GB1455306A - Alarm clock mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

1455306 Alarm clocks GENERAL ELECTRIC CO 14 Nov 1973 [16 Aug 1973] 52948/73 Heading G3T In an electric alarm clock having a vibrator 120, Fig. 4, which is normally restrained by a shut-off lever 20 but is released to sound the alarm at a preset time, the lever 20 moves longitudinally to release the vibrator under the force of a spring 148 when a latch portion 150 of the lever is moved out of a notch in frame plate 36 by the action of a first cam 108, and the central portion of the lever is subject to the action of a second cam system 44, 46 which, shortly before the pre-set time, tilts the lever about a longitudinal axis thereof to bring a finger 166 on the lever into contact with the cam 108. As shown the clock is a digital clock and the cam 108 is coupled to a units of minutes indicator actuating member 12 for rotation once every ten minutes. The cam 44 is rotated once every twelve hours by the clock mechanism and is moved axially when a cut-out on the cam becomes aligned with finger 46 on an alarm time-set cam 42. This movement is produced by the force of a resilient switch contact arm 22 via a shaft 26 and allows contacts 33, 34 to close and energize a radio. The movement is, however, prevented if a cam 82 on a manually operable selector shaft 80 is in the NO WAKE position shown, since a slotted arm 68 of a lever 62 then prevents axial displacement of the gear 40 to which the cam 44 is attached. The shaft 80 also has a RADIO WAKE position in which the lever 62 is free to move and the switch contacts to close but the shut-off lever 20 is still held in the restraining position by a finger 104 on the shaft. In a third ALARM position of the shaft Fig. 5 (not shown) the switch and vibrator are freed in succession as described above. Depression of a drowse button (218), Figs. 1 and 8 (not shown) causes a lever (200) to pivot and move the latch portion 150 of the lever 20 back into the frame plate notch, silencing the vibrator, until the cam 108 again depresses the finger 166 a few minutes later and releases the lever 20 once more. An automatic vibrator silencing mechanism driven by a gear (222), Figs. 13-15 (not shown) which rotates once per minute is also described. The switch is also controlled by a member 24 fixed to a lever 94 the end 96 of which rides on an ON-OFF-SLEEP cam 90, allowing the switch to be controlled independently of the vibrator.