US1872049A - Time stamp - Google Patents

Description

g 16, 1932- R. H. THOMPSON ET AL 1,372,049

TIME STAMP Filed Oct. 11, 1929 2 Shets-Sheec 1 IW/veWi/ ors floiaevil -Thomprsozw, Lewis aravea,

2'3 7/ i fi s Aug. 16, 1932. R. H. THOMPSON ET AL TIME STAMP Filed Oct. 11, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IW venifons;

ROZeriHTMWwpsotz jilewi's Graves,

Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES EoB R'r 1. THOMPSON AND LEWIS eEevEs' on NEW 03K; N. Y.; sAIn GRA sIeNo T sAIn rnomrson PATENT OFFICE? vEs ASQ I TIME STAMP This invention relates to time stamps and particularly to stamps of that type in which the time is printed directly in letters and figures as contrasted with those with a dial,

and the object is to provide a construction of stamp of this character which will be simple, cheap, accurate and durable. In particular we provide a mechanism for shifting or turning the type wheels which may be operated from a chronometric device but with little expenditure of, powerv and which is therefore adaptable for use with ordinary springdriven clock movements although obviously not so limited. I

Our invention will be well understood by. reference to the following description taken in connection with'the accompanying drawings, wherein: l l

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a time stamp.

20' embodying the invention. broken away to disclose the interior;

Fig.2 is an enlarged-sectionon the line 22ofFig.l;' Y

Figs. 3 and 41 are sections on the lines 33 26 and 44 of Fig. 2 respectively; and

Fig. .5 shows an imprint of the typewheels during the last minute of an hourly period.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings,in the embodiment of the invention here shown, a clock movement '1 of the ordinary spring driven type and the assembly. 9 embodying the type wheelsand their controlling mechanism are mountedon asuitable base 11 enclosed by a casing 3 at thefrontof which may be the bezel 15 enclosing and rendering visible a clock'dial of the usual type. 1 Suitable means, not shown, are provided for supporting an inking ribbon 17 extending over the type wheels and permitting an impression T of the latter to be taken through a suitable opening in the top of the casing 8 by means of the platen 19' depressed-by hand against the force of spring 21. The subiect matter of our invention relates more particularly to 7 means for controlling the movement of the type wheels and the other parts may be of any known or suitable construction unnecessary hereinto disclose inldetail. a

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2,.the type wheels 60 are herein" shown as disposed in vertical planes and journalled on a, shaft 23 extending between frames25spacedby suitable pillars. The wheelsshown in the illustrative example disclosed are marked in Figs. 1 and2 with descriptive designations and it is unnec ssary to refer to them by reference numerals. In the embodimentof the invention, shown the month and year wheels are adapted to be turned by hand and the other'wheels take their movement from acounter-shaft 27 j ournalled inthe frame 25 which rotates once an hour, herein being shown as mounted in alignment with and connected by means of a suitable coupling 29 to thehour shaft 31 of theclock. movement 1, v I

The minute wheel (see Fig. 2) maycarry on its hub a gear 33 adapted; to mesh. with a similar gear 35 pinned to a shaft 27 so that the minute wheel is rotated in direct synchronism with said shaft; This minute wheel, as will be well understood, has sixty faces; The hour wheel and the AM-PM wheel are herein disposed as shown on oppositeisides of the minute wheel to provide the reading- 6233 PM, for example, the minute wheel turning on the spool-like connecting hub 37 between the two wheels The hour and AMPM wheels have twenty-four faces corresponding to the twenty-four hoursof the day and are intermittently driven in five; to'two ratio by gear 39 fixed on their hub from a gearil which is looselyjournalled on shaft 27 buthas a slipping clutch connection thereto and tends to turn therewith. Herein the hub of gear 41 is shown as interposed between the hub of gear 35 (a steel washer 43 being interposed) and a friction washer 45 pressed thereagainst by spring 47 which finds a-bearing on the disc 49 pinned to shaft 27.

The driving gear 41 is normally held against rotation and slips on shaft 27, but at intervals of an hour, conveniently during the last minute of each hour, it is released to turn with the shaft and to drive for one twenty-fourth of'a revolution the type wheels on which driven gear 39 is mounted; For this purposewe have herein provided a pinion shaft 51, which may take the form of apiece of-siX-tooth pinion wire, vjo'urnalled in the plates 25 and meshing (see Figui) with gear 100 41. In the plane of the disc 49 (see Fig. 3) alternate teeth of the pinion are cut away and the periphery of said disc engages the sides of remaining teeth and form a lock holding the pinion shaft from rotation and thus locking gear 41 against movement with shaft 27. The disc 49 is herein also utilized to provide an intermittent gear and on one side thereof is secured two teeth 53 corresponding in form and size to two teeth of the gear 41 and the periphery of the disc 49 is cut away between these teeth. Disc 49 rotates once an hour and during the vmajor portion of such period, herein fifty-nine minutes, the pinion 51 will be locked. During the other sixtieth of the revolution the teeth 53 will engage the teeth of the pinion and turn or permit the same to turn through a space of two teeth, thereby releasing gear 41 to the driving force of shaft 27 exerted thereon through the spring clutch drive and permitting it also-to turn through a space of two teeth,-that is, in the example shown through one-sixtieth of a revolution, and this movement is transmitted in two to five ratio to gear 39 and the hour and AM-PM wheels are rotated through one twenty-fourth of a revolution during this period of a minute. Thus, referring to-Fig.

