Improvements in or relating to Clock-controlled Electric Switches.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1899
Complete Specification left 19th Sept. 1900-Accepted. 24th Nov. 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Clock-controlled Electric Switches.
I, ERNEST WEBSTER, of 192, Belsize Road, South Hampstead, in the County of
London, Entertainment Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
-
This invention relates to improvements in clock-controlled electric switches
whereby any appreciable retardation of the clockwork can be obviated, mercury
contacts, batteries, electromagnetic and electric actuating devices are dispensed
with, and the operation of the switch thereby rendered very reliable.
According to one arrangement there is pivoted between one of the arbors of a
train of clockwork, say the 24 hour arbor, and the switch spindle or switch-
operating spindle, a short cylinder, roller or collet (hereinafter called a cylinder)
that is loaded by a weight or spring, is formed with a longitudinal notch, and
provided with an arm or tappet extending towards and into the path of pins fixed
at predetermined parts of a wheel or disc, say the 24 hour wheel, fixed on the said
arbor. Upon the end of the switch-spindle nearest the notched cylinder, are fixed
any desired number of metal pins one or other of which normally rests upon the
upper surface of the said cylinder, the switch-spindle being under the action of a
coiled spring or other equivalent force which tends to rotate it in the opposite
direction to the direction of rotation of the 24 hour wheel.
To enable the position of the pins on the wheel to be adjusted. to suit varying
requirements, the said wheel is graduated in hours, and at or near the circum-
ference a number of holes are formed in it, say one at each hour graduation, or al
points corresponding to say intervals of a quarter of an hour. Instead of graduat-
ing and tapping holes in the 24 hour wheel itself, a separate graduated and tapped
wheel or disc may be placed on the arbor of the said 24-hour wheel. In the holes
thus provided, pins which may be of steel or other suitable material and be
provided with milled heads, can be screwed at any desired interval apart. The
electric switch gear, which can be of any suitable kind, may either be mounted
direct upon the switch spindle, or it may be mechanically operated by the same.
The operation is as follows:-
:―
Pins are screwed in the 24-hour wheel at the times marked on it at which it is
desired respectively to cause the said switch to make and to break the electric
circuit or circuits connected therewith. As the 24-hour wheel revolves, the leading
pin thereon will come into contact with the projecting arm carried by the notched
cylinder and will partly rotate the said cylinder about its axis whereupon the pin
that is mounted on the switch-spindle and was resting on the top of the cylinder
will fall into the notch in the cylinder from which it is prevented from disengaging
itself, for the time being, by reason of the cylinder being unable to turn in the
direction which is necessary to free the pin, owing to the fact that the projecting
arm on the cylinder is engaged by the pin on the 24-hour wheel. When however,
by the continuance of the forward movement of the said pin on the wheel the said
projecting arm is released, the cylinder is free to turn in the opposite direction
and release the pin on the switch-spindle, whereupon the switch spindle will

page_text: rapidly revolve under the action of its spring or equivalent until the next pin on
the spindle comes against the top surface of the coliet, whereby the electric circuit
or circuits is or are closed and the switch set for the next or opening operation
which is effected at the required time by the second or next following pin on the
24 hour wheel.
The force necessary to restore the cylinder to its normal position may be supplied
by the action of gravity, or by a light spring or other equivalent device.
During the time that either of the pins on the switch spindle is within the
notch in the cylinder, the force of the coiled spring or equivalent acting on the
switch-spindle is opposing the motion of the clockwork. The duration of this
opposing force and its amount can however be indefinitely diminished by suitably
shaping the notch in the cylinder and the projecting arm on the cylinder and
by properly proportioning the leverage of the various forces concerned. either
directly or indirectly in operating the switch.
→
It is obvious that the invention can be applied in a variety of ways; for
instance, a five minutes arbor or any wheel in a train of clockwork may be made
to release an electric switch.
In cases where the durations or intervals of time can be permanently fixed, the
notched cylinder may be firmly fixed on the arbor of any wheel in a clock, for
example the 24 hour wheel, the cannon-pinion, or the escape wheel. The rotary
pin of the switch-spindle would normally rest upon the cylinder and when the
notch came towards it, the pin would drop into the notch.
With this arrange-
ment, the pressure of the switch pin would assist instead of retard the action of
the clock during the time that the pin rested in the notch. In this case the
cylinder could have two or more notches in it, and would therefore release the
switch as frequently as might be desired, and the rapid make and break of the
switches could then be employed in connection with illuminated advertising
devices and the like.
Improvements in or relating to Clock-controlled Electric Switches.
