A New or Improved Perpetual Automatic Calendar.
Year: 1884

page_text: A New or Improved Perpetual Automatic Calendar.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster; and
323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED PERPETUAL AUTOMATIC
CALENDAR" (a communication from abroad by Monsieur Charles Megnin of
Saint Imier in the Republic of Switzerland, Engraver) to be as follows:-
:-
The new or improved perpetual calendar which forms the object of the present
application for Letters Patent, operates automatically, obtaining the necessary
motive power from a clock attached to it.
By means of the mechanism devised for the purpose great precision of movement,
is secured together with simplicity and economy of construction. This mechanism
is preferably adjusted to operate at midnight, and changes the day of the week
and of the month, whether containing 28, 29, 30 or 31 days, and lastly the year
without requiring any manual assistance.
In the drawings annexed, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the perpetual calendar.
The arrangement is preferably that which is shewn, but the arrangement of the
parts may obviously be altered, or the dial may be omitted if desired.
.
Figure 2 is a back elevation of the apparatus.
Figure 3 is a plan, the clock mechanism being removed.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the calendar mechanism.
Figure 5 shews the construction of the five wheels or. cylinders forming the
calendar..
The movement of the calendar is dependent on the striking mechanism of the
clock A, the spur wheel or "chaperon" A' which is furnished with an abutment A*
which displaces a vertical arbor a one sixth of a turn every time the clock strikes
twelve.
M shews the barrel wheel of the time indicating apparatus and S that of the
striking apparatus.
Although this last named mechanism furnishes the motive power to the calendar,
it is not necessarily made larger in diameter than usual, so as to interfere with the

page_text: other parts of the clock, but the necessary supplementary force is supplied by a
larger spring, and consequently the height y of the cylinder containing the spring
is increased as shewn in Figure 4.
The back plate z is sectioned to allow the cylinder of the barrel wheel to pass,
but the end of the arbor of this latter turns upon a false plate z¹ connected with
by means of small columns 22 (Figure 2).
The spur wheel A¹ is continued beyond the false plate z¹ to act at noon and at
midnight, by means of its projection A³ on the teeth a¹ of the vertical axis a as
has been described above.
The arm D of the detent is lengthened to engage with the projections of the
"chaperon "A¹. The rest of the mechanism is unchanged.
The projection A2 acts at each turn of the chaperon on one of the six teeth
forming a first wheel a' mounted on the arbor a. This arbor turns on a bridge a²
connected with the back plate of the clock movement, and below with a plate a³
above the calendar.
Below the plate a³, the arbor a carries a clutch furnished with three arms b their
ends bent at a right angle, designed to engage each in their turn with a cog
wheel called the day wheel, and which is divided by seven equidistant notches..
Immediately below, the arbor c of the cog-wheel 6 receives disc 62 forming a
ratchet wheel, by means of a ratchet 63 and spring 6. The ratchet 68 oscillates
on be with a branch 6* forming with it a sort of V, moving each of the branches b
sharing the movement of the arbor a.
By this arrangement the movement of the clock moving the arbor a the sixth of
a turn at noon and at midnight the branches b of this arbor move the cog wheel 6'
once every 24 hours, that is at midnight.
The impulse given daily and exactly at mignight is used to put in motion the
various parts of the calendar. These parts are mounted on a vertical. and central
axis e which is supported by the plate a³ already mentioned and lower plate e¹
dependent or not on the bottom of the outer casing of the apparatus.
The cylinder d for the years is placed at the top then below comes the cylinder f
for the months, the cylinder g for the dates the cylinder h for the days, and lastly
the cylinder of the automatic connection.
The star wheel b¹ with seven rays connected with a vertical arbor c as stated
which turns supported by the plates a³ and e¹ and receives at the requisite height,
a large wheel c furnished with 52 teeth engaging with a lower set of teeth on the
day cylinder h consisting of 52 spurs h¹ placed concentrically on the box of the
cylinder h.
This same cylinder h has another set of teeth above of 84 pieces h? which conveys
the movement to an intermediate arbor i placed almost diametrically opposite to
arbor c with which it is parallel.
