Year: 1898

page_text: Niining месцацьш тог стоска или те пке.
I, HARRY WHIDBOURNE, of 30, Greenbank Avenue, Plymouth, in the County
of Devon, Watch and Clockmaker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to devise striking mechanism of simple construc-
tion for clocks & the like, in which the striking train of wheels & mainspring or
weights are partly or wholly dispensed with.
In carrying this my invention into effect, I construct striking mechanism on
varied plans to better suit different purposes for which such mechanism would
be required.
One plan I adopt in order to construct striking mechanism in accordance with
my invention, is to mount a count wheel on a plate or suitable foundation & on
the same pipe or arbor which carries the count wheel, to mount also a ratchet
wheel having a suitable number of teeth to correspond with the number of
blows the mechanism is required to strike during each revolution of the count
wheel, as occasion requires. Pivoted by preference below the count wheel in an
horizontal position, I place a lever (having a fulcrum at about its end) on which
immediately below the centre of the count wheel I fix a pin or stud to take into
the locking notches of the count wheel.
is up
At one end of the lever I suspend a pendulum for a purpose that will be herein-
after explained and at the other end I place, a weight or spring to counterpoise or
partly counterpoise the pendulum. Standing perpendicularly from the lever, I
fix a spring (or pivoted) click, to take into the teeth of the ratchet wheel and a
retaining click I fix to the plate, also taking into the ratchet wheel teeth. Below
the lever & running parallel to it, I pivot to the plate an armature which I
provide with a projection or an adjustable screw, standing up from the armature
& bearing against the lever in such a manner as to raise it, when the armature
from an electro magnet, which I fix below it to the plate. To the free end
of the armature I fix a hammer to strike a bell on its downward movement by
preference or to make contact with a contact spring to complete the circut with
an electric bell. The necessary interval between the strokes of the hammer is
effected by the pendulum herein before mentioned, breaking the circut at each
alternate swing by a short arm being fixed to and projecting from it, at or near
the point of suspension, in the same plane as the pendulum swings, which is
arranged to come in contact with an insulated contact spring fixed to the plate
below the short arm of the pendulum. Impulse is given to the pendulum by its
projecting arm being pressed in contact with the contact spring by the downward
motion of the lever at each alternate swing. Near the ball of pendulum I fix
to it a catch to engage with a corresponding catch on the plate to lock back the
pendulum out of the perpendicular.

page_text: The action of this mechanism is as follows:-
On a momentary current being sent through the electro-magnet, from a clock
or other device arranged for making periodical contacts, the armature is drawn
down by the electro magnet, allowing the lever to move downwards sufficently
to enable the click pivoted to it to move forward the ratchet wheel one tooth,
also to allow the pendulum to drop sufficently to enable the catch on the
pendulum to disengage with the catch on the plate (the pendulum being previously
locked back as herein before described). After momentary contact has been made,
the mechanism itself completes the circut on the stud of the lever leaving the
notch in the count wheel & the projecting arm of the pendulum coming in
contact with the insulated contact spring. On the pendulum swinging forward,
the projecting arm leaves the contact spring, thereby breaking the circut &
allowing the armature to return, carrying the lever with it. The stud of the lever
on its return with it, now rests on the count wheel instead of in one of the
notches; the ratchet wheel connected with same having moved forward one tooth
and now consequently the lever does not rise as high as before & the projecting
arm of the pendulum in its downward movement is enabled to make contact with
the contact spring until the count wheel is moved on to another notch, when the
stud of the lever rises into it, thereby carrying the projecting arm of the pendulum
higher and out of contact with the contact spring when the arm is at its
lowest. The pendulum being thus raised, enables its catch to engage with the
catch on the plate on its last backward swing, where it is held ready for the next
discharge of the mechanism.
Another plan I adopt for purposes where repeating striking mechanism is
required, is to construct mechanism consisting of a rack & snail similar to those
usually employed for ordinary striking clocks; in order to dispense with the
usual train of wheels (driven by the usual mainspring or equivalent) to actuate
the gathering pallet to gather up the rack, I use a pivoted armature, preferably,
working in an horizontal position actuated by an electro magnet & having a
gathering hook fulcrumed to it and taking into the rack, the motion of the
armature being so controlled & adjusted that its upward & downward motion is
precisely sufficent to gather up one tooth at a time, the rack being held where
gathered by a hook as is usually employed. I utilise the hook to keep the circuit
closed as long as it is in the rack teeth, by pivoting to the plate an insulated
contact lever below an arm of the hook and in contact with it, but so arranged
that the contact is broken on the hook falling at the end of rack as is usual with
rack mechanism. I impart the necessary slow motion to the mechanism by
using a pendulum in a manner similar to that which is herein before described,
with such modifications as are necessary.
1000
HARRY WHIDBOURNE.
Electric Striking Mechanism for Clocks and the like.
I, HARRY WHIDBOURNE, of 20, Greenbank Avenue, Plymouth, in the County
of Devon, Watch and Clockmaker, 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:
The object of this invention is to devise striking mechanism of simple con-
struction for clocks & the like in which the striking train of wheels & mainspring
or weights are partly or wholly dispensed with.
In carrying this my invention into effect I construct striking mechanism on

