Improvements in Employees' Time Recorders.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 22nd Dec., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Employees' Time Recorders.
I, NELSON MARSHALL WATSON, of 50 Larned Street West, in the City of
Detroit, County of Wayne, and State of Michigan, United States of America,
Mechanic, 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 relates to new and useful improvements in employees' time
recorders, and consists in a certain construction and arrangement of parts as
hereinafter fully set forth, the essential features of which being pointed out
particularly in the claims.
The object of the invention to provide simple and effective means for correctly
recording the time of each employee in any place of business, so as to indicate at
what hour or fraction of hour they began work.
This object is attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, in which ;-
Figure 1 is a general perspective view of the operative mechanism of my
improved device, a portion of the type-bearing discs being broken away to show
arrangement of parts beyond.
Fig. 2 is a detail in perspective of the type-bearing discs and a portion of their
driving mechanism, two of the wheels of which are partially broken away to more
clearly show the construction and arrangement of parts.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device.
Fig. 4 is a like view looking at the opposite side from Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the operator's key, the stem being broken away.
Referring to the letters of reference, A designates a suitable metal base upon
which the mechanism is mounted. B, designates the main shaft which is journaled
at its inner end in said base, its outer end being journaled in the cross piece C,
which is supported by the side posts b. Said shaft, while being rotative, is also
provided with the long journals a at each end to provide for the longitudinal
reciprocation thereof.
Fixed on the outer end of said shaft adjacent to the cross piece C, is a disc D,
having a circular right angle flange a¹ around its outer edge which extends from
the rear face of said disc and carries on its vertical face raised numeral characters c,
from one to twelve, arranged the proper distance apart and on a line with the
radius of the disc, which construction is more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5.
Also fixed upon the shaft B near its inner end is an escape wheel E, adapted
to be restrained by a detent d, and having a ratchet-wheel E', formed on the
extended hub thereof.
F designates a rotary sleeve which is mounted on the shaft B, between the
disc D and the hub of wheel E. This sleeve has, secured to its outer end, a disc F¹
which is adapted to lie within the circular flange a¹ of disc D and rotate therein.
Said disc F' having raised numeral characters c¹ on its vertical face representing
the minutes of an hour, arranged in twelve divisions in tables of five, from double
naught to fifty five, and which stand flush with the face of the characters c on
disc D, and register therewith. The sleeve F is provided on its inner end with a

page_text: ratchet-wheel G, and fixed on said sleeve between said ratchet and the disc F' is a
trip-wheel G¹ and notched contact disc H.
Mounted on the base A and in electrical connection therewith is an electro-
magnet H' included with a source of electricity H" in a normally open circuit in
which is located a clock mechanism I, carrying on the arbor of the minute hand,
a contact disc ' having peripheral teeth e, as shown in Fig. 1. Also located in
said circuit is the time recording mechanism which is connected with said magnet
through the metallic parts thereof and through metal base A.
That portion of the circuit between the clock and the recording mechanism is
composed of two limbs b' and 6. The ends of said limbs at the clock are provided
with spring terminals e¹ and e", respectively, that are alternately brought into
contact with the projections e of the disc I', as said disc is rotated by the clock
mechanism; the other ends of said limbs having like terminals f, f', that alternately
engage the projections of the contact disc H mounted on the rotary sleeve F,
as said disc is rotated by said sleeve. By which means the circuit is inter-
mittently closed and opened in alternate succession through the limbs 6, 6, as
and for the purpose hereinafter specified.
The electro-magnet bas an armature J provided with a depending plunger J¹, to
opposite sides of which are pivoted the pawls h, h', that are adapted to engage,
respectively the ratchet-wheels E' and G, so that, as the plunger J' is raised, by
the magnet attracting its armature J, said pawls engage and rotate said ratchets.
The actuation of the ratchet G by the pawl turns the sleeve F, and causes a
partial rotation of the disc F1, the contact disc H and the trip-wheel G' which are
mounted on said sleeve.
Pawl does not have continual engagement with its ratchet E', but rides upon
a ring on ratchet G, which ring is provided with a single notch o (see Fig. 2)
into which pawl drops each time the ratchet G shall have made one complete
rotation, when, by the succeeding actuation of said plunger, said pawl will actuate
ratchet E, turning the shaft B, and causing a rotation of the hour disc D, the
distance of one-twelfth of its circumference, at which time the escape wheel E is
made free to rotate by the raising of the detent d, which is accomplished by means
of a pin n shown in Fig. 1, that projects from wheel G, and engages and raises
the free end of an arm d', which projects from a rock-sbaft d" to which said detent
is also attached, thereby actuating said shaft to raise said detent from the teeth
in said wheel E, when it is rotated by the action of the pawl h', the distance of the
space between its peripheral teeth, and is arrested from further forward movement
by said detent engaging its succeeding tooth. The ratchets E' and G are held
from backward movement after each rotation, by the dogs m, m³, which are pivoted
on the shaft d", and engage said ratchets, respectively, being held in contact
therewith by means of the springs m¹¹.
