Improvements in Chess Timing Pieces.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 22nd July, 1895-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chess Timing Pieces.
I, THEODORE GROSSE, Engineer, of 8 Cambridge Street, Sale in Cheshire
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
1
My invention consists in improvements in chess timing pieces. By these latter
I understand arrangements of two clocks so placed on a platform, having the shape
of an angular lever, that by the reversal of this lever one of the clocks is set in
motion at the same time when the other one is stopped, each clock thus recording
the time taken by each of two chess-players if they reverse the lever after the
completion of each of their moves.
As at present generally constructed, the clocks alone do not shew, whether a
player has exceeded the time-limit agreed upon and this has to be ascertained by
counting the moves actually made, generally by putting them down on a score
sheet, a proceeding troublesome and absorbing some of the players' time and
attention.
To avoid this extra work, I connect the angular lever on which the clocks stand,
by a pin fixed into it, with a click, which works a ratchet wheel and by this wheel
I give motion to the minute-hand of a third clock-dial.
The pin being so distanced from the lever's fulcrum, that each second reversal
of this angular lever causes the ratchet wheel to move one tooth, it follows, that
the centre-pinion of the third clock-dial must make one complete revolution after
as many double reversals of the clocks as are equal to the number of teeth in the
ratchet wheel, which is keyed to the centre pin.
By making the ratchet wheel interchangeable with others, I can therefore
revolve the minute-hand of the third dial at a speed indicating any required
number of moves per hour, and-the minute-hand communicating its movement in
the usual way to the hour-hand-each player will with this arrangement continually
have before him the time, which he should not exceed, if he wishes to play at the
average arranged speed; he will also see after the lapse of an hour or other fixed
period or after the end of the game, whether he or his opponent has exceeded the
stipulated time-limit-always supposing, that each player reverses the position of
the two clocks after the completion of each move.
In the ordinary chess time-pieces, where pendulum-clocks are employed, this
reversal has to be effected with a certain speed, for if the movement be slow, the
pendulum of the rising clock may not start, a fact easily overlooked by a player
absorbed in his game. To prevent this occurrence, I make the bobs of the two
pendulums of iron or steel and employ a magnet, which I fix in such a position, that
with one of its poles it always keeps the pendulum-bob of the resting clock, keeps
it during the greater part of the reversal and only releases it, when the reversal is
nearly completed. The base of the rising clock is then almost horizontal and its
pendulum receives a swing exceeding the required amplitude, so that it is set in
motion with certainty.
When the ratchet wheel is changed, it will not always happen, that the click,
when in its highest position, can be brought to carry the hands of the third
clock-dial to twelve o'clock, and to effect this, either the dial with ratchet-wheel

page_text: and hands has to be slightly revolved bodily or the length of the click has to be
varied, preferably the latter, in order to avoid an awry position of the diai.
This necessary, slight adjustment of the click I obtain either by a right and left
hand screw with nut, applied to the click-arm or by making the click-bead swivel,
and fixing it by a clamp screw working in a slot or by an adjusting-screw, against
which an extension of the click-beadsis pressed by a spring.
On the accompanying drawing I shew how I substantially propose to carry out
these improvements. Fig. 1 'represents a front view and longitudinal section of
the improved chess time-piece; Fig. 2, cross-section and side view; Fig. 3 a plan
after removal of the two clocks and Fig. 4 a side view and back view of the
click-end when made with adjusting screw.
