IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC CLOCKS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELECTRIC CLOCKS a communication to me from abroad by Adam Sauer (Watch
Manufacturer) of Mülheim on the Rhine (through his Agents Wirth and Company
of Frankfort on the Main) both in the Empire of Germany, to be as follows:-
.This Invention relates to improvements in primary and secondary clocks the one
acting to open and close circuit and thereby control the other.
In place of the pressure or press. contact I employ a sliding or passing contact to
put and keep in motion a self acting pendulum or, regulator worked by electricity
This sliding or passing contact is constructed in such a manner that the passing or
sliding parts ouly work upon each other intermittently for a very short period
which results in the contact parts keeping clean and neither burning nor oxidizing
so that the pendulum is never interrupted or hindered in its beats.
The pallet escapement is also greatly simplified and is constructed without pivots
or counter weights which obviates the use of oil; thus a sticking of the escapement
through gumming on of oil is obviated.
The dial mechanism is put in motion by a pendulum anchor without reversing
the current. The expression pendulum anchor" is employed because it moves in a
similar manner to a clock pendulum with the exception that the clock pendulum
has a constant motion whereas the pendulum anchor only moves at certain periods
in consequence of the closing of the contacts by which a clock or other mechanism
can be put in motion as desired.
The pendulum anchor has a considerable stroke with a proportionately small
consumption of electric power and up to the present time has never been employed
in any clock or other mechanism; it is therefore perfectly new.

page_text: Improvements in Electric Clocks.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention (a communication to me
from abroad by Adam Sauer (Watch Manufacturer) of Mülheim on the Rhine
(through his Agents Wirth and Company of Frankfort on the Main) both in the
Empire of Germany), and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—-
All electric primary and secondary clocks heretofore known and in use are liable
to continual interruptions which are chiefly due to the following causes-1st Bad
contact arrangements;. 2nd Faulty action of the pallet escapement contact points;
3rd A too complicated arrangement of mechanism or gearing.
The contacts are divided, in general, into two systems;- The pressure or press
contact; and b The sliding or rubbing contact.
The pressure or press contact which is mostly in use in automatic electric clocks,
soon burns or becomes oxidized, owing to the continual closing of the circuit; this
results in the stoppage of the clock. On the other hand, the sliding or rubbing
contact has not yet been employed in self acting electric primary and secondary
clocks. The stoppages which occur in the employment of the pallet escapement
contact points now used, are, chiefly due to the oil becoming thick, and thus
preventing the pallet contact points moving freely in its journals. The hands are
generally operated by polarized armatures only allowing of their being moved
by changing current which necessitates complicated mechanism in the works
operating the hands.
The improvements forming the subject of the present application are calculated
to remove the disadvantages before enumerated and result in great simplification
of primary and secondary clocks operated by electricity.
1. In place of the pressure or press contact, a sliding or rubbing contact is
employed to put and keep in motion a self acting pendulum or regulator, worked
by electricity. This sliding or rubbing contact is constructed in such a manner
that the rubbing and sliding parts only work upon each other intermittently for
a very short period,, which results in the contact parts keeping clean, and neither
burning nor oxidising, so that the pendulum is never interrupted or hindered in its
beats.
2. The pallet for effecting the closing of the circuit is also greatly simplified, and
is constructed without pivots or counter-weights which obviates the use of oil;
thus sticking of the escapement through gumming etc of the oil is avoided.
3. The dial mechanism of the secondary clock is put in motion by a pendulum
armature without reversing the current. The expression "pendulum armature" is
employed because it moves in a similar manner to a clock pendulum, with the
exception that the clock. pendulum has a constant motion, whereas the pendulum
armature only moves at certain periods in consequence of the closing of the circuit
by which a secondary clock or other mechanism can be put in motion as desired.
The pendulum armature has a considerable stroke with a proportionally small
consumption of electric power, and, up to the present time, has never been
employed in any clock or other mechanism; it is, therefore, perfectly new.

