Improved Method of and Means for Controlling Uniformly the Dials of Clocks, or a Series of Dials or Olocks, from one Standard or Main Olock.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 25th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Means for Controlling Uniformly the
Dials of Clocks, or a Series of Dials or Olocks, from one
Standard or Main Olock.
We, ROBERT POTTS, JAMES POTTS, and JOSEPH POTTS, trading as the Firm
of William Potts and Sons, of Guildford Street, Leeds, Turret Clock Manu-
facturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, to be as follows:-
-
The object of our invention is to control uniformaly the dials of clocks or a
series of dials or clocks from one standard or main clock, and by the aid of
electricity.
•
In carrying out our invention we combine with the standard or turret clock from
which the other dials are to be controlled an apparatus comprising a frame
carrying an axle with a spur wheel thereon which gears with a similar wheel in
connection with the dials spindle. On the end of the said axle are two arms or
fingers arranged to come in contact every half minute with a spring provided with
a contact piece by which the circuit is completed, the said spring being connected
up to a battery by conductors or wires in the ordinary way.
When the dials of a series of clocks situated in the different rooms of a building
are to be controlled, we combine with each clock an electro-magnet and armature
to work in connection therewith. The said armature is pivoted or centred and a
rod is carried up from such centre and provided with a catch which engages with
a ratchet wheel.
At the back of the said catch is a spring to keep it in contact with the teeth of
the wheel. Or the armature may be carried on a vertical rod pivoted at the lower
end, and provided with a catch engaging into a ratchet wheel upon the minute
arbor:
On the current passing through the electro-magnet the armature is attracted,
and on contact being broken the armature is released, and the rod assumes its
normal position, at the same time the ratchet wheel advances one tooth, and the
hands on the dials half a minute. The movement of the said wheel being regulated
by means of an adjustable stop.
D 131 ioa
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1004
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Patent Agent to the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Means for Controlling Uniformly the
Dials of Clocks, or a Series of Dials or Clocks, from one
Standard or Main Clock.
We, ROBERT POTTS, JAMES POTTS, and JOSEPH POTTS, trading as the Firm
of William Potts and Sons of Guildford Street, Leeds, Turret Clock. Manu-
facturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and acertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of our invention is to control uniformally the dials of clocks or a

page_text: series of dials or clocks from one standard or main clock, and by the aid of
electricity.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1. is an elevation of apparatus according to our invention, to be applied in
connection with the standard or main clock.
Fig. 2. is a plan of same.
Fig. 3. is a back elevation of apparatus according to our invention to be applied
to each clock, the dials of which it is desired to control or to regulate according to
the main or standard clock.
Fig. 4. is a plan, and
Fig. 5. a side elevation of same.
In carrying out our invention we combine with the standard-or turret clock from
which the other dials are to be controlled an apparatus (see Figs. 1 and 2)
comprising a frame A, carrying an axle B with a spur wheel C thereon which
gears with a similar wheel D upon or in connection with the dials spindle or third
arbor E. On the end of the said axle B are two arms or fingers F arranged to
come in contact every half minute with a spring G provided with a contact piece H
by which the circuit is completed, the said spring G being secured to the frame A.
which is connected up to a battery by conductors or wires and binding screws J in
the ordinary way. The said apparatus is joined to the framework A' of the
standard or main clock by means of the boss A' and screw A' which fixes the said
boss upon the bearing D¹, which carries the dials spindle, or third arbor E, and
forms part of the framework A'.
When the dials of a series of clocks situated in the different rooms of a building
are to be controlled, we combine with each clock an electro-maguet K and
armature L to work in connection therewith. The said armature L is carried on a
od M which is pivotted at M¹ and provided with a catch N which engages with
ratchet wheel O. At the back of the said catch N there may be a spring to
keep it in contact with the teeth of the wheel O. Or the armature L may be
carried on a vertical rod pivotted at the lower end, and provided with a catch
ngaging into a ratchet wheel upon the minute arbor.
Each clock is connected to or in circuit with the main or standard clock, by
means of one wire joining to the battery, the other wire joining to the main or
>tandard clock, so that when the electric circuit is broken on the main or standard
clock it is broken throughout the system or the whole of the clocks, and when it is
stablished the circuit is complete throughout the whole of the system. For this
urpose the wire from one pole of the battery is joined to the frame A and the
ther wire is joined to the clocks, from them to the battery or opposite pole, and
-then to the frame A.
The action is as follows :-
:-
...
On the fingers F coming in contact with the spring G the electric circuit is
stablished and on the current passing through the electro-magnet K, the
armature L is attracted, and on contact being broken by the fingers or arms F
clearing the spring G the armature L is released, and the rod M assumes its
normal position, at the same time the ratchet wheel O advances one tooth, and the
hands on the dials half a minute. The movement of the said wheel being
regulated by means of an adjustable stop P.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is performed we declare that what we
claim is
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1. The herein described method of controlling uniformally the dials of clocks or
a series of dials or clocks from one standard or main clock by apparatus placed
upon the said main or standard clock and apparatus upon each clock to be
controlled from the said main or standard clock, substantially as shown and
described.

page_text: 2. The means for controlling the dials of one or more clocks from one main or
standard clock, such as shown and described.
3. The arrangement and combination of parts for uniformally controlling the
dials of one or more clocks from one standard or main clock such as shown and
described.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Patent Agent to the Applicants.