Improvements in Apparatus for Synchronizing Time Indicators on Railways, in Offices, Hotels, and other Places where it is desired that Accurate Time should be Indicated.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 4th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Synchronizing Time Indicators on
Railways, in Offices, Hotels, and other Places where it is desired
that Accurate Time should be Indicated.
I, ARTHUR RICHARD MANN SIMKINS, Telegraph Engineer, of 36, Windsor
Road, Ealing, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus by which the time kept by an ordinary clock
or timekeeper of sufficient accuracy is transmitted electrically to any number of
time indicators in different places simultaneously, at regular determined intervals,
for instance once in every minute.
My improved apparatus has for its object novel methods of construction and
arrangement by which it is simple, inexpensive, effective, and not likely to get out
of order.
It consists of a metal plate to which the working parts of the apparatus are
secured, the plate itself being fixed in a convenient position to be observed by the
person using it.
The plate also serves as a dial, having suitable openings through
which the figures upon discs revolving behind it can be observed.
One such disc, supported on an arbor turning in suitable bearings, is divided into
ten parts, numbered from 1 to 0 inclusive, such numbers shewing in succession one
at a time, through an opening in the front plate.
Upon the arbor of the disc just described is fixed a ratchet wheel having ten
teeth, and motion is given to this wheel (and to the disc) by a pall engaging with
the teeth and carried by a lever turning upon a pivot at the lower part of the
apparatus. This lever also carries an armature arranged in the proper position in
regard to a sufficiently powerful electro-magnet firmly fixed to the back of the
apparatus, so that when a current of electricity is made to pass through the coils of
the electro magnet, the armature is attracted and the pall moves the ratchet wheel
one tooth forward, changing the figure which is visible upon the disc to the next
succeeding one, whilst when the current ceases the lever and pall are free to
recede, and the latter then becomes engaged with the next tooth upon the ratchet
wheel.
This operation is repeated by the means hereinafter described, at regular
intervals of one minute.
Upon the disc described is fixed a projecting arm which strikes at each revolution
one of a set of pins, six in number projecting from the back of a second disc the
arbor of which also turns in bearings in the frame of the apparatus, and this second
disc is divided into six parts carrying numbers from one to five inclusive, which are
visible one by one in succession, through a second opening in the front plate of the
apparatus, a blank space being also left between the figures 5 and 1 upon
the disc.
The second disc just described also carries a projecting arm which at each revo-
lution strikes one of a set of pins, twelve in number, projecting from the back of a
third disc, the arbor of which also revolves in bearings in the frame of the
apparatus. The face of this third disc is divided into twelve parts carrying
numbers from 1 to 12, which are visible one by one in succession through a third
opening, preferably below the other two, in the front plate of the apparatus.
If the pall operates as described once in each minute, the first disc will therefore
make one complete revolution in ten minutes, the second disc in sixty minutes or
one hour, and the third disc in twelve hours, and together their indications combine

page_text: to shew the successive minutes and hours through the several openings in the front
plate.
The ratchet wheel upon the arbor of the first disc is locked at the end of each
forward stroke of the pall, by an adjustable vertical bar against the lower end of
which the pall is raised by the movement of the next succeeding ratchet tooth, and
the latter is then prevented from moving either backward or forward until the pall
is released when the electric current ceases.
Upon the frame of the apparatus which carries the outer ends of the several
arbors described, is fitted a sliding bar which can slide horizontally backward and
forward in or upon guides, its back end carrying a projecting pin against which the
lever carrying the pall comes in contact when it moves forward, and drives the bar
also forward, and a spring is connected to the latter which draws it back together
with the lever, when the electric current ceases. This sliding bar carries a pro-
jection which comes under the projecting pins upon the second of the indicating
discs, when the bar is pushed forward, and thereby prevents the said disc from
moving too far and locks it in its position until the lever and pall are drawn back
when the current ceases.
Upon the edge of the third indicating disc are made twelve projecting teeth,
and upon the side of the lever or of the armature is a projecting piece which
when the lever has completed its stroke forward is in a position to form a stop
against which one of these projecting teeth engages, and so prevents the third
disc from moving too far, and locks it in its position until the armature is
released by the electro-magnet, and the lever moves back. Friction springs may
be arranged to press against the edges of the discs in order to prevent them from
moving round too readily, by accidental jar or shake.
