A SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC CLOCK WITH AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC WINDING APPARATUS
Year: 1885

page_text: I DESIRE VAN DE PLANCKE, Manufacturer, in care of Messrs. E. Bede & Co
41 rue du Marteau Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium, do hereby declare the
nature of said invention for A SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC CLOCK WITH AUTOMATIC
ELECTRIC WINDING APPARATUS, to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new system of electric regulator clocks, in which is
produced an instantaneous closing and interruption of electric currents for the
purpose of causing intermittent currents to pass over to different receiving dials
and at the same time to wind up the clock automatically.
The latter result may be obtained with all clocks, so that the invention may
serve for obtaining a continuous going of all clocks as well, as for communicating
the time to long distances.
ر
The improved regulator consists of an ordinary clock mechanism, to which are
added the following pieces.
A cylinder of ivory or other insulating material is fixed on the axle of a pinion,
moved by a tooth wheel, which is keyed upon the axle of a spring-box. This
cylinder is provided with steel pins, the number of which depends upon the division
of the wheels.
During their regular rotary motion these pins abut alternately against a pair of
springs placed above and below the cylinder. These springs, fixed at one end to an
insulated block, project beyond the cylinder with the other ends. These free ends
carry at their inner surfaces platinum contacts, which, when in consequence of the
peculiar form of a pair of arms projecting perpendicularly from the said springs,
one of the springs falls down, abut alternately against platinum wires, fixed in two
grooves of a terminal or binding post, which is in direct connection with one of
the poles of a battery.
To the insulated block are secured two other springs, in communication with the
two first springs, so that each spring of one pair is connected with the corresponding.
spring of the other pair. These two springs, not furnished with projecting arms
like the first springs, are likewise, supported by pins of a second cylinder of

page_text: insulating material and, according to the position of these pins, are supported alter-
nately by a second terminal or binding post, the joints coming in contact being also
provided with platinum.
To this second post is attached one end of a wire of an electro-magnet, the other
end of the wire being in connection with the second pole of the said battery.
The two binding posts are insulated from the metallic material of the apparatus.
The necessary condition, sufficient for allowing the battery to be closed and
consequently the electro-magnet to come in action, is, that a spring of the first pair
be in contact with the first binding post and that at the same time the corre-
sponding spring of the second pair is supported by the second binding post. This
coincidence depends upon the division of the wheels of the clock. It is produced,
for instance, at the beginning of every minute.
The armature of the electro-magnet carries a lever, terminating in a fork, in
which is pivoted a balance lever, having arms of different length and weight. The
shorter and lighter lever arm is limited in its movements by a stop, the longer and
heavier one is provided at the end with two teeth, serving as stops, when abutting
against a stationary detent or plate. The travel of the armature lever is limited by
a buffer surrounded with caoutchouc.
The fly wheel carries a pin, which, owing to the excess of weight on one side of
the wheel, occupies a given position, when the wheel is out of action, and when the
armature lever is now carried forward by the attraction of the armature towards
the electro-magnet, the said lever abuts against the pin and moves the fly wheel.
With sufficient impulse, increased by the unequal weight of the fly wheel, the first
pin abuts against the small arm of the two armed lever, a second pin passing at
that moment under the freely suspended pawl, which prevents its return, and
the first spin by lifting the long arm, releases its end from the detent mentioned
above.
The fly wheel shaft carries a pinion gearing into a spur wheel, on the axle of
which is fixed a small cylinder, and a pinion, gearing into a spur wheel, united by
a copper tube with the spring box. In consequence of this arrangement, the
movement of the fly wheel causes
1st The cylinder to turn so as to interrupt the circuit of the electro-magnet.
2nd The spring to be wound at given intervals of time, for instance every
minute, as much as it has unwound for producing the motion of the clock during
the same space of time.
It is to be observed, that the passage of the current in the electro-magnet is
very short, because it requires the coincidence of position of certain springs as
described.
After each turning of the fly wheel one of the springs of the second pair is con-
tinuously in contact with the second binding post but the circuit is not closed,
owing to the corresponding spring of the first pair being insulated up to the
moment that the going work has caused the cylinder of the first pair to turn, until
one of the springs falls upon the first binding post. In this moment the fly wheel
is set in motion but the circuit is interrupted again as soon as the fly-wheel has
made a quarter turn. As the fly wheel makes a whole turn in second, the
contact lasts only second.
The armature lever tends to get back with its armature in consequence of the
position of the centre of gravity in this system, and of the action of a small flat
spring, acting against the lever.
Only in the case, that the armature would remain adherent to the electro-
magnet, the pin of the fly-wheel would be caused to act on an inclined plane,
placed at the end of the armature lever, for producing the release of the armature.
One Leclanché cell suffices to drive this clock system; but by using one or
several stronger cells, the impulse, given to the fly wheel, would be strong enough
to turn it several times. To prevent this the end of the balance lever is furnished
with two teeth, which stop successively this lever and thereby the fly wheel.
5