The small arbor i is pivoted between the bridges ; mounted on the column x
of the framework. It engages firstly low down with 24 teeth in connection with
the spurs h² then higher up with a clutch with two branches m then with a clutch
with six spurs n in pairs exactly opposite each other, with a distance between each
of about one eighth of the circumference.
The branches n form two sets of three, separated by two intervals of two eighths.
They can be altered, raised or lowered by sliding them along the arbor i, the clutch
on which they are placed, and also the arbor i is traversed by a stop pin resting on
the end of a rod n¹ fitting into a hole in the centre of the axis i. The said rod is
supported on the end v¹ of a lever v with a counterpoise ² oscillating on v³. This
arrangement allows the movement of the arbor to be conveyed to the date
cylinder g with the two branches m in connection with those n of the movable
clutch as follows.
The cylinder g is furnished underneath with a circle of projections g¹ 31 in
number of which 28 are of the same height, and three g², g³, 9%, progressively
higher than the others. In months of 31 days the two branches m actuate all
the projections indiscriminately of the cylinder g, in the months of 30 days the

page_text: branches are raised to reach the notch g² avoiding g³. In the months
of 29 days, the plan of rotation of the branches, raised a little above that just
described, engages. with the two notches g³ ³ and finally in the months of
28 days, these same branches n simultaneously with the action of the branches m
come in contact with g², g³, gʻ
The result is 1st. In coming in contact with the highest notch g², the branches n
force the cylinder on two divisions at one effort, causing the date to change from
30 to 1.
2nd. In coming in contact with the two high notches g² g³, the same branches
move the cylinder three divisions, showing the date 1 next to 29.
3rd. When the branches come in contact with all three notches g², g³, g' they
turn the cylinder g four divisions showing 1 immediately after 28..
The date cylinder g acts on the month cylinder in the following manner.
Above the horizontal plate of the cylinder g is furnished with two notches q
and q of different size and eccentricity. The smallest q and furthest from the
centre at each turn of the cylinder turns a clutch fixed on an arbor p¹ by means of
six cogs with which it is furnished. The arbor which turns on supports p² p³
held up by the piece x is furnished with a ratchet o and pawl o¹, connected with it
is a cog wheel with 36 teeth placed above the cogged clutch p. This wheel r
conveys the movement to the month cylinder f which is furnished with 72
teeth f¹.
The large spur q¹ nearest the centre of the date cylinder g comes in contact with
one of the 12 branches 8 of a clutch fixed on a vertical arbor s¹ pivoted on the two
plates ase of the framework. The motion given by the notch q₁ to the star
wheel & is transmitted to the lower cylinder k by means of a wheel 8* placed below
and engaging with the 144 teeth with which this cylinder is furnished.
The date cylinder g is held after each displacement by the mechanism gx.
The month cylinder f conveys motion to the year cylinder & by means of a cog di
placed far enough from the centre of rotation to act upon the branches of a wheel t
with six teeth. The wheel t is fixed on an axis t moving on the bridge ww
supporting the cross bar x. This axis is furnished with a ratchet t' with stop
pawl t³. It engages with a bevel wheel w with 36 teeth acting on the year
cylinder d which has 120 teeth a¹¹.
It is now only necessary to describe the mechanism of the lower cylinder k. It
is furnished with 144 teeth forming the arrangement on which the tooth
wheel s² of the vertical arbor s' acts. The spurs k¹ are prolonged in sets of three
to form ratchet teeth for the spring pawl k³.
On its circumference the cylinder k is cut into twenty sections, separated by
20 projections forming together the surface of support for the end of the lever v.
The depth of the slits and height of the prominences are variable to suit the
action of the lever v and the displacement of the tooth wheel n in the following
manner.
If the point X (Figure 5) be taken as the point of departure corresponding to
the month of January, the projection 2 gives the month of February, being in that.
case of 28 days.
