IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MECHANISM AND THE WORKING OF ELECTRIC CLOCKS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Raphael Hunter Brandon, Engineer and Patent Agent,
of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MECHANISM AND THE WORKING OF
ELECTRIC CLOCKS." A communication from Charles William Firnhaber, of Paris,
Rue Laffitte. No. 1.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Raphael Hunter Brandon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th October 1878.
RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON, Engineer and Patent Agent, of 38, Southampton
Buildings, London, and No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MECHANISM AND THE WORKING OF ELECTRIC CLOCKS." [A communication from
Charles William Firnhaber, of Paris, Rue Laffitte, No. 1.]
The first improvement has reference to the distribution by means of electricity of
the time indicated by an ordinary time-piece, such, for instance, as a mantel-piece
clock. For this purpose there is adapted to the extremity of each branch of the
escapement a tip in virgin silver or other good conductor, and on the escapement
wheel a projecting pin in gold or other good conductor, which at its rotation comes
in contact with each silver tip of the escapement. It is necessary to shorten the
tooth of the escapement corresponding to the gold pin. It is also necessary to
insulate the pivots of the axis of the escapement, for which purpose it is preferred
to bush the centre of the same with a piece of ivory or other non-conductor, which
in its turn is bushed with a metallic tube. The contact is produced by this arrange-
ment twice at each revolution of the escapement wheel by means of an exceedingly
flexible steel blade, one extremity of which is attached to the fork of the escape-
ment spindle, whilst the other is attached by means of a screw to a post insulated
on one plate of the clockwork, and to which one of the conducting wires is attached,
the other being fixed to the massi.
The second improvement has reference to the contact of the striking gear. The
axis of the wheel connected with the striking gear mechanism is prolonged, and on
Posing S27

page_text: this prolongation a projection is attached, which during one period of its rotation
rubs against a flat metallic plate adapted on the upper extremity of a very flexible
spring, the other extremity of which is attached to an insulated post wherein one of
the conducting wires is affixed, whilst the other is attached to the massif. The
object sought for and thus attained is a pole common for the time and the
striking.
The third improvement has reference to the mechanism for actuating the hands of
a distant clock by means of the pulsations of electricity transmitted from the motor
clock, and consists, in the first case, in the use of an ordinary electro-magnet, the
armature of which is hung in such a manner as to multiply the usual stroke of the
same, and cause the click attached to the same to make a relatively long stroke.
For this purpose the armature is suspended or pivotted at its lower extremity, and
at its upper extremity it is connected with a pendulous arm (in close proximity
with its point of suspension), to the extremity of which is attached the click or
pawl that actuates the escapemont wheel; in the second case, in making the click
with a lower arm that enters the teeth, when the upper or working arm actuates
the escapement wheel, and thus prevents the same from passing more than one tooth
at a time; and, in the third case, in forming the usual retaining click with a tail
piece, which is brought over the pendulous arm of the click in such a manner that
the said retaining click cannot be raised whilst the mechanism is at rest by actual
contact with the said mechanism, whilst when the transmission is taking place, tho
driving click being displaced, the retaining click can be raised freely.
The fourth improvement has reference to an arrangement for working clocks by
means of a battery, for which purpose an electro magnet is actuated, as above stated,
and there is mounted on the spindle of the escapement wheel a loose wheel con-
nected to the said spindle by a slight spiral spring; this wheel is made to drive n
pinion coupled with a larger wheel, on which are fitted projecting points that in
their rotation come in contact with a flexible metallic conductor placed in the
circuit in such a manner that at each contact a pulsation is effected, the escapement
wheel which is connected with the hand gearing partially rotated, and the spring
sufficiently wound to cause the pin wheel to rotate until another pulsation takes
place. An ordinary escapement attached to this mechanism serves as a proper
regulator. An electric clock of this description is available for actuating the hands
of distant dials in any well-known manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Raphael Hunter Brandon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
January 1879.
RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON, Engineer and Patent Agent, of 38, Southampton
Buildings, London, and No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MECHANISM AND THE WORKING OF ELECTRIC CLOCKS." A communication from
Charles William Firnhaber, of Paris, Rue Laffitte, No. 1.
First Improvement, Figures 1 and 2. Distribution by means of Electricity of the
Time Indicated by an Ordinary Time-piece, such, for instance, as a Mantle-piece
Clock. For this purpose I attach to the extremity of each branch 1 of an escape-
ment anchor a tip 3 in virgin silver, or other good conductor of electricity, and on
the escapement wheel 4 a projecting piece 5 of gold or any other good conducting
material, which at each rotation of the wheel comes in contact with each silver tip
of the anchor; in order that this contact should not be prevented by the coralline
tips 2 of the anchor touching at the same time the tooth of the escapement wheel, I
slightly reduce the tooth of the said wheel corresponding with the gold pin 5.
