US2525140A - Clock - Google Patents

Description

B. LERMAN Oct. 10, 1950 CLOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 29, 1949 Im/ntor Ben Lerman '1'llll I [III] III B. LERMAN Oct. 10, 1950 CLOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 29, 1949 Inventor Ben Lerman Patented Oct. 10, 1950 I CLOCK Ben Lerman, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Mastercrafters Clock & Radio Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 29, 1949, Serial No. 135,605

11 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in clocks and more particularly to an electrically driven clock including a swing action movement effective to swing a novel universally mounted oscillatably rotatable ornamental pendulum in a plane perpendicular to the face of the clock.

A clock of the general character of the kind disclosed herein is disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 46,250, filed August 26, 1948, now Patent No. 2,507,026, granted May 9, 1950. The clock shown in that disclosure includes a pendulum swingable in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the clock face and it lacks means to impart animation to the figurine or other object which may be incorporated in the pendulum structure. The present invention is concerned with the provision of means to effect animation without any appreciable increase in labor or material costs and without the inclusion of any additional mechanism. This is accomplished by providing the clock with novel structural means effective to cause a universally suspended. pendulum to oscillatably rotate either to the right or to the left of its normal straight line path while swinging. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide, in combination with a clock, a universally suspended or free swinging pendulum and novel means to deflect said pendulum out of its normal path of travel while it is swinging.

Another object is to provide a novel swing action and suspension means for a pendulum.

Another object is to provide a clock housing embodying novel means to effect deflection of a, pendulum swinging therein.

Another object is to provide a clock housing with a pendulum receiving recess or chamber and a grilled cover detachably secured over said chamber.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a clock embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical central transverse sectional view, taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view of the clock mechanism and rocker means, showing the latter and the pendulum suspended therefrom in front elevation.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the recess cover or grill.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view illustrating the means for detachably securing the upper margin of the cover to the housing.

Fig. '7 is a horizontal sectional detail View, taken substantially on line 1-1 of Fig. l.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the rocker and actuating means.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the invention is illustrated as embodied in a clock generally indicated at H, which clock includes a housing 12 having a face I3 at its upper end and conventional hands l4 rotatable about an axis 5. The housing extends downwardly from the face II and includes a base IS. The front wall of the housing between the base [6 and the face [3 may be formed substantially concave in horizontal section or may be recessed in any suitable manner to define a chamber having a semi-circular back wall II. It is preferred that the housing ll be molded or otherwise formed so that its upper portion is substantially hollow to receive a conventional clock mechanism, generally indicated at I8, behind the face l3. Inasmuch as the clock mechanism constitutes no part of the present invention, it is not illustrated in detail. It is to be noted, however, that said mechanism is of a kind that may be operated by an electric motor I9 having a shaft 2| suitably provided with a Worm gear 22 having an operative connection with said clock mechanism.

The recessed lower portion of the clock housing, defined in part by the semi-circular wall Ii, contains suitable ornamental means such as, for example, a pendulum including a representation 7 of a bird 23 or other figurine suitably positioned housing recess.

As best shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 8, a link 28 has its lower end engaged in the eyelet 21 and its upper end is freely engaged at 29 in the lower margin of a rocker 3!. The rocker 3| comprises a sheet of shape retaining material, such as sheet steel or the like, and it is substantially rectangular in shape. The medial longitudinal area,

thereof is suitably offset, as illustrated, to provide bearing sleeves 32 to freely receive a pintle pin 33, the ends of which project beyond the ends of the rocker 3|. A plate 34, which may constitute a part of one of the conventional wall plates of the clock mechanism l8, or which may be suitably attached thereto in any conventional manner, extends below the clock mechanism and includes a horizontally extending portion 35. This portion has a pair of forwardly extending aligned ears 36, each of which is apertured to receive therethrough a projecting end of the pintle pin 33. In this manner, the rocket 3| is mounted for free oscillatable rotation about a horizontal axis. It should be apparent at this time that the pendulum 24 is universally suspended from the rocker 3| and that any rocking motion imparted to the rocker 3| is transmitted to the pendulum 24 to thereby cause said pendulum to swing in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the clock face.

The means provided to rock the rocker 3| is best illustrated in Figs. 4 and 8. As shown, a shaft 37 is suitably journalled in any conventional manner on the plate 34 of clock mechanism l8. This shaft extends downwardly angularly sufficiently to locate its upper extremity close to the motor shaft 2! while its lower end is disposed outwardly of one end of the rocker 3|. A worm gear 38 fixed on the upper end of said shaft is in constant mesh with the worm gear 22 on motor shaft 2|. The lower end of said shaft carries a toothed element 39 which normally has surface contact with an arm 4| formed integrally with and extending laterally beyond one end of the rocker 3|. The shaft assembly affords means for rotating the shaft 3'5 through direct connection with the motor shaft 2|. Rotation imparted to the shaft 3'! causes the toothed element to rotate and, because the lateral extension 4| of the rocker is in contact therewith, said rocker is oscillatably rotated about its pivot 33. This oscillatable rotation is imparted to the pendulum 24 so as to cause it to swing to and fro in regular sequence. Obviously, the drive connection is so constructed that operation of the clock mechanism will not be impaired by any obstruction preventing free swinging of the pendulum.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of means to cooperate with the free swinging pendulum 24 to divert said pendulum from its normal straight line path while swinging so as to thereby impart animation to the bird representation or other figurine embodied therein. To this end, a cover 42 (Fig. is adapted to be mounted over the housing recess within which the pendulum swings. This cover preferably is formed by molding plastic material but it may be constructed of metal or other suitable material. The cover 42 is suitably shaped to present the appearance of a birdcage including horizontal arcuate rails 43 and 44 and circumferentially spaced vertical bars 45 and 46. The bar 45 is in the present disclosure constructed differently than the bars 45. This bar 46 is located in direct alignment with the center of the bird representation 23 and it is located with respect to the pendulum 24 at such distance that when the pendulum is swung forwardly the forward-most portion thereof, which in the present instance is the bill 4'5 of the bird representation, strikes said bar 46 and is deflected to one side or the other thereof.

