An Improved Apparatus for Preventing the Falling of Clock Weights.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1896-Accepted, 11th July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Preventing the Falling of Clock
Weights.
We, FRANK SIMON SMITH and JOHN HENRY SMITH, of 27 Queen Street,
Derby in the County of Derby, Clockmakers, 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 :-
The object of our invention is to provide an apparatus of simple construction for
preventing the falling of clock weights in case of breakage of the cords, ropes or
the like by means of which the said weights are suspended, great damage often
being done to floors and the like when the weights of a large clock fall.
In describing our said invention reference will be had to the sheet of drawings
forming a part of this specification and upon which :-
Figure 1 is an elevation shewing our improved apparatus at rest, that is to say,
as it would appear when the weight is free to travel up and down in the
ordinary way.
Figure 2 is a view shewing our improved apparatus in active operation with the
suspending cord, wire or the like broken.
A indicates the weight which in the ordinary way would be slung direct from the
sling or link B which is pivotted at C to the depending arms D of a cross head D'
adapted to move freely up and down the guide chains E, which are preferably left
to simply hang from the top of the framing or other support, the spindle F carries
a pulley G round which the cord, wire or the like H passes which suspends the
weight from the clock above, the latter not being shewn upon the drawings. The
foregoing describes the arrangement now in general use for large clocks.
In carrying out our invention we provide two bell crank levers J, M, J', M',
suspended from the sling B by links K, K', both these levers are pivotted at L to
a cross framing Q of suitable construction from which is also hung the weight A
the outer arms M, M', of the bell crank levers terminate in toothed, serrated or
roughened pieces N, N', and upon each of the said arms M, M', is fixed a short
pin O projecting through a slot P in each side of the cross framing Q, respectively,
and upon each of the said sides Q is fixed springs R tending normally to press the
said pius O and arms M, M, upwards as shewn in Figure 2, the weight A however
being hung from the cross framing Q keeps the whole apparatus taught and more
than counter-balances the springs R; directly however that the rope, cord or the
like H or any part of the apparatus above the bell crank levers, breaks, the
springs R are released and press the lower arms M, M', of the levers upwards and
BO wedge the chains or the like E, E, firmly between the pieces N, N', and
corresponding pieces S, S, fixed for the purpose at each end of the cross framing Q
as shewn in Figure 2.
The chains may be hung from any suitable support such as T, springs U being
provided to take the sudden strain off them when the apparatus is in active operation
as shewn in Figure 2.
It is evident that without departing from the spirit of our invention we may
substitute spiral springs for those (R) shewn on Figure 1, and that the said spiral
springs may be connected to the arms of the bell crank levers and the cross
framing in any suitable manner, also that instead of the above a single spiral
spring between the upper arms of the levers might be employed.

page_text: 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 :-
The improved apparatus for preventing the falling of clock weights consisting of
the cranked levers J, M, J', M', said levers being pivotted to a cross framing Q
and carrying roughened or gripping extremities N, N, the latter being adapted to
grip chains or other conductors or guides E in conjunction with the pieces S carried
by the cross framing Q, and, springs R and U substantially as and for the purposes
described and illustrated.
Dated this 9th day of June 1896.
W. SWINDELL,
Imperial Chambers, Albert Street, Derby, Agent for the Applicants.