Self Winding Clock.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 30th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Self Winding Clock.
I, JAMES KEAN, of 18 Cambridge Street Glasgow, Lanarkshire, North Britain,
Philosophical Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to a self winding clock which is actuated by an electro-
magnet or a magnet drawn into a fixed solenoid..
On the arbor of the first wheel there is fixed a ratchet wheel, and on the same
arbor there is mounted a loose disc, which has on it a pawl which engages in the
ratchet wheel. To the rim of this disc there is fixed an arm with a weight on
the end of it. This weight is the power which keeps the clock going. On the
opposite diameter of the disc there is attached one end of a long wire; the other
end of the wire is fixed to the keeper of an electro-magnet, so that when the
magnet acts, the keeper pulls the wire and so turns the loose disc round enough to
take one tooth of the ratchet wheel, the weight being at the same time lifted a
space equal to the pull given by the magnet. The current through the magnet
being then broken, the weight is left free to drive the clock. As the weight
In front of the
descends, the keeper is lifted so as to be ready for the next pull.
ratchet, but attached firmly to the loose disc there is a glass tube sealed at both
ends, containing a globule of mercury, and having two bits of platinum wire sealed
into one end. As the weight goes down, the tube is turned into an inclined
position, so that the mercury runs down and makes a connection between the two
platinum wires, which completes the circuit of the electro-magnet. The current
then passes from the battery, and causes the magnet to attract its keeper, which
pulls the wire, turns the loose disc, and topples up the mercury tube in the opposite
direction. The mercury is thus thrown to the opposite end of the tube, and the
circuit is broken.
The pulling wire should be fixed on a horizontal diameter of the disc when the
pull takes place, it being easiest to raise the weight from that position. This is
necessary, as the keeper is at its weakest position at the beginning of its pull. For
the same reason the weight and arm should stand horizontal after the pull takes
place, as in that position the weight is most difficult to raise and the magnet keeper
is in its most powerful position.
If the current is cut off the circuit of the electro-magnet the clock will stop
when the weight has come to the end of its range. In order to make the clock
self starting when the current is restored I arrange a catch connected to the arm
with the weight which stops the pendulum at one end of its range when the clock
is stopped. When the current is applied to the circuit of the electro-magnet again
the weight is lifted, and the pendulum is released and allowed to swing freely. In
ordinary working the weight does not fall far enough to allow the catch to engage
the pendulum. It is only when the current is cut off that the weight goes to the
full extent of its range and the catch engages with the pendulum.
Dated this 26th day of November 1892.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents..

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
•
.
Self Winding Clock.
I, JAMES KEAN, of 18 Cambridge Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, North Britain,
Philosophical Instrument Maker, 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 relates to a self winding clock which is actuated by an electro-
magnet or a magnet drawn into a fixed solenoid.
On the arbor of the first wheel there is fixed a ratchet wheel, and on the same
arbor there is mounted a loose disc which has on it a pawl which engages in the
ratchet wheel. . To the rim of this disc there is fixed an arm with a weight on the
end of it. This weight is the power which keeps the clock going. On the opposite
! diameter of the disc there is attached one end of a long wire. The other end of
the wire is fixed to the keeper of an electro-magnet, so that when the magnet acts,
the keeper pulls the wire and so turns the loose disc round enough to take one
tooth of the ratchet wheel, the weight being at the same time lifted a space equal
to the pull given by the magnet. The current through the magnet being then
broken the weight is left free to drive the clock. As the weight descends the
keeper is lifted so as to be ready for the next pull. In front of the ratchet, but
attached firmly to the loose disc, there is a glass tube sealed at both ends containing
a globule of mercury immersed in paraffin, spirits of wine, or equivalent fluid and
having two bits of platinum wire sealed into one end. As the weight. goes down
the tube is turned into an inclined position so that the mercury runs down and
makes a connection between the two platinum wires, which completes the circuit of
the electro-magnet.. The current then passes from the battery and causes the
magnet to attract its keeper, which pulls the wire, turns the loose disc, and topples
up the mercury tube in the opposite direction. The mercury is thus thrown to the
opposite end of the tube and the circuit is broken.
The pulling wire should be fixed on a horizontal diameter of the disc when the
pull takes place, it being easiest to raise the weight from that position. This is
necessary as the keeper is at its weakest position at the beginning of its pull. For
the same reason the weight and arm should stand horizontal after the pull takes
place, as in that position the weight is most difficult to raise, and the magnet keeper
is in its most powerful position.
If the current is cut off the circuit of the electro-magnet the clock will stop
when the weight has come to the end of its range. In order to make the clock
self starting when the current is restored I arrange a catch connected to the arm
with the weight which stops the pendulum at one end of its range when the clock
is stopped. When the current is applied to the circuit of the electro-magnet, again
:the weight is lifted, and the pendulum is released and allowed to swing freely. In
.ordinary working the weight does not fall far enough to allow the catch to engage
the pendulum. It is only when the current is cut off that the weight goes to the
full extent of its range, and the catch engages with the pendulum.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect I have hereunto appended two explanatory sheets of drawings in the
several figures of which corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of
reference.
.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation and part section a clock illustrating the
self winding arrangement made in accordance with and constituting my invention.
Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 showing the self winding arrangement as
applied to an electric meter.
Figures 3 and 4 are fragmental views of parts of the self winding arrangement
hereafter more fully referred to.
The arbor A of the first wheel has rigidly mounted upon it the ratchet wheel B