The energizing of the electro-magnet so as to actuate the recording mechanism
occurs through the closing of the circuit between the clock and said mechanism,
through the limbs 6', 6, of said circuit, as shown in Fig. 1, in which view the parts
are shown in the position of " open circuit," as limb is broken at the spring
terminal, and limb 6 at the spring terminal e". In which position of parts, as
the disc is rotated by the arbor of the minute hand of the clock, the spring e¹
will slip from the curved tooth or point e thereof upon which it bears, and said
point will pass into contact with the spring e", thereby establishing a circuit
through line 6, the disc H, the metallic parts of the instrument and the metal
base and magnet. Thus energized, the magnet attracts its armature J and raises
the plunger J, whereby pawl h is caused to engage the ratchet G and rotate the
sleeve F, turning the disc F', and causing such rotation of the disc H, as to carry
the point thereon, which is in contact with the spring f, free from said spring
and into contact with the spring f¹, thereby breaking the circuit through line b",
when the armature will fall, placing said parts in position for a succeeding
operation. In which position they remain until a further rotation of the disc
on the arbor of the clock hand, carries one of its points e into contact with the

page_text: spring e, when the circuit will be closed through the line b¹, and the magnet
energized to again rotate the disc F' carrying the minute numerals thereon, and
turn the contact disc H so as to carry one of its points i free from the spring f',
and bring another one into contact with the spring, thus again opening the circuit
in which position it remains until closed by the rotation of the disc I³, and so on
the circuit is alternately closed and opened in reciprocal succession through the
lines 61, 61
In the construction shown, the arrangement is such that the circuit is closed at
intervals of five minutes, and the minute numerals c¹ on the disc F¹, are arranged
in twelve divisions of equal distance apart, and in tables of five from .00 to .55 so
that on each closing of the circuit, the disc F¹ is moved ahead five minutes,
thereby bringing each of its numerals in succession to register with the hour
numerals on the disc D, and when said disc F¹ shall have moved twelve times to
complete the hour, the pawl will rotate disc D one point to indicate the
succeeding hour. For instance, starting with the hour disc at 9, and the .00 on
the minute dise registering therewith, the next closing of the circuit will rotate
disc F¹ so as to bring numeral 5 thereon to register with 9 on the disc D, thus
indicating 9.05, and so on each succeeding five minutes, disc F¹ is rotated one
space by the closing of the circuit until the eleventh operation indicates 9.55,
when the pawl will drop into the notch o and engage the ratchet E', so
that at the next closing of the circuit, the hour disc will also be revolved one
space to indicate 10.o'clock, and so on the operation continues for each succeeding
hour.
To provide for recording the time of the arrival of each employee, a platen K is
located back of the registering numerals on the discs F¹ and D, and adjacent
thereto, and passing over said platen is a strip of paper L, upon which lies an inked
ribbon M that passes between said paper and the numerals upon said discs, the ends
of said ribbon being wound upon the spools N and O. The lower end of the paper
strip is received by a curved guide P and turned outward under the ratchet discs r
of the spool O. Said guide is hinged at its rear edge and is held upward against
said ratchets by the tension of the spring, whereby the teeth of said ratchets are
caused to engage said paper and feed it along as they are rotated.
R designates the key of the employee, which is provided with numeral characters s
on the end thereof indicating the employee's number, and with the lateral shoulders st
and . This key is adapted to be entered in a key-hole R' in the cross-piece C,
and is provided with a longitudinal rib t on its upper face, adapted to be received
in a corresponding slot t' leading from the upper edge of the key-hole, which insures
the key being always entered in the proper manner.
The arrangement of the parts is such, that, when the key is inserted in the key-
hole, its end bearing the numerals will pass the outer edge of the disc D, and extend
said numerals into line with the numerals of the discs D and F¹, and so as to
register therewith, when the shoulder s¹ on said key will engage the edge of disc D
and carry said discs inward, so as to cause the registering numerals thereon and on
the end of the key to impinge against the ribbon M lying upon the paper over the
platen K, thereby printing the numerals of the discs and key upon
said paper.
The shaft B slides longitudinally upon its journals a to permit of this movement
of said discs, and is returned when the key is withdrawn by the spring u bearing
against the inner end thereof.
The printing of the characters carried by the key and discs, upon the strip of
paper L, indicates at what time the employee having a certain number, reported
for duty, as illustrated by the characters N' on the strip L, shown in Fig. 1, which
indicates that employee 876, inserted his key in the register at 6.20, and so each
employee is recorded together with the time their key is inserted in the instrument,
making a complete record of the time they report for duty. The intermittent
closing of the circuit by the time mechanism, and the consequent rotation of the
numeral bearing discs D, F', keeps said discs in accord with the clock so that the
time of the insertion of a key will be correctly recorded during any hour of the day,

page_text: the arrangement of the parts being such that the numerals on the discs D, F,
indicating the current time as shown by the hands on the clock dial, shall be
always opposite the key-hole opening R₁ so that the insertion of the key will
print said time upon the tape, with the number of the key.
To provide for feeding the paper and ribbon along for each printing operation,
an arm S is pivoted to the spindle of spool N and depends in the rear of the key-
hole R', so that a portion of the edge thereof extends over said opening as shown
in Fig. 1.
