US1770677A - Electric clock - Google Patents

Description

July-15, 1930. L. JHSTERN 1,770,677

smzcmc CLOCK Filed April 18, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ma gkfi a 65 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 7 July 15, 1930.

L. J. STERN ELECTRIC CLOCK Filed April 18, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY;

Patented July 15, 1930 UNITED STATES miwrs a. STERN, or NEW YORK, N. -Y., ASSIGNbR '10 STERLING CLOCK CORPORATION OF NEW YORK 00., me, A

ELECTRIC cLocx Application meaa rn 18,

My invention relates to "improvements in electric clocks and the main object of the invention is to provide an arrangement which is. more easil repair an replacement of parts, etc. and which is generally more efficient in construction and operation. To this end my improvements consist of various features of construction which will more clearly appear from the detail description given below taken in con-. nection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of thisspecification.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective of a clock located in the dash of an automobile, the 'clock embodying my improvements in a preferred form thereof. Fi 2 is a front elevation of theclock parts with the outer casing, dial etc. removed. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig.2, taken at right angles thereto. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the parts shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5'5 of Fig. 4, the surrounding casing and the parts for securing the clock to the dash-board being also shown in section therewith. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the electro-magnet windings removed. Fig. 7 is a view' showing some 0 the parts, the section being taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the clock secured to the dash-board. Fig. 9 is a detail section through the axis of the main arbor of the clock showing the method of securing the clock hands thereto. Fig. 10 is a rear view of the clock movement and Figtll is a side view of the same.

Referring to the drawings, lrepresents the dashboard of an automobile for use on which the clock is specially adapted, although it will be found useful in many other situations. 2 represents a cylindrical casing closed at one end by the integral plate or end 3 so that the casing is cup-shaped. Screwed into the front end of the casing so as to be easily removable therefrom is a flanged rim 4 adapted to hold the front glass 5 through which the clock face is visible.

Within the c'asingis a circular frame plate 6. having secured to the front thereof a flat ring 7 of the same outside diameter. Rigidly secured to the plate 6 on the other side thereof assembled and disassembled for 1924. serial in. 707,321.

the hair spring at 14 and the slow and fast regulating lever at 14 having the usual loop 15 engaging the hair spring. On the same axis as the main arbor is a sleeve 16 which sleeve extends through the rear plate 10 and carries a ratchet wheel 17. The parts are so arranged that upon a spring tending to rotate the ratchet wheel the clock movement will be operated.

The main frame plate 6 is centrally apertured as indicated by the line 18 on Fig. 2 the aperture being sufficiently large to receive the clock movement, the rear plate 10 being small enough to pass therethrough. The edge of the aperture is rabbeted to receive the edge of.

the plate 11 which will not pass through the aperture and the whole clock movement is rigidly secured in place to the main frame plate 6 by screws 19 screw-threaded in the plate 6 but the beads of which overlap the edge of the plate 11 to hold the same and the whole clock movement firmly in place and rigid with the plate 6. Thus the whole clock movement unit as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 may be easily removed from the frame plate 6 by merely removing the screws 19. The rear frame plate 8 is also provided with a central circular aperture large enough to permit the ratchet wheel17 to pass therethrough so that when the parts are'in place the ratchet will be on the rear side of the plate.

.The dial of the clock is shown at 20 and this is secured to the ring 7 in front of the main frame plate 6 by bending certain projections from the periphery of the dial about the outer edge or periphery of the ring 7 as shown at 21. (See Fig. 5.) Extending through the dial '20 is a sleeve 22 (see Fig. 9) having fixed on the front end thereof the hour hand 23 and on the inner end thereof a gear 24. Between' the gear 24 and the dial 20 is a leaf spring 25 which tends to force the gear 24 away from the dial. When the dial is put in place the sleeve 22 is slipped over the front end of the arbor 13 with the gear 24 maintained in mesh with a gear 25 (see Fig. 3) which is rigid with a gear 26 which in turn meshes with a gear 27 secured on the main arbor 13. The end of the arbor 13 is made square or non-circular in cross-section and the minute hand 28 is provided at its axis with a corresponding aperture adapted to fit over this portion so as to be turned thereby. The minute hand'28 is held rigidly on the arbor by the head of a screw 29 which is screwthreaded into the end of thearbor 13. As the clock is operated and the arbor 13 is turned, 7

22 is pressed inwardly thereat so that it is effectively prevented from slipping longitudinally of the arbor. Thus both hands are firmly held in place and can not be jarred off as would otherwise be likely when the clock is subjected to excessive jarring such as occurs in use on automobiles.

