MENTS IN TIME PIECES
Year: 1885

page_text: PERCIFICATION,
I, MARTIN VAN BUREN ETHRIDGE, residing at 6 Staniford Street, in the City of
Boston, County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts in the United States of
America gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TIME PIECES 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 an improved and simple construction of clocks for
designating time from one to twenty-four in each day.
The invention consists in the combination with a perforated or slotted dial
plate of a radial series of intermittently rotary spindles, each carrying a block, plate
or disk on the faces of which are delineated numerals representing two of the twenty
four hours. The invention also consists in the combination with such spindles of
means for imparting a partial rotation to each consecutively during the revolution
of the clock hands whereby each plate disk or block in succession is turned, after
the passage of the hour hand so as to display the proper numeral for correctly
designating the hour when said hour hand again passes that point. The invention
further consists of means for holding the spindles steadily in the position to which
they may be turned whereby the displayed faces of the respective numeral blocks
will rest in a plane parallel with the face of the dial and opposite or within its
several slots so as to permit the time to be readily distinguished.
The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawing in which
Fig 1 is a broken plan combining two views in one, and arranged to show
exteriorly, the face of the dial with its slots and the shifting numeral blocks
registering therewith, while in the center is shown the dial back and the interior
shifting and holding mechanisın.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section in proper form between the lines x-y of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view on the line -z of Fig. 4. with side view of a
spring and
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the rotary or shifting numeral-blocks and
its spindles.
Like letters of reference designate like parts in the several views.
A denotes the front portion of a clock-case and a is the shaft that carries the
minute hand The dial plate B is provided with slots or openings b. b. located in.
the usual.position of the twelve Roman numerals that are ordinarily delineated on
the dials of time pieces On the rear or inner side of the dial plate is a series of
[Price 6.]

page_text: bearings c for supporting the outer ends of a radial series of spindles C the inner
ends of which are journaled in a collar d which loosely surrounds the thimble e
that carries the hour-hand. Each spindle C carries near its outer end a plate disk
or block D that registers with one of the slots b in the dial plate. These blocks D
and slois b are preferably rectangular in form though it is obvious that they may 5
be made in any convenient shape The spindles C also carry at or near the center
a small quadrangular block or bearing f from each face of which projects a shoulder
or ping for engagement with a pin h that is carried by a disk or collar i on the
hour-hand thimble. It will thus be seen that the hour hand is followed in its
revolution by the pin h which by contact with the pin g successively rotates each 1
spindle C so as to turn the block D or shift its faces after the hour hand has
passed in such a manner as to display in succession on the several blocks the
proper numerals for designating the hours correctly when the hour hand again
passes.
To the back of the dial plate are secured a number of thin flat springs kk so 1
arranged that each will bear against one of the faces of the blocks or bearing f on
the several spindles and so hold said spindles and attached numeral blocks firmly in
the position to which they may have been turned as above explained.
The shifting or intermittently rotary blocks D may each be four-sided as shown
in the drawing and carry two sets of numerals arranged on their several faces,
thus on the first block I 13, I 13; second block II 14, II 14; third block III 15,
III 15; and so on to the twelfth block which reads XII 24, XII 24. These
numerals are preferably dilineated as above in Roman and Arabic characters
alternately on each block, the numerals from one to twelve being in Roman
characters while those from thirteen to twenty-four are Arabic. It is obvious
however that all may be delineated in the same character or style if desired.
With a four sided block D carrying numerals on each face only one actuating
pink is required as the spindle C and block D requires only a quarter turn to
conceal one numeral and display another. It will be understood however that
instead of employing four sided numeral blocks I may use plates or disks having
only two faces said plates being successively marked on the opposite faces as
follows; the first I 13, second II 14, fourth IIII 16, ninth IX 21, eleventh XI 23,
and so on.
In this case the spindle C will require a half revolution in order to conceal one
numeral and display the other, and the disk or collar i will therefore have to carry
two pins h arranged at a proper interval each of which by bearing against the pins
gg in turn will impart separately a quarter revolution to the spindle their joint
action thus producing the desired effect. The pin or pins h as the case may be will
be arranged so as to follow the hour hand at a suitable distance and so shift each
numeral block or plate after the hour hand has passed thus successively concealing
the numerals already used and displaying those required for indicating the time
when the hour hand again passes Thus after the hour hand has passed the
numeral I, the block or plate carrying said numeral will be shifted so as to display
13 and so on with each numeral block in succession In practice it is preferable to
so arrange the pin or pins h with relation to the hour haud as not to shift the
several blocks until after the hour hand has passed two or three numbers.
It will be seen that after the spindle C and blocks D have been shifted they are
held firm and square in line with the openings bb by means of the springs kk so
that there is no liability of their being disturbed until again acted on by the pin
thus avoiding all danger of confusion in the proper succession of the numerals
The hour hand and minute hands are actuated in the ordinary manner there being
no change whatever in the clock mechanism and no additions thereto except t
mount the pin carrying disk or collar i upon the hour hand thimble.
My improvements can therefore be readily and cheaply applied to any ordinar
clock now in use by providing a perforated dial plate and mounting the shiftin
numeral blocks and their supporting and actuating devices in its rear as abov
explained.

page_text: 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 a time piece the combination with a perforated dial plate of a series of
automatically shifting numeral blocks substantially as described.
2. In a time piece the combination with a perforated dial plate of a radial series
of intermittently rotary spindles each carrying a block plate or disk on the faces of
which are delineated numerals designating two of the twenty four hours in each
day substantially as described.
3. In a time piece the combination of a perforated dial plate a radial series of
intermittently rotary spindles each carrying a numeral block and provided with a
bearing as having pins g g and a pin carrying disk or collar i mounted on the
hour hand thimble substantially as described.
4. In a time-piece the combination of a dial plate having slots or openings bb
and supporting springs ka radial series of intermittently rotary spindles C
carrying numeral blocks or plates D and having bearings provided with pins g g
and a disk or collar i. mounted on the hour hand thimble e and carrying a pin h
substantially as described.