Improvements in or connected with Synchronizing Clocks.
Year: 1893

page_text: The decision of the Chief Examiner, acting on behalf of the Comptroller, of the
19th day of September 1894, allowed, under Section 18 of the Patents, &c.
Act, 1883, an Amendment of this Specification.
Date of Application, 2nd. May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 8th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 24th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Synchronizing Clocks.
I, MOÏSE ALEXANDRE CAMPICHE, of No. 3 Rue Taher Cairo, Egypt, Clock
aud Watch Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or in connection with synchronizing
clocks, that are adapted to electrically synchronize all the clocks in the rooms of a
house or in towns etc.
The object of this invention is to provide and arrange mechanism, in connection
with a clock in such a manner that the vibration of the pendulum causes the
closing at the desired times of an electric circuit in which are arranged the clocks
that are to be synchronized thus permitting a current of electricity from a suitable
source to put in motion the mechanism of each clock.
In order that the nature of my invention may be understood I will proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Fig. 1 shows so much of a clock with my improvements applied thereto as is
necessary to illustrate my invention;
Fig. 2 is a corresponding view of a modification.
is a support mounted perpendicularly to the rod of the pendulum of the
clock on a slide c which may be of dove-tail section for example, so as to be
capable of adjustment upon the rod of the pendulum when it is required to
regulate it.
The support a is formed at d to receive a finger e and jointed at f and naturally
assuming a horizontal position by reason of its own weight. The point of this
finger can be raised by means of an adjusting screw 9 on which it rests.
The finger e comes in contact with a wheel having thirty teeth, as the
pendulum vibrates, for example once every second. This wheel is at other times
prevented from swinging back by a spring blade which bears against the
wheel.
On the axlej of the wheel is mounted a piece of insulating material / provided
with one or more arms k¹ according to the requirements of the clocks to be
synchronized, that is to say according to whether they are arranged so that the
fingers advance every minute, half-minute, or quarter of a minute. Through the
insulating piece k near its outer end passes a projecting pin 1 of conducting
material so as to form a contact maker which comes, in consequence of the
rotation of the wheel to the axle of which it is attached between two buttons m, m,
which terminate the line wires n, n, thus closing the circuit momentarily and
permitting a current to pass which actuates the mechanism of the clocks to be
synchronized which may be of any suitable description.

page_text: The wheel is moved one tooth at each vibration of the pendulum by means of
the finger e and it is only when the wheel completes a revolution that the contact
maker closes the circuit.
In the modification represented in Fig. 2 the steel spring blade i bearing on the
wheel h is replaced by a fixed ratchet wheel o arranged behind the toothed wheel h,
a ratchet p on which presses a spring h' being mounted on the wheel /, so that the
wheel is prevented from moving after each vibration of the pendulum.
The conducting pin 7 passing through the insulating piece k is fixed to the
wheel h, so that at each revolution of this wheel, the pin is interposed between the
buttons m, m, and momentarily closes the circuit.
In these examples, it has been assumed that the fingers of the clocks to be
synchronized are arranged to be moved once every minute, but if it be desired to
make them move every half minute, for example, it is evident that the circuit
should be closed at each half revolution of the wheel e, in which case two arms k¹
or two pins diametrically opposite would be provided or if it be desired to actuate
the clocks every quarter of a minute contact should be made once during each
quarter of a revolution of the wheel in which case four pins would be provided.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1893.
M. A. CAMPICHE,
By L. W., per F. B.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in or connected with Synchronizing Clocks.
I, Moïse ALEXANDRE CAMPICHE, of No. 3 Rue Taher, Cairo, Egypt, Clock
and Watch Maker, 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 improvements in or in connection with synchronizing
clocks that are adapted to electrically synchronize a number of other clocks.
The object of this invention is to provide and arrange mechanism in connection
with a clock in such a manner that the vibration of the pendulum causes the
closing at the desired times of an. electric circuit in which are arranged the clocks
that are to be synchronized thus permitting a current of electricity from a suitable
source to operate each clock.
In order that the nature of my invention may be understood I will proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 shows so much of a clock with my improvements applied thereto as is
necessary to illustrate my invention.
Fig. 2 shows on an enlarged scale an impelling device which I may use in
combination with the synchronizing apparatus.
Fig. 3 shows on a still larger scale and partly in section a modification of the
contact device of Fig. 1.
:
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the said modification.
H is a support mounted perpendicularly to the pendulum rod B of the clock on
a slide h which may be of dove tail section for example, so as to be capable of
adjustment upon the pendulum rod when it is required to regulate it.
The support H is formed to receive a finger H¹ and jointed at ' and naturally
assuming a horizontal or approximately horizontal position by reason of its own
weight. The point of this finger can be raised by means of an adjusting screw g
on which its rests.
The finger H¹ comes in contact with a wheel C having say thirty teeth, as the
pendulum vibrates for example once every second. This wheel is at other times
prevented from rotating by a spring blade I which bears against it.

