GB2031191A - Clock with perpetual calendar - Google Patents

Abstract

A clock-cum-calendar has a dial plate 110 with date numbers 1 to 31 spaced around it, e.g. on a transparent portion 115 of the dial, and a day disc (119) which is positioned behind the dial plate and can be rotated manually to give correct registration of its day markings and the numbers 1 to 31. A further rotatable disc (118) behind the day disc and of greater diameter shows months one at a time through a window 116 in the dial plate, and the corresponding number of days in the month through a second window 117; as an alternative the further disc can carry numbers which are displayed in turn to show the particular date. The central portion 111 of dial 110 is opaque and has time markings to cooperate with hands 112,113. Alternatively the clock may be a digital clock. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECFICATION Clock with perpetual calendar This invention relates to clocks and has for its object to provide in combination with a clock a perpetual calendar arrangement.

Clocks which incorporate calendar arrangements are of course known but such known clocks usually are expensive in that incorporation of the calendar necessitates a modification of or addition to the movement. The present invention provides in a simple and relatively inexpensive manner a clockcum-calendar arrangement which avoids the necessity of providing a specially designed movement.

Broadly, according to the invention, there is provided a clock dial apparatus comprising a first plate or surface on, through or at which time is to be indicated from a suitable clock mechanism, the first plate or surface also being marked consecutively and at uniform spacings round a ring thereon with the numbers 1 to 31, and a disc or annular plate mounted to be rotatable relative to the first plate and its said ring so that markings thereon are visible through or past the first plate, said markings comprising successive consecutive sets of the days of the week at spacings corresponding to the spacings of said numbers so that adjustable registration of said day markings and said numbers can be achieved.

In one embodiment the first plate has a transparent ring through which is visble a marked portion, preferably the peripheral margin, of a said rotatable disc mounted behind the first plate. The numbers 1 to 31 may be marked on the transparent ring or on another ring concentric with and adjacent thereto.

We prefer to use a dial plate as said first plate and marked with time indicia for traversal by clock hour and minute hands (with the number and day markings outside the time indicia markings) which allows rotation of the day mark carrier disc or plate about the same axis as the hands.

Preferably, but not essentially, a second disc or annular plate is also mounted for rotation with markings visible selectively according to its position.

Those markings may be months of the year, i.e.

January - December, say at its peripheral, and, if desired, around another part with the numbers of days in each month positioned so as to correspond as to visibility with the positioning of the name of that month. Such visibility may be provided by one or more apertures or transparent window areas.

Alternatively, the second disc or annular plate may be marked with the numbers 1 to 31, only one to be visible at a time, and, if desired, with a further mark that travels round the numbers marked on the first plate to indicate the actual day corresponding to the one number of the second disc or annular plate that is then visible.

Clearly, these two alternatives may be embodied together using separate rotatable discs or annular plates making a total of three rotatable said discs or plates.

In use, the first disc or annular plate is moved by hand once a month so that the days of the week correspond, for that month, with date numbers marked on the clock dial. The appropriate month and/or day number of the other rotatable disc or discs can also be displayed when such other disc or discs are provided. Where the month is displayed and its number of days, that provides a ready guide to manipulation of the first disc so that correct alignment of the days and dates may be achieved.

As there are seven days per week and any month may start on any day, a range of, movement of the day marking carrier of seven days is necessary.

However, no month has more than 31 days and it is convenient to mark five full weeks of days on that carrierwith a four-day gap from numeral 31 to numeral 1 on the first plate at which gap the movable day and/or month marking may be made visible. Preferably, the markings of the day carrier are also blanked from view for that said four-day gap, conveniently to distinguish start and finish of a month.

We have mentioned rotatable annular plates as well as discs but the latter are generally found to be preferably in most conveniently facilitating common centre mounting about a clock drive shaft with such discs one behind the other and of successively greater diameter all to be visible through transparent areas of the first plate. Then, the day disc may be movable by a lever or cogged wheel and the month and/or day number discs by a cogged wheel or wheels so that interruption of a clock casing is minimised in gaining access for adjustment purposes.

The invention is further described with the aid of the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, four embodiments.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a first embodiment; Figure 2 is a schematic exploded side elevation of the clock-cum-perpetual calendar embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front view of second embodiment of a clock-cum-calendar, Figure 4 is an exploded side elevation of the embodiment of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a front view of a third embodiment; Figure 6 is a front view of a fourth embodiment; and Figure 7shows an adjustment provision.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, 110 denotes a circular plate, for example of glass or a synthetic resin, and which has an opaque central part 111 marked in conventional clock dial fashion over which move hour and minute hands 112,113 driven by a suitable clock movement 114 situated behind the plate 110.

