US2259065A - Watchman's clock - Google Patents

Description

1941- A. c. ERISMAN ETAL 2,259,065

WATCHMAN S CLOCK F'iied Nov. 14, 1939 2. Sheets-Sheet l 3% I F THIS 51 DE 0 U T INVENTORS ADOLPH CRl5MAN AND MICHAEL C. SM/ TH ATTORNEY.

Oct- 14, 1941- A. c. ERISMAN ET AL WATCHMAN'S CLOCK Filed Nov. '14, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet F6 IABCDEFG NIGHT PATROL DAY PATROL ABCDE 3ABCDE INVENTORS EQ/SMANAND ADOLPH C.

BY MICHAEL C5M/TH f M ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 14, 1941 VvATCHMANS CLOCK Adolph C. Erisman, Port Richmond, and Michael C. Smith, Elmhurst, N. Y.

Application November 14, 1939, Serial No. 304,288

16 Claims.

This invention relates to watchmans clocks, and has for its general object and purpose to provide a simple and efficiently operating clock of this type as a part of the checking or recording system generally used by large industrial plants and other establishments to provide irrefutable evidence that the watchman has properly attended to the performance of his duties.

It is a well-known fact that an unchecked watchman is prone to devote the time which should be expended in vigilant attention to the duties assigned to him, to his personal pleasures, and occasionally to sleep. Therefore, it is necessary to place a check upon the watchman by the use of a system which will provide a permanent record showing that he has, at predetermined timed intervals made his rounds of the several stations throughout the plant. Only in this manner can the employer be assured that the records, stock and equipment have been effectively guarded against the hazards of fire and burglary.

Watchmans clocks of the portable type are now in general use. These clocks are provided, in addition to the usual clock dial, with a record dial having identifying indicia for the various stations and graduated to indicate hours and fractional parts thereof. This dial is perforated or otherwise marked by the insertion of a special type of key to which the necessary impulse is given to mark the dial by a part of the clock mechanism. While it is more or less difficult to falsify the record dial, it is necessary each day to insert a new dial and wind the clock mechanism at the office of the plant. Moreover, such portable clocks, carried by the watchman are frequently abused so as to make the mechanism inoperative and thus afford an excuse to the watchman for his failure to turn in a completed record of his rounds.

As distinguished from such portable watchmans clocks, in our present invention we provide a stationary clock at each watchmans station. These clocks are maintained by the watchman who is provided with a winding key. The watchman is also given a record card inaccessibly sealed within an envelope having carbon or other printing medium applied to the inner face of its front wall. The clock at each station has an identifying character and a movable printing matrix is actuated upon each winding of the clock to print the station identifying character upon the record card through the wall of the envelope. In this manner it is possible to provide a record of the watchmans rounds which cannot be falsified, tampered with or neglected.

It is another object of the invention to provide means operated by a watchman at the com pletion of each round for adjusting a supporting means for the envelope containing the record card so that it will be properly positioned in acccrdance with the hour numerals marked thereon to receive the station identifying character upon the winding of the clock mechanism by the watchman.

Our present invention also has the further advantage that if the clocks at one or more of the stations should get out of order, the watchman must, nevertheless, operate the clocks at the remaining stations so as to complete as far as possible, the record of his rounds.

It is a further general object of the invention to provide a watchmans clock as above characterized, which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in its construction, not liable to get out of order, and will efficiently function for the purpose in View.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved watchmans clock and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts, as will hereinafter be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings wherein we have illustrated one simple and practical embodiment of our present invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing a preferred form of the clock.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, the housing of the clock works being in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the time limiting device for the clock works.

Fig. 3a is a detail perspective view of one of the. parts of said device.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. '7 is a similar sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the sealed record card,

1e envelope wall being partly broken away.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail vertical section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a detail elevation of the clock winding key.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 designates the base casting to the front side of which the supporting housing 6 for the clock works and recording mechanism is rigidly secured by suitable screws inserted from the rear side of the said base casting and threaded in the corner openings or bores I provided in the wall of the housing 6. The casting 5 at opposite sides thereof is formed with laterally projecting ears 8 apertured as at 9 to receive suitable attaching screws, whereby said base casting is rigidly and permanently fixed to a wall or other support. The

' heads of these fastening screws are preferably covered by a suitable sealing compound or other means which will effectually prevent their removal.

