US2189639A - Differential time-reckoning device - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6, 1940. A. MANSEAU 2,139,639

DIFFERENTIAL TIME-RECKQNING DEVICE Filed Dec. 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lllllll III II I II' Mae/0 0x Feb. 6, 1940. 2,189,639

A. L. MANSEAU DIFFERENTIAL TIME-RECKONING DEVICE Fiied Dec. 12, 1938 2 Sheets Sheet 2 41/ 15 13 a 11 Z7 Z5 Pa m-dish. a mo DII'I'IIINTIAL TIIII-IEOKON IN G DIVIOI AlfredLManseau.Weloott,0eun.,a-ignorto The Wltes'm clock Company, Waterbury,

Oonneetient om, aeorporatienof Application December 12. ms, Serial No. 24am scum.

. having differential time-reckoning devices of the foregoing permanently embodied 10- therein.

The primary obiect of the present invention is character ,to provide an improved construction and coordinated arrangement of parts in a time-reckoning device of this character whereby time-meas- 15 urements dependent upon or related to the intervening time-interval between a given set-place at which the reckoning is made and a selected distant place may be accurately and rapidly determined.

20 One object of the invention is to provide an improved correlated arrangement of graduated timeand pl'a'ce-horological-members or dials whereby the magnitude of the time-interval intervening between a given set-place at which the 25 reckoning is made and a selected distant place may be determined by a relative adjustment of one of the graduated horological-members or dials with respect to the other to correspond to the time-intervals, respectively, which inter- 30- vene between each of the said places and a prime meridian at the earth's surface such, for-example, as the meridian of Greenwich.

A, further object of the present invention'is to provide an improved correlated arrangement of :zsparts in a-time-reckoning device'of this charactenwhereby the magnitude of the time-interval intervening between the given set-place and the selected distant place, may be correlated with the indicated time of a' timepiece at the given 4.0 set-place to determine the time indicated by a- -.timepiece at the selected distant-place.

: Still another {abject of this invention is to provide an improved correlated arrangement-of a time-dial; a graduated place-dial; and 45 a timeand place-correlating marker cooperatively arranged with respect to said dials, whereby the desired time-measurements may be expeditiouslyv accomplished for various purposes. -A particular object of the invention is to provide a combined timepiece and differential timereckoning device of improved construction.

:RWith above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the 55 present disclosure. this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art.

In the accompanying drawings, which reprezent one mode of reducing the invention topracice:

Fig. l is a face view of a pocket timepiece em bodylng the present invention;

Fig. 3 is an edgewise elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the watch shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Pig. '4is an enlarged axial section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig.- 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the time-and-piace correlating -marke'r or pointer;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detached perspective view of the graduated time-horological-member or dial; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detached perspective innergface view of the graduated place-dial.

For the purposes of illustration, the drawings show an adaptation of the present invention to a pocket timepiece or watch.

In the form shown, the watchcase comprises a substantially cup-shaped front case-member generally designated by the reference character ill, and a substantially cup-shaped back casemember generally designated by the reference caracter ii, the said front and back case-members being telescopically interfltted, each with re-' spect to the other. The fronhcase-member comprises a rearwardly-presented coupling-flange i2 and a bezel-portion l3 which is provided with a sight-opening ll within which is fitted a crystal II. The back case-member Ii comprises a forwardly-presented coupling-flange ii which is telescopically interiitted with the rearwardlypresented coupling-flange I! of the front casemember and a flat circular back-wall i'l having an outwardly-beveled annular wall-portion LI locatedimm'ediatel'y adjacent to the outer periph- 40 cry of the'saidback case-member ii.

A watch-dial I! isinterposed between the crystal l5 and a front movement-plate 20, a back movement-plate 2i being rigidly united to the front movement-plate 20 and spaced therefrom by means of pillars one of which is shown at 22 in. Fig. 4. Journaled in the front and back movement-plates II and 2|, is a centeror minute-arbor 23. cooperatively arranged with respect the watch-dial I9, is a pointer-set comprising a minute-hand 24 mounted upon the centeror minute-arbor 23 and an hour-hand 28 which is carried by an hour-sleeve 26 journaied uponthe center-- or minute-arbor 23. Mounted on the hour-sleeve 2' between the dial l9 and place-dial which is generally designated by the reference character 32, the said graduated placedial being provided with a central aperture 33 in registry with the aperture 3| in the back-wall ll. Extending through the apertures 3| and 33 is a bushing 33, which is riveted at its inner and outer ends to the back-wall I1 and graduated place-dial 32, respectively, to retain these parts in preferably fixed relation to each other. Extending through the bushing 34 is a pivot-post which is generally designated by the'reference character 35 and comprises a shank-portion 33, an intermediate pivotal portion 31, and an enlarged head 33, the said intermediate pivotal portion 31 being provided with a diameter intermediate in size between that of the shank-portion 36 and the enlarged head 33. .The said shank-portion 38 is preferably riveted at its inner end to the inner end of the bushing 3!.

A time-and-place correlating-marker or pointer, which is generally designated by the reference character 33, is provided with a ring-shaped collar 40 by means of which it is pivotally mount ed at one end upon the pivotal portion 31 of pivot-post 35. Thesaid marker or pointer 33 comprises, with the ring-shaped collar 43, a radial arm ll which is provided with a radial placesighting slot 42 and a time-pointing tip 43.

The construction and arrangement of these parts is such that the time-and-place correlating marker or pointer 39 is retained in snug frictional engagement with the rear surface of the graduated place-dial 32, so that while it is pivotally adjustable about the pivotal portion 31 of the pivot-post 35, it is frictionally retained in any position to which it may be adjusted on the graduated place-dial 32. During the circular adj ustment of the time-and-place correlating marker or pointer 39, its pointed tip 33 moves around the inner periphery of a time-interval-measuring annulus which is generally designated by the reference character ll.

The said annulus 44 is provided with an inner peripheral flange 45 which is circumferentially interfltted with an outer peripheral flange 43 on the graduated place-dial 32 for the purpose of retaining the said annulus 44 in position on the back-wall ll of the back case-member II and in adjusted relation to the graduated place-dial 32. Around its outer periphery, the said annulus 4| is provided with a forwardly-deflected marginal flange 31 in rotational engagement with the beveled annular wall-portion I8 of the back-wall I! of the back case-member II. The outer marginal flange ll of the time-interval-measuring annulus 44 may be knurled or otherwise roughened to facilitate the rotational adjustment of the said annulus by means of the fingers.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it will be seen .that the graduated place-dial 32 is provided with a circular series of space-stalls or boxes 48 of spearhead outline, which are preferably twenty-four in number, to correspond to the twenty-four hours occupied in each complete rotation of. the earth. Printed on the graduated place-dial within these space-stalls are place-indicia markings or names 43 representing places -or localities which are spaced from the selected prime meridian on the earth's surface by intervenins time-intervals (represented by an arithmetic series of 24 onehour periods) corresponding to the number of hours in each rotation of the earth. In the present instance, the said prime meridian is assumed to be the meridian of Greenwich.

Printed within similarly-arranged space-stalls or boxes 30 on the time-interval-measuring annulus l4, and arranged in circular series thereon, are numbers, designated by the reference character ll. As shown in the drawings the annulus 43 is divided into two series of numbers 3|, each series comprising numbers 1 to 12 indicating the A. M. and P. M. hours of the day. The numbers 5| Just referred to represent in arithmetic progression, the time-intervals respectively intervening between successive places on the place-dial and the meridian at Greenwich.

It will be understood, therefore, that with the indicia-marking "London-Paris" placed in registry with the numeral "12" under the caption Noon" at the top of the said annulus 34, the time-intervals intervening between the successive places itemized in clockwise order from the London-Paris marking and the meridian of Greenwich, will be represented by the arithmetic series of numbers extending around the time-intervalmeasuring annulus 44 in the same direction.

For the purpose of exemplifying the various purposes that may be served by the differential time-reckoning device shown and described in the accompanying drawings and specification, the following examples may be noted.

For one reason or another, it not infrequently happens that some party, such as a person, business concern, government oflicial, etc., suddenly finds it to be of paramount importance to know the time of day in a far-distant city or locality corresponding to the time of day in the set-place wherein the said party happens to be located. Necessity may arise for taking some immediate action such as, for example, in connection with an option or contract that is to lapse at a specific time during the day in which the emergency arises. It may be, for example, that a party located in New York City is confronted with an immediate necessity to cable instructions to a far-distant city such, for example, as Bombay, to save or to secure some valuable interest. For the purpose of ascertaining accurately and at once, the extent of time difference between two points such as New York and Bombay that may be given to deliberation before the action is taken,

the following procedure may be followed.

A glance at the time in New York (which may be readily determined by consulting the front fade of the watch) enables the party in question to shift the time-interval-measuring annulus until the time-markingthereon corresponding to the time in New York, is brought into registry with the place-marking New York" on the graduated place-dial. To avoid possible error in reading, the time-and-place correlating-marker 39 may be moved about its pivot until the placemarking Bombay on the place -dial is framed within the place-sighting slot 42, whereupon the time of day in Bombay is made instantly available by reading the hour-number on the time-interval annulus at the time-pointing tip of the marker or pointer. I a

As will be apparent the arrangement of a conventional timepiece and diflerential time-reckoning device as a unitary structure greatly facilitates the determination of the time difference between two places as the time of day at the set place is readily available.

Another hypothetical instance may be taken in connection with some project which suddenly calls for emergency instructions to be sent to a number of distant places. By presetting the device in the manner described above, the time of day in each of the several distant places may be accurately and rapidly ascertained in the fore- .going manner. It is readily seen that in cases of this nature, the time-element may automatically exclude some places from further consideration and, at the same time, enable the party in question to give preferential consideration to some places over other places.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. In combination with a timepiece-casing having a back casing-plate provided with a beveled annular surface adjacent the outer periphery thereof; a circular disk concentrically arranged with the said beveled annular surface and having a marginal flange axially spaced from the back casing-plate and terminating within the said beveled annular surface. the said circular disk being provided with graduated horological placemarkings; a horological annulus rotationally mounted on the back casing-plate and having its inner marginal edge rotatably interfltted with the said marginal flange of the circular disk, the said annulus being provided with graduated timemarkings arranged to be placed selectively in registration with the place-markings on the said circular disk and having a knurled outer peripheral flange in rotational engagement with the said beveled annular surface of the back casing-plate at the outer periphery thereof. 2. In combination with the back-plate of a timepiece; a place-indicating member mounted on the said back-plate and provided with graduated place-indicia markings; a time-indicating member mounted on the said back-plate in cooperative relation to the place-indicating member and provided with graduated .time-indioia markings; a normally-stationary one of the said members being optionally-movable relatively to the other to effect a selective fixed registration of a particular one of the time-markings on the said time-indicating member with a particular place-mark on the said place-indicating member; and a normany-stationary optionally-movable time-andplace correlating-marker constructed and arranged to be moved into selective registry with the pre-registered particular timeand placemarkings on the said timeand place-indicatingmembers.

3. A diflerential time-reckoning device, comprising: a graduated place-member of a disk-like form carrying a plurality of place-indicia markings; agraduated time-member in the form of an annulus coaxialiy arranged therewith, the said time-member bearing a number'of time-indicia markings and having its inner-marginal edge disposed in juxtaposition to the outer marginal edge of said graduated place-member; at least one of the said members being rotationally-adjustable, relativelyto the other to selectively-register a particular place-indicia markin with a particular time-indicia marking; and normally-stationary optionally-movable time-and-place correlating-marker pivotally mounted at one end about the common axis of the said graduated placeand time-members and movable optionally into registration with the selectively pre-registered placeand time-indicia markingson the said members. I

4. A differential time-reckoning device, comprising: cooperatively-arranged reckoning-memtime-indicia markings on the said ,reckoningmembers; the said normally-stationary and optionally-movable reckoning-member. and correlating member having juxtaposed. portions movable in parallel paths and constructed to be moved from a position in which they are in coordinated registration with one indicia-marking on the flxed reckoning-member to a position in which they are in coordinated registration with another indicia-marking on the said flxed reckoning-member.

5. A watch provided with a back-casing member having a flat central wall-portion and an outer beveled peripheral wall-portion; a disk-like reckoning-member with place-indicia markings thereon, secured to the flat central wall-portion of the back-casing member and having an outer' peripheral flange spaced axially therefrom; a normally-stationary optionally-movable time-annulus having time-indicia markings and having its inner peripheral edge in interlocking rotational engagement with the said outer peripheral flange of the disk-like reckoning-member and in flatwise rotational engagement with the said flat central wall-portion of the back-casing member; the said time-annulus being optionally movable to effect a selective registration with a predetermined place-indicia marking on the said disk-like reckoning-member; and a normally-stationary optionally-movable time-and-place marked pivoted at one end about the common axis of the place-disk and time-annulus and movable independently into selective registration with preregistered placeand time-indicia markings on the place-disk and time-annulus and subsequent- 1y movable to effect a registration of the same time-indicia marking with another place-indicia marking in coordinated arrangement with the saidtime-and-place marker.

- AIFRlllDhMANSEAU.

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