US2636337A - Alarm device - Google Patents

Description

April 28, 1953 c. MAsoN ETAL ALARM DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 2.

Filed April 16, 1949 FIG. 4.

FIG. 3.

GO 65 8O 8 llll IL ATTORNEYS April 28,1953 C. MASQN ETAL 2,636,337

l ALARM DEVICE Filed April 16, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToRs COLLINS MASON CARL A. IMHOFF ATTORNEYS `April 28, 1953 C. MASON ETAL ALARM DEVICE '3 Sheets-Shaml 3 Filed April 16, 1949 FIG;l lo.

mvENToRs COLLINS MASON CARL A. Il HOFF Flca.A

ATTORNEYS 'release element.

Patented Apr. 28, 1953 ALARM DEVICE Collins Mason, Los Angeles, and Carl A. Imhoi, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Application April 16, 1949, Serial N o. 87,928

8 Claims.

This invention relates to alarm devices for use as an accessory to and in combination with any conventional clock mechanism.

Clock alarms are, of course, old; but all those of which we are aware require a tedioussetting operation and, for that reason are unsuited to the principal purposes of the present invention. For instance, to set a conventional clock alarm, one must rotate a setting knob while observing the position of a hand on a setting dial, and then the release must be set so that when the alarm time arrives the alarm is free to operate. Consequently, conventional clock alarms are unsuited for uses requiring an instantaneous and simple setting operation such as for a therapeutic treatment or cooking.

Also, it often happens that a. person desires to sleep a while longer after first awakening, but is afraid to fall asleep again for fear of oversleeping. On the other hand, the intricacies of setting a conventional clock alarm are so great that a sleepy person would lose any desire for further sleep after setting or resetting a con ventional clock alarm.

It is therefore among the objects of this invention to provide an alarm device which may be instantly set with a minimum of effort.

A further object is to provide an alarm mechanism which normally is out of operative engagement with the clockworks, but which may be so operatively engaged by a quick, simple operation and will provide an alarm at any predetermined time after such engagement.

A further object is to provide an alarm setting and actuating device in the operation of which the user does not have to observe the time indicated by clock hands.

Another object is to provide an alarm setting and actuating device which requires no alarm For instance, it is well known that many people, after setting an alarm, forget to operate the release, with the result that no alarm is produced when the alarm time arrives.

" Further objects and advantages subordinate vention to any particular detailed arrangement, i

except as may be indicated by the annexed claims. However, for explanatory purposes, we shall now describe certain embodiments of the invention by reference to the accompanying drawings.

wherein Fig. l is a side elevation of an alarm clock, with a portion of the casing broken away to expose inner parts to view;

Fig. 2 is a plan view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l;

engagement by a manually operable knob ex- Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged fragmentary views taken on lines 4--4 and 5 5, respectively, of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 5-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side View of a modied form of the invention, with some parts shown in section;

Fig. 8 is like Fig. 7, except that it shows the parts in another position;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation, with some parts in section, of a further modification;

Fig. l() is a front elevation of another embodiment;

Fig. l1 is an enlarged iront elevation of the device of Fig. 10 with the dial and hands removed;

Fig. l2 is a fragmentary View like Fig. l1 cX- cept that parts are shown in another position;

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 are sections taken, respectively on lines i3`-l3, lll-I4, and l5|5 of Fig. l1; and

Fig'. 16 is a fragmentary elevation of va further modication.

In general the invention is carried into practice by providing an alarm mechanism, which may or may not be the ordinary alarm unit of a 'conventional alarm clock, and provide an alarm actuating means which is normally out of operative engagement with the clockworks, but which may be brought into such engagement by an extremely simple and instantaneous operation.

`Such engagement automatically sets the alarm to release at any predetermined future time. It is our preference to have this actuating means take'the form of a rack which, by ratchet means, may be engaged with the center shaft of a clock, or with'the first wheel or any other part of the time mechanism. The rack is moved into such teriorly of the clock casing. When our invention is employed as an auxiliary to the conventional alarm system ofl a clock, the operation which engages the actuating means with the clockworks also serves to isolate the conventional alarm release mechanism of the clock for 'the 'predetermined period.

