US2529371A - Electric timer - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 7, 1950 2,529,371

l.. P. BENJAMIN ELECTRIC TIMER Filed March 17, 195o s sheets-sheet 1 /NSUL ATION lNVENTOR.

fo/wmv E Bf/vJA MM/ BY MSW@ ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 7, 1950 L` P. BENJAMIN ELECTRIC TIMER VI5 vSheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1950 .Eig4

LECTRICAL /NS ULAT/OIV ELECTRICAL Leo/wmv P. BENJAMIN ATTORNEYS.

NOV 7, 950 L P, BENJAMlN 2,529,371

ELECTRIC TIMER Filed March 17, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 76 64 ooomooooo 2 1' f 63 .,0 I 7g, gj/ oo o 69 INV ENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC TIMER Leonard P. Benjamin, Huntington, W. Va.

Application March 17, 1950, Serial No. 150,287

9 Claims.v (Cl. 161-1) 'I'his invention relates to electro-mechanical timing apparatus which will cause a signal to be sounded or will cause a mechanism to commence or cease operation at a predetermined time. It is an improvement, in some respects, of the timing apparatus disclosed in my copending application for United States Patent Serial Number 794,643, filed December 30, 1947.

An important object of the invention is to provide apparatus for these purposes which is so constituted that it is possible to make any number cf settings, up to sixty, at the same time.

Another important object is to provide apparatus of this kind which will function at any preselected minute during the twenty-four hours ensuing from the time of setting.

Still another important object is to provide a compact assembly of parts making up the novel apparatus, so that it may be housed within a carrying case of quite small dimensions and take up but limited space when in use. This compact arrangement is made possible, in part, by the dual 'functions of portions of the assembkly.

A further important object is to provide an apparatus for the purposes described which embodies an automatic on-and-off electric switch for suitable appliances associated with the new apparatus, a special application of electric plugs in association with specially-designed openings therefor, wherebyY certain of the plugs will be limited in insertion into the openings so that electrical contacts subsequently will or will not be made, and a new arrangement of an electric bridge associated with certain of the plugs and an electric contact plate for predetermined sequence of electrical operations.

In my application for patent referred to above, I disclosed two electrically operated timing means but in my present application, one of the changes embodied over the prior construction is the elimination of one of these means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this disclosure, and in which drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the new electromechanical timing apparatus, with illustrative application of means to connect certain jacks and contacts of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation, with the rear wall of housing of the apparatus removed.

Fig. 3 is one end elevation of the apparatus Wit portions of the walls of the housing removed.`

Fig. 4 is the opposite end elevation with portions of the walls of the housing removed.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation but with a portion of the front wall of the housing broken away in order to reveal the structure beneath.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section, substantially on the line 6 6 of Fig. l.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary showing of certain plugs employed for insertion in specic openings in the front wall of the housing.

Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram of the new apparatus.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the new timing apparatus preferably includes a case or housing Ill, having a bottom wall II, opposite end walls I2, a front wall I3, differing from the iront wall of my timing apparatus described in my copending application referred to above, a rear wall I4, and top wall I5, all defining a chamber I6. Preferably the rear wall I4 may be provided with an opening, closed by a suitable closure so that the chamber I6 may be exposed to View if desired, such as for inspection or repairs of the mechanism therein.

The front wall I3, best shown in vertical section in Fig. 6, comprises an outermost wall section 2B which may have a border or frame extending over the adjacent outer face portions of the walls I I, I2 and I5, an intermediate wall section 2| back of the section 2l! and in abutment therewith and in abutment with the adjacent inner face portions of the walls I I,'I 2 and I5 and an innermost wall section 22. The wall section 2| is provided with a central opening 23 from front to rear, although the frontmost part of the opening is of greater size than the rearmost part, whereby a part of the wall portion 22 surrounding the rearmost part of the opening provides a ange 24. The wall section 22 covers the rearmost mouth of the opening 23, whereby a chamber is provided. The functions of this chamber will be described in conjunction with a shaft 3|, support 34 and contact arm 35.

