US1131062A - Pedometer attachment for watchmen's portable time-registers. - Google Patents

Description

q. H. JENKINS. PEDOMETER ATTACHMENT FOB WATGHMENS PORTABLE TIME REGISTERS.

APPLICATION FILED JANA, 1911.

1,131,062. Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTQE.

CHARLES H. JENKINS, OF BELLEVILLE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TC) N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW COMPANY, on NEW YORK,

NEVIMAN CLOCK YGRK.

PEIDOMETER ATTACHMENT FOR WATGHMENS PGRTABLE TIME-REGISTERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

Application filed. January 4, 1911. Serial No. 600,712.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. JENKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Belleville, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pedometer Attachments for lVatchmens Portable Time-Registers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

In a certain time-registering system for watchmen the various stations which the watchman visits are not equipped with timeregistering clocks, but instead are provided with recording keys, while the clock itself is carried by the watchman. At each station the key belonging thereto is inserted in the clock, thereby producing a time-imprint on the record dial which indicates the time at which the station was visited. Examination of the record dial at the completion of his tour of duty will then show whether the stations were all visited and the times at which they were reached.

For certain reasons it is desirable to have independent means for checking the watchmans performance of his duty, for example, to show whether he has actually traversed the distance comprised in the rounds he is supposed to make. Hence if he should procure duplicate keys and make up his time record without actually going the round the fact would be at once evidenced by the independent checking means referred to. For this purpose I propose to combine with the time-register a pedometer, by which the distance traveled by the watchman will be registered. Knowing then the distance ordinarily required to complete the rounds the required number of times during his tour of duty, examination of the pedometer will show whether or not the watchman has been derelict.

To this and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of elements hereinafter described, and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and referring now thereto, Figure l is an elevational view, showing the pedometer mounted in the lid of the clock case, with the lid in section. Fig. 2 is a side view of the clock with the lid in section to show the pedometer. Fig. 3 is a front View of the clock with the case partly broken away to show the pedometer in rear elevation. Fig. 4 is a section on line H of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the step-counting mechanism on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

l The clock casing, 10, has a hinged lid 11, in which, by preference, the pedometer mechanism is mounted. The latter includes a register 12 of any suitable type, as for example aseries of star wheels, 13, 14c, 15, each associated with a number dial 16, 17, 18, respectively, the several number dials being arranged behind a supporting plate 19 in which the arbors of the counter are journaled. The star wheel 13 carries a stud 20 adapted to engage the star wheel 14 and so actuate the same, and the lastnamed wheel has a similar stud 21 to actuate the wheel 15. The number of teeth on each wheel being ten, it will be seen that ten steps in the step-by-step movement of wheel 13 will move wheel 1% one step, and that ten steps, or a complete revolution, of wheel 14 will turn wheel 15 one step, so that the number dial 18 will indicate hundreds, dial 17 will indicate tens, and dial 16 will indi cate units. The latter wheel is actuated by a stud 22 on a ratchet wheel 23 having, say, twenty teeth.

For the urpose of rotating the ratchet wheel step-IEy-step an oscillating pawl 24: is provided, having a spring finger 25 engaging the ratchet. This pawl is mounted to slide longitudinally in guides 26, 27, and its center is weighted, as at 28, so as to give the pawl sufficient momentum to actuate the ratchet. Extending into a slot in the side of the weight 28 is a pivoted arm 29, connected to the weight by a pin 30 passing through a slot in the arm. This arm is engaged on opposite sides by light blade springs 81, 32, preferably integral with each other and curved as shown.

From the foregoing it will be evident that when the clock is carried with the pawl horizontal the motion of the body in walking will impart a movement of oscillation to the pawl, thereby rotating the ratchet and actuating the counting wheels as previously described, the movement of the pawl being damped, so to speak, by the yielding resistance of the opposing springs 31, 32, which, when the clock is not being carried, also serve to hold the pawl in a central or neutral position. Of course the number appearthe well known principle of the pedometer to be read in linear units, as for example, yards, orr'miles-and fractions of a mile. Thus, for example, if it takes twenty steps of thirty inches each to efiect a complete revolution of the ratchet wheel, thereby advancing the star wheel 13 one tooth, one'uni-ton said wheel is to be read as fifty feet, or, roughly,=.O1 :of a mile. The second star wheel will then register tenths of a mile, and;th'e third-:will register'miles. In general, the rate at which, the ratchet wheel 23 rotates depends upon the amplitude-of the,:-. pawlsi:oscillations, 'which' in turn depends- :upon the, length .ofthe step takeniiniziwalkingyby the person carrying thedevice; T 3 L For the purpose of preventing backward rotation ofthestar wheels, a series of ratchets 33 isgprovided,:.with pawls $4, associated with the; respective wheels... :If desired, a similar ratchet-and pawl may the providedg-for the ratchet .wheel 23, but the spring;,2 5i-may be madezto engage the same 1 so lightly that ;the retraction: of the spring will not have any effect on-the wheel.