Referring nowto the drawings, we show at 5 a conventional alarm clock casing, within which a rra-me 6 supports the clock mechanism l. Since lsuch clock mechanisms are well known in the art, no detailed description of the conventional elements is necessary.

For instance, such a clock mechanism has a driven center shaft l0 on the outer end of which the minute hand M is mounted and which in directly drives the hour hand H. This shaft makes one complete revolution every hour.

The conventional alarm system of a clock typically includes a governor i4 fixed on a shaft i5 carrying a gear i6 driven by a gear I'l-operated by the alarm spring I8 through the usual gear train. The alarm clapper, not shown, is

operatively connected to the spring through said gear train so that when movement ofthe gov-7 ernor is arrested, the alarm is inoperative.

A resilient latch arm 2i) has a pointed jouter end 2i which normally projects into the path of rotation of the governor to arrest movement of the latter. The latch arm is normally held in such governor arresting position by the .inner end 23 of the hub 24 of a gear 25, which gear is slidably and rotatably mounted on a setting sha-ft 2l. The outer end portion of the hub is hollow and has a cam face 25 on its outer end to engage the radial arm 3l of a collar 30 iixed on the right hand end of setting shaft 2l. In setting the conventional'alarm, the shaft 2l is rotated to advance the radial arm 3| with respect to the low point 'of the cam face; and when the gear 25 rotates, in response to the time mechanism,

Vuntil the lcw'point of the cam face comes into register with the radial arm 3l, the gear 25 will move outwardly on its shaft, allowing the latch arm 2li to iiex outwardly to move its end Ziout of the path of movement of the governor. The conventional alarm system is then released to create the alarm.

Gear 25 is operatively connected to the hour hand operating .gear trainthrough pinion 35 mounted on the stub shaft 36, which shaft also carries gear 3l meshing with a pinion 38 on shaft IG'. The hour handH' is operatively vconnected .to shaft. Hl through gear train 38, 3 1, 35

Aandlll.

For locking the latch arm 2l! when it is desired to render it inoperative regardless of the `reiative position of the cam face 29 and radial arm 3l, a lever l5 is pivoted to the clockwork frame 6 at i6 and has a cam element il' which engages between the frame 6 and a washer 48 carried on the end of Va slide bar 49 whose opposite end is Xed to the latch arm 2@ between the ends of the latter. In the position shown, the cam is out of engagement with the washer, thus permitting they slide bar to move axially and in turn permitting the latch arm to swing away'from the frame B by virtue of its own resiliency when the cam relief 29 moves into register with the radial Thus far we have merely described the'alarm system, and part of the time system, ofV a conventional alarm clock of the Big Ben type, to

whichwe make no claim of'invention, except in combination with the feature now. to be described.

.We pvot an arm or lever 6B to the frame 6 at 6| and provide a spring 52 to urge said arm upwardly. Adjacent the outer end of said arm, we provide a somewhat depending, linger k65 which, when the arm @il is swung downwardly,

moves into the path of rotation of the governor to arrest rotation of the latter,

On shaft lll we fix a ratchet 86 and rotatably mount a `ratchet-gear 6'! urged into engagement with ratchet 56 by a spring 58. Shaft I0 has a portion of squared cross section tting in ,the ratchet 66, while ratchet-gear 6l has a circular .axial opening Ela to receive the .squared Portion yofthe shaft.

Pivotally secured to the outer end of arm 50, at 69,we provide a depending rack arm 10, along the lower end portion of which we provide a row of rack teeth 'H meshing with ratchet gear 67.

For instance, ii the ratchet gear 6T has 12 teeth, we provide twelve rack teeth l, so that one complete revolution of the ratchet gear moves the rack a distance equal to the length of the toothed area. The rack arm is urged outwardly, or to the left in Fig. l, about its pivot, by a spring 15, so that the rack teeth are always resiliently held in engagement `with the gear 6l.

