A NEW OR IMPROVED ELECTRO-PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR WINDING AND REGULATING CLOCKS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Maurice Bauer, Civil Engineer, of the Firm M. Bauer
& Co., Solicitors of Patents, of Paris, French Republic, for an Invention
of "A NEW OR IMPROVED ELECTRO-PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR WINDING
AND REGULATING CLOCKS." A communication by Charles Albert Mayrhofer
and Willy Otto, both Electric Engineers, of Paris, French Republic.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Maurice Bauer at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th November 1881.
MAURICE BAUER, Civil Engineer, of the Firm of M. Bauer, & Co., Solicitors of
Patents, of Paris, French Republic. "A NEW OR IMPROVED ELECTRO-PNEUMATIC
APPARATUS FOR WINDING AND REGULATING CLOCKS." A communication from
Charles Albert Mayrhofer and Willy Otto, both Electric Engineers, at Paris, French
Republic.
The improved apparatus forming the present Invention consists of the following
arrangements:-
1st. Of a well constructed and strongly built clockwork forming the central
clock.
2nd. Of an electric distributor, which at certain intervals, occasioned by the
central clock, sends out into a number of electric conductors in various directions
electric currents of short duration.
3rd. Of an electro-pneumatic relay for receiving the current arriving from the
central clock, which relay may be placed at any required distance from the said
central clock, and sets in motion a pneumatic apparatus in accordance with the
electrical impulses received.
4th. Of what may be called a group normal clock, which is kept in corre-
sponding time with the central clock by means of the pneumatic apparatus at the
relay.
5th. Of the three way air cock, which is opened and shut by the action of the
group normal clock.

page_text: 6th. Of ordinary clocks with going works, which are wound up and regulated
by the compressed air immediately the three way cock opens.
At each releasing, for example, hourly, of the central clock by means of a tappet,
which presses in a lever, a small three way air cock is opened by the falling down
of a second lever, whereby compressed air coming from an air reservoir is admitted
to a cylinder in the electric distributor. The air acting on a bellows or piston in
this cylinder raises a lever whereby two toothed wheels are turned one tooth each,
which winds up a barrel and lets a contact spring with its axis rotate backwards.
When this has happened a certain number of times (for instance, 24), a contact
roller is released; at that moment a tooth on a disc mounted on the same axis as
the aforesaid contact spring presses on a forked lever fixed vertically on its axis,
and draws the same from under the end of a lever which then falls, releasing by
its other end a pin on a toothed wheel, whereby the contact roller is free to
commence its rotary movement by the action of the driving spring contained in it.
During its revolution it conducts electric currents into a series of contact springs
connected to corresponding clamping screws, whence the various line wires are led
in order to effect the release of the various groups at the relays.
These arrangements can be used with all existing conductors, whether those of
telephones, fire alarm signals, or others, without their mutually interrupting each
other's working, in the following manner :-
One pole of a battery is put to earth, the other is connected in the electric dis-
tributor to a smooth disc mounted on an axis, which also carries a contact ring,
against which the first mentioned contact spring always slides. From this contact
spring the connection goes through a binding screw to a contact bar, which makes
the common battery connection for the various lines.
From this contact_bar_the_line_goes-to-the-group-normal clock, conveying the
current to the axis thereof, to which is fastened a sliding spring which is in contact
with a ring, from whence it goes on to the telegraph apparatus, and then to
earth.
The metal ring of the distributor, as well as that of the group normal clock, is
furnished with a notch in which a small insulating plate is placed. At certain
times, for instance, at each 24 hours, the contact spring of the distributor, as well
as the sliding spring of the group normal clock, come on to the insulated plate in
their respective rings.
At that moment (that is, for 8 or 9 seconds) the conductor for the other corre-
spondence is broken, that is, the contact roller makes its revolution, the current
goes then in the following way :-
From the battery at the distributor to the smooth disc, thence to the contact
roller, thence to the series of springs before mentioned, and by clamp screws, into
the respective lines to the several groups.
The current arrives at the axis of a group normal, and goes into the sliding
spring, which however at this time stands over a contact piece secured in the
insulating plate; from thence the connection leads to the relay; here the current
passes round an electro magnet, and enters through a second clamp screw either
to a conductor going direct to earth, or to a continued conductor leading to one
or several other groups, where naturally the same operation takes place
simultaneously.
