Improvements in Apparatus for Signalling Time and for Regulating Clocks by Electricity.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 13th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Signalling Time and for Regulating
Clocks by Electricity.
I, LUDWIG VON OкTH, of Klopstoclistrasse 531 Berlin, N.W., Germany,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for signalling time or
regulating clocks by electricity by means of which a large number of clocks can
be regulated from one point.
In order to send a current, for the purpose of regulating clocks included in
the telephonic circuits, into all the circuits of a system of wires (for example of
a telephone system), from the central office or exchange, the following arrange-
ment is employed which is shown diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings.
A resistance coil R is included in the conductor leading to earth from the
bar S which is common to all the circuits. To the ends of said resistance coil R
are connected two wires d' and of which one d' is connected with the terminal a
of the circuit closing device of the office clock U, whilst the other wire leads to
the working battery W and thence to the terminal 6 of the circuit closing device.
When the office clock U closes the circuit closing device at the proper time, a
current passes from the working battery W through the contact springs a and b
(which touch each other) to the point V at which it divides, a part passing through
the resistance coil R, and part flowing into the bar S and thence through each of
the conductors and apparatus connected therewith, to earth and back through the
latter to the other pole of the battery W.
The divided or branch currents flow from the bar S, through the several
apparatus at the office, to the different branch circuits and then through the alarm
apparatus of the subscriber, in the case of those telephone subscribers who have
not a special clock (hereinafter called a telephone clock) adapted to be regulated
by the current, whilst in the case of those subscribers who have such a clock
they flow through a relay which is included automatically by the clock. The
electro-motive force of the working battery and the resistance of the coil R
(which latter is very small in relation to the other resistances of the telephonic
system) are so adjusted that the strength of the branch currents flowing from
the bar S is arranged so that the said currents pass through the apparatus without
appreciable effect on the telephonic system whilst they serve to operate with
certainty the relays A of the telephone clocks U₁, which relays are made
correspondingly sensitive.
The normally interrupted local circuit through the resistance coil B is closed
by the telephone clock shortly before the operation of the relay, the current
passing through the said coil at this stage being insufficient to excite the electro-
magnet E for regulating the clock. When however, the coil B is short circuited
by the relay A, a current of such strength will pass, as to cause the electro-
magnet E to attract an armature and release the mechanism for regulating the
clock, shortly after which the telephone clock automatically interrupts the local
circuit through the coil B.
The inclusion of the coil B has for object to obviate sparking which would
otherwise occur on opening the contact points of the relay, which sparking would
interfere with or tend to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the regulating
mechanism.
Dated this 20th day of April 1891.
LUDWIG VON ORTH,
By L. W., per F. B.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Signalling Time and for Regulating
Clocks by Electricity.
I, LUDWIG VON ORTH, of Klopstockstrasse 531 Berlin, N.W. Germany,
Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for signalling time or
regulating clocks by electricity by means of which a large number of clocks can
be regulated from one point.
In order to send a current, for the purpose of regulating clocks included in the
telephonic circuits, into all the circuits of a system of wires (for example of a
telephone system), from the central office or exchange, the following arrangement
is employed which is shown diagrammatically in the drawing left with my
Provisional Specification.
A resistance coil R is included in the conductor leading to earth from the bar S
which is common to all the circuits. To the ends of the said resistance coil R are
connected two wires d' and of which one viz., d', is connected with one terminal a
of the circuit closing device of the clock U at the central office or exchange, and
hereinafter referred to as the exchange clock, whilst the other wire d' leads to the
working battery W and thence to the other terminal of the circuit closing device,
which comprises, in the example shewn, two contact springs that are normally out
of contact with each other.
When the exchange clock U closes the circuit closing device at the proper time
by pressing one of the contact springs against the other, a current will pass from
the working battery W through the contact springs and terminals a and b, to the
point at which it will divide, part flowing through the resistance coil R, and
part flowing into the bar S and thence through each of the conductors to aud
apparatus connected therewith, to earth and back through the latter to the other
pole of the battery W.
The divided or branch currents flow from the bar S, through the several
apparatus at the exchange to the different branch circuits and then through the
alarm apparatus of the subscriber, in the case of those telephone subscribers who
have not a special clock (hereinafter called a telephone clock) adapted to be
regulated by the current, but in consequence of the weakness of such currents
without affecting such alarm apparatus, whilst in the case of those subscribers who
have such a clock, they flow through a relay which is included in the circuit
automatically by the telephone clock simultaneously with the cutting out of circuit
of the subscribers telephonic apparatus. The electro-motive force of the working
battery and the resistance of the coil R (which latter is very small in relation to
the other resistances of the telephonic system) are so adjusted that the strength of
the branch currents which flow from the bar S will be so weak that the said
currents will pass through the subscribers telephonic apparatus without appreciable
effect on the ringing or calling up portion thereof, whilst they will serve to operate
with certainty the relays A of the telephone clocks U¹, which relays are made
correspondingly sensitive.
The normally interrupted local circuit through the resistance coil B is closed by
the telephone clock shortly before the operation of the relay, the current passing
through the said coil at this stage being insufficient to excite the electro-magnet L
for regulating the clock. When however, the coil B is short-circuited by the
relay A, a current of such strength will pass, as to cause the electro-magnet E to
attract an armature and release the mechanism for regulating the clock, shortly
after which the telephone clock automatically interrupts the local circuit through
the coil B. The inclusion of the coil B also has for object to obviate sparking

page_text: which would otherwise occur on opening the contact points of the relay, and which
would interfere with or tend to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the
regulating mechanism.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
For simultaneously regulating a number of secondary electric clocks that are
connected by means of the wires of an electric system as for example of a telephonic
system, with a central station at which the main or controlling clock is located, the
herein described arrangement according to which at the central station there is
included in the earth circuit common to all the branch circuits, a resistance coil R,
and the main clock together with a contact device and a battery are included in a
shunt circuit thereto, so that whilst avoiding interruption of the wires of the said
system when the contact device is closed, part of the current flowing through the
said contact device will be sent into all the branch circuits as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of October 1891.
LUDWIG VON ORTH,
By L. W., per F. B.