Thus, when arm El) is swung downwardly, the auxiliary alarm is automatically set by the rack arm rotating the ratchet gear to the desired eX- tent, vand the governor is maintained arrested by the nger 65 until the rack moves over the ratchet gear sufficient to free the linger from the governor, which then permits the alarm signal-to be given. f

To disengage the latch arm portionl from the governor, in order to enable our aum'liary alarm actuating means to operate, theY arm 6D lcarries a depending projection 8S) having a wedge-shaped lower end to enter between the iatch'varm and .the frame 5 when the arm til-is swung downwardly. This springs the outer end `of ythe latch arm `away from the casing and thus allows rotation of the governor when armi!! moves upwardly far Venough to free its nnger 5 from "engagement with the governor. The projection 8B is longer than the 'linger 55. To depress the arm Sil, we provide an opening til in the clock casing top wall and provide a screw Si threaded into the arm til, and astop 92 is engagea-ble 'oy-the inner end of the screw. We also provide an upright plate Qfi exteriorly'of the clock casing', upon whichwe show suitable indicia in minutes positioned vfor .registry with the outer end of the screw. Y` In operation, assuming that it is desired to set the auxiliary'alarm to give an alarm signal onehalf hour hence, the screw'Ql will he'adjusted so that rit will permit enough downward move- Inent ofthe rack lil to rotatethe ratchet gear 6l a ha'lf'revolution before the inner end of the screw engages the stop 92. This downwardmovement of the arm causes finger 55 to move into thepath of movement of the governor, and also iiexes the latch arm outwardly, so that when the ratchetA gear has rotated clockwise a half turn the linger will first move out of the pathof the governor, allowing the alarm signal'to commence. The signal will continue until the projection moves free ofthe latch arm, whichfpermits the latch arm tov flex inwardly to arrest movement of thel governor and stop lthe alarm.

While we 4have described the rack as being operated by the center shaft, it will -be apparent 'that any other driven part of the time lmechanism may bevused to engage the rack. We have l`merely chosenthe center shaft because it rotates whereby the alarm may be set for, say, a fteen minute period by once pressing inwardly upona setting button, or may be set for thirty minutes by pressing twice upon the setting button, etc., thus eliminating the necessity of any adjustmen of the manual actuating means. i

Here the numeral Elia denotes the setting arm,

which is like arm @il previously described except that at its outer end it has a curved portion |00 presenting ratchet teeth A'leaf spring |03 is fixed tothe clockwork frame 6 as by a split screw |04, and has an upturned outer end presenting a transverse slot |05. A toggle having legs |00, |01 and |08 is pivotally attached to the inner end of a. push rod |0 carrying a push butt0n on its outer end. Toggle leg |05 is pivoted at one end ||2 to ears IIS and at its other end to leg |08, while leg |01 is pivoted at its inner end to leg |08 and slides at its other end along the top surface of the spring |03 through slot |05. A stop 5 limits downward movement of the spring, while a stop IIB limits its upward movement. A cross pin I 1 limits outward movement of the push rod ||0, and a coil spring ||8 urges the push rod outwardly.

The ratchet teeth |0| are spaced apart so as to represent, for instance, fifteen minute periods. That is, when the arm 60a is pushed downwardly the distance of one tooth, the rack moves the ratchet gear 61 enough to require the time shaft |0 to rotate through a. fteen minute period to return the rack. Thus, if it be desired to set the alarm to ring thirty minutes hence, two inward .pushes on the button will accomplish such setting. On eash push, the toggle is first operated to cause toggle leg |01 to engage a ratchet tooth |0| and then continued inward pressure on the button flexes the spring enough to swing the arm 60a downwardly until the spring |93 engages stop I|5 (Fig. 8) which downward movement causes rack arm 10 to rotate the ratchet gear .61 clockwise. Release of pressure on the button allows the spring |03 and spring |8 to return the parts to the position of Fig. 7. Thus each consecutive push on the button sets the alarm for an additional fifteen minute period hence.

In Fig. 9 we illustrate one of the various ways in which the arrangement of Figs. l-S, or '158, may be employed to actuate an electric alarm. Here, instead of the parts 2| and 55 before described, arm 60h has an extension |25 disposed, when in its uppermost position, to engage a toggle arm |26 to move the arm above center and cause it to raise a spring loaded switch arm |21 and thus actuate a switch |28 to close an electrical circuit, through wires 23, |30 to an electric alarm, such as a bell, not shown. The toggle arm |26 may be returned to off position (Fig. 9), and

thus stop the alarm, by depressing a spring loaded push rod |32. Adjusting screw 9 a when manually pushed downwardly to stop 92a. operates lever 60h.