When the contact roller at the distributor has run down, which operation lasts
only about 8 or 9 seconds, the original contact is restored through a pin secured
in the roller; at this moment the end of the contact spring passes from the small
plate on to the metal ring; the same thing also takes place at the group normal
clocks; thus the time occupied of the existing lines is a minimum.
As this apparatus is automatic its action can be postponed to the hours of mid-
night, when the correspondence is much less frequent, so that the time the telegraph
or other conductors is occupied is unimportant.
At the entrance of the electric current into the relay the electro-magnet attracts

page_text: its armature, allowing a lever to fall and to press down a sector, whereby a tumbling
lever is thrown towards the right.
By this means the lever of a three way cock is raised, the cock is opened, and
the compressed air is admitted to a cylinder of the group normal clock through a
pipe connecting the relay therewith. This raises a rectifying fork to complete the
direction position of a slight difference, while the same presses a rectifying pin
exactly into the vertical.
The normal clock of the group is thus placed in direct electrical communication
with the central clock pneumatically with the relay.
The group clock lets fall a lever at certain times, and a tumbling lever reverses
a cock, whereby compressed air is admitted to the cylinder of a three way cock;
the bellows or piston in this cylinder raises a lever which operates the said cock,
admitting compressed air to the branch pipes leading to the secondary clocks
for the purpose of performing the work of winding up and regulating the same.
One of the said branch pipes goes to a cylinder in the group normal clock for
the purpose of bringing the lever, which is let fall at certain times by it, back to
its former position.
In the same way the lever of the relay is brought again into its former position
by compressed air entering its cylinder.
At the central clock also, which at the same time performs the service of a group
clock, the drop lever is returned into its former position by compressed air entering
a cylinder connected with it.
The air entering the cylinder in the secondary clock raises a lever, whereby a
wheel is wound up as much as it has run down since the last winding up operation;
at the same time a fork is pressed upwards, whereby a pin fixed in a small crank
corresponding to the hands is pressed into the upright direction, that is to say,
the clock is regulated, so that differences of time in the various clocks are
impossible.
This regulation takes place from the central clock.
Immediately the fork has pressed the pin into the vertical position it falls back
itself, while a pin enters between a spring and the part carrying it; at the return
the fork is set upright again by this contrivance. The falling down of the fork is
to leave the pin on the crank free again immediately after the regulation so as to
derange the going of the clock as little as possible.
The rectification of the central clock takes place in the same manner as that of
the group normal clock by an electro-pneumatic relay, but with the difference that
the relay of the central clock receives its electric current from the observatory
while the group relays receive their impulse from the distributor of the central
onc.
In the central clock the rectification is effected by means of a wedge pressed
between two pins furnished with rollers on the rectifying wings placed on the
quarter hand axis,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Maurice Bauer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th May
1882.
"
MAURICE BAUER, Civil Engineer, of the Firm M. Bauer & Co., Solicitors of
Patents, of Paris, French Republic. A NEW OR IMPROVED ELECTRO-PNEUMATIC
APPARATUS FOR WINDING AND REGULATING CLOCKS." A communication from
Charles Albert Mayrhofer and Willy Otto, both Electric Engineers, of Paris, French
Republic.
The improved apparatus forming the present Invention consists of the following
arrangements :-
1st. Of a well constructed and strongly built clockwork forming the central
clock, see Fig. I., Sheet 1 of the Drawings.
2nd. Of an electric distributor, Fig. 2, Sheet I., which at certain intervals
occasioned by the central clock sends out into a number of electric conductors in
various directions electric currents of short duration.
3rd. Of an electric-pneumatic relay, Fig. 3, Sheet I., for receiving the current
arriving from the central clock, which relay may be placed at any required distance
from the said central clock, and sets in motion a pneumatic apparatus in accordance
with the electrical impulses received.
4th. Of what may be called a group-normal clock, Fig. 4, Sheet I., which is
kept in corresponding time with the central clock by means of the pneumatic
apparatus at the relay.
5th. Of the threeway air cock, Fig. 5, Sheet I., which is opened and shut by the
action of the group normal clock.
