US1217937A - Compass-clock. - Google Patents

Description

F. R.'GREENE.

COMPASS CLOCK.'

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.22. |916.

'Patented Mar. 6, `1,917'.

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Application led January 1916, Serial N o. 73,533.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK R. GREENE, a

citizen of the. United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Compass-Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in combined watch and compass, or sun watch and sun dial. Among the objects of my invention are to provide means for telling the time without clock or other such mechanism. Another object is to take advantage of the well known coordination between the points of the compass and the position of the sun whereby an operator who can merely see where the sun is is able to tell the time. Other objects of my invention will appear from time to time in the specification.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l shows a plan view of my device;

Fig. 2 is a section'.

Like parts are indicated by like letters throughout the several figures.

,A is a compass housing. It has a hinged cover A1. A2 is the usual compass dial marked about its periphery with the points of the compass. A3 is a pivot pin. Upon it is pivotally mounted a compass needle A4, free to rotate in the usual manner. A5 is a glass cover or crystal covering the needle and protecting it.

B is a clock dial provided with the usual hour numerals from l to 12. This dial rests under the compass dial and is rotatably mounted on the compass pivot, suitably held from rotation thereabout. YThe gearing B1 as shown having a thumb wheel projecting' partially outside the case is provided in order to enable the operator to rotate the dial at his will and convenience. B2 is an hour hand mounted for rotation about the pivot axis of the compass needle. B3 is a thumb wheel whereby this hand may be rotated at the will of the operator. This needle also is adapted to be held yieldingly in rotation except upon manipulation of the thumb wheel.

The inside of the cover provides a good place' for the inscription of instructions for the use of my device, and I prefer therefore, to inscribe some such description as that set forth in the use and operation of my device in this application,

' Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedI Mar.y 6, 1,917.

The use and operation of my invention are Vas follows: Y In order to tell time by my device the operator first holds the compass level so as to permit the magnetic needle to swing freely. He then rotates the clock dial until 12 oclock points to the south. He then rotates the movable handA so as to point it in the general direction of the sun. He can always or almost always see the sun even though it is too cloudy or too obstructed tol permit the'shadow to fall. He then turns the watch dial until the hour pointed to by the hand, points toward the south. He then reads the time of day on the clock dial at the point pointed to by the movable hand.

If the compass is to be used as arcompass alone, no attention need be paid to the movable dial or to the hour hand. They will remain in their usual position without interfering with the use of the compass.

I claimzl. Time telling means comprising a compass having a dial and magnetic needle, an hour dial concentric with and mounted for rotation with respect to the compass dial, an hour hand mounted for rotation concentric with the magnetic needle, and means controlled by the operator for separately r0- tating the hour hand and dial.

2. A compass comprising a cylindrical box, a transparent closurefor one side thereof, a compass dial fixed in the bottom of the box, a magnetic needle mounted for rotation above the dialv'beneath the transparent closure, an hour dial mounted for rotation upon the magnetic dial about the pivot center of the magnetic needle, and means extending outwardly through the wall of the box for manipulatingv the hour dial, an hour hand mounted for rotation upon the transparent closure, and means projecting through the closure whereby the operator may manipuf late the hour hand. l

' 3. A compass comprising a cylindrical teV box, a transparent closure for one side thereof, a compass dial fixed in the bottom' of the box, a magnetic needle mounted for rotation above the dial-beneath the transparent closure, an hour dial mounted for rotation upon the magnetic dial about the pivot center of the magnetic needle, and means extending outwardly through the wall of the box for manipulating the hour dial, an hour band mounted for rotation upon the transparent closure, and means projecting through the closure whereby the operator may manipulate the hour hand, and a cover hinged upon the housing.

t. The combination with a fixed compass dial and magnetic needle of a rotatably mounted hour dial superimposed upon the Compass dial, an hour hand mounted for rotation concentric with the hour dial, and

10 means for manipulating,- both the hour hand and then the hour dial in cordination with the compass needle and compass dial to teli time.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses this 18th day of January, 1916.

FRANK R.` GREENE.

Witnessesz ESTHER VAN FRANK, LAUREL M. DoRnMUs.

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

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