WATCHMAN'S TIME DETECTORS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wallace Le Grande, of the City of Louisville, in
the County of Jefferson, and State of Kentucky, United States of America,
for the Invention of "WATCHMAN'S TIME DETECTORS."
led the 29th December 1877, and dated the 13th November 1877.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Wallace Le Grande
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th November 1877.
WILLIAM WALLACE LE GRANDE, of the City of Louisville, in the County of
Jefferson, and State of Kentucky, United States of America. WATCHMAN'S
TIME DETECTORS."
My Invention relates to watchman's time detectors, and it consists in certain
improvements as will be herein-after more fully set forth and pointed out by the
claims.
In the annexed Drawings, which fully illustrate my Invention, and to which
reference is made,―
Figure 1 is a front view of my improved watchman's time detector with the front
thrown open; Figure 2 is a section of the same with the front closed.
Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the locking device for the front of the
time detector.
Figure 4 is an inside view of the glass front with spiral in glass; and Figure 5 is
a section of the same on the line x, x, Figure 4.
Heretofore watchman's time detectors have been made with a series of keys to
work the registering devices. This is objectionable, as the keys can readily be
counterfeited, and if a watchman or other person has in his possession a duplicate key
for locking or working in any way a registering time detector, such detector is
thereby rendered worthless for the purposes for which the same is intended.
Time detectors are also made to lock up with a key inserted in a keyhole in the
usual manner.
This also is objectionable, as clocks and watches for this purpose are
generally made of light material, and consequently when left with a hole in them
are not infallible time registers. It is also troublesome-to-find-keys and to place

page_text: them in proper position for working a time detector at night, entails trouble, and
consumes valuable time of the watchman.
Another serious objection to the time detectors now in use is the handling of the
movement daily in order to change the devices, which is liable to retard the move-
ment of the train.
The object of my Invention is to obviate these and other difficulties, and
provide a watchman's time detector that shall possess the following novel features
and improvements:-
1st. A watchman's time detector or register that will run eight days or more
without being opened or changed.
2nd. That is automatic in changing the registering device from day to day as long
as the clock is in motion.
3rd. That has no key or keyhole.
4th. That is securely locked by closing the door.
5th. That is unlocked by the clock movement at any time required within the 1
term of the movement.
6th. That will answer the purpose of a timepiece for a factory or other place by
day, and a time detector by night.
7th. That will show at a glance the time each night and morning that a
watchman or other person comes on or goes off duty during a week back, or more.
8th. That cannot be unlocked until the expiration of a fixed time.
To accomplish these objects the clock mechanism A of any suitable construction
is arranged with an eight hour lever or pendulum movement in a suitable case B.
The dial C is raised in the centre, as shewn, to réceive a disk D of paper or other
suitable substance held in place on the dial by à rim a, as shown. To the hour
wheel A¹ of the clock mechanism is secured a cross bar b with two pins 61, 62,
forming a double verge, which projects upward through the dial to receive the
registering hand G. This hand is secured to a depressing button E in the glass
front H.
The hand G has a longitudinal slot × of sufficient length to allow the hand to
move lengthwise on the verge a distance equal to half the diameter of the spiral I
on the inner side of the glass front H. The hand fits loosely on the verge, the two pins
61, 62, passing up through the slot in the hand, so that it can be easily depressed for
the purpose of puncturing the disc D by means of a pin i projecting inward from
the hand..
On the centre of the glass front H is pressed or cast a sleeve k, in which a spiral
spring fis placed, and through which the button E is passed. Around this sleeve
on the inner surface of the front H is pressed a spiral groove I to receive a guide
pin é, which is fixed in the hand G, and works in said spiral for the purpose of
pushing the hand endwise during its circuit over the dial, thereby giving it a new
circuit to go over each day.
The spiral in the glass corresponds in diameter to the raised surface on the dial
hence the registering pin i will, when the hand is depressed, puncture in a new
circuit each day until the guide pin e has traversed the length of the spiral guide.
This outward movement of the hand giving the puncturing pin a new circuit each
day, requires only one disc per week or during the time the clock will run, thereby
obviating the necessity of disturbing the clock daily as is customary with time
detectors now in use.
The sleeve k and spiral guide I may be made separate and attached to the front
H, as represented in Figures 1 and 2, but they are preferably pressed or cast with
the front in one piece.
The sash H containing the glass H is hinged to the frame B in the usual
manner, and provided with a catch m, having a notch near the end to receive the
lever latch J pivoted to a plate inside of the casing B.
The latch J is provided with a curved arm n, as shown. Above the lever latch
Jis pivoted a second lever L with a weight upon its end, and two notches 8, 8¹, in
the lower edge to hold the latch in proper position, so that when the sash is closed;

page_text: the catch m on the sash will, by coming in contact with the beveled edge of the
latch J, push it out of the way until the notch in said catch m receives the latch.
The weighted lever L rests with the first notch s on the end of the curved arm n,
and thereby secures the latch J securely in the notch of the catch until the
registering hand G strikes a pint projecting from the latch J, when it moves up,
and the arm n raises the lever L until the end thereof catches in the second notch 8²,
thus holding it unlocked until the party in charge of the clock can have time to
re-adjust it. It being understood that the clock is fixed to a wall permanently, it
will readily be seen that no access can be had to the registering device until the
time for which it may be adjusted, say, every eight days or more.
Having thus fully described my Invention, what I claim as new and desire
to secure by Letters Patent is,-
1st. In watchman's time checks a gradually moving registering hand, that is,
automatically moved in a radial line by the clock train while performing its circuit
over the dial, for the purpose herein set forth.
2nd. A radially sliding registering hand connected to the glass front of the clock,
and moving with it when the same is opened, for the purposes herein set forth.
3rd. A radially sliding registering hand connected to the glass front of the clock,
and operated by an exterior spring button for punching the disk, substantially as
herein set forth.
4th. The combination of a radially sliding registering hand provided with a
projecting guide pin, and a spiral guide attached to or formed on the inside of the
glass front, for the purposes herein set forth.
5th. The combination of a radially sliding registering hand, a clock mechanism
for rotating the same, and a spiral guide for sliding it radially, substantially as
herein set forth.
6th. In a watchman's time detector I claim a locking device for locking the
clock automatically, and unlocking the same by the action of the registering
hand, substantially as herein set forth.
7th. The combination of a rotating and radially sliding registering hand and
a locking device opened only at set times by said hand, for the purposes herein
set forth.
8th. The combination of a clock mechanism, a spiral guide, a rotating and radially
sliding registering hand, and an automatic locking device, substantially as and
for the purposes herein set forth.
9th. The combination of the latch J with curved arm n and the weighted lever
L having notchies 8, 8¹, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
10th. In a watchman's time check or register a front having a spiral groove in
the inner surface, substantially as shown and described for the purpose set forth.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 30th day
of October, A.D. 1877, at Washington, D. C., U. S. A.
Witnesses,
CHARLES HENRY WATSON,
EDWIN STANDISH DRAKE
WILLIAM WALLACE LE GRANDE, (L. S.)