Contained within the chamber I6 is an electrically-operated means shown, for example, in Fig. 4 and which may be a conventional electric clock, to cause rotation of a member 25 which may be a disc or wheel with the drive shaft of the clock fixed to the center of the member 28. The member 25 iixedly supports a resilient arm 21 projecting from the outermost face of the member 26 and spaced outwardly of the axis of rotation of the member 26. The latter makes one revolution per minute, and the arm 21 may be a strong but springy retraction spiral spring, and is adapted to contact the teeth or cogs of a suitable wheel 28 of di-electric material. There are sixty teeth or cogs, equidistantly spaced about the periphery of the wheel 28, and the circumference of this wheel is sixty times the circumference of the circle described by the arms 21, whereby when the arm 21 engages a tooth or cog of the wheel 28 it will cause the latter to rotate 1/60 or 6 of a complete revolution. The housing of the means 25 may be xedly supported upon a suitable bracket 29 of dielectric material which is, in turn, supported by the walls of the case or housing l0, and the bracket 29 may carry a spindle 30 to rotatably support the wheel 28, which wheel has a forwardly-extending shaft 3l which projects, as in Fig. 6, through a preferably circular panel or disc 32 of dielectric material which, is in turn, mount- 'outwardly of the periphery of the panel 32. This plate 33' may be carried by the wall section 22.

Suitable expansion spiral springs, mounted upon the spindle 39 and shaft 3l tend to floatably position the wheel 28 along the spindle 38.

The' outwardly projecting end portion of the shaftA 3l, after passing through the disc 32, extends through a suitable opening in the plate 33, with the wall of the opening spaced from the shaft, and an opening in the innermost wall portion 22, and into the opening 23 where it adjustably mounts a support 34` for a contact arm 35. The support 34 may be adjustably secured to the s-haft, as by a set screw 36, and the contact arm v35` is preferably of light, springy, electricity-conducting metal, radially disposed with reference to the shaft 3 l The free end portion of the contact arm 35 is positioned to sweep across, as is apparent in Fig. 5, one after another, sixty equally spaced-apart inner holes or perforations 31 arranged in a circle in the wall section 22 and which align axially with sixty like outer holes or perforations 38 in the wall section 29 and shown in Fig. l, where the holes 38 are identified by the numerals to 59 which indicate the minutes of an hour. It will be noted, in Fig. 1 that the holes 31A are of less diameter than the holes 38, for purposes vlater detailed. For example, the diameters of the holes 31 may be one-eighth inch and those ofthe holes 38 three-sixteenth inch. The means 25, thus operatively connected with the contact arm 35 will cause its free end to sweep from one hole or perforation in the wall sections 28 and 22 in one minute.

As in Fig. 4, thel teeth or cogs of the wheel 28 mesh with the teeth or cogs of the outermost indicia-bearing wheel 39 of the two indicia-bearing minute wheels of a conventional minute and hour register or clock 48, whereby this wheel 39 will advance one minute in time recording for each revolution of the drive shaft of the means The indicia-bearing hour wheel 4| of the register or clock 49, as shown in Fig. 3, is provided with twelve teeth which are adapted to mesh with the teeth of a twenty-four tooth wheel 42, whereby the wheel 42 will make a complete revolution in twenty-four hours.

The twenty-four tooth wheel 42 is xed to a shaft .43', journalled in two spaced-apart dielectric material brackets 44 and 45 suitably carried by the housing lll. The shaft 43 mounts a brush 46 with its free end portion constructed and arranged to successively engage two electric contacts 41 and 48 (Fig. 8) which are spaced 180 apart with the axis of rotation of the shaft 43 as a center. These contacts may be carried by the bracket 44 and, consequently, the brush 46 makes two contacts per twenty-four hour day, twelve hours apart and the assembly just described may be termed the A. M. and P. lVI. electric switch means.

In addition, the shaft 43 mounts a second brush or movable contact unit 49 with its free end portion constructed and arranged to successively engage twenty-four electric equally spaced-apart contacts 59, arranged 1140 apart with the axis of rotation of the shaft 43 as a center and carried by the bracket 45, and provide a contact unit so that the second brush or contact unit 49 makes a contact each hour of a twenty-four hour day. The contacts 53 may be carried by the bracket 45.

