GB206186A - Improvements in electric clocks - Google Patents

Abstract

206,186. Prince, C. E. June 1, 1922. Electric clocks.-In an electric clock the pendulum &c. is free mechanically and its accuracy unaffected by irregularities in the time-indicating mechanism. The pendulum closes the circuit operating the clock 16 once in each swing by adjustable contacts 3, 3<1> and 4, 4<1>. A circuit reverser 9 breaks the circuit automatically and reverses the contacts 7, 7<1>, and 8, 8<1> before separation of the contacts 3, 3<1>, or 4, 4<1>. The pendulum &c. receives a suitable impulse from a coil or coils 17 and core 17<1>. The time-indicating mechanism may be stopped by a shunt circuit having a switch 33 and it may be accelerated by short circuiting the contacts 3, 4, and pendulum suspension thus causing the reverser 9 to work rapidly. The fixed contacts 3<1>, 4<1> may be replaced by flexible wires exposed through the cutaway parts of tubes which are rotatable on splitbosses for adjustment. In a modification the pendulum makes contact once in each vibration by operating a spring-controlled contact arm 43, Fig. 6, which closes the circuit through the clock 16 and armature 17. The circuit-reverser may have a single oscillating contact operating between two fixed contacts. The permanent magnet of the reverser may oscillate and the electromagnet may be fixed. Instead of the clock 16 a relay may be operated by the circuit for one or more distant secondary clocks. A slow-releasing relay may be actuated say once a minute by the clock 16 to operate one or more subsidiary clocks and a similar device may be used to give less frequent impulses to the pendulum.