Improvements in Apparatus for Electrically Regulating or Synchronising Clocks.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Electrically Regulating or
Synchronising Clocks.
I CARL ALBERT MAYRHOFER of Neue Promenade 8 Berlin in the Empire of
Germany, Director der Deutschen Central-Uhren-Gesellschaft 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 device by means of which 'any number of clocks can be
regulated from a central Station by Electro-mechanical means. To form the Electrical
connection, any existing net-work of Electrical lines or conductors, such as telegraphic
or telephonic or fire-alarm signal circuits or the like may be used. The central
Station is provided with an apparatus suitable for transmitting an electrical impulse,
simultaneously to a large number of circuits.
This apparatus is shewn in figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying three Sheets of
Drawings.
A suitable motive mechanism A (Fig. 2) imparts a rotary movement to a metallic-
contact roller C, supported by the bearings D D wherein are arranged parallel to the
contact roller C, the insulating plates F and F, to which are applied the Station-
contact springs a, a, a, &c. and the line contact springs b, b, b, lying with their ends a¹
and 6 closely one upon the other.
The spring X, slides or rubs at the proper times upon the shaft G of the contact
roller C and is in connection with the pole of a source of Electricity Z not shewn in
the drawings. The contact-roller C carries two strips of insulating material c, c,
between which is arranged a contact-strip d, of platinum, which is in metallic connec-
tion with the roller Cand the shaft G of the latter. When the contact-roller C
revolves, first one of the insulating strips c, comes into contact with the line-contact
springs bb, which are thereby raised and separated from the Station-contact springs a a.
The contact strip d, of platinum then comes into metallic contact with the line-
contact springs bb. Immediately afterwards and only a small fraction of a second
later, the contact-spring X comes into contact with the pin e secured to the shaft G,
and thereby, into metallic connection with the contact-roller C. Hardly half a second
later, but before the contact strip of platinum d, has left the line-contact springs b bb,
the pin e, leaves the spring X, so that the make and break of the circuit do not take
place at the strip d opposite to the line-contact springs, b, b, but solely between the
shaft G and the contact-spring X, which is in connection with the source of
electricity.
The insulating strip c on the other side of the contact strip d allows the line contact
spring 6 to descend again so that its end rests anew upon the end of the contact
spring a of the Station apparatus.
The motive mechanism A may be actuated by electrical, pneumatic or mechanical
means. This motive mechanism forms no part of the invention and may be of any
well known construction. For instance, it may be an electric motor, an hydraulic
motor or clockwork. It does not run constantly, but is provided with a releasing
device operated by a standard clock by which it can be set in action at the required
moment. Such releasing devices are well known; they are used in connection with
telegraphic apparatus and also with compressed air apparatus. An apparatus of the
latter kind is illustrated in Fig. 1, but as it is well understood and as I lay no claim
to it, it is not described in detail. In the case where the motive mechanism is driven
by the descent of a weight, the said mechanism is provided with a device for auto-
matically winding up the weight. This is effected as follows:-
M (Figs. 1 and 1*) is the motive weight of the device; while the small weight N'
is the counter balance and serves only for keeping the chain tight. When the
weight M¹ has arrived nearly in its lowest position, it presses upon the antifrictional

page_text: '
roller of the lever h², 2, o² fulcrumed at i². With this lever is connected, by means
of the rod the lever m², k2 n2 which has its fulcrum at k². These double levers
are balanced by means of weights applied at o² and n². When the weight M³ presses
upon h² the lever h² 12 0² raises at s² the bent lever p² 9 which is fulcrumed at
and is provided at its end 92 with a closed cylinder in which rolls a heavy ball. The
lever bearing against the pin u² is brought from the latter gradually into a
vertical position and finally beyond this position so that the lever g²² p² loses its
balance and falls over towards pin 2. By this means the pin s² of the lever p³,
has turned say through 90° the arm 2 connected with the cock P¹ and thus opened
the latter which on one side is in communication with a source of pressure (which
may be either water or air pressure) and on the other side leads to the water or pneu-
matic motor Q. The latter rotates as soon as the cock P¹ is opened and winds up
again the weight M¹ by means of the gearing R'. A short distance before the
weight M has arrived in its highest position it presses against m² whereby the
lever 20² lifts at 2 by means of the lever p²² the arm 92" from off the pin v
and beyond its vertical position so that g² falls back again and bears against the pin u².
By this operation the pin s² of the lever p² 2 is made to shut the cock P¹ by turning
the arm. By this means the motive mechanis:n has been wound up afresh. By
means of the above described apparatus it is therefore rendered possible to send from
the source of electricity Z an electrical impulse simultaneously through all the circuits
of an existing network of lines or conductors during which time the circuits between
the central office and the lines are broken In the network of telephone lines for
instance all the circuits of the subscribers would be disconnected from the central
office of a telephone exchange when the electrical impulse is being transmitted by the
described apparatus.
The electrical impulse sent through the several circuits extending from a
central office is employed in the following manner for regulating clocks.
A clock (see figures 6 and 7) is provided, in addition to the usual parts, with a
wheel H (figure 6) revolving once round its axis within a determined period say 24
hours. The line contact spring J is connected with the exterior telegraphic or tele-
phonic or other electrical circuit.
Owing to the antifrictional roller 20 sliding upon the periphery of the wheel H
the double contact end of the spring J is constantly pressed upwards and by this
means placed in metallic connection with the contact end k¹ of the spring K leading
to the telephonic or telegraphic or other electrical apparatus. A continuous circuit
having a well conducting metallic connection is thus established through Ji K to
the apparatus in question. When owing to the rotary motion of the wheel H the
recess or groove ' arrives underneath the roller 10 the spring J will sink and the
double contact ¹ leaving the contact ¹ presses upon the contact 1 of the spring L
whence the circuit runs to the electro magnet M.
A current passing through the line from the current distributing apparatus (see
figures 1-5) flows thus through Ji L to the electro magnet M whereby an arma-
ture is attracted and an ordinary wheel work put in motion.
A regulating crank P (see Figure 7) is firmly secured to the shaft of this wheel
work and is rotated by the latter. The said crank pushes the roller o of the adjusting
arm which is connected with the arbor or shaft N upon which the hands are mounted
into the right position and in consequence also the hands into the normal position.
For this purpose the crank P is provided with a passage or hole p (see Figure 7).
To enable this clock to be used also as a standard clock for transmitting arbitrary
time signals to other systems an hour wheel shaft or arbor carries an hour wheel
disc (see Fig. 6) the periphery of wbich is provided with one or more semi circular
recesses so. Those of the latter which are not used may be covered by a suitable
plate.
To the binding clamp R is applied a contact spring S carrying a rollers which
when the hour wheel disc Q revolves sinks down into the recess so as many times
within an hour as is required by the working of the connected clocks which may be
determined by uncovering or covering a more or less number of recesses,

