Striking Work for Clocks.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1898-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1899
Striking Work for Clocks.
I OTTO KELLNER, of Gebweiler, in the Province of Alsace, in the German
Empire, Watchmaker, 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 subject of the present invention is a striking work for clocks, which
without the intervention of complicated striking and ratchet mechanism-that
is without hammer, bell and sounding spring in a simple manner sounds the
quarter, half, three quarter and full hour and then strikes the number denoting
the latter.
The striking work consists of a cylinder carrying pins, rotated by the clockwork
and mounted in bearings, being movable in the direction of its axis against the
pressure of a spring. During its rotation the pins on the cylinder strike against
the teeth of a comb causing sounds, and on the completion of a rotation strike
the full hour.
In the accompanying drawing one form of the manner in which the invention
may be carried into effect is illustrated.
Fig. 1 is a side view, and
Fig. 2 a front view of the striking work; whilst
Fig. 3 shows the pins on each side of the cylinder, here indicated as being
opened out flat, and rotating in the direction of the arrow.
A denotes the cylinder driven through the agency of toothed wheels by the
spring barrel B. On rotation, the pins on the cylinder strike the teeth of the
comb C and produce sounds.
the
Upon the cylinder rotating in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, the appropriate
pins of the row of pins corresponding to the quarter hours come into contact
with the teeth 5 to 10 of the comb. Each row is divided into three parts, each
one lower than the preceding one, so that for each row a chord will sound.
For the half-hour, the two next rows come into operation; for the
following three; and for the %, that is, the full hour, the four last rows.
As the cylinder rotates further, the other series of pins (Fig. 3) strikes against
the teeth 1 to 4 and thus announces the number of the hour, 1 o'clock, &c.
At the next rotation, the whole cylinder is displaced in the direction of the axis
through the space of one division, as indicated at D. The pins for the 4 to
4 hours are arranged in a position to engage with the teeth, as before, but in
addition to the row I, row II also strikes against the teeth.
In this way at each hour the cylinder is laterally displaced until all twelve
rows of pins I-XII have struck against the teeth.
The movement of the cylinder, first from the position of contact of the teeth
of the comb with the row representing the 1 hour; then through the distance
of two rows for the ½ hour; then three for the 3 hour; then four for the *,
that is, full hour; then through the remainder of the space till completion
of the rotation during the striking of the hour, is effected in well known manner

page_text: with the aid of ratchet mechanism, by the clockwork. The longitudinal displace-
ment of the cylinder is caused at each revolution by a ratchet wheel E (Figs. 1
& 2), mounted on the cylinder, engaging with a pawl F, whereby the wheel is
turned through the space of one tooth. Around the inner side of the wheel E is
a serial of twelve steps or surfaces, H, gradually increasing in height, against
which a pin G on the cylinder is pressed by the spring J. At each movement of
the ratchet wheel E the pin G is pressed back and with it the cylinder to the
extent of one division, against the pressure of the spring J (Figure 2).
In the drawing the exact position and number of the pins and teeth are not
supposed to be shown, as of course they will vary according to the note or notes
or chimes required; the pins representing the quarters of the hour will, however,
be arranged in four series equally spaced round the circumference of the cylinder,
whilst the pins representing the hours will be arranged close together and
immediately below, but to the side of, the last quarter or full hour of the other
series, so that immediately after the full quarter has been sounded, the hour
will strike.
The cylinder can also be constructed in two parts, and so set together that the
one cylinder serves for the 1/4 to ½ hours, and the other for indicating the number
of the full hour.
The quarter hour cylinder in this case receives its motion, just as before, from
a ratchet mechanism, and the hour cylinder is brought into engagement with
it after each completed revolution.
Instead of cylinders, rings or the like can be used to carry the pins.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
A striking work for clocks in which a comb operating in conjunction with a
cylinder, rings or other device carrying pins, during each complete rotation of
the same strikes all the various periods in the horary circle, substantially as
described.
Dated this 21st day of April 1808