US1623076A - Combination clock and calendar - Google Patents

Description

April 5,1927'.v 1,623,076 G. S. TREMAINE COMBINATION CLOCK AND CALENDAR Filed July 23, 1924 5 THUR.JAN.3I.

- INVENTOB BY W M 'ATTORNEYS BEFORE MmNnGHT MlDNneHT Patented Apr. 5, l1927. l

'UNITED 'STATES ennnvninn s. TaEMAINE, or wEsTFInLn, NEW JERSEY.

COMBINATION CLOCK AND CALENDAR.

l Application med .my 23,

This-invention relates to whatv may be called a Combination clock and calendar, a device particularly adapted to be placed on an office desk for the purpose of indicating Athe time of day and the correct date. The principal object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is extremely simple in construction and operation and thoroughly reliable, one that `can bedepended upon to indicate the correct date thruout the entire year or any other period. My invention includes a continuous strip of papel' or other material bearing the successive dates, and means for advancing this strip so as to display the correct date thru an opening or window in a Suitable casing. The invention includes means for advancing the strip of paper, and an escapement device which permits the advancing means to function at selected times. The cscapement device is preferably, tho not necessarily, actuaed by a clock mechanism; and the several parts of the improved device are arranged so that at certain times, for example, at midnight each day, the clock mechanism or other continuously operating device, actuates the escapelnent device to permit. the calendar strip advancing means toadvance the strip" a predetepmincd distance to bring the next date into registration'pwith the openingy of the casing.

The various objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent upon considering the following detailed description, which is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a. front elevation o. one embodiment of the invention, parts being cut away to show the construction and arrangement of certain details.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 taken at right angles to Fig.1; and t Fig. 3 comprises four views (designated a, 7), c and d) of the improved escapement mechanism, showing the construction and operation of this part of the invention.

My invention includes primarily means for displaying successive numbers representing the days of theyear, together with such other infomation as the name of the month andthe particular year, as may be desired.

Accordingly, the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accom anying drawings includes whatmay be ed a calendar 1924. serial no. 727,665.

strip 2.l This strip is mounted within a casmg 3, adapted to be placedupon an oflice desk or other support. The casing 3, shown 1n the accompanying drawings, contains a clock 1, the face of whichis visible from the front of the casing. A portion of the calen darstrip 2 is also visible` from the front 0f the casing, thru an opening 10 therein. It is to be understood that the dates can be displayed by means other than a continuous str1p of paper, and altho I prefer to use such a strip, yet certain features of the invention vcan be used to advantage with other forms .of date displaying means.

' The strip of paper 2 is initially wound upon a spool 4, carried by a shaft 5. This shaft is journaled in bearings 6, carried by the sides of the housing or casing 3. As the strip 2 leaves the spool 4, it passes between the guide rollers 7 and 8, which are preferably covered with rubber or felt so as to provide considerable friction between the rollers and the paper. The srip passes in the direction indicated by the arrows, to guide rods 9 arranged on opposite sides of an opening or window 10 inthe'face 11 of the casing 3.,

.The Iguiding means 9, which may be inthe form-of rods or rollers, are positioned so as to cause the strip 2 to expose a section thereof of definite length, .to view thru the opening 10. After' leaving the opening in the faceof the casing the strip 2 is wound upon a second spool l2 'supported by a shaft 13 journaled'at one end thereof in a bearing 14 carried by one side of the casing 3. The other end of they shaft 13 is connected ,to a spring within a spring housing 15 of ordinary construction. This housingis carried b a second shaft 16 to which a Winding key 1 is permanently or adjustably connected. Une end of the spring within the housing 15 is connected tothe shaft 13 and the other end to the housing 15, as will be readily understood.

By turning the key 17 the spring can be wound up, afterwhich it serves as a means for ,advancing the calendarI strip 2, when this strip is released in the manner hereinafter described. This spring also performs the function of winding the strip upon the; spool 12. In other words, when the strip 2' is released, the spring within the housing 15 serves to pull the strip away from the spool 4, between the guide rollers 7 and 8,

and. around the vguide rods 9 disposed near the opening in the face of the casing 3.

les

It is necessary to provide some means for regulating the action of the spring within the housing 15 so that the calendar strip is advanced at certain limes only, for example, once each day. The means which I prefer to use in 'order to accomplish this result comprises an escapement device which operates l upon the uide rollers 7 and 8 between which I prefer to mount the upper guide roller 8 in vertically movable bearings 18, forced downward by springs 19, the tension of which can be adjusted by means of adjusting screws 20. The roller 8 i then, in reality, a friction roller adapted; to press the strip of 'paper against the guide roller 7, and thus grip the Paid? Y ile J prefer to mount the upper guide roller 8 Vin vertically movable bearings 18 forced downward b springs 19, the tension of which can be a justed by means of adjusting screws 20, yet it is quite obvious that the roller 7 instead of the roller 8 could be provided with the spring mounting, or the cam 23 could be placed on the shaft of roller 7. If either of` these alternative constructions is employed, there is no likelihood of the vadjustable members interfering with the operation of the cam mechanism which might possibly occur where th'e preferred'construction is emplpyed, even tho the actual movement of the adjustable roller 8. would probably be found to be so Vslight that it would not interfereA in any way with the proper operation of'the cam mechanism.

