US1595170A

US1595170A - Controlling device for clockworks and the like

Info

Publication number: US1595170A
Application number: US622162A
Authority: US
Inventors: Schieferstein Heinrich
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1922-07-17
Filing date: 1923-03-01
Publication date: 1926-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 1943-08-10
Also published as: DE415517C

Description

Aug. 10 1926.

H. SCHIEFERSTEIN CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR CLOCKWORKS AND THE LIKE Filed March 1. 1923 Fig. 3

I Oscillations Patented Aug. 10, 1926.

UNITED STATES HEINRICH SOHIIFEBSTEIN, OI BERLlN-CHARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR CLOCKWORKS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed larch 1, 1928, Serial Nb. 822,162, and in Germany July 17, 1923,

Time mechanisms, operated by an oscillating system such as pendulums or balance wheels are regulated by changing the efiective lengths of the pendulums or by adjusting the effective length of the springs of the balance wheels, and it is also known that these mechanisms are constructed to automatically compensate for differences due to change in temperature.

The present invention relates to method and means for regulating time mechanisms operated by one or more oscillating systems in order to obtain the highest degree of free oscillation, to dispense with the usual escapement mechanisms to simplify the construction of such time mechanisms, to permit ready adjustment and to obtain noiseless movements.

The object of my invention is an oscillating system for watches and clock-works which possesses the .greatest possible exactness of working and the oscillation number of which can be varied within wide limits.

The drawings show by way of example embodiments of my invention in Figures 1 and 2, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the curves illustrating the working of the invention principle and Figure 4 shows a modification of 'Fig. 1.

Assuming that a relatively inexactly constructed and operating clock-work is to be controlled by an oscillating system, for instance, a pendulum, of course the load imposed on this system by the clock-work will be larger the more inexact the construction of the clock-work and the more irregular its working is. But, by coupling as shown in Figure 1, a secondary pendulum (1 with the highly loaded primary pendulum a the secondary pendulum a has only to compensate the irregularities of the primary pendulum a, provoked by the clock-work. This compensationcan be effected by means of a considerably smaller uantity of energy than the compensation of t e irregularities of the clock-work and, consequently, the second oscillating system may be coupled much looser than the first system. By means of such a combination of two coupled oscillating systems a very high exactness of working can be obtained for the clock-work mechanism to be controlled.

The two pendulums a and a Fig. 1. are suspended at 0 and c and are coupled together by means of a connecting rod 72 and an elastic coupling member for instance a flat spring 10 and the rimary pendulum a, is driven from the cloc -work w by means of the crank g, the rod h and the flat spring 70,.

I have diagrammatically shown a conventlonal clock work w one of the wheels of which is provided with a crank pin 9 connected by rod h to bent leaf spring k, substantially U-shaped, b a connection y, ad ustable (Figs. 1, 2 an 4) along one leg of the spring. The other leg of the s ring 18 connected to the rod of the main en ulum a by means of a similar adjustab e connec tion m To the main pendulum a is pivoted at 4 (Fig. 4) the connecting rod h which is pivoted at 5 to the connection is, adjustable along one leg of the U-shaped spring h The other leg of the spring is, is similarly connected to the rod of the auxiliary pendulum (1 by the adjustable connection In case it be desired to obtain a much finer or closer compensation and regulation, a second auxiliary pendulum a may be connected to the first auxiliary pendulum a in the same manner as the first auxiliary pendulum a is connected to the main pendulum a Experiments have proved, that two pendulums, which are suspended in a common rod is, as shown in Figure 2, are coupled sufiiciently together by means of the microscopically small movement and torsion of the rod 10,, and the supporting bar 0 so as to en able the secondary pendulum a to exert its correcting action.

Of course three or more oscillating sys tems may be combined in the manner of the invention. Experiments have shown that, already by providing a single secondary oscillating system, the oscillations of a primary oscillating system are corrected to a high and practically sufiicient degree so that further secondary oscillating systems can be dispensed with. On the other hand, it is possible by adding such a secondary pendulum to improve the oscillating movement also of a non-variable controlling means and even of controlling systems excited by interrupted shocks within the indicated limits. Consequently, existing clocks and Watches of the old construction may be corrected in this way. The exactness of the operation of a clock-work, which. when employing the usual simple controlling means, is extremely dependent on the preciseness of the construction and manufacture, becomes dependent only on the preciseness of the working of the oscillating system, when providinga coupled oscillating system according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows that the secondary pendulum a, is not syntonized but distuned to the primary pendulum a. which, for the purpose, is longer than the pendulum (1,. The two pendulums are coupled together by the rod is, in the manner shown in Figure 2 and the primary pendulum a is driven from the clock-work by means of the crank g, the rod h and the flat spring k, as in the case of Figure 1.