'The slit 3 which follows acts on the lever v for the month of March, it stops at
the prominence 4 for the month of April. Then comes the slit 5 for May, and the
prominence 6 for June. The large slit 7 acts for July and August which succeed
each other, and have each 31 days. The prominence 8 coming next, acts for
September, the slit 9 for October and the last prominence 10 for November.
After this the pinion 1' acts for December and January which both have 31 days.
At the last half of the slit 1¹ commences another year, which having 28 days in
February like the last requires the prominence 2' to be of the same height as 2 of
the preceding year. After 2¹ come the slits in order 3' 5' 7' and 9' and the
prominences 4° 6' 8' and 10'.
The third year also with 365 days is actuated by the slits 111, 311, 511, 71,
and 911 and the prominences 2", 4", 6", 8" and 10".

page_text: The fourth year being leap year is actuated by the slits 11, 3111, 5111, 7111111
and the prominences 2111, 4111, 6111, 8111 10111 but the prominence 21 is higher
than 2 21 und 2 acting like them on the lever v for February. These three last
named prominences are themselves more raised than the prominences 4, 6, 8, 10,
4¹, 6¹, 8' 10¹, 4¹¹, 6", 8" 10" and 4, 6, 8110111 corresponding to the months
of 30 days, that is April, June, September and November.
The pinions consequently correspond to the months of 31 days those 1, 7, 11, 71,
11, 7, and 11 7111 are of double length for the two consecutive months of 31
days December and January, July and August, which do not require alteration of
the lever v.
Automatic and perpetual action of the calendar.
The continuous and regular movement of the clock is transformed into inter-
mittent motion of the arbor c, which by means of the toothed wheel c¹ gives the
necessary displacement to the day cylinder h.
The connection between the clock motion, and that of the arbor is by means of
the arbor a, which as has been described, acts in such a manner that the
"chaperon" A¹ of the movement A arranges at noon for the rotation of the arbor c
which takes place at midnight.
•
This displacement of the arbor c which takes place every 24 hours exactly at
midnight is transmitted to the day or week cylinder h by the toothed wheel cl
this partial rotation passes from cylinder h to the date cylinder g by the wheel of
the intermediate arbor and the pieces m with two arms, and n with 6 arms,
which are kept more or less raised by means of a lever v travelling on the surface
of cylinder k.
The piece m comes in contact with the teeth g¹ of cylinder g, and n is raised for
the month of 30 days, and the first year, supposing it be of 365 days by the
prominences 4, 6, 8 and 10 of cylinder k and for the following years by 4', 61, 8¹ 10¹,
4, 6, 8, 10, 4111, 6111, 8111, 10. It is raised a little more for the passage of
the prominences 2 21, 211, for the months of 28 days, and still more to allow of the
passage of 2111 for the month of 29 days in leap year.
Each turn of the date cylinder g as has been said above, causes the change of a
month, by means of the intermediaries q pr and f and the change of the
prominences and slits of cylinder k by means of the intermediaries q 8 8² and k¹.
The month cylinder at each turn displaces the year cylinder & the twentieth of
a turn by the intermediaries a d².
When the mechanism is enclosed in its outside case which may be of wood,
metal etcetera the indications of each .cylinder appear through the openings B, C,
D, E as shown in Figure 1.
$
The mechanism is however capable of modifications in the arrangements of the
cylinders, the parts bearing the division of time, and the manner of arranging the
order of the indications. The days could be read through a higher opening, and
the dates, months, and years below as shown.
·
HOO

page_text: A New or Improved Perpetual Automatic Calendar.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign'
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and
323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for A NEW OR IMPROVED PERPETUAL AUTOMATIC
CALENDAR (a communication from abroad by Monsieur Charles Megnin of Saint-
Imier in the Republic of Switzerland, Engraver) and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
"
:
The new or improved perpetual calendar which forms the object of the present
application for Letters Patent operates automatically obtaining the necessary motive
power from a clock attached to it.
3
By means of the mechanism devised for the purpose great precision of movement
is secured together with simplicity and economy of construction. This mechanism
is preferably adjusted to operate at midnight, and changes the day of the week and
of the month, whether containing 28, 29, 30 or 31 days and lastly the year without
requiring any manual assistance.