page_text: On the axle c of the wheel is mounted a bar of insulating material K provided
with one or more pins or studs k according to the requirements of the clocks to
be synchronized, that is to say according to whether they are arranged so that the
hands advance every minute, half-minute, or quarter of a minute. Through the
insulating piece K near each end passes one of the pins k of conducting material
so as to form a contact maker which in consequence of the rotation of the wheel C
passes between and makes contact with the downward projecting ends of two
springs D1 and D2 which terminate the line wires 2 and 3 (the wire-1-constituting
virtually a portion of 2) thus closing the circuit momentarily and permitting a
current to pass which actuates the mechanism of the clocks F to be synchronized
which may be of any suitable description.
The wheel C is moved one tooth at each complete vibration of the pendulum
by means of the finger H and it is only when the wheel completes a revolution
or half or other pre-determined definite part of a revolution that the contact
maker k closes the circuit.
In the modification represented in the Figs. 3 and the springs D¹ and D' of
Fig. 1 are replaced by suitable contact pieces D' D' hinged to two bearings d*
fixed to but insulated from a fixed bracket arm d. The contact pieces D' and D'
are connected to the ends of wires, 1 and 3 and provided with suitable counter-
weights adjustably fixed thereon by means of nuts d³ d'. The said contact-
pieces D¹ D are depressed by the contact maker k into the position shown in
dotted lines and brought back to their normal position by the counter-
weights d' ď.
Each conducting pink passing through the insulating piece or bar K is fixed to
the wheel C by said bar so that at each revolution of this wheel the pin k is
interposed between the contact pieces D' D³ and momentarily closes the circuit.
In these examples, it has been assumed that the hands of the clocks to be
synchronized are arranged to be moved once every minute, but if it be desired to
make them move every half minute for example, it is evident that the circuit
should be closed at each half revolution of the wheel e in which case two arms K
or two pins diametrically opposite would be provided as shown in the drawing
or if it be desired to actuate the clocks every quarter of a minute contact should
be made once during every quarter of a revolution of the wheel, in which case
four pins would be provided.
The above described device for synchronizing the clocks F may be employed
in combination with means of an impelling device acting automatically upon the
pendulum Beach time the synchronizing device is put into action.
This device may be constructed as follows;--
Upon conveniently the same board or other support A as that upon which are
mounted the bearing of the pendulum B the arbour or shaft c of the wheel C
and the bearing or bracket d of the contact-device D' D', I also mount an electro-
magnet E. The ends of the coils of the latter are connected by means of suitable
wires to the binding-screws e¹ and e³.
The binding-screw s¹ is connected by means of a wire 1 to the contact piece D¹
of the contact-device. From the binding screw e leads a wire 2 which connects
all the clocks F which are to be acted upon by the regulating pendulum, with one
another and which ends at one of the pcles of the battery G (in the drawing only
one clock F is shown). The other pole of the battery is connected by means of a
wire 3 to the second contact-piece D* of the contact-device. The latter is then
used as above described as an interrupter of the circuit which when closed
connects the battery G both with the electro-magnets of all the clocks F, and
with the electro-magnet E. The pendulum B will preferably be of a relatively
great weight.
Now it will be seen that each closing of the circuit caused as above described
by the contact-piece k passing between the contact-pieces D1 and D' will cause
at same time the excitation of the electro-magnet E and consequently the
attraction of its armature M hinged to the bearing of the electro-magnet E at m.
ง

page_text: The pendulum bears a lateral arm or rod J arranged so as to slide in a
bracket N fixed to the pendulum. One of the ends of the rod J bears against a
spring which in turn bears against the pendulum and the other end of said rod
intended to meet at the end of each oscillation of the pendulum the armature M
of the electro-magnet E. The said armature M hinged at m as above specified
is usually pressed against a spring catch m¹ fixed conveniently to the board A,
by the action of a counter-weight m³ mounted on a suitable arm M' secured to
or formed in part with the armature M. When the rod J meets the latter at or
somewhat before the end of the oscillation of the pendulum, the armature is moved
into the position shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 2 from that shown in dotted
lines in Fig. 2 until the pendulum oscillates in the opposite direction. In doing
The pendulum periodically causes the contact-pieces D₁ D³ to be electrically
connected with one another by the contact piece k so that the electro-magnet É
will at the same time be excited and the armature M attracted. This causes an
impulse to be given to the pendulum B by the action of said armature M upon
the rod J.
60
a
As the armature M when making contact with the pole-pieces of the electro-
magnet E might become magnetized and remain in contact with them I provide
the spring catch m¹ which returns the armature M towards the position shown in
full lines in Figures 1 and 2 as soon as the electric current exciting the electro-
magnet E is cut off.
Each time the pendulum temporarily closes the circuit it produces the jump of
the hands of the clocks with which it is connected and at the same time when the
impelling device is provided it gives to itself receires through the electro-magnet E
a mechanical impulse similar to that which is usually given by hand to any pendulum
for putting it into action.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I wish it to be
understood that I make no claim for any means of giving impulse to a pendulum, but
what I claim is ;-
In apparatus for synchronizing clocks the combination with a pendulum B and
an electric circuit connecting an electric source G with a number of clocks F of a
well known system, of a device for interrupting the circuit as for instance by
means of contact-pieces such as D1 D2 with a device which acts upon the said
circuit interrupter so as to close the same after a certain number of vibrations of
the pendulum substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of November 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.