Improvements in Means or Apparatus Employed in Regulating,
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in Means or Apparatus Employed in Regulating,
.
"
:
Governing, or Maintaining in Unison the Movements of
Clocks or Timekeepers.
We GEORGE WILSON MILLARD of Providence, in the County of Providence
and the State of Rhode Island and JOSEPH HENRY CLARKE of Somerville, in
the County of Middlesex and the State of Massachusetts both in the United
States of America do hereby declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN REGULATING, GOVERNING OR MAINTAINING
IN UNISON THE MOVEMENTS OF CLOCKS OR TIMEKEEPERS and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention has for its object to provide a secondary clock or a series of
secondary clocks with suitable mechanism actuated by a master clock, whereby the
said secondary clock or clocks may be regulated to keep accurate time in connection
with the master clock.
In governing or effecting the regulation of the secondary clocks in accordance
with this invention a master clock is employed, connected with the secondary clocks
by an electric circuit, the condition of the said circuit being changed automatically
at predetermined intervals by the master clock, and a suitable governor is employed
in connection with the secondary clocks for governing the transmission of the
changes in the circuit caused by the master clock, to actuate suitable mechanism
controlling the regulating member of the said secondary clock, and also if desired
to actuate suitable mechanism for controlling hand setting devices to position the
hands of the secondary clock in unison with the master clock.
The invention consists, first of an electric circuit, a master clock in said circuit
mechanism operated by the master clock to close said circuit at predetermined
intervals, one or more secondary clocks also in said circuit provided with mechanism
actuated by changes in said circuit, whereby the regulating member of the said
secondary clocks may be made to take a gaining or losing rate relatively to its
prior performance, as will be described.
Second, of an electric circuit, a master clock in said circuit, mechanism operated
by the master clock to close said circuit at predetermined intervals, one or more

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secondary clocks also in said circuit, provided with mechanism actuated by changes
in said circuit whereby the centre of oscillation of the pendulum of the said
secondary clock or clocks is raised or lowered, as will be described.
Third, in the combination with an electric circuit, a master clock, and means
controlled by the master clock for closing said circuit at predetermined intervals,
of a segmental contact piece located in said circuit, a contact pointer cooperating
with the segmental contact piece and determining the transmission of the changes
in the said circuit caused by the master clock to actuate mechanism controlling the
regulating member of a secondary clock, and to actuate hand setting mechanisin in
said secondary clock independently, as will be described.
Fourth, in an electric circuit, circuit changing devices in said circuit, a contact
piece or pointer connected with one terminal of the said circuit, and a segmental
contact piece over which the contact pointer contiguously travels, said segmental
contact piece determining the transmission of the current back to the main line, or
to such various branch circuits connected with the members of the segmental
contact piece as the contact pointer may be in contact at the time the circuit
changing device is operated, as will be described.
Fifth, in the combination with the pendulum of a clock of a block or weight
adapted to be raised and lowered thereon to thereby change the centre of oscillation
of the pendulum by increasing or diminishing its vibrating length, suitable means
for raising and lowering said block or weight, suitable means for operating from
a' distance the said means employed for raising and lowering the said block, whereby
the vibrating rate of the pendulum relatively to its prior performance may be
changed as will be described.
Figure 1. shows a circuit containing a master, clock and three secondary clocks,
the regulating members of which are provided with regulating mechanism of
different construction.
IG
Figures 2 and 3 side and front' views' respectively of the mechanism shown for
regulating clock No 1 of Figure 1.
Figures 4 and 5'enlarged details of the regulating mechanism shown 'in' clock
"No 2 of Figure 1.
1
Figure 6 a plan view.
Figure 7 a vertical section of a pendulum having a moving weight for changing
Vits vibrating length by raising and lowering its centre of oscillation, and
Figure 8 a detail of the governor or segmental contact piece so constructed as to
govern the transmission' of currents over several different branch circuits.
+
The master clock by means of which one or more secondary clocks in circuit
therewith are regulated may be of any desired construction, the only elements
necessary to carry out this invention being some mechanism whereby the circuit is
closed at predetermined 'intervals.
