Improvements in Chiming and Musical Clocks.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Apr.. 1893-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chiming and Musical Clocks.
LANCELOT JOHN SMITH Clockmaker 18 22 23 & 24 St. John's Square
Clerkenwell London do hereby déclare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
New description of combined chime & musical clock to have every day of the
week a fresh chime at every & hour of the day and at every hour a tune also
to be changed automatically daily (so playing a new tune every day).
Arrangement for working tunes and chimes from one barrel.
Arrangement for driving tunes & chimes by one spring or weight or power
of any kind.
Arrangement for discharging quarters chimes & tunes and locking same.
My invention for a combined musical & chime clock has the following new and
original ideas.
1st. That the clock will play chimes at the 1, & hour and then a tune at the
hour, all this being by pins or cams on a barrel, worked by one motive power, and
requiring only one set of hammer works; and not as in clocks at present in use
with two motive powers, from two barrels, and two sets of hammer works.
2nd. I claim as an original idea that my clock will give a new chime for every
day in the week.
3rd. I claim as an original idea that my clock will give for every day in the
week a new chime which is automatically altered by the clock itself at the same
time as the tune is altered.
4th. I claim that the idea is capable, if wished, to be extended beyond a new
chime for every day in the week, and can be arranged for 8 or more days.
5th. I further claim as original an automatic arrangement for stopping at night,
for any given hours the chimes and tunes.
6th. I further claim as original the idea of a clock chiming at t, t, & f and then
playing a tune at hour without previous quarter chimes playing before the tunes at
the hour.
7th. I further claim as original the automatic shifting daily by the clock and not
by hand.
8th. I further claim as original the shifting of the hammer frame, with the
hammer by means of a lever.
9th. I further claim as original the application of a ratchet and click-work, to
prevent the clock hands being turned back and so disarranging the chimes and
tunes in relation to their times of playing.
10th: And further I claim that this invention can be applied, to either a clock
having 2, 3, or 4 motive powers;-In the first case-making 2 barrels, weights or
other motive powers produce going, striking hours, and chimes at quarters
instead of 3 motive powers as at present required-also automatically shifting daily
for chimes, in the case of three motive powers as already described; and if 4 be
used it would give in addition to the chiming at & a chime also at hour and
this to be followed by a tune..

page_text: going train that may be convenient, this remains quiet for of the hour but after
the chiming of the 3rd quarter it begins to work and shifts the hammer frame.
2nd. The chime and musical barrel is arranged as follows riz. :-The pins or cams
are placed round the barrel side by side viz. 1 pin used for the quarters next to
one pin used for the tunes; this is carried on as many as required for any number
of bells or other musical apparatus used; when the lever or arm first described
moves for the hour it shifts the hammer frame, and the hammer tails are immediately
brought over the pins or cams required to play the tunes, it then shifts backwards
(by any means say spring or weight) and the hammer frame is then over the pins or
cams required for the quarter chimes. 3rd. The daily shifting by the clock of the
chimes and tunes is as follows; By means of a jumping snail with a long lever which
shifts the barrel, the same as is now used in musical clocks by moving a hand on the
dial. My movement is obtained by means of an extra wheel running into a pinion
or nut on the going fuzee which turns a blank wheel having on it one pin or stud
which moves once in 24 hours so giving the daily change. 4th. Description of
automatic stopping for night; this is done by a 24-hour wheel having a snail
attached to it turning into the motion work, and it works in connection with the
rack which is prevented from dropping back and so chiming by a pin in the rack
arm, which resting on the snail holds it up, this snail can be cut to suit any number
of hours the clock is required to cease chiming and playing.
March 15th 1893.
LANCELOT JOHN SMITH.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chiming and Musical Clocks.
I, LANCELOT JOHN SMITH of 18 Saint John's Square, Clerkenwell in the
County of London, Clock Manufacturer 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 :-
The invention relates to improvements in chiming and musical clocks.
The object of the present invention is primarily by a simple arrangement of
parts to enable a clock by means of one set of hammers and works, one music
barrel, and one additional spring barrel or motive power to automatically play
chimes at the quarter, half, and three quarters of an hour and at the hour to play
a tune, to shift the music barrel so as to cause it to play different tunes or chimes
each day and a further object of the invention is by a simple device to provide a
means of automatically putting the chiming mechanism out of gear during the
night.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ a number of bells, gongs tubes or
other sound giving devices as is well understood and a corresponding number of
hammers mounted with capability of independent oscillatory motion upon a
common shaft or axis and these hammers are provided with tails which project into
the path of pins studs projections or cams carried by a music barrel that is to say a
barrel similar to that of a musical box the pins studs or projections being arranged
to act upon the hammers as the music barrel is rotated and thus to sound the bells
or gongs.