In Figs. 10-15, we show a further modication of our invention, illustrated as applied to a conventional alarm clock mechanism such, for instance, as a Little Ben clock.

The numeral 200 indicates the front frame plate holding the clockworks, to which the partial overlying plate is attached by screws 2.03. 2 0 is the minute hand carrying or center' shaft operated by the time mechanism to rotate clockwise a complete revolution once every hour. The minute hand is denoted 2| i. The hour hand 220 is indirectly driven from shaft 2|0 through the train of gears 2|2, 2|3, 2|4 and 2|5.

A gear 225, driven from gear 2 I4 carries a hub flange 226 socketed to receive a collar 228 on the alarm setting shaft 225. The collar has a radial arm 230 which rides over the eccentric cam face 23| of the ange 226. The shaft 225 and collar 228 remain rotatably stationary after once being set, and when the gear 225 rotates in response to the time mechanism to the point at which the arm 230 reaches the low point of the cam face 23|, the conventional alarm is released to operate because of the following mechanism: a resilient arm 235 xed at its inner end to the casing .by screw 235, bears outwardly against the inner face of gear 225, thus holding the cam face 23| in engagement with the arm 230. The arm 235 has an inwardly bent outer end portion 235a which normally engages a pin 238 projecting from the side of the alarm clapper 240 which is secured on the clapper operating shaft 24|. The clapper strikes against the metallic clockworks housing 242. Thus, when the gear 225 is rotated to a point where the radial arm 230 reaches the low point of said cam face 23|, the resilient arm 235 pushes the gear 225 axially outwardly on the shaft 229, allowing the arm 235 to flex outwardly far enough to permit its free end to move out of engagement with the pin 238, allowing the clapper to operate. 245 is the manual alarm lock which, when pulled out, releases the described alarm mechanism to operate when the alarm point is reached.

Up to this point in the description of the mechanism of Figs. 10-15, we have merely described essential elements of a conventional time and alarm clock mechanism, which are so well understood in the art as to require no further detailed description. We shall now describe our auxiliary alarm arrangement of this adaptation and its cooperation with those conventional parts.

An arcuate lever 250 is pivoted between its ends to the frame plate 220 by a screw 252 and has a slot 253 to receive a movement limiting screw 254. A pawl 260 is pivotally connected to the outer end of the lever by screw 26|. The outer end of the pawl is disposed to be normally out of engagement with a ratchet-toothed gear 265 mounted on a shaft 205. Gear 255 iixedly carries a segmental gear or rack 268 whose teeth 268 mesh with a gear 210 rotatably mounted on a shaft 21|; and gear 210 has ratchet teeth 2100: on its underside which engage side teeth 212 on a gear 213, the peripheral teeth of the latter gear meshing with gear 2|2 on shaft 2|0. A spring arm 215, Xed at one end to the frame plate 200 by screw 215, bears at its outer end against the end of gear 210 to yieldably hold its ratchet-toothed under face 210a in engagement with teeth 212 on the outer face of a gear 213.

A spring 280 urges the outer end of the lever 250 towards gear 258 to such extent that screw 254 normally abuts the right-hand end of slot 253 as a stop, while a spring 282 bears against the inner end 283 of the pawl to urge the outer end of the pawl towards the ratchet gear 255, although normally the beveled outer end-of the pawl is held out of engagement with said gear by a xed stop pin 285 until the pawl is pulled to the right enough to permit engagement of the pawl with the ratchet gear.

A leaf spring 290 (Fig. i0), xed at one end to the outer clock casing 292, carries a push button 293 at its outer end and a depending pin 294 which engages the flattened inner end 25M of the ,f lever 25E, so that when the button is pushed downwardly once, it engages and depresses the inner end of the lever, causing the lever to swing about its pivot and draw pawl 260 to the right to engage it with the ratchet gear 265 and rotate that gear counterclockwise to the predetermined extent desired. Rotation of that gear causes the segmental gear 268 to rotate the ratchet gear 210 clockwise. Upon release of the push button, the spring 280 returns the lever and pawl to the original position.. As will become obvious, two or 'il moneisiiccessivepushesiup'oni the: bottoni wlimove weggaan-2&8 commensurately farther irr a' courre tercloclewisedii'ectionl. The' extent-to which the geen is'. thus, rotated! countercloclwise deter mines. tiie-k period to elapse.beoretlieI alarm will be released; since to accomplish such release'tlre center4 shatoperat-ing. clockwise, mii-st, through gears Zit, Elli,L rotateV gearv Zoli. clockwise to its starting position.