I, ERNEST WEBSTER, of 192, Belsize Road, South Hampstead, in the County of
London, Entertainment Contractor, 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 improvements in clock-controlled electric switches
whereby any appreciable retardation of the clockwork can be obviated, mercury
contacts, batteries, electro-magnetic and electric actuating devices dispensed with,
and the operation of the switch thereby rendered very reliable.
According to one arrangement there is pivoted between one of the arbors of a
train of clockwork, say the 24 hour arbor, and the switch spindle or switch-
operating spindle, a short cylinder, roller or collet (hereinafter called a cylinder)
that is loaded by a weight or spring, is formed with a longitudinal notch, and
provided with an arm or tappet extending towards and into the path of pins fixed
at predetermined parts of a wheel or disc, say the 24 hour wheel, fixed on the said
arbor. Upon the end of the switch-spindle nearest the notched cylinder, are fixed

page_text: any desired number of metal pins one or other of which normally rests upon the
upper surface of the said cylinder, the switch-spindle being under the action of a
coiled spring or other equivalent force which tends to rotate it in the opposite
direction to the direction of rotation of the 24 hour wheel.
To enable the position of the pins on the wheel to be adjusted to suit varying
requirements; the said wheel is graduated in hours, and at or near the circum-
ference a number of holes are formed in it, say one at each hour graduation, or at
points corresponding to say intervals of a quarter of an hour. Instead of graduat-
ing and tapping holes in the 24 hour wheel itself, a separate graduated and tapped
wheel or disc may be placed on the arbor of the said 24-hour wheel. In the holes
thus provided, pins which may be of steel or other suitable material and be
provided with milled heads, can be screwed at any desired interval apart 1or
operating the cylinder so as to release the switch and allow the same to be auto-
matically operated at the required times. The electric switch gear, which can be
of any suitable kind, may be mounted direct upon the switch spindle, or it may
be mechanically operated by the same.
a
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying illustrative drawings, show respectively
in front elevation, sides elevation with the parts to the right of the line A A
Fig. 1 omitted, and in cross section on the line A A of Fig. 1, one arrangement
of clock-controlled electric switch according to this invention. Figs. 4, 5 and 6,
are detail views hereinafter referred to.
a is an ordinary train of clockwork having at one end two spring drums 6 and
at the other end an ordinary lever escapement c with hair spring c d is a wheel
mounted on a stationary arbor on a fixed plate and driven from the train of
clockwork so as to rotate once in twenty four hours. This wheel, which is
herein called the 24 hour wheel, is provided near its circumference with a number
of tapped holes e', one at each hour graduation, to receive screw-threaded remov-
able pins e which are arranged in any desired predetermined positions on the
wheel d.
Mounted adjacent to one side of the clock train is a rotary electric switch. This
switch, in the example shown comprises two fixed spring metal contacts f and g
connected respectively to terminals h and i carried by a block k of insulating
material, that is secured to a bracket m fixed to the base of the apparatus. The
contacts and g bear upon a rotatable disc n of insulating material, that carries
the movable switch contact o which consists of a diametrically arranged strip of
metal fixed in a groove in the disc so as to have its outer face flush with or
protruding slightly beyond the outer face of the said disc. The arrangement is
such that when the movable contact o is turned by the disc into a horizontal
position, the fixed contacts f and y bear against it so as to complete the circuit of
an electrical device connected to the terminals h and i and when the movable
contact is turned into a vertical or nearly vertical position the brushes f and g
bear against the disc itself and open the said circuit. Rotation of the disc nis
effected by means of a spring drum pa ring of teeth on which gears with a
pinion r secured to the spindles on which the disc n is fixed. The rate of rotation
of the disc n is controlled by a fly fixed on a spindle u which is driven through a
worm e, worm wheel w, arbor .r, and pinion y from a wheel z fixed to the said disc
spindle s. Metal plates 1 and 2 carry the above described switch mechanism, the
rear plate 2 being fixed to a back plate 3 which also carries the clockwork train a.
Between the 24 hour arbor d of the clock train a and the switch spindle s is
arranged a short cylinder 5 that is journalled on a pin 6 secured to the plate ³
and is formed with a longitudinal notch S that is of vee-shape in cross section
(see Figs. 4 and 5). The cylinder & is provided with an arm or tappet 9 that is
normally held in the path of the pins e on the 24 hour wheel d, by a spring 12
that is fixed at one end 13 to the plate 2 and bears near its other end against a
pin 14 carried by a plate 15 from which the said arm or tappet 9, in the example
shown, is made. 16 is a projecting portion of the plate 15 that normally bears,
under the action of the spring 12, against a stop 17 on the plate. Fixed upon

page_text: the end of the switch spindle s nearest the notched cylinder 5 are four pins or
arms 18, one or other of which normally rests upon the upper surface of the
said cylinder 5, the action of the switch mechanism before described being such
as to tend to rotate the switch spindle s and with it the four pins or arms 18 in a
direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the 24 hour wheel d.