In order to operate the electro magnet at regular intervals of one minute, I
use an ordinary time piece or clock of sufficient accuracy in any central station
or position, and upon the minute arbor I fix a wheel or disc divided into sixty
teeth of a suitable shape to engage with a projection upon a pivotted lever, and
to cause it to rise and fall through a space depending upon the depth of the
teeth. The other end of the lever carries a spring having a platinum contact
piece, which once in every minute is made to rise and touch a contact screw.
The revolution of the toothed disc by the ordinary clock movement therefore
causes an electrical contact to be made once in each minute, and by means of
suitable batteries, connections, and relays of any of the ordinary well known
kinds, any number of the apparatus described which are contained in the circuit
are synchronized and made to indicate the same time as the actuating clock.
It is evident that instead of using a disc having sixty teeth as described upon
the minute arbor, any other suitable arbor of the clock may be used. For instance
the arbor of the seconds wheel, revolving once in a minute may be used, a disc
having only one tooth or cam being fixed upon it, so that an electrical contact is
made once at each revolution.
In larger apparatus, the second and third wheels or discs described may be
operated by electro magnets actuating armatures, palls, and ratchet wheels in the
manner described, as well as the first disc, the contacts being made at the proper
times so that the apparatus accurately indicates the time in accordance with the
revolutions of the discs.
I do not confine myself to the precise details of the apparatus which may be
varied more or less as may be found advisable in different circumstances.
Dated this 6th day of A mail 1909
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Synchronizing Time Indicators on
Railways, in Offices, Hotels, and other Places where it is desired
that Accurate Time should be Indicated.
I, ARTHUR RICHARD MANN SIMKINS, Telegraph Engineer, of 36, Windsor
Road, Ealing, in the County of Middlesex, 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 and accompanying
drawing, that is to say :-
My invention relates to apparatus by which the time kept by an ordinary clock
or timekeeper of sufficient accuracy transmitted electrically to any number of
time indicators in different places simultaneously, at regular determined intervals,
for instance one in every minute.
My improved apparatus has for its objects novel methods of construction and
arrangement by which it is simple, inexpensive, effective, and not likely to get out
of order.
In the accompanying drawing, which is in illustration of my invention,
Figure 1 is a back view, Figure 2 a side view, Figure 3 a view from above, and
Figure 4 a front view of the apparatus.
Figure 5 is a view of the dials with the front plate removed.
The same letters indicate the same parts in the several figures.
The improved apparatus consists of a metal plate a to which the working parts
of the apparatus are screwed, the plate itself being fixed in a convenient position to
be observed by the person using it. The plate also serves as a dial, having suitable
openings (as shewn in Figure 4) through which the figures upon discs b, c, d,
revolving behind it can be observed. One such disc b supported on an arbor
turning in suitable bearings, is divided into ten parts, numbered from 1 to 0
inclusive, such numbers shewing in succession, one at a time, through an opening
in the front plate a.
Upon the arbor of the disc just described is fixed a ratchet
wheel e, having ten teeth, and motion is given to this wheel e (and to the disc b) by
a pall fengaging with the teeth and carried by a lever g turning upon a pivot h at
the lower part of the apparatus. This lever also carries an armature i arranged in
the proper position in regard to a sufficiently powerful electro-magnet or magnets k
firmly fixed to the back of the apparatus, so that when a current of electricity is
made to pass through the coils of the electro magnet, the armature i is attracted
and the pall moves the ratchet wheel e one tooth forward, changing the figure
which is visible upon the disc b to the next succeeding one, whilst when the current
ceases the lever g and pall fare free to recede, and the latter then becomes engaged
with the next tooth upon the ratchet wheel e. This operation is repeated, by the
means hereinafter described, at regular intervals of one minute. Upon the disc b
described is fixed a projecting arm which strikes at each revolution one of a set
of pins m, six in number projecting from the back of the second disc c the arbor of
which also turns in bearings in the frame of the apparatus, and this second disc o
is divided into six parts carrying numbers from one to five inclusive, which are
visible one by one in succession, through a second opening in the front plate of the
apparatus (as shewn in Figure 4) a blank space being also left between the figures 5
and 1 upon the disc (as shewn in Figures 5).
The second disc c just described also carries a projecting arm n which at each
revolution strikes one of a set of pins o twelve in number, projecting from the back
of the third disc d the arbor of which also revolves in bearings in the frame of the
apparatus. The face of this third disc d is divided into twelve parts carrying
numbers from 1 to 12, which are visible one by one in succession through a third

page_text: opening, preferably below the other two, in the front plate of the apparatus (as:
shewn in Figure 4).