Assuming that the conventional alarm.. mechanism. isfnot' settoV releasev sin'xultaneously` with) the release ofthe auxiliary'alarin; itis/of course nece'ssanvf.y to; providel means, operable.I in consonance withrthe setting oithe auxiliary. alarm; to. release the alarm.clappervsothat it will befr-ee to operatewlerr: the auxiliary' alarm. timel arrives; The mechanism; whichi wei here 1 provide for" this. innetionwill; noia be described;

Alpl'ate. isv pivoted to tne frame plate 'ii asabyj-scitew-iill, andthe plateiiircarries a wedge -u shaped projection 3,5335 tapering tol a point at its; outer end disposed to enter wedaellie between therresilientloclringaarm 255 anali the frame plate Zilitojfspring; or flex; said arm cutqoiA arresting engagement; withi clappei.; Theplate; Sliii also carries an; inwardly. projecting pin Sie' which m'oveeinto thefpath otne; clapper asthefprojectiorr 3,83- springs '.tliefarm; 2135 outwardly' to v release the clapper.` 'Baseline the pla-te ior accomplishing this flinctornwe provides the plate; withV an arcuate. Drojecti.on 3f! 5; having; an inner earn face, ami-providea depending pin 3 i l the gear'iili; so.;- tliat.. upon the;v initial oounterciockwise movemento'ir; that-gear, thepiircamsthe projection-3 l 5 o.utwardly1 swinging-v the plate 3&3. as, described. Euptliencounter-clockwiserotatipn of said: gear holds thel piioliection so.; camrnecl outwardly but doesrnotinove-it farther.. outwardly. since theproe jectionfis cui'yedraboutvthe radins of: movement of the pin. A spr-ingpl. urges. the. plate Bilo. into i;

engagement. with. pinsI 85a and. 3 Il.A

We provide a booster.. serine 32.9. whichv urges 'olie-1V gear. 26.8. Clockwise. to` compensato.: for any. possible drag upon the time, mechanism which might.` betoilered by the auxiliary alarm, mechal,

nismwdescriloed..

To.. visually,` indicate. on the clock dial D. how many, puslieahavebeenimnosed upon thebutton 293, we provide an arcuate slot 330 in the daal and. display Suiiabla spaced. indicia: theroalong, auch; aslt 2,.3; And...nrojeotineiromiheiront face of.; the segmental... gaat. 2.63 Wei provide a pin. 3&2. wliioli-v projects; intov the.- Slot.. Thus.. as. the gaan 26o is; rotated,.ilie nin. 332% is.. moved. along. tile-slot.

@paratianiv o; this.; embodiment is. a.s.-f;ollows:.

. For'. exnlnatorylpurnoses.; We. shallassumeftliat the; conventional; alarm. mechanism; isz Set. to. ref leaseat.. a timer several. hours; hence, but that the user wishes to have the auxiliary alarm.. operate one-ha-lfxhour hence withoutthe. necessity' of. having to go toy the,` trouble of. 11e-setting the.y corrventional alarm. We shall also assume that the auxiliary alarm mechansmis made so thatV one pushgupon the buttonZ 93wi1l move the segmental gearcounterclockwisel suiicientv to require oneeauarterhourfs operationoi the time:l mechanism to rotatethe segmental gea-r clockwise tostartjng position..