31 is a bracket attached to the rear face of the circular frame plate 8 (see Figs. 4 and 6) and journaled between the end of the bracket and the plate 8 is a pivot 32 carrying an armature 33 adapted to be attracted by the polar ends 34 of electro-magnets 35. The armature 33 carries rigid therewith an arm 36 extending away from the pivot 32 at right angles to the armature. Pivotally mounted on the end of the arm 36 is a pawl 37, normal- 7 1y pressed against the teeth of the ratchet 17 by a coiled tension spring 38. One end of the spring 38 is secured to a fixed bracket 39 on the plate 8 and the other end of the spring is secured to a hook 40 on thepawl 37 a short distance from the point where the pawl is pivoted-to the arm 36. The spring is so positioned that it not only tends to rotate the pawl about its pivot and into engagement with the teeth of ratchet wheel 17, but also the spring 38 pulls on the arm 36 in a direction to cause the'pawlto rotate the ratchet wheel 17 and operatejth'e clock, QAs the ratchet wheel so il tlie armature swings away from the Pivotallyfmounted between a bra ket 41, and'theplate 8jis a switchlever 42 having an prm ieaiagag towhich is connected one jd fii agbile -tensi0ns1 ri g h other.

end erases- 55mg 44"bi'ng connected we projecting arm 45 on the armature 33; The switch member 42 is provided with an arm 46 adapted to engage a post 47 struck up from the plate-8, to limit the movement of the switch member in open position. Pivoted between a bracket 48 and the plate 8 about a pivot 49 is a switch contact member 50 carrying an electrical contact at 51 suitably insulated from the member 50 but electrically connected in circuit with the magnets 35 by means of a coil of spring Wire conductor 52. The member 50 has an arm 53 extending in the opposite direction from the pivot, which arm is bent over at its outer end and extends into a slot 54 in the face of the plate 8 thereby limiting the movement of the member 50 about its pivot 49 to a very slight movement determined by the play which the arm 53 has in the slot 54. The contact 51 is preferably made of silver while the switch arm 42 carries an electrical contact 55 of silver or other suitable metal. The magnets 35 are electrically connected in series with one another by conductor 56'. One terminal 57 of the two magnets is connected to one side of a source of electrical energy such as a storage battery while the other terminal of the battery is grounded on the metal parts of theapparatus.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 4, the spring 38 will be under tension and will pull upon the arm 36 causing the pawl 37 to engage ratchet 17 and turn the same to operate the clock. As the arm 36 moves slowly under the action of the spring 38, being retarded by the escapement mechanism of the clock movement, the armature 33 simultaneouslygradually moves away from the pole pieces 34 and carries with it the end of spring 44 which is attached to the lug 45. When the line between the two ends of the spring 44 is swung over to the other side of t e pivoting point on bracket 41, the spring 44 suddenly swings or snaps the switch member 42 about its pivoting point causing the contact 55 to swing into electrical contact engagement with the contact 51 and make contact therewith -(as shown in Fig. 6) with more or less of a slidin contact so as to kee the engaging faces oft e contacts clean. 0

facilitate this the contact member 51 is carmember 50 about its pivot thereby permitting the contact faces to slide or rub over one another in order to insure good electricalcontact.

When the contact 55 which is electrically grounded to the metal partsof the apparatus engages the contact 51, the circuit is completed through the magnets which causes the armature 33 to be attracted; and the arm 36 again moved to the position shownin Fig. 4

I the pawl 37 slips over one or more teeth of the ratchet 17 but at once continues to operate the same as before, merely engaging the ratchet in a different place. After the arma ture has been attracted a certain distance toward the pole pieces 34 but before actually coming against the pole piece, the line between the two ends of the spring 44 passes to the other side of the axis about which the switch member 42 is pivoted, whereuponthe spring 44 snaps the switch 42 0 en and causes the switch contact 55 to be quickly Withdrawn from the contact 51. The resulting backward opening movement of the switch is limited by the arm 46 engaging the bracket post 47 which also serves as a back stop for the armature 33 which is of course Withdrawn by the main spring when the magnets are disconnected from the source of electrical energy.

The parts may be so adjusted that the switch member Wlll automatically close the circuit through the magnets about once every minute but it will be seen that as soon as the circuit is closed, the armature is immediately attracted and places the spring 38 substantially under its initial tension and immediately opens the switch, so that the spring will again perform its function of supplying the necessary force to operate the clock or time piece. The armature 33 at its outer end carries an arm 58 extending toward the frame plate 8.

- This arm is so positioned, that, should the spring 44 fail to open the switch when the armature is attracted by the electro-magnet, the arm 58 will engage the switch lever 42 and kick the switch open.

The switch member thus intermittently controls the energization and deenergization of the electro-magnets and the spring 44 connected at one end to the switch member at a point on one side of its pivotand at the other end to a point on the other side of the pivot and to the armature, is adapted to'throw the switch in each direction in response to the movement of the armature in each direction, and also to hold the switch at the end-of its travel in each direction until the armature has moved .a substantial distance from the end of its travel.

