US1667685A - Clock attachment - Google Patents

Description

April 24, 1928. 1,667,685

w. B. ATKINSON CLOCK ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 10. 1923 zsheet s-sheet 1 Mam WM WM attorney A nl 24, 1928. 1,667,685

. w. B. ATKINSON CLOCK ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 10. 1923 2 sheets-Sheet 2 v HY/W/ 2 i ll 1 W MW 1% w L l. 6 Z T fi rl HWY! I i l 7 3 I fl. 5 W M. 3 m

Patented Apr. 24, 3928.

nniren STAtES Parent WILLIAM B. ATKINSOE, OF BOWLING GREEN, Ii U'CKY} BOW'LING GREEN TRUST COMPANY, EXECUTOB 033 351D Vi TEINSGN, DECEASED. ASSIGNOB TO A. G. SCHWAB 5 SONS, OF C OM16, PARTNERSHIP COMPOSED OF JULIAN G. SCHWAB, LGUIS Li JG-E, AND YEERBEBT C. SCHWAB.

CLOCK ATTACIEMEN '1.

Application filed November 16, Serial No. 673,958. This invention relates generally tothe art thereof while the time of winding interval of horology and is particularly directed to of the spring is increased. mechanism, attachable to an ordinary clock, Another object is to provide a clock wind 5 for increasing the winding interval thereof. up signal and signal operating device auto- The invention is particularly applicable mat" lCflllf," operable by the expanding clock to cheap commercial clocks in which one of sp; ng as the same approaches fully unthe main objectionsis the necessity for freound position. The signal is adapted to quent winding. The invention herein procalattention to the owner or attendant that 0 vides for increased winding interval by furthe 01001 should be rewound.

10 nishing a larger stronger spring, mounted Another object or the invention is to proindependently of the clock, and having d1- vide transmission means between a'separate' mensions larger than the ordinary clock ly mounted spring actuated motor, and a' spring, and'thus, while the size and p'ropelclock mechanism, for changing power ratios 65 ling strength of the spring is materially mbet veen the motor and clock mechanism creased; the number of turns required to The use of springs, in which expansiontully wind the larger spring will be suband contraction talres place in a plane at stantially the same as that of a smaller right angles to the axis of the winding shaftspri g requires that the number of coils or whirls 70 An object of the invention is, therefore, to be such as to approximately procure uniprovide means attachable to a clock, and to form propelling force throughout the period the winding and propelling shaft thereof, of unwinding or expansion of the spring. whereby a clock having a short winding pe- Various devices have been employedparticuriod can be conveniently and quickly conlarly for obtaining uniformity in the pro- 7 verted into one having a longer winding pepelling force of the spring during the first riod, with only a slight modification of the part-oi the unwinding propulsion movement. clock mechanism. For example, a standard It has been found that a spring having a commercial eight day clock can be converted certain number of coils is best suited for into a 96 or 100 day clock. Thus, the treapproximately accomplishing this purpose so quency of clock winding periods can be deand, therefore, the number of coils usedhascreased without materially changing the been more or less standardized, and for this clock mechanism, and a clock of short windreason a Spring h i th number f il v ing period can be converted at small expense consistent with the requirementfor such uniinto one of longer winding period. iormity of propelling force is now generally Another object is to provide a device as a used; Because of the desirability of using a- 35 separately mounted attachment for a clock, having a standard number of coils-to which includes is addition to a propelling obtain the possible uniformity of mechanism providing a long winding interpropelling force and to make the device val, a calendar attached to and operable by chronologically valuable, it has ordinarily said propelling mechanism and including 00- been thepractice to decrease the interval be- 40 operative dials automatically operable for tween winduw periods in lieu of increasing indicating months and days of the month, in the number of coils, with the result that the substantial synchronism with the clock to winding operation mustbe more frequently which the device is attached. performed. This is particularly the casein Another object is to provide propelling or cheap commercial spring propelled clocks,

45 transmission means for a clock as anattachthe main objection being the necessity for ment independently mounted, and having a frequent winding. This dificulty' has been powerful spring comprising substantially the herein overcome by providing a larger spring standard numbers of whirls or coils, said of standard proportions, than couldhe used spring being transmittin ly connected to the on a clock of a given size, and mounting the b0 power, winding shaft, or arbor of the clock Si "j u iiile Of the 1 9 in such manner that the proper amount of Other ob ects and certain advantages will power is applied to the shaft for propulsion be disclosed in the (lQSCl'lPtlOl'lofthe draw ings forming a part of this specification in which drawings:

'Figure 1 is a face view of a clock having my improved mechanism connected therewith. v

