IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTROLLING TIMEKEEPERS BY ELECTRICITY, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick James Ritchie, of Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Watch and Clock Maker, for the Invention of
"F
IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTROLLING TIMEKEEPERS BY ELECTRICITY, AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Sealed the 12th July 1878, and dated the 25th January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. left by the said Frederick James Ritchie at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th January 1878.
FREDERICK JAMES RITCHIE, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North
Britain, Watch and Clock Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTROLLING TIMEKEEPERS
BY ELECTRICITY, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
This Invention has for its object the controlling of one or more timekeepers by
electricity in a more economical, convenient, and reliable manner than heretofore;
and it is applicable to turret clocks or large timekeepers as well as to smaller
timekeepers.
The Invention consists in regulating the timekeeper or timekeepers to be
controlled so as to have a slightly gaining rate, and in applying the electric current
so as to cause a stoppage at regular intervals, say at each hour, and then a correct
restarting, without interfering with the motion of the pendulum or equivalent part.
In carrying out the Invention according to a simple modification, the electric
circuit wire from the controlling timekeeper is arranged to act on an electro-magnet
at each timekeeper that is to be controlled, the armature of such electro-magnet
being attached to a light and nearly balanced lever stop, which stop, on the armature
being drawn to the electro-magnet, engages with a tooth of the escapement wheel,
or with a tooth of a wheel on the same arbor or spindle as the escapement wheel or
geared to that arbor. The stoppage of the escapenient wheel does not prevent the
vibration of the pendulum or its equivalent, which vibration will continue inde-
pendently of the escapement wheel quite long enough for the purpose in view.
A current is transmitted from the controlling timekeeper so as to act on the
electro-magnet of each controlled timekeeper during fifteen seconds (or other
Price 6d1

page_text: On
suitable period) immediately before the commencement of each hour (for example);
but the stop lever is prevented from acting until the minute hand is at the hour
point, or almost so, by a notched disc carried by the arbor of the minute hand.
the notch coming round it allows a pin on a lever fixed on the arbor of the stop
lever to fall in, whereupon the electro-magnet moves the stop lever so as to stop the
escapement wheel. Then on the electric current ceasing exactly at the last second
of the hour the stop lever leaves the escapement wheel, and the movement of the
controlled timekeeper restarts.
In another modification the stop lever is arranged to engage with the escapement
wheel whenever the notch of the disc comes round, and the electric current is
transmitted exactly at the hour, and causes the electro-magnet to move the stop
lever from the escapement wheel and hold it until the notch gets quite past the pin
it acts on.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick James Ritchie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th July 1878.
FREDERICK JAMES RITCHIE, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North
Britain, Watch and Clock Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTROLLING TIMEKEEPERS
BY ELECTRICITY, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR.'
دو
My said Invention has for its object the controlling of one or more timekeepers
by electricity in a more economical, convenient, and reliable manner than heretofore;
and it is applicable to turret clocks or large timekeepers as well as to smaller
timekeepers.
My Invention consists in regulating the timekeeper or timekeepers to be
controlled so as to have a slightly gaining rate, and in applying the electric current
so that a stoppage takes place at regular intervals, say at each hour, and is followed
by a correct restarting, without interfering with the motion of the pendulum or
equivalent part.
The stoppage is effected by means of a pin or catch, which is at the proper times
made to engage with the escapement wheel of the timekeeper, or with a wheel on
the same arbor or spindle as the escapement wheel or on an arbor geared directly
or indirectly to that arbor. The stoppage of the escapement wheel in this way
does not arrest the vibration of the pendulum or its equivalent, which vibration
will continue independently of the escapement wheel quite long enough for the
purpose in view.
In carrying out my Invention in practice I generally arrange the parts so that
the maximum duration of stoppage possible at each hour is fifteen seconds, for
which length of time the pendulum may be safely relied on to continue its vibration
sufficiently for restarting the clock; whilst the clock would require to go fast to the

page_text: very unlikely extent of 42 minutes in the week in order that a stoppage of fifteen
seconds each hour should be required.
The restarting of the timekeeper precisely at each hour (or other predetermined
period) is brought about by the withdrawal of the pin or catch so as to release the
escapement wheel.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of. performing the same
may be properly understood, I hereunto append a sheet having on it an explanatory
diagram, to be herein-after referred to in particularly describing the practical
application of my improvements.
The diagram on the accompanying Sheet represents a part of a clock face, also
the minute hand H, the escapement wheel S, and the parts which are applied for
carrying out my Invention. The electric circuit wire from the controlling time-
keeper is connected to an electro-magnet A which is fixed to the framing of the
clock. An armature B, to be acted on by the electro-magnet A, is attached to a
short lever mounted on a centre C, and this lever has in the same piece with it two
longer levers D, E.
The lever D is at its point made with a catch or hook, or it is fitted with a pin,
which catch or pin rises up between two of the teeth or pallets of the escapement
wheel S whenever the armature B is drawn down, and thereby arrests the rotation
of the escapement wheel, without, however, stopping the vibration of the pendulum
or its equivalent.
When the armature B is in the position in which it is shown in the diagram,
that is, not drawn down to the electro-magnet, then the catch or pin at the end of
the lever D is quite clear of the escapement wheel S.
On the arbor of the minute hand H there is a disk M, which has a notch cut in
its periphery, and the lever E bears against the edge of this disk when the
armature B is attracted by the electro-magnet.
The notch in the disk M is so
placed relatively to the minute hand H and lever E as to allow the point of the
lever to enter it just as the minute hand H reaches the 60th minute division of
the dial.
The controlling timekeeper is (by well-known arrangements) made to cause the
transmission of the electric current, so as to excite the electro-magnet A. during the
fifteen seconds immediately preceding the commencement of each hour. If the
clock is fifteen seconds fast the armature B is at once drawn down and the lever D
made to stop the escapement wheel S, because the minute hand H will then be just
reaching the Goth division, and the notch on the disk M will be in a position to
allow the lever E to enter it; but if the clock is not so much fast the disk M will
prevent the movement of the lever E, and through it that of the detent lever D,
until the minute hand H reaches the 60th division. Then as the transmission of
the electric current ceases at the true commencement of the hour, as determined by
the controlling timekeeper, the armature B will then be released; and as the
levers D and E slightly overbalance the armature they will descend sufficiently to
withdraw the catch or pin from the escapement wheel S, and this wheel will resume
its motion and the clock be thereby restarted.
In another modification the stop or detent lever D is arranged by suitably
weighting the parts or otherwise, to engage with the escapement wheel S whenever
the notch in the disk M comes round, and the electric current is transmitted exactly
at the hour and causes the electro-magnet to move the stop lever D from the
escapement wheel S, and hold it until the notch in the disk M gets quite past the
pin or point of the lever E on which it acts.
With the parts otherwise as they are in the diagram the armature B would, for
this modification, require to be fixed to the upper side of its arm, and the electro-
maguet would have to be inverted over it, whilst the armature B and its arm would
require to preponderate over the arms D and E.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but that what. I believe to be novel and

page_text: original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The improved system of controlling timekeepers by electricity, wherein each
timekeeper to be controlled is regulated so as to have a slightly gaining rate, and is
stopped, excepting as regards the pendulum or its equivalent, at about the end of
each hour or other predetermined period, and is restarted accurately by means of
an electric current from the controlling timekeeper, substantially as herein-before
described.
2. The combination of the detent or stop lever for engaging with the escapement
wheel with the lever acting in connection with the notched disk on the minute
arbor, and with the armature and electro-magnet, substantially in the manner and
for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick James Ritchie, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.'
FRED. J. RITCHIE. (L.S.)