US2243759A

US2243759A - Clock

Info

Publication number: US2243759A
Application number: US328130A
Authority: US
Inventors: Maluo Joseph
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-04-05
Filing date: 1940-04-05
Publication date: 1941-05-27
Anticipated expiration: 1958-05-27

Description

May 27, 1941.

J. MALUo cLocx Filed April 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Shao?, 1

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- f y .e ffy. Z Inventor JazfphMaizzof ttomey May 27, 1941.

J. MALUO CLOCK Filed April 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I n ventor fa'efw miga A Home y Patented May 27, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly to improvements in clocks.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a simply constructed, inexpensive, clock for use in a projecting machine, such as a moving picture projector, to project the time on a screen in a novel manner, and which is equipped for manual control to start andV stop the same at will.

Other and subordinate objects are also comprehended by my invention, all of which, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure l is a view in front elevation of the preferred embodiment of my improved clock,

Figure 2 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a detail view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the illustrated embodiment of my improved clock comprises a cylindrical shell I of any suitable size and material having a pair of annular front and rear disks 2, 3, of plate-like form detachably secured in opposite sides thereof, respectively, the shell I being rabbeted, as at 4, to seat the outer edges of the disks 2, 3, and grooved, as at 5, to receive resilient keeper rings 6 for retaining said disks in place. The disks 2, 3, may be formed of any suitabe transparent material such as glass, mica, or the like.

A pair of front and rear plates, 'I, 8, of circular form and suitable opaque material are fitted in the openings of the disks 2, 3, respectively, said plates having rabbeted edges 9 adapting the same to fit against the disks 2, 3, and overlap the outer faces of the latter. A pair of front and rear clamping plates III, II, of the same size as the plates l, 8, are opposed to the latter, respectively, concentrically thereof and against the inner faces of the same in overlapping relation to the inner faces of the disks 2, 3, respectively. Elongated screws I2 connect the plates 1, 8, at suitable points and spacing sleeves I3 on said screws and extending between the plates Il), II, hold the latter in clamping relation to the disks 2, 3.

The front disk 2 has suitably delineated thereon inner and outer annular dials I4, I5, surrounding the front plate I concentrically thereof and relative to each other. The inner dial I4 is graduated and numbered for seconds, and the outer dial I graduated and numbered for hours and minutes.

Hour and minute hands I'I and I6 are mounted in front of the disk 2 and plate 1 for movement over the dials I5 and I4, respectively, as follows.

Journalled at its front end in the front plates l, I0, axially thereof is a hollow hour hand arbor I8 extending into the shell I for a suitable distance and having the hour hand II secured on the front end thereof. Intermediate the ends thereof said arbor I8 is also journalled in a bracket I9 having a U-shaped part 20 suitably secured to the rear face of the front clamping plate I0 to extend rearwardly therefrom at one side of the arbor I8, and a laterally bent arm 2l extending diametrically of the shell I and in which said arbor I8 is journalled. The arm 2I terminates on the opposite side of the arbor I8 in a bearing socket 22 for a purpose presently seen. The purpose of the U-shaped part will presently be explained.

Extending through the hour hand arbor I8 and rotatable therein is an arbor 23 for the minute hand I6, the latter being fast on the front end thereof. The rear end of the arbor 23 has a needle bearing 24 in the rear clamping plate I I.

'Ihe arbors I8 and 23 are rotated by the following clockwork mechanism. J ournalled at one end in the U-shaped part 2l! of bracket I9 and extending diametrically of the shell I is a short shaft 25 to which one end of a convolute clock spring 26 is fixed, the other end of said spring being suitably secured to a circular casing 25 enclosing said spring and rotatably mounted on said shaft 25 to be revolved about the same by the spring. A drive gear 2l is fixed on one side of the casing 26 in mesh. with a suitably smaller gear 28 fast on one end of a driven shaft 29 journalled in a bearing bracket 30 fixed to the inner face of the rear clamping plate Il and extending diametrically in the shell I. A friction wheel 3| fast on the other end of the driven shaft 29 engages one side of a larger friction wheel 32 fast on the inner end of the second hand arbor 23. On the opposite side of the arbors I8, 23, from the clock spring 25 and casing 2S is a drive shaft 33 for the hour hand arbor I8 extending parallel with said arbor and having needle bearings 34 in the socket 23 and the bracket 30. A bevelled edge friction wheel 35 is fixed on said shaft 33 in edge engagement with a peripheral groove 36 in the friction wheel 32. A second friction wheel 31 suitably smaller than the wheel 35 is fixed on shaft 33 in peripheral engagement with a peripherally grooved friction wheel 38 fast on the arbor I3.

A ratchet wheel 3Q fast on the shaft 25 and a holding dog 4I) on the bracket I9 provide for holding the shaft 25 against rotation during unwinding of the spring Z6. The outer end of the shaft 25 has a radial stud 4I thereon for attaching a suitable winding key to said shaft as shown in dot and dash lines at 42 in Figure 3, an opening 43 being provided in the shell I for the extension of said key into said shell. Means for manually controlling the spring and described clock works are provided in the form of a mane ually operative escapement as follows. Fast on the gear 2l is a second, escapement ratchet wheel 44 engaged by an escapernent dog 45 which in turn is fast on the inner end of an escapement key 48 extending diametrically into the shell I parallel with shaft 25 with its outer end journalled in said shell and its inner end journalled in bracket I9. A coil spring 4l suitably connected to the key 46 and bracket IQ serves to urge the key in a direction to swing the escapernent dog 45 into engagement with the escapement ratchet wheel 44. The hands I 6, il, are provided with eyelet-like outer ends 48 through which the grad uations and numbers on the hour dial I5 and seconds dial I4 may be viewed.

The operation of the described clock will be readily understood. With the spring 2li wound, the hands I6, I'I, preset, and upon the release of the described escapeinent by manipulation of the escapement key 45 in the proper direction to disengage the escapement dog 45 from the escapement ratchet wheel 44, the hour and minute hands Il, I6, will be driven through the de scribed clockworks mechanism in the relative ratio of the speed usual in ordinary clocks.

Upon arrangement in a projector, not shown, in proper position relative to the lens of said projector, the image of the dials I4, I5, and the outer ends 48 of the hands I6, Il, may be projected onto a screen to indicate any desired time, it being understood that as soon as the e.,- capement key 4G is released, the escapement dog 45 Will engage the scapement ratchet Wheel 44 and stop the clock.

As will be understood, the described clock is designed to be used to flash the time on a screen for short intervals, only, in contests in which the audience takes part as holders, for instance, of time indicating tickets, or, in the playing of games, in which an audience takes part, different time intervals being of the essence of the game. As one example of the use of the clock, the distributed tickets may have delineated thereon the dials of the clock and the hands arranged for indicating different time on each ticket. The clock may be started to operate for a selected interval and then stopped. A ticket holder Whose ticket is timed in accordance With that indicated by the clock when stopped will be entitled to a prize.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sufce to impart a clear understanding of my invention Without further explanation.

Manifestly the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall Within the scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A clock for use in an image projecting machine to project the time on a screen comprising a cylindrical shell having open ends, a pair of annular disks of transparent material secured in said shell at opposite ends thereof, respectively, one of said disks having delineated thereon a pair of inner and outer annular dials arranged thereon concentrically thereof, one of said dials being an hour and minutes indicating dial and the other a seconds indicating dial, a pair of opaque circular plates tted in said disks, respectively, and secured therein, a rotatably mounted axial arbor of tubular form in said shell and having one end extended out of one of said plates forwardly of said dials, an hour hand fast on said end of said arbor for rotation thereby around said hour and minutes indicating dial, a second arbor rotatable in the tubular arbor and extending out of said one end of the same, a minutes hand fast on said second arbor for rotation thereby around said minutes indieating dial, and means in said shell to rotate said arbors and located between said plates to prevent interference with projection.

2. A clock for use in an image projecting machine to project the time on a screen comprising a cylindrical shell having open ends, a pair of annular disks of transparent material secured in said shell at opposite ends thereof, respectively, one of said disks having delineated thereon a pair of inner and outer annular dials arranged thereon concentrically thereof, one of said dials being an hour and minutes indicating dial and the other a seconds indicating dial, a pair of opaque circular plates fitted in said disks, re spectively, and secured therein, a rotatably mounted axial arbor of tubular form in said shell and having one end extending out of one of said plates forwardly of said dials, an hour hand fast on said end of said arbor for rotation thereby around said hour and minutes indicating dial, a second arbor rotatable in the tubular arbor and extending out of said one end of the same, a minutes hand fast on said second arbor for rotation thereby around said minutes indicating dial, and means in said shell to rotate said arbors and located between said plates to prevent interference with projection, said means comprising a spring motor, and a motor driven shaft operable by said motor, and a friction drive between said shaft and said arbors.

3. A clock for use in an image projecting machine to project the time on a screen comprising a cylindrical shell having open ends, a pair of annular disks of transparent material secured in said shell at opposite ends thereof respectively, one of said disks having delineated thereon a pair of inner and outer annular dials arranged thereon concentrically thereof, one of said dials being an hour and minutes indicating dial and the other a seconds indicating dial, a pair of opaque circular plates fitted in said disks, respectively, and secured therein, a rotatably mounted axial arbor of tubular form in said shell and having one end extended out of one of said plates forwardly of said dials, an hour hand fast on said end of said arbor for rotation thereby around said hour and minutes indicating dial, a second arbor rotatable in the tubular arbor and extending out of said one end of the same, a minutes hand fast on said second arbor for ro tation thereby around said minutes indicating dial, and means in said shell to rotate said arbors and located between said plates to prevent interference with projection, said means comprising a normally disabled spring motor, means to enable said motor at will, a motor driven shaft operable by said motor, and a friction drive between said shaft and said arbors.

4. A clock for use in an image projecting machine to project the time on a screen comprising a cylindrical shell having open ends, a pair of annular disks of transparent material secured in said shell at opposite ends thereof respectively, one of said disks having delineated thereon a pair of inner and outer annular dials arranged thereon concentrically thereof, one of said dials being an hour and minutes indicating dial and the other a seconds indicating dial, a pair of opaque circular plates tted in said disks, respectively, and secured therein, a rotatably mounted axial arbor of tubular form in said shell and having one end extended out of one of said plates forwardly of said dials, an hour hand fast on said end of said arbor for rotation thereby around said hour and minutes indicating dial, a second arbor rotatable in the tubular arbor and extending out of said one end of the same, a minutes hand fast on said second arbor for rotation thereby around said minutes indicating dial, and means in said shell to rotate said arbors and located between said plates to prevent interference with projection, said means comprising a normally disabled spring motor, means to enable said motor at will, a motor driven shaft operable by said motor, and a friction drive between said shaft and said arbors, said enabling means including a releasable escapement, and an escapement releasing key extending out of said shell.

JOSEPH MALUO.