A convement manner in which to construct `the several bearings above referred to is to provide a single casting 21 for each side of the housing 3, thesecastings'to contain the bearings 6, the bearings 22 for the lower guide'roll 7, and guides'for the movable lbearings 18 supporting the upper guide roll. The adjusting screws 2O can be threaded into these castings as` shown in Fig. 1 so as to apply tension to the coil springs provided for each of the adjustable bearin 18. The character of the springs which apply tension to the adjustable roller is, of course, immaterial and, therefore, flat springs can be employed to advantage iristead of the coil springs just described, if

it is so desired. Furthermore, the casino' 21 could be made so as to provide bearings for theshafts 16 and 13.

-From the above description 'it will be apparent that if some means is provided for holding the upper guide roller 8 stationary, except when it is necessary for the spring within the housing 15 to advance the calendar strip, the necessary regulation of the strip advancing means will be provided..

The escapement device whichrI have provided in order -to accomplish this result includes an ad'ustable cam 23 mounted on the shaft 24wh1ch carries thefriction roller 8.

A set screw 25 is provided in order to fillY 'cooperate with these two cams. Each of these cam levers is provided with a follower at each end. thereof. The upper ends of the cam levers 27 and 28 are normally forced toward each other by any suitable means, such as the spring 30, so asv to cause the followers at the upper ends of these levers to engage the upper cam 26 at all times.

The upper cam 26 can o f course be operated by any means which is the e uivalent of the clock mechanism specifica ly mentioned herein; but in the 4particular' embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, this cam is geared to the shaft carrying the hour hand of the clock, a gear train having a 4 to l speed reduction being used. Accordingly, the cam 26 makes a half revolution every 24 hours. The gear ratio em loyed, of course, depends upon the speed o that part of the clock to which attachment is made, but in any case I prefer to use such a speed reduction that the cam 26 will turn thru onehalf a revolution in 24 hours, for example, if attachment is made to the minute hand, the gearratio should be 48:1. .The construction and operation of the escapement Jnechanism can best be understood by referring to Fig. 3 which shows several views of the cams 23 and 26 and the cam levers 27 and 28. In the particular embodiment of invenl tion shownin Fig. 3, the vup er cam 26 is constructed so that one half of) the cam surface is a cylindrical surfacev of relatively large radius, and the other half is in the form of a spiral as shown so as to lprovide a notch or offset portion 31 at one point on the lface of the cam. The lower ,cam 23 is preferably constructed with surfaces complementary to those of the upper cam.

That is, half of the cam surface of this, 120

lower cam is in the form of a cylindrical surface of comparatively small radius, while the other half is in the form of a spiral making a smooth connection with one end of the cylindrical portion of the cam and providing an offset portion or sto 32 at the other juncture with the cylindrical surface. The four views comprising Fig. 3 show the operation ofthe cams during one complete revolution ofthe upper cam. This occurs once in twok days.' The cams are arranged l'lU to operate at a certain time of the day, for

example, at midnight, whereby the correctl date is made to appear at the opening in the face of the casin 3 atlthe proper time. The views a and b o Fig. 3 show the condition existing just before and just after midnight, the cams being arranged in the manner just described. In the first of these viewsthe camcfollowers engaging-the upper cam 26 are far apart, one of these followers resting on the crest of the offset portion 31 of the cam. The lower cam 23 is held againstrotation by virtue 'of the fact that the follower at lower end of the lever 27 engages the stop 32. As soon as the upper cam 26 yrotates tothe position shown at b,

,and it will be remembered that the upper cam rotates continuously, "the spring 30 causes the upper endof the lever 27 .to drop suddenly into the notch 31. Thispulls the` follower at the 'lower end of thelever 27 out of engagement with the notch 32 carried by the lower cam, and thus releases the calendar strip 2. The spring within the spring housing 15 carried by the shaft 1G (see Figs. 1 and 2) then causes the calendar strip r2 to advance until the cam 23 carried .by the fric.-

- tion roller shaft -24 is rotated substantially 180 degrees and.comes into engagement with the cam Afollower at the lower end of the lever 28, as shown at b. It is to be noted thatwhile this action is taking place, the

cam lever 28 does not move appreciably and that is the lreason why one half of ythe* surface of the lower cam 23 is made cylindrical. This permits the follower at the lower end of the lever 28 to remain 'the same distance away from the center of the cam 23 while this action takes place.