It will be noted in Fig. 2, for example, that the periphery of the metallic plate 22 does not extend tor the holes 31v (a desirable spacing of the plate periphery and centers of the holes is one-half inch).

Carried by the wheel 28,` preferably adjacent its periphery, and projecting toward the front wall I3 is a substantially U-shaped bridge 5I of electricity-conducting resilient metal with one arm 52 forming a brush contacting the metallic plate 22l while the other arm 53 forms a second brush and this sweeps over the mouths of the holes 31 as the wheel 28 rotates. In order to adjust the bridge 5I so that the arm 53 will be synchronized with the contact arm 35, there may be provided an arcuate slot in the wheel 28 to receive a screw clamp 54 secured to the bridge 5I.

Referring now more specifically to the electrical system of the new timing apparatus, which preferably employs volts, the line supply goes, by way of the conventional terminals of plug 60 and conductors 6I and 62, to the primary windings 63 of the transformer 64, while leads 65 and 66 extend from the conductors 6l and 62 respectively to a conventional appliance outlet 61 having two electric terminals, with a conventional mercury switch 6B' interposed in the lead 65. vOne end of the-'secondary windings 69 of the transformer 64 is electrically connected, as by lead 10 to one terminal 1| of a two-terminal electrical signalling means 12, as a conventional buzzer. From the other end of the windings 69 extends a lead 13 to the brush 46 and to the plate 33. From the other terminal 14 of the signalling means 12 a lead 15 extends to the contact arm 35. There is also provided the electric circuit by lead 16 from lead 16 to one terminal of what may be termed the A. lVI. lamp 11 exposed at the front wall I3 as by a suitable opening in the wall portion 20. A suitable resistance 18 is interposed in the lead 16 which latter also electrically connectsone terminal of what be termed the P. M. lamp 19. From the other terminal of lamp 11 a lead 8U extends to the contact 48, and from the other terminal of lamp 19 a lead 8| extends to the contact 41.

The mercury switch 68 may be manually actuated as by a conventional rotatable knob 82 extending outwardly from the front wall I3 and operatively connected with the pivotally-supported capsule 83 of the switch 58 to oscillate the same as is well known in the art. In addition, this switch 68 may be electrically actuated by means of two solenoids 84 and 85 with their armatures operatively connected with opposite end portions of the capsule 83 as is also well known in the art. One end of the windings of each solenoid is electrically connected, as by lead 86 with one electric terminal or jack 81 of a two-terminal on connection, and one electric terminal or jack 88 of a two-terminal off connection, both opening forwardly in the front wall I3 and may be identified thereon by appropriate indicia as on and oi The other end of the windings of the solenoid 84 is electrically connected, as by lead 89, with the other electric terminal or jack 90 of the off connection, while the other end of the windings of the solenoid 85 is electrically connected, as by lead 9|, with the other electric terminal or jack 92 of the on connection.

Appropriately arranged, as in two parallel rows 93 and 94 of twelve each, are twenty-four spacedapart terminals or jacks 95 also opening forwardly in the front wall I3. Preferably, the row 93 is adjacent the A. M. lamp 11 and the row 94 is adjacent the P. M. lamp 19. In order to designate these rows and the lamps, suitable indicia 96, as A. M. may be placed on the outer face of the wall I3 adjacent the lamp 11 and row 93 and the indicia 91, as P. M. may be placed on this face adjacent the lamp 19 and row 94. The two rows may be separated enough to enable suitable indicia 98, as the numerals 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, to be placed on this face, with one numeral adjacent a jack 95 of each row. These numerals designate what may be termed the hour jacks of each row.

Electrically connected with each terminal or jack 95 is a separate lead 99 extending to and electrically connected with an appropriate contact 50 of the twenty-four contacts heretofore described.

From the lead 13, lead extends to the brush 49 which successively engages the twenty-four contacts 50. Of course, the motor of the electrically-operated clock means 25 is electrically connected, as by leads |0| and |02 with the conductors 6| and 62 respectively.

