A NEW OR IMPROVED PNEUMATIC PRECISION CLOCK WITH LEVER ESCAPE- MENT, AND WORKED HYDRO-PNEUMATICALLY
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Jensen, of Chancery Lane, London, for the Invention
of "A NEW OR IMPROVED PNEUMATIC PRECISION CLOCK WITH LEVER ESCAPE-
MENT, AND WORKED HYDRO-PNEUMATICALLY." A communication from abroad
by Carl Albert Mayrhofer, of Vienna, Austria, Engineer.
ealed the 18th December 1877, and dated the 26th June 187
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Jensen at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th June 1877.
PETER JENSEN, of Chancery Lane, London. "A NEW OR IMPROVED PNEUMATIC
PRECISION CLOCK WITH LEVER ESCAPEMENT, AND WORKED HYDRO-PNEUMATICALLY."
(A communication from abroad by Carl Albert Mayrhofer, of Vienna, Austria,
Engineer.)
In the upper part of a double cylinder a float is arranged; the lower part of the
cylinder contains mercury, and a pipe is interposed into the conduit, from which
from time to time air is let in or withdrawn.
On the float rests an iron rod which is guided in a rising tube; from a hinge on
the rod the supporting bar of a lever is suspended; on which a pawl is arranged
which gears in a ratchet wheel. Now every time a variation of pressure in the
cylinder takes place by the pipe, the lever lifts the ratchet wheel by means of the
pawl, so much as an adjustable set screw will permit; a lower set screw limits the
downward motion of the lever. By this winding-up either a spring is put in
tension or a weight is raised, and by these means tooth gearing wheels and an
escapement wheel are set in motion.
On the axis of the first tooth wheel the minute hand is fixed, and on the front
plate the usual hour hand gearing is arranged. On the axis of the said wheel there
is further fixed a star-shaped wheel. This clock work is provided with another
mercury double cylinder arranged in the same manner as the aforesaid cylinder, and
a branch pipe leads to it.
On the float rests a cylindrical iron bar, on the upper end of which a fork is

page_text: fixed or fitted.. If the said iron bar is raised by the float, a conical cog of
the star-shaped wheel is pressed between the prongs, and the minute hand, which
is fixed on the axis of the aforesaid wheel, is simultaneously put up to its corre-
sponding place.
The number of the conical cogs of the star wheel depends only upon the degree
of control which is desired to be had. If the winding-up and the 'control
are desired to be done every hour, only one cog is necessary; if every half an
hour, two cogs and if every quarter of an hour, four conical cogs are requisite, and
so on.
By means of a pipe the high-pressure water is let into a slide box through an
aperture. If the hollow or D slide occupies such a position that only a centre
aperture is closed, the water enters through an aperture into a pipe, and by means
of this latter into the chamber of compressed air, and forces the air contained therein
out to the conduit.
.
•
•
If the slide is pushed back, so that the hollow of the same encloses two of the
apertures, the water again flows from the pipe leading to the compressed air chamber
to the outlet pipe.
The rod of the hollow slide passes through a stuffing box and is set in motion
by a lever resting on a bracket vibrating therein, and is acted on by a connecting
rod.
With this new construction the elock works continuously, so that it indicates
always the hour even between the minutes, and, moreover, a second hand may be
arranged thereon.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said. Peter Jensen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th December
1877.
PETER JENSEN, of Chancery Lane, London. "A NEW OR IMPROVED
PNEUMATIC PRECISION CLOCK WITH LEVER ESCAPEMENT, AND WORKED HYDRO-
PNEUMATICALLY." (A communication from Carl Albert Mayrhofer, of Vienna,
Austria, Engineer.)
In the upper part of a double cylinder a float is arranged; the lower part of the
cylinder contains mercury, and a pipe is interposed into the conduit, from which
from time to time air is let into or withdrawn.