Deflection of the pendulum causes the same to oscillatably rotate about its universal mounting, at 28, to thereby create the impression of animation. In order to insure deflection of the pendulum when it strikes the bar 46, the inside surface of said bar is substantially V-shaped, as at 48. It should be quite evident that the direction in which the bird representation and pendulum may move upon striking the surface 48 is unpredictable. As a result, the pendulum may oscillatably rotate to the right or to the left of the bar 46 while continuing to swing in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the clock face. It should be understood that some other irregular surface than bar 46 may be employed to cause displacement of the swinging pendulum from its straight line path.

It is preferred that the cover or grill 42 be removably secured to the clock housing |2. Accordingly, the ends of the horizontal arcuate rail 43 are provided with oppositely extending lugs 5|, each of which is adapted to engage in a recess 52 (Fig. 7) on the inside face of the housing recess adjacent the base It thereof. The upper or domed portion 53 of the grill 42 also is provided with an upstanding lug 54 engageable behind the front wall portion 55 (Fig. 6) of the housing to thereby retain the grill 42 firmly in position.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in the accompanying drawings and described in detail in the foregoing specification, it should be understood that the invention is capable of embodying various modifications in its construction without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a clock having a face, the combination of, a free swinging pendulum, means to swing said pendulum in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said face, and an irregular surface area on said clock in the path of the pendulum, said surface area being impinged by said pendulum to cause the pendulum to oscillatably rotate while swinging.

2. In a clock of the character recited in claim 1, in which the clock includes a housing having an open face portion within which the pendulum is located.

3. In a clock having a housing and a face in the upper portion thereof, the combination of, a free swinging pendulum, said housing having a recessed area below the face in which the pendulum is located, a grill overlying said recessed area, and means to swing the pendulum in a direction to cause a portion thereof to strike the grill so as to cause the pendulum to be oscillatably rotated while swinging.

4. In a clock of the character recited in claim 3, in which the pendulum is representative of a swing having a, bird thereon.

5. In a clock of the character recited in claim 3, in which the pendulum is representative of a bird perched on a swing and the bird has a bill which strikes the grill.

6. In a clock mechanism having a face, in combination, a motor for said clock mechanism including a gear, a shaft having a pinion meshed with said gear for rotating the shaft during motor operation, an element including radial proits pivot while swinging in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said face.

'7. In a clock including a motor driven clock mechanism and a housing therefor extending below said clock mechanism and having a cagelike front wall on its lower portion, the combination of, a gear associated with and operable by said motor, a shaft having a pinion thereon meshed with said gear for rotating the shaft during operation of the motor, a cam-like element fixed on said shaft, a rocker operatively associated with the cam-like element adapted to be oscillatably rocked on an axis parallel to the front plane of the clock during operation of said motor, a pendulum, an articulate connection connecting said pendulum with the rocker so that the pendulum may swing in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the housing while the rocker is being rocked, said pendulum depending into the lower portion of the housing, and a figurine mounted firmly on said pendulum, said figurine coacting with the cage-like front wall during swinging movement of the pendulum to cause said pendulum and figurine to oscillatably rotate.

8. In a clock of the character recited in claim 7, in which the cage-like front wall includes cam surfaces for engagement by the figurine to divert the pendulum from a, straight line path.

9. In a clock of the character recited in claim 'I, in which the pendulum is representative of a swing having a bird thereon.

10. A clock comprising, in combination, a clock mechanism, a motor therefor, a clock face, a free swinging pendulum depending below the clock face, means operatively connecting the pendulum with the motor whereby the pendulum may be swung in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the clock face during operation of said motor, a housing for said clock mechanism motor and pendulum, said housing including an open face portion within which said pendulum is located, and a grill overlying the open face portion, said grill including means to be impinged by the pendulum to cause the pendulum to oscillatably 1'0- tate while it is swinging.

11. In combination with a clock mechanism, a rocker pivotally mounted at its ends in a horizontal plane, a link secured to and depending from said rocker, a pendulum secured at its upper end to said link, means actuated during operation of the clock mechanism engageable with the rocker to impart rocking motion to said rocker, and an obstruction in the path of said pendulum efiective when impinged by said pendulum to cause the pendulum to oscillatably rotate while it is swinging.

BEN LERMAN.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 10,920 Hotchkiss Apr. 10, 1888 180,138 Kroeber July 25, 1876 2,507,026 Lerman May 9, 1950

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