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Figure 1. r Figure 3 is a detail section on line 3-'3 of Figure 1, illustrating a portion of the calendar dial actuating mechanism.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating mounting of the propelling spring. The numeral 1 designates the casing of an ordinary commercial clock to which the invention in this instance, is shown applied, although the invention may be applied to other kinds of clocks wherein it is desired to decrease the winding period. A standard clock mechanism is generally indicated at 2 and comprises the usual winding and propelling shaft 3 having the'usual pawl-and- .ratchet connection 4 with a main drive gear 5. The escapement mechanism of the clock has not herein been shown, but the pendulum connected therewith is shown at 6. It is believed unnecessary herein to illustrate, the escapement mechanism inasmuch as its operation is well known in the art.

In connecting my device the main or propelling spring of the commercial or other clock is removed and a driven member, in this instance in the form of a sprocket 7, is pinned as at 8 to the shaft. Mounted below the clock mechanism, within and to the casing 1, preferably at the back thereof, is a stub shaft 10, integral with a plate 11 which is attached by screws to the casing as a base. Rotatable upon the shaft is a sprocket wheel 12 as a driving member preferably relatively of greater diameter than the wheel 7, and the two wheels aretransmittingly connected by the chain 13, as transmission means connecting driving and driven members. Attached at one end as'at l4: tothe hub 15 of the gear 12 is a coil springQO, adapted during winding and unwinding, for contraction and expansion in a plane at a right angle to its axis and to the shaft 10, the form andaction of this spring being well known; The outer end of the spring is secured to a pin 21. By engaging a key with the outer squared end of the shaft 3, the spring or spring actuated motor may be wound in the usual manner. .The spring has substantially a standard numberof coils or that number consistent with the requirement for uniformity in propelling force of the spring, from wound to unwound condition, so that the spring has dimensions larger than the ordinary clock spring but possesses greater power. 7

The attachment, including the separately mounted propelling means, also provides a calendar and operating mechanism therefor,

adapted to'indicate the days of the month and themonths of the year, and consisting of a day dial mounted rotatably upon the outer end of the shaft 10 between opposingly related resilient friction members respectively 31, 32, the member 31 being non-ro tatably and removably locked upon the shaft 10, as at 33, and the member 32 being rotatably attached on the cute counter-turned portion thereof. The dial member 30 has peripheral teeth 35 which function substantially as ratchet teeth. he dial 30 also has an outstanding pin 36 upon its front face adapted to engage notches or ratchet teeth 37 of a calendar month dial 38 removably mounted by its stub shaft 39, upon a pedestal or bracket-40 attached to'the back of the clockcasing. The dial 38 is yieldably frictionally held against rotation by spring members 42 frictionally engaged against a circular flange 43 on the shaft 39. V

The gear of the driving member has on its outer face a series of pins the distance between the pins corresponding to that traveled by each pin in twenty-four hours, so that at the end ofthat interval a pin will successively bring numerals of a larger de-.

nomination beneath a stationary pointer 45 held at the outer end of the shaft 10 by a screw a6. For every complete revolution of engage and operate a feed mechanism herethe day dial, 30, the month dial 38. is turned by the pin 36 which'engages one of the peripheral teeth of the dial and revolves the same to bring thesucceeding month indication beneath the pointer. The pin 36, however, may be dispensed with and the mouth dial set by hand.

The device or mechanism operableby the pins 4:41: upon the gear 12, for rotating the calendar dial 30 is constructed and operated in the following manner: 7

A lever is pivoted as at 51 to a bracket 52 attached to the clock casing 1, and the lever has extensions 53 and 5e cngagcable with the bracket for limiting oscillating movement of the lever in both directions, but particularly in its lower position. At the outer end of the lever 50 is pivoted as at 55 a finger 56 having a shoulder 57 engageable with the lever 50 for limiting clownward movement of the finger. ermost position shown in Figure 1, the finin its 'lower 56 is dis nosed for enga in a tooth of r a: a a: h

and adapted to lie against'a stop pin 63 car- I ried by the lever. The movement of the weighted lever is thus limited 111 one direction to permit a pin 44 to engage the same to raise the lever 50 and finger 56 for rotating the disk or dial 30. Thus, when the gear 12 rotates in clockwise direction, the pins M will successively. engage the arm 61, raise the lever 50 and finger 56 and rotate the dial 30 a distance equal to that between the day indicating numerals adjacent its periphery.