The pins, studs, projections or cams of this music barrel according to my
invention are arranged in rows or circles alternately representing the tune for the
hour and the chimes for the first, second, and third quarters so that by shifting the
hammers laterally their tails will be moved out of engagement with the circle of
pins or studs representing for example the quarters and will be carried into
engagement with those representing the hours and thus one music barrel and one
set of hammers may be caused to serve the double purpose of sounding the chimes
at the quarters and the tunes at the hours.

page_text: In order to shift the hammers in the manner above referred to, they are mounted
in a frame supported in suitable bearings or guides in the front plate and pillar plate
with capability of endway movement whilst the frame is by means of a spring
constantly pressed in one direction.
In connection with this hammer frame is employed a lever which is mounted upon
an axis of motion carried by a cock or bracket whilst at one end it is spread out to
engage a projection from one end of the hammer frame, the other end of this
hammer frame lever being by the action of the hammer frame spring held in
engagement with a notched or cam disc which normally holds the hammer frame in
such a position that the hammers will be caused to sound the quarter chimes whilst
for a part of its circumference this notched or cam disc is formed with a notch or
recess therein approached by short inclines and this notched or cam disc is fixed
with a toothed wheel or extra minute wheel which gears through an intermediate
wheel with the minute wheel of the clock or it might be geared directly with the
minute wheel or with any other convenient part of the going train.
The parts are so timed that in the revolution of the extra minute wheel the
hammer frame lever will fall into the notch or recess of the notched or cam disc at
the commencement of each hour when the spring of the hammer frame will carry
the same into such a position that the tails of the hammers engage those pins or
teeth of the music barrel which are designed to actuate the hammers in such manner
as to play a tune upon the bells or gongs, whilst in the further rotation of the extra
minute wheel the hammer frame lever will ride up one of the inclines out of the
notch or recess of the notched or cam disc and the hammer frame will be thereby
carried into such position that the tails of the hammers are brought into alignment
with the pins or studs designed to actuate the hammers to sound the chimes at the
quarters, the duration of each set of chimes being determined by the ordinary
stepped wheel or snail and rack or it might be by the well known "locking plate
escapement as is well understood.
In lieu of or in addition to causing the chimes to be sounded at the quarters by
a suitable arrangement of the pins of the music barrel the hammers may be caused
to strike the hour and play a tune or the sounds may be otherwise varied as will be
readily understood.
In order to provide for the changing of the tunes chimes or the like each day the
shaft of the music barrel is mounted with capability of end way movement in bearings
but it is held in its normal position by means of a suitable spring.
The shaft at one end of the music barrel has fixed therewith a long pinion which
through a suitable train of wheels conveys the necessary motive power from the
spring barrel of the chiming mechanism to the music barrel.
One end of the music barrel shaft is engaged by the end of a lever fitted with
an adjusting screw and this lever is mounted upon an axis of motion carried by a
cock or bracket from the front plate of the clock frame whilst the opposite end of
the lever is cranked to engage a broken ring of steps carried by a star wheel and
approached by short inclines.
Each step together with the break corresponds with a day of the week so that in
the revolution of the stepped ring as hereinafter described the cranked end of the
music barrel lever will at the termination of each day be raised a distance equal to
the depth of a step which corresponds with the lateral space occupied upon tho
music barrel by three rows of pins or teeth and the opposite end of such lever.will
be correspondingly depressed carrying with it the music barrel, and thus each day
a different set of pins or studs will be brought into use whilst upon the break in
the ring of steps arriving at the cranked arm of the music barrel lever the spring
will exert its force and return the music barrel to its normal position in readiness
for a repetition of the above described cycle of operations.
The star wheel carrying the broken ring of steps is provided with a number of
teeth equal to the steps and break of the ring its rotation being governed by a plate
spring and the teeth of this star wheel are each in turn engaged by and receive
motion from a pin or stud carried by a rotating disc fixed with an extra wheel which

page_text: engages an extra pinion fixed with the going fusee and thus the necessary step by
step rotary motion is given to the stepped ring.
It will be understood that the shifting arrangement for the music barrel may be
modified according to the period over which the clock is designed to go without
rewinding or for other reasons.