Referring now to removable and interchangeable means to electrically connect certain selected jacks and contacts, there are provided plug assemblies |05, each comprising a flexible electrical conductor |06 with each end provided with a plug |01, one of which is best shown in Fig. '1, and including a plug body |08 having a forward face |09 from which projects an electrical terminal H0. The latter is of a length enabling it to extend through any of the outer holes or perforations 38, through the opening 23 and into, but not beyond, the inner holes or perforations 31 (being in frictional contact with the wall of thel hole or perforation 31) whereby the terminal I I0 cannot extend into the chamber I6 and cannot be contacted by the contact arm 35 because of the lengths of these terminals-and because the face |09 will contact the outer face of the outermost wall section 20. Of course, the terminals I I8 can make electrical contact with any jack 95.

In addition, there are provided plug assemblies H5, also best shown in Fig. 7, each including a and into the chamber I6, so it may be contacted by the contact arm 35. Here, too, there is good frictional contact of terminal H8 and the walls of the hole 31.

I may add means |20 to indicate the part of a minute elapsed since a last registration of the minute and hour register or clock 40. Such means may be a rotating disc I2| extending through a suitable opening in the wall portion 20 and provided with a pointer or index |22. The disc I2| is preferably operatively connected with the shaft of the member 26 to rotate therewith. rEhe connection |23 may be a flexible tubing in good frctional contact with this shaft. Onthe outer face of the wall section 20 there may be proided second indicia |24 as 0, 15, 30 and 45 to indicate the appropriate seconds of a minute of time.

In addition there is preferably provided a pointer or hand |30 mounted upon the shaft 3| and adapted to sweep over the outer face of the wall section 20 to point, in turn, to the sixty holes or perforations 38 which latter may be designated by suitable indicia |32 as has been described. Of course, the pointer or hand |30, with its longitudinal axis substantially intersecting the axis of one hole or perforation 38, will move clockwise in one minute so that this longitudinal axis will intersect the axis of the next adjacent hole or perforation 38. Additionally I may add indicia |3| to the front face of the wall section 20 adjacent the knob 82, such as off and on whereby the operator will be guided in the appropriate rotation of the knob82.

In the use of the new electro-mechanical timing apparatus, if it is desired, for example, to deactivate, at 1:30 p. 1n., a suitable electrical appliance, such as an oven (not shown) plugged in at the outlet 61, and the knob 82 rotated to the on position (whereby the mercury switch 68 is closed), one plug terminal H0 of a plug assembly I5 is inserted in the jack 95 of the row 94 indicated by the indicia 98 as 1 and the other plug terminal H0 is inserted in one of the two off jacks 88 or 90. Into the other of the two off jacks is inserted a similar terminal H0 of a second plug assembly I5 with the other terminal H0 of this second plug assembly H5 inserted inthe appropriate hole or perforation 38 designated by the indicia |32 as 30 (these two plug assemblies H5 are shown in position in Fig. l). When the appropriate contact 50, i. e., the contact wired by lead 99 to jack 95 (of row 94) designated by indicia 98 as 1 is engaged by the brush 49, and the contact arm 35 contacts the terminal H0 inserted in hole 38 at 30 electric current will ow through the windings of the solenoid and its armature will be attracted and thus tilt the capsule 83 of the mercury switch 68 to the position shown in Fig. 8 and thus break the electric circuit. If the operator desired to turn on or activate the appliance at 1:30 p. m., the only differences reside in the proper manipulation of the knob 82 and insertion of the terminals H0 in the on jacks 81 and 92.

In the event the operator employs a plug assembly H5, in order to remind him of an operation to be undertaken at, say, fifty-one minutes after the hour, he inserts a terminal ||8 in the appropriate hole 38 (i. e., that indicating 51). In this instance, the terminal ||8 will project also, through the hole 31 and beyond the inner face of the front wall section 22. As a vresult, in the sweep of the arm 53 of the bridge 5| across the inner mouths of the holes 31, the arm will contact the terminal 8 and current will how through the bridge J, metallic plate 33, lead 7.3, secondary windings 69, leadl 10, the windings of means 12, lead 15, contact arm (because the arms 35. and 53 are adapted to contact the terminal H8 at the same time) to terminal H8. It is clear from the above, that a number of the plug assemblies may be employedl to cause signals at various desired times during the hour.

