an arbor, from which its motion is reduced and conveyed
in any suitable manner to the hands on the dial or to the gravity escapement
pendulum, or to both.
In arranging the batteries and line wire or wires, and making the connexions
between the batteries and wires, I follow by preference the method explained in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to me June 20, 1878, No. 2467. When the
gravity escapement for a pendulum is driven from the rotating shaft of such an
apparatus, the connection between the said shaft and the pendulum may be made in
any convenient manner, such, for instance, as that described in the Specification of
my previous Patent mentioned above.
Fig. 4 is an elevation and Fig. 5 is a plan of a modified form of electromagnetic
apparatus according to my Invention for actuating the hands of clock dials and for
driving the gravity escapement pendulum by which they are controlled.

page_text: In this arrangement the hollow electromagnetic coils C, C¹, are connected to and
carried by arms or levers K, K, on the arbor L. They have a reciprocating motion
over or near the fixed magnetic polos n, s, of the permanent magnet A, and are
impelled backwards and forwards in relation to such poles in a circular path,
according as they are traversed by a current or currents in one direction or the
other. The arbor L is suspended by a wire, fibre, or thread M from a point N, and
is guided near its lower extremity by a guide N¹. The crank shaft, fly, and other
mechanism is similar to that shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
For producing the electric currents to work electro magnetic clocks I use a.
battery wherein a vessel perforated with holes loosely stopped or guarded by tufts
or bunches of asbestos is immersed to a slight depth (say, one quarter of its total
depth) in a second vessel, in which there is a zinc element in a solution of chloride
or nitrate of ammonium. The first named vessel is sustained by any suitable
means, such as a rim or flange, and contains a rod of carbon packed in or surrounded
by well burnt cinders. Tho said vessel is covered in the usual manner and
provided with vent pipes. Such batteries may be used also for various other
purposes.
Fig. 6 is a vertical section of an electric battery according to my Invention.
O is a rod of carbon packed or surrounded with well burnt cinders or wood
charcoal P, P. It is contained within the vessel Q, which has perforations R, R,
near its lower end loosely stopped or guarded with tufts or bunches of asbestos or
other suitable non-conducting fibrous material, and is sustained by the flange S
which rests upon the vessel T. This latter vessel contains a cylinder, rod, or plate
of zinc U in a solution of chloride or nitrate of ammonium.
The internal vessel Q may be provided with a foot or prolongation instead of
the flange S, or may stand on a raised part of the vessel T. The liquid rises in or
through the cinders or charcoal by capillary attraction, and forms a very extended
contact with the atmosphere and with the carbon pole, which prevents the
polarisation of the electrode.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in which
it is to be or may be performed, I would have it understood that what is considered
to be novel and original, and is therefore claimed as secured to me by the Letters
Patent herein before first in part recited is,―
1. In an electro magnetic clock the use in combination of electro magnetic coils,
a permanent magnet, and a shaft with fly, the arrangement being such that the
said shaft and fly are caused to revolve in a continuous manner, either by
reciprocations of the magnet or by reciprocations of the coils, substantially as
described.
2. The improved electro magnetic apparatus for actuating the hands of clock
dials and for driving gravity escapement pendulums, substantially as described
with reference respectively to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and to Figs. 4 and 5 of the
Drawings.
3. In an electric battery the use in combination with a zinc element and liquid
element of porous material, such as well burnt cinders, so arranged as to raise liquid
element by capillary attraction, and expose it to an extended contact with air for
the prevention of polarisation, substantially as described.
4. The improved electric battery above described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Shepherd, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord' One
CHARLES SHEPHERD. (L.S.)