In order to automatically put the chiming mechanism out of gear or to prevent
its operation at night at which time it is generally considered undesirable that the
chimes or tunes should be sounded the hour wheel has an extra pinion fixed
therewith which engages an extra wheel carrying a plain quadrant or segmental
plate so arranged that during the hours of night the latter automatically comes into
position to engage and acts as a stop to a pin upon an arm or projection of the
escapement rack device of the chiming mechanism thereby holding such rack in its
normal position during a given distance of rotation of the extra wheel equal to a
given period of time and thus preventing it coming forward out of engagement with
its locking means.
Or when a "locking plate" escapement is employed the quadrant in a similar
manner acts as a stop to the lifting arm thereof.
In order to prevent the hands of the clock being turned back and so disarranging
the chimes or tunes in relation to their times of playing, a fine toothed ratchet wheel
is fixed with some rotating part, such for example as the minute wheel, and a click
or pawl is mounted upon the frame so as to engage the ratchet wheel and thus
prevent such back movement.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of so much of a chiming clock as will serve to
illustrate the present invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of parts showing more particularly the means for
shifting the hammer frame the parts being arranged in their normal positions.
Figure 4 is a side elevation thereof.
Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section of part of Figure 4 showing the
construction of, and method of mounting the hammers in, the hammer frame.
Figure 6 is a plan of parts.
Figure 7 is a front elevation of parts showing the hammer frame in its shifted
position.
Figure 8 is a front elevation of parts illustrating a slight modification.
Figure 9 is a front elevation of parts showing more particularly the means for
shifting the music barrel day by day, the parts being arranged in their normal
positions.
Figure 10 is a side view thereof.
Figure 11 is a similar view to Figure 10 but showing the music barrel shifted to
the extremity of its traverse.
Figure 12 is a front elevation of parts showing the quadrant stop and co-acting
means for preventing the action of the chiming mechanism at night and
Figure 13 is a side view thereof.
In the several figures, in which like parts are indicated by similar letters of
reference, Figures 3 to 11 are drawn to an increased scale with respect to the other
figures of the drawings.
Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 8 a represents the front plate of the
clock frame, a' represents the back or pillar plate and a² represent the pillars.
6 represent a number of bells or they might be tubes, wires, or the like tuned to
different musical notes and which are mounted upon a spindle 6¹ carried by arms b
as is well understood and c represent a corresponding number of hammers which are

page_text: mounted with capability of independent oscillatory movement upon a common shaft
or axis c and these hammers are provided with crankel offsets c¹ furnished with
tails which project into the path of pins, studs projections or they might be
cams d' d' carried by a revolving music barrel d similar to that of a musical box
and the pins, studs, or projections d' d' are arranged to act upon the hammers c in
any desired manner as the music barrel d is rotated and thus to sound the bells or
gongs b in the required order.
The pins, studs, or projections of the music barrel d are according to this invention
arranged in rows or circles d' d' around the music barrel d such rows or circles
alternately representing the tune for the hour, and the chimes for the first, second,
and third quarters so that by shifting the hammers c laterally their tails c² will be
moved out of engagement with the circle of pin or studs de representing for example
the quarters and will be carried into engagement with those d' representing the hours
and thus one music barrel d and one set of hammers c may be caused to serve the
double purpose of sounding the chimes at the quarters and the tunes at the hours.
In order to shift the hammers c in the manner above referred to, they are
mounted by their shaft or axis c³ in a frame c' at its ends provided with stuls eco*
mounted with capability of endway movement in suitable bearings or guides in the
front plate a and pillar plate a' whilst the frame c¹ is by a spring & constantly.
pressed in one direction.
In connection with the hammer frame c' is employed a lever e' which is mounted
upon an axis of motion c carried by a cock or bracket whilst at one end the
hammer frame lever c' is spread out or formed with an enlargement c* so as to
engage the projecting stud or axis of the hammer frame e the other end of the
hammer frame lever c' being by the action of the hammer frame spring c held in
engagement with a notched or cam disc or wheel which normally holds the
hammer frame c in such a position that the hammers e will be caused to sound the
quarter chimes as represented at Figure 7 whilst for a part of its circumference
this notched or cam disc or wheel is formed with a notch or recess c* therein
approached by short inclines and this notched or cam disc or wheel c is fixed with
a toothed wheel or extra minute wheel co which gears through an intermediate
wheel with the minute wheel c¹ of the clock which in turn receives motion
indirectly from the going barrel e* as is well understood or the extra minute
wheel might be geared directly with the minute wheel c¹ (as represented at
Figure 8) or with any other convenient part of the going train.