If the pall operates as described once in each minute, the first disc b will
therefore make one complete revolution in ten minutes, the second disc c in sixty
minutes or one hour, and the third disc d in twelve hours, and together these indica-
tions combine to shew the successive minutes and hours through the several openings
in the front plate (Figure 4).
The ratchet wheelf upon the arbor of the first disc b is locked at the end of each
forward stroke of the pall, by an adjustable vertical bar p against the lower end
of which the pallf is raised by the movement of the next succeeding ratchet tooth,
and the latter is then prevented from moving either backward or forward until the
pall fis released when the electric current ceases.
is an adjustable stop by which the backward movement of the lever ยู is
regulated.
Upon a frame rattached to the apparatus, which carries the outer ends of the
several arbors described, is fitted a sliding bars which can slide horizontally back-
ward and forward in or upon guides t, t, its back end carrying a projecting pin u
against which the lever 9 carrying the pall f comes in contact when it moves
forward, and drives the bar s also forward, and a spring is connected to the latter
which draws it back together with the lever g when the electric current ceases.
This sliding bars carries a projection w which comes under the projecting pin m
upon the indicating disc c, when the bar s is pushed forward, and thereby prevents
the said disc from moving too far and locks it in its position until the lever g and
pall fare drawn back when the current ceases.
Upon the edge of the third indicating disc d are. made twelve projecting teeth,
and upon the side of the lever g or of the armature i is a projecting piece y, which
when the lever has completed its stroke forward is in a position to form a stop
against which one of the projecting teeth a engages, and so prevents the disc d
from moving too far, and locks it in its position until the armature i is released by
the electro-magnet k and the lever 9 moves back. Friction springs or palls 1, 2, 3,
may be arranged to press against the edges of the discs in order to prevent them
from moving round too readily, by accidental jar or shake, the palls falling against
teeth when the discs have moved sufficiently round.
In order to operate the electro-magnet at regular intervals of one minute, I use
an ordinary time piece or clock of sufficient accuracy in any central station or
position and upon the minute arbor I fix a wheel or disc divided into sixty teeth of
a suitable shape to engage with a projection upon a pivotted lever, and to cause it
to rise and fall through a space depending upon the depth of the teeth. The other
end of the levers carries a spring having a platinum contact piece, which once in
every minute is made to rise and touch a contact screw. The revolution of the
toothed disc by the ordinary clock movement therefore causes an electrical contact
to be made once in each minute, and by means of suitable batteries, connections,
and relays of any of the well known kinds, any number of the apparatus described
which are contained in the circuit are synchronized and made to indicate the same
time as the actuating clock.
It is evident that instead of using a disc having sixty teeth as described, upon
the minute arbor, any other suitable arbor of the clock may be used. For instance
the arbor of the seconds wheel, revolving once in every minute may be used, a
disc having only one tooth or cam being fixed upon it, so that an electrical contact
is made once at each revolution.
с
In larger apparatus the second and third wheels or discs c and d described may
be operated by electro-magnets actuating armatures, palls, and ratchet wheels, in
the manner described as well as the first disc b, the contacts being made at the
proper times so that the apparatus accurately indicates the time in accordance with
the revolutions of the discs.
I do not confine myself to the precise details of the apparatus which may be
varied more or less as may be found advisable in different circumstances.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :--
1. The combination of the revolving discs b, c, d, ratchet wheel e, pall, lever g,
armature, electro-magnet k, pins m, o, and arms 1, n, arranged and operating
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated.
2. In combination with the parts claimed in Claim 1, the slide s, spring v, pro-
jecting stop w, arranged and operating for the purpose of locking the wheel c at
the proper times, substantially as described and illustrated.
3. In combination with the parts claimed in Claim 1, the teeth upon the disc d,
and the projecting piece y arranged and operating for the purpose of locking the
disc d at the proper times, substantially as described and illustrated.
4. In combination with the discs b, c, d, arranged and operating as described,
the spring palls 1, 2, 3, for the purpose of limiting the movement of the said discs,
substantially as described and illustrated.
5. In combination with the apparatus described and claimed in Claim 1, the
adjustable stops p and y, substantially as and for the purposes described and
illustrated.
Dated this 4th dow of Andahan 1000
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.