US1560810A

US1560810A - Time switch

Info

Publication number: US1560810A
Application number: US559140A
Authority: US
Inventors: Selden L Stone; Roy C Braendlein
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1922-05-08
Filing date: 1922-05-08
Publication date: 1925-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 1942-11-10

Description

NOV-

S. L. STONE ET AL TIME SWITCH e o r N m 2 W s Nov. 10', 1925. 1,560,810

s. L. STONE ET AL TIME SWITCH ile y 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SeZdenL Stone Q1 Pay CC .BraenaZen, @W 2o Patented Nov. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SELDEN L. STONE AND ROY C. BRAENDLEIN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

TIME SWITCH.

Application filed May 8,

Be it known that we, SnnnnxL. STONE and R01 C. BRAENDLEIN, citizens of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Time Switch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a system for controlling the lamps for illuminating advertising bill boards, lamps for motor cars, and all places where it is necessary to open and close electric circuits at intervals, the said system contemplating the use of suitably arranged electric conductor wires; lamps within the circuit for illuminating purpose, and also certain timing mechanism adapted to open or close the electric circuit in the s vs tem at stated intervals.

One of the objects of the invention c011- sists in the provision of a lighting system for the purposes above specified wherein the electric circuit may be opened or closed at determined intervals throughout a consider able period of time, thereby avoiding the daily attendance of an operator and effecting thereby a saving in operating expenses, by reducing the number of employees necessary for the manual operation of such lighting systems especially when these systems are located at widely separated places, as in the case of advertising bill boards.

A further object of the invention is its ready adaptability for use in connection with the lighting systems of motor .vehicles, wherein it is necessary to light the lamps at a different hour as the days lengthen and shorten during the year, to comply with traflic ordinances, thereby eliminating annoyances and waste of time on the part of the motoring public.

A still further object of the invention consists in the provision of a time'switch, constituting an essential part of such a system which will be simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, by reason of its ready application and adaptation to the .ordinary clocks which form a part of the accessory equipment of motor vehicles.

Other noteworthy features and character- 'istics of the improvements hereinafter claimed will be made apparent to' those skilled in this art by a perusal of the fol- .lowing description andexemplary embodia manually operated switch for 1922. Serial No. 559,140.

ments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a partthereof, in which Figure 1 is an external plan view of the timing device which forms one of the essential parts of our improved lighting system. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the timing device, on the plane 22 in Fig. 3 Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the timing device, showing the enclosing casing in section. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, on the plane 4t-4 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section, on the plane 5-5 in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an underside plan view on the plane 66 in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the plane 77 in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the timing device, on the plane 88 in Fig. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail underside plan view, showing the relative positions of the cam and disk wheel at one period of time. Fig. 10 is a fragmentary detail view of the parts shown in Fig. 9 in which the parts are shown in an advancec position from that illustrated in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the upper portion of the mechanism for operating the hands of the clock. Fig. 12 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the contact finger for opening and closing the electric circuit. Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view of our improved system for alternately lighting and extinguishing the lamps in the system.

Referring to the drawings, the lighting system, in v ew of its ready adaptation for motor vehicle use, will, for convenience, be described in connection with such avehicle, and contemplates the utilization of a dis tributing system which comprises a number of suitably arranged conductor wires; a battery for supplying the electric current;

interrupting the current, and an automatic timing device for automatically interrupting the electric current at stated intervals. \Vhen the lighting system is set for automatic operation the electric current passes from a battery 10 over a conductor wire 11 leading to a binder post 12 of a manually operated switch 13; thence over a switch arm 14 to a binder post 15, and thence over a conductor wire 16 to a binder post 17 of the timing device. When the circuit is closed the current passes through certain mechanism of the timing device, to be hereafter 'plished more particularly described to a binder post 18 and thence over conductor wire 19 which extends to the negative pole of battery 10. Lamps 20 are arranged inconductor wire 19 between the timing vdevice and battery 10. The lighting system, in addtion to its automatic operation is susceptible of'manual operation in the usual way. Thiswe p36: complish by manually shifting switch arm 14, of switch 13, from binder post 15 to binder post 13 so that the current is shunted around-the [timing device over condiictor re 21- p v The timing device of the system contemplates the'utiliZat-ion 'Ora'ny suitable clock mechanism, such as form a part of the accessoryequipment located on the instrument board of notorvehicles. itnS shown in Ffgs. 3and 8 of the drawings, the timing device comprises frame-work consisting of a number of spaced

