US2000307A - Alternating current clock - Google Patents

Description

May 7, 1935. w. J. VAN OSDEL manmxue cuanm CLOCK Filed July 21, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 for Jazz/J,

Ill |||l||| lllllllb May 7, 1935. w. J. VAN OSDEL ALTERNATING CURRENT CLOCK Filed July 21, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 7, 1935. w. J. VAN OSDEL 2,000,307

ALTERNATING CURRENT CLOCK Filed July 21, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet Osa'cZ PM May 7, 1935 PATENT OFFICE sursamrmc coansmcnoox William J. Van Osdel, cum. 111. Application July 21,1981, Serial No. 552,230

This invention relates in general to electric clocks and is more particularly adapted to be actuated directly by the existing commercial alternating current systems, whereby the usual I lishtingsystem. and power currents, may be emplayed-ior actuatingthe clock to indicate the correct time, which is regulated irom a station gbthealternating current system, and one oi objects oi the invention is to provide. an improvedsynchronousmotorclockoithischarac ter having associated therewith a pendulum, and a ticking mechanism, thereby providing an audible signal in the clock. a

A further object is to provide in aclock oi this character an improved gear train whereby the number oiparts will be reduced and the mechanism greatly simplified.

A further object is to provide improved means ior supporting the clock movement whereby the entire movement may be readily detached from the support and removed irom the clock case as a unitary structure, and. as readily replaced into operative position. a a I A further object is to provide an improved iornl oi magnet core so shaped as to cause the motor armature or rotor to run in a predetermined position with respect to the core. and an improved manner oi mounting the core, whereby the magnet core will be clamped between and secured to both oi the frames oi the clock movement, thereby reducing any hum in the operation oi the mechanism; as vibration oi any free parts will be obviated. I g

A iurther obiect isto Provide eans whe eb the motor mechanism may be started through the clock dial.

To the attainment oi these ends and the accomplishment oi other new and useiul objects as will appear, the invention consists in the i eatures oi novelty in. substantially the construction, combination and arrangement-oi the several, parts hereinafter more iully described and andarranged according tothe principlesoi thisinvention. a

Figure 2 is a leit hand end elevation oi Figure l, with parts omitted.

Flgureaisadetailsectionalviewtakenon line 8-4, Figure 2.

s Claims. (c 68-26) l 'igureiisadetailsectlonalviewtakenonline 4-4, Figure 2, with parts omitted.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on'line l-l,

Figurefiisadetailsectionalviewonaneng larged scale, showing the manner oi securing the balance spring and the manner oi iournaling or a mounting one of the ends oi the shait oi the rotor.

.Figurefi' isaseetlonalviewtakenonlinelq, Figure 6.

Figure'lisadetailperspectiveviewoithe pendulum and a supporting means ior the clock movement. 1

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view oi the clock movement detached from its support.

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the manner oi connecting the supporting cushions ior the clock movement to the supports.

Figure 10 is a detailed elevation, with parts so omitted. of a modified iorm oi the invention.

The clock mechanism or movement is iormed as a unitary structure and consists tially oi iront and rear plates |B--il secured together in spaced relation in any desired or suitable manner, such as by means oi bars or rods II and between which plates the clock movement is arranged. The rear plate it is provided with openings ll therethorugh adjacent one end thereoi which have communication with slots II, and in the lower edge oi the plate II are arranged recesses 20 opening thorugh the edge oi the plate, ior purposes to be hereinaiter set iorth.

Arranged between the plates II and It is a magnet 2| about which a coil 22 is wrapped and as the coil is supplied with a current irom any slutsble source, such as the line supply. The magnet ii is preferably iormed oi two legs, and the coil is wrapped about one oi the legs, a portion oi the leg projecting above the coil and one portion 20 oi the end oi the magnet is elevated or arranged at a higher elevation than the remaining portion 24 oi the magnet, ior a purpose to be set iorth.

The magnet poles are firmly secured in position by being clamped between the plates II and it through the medium oi spacer members 28, and through which spacer members and the plates lB-IB, as well as through the pole piece, iastening members pass. with this arrangement it will be maniiest that thepartswill be ilrmly secured against vibration and thereby the productionoi a hum in the operation oi the mechanism will be avoided.