In order to secure the parts firmly in the casing 2, 3, posts 60 are rigidly secured to the frame 6 and extend rearwardly therefrom.

netic means with its associated parts for operating the clock movement are carried between these plates and by the front plate 6 independently of the clock movement unit which is readily removable from the frame platesby merely removing the screws 19 after the glass 5 is removed by unscrewing the rim 4.

y In order to operate the slow and fast regulating lever 14 from the back of the clock, a spindle 64 is provided. This spindle is journaled in one of the posts 65 which support and rigidly connect the core 66 of the electromagnet upon the frame plate 8. The spindle 64 extends through the back 3 and has a knob 67 rigidly screwed thereon for the urpose of conveniently turning the same rom the back of the clock. At its opposite end the spindle 64 has secured thereto a forked member 68, the. forked part of which is arranged eccentric to the axis of the spindle 64 and engages the slow and fast regulating lever arm 14 (see Fig. 7) so that uponturning the from the frame plates 7 and 8 it simply slips out of the fork. The lever 14 has a forwardly projecting arm 69 which extends into a slot in the dial 20 so as to be visible from the front of the clock, and thus indicate on the face of the clock the extent to which adjustment has been made.

In order to provide means for adjusting the setting of the hands from the back of the clock, there is provided another similar sp ndle 70 journaled in a bushing 71 secured rigidly in the frame plate 8. The spindle 70 is capable of sliding axially in the bushing and its rear end ro ects through a hole in the ,back 3 and lias rigidly screwed thereon a knob 73 so thatthe spindle 70 is readily turned as well as moved axially from the bac A of the clock. At its front end the spindle 70 has rigidly. secured hereto a small pinion 74. Surrounding the spindle 70 between the pin-. ion 74 and the bushing 71 is a coiled compression spring 75 which normall forces the spindle 70 toward the front unti the pinion 74 is stopped by and lies against the back side of the dial 20. 7 6 represents a layer pinion journaled on the front face of the plate 11 of the clock movement unit and meshes with the re-' ducing gear 26 thereon. To set the hands of. the clock from the back the operator merely i grasps the knob 73 and pulls the spindle 7 U reaiwardly nnti-l the pinion 74 comes in the same plane and meshes with the pinion 7 6 and then turns the knob and spindle thereby turning the-pinions and gears 74, 7 6, 26, 9,5,

.24 and the hand 23 and gear 27 and main arbor-'13 and hand 28 carried thereby. Upon releasing the knob 73 the spring 75 forces the pinion 74 back against the back of the dial whereby the clock movement unit may be removed from the rest of the arts shown in Figs. 2 and 3 without disturbing the splndle or removing the pinion 74 therefrom.

In securing this clock on the dashboard the clock, assembled in the casing is slipped into the clock hole in the dash until the rim 4 comes up against the front of the dash. The back3 of the casing has two diametrically opposite screw-threaded posts 78 secured rig idly thereto and extending rearwardly therein great detail and with respect to a pre-' from. A bracket 7 9 having two inwardly extending legs 80, is provided with two holes in its back portion, corresponding to the posts 78, and. this is slipped on with the posts 78 extending through these holes, until the pointed ends of the legs 80, on diametrically opposite sides of the clock, engage the back .of the dashboard. NutsSl are then screwed up on the posts 78 whereupon the whole clock is held rigidly on the dash. The back 3 is also provided with a hole through which an electrical conductor is inserted to connect the =electro-magnet with the storage battery or other source of electric energy.

While I have described my improvements ferred form thereof, I do not desire to be .limited to such details or forms since many changes may be made and the improvements embodied in widely different forms. Hence u- :removable as an assembled unitary structure I desire to cover all forms comingwithin the language or scope of any one or moreof the 1; appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An electric clock having two spaced apart but rigidly connected plates, clock ;movement gears and arbors positioned between and carried by said plates, a main arbor extending through the front plate with clock hands operated thereby, a ratchet positioned atthe back side of the rear late and connected to operate the clock, ront and rear frame plate members, means for securing said first two plates with their clock movement gears to said front frame plate, said first two plates and said movement gears being freely ment unit comprising two spaced apart plates rigidly connected together with clock movement gears and arbors positloned between said plates and carried thereby, a frame plate having an aperture therethrough large enough to receive said .clock movement unit, means for removably securing saidumt to said frame plate in said aperture, and electro-magnetic means situated back of the clock movement unit and secured to and carried by said frame plate substantially independently of said clock movement unit and ada ted to operate the clock, said clock unit being removable or replaceable through said aperture in assembled condition and while the electro-magnetic means is maintained in assembled condition.

