Automatic Gear for Making or Breaking, or both Making and Breaking, Electrical Contacts at Given Times, which Times may also be Varied at will.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 10th Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Automatic Gear for Making or Breaking, or both Making and
Breaking, Electrical Contacts at Given Times, which Times may
also be Varied at will.
FREDERICK BROWN Fairyfield Highgate Walsall Electrical Engineer and
CHARLES HERBERT OFFORD 14 Tasker Street Walsall Electrical Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An arrangement of cams geared by either tooth or worm wheels into the gear of
a clock the tooth or worm wheel being arranged in the ratio required so that the
cams revolve as many times as may be required in the 24 hours.
One or more cams are mounted on a spindle driven by the before mentioned
gear and these cams lift one or more arms which arms carry contact pieces and
connecting pieces so arranged that the contact pieces can fall upon the connecting
piece thus completing the circuit or the connecting piece can fall away from the
contact pieces and then break the circuit at such times as the cams and gear shall
be set for them to do so.
In one form of this we arrange trip gear with weight to knock the connecting
piece away from the contact pieces. The contact pieces may be fixed and the
connecting piece moveable or the connecting piece may be fixed and the contact
pieces moveable.
Dated 19th day May 1896.
FREDERICK BROWN.
CHARLES HERBERT OFFORD.
Automatic Gear for Making or Breaking, or both Making and
Breaking, Electrical Contacts at Given Times, which Times may
also be Varied at will.
We, FREDERICK BROWN of "Fairyfield," Highgate, Walsall, Electrical
Engineer, and CHARLES HERBERT OFFORD; of 14, Tasker Street, Walsall,
Electrical Engineer, 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 automatic means for making and breaking or making
or breaking electrical circuits at predetermined times, and consists in the arrange-
ment and combination of certain mechanism with the terminals of an electric
circuit and a rotating axis driven by the train wheels of a clock mechanism, so
that the said circuit will be completed and broken or completed or broken at any
set time.
The said mechanism consists essentially of a number of rotating cams and a
number of levers and arms, the former having means for their adjustment and the

page_text: latter having in conjunction therewith rollers and springs; the arrangement of the
said parts being such that the cams in their rotation act upon the levers, which
carry the contacts and connecting piece of the electric circuit, and either bring
them nearer together to make contact, or take them farther apart to break
contact.
In the accompanying sheets of drawings the invention is practically set forth;--
Figs. 12 and 3 representing one form of mechanism in which the electric circuit
is both made and broken automatically at set times. The front side of the
mechanism is set forth in Fig. 1, and the other or back side in Fig. 2, whilst an
exaggerated sectional elevation on the dotted line A B, Fig. 2, is shown in
Fig. 3.
In this arrangement of mechanism a rotating axis a, driven by a toothed wheel a²
and having in one piece with it carrier plates a³, a, is supported within bearing
parts a of pillar brackets a, fixed upon a suitable base a'; the toothed wheel a², as
aforesaid, gearing with one of the wheels of a clock train by which it is driven.
The carrier plates a³, a', have adjustably connected to them disc cams, the first
named plate carrying a single one c, called the "On" cam, and the last named
plate carrying three, respectively marked d, e, and f, which combine to form the
Off" cam.
The shape of the cam c is clearly shown in Fig. 1, it consisting of
two diameters giving as a result a raised portion c, and a lower extended part c³:
a rise c', and a drop c connecting them. This cam is adjustably connected to the
carrier plate a³ by a screw pin c, which takes through a quadrant slot e within
the cam and into the metal of the said plate; a cut-away part 8 with a finger
edge being also formed within and through the said cam, to admit of the
graduations upon the face of the carrier plate as being seen, for the purpose of
setting to time the drop part c³ of the cam c. Each of the graduations upon the
face of the carrier plate a represent an hour, the said plate and the axis carrying
it revolving once every 24 hours. The cam c, as aforesaid, acts upon an arm g,
jointed at 92 to an upright bracket g³, a roller g being arranged upon its point
of contact with the said cam to effectively reduce friction. To a right angled
extension 9 of the arm g, through the medium of an insulating block go, is
connected yielding jaw-like contact pieces h, h2; electrical conducting wires h³, h²,
forming the circuit, being in connection therewith. To the arm g is fitted a
spring g', its tendency being to pull down the said arm so as to always follow upon
the periphery of the disc cam c.