The plate 110 may be planar, or dished or otherwise configurated. Surrounding the dial 111, said plate 110 is provided with a circular transparent band or ring 115, and outwardly of said band 115 said plate 110 is opaque except for two diametrically opposed transparent window areas bounded at 116,117.

Between the plate 110 and the movement 114 are mounted two discs 118, 119 which are rotatable about the same axis as the hands 112, 113,conve- niently about a central fixing screw 120 which secures the plate 110 to the movement 114. To achieve relative movement of the discs 118, 119 said discs rotate about washers 121, 122 disposed between largerwashers 123, 124 and 125. The relative thicknesses of the various washers are such that the required movement of the discs is provided. Preferably said discs are slightly resistant to movement so as to be frictionally locatable in positions of adjustment.

The transparent band 115 of the plate 110 is uniformly marked around the marginal periphery, as shown, with the numbers 1-31 and the disc 119 with the days of the week which are repeated five times around its circumference and spaced apart so as to be registrable as shown with the date numerals.

The disc 118 is marked around one half of its marginal periphery with the months of the year which are located so as to be selectively movable into register with a window area 116. Around the other half of its marginal periphery the number of days in each month are marked so as to correspondingly appear in the other window area 117.

It is, of course, possible to apply the invention to so-called digital clocks probably with a digital viewer inside the calendar markings.

We are not aware of a circular perpetual calendar per se, i.e. with the clock dial markings as also the movement, omitted, but the main teaching and advantages of this invention are seen as arising from associating such a perpetual calendar with a clock.

However, to the extent that such a calendar perse is novel and inventive, the same is encompassed herein.

In Figures 3 and 4, a clock-cum-calendar arrangement has what may be a standard clock case A, in this case circular in shape, and which incorporates a clock movement G securable to said casing by a mount means F through which latter pass the driving spindles of the clock fingers. Fixedly mounted on the member F is a washer C, and rotatable about said washer C is a disc B, the perimeter whereof is marked with the days of the week. It will be noted that the washer C is of greater thickness than the disc B.

In front of the disc B and against the washer C is mounted a spacer washer D, and in front of the washer D is a secured disc E smaller in diameter than the disc B and which is medially marked as a clock dial and around its periphery carries date numerals 1-31 spaced in accordance with the days of the week of disc B. The disc E is clamped by the mounting member F against the spacer washers D and C and the casing A and thus is prevented from rotation.

The disc B by virtue of the difference in thickness between it and the washer C is free to rotate about the latter. To more positively locate the disc E, an adhesive may be used between it and the washers D and C and the casing A.

Preferably a transparent dust cover H is fitted to the casing A.

Adjustment of the rotatable disc B to correctly orientate the days of the week relative to the date numerals, can be effected in any convenient manner.

For example said disc may be provided with a radially extending part as B' in Figure 1,which extends through a slot provided in the cover H for manipulation.

It will be seen that this embodiment again provides in a simple and inexpensive manner a clockcum-perpetual calendar which is simple to use and not liable to derangement.

In Figure 5, a clock dial plate 310 has time indicia marked thereon at 311 within a gapped transparent ring 312 outside of which is a ring 313 bearing the numbers 1 to 31 spaced at the top 314 of the dial by four day spacings. Through the transparent ring 312 is visible a rotatable disc 315 bearing five complete sets of consecutive markings for the days of the week, gap 316 in the transparency of the ring 312 corresponding to four days and registering with the space 314 between 31 and 1 of the numbers 1 to 31.

In the space 314 is an aperture or transparent window 317 through which is visible a month marking on a further rotatable disc 318 marked at uniform spacings about it or half of it with the months of the year. Also, that disc 318 is marked with the number of days corresponding to particular months as visible through aperture or transparent window 319 in the dial plate 310.

In Figure 6, a clock dial plate 410 is generally similar in its markings to dial plate 310. However, the space 414 in the number ring 413 now has an aperture orwindow 417 to show only one day number on a rotatable disc 418 behind the dial plate 410. That disc 418 may thus be indexed one plate each day and carries about it a ring of the numbers 1 to 31. A peripheral edge part 420 of the disc 418 is, however, also visible through a peripheral transparent portion 419 of the dial plate outside the number ring 413. That edge part 420 carries a mark 421 that progresses round the days as the disc 418 is indexed and thus shows the actual day concerned.