}
In the drawings annexed; Figure 1 is a front elevation of the perpetual calendar.
The arrangement is preferably that which is shewn, but the arrangement of the
parts may obviously be altered, or the dial may be omitted if desired.
Figure 2 is a back elevation of the apparatus.
Figure 3 is a plan, the clock mechanism being removed.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the calendar mechanism.
3
Figure 5 shews the construction of the five wheels or cylinders forming the
calendar.
The movement of the calendar is dependent on the striking mechanism of the
clock A, the spur wheel or "chaperon "A¹ which is furnished with an abutment A?
which displaces a vertical arbor a one sixth of a turn every time the clock strikes
twelve.
M shews the barrel wheel of the time indicating apparatus and S that of the
striking apparatus.
Although this last named mechanism furnishes the motive power to the calendar
it is not necessarily made larger in diameter than usual, so as to interfere with the
other parts of the clock, but the necessary supplementary force is supplied by
larger spring, and consequently the height y of the cylinder containing the spring
is increased as shewn in Figure 4.
a
The back plate z is sectioned to allow the cylinder of the barrel wheel to pass,
but the end of the arbor of this latter turns upon a false plate ¹ connected with z
by means of small columns 2 (Figure 2).
ر
The spur wheel A is continued beyond the false plate z' to act at noon and at
midnight, by means of its projection A² on the teeth a¹ of the vertical axis a as has
been described above.

page_text: "
The arm D of the detent is lengthened to engage with the projections of the
chaperon" A. The rest of the mechanism is unchanged.
The projection A2 acts at each turn of the chaperon on one of the six teeth
forming a first, wheel a¹ mounted on the arbor a. This arbor turns on a bridge a²
connected with the back plate of the clock movement, and below with a plate a³
above the calendar.
Below the plate a³ the arbor a carries a clutch furnished with three arms b their
ends bent at a right angle designed to engage each in their turn with a cog
wheel b' called the day wheel, and which is divided by seven equidistant notches.
Immediately below, the arbor c of the cog wheel-b receives disc 62 forming a ratchet
wheel by means of a ratchet b³ and spring 65. The ratchet 63 oscillates on be with
a branch 6 forming with it a sort of V, moving each of the branches b sharing
the movement of the arbor a.
By this arrangement the movement of the clock moving the arbor a the sixth
of a turn at noon and at midnight the branches.b of this arbor move the cog
wheel.b' once every 24 hours that is at midnight.
The impulse given daily and exactly at midnight is used to put in motion the
various parts of the calendar. These parts are mounted on a vertical and central
axis e which is supported by the plate a³ already mentioned and lower plate é¹
dependent or not on the bottom of the outer casing of the apparatus.
The cylinder d for the years is placed at the top then below comes the cylinder f
for the months, the cylinder g for the dates, the cylinder h for, the days, and lastly
the cylinder of the automatic connection.
The star wheel b¹ with seven rays connected with a vertical arbor e as stated
which turns supported by the plates a³ and e¹ and receives at the requisite height,
a large wheel c' furnished with 52 teeth engaging with a lower set of teeth on the
day cylinder / consisting of 52 spurs h¹ placed concentrically on the box of the
cylinder h.
This same cylinder / bas. another set of teeth above of $4 pieces 2 which conveys
the movement to an intermediate arbor i placed almost diametrically opposite to
arbor c with which it is parallel.
The small arbor i is pivoted between the bridges j j' mounted on the column x
of the framework. It engages firstly low down with 24 teeth in connection with
the spurs h' then higher up with a clutch with two, branches m then with a clutch
with six spurs n in pairs exactly opposite cach other, with a distance between each
of about one eighth of the circumference.
.
The branches n form two sets of three separated by two intervals of two eighths.