The cams d, e, and f, which, as hereinbefore described, combine to form the
"Off" cam, or cam for breaking contact, are adjustably connected to the carrier
plate a by a set pin i; a quadrant slot f2, and a fingered opening f³, being
provided through the side of the cam f for the purpose; the last named opening f
acting in conjunction with the divided face of the carrier plate at in the same
manner as the one described in connection with the cam c. These cams, or any one
of them, act upon a lever m, jointed at 92, in common with the arm g to the upright
bracket g³, as aforesaid, and carrying upon its end m³ a bar or connecting piece m³,
insulated from the said lever; the point of contact of the lever with the cams
being fitted with a roller m to reduce friction. A spring n pulling the said lever
onto the periphery of the cams is also provided, which gives a sudden break of the
electrical contact; the same, and also the quick making of contact, being an
important point in the success of the invention.
The cains d, e, and, are shown similar in shape, and the first mentioned one, or
that one nearest the face of the carrier plate a', has projecting from its inner side
two lugs o, o³ between which a lug s, fast upon the cam c, takes, to make connection
between the cam c and the cam d, so that the former cannot be adjusted without
carrying the latter with it; a clearance slot d¹ being formed through the side of
the cam d to allow of such a movement. This coupling together of the cams c
and d is important, as the rise of the cam c must act upon and lift the arm g
before the rise d' of .the cam d acts upon the lever m, in order to obtain a sudden
and sure making of the electrical circuit by the contacts h, h³, and the connecting

page_text: piece m³. The cam e is practically simmovable from the carrier plate a', as it has
no clearance, but only a hole for the passage of the pin i, but the cam f is adjustable
to the extent of its slot . By the employment of a number of cams such as d, e,,
and f, the length of the larger diameter of the "Off" cam can be increased, so as
to extend the period of time during which the roller ma' traverses upon its periphery
and, consequently, the time the electric circuit is completed or contact made. The-
falls of the cams de and are respectively marked d, e, and f
The construction of the mechanism set forth in Figs. 1 to 3 gives a ten hours'
range, the adjustment of the cams being such as to allow the circuit to be
completed for any period between six and sixteen hours; the same is shown set to
complete the circuit at 5 o'clock in the evening, and to break it at five in the
morning.
As previously stated the axis a, and the parts carried by it, are geared to rotate
once every 24 hours, the movement being in the direction of the arrows, Figs. 1
and 2.
Assuming the position of the contact parts of the mechanism to be as shown,
and that the cams are gradually rotating, the rise of the cam c, being in advance
of the rise a of the cam d, by virtue of their couplings o, o, and a, will act upon
and lift the arm g and it contacts away from the lever m and its connecting piece
before the said lever is in any way moved.
With the roller g now riding upon the periphery of the cam e, the rise of the
cam d lifts the lever m and, as the movement of the cams progress, the fall c³ of
the cam c comes under the roller g', and immediately frees the arm g which, acted
upon by its spring g', instantly falls onto the part and causes the contact
pieces h, k, carried thereon, to grip hold of the connecting piece m and complete"
the circuit, which will not again be broken until the fall f of the cam f comes
underneath the roller m of the lever m, but, immediately this takes place, the
spring a instantly breaks contact by pulling away the connecting piece m³ from
the contacts h, h³.
The number of dises comprising the "Off" cam may be varied so long as sufficient"
range of contact is obtained.
Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, on Sheet 2 of the drawings represent automatic time
mechanism according to this invention for breaking electrical contact only, as, for
instance, the switching off of an electric lamp in the early morning, which was
turned on in the evening by hand and has remained alight through the night. In
this arrangement of mechanism ouly a single rotating disc cam c is used, which is
adjustably connected to a carrier plate a³ made rigid with the axis a; a slot cº,
pin d', and a fingered cut-away part e, is formed within the carrier plate a which,
in conjunction with the indexed surfaces, constitute the time setting of the disc
cam c.
The carrier a and the axis a rigid with it is driven by a toothed wheel a' from'
a running down clockwork train of wheels arranged. within a frame d, shown in
Fig. 4 but only one wheel d of the said train is indicated in the drawings, and-
that would be arranged & carried in such a manner as to be thrown out of gear
with the wheel a² when necessary for the setting of the cam c, but this forms no
part of the invention.
The acting point of the cam plate e is the gap or clearance e', which, when in a.
certain position, releases a pawl arro g of a falling lever g, jointed at g² to a
projecting bracket g' fixed to a box casing b, within which latter the mechanism is
enclosed. The lever g has a screw pin projecting from its front, on which an
adjustable weight g is carried; its tendency being to cause the lever g to fall
quickly forward when the gap c2 of the cam e liberates its pawl arm 9³.
is an
Jointed also to the bracket g' upon a common centre with the lever g,
arm m, the upper end of which carries, insulated therefrom, a connecting piece m³,
adapted at certain times to bridge the break in the electrical circuit between two
fixed contact pieces A, A, carried upon an insulating block g fixed to the casing b;'

page_text: a stop pegi being also provided for the arm m to prevent the straining of the parts
of contact.