The mechanism herein shown for thus closing the circuit consists of a disc a
-mounted upon an arbor a¹, a toothed gear a being also mounted upon the said
arbor a', which meshes with a pinion a³ mounted upon an arbor a*, carrying a
disc a³, the arbor a¹ being rotated by any desired, wheel of the clock, and for
• example, the said arbor a² may be connected to rotate once an hour, and the
"arbor at once a minute.
-- The two discs aa are each provided with spurs asa", which come in contact
with the contact springs a³-a once during each revolution of the respective discs,
Jiand for example these contact springs may be arranged so that the spur a may
remain in contact five seconds, and the spur a' in contact one second.
The main circuit leading from the battery B is connected with the contact
springs a-a
These clocks of different construction are berein shown in the circuit numbered 1,
2 and 3, yet it is obvious that any number may be located in the circuit, and all of
-like or different construction as deemed best.
The different constructions of the clocks will now be described and their
onexation

page_text: Clock No 1 is of the typo employing a pendulum as a regulating member, and
reference is made to N° 1 of Figure 1 and also Figures 2 and 3.
bis the pendulum of the secondary clock No 1 suspended by one or more springs b¹
from a block b³ ³ is a block which forks the springs 61, and by moving up and
down thereby governs the vibrating length of the pendulum b.
A screw 6 attached to a spur wheel b passes down through the block b³, so that
as the said spur wheel 6 is rotated, the screw. b turns within the said block b³, and
the latter being prevented from (rotation by the cheek pieces 66, the block b³ is
thereby caused to travel up and down on the screw 6*.'
Two electric magnets 67 68 are secured to the clock case or other convenient
support, the armatures of which are connected by a bar 6 mounted to rock upon a
shaft 610, and normally beld disengaged from the inagnets by springs bu
The bar carries at opposite ends a spring controlled pivotted pawl 612-613
normally bearing against stops 2, and provided with inclined projection 3, so that
as the armature approaches the magnet be, for instance, the inclined projection 3
passing over the stop 2.causes the pawl.613 to engage and move the spur wheel 65.
one tooth, the latter in turn moving the block b³, and when the magnet is energized
the spur wheel 6 is moved in the opposite direction.
A segmental contact piece or governor is.also located in clock No 1 and connected
in circuit with the battery B, said segmental contact piece consisting of several
curved segments so placed with relation to each other that as a contact pointer
wipes over them a continuous contact is. ensured.
'
The contact pointer d rotated preferably by the scape wheel arbor of the
secondary. clock is connected in. the main line circuit with the battery B, and is
designed in its cooperation with the segmental contact pieces to govern the
transmission of the current controlled by the master clock.
The segmental contact piece is divided as follows-two small curved
segments d-d placed opposite to each other are connected to the main line
circuit by wires 20, 21, and two segments d³-d interposed between the
segments d are connected by wires. 22, 23 with the magnets 67-s.
The pointer d rotated by any moving part of the clock work is supposed, for
example, to remain in contact with the segments d¹-d' for two seconds each, and
to rotate once a minute.
It will be seen that as the'master clock closes the main line once each hour for
an interval of one second, should the pointer d be rotating 'synchronously with the
disc a³ of the master clock, the pointer would be in contact with the segment d
at the time the circuit is closed, consequently the current passes over the wire 20
to the main line.
Should the pointer d be slow with relation to the disc.a at the time the circuit
is closed by the master clock, the said pointer will be in contact with the segment d³,
at such time, and the current passes over wire 22 to the magnet b', which latter
being energized attracts its armature, and as previously described rotates the spur
wheel 65 lowering the block b³ to diminish the vibrating length of the pendulum.
Should the pointer d be fast instead of slow as just described it will be in
contact with the segment d' and'thereby the magnet 68 will be energized.
Referring to clock No 2, see Figure 1 and also details Figures 4 and 5. wherein
a pendulum serves as the regulating member a supplemental weight is moved upon
the pendulum rod between its point of suspension and the bob.