I insulate the pivots of the axis 6 of the escapement by bushing the holes in the
plates with an ivory disc, which in its turn is bushed with a metallic tube serving as
a bearing. The contact which transmits a pulsation of electricity to work a distant
clock is produced by this arrangement twice at each revolution of the escapement
wheel, and is transmitted by means of an exceedingly fine spring 8, the upper
extremity of which is attached to the fork 7 of the escapement spindle 6 by a
screw 8, whilst its lower extremity is attached by means of a screw to a post 10
insulated on the inetallic plate 11 of the clockwork, and to which one of the con-
ducting wires 12 is attached, whilst the other is attached to the framework of the
clock.
It will be readily understood that the number of these pulsations may be aug-
mented by augmenting the number of pins 5 stuck in the face of the escapement
wheel 4.
Second Improvement, Figure 2. Transmission to the Striking Gear. For this
purpose I prolong the axis carrying the striking gear 13, which in clockworks
makes one revolution for each blow struck, and on this prolongation I fix a pro-
jecting head or pin 14, which during a certain period of each revolution rubs against
a flat metallic plate 15, attached to the upper extremity of a very flexible spring 10,
the lower extremity of which is attached to an insulated post 10, wherein one of
the conducting wires is fixed, whilst the other is attached to the framework of the
clock. The object sought for and realised by this arrangement is a pole cominon for
transmitting the time and the strokes of the striking gear.
Third Improvement, Figures 4, 5, and 6. Actuating the Hands of Distant Dials
by means of Electric Pulsations Emitted by a Motor Clock.-Figure 4 is a plan,
Figure 5 a front elevation, and Figure 6 a lateral elevation of the mechanism I have
invented for this purpose, consisting in an electro-magnet 22 (the bobbins of which
have not been shown in these Figures) attached to the plate 17 by means of the
back piece 28 and its armature 24 jointed at its lower end to the pin 25, which is
supported in the plate 17 and in the bridge piece 26 in a ratchet wheel 20, the axis
of which is maintained in the brackets 18 and 19' (one of which is fixed on each face
of the plate 17), and is provided with a pinion 21 which actuates the hands of the
dial, geared in the usual manner. In the bracket 18 I pass a screw 27, the point of
which serves to regulate the stroke of the armature; a stop nut 28 serves to main-
tain this screw in its appointed place. The armature 24 is surmounted with an arm
29, provided above with a projecting pin 30, which enters a hole in the lever 31;
this lever 31 is hung from above on a pin 32 struck in the plate 17; a pawl 33 is
jointed to the lower extremity of this lever 31, which pawl has an upper tooth
which drives the ratchet 20, and a lower tooth which comes in contact with the

page_text: ratchet immediately after a tooth has been passed, and thus prevents more than one
tooth passing at a time. A spring 34, fixed by its upper extremity on the clock
plate, brings back the armature 24 against the screw 27 after each attraction by the
pressure it exerts on a pin 35, stuck in the disc of the said armature; a small
conical screw 40 serves to regulate the pressure of this spring. This mechanism is
completed by a retaining pawl, which retains the ratchet 20 stationary when the
armature is at rest; it is hung on a pin 36, and is composed of one branch 37, ter-
minated with a tooth gearing in the ratchet wheel 20, and a tail piece 38, which
rests on the pin 30 whilst the armature is at rest, its tooth 37 in that case preventing
the ratchet from turning; but when the armaturo is attracted to the electro-magnet
the displacement of the pin 30 affords sufficient space for the oscillation of this
retaining pawl when raised by the passage of one tooth of the ratchet. I leave a
small play between the point of the pawl 33 and the teeth of the ratchet in order
that its tail 38 may be freed from the pin 32 before the click 33 commences to
actuate the ratchet wheel; a small spring 39 presses constantly the tooth 37 of this
pawl in the teeth of the ratchet. By means of this mechanism, when the driving
clock, by means of the mechanism illustrated in the Figures 1 and 2, transmits an
clectric pulsation to this distant clock, or father dial, the electro-magnets attract the
armature, which, liberating in the first place the retaining pawl, rotates the ratchet to
the extent of one tooth by means of its pawl 33, which at the same time closes its
tail piece against the ratchet, and prevents the passage of more than one tooth at a
time; the pinion 21 on the other face of the plate, by means of the usual gearing,
works the hour and minutes hands of this dial at exactly the same rate as the
driving clock. Several of such receiving instruments can be worked in different
parts of a building by means of one motor.
Fourth Improvement, Figures 7, 8, 9, 9ª, 10, 11, and 12. Working Clocks by
means of a Battery. For this purpose the general arrangement of the mechanism
remains the same as that described with reference to Figures 4, 5, and 6, to which I
add an escapement with a pendulum like a clock, or an annular escapement, such as
those used for watches and chronometers. When connection is made by this
mechanism and the battery, the armature is attracted, whereby sufficient motion is
imparted to certain parts of the same to break the currents and drive the clock at
the requisite rate and for the requisite time to again make connection with the
battery, and so on.