A & B are the two clocks fixed on the platform or angular lever C, having its
fulcrum in D and supported by a bearing E. This is the general arrangement now
in use, only that the lever is usually 'made of iron, which I do not use, preferring
wood and giving it the shape shewn. The bearing E is fixed to the body F of a
box, to which at G a lid His hinged, which can be locked. The front of the box
has a circular hole for the reception of the dial-I and this with the usual train of
wheels for giving motion to the hour-hand is carried by a casing, attached to the
plate J, which is screwed to the body of the box. The centre pinion shaft of this
dial carries 'at its end a round boss K, fixed to it and assuming at its end a small
square section, on which fits the square hole of the ratchet-wheel L. This wheel
is kept in its place and slightly pressed by the pap M, fixed by the spring N to an
inner lid O of the box, hinged at P. The pressure of the spring through the
pap M to act as a break, to check the inertia of the ratchet wheel in case the
reversal of C takes place very quickly, the back chamber created by the false
lid O to be used for storing spare changewheels etc. Qis the click-head, attached
by the stud R to the click-arm S, which hangs on the pin T, fixed in the lever C
and at such a distance from the fultrum D, that the click-point rises and falls a
distance a little more than the length of the ratchet wheel teeth. The click-head
'swivels on R and is throught to correct position for indicating twelve o'clock on
third dial either by hand and then clamped by the clamp screw U, attached to it
and working in a short slot of the click-arm or its end is arranged as shewn in
Fig. 4, the extended portion of the click-head being pressed by the strong spring V
and supported by the screw W, by which it can be adjusted. X is an U-shaped
'magnet, fixed in a recess of the box-top and held in position by lips of the plate J.
It is carried through suitable holes in the lever C and acts on the iron or steel
bobs Y of the two clocks. It is band-shaped, i.e. much wider than thick and in
Fig. 1 a portion of it is shewn as being broken off. The position of the poles of
the magnet is such, that with suitable length of pendulum-spindle and properly
proportioned bob, the latter cannot knock against the top-edge of the magnet.
During the rising of a clock its bob slides along the magnet-arm, by which it is
"attracted and it is only released at the moment when the spindle-end Z comes in
contact with the magnet-arm and forces the bob away from it; this moment, of
course, 'to be chosen so, that the pendulum on being released is sufficiently drawn
aside for setting it going. The bob may also be placed so high on the pendulumn-
spindle, that it '18 torn away from the magnet-end by a direct pull from the
'pendulum fulcrum.
"
Both clocks A & B must of course be regulated to igo at the proper rate of
"24 hours per day. The right-hand clock is intended for "Black as indicated by
the shield placed between the two clocks. After the change wheel, suitable for the
time limit agreed upon, has been inserted and the click adjusted, so that by
repeated reversals of the lever C the dial will. indicate exactly twelve o'clock, the
box is locked. The two clocks, alter being wound up, are also set to twelve
o'clock and as soon as "White" is ready to begin play "Black" sets "White's"
'clock going by reversing the lever C, and by so doing also gives to both players
time-credit on the dial for their first move. White," after completing his
move, again reverses the lever, thereby setting "Black's" clock going, without of

page_text: course altering the time. indicated on the dial, which, is only done when
"Black" too has completed the first move and again after each of his subsequent
moves.
The click, to work properly with large and small wheels, should have an arm of
fair length. If it is desired, to reduce the height of the whole apparatus, the
lever. C can be made to work, a slide and the click-arm can be suspended from
this slide, allowing the centre of dial.I to be, brought closer to the two clocks.
The part of the click-head. opposite to its point, should be made heavy, so that by
its weight the point is, brought, in contact with the ratchet wheel, if this is small in
diameter and has only few teeth.
In all views, shewn. on, my, drawing similar parts are marked with the same
letters.
Dated this Twenty-second day of October 1894.
I, THEODORE GROSSE, of 8 Cambridge Street Sale, County of Cheshire,
Engineer, 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:--
My invention consists in improvements in chess timing, pieces.
Chese timing pieces, as at present generally used, are composed of two pendulum-
clocks fixed on the two equal arms of a flat angular beam, which is supported in
the middle in such a manner, that the top-surface of one of the arms is horizontal
when the other arm is pressed, down to its lowest position and vice-versa. By. this
arrangement the two clocks can only move alternately and as either of the two
chess players reverses the beam after completion of each of his, moves.and by such
reversal sets his opponent's clock going, that clock will register the aggregate time
taken by the opponent to make his moves, of which he is compelled to complete a
certain number agreed upon within an hour or other specified time.
In using the old chess timing pieces each player, besides reversing the beam on
the completion of each move, must pay attention to three points, viz.:
1stly. He must reverse the beam with a certain speed, so as, to give the
pendulum of the opponent's clock the, impetus necessary to set the clock going.
2ndly. He must count the number of moves made, which is generally done by
scoring the game, and
3rdly. He must calculate the time allowed for the moves already made, to see
whether he has exceeded. the average, speed of play and to ascertain what further
time remains at his disposal, so as to regulate his future play accordingly.