The weight c turns on a screw threaded portion cl of the pendulum rod c³, and.
the weight c carries a spur wheel or toothed wheel c³.
An electro magnet c is suitably fixed in a frame-work to the case of clock
and its armature c is pivotted to an upright c of the said frame-work c³, the
opposite end of the armature lever c carrying a detent' c'.
The armature lever c is normally disengaged from the magnet c' by a spring co...
When the armature c approaches the magnet cits detent is brought into the
path of the toothed wheel'e swinging with the pendulum; so that as the pendulum
swings by the détent; the latter engaging the toothed wheel c³, moving it one tooth,

page_text: thereby raising or lowering the weight c according to whether the detent engages
the wheel in one or the opposite vibration of the pendulum.
The magnet is connected with the main line by branch wires 25, 26, but a
segmental contact piece similar to the one just described is shown on the drawing,
the branch 25 being connected with the segments ff¹, but this device may or may
not be used as only one magnet is operated and consequently the branch might be
connected directly with the main line.
The regulating member of the time piece which is in this instance the
pendulum is made to take a gaining or losing rate when the magnet c¹ is
energized, and this is controlled by the master clock as previously described.
Clock No 3 of that type commonly termed marine clocks is constructed and
operated as will now be described.
5
The frame e is of suitable shape to support the movement, e¹ is the balance
wheel thereof, and e² the balance or hair spring, e³ is the regulator provided with
the usual pins et which fork the spring e* and determine its vibrating length.
The regulator e³ is provided with a segmental gear e", which meshes with a
pinion e upon the shaft e' carrying a toothed wheel e³.
i for
Outlying the toothed wheel are two pawls i, ¹ respectively attached to
uprights, attached to the armature bars ii of two electro-magnets
operating the wheel e8, when the said armature bars are moved toward their.
magnets.
•
These uprights are pivotted to the armature bars 7 of the two electro
magnets it, and the pawls i-i are arranged in any well. known manner to trip
when the uprights rise so as not to operate the wheel e8 during such movement.
The pivotted uprights 2, are respectively provided with projecting pins 28, 29,
which follow in inclined slots in the faces of the arms 210, 21 attached to any
stationary part, so that as the uprights move downwardly the pawls will be moved
inwardly into engagement with the teeth of the wheel e and thereby turn it.
The electro-magnets, are connected by branch wires 30, 31, with the
segments 35, 36, of the segmental contact piece, and also with the main line.
The operation of the segmental contact piece and the two magnets i*, is the.
same as described in connection with clock No 1, and as one or the other magnet is
energized, its corresponding armature is attracted to thereby rotate the toothed
wheel e in one or the other direction, it in turn turning the regulator e in one
or the other direction, and thereby changing the vibrating length of the regulating
member e² of the time piece.
Another manner by which this invention may be carried out is shown in
Figures 6 and 7, when the pendulum rod of the clock to be regulated is supplied
with a supplemental weight comprising a frame, composed of the bars o, o¹ fitted to
slide in guide-ways or slots of cut in opposite sides of the screw-threaded sleeve os
secured to the pendulum rod o
->
The bars o, o are turned outward at their lower end, and support cross pieces oº, 00
connected with the ends of cross pieces o".
The cross-pieces support two electro-magnets 08, 09.
A compound armature 10 for the magnets 08, 09 is pivotted to the bars o, o¹, pro-
jections o integral with the armature and extending from the interior thereof
entering holes in the said bars-o, o¹ serving as pivots.
T
An upright n extends upwardly from one side of the compound armature
between the magnets 06, 0%, and carries at its upper end two pawls n', n' extending
in opposite directions..
These pawls n¹, n² are pressed; forward by a weak spring n* mounted upon the
upright n to engage with a gear wheel n³, having a screw-threaded hub and
turning upon the screw-threaded sleeve o³, and the said pawls are normally held
disengaged from the gear wheel, and against the pressure of the spring n' by pins n
rigidly secured to the magnet o8, the inner curved surfaces of the pawls n' n².
bearing against the said pins no, so that as the upright n is rocked by the compound

page_text: armature one of the pawls pressed forward by the weak spring n' is moved around
its pin against which it bears and engages the toothed wheel.