A rotatable member 21 is arranged to operate adjacenttheraisedportion lioithepolepiecell I6 and by reason of the raised portion, this rotatable part will be always maintained centrally with respect to the end of the pole.

The rotatable member 21 is mounted upon a shaft 28, being, joumaled in suitable bearings 29-38, and over each of which bearings a cap 3| is threaded so as to form lubrication spaces into which the ends of the shaft 28 project. Disposed within the cap 3| is a washer 32 of a diameter slightly greater than the internal diameter of the cap so that when the washer is placed within the cap the peripheral edge 33 thereof will be turned upwardly and this edge 33 is provided with notches or recesses 34 so as to permit the washer to be bent over at its periphery, and also prevent the periphery from puckering. The washer is held in position in any suitable manner, preferably by means of a split spring ring 35. The washer is provided with an aperture therethrough at its diametric center, and portions of the washer adjacent the aperture are split as at 38 so that when the end of the shaft 28 is inserted into the opening the portions of the washer encompassing the opening will be deflected as at 31 to form a feeding wick for the lubricant.

An inertia member 38 is mounted loosely upon the shaft 28 in proximity to the rotor 21, the former being held in position preferably by being mounted upon a collar 38 which loosely encompasses the shaft 28. A can 48 is sleeved upon and secured to the shaft 28 and extends over the collar 39 and is of an internal diameter considerably greater than the external diameter of the collar, the collar 89 terminating short of the bottom of the cap.

A coil spring 41 encompasses the hub 38, and as the hub terminates short of the closed end of the cap, some of the coils 4| will be disposed beyond the hub 89. One end of the spring 4| is anchored as at 42 t the inertia member 38, and the other end 43 of the spring is secured to the cap 48 by being inserted into a slot 44 in the cap.

It will therefore be manifest that during the oscillatory movements of the inertia member 38 about the shaft 28, the spring 48 will be first eontracted and then expanded and by reason of the fact that a portion of the spring 4| encompasses the hub 39, it will be manifest that the spring when it is under tension or otherwise will not be capable of being deflected laterally, which latter would tend to impair the effectiveness of the spring.

Connected with the shaft 28 is a gear pinion 45 which meshes with a gear 48, the teeth of which latter gear are beveled as at 41, so that the teeth will gradually be brought into mesh during the rotation of the gears and thereby reduce to a minimum the noise caused by the teeth of the two gears coming into contact.

The gear 48 is mounted upon a shaft 48 journaled in suitable bearings 49 in the frame members i -I 8, and carried by the shaft 48 is a worm 58 which meshes with a worm gear 51 secured to a vertical drive shaft 52. The shaft 52 is mounted in bearings 53 secured to the plate of the movement, and one extremity of each of the bearings is deflected as at 54 to project into slots 55 in the frame member I5, the bearings 53 being secured in position against adjustment by means of fastening screws 58.

Connected with the vertical drive shaft 52 is a worm 51 which meshes with a gear 58 secured to the shaft 58, and to which latter shaft the minute hand 88 is connected. By reason of the slots 55, it will be manifest that the bearings 53 may be adjusted in directions to cause the vertical shaft 52 and the worm 51 thereon to be moved toward or away from the shaft 58 and with respect to the gear 58 for adjustment purposes, after which the screws 58 may be tightened so that the parts will be held against further movement.

The minute hand 88 moves over a dial 8| and connected to the shaft 58 is a gear 82 which meshes with a gear 83 rotatable upon a journal 64. Connected with the gear 83 is a pinion gear 85 which meshes with a gear 85 carried by a sleeve 81 that is telescoped over the shaft 58, and to which sleeve 81 the hour hand 88 is connected so that when the rotor 21 is operated motion will be transmitted therefrom through the pinion gear 45 to the gear 48, thence to the shaft 48, worm 58, worm gear 5|, vertical shaft 52, worm 51, worm gear 58, to the shaft 58, thereby operating the minute hand 88. At the same time the gear 82 connected to the shaft 59 will rotate the hour hand through the medium of the intermeshing train of gears 8283-85 and 88.

