Improvements in Time Checking Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Time Checking Apparatus.
I, JOHN LORIMER CORBETT, of 65 Jamaica Street, in the City of Glasgow,
Watchmaker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention which relates to apparatus for checking the time of arrival or
departure of workmen, has for its object to adapt ordinary clockwork to operate a
shoot or dedector which serves to direct the workmen's time checks into one or
other of the boxes or compartments provided for the reception of "carly" and
"late" checks.
An ordinary "American" clock may be conveniently employed and with its case
is combined a locked box or caso containing two, three or more drawers or
compartments adapted to receive the workmen's checks or tallies, one box being
for the reception of the checks of workmen who arrive early or in time, a second
for those of workmen who arrive say within a quarter of an hour of time, and a
third for those of workmen arriving over say 16 minutes late. A slit is provided
in the top of the box or case through which the checks or tallies are dropped; and
within the check case is fitted a shoot or defloctor which is preferably of L
or shape or formed by a flat plate having its upper end beut over at about
right angles. This deflector is contred or fitted to swing on a pivot at or near its
midlength, its movement being governed by the clockwork mechanism, so that in
one position it directs the checks or tallies inserted through the slit into ono
compartment, in another position it directs them into another compartment and in
an intermediate position the angled or bent upper end closes the slit and intercepts
the checks or prevents their insertion. Thus the deflector when operated by the
clockwork first opens or uncovers the slit to admit the tallies of the early arrivals
into the early box, when again operated serves to direct the tallies of the late
arrivals into the late box and lastly prevents the admission of the tallies of
workmen arriving later than the hours prescribed, the clock which operates the
checking apparatus at the same time showing each workman the time at which he
arrives. The deflector may obviously be arranged to direct the tallies into any
one of a greater number of drawers or compartments when it is desired to check
the time at a greater number of short intervals as for example every five minutes;
or two or more shoots or deflectors may be used for this purpose and operated from
a single clock; and instead of having a swinging movement as described the
deflector may have a sliding or other movement so as to uncover at a time
one only of a number of slits through which tho tallies may be inserted.
The swinging or like movement of the deflector is effectol from the striking
mechanism of the clock by means of a beam or other lever, one end of which
engages the deflector or a pin or arm on it whilst the other end is slotted to engage
a crauk on the arbor of the pin wheel of the clockwork, that is the pin wheel which
in an ordinary clock lifts the striking hammer. The usual locking wheel and
striking hammer for striking the hours are dispensed with and the locking wheel is
replaced by a similar wheel having only four notches when the checking mechanism
is to be operated at intervals of a quarter of an hour or such other number of
notches as may be required when the intervals of checking are varied. The
lucking lever which engages the locking wheel is lifted by pins on the minute arbor

page_text: of the clock, the pius being fitted to act at every quarter of an hour or other
interval. A disc is fitted on the hour socket of the clock the said disc being either
formed with cam-like projections, or as is preferred, being fitted with adjustable
projecting pieces. These projections are spacerl apart to correspond to the periods
of the day at which the checking of the workmen's time is to be effected as for
example at starting time in the morning, and at the usual breakfast and dinner
hours. As the disc rotates with the hour socket the projections in turn act on and
lift a lever that normally engages a pin on the fly pinion arbor and prevents the
action of the running train, the train being freed on the raising of the lover by any
one of the projections. When the running train is freed as at any given hour
corresponding to that for which one of the adjustable projections is set the crank
on the pin wheel is set in notion and operates the lever which swings, the deflector
of the checking device from one position to another and thereby directs tho
workmen's checks or tallies into the early or late compartment as the case
may be.
Dated this 20th day of August 1896.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agent, 62 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agent for the Applicant.
I, JOHN LORIMER CORBETT, of 65 Jamaica Street, in the City of Glasgow,
Watchmaker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described aud ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention which relates to apparatus for checking the time of arrival or
departure of workmen, has for its object to adapt ordinary clockwork to operate a
shoot or deflector which serves to direct the workmen's time checks into one or
other of the boxes or compartments provided for the reception of "early
"late" checks.
The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 of which is a
front elevation and Fig. 2 a side elevation of the apparatus.
An ordinary "American" clock A may be conveniently employed and with its
case B is combined a locked box or case C containing two, three or more drawers
or compartments D, adapted to receive the workmen's checks or tallies, one box
being for the reception of the checks of workmen who arrive early or in time, a
second for those of workmen who arrive say within a quarter of an hour of time,
and a third for those of workmen arriving over say 16 minutes late. A slit c is
provided in the top of the box or case C through which the checks or tallies are
dropped; and within the check case C is fitted a shoot or deflector E which is
preferably of Lur T shape or formed by a flat plate having its upper end bent
over at about right angles as shown at Fig. 1. This deflector Eis centred or
fitted to swing on a pivot e at or near its midleugth, its movement being governed
by the striking part of the clockwork mechanism A, so that in one position it
directs the checks or tallies inserted through the slit c into one compartment D, in
another position it directs them into another compartment and in an intermediate
position the angled or bent upper end of the deflector closes the slit c and intercepts
the checks or prevents their insertion. Thus the deflector E when operated by
the clockwork A first opens or uncovors the slit o to admit the tallies of the early
arrivals into the early box, when again operated serves to direct the tallies of the