The bars o, o pass upward in the guide-ways o' through the gear wheel n³, and
each of said bars are provided with projections ns, which bear against the
opposite faces of the said gear wheel n, so that as the gear' wheel is rotated upon
the screw-threaded sleeve o³ the said bars are raised and lowered carrying the
magnets etc. which they support.
The compound armature is normally disengaged from the magnets by a spring,
not shown, and is turned on its pivot as one or the other magnet is charged.
The spring controlling the compound armatüre is sufficiently strong to overcome
the action of the weak spring n', so that as it returns the armature to its normal
position its connected parts, viz -the upright n and attached pawls n³, n³ are
also restored to their normal position,-the pawls moving backward around the
pins no and compressing the weak spring.
The magnets os, o will be connected in circuit in any usual manner with the
master clock, and a segmental contact piece, 'as previously described, may be
employed to control the charging of one or the other magnet os, o³
It will be seen that when one of the magnets is charged, the gear wheel will be
turned in one direction, and vice versa, to thereby move the entire frame and
connected parts up or down.
A spiral spring 60 is-interposed between the cross-piece 61 and the bearing 62, to
partially support the weight that the latter may be easily raised.
It is obvious that the magnets and supporting frame just described may be
employed as the bob of the pendulum, instead of as a supplemental weight, also
that the construction of the said weight may be variously modified without
departing from this invention, it only being preferable to employ a spring supported
weight.
'
If desired in the system herein described a segmental contact piece such as shown
in Figure 8 may be employed, the segments 50, 51, permitting the current to return
to the main line; segments 52, 53, controlling the magnets which control the
regulating member of the time piece, and the segments 54: 55 controlling any
suitable hand setting mechanism to position the hands in unison with the master
clock.
From the foregoing it will be seen that many modified devices may be con-
structed to control the regulation of the regulating member of a time piece said
devices being controlled by a master clock, and therefor the invention is not limited
to any definite construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In a system for regulating clocks from a distance, an electric circuit, a master
clock in said circuit, mechanism operated by the master clock to change the con-
dition of the said circuit at predetermined intervals, one or more secondary clocks
also in said circuit, provided with mechanism actuated by changes in said circuit
whereby the regulating member of the said secondary clock or clocks may be
made to take a gaining or losing rate relatively to its prior performance, as
described.
2. In a system for regulating clocks from a distance, an electric circuit, a
master clock in said circuit, mechanism operated by the master clock to close said
circuit at predetermined intervals, one or more secondary clocks also in said circuit,
provided with mechanism actuated by changes in said circuit whereby the centre
of oscillation of the pendulum of the said secondary clock or clocks is raised or
lowered, as described.'
3. The combination with an electric clock, a master clock, and means controlled
by the master clock for closing said circuit at predetermined intervals, of a
segmental contact piece located in said circuit, a contact pointer cooperating with

page_text: the segmental contact piece and determining the transmission of the changes in the
condition of the circuit caused by the master clock to actuate mechanism con-
trolling the regulating member of a secondary clock and to actuate hand setting
mechanism in said secondary clock independently, as described.
4. In an electric circuit, circuit changing devices in said circuit, a contact piece
or pointer connected with one terminal of the said circuit, and a segmental contact
piece over which the contact pointer contiguously travels, said segmental contact
piece determining the transmission of the current back to the main line or to such
various branch circuits connected with the members of the secondary contact piece
as the contact pointer may be in contact at the time the circuit changing device is
operated, as described.
5. The combination with the pendulum of a clock, of a block or weight adapted
to be raised and lowered thereon suitable means for raising and lowering the said
block or weight, suitable means for operating from a distance the said means
employed for raising and lowering the said block or weight, whereby the vibrating
length of the pendulumn is increased or diminished, as described.
Dated this 9th day of March 1886.
W BROOKES & SON,
Agents for the said George Wilson Millard and
Joseph Henry Clarke.