The lever g has a set back projecting part j terminating in a right angled piece j²,
which latter comes against the lever m when the lever g falls after being released
by the cam c, and knocks it, and its connecting piece m³, out of contact with the
parts h, 2, and so breaks the electric circuit; a stop to the arm m being formed
upon the frame of the mechanism at n. The pawl arm 93, as aforesaid, is jointedly
connected by a pin k to the arm g, and a spring k², and an anti-friction roller k³, is
provided; the former or spring k for righting the said arm after it has swung
aside to pass the solid part of the cam plate c in the forcing back of the lever g
when making contact by hand, and the latter or roller k³ for preventing much
friction at the point of the arm g³ contact with the face of the plate e against
which it works, owing to the weighted condition of the lever g.
The carrier a³, and also the cam c adjustably carried by it, is geared to revolve
once in twenty four hours, (the same as in the mechanism Figs. 1, 2, & 3) and so
long as the gap c² is clear of the roller k³, the lever g is, so to speak, held in
suspension, but immediately the said gap comes coincident with the roller k³ the
lever g, by its weight 9', falls, increases in momentum while doing so and carries'
with it or knocks over by means of the piece, the arm m and breaks the contact.
Contact is made at any time by hand by simply pushing back, by the lever g, the
arm m, the pawl arm gs in this movement being kicked forward clear of the cam c
by the solid part thereof, but immediately the said pawl arm has passed the cam
plate its spring rights it; any movement in the other direction being stopped by
a projection on the lever g. To set the cam plate e it is only necessary to loosen
the screw c, adjust by the pointed gap c, and retighten the said screw but, if
necessary, the carrier a³, and its driving wheel a², can be freed from the wheel d
of the clock train by suitable mechanism, (hereinbefore referred to as forming no
part of this invention) in order to better adjust the cam without interfering
with the running down train of wheels; in which case a fixed pointer u is of value
to enable the carrier as to be put into gear with the clock wheels at approximately
the point it was thrown out.
This invention is particularly adapted for electric street lamps, and in in the
lighting of towers, but its application to any other purpose where an electric
circuit is required to be made and broken automatically at set times is an easy
matter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. In time mechanism for automatically making and breaking electric circuits
or contacts, the combination of a rotating axis a driven by a clock train of wheels,
a pair of revolving cams each having a rise and a fall designated "On" and "Off,"
a jointed arm carrying electrical contacts and terminal wires, and a jointed lever
carrying a connecting piece substantially as described and set forth in Figs. 1-3.
Second. The combination with a rotating axis a driven by a clock train of
wheels and having rigid carrier plates a³, a', of coupled together cams c and d, a
jointed arm carrying contacts h h and a roller 9, a lever m provided with a
connecting piece m³ and a roller m, and springs g' and n for the purpose
substantially as described and set forth in Figs. 1-3.
Third. The combination of a rotating axis a, driven as described, supporting
brackets a, carrier plates a³ a', coupled together adjustable cams c and d e f
jointed arm g having contacts h, 2, conducting wires h³, h, and a spring g', and a
jointed lever m having a connecting piece m³ and a spring n all arranged for the
purpose and in the manner substantially as described and set forth in Figs. 1-3.
Fourth. The combination with the cams c, d e f, and parts a, a³ and a carrying
them, of cam adjustment means c, c', cs, i, d, f, and f³ as described and set forth
in Figs. 1-3.

page_text: Fifth. In time mechanism for breaking electrical circuits or contacts, the
combination of a rotating axis a, driven by a clock train of wheels, a slotted and
gapped carrier plate a³ fitted with a pin c', a cam c having a cut away part c², and
a weighted and jointed lever g having a pawl arm g³, substantially as described
and set forth in Figs. 4-8.
Sixth. The combination with the cam plate c and means for rotating it, of a
lever g, pawl arm gs having a spring k and roller ka, an arm m carrying a connecting
piece m³, and contacts h, 2, and their electrical conducting wires, all arranged for
the purpose substantially as set forth in Figs. 4-8.
Seventh. The general arrangement, construction, and combination of the parts
set forth in Figs. 4-8.
1007
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Also at Liverpool, London, and Manchester,
Agents for the Applicants.