1 I -n;,orde r to;l1ave-:the actuatingpawl 24 substantiallyvv horizontal at". all times, "in whatever iposition the. clock is: carried, the pawl; and the::other iinstrumentalitiesof the pedometerqare mounted,- preferably detachably, on a disk 35,.which is in turn mounted centrally on apivot 36 carried by-the clockcase slid; 'Now, :unless the clock is carried with :the pedometer-supporting disk perfectlyhorizontal: (which is practically impossiblefor any length'of time) the greater weight: onone: side -of the disk will cause such heavier portion to swing to the lowest point, thus making the pawl, which'is the heaviest part .ofthe mechanism, approximately horizontal. The disk should not, however, be so delicately poisedas to cause it to=oscillate-instead of the pawl. It is obvious,:however, that the registering mechanism: operated by the :weightedpawl may be-;ma,de heavier. than the latter, in which case the pawl would assume a verticalposition; 1 1 a i g If it is desired simply to register the numberfof steps taken-Joy the-watchman, irrespecti ve: of; their length means should be provided for limiting the travel of-the pawl so that it can in no case turn the ratchet more than one tooth in each oscillation. For

this-"purpose the weighted portion 28 may be "provided with adjustable screw-stops 38 in its'ends,,in position to engage the guides 26, 27 as-thepawl'vibrates. Byproperly adjusting these f'st'ops the movement of the pawlcan bemadeuniformin extent no matteI'qhOW. long-or how shortthe steps taken by; therperson-carrying the clock may be. Or they maybe adjusted to correspond with a particular length of step, for example the steps habitually taken by'th'e watchman, so that the mechanism will not only count the steps -but-also register the A distance It. is clear that when the clock is thus equipped the distance which the watchman mustwalk, or the number of steps he must take, or' both, to perform his duty properly, will. be registeredby the pedometer with approximate accuracy, thus affording additional evidence as to such performance. Any unreasonable descrepancy between the registrations-the pedometer ought to show and the registration it actually does show will therefore call for an explanation onthe part of the watchman. a i

1' Itis to be understood that the instrumentalitiesherein specifically described constitute merely the preferred embodiment of the invention, which can be embodied in other effective forms without departure from its proper spirit and scope as defined by-the appended-claims.

I-claim:

1. A watchmans portable time-register, including a clock-case having alid, a pivoted support carried by thelid, and means mounted on the supportfor registering the distancetraversed by the watchman carrying the time-register, said means including an oscillatory device arranged at one side of the pivoted support. 7 I I 2. A pedometer, comprising, in combination, an elongated pawl, a support at each end thereof in which the pawl is adapted to reciprocate, a pivoted arm having its free end connected to said pawl between the ends thereof, and mechanism actuated by the motion of the' pawl for counting and registering units of distance.

- 3. A pedometer, comprising, in combination, fan-elongated pawl, a support at each end thereof in which the pawl is adaptedto reciprocate, a pivoted arm having its. free end connected to said pawl between the ends thereof by means of a lost motion connection,-and-means actuated by the motionof the pawl for counting and registering units of distance.

4. A pedometer, comprising, in combination, an elongated pawl and weight, a. support at each end thereof in which the pawl is adapted to reciprocate the weight. onsaid pawl located between the supports, a pivoted ar-In having its free end connected to -5. A; pedometer, comprlsing, in combina- "tion, an elongated pawl, a support at each endthereof in which the pawl is adapted to reciprocate, means onsaid. pawl to regulate the amplitude thereof, registering means,

and means also on said pawl for converting the reciprocity motion thereof into rotary motion of the registering means.

6. A pedometer, comprising, in combination, an elongated pawl, a support at each end thereof in which the pawl is adapted to reciprocate, and adjustable means between the support for regulating the amplitude of the reciprocation of the pawl.

7. A pedometer, comprising, in combination, an elongated pawl, a support at each end thereof in which the pawl is adapted to reciprocate, a weight on said pawl located between the supports, and adjustable means on said weight for contacting with said supports to regulate the movement of said pawl.

8. A pedometer, comprising, in combination, an elongated pawl, a support at each end thereof, adjustable means on said pawl located between said supports for regulating the movement of said pawl, and means actuated by the motion of said pawl for colmting and registering units of distance.

9. A pedometer, comprising, in combination, an elongated pawl, a support at each end for the pawl in which the latter is adapted to reciprocate, a weight upon said pawl, a pivoted arm having its free end connected to said weight, opposing springs contacting said arm to damp the movement of said pawl, and mechanism actuated by the motion of said pawl for counting and registering units of distance.

10. In a pedometer, an oscillating pawl, mechanism operated by the motion of said pawl for counting and registering units of distance, and movable means on which the said pawl and mechanism is supported to cause the said pawl to assume a horizontal position.

11. In a pedometer, a disk centrally pivoted to the pedometer casing, a weighted reciprocating pawl, mechanism actuated by the motion of said pawl for counting and registering units of distance, said pawl and said mechanism mounted on one side of the pivot of said disk whereby the pawl swings by gravity to its lowest point.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. JENKINS.

Witnesses:

DRURY W. COOPER, M. LAWSON DYER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington. D. O.

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