Simple as these operations. are, they are very. troublesome during actual play;
they materially hinder the player to pay full attention to his game and in quick
games they absorb a considerable portion of his time. To do away with some or
all of these inconveniences is the purpose of the improvements to be described.
To ensure. the certain start.of the opponent's clock, independent of the speed
with which the beam is reversed, I introduce magnets, which hold the iron or steel
bob of the pendulum during the reversal and relieve it only at the last moment,
thus giving sufficient amplitude to the pendulum to set it swinging.
To save to the players the trouble of any calculations as to time remaining at
their disposal I combine with the old, chess-timing-piece a third clock-face with
hour- and minute-hand, the centre-pin of the latter bearing.a ratchet-wheel, which
is worked by a click, connected with the beam of the old chess-timing-piece. The
ratchet-wheel being shifted one tooth after each second reversal of the beam, the

page_text: third clockface will always indicate the actual time, which neither of the players
must exceed at any stage of the game if he wishes to play at an average speed;
always provided that the ratchet-wheel has as many teeth as there are moves
allowed per hour.
"
The two pendulum-clocks being properly timed to move at the rate of 24 hours
per day and wound up, and all three dials having been set to 12 o'clock, "Black
would at the opening of the game by reversing the beam first give both players
time-credit for their first move on the third dial. If after this each player reverses
the beam on completion of his move, all be has to do is to watch, that his own
clock does not overtake the third one, if he wishes to keep to the correct ratio, and
to see, that his own clock does not arrive at one o'clock before that time is
indicated on the third clock-dial, if he is bound to make a certain number of moves
in the first hour.
By making the ratchet wheel interchangeable, the improved chess-timing-piece
can be used for any speed of play and by using a ratchet-wheel of sixty teeth, the
number of minutes indicated on the third dial will be the number of the next move
to be made by the player, whose clock is in motion.
Having in the foregoing given an outline of my invention, I now refer to the
drawing left with my Provisional Specification, so as to particularly describe one
of the forms in which I propose to carry out the same.
There are four figures, in all of which similar parts are designated by similar
letters.
Fig. 1 represents in the main a front elevation and partly a longitudinal section;
Fig. 2 a cross-section through the centre and in the upper part a side elevation ;
Fig. 3 a plan with the two pendulum-clocks removed, and
Fig. 4 back and side-view of an adjustable click-head.
A and B are the two pendulum-clocke fixed on the platforms formed by the
equal arms of the angular beam C, having its fulcrum in the pin D, which is
supported by a bearing E.
The apparatus so far described contains the main features of the chess-clocks
now generally used.
The bearing E I fix to the body F of a box, to which at G a lid H is hinged,
which is provided with a catch or lock. The front of the box has a circular hole
for the reception of the dial I and this with the usual train of wheels for giving
motion to the hour-hand is carried by a casing attached to the plate J, which is
screwed to the body of the box. The centre-pin of the minute-hand of this dial
carries at its end a round boss K, fixed to it and assuming at its end a square
section, on which fits the square hole of the ratchet-wheel L. This wheel is kept
in its place by the pap M, which, being fixed by the spring N to an inner
partition O (hinged at P) of the box-lid, exerts a slight pressure on the boss of the
ratchet-wheel when the box is closed and acts as a brake to check the momentum
of the larger sized ratchet-wheels, acquired in cases where the reversal of the
beam C took place very quickly. The back-chamber created by the false lid O to
be used for storing spare change wheels, diagrams etc.
Q is the click-head attached by the stud R to the click-arm S, which hangs on
the pin T, fixed to the beam C at such a distance from the fulcrum D, that the
extreme motion, of which the beam C is capable, causes the click-point to travel a
distance a little more than the length of the ratchet-wheel-teeth. The click-head
is weighted, so that even with small ratchet-wheels the point presses against the
teeth of the wheel.
Although all ratchet-wheels used on the same apparatus are made with the same
length of teeth, a click of fixed length will not always bring the hands to exactly
12 o'clock after a change of wheel has taken place and unless the dial with hands
and wheels attached is made slightly adjustable, the length of the click must be
made so; preferably the latter, as revolving the dial would still leave the hour-
hand slightly out of place and as it is desirable to avoid an awry position of
the dial.