page_text: The described mechanism can be applied to clocks (with weights or springs)
pendulums etc, so as to change the same into clocks with electric selfwinder."
For changing such a clock into an electric regulating clock, it suffices to insert
receiving dials in the circuit of the electro-magnet.
These receiving dials have as principal mechanism the described lever and fly
wheel system, but the axis of the fly wheel is situated in a plane, parallel to that
of the dial plate, and carries, in lieu of a pinion, a cam, formed of a disc split in
the direction of a radius, part of the surface being subsequently raised so as to form
an inclined plane, acting on the teeth of a spur wheel keyed upon the axle of the
large hand of the dial plate.
Each time, that the electric current is closed and passes through the electro-
magnet of the regulator and one or more receiving dials, the armature lever causes -
the fly wheel to turn once, and thereby the tooth wheel to advance one tooth, and
the hand to move. This motion is favoured by the unequal distribution of weight
of the fly wheel. An ordinary dial train imparts the motion of the large hand to
the small hand.

page_text: Apparatus.
I, DÉSIRÉ VAN DE PLANCKE of Courtrai in the Kingdom of Belgium, 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:- i
This invention relates to a new system of electric regulator clocks, in which is
produced an instantaneous closing and interruption of electric currents for the
purpose of causing intermittent currents to pass over to different receiving dials
and at the same time to wind up the clock automatically.
The latter result may be obtained with all clocks so that the invention may serve
for obtaining a continuous going of all clocks as well as for communicating the time
to long distances.
The improved regulator consists of an ordinary clock mechanism, to which are
added the following pieces.
A cylinder C of ivory or other insulating material is fixed on the axle A of a
pinion B moved by a tooth wheel B¹ which is keyed upon the axle of a spring
box B. This cylinder is provided with pins of steel or other metal the number
of which depends upon the division of the wheels.
During their regular rotary motion these pins abut alternately against the
springs H and H₁ placed above and below the cylinder. These springs fixed at one
end to an insulated block I project beyond the cylinder C with the other ends.
These free ends carry at their inner surfaces platinum contacts, which, when in
consequence of the peculiar form of their respective projections x and xl, one of the
springs is allowed to fall, abut alternately against platinum wires, fixed in two
grooves of a terminal or binding port G which is in direct connection with one of
the poles of a battery.
To the insulated block I are secured two other springs J and J¹ so communicating
with the springs H and H¹ that H is connected with J¹ and H' with J. These
springs J and J not furnished with projections like the first springs, are likewise
supported by pins of a second cylinder K of insulating material and according to
the position of these pins, are supported alternately by a second terminal or binding
post O, provided with corresponding contact points of platinum.
To this second post O is attached one end of a wire of an electric magnet P.
the other end of the wire being in connection with the second pole of the said
battery.
The two binding posts G and O are insulated from the metallic material of the
apparatus.
The necessary condition sufficient for allowing the battery to be closed and
consequently the electro magnet to come into action is obtained when the two
springs H. and J, or the two H and J., are in contact with their respective
connecting posts G and Ọ at the same time. This coincidence depends upon the

