US2094925A

US2094925A - Clock escapement means

Info

Publication number: US2094925A
Application number: US106234A
Authority: US
Inventors: Naess Herman; Strommer Sigfrid
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-10-17
Filing date: 1936-10-17
Publication date: 1937-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 1954-10-05

Description

Oct. 5, 1937. H. NAESS ET AL 2,094,925

' CLOCK ESCAPEMENT MEANS I Filed Oct. 17, 1936 2 Ely-5.

' J gwuc/wfo w Herman Naess, Bulgfrid StrDmTIwI;

Patented Oct. 5, 1937 PATENT OFFICE 2,094,925 CLOCK ESCAPEMENT ,MEANS Herman Naess, New Brighton, Staten Island, and Sigfrid Strommer, New York, N. Y.

Application October 1'7, 1936, Serial No. 106,234

5 Claims.

I This invention relates to clocks and more particularly to a novel escapement suitable for clocks, time switches, time fuses, shutter movements for cameras, tachometers and other timing devices.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a novel escapement which is never looked but is always in position to start the moment power is applied and which cannot stop as long as power is supplied. Its construction also eliminates the hair spring, collet, stud, regulator, pallet and fork, pallet pins and dart, roller'and other parts of the usual escapement mechanism, thereby effecting considerable economy in the manufacture of devices of the type set forth. This invention contemplates an escapement that is never at rest, except for an instant at the end of each oscillation of the balance wheel, as long as the main spring is wound. In other words, the escapement means is powered only from the main spring, and is so constructed that no hair spring or its equivalent is necessary to start or to complete each oscillation of the balance wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a balance or balance wheel having on one side thereof, eccentric to the balance staff, a novel impulse member, having curved faces intermittently in contact with the teeth on the escape wheel or wheels, which teeth are also of novel shape, permitting the impulse member to alternately clear the escapement teeth so that the balance wheel does not stop but may freely oscillate as long as power is supplied to the gear train from the main spring.

A further object is to provide a novel arrangement of escape wheels operating in conjunction with the balance and impulse pin which ensures reliable operation of the escapement without the aid of many of the usual parts required for that purpose.

. With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the Same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a vertical cross-sectional view of a clock mechanism embodying the present improvements.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the .line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a detail sectiqnal iew taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is an inside face view of the balance wheel.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

According to the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing the clock mechanism includes in its organization a main spring S which actuates the first or main wheel I which forms a part of a gear train designated generally as T and the

escape wheels

2 and 3 which receive power through the-train from the main spring. The

escape wheels

2 and 3 are mounted on a shaft or arbor 4 journaled in the frame parts 5 and 5 as shown in Fig. 3.

The

escape wheels

2 and 3 are provided with the

teeth

2 and 3 respectively which are arranged in staggered relation. Each wheel usually includes fifteen teeth and all of the teeth are of the same shape, and therefore a description of one will suffice for all. Both faces of each tooth are substantially straight as indicated at c-c but lie in planes at an angle to each other, like a wedge, to provide a point or apical portion d. Under the influence of the main spring these teeth are intended to cooperate with an impulse member A carried by the balance or balance wheel B, as will presently appear. The balance wheel B is provided with a balance staff 6 which is journalled in the bracket portions 1 and 8 so that the balance staff 4 lies in a plane parallel to the

escape wheels

2 and 3 and medially thereof. Therefore, the balance wheel B is mounted at right angles to the

escape wheels

2 and 3.

The impulse member A is of substantially triangular or three-corner formation and is located on the inner face of the balance wheel eccentric to the axis of the staff 4 (see Figs. 2 and 4). The operative faces 9 and ll) of the impulse member A are curved as shown, or, in other words, are of concave formation. Preferably the faces 9 and H] are formed on an arc whose radius is five millimeters, although it will of course be understood that this radius may vary for different sizes and types of construction. Thus, the impulse pin A has two concave impulse faces always in the path of the

teeth

2 and 3 of the escape wheels and these faces are adapted to alternately contact with and receive impulse from the two

escape wheels

2 and 3. When in action the balance wheel B oscillates through an arc of approximately and it is always in position to start the moment power is applied to the train and cannot stop so long as power is furnished. Suitable safety means are provided to maintain 7 these conditions through the proper design of the amount of angular movement of the balance wheel B thatmay be desired in any given case,

and to prevent the balance wheel which carries;

the impulse member from swinging through too greatan arc, and to keep it always in position to receive an impulse from thenext escape wheel tooth the opposite corners a: and of the member may strike against the cornersof the bracket 1 as will be apparent from Fig. 3. In practice however, the arrangement of the teeth 2* and 3% and the width of the member Ausually issuch that the balance normally describes the arc of 120 previously referred to. v

j When the main springS is' wound and the gear train T'energized, the force of the spring will be transmitted by the train to theescape wheels? 1 and 3 and therefore they will turn in the direction'of the arrow shown in Fig. 1. When, for example, the point or apex d of the teeth 3 (Fig. 2) strike the impulse face Ill, the balance wheel B will be oscillated in the direction of the full line arrow in Fig. 2. When the apex on the tooth 3 releases or clears the face ll] of the impulsemember it will beapparent that the impulse member A has been moved so that its face 7 9 is in position to receive impact from the tooth 2 (Fig. 2) of the wheel 2 whereupon the balance wheel will be oscillated in the direction of the dotted line arrow in Fig. 2 This operation is repeated each time the impulsemember clears a tooth on one or the other of the escape wheels. Due to the fact that points it of the teeth bear alternately against the concave surfaces 9 and I0, the power of the main spring will readily os cillate the balance wheel, and also due to. the shape of the teeth, they will clear the corners a: and y of the impulse member to permit the required movement of the balance and, escape wheels. When the weight and diameter of the balance wheel is in correct proportion to the power of the main spring the momentum developed by the balance wheel is the main regulating factor; The proportion of momentum to power tends to equalize the time of oscillation of the balance wheel.. The frequency of oscillations can be determined by the weight and diameterof the balance wheel within verywide limits.

the hair spring and pallet, etc; as previously. indicated;

H1. An escapement mechanism comprising rotatably driven .means including two annular series of teeth laterally spaced apart, the teeth of each series being alined with the spaces between the teethof the other series, a balance member, disposed outwardly of said series of V teeth, means extending laterally from said bal- .ance member toward said series of teeth and providing. apair of faces related to each other and to theaxis of oscillation of said balance member and to the teeth of said series 50 th t One is to be wiped and displaced by the teeth of one of said series to move the balance member in one V teeth of its related series to. pass freely by the samdwherebythe series of teeth may rotate continuously and whereby their continuous rotation effects oscillation of said balance member.

' 2. An escapement mechanism comprising a shaft to be driven, escapement wheel means on said shaft including'two annular series of teeth laterally spaced apart, the teeth of each series beingalined with the spaces between the teeth of theother series, an oscillatory balance-member disposed outwardly "of said series of .teeth, means: extendingllaterall'y from said balance member'toward said series of teeth and providing a pairof faces related toeach other'and to the axis of oscillationof said balance member and to the teeth of said series so, that one is to be wiped and displaced by the teeth of one of said series to move the balance member in one direction and the other is to be wiped and displaced by the teeth of the'other series to move the balance member in an opposite direction, the

claim2 in which the faces are disposed between the teeth in divergent relationship as regards the direction of rotation of the teeth, and in which the distance between the far edges of said faces as regards the direction of rotation of the teeth is greater thanthe distance between the teeth of the respective series. a

4. An escapement mechanism comprising a shaftto be driven, escapement wheel means on said shaft including two annular series of teeth laterally spaced apart, the. teeth, of'each series being alined with the spaces between the teeth of the other series, an oscillatory balance member disposed outwardly of said series of, teeth for rotation ina plane at right, angles to the planes of rotation of. said series of teeth and about an axis intersecting the axis of .said shaft, means extending laterally from said balance member to ward said series of teeth and providing a'pair of faces related to each other-and to the axis of oscillation of said balance member and to the teeth of said series so that one is to be wiped and displaced by the teeth of one of said series to move the balance member in one direction and the other is to be wiped and displaced by the teeth of the other series to move the balance member in an opposite direction, the. annular spacing of the teeth of said series and the widths and dispositions of said faces being such that each newly acting tooth of each series operates with its related face first to stop the movement imparted to the balance member by the last acting tooth of the other series and then to impart movement to the balance member in an opposite direction whereby the series of teeth may rotate continuously and whereby their continuous rotation effects oscillation of said member.

5. An escapement mechanism as set forth in claim 4 including a frame element by which the balance member is supported, said frame element having stop formations to be engaged by the means extending from the balance member and providing the faces to be wiped and displaced by the teeth of the escapement Wheel means to limit the arc of oscillation of the balance member.

HERMAN NAESS.

SIGFRID STROMMER.