Pivoted to the lower end of said arm, is a dog v, the lower end of which is free
to swing inward, but which is restrained from outward movement by a
lug v
projecting from the arm S which engages the upper end thereof, making a hinge
joint by which the dog is connected to said arm, said dog being retained in its
normal position by a spring v. Loosely mounted on the spindle of the spool O is
an arm T having on its upper end a nose z which extends into the path of the
dog v, and carrying a pawl z pivoted to the lower end thereof and adapted to
engage a ratchet-wheel " fast on the spindle of the spool O, said pawl being held
in engagement with said ratchet by a spring w. With which arrangement, as the
key is inserted in the key-hole, the shoulder s" of said key engages the arm S, and
swings it inward causing the dog thereon to engage the nose z of the arm T, and
turn said arm upon its pivot swinging its lower end outward against the action of
the spring Tattached thereto, and causing the pawl a' thereon to rotate the ratchet-
wheel 2, thereby rotating the spool O to wind the ribbon thereon, and at the same
time feeding the paper along by the rotation of the toothed discs r.
arm S, by the inward thrust of the key has been carried a certain distance, the
dog v will slip past the nose of the arm T, when the resistance of the spring T¹ to
the entrance of the key will be suddenly removed, causing said key to plunge inward
with considerable impact and carry its numerals and those on the time discs against
the platen with such force as to cause a clear and sharp printing of their characters
upon the strip L, at which time the spring T¹ drawing backward, the lower end of
the arm T causes the hammer a depending therefrom to strike the bell W. As the
key is withdrawn, the spring a returns the arm S, the lower end of the dog v
swinging backward in passing back over the nose z, and is restored by its spring ",
when the parts are in position for another operation.
When the
It will be seen, on referring to Fig. 1, that hour numerals are placed upon the
outer face of the disc D, and minute numerals on the rim of the wheel G. These
numerals that are in line with the hand C, indicate the hour and minutes, and
enable the reading of the time without reference to the clock. It will also be seen
that the plunger Jis provided with a depending knob to enable said plunger to be
actuated by hand for the purpose of setting the instrument when desired.
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 :-
Claim 1. In a time recorder, the combination with an intermittent circuit closer
and an electro-magnet located with a source of electricity in a normally open
circuit, of the rotary discs adapted to rotate independently and carrying printing
characters on their vertical faces, said discs being so mounted as to reciprocate
horizontally, and mechanism in connection with said electro-magnet for rotating
said discs.
Claim 2. In a time recorder, the combination with an intermittent circuit closer
and an electro-magnet included with a source of electricity in a normally open
circuit, of the character bearing discs adapted to reciprocate horizontally and being
capable of independent rotation, and means in connection with said electro-magnet
for rotating said discs on the closing of the circuit, and means for opening said
circuit when said discs shall have been rotated.
Claim 3. In a time recorder, the combination with an intermittent circuit closer
and an electro-magnet included with a source of electricity in a normally open

page_text: circuit, of the shaft carrying the disc D, the sleeve on said shaft carrying the
disc F, the ratchets upon said sleeve and shaft, the armature of the magnet, and
the pawls connected with said armature and engaging said ratchets.
Claim 4. In a time recorder, the combination of the rotary and reciprocal discs
having printing characters on their vertical faces adapted to rotate independently
one within the other, and means for reciprocating said discs in the direction
of the vertical faces of said discs, the independent ratchets, connected respectively
with said discs, the pawls engaging said ratchets, and the vertically reciprocal
plunger adapted to actuate said pawls.
Claim 5. In a time recorder, the combination of an intermittent circuit closer,
and an electro-magnet included with a source of electricity in a normally open
circuit, the independently rotative discs having printing characters on their vertical
faces, the rotary contact on the arbor of one of said discs, the two limbs of the
circuit connecting said circuit closer with said rotary contact in such manner as to
effect an alternate closing of the circuit through each of said limbs.
Claim 6. In a time recorder, the combination of the independently rotative
discs having printing characters thereon and adapted to reciprocate in unison,
means for rotating said discs intermittently, the platen adjacent to the characters on
said discs, the key carrying printing characters, said key being adapted to impinge
upon said platen and to engage and carry said discs into contact therewith so that
the characters on said discs shall align with the characters on the key.
Claim 7. In a time recorder, the combination of the rotative discs having
printing characters on their vertical face and adapted to reciprocate horizontally
in the direction of said characters, the platen adjacent to the characters on said
discs, the key having printing characters on its end, said key being adapted to
engage said discs so as to bring the characters thereon into alignment with the
characters on the discs, and actuate said discs to cause their printing characters
together with the characters on the key to impinge upon the platen.
Claim 8. In a time recorder, the combination with the reciprocal printing discs,
the key adapted to engage said discs and having printing characters that register
with the characters thereon, the ribbon and tape and mechanism for feeding the
same, and means for operating said feed mechanism by the act of inserting the key,
whereby the force applied to said key to thrust it by the point of operating the
feed, carries its printing characters and those on said dises with impact against said
ribbon and tape.
This 17th day of An 1001
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.