6th. Of ordinary clocks, Fig. 6, Sheet I., with going works which are wound
up and regulated by the compressed air immediately the threeway cock opens.
In Sheet II. of the Drawings, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 show respectively
elevational views of the arrangements shown in plan at the corresponding Figs. 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, Sheet I., and Figs. 2, 2a, 2b, & 2c of Sheet III. are enlarged
views of the electric distributor shown in Figs. 2 of Sheets I. and II.
At each releasing (for example, hourly) of the central clock, Fig. 1, by means of
a tappet a which presses on a lever U, a small threeway air cock A is opened by
the falling of a second lever S, whereby compressed air coming from an air
reservoir through a pipe A is admitted by a pipe A' to a cylinder B in the electric
distributor, Fig. 2. The air acting on a bellows or piston in this cylinder raises a
lever b, whereby two toothed wheels b' and 62 are turned one tooth each, which
winds up a barrel C and lets a contact spring S with its axis rotate backwards.
When this has happened a certain number of times (for instance, 24) a contact
roller C is released; at that moment a tooth ẞ on a disc mounted on the same axis
as the aforesaid contact spring presses the end E of a forked lever S fixed vertically
on its axis and draws the same from under the end of a lever O which then
falls, releasing by its other end a pin b on a toothed wheel n, whereby the contact
roller is free to commence its rotary movements by the action of the driving spring
contained in it. During its revolution it conducts electric currents into a series of
contact springs f, f, connected to corresponding clamping screws 1, 2, 3, 4, &c.,
whence the various line wires are led in order to effect the release of the various
groups at the relays.
These arrangements can be used with all existing conductors, whether those of

page_text: telephones, telegraphs, fire alarm signals, or others, without their mutually
interrupting each other's working in the following manner:-
One pole of a battery q is put to earth, the other is connected to a binding
screw 12 in the electric distributor, thence to a smooth disc mounted on an axis
which also carries a contact ring p, against which the first mentioned contact
spring s always slides. From this contact spring the connection goes through a
binding screw 11 to a contact bar p¹, which makes the common battery connection
for the various lines.
From this contact bar the line goes to the group normal clock, Fig. 4, conveying
the current to the axis W thereof, to which is fastened a sliding spring t
which is in contact with a ring U, from whence it goes on to the telegraph
apparatus, and then to earth.
The metal ring p of the distributor, as well as the ring U of the group normal
clock, is furnished with a notch in which a small insulating plate is placed. At
certain times (for instance, at each 24 hours) the contact spring S of the distributor,
as well as the sliding spring of the group normal clock, Fig. 4, come on to the
insulated plate in their respective rings. At that moment (that is, for 8 or 9
seconds) the conductor for the other correspondence is broken, that is, the contact
roller makes its revolution; the current goes then in the following way :-
From the battery g at the distributor to the clamp screw 12 and to the smooth
disc r, thence to the contact roller C, thence to the series of springs f, f, before-
mentioned, and by clamp screws 1 to 10 into the respective lines to the several
groups, for example, following the line
to the group normal clock,
Fig. 4.
-
The current arrives at the axis W of the group normal clock and goes into the
sliding springt, which, however, at this time stands over a contact piece V secured
in the insulating plate; from thence the connection leads to the relay, Fig. 3. Here
the current passes round an electro magnet M, M, and enters through a second
clamp screw either to a conductor going direct to earth or to a continued
conductor leading to one or several other groups, where naturally the same
operations take place simultaneously.
When the contact roller C at the distributor has run down, which operation
lasts only about 8 or 9 seconds, the original contact is restored through a pin
secured in the roller; at this moment the end of the contact spring passes from the
small plate on to the metal ring; the same thing also takes place at the group
normal clocks, thus the time occupied of the existing lines is a minimum.
As this apparatus is automatic its action can be postponed to the hours of
midnight when the correspondence is much less frequent, so that the time the
telegraph or other conductor is occupied by this apparatus is unimportant.
On the entrance of the electric current of the line 10 into the relay, Fig. 3, the
electro magnet M, M, attracts its armature e, allowing a lever D to fall and to
press down a sector C, whereby a tumbling lever E is thrown towards the right.
