US2184668A - Synchronized clock escapement - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 26, 193.9.

Jl w.f HANSEN x-:r AL

SYNCHRONIZED CLOCK ESCAPEMENT De@ 26, 1939' f l "J. w. HANSEN AL '2,184,668

v I SYNGHRONIZED CLOCK ESCAPEMENT Frild Nov. 5, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet '2 l F'IG.5.

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Dec. 2s, 1939.

J. w. HANSEN Er AL" SYNCHRONIZED CLOCK ESCAPEMENT Find Nav'. s, 195o v s sheets-sheet s ...7mm J'ULlU W. HANSEN WILLIAM LJMNSEN,

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Patented hec. 26, i939 'UNITED STATE sYNcnnoNizEn. cnocx Escarnm'l."

Julius W. Hansen, 'William L. Hansen, andlra N. Hurst, Princeton, Ind., assignors to Hansen! Manufacturing Company, Iper, Princetom 1nd.,

a corporation of Indiana application'november 3, 1930, serial N?. $2,920

r15 claims.

This invention relatesA to, clock escapements driving clock of the present invention with its which areeleetricallly synchronized to the ordi, -nary comercial alternating electric current.

A distinction shouldbe made between the -term *,csynchronized and the term @synchronous. The latter term is commonly used with reference to a synchronous motor with ayreduction gear for operating clocks. Such a -synchronous clock is driven by'a synchronous, motor tion, however, is driven by a spring motor which' cial pendulum in the case of a pendulum clock may be either hand or electrically wound. The present invention may be applied either to a pendulum clock or towhat is known as a marine cloclnnamely, one havinga balance wheel and hair spring, to which latter type the ordinary pocket watch belongs. Onefnbject of the present invention is therefore'to synchronize and regulate ythe ordinary clock .by means of an alternating current which, however, does not furnishmotive power to drive it.` For the purpose of the present invention it is? only necessary to` substitute, a specialjbalance .wheelin the\case of a marine clock, and a spefor these ,parts as Aordinauily'foundin clocks. The lessential problem is to ascertain the distance the periphery of .the balance wheel travels in one second and supply this, distance with 120 pole projections inthe case of a sixty-cycle current, since :there are 120 lalternations in suchv current. l What has `been said in regard to balance vs {heelsy also appliesto pendulum clocks. In thisl 4'form of clock the oscillation is' effected by a pendulum rather than by a balance rwheel, and a similar arrangement of poles is necessary, these p oles being located. at some suitable point .near

the lower/end of thev pendulum. n It is another object of this invention to provide a time-piece* that is not entirely Vdependent f 'on electric current for operation, and that will \rent.r

For the purpose' of illustrating' the intention' there is shown in the accompanyingfiorms ,af preferred embodiment of the synchronized self? clocks with bered 6, 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d.- 'Ihe site ends of' the magnet ."l8. I'helatter is enregulating, synchronizing mechanism.

Referring to the drawings:l

Figure 1 shows a `side elevatlonor a balance `wheel and the escapement yassociated therewith.

Figure 2 shows a topplan view of the cloclg parts shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows a modified form wher control. v f

Figure 4` shows a front elevation ofthe lower end of a pendulum adapted to beused nection with a clock control of this type.

Figure 5 shows' aside elevation oi the form shown in Figure 4. s

Figure 6 shows a slightly modiiled form-'of therewith.' s i, c c

'Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures 1, 2 and 3 show the present invention as applied to a balance wheel l and escapement control mechanism supported-bya frame A of anysuitable material, usually brassN or the like.

The.' balance wheel I vis carried by a shaft 2 suitably supported by the frame A so that thev balance wheel I may freely oscillatve about the support of 'the shaft 2". On one Aend qi the shaift 2 adjacent one part of the frame is a hair. spring On the balance lwheel I and disposed diametvrically opposite one another are two groups of projections of magnetic material. In one group the projections are numbered 5, 5a, 5b,`5c and 5d. In the other group the projections are lnumrv Y projections or the respective groups are so arranged that t e of 'balance con- 15 balance wheelgand the `control ma'gnet operating i l D3, which has one end attached 'by ,some'suitable I projections 5 and 6, 5a and 6o. 5b and 6b, 5c and o 6c and 5d and Bdare-opposite onev another. witl a greater space v.intervening between the two.v

'-groups than between, the individual projectionsg within each group. f

Disposed adjacent; the respective groups o! pro. 45y y jections and in line with a diameter throughsthe balance wheel shaft 2 are the oppositely arranged magnet pole members i9 ,and20 at` thefoppocircled by the energizing` coill 2|; jlhe abovementioned projections arelso spaced apart/that 1n the osciuanonf'of theba1ance lwheel l the movement Iof one rojection from one position to the position -of i next adjacent projection place during thetime that the chan/'ge in. u

magnetism takes place in adjacent magnetic pole I9 or 20.

Let it be assumed that thebalance wheel I as i shown in Figure 1 is moving in a clockwise direction and that the coil 2I is energized by alternating current electricity. 'I'he magnetism of the pole I9 magnetiz the projection 5c on the bale ance wheel adjacent thef pole I9 and attracts the projection toward it. At the'time thisprojection reaches the position opposite the pole a current passing through the coil `2l -will have changed direction so lthat the pole I9 is differently magnetized, thereby repelling the projection 5c and bringing opposite the pole I9 the projection 5d, which has become magnetized by its presence adjacent the pole I9.

By the time the projection 5d reaches the `position opposite the pole I9 the directionof the lcurrent in the coil 2I again changes and dif 'ferently magnetizes the pole I9 so that the projection is repelled and anotherv one attracted.'

This continues until the space between the pro- I jection 5dand '5b is reached, at which time no l the oscillating wheel yor balance wheel I. 'I'he structure so far described is substantially that vbe engaged by the stud part of the balance lwheel is magnetized whereupon the coil spring I reverses the direction of oscillation of the balance wheel I. opposite action of the'magnet .takes place and causes the balance wheel to rotate in an anticlockwise direction by successivelymagnetizing, attracting and repelling the diiferent projections.

While we have` mentioned only the projections moving adjacent the pole I9, the same results and actions are meanwhile taking place in the Aopposite projections 6, 6a, 5b', 5c and 6d adjacent the pole 20. The poles I9 and 20'are oppositely magnetized 4when the coil 2I is energized and -cooperate with each other in controlling the oscillation of the balance wheel.

Extending from one side of the balance wheel is a stud or projection 1 adapted to engage one Then the end of an escapement lever II. At the opposite -end of the escapem'ent lever II is an escapement wheel 8, which -is mounted upon a shaft 9 plyoted in the frame A and has the usual teeth I9. The escapement lever II is pivotally supported \by the shaft I2 in the frame A. The end of the. lever I I adjacent'the escapementwheel shaft 9 is curved to form two arms I9, which straddle the shaft 9 as shown in Figure l;

Extending from the shaft I2 and in the direction ofthe teeth I9 od the whee18 are oppositely disposed .escapement prongs I4 and I5. These two prongs constitute the escapement part of the escapement lever II, and are adapted to alternately engage the teeth I0 during the operation of the clock mechanism. On the end of the escapement arm lremote from the vcurved arms I8 is a head I8 having seats I1 adaptedto I 1 inthe oscillation of the balance wheel I. A v The power, from whatever source it is derived, is connected to the shaft 8 in some suitable-manner so that the escapement wheel 8 is caused to move. in one direction and is controlled in.,` that Amovement by the operation of the escapement vlever II, which is controlled in its movement by found in marine clocks.

Associated with the bplance wheel isa mag-v opposite each other.

through the coil 23 oppositelyl magnetizes poles spring.

odically the projections on the balance wheel I pass adjacent the free ends of the arms of the magnet. Coiled around the magnet is the prev iously mentioned energizing coil 2| which is connected to some source of alternating current of electricity. In the operationof the clock of Figures l and 2, as the current of electricity passes through this coil the poles I9 and 20 of the magnet I9 are oppositely magnetized and the magnetization of these poles causes the projections on the balance wheel Ito become magnetized so that they are alternately drawn and repelle'd, due to the rapid successive changes in the magnetization of the different poles. This action has been previously described. -V

In Figure 3 there is shown 'a slightly ,m'odied form of magnetic control for the oscillating balance wheel. In this form instead of having' the groups of projections on the balance wheel the projections are arranged in groups on the magL net. In this form the magnet 22 has 'a coil 23 and poles 24 and 25, similar to the poles shown' in Figure l, with the exception that in this form the outer ends of the poles are arch shaped to corespond to the curvature of the periphery of th balance whee126, and have projections projecting inwardly toward the balance wheel projections 21 and 28. On the pole 24 the inwardly directing projections are indicated by 24a, 24h, 24o, 24d and 24e, while the projections on ,the .pole 25, which is.l shaped similarly to pole 24,

' are indicated by 25d, 25h, 25e, 25d and 25e.

In this form the balance wheel 25 has only two projections, 21 and 28, which are arranged The current passing 24 and 28:"'When the pole 24 is positively magnetized the projection 21\is negatively magnetized. The pole 25 is negatively' magnetized, while the projection `28 .is-l positively magnetized.

Since the balance-wheel :28 is oscillating, due to the action of the spring, simiiarto that shown in- -Figure l, the projections 21 and 28 move away from the projections presently adjacent to them, and while they are thus moving the currentshifts so that the magnetization of the poles 24 and 25 changes, the pole 24 becoming negative and the pole 25 becoming positive. This magnetization of the poles repels the projections 21 and 28, afterl which they .become magnetized oppositely to their previous magnetization and are attracted by the projections 24o and 25h. This actioncon- -tinues until the. projection 21 passes beyond the projection 24c and the projection 28 passes beyond the projection 25c.

By this time the energy stored up in the spring has become sufliciently great that the reverse action of the balance wheel takes place, and the projection 21 moves vsuccessively past the projections 24c, 24h until the -projection 21 passes the projection 24e. 'When the magnetization o! the projections 21 and 28 again ceases the reverse rotation of the balance wheel takes place, dueto the opposite accumulation of force in the hair The parts are so arranged that the movement of the projection 21 from one projection on the pole to another projection on the pole takes place in the time required for the change in alternation. of the alternating current through the coil 23, anda consequent change in the magnetization of the projections on the poles 24 Aand 2l. In other words. the period of time required for `the projection 21 to move from the projection 24e around to theprojection cis twoeomplete alternation.

tions 3| extend upwardly, while the projections 32'extend downwardly, as indicated in Figure 4. In Figure 5.there is shown a magnet 33 which has poles 34 and 35. This magnet is in the form of a shoe and has around the. central part thereof a coil 36 for receiving. an alternating' electric current. The magnetization eected in this uform is similar to that in the other forms. Instead of operating upon a balance wheel in the present instance the poles operate uponprojectionson a between the projections 43a and 43h is equal to pendulum. 'I'he action and principles of action are-in all senses the same. In this ease they control the oscillation of the pendulum, while in the other two forms of thel invention the control is 'applied to the oscillation of a balance wheel.

The balance wheels I and 26. and the pendulum bob 30 and the projections on the pendulum bob are made of some magnetic material, such as soft iron, and the magnets are of the same material.

In the form shown` in igure 6 the balance wheel 31 is made of some non-magnetic material and has recesses 38 at diametrically opposite I points in its periphery. In one of these recesses is mounted a soft iron plug 39, which has extend-` ing .radially therefrom a plurality oi projections. The central projection .434 has spaced equally ltherefrom two projections 43a and 43e. y

Equally spaced from these two projections 40a and 40e are projections 40h and 40d. The space' i the space between the projections 4| lc and 40d.

Likewise, the spaces between the projections 40 g5/and 40e, and 40 and 40a arevequal. These projections are thus arranged because as the balance wheel approaches the end of its period of oscillation its speed of movement is retarded, and by the arrangement of the projections as here de; scribed', the periods of time between which one Jprojection Aand the .succeedingl projection pass ,in front of one of the magnet poles are the same.-

In'the other o! the recesses 33 is mounted a non-magnetic plug 4I. This yplug is of the same `weight as the plug 30 so that the balance wheel is maintained in a balanced condition. Thisjplug 4 Iv may have projections therefrom'similar to the projections on the plug 33. However, these plugs maybe omitted, the object in either case being that theplug 4| be of the same weight as the plug 'which has pole.' pieces 43 and 44. Around the part ofthe magnet intermediate the 'poles is a coil 43 connected to some source of alternating electric current. When the current is'passing through the wires of the coil the poles are alternately and thepolea line of magnetic flux, as shownv oppositely magnetized. In thus magnetizin'g the poles a magnetic flux 4I is produced, which alternates through the poles-and produces -analterfnating magnetic ilux inthe projections opposite in Figure 6, may be followednot 'only through the poles but through the core and the v projections thereon adjacent the ends of the poles 43 and 44. l

driven independently, as by a penduilidjacent the plug 33 is a horse shoe magnet 42,

3 The action in this form is the' same as that-1n the others, the diierence being that in this form the projections are arranged successivelyv closer -one to the other beginning with the middle'proprojection the same for all points in the period ofl oscillation of the balance wheel. In this lform the usual hair spring is used for providing the energy for oscillating the balance wheel.

We desire to comprehend within our invention such modifications as may be embraced within 1 our claims and the scope of our invention.

Having-thus fully described our invention, what 'we claim is new and .desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: 1. In a.clock mechanism, an oscillating mem.-

berhaving .a plurality of pairs of oppositely d is-v posed projections, a source of an alternating'electric current, and means acted upon by said cur` rent to alternately attract and repel successively each pair of projections. t.

2. In a clock` mechanism, an oscillating member having a plurality of pairs of QDpositely disposed projections, asourc of an-alternatingl electricfcurrent, a magnet having arifarm oneach side of said oscillating member, and means acted. upon by said current-to alternately and oppositely magnetize said arms "to alternately attract and. repel successively the projections of each pair of projections as the oscillating member oscillates.

3. In a clock mechanism, a rotating member and .meansv to controlthe speed of rotation of said rotating member, said means comprising an oscillating member having oppositely disposed groups of projections thereon, and means acting in regular periodic succession to attract andrepel in succession the projections of each group.

4. In a` clock mechanism, al rotating member, an oscillatingjmember to control the speed of rotation of said rotating member, said oscillating -member having` a pair of groups of projections, and magnetic means actingin regular periodic succession to successively magnetize, attract and repel successively` each projection'of eachgroup to determine the period ot oscillation -in one direction.

5. In'a clock mechanism, an oscillating. member of non-magnetic' material, 'a plurality of magnetic projections from one side of-said oscil-v lating member, means to cause said member to iscillate, a magnetic member adjacent said projections, and means to cause a variation of magnetic ux in said magnetic member whereby the period of oscillation of the oscillating member is maintained uniform.

6. In a clock mechanism, a balance wheel of 6 non-magnetic material having in one part a plug of non-.magnetic material and an oppositely dishaving projections thereon, a U-shaped magnetic posed plug. of magnetic material, said last plug member with its endsdisposed adjacent said projections, and means to cause an alternating magneticjux in said magneticmember.

7. In a clock mechanism, an oscillating wheel= of non-magnetic material having on its periphery a plug 'of magnetic material,l said.. plug having projectionsthereon, a U-shaped magnetic member with its ends adjacent said projections, and' a coil around the centralpart of said magnetic member whereby the ends of saidmagnetic member are alternately oppositely magnetized to regulate the oscillation of said wheel.

8'. In a clock mechanism,` a balance wheel of non-magnetic material having on one-part of its periphery a plug of magnetic material, said plug having spaced projections thereon, the spaces between the projections uniformly decreasing from the central projection to the end projections, means to cause the -wheel to oscillate, a looped magnet having its ends adjacent the projections, and means to successively alternately magnetize the ends oi the magnet and the projections on the wheel. l

9. In a balance-wheel-escapement clock mech-r anism, a balance wheel having poles, means to. drive said balance wheel, and means in circuit\ with a source of alternating current adapted to electrically iniiuence the movement 'of said ,balance wheel to bring its movements in harmony with the alternations o f lcurrent in said circuit.

10. In a balance-wheel-escapement clock mechanism, a balance wheel having poles, means to drive said balance wheel, and means in circuit with a source of alternating current adaptedito electrically influence the movement of said balance wheel to bring its movement in harmony with the alternations of current in said circuit,

lsaid second-named means comprising an electromagnet. Y.

11. In a balance-wheel-escapement clock mechanism, a balance wheel having poles, means to drive said balance wheel, and means connected to an alternating-current circuit associated with said balance wheel and adapted to bring its movements into synchronism with the alternations of current in said circuit.

12. Inl a balance-wheel-escapement clock mechanism, a balance wheel having poles, means to drive said balance wheel, a synchronizing means haying poles associated with the poles ofethe A balance wheel but spaced therefrom, and an alternating currentcirmntssociated with said synchronizing means whereby the movement of the `balance wheel will be synchronized with the alternations of the current'in the circuit.

V13. In a balance-wheeleescapement clock mechanism, a balance wheel having poles, means to drive said balance wheel, a synchronizing means having poles associated with the poles ofthe balance wheel but spaced therefrom, alternating current circuit associated with said synchronizing means whereby the movement of the balance wheelwill be synchronized withgthe alternations of the currentin the circuit, said synchronizing means comprising an electro-magnet.

14. In a balance-wheel-escapement clock mechanism, a balance wheel in said clock, said wheel having projections thereon, means to drive said ibalance wheell and means connected to an alternating current circuit Jadapted/to regulate the movements of said balance wheel and synchronize them in harmony with thealternations of -the current in said circuit by`successively\magnetiz\ in g, attracting and repelling each projection.

15. In combination, an escapement, an escapeandan ment lever, a'balance wheel, a hair spring, said f balance wheel having a plurality of vproj tions,` an electro-magnet having oppositely-di posed poles adjacent said projections successively, and a source of alternating current connected therewith JUIIUS W. HANSEN.

. IRA N. HURST.

WILLIAM L. HANSEN.

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