division walls

25, 26, 27 28 and 29, w hich are'held in spaced relation by means of t-he'spacer bolts 30 This frame-work is enclosed in a casing 82 and forms the support for the various movable parts of the timing device. 'These movable pa rts include the usual main spring which is housed in and rotates a drum as the spring unwinds, the movable'pa 'tsare operated. "This enforced movement of the parts is acco n by providing drum 35 with externally located teeth which mesh with a pinion 37 (Fig, 8) mounted on a shaft 88, and this shait is giurther provided with a second pinion which iiieshes with and perates a pinion 40 arranged on a shaft ll. Shaft-i1 is p rovided with a second pinion -12 which meshes with a pinion 1-3 arranged on the minutehandshaft 44 for movingthe minute hand Shaft dais also provided with a second pinion 46 which drlves the hour-hand at? through a train of speed reducing pniions d8; i9 and 50, which mechanism is common in clock construction.

The power for operating our improved cut out mechanism, for opening andclosing the electric circuit, taken from pinion 50, which drives the. hour-hand 47, by means or an intermediate pinion 5 5 which meshes with a pinion ;56 sec ured to a powertra'n smission shaft 57 extending back of the clock mechanism.- Shaft 57' is provided with a second pinion 58 which meshes wit-hand drives a relatively larger gear wheel 59; the difference in ratio oithe pinion 58 'andgear wheel 59 being such as to cause the latter to make one complete revolution while hour hand 4 makes two complete revolutions about its axis, and the purpose of this dii: terence in the travel of these parts will be here nafter described. Gear wheel 59 is arranged on and moves with a shaft 60 having its ends insulated free from the

adjacent division walls

28 and 29 of tle and through which frame work, and shaft 60 is further provided with a pair of disk wheels 61 and 62, the disk wheel 61 afiordlng the Imeans through which an electrical "contact is eliected and maintained with the free end of a conductor arm 63 (Fig. d) attached to a post 6 L having its "Outer end formed into a binding post 1? for connecting the conductor wire 16 of the lighting system. Post "6% is insulated-free from

division walls

28 and 29 to prevent leakage, so that the current entering over wire 16 will pass through post 64: and arm 63 to ener ize disk' ivheels 61 and 62, gear wheel :59 i'and their supporting shait 601' The cui'rent'is also prevented'ironi escaping -th,rough "the contact may be established bet-ween rim 62 and disk wheel 62 by means of a contact finger 66 when the'latter is moved into proper position with a manually operable cam-wheel 67. Contact linger 66 is pivotally mounted on and is carried around with disk jwheel 62 and the conta'ct' finger is oscillated to open the circuit when its rig-ht angle extension 66 contacts an erg-tended oi tion 6'? of the manually operated camwheel 67, and the duration of this contact depends upon the length of the extended portion 6'? of said cam-wheel 67. Gamwheel 67 is formed integrally with a sleeve 68 7) which is supported on shaft 66 carrying the disk wheels 61 and 62,1but the sleeve 168 and its cam-wheel 67' are susceptible of independent manual operation of shaft 60 and are insulated free from it to prevent leakage of the current through cam-wheel 67 when the latter is in contact with cont-act finger 66. See Fig '7. When cam-wheel 6i" oscillates co-iitact finger '66its outer end willmove'out of contact (ii a lug 62 formed-on rim 62" and effect an interruption in the electric circuit, and when the contact finger has been carried a sufiicient distance the disk wheel to eiiect thedisengagement of its right angle extension 66 from cam-wheel 67 the said contact finger will be oscillated under the influence of a spring 69 to again bring its outer end into contact with lug 62 and close the circuit in the system. When the circuit is closed the current passes from disk -wl '62- through contact finger 66 to rim 62 from whence it passes out through afcollector-arm to post 71 and over conductor wire 19, through lamp 20 and back to battery 10. Post 71 is insulated free from the division walls 28 and :29 to prevent leakage of the current, and the outer end of post 71 is formed into a binder post 18 to which conductor wire 19 is attached. The duration of time for maintaining the electric circuit in open or closed condition is determined by the length of the contact between contact finger 66 and cam-wheel 67 and this is determined by the length of the extended portion 67 of the camwheel. As an illustration, we have diagrammatically shown cam-wheel 67, in Fig. 9, as being arbitrarily divided radially into twenty-four uniformly spaced parts, this number corresponding approximately to the number of hours constituting a day of time, and to insure that the electric circuit will be kept closed throughout the longest period of darkness of a given day within the confines of the United States) we have allotted fourteentwentyfourths of the peripheral length of cam-wheel 67 to its less radial portion. so that the contact finger will be free of the cam-wheel and the circuit closed while the contact finger traverses this peripheral portion of the cam-wheel. while the remaining ten-twentyfourths of the periphery of the cam-wheel is allotted to its greater radial portion which actuates contact finger 66 to hold the circuit open. Hence, if the portion 67 of the cam-wheel is lengthened or shortened from that shown in Fig. 9 a corresponding increase or decrease in the herein described periods of time results.