By this means the lever d of a threeway cock F is raised into the position shown
in dotted lines, the cock is opened, and the compressed air is admitted to a
cylinder G of the group normal clock, Fig. 4, through a pipe el and the pipe e²
connecting the relay therewith; this raises a rectifying fork f¹ which presses a
rectifying pin g exactly into the vertical.
The normal clock of the group is thus placed in direct electrical communication
with the central clock, and pneumatically with the relay.
The group clock, Fig. 4, lets fall a lever H at certain times, and a tumbling
lever J reverses a cock K, whereby compressed air is admitted from / to h¹ leading
to the cylinder L of a threeway cock N, Fig. 5. The bellows or piston in this
cylinder raises a lever i which operates the said cock, admitting compressed air
from the pipe J to the branch pipes K leading to the secondary clocks for the
purpose of performing the work of winding up and regulating the same.

page_text: From the said pipe K a branch pipe K' leads to a cylinder O in the group normal
clock, Fig. 4, for the purpose of bringing the lever H which is let fall at certain
times by it back to its former position.
In the same way the lever D of the relay is brought again into its former
position by compressed air entering its cylinder P' through the pipe ell
At the central clock, Fig. 1, also (which at same time perforins the service of
a group clock) the drop lever S is returned into its former position by compressed
air entering a cylinder V through the small pipe a" connected with it.
The air entering the cylinder P in the secondary clock, Fig. 6, through the small
pipe K raises a lever R whereby a wheel Q is wound up as much as it has run
down since the last winding up operation, at the same time a fork m is pressed
upwards whereby a pin O fixed in a small crank corresponding to the hands is
pressed into the upright direction, that is to say, the clock is regulated so that
differences of time in the various clocks are impossible. This regulation takes
place from the central clock.
Immediately the fork has pressed the pin O into the vertical position it falls
back itself, while a pin m² enters between a spring n and the part S carrying it; at
the return the fork is set upright again by this contrivance. The falling of the
fork is to leave the pin O on the crank free again immediately after the regulation,
so as to interfere as little as possible with the going of the clock.
The rectification of the central clock takes place in the same manner as that of
the group normal clock by an electro pneumatic relay, but with the difference that
the relay of the receives its electric current from the observatory, while the
group relays receive their impulse from the distributor of the central one. In
the central clock the rectification is effected by means_of_a_wedge_l_pressed-
between two pins and furnished with rollers on the rectifying wings placed
on the quarter hand axis V.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be carried into effect, I would have it understood that what I
claim as the Invention to be secured by the within in part recited Letters Patent
is,—
1st. The electric distribution of the time signals from the central clock, as
herein before described and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
2nd. The arrangement of the electric distributor, wherein during the time the
same is not working, say, 23 hours, 59 minutes, and about 50 seconds per 24 hours,
the conductor can be employed for any required purpose, such as for telegraph,
telephone, fire alarm, and other such like signals, as herein before described and
illustrated in Figs. 2 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
3rd. The apparatus at the group normal clock whereby such clock is regulated,
the passage of the current for the clock service is cut out, and that for the general
service inserted so long as the time for the clock service is not approached,
but immediately that time is reached the contact is disconnected for the
general service and the lino is closed for the clock service, but only for so long
as is necessary, as herein before described and illustrated in the Drawings hereto
annexed.
4th. The electro-pneumatic relay so constructed and arranged that on the closing
of an electric circuit mechanism is released which allows of the pneumatic trans-
mission of the correct time from the central clock to the group normal clock, as
herein before described and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
5th. The threeway air cock which connects the extended conductor with the air
reservoir, and is actuated by the lever which is raised by the air from the normal
clock, as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Fig. 5 of the Drawings.
6th. The arrangement of the rectifying apparatus m with the winding up
lever R, wherein the fork shaped piece m retires after the correct position is
obtained, the pin m' mounts over the spring n, and slides down the same without

page_text: touching the pin O, as herein before described and illustrated in Fig. 6 of the
Drawings hereto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Maurice Bauer, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
MAURICE BAUER. (L.S.)
LORENTZ ALBERT GROTH, K.G.V.,
Proprietor of the Scandinavian Patent Office,
30, Finsbury Pavement,
London, E.C.