Improvements in Clocks.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 27th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 27th Dec., 1890
PENAL DI MUITIVATION.
Improvements in Clocks.
A communication to me from abroad by JOSEF PALLWEBER, of Mannheim, in
the Empire of Germany.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its objects a novel method of constructing clocks, by
which the figures representing the hours and minutes, are shewn side by side
on the face of the clock, and are automatically altered at the end of each hour
and minute respectively.
A spring or weight actuates in the usual way, by means of a train of toothed
wheels and pinions, an axle carrying the device which shows the minutes. This
consists of two parallel discs at a suitable distance apart, between which are
suspended freely in holes near the edge of the discs, sixty plates upon one side
of which are marked the upper half of the figures from one to sixty, whilst upon
the other side are marked the lower half of the next succeeding figures, so that
the two sides of two following plates form a complete figure, when the lower
edge of the upper one is brought half way down the face of the lower one.
The axle which carries these discs and hanging plates is arranged so that the
front plates when hanging vertically are close against the inside of the right
hand of the clock face, the latter having a corresponding rectangular opening
through it, so that every time the axle moves forward one sixtieth part of a
revolution, one of the plates falls forward and round upon its pivots, its outer
face, upon which is marked the upper part of the previous figure being then
concealed, and its back which is now exposed to view being marked with the
lower part of the next succeeding figure, the upper part of which is shown upon
the front of the next succeeding plate which is now exposed. The outer edge
of each plate has preferably a point or stud which holds it back until it has
passed the upper edge of the opening in the clock face, when it allows the
plate to fall, and the next figure to be exposed as described.
In
The hours are shown in the same way, by means of hanging plates exposed
in succession through a similar opening on the left side of the clock face."
this case however, twenty-four plates are used instead of sixty, each revolution
of the axle occupying twenty-four hours.
When the axle which shows the minutes has made one revolution the hour
axle must, therefore, make one twenty-fourth of a revolution and then remain
at rest for another hour. In order to effect this, the minute axle has fixed
upon it a cam which at each revolution of the axle presses back a lever, and
then at the right moment suddenly releases it, when it is forced forward again
by a spring. The end of the lever is provided with a pawl engaging with
a ratchet wheel of twenty-four teeth upon the hour axle, which accordingly
moves forward one tooth and at the right time changes the hour indication.
The edge of the ratchet wheel protrudes through a slit in the clock face,
so that it can be turned round by the finger when desired, to set the hour to
the right time.
A knob or handle is also brought through the front of the clock face, and
carries a pinion gearing with a wheel by which the minute axle can also be
turned round to set it to the right time when necessary.
في

page_text: At the back of the clock is arranged a pendulum or escapement wheel of the
usual kind.
Dated this 27th day of February 1800
35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clocks.
A communication to me from abroad by JOSEF PALLWEBER, of Mannheim, in
the Empire of Germany.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, 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 and accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
This invention has for its object a novel method of constructing clocks, by
which the figures representing the hours and minutes are shewn side by side on
the face of the clock, and are automatically altered at the end of each hour
and minute respectively.
In the accompanying drawing which is in illustration of the invention Figure 1
is a front view of the clock, Figure 2 is a side view of the minute plates,
Figure 3 a side view of the hour plates, Figure 4 a view of the clock from
above, Figure 5 a side view of the mechanism connecting the minute axle with
the hour axle and Figure 6 a back view of the same.
A spring at A or weight, actuates in the usual way, by means of a train of
toothed wheels and pinions, an axle carrying the device which shews the minutes.
This consists of two parallel discs at a suitable distance apart, between which
are suspended freely in centres near the edge of the discs rectangular plates
upon one side of which are marked the upper half of the figures from one to
sixty, whilst upon the other side are marked the lower half of the figures next
succeeding, so that the two sides of two following plates form a complete figure
when the lower edge of the upper one is brought half way down the face of
the lower one, as shown in Figure 1 in which the upper plate C shows the upper
half of the figure 51 and is held in position by the edge of a rectangular
opening in the face D of the clock the revolution of the axle B and the plates
being so arranged that as they turn the plate C falls past the edge of the
opening or of a projection E in the latter and turns over so that its back
having upon it the lower half of the figure 52 becomes visible whilst the
following plate shows the upper half of the figure 52 and so on.
The device carrying the plates upon the axle B consists of two parallel
discs F F at a suitable distance apart between which are suspended freely in
holes near the edge of the discs the plates described. In a similar way the
device for the hour figures consists of two discs H fixed upon the axle G and
having twenty-four holes in which twenty-four plates are similarly suspended and
carry the hour figures in the same way. The axles B and G are carried by
the face D of the clock.
Every time the axle B has made one revolution the axle G must make
one twenty-fourth of a revolution and must then remain at rest for another hour.
In order to effect this the axle B has fixed upon it a disc with a cam J Figure 5
which at each revolution of the axle B presses back the arm K' of the lever K
and then suddenly releases it at the right moment so that the spring L presses
forward the lever K which turns upon the centre M and the pawl N upon the
end of the lever K operates upon a tooth of the ratchet wheel O upon the
axle G so that the following hour is brought to sight by means of the suspended
plates described.

page_text: The ratchet wheel O Figure 5 protrudes through a slit in the clock face D
Figure 1 so that it can be turned round by the finger when desired to set the
hour to the right time.
The knob or handle P is brought through the front of the clock face D and
is fixed upon the spindle Q a toothed pinion R upon which gears with a wheel
upon the minute axle Figure 3, so that this axle B can be turned round to set
it to the right time when necessary.
At the back of the clock is a pendulum and escapement wheel of the usual
kind and the spindle may be brought through the clock face to indicate the
seconds.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. For indicating the hours and minutes in clocks the arrangements of
indicating plates suspended between discs and which are brought in succession.
in front of an opening in the clock face by the upper edge of which or of a
projection E upon which they are held until released at the right time for changing
the figures indicated, the suspended plates having upon one side the upper half
of one figure or figures and upon the other side the lower half of the following
figure or figures, so that the corresponding halves of two succeeding plates shew
the complete figures required through the opening substantially as described and
shewn.
2. In combination with the arrangement described in the first claim for showing
the hours and minutes, the method of actuating the hour spindle at the end of
every hour by means of the cam J, lever K, arm K¹, pawl N, spring L and
ratchet wheel O, substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 27th day of November 1890.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.