In manually resetting the hands of the clock the disk wheel 62 and its contact finger 66 are simultaneously re-set, so that if the hands of the clock be set to indicate 3 p. 111. (Fig. 1) six hours of the time for maintaining an open circuit has passed with four remaining; this being followed by a period of fourteen hours during which time the circuit remains closed, so that lamp 20 will be lighted at 7 p. 1n. and extinguished at 9 a. in. next day. Under the above-mentioned arbitrary division of periphery of cam-wheel 67 the latter will hold the contact finger 66 in a position to effectively maintain an open circuit for a period of ten hours and then release the contact finger for maintaining a closed circuit for a period of fourteen hours, and these movements for alternately opening and closing the circuit are continued in successive order.

To effect av manual re-setting of indicator hand and cam-Wheel 67, the operator manually moves indicator hand 75, by means of a pinion 76 and a train of

pinions

77, 78 and79, until it points to the numeral H" the system will close four hours later, or

on the clock dial, so that the circuit in at 7 p. m. As the operator is re-setting indicator hant 75 to the desired point on the dial of the clock he simultaneously moves cam-wheel 67 into proper relation with contact finger 66 so as to bring aboutthe disengagement between the contact finger and the extended portion 67 of the cam-wheel at the end of a four hour advance travel of said contact finger. To synchronize the movements between the indicator hand 7 5 and cam-wheel 67 we mount pinion 77 on a shaft- 82 (see Fig. 8) and this shaft is provided with a second pinion 83 which meshes with and drives a gear-wheel 8i mounted on the sleeve 68 carrying the camwheel 67. Pinion 83 is insulated away from its shaft 82 so as to prevent leakage of the current at that point.

As the time for automatically lighting lamp 20, to meet the increase in the number of hours of darkness which will hardly exceed more than four'l p. 111. to S p. m.- we limit the distance of travel of the manually actuated pinion 76, so as to maintain a proper working relation between indicator hand 75 and cam-wheel 67 and insure the closing of the circuit between the hours of at and 8 p. 1n. The means for limiting the movement of pinion 76, and therethrough indicator hand 75, is accomplished by a pinion 76 which is arranged on pinion 76 with its free end projecting through a slot in the face-plate 91 of the clock, as indicated in Fig. 1, this slot being of alength to permit only the maximum travel of. said pinion.

The timing mechanism is also provided with an indicator to determine, if the clock ceases to function, whether the clock stopped during the a. m. or p. 111. period of the day. It is essential for the operator to know, when re-setting both the hands of the clock; the disk wheel 62, and the contact finger 66, that contact finger 66 has been brought into proper relation with cam-wheel 67, so as to insure the opening and closing of the circuit at the desired time. For the purpose of in dicating the a. m. and p. in. periods of the day we employ a disk-pinion 95 (Fig; 2-) having its exposed surface divided into a light and dark area, the light area indicating the a. m. period and the dark area indicating the p. 111. period. Pinion 95 is driven from the clock mechanism to bring its light and dark areas alternately into registration with a sight-opening 96 (Fig. 1), through which the operator may observe which part of the pinion is visible at the time. Pinion 95 is driven directly from a pinion 50 which is a part of the clock pinion 50 that moves the hour-hand 45 of the clock, so that if the clock ceases to function further movement of pinion 95 ceases. Hence, if the operator discovers that the clock ceased running at 4 oclock, as shown by the clock hands, heican determine, by observing which part of pinion 95' is visible through sight-opening 96, whether the clock ceased running at 4 pm. or at 4 a; 1n.