Lihuel to.; set. the.: auxiliaioll alarme to operate one-hali hour loence,` all, theater basi toJ do.. is: to Dushdownwardly on the button. two. consecutive times Thiswill Inovethe gear Zcounterclockf. wsein. two stagesoi iifteen. minutesy each to the. nosiiionof.:r Eieziz; Upon the rst pushzuponthe and; projection: iwilifhavel;clisengagedithe locke.

ingfarm. from the cl'appen As..- soon esthecenter shattzhas'f-.bee'n rotated byithe clocktim'e mechanismLsumcier-it to denotethe elapse of'oneI-- halt hour, the geaiwwill have been. returned.- substantialiy; to; starting position, or farenoughr to. cause thepin 3311i to ride overthe inner-parli ofthe beveled. outer endl of the: cam surface off projection: 3:55; Atithaii pointrtheiplate SBU will be permitted to swing: under' the influence of spring Sk8. suf'cien-tly toi move. pin 3-1'05 outl of ther` path of thetcl'apper'-, permitting thel'at'terto commence. operation. Upon fiill.y return' to; starting position of gear'; thevloeveled"v projection Soli'. will' completely withdraw from` beneath the arm*` 235, allowing that. armi toy springgback intj'o arresting engagement withl thef clapperr Thus the' period of the auxiliaryalarmfwillfbe t-hetime between saidl movement ofpin'f'l'l 0 out oftl'iepatih' oftl'iel clapperand-theK subsequent complete withdrawal of the projection 3113 K from* beneath arm 235.

' However, if'itV beddesired to provide foralongeralarm signal; we may'use' the variational form of lockingarm release shown iii-Fig; 16; Here in'- stead ofnxing:A theprojection 353i; to; plate 300m we slidably--mount' the'projectiongina recess 3.15 in plate illla. TheL projection hasalorlgitugiinal slotsii' through'. whichA projects. a, pin. 3.1;1 carriedby: the plate, The, innerv end. of; theolojection has a right angle projection 31:8 which.'

A nroieotsthrougli. andmojiesn aslot.v 319.. in the bottom.Walloreoessli. Onswineing--tliaplate to the ref tthe pin. 31.1.eneaena the engii or slot. 316,., roovesthanrojeotion under: the locking' arm, but uponswinging tlriev plate inthe reverse; direc:` tion.- the. pin willl more along; the. slot. and; allow the projection tomemain. under theloekinalm until itj ismanuallyl Wthdi'fwll miIlS'Qfr the. projection 3.178 Wloioh-v projects from:V 4the clock cas.11etr.i` anaccessilole position:I

Weclainr:

1. A-n alarm device comprisioaimcombination with a, timepiecef having al timewolikf and; an alarm unit, alalmr stopping: meaosoontliollingthe alarmf unit; ala-.1m setting and. actuating: moans comprising; a. member normally dianosedi out: oi operative. ooeaaementwith thatinieworasfbirt be ine;movablefintoioperaiiive.engagera@ Milo and means associated with said member iio=V 11o.:- leaao. the.. alan-mf. Stonnina; mean-S. anoto ioolcf the alarmguoitjin' ospoiiselto.; ovenleritiorsaiil mem: ber into. operative.. engagement with. the. time.i works; said memberbeingioperativefin. respoiio to operation oitlieztimeworlisior anredetemfrined period, to releasetha alarm uni andfbeine; Operar tive after. ardio lier.- oiioiaiiioii of the timeworl tucauselthe alarmstoppingv means to arrest operation.ofthe,alarnfiiimiitA 1 2. Anx alarm.; device.. corriprising,l in .combination with a. timepiecef having a timeworlos; and: an alarmv unit-' alarm setting. and;` actuating means comprising a memben normally disposedi out.: of operative engagement with the timeworks but being: movable into operative engagement there`l withr vmeans associated-with said'rnembentoactu'- ate;I thev alarm unit afterf a: predetermined; period of operativev eng-agement withL the timeworks; manually operable lever means operable to. move said,- member into operativeA engagement with the time-works in successive` steps: of predetermined extent and spring'. means operably associatedwith said lever means to reset the latter means after each of said steps.

3. An alarm device comprising, in combination with a timepiece having a timeworks and an alarm unit, main setting means for the alarm unit, alarm stopping and releasing means operatively associated with the main setting means, auxiliary alarm setting and actuating means comprising a rack normally disposed out of operative engagement with the timeworks, manually oper-able means for moving the rack into predetermined operative engagement with the timeworks, release means operable by the rack to release the alarm stopping means in response to movement of the rack into operative engagement with the timeworks and locking means operable by the rack to lock the alarm unit in response to movement of the rack into operative engagement with the timeworks; said rack being operable in response to predetermined operation of the timeworlrs to release the locking means and to disengage said release means from the alarm stopping means.

