FI81692C - TIDVISARANORDNING. - Google Patents

Description

81 692

Time Pointing Device

A timing device comprising a container for a medium, for example a liquid substance, made transparent on at least one side and comprising means for providing a flow into the container or comprising an electronically controlled bar display, the timing being by means of a surface of the medium or said bar display.

10 The two most common ways of indicating time at present are to use either one, two or more rotary pointers or variable numbers. In either case, a separate clock mechanism, either mechanical or electrically operated, is used to measure time per se.

15

In the earliest time measuring devices, there was no e.o. but a timing device, such as an hourglass, also acted as an indicator of the passage of time.

Behind the present invention is the idea of showing the passage of time from an hourglass using a technique known per se, i.e. the movement of a liquid or easily moving substance, but dividing the period of time to be measured into clearly distinguishable parts. The movement itself is then effected by a pump or the like. On the other hand, a technique known per se, i.e. a mechanically or electrically operated clock mechanism, can also be used to measure time 25.

The invention is characterized by what is set forth in the appended claims. r

The invention will now be illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings, which show some embodiments of the invention.

35 Figure 1 shows a 12-hour clock Figure 2 shows the display of the clock according to Figure 1 Figure 3 shows a 12-hour clock

The timer according to Fig. 1 consists of 12 adjacent through-40 visible tube tanks 1,6,8 and 2 81 692 liquid circulating through them. The timer needs an external liquid supply, which takes place through a channel 2 connected to the first tank 1 at the bottom. When it is filled, a constant liquid flow flows along the overflow channel 3 to the next tank 6. As each tank 6 fills, the flow passes to the next tank until, after the last tank 8 is filled, an external clock device opens the bottom valves 5 of the tanks for emptying. After this, filling starts from the beginning. The constant fluid flow is naturally adapted to fill the tubular tanks in hourly cycles.

10

The indicator apparatus shown in Fig. 1 can also consist of 24 pipes, in which case the filling and emptying is 24 hours a day.

The fluid recirculation technique can also be performed in such a way that each tank is filled separately under the control of an external clock mechanism and a valve connected to each tank.

The timing on the new type of dial is as shown in Figure 2. Most preferably, the liquid used is colored so that it is clearly visible. Completely blank and full the dial shows 12 or 24 o'clock. Otherwise, the current hour is shown as a fillable tube tank and full tanks show full hours.

Figure 3 shows the structure of a simple clock device using a timer of the previous type. Adjacent tanks 1,6 and 8 and both the liquid recirculation equipment can be dimensioned for a period of 12 hours as above or just as well for a period of 60 minutes, for example. The device of the type shown in Figure 3 is designed for 30 cycles, i.e. it must be started manually at the beginning of each cycle. This is done by filling the dispensing container 10 at the desired start time. The liquid begins to flow along the channel 11 into the first tank 1. The appropriate flow resistance is determined by means of the throttle 12. The filling of the tanks 1, 6 and 8 takes place up to the same speed 35, despite the decrease in the surface height (13) of the distribution tank 10, because the volume of the tanks 1, 6 and 8 decreases with the decrease of the flow rate.

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Claims (8)

1. A timing device consisting of a container (1) for a medium, for example a liquid substance (1), at least of which one side is transparent, and associated with apparatus (2) for causing a flow in the container (1), or to which belongs an electronically controlled pillar scale, the timing of which proceeds at the surface (7) of said medium (4) or by means of said pillar scale, characterized in that the time indicating device belongs to a plurality of adjacent containers whose At least one side is translucent and of the time display device having instruments (2,3) for distributing the medium (4) to the adjacent containers (1,6,8) or to a plurality of adjacent electronically controlled pillar scales wherein the time indication can be divided into two dimensions, of which the horizontal consists of a unit of time from a number quantity determined by a container or column scale. 2. A timing device according to claim 1, characterized in that channels (3) are arranged between the adjacent containers (1,6,8) in their upper parts, the medium (4) being adapted to flow to a container, generally the outermost (1) wherein the medium always flows over to the next container when the respective container (1.6) is filled. A timing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the medium (4) is water. 4. A timing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the medium is a powdery or granular mass. 6 81692 A timing device according to claim 4, characterized in that the device includes a vibration apparatus for causing the powdery or granular mass to behave in a liquid. 6. A timing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the medium consists of coins or other solid bodies. 7. A timing device according to any of claims 2-5, characterized in that a distribution container (10) for the medium (4) and a fixed channel (11,12) is placed above the timing containers (1,6,8). in order to guide the medium to a container, generally the outermost container and because the volume of the containers (1,6,8) determined by the flow channels is adapted to decrease in the same man as the surface height (13) of the distribution container (10) causes a decrease in the flow rate of the medium (4) when reducing the static pressure. 8. A time display device according to claim 1 to a plurality of electronically controlled pillar scales, characterized in that the pillar scales are provided with electroluminescence, liquid crystals or plasma scales.