page_text: division of the wheels of the clock. It is produced, for instance, at the beginning
of every minute.
The armature Q of the electro magnet (Fig. 2,) carries a lever R terminating in
a fork, in which is pivoted a balance lever S. S¹ having arms of different length
and weight. The shorter and lighter lever arm S is limited in its movements by a
stop e, the longer and heavier S¹ is provided at the end with two teeth serving as
stops when abutting against the stationary detent or plate T. The travel of the
armature lever R is limited by a buffer U surrounded with caoutchouc The
flywheel V carries a pin 6 which owing to the excess of weight on one side of
the wheel, occupies a given position when the fly-wheel is out of action, and when
the armature lever R is now carried forward by the attraction of the armature Q
towards the electro-magnet the lever R¹ abuts against the pin and moves the
fly-wheel. The latter having made half a turn a second pin b¹ passes under the
freely suspended pawl W which prevents it from returning. With sufficient
impulse increased by the unequal weight of the fly-wheel the pin C abuts against
the small arm of the two armed lever and by lifting the long arm, releases its end
from the detent T.
The fly wheel shaft carries a pinion gearing into a spur wheel X on the axle of
which is fixed the cylinder K and a pinion gearing into a spur wheel Y united by
a copper tube with the spring box.
To ensure the spring box being wound always within certain limits, the wheel
which imparts the torsion to the spring and that which transmits the action of the
spring to the following wheels up to the escapement, are so arranged that they can
only rotate to a certain limit with regard to each other.
For this purpose one of them carries a lateral piece u fixed close to and in the
interior of its periphery and in a plane perpendicular to that of the wheel.
At its other extremity this piece is bifurcated and embraces one of the spokes
of the other wheel. Therefore the relative travel of the two wheels is limited to
the space comprised between the two arms of the fork, which terminates the
piece u.
In consequence of this arrangement the movement of the fly-wheel causes ;-
1 the cylinder K to turn so as to interrupt the circuit of the electro magnet.
2nd the spring to be wound at given intervals of time, for instance every minute
as much as it has unwound for producing the motion of the clock during the same
space of time.
نا
It is to be observed that the passage of the current in the electro magnet is very
short because it requires the coincidence of position of the springs H¹ and J or
Hand J After each turning of the fly-wheel one of the springs J or J¹ is con-
tinuously in contact with the cylinder K but the circuit is not closed owing to the
corresponding spring H¹ or H being insulated up to the moment that the going
work has caused the cylinder C to turn, until the spring H¹ or H falls upon the
binding post G. In this moment the fly-wheel is set in motion but the current is
again interrupted after the wheel has made a quarter turn. As the fly wheel
makes a whole turn in half a second, the contact lasts only one eighth of a
second.
The armature lever R tends to get back with its armature in consequence of the
position of the centre of gravity in this system and of the action of a small flat
spring t acting against the lever.
Only in the case, that the armature would remain adherent to the electro-
magnet, the pin 6 would be caused to act on an inclined plane placed at the end of
the armature lever R for producing the release of the armature.
3
One “Leclanché” cell suffices to drive this clock system; but by using one or
several stronger cells, the impulse given to the fly wheel, would be strong enough
to turn it several times. To prevent this the end of the balance lever S is
furnished with two teeth, whereby it prevents the bifurcated lever R from falling
backward before the lever S. S₁ has received the stroke of the pin 6¹ of the fly-
wheel V. by which the latter is arrested so that it can only make one turn,