The front wall of the housing 6 is provided with an opening to receive a casing H] for the clock work mechanism, generally indicated at H, the outer end of the casing wall having a flange I2 bearing upon the escutcheon plate l3 which h is suitably secured upon the front surface of the wall of the housing 6.

The clock works is of a known type, but we dispense with the usual clock dial and the minute and hour hands, and provide the shaft shown at I4 as a winding spindle for said mechanism. To the rear end of this spindle a radially disposed arm I5 is fixed and at its outer end is provided with a cylindrical stud I6. A bell hammer I 1 is pivoted 0n the case 10 as at 18, the hammer arm being provided with a laterally and upwardly extending end portion l9 having a cam edge and terminating in the flange 'or lug 2|.

A latch lever 22 is pivoted at one end as at 23 and at its other end is formed with a lug 24. Adjacent to this lug, a pin 25 fixed to the case If! is engaged in slot 26 in the lever 22 and limits the pivotal movement thereof. This lever on one side edge is provided with a lug 21 which is adapted to be engaged by a similar lug 28 on the arm 15. A coil spring 29 has one of its ends attached to the lever 22 and the other end thereof attached to the part IQ of the bell hammer. This spring acts to yieldingly urge the lever 22 toward the dotted line position and to move the bell I hammer H in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 7 of the drawings. When the spindle l4 (looking from the rear) is rotated in an anticlockwise direction to wind the clock, the stud l6 on arm l5 engages the cam edge 20 and rocks the bell hammer lever to the position shown in Fig. 3 while the spring 29 moves the latch lever 22 so that lug 24 of said lever is engaged over the upper face of the lug 2| on the bell hammer lever. This rotation of the spindle I4 is limited by the engag'ement of the lug 28 on arm [5 with the inner face of the lug 21 on the latch lever, so that, in each winding of the clock works, the mechanism will operate for one hour. In such operation the spindle l4 rotates in a clockwisedirection and at the end of the hour, the outer face of the lug 28 again strikes the lug'21, moving the latch lever 22 to the release position shown in full lines in Fig. 7 so that the spring 29 contracts and forcibly engages the bell hammer with the bell indicated at 30 which is suitably secured to an arm 3| fixed to the rear wall of the casing Ill.

Upon the winding spindle l4 a disk 32 is rigidly fixed and is provided with a radial slot 33 opening upon the periphery thereof. This disk has a hub portion 32 upon which the ratchet disk 34 carried by the member 35 is loosely received. This disk 34 also has a radial slot 36.

The member 35 has key hole slot 31 therein, the circular end of which is in concentric spaced relation to the spindle l4 which extends therethrough, while the radial portion of said slot is in registering relation with the slot 36 in the disk 34.

The member 35 is formed with a peripheral fiange 38 having a helical cam edge 39, the purpose of which will be presently explained. A pawl lever 40 is pivoted at one of its ends on the frame of the clock works and at its other end has an angularly disposed tooth 40' which is spring pressed into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet disk 34 so as to prevent anti-clockwise rotation of said disk and the member 35 and hold the same in a stationary position with respect to the rotating spindle l4 and disk 32.

The mechanism above described is enclosed within a cover member 4| having a cylindrical wall frictionally fitted within the wall of the casing [0 and inseparably connected therewith, within the housing 6, by means of the screw indicated at 42. The front wall of this member is of course provided with the key receiving slot indicated at 43 with which the similar slot 31 of the member 35 registers.

Within the housing 6, to the front face of the base casting 5 a plate 44 is secured by the housing attaching screws. Upon a suitable supporting member 45 fixed to said plate a frame 45 is pivotally mounted at its lower end. This frame has curved arms 41 extending below the pivot mounting thereof and adapted for contact at their ends against the front side of the plate 44 to limit pivotal movement of the frame to a normal position under the action of the coil spring 48. The frame 46 includes parallel side portions connected at their upper ends by the horizontal bar 49 which carries the printing matrix 50 having a type character corresponding to the identifying character on the front Wall of the housing 5, indicated at 51. Similar matrices having different type characters are provided for the clocks of the other stations and laterally spaced for different distances from the left hand side of the frame 46. This recording device constitutes an independent unit and is actuated in each Winding of the clock works in a manner to be later described.

A vertically disposed leaf spring 52 is fixed at its lower end to the frame 46 and has resilient bearing contact at its upper end against the front side of the bar 49. The rear end of a rod or pin 53 has bearing contact against the spring 52 intermediate of its ends. This pin is loosely movable through openings provided in the wall of the bell 39, the rear wall of the casing l0 and in the spaced frame plates of the clock works. The front end of said pin or rod is provided with a suitable head 54 disposed in alignment with the flange 38 on member 35, for engagement by the cam edge 39 of said flange.

The rear end of a bearing sleeve 55 is suitably secured to the plate 44 below the frame 45 and rotatably supports the shaft 55, to one end of which, at the rear side of the plate 44, a cylinder 51 is fixed within a cylindrical housing 58 secured to said plate. A metal tape 59 is wound upon the cylinder 51 and has one of its ends fixed thereto. The other end of this metal tape extends upwardly through a slot in the cylindrical wall of housing 58 and is provided with a supporting disk 60 vertically movable in a guideway 6| formed in the base casting 5. The upper end of the base casting is suitably provided with an insertion entrance indicated at 62 for the sealed record card to be presently referred to, said card moving downwardly between the base casting and the plate 44 and being supported at its lower end upon the disk 60, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

To the front end of the shaft 56 a disk 33 is secured and extends downwardly through the opening 64 in the bottom wall of the housing 6. The periphery of this disk is provided with finger receiving notches or recesses 65 in circumferential succession, the front face of said disk bearing numerals, indicated at 66, indicative of the number of rounds to be made by the watchman. A depending plate 61 is secured to the bottom wall of the housing 6 in advance of the disk 63 and is centrally provided with an upwardly extending notch or recess 68 through which a single numeral on the face of said disk is visible.

Upon a rod 69 fixed at its rear end to the plate 44, an upwardly extending arm 10 is pivotally mounted and carries at its upper end a roller H which has engagement in the finger receiving notches 65 of the disk 63, said roller being yieldingly urged into engagement with the disk by the coil spring 12 so that the disk will be held against accidental or casual rotation.

A pin or stud 13 projects from the rear face of the disk 63 and is adapted for engagement with a suitable stop 14 fixed to the plate 44 so as to limit rotation of the disk and the vertical movement of the support 60 for the record card in the guide-way 6| of the base 5.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings, the record card 15 is marked off into parallel horizontal spaces having digits or numerals at the left hand edge thereof indicative of the completed hours of duty and at the top is provided with appropriate spaces for entering the watchmans name, the date, and night or day patrol. This card is inserted within the outer envelope 16 the front wall of which has its inner surface carbonized or provided with a carbon tissue sheet suitably secured thereto as indicated at H. It will be understood that if desired, both surfaces of the card 15 may be marked as above explained to receive the record impressions, for use on successive days. After inserting the card in the envelope, the open end thereof is securely sealed.

In operation of our improved watchmans clock, at the start of his patrol, the watchman inserts the envelope 16 containing the record card at the rear side of the clock, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, until the lower end thereof rests upon the supporting disk 60. At this time, with the numeral 1 on disk 63 visible in the recess 68, pin 13 is engaged against one side of stop 14 and the disk is at its lowest position in the guide-way 8|. The record card will then be disposed with the top space, indicated at 0, in line with the matrix element 50 on frame 45. The watchman now inserts the key 18, shown in Fig. 10 through the registering slots 43 and 31, the spindle l4 being received in the tubular shank of the key. The guard lug 18 of the key extends into the radial slots 33 and 36 in the disks 32 and 34 respectively. The key is now given one complete rotation which winds the clock works and also rotates the member 35. In such rotation, the cam edge of flange 38 bearing against the end of the pin or rod 53 forces same rearwardly, thereby rocking the frame 46 from its normal position so that the impression forming character of the matrix element 50 engages the front wall of the envelope I5, and through the carbon backing on said front wall, the impression of the type character is thereby legibly transferred to the surface of the card 15. In the final rearward movement of the rod 53, the spring 52 will be flexed. As the high point of the cam edge 39 moves beyond the end of the rod 53 upon completion of the turning of the key 18, said rod is projected forwardly by the spring 52, and the frame 46 is returned to its normal position by the spring 48. The watchman then removes the record card and the clock works continues to operate for one hour. In the rotation of the spindle I4 relative to member 35 and ratchet 34. the slot 33 in disk 32 moves out of registering relation with the slots 35 and 31 so that the key cannot be again inserted to wind the clock works until after the expiration of the hour.

