Improvements in Mechanism for Driving Clocks and Dials by Electricity.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 31st Oct., 1896-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism for Driving Clocks and Dials by
Electricity.
I, ARTHUR JOYCE of Chester Road, Whitchurch in the County of Salop,
Clock Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object the obtaining of more certainty of action in
electric clocks and dials and the alteration of ordinary clocks so as to be run by
electricity. The escapement consists of a balanced lever forming the armature of
the electro-magnet. On the semi-anchor-like arm of this lever is fixed at the end
a locking point working into the escapement-wheel and teeth in a radial
direction.
At another point a drag pawl or click is placed, a second pawl or click not on
the escapement acts also on the teeth of the escapement wheel. These pawls or
clicks are each pressed by spring against the escapement wheel so as to lock in the
teeth thereof. They are capable of riding over the teeth in one direction but
holding rigidly in the other direction. A spring having its greatest tension when
the escapement end is furthest from the wheel presses the escapement point against
the wheel. The teeth of the wheel are peculiar, having parallel sides with the ends
slightly sloped off.
The connection of the electricity with the clock is as follows-
An insulating wheel with contacts at one or more points like a commutator is
placed on the second hand arbor and a wire or plate brush works against this
wheel. Contact is made every time the brush touches one of the electric contacts
and thus electrifies the magnet and winds or lifts up the descending weight on a
bell crank arm of the armature. For remontoir clocks in which the escapement or its
equivalent is released by electricity, the armature lever has two stops placed
thereon, and there are two or more equidistant stops on the face or side of the
wheel which come in contact with these stops. The lever is lifted up by the
electro-magnet and allowed to fall again and by this movement which occurs half
minutely, or at any other given period the wheel goes forward a half or other part
of a revolution and the hands advance the required amount.
Dated this 31st day of March 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Mechanism for Driving Clocks and Dials by
Electricity.
I, ARTHUR JOYCE, of Chester Road, Whitchurch in the County of Salop,
Clock Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention has for its object the obtaining of more certainty of action in

page_text: electric clocks and dials and the alteration of or linary clocks so as to be run by
electricity.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in
which,
Figure 1 illustrates the mechanism of a dial driven from the central clock in the
position obtained when the contact is connected;
Figure 2 the same when contact is broken;
Figure 3 shows the central clock mechanism; and
Figure 4 a detail showing the mode of forming contact in same.
Referring first to Figures 1 and 2,
a is a balanced lever resembling an escapement pivoted on a fixed support b. On
the end of the semi-anchor-like arm of this lever is fixed a locking point e working
into what we will hereafter call the escapement wheel d. At another point on the
lever a drag or driving pawl e is pivotel, a second pawl or click (not on the
lever a) acts also on the escapement wheel d. These pawls or clicks are each
pressed by springs g and respectively against the teeth of the escapere it wheel
and are capable of riding over the teeth in one direction. The point c and pawl
are for locking the wheel and pawle for driving the same. A spring i having its
greatest tension when the end of lever a is furthest from the wheel, presses the lever
point between the teeth of the wheel so as to lock such wheel after being turned
a given distance by the pawl e. When the current therefore is given it lifts the
lever a up, unlocking the wheel, the driving click at the same time sliding over
one tooth ready to drive the wheel when the current is broken. The teeth of
the wheel are peculiar having parallel sides with the ends slightly sloped off.
The connection of the electricity with the clock can be as follows:-
A wheel with contacts at one or more points like a commutator is placed on the
second hand arbor of the driving clock and an insulated wire or plate brush works
against this wheel. Contact is male every time the brush touches one of the
electric contacts and thus electrifies the magnet and winds or lifts up the descending
weight or driving spring of the clock.
In practice in place of a commut tor wheel with say two contacts, I prefer the
arrangement shown in Figure 4, in which an arm ; having two platinum contact
points takes the place of the contact wheel and is fixed to the second hand arbor
and a spring with contact point m takes the place of a brush. The arm j being
fixed to the arbor is in fact a skeleton contact wheel.
Referring again to Figures 1 and 2.-
n is the electro magnet connecte by wires to the above contacts j and m. The
soft iron armature is fixed to the arm a as shown. pp are indiarubber coated
banking pins limiting the travel of lever a. o is a counterweight to the minute
hand, wheel d is shown with 120 stops or teeth and moves a tooth at each contact,
or twice for each revolution of the contact skeleton wheel j, and is sprung on to the
minute haud arbor by the friction spring A' so that the hands can be moved without
interfering with the mechanism. Figure 3 is the driving clock male on precisely
the same principle and it is figured with like letters for parts corresponding to
similar parts in Figure 1, but with a dash added; in this is the escapement wheel
proper keyed on the second hand arbor r to which is usually rigidly attached the
bar . is the intermediate wheel and the arbor and d¹ the main eentre wheel on
arbor v carrying the minute hand. ' to are two long maintaining power springs
so arranged as to use their power at the middle tension so as to keep the power
uniform while it is being used, and connecting the centre wheel d' with ratchet
wheel through the medium of these springs. This wheel has 120 teeth equalling
one tooth for every half minute of its revolution, and is driven by the magnet in
similar manner to wheel d of Figures 1 and 2 already described and drives the
clock, all the dials corresponding to Figures 1 and 2 are in the circuit. M is a
contact rod fastened on to the plate of the clock but insulated and is connectel with
one pole of the battery. These points K K and M are tipped with platinum.
Escape wheel arbor (in a second pe idulum clock) carries the bar j of Figure 4

page_text: already described. The contact made between points kk and point m averages of
a second in duration. When the circuit is completed, through one of the points /<,
Figure 4, coming into contact with point m, the electro magnets n and n' are
magnetised and draw the armatures and arms a and a to them and thus the
pawls ee move wheels d and z¹ forward one tooth. Pawl f1 prevents the wheel z¹
from going back again. The lever a rises through the spring acting when the
magnet is no longer active owing to contact being broken between k and m,
Figure 4. The banking studs p p regulate the travel, so that the wheels d' and 21
are only moved one tooth at a time. Pawl f' connected with the ratchet
wheel keeps the maintaining power springs o¹ to in action until the next
contact.
If there be numerous time indicators (Figures 1 and 2) a relay is placed in series
with the electric magnet which sends the current for the time indicators. The
periods at which these currents are sent can be varied to minute ininute or
minute as desired, by altering the number of teeth in ratchet z¹ and adding or
reducing the number of contact points.
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. A whole or skeleton contact wheel on or running synchronously with the
second hand arbor and a brush or equivalent contact such as described making
momentary contact each minute or given multiple or aliquot part of a minute in
combination with an electro magnet actuated by such contact and operating an
intermittent forward feed on the minute hand arbor or on a wheel connected
synchronously or in gear therewith for the purposes described.
2. In combination with a device for momentarily making contact at regular
periods of a minute or given multiple or aliquot part of a minute, an electro magnet
made active by that contact and a lever or its equivalent such as described actuating
by means of pawls the feed of the clock minute motion.
3. In combination with an electro magnet and a lever such as described operated
by the same and driving the hands of a time dial, a spring operating the lever in
its working stroke having its greatest tension when furthest from the wheel it
drives.
تيمم
COL100e
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.