From the foregoing it is clear that a setting may be made to cause an appliance to be energized or deenergized at a predetermined time over a time interval of twenty-four hours and that, at the same time, one or more settings may be made so that therev will be a signal at a predetermined time or signals at predetermined time intervals over an hour period.

The contact arm 325v has, as set out, dual functions in the apparatus, and may be employed either independently or in conjunction with the bridge 5l, and the same rotor (shaft 3|) rotates the wheel 28 carrying the bridge 5|, as well as the contact arm 35.

Various changes may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In an electric timer, a wall portion provided with opposite faces and a plurality of spacedapart perforations extending from face to face and arranged in a circle; a contact plate carried on one face of the wall portion; electric switch means including a shaft, a rotatable mem*- ber carried by the shaft, an electric contact arm v of resilient electricity-conducting material carried bythe shaft and constructed and arranged to sweep over one like mouth of said holes, one after another, said arm being disposed closely adjacent that face of the wall free of said plate, an electric bridge havingy two brushes of resilient material and being carried by said rotatable member with one brush extending toward said arm and constructed and arranged to sweep over the other mouths of said holes, one after another, with the other brush in contact with said plate.; means to rotate said rotatable member; signal means having two electric. terminals; an electric appliance outlet having two terminals; a plurality ofv hour jacks; electric commutator means; means electrically connecting said jacks withr said commutator means; inechanical means operatively connecting said rotatable member with said commutator means to mechanically actuate said commutator means; means electrically connecting said commutator means with one terminalV of said signal means; means electrically connecting the other terminal of said signal means with said contact arm; a pair of olf jacks; a pair of on jacks, a source of electric current; connecting means electrically connecting said source of electric current with the terminals of said appliance outlet; an electric switch interposed in said connecting means; elec* tric means operatively connected with said on jacks to close said switch; means operatively connected with said off jacks to open said switch; removable means electrically connecting a selected hour jack with either of said oir jacks; removable means electrically connecting a sele'ctedhourjackv with either of said on jacks, both of said last two means including a portion of electricity conducting material detachably extending'into any selected of said perforations and' of a length insufcient to extend outwardly of said one face of said wall; and removable means electrically -connecting said arm and rst brush, including a portion of electricity conducting material detachably extending into any .selected perforation and of a length sufficient to extend outwardly of both of said faces.

2. An electric timer according to claim 1. in which said means to rotate said rotatable member includesk spaced-apart teeth carried by said rotatablemember and an arm movable to engage and press against said teeth, one after another, to rotate said rotatable member step. bystep; said commutator means includes a movable contact unit and a fixed contacts unit; and said! mechanical means includes a toothed wheel with itsteeth in mesh with said first-named teeth and operatively connected with said electric commutator means to move one of said units into and out of.r electrical contact with the other unit.

3. An electric timer according to claim 1 in which said means to rotate said rotatable member includes spaced-apart teeth carried by said rotatable member, a clock, having a shaft and an arm eccentrically mounted on said shaft of said clock and movableto engage and press against said teeth, one after another, to rotate said rotatable member step by step; said commutator means includes a movable contact unit and a xed contacts unit; and said mechanical means includes a toothed wheel with its teeth in mesh with said first-named teeth and operatively connected with said electric commutator means to move one of said units into and out of electrical contact with the other unit.

4. An electric timer according to claim 1 in which said means to rotate said rotatable member includes spaced-apart teeth carried by said rotatable member, a clock, having a shaft and an arm eccentrically mounted on said shaft of said clock and normally paralleling the shaft of said clock and movable to engage and press against said teeth, one after another, to rotate said rotatable member step by step; said commutator means includes a movable contact angular unit and a fixed contacts unit; and said mechanical means includes a toothed wheel with its teeth in mesh with said first-named teeth and operatively connected with said electric commutator means to move one of said units into and out of electrical contact with the other unit.