page_text: late arrivals into the late box and lastly prevents the admission of the tallies of
workmen arriving later than the hours prescribed, the clock A which operates the
checking apparatus at the same time showing each workman the time at which he
arrives. The deflector E may obviously be arranged to direct the tallies into any
one of a greater number of drawers or compartments when it is desired to check
the time at a greater number of short intervals as for example every five minutes.
The swing or like movement of the deflector E is effected from the striking
mechanism of the clock A by means of a beam or other lever G one end of which
engages the deflector E or a pin or arm e' on it whilst the other end is slotted to
engage a crank H on the arbor of the pin wheel of the clockwork A, that is the
pin wheel which in an ordinary clock lifts the striking hammer. The usual locking
wheel and striking bammer for striking the hours are dispensed with and the
locking wheel is replaced by a similar wheel I having only four notches i when the
checking mechanism is to be operated at intervals of a quarter of an hour or such
other number of notches as may be required when the intervals of checking are
varied. The locking lever J which engages the locking wheel I is lifted by pins &
on the minute arbor K of the clock, the pins & being fitted to act at every quarter
of an hour or other interval. A diso L is fitted on the hour socket M of the clock
the said disc being either formed with cam-like projections, or as is preferred, being
fitted with adjustable projecting pieces. These projections are spaced apart and
adjusted around the disc L to correspond to the periods of the day at which the
checking of the workmen's time is to be effected as for example at starting time in
the morning, and at the usual breakfast and dinner hours. As the disc L rotates
with the hour socket M the projections in turn act on and lift a lever N that
normally engages a pin.o on the fly pinion arbor O and prevents the action of the
striking train, the train being freed on the raising of the lever N by any one of the
projections . When the striking train is freed as at any given hour corresponding
to that for which one of the adjustable projections is set the crank H on the pin
wheel I is set in motion and operates the lever G which swings the deflector E
of the checking device from one position to another and thereby directs the
workmen's checks or tallics into the early or late compartment as the case
may be.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion, and in what manner the same is to bo performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for checking workmen's time the combination with a casing
fitted with receptacles for holding the workmen's tallies and having in it a slit
for the insertion of the tallies, of a deflector pivoted beneath the slot and
operated by the striking mechanism of a clock to periodically cover and uncover
the slit and direct the tallies into one or other of the several receptacles substantially
as described.
2. In apparatus for checking workmen's time the combination with the locking
wheel of an ordinary clock of a lever operated thereby and connected to operate a
shoot or deflector serving to guide the workmen's tallies into one or other of a series
of receptacles within a casing and to close the orifice in said casing through which
the tallies are inserted substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for checking workmen's time the combination with a shoot or
deflector for guiding the workmen's tallies into one or other of a series of receptacles
placed within a casing provided with a slit for the insertion of the tallies of a
pivoted lever connected at one end to said deflector and having its opposite end
connected to and operated from the "striking" mechanism of a clock substantially
as described.
4. In apparatus for checking workmen's time the combination of a shoot or
deflector for guiding the workmen's tallies into one or other of a series of receptacles
placed within a casing provided with a slit for the insertion of the tallies, a lever
connected to and operating said deflector, a crauk on the pin wheel arbor arranged

page_text: to actuate the lever and a suitably notched locking wheel engaged by a locking
lever which is disengaged at predetermined intervals of time by the movement of
the clock substantially as described.
5. In apparatus for checking workmen's time the combination with a striking
clock of a rotating disc fitted on the hour socket of the clock and having
-cam-like projections thereon and a pivoted lever arranged to normally retain
the striking train of the clockwork and to be raised by the said projections,
upon the rotation of the disc, to periodically free the striking train, substantially
.-as described.
6. In apparatus for checking workmen's time the combination with a striking
clock of a rotating disc fitted on the hour socket of the clock and having cam-like
projections thereon a pivoted lever normally engaging the fly pinion arbor and
adapted to be raised out of engagement therewith by said projections on the rotation
of the disc, a locking lover adapted to engage a suitable notched looking wheel
and to periodically release said wheel, a crank on the wheel spindle or arbor, a
pivoted lever operated by said crank and a deflector actuated by said lever and
serving to guide the tallies entering a casing within which the deflector is placed
substantially as described.
7. In apparatus for checking workmen's time the combination with a striking
clock of a disc secured on the hour socket thereof and turning with the hour hand,
and having adjustably fitted thereon cam-like projecting pieces adapted to act at
predetermined intervals on a pivoted lever normally engaging and retaining the
striking train of the clockwork substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of May 1897.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents,
St. Vincent Street,, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicant.