US2187664A - Mechanical rosary - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 16, J. L ROGUS MECHANICAL ROSARY Filed March 8, 1939 u 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In venor IlIlIIlIl/'l A torneys .im 16, 1940. J. L. ROGUS 2,187,664

MECHANICAL ROSARY Filed March 8, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 By Mwffmm Attorneys Patented Jan. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANICAL ROSARY John L. Bogus, Hazleton, Pa.

Application March 8, 1939, Serial No. 260,653

1 Claim.

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in rosaries such as are used by prayers.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical rosary which will in use eliminate the necessity of the prayer keeping count of. the prayers by holding the successive beads.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a mechanical rosary which will require the prayer to merely press a button upon the completion of each prayer with the result that the device will keep count of the prayers said and to the end that the prayers concentration need not be distracted by directing intermittent attention to the placement of his fingers on the beads of the rosary.

Other objects and advantages of the inventionV will become apparent to the reader of the following speciiication.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a front elevational view of the device.

Figure 2 is a. front elevational view with the window removed and a part in section.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing certain parts in elevation.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the case with the mechanism removed. f 30 Figure 5 is a bottom plan View of the ratchet wheel. c

Figure 6 is a front elevational view with parts broken away of a slightly modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that the device includes a case 5 having the side walls 6 and the bottom Wall 1. Numeral 8 represents a transparent lid which can be suitably secured over the open top of the case 5. The top 8 can have the painted or otherwise opaque portion a and the centrally located painted or otherwise opaque portion b, leaving the annular clear portion c through which the annular arrangement of beads or elements simulating beads and denoted by numeral 9 can be seen, these elements 9 being located on the frame or dial plate I0. The dial plate I0 is formed with openings through which the bolts I2 are disposed, these bolts being threaded into the bottom 'l of the case 5. The bolts have spacers I3 thereon for spacing the plate III from the bottom 'I of the case 5.

The plate I0 has the `centrally located opening Il upwardly through which extends the stub shaft I5, the lower end of fwhich is threadedly disposed as at i6 into a threaded opening in the bottom l.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft or bolt I5 is the ratchet wheel I1 which has a tapered hub I8 for wedged arrangement into the collar I3 and this collar I9 carries the laterally disposed pointer 20 which terminates at a point underlying the clear portion c of the top 8 and is cooperative with the bead-like elements 9, the circular line of which terminates in the representation 2l of a crucifix.

The opening Il in the dial plate I0 accommodates the collar I9 and between the collar I9 and the head of the bolt I5 is the coiled compression spring 22. A rib 23 rises from the bottom 1 of the case 5 and is adapted to be lightly struck by the radially disposed and depending ribs 24 on the bottom of the ratchet wheel I1.

As shown in Figure 2, one side wall 6 of the case 5 has a lug 25 extending inwardly therefrom and apertured to slidably receive the rod 2B, which has thestop collar 21 thereon. Between the stop collar 21 and the lug 25 is the coiled compression spring 28.

A knob or button 29 is slidably disposed against the said side wall 6 and has the stem 39 extending therefrom and through the slot 3| in the side wall. The rod 26 is secured to or merges with the stem 30 and carries the strip spring member 32 which bears against the pawl 33, the ao latter being pivotally secured as at 3l to the inner end of the stem 30. The stem 30 has the fixed collar 35 thereon to limit outward movement of the stem 30.

It can be seen that the catch 36 operates against the ratchet wheel I'I to prevent return of the ratchet wheel while the pawl 33 is in action.

Obviously, the device can be manufactured very small, for instance in the size of a prayer book, it desired, and the button 29 can be operated by the thumb of the hand holding the device. However, it is to be understood that this device can be manufactured in any size desired. It can be .manufactured in quite large sizes for use in churches or use before an entire congregation.

As the button 29 is pushed, each push will feed the indicator hand 20 one bead 9, and when the indicator hand 20 has moved to a point completing one decade, one of the ribs 24 will ride over the single rib 23 on the bottom 'l of the shell 5 o tion the case Il is formed with an arcuate-shaped slot or sight opening I9, and instead of having the rosary carrier fixed as in the form of the invention shown in Figure 1, the representation 40 oi' the rosary is carried by a rotor such as a disk Il.. In this form of the invention the indicating hand or pointer is denoted by numeral l2 and is nxed. This pointer 42 is carried by the bar I3 which is provided with enlarged end portions Il suitably bolted in position as at 45. In this form of the invention the rosary carrying disk 4l is suitably secured to the shaft I5 and rotates with the shaft l5 and ratchet I1. (See Figures 2 and 3.)

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specic terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is A mechanical rosary comprising a case, a front dial for the case, said dial being stationarily mounted and formed with a centralized opening, a fixed shaft in the case projecting through the opening, a ratchet wheel slidably and rotatably mounted on the shaft, ratchet means for driving the ratchet wheel, a collar mounted for movement with the ratchet wheel, a pointer extending from said collar, spring means interposed between oneend portion of the shaft and the collar, said ratchet wheel being provided with radially disposed ribs, and a stationary rib member in the path of the rst mentioned ribs,`said collar being i yieldable against the tension of. the spring to permit the rib members on the wheel to snap over the stationary' rib and produce annunciation.

JOHN L. ROGUS.

Images