The watchman proceeds on his patrol successively to the other stations and upon arriving at each station, winds the clock to provide the station identifying character on the record card in line with the character designating the previous station, in the manner above described. Assuming that the stations are identified with the letters of the alphabet, after completing his first round and returning to station A, if the hour has not expired, the watchman cannot insert the key. Upon expiration of the hour, the arm 15 trips the latch lever 22 to release the bell hammer and ring the bell 30. Slot 33 will then be in registration with the slots 36, 31 and 43. The watchman now engages his finger in one of the notches of disk 63 and rotates the same in a clockwise direction until the numeral 2 appears in the recess 68. Shaft 56 is thus operated to move the support 60 upwardly in the guide-way 6| in proper position for engagement by the lower end of the envelope [6 so that card will be supported with the second space marked 1 in alignment with the matrix element 58. Upon inserting the key and again winding the clock works, the identifying character of the station is imprinted in said space opposite the numeral l, in the manner above described, thus indicating that the watchman has been on patrol for one hour. When all of the station identifying characters have been thus printed in each space for the allotted number of hours of patrol duty, a complete record showing that the watchman has hourly checked in at each station will be produced.

Since the record card is inaccessibly sealed in the outer envelope, it will, of course, be impossible for the watchman to falsify the record. Also, as the clock is rigidly mounted in a stationary position and all of the mechanical parts thereof are enclosed within a rigid and durable housing which protects the same against the effeet of vibration, the watchman cannot purposely disorganize the clock mechanism to render the same inoperative. Any attempt to do so would result in such severe damage to the clock as to reveal the deliberate purpose of the watchman to make it impossible to produce a proper record of the performance of his duties.

It will be seen that our new watchmans clock is maintained in operative condition by the watchman so that it is not necessary to prepare the same in the office of the establishment by winding the clock daily and inserting a new recrd dial, as is required in the use of portable clocks. The record card and the enclosing envelope therefor are very simple and inexpensive and provides an unalterable and accurate record. Since the walls of the envelope are opaque, any attempt to mark the card with the station symbcl or character through the envelope Wall would be immediately detected, owing to the misalignment of such marked character with the spaces and hour numerals printed on the card.

A stationary watchmans clock of this type has the further advantage that in the improbable event that one or more of the clocks should get out of order, the watchman must, nevertheless, complete his rounds and operate the clocks at the other stations.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, manner of operation and several advantages of our invention will be clearly understood. It will be seen that we have produced a watchmans clock which is of simple and inexpensive mechanical construction, reliable and eifici-ent in its operation, and which will give the employer complete assurance that the watchman has faithfully and vigilantly performed his duties. Since in conjunction with the clock, we use a single record card for all stations which is carried by the watchman, we eliminate the loss of time and expense incident to opening of the clock case for the daily insertion of a new record dial. While the initial expense incident to the use of the stationary clock at each station may be somewhat greater than that of a single portable clock for all stations, for the reasons heretofore stated, the expense is more than justified by the greater assurance of a correct and accurate record and the proper performance of the watchmans patrol duties. Also, the saving resulting from the fact that it is unnecessary to make frequent repairs to the clock mechanism will largely offset the greater initial expense.

We have herein shown and described a practical embodiment of our invention, which in actual operation has proved to be highly satisfactory. Nevertheless, it is to be understood that the essential features of the invention may also be exemplified in various other alternative structural forms, and we, therefore, reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes in the form, construction and relative arrangement of the various elements as may be fairly considered as comprehended within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In combination with a clock Works having energizing means and means for limiting each operation of said clock works to a definite period of time, means actuated concurrently with the operation of said energizing means for recording each operation of the clock works.

2. In combination with a clock works having energizing means and means for limiting each operation of said clock works to a definite period of time, means for recording each operation of the clock works, including a movable matrix, and means for automatically actuating said matrix in the operation of the clock works energizing means, to move the same into impression producing relation to a record receiving surface.

3. In combination with a clock works having energizing means and means for limiting each operation of said clock Works to a definite period of time, means for recording each operation of the clock works including a movable matrix,

means for supporting a removable record receiving card in impression receiving relation to said matrix, and means for automatically actuating said matrix in the operation of the clock works energizing means to move the same into impression producing relation to the surface of the record card.