The secondary pendulum a swings more rapidly than the primary pendulum a and consequently a certain quantity of energy flows from the primary to the secondary pendulum whereby the latter is caused periodically to oscillate, these oscillatlons coming to rest always again after few ampl tudes. When the primary pendulum a is retarded from time to time by any irregularity of the clock-work mechanism, it swings more slowly, that is to say, it seems to become longer and to withdraw from'the resonance position. Thereby the quantity of energy passing from the primary to the secondary pendulum decreases so that, on the other hand, the primary pendulum becomes unloaded to a corresponding degree.

On the-contrary, when the resistance of the clock-work mechanism decreases, the first pendulum obtains a larger quantity of driving energy, swings more rapidly and, in a manner, becomes shorter. Consequently this pendulum approaches to resonance position and transmits a larger quantity of energy to the secondary pendulum. Thus a iminution or an augmentation of the resistance of the secondary pendulum counteracts each augmentation or diminution, respectively, of the clock-work resistance.

In Figure 3 the curve R in full lines designates the resonance curve of the primary pendulum. en a variation of the resistance of the clock-work takes place the resonance curve is displaced, for instance, in the position R, when the clockwork runs more rapidly and in the position R when the clock-work runs more slowly. If,.at normal running, for instance, the energy amount E is transmitted from the first to the secondary pendulum, the transmitted energy has the value E in the case of an increasing speed and the value E in the case of a decreasing speed of running. Thus, when the secondary pendulum is distuned relatively to the first pendulum to a suitable degree by adjusting its variable length correspondingly, an absolutely regular working of the first pendulum is obtained by the action of the secondary pendulum coupled therewith.

Furthermore the principle of distunin according to Figure 1 may be employed also for two oscillating s stems coupled by means of an elastic mem r or by other means as, for example, as shown in Fi 1, which can be done by adjusting the %ob of the secondary pendulum or pendulums. The coupling member is adjustable so as to be enabled to vary the transmission of energy. Instead of one secondar pendulum, two or more secondary oscillating systems may be provided.

Of course the invention is ap licable not only to watches and clock-works but also for controlling other mechanisms b means of oscillating systems. It will thus e seen that I fprovide two or more oscillating systems one 0 which, the primary system, receives driving impulses and the'other or others influence the operation of the primary system either directly or indirectly; directly by being connected thereto or indirectly coupled or influenced by mass action, or by both.

What I claim is 1. A controlling device for time mechanisms comprising an oscillating system, a clock work to drive the same, a secondary oscillating system, and an elastic connecting member coupling the systems.

2. The combination with a time mechanism, of an oscillating system driven thereby, a secondary oscillating system separate from said time mechanism and a common support for the two systems.

3. A controlling device for time mechanisms comprising a primary oscillating system and a secondary oscillating system, an adjustable elastic coupling means connecting the systems for adjusting the energy transmission from one to the other oscillating system.

4. A device for controlling the running of time mechanisms comprising a primary oscillating system, a clock-work driving the same, a secondary oscillating system oscillating relatively to the first system and coupled mechanically therewith and means to adjust the time of oscillation of said secondary system.

5. A controlling device for time mechanisms comprising a primary oscillating system a secondary oscillating system coupled therewith and means to independently adjust the time of oscillation of said secondary system relatively to the first to diminish the amount of energy transmitted to the secondary oscillating system when oscillation of the primary oscillating system retard and vice versa and a time mechanism controlled by and driving said primary system.

6. A device for controlling the running of time mechanisms comprising an oscillating system, secondary oscillating system distuned relatively to the first and adjustable coupling means connecting these oscillating systems.

, 7. A device for controlling the running of time mechanisms, comprisi an oscillating system, a secondary osc' ating sys tem operating relatively to the first system, a support common to the systems, adjustable coupling means connecting the systems and means to adjust the time of oscillation of the respective s stems.

8. A device or controlling the running of time mechanisms comprising a primary oscillating system and a plurality of secondary oscillating systems yieldingly coupled with said primary system for correcting said prima system and a clock work arranged to d rive said primary system and controlled thereb 9. In a device i or controlling the running of time mechanisms, a primary oscillating system and a plurality of secondary oscillating systems connected in series and yieldingly coupled with said primary system for correcting said primary system and a clock work arranged to drive said primary system and controlled thereby.

10. In a control for time mechanisms, a

plurality of pendulums, resilient means connecting the pendulums, a driving crank mechanism connected to one of the pendulums and a spring interposed in said mechanism, said crank and pendulums operatin substantially in sync ronism.

11. n a control for time mechanisms, a plurality of pendulums resilient means connecting the pendulums a driving crank,

a connection including one of the pendulums and crank, and adjusting devices for said resilient means.

12. In a device for controlling the running of time mechanisms, an oscillatory system driven from the time mechanism, and at least one secondary oscillating system and means connecting the systems in time correcting relation, said secondary system having no separate driving means.

13. A device for controlling the running 45 of time mechanisms, a prima oscillating system, mechanism to drive said system, a

secondary oscillating system coupled to the primary s stem and receiving its driving impulses t erefrom, said secondary system capable of relative movement wit respect to said first system.

In testimon whereof I aflixm signature.

HEIN ICH SCHIEFE STEIN.