5. An electric timer according to claim 1 in which said means to rotate said rotatable member includes spaced-apart teeth carried by said rotatable member and an arm movable to engage and press against said teeth, one after another, to rotate said rotatable member step by step; said commutator means includes a movable contact unit andtwenty-four spaced-apart xed hour contacts providing'a second unit and said mechanical means includes a toothed wheel with its teeth in mesh with said first-named teeth and operatively connected with said electric commutator means to move one of said units into and out of electrical Contact with the other unit.

6. In an electric timer, minute electric switch means including a rotatable member and a contact arm rotatable with said member; electrically-operated means to cause rotation of said member; hour electric switch means; A. M. and P. M. electric switch means; hour and minute indicating means including a rotatable minute wheel and a rotatable hour wheel; mechanical means to cause one complete operation of said hour electric switch means over a period of twenty-four hours and to cause one complete Operation of said A. M. and P. M. electric switch means, through rotation of said wheels by said rotatable member; on-and-off electric switch means; a plurality of on jacks; a plurality of off jacks; means electrically connected with said jacks to actuate said on-andoff switch means; a plurality of hour jacks including A. M. hour jacks and P. M. hour jacks; means electrically connecting said hour jacks with said hour electric switch means; a wall defining a plurality of spaced-apart minute perforations opening at one like mouth of each to the path traversed by said contact arm; electrically-operated signal means; means electrically connecting said signal means with said minute electric switch means; electric applicant outlet means; means electrically connecting said outlet means with said oli-and-on electric switch means; means to supply electric current to said electrically-operated means, to said off-andon electric switch means, to said signal means, to said hour electric switch means, to said A. and P. M. electric switch means and to said minute electric switch means; manually-removable means to selectively electrically connect a selected on jack with a selected hour jack, including electricity-conducting terminal portions adapted to enter said jacks and said perforations; manually-removable means to carry an electric .current from another selected 01T jack to a selected minute perforation or to carry an electric current from another selected off jack to another selected minute perforation including electricity-conducting terminal portions adapted to enter said jacks and perforations; and manually-removable means, including an elongated electricity-conducting portion, to plug in a selected minute perforation to cause electrical actuation of said signal means when said contact arm engages saidelectricity-conducting portion within said last-named selected minute perforation.

7. In an electric timer according to claim 6 in which said A. M. and P. M. electric switch means includes a two-contact unit and a onecontact unit, one of said units being rotatable with said hour wheel.

8. In an electric timer according to claim 6 in which said wall includes an outermost wall portion containing portions of all of said perfora- 10 tions, an innermost Wall portion containing the other portions of all of said perforations, an intermediate wall portion containing an opening, said wall portions dening a chamber extending to said perforations, with said contact arm disposed within and rotatable within said chamber and extending to the mouths of said perforations. 9. In an electric timer according to claim 6 in which said Wall includes an outermost Wall portion containing portions of all of said perforations, an innermost wall portion containing the other portions of all of said perforations and an intermediate wall portion containing an opening, said Wall portions defining a chamber extending to said perforations, with said contact arm disposed within and rotatable within said chamber and extending to the mouths of said perforations, and said minute electric switch means includes a plate of electricity-conducting material, an electric bridge carried by said rotatable member, said bridge having two brushes with the iirst brush movable in a path, upon rotation of said rotatable member, over the innermost mouths of said perforations spaced from said mouths to which said contact arm extends, and the second brush engages said plate; said electricity-conducting portions being of a length to extend outwardly of any of said innermost mouths and into the path of travel of said rst brush, and said terminal portions being of a length insuflicient for them to project outwardly of any of said innermost mouths when they are inserted in said perforations.'

LEONARD P. BENJAMIN.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 875,698 Dubs Jan. 7, 1908 880,675 Latchford Mar. 3, 1908 885,953 Ragan Apr. 28, 1908 887,807 Hughes May 19, 1908 951,148 Ragan Mar. 8, 1910 2,165,483 Huggins July 11, 1939 2,186,964 Foster Jan. 16, 1940 2,238,894 Foster Apr. 22, 1941 2,240,499 Elliott May 6, 1941

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