The parts are so timed that on the revolution of the extra minute wheel c¹ the
hammer frame lever c will fall into the notch or recess c* of the notched or cam
disc at the commencement of every hour as represented more particularly at
Figures 1, 3, 4, and 8 when the spring of the hammer frame c will carry the
same into such a position that the tails of the hammers c engage those pins or
teeth d' of the music barrel d which are designed to actuate the hammers c in such
manner as to play a tune upon the bells or gongs ò whilst in the further rotation of
the extra minute wheel clothe hammer frame lever c will ride up one of the
inclines out of the notch or recess c* of the notched or cam disc c and the
hammer frame c will be thereby carried into such a position that the tails of
the hammers are brought into alignment with the pins or studs d² designed to
actuate the hammers c to sound the chimes at the quarters as represented more
particularly at Figure 7 the duration of each set of chimes being determined by the
ordinary stepped wheel and rack escapement hereinafter more fully referred to
which are commonly employed to regulate the duration of the sounding of the
chimes in chiming clocks.
Referring mcre particularly to Figures 9 to 11 in order to provide for the
changing of the tunes or chimes each day, the shaft d³ of the music barrel dis
mounted with capability of endway movement in bearings at one end in the pillar
plate a' and at the other end in a bridge a³ fixed to the front plate a but is held in
its normal position by means of a spring d*.
The shaft d³ of the music barrel d has fixed thereto near to one end thereof a

page_text: long pinion d³ which through a suitable train of wheels d' d' conveys the Decessary
motive power from the spring barrel d* of the chiming mechanism to the music
barrel d.
One end of the music barrel shaft d³ is engaged by the enlarged end of a lever d³
fitted with an adjusting or set screw da* and this music barrel lever d³ is mounted
upon an axis of motion d* carried by a cock or bracket d' from the front plate a
of the frame of the clock whilst the opposite end of the music barrel lever d³ is
cranked to engage a broken or mutilated ring of steps do carried by a star
wheel d and approached by short inclines dio as shown more particularly at
Figures 1, 9, 10, and 11.
Each step do together with the break do** corresponds with a day of the week,
so that in the revolution of the stepped ring as hereinafter described, the
cranked end of the music barrel lever de will at the termination of each day be
raised a distance equal to the depth of a step do which corresponds with the lateral
space occupied upon the music barrel by three rows of pins or teeth ddd' and
the opposite end of such lever d³ will be correspondingly depressed carrying with
it the music barrel d, and thus each day a different set of pins studs or pro-
jections and will be brought into use until the music barrel d is shifted to the
extremity of its traverse as represented at Figure 11 at which time the break di°**
in the ring of steps do will arrive at the cranked arm of the music barrel lever d³
as indicated more particularly at Figures 1, 9 and 10 when the music barrel
spring d will exert its force and return the music barrel d to its normal position in
readiness for a repetition of the above described cycle of operations.
The star wheel" with which is fixed the broken ring of steps do is provided
with a number of teeth equal to the steps do and break do** of the stepped ring
and the rotation thereof is governed by a plate spring d¹ whilst the teeth of this
star wheel dare each in turn engaged by and receive an impulse from a pin or
stud d¹³ carried by a rotating disc d¹³ fixed with an extra wheel d** which
engages an extra pinion d14* fixed with the going fusee d¹ and thus the necessary
step by step rotary motion is given to the stepped ring do.
It will be understood that the shifting arrangement for the music barrel d may
be modified according to the period over which the clock is designed to go without
rewinding.
In lieu of or in addition to causing the chimes to be sounded at the quarters by
a suitable arrangement of the pins or projections d' d² of the music barrel d the
hammers c may be caused to strike the hour and play a tune thus dispensing with
the ordinary striking mechanism or the sounds produced may be otherwise varied
as will be readily understood.
Referring more particularly to Figures 1, 2, 12, and 13 in order to automatically
put the chiming mechanism out of gear or to prevent its operation at night at
which time it is generally considered undesirable that the chimes should be sounded
the hour wheel e has an extra pinion e' fixed therewith as will be seen more
particularly upon reference to Figure 4 and which engages an extra wheel e³
carrying a plain quadrant e²* as shown more particularly at Figures 12 and 13 so
arranged that during the hours of night the latter in the revolution of the hour
wheel e automatically comes into position to engage and acts as a stop to a pin e
arm or projection of the escapement rack device e of the chiming
mechanism the action of which is well understood and need not here be described
thereby holding such rack e in its normal position out of action during a given
distance of rotation of the extra wheel e equal to a given period of time,
and thus preventing it coming forward out of engagement with its locking
upon an
means.