page_text: To allow such an indjustinent, the click-head is made to swivel on R, so that it
can be clamped in any desired position by the clamp-screw. U, fixed in a shole of
the click-arm and inserted in a short slot of the swivel.
Or the click-head can be arranged as shown in Fig. 4, where an arm is cast on
the swivel part of the click head; this arm being pressed by the strong spring V
against the screw W, by which it can be adjusted to suit requirements.
X is an U-shaped magnet, fixed in a recess of the box-top and held in position.
by lips of the plate J. It is carried through suitable holes in the beam C, allowing
sufficient room for the oscillating motion of the beam and about 1 inch clearance!
beside, and its width is equal to about '14 times the diameter of the ball-shaped
pendulum-bobs Y, which are made of iron or steel and on which it acts. Its arms
must have a length and position such as to embrace the extreme positions of the
pendulums, in order to prevent any part of the latter from knocking against them
in a way to cause breakeage of the pendulums or injury to the clocks. The motion
of the bobs, when held by the magnet must be a gentle sliding along the inner
polished surface of the magnet, pulled or pushed by the pendulum-spindles under
an acute angle with the arms. The height of the magnet-arms is governed by the
lowest position of the bodies of the clocks, which must not be allowed to knock
against them.
On a clock rising during reversal of the beam C, its bob slides along the magnet--
arm, by which it is attracted and which only releases it at the moment when the
end Z of the brass-spindle, which protrudes by a certain length from it, comes in
contact with the magnet and, acting as a fulcrum, forces the bob away from the
magnet; this moment must of course be so chosen, that the pendulum has reached
a sufficient amplitude when released, to ensure the working of the clock. The bobs
may also be placed in such a position relative to the magnet-poles, that they are
torn away from them by a direct pull from the suspension-point of the pendulums.
As it is "Black," that completes a double move and gives both players time--
credit on the third dial for each next move, it follows that to "Black" must always
be appropriated the clock on the opposite side to the click in the arrangement
illustrated and a black and white shield placed between the clocks shews by its
colours, on which side of the apparatus the respective players have to sit.
As the ratchet wheel is worked on "Black's" reversal of the beam, it is well to
weight "Blacks" portion of the beam a little heavier than the other arm, by placing
a metal-weight behind the black portion of the shield, making the other half of
wood. I have also some-times bored a hole inch diameter through the whole.
length of the beam, half filled it with quicksilver and plugged the ends up, so that
the heavy mercury, running from one side of the beam to the extremity of the
other one, would give a final impetus to the movement of the beam, which in that
case would bare to be made of wood or other non-metallic substance to prevent
amalgamation. If no quicksilver is used, there is no restriction as to the kind of
material or shape of the beam, although I would recommend the form shewn in the
drawing, by the adoption of which in the old chess-timing-piece, the beam would
require no supporting centre, but could simply be placed on a table or other plane.
surface and be reversed by using its bottom-corner as a fulcrum.
In Fig. 1 the new chess-timing-piece is shewn with a ratchet-wheel of sixty
teeth, i.e. arranged for a time-limit of 60 moves per hour. By the shield it is
shewn that "Black" sits on the right hand side of the clock. The third dial
shewing 23 minutes past twelve, it follows, that "Black," whose clock is going, is
considering his 23rd move; his clock indicating 22 minutes past twelve or half
a minute less than the third dial, shews, that so far he has just kept within the
average ratio, while his opponent, whose clock shews 22 minutes to one, has.
exceeded the ratio and has only 22 minutes left for his next 37 moves.
It is clear that the relative position of parts in the improved chess-timing-piece
can be arranged in various ways and I do not bind myself by the exact arrangement
shewn in the drawing.

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 with the ordinary chess timing piece of a third time-dial,
worked by a ratchet wheel through the oscillating beam, substantially as described.
2. The employment of change-ratchet-wheels for different time-limits.
3. The employment of magnets to ensure the certain start of each player's clock.
independent of the speed of reversal.
4. These improvements I claim jointly and severally to be applied.
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