US1205467A - Electric-circuit controller. - Google Patents

Description

S. MAZUR.

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14. I916.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

S. MAZUR.

ELECTRIC cmcun CONTROLLER.

I APPLICATION FILED 'r'EB. I4. 1916. 1,205,467, Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

2 SHEE[SSHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

SAMUEL MAZUR, OF BUFFALO, YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES AHRHART, JR., BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

Application filed February 14, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMLUEL MAZUR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric-Circuit Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electric circuit controller and more particularly to a mechanism of this character which may be associated with clocks as now ordinarily constructed for the purpose of periodically closing an electric circuit at a predetermined time or times for causing the electric translating device included in said circuit to become operative or inoperative according as the electric controller has been set.

One of the uses to which this device may be put is to close periodically the electric circuit of a signal or alarm bell whereby persons may be wakened, workmen informed when to begin or stop their work, etc.

In the electric controllers of this character as heretofore constructed, it has been necessary to set the same for each period at which the circuit of the translating device was to be closed, provided this was necessary more than once during every twelve hours of the day, which is objectionable because the controller in this case requires constant attention.

It is the object of this invention to provide an electric circuit controller whereby the circuit of the translating device may be closed at different times of the day with but one setting of the mechanism and without requiring further attention so long as the periods at which the. controller has been set are satisfactory.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a face view of a clock embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section, on an enlarged scale, taken in rear of the dial of the clock and substantially in line 2-2, Fig. r. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the works of the clock, partly in section, equipped with my improved electric switch mechanism and associated with an electric signaling or alarm bell which latter in this instance constitutes the electric translating mechanism.

.Fig. i is a fragmentary, horizontal section,

on an enlarged scale, taken substantially in lme tl, Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are frag- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

Serial No. 78,150.

mentary vertical transverse sections, on a reducd scale, taken in the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. i, and viewed in the directions indicated by the arrows associated with these lines.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Although the clock mechanism with which my improved electric circuit controller is associated may be variously constructed, that shown in the drawings comprises a casing 1, a frame 2 secured to the back of the casing and supporting the clock works which are generally indicated by the reference character 3, a horizontal minute shaft 4 j ournaled in suitable bearings 0n the frame and provided at its front end with the minute hand 5, a tubular hour shaft 6 also journaled on the frame and surrounding the front part of the minute shaft and provided at its front end with the hour hand 7, and

a dial 8 secured to the front part of the easing and traversed by the minute and hour hands of the clock in the usual manner.

As before stated, the electric translating device shown in the drawings, for example, consists of an electric signaling bell, gong or alarm 9 which is preferably of the vibrat ing type so that when the circuit of this bell is closed the same will continue to ring until the circuit is again opened. The circuit of this bell includes a battery or other electric generator 10 and also hand operated switch 11, so that the bell may be rendered inoperative and unaffected by the time switch if at any time this should be desired.

The mechanism which is associated with the clock and which embodies my invention is constructed as follows: 12 represents a setting disk preferably constructed of metal and secured to the" front part of the hour shaft within an opening 13 in the clock dial and flush with the face of the dial so that the front side of this setting disk is accessible from the exterior of the clock to permit of setting such parts which require to be shifted for closing the electric circuit at predetermined times and also to permit parts associated with this disk to cooperate therewith from the inner side of the casing. Near its periphery this setting disk is provided with a plurality of radial slots 14 which are arranged in an annular row, twenty-four of such slots being preferably employed and arranged equidistant, each slot corresponding to a period of half an hour. In each of these slots a settable main contact 15 is arranged and capable of being shifted radially either into its operative or into its inoperative position with reference to another relatively stationary main contact 16. The adjustable main contact preferably consists of a horizontal pin which has its front part arranged within one of the radial slots of the setting disk and adjustably secured therein by means of clamping nuts 17 engaging with an external screw thread on this part of the adjustable contact and adapted to be clamped against opposite sides of the setting disk while the rear end of this pin projects some distance in rear of the setting disk, as shown in Fig. 4:. In the present instance the switch mechanism is so constructed that when the contact pins 15 are arranged in the inner parts of the radial slots of the setting disk, the same are inoperative while upon shifting the same to the outer parts of these slots they are in an operative position. As the setting disk rotates with the hour shaft and hand, those contact pins which are in an operative position are caused to engage successively with the relatively stationary contact 16 and close the circuit of the translating device at this place while those pin contacts which are shifted into an inoperative position on the setting disk clear the relatively stationary contact while the setting disk turns with the hour shaft and hand.