page_text: In the accompanying drawing Figures 1 and 2 represent an electric pendulum
with sliding or rubbing contact, and pallet of a primary clock. Figure 3 represents
the contact arrangement in plan, and side elevation, (drawn to a larger scale).
Figure 4 represents the pallet in side and front elevation, and Figures 5 and 6
represent a secondary clock in which the hands are operated by a pendulum
armature.
Referring to Figures 1 to 4. B is the pendulum or regulator which is suspended
in the ordinary manner at C; j is the armature connected with the same; K is the
working electro-magnet; E is a cylindrical contact piece connected with the
pendulum; G is the spring for making contact therewith. This spring is firmly
attached to the frame at F and passes between the two pieces of brass e and f
g is a stop-pin on which the contact spring G and the two brass pieces e and frest;
b is a notched block which is insulated and attached to the brass piece f; H is a steel
pallet contact point which is balanced astride of and in a notch in the cross bar d
of the pendulum, and acts in connection with the notched piece b to press spring G
into contact with E as hereinafter described.
Referring to Figures 5 and 6 M is the propelment wheel, N the pendulum
armature suspended from C. O is a spring-pawl connected with the pendulum
armature N, h is a stop so situated as to limit the motion of the propelment wheel
to the extent of one tooth at a time. M is a detent. arrangement connected with
the pendulum armature by a bar n and attached at 7; its opposite and upper end
is provided with a stop k that falls between two teeth of the wheel during
the period that the pendulum armature is not in action, and is resting against the
stop i. By this means any accidental slipping or alteration of position of the
wheel is prevented. p is a stop pawl to prevent retrograde motion of the wheel M.
P is the propelling magnet or solenoid from which the armature receives its
impulse and which is in electric connection with the regulator.
The operation of the clock is as follows;-The pendulum B, having been put in
motion by hand, the pallet H strikes against the notched counter-pallet b at each
vibration of the pendulum backwards and forwards. The pallet H swings freely
in its notch in the bar d, and each time it strikes against the counter pallet b it
swings to one side and passes below b. This it continues to do until the vibration
of the pendulum becomes insufficient to carry the pallet H from under b, whereupon
the pallet will catch in the V notch of the counter pallet band, acting in the
manner of a toggle, will momentarily force spring G against the contact E. At
this moment the circuit of the impelling magnet K is closed and the armature j
receives a fresh impulse by which the stroke of the pendulum is increased and the
pallet H then passes freely below the counter pallet again. This action is repeated
as often as the vibration of the pendulum falls below a certain amplitude. The
impelling magnet K is usually situated below the pendulum-bob in the case of
pendulums beating half-seconds. In the case of pendulums beating seconds it is
usually above the pendulum bob.
Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the propelment wheel M which carries a hand on
its arbor W.is moved to the extent of one tooth when the circuit of the impelling
magnet P is closed in the ordinary manner by the regulator. The armature N is
attracted and, with its spring-pawl O pushes wheel M one tooth onwards. The
moment the current is broken, the pendulum armature will return to its original
position against the stop-pin i, this movement of the pendulum being effected
either by a counter-weight spring, the weight of the pendulum itself or by any
other suitable means.
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 ;-
1st In primary and secondary electric clocks, the use of a sliding or rubbing
contact G and E in such a manner that the contact surface is carried by the
pendulum so that it always moves therewith, thus preventing the contact surface

page_text: and the circuit closer from burning, and keeping them always clean and in good
condition.
(2nd In electric clocks, the einployment of a pallet H or contact points, which
without being oiled and without pivots rests freely upright and constructed so
that without the use of a counter weight it always readjusts itself in an upright
position.
3rd In electric primary and secondary clocks, the arrangement of the armature
(which effects the movement of the propelment wheel on the closing of the circuit
at the end of the pendulum N in such a manner that it swings freely across the
magnet each time this. latter is excited, whereby a large stroke for the spring
pawl O is obtained.
'
",
All substantially in the manner, and for the purpose, described and shown in the
drawing.
1000