They can be altered, raised or lowered by sliding them along the arbor i the
clutch on which they are placed, and also the arbor is traversed by a stop pin
resting on the end of a rod n fitting into a hole in the centre of the axis i. The
said rod is supported on the end v₁ of a lever v with a counterpoise v² oscillating
on . This arrangement allows the movement of the arbor i to be conveyed to
the date cylinder g with the two branches m in connection with those n of the
movable clutch as follows:
The cylinder gis furnished underneath with a circle of projections g¹ 31 in
number of which 28 are of the same height, and three 92 g³ g' progressively
higher than the others. In months of 31 days the two branches m actuate all
the projections indiscriminately of the cylinder g, in the months of 30 days the
branches n. are. raised to reach the notch g² avoiding g³ g. In the months of
29 days the plan of rotation of the branches n raised a little above that just
described, engages with the two notches g² g³ and finally in the months of 28 days,
these same branches-n simultaneously with the action of the branches m come in
contact with g² g³ g*.
The result is 1st. Incoming in contact with the highest -notch g² the
branches n force the cylinder on two divisions. at one effort, causing the date to
change from 30 to 1.
3

page_text: 2nd. In coming in contact with the two high notches g2 g³ the same branches
move the cylinder three divisions, showing the date 1 next to 29.
3rd. When the branches come in contact with all three notches g² g³ g₁ they.
turn the cylinder g four divisions showing 1 immediately after 28.
The date cylinder g acts on the month cylinder in the following manner.
Above the horizontal plate of the cylinder, g is furnished with two notches q
and q¹ of different size and eccentricity. The smallest q and furthest from the
centre at each turn of the cylinder turns a clutch fixed on an arbor p² by means of
six cogs with which it is furnished. The arbor which turns on supports p² p³-
held up by the piece x is furnished with a ratchet o and pawl o¹, connected with
it is a cog wheel with 36 teeth placed above the cogged clutch p. This wheel.r
conveys the movement to the month cylinder f which is furnished with
72 teeth f¹.
The large spur q¹ nearest the centre of the date cylinder'g comes in contact with
one of the 12 branches 8 of a clutch fixed on a vertical arbor &¹ pivoted on the two
plates as e¹ of the framework. The motion given by the notch q₁ to the star wheel s
is transmitted to the lower cylinder k by means of a wheel 82 placed below and
engaging with the 144 teeth with which this cylinder is furnished.
The date cylinder g is held after each displacement by the mechanism g x.
The month cylinder f conveys motion to the year cylinder d by means of a
cog d¹ placed far enough from the centre of rotation to act upon the branches of a
wheel with six-teeth. The wheel t is fixed on an axis t moving on the bridge
ww supporting the cross bar x. This axis t¹ is furnished with a ratchet 12 with
stop pawl t. It engages with a bevel wheel w with 36 teeth acting on the year
cylinder d which has 120 teeth d
It is now only necessary to describe the mechanism of the lower cylinder k. It
is furnished with 144 teeth / forming the arrangement. on which the tooth
wheel 8 of the vertical arbor s¹ acts. The spurs are prolonged in sets of three
to form ratchet teeth for the spring pawl k².
j
On its circumference the cylinder k is cut into twenty sections, separated by
20 projections forming together the surface of support for the end of the lever v.
The depth of the slits and height of the prominences are variable to suit the
action of the lever and the displacement of the tooth wheel n in the following
manner.
'
If the point X (Figure 5) be taken as the point of departure corresponding to
the month of January, the projection 2 gives the month of February, being in that
case of 28 days.
The slit 3 which follows acts on the lever v for the month of March, it stops at
the prominence 4 for the month of April. Then comes the slit 5 for May, and the
prominence 6 for June. The large slit 7 acts for July and August which succeed
each other, and have each 31 days. The prominence 8 coming next acts for
September, the slit 9 for October and the last prominence 10 for November. After
this the pinion 1' acts for December and January which both have 31 days.
At the last half of the slit 1¹ commences another year, which having 28 days in
February like the last requires the prominence 2¹ to be of the same height as 2 of
the preceding year. After 2¹ come the slits in order 31, 51, 71, and 9 and the
prominences 41, 61, 81 and 10¹
The third year also with 365 days is actuated by the slits 111, 311, 51, 71 and 911
and the prominences 211, 411, 611, 81, and 10".