' Since there is a: difference in the rate of travel between the hands of the clock and the disk wheel 62-, it is necessary after the clock stops to re-set disk: wheel 62' sons to bring pawl 66 into proper position relatively to 'canrwheel 67 at the same time the hands of the clock are'b'eing re-set to indicate the proper hour of the day, and this is made possible through the mechanism heretofore described in conjunction with the exposure ofthe light and dark areas of pinion 95 through sight-opening '96. As an illustration: If at 9 a. m; the operator notes that the clock ceased running at 4 oclock and that-the dark portion 'of pinion 95 is visible through sight-opening 96, he will know that the clock ceased running at 4 p. m. If the operator made this discovery within twelve hours from the time the clock stopped it will only be necessary to move the hands of the clock in a clockwisedirection until they indicate the'hou'r of setting; but in the above mentioned illustration seventeen hours have lapsed between 4 p. m. and 9 a. m. In this instance, after the operator has moved the hands of the clock in a clockwise direction from 4 (the hourthe clock stopped) until 9-,an-aclvance of 5 hours, he will observe that the dark area of pinion 95 is still visible through sight-opening 9 6, so that the hands of the cl-ock must be advancedan additional twelve hours-a total of seventeen hours' which will denote 9 a. m. the hour of setting and which will be verified by the light area-of pinion 95 now visible through sightopening 96, and he will also know that disk wheel '92 and its contact finger 66 have been brought into proper position relatively with the manually operated cam-wheel 67;

Theforegoing description is merely illustrative of the principles of our. invention,

and other m'ocliiieations tl'iereof may be made that vv ill function in substantially the same manner without departing from the spirit "of the invention, and we do not, therefore, desire to lllllll'f ourselves to the use of anysp'ecifie form of the parts illustrated.

Havi g thns fully described our said invention, what we'desire to secure 'by Iietters Patent, is-- g 1. In combination with a clock mechanism, means for indicating time, a contact finger mounted on support driven by the clock mechanism, a rotabl'e cam for oscillating the j'coii-tact finger, and means for changing ther'eIati'Ve' position of the cam and 'contact finger for varying the time of'-openi-i1g '-a3nd closing a circuit, substanasset-forth. 2: The-ceinbrnat1en with a clock mechanism, means for indicating time, an autoearly matic cut out mechanism mounted on a support driven from the clock mechanism, means for oscillating the cut out'mechanisni, and means for manually changing the position of the last-named means relatively to the cut-out mechanism for changing the time of opening and closing the circuit, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with a clock mechanism, means for indicating time, automatic circuit opening and closing means driven by the clock mechanism, said last mentioned means comprising a plurality of r0- tary disks, one of said disks having a rim insulated from its body, an oscillatory contact finger carried by the body and having one end extending-over the insulated rim, the other end of said contact finger having an arm normally tensioned against the periphery of another of said disks, said last mentioned disk having :cam surfaces adapted to actuate said oscillatory arm for open ing and closing the circuit, substantially as set forth.

4L. In combination with a clock mechanism, means for indicating time, automati'c circuit opening and closing means driven by the clock mechanism, said lastmentioned means comprising a plurality of rotary disks, "one of said disks having arim insulated from its body, an oscillatory contact finger carried by the body and having one end extending over the insulated rim, the other end of said contact finger having an arm normally tensioned againstthe periphery of another of said disks, said last mentioned disk having cam surfaces adapted to actuate said oscillatory arm for open ing and closing the circuit, and a conductor arm engaging the insulated rim for maintaining electrical connection between the periphery of said rim and a binding post, substantiall 1 as set forth.

5. A switch comprising a shaft, disk on said shaft, an conduct-or gaging said 'disk, a second disk on said shaft having a rim insulated from its body, a contact element carried by the body and adapted to be moved into engagement with said insulated rim, a second conductor arm engaging said rim and means foroperating said contact element to completethe circuit, substantialy asset forth.

6. A switch comprising a shaft, a rotary disk on said shaft, a conductor arm engaging said disk, a second disk on said' shaft having a rim insulated from its body, a contact element carried by the body and a rotary arm Jenadapted to be moved into engagement with opening and closing the circuit, substantially set forth.

7 In combination With operating mechanism, automatic circuit opening and closing means driven by. said operating mechanism, said automatic circuit opening and closing means comprising a shaft, a rotary disk on said shaft, a resilient conductor arm engaging the periphery of said disk, a second disk on said shaft having a rim insulated from its body, an oscillatory contact element carried by said body extending adjacent the insulated rim, a resilient conductor arm engagement with th periphery of said rim and another disk on said shaft having its periphery forming a cam face adapted to operate said contact element for closing the circuit, substantially as set forth. In Witness whereof, We have hereunto set our hands and seals at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 1st day of May, A. 1)., one thousand nine hundred and twenty-two.

SELDEN L. STONE. [1 s.] ROY G. BRAENDLEIN. [Ls]