page_text: varied plans or methods to better suit different purposes for which such mechanism
would be required.
710
One method I adopt in order to construct striking mechanism in accordance
with my invention, consists in mounting a count wheel on a plate or suitable
foundation & on the same pipe or arbor which carries the count wheel, to mount
also a ratchet wheel having a suitable number of teeth to correspond with the
number of blows the mechanism is required to strike during each revolution of
the count wheel, as occasion requires. Pivotted by preference below the count
wheel in an horizontal position, I provide a lever having its fulcrum at about' its
one end on which lever and immediately below the centre of the count wheel, I fix
a pin or stud to take into the locking notches of the count wheel. At one end of
the lever I suspend a pendulum for a purpose that will be hereinafter explained
and at the other end I provide a weight or spring to counterpoise, or partly so,
the pendulum. Standing perpendicularly from the lever, I fix a spring (or
pivotted) click to take into the teeth of the ratchet wheel and I fix to the plate a
retaining click also taking into the teeth of the ratchet wheel. Below the lever
& parallel to it, I pivot to the plate an armature which I furnish with a projection
or an adjustable screw standing up from the armature & bearing against the lever
in such a manner as to raise it when the armature is up from an electro-magnet,
which I fix below it to the plate. To the free end of the armature, I fix a hammer
to preferably strike a bell or gong on its downward movement or to make contact
with a contact spring, to complete the circuit with an electric bell. The necessary
intervals between the strokes of the hammer are effected by the pendulum herein-
before mentioned breaking the circuit at each alternate swing, by a short arm.
This short arm is fixed to & projects from the pendulum at or near the point of
suspension, in the same plane as the pendulum swings; and, is arranged to come
in contact with an insulated contact spring fixed to the plate below the short arm
of the pendulum. Impulse is given to the pendulum by its projecting arm being
pressed in contact with the contact spring by the downward motion of the lever
at each alternate swing. Near the bali of pendulum I fix to it a catch to engage
with a corresponding catch on the plate, to lock back the pendulum out of the
perpendicular.
In the annexed drawings (Sheet I) I illustrate the count-wheel mechanism in
accordance with my invention, A being the count wheel & B the ratchet wheel
mounted on the same arbor, C is the horizontal lever, D being the fulcrum, E the
counterpoise & F the stud taking into the locking notches of the count wheel.
G shews the click which moves forward the ratchet wheel, H being the retaining
click, I shews the electro-magnet, J the pivotted armature, K the adjustable screw
which raises and permits the downward motion of the lever C. L shews the
hammer & M the bell which it strikes and N & O the contacts for the purpose of
completing the circuit of distant bells. P shows the pendulum with its contact
arm Q, R being the insulated contact spring with which it makes & breaks the
circuit & from which it also receives its impulse to keep it in motion, S shows
the pendulum ball & T the catch fixed near it which engages with the catch U
on the plate V. The action of this mechanism is as follows: On a momentary
current being sent through the electro-magnet I, from a clock or other devise
arranged for making periodical contacts, the armature J is attracted allowing
the lever C to move downwards sufficently to enable the click G to move forward
the ratchet wheel B one tooth also to allow the pendulum P to drop sufficently to
enable the catch T on the pendulum to disengage with the catch U on the plate
(the pendulum being previously locked back as hereinbefore described). After
momentary contact has been made, the mechanism itself completes the circuit on
the stud F of the lever beaving the notch in the count wheel A & the projecting
arm Q of the pendulum coming in contact with the insulated contact spring R.
On the pendulum swinging forward, the projecting arm Q leaves the contact
spring thereby breaking the circuit & allowing the armature J to return, carrying
the lever C with it. The stud F on its return with the lever now rests on the