5, during the last minute of the afternoon not only is the minute wheel moving from 59 to 0 but the hour wheel is gradually moving likewise from 11 to 12.

- In the embodiment of the invention shown the hour driving gear 41 is also utilized as an element of a train driving the day wheel. For-this purpose (see Fig. 4) it may mesh with'a gear 55 on a sleeve shaft 57, the gear ratio being such that the shaft 57 will rotate once every twenty-four hours, intermittently by steps effected every hour as the gear 41 is released to the action of the main driving shaft '27 in the manner already described. Sleeve shaft 57 carries a suitable tappet 59 (see Fig. 3) adapted to cooperate with the pins 61 projecting from a side of the day wheel in the manner of a pin gear, thirtyone-of these pins being provided corresponding to the maximum number of days in a month. The ratio between the length of tappet arm 59 and the radius to the center line of the pin 61 is such that the incremental movement of gear 55 when saidtappet is engaged with. the pins will suffice to throw the day wheel one thirty-first of its circumference, or from one day to the next. This movement is, of course, effected during the last minute. of the twelve hour period, preferably just before midnight as shown in Fig. 5. It will be noted that except during this interval of a minute the tappet 59 is out of engagement with the pins on the day wheel and except during this minute the day wheel train 69 (Fig. 1), like, thatv ordinarily used. for the hourand minute hands of a' watch or clock, may drive hands from shaft 23 to cooperate with a clock dial visible through the glazing 0f bezel 15.

It will be noted that the arrangement of parts is such that the shaft 23 may be directly coupled to the hour shaft of the clock and all the parts may be turned back or forward indefinitely by the ordinary set shaft of the clock movement without injury and without destroying the coordination of the parts. Once the parts are properly coupled so that the reading of the hands and the printing of the type wheels agree, the entire assembly may be set forward or back at will any number of days, hours or minutes in the customary'manner in which an ordinary clock is set. The construction shown permits organizing the clock face with the printing mechanism in aconvenient manner, gives a strong support for the type wheels of the clock movement, and the jar of the stamping operation is not transmitted to the type wheel actuating mechanism or to the clock movement in such a way as to be harmful to the same. The type wheels may be organized in close relation with only narrow spur gearing between them and with the hour and AM-PM wheels on opposite sides of the minute wheel as shown if an impression reading in this manner is desired. 1 V j r We are aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and we therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive; reference be ing had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Claims i 1. In a time stamp, in combination, a set of type wheels for printing minutes and multiples thereof, a shaft on which said wheels turn, a parallel shaft, a clock movement in driving relation thereto, a gear drive between said parallel shaft and the minute wheel, a drive gear rotatably mounted on said parallel shaft and gearingto a multiple type wheel, and transfer mechanism comprising a mutilated gear train from said parallel shaft controlling intermittent rotation of the said drive gear. I

2. In a time stamp, in combination, a chronometrically driven shaft, a type wheel for a time unit driven therefrom, atype wheel for a multiple unit, a drive gear therefor loose on said shaft, yielding means tending to turn said gear with the shaft, a mutilated pinion serving to lock the gear, anda train from said shaft to control intermittent turning of the pinion to release said gear to move with said shaft.

3. In a time stamp, in combination, a pair of frames, a rod extending between type wheels for units and multiples of time turning on said rod, a parallel shaft journaled in said frames for rotation by a chronometric movement, a gear drive between said shaft and a unit type wheel, a drive gear on said shaft having yielding frictional connection thereto and a gear on a multiple unit type wheel meshing therewith, a pinion rod journaled in said frames and meshing with said gear, teeth of said rod being cut away at a point in its length to provide substantially arcuate locking surfaces, and locking disc and mutilated gear mechanism fast on said shaft cooperating with said rod.

4. In a time stamp a shaft having a chronometric drive and means for manually moving it forward and back, a type wheel for a time unit connected to said shaft to turn proportionately thereto, a type wheel for a multiple unit, means for turning the same including a spur gear normally tending to turn with the shaft, a detent pinion meshing therewith, and a mutilated gear train from the shaft controlling turning of the pinion.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

ROBT'. I-I. THOMPSON. LEWIS GRAVES.

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