The positions shown at c and d of Fig. 3 represent the action of the escapement device onthe following midnight. T he upper cam 26 has rotated substantially 180 degrees in a clockwise direction from' the position v shown at b and the follower at the upper into the notch or offset portions 31 of the.

end of the lever 28 is now on the crest of the notch or offset 31. The lower cam` 23, and consequently the calendar strip 2, are still held `in the ositions in*which they were finally broug t to-rest by the action of the device twenty-four hours previously, as represented at b. As soon as the upper cam 26 moves to the position shown at d,

the spring 30 causes the follower' at the upper end of the lever 28 to drop suddenly cam. This pulls the follower at the lower end of the lever 28 out of engagementwith the sto 32, thus permitting the calendar strip a vancing means to advance the strip. and rotate the cam 23 until it is brought to a stopby the follower at the lower .end of lthe lever 27, as will be readily understood.

From the above description it will be ap# parent that the function of the lower cam 23 is in reality that of a memberfixed to the shaft 24 and having a stop thereon corresponding to the stop 32 shown in the drawings. This lower vcam member can be constructed in any desired form, the only neces- 'In order to^place a new calendar strip m the device it is merely necessary to insert a spool containing the strip, on to Vthe shaft 5, thread the strip between the guide rollers 7 and 8 and around the rods'9, and fasten -it to the winding spool 12. The lower-*cam 23 can be loosened from ,the shaft` 24 to facilitate this operation. After the strip has been advanced to display any desired section thereof, the lower cam 23 can be turned until it is in proper position with respect to the upper cam 26 and then fixed to the shaft 24 in this position by tightening the set screw 25. If the successive sections of the calendar strip 2 do not register properly .with the opening 10 in the face of the casing 3, the can) 23can be loosened by unscrewng the set screw 25 and the strip adjusted to secure proper registration with the openingin the casing, after which the set screw 25 can be tightened.

Another distinct advantage of my invenf vtion. arises from the simplicity of the mechanism employed. The number of moving parts is reduced to a minimum, and those which are employed consist of simple cams and cam levers which can be readily made at low cost, and which will practically never get out of order after they have been assem bled in the casing. Springs are used to hold the cam levers in position and to supply the power necessary to advance the calendar strip, and it is well known that such devices are extremely reliable. By employing a gear train in connection with the spring which advances the calendar strip, a rela tively powerful spring requiring windin only once or twice a year can be employe within the casing 15. In this event the en.

Itire device does not require any attention except that ordinarily necessary to keep the clock 1 running. Y

' While the particular form of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawngs-is that best adapted to be used on an loo clock is usually located. Furthermore the l invention can be used for'various urposes other than for the pur ose-of disp `aying/a calendar strip. It can e used for register-j in'g time intervals of any lduration or dis' playing any desired information at` any.

desired time intervals. Various auxiliary devices could bensed suchfas means for releasing the escapement device by hand.

It is to be understood that various changes in the details and in the construction andl arrangement of the several parts of my iuvention can be made Without departin from the spirit of the invention which 1s not limited to the particular embodiment illustrated and described, but includes 'such modifications thereof as fall withinthe scope of the appended claims. For example, a

source of power other than the clock mech-'- anism can `be employed for continuously ro- A tating the upper cam 26 at the desired rate; and in some cases it may be desirable to interconnect the clock `mechanism or its equivalent with the spring within the housing 15, so that the operation of winding the clock automatically winds the spring which advances the calendar strip.

L member whereby said strip is `permitted tot advance at certain times only.

2. In a 'calendar clock having a calendar.

` strip, a spool adapted to' have said strip wound thereon, means for advancing said strip, a uide roller for saidstrip, a friction roller a apted`to press' said strip against said guideroller; a member normally fixed with respect to said. friction roller and havin a sto thereon, a continuousl o ratg. P y Pe ing mechanism, a cam operated by said mechanlsm, a pair f leversl cooperatl with said cam and said member, and yiel ing means for holding said levers in contact with said cam.)

3. `A device of the type described, comprising a cam, means. for rotating said cam continuously at a uniform rate, a member having a stop thereon, means tending to ro. tate saidmember, ,and a pair, of levers en,

gaging opposite sides of said cam and extending into closeI proximity to said member so that one of said levers temporarily engages the stop thereon, the several parts being arranged so that the movement ofthe cam causes the lever` engaging said member -to release the same and to permit it to rotate until the stop thereon engages the other lever. I

- 4. A device of the class described;K coinprising a cam, means for rotating saidcam continuously at a uniform rate, a member having a stopthereon, means tending to rotate said member, and a pair of levers pivoted between said cam and said member and having their ends engaging respectively the opposite sides of the cam and the member, one of said levers temporarily engaging the stop on said member, and the severalf parts being arranged so that the movement of the cam causes theylever engaging the V stop on said member torelease same and ,permit it to rotate until the stop thereon engages the other lever.

In 'testimony whereof I aix'iny signature.-

" GLENvILLEsgTaEMAINn

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