page_text: The contact wheel T on the insulated shaft of which slides the spring U secured to
the binding clamp V is provided on its periphery with the contact nose t which
generally passes without touching the contacts of the spring S. Only when the
roller & sinks into a recess of the hour wheel Q the nose t comes in contact with s¹.
A current may therefore be sent at determined intervals of time from a battery
through R, S, s, t, T, U, V, to one or more systems. 20 is an insulated eccentric pin
for raising or lowering the contact spring S.
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 1
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for electrically regulating or synchronising clocks from a central
station whilst making use of any existing line or network of electrical lines or
conductors such for example as a telephonic, telegraphie &c. circuit and comprising
(a). A circuit changing device situated at the central station and provided with
driving mechanism for interrupting the connection between the entering line wires
and the instruments belonging to the telephonic &c. lines, and at the same time
making connection between the said wires and the source of electricity Z designed for
the regulation of the clocks, the said device being actuated at intervals from a standard
clock by the release of its driving mechanism.
(6). A circuit changing device arranged in connection with each of the clocks to be
regulated and which are provided with mechanism for setting the hands thereof, the
said circuit changing device being driven by the clock in such a manner that, during
the time that the circuit changing device at the central station is in operation, it
interrupts the connection between the line wire leading to the central station, and
the telephonic &c. instruments belonging thereto, at the same time connecting the
clock to be regulated with the branch wire.
2. The peculiar construction of the device situated at the central station and speci-
fied under subdivision (a) of the preceding claim and comprising the insulated contact
springs a, a, a, connected to the wires leading to the central station, and the insulated
contact springs b, b, b, connected to the wires of the subscribers' circuits, the said
contact springs being in contact with one another in pairs by means of the contact
pieces a¹ and 6 in combination with the roller C provided with the contact strip d
the contact pine carried by the shaft G of the cylinder C, the spring X connected
to a source of electricity Z, and the wheel work A for causing a rotation of the
roller C, the said parts being arranged in such a manner that at each rotation of the
roller the contact springs b, b, b, are raised from the contact springs a, a, a, by
means of the insulating strip C, and the platinum strip d is brought into metallic
contact with the springs 6 and shortly afterwards the pin e comes into contact for a
short time with the spring X in order to transmit the current coming from the source
of electricity Z simultaneously through all the subscribers' wires after which the
contact springs b sink until they again rest upon the contact springs a substantially
as hereinbefore described.
3. The particular construction of the clock mechanism which is set by an electrical
impulse in a mechanical manner and comprising the arrangement of a disc H provided
with a recess in its periphery, the said disc being connected with the hour wheel of
an ordinary clock work, and making one revolution in a determined period in combi-
nation with the contact springs J, K, L, and the roller 20 applied to the spring J in
such a manner that when the roller enters the recess ¹ the electro magnet M is
excited and a train of wheel work in the clock thereby released, the said wheel work
causing the lever P to make a revolution and impart a certain position to an arm O
which is connected with the shaft N of the minute hand, the roller o on the said arm
being caught by the lever P and forced to pass through a slot p in the said lever
substantially as described.
4. In the clock work referred to in claim 3, a device whereby the clock work is
enabled to regulate in its turn a number of other clocks, the said device comprising
the disc Q provided with recesses or notches, the spring S with contact pieces and

page_text: roller the disc T provided with a contact nose t, and the spring U arranged to rub
on the insulated shaft of the disc T, the said parts being arranged in such a manner
that a current entering the spring S when the roller s enters the recess or notch so, is
conducted by means of the contact piece s¹ and noset to the spring U and thence to
the clocks to be regulated which are set in a similar manner to that specified in
sub-section (b) of claim 1.
5. The device for automatically winding up the wheel work A consisting in the
arrangement of the two double-armed levers m², k², n², and h³, 13, o³, connected with
each other by the rod 12 in such wise that when the weight M in its downward
motion has nearly arrived in its lowest position it strikes against the lever h², ³, 0%
and turns the same whereby, owing to the overbalancing device g², r³, p², the cock P¹
of a water pipe is opened and a water motor Q winds up the weight M¹ which, shortly
before it has arrived in its highest position turns the lever m³, k³, n³, and thereby
shuts the water cock P¹ substantially as described and shewn in the drawings.
Dated this 24th day of November 1888.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.