Figure 7 is a lateral elevation, Figure 8 a front view, Figure 9 a second lateral
taken in the opposite direction to Figure 8, Figure 9a a detached part in front eleva-
tion, and Figure 10 a front view of the driving ratchet with its spring, representing
the mechanism regulated by a pendulum escapement. In these Figures the electro-
magnets 22 are represented attached to the back plate of the works, with armature
retaining and driving pawls and regulating screw, as in Figures 4, 5, and 6. On
the spindle of the ratchet wheel 20 I mount, a loose gear 40, which is connected to
the former by means of a very weak watch spring 42; this wheel gears in a
pinion 43 fitted on a spindle 44, on which is fixed an escapenient wheel 45, which
actuates an anchor escapement 1, on the spindle of which is fixed a fork 7, through
which passes the stem of a pendulum suspended at 46. Greater space being required
for this mechanism than for the one represented in Figures 4, 5, and 6, the bracket
18 of these Figures has been replaced by a bar 41 held on three posts 47, 48, and
49, whilst a cross bar 50 is attached above 41, and maintained in place by means of
the screws of the two posts 47, 48; this cross bar serves as one of the bearings of
the spindle of the escapement, as well as for attachment of the pendulum suspension
46. The escapement wheel 45 is provided with two pins 5, acting successively on
the auxiliary silver tip 3 attached to one only of the arms of the anchor.
According to this arrangement the ratchet 20 is turned one tooth at each attraction
of the armature, by which motion the small watch spring 42 is wound sufficiently to
keep the escapement going until a second transmission of electricity takes place.
The current from the battery enters the electro-magnet 22 through the isolated
post 51; it leaves it through the pillar 47 in passing through the insulated post 52,

page_text: and the spring 53 which is united to the arm of the anchor which carries the silver
tip 3, see Figure 8, where the circuit is interrupted, to be closed again when one of
the pins 5 of the escapement wheels comes in contact with the silver tip 3, that is
to say, every fifteen seconds, when the wheel makes two revolutions per minute, and
is provided with thirty teeth and connected with a pendulum of ten inches. Whero
the pendulum stem passes through the fork 7, the contact of the two parts must
naturally be insulated.
Figure 11 is a front elevation, and Figure 12 a lateral elevation of the manner in
which I arrange this mechanism when regulated by an annular escapement. For
this purpose the free wheel 40, which is connected by a watch spring 42 with the
ratchet wheel 20, gears in a pinion 54, which is coupled with an intermediate 55
provided with two projecting contact springs 5, and working in the pinion 56 fitted
on the spindle of the escapement 57, which latter is fitted between the plate 58 and
the three brackets 59, 60, and 61; the relation between these gears is calculated so
that the intermediate wheel 55 will make one revolution per minute; this wheel is
provided with four contact pins 5, which successively rub past the bead of a slight
spring 62 fixed on an insulated pillar 63 mounted on the plate of the clockwork,
The conducting wire starting from the spools is fixed to this pillar; the entering
wire goes directly to the battery, and the return wire is attached to the frame of
the clockwork; therefore each time that one of the pins 5 touches the insulated
spring 62 the circuit is closed, and oonsequently the armature is attracted, and then
the ratchet 20 being turned to the extent of one tooth it winds up the slight watch
spring 42 attached to the free wheel 40), and this latter thus impelled entertains the
action of the escapement until a fresh transmission of electricity takes place by the
next pin 5 rubbing past the head of the spring 62, and so on until the pile is no
longer able to generate electricity.
Having thus explained the nature of my improvements, as well as the best means
I am acquainted with for carrying them into practice, I claim,-
Firstly. The mechanism above described added to an ordinary clock for trans-
mitting by means of electricity the time of this actuating time-piece to distant dials,
as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
Secondly. The mechanism above described for transmitting by means of elec-
tricity the striking action to distant dials, as illustrated in Figure 3.
Thirdly. The mechanism above described for actuating the hour and minute hands
of distant dials by means of electric pulsations emitted by a main or standard clock
of ordinary construction, as illustrated in Figures 4, 5, and 6.
And, Fourthly. The mechanism above described for actuating by means of elec-
tricity generated in a battery a main or standard clock, either with a pendulum
regulator, as illustrated in Figures 7, 8, 9, 9, and 10, or with an annular escape-
ment, as illustrated in Figures 11 and 12.
In witness whereof, I, the said Raphael Hunter Baandon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sovente eight
Witnesses,
H. MEA.
H. A. LANGE,
R. H. BRANDON. (L.S.)