IMPROVED STRIKING OR CHIMING MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVED STRIKING
OR CHIMING MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS." A communication from abroad by
William Lindon, of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings, State of New York,
United States of America.
Sealed the 1st August 1879, and dated the 10th February 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th February 1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVED STRIKING OR CHIMING MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS." [A
communication from abroad by William Lindon, of Brooklyn, in the County of
Kings, State of New York, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to an improvement in clocks whereby the quarter hours
are struck or chimed, and the striking mechanism operated by the power which
operates the time movement.
The devices for moving the bell hammer are attached to the arbor of the minute
hand and operate at every quarter revolution of the same. For a single stroke at
every quarter a single bell and hammer could be used; but for chiming, there are
three or more hammers with a corresponding number of bells, that are struck singly
or successively at each quarter revolution of the shaft.
According to this Invention the arbor is extended at the back beyond the clock
case, and upon this extension is fitted a wheel or hub provided with three radial
arms, the outer ends of which are bent at right angles.
The hammers are hung upon a gudgeon or arm that is attached to the clock case,
being fitted to swing freely upon said arm independently of each other, and they
hang by their own weight so that the hammer tails are in the path of the bent ends
of the radial arms as the hub turns with arbor.
The bells are fitted upon a stud attached to the clock case in such position that
each bell will be struck by its respective hammer when they are moved by the
arms as hereafter described.
The hub is so fitted on the arbor that it may be adjusted with reference to the
minute hand of the clock to cause the arms to operate at the quarter hours. As
each arm comes round it takes against the hammer tails, and by its continued

page_text: movement, raises the hammer, finally clearing the end and permitting the hammer
to fall and strike its bell.
The bent ends of the radial arms are of different lengths, so that the first arm
acts only upon one hammer; the next arm, having a longer projection, will operate
-two-hammers,_while_the_third will raise all the hammers and cause all three bells
to be struck. In case there is a fourth arm and bell, the same principle will be
extended for its operation; but with a striking clock having independant spring and
-striking-mechanism,-the-fourth quarter_bell is not essential.
To-cause-the-bells-to-be-struck_in_succession, or chimed when two or three
hammers are raised at once, a slight variation is made in the length of the hammer
tails, the shorter one being thereby-freed-a-moment-in-advance of the other one;
the same effect will be produced by having the bent ends of the arms inclined.
The fulcrum of the hammers should be placed far enough at one side to permit of
the arins being turned back past the quarters.
It is evident that the mechanism may be arranged somewhat differently for
producing the same effect. A slight addition or modification of any clock move-
ment will adapt it for the application of the present improvements.
The chiming mechanism, being operated by the driving spring of the time move-
ment, consequently requires no separate winding or attention, but is operative as
long as the clock goes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd August 1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVED STRIKING OR CHIMING MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS." A
communication from abroad by William Lindon, of Brooklyn, in the County of
Kings, State of New York, United States of America.
'
This Invention relates to an improvement in clocks, whereby the quarter hours
are struck or chimed, and the striking mechanism operated by the power which
operates the time movement. The devices for moving the bell hammers are attached
to the arbor of the minute hand, and operate at every quarter revolution of the same.
For a single stroke at every quarter, a single bell and hammer could be used; but
for chiming, there are three or more hammers with a corresponding number of
bells, that are struck singly or successively at each quarter revolution of the
shaft.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation showing the improved
mechanism applied at the back of a clock; Figure 2 is a side elevation; and Figure 3,
a top view of the same. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in the three Figures.
a, Figure 1, is the rear plate of a clock movement of common construction, the
arbor b of which is extended at the back beyond the clock case c; this arbor b
carries the minute hand and revolves once an hour. Upon the extension of arbor b
is fitted a wheel or hub d provided with three radial arms e, e¹, e², the outer ends of
which are bent at right angles. f,f¹, f, are hammers hung upon a gudgeon or
arm g that is attached to clock case c. The hammers are fitted to swing freely
upon arm g independently of each other, and hang by their own weight, so that the
bammer tails are in the path of the bent ends of arms e, e¹, e, as the hub d turns
with the arbor b; h, h', ², are bells fitted upon a stud i attached to the clock case c
in such position that each bell will be struck by its respective hammer when they
are moved by the arms e, e¹, e, as hereafter described. The hub d is so fitted on
arbor b that it may be adjusted with reference to the minute hand of the clock to
cause the arms to operate at the quarter hours. As each arm e, el, or e², comes round,
it strikes against its corresponding hammer tail or tails, and by its continued move-
ment, raises the hammer, as shown in connection with hammer fin Figure 1, finally
clearing the end and permitting the hammer to fall and strike its bell. The bent
ends of the arms e, e¹, e², are of different lengths, as illustrated in Figure 2, so that
the first arm e will act only upon one hammer. The next arm e¹, having a longer
projection, will operate two hammers, while arm e² will raise all the hammers and
cause all three bells to be struck. In case there is a fourth arm and bell the same
principle will be extended for its operation; but with a striking clock having
an independent spring and striking mechanism, the fourth quarter bell is not
essential.
To cause the bells to be struck or chimed in succession when two or three
hammers are raised at once, a slight variation is made in the length of the hammer
tails, the shorter one being thereby freed a moment in advance of the other one.
The same effect will be produced by having the bent ends of the arms e, e¹, e³,
inclined.
The fulcrum of the hammers should be placed far enough at one side to permit of
the arms e, e¹, e², being turned back past the quarters.
It is evident that the mechanism shown may be arranged somewhat differently for
producing the same effects. A slight addition or modification of any clock move-
iment will adapt it for the application of the improved chiming attachment. The

page_text: chiming mechanism, being operated by the driving spring of the time movement,
requires no separate winding or attention, but is operative as long as the clock
goes.
the
The ends of the hammer tails are bevelled to a knife edge, and the bent ends of
radial-arms-e-el,-e?,-are-formed_flat_on_the_surface that comes in contact with
the hammer tails, so that these parts clear at the proper time without accelerating
the movement of the arbor.
Hours-can-be-struck-by-the-same-mechanism by providing the hub with twelve
radial arms and fitting the same-to-the-hour-wheel-sockets,-or_by_using_a_pinion
with six teeth meshing with a wheel with seventy two teeth, to which radial arms
are attached for operation in the same manner as the devices described.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1. In a clock movement, the wheel or hub & provided with radial arms e, e¹, or e²,
and operated by the time movement synchronously with the minute hand, combined
with a bell hammer operated upon by said radial arms, substantially as described
and shown.
2. In a clock movement, the combination and arrangement substantially as
described and shown of the hammers f, f¹, f, wheel d, having radial arms e, e¹, e²,
and a bell that is struck by the hammers for the purposes set forth.
2
9
3. In a clock movement, the bells h, h1, h2, and their respective hammers f, ƒ³, ƒ³,
in combination with the wheel d, fitted upon the arbor of the minute hand and
provided with radial arms e, e¹, e², substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
A M CLARK
A. M. CLARK (1.0.)