The relatively stationary contact 16 preferably comprises a finger of sheet metal which has its free end arranged in the path of the operative settable contacts while its other end is pivoted to turn about an axis which is horizontal and parallel with the axis of the setting disk. This pivot is preferably carried by a metal bracket 18 which is secured to a block 19 of insulating material on the rear wall of the casing and connected with one side of the circuit which includes the electric bell or other translating device. The contact finger 16 is yieldingly held in the path of the operator settable contacts by means of a spring 20 which tends to move this finger in a direction opposite to that in which the finger is moved by the contact pins 15, the extent of movement of the contact finger under the action of its spring being limited by means of a stop 21 which is preferably mounted on the bracket to which the contact finger is pivoted. Each of the contact pins upon sweeping past the contact finger engages therewith, so as to close the electric circuit at this place, and also deflect this finger against the resistance of its spring, and when the respective contact pin clears the contact finger the latter is again returned by its spring into a position in which its free end projects into the path of the operative contact pins, ready to be engaged by the next following one of such pins.

If the closing of the circuit through the translating device were dependent solely upon the operative main pins of the setting disk and the relative stationary main contact finger the circuit of the translating device would remain closed for a period of time which is too long for practical purposes, particularly when the translating device is a vibrating electric bell, inasmuch as the movement of the setting disk is comparatively slow and the vibrating bell would be sounded for a considerable period of time before the circuit between the operative settable pin would be carried out of contact with the contact finger by the movement of the setting disk.

In order to avoid closing the circuit of the translating device an excessively long period of time an auxiliary switch is provided which is controlled by and operates in harmony with the movement of the minute shaft and hand. This auxiliary closing device is preferably so constructed that it momentarily closes the circuit of the translating device twice during every half hour at a point different from that at which this circuit is closed by the contacts of the main or hour switch. This auxiliary switch mechanism is preferably constructed as follows: 20 represents a fixed support which is preferably constructed of insulating material and in the form of a disk and connected by means of brackets 23 with the frame of the clock works so that it is held stationary. On one side, preferably the front side, of this supporting disk the same is provided on diametrically opposite sides with two metallic i fixed contacts 24, 25 which are preferably connected with each other and with the opposite side of the electric circuit of the translating device by means of a C-shaped strip 26 of metal arranged circumferentially on the rear side of the insulating supporting disk.

Extending axially through the insulating disk and journaled in suitable bearings on the main frame is a horizontal countershaft 27 which is arranged parallel with the hour and minute shafts. This countershaft is turned in unison with the minute shaft by means of an intermediate gear wheel 28 journaled on the frame of the clock works and meshing on its opposite sides with like pinions 29, 30, secured to the rear parts of the minute shaft and the auxiliary shaft, as shown in Figs. at and 6. In front of the insulating support 22 the countershaft is provided with a metal head or bracket 31 to which is pivoted a metal contact arm 32, the pivotal connection between this arm and the bracket being arranged at right angles to the axis of the countershaft, so that the contact arm can swing toward the face of the insulating disk. At its free end the contact arm is provided with a metal contact roller or wheel 33 which latter is yieldingly held in engagement with the face of the insulating disk by means of aspring 3% secured to the bracket 31, and engaging with the front side of the contact arm. The distance from the axis of the countershaft to the contact roller or wheel is the same as the distance from the axis of this shaft to the auxiliary contacts on the insulating disk, so that upon rotating the contact roller bodily around the supporting disk by means of the countershaft and associated parts, this contact will be caused to engage successively with the two auxiliar i contacts 24, 25.

