US2484152A

US2484152A - Radio time switch

Info

Publication number: US2484152A
Application number: US575828A
Authority: US
Inventors: David A Bruton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-02-02
Filing date: 1945-02-02
Publication date: 1949-10-11
Anticipated expiration: 1966-10-11

Description

D. A. BRUTON RADIO TIME SWITCH Oct. 11, 1949.

Filed Feb. 2 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 .0 w 2 4 2 M J 2 N P. 0 ma 0 7 NF W 2 .0 W 4 zllll a WY} h j D. A. BRUTON 2,484,152

RADIO TIME SWITCH Oct. 11, 1949.

Filed Feb. 2, 1945 INVENTOR.

7 (Bret/70F $6 V/a'i Afro/May;

Patented Oct. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT ROF-FICE RADIO TIME SWITCH David A. Bruton, Albemarle, N. 0.

Application February 2, 1945, Serial No.5.75,828

(Cl. ZOO-38) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to time switches for energizing electrical equipment, and more particularly, to a time switch adapted to energize a radio receiver at predetermined time periods.

A main object of this invention is to provide an improved structure for automatically turning on a radio receiver at predetermined times in order that'desired scheduled radio programs may be heard.

A further object of this invention is to provide for automatic radio time switch for turning on a radio receiver at scheduled times and for maintaining the receiver energized for the duration of the desired programs, automatically deenergizing the receiver at the scheduled time of conclusion of said programs.

Further objects of this invention will appear from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a View in end elevation of a timeswitch in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the time switch of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of the time switch of Figure I.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through the drum member of the time switch of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a rockable lever member employed in the time switch of Figure 1.

Many of the regularly scheduled radio programs now being broadcast are interspersed with material undesired from the listeners standpoint, and many listeners do not care to hear this undesired material while waiting for a favorite program to be presented. However, unless close attention is paid to the time, the receiver may not be turned on to provide the desired program, especially if the listener becomes preoccupied with other activities during the period preceding the desired program. It is, therefore, a prime purpose of this invention to provide automatic energization of the receiver at the proper time for the scheduledprogram without requiring the continuous attention-f the listener. Referring to the drawings, I designates a conventional clock mechanism, the case ofwhich is secured by a bracket 2 to an-arm'3- forming part of a hollow front end frame element 4 of a supporting structure which carries the control mechanism of the switch device of this invention.

The supporting structure comprises a fiat rectangular base having upwardly projecting therefrom the hollow front end frame element 4 and a first rear end element 6 secured to base 5 by a screw '1. Frame element 4 is perpendicular to base ii at the lower portion thereof and is aligned with end element 6. A horizontal shaft 8 is journaled between the topportion of element 6 and the top portion of the vertical-part of element i. The upper portion of element 4 comprises parallel inclined arms 3 and' 9 which merge at their top portions intoa horizontal 'top wall Iii. Top wall I9 is integrally united to base. 5 by a vertical side wall H.

A second rear end frame element [2 extends upwardly from base 5 to top' wall 10, being rigid- 1y secured to said base and top wall, and is further provided with a transverse horizontal top portion anda downwardly projecting front portion l4 rigidly secured to top wall HI. Secured between front portion I4 andrear portion [2 is a horizontal shaft 15.

Integrally formed in side wall H is a switch housing It provided with appropriate switch means adapted tobe closed by downward movement of an actuating plunger Ilwhich is biased to an upper position by a' coiled spring l8. When plunger I1 is depressed, contact is made inside housing 16 to electrically connect'wire leads l9 and Hand to close the energizing circuit for the radio receiver.

The shaft for the hour hand of clock I extends rearwardly through the clock casing and is journaled in arms 3 and 9, said shaft being provided with agear 2|. Gear 2| -meshes with an idler gear- 22-mounted=on asecond shaft journaled in arms 3 and 9, '-which in turn meshes with a gear 23 mounted on shaft 8. Shaft 8 carries a drum member 24 rigidly mounted thereon inwardly of the frame structure. Drum member 24 is providedwith horizontal hour markings, which, with'reference to a fixed pointer 25 denote the time. 'The values of time indicated by pointer 25 are set by properly adjusting drum 25' on shaft 8, so that they will correspond with the values indicated by the-hour hand of clock I.

Drum member"24= isprovided with a double row of peripheral slotsZS, soarranged that the slots overlap completely around the periphery of the drum. Said slotsQG are -adapted to receive the shank portions "29 0f cam members' 21, said cam members being shouldered I at their 1 outer portions to bear on the outer surface of the drum member 24 While being secured from inside said drum member by wing nuts 28 threadedly engaged with the shank portions 29 and bearing against washer members 30 provided between.

