US1908452A

US1908452A - Game-timing clock

Info

Publication number: US1908452A
Application number: US528312A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward A Schlueter
Original assignee: F A THOMAS Co Inc
Current assignee: F A THOMAS Co Inc; F A THOMAS COMPANY Inc
Priority date: 1931-04-07
Filing date: 1931-04-07
Publication date: 1933-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1950-05-09

Description

y 9, 1933- E. A. SCHLUETER 1,998,452

GAME TIMING CLOCK Filed April '7, 1951 E' L' 3 7 a"? m 7' A l /5 0 0 35 INVENTOR 504M499 1 3. SCWLUETE/R ATTORNEY v Fatented May 9, i933 urlrrn ear lfittgllit EDWARD A. SCHLUETER, (OF AEAMEDA, @ALEFORNIA, ASSIGNQR 1'0 F. A. THOMAS GOMPANY, INCL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A COBPORA'IIQN CALIFORNIA (GAME-TIMING QUICK application med April 't,

football games, basketball games, and the like, and particularly to score hoard clocks for the use of spectators.

Among the objects of my invention are: To provide a score board clock which gives an actual record of playing time,'and which does not have to be manually set by a score hoard keeper; to provide a clock which is directly under the control of the timekeeper, and

. which replaces the customary stop watch with a more accurate and dependable instrument; to providea clock which may he run backward at high speed in resetting between periods of the game; to provide a clock which starts and stops instantly under the remote control of the timekeeper; and to provide a clock which resets rapidly and definitely to zero time when desired.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent or will be specifically pointed out in the description forming a part of this specification, but I do not limit myself to the embodiment of my invention herein described, as various forms may be adopted within the scope of the claims. Referringv to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing one embodiment of my invention as viewed by the spectators.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the clock shown in Figure 1, the electrical control circuit being diagrammatically indicated in the figure.

In timing football games, basketball games, and the like, it has long been customary for the timekeeper to use a stop watch to keep track of theactual time of play, starting or stopping the watch at the gun or the oflicials signals. Spectators at the game have been apprised of the playing time by means of a large clock face whose hands'are manually set by a score board keeper in response to telephoned'instructions or to signals from theplaying field.

This practice, although the best available, has been notoriously unsatisfactory. It is easy to fumble in the manipulation of a stop watch, and this constantly occurs. Moreover, signals to the score board tender are easily misunderstood and can at best only 1931. Serial No. 528,3lt,

be communicated to him at intervals, and at crucial moments of play there is always doubt as to the actual time factor.

lvly invention provides a remedy for these unsatisfactory conditions. Broadly considered, it comprises an electrically driven cloclr which may he the score board clock itself, or may be a small pilot clock in the hands of the timekeeper. This electric clock is stopped; or started by manipulating a switch. The synchronous motor with which the clock is driven is frictionally geared to the hand or hands marking the minutes of play, the hand moving or stopping as the circuit to the motor is made or broken. l

addition to the timing motor, the clock is provided with a second motor, preferably asynchronous, which is positively geared to the hand to drive it in the reverse direction. When it is desired to reset the clock the cir cuit to the second motor is closed, when the motor revolves the hand in reverse direction and at greatly increased speed, so that resetting requires but a few seconds to return the hand over the space which it has required many minutes to traverse during the timing operation. A stop is provided to block the hand definitely at its predetermined zero position, the motor being sobonstructed that it is undamaged by being blocked.

land back plate 5, which are spaced by posts 6. Journaled in the front and back plate is a .shaft 7, upon which is fixed a large minute hand 8.

Mounted on the shaft 7 are two gears .19 W

and 11, which are preferably of the same size and pitch. The gear 10 is permanently fixed to the shaft. The gear 11 is journaled to turn upon the shaft, but 'is rotatably joined therewith by a clutch mechanism which may .comprise a spring 12 and friction plate 13,

the latter bearing against the face of the gear 11 so that gear and shaft tend to rotate together. Any type of friction clutch, which is capable of slipping, may be utilized instead of the one shown to connect the gear and shaft together.

Mounted on the back plate 5, by means of the post 15 and plate 16, is a synchronous a the front, and back plates of the frame and which carries the disk 23 of an induction disk type motor whose field magnet 25 is fixed to the frame. The pinion 21 may be of the same size and number of teeth as the pinion 20, and the shaft 22 may be carried through the clock dial and have mounted upon it a second hand if desired, although this is not ordinarily required.

Coils 26, which excite the induction motor field 25, are supplied from an alternating current line 27, and controlled by a switch 28. The leads 30 for supplying the synchronous motor are bridged across the same line, the motor being controlled by a switch 31. Shading coils are supplied on the field 25 to cause the disk to rotate in the opposite direction from the shaft of the synchronous motor 17. As this is well known construction for motors of this type, the shadingcoils are not shown.

Secured to the face of the gear 10 is a stop -plate '32, which engages a pawl or stop 33,

mounted on the front plate 3. The location I of the stop plate 32 and pawl 33 is such that the zero position.

the two engage when theminute hand is at In using the clock, the switch 28 isfirst closed to rotate the hand in reverse direction to the zero position, where it is definitely blocked. This blocking does not injure the induction disk motor, which --may be left "across the circuit indefinitely in the blocked condition without harm to its winding. The switch 28 is then opened, after which the timing is carried on in the ordinary'manner by closing switch 31 for time in and opening said switch for time out;

At the end of the time allotted for each period of the game, the switch 28 is again closed to return the hand to the zero position. It may be noted that this return to zero will occur even though switches 31 and 28 be closed simultaneously, the clutch slipping to permit the reverse rifiat'ion of the hand.

I claim:

1. A game-timing clock comprising a minute shaft, a minute hand fixed to said shaft, a gear mounted to rotate on said shaft, a friction clutch for rotating said shaft with said gear, a synchronous motor having a pinion meshed with said gear to drive said shaft, a second motor geared to slip said clutch and drive said shaft at increased speed, and means for stopping the rotation of said shaft by said second motor at a predetermined position.

2. A game-timing clock comprising a minute shaft, a minute hand fixed to said shaft, a gear mounted to rotate on said shaft, a friction clutch for rotating said shaft with said gear, a synchronous motor having a pinion meshed with said gear to drive said shaft, a

second gear fixed to said shaft, and a second motor having a pinion meshed with said fixed gear, whereby said shaft may be driven at increased speed by slipping said clutch.

3. A game-timing clock comprising a minute shaft, a minute hand fixed to said shaft, a gear mounted to rotate on said shaft, a friction clutch for rotating said shaft with said gear, a synchronousmotor having a pinion meshed with said gear to drive said shaft, a second gear fixed to said shaft, and an asynchronous motor having a driving pinion meshed with said fixed gear for driving said shaft in reverse direction at increased speed.

4. A game-timing clock comprising a minute shaft, a minute hand fixed to said shaft, a gear mounted to rotate on said shaft, a friction clutch for rotating said shaft with said gear, a synchronous motor having a pinion meshed with said gear to drive said shaft, a second gear fixed to said shaft, an asynchronous motor having a driving pinion meshed with said fixed gear for driving said shaft in reverse direction at increased speed, and means for blocking said second motor and said shaft at a predetermined position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD A. SCHLUETER.