:
The fourth year being leap year is actuated by the slits 111, 3111, 5111, 7111, 9111
and the prominences 21, 411, 6111, 8111, 101, but the prominence 2111 is higher than
2, 21 and 21 acting like them on the lever v for February. These three last
named prominences are themselves more raised than the prominences 4, 6, 8, 10,
41, 6, 81, 10, 4, 6", 8", 10", and 411, 61, 8111, 10111 corresponding to the months
of 30 days, that is April, June, September and November.

page_text: The pinions consequently correspond to the months of 31 days those 1, 7, 1¹, `7¹,
11, 7, and 1111, 71, are of double length for the two consecutive months of
31 days, December, and January, July and August, which do not require alteration
of the lever v.
$
Automatic and perpetual action of the calendar.
The continuous and regular movement of the clock is transformed into inter-
mittent motion of the arbor c, which by means of the toothed wheel c' gives the
necessary displacement to the day cylinder h.
.
The connection between the clock motion and that of the arbor is by means of
the arbor, a which as has been described, acts in such a manner that the
"chaperon" A of the movement A arranges at noon for the rotation of the arbor c
which takes place at midnight.
f
This displacement of the arbor c which takes place every 24 hours exactly at
midnight is transmitted to the day or week cylinder h by the toothed wheel c¹ this
partial rotation passes from cylinder h to the date cylinder g by the wheel of the
intermediate arbor and the pieces m with two arms, and n with 6 arms, which
are kept more or less raised by means of a lever travelling on the surface of
cylinder k.
The piece m comes in contact with the teeth g¹ of cylinder g, and n is raised for
the month of 30 days, and the first year, supposing it be of 365 days by the
prominences 4, 6, 8, and 10 of cylinder and for the following years by 4, 6, 8, 101,
411, 6, 8, 10, 4111, 6, 8, 10111 It is raised a little more for the passage of
the prominences 2, 21; 2¹¹, for the months of 28 days, and still more to allow of the
rassage of 2111 for the month of 29 days in leap year.
Each turn of the date cylinder g as has been said above, causes the change of a
month, by means of the intermediaries q p r and ƒ and the change of the
prominences and slits of cylinder k by means of the intermediaries q 8 83 and k¹.
The month cylinder at each turn-displaces the year cylinder d the twentieth of a
turn by the intermediaries d¹ d².
When the mechanism is enclosed in its outside case which may be of wood, metal
etcetera, the indications of each cylinder appear through the openings B, C, D, E as
shown in Figure 1.
The mechanism is however capable of modifications in the arrangements of the
cylinders, the parts bearing the division of time, and the manner of arranging the
order of the indications. The days could be read through a higher opening, and
the-dates, months, and years below as shown..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1st. The combination of parts forming the new or improved perpetual calendar
connected with and capable of being automatically adjusted by the movement of a
time-piece or the like, at a given period preferably at midnight each 24 hours
consisting essentially of cylinders preferably in number revolving loosely on a
single vertical axis, 4 of which cylinders bear on their edges numbers or words
corresponding to the days, weeks, months, years or other information desired, and
are adjusted so that 'the days cylinder receives directly the impulse of the prime
mover and transmits it to the others and to the fifth cylinder which effects the
automatic adjustment for months of 28, 29, 30 and 31 days.
2nd. In perpetual calendars and. the like the use of a special cylinder with
successive depressions and projections adapted to cause a special catch to engage
with one or more teeth or pegs of the date cylinder so as to make this cylinder
revolve two three or four divisions as may be requisite to indicate months of 28,
29, 30, or 31 days respectively.
3rd. A new or improved method of constructing cog or tooth wheels applicable
for use in perpetual calendars and the like. _

page_text: 4th. A new or improved construction of the spring barrel of the striking
mechanism applicable to clock movements used for actuating perpetual calendars,
whereby a stronger spring may be employed without increasing the diameter of the
barrel.
The whole substantially as and for the purposes described and shown in the
accompanying drawings.