3 wing nuts 28 and the adjacent inner surface of drum member 24.

Cam members 2'! are formed with inclined portions 3! and curved top portions 32. Pivotally mounted on shaft I5 is a lever member 33 havin a cam contacting arm 34 and a plunger contacting arm 35. Lever member 33 is of substantial width and intersects the vertical planes of both rows of slots 26. Said lever member 33 is biased by spring 18 to a position wherein the lower straight edge of cam contacting arm 34 is normally maintained closely adjacent to the surface of drum member 24, a stop member 36 bein formed on the lever member 33 which cooperates with horizontal arm I3 to limit the biasing action so that said lower straight edge of arm 34 will not normally actually touch the drum surface. However, as drum member 24 rotates, responsive to the action of clock I which is transmitted to shaft 8 by gears 2|, 22 and 23, the cam members 21, positioned at predetermined positions corresponding to time values in appropriate slots 26 in the drum member 24, contact arm 34 and rock lever member 33, thereby causing arm 35 to depress plunger I1 and establish electrical contact between wires l9 and 20. This contact will be maintained until the lower contactin edge of arm 34 rides oiT the cam member 21, whereupon spring [8 causes plunger [1 to rise and open the switch. Thus the duration of contact will depend upon the length of the top flat portions 32 of the cam members 21, since the switch contacts will be closed only while contact arm 34 bears on said flat portions. Therefore in order to provide energization of the receiver for programs of various lengths, cam members 21 are provided having flat top portions 32 of corresponding lengths. The position of said flat top portion with respect to the calibration marks on drum member 24 will indicate the time and duration of energization of the receiver which will be produced by a given cam member 21 in a particular position of adjustment in its slot 26.

In operating the device, clock I is set to the correct time and the various cam members 21 are selected and adjusted on drum member 24 in accordance; with the scheduled programs desired to be heard. Wire lead I9 is connected to one terminal of the receiver power switch and wire lead 29 is connected to the other terminal of said power switch, the power switch being left in the off position. In this manner the time switch of this invention is substituted for the conventional radio receiver switch, but the conventional switch may be used to energize the receiver at any desired time independently of the time switch.

With the power switch open, the clock and gearing will rotate drum member 24, causing energization of the receiver as contact arm 34 rides up onto the flat top portion of each cam member and deenergizin the receiver as soon as said contact arm rides off said top portion. In this manner the receiver is energized in accordance with the predetermined desired schedule.

While a specific embodiment of a time switch for radio receivers and other electrical devices has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention will occurto those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention other than as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A time switch, comprising a support, a rotatable drum mounted upon the support and including a periphery and a closed end and having one end open, said periphery being graduated circumferentially in units of time, said periphery having circumferentially extending elongated slots co-related with the graduations, lugs mounted upon the outer face of the periphery and wider than the slots to form shoulders engaging the periphery, inwardly extending radial shanks carried by the lugs and projectin through the slots to the interior of the drum, washer members arranged within the drum and mounted upon the shanks, winged nuts within the drum having screw threaded engagement with the shanks and engaging the washer members, a switch biased open and mounted upon the support and arranged near the drum, a pivoted lever to operate the switch and arranged to contact with the lugs and be shifted thereby, and means to turn the drum.

2. A time switch, comprising a support, a rotatable drum mounted upon the support and including a periphery and closed end and having an open end, said periphery being graduated circumferentially in units of time, said periphery being provided with a plurality of sets of circumferentially extending slots, the slots in one set bein staggered with the slots in the other set and overlapping therewith, the graduations being common to both sets of slots, a set of lugs for each set of slots, the lugs in each set being mounted upon the outer face of the periphery and wider than the slots to form shoulders engaging the periphery, inwardly extending radial shanks carried by the lugs and projecting through the slots to the interior of the drum, washer members arranged within the drum and mounted upon the shanks, winged nuts within the drum having screw threaded engagement with the shanks and engaging the washer members, a switch biased open arranged near the drum and mounted upon the support, a pivoted lever to operate the switch and having a wide end to span both sets of lugs to be engaged by both sets and moved thereby, the arrangement being such that access may be had to the thumb nuts through the open side of the drum.

DAVID) A. BRUTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,429,525 Olden Sept. 19, 1922 1,873,637 Kuykendall Sept. 20, 1932 1,882,495 Hipp Oct. 11, 1932 2,224,792 Madison Dec. 10, 1940 V FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 642,473 Germany" Mar. 5, 1937