3. An electric clock having a clock movement unit comprising two spaced apart plates rigidly connected together with clock movement gears and arbors positioned between said plates and carried thereby, a front frame plate and a rear frame plate rigidly secured together, said front frame plate being apertured to receive said unit, means for securing said unit to said frame plates, said unit being removable from the clock as an assembled unitary device upon release of said securing means, a clock dial carried by the front frame plate in front thereof, andelectro-magnet ic means carried by the rear frame plate back of said unit, said unit having an operating ratchet wheel carried thereby positioned on the rear side of the rear frame plate and said electro-magnet-ic means having means engaging said ratchet to operate the clock.

4. An electric clock having a clock movement unit comprising two spaced apart plates rigidlyconnected together with clock movement gears and arbors positioned between said plates and carried thereby, a front frame plate and a rear frame plate, posts spacing said frame plates apart and rigidly securing them together, the front frame plate being apertured to receive said unit from the front of the clock, means removably securing said unit to saidfrontframc plate and in said aperture with the unit projecting rearwardly of the front frame plate, a clock dial secured to the front frame plate on the front side thereof, and electro-magnetic means carried by anti frame plates and independently of ,netic means being positioned at the rear of said unit and said unit having a ratchet carried thereby on the rear side of the rear clock movement unit plate, and said electro-magnetic means having means adapted to engage said ratchet to operate the clock. A

5. An electric clock having a'clock movement unit comprising two spaced apart'plates rigidly connected together with clock movementgears and arbors positioned between said plates and carried thereby, a frame plate, meaus'for removably securing said unit to said frame plate, said unit being removable from the clock as an assembled unitary device upon release of said securing means, and electro-niagnetic means situated back of the unit but secured to and carried by said frame plate, said electromagnetic means and unit having cooperating parts whereby the former will operate the clock, a clock dial and clock hands secured to the front of the clock, a spindle extending through the clock and operable from the back of the clock, a gear on the front end of said spindle, said gear bein located between the dial and the front plate 0 the clock movement, and'means whereby turning of said spindle and gear will set the hands of the clock, said spindle being carried by said frame plate and said clock movement plates being cut away whereby the said clock movement may beremoved without removing the spindle from said frame plate and without removing the gear from said spindle.

6. An electric. clock having a clock movement unit comprising two spaced apart plates rigidly connected together, with clock movement gears and arbors positioned between said plates, 0. frame plate having an aperture therethrough large enough to receive said unit when inserted from the front of the clock, a clock dial secured to said frameplate with clock hands in front thereof operated by securing said unit to said frame plate in said aperture, said clock movement unit having a ratchet wheel carried with the unit for operating the clock, said ratchet wheel being positioned back of the rear plate of said first two mentioned clock movement plates, elec- .tro-magnetic means carried by said frame plate substantially independently of said clock movement unit and having a pawl for engaging said ratchet to operate the clock, a casing for the clock and a post rigidly secured to the said frame plate and independently of said unit, said post extending rearwardl and being rigidly connected to the back 0 said said larger andsaid smaller associated plates together, a ratchet wheel operatively associated with said clock movement, an electromagnetic device located between said larger plates and fastened to one of said larger plates ratchet eel to actuate said clock.

8. In a clock, a frame comprising two larger plates connected with each other one of which has an aperture, a clock movement unit comprising a plurality of smaller plates one of which is suitably disposed in said-aperture, associated means fastening said larger and said smaller plates, motion receiving means associated with said clock movement and a motor mounted between said larger plates operatively associated with said motion receivlng means. I

9. An electric clock, a frame comprising a plurality of larger plates suitably connected with each other one of which has an aperture, a clock movement unit comprising a hair spring regulator lever and a plurality of smaller plates one of which is suitably disposed'in said aperture, means for fastening said larger and smaller jassociated plates-together, aratchet wheel operatively associated with said clock movement unit, an electromagnetic device having an aperture mounted between said larger plates, a shaft journaled in said aperture a lever having a forked end mounted on said device and said forked lever being operatively associated with said ratchet wheel and said hair spring regulator lever to actuate said clock movement unit and adjust said lever.

10. In a clock, a frame com rising two larger plates suitably connecte with each other one of which has an aperture, a clock movement unit comprising a air s ring regulating lever and a pluralltyof sm er plates one of which is suitably. disposed in said aperture, means for fastening said associated the clock movement, screws for removablyplates, motion receivin means on said clock movement unit, a she t journaled 1n one of said larger plates, a forked lever fastened on said shaft, a motor mounted between said larger plates, said motor and said forked lever being operatively associated with said motion receiving means and said regulatm lever to actuate the clock movement unit an adjust said regulating lever.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

, LEWIS J. STERN.

two larger plates suitably each other one of which-has an aperture, a

clock movement unit com rising a'plurahty of smaller plates one of w ich is suitably disshaft, said electro-magnetic

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