page_text: count wheel instead of in one of the notches, the ratchet wheel B connected with
same having moved forward one tooth and now consequently the lever C does not
rise as high as before & the arm Q of the pendulum in its downward movement,
is enabled to make contact with the contact spring R until the count wheel is
moved on to another notch when the stud F of the lever C rises into it thereby
carrying the arm Q of the pendulum higher and out of contact with the contact
spring R when the arm Q is (then) at its lowest. The pendulum being thus raised;
enables its catch T to engage with the catch U on the plate on its last backward'
swing where it is held ready for the next discharge of the mechanism.
Another plan I adopt for purposes where repeating striking mechanism is
required, is to construct mechanism consisting of a rack & snail similar to those
usually employed for ordinary striking clocks; in order to dispense with the
usual train of wheels (driven by the usual mainspring or equivalent) to actuate
the gathering pallet, I use a pivotted armature preferably working in an horizontal
position, actuated by an electro-magnet and having a gathering kook fulcrumed
to it and taking into the rack, the motion of the armature being so controlled &
adjusted that its upward & downward motion is precisely sufficent to gather up one
tooth at a time, the rack being held where gathered by a hook as is usually
employed. I utilise the hook to keep the circuit closed as long as it is in the rack
teeth, by pivotting to the plate an insulated contact lever below an arm of the
hook and in contact with it, but so arranged that the contact is broken on the hook
falling at the end of rack, as is usual with rack mechanism. I impart the
necessary slow motion to the mechanism last described by using a pendulum in a
manner similar to that which is hereinbefore described with such modifications
as would be required in this case of repeating striking mechanism.
In the annexed drawings (Sheet 2) A shows the rack and B the snail, C the
armature which is actuated by the electro-magnet D, E shows the gathering hook
which is connected pivotally to the armature and F the hook which engages the
rack teeth. G shows the insulated contact lever which is pivotted to the plate V.
H shows the arm of the hook, I and J being the contacts, K shows a lifting pin
fixed to the centre wheel of a receiver dial or other timepiece, P shows the
pendulum with its contact arm Q, R being the insulated contact spring with
which it makes and breaks the circuit and from which it also receives its impulse.
S shows the pendulum ball and T a catch fixed near it which engages with a
catch U on the plate V.
The action of the mechanism is as follows:-
On the lever G being lifted by the pin K the arm H of the hook F is depressed
causing the hook F to withdraw from the rack teeth and by means of the pin N
carrying the gathering hook with it. This action permits the rack A to fall as
far as the snail B will allow it. On the lever G being released from the pin K
the contacts I and J meet and complete the circuit of an electric current which
energises the electro magnet D.
The armature is then attracted causing the gathering hook E to gather up one
tooth of the rack and enabling the pendulum P to drop sufficiently to enable the
catch T on the pendulum to disengage with the catch U on the plate and at the
same time giving the pendulum impulse by pressing its arm Q in contact with the
spring R.
On the pendulum swinging forward the arm Q leaves the contact spring R
thereby breaking the circuit and allowing the armature C to return raising the
pendulum P with it. On the return swing of the pendulum the circuit is re-
established by the contacts Q and R and these motions are repeated until the
circuit is eventually broken by the contacts I and J seperating which occurs on
the hook F falling at the end of the rack. On the last backward swing the arma-
ture being unattracted the catch T on the pendulum engages with the catch U
on the plate V where it is held ready for the next discharge of the mechanism.
It is obvious that the mechanism may be repeated by pulling off the hook F by
any mechanical or electrical means.

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. In electric striking mechanism for clocks and the like, the use of a pendulum
for obtaining the necessary interval between the blows of a hammer.
2. In electric striking mechanism a pendulum pivotted to the end of a lever
which is free to fall or rise on the application or switching off of an electric
current, substantially as described.
3. In an electric striking mechanism a lever pivotted at one end to a plate &
having at the opposite end the point of suspension from which hangs a pendulum
substantially as described.
4. In an electric striking mechanism a pendulum having a movable point of
suspension & a catch at its weighted end, the said catch engaging with or leaving
a catch provided on the base plate of the mechanism, substantially as described.
5. In an electric striking mechanism, a pendulum having a movable point of
suspension & a catch to its weighted end the pendulum being locked back out of
the perpendicular by the said catch engaging with a catch on the base plate from
which position it has its first oscillation assisted by gravitation on being released
substantially as described.
6. In an electric striking mechanism the combination of a pendulum having
at or near its point of suspension a projecting arm with the contact spring in &
out of touch with which the projecting arm is brought substantially as described.
7. In an electric rack striking mechanism the combination of a rack, snail, retain-
ing hook & a gathering hook; the gathering hook actuated by an electromagnet &
the pendulum as described controlling the current which energises the said
electro magnet.
8. The improvements in electric striking mechanism substantially as herein
described & illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 15th of October 1898.
HARRY WHIDBOURNE.