US2340769A - Time recorder - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 1, 1944. P. Q. RAST TIME RECORDER Filed Nov. 5, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY.

Feb. 1, 1944. F. RAST 2,340,769

TIME RECORDER Filed Nov. 5, 1940 s sheets -sheet 2 INVENTOR f ATTORNEY Feb. 1, 1944. F. RAST 2,340,769

TIME RECORDER Filed Nov. 5, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGB; a

' AT'TORNEY NVENTOR Patented Feb. 1, 1944 TIME RECORDER Frederick Q. Rast, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 5, 1940, Serial No. 364,393

1 Claim.

This invention relates to time recording devices and, more particularly, to portable time recorders.

The instant invention has for its general object the provision of an improved time recorder of simple and novel construction which may be enclosed in a small case and easily transported from place to place to make the required time recordings.

Another object resides in the provision of improved drive mechanism capable of changing the continuous motion of a marine escapement clock mechanism into an intermittent drive for stepping the time type wheels at minute intervals.

Still another object is to provide a coupling between a timing mechanism which progresses by uniform steps and a time manifesting means, the coupling providing for a relative adjustment of the timing mechanism and the-time manifesting means, by steps corresponding to movements of the time manifesting means one time unit in length.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the recorder with the casing on.

- Fig. 2 shows a section taken through the casing to reveal the operating mechanism in side elevation.

Fig. 3 shows a section taken through the casing to disclose the mechanism in front elevation.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of an adjustable coupling between the timing mechanism and the time indicating and printing means.

Fig. 4a is a modification of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings and particular- 1y to Fig. 1, I0 is a removable cover with provision for attachment of a strap ll suitable for carrying the recorder. The front of the cover is provided with a clock face l2 and has a slit I3 to permit insertion of a time sheet. The covering I0 is secured to a base plate l4 (Figs. 2 and 3) by suitable clamping means (not shown) to prevent unauthorized persons from having access to the time mechanism. A plate is fastened clock mechanism and is journaled between plate l5 and another plate I! parallel thereto. l8 and I9 denote drums containing spring motor drive mechanisms which are wound for driving in opposite directions. The spring drum l8 carries a gear. which meshes with a gear 2| fixed to shaft 22. Spring drum l9 has a gear 23 which drives a gear 24 on shaft 25. Thus shafts 22 and 25 gear for rotation in opposite directions by spring -motor drive mechanisms contained in drums l8 and I9, respectively.

Shaft 22 carries an escapement wheel 26 provided with square-cut notches 26a spaced at equal distances around its periphery. The escapement wheel cooperates with the bent over lugs 21 of a disk 28 freely mounted on shaft 25 in the following manner: shaft 25, which, as previously described,'is driven by spring motor I9,

to plate M by bolts l6 and spaced therefrom by suitable spacers.

The marine escapement comprises a well known has fastened to it a gear 29 which in turn meshes with a gear 30 loosely mounted on shaft 22. Gear 30 has a gear 3| integral therewith which meshes with a gear 32 carried by the disk 28, thereby imparting movement to the disk 28 to cause the lugs 21 to pass intermittently through the notches 26a of the escapement wheel 26. The escapement wheel is continuously turning at a slow rate of speed and it is only when one of the notches 2150. comes into alignment with the adjacent lug 21 of disk 28 that the disk is permitted to step a distance corresponding to the space between lugs. It should be noted that the spring motor l8 which furnishes the driving power for the escapement wheel 26 may be placed under control of any suitable clock escapement mechanism.

Gear 29 carries pawls 33, 34, and 35 (Figs. 4 and 5) pivotally mounted thereon by pins 39. These pawls engage, one at a time, with the teeth of an internal ratchet 3B which is integral with a gear 31 fixed to the hub 48 of a shaft 40 which carries the minute hand 4|. The ratchet is provided with 20 teeth and the three pawls are spaced one third of a tooth out of phase, so that only one is engageable in the ratchet at a time. Gears 31 and 29 are thus normally connected for movement together. However, the ratchet and pawl connection provides a breakable link in the drive mechanism so that the indicating hands and type wheels may be set without affecting the position of gear 29. The fact that there are three pawls and twenty teeth in the ratchet provides for sixty steps of movement during one complete revolution of gear 31 when this gear is set manually with respect to gear 29. The engagement and release of pawls 33, 34, and

as with respect to internal ratchet as is controlled by a camming action of a plate 38 located between gears 28 and 31. The plate has elongated holcs through which the pivot studs 38 of the pawls extend, the holes being considerably larger than the studs, so as to provide for a limited relative movement of the plate 38 with respect to the gear 29. Three pins 49, one for each pawl, are mounted on plate 38 and engage the tails of these pawls to cam the pawls out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 36 as plate 38 is rotated manually in a clockwise direction. Notches are spaced around the rim of plate 38 to facilitate this manual shift. .The tails of the pawls are provided with two notches cooperating with the pins 49 in two different positions of the plate 38. When the deeper notches 50 are opposite the pins 49 the pawls have freedom to move into the tooth spaces of the ratchet 36, under the force of springs 52. When the pins 49 shift, to the shallower notches 5|, the pawls are held clear of the ratchet teeth and the gear 31 can be rotated freely with respect to the gear 29. As the gear 31 turns, the pawls come into register with tooth spaces of the ratchet in succession and when the plate 38 is turned to move the pins 49 back to the notches 50, one of the pawls will drop into one of the tooth spaces, to secure an even minute positioning of the minute hand. Shaft 40 is also connected through suitable reduction gearing 42 and sleeve 43 to the hour hand 44. Gear 31 meshes with an intermediate gear 45 which in turn meshes with gear 46 to drive type wheel unit 41. Gear 46 drives the minute wheel and the remainder of the wheels are driven through well known transfer mechanism which forms no part of the present invention. The intermediate gear is fixed to its shaft 53, which is square ended, to receive a key for setting the hands and type wheels.

Fig. 4a shows a modification of the coupling illustrated in Fig. 4. Two gears H9 and I31 are mounted on shaft 25 in a manner similar to the gears 29 and 31 of Fig 4. Between them is a plate I38 rotatably mounted by its hub I380 upon the hub I48 of gear I31. The gear I31 has a circular series of internal teeth I03, with which teeth IOUa of a locking member I00 interlock. The locking member has an elongated central aperture I001) embracing the hub I380 and an elongated slot I000 by which it is guided upon a pin I39 fixed to the gear I29. A spring l0! laid over the hub I38c engages at its ends the arms I00d of the locking member I00, thrusting the locking member radially outward toward the rack teeth I03. The plate I38 is provided with lugs I38a by which it can be manually rotated for a limited distance, a slot I381) for the pin I39 being made in the plate I38, to allow for this movement. A pin I48 fixed to locking member I00 rides in a cam slot I38b, I38d of the plate I38, as the plate is rotated, to move the locking member I00 into and out of engagement with the rack teeth I03. By rocking the plate I38 to throw the looking member I00 out of engagement with the rack teeth I03, the coupling frees the gear I31, so that the time indicating hands and printing wheels can be set, as previously described.

Further description of the type wheel drive may be had by referring to my copending application Serial No. 305,082.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to two modifications, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claim.

What is claimed is:

In a device of the class described, an escapement mechanism, comprising a controlling member and a controlled member, both rotatably mounted; two spring mechanisms drivingly connected with said controlling member and said controlled member, respectively, so as to rotate each of said members; means for governing the rotation of said controlling member at a definite rate; said members having interengaging means thereon adapted to restrict said controlled member to an intermittent rotation in one direction by uniform steps, as said controlling member rotates; time manifesting means connected to said controlled member so as to be advanced one time unit for each step of the controlled member; the connections between said controlled member and said time manifesting means including a coupling comprising disengageable locking members adapted to interlock in certain positions so related to each other that, in shifting from one position to the next, said time manifesting means is moved through one time unit.

FREDERICK Q. RAST.

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