All of the above described mechanism is formed as a single unit and is adapted to be applied and removed as a unit. To that end the slots l8-|8 and 28 are provided. The numeral 88 designates a suitablesupporting structure which is provided with a plurality of laterally projecting posts or supports 18, preferably of a tubular construction, having slots 1| in their'body portions to form yielding supports. In the ends of the tubular supports 18 are preferably inserted cushion devices 12, preferably in the form of rubber plugs having heads 13. The plugs are inserted into the tubular heads so that the shoulders 13 are spaced from the adjacent extremities of the tubular members to form recesses 14, and the plugs are held in this position by means of suitable fastening devices 15, preferably in the form of pins passing through the slots 1| and through the body portion of the plugs.

The clock movement is placed in position by inserting the upper pair of supports 18 in the slots l8 and then positioning the recesses 28 over the lower pair of supports 18, after which the entire movement may be lowered so as to cause the slots l8 to receive the upper support 18. The plate I8 is of a thickness to fit within the recess 14 formed between the head 13 of the plug and the end of the support 18, as shown more clearly in Figure 9.

It will therefore be manifest that the clock' movement will not only be removably supported in position, but it will be cushioned with respect to the support 88.

Carried by the support 88 is a post or projection 18 to which one end of a flat or leaf spring 11 is anchored, and connected to the spring is a head 18 carrying laterally projecting pins 18 extending on opposite sides thereof. A pendulum 88 having a weight 8| may be adJustably carried by one end thereof through the medium of an adjusting nut 82, the upper end of the pendulum being provided with an extending portion or member 83 secured thereto and which member 83 is bifurcated as at 84 to provide spaced hooks 85 that are adapted to engage over the pins or projections 18, the bifurcation 84 receiving the head 19. By this construction it will be manifest that the pendulum will be mounted for swinging movement with respect to the projection or support 18.

Connected to the pendulum at any suitable point as'at 88, is a flat spring 81 and connected to the upper end of the spring is a head 88 provided with a slot 88 therethrough and extending vertically with respect thereto. This slot 09 may, if desired, be arranged adjacent an opening I! in the pendulum, for a purpose to be set forth.

Connected with the shai't ll to rotate therewith is a member II having teeth or shoulders 02 in its periphery to form projections and pivotally mounted upon the member I of theclock movement and by one end as at 83 ior free and easy swinging pivotal movement, is an arm 04 having a finger or shoulder ll adapted to co-operate with the teeth or shoulders 82 onwthe member I. and these teeth orshoulders 02 together with the linger ll of the am It are so arranged with respect to each other that when the member 9| is rotated in the'direetionindicated by the arrows in Figures 3 and 8, the teeth or projections 92 will raise the end of the arm N about its pivot 03 and then allow the arm to drop against the member ti so as to produce a ticking sound. These shoulders or projections 02 are so arranged that a ticking sound will be imparted by the mechanism upon each beat of the pendulum ",thereby providing an audible signal in the clock.

The pendulum 80 is swung backwardly and forwardly by the rotation of the shaft 0, and to that end there may be provided a crank, preferably formed by means of a disc ll provided with a laterally projecting pin 01. This pin is adapted to project into the slot or opening 8! in the head ll of the spring I! and also into the opening OI in the pendulum ll, so that when the shaft ll is rotated it will be manifest that the crank formed by the disc 98 and pin II will oscillate the pendulum through the medium of the spring 01, and the pin I! will not strike the walls of the opening so in the pendulum ll.

The weight ll of the pendulum is preferably comparatively light, as the lighter the weight the sooner the pendulum will come in step with the crank throw., When the clock is started the pendulum will swing very irregularly, but will soon adjust itself to get into step with the mechanism. The spring a must be suiilciently flexible so as to allow the motor to run when the pendulum II and weight 8| are at rest.

It will therefore be manifest that after the clock mechanism has been started, the rotary member 21 will not only be maintained in position with respect to the pull 23 of the pole pieces, but the operation of the rotary member 21 will drive the shaft I and thereby swing the pendulum backwardly and forwardly, and at the same time motion will be transmitted to the hour and minute hands. Furthermore, the pendulum will not'only form a visua1 signai but will also provide an audible signal and will produce in a clock of this character the "ticking movement" which is very desirable.

To start the clock the shaft 4. is provided with i a socket or seat tl, access to which may behad through the dial II, and in the bottom of the socket is provided a slot 0! adapted to receive the end of a starting tool. When the starting tool is inserted in the socket II the tool may be operated by the operator, and this will start the rotor 21 into operation.