The operation of the apparatus described is as follows:-
:-
Assuming the switch to be open and that two pins e¹ are screwed in the 24-hour.
wheel d at the times marked on it at which it is desired respectively to cause the
switch to make and to break the electric circuit or circuits connected therewith
through the terminals g, h, then, as the 24-hour wheel d revolves, the leading pin e
thereon will come into contact with the projecting arm 9 carried by the notched
cylinder 5 and will partly rotate the said cylinder 5 about the pin 6 against
the action of the spring 12, whereupon the pin 18 that is mounted on the switch-
spindle or arbors and was resting on the top of the cylinder 5 (see Figs. 4 and 5)
will fall into the notch 8 in the said cylinder (see Fig. 6) from which it is prevented
from disengaging itself, for the time being, by reason of the cylinder 5 being
unable to turn in the direction necessary to free the pin 18, owing to the fact
that the projecting arm 9 on the cylinder 5 is still engaged by the pin e on the
24-hour wheel d. When, however, by the continuance of the forward movement
of the said pin e the said projecting arm 9 is released, the cylinder 5, is, by the
pressure of the arm 18 assisted by the action of the spring 12 on the pin 14, caused
to turn in the opposite direction and resume its normal position, thereby releasing
the pin 18 on the switch-spindle s, whereupon the switch spindle will somewhat
rapidly revolve under the action of its spring drum p until the next pin 18 comes
against the top surface of the cylinder 5; in this position the contact o on the
disc n, closes the electric circuit or circuits and sets the switch for the next or
opening operation which is effected, in the manner above described, and at the
required time, by the second or next following pin e on the 24-hour wheel d.
The force necessary to restore the cylinder 5 to and hold it in its normal position
may, if desired, be supplied by the action of gravity instead of by the spring 12;
or the cylinder 5 may be returned to its normal position by the pressure of each
arm 18 in turn and be held in the said normal position by spring pressure as
hereinafter described.
During the time that either of the pins 18 on the switch spindle s is within the
notch 8 in the cylinder 5, the force of the spring drum p, or equivalent, acting on
the switch-spindle s, is opposing the motion of the clockwork a. The duration of
this opposing force and its amount, can however be indefinitely diminished by
suitably shaping the notch 8, in the cylinder 5 and the projecting arm 9 and by
suitably proportioning the leverage of the various forces concerned either directly
or indirectly in operating the switch.
In the example shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a device is provided whereby the
switch can, at any time, be operated by hand independently of the clock mechanism
so that for example an electric light may be turned on at any desired time by
hand and would continue to glow until at a predetermined time the clock
mechanism released the switch and caused it to open the lamp circuit and so cut
out the light. The said device comprises an arm 20 that projects from the plate 15
and to which is attached one end of a length of cord or string 21 that passes through
a hole in the stop 17, engages a loop in one end of a spring 22, passes through an
eye 23 screwed to the base 1, and is provided at its lower end with a knob or
handle 24, the end of the spring 22, opposite to that engaged by the cord or string
21, being fixed to the base . The arrangement is such that upon pulling the cord
or string momentarily by the handle 24, the spring 22 is put in tension and the
arm 20 is drawn towards the pin 17 thereby causing the cylinder 5 to partly rotate
and release the pin 18 resting upon it and so allowing the switch spindle s to turn
through part of a revolution and close the desired electrical circuit or circuits, the
spring 22 acting to raise the string and handle when released, and the spring 12
acting to return the cylinder 5 with its projecting arm 9 to its normal position.

page_text: Any desired number of pins e may be fixed in the holes e¹ in the wheel d so as to
cause the switch to open and close any desired number of times in twenty four
hours. When it is desired to open and close the switch once in twenty four
hours, two pins will suffice, one for allowing the switch to close, the other for
allowing it to open.
Figs. and are detail views showing the two pins e carried on separate spring
arins 26 mounted to turn on the 24 hour arbor d¹. By this arrangement the pins e
can, by springing back the arms 26, be at any time removed from one set of
holes e and by partly turning the said arms round the said arbor be brought
opposite any other desired holes e into which they will be forced by the said
arins and there held when these are released into the desired positions for use on
the wheel d.
Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views showing an arrangement of the notched
cylinder 5 in which instead of using a spring, such as the spring 12 hereinbefore
mentioned, to return the said cylinder to its normal position after being partly
rotated by the action of a pin e on the arm 9, the pressure of each pin or arm 18
in turn on the lower inclined surface of the notch 8 is utilized to return the
cylinder 5 to the said normal position and release the pin or arm, a spring 27
carried by the plate 15 and bearing against the plate acting merely as a
frictional device to steady the movement of the cylinder 5 and its attached parts.
The arms 16 and 20 act as before in conjunction with the stop 17 to limit the arc
of movement of the cylinder 5.
The details of construction may obviously be varied. For example, instead of
using a flat disen carrying a single movable contact o working in connection with
a single pair of fixed contacts f and g, there may be employed as illustrated by
Fig. 11, a long rotary cylinder 28, having therein or thereon any suitable number
of movable contacts 29 working in connection with any suitable number of fixed
contacts 30 connected to the circuit or circuits to be controlled. This switch
cylinder is shown placed in front of the clock and is supported in bearing 31; it
is provided at one end with a bevel wheel 32 driven by another bevel wheel 33
from clockwork such as that used for driving the disc n. On the spindle of the
cylinder is fixed a bevel wheel 34 that gears with another bevel wheel 35 loosely
mounted on a pin 36 carried by the front plate 1 of the cylinder rotating clock
work mechanisin. From the boss of the bevel wheel 35 and bearing upon the
notched cylinder 5 are four pins 18, so that upon each partial rotation of the
cylinder 5, a pin 18 is released and the cylinder 28, through the bevel wheels 32
and 33, caused to rotate until the next pin 18 strikes the upper surface of the
cylinder 5, and causing the electric circuits to be made and broken in any desired
order, according to the arrangement of the movable contacts on the cylinder. 28.
Whatever arrangement of clockwork and switch be employed it is always preferable
to have both clockwork and switch fixed to the same base plate or back board so
that the position of the arms 18 of the switch shall not vary relatively to the
position of the notched cylinder 5.
It is obvious that the invention can be applied in a variety of ways; for instance,
instead of the 34 hour arbor, a five minutes arbor or any wheel in a train of clock-
work may be made to release an electric switch.
In cases where the durations or intervals of time can be permanently fixed, the
notched cylinder 5 may be firmly fixed on the arbor of any wheel in a clock, for
example the 24 hour wheel, the cannon-pinion, or the escape wheel. Each of the
rotary pins 18 of the switch-spindle s would normally rest in turn upon the
cylinder 5 and when the notch 8 came towards it, the pin 18 would drop into
the notch. With this arrangement the pressure of the switch pin 18 would assist
instead of retard the action of the clock during the time that the pin rested in
the notch. With such an arrangement, also, the cylinder 5 could have two or
more notches 8 in it, and would therefore release the switch as frequently as might
be desired, and the rapid make and break of the switch could then be employed
in connection with illuminated advertising devices and the like.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. Controlling the opening and closing movements of an automatically operated
switch by means of a rotary device that is under the control of clockwork and is
adapted to be operated in such a manner as to alternately arrest and release at
predetermined times a rotary part connected to the movable portion of the switch,
substantially as described.
2. In a clock controlled switch, the combination with a clock train and an
electric switch having an automatically operated rotary part carrying the movable
contact or contacts and one or more pins or projecting parts, of a rotary cylinder
that is formed with a longitudinal notch, is arranged to be rotated or partly
rotated by the said clockwork, and upon which the pin or projecting part, or one
of such pins or parts attached to the movable part of the switch normally rests,
the arrangement being such that the said notched cylinder will, under the action
of the clock and at predetermined times, be rotated to a sufficient extent to
allow the arrested pin or projecting part of the switch to first enter and then
leave the notch so as to allow the switch to be automatically operated, and will
again move into a position in which it will again arrest the motion of the switch,
substantially as described.
3. A clock controlled switch of the kind referred to in the preceding claim
wherein the notched cylinder is provided with an arm or tappet extending towards
and into the path of one or more pins fixed at a predetermined part or parts of a
wheel or disc driven from the clock train, the arrangement being such that as
the wheel or disc with the pin or pins thereon revolves, the said pin, or each
pin in turn, will come into contact with the projecting arm or tappet of the notched
cylinder and partly rotate the said cylinder so as to release the pin or projecting
part of the switch previously resting thereon, substantially as described for the
purpose specified.
4. A clock-controlled electric switch constructed arranged and operating sub-
stantially as herein before described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 to 6
inclusive, or modified according to Figs. 7 and 8, or according to Figs. 9 and 10
of the accompanying drawings.
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