Figure 7 shows disc adjustment system using a lever extension 71 from a day carrying disc, and rotatable wheels 72 and 73 carrying cogs 74,75 meshing with peripheral toothing 76,77 of month and number carrying discs, respectively. The wheels 72 and 73 and the lever 71 are accessible from outside a clock case, and the dial plate is assumed to be removed in Figure 7, with the discs lying behind it on suitable washer mounts in succession with increasing diameter.

The wheels 72,73 and lever 71 may pass through slots in a moulded clock casing, probably a two-part moulding with interfitment to rotatably locate the wheels 72 and 73. The dial plate may cooperate in providing rotation location by slotting, holes, pine or the like. Alternatively the wheels 72,73 and the lever 71 may pass between the casing and a cover plate at a reduced edge part of the latter, the lever then being cranked for the purpose other alternatives will occur to those skilled in the art, such as knobs accessible through the cover plate. Obviously, the lever 71 could be omitted and a wheel and cog drive applied to a toothed sector of the day carrying disc.

Claims (23)

1. Clock-cum-calendar face apparatus comprising a first plate or surface on, through or at which time is to be indicated by a suitable clock mechan ism, wherein the first plate or surface is also marked consecutively and at uniform spacings round a ring thereon with the numbers 1 to 31, and a disc or annular plate is mounted to be rotatable relative to the first plate or surface and its said ring so that markings thereon are visible through or past the first plate, said markings comprising successive consecutive sets of the days of the week at spacings corresponding to the spacings of said numbers so that adjustable registration of said day markings and said numbers can be achieved.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first plate or surface is a clock dial marked with time indicia to be traversed by hour and minute hands of a clock mechanism and the disc or annular plate is concentric therewith.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first plate or surface has a transparent ring through which is visible the day markings on the disc or annular plate.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the ring of numbers 1 to 31 is gapped between 31 and 1 by four number spacings and the disc or annular member has the days of five complete weeks marked thereon.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a second disc or annular plate also rotatably mounted and bearing further markings visible one at a time through or past the first plate or surface.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 with claim 4, wherein said further markings are visible through an aperture or transparent window in the first plate of surface between numbers 31 and 1.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein said further markings are months of the year in sequence.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein other markings on said second disc or annular plate are visible through another aperture or transparent window in the first plate or surface, those other markings comprising the number of days for each month marking and visible as the latter is visible.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the further or/and the other markings are on one half or less of the arcuate extent of the second disc or annular plate to limit required rotation thereof to that said extent.

10. Apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein said further markings are the numbers 1 to 31.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein another marking on said second disc or annular plate is visible past, or through a transparent ring of, the first plate or surface to register with the actual day corresponding to that number visible through or past said first plate or surface.

12. Apparatus according to claim 7 or claim 8, comprising a third rotatably mounted disc or annular plate carrying markings as specified in claim 10 or claim 11 to be visible one at a time through or past the first plate or surface separately from the markings on the second disc or annular plate.

13. Apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 12, wherein the second disc or annular plate is of greater diameter than and behind the firstmentioned disc or annular plate and has its markings beyond the periphery of the latter.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 with claim 12, wherein the third disc or annular plate is of greater diameter than and behind the second disc or annular plate and has its markings beyond the periphery of the latter.

15. Apparatus according to claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 14 as appendentto claim 2, wherein the or each said disc is mounted between fixed spacer washers and for rotation on further fixed washers of greater thickness than the disc or discs, respectively.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein rotation of the or each disc is resisted for friction location thereof.

17. Clock-cum-calendarface apparatus arranged and adapted to be operated substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or Figures 3 and 4, or Figure 5, or Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.

18. A clock-cum-calendar having face apparatus according to any preceding claim.

19. A clock-cum-calendar according to claim 18, wherein disc adjustment rotation means is provided accessible through a casing of the clock-cumcalendar.

20. A clock-cum-calendar according to claim 19, wherein said accessibility is at a position between two mating casing parts.

21. A clock-cum-calendar according to claim 20, wherein one of those casing parts is a dial cover.

22. A clock-cum-calendar according to claim 19, 20 and 21, wherein adjustment means for any said second or third discs or annular plates comprises a protruding wheel having a cog secured thereto.

23. A clock-cum-calendar arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.