Theflnger llonthearmllandtheshoulders or projections I! on the member ll are so arrangedwithrespecttoeachotherthatthey will co-operate to form a locking means to prevent the operator from rotating the shaft 48 in the wrong direction when starting the clock In order to provide a means whereby the popular style spring driven clock mechanism now on the market, can be imitated, it is necessary to provide a gear arrangement whereby a slower or faster swing of the pendulum may be produced, and in that vided on the shaft 48 which carriesthe element Ii of the tick producing mechanism, a gear ill of any desired diameter, which is arranged on the outside of the plate or member it 'of-the-:-

clock movement. This gear I" meshes with a gear lili having a hub Hi2 joumaled upon a suitable trunnion Hi3. To the hub I02 (see particularly Figure is connected the member 86 which carries the pin 91 that enters the slot It at the top of the spring 81. Obviously, in this instance the position of the slot and head 88 with respect to the pendulum and spring l'l must be correspondingly arranged.

It will be apparent that in order to have access to the clock mechanism it is not I to dismantle any of the parts exceptto remove the hands 60- and loosen the dial II. The entire mechanism may then be removed from the clock case, as a unit by detaching the plate or member it of the movement from the supports or projections II. Obviously the member Ii and projections or teeth 82 thereon may be of any desired configuration or number, suitable i'or the purpose and may be in the form of cams.

While the preferred forms of the invention have been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be'made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:-

1. In a synchronizing electric clock system, an oscillating pendulum, and means for producing an audible signal in timed relation with the oscillation of the pendulum, the said meansbeing adapted to be rendered inactive at will and while the remaining mechanism of the clock system remains intact.

2. In a synchronizing electric clock system. an operating motor embodying a rotor, an oscillating pendulum, a rotatable cam device connected with the rotor, and a member co-operating with the cam device and freely movable about a pivot to cause an audible signal in timed relation with the oscillation of the pendulum, the said member being adapted to be moved into an inactive position with respect to said cam device to eliminate at will said audible signal.

8. In a synchronizing electric clock system, an operating motor embodying a rotor, an oscillating pendulum, a rotatable cam device connected with the rotor, and a member cooperating with the cam device and freely movable about a pivot to cause an audible signal in timed relation with the oscillation of the pendulum, the said cam device and said member co-operating to lock the rotor against rotation in the wrong direction, said audible signal being adapted to be rendered inactive at will while the remaining mechanism of the clock system remains intact.

4. In a synchronous clock system, an operating motor embodying a rotor, and means embodying co-operating elements, one of which is connected with the rotor, for causing an audible striking sound to simulate the ticking of a clock, as the rotor is actuated, said elements adapted to be rendered inactive, one with respect to the instance there may be other, to eliminate said audible signal at will.

5. In a synchronous clock system, an operating motor embodying a rotor, and means for causing an audible striking sound to simulate the ticking ot a clock, as the rotor is actuated, the said means embodying co-operating elements one of which is connected with the rotor and the other is fixed against bodily movement, one of said elements adapted to be rendered inactive at will with respect'to the co-operating element to eliminate the audible signal, said elements also co-operating to maintain the rotor against rotation in the wrong direction when the rotor is started.

6. In a synchronous clock system, an operating motor embodying a rotor, and means embodying co-operating elements, one 0! which is connected with the rotor, for causing an audible striking sound to simulate the ticking of a clock 7. In a time keeping device oi the class described, a constantly rotatable element provided with one or more peripheral shoulders, and a 1 member separate therefrom and mounted for tree movement about a fixed pivot, adapted to engage and rest upon the periphery of said element and eo-operating therewith to cause an audible signal simulating the ticking ot a clock. said member adapted to be moved out 0! engagement with said element to eliminate at will the said audible signal.

8. In a time keepim device at the class described, a constantly rotatable element provided with one or more peripheral shoulders, and a member separate therefrom and mounted for tree movement about a iixed pivot, adapted to engage and rest upon the periphery oi said element and co-operating to cause an audible signal simulating the ticking of a'clock, said member adapted to be moved out of engagement with said element to eliminate at will the said audible signal, the said member and element also co-opersting to maintain the said element against retrograde movement.

WILLIAM J. VAN OBDEL. I

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