page_text: and the loose disc C. The said loose disc C is provided at opposite sides thereof
with two extensions or arms D and D', the one arm D having fitted upon it the
pawl C which engages the teeth of the said ratchet wheel at every winding
operation, while the other arm D' has connected to it a cord or its equivalent for
suspending the one end of a keeper or armature E of the electro-magnet F, to
which also is attached a weight H. The other end of the said armature E is
pivoted at e'. The tendency of the weight H is to pull down the arm D¹ and so
raise the opposite arm D. This cannot be done however without moving the
ratchet wheel in the direction indicated by the arrow, such movement being
required in order to work the clock. The weight H (the current having been
broken) is free to descend and continues so to do, and with it the armature or
keeper E, which is gradually drawn from the electro magnet F. This operation
also imparts motion to a tilting arrangement L (Figures 1, 2, and 4) wherein a
small sealed tube I pivoted to a bracket i and having fitted into it at one end
thereof two contact wires of platinum and 2 and provided with a globule of
mercury immersed in paraffin, spirits of wine or equivalent fluid for keeping the
contact wires clean. As the weight H descends the tube I containing the mercury
is tilted over so that the mercury runs to the end in which the platinum wires and
are sealed and completes the circuit of the electro magnet and so causes the
magnet F to attract the armature E and lifts up the weight H and winds up the
clock. The arm D during the ascent of the weight disengages the pawl C' from
the teeth of the ratchet wheel B by means of the spiral spring d until the said
weight has reached its highest position, when the said pawl re-engages the teeth of
the said ratchet wheel, the operation being a continuous one. The current from
the battery having raised the armature E and weight H (in the operation last
mentioned) into the position shown at Figure 1, the tube containing the mercury is
tilted in the opposite direction and the current is broken, so that the weight H is
free again to descend. To prevent the ratchet wheel B from moving along with
the pawl C when it is drawn down by the spiral spring before mentioned a second
pawl C2 is employed to keep the ratchet wheel B stationary for the time being.
A maintaining spring e² to keep the working of the clock constant and impart to
the action of the clock a slight directive force to start again after being stopped, is
placed between the ratchet wheel and spur wheel and mounted on the arbor A as
seen in Figure 2.
Instead of the cord and weight as described with reference to Figure 1, when
the self winding arrangement is to be used with an electric meter as in Figure 2, I
use a long rod J which in itself constitutes a weight. This rod J is pivoted at one
end to the armature or keeper E' of the electro-magnet F¹, and has also a pivotal
connection with the arm D₁ of the disc C, the other end of the rod being pivoted to
the tilting arrangement L herein before referred to.
One end of the tilting arrangement is provided with an extension k, having
attached to it by screws or their equivalents two springy pieces of metal and m
arranged stepwise. These said pieces of metal are capable of being raised into the
path traversed by the lower end of the pendulum M (should the main current be
cut off) and intercept the movement of said pendulum M while in the position
shown at Figure 2. To facilitate this being done the pendulum M is provided
with a quadrantal projection M' having a roughened or stepped outer surface as
seen in Figure 2. It will be understood that the weight of the pendulum M in
that position when released would be sufficient to give it an impetus to start the
clock and keep it going when the current has been restored.
A small shunt G2 is placed in the circuit to minimise the sparking which is apt
to take place in the glass tube in the make and break of the contact.
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 :-
The self winding clock mechanism consisting of an electro-magnet the keeper of

page_text: which lifts the weight required to drive the clock when the circuit of the electro-
magnet is completed; the circuit being completed periodically by means of a
globule of mercury immersed in paraffin, spirits of wine, or equivalent fluid in a
hermetically sealed tube substantially as described.
Dated this 26th day of August 1893.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.