US273231A - John happersbergee - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. HAPPERSBERGER.

ELECTRIC MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE HANDS OP GLOGKS.

No. 273,231. Patented Feb.2'7, 1883.

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WibnfiSSc UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HAPPERSBERGER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CINCIN- NATI ELEOTRIO OLOOK COMPANY.

ELECTRIC MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE HANDS OF CLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 273,281, dated February 27, 1883.

Application filed July 31, 188-2.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN HAPPERSBERGER, of the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Mechanism for Actuating the Hands of Large UlOChS or of Dial- Plates, oi. which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of clock mechanism having the motive power for actuating the hands separate and distinct from that which operates the timecontrolling mechanism, while the regular and properapplication of the motive power to the hands is controlled by means of an electric current operating through electro-magnets.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and effective means whereby the movement of the clock-hands of one or more timedials, however large and wherever located, may be readily and accurately controlled by another time-piece of any desirable location, acting through the agency of an electric current. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 is a plan view, of a device illustrat ing my invention.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the different drawings.

A indicates a fume, which supports the clock-work, which in turn operates to turn the hands of the dial-plate. This frame A may be of any suitable dimensions and shape in order to support the particular form of clock-work employed.

The clock-work is operated by any suitable motive power-as, for example, a spring or a weight. Where the hands are heavy a weight is preferred. In the present illustration the motive power consists of a spring, B, coiled around the arbor D,journaled in the sides I) b of the frame-work. The outer end of this spring is attached to the stud a and theinner end to the arbor D. This arbor carries the gear-wheel E concentric therewith, and also carries the ratchet-wheel F, fixed to and concentric therewith. The pawl Gr, pivoted at d to the wheel E, engages the ratchet-wheel F,

and is pressed down upon the latter by the (No model.)

spring 0 at one end upon the pawl and elsewhere, at points 0 and c fixed to the wheel E. The teeth of the gear-wheel E mesh with the teeth of the pinion H, Fig. 2, fixed upon and concentric with the arbor I, ,journaled in the sides I) I) of the frame. This arbor I carries the gear-wheel J, fixed to and concentric therewith, which in turn engages the pinion K, fixed to and concentric with the arbor L, journaled in the sides I) I). This arbor L carries a gear-wheel, M, fixed concentric with it, and this gear-wheel M engages the pinion N, fixed to and concentric with the arbor O, and this latter spindle carries the gear-wheel P, fixed to and concentric with the said arbor O. Spindle 0 also carries a disk, R, fixed to and concentric with it, and provided at its periphery with a notch, for the engagement of the transverse end 9 of the pawl s at each revolution of said disk. The gear-wheel P engages a pinion, T, fixed to and concentric with the arbor V, journaled in the sides I) Z) of the frame. The arbor V carries the gear-wheel W, fixed to and concentric therewith, and this latter gear-wheel engages a piniomX, fixed to and concentric with the arbor Y journaled in the sides I) b of the frame, and carrying the fly-whecl Z, fixed thereto and adjusted centrally thereon.

The side of gear-wheel W is provided with a stud, h, arranged to engage with the upwardbent endj of the pawl m. The rear end of the pawl s and the rear end of the pawl m are each fixed to the shaft a, pivoted at either end in the sides of the framework. To this shaft a is also fixed the brass lever 12, carrying at its free end the iron armature 2, arranged in connection with two electro-magnets. Nos. 1 and 2 indicate theseelectro-magnets securedinany suitable manner and here secured to the frame A by means of the arm 3 and the bolts 4; at.

The usual wires, 5 and 6, for conducting the electric current to and from the magnetic coils (electro-magnets)1 and 2 are present. One of these wires-say No. 5-is connected to the battery. The other wire, 6, and a second wire from the battery are so connected to a time mechanism, as that the action of the time mechanism shall operate to unite the circuit for an instant or short period of time, and then break said circuit for a longer and definite ICO avzaesii period of time. Any desired form and conminute. In this manner the minute-hand on struction of time mechanism to accomplish this purpose may be employed. One form of such mechanism is shown in the Letters Patent of the United States No. 226,401, dated April 13, 1880, for improvement in electric clocks, granted to John Happersberger.

The arbor I is adapted to carry a clock min a tehand, and the usual mechanism for moving the hour-hand (and, when desired, a second-hand) in connection therewith is to be employed.