This part of the invention is equally applicable to clocks provided with the well
known "locking plate" escapement for the chiming mechanism but in this case the
quadrant would be caused to throw the lifting arm out of action.
In order that the ring of steps do may be set to play any particular tune the
toothed wheel d¹³*** is frictionally connected with its spindle so that the disc d¹³

page_text: may be independently turned upon the application of considerable force and for
this purpose the spindle is provided with a square d¹³*** to receive a key.
Referring more to Figures 3 and 8 in order to prevent the hands of the clock being
turned back and so disarranging the chimes or tunes in relation to their times of
playing a fine toothed ratchet wheel c¹³ is fixed with the minute wheel c¹ or it
might be fixed with some other rotating part and a click or pawl c¹ is mounted
upon the frame so as to engage the ratchet wheel cs and thus prevent such back
movement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In a chiming or musical clock the combination of a music barrel provided
with circles of pins or the like differentially arranged a number of bells or other
sound producing devices a number of hammers actuated by the pins of the music
barrel and mounted in a frame adapted to nove end wise means for rotating the
music barrel and meaus for automatically moving the hammer frame endwise
and returning it to its normal position substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In a chiming or musical clock the combination of a music barrel provided
with circles of pius, projections or cams alternately arranged to sound a chime and
a tune or the like, means for rotating the barrel at the times desired a number of
bells, gongs or the like a corresponding number of hammers mounted in a frame
adapted to move endwise the hammers being arranged so as to he acted upon by
the pins of the music barrel and means actuated from some part of the going train
for automatically moving the hammer frame at each hour or other selected time
into position for the tune or other circle of pins to act upon the haminers and
means for returning the frame to its normal position substantially as herein shown
and described.
3. In a chiming or musical clock the combination of a music barrel provided
with circles of pins, cams or projections alternately arranged to sound a chime and
a tune, or the like, means for rotating the barrel at the times desired, a number of
bells gongs or the like, a corresponding number of hammers mounted in a frame
adapted to move endwise the hammers being arranged so as to be acted upon by
the pins of the music barrel a spring or the like adapted to constantly press the
hammer frame in one direction a lever mounted upon an axis of motion and at one
end acting upon the hammer frame a notched wheel or cam wheel driven from the
minute wheel or other suitable moving part and engaging the other end of the lever
so that at each hour the hammer frame will be moved end wise and the positions of
the hammers changed relatively to the pins of the music barrel substantially as
herein shown and described.
4. In a chiming or musical clock the combination of a number of bells gongs or
the like a corresponding number of hammers mounted in a frame adapted to move
endwise, a music barrel adapted to be moved endwise and provided with circles of
pins projections or cams alternately arranged to sound a chime and a tune or the
like and adapted to actuate the hammers, means for rotating the barrel at the times
desired, means for moving the hammer frame end wise at every hour, means for
returning it to its normal position, means actuated by the hour wheel or other
suitable moving part for moving the barrel a given distance every twenty four
hours or at other predetermined time so as to change the chimes and tunes, and
means for returning the music barrel to its normal position at the end of a given
number of days substantially as herein shown and described.
5. In a chiming or musical clock the combination of a number of bells, gongs or
the like, a corresponding number of hammers mounted in a frame adapted to move
endwise, a music barrel adapted to be moved end wise and provided with circles of
pins projections or cams alternately arranged to sound chimes and a tune or the like
and adapted to actuate the hammers, means for rotating the barrel at the times
desired, means for moving the hammer frame endwise at every hour, means for

page_text: returning it to its normal position, a spring or the like constantly acting upon the
barrel to press it in one direction, a lever mounted upon an axis of motion and at
one end engaging the end of the barrel, a ring of graduated steps approached by
inclines carried by a star wheel and acting upon the other end of the lever, a disc
driven from the hour wheel or other suitable moving part and carrying a stud
adapted to move the star wheel the distance of one step once in twenty four hours
and a break in the ring of steps to permit the lever and consequently the music
barrel to return to their normal positions at the end of a given number of days
substantially as herein shown and described.
6. In a chiming or musical clock the combination of a quadrant or the like
driven from the hour wheel or other suitable part of the mechanism and adapted to
automatically engage a moving part of the escapement device of the chiming
mechanism during the hours of night and thus prevent the action of the chiming or
tune playing mechanism substantially as herein shown and described.
7. In a chiming or musical clock arranging the mechanism in such manner that
automatically chimes are sounded at each of three quarters and a tune is played at
the hour substantially as herein shown and described.
8. A chiming and musical clock constructed substantially as herein shown and
described.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1894.
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.