US2275604A - Universal clock - Google Patents

Description

March 10, 1942. L. BOOHARIN UNIVERSAL CLOCK Filed Aug. 5, 19:59

INVENTOR. 00 3/. B 00A a 1m Patented Mar. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNIVERSAL CLOCK Leo Y. Booharin, San Francisco, Calif. Application August 5, 1939, Serial No. 288,625

2 Claims.

My invention relates to universal clocks.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a universal clock which is designed to indicate local time for every part of the earth at any moment.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide a universal clock which indicates local time for every part of the earth by means of time meridians covering a graphic representation of the earths surface, such as a map.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide a device of the type described'which is simple in construction, inexpensive, and eflicient for the purpose intended.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of the Fig. 2, showing the gear arrangement.

In general, my device consists of a graphic representation of the earths surface, such as a map, upon which a number, preferably twentyfour, of time meridians is drawn, each representing an hour. Between each pair of said meridians additional meridians may be drawn representing fractions of an hour. An indicator is provided to give certain time value to each of the meridians which time value gradually changes, so that by means of said indicator and time meridians the local time of any part of the world may be easily determined at any moment.

In the preferred form, my device consists of a map 5 of the earths surface with time meridians I, drawn on a front wall 8 of my device. There are twenty-four time meridians shown on the map corresponding to twenty-four hours during which the earth makes one revolution around its axis, but, as has been stated, additional time meridians may be drawn between the meridians I to indicate the fractions of an hour. The meridians terminate at an arm III drawn on said front wall 8. Within said are III there is a half circle II drawn on said wall 8, which is divided into twenty-four equal parts, each corresponding to an hour, and each of which is connected with the corresponding meridian by a connecting line I2. In this way every meridian is tied up to a certain division. If certain time value is given to any meridian, for instance let the central meridian I I represent 12 oclock noon, then the value of the rest of the meridians can be easily determined. But as the time goes by, the time value of the meridians 55 changes. Therefore, the means are provided for gradual change of the time value of each meridian. Said means consists of a standard time clock mechanism I5, electrically or mechanically operated ,and having an ordinary hour shaft I6 extending therefrom and terminating with an hour hand I'I. Within the shaft I6 there is a minute shaft I8 which extends beyond said shaft I6 and terminates with a minute hand III. A usual knob 20 is provided for manual setting of time.

In addition to above described standard clock mechanism I provide a small gear affixed to the hour shaft I6 and an idle gear 26 freely rotating about a stub shaft 27 affixed to the mechanism I5, said idle gear being in constant mesh with the gear 25. The gear 26 meshes with an internally cut gear 30, which freely rotates about the hour shaft I6. The gears 25 and 30 are so selected that the latter rotates four times slower than the former. Furthermore, the gear 30 rotates in direction opposite to that of the gear 25.

The gear 30 carries an indicator 3I in form of a disk, the upper half of which fits within the half circle II. The indicator is preferably made of light material, such as Celluloid, or plastics, and has a collar 32 which snugly fits the outer rim 33 of said gear 30 so that ordinarily it will rotate with the latter, but may be easily rotated thereabout by an external force. The upper end of the collar 32 is preferably bent inwardly about the rim 33 in a few places, as indicated at 35 to prevent accidental displacement of the indicator 3I from said gear.

The periphery of the indicator 3I is divided into 48 divisions numbered by two rows of figures shown in close proximity to each other. The first row runs from 1 to 12 inclusively four times, and the second row runs from 1 to 24 two times. The first row indicates in usual way the time in hours, but as the first row alone cannot indicate whether the time is a. m. or p. m., a second row of figures is provided, by means of which it is made possible to determine at a glance whether the time referred to a certain meridian is a. m. or p. In. As shown in the Fig. 1 all meridians east of the meridian running through the center of the drawing indicate p. In. time.

In order to bring the indicator 3I into proper relation with the meridians, I provide a plunger 40, which is preferably made of rubber, and which is disposed in close proximity to the collar 32. The plunger is carried by a shaft 4| slidable in two parallel walls 42 and 43 which are connected with the clock mechanism l5. The shaft 4| terminates with a knob 45 by means of which said shaft may be pushed inwardly against the resistance of a small spring 46 urging said shaft outwardly. By pushing the knob 45 to the clock mechanism l5 the plunger 40 is brought into frictional engagement with the collar 32, and by rotating said knob the collar 32 with indicator 3| will be rotated around the gear 30 and thereby brought in desired position.

In front of the indicator 3| and in close proximity therewith I dispose a clock dial 5!] which is semi-circular in the middle and has broad shoulders 5| on each side covering the lower half of the indicator 3|. The clock hands, dial, and indicator are preferably covered with aglass cover 53.

The operation of the device isas follows. The

correct time is set on the clock by moving the minute and the hour hands in usual manner, as for example at 10 oclock. Then the operator locates the place of his abode on the map, let it be for example San Francisco, California, and notices which meridian runs through said place or in close proximity thereto, which in our case will be the meridian denoted by the numeral 55. Then the operator, by means of the knob 45, rotates the indicator 3| until the division marked l0 shall coincide with the line l2 connected with the meridian 55, as shown in Fig. 1. If the time is 10 oclock p. m., then the indicator should be rotated in a manner disclosed in counterclockwise direction until said connecting line shall coincide with the division marked l0 and 22. If the place of abode is located on the map between two meridians, the indicator must be so set that the divisions thereof indicating the correct local time is set in the same relation between the two adjoining lines l2 connected with said meridians, as said place of abode is in relation to the meridians.

When the indicator 3| is correctly set, local time for any place can be easily found. The place, the local time of which it is desired to' find, is first located on the map and then the corresponding meridian crossing it, or passing near by is traced down to the indicator 3| to determine what particular time corresponds to said meridian. For instance Fig. 1 shows that when it is 10 oclock a. m. in San Francisco, it is 6 oclock p. m. in England and 3 oclock a. m. in Japan.

The indicator 3| rotates four times slower than the hour hand of the clock, as it has been explained heretofore, but, as the periphery of the indicator 3| is divided into forty-eight divisions. each division represents an hour. The indicator moves in counterclockwise direction, with the sun, gradually changing the time value of the meridians, but the time relation between various parts of the earth remains unchanged.

It shall be within the scope of this invention to provide twenty-four divisions on the indicator 3|, instead of forty-eight as shown in the drawing, in which case the meridians shall be equally spaced around the whole periphery of the indicator, and the latter must rotate only two times slower than the hour hand of the clock.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1'. A'universal clock comprising a map of the earths surface; time meridians drawn thereupon; a clock mechanism having usual hour and minute hands rotated by the corresponding hour and minute shafts, said clock mechanism being located below said map; a gear carried by the hour shaft; an idle gear meshing with the first mentioned gear; an internally cut gear adapted to mesh with the idle gear and to rotate around the hour shaft; a circular indicator carried by said'internally' cut gear; means for adjusting the position of the indicator in relation to the internally cut gear; a half-circle drawn on the map and circumscribing a half of said indicator, said half-circle being divided into a number of divisions equal to the number of the time meridians; and connecting lines connecting the points of division of said half-circle with the meridians.

2. A universal clock comprising a map of the earths surface; time meridians drawn thereupon; a clock mechanism having usual hour and minute hands rotated by the corresponding hour and minute shafts; a gear carried by the hour shaft; an idle gear meshing with the first mentioned gear; a third gear meshing with the idle gear and rotating around the hour shaft in the irection opposite to that of the said shaft; a

- circular indicator carried by said third gear; a

half-circle drawn onthe map co-centrically with said indicator and divided into a number of divisions equal to the number of the time meridians; and connecting lines connecting the points of division of said half-circle with the meridians.

LEO Y. BOOHARIN.

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