A device is also provided as a signal or indicator to the owner or attendant that the clock needs winding, this device being oper-c ated by the coil spring 20 as it unwinds. \Vhen the spring is entirely unwound a wind-up signal is exposed at a point outside of the clock casing. The structure of this device is as follows:

Alever formed of any suitable material, such as wire, is pivoted at 71 to the clock casing, adjacent the spring 20, the said lever having arms 72, 73. The arm 72 has at its upper end a sheet metal tag 74 as signal member having printed thereon in this instance the words wind-up. A slot 75 is also provided in the side of the casing through which the wind-up tag is adapted to pass for exposure of the printed words in full view at the outside of the casing. The arm 73 has a weight 76 thereon which is adapted to counterbalance the lever and bring and hold the lever and signal member within the casing after the clock has been wound. The weight 7 6 is juxtaposed in reference to the spring coils in such manner that when the clock has nearly run down one of the coils or whirls will engage the weight, force the same outwardly to the position shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 1, thereby disposing the signal member outside of the casing. A suitable stop clip 7 8 having outstanding projections 7'? is attached to the casing, and the arm 72 alternately engages the projections 78 to limit movement'of the lever in both directions. It will thus be seen that when the spring has almost reached its fully expanded position its outermost coil will have engaged the weight 7 5, and moved the wind-up sign into full view outside of the clock casing. When the clock is rewound the weight of the gravity actuated lever will be thrown in an opposite direction to bring the signal member within the clock casing as shown in Figure 1, in full lines.

The usual door 1' is provided for the clock cabinet or casing, said casing acting as a base for the mounting of the clock and motor therefor, as well as the calendar device and wind-up signalling device.

The device for decreasing the interval between the winding periods is simple and inexpensive and may be attached to any clock in a manner similar to that illustrated herein. I do not limit myself to its particular application to commercial clocks but contemplate the use of the invention upon any clock wherein it is desired to use a spring of greater size than can be applied directly to the clock.

Having described my invention, .what I claim is:

1. A propelling and calendar attachment for a clock including a spring actuated motor having a driving wheel, said wheel having spaced pins thereon, a shat; in the clock movement tor propelling the same, means transmittingly connecting said wheel and shaft, a peripheral, toothed calendar dial rotatably mounted adjacent said wheel, and dial advancing means intermediate said wheel and dial adapted to be engaged by suc cessive pins, and engageable with successive teeth of said dial, whereby said dial is moved in synchronism with said clock movement.

2. In combination a propelling and calendar attachment for a clock, an independently mounted spring actuated clock propelling motor having a driving sprocket, said sprocket having spaced pins thereon, a shaft in the clock movement for propelling the same, means transmittingly connecting said sprocket and shaft, a peripheral toothed calendar dial rotatably mounted adjacent said wheel, and dial advancing means intermediate said sprocket and dial adapted to be engaged by successive pins, and engageable with successive teeth of said dial, whereby said clock is propelled and said dial is moved in synchronism with said clock.

3. A propelling and calendar attachment for a clock including a spring actuated motor having a driving sprocket, said sprocket having spaced pins thereon, a shaft in the clock movement for propelling the same, means transmittingly connecting said sprocket and shaft, a peripherally toothed calendar dial rotatably mounted adjacent said sprocket, a lever pivoted adjacent said sprocket and dial, a finger pivoted at one end of said lever, said finger having a shoulder engageable with said lever for limiting the movement of the finger in one direction to dispose the same for engagement with successive teeth of said dial so said lever is oscillated and a projection pivoted to said lever having limited movement in one direction, said projection engageable by successive pins of said sprocket to periodically raise said lever and engage said finger with said dial, whereby said dial is moved in synchronism with said ClOCK.

i. A propelling and calendar actuating attachment for a clock including a separately mounted spring actuated motor having a driving sprocket, said sprocket having spaced pins thereon, a shaft in the clock movement for propelling the same, means transmittingly connecting said sprocket and shaft, a peripherally toothed calendar dial rotatably mounted adjacent said sprocket,

said dial having characters thereonin spaced relation, a lever pivoted adjacent said sprocket and dial, a finger pivoted to said lever for engagement with the teeth of said dial, said finger having a stop shoulder engageable with said lever for limiting themovement of the/finger in one direction, and

spring actuated motor having a driving member, said member having spaced pins thereon means transmittably connecting said drlving member and propelling shaft or said clock, a peripherally toothed calendar dial rotatably mounted adjacent said rotated element, a lever pivoted adjacent said element and dial, said lever having a finger adapted to engage successive teeth of said dial, and a projection upon said lever engageable successively by said pins for actuating said finger for periodical engagement with and rotation of said dial in synchronism with said clock.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

WILLIAM B. ATKINSON.

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