4. An alarm device comprising, in combination with a timepiece having `a timeworks and an alarm unit, main setting means for the alarm unit, alarm stopping and releasing means operatively associated with the main setting means, auxiliary alarm setting and actuating means comprising: a rack gear, ratchet means operatively connecting the rack gear to the timeworks, a pawlA normally disposed out of engagement with the rack gear, lever means for moving the pawl into engagement with the rack gear, spring means for moving the pawl out lof engagement with the rack gear, a plate swingably mounted on the timepiece, cooperating cam and follower means associated with the rack gear and plate to swing the plate in one direction in response to movement of the rack gear, spring means urging the plate in the opposite direction, means carried by the plate to engage and release the alarm stopping means when the plate is swung in one direction and to disengage therefrom when the plate is swung in the opposite direction, and means carried by the plate to lock the alarm unit when the plate is swung in one direction and to release the alarm unit when the plate is moved in the opposite direction.

5. An alarm device comprising, in combination with a timepiece having a timeworks and an alarm unit, main setting means for the alarm unit, alarm stopping and releasing means operatively associated with the main setting means, auxiliary alarm setting and actuating means comprising: a rack gear, ratchet means operatively connecting the rack gear to the timeworks, a pawl normally disposed out of engagement with the rack gear, lever means for moving the pawl into engagement with the rack gear, spring means for moving the pawl out of engagement with the rack gear, a plate swingably mounted on the timepiece, cooperating cam and follower means associated with the rack gear and plate to swing the plate in one direction in response to movement of the rack gear, spring means urging the plate in the opposite direction, means carried by the plate to engage and release the alarm stopping means when the plate is swung in one direction and to disengage therefrom when the plate is swung in the opposite direction, and spring means cooperating with the rack gear to compensate for any drag imposed on the timeworks by the auxiliary alarm setting and actuating means.

6. An alarm device comprising, in combination with a timepiece having a timeworks and an alarm unit, main setting means for the alarm unit, alarm stopping and releasing means operatively associated with the main setting means, auxiliary alarm setting and actuating means comprising: a rack gear, ratchet means operatively connecting the rack gear to the timeworlrs, a pawl normally disposed out of engagement with the racl: gear, lever means for moving the pawl into engagement with the rack gear, spring means for moving the pawl out of engagement with the rack gear, a plate swingably mounted on the timepiece, cooperating cam and follower means associated with the rack gear and plate to swing the plate in one direction in response to movement of the rack gear, spring means urging the plate in the opposite direction, means carried by the plate to engage and release the alarm stepping means when the plate is swung in one direction and to disengage therefrom when the plate is swung in the opposite direction, and means carried by the rack gear to visually indicate the extent of engagement of the rack gear with the timeworks.

7. In an alarm device, the combination, with a constantly operable timeworks unit, an alarm unit and a main alarm control unit normally maintaining the alarm unit immobile, of auxiliary alarm control means normally out of operative engagement with said units; said means being movable, in a single operation, into alarm immobilizing position, into position releasing said main alarm control unit and into operative engagement with said tirneworks unit, and being then operable automatically, in response to operation of the timeworks unit for a predetermined period, sequentially to free the alarm unit for a predetermined period and thence to cause the main alarm control unit to immo'bilize said alarm unit.

8. In an alarm device having timeworks, an alarm unit, and an alarm control unit operable in response to operation of the timeworks when in operative engagement therewith; said alarm control unit including a rack member mounted for intermittent step-by-step movement into operative engagement with said timeworks, a reciprocal member mounted in position to so actuate said rack member, and spring means cooperating with said reciprocating member to reset the same after each said actuation.

COLLINS MASON. CARL A. IMHOFF.

References Cited in the le of thisrpatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 825,347 Porter July 10, 1906 990,465 Wachtelhausen Apr. 25, 1911 1,082,077 Gage Dec. 3, 1913 1,158,282 Porter Oct. 26, 1915 1,327,669 Gage Jan. 13, 1920 2,548,362 Gordon Apr. l0, i

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 471,689 France July 17, 191e 588,559 Germany Nov. 27, 1933 611,561 France July 10, 1926

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