Owing to the metallic connection between the countershaft and the setting disk which is furnished by the intervening metallic parts of the clock works, the circuit of the electric translating device is completed and the bell is caused to ring whenever a main contact pin 15 engages with the contact finger l6 and the auxiliary contact roller or wheel 33 engages with one or the other of the auxiliary stationary contacts as, The relative timing of the main and auxiliary switch is such that when a contact pin 15 corresponding to an hour on the clock is engaged by the main contact finger 16, the auxiliary contact roller 33 will engage one of the auxiliary stationary contacts and when one of the main contact pins of the setting disk corresponding to a half hour of the clock engages with the main contact finger the auxiliary roller engages the other auxiliary contact. By this means a contact of long duration may be produced between the main contacts 15, 16 at the end of every half hour of the clock and a contact of short duration at the end of every half hour between the auxiliary contact roller 33 and one or the other of the auxiliary stationary contacts. It follows from this construction that the circuit of the translating device may be momentarily closed once during every half hour of the day, thereby rendering the same particularly desirable for operating a ti brating bell or similar device which requires a circuit to be only closed a short time to accomplish the intended purpose.

In practice, the switch mechanism is so set that the main contact pin of the setting disk engages with the companion main contact finger shortly before the auxiliary conact roller engages with one of the auxiliary fixed contacts, thereby insuring complete closure of the circuit of the translating device when the auxiliary contact roller engages one of the stationary auxiliary-contacts, inasmuch as the main contacts remain in engagement for some time after the active auxiliary contacts have been again disengaged from each other.

By means of this improved electric switch mechanism the operation of the clock proper is not interfered with as sometimes is the case in electric time clocks in which the hands of the clock form the movable contacts and engage with stationary contacts on the dial of the clock. In such prior de ices. the hands of the clock when engaging the stationary contacts are liable to be stopped by the friction between these parts and also by the partial fusing of these parts and the melting together of the same when the elec tric circuit passes through the same.

By rendering the setting disk accessible from the face of the dial and providing this setting disk with a plurality of adjustable contacts one or more of which may be shifted into an operative position, it is possible to close the electric circuit of the translating device at predetermined periods of each day without requiring repeated adjustment of the setting mechanism. For instance, if the pins on the setting dial are set so as to give a signal of the bell at eight oclock in the morning for beginning work in a factory, stopping work at 12 oclock for dinner, resuming work at 1 oclock after dinher, and quitting work at 5 oclock in the afternoon, the settable contact pins may remain indefinitely in this position and therefore repeat the signals from day to day until it is desired to change the hour or half hour at which the signals should be given. This switch mechanism is therefore much more convenient and desirable than an electric time switch in which setting of parts is necessary for each succeeding signal after the previous signal has been given.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electric circuit controller comprising a clock works having an hour shaft and a minute shaft, a setting disk mounted on said hour shaft and turning in unison therewith and provided with a plurality of radial slots, and a plurality of settable contacts each adjustable radially from the front of the clock in one of said slots and adapted to engage with a relatively fixed contact, each of said settable contacts having the form of a pin and provided with an externally threaded part which receives screw nuts engaging with opposite sides of said disk.

2. An electric circuit controller comprising a clock works having an hour shaft and a minute shaft, a countershaft turning in unison with said minute shaft, an arm pivotallv connected with said shaft and provided with a contact roller, a stationary insulating supporting disk having a fixed contact which is adapted to be engaged by the contact roller, and a spring for pressing said arm toward said disk.

3. An electric circuit controller comprising a clock works having an hour shaft and a minute shaft, a setting disk turning in unirically opposite sides of said countershaft son With said hour shaft and having a p1uwith fixed contacts, and an arm mounted on raiity of settable main contacts, a relatively said countershaft and provided With a r011- 10 stationary contact adapted to be engaged by ing contact adapted to engage successively said settable contacts, a counter shaft turnwith said fixed contacts.

ing in unison with said minute shaft, a stationary insulating disk provided on diamet- SAMUEL MAZUR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner at Patents. Washington, D. 0.

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