4. In combination with a clock Works having energizing means and means for limiting each operation of said clock works to a definite period of time, means for recording each operation of the clock works including a movable matrix, means for supporting a removable record receiving card in impression receiving relation to said matrix, and means for adjusting said supporting means to position different portions of the surface area of the card to receive the record impressions in successive operations of said matrix.

5. In combination with a key-wound clock works having means for limiting each operation of said clock works to a definite period of time, means for recording each operation of the clock works, and means operatively controlled by the winding key in starting operation of the clock works to actuate said recording means.

6. In combination with a key-wound clock works having means for limiting each operation of said clock works to a definite period of time, means for recording each operation of the clock works, and means operatively controlled by the Winding key in starting operation of the clock Works to actuate said recording means, said latter means including means for preventing rewinding of the clock works prior to the expiration of said time period.

7. In combination with a key-Wound clock works having means for limiting each operation of said clock works to a definite period of time, means for recording each operation of the clock Works including a movable matrix, and means operatively controlled by the winding key for actuating the matrix to impression producing position relative to a record receiving surface at the start of each operation of the clock works.

8. In combination with a key-wound clock works having means for limiting each operation of said clock works to a definite period of time, means for recording each operation of the clock works including a movable matrix, and actuating means therefor comprising a cam member operatively controlled by the winding key to move the matrix to impression producing position relative to a record receiving surface at the start of each operation of the clock works.

9. In combination with a clock works having a winding spindle and means for limiting each operation of the clock works to a definite period of time, means for recording each operation of the clock works, including a movable record producing member, and means for actuating said member to recording posiiton relative to a record receiving surface, upon initiation of each operating period of the clock works.

10. In combination witha clock Works having a winding spindle and means for limiting each operation of the clock works to a definite period of time, means for recording each operation of the clock works, including a movable record producing member, and means for actuating said member to recording position relative to a record receiving surface, upon initiation of each operating period of the clock works, comprising cam means concentric with said spindle and concurrently rotatable therewith.

11. In combination with a clock Works having a key-operated winding spindle and means for limiting each operation of the clock works to a definite period of time, means for recording each operation of the clock work, including a movable record producing member, a relatively movable actuating element for said member, a member fixed to said spindle having a key receiving slot, and operating means for said element actuated by the winding key to move said record producing member to recording position relative to a record receiving surface upon initiation of each operating period of the clock works, said last named means having a part closing said key receiving 'slot during operation of the clock works.

12. In a stationary watchmans clock, clock works having winding means and means for limiting each operation of the clock works to a definite period of time, means for removably supporting a record receiving card in rearwardly spaced relation from the clock works, movable recording means mounted between the clock works and card supporting means, and means operated concurrently with the winding means for actuating said recording means upon initiation of each operation of the clock works.

13. In a stationary watchmans clock, clock works having winding means and means for limiting each operation of the clock works to a definite period of time, a manually operable rounds indicating member, a record card support rearwardly spaced from the clock works, movable recording means mounted between the clock works and said support, means connecting said support with said manually operable member to adjustably position said support relative to the recording means in each operation of said member, and means operated concurrently with the winding means for actuating said recording means upon initiation of each operation of the clock works.

14. In combination with a stationary watchmans clock having means for limiting each operation of said clock works to a definite period of time, an identifying character bearing member associated with said clock, means for transferring an impression of the identifying character to the surface of a record card, and means, automatically actuated upon initiation of each operation of the clock, to relatively move said member and transfer means and effect the transfer of the character impression.

15. In combination with a stationary watchmans clock having means for limiting each operation of said clock works to a definite period of time, a movable identifying character bearing member associated with said clock, means for transferring an impression of the identifying character to the surface of a record card, and means, automatically actuated upon initiation of each operation of the clock, to move said member into pressure applying relation to the transfer means and eifect the transfer of the character impression.

16. In combination with a stationary watchmans clock having means for limiting each operation of said clock works to a definite period of time, an identifying character bearing member associated with said clock, means for removably supporting a record card and sealed envelope therefor in predetermined relation to said character bearing member, the envelope wall being provided with an impression transfer medium, and means automatically actuated upon initiation of each operation of the clock, to forcibly contact said member with the envelope wall and transfer the character impression to the surface of the record card.

ADOLPH C. ERISMAN. MICHAEL C. SMITH.

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