The mode in which my invention operates is as follows: Let us premise that the mechnism has been arranged to move the minutehand or arbor I forward over one minute-space at each successive movement of said hand. The weight or spring B being wound up and the battery being filled to create an electric current, and the time-piece which is to alternately close and break the current being set to close the circuit, say, once in a minute, as soon as said time-piece connects the circuit the electro-magnets are rendered magnetic and draw up the armature 2, thereby depressing the pawls m and s and disconnecting the end of pawl m from the stud or stop it and the end of pawl s from the notch in disk It. This operation leaves the various train-wheels and the fly-wheel Z free to revolve in accordance with the power exerted by the weight or spring B. Inasmuch as the circuit is closed only once a minute, the train-wheels are arranged as to size and number so that one revolution of the disk It will cause the arbor I to move so as to carry the minute-hand forward one minute. The train-wheels are now rotated through the action of the weight or spring I3 until the minute hand has passed over one minutespaee, as marked on the dial, and by this time the disk It has made one revolution. In the meantime, and, in fact, immediately after the circuit was closed and the pawl s was disconnected from the disk It and the pawl m from the stud 71 the circuit is broken, and the electro-magnets being no longer magnetic the armature has, by its own weight, (or by the action of a spring, it so desired,) fallen and thrown up the free ends of the pawls s and at until the transverse end gof the pawl 8 comes in contact with the revolving edge of the disk It, in which position it remains until the notch fis brought by one revolution of the disk opposite to the said transverse end 9 of the pawl s, when the end g, still actuated by the weight of the armature, (or by a spring, as the case may be,) is pushed into the notch f, and at the same time the pawl m is raised, so that its upward-bent end 9' intercepts the stud h, and all movement of the train of wheels thus stopped. As soon as another minute has passed, the time-controlling mechanism closes the electric circuit, and in the manner aforementioned allows the train of wheels to revolve, and the minute-hand on arbor I to record another minute, when the pawls will again stop the movement of the train-wheels, in readiness to be again started at the expiration of another the arbor I and its accompanying hour-hand, are caused to accurately record the time of day without being furnished with the we pensive portions-of a complete clock mechanismas, for instance, the escapement and pendulum, &c.

The particular amount of space passed over at any one continuous movement by the min ute-hand maybe and is varied according to the desire of the constructer and the particular object for which the time is furnished. For example, in tower-clocks one-half minute is as much a space as it would be desirable for the minute-hand to pass over at each successive movement. The length of space traveled over by the minute-hand may be varied by a change in the size or number or arrangement of wheels employed in the train, and may be varied by a change in the timecontrolling mechanism, so as to cause the time of opening and closing the circuit to be changed.

By means of my invention the clock-hands of a large number of very large clock-dials maybe simultaneously,eft'ectively,and cheaply operated by one small clock or equivalent timecontrolling mechanism, constructed to close and break the electric circuit for the trains of wheels respectively operating the hands of said clock-dials.

I do not claim, broadly, the train of wheels above described, nor the device for checking and releasing the same by means of the disk It, with its notchf, the wheel 7, with its stud h, and the pawls s and m, they being all well known to clock-makers and used ordinarily in the striking mechanism of clocks; but

hat I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by [letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the actuating mechanism ot'a clock-dial, the electro-magnets l and 2, the armature t, the arm 1), the shaft 12, the pawls s and m, the wheel IV, with its stud It, and the disk It, with its notch f, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination with the actuating mechanism ot' a cloekdia-l, the spindle 0, with disk 1%., having notch f, the gear-wheel I, the wheel IV, having stud h, the pawl s, the pawl m, the shaft n, the arm 12, the armature 25, and the electro-magnets l and 2, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In combination with the actuating mechanism of a clock-dial, a releasing mechanism formed by the spindle U, the pinion N, the disk It, with notch f, the gear-wheel l, the wheel W, with its stud h, the pawl s, the pawl m, the shaft n, the arm 1), the armature t, and the electro- magnets 1 and 2, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

The foregoing specification of my invention signed by me this 26th day of July, A. b.1882.

JNO. HAPPERSB ERG ER.

Witnesses:

JOHN D. GALLAGHER, JOHN W. KIRK.

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