On the float rests an iron rod which is guided in a rising tube; from a hinge on
the rod the supporting bar of a lever is suspended; on which a pawl is arranged
which gears in a ratched wheel. Now every time a variation of pressure in the
cylinder takes place by the pipe, the lever lifts the ratchet wheel by means of the
pawl, so much as an adjustable set screw will permit; a lower set screw limits the
downward motion of the lever. By this winding-up either a spring is put in tension
or a weight is raised, and by these means tooth gearing wheels and an escapement
wheel are set in motion.
On the axis of the first tooth wheel the minute hand is fixed, and on the front
plate the usual hour hand gearing is arranged. On the axis of the said wheel there
is further fixed a star-shaped wheel. This clockwork is provided with another
mercury double cylinder arranged in the same manner as the aforesaid cylinder, and
a branch pipe leads to it.
On the float rests a cylindrical iron bar, on the
end of which a fork is
upper
fixed or fitted. If the said iron bar is raised by the float, a conical cog of the
star-shaped wheel is pressed between the prongs and the minute hand, which is
fixed on the axis of the aforesaid wheel, is simultaneously put up to its corresponding
place.
The number of the conical cogs of the star wheel depends only upon the degree
of control which is desired to be had. If the winding-up and the control
are desired to be done every hour, only oue cog is necessary; if every half an
hour, two cogs; and if every quarter of an hour, four conical cogs are requisite, and
so on.
By means of a pipe the high-pressure water is let into a slide box through an
aperture. If the hollow or D slide occupies such a position that only a centre
aperture is closed, the water enters through an aperture into a pipe, and by means
of this latter into the chamber of compressed air, and forces the air contained therein
out to the conduit.
If the slide is pushed back so that the hollow of the same encloses two of the
apertures, the water again flows from the pipe leading to the compressed air chamber
to the outlet pipe.
The rod of the hollow slide passes through a stuffing box, and is set in motion
by a lever resting on a bracket vibrating therein, and is acted on by a connecting
rod.
Figure 1 is a side view of the main part of an apparatus constructed according
to this Invention, and Figure 2 is a vertical cross section thereof; Figure 3 is a detail.
A, A', is a double cylinder, and B, a float in the upper part of same; the lower
part A contains mercury; is a pipe connected to the conduit, from which from
time to time compressed air is admitted, or air is exhausted; b is a rod resting on
the float B, and guided in the rising tube e; jointed to the rod b is a rod to which
a lever d is jointed at c; the lever d is fitted with a pawlf gearing into the ratchet
wheel C. Each time a variation takes place in the pressure in the cylinder, the
lever d is raised against the adjustable stop screw .g, and the pawl turns the
wheel C, the adjustable stop screw y limits the down stroke. This novement winds

page_text: up a spring, or raises a weight, and puts in motion the tooth wheels D, E, and F,
and the escapement wheel G.
The minute hand is on the spindle of the wheel D, and the usual hour hand
gearing is on the front plate. The spindle of the wheel D also carries the star-shaped
wheel H.
J is another similarly arranged mercury double cylinder, h is a branch pipe leading
to it. On the float rests a bar fitted with fork L; on rising, one of the teeth of the
wheel H enters this fork, and the minute hand on the spindle of the wheel Dis
simultaneously put into its corresponding position.
The number of teeth in the star wheel H depends upon the degree of control
desired. If the winding-up and controlling is to be done every hour one tooth only
is necessary; if every half-hour, two, and so on.
High-pressure water is by the pipe O, Figure 3, let into the slide jacket M. If
the hollow or D slide N is in such a position that only the centre part is closed,
the water enters by the port into the pipe P, and passes thence into the coin-
pressed air chamber, forcing the air into the conduit aforesaid. When the slide
covers the ports 2 and 3, the water again flows from P to the outlet pipe Q, the
slide rod L passes through a stuffing box, and is actuated by a lever m resting,
vibrating in a bracket O and by a connecting rod n.
With this new construction the clock works continuously, so that it indicates
always the hour, even between the minutes, and, moreover, a second hand may be
arranged thereon.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Jensen, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.