page_text: The described mechanism can be applied to clocks (with weights or springs)
pendulums etc, so as to change the same into clocks with electric self winder.
:
For changing such a clock into an electric regulating clock it suffices to insert
receiving dials in the circuit of the electro-magnet P. (Figs. 4 and 5.)
These receiving dials have as principal mechanism the described lever and fly
wheel system, but the axis of the fly wheel is situated in a plane parallel to that of
the dial plate and carries in lieu of a pinion a cam Z formed of a disc split in the
direction of a radius part of the surface being subsequently raised so as to form an
inclined plane acting on the teeth of a spur wheel r keyed upon the axle of the
large hand of the dial plate.
Each time that the electric current is closed and passes through the electro-
magnet of the regulator and one or more receiving dials the armature lever R
causes the fly-wheel to turn once and thereby the tooth wheel to advance one
tooth, and the hand to move. This motion is favored by the unequal distribution
of weight of the fly wheel. An ordinary train of wheels imparts the motion of the
large hand to the small hand.
The current which actuates the regulator may be local instead of traversing the
series of receiving dials, and the armature R may by being attracted close the
circuit of an independent battery actuating the dials or a part of the same.
In the latter case, the last of the dials traversed by the current of this second
battery is arranged in an analogous manner and adapted to close by each attraction
the circuit of a third battery actuating a second series of dials and so forth.
The motion of the clockwork is so arranged that the circuit of the battery of the
regulator is left open in the event of the regulator being stopped by accident or
insufficient force of the current.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is;-
1. In ordinary clocks, the application of a device for the purpose of causing a
periodical closing of the circuit of an electric battery each period being for an
extremely short space of time, namely one-eighth of a second the current of this
battery actuating an electromagnet, the said device consisting in the combination
with an ordinary clock-work-
A
(
a) of a small cylinder or prism O carrying pins of steel or other metal so
arranged as to lift or lower successively the springs H and H¹ mentioned
herein, and bringing the same in periodical contact with an insulated post G
communicating with one pole of the battery.
b) of two flat springs H and H³ of inoxydisable metal which abut against the
abovementioned pins of the cylinder 0 and are in direct connection with
two other springs J and J each with each, which abut against the pins of
a second cylinder K similar to, and carrying the same number of pins as C
and serving to bring the last mentioned springs in periodical contact with
the post O. to which is connected the end of the coil of the electro magnet P,
the other end of the said coil being connected with the second pole of the
battery.
2. An electromagnet P with an armature prolonged in the form of a forked
lever R one branch R' of which carries a lever with unequal arms S. S¹ of a
particular shape, instantaneous and periodical attractions of this armature giving
to an unevenly weighted fly-wheel device, regular impulsions which are strictly
limited to one revolution of the wheel by the arrangement of the armed balance-
lever S S¹ and of the stop T as described, each turn of this fly-wheel winding the
spring of the clock exactly as much as it has lost in producing the contact of the
apparatus, described in claim I, for closing the current of the electromagnet and
battery.
3. The simultaneous utilization of the currents thus brought in action for trans-
mitting the indications of the regulator to receiving dials of a special construction.

page_text: 4. The special receiving dials consisting of a system of electro-magnet and fly
wheel similar to that of the regulator described in claim 2 except, that the shaft
of the fly wheel V carries in this case a cam Z acting on the wheel R mounted on
the axis of the large hand, the whole combined so as to be actuated by the short
periodical currents produced by the regulator by means of the arrangement
described in Claim I, the fly wheel in the receiving dial, owing to the arrangement
of the toothed lever S S¹ and stop T being prevented from performing more than
one revolution each time.
5. The arrangement of the piece u limiting the relative position of the wheel Y
with regard to the wheel X as, and for the purpose described.
6. The arrangement of the wheel works whereby in case the clock stops, the
circuit of its battery remains open.
•
7. The system of arranging the circuits whereby an armature of a regulator
of a dial can close the circuit of any desired battery, actuating a successive series
of dials as and for the purpose set forth.