US2733117A - wright - Google Patents

Description

A. H. WRIGHT SERVICE TIMER Jan. 31. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Filed Sept. 16, 1954 I NVENTOR flLBfAT H. WR/GHT a vwwgw A. H. WRIGHT Jan. 31. 1956 SERVICE TIMER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 16, 1954 (llllrll-llnl United States Patent and SERVICE TIMER Albert El. Wright, Kingston, Ontario, Canada Application September 16, 1954, Serial No. 456,461 2 Claims. (Cl. 346-82) This invention relates to apparatus, including a clock mechanism, for recording the time occupied in performing certain operations or work, and the chief object of the present invention is to devise a simple mechanism, including a printing hand, operated from an ordinary clock mechanism for providing a printed record of the length of time, or the equivalent value in money of said time, occupied in performing said work, and which is particularly adapted for use by service or repair men for recording the time, or value thereof, involved in servicing or repairing devices of various kinds, such, for example, as refrigerators, radios, television apparatus and many other installations.

A further object of the invention is to devise mechanism for this purpose which may be readily reset at the commencement of the particular work or job which is to be timed, and which will be conditioned to stamp or print on the work sheet or ticket for the particular job the actual time involved or the value thereof in money.

As the clock movement operates continuously, and as it is desirable that the printing means be advanced intermittently to avoid printing between the indications on the printing band, an important object of the invention is to devise simple and effective means for converting the continuous movement of the clock mechanism to an intermittent motion of the printing band to ensure that a proper time or value marking will appear on the work ticket or sheet.

These and other objects are attained by means of the constructions hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a side elevation of the recorder;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 in Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 44 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view on a larger scale of the printing band drive mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail on the line 77 in Fig.5;

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail on the line 8-8 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a rear view of the recorder, partly broken away to show the elevating means for contacting the work sheet with the printing band; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective detail view of the printing band drive mechanism.

in the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

The recorder includes a housing 11, in which the operating and printing mechanism is mounted on a suitable frame comprising posts 12 which support plates 13 and 14.

lournalled in the front wall of the housing is a shaft 15, on the outer end of which is mounted a knob 16 by means of which the shaft may be rotated. This knob is provided with a pointer blade 17 which co-operates with a dial 155 on the front wall of the housing.

The shaft is rotated by a gear train, such as that employed in an ordinary clock, which gear train is indi- Fig. 2;

cated generally by the numeral 26 and which includes the usual escapement device 27. 2-0 is the mainspring of the clock mechanism, which spring has its inner end secured to the said shaft 15 and its outer end secured to a stationary part, 24), Fig. 3.

To enable the spring motor to be wound without otherwise afiecting the clock mechanism, the gear 21 of said clock mechanism, which is mounted on the shaft 15, is free to rotate relative to the shaft, but is normally rotated with the shaft by a dished member 22 of springy material, which is fixed on the shaft 15 to rotate therewith, and the peripheral edge portion of which bears against the side of said gear 21 to provide in effect a clutch arrangement to drive the said gear to operate the clock mechanism. This clutch arrangement, comprising the gear 21 and the dished member 22, will permit of the necessary slippage to enable the spring 20 to be wound. It will be evident, of course, that other means may be substituted for the clutch arrangement shown to drive the clock mechanism while permitting the winding of the spring.

Zournalled in the plate 13 is a shaft 23, on one end of which is mounted the printing wheel, which comprises a disk 24 on which is mounted a band or ring 25 on the peripheral surface of which the type is formed or mounted. The ring or band 25 is preferably formed of rubber, and is also detachable to permit of the substitution of a replacement ring or band with other type thereon.

The shaft 23 with the printing wheel thereon is driven from the shaft 15. The clock mechanism runs continuously while under the influence of its spring 2%, but to en sure obtaining a proper imprint from the appropriate type on the printing wheel, it is necessary to rotate the printing wheel with a step by step or intermittent movement. To achieve this result, l employ the mechanism now to be described.

Supported on the frame between the plates 13 and 14 is a stationary ratch or rack member 23 having a central opening. Surrounding the opening the ratch member 28 is provided on its surface with an annular row of teeth or abutments 2 Co-operating with these teeth is an escape lever 30 mounted on the shaft 23 and having a pin 31 on its under side which engages the teeth or abutments 29.

In the form shown the rack member 23 is formed from flat stock and is provided with L-shaped slits surrounding the central opening, the tongues formed within the L-shaped slits 19 being bent to form the outwardly inclined teeth or projections H. The upper ends of the teeth normally lie in the path of the pin 31 and serve to prevent movement of the escape lever 30, as indicated in Fig. 8.

To enable the escape lever 3d to be rotated, it is necessary to lift said lever 30 each time the pin 31 engages a tooth 29 to enable the pin to pass over the tooth.

The shaft 23 is therefore arranged in its bearing to permit axial as well as rotary movement. A coil spring 32 mounted about the shaft between its bearing and the lever 31; tends to move said lever downwardly to project the pin 31 between the teeth 29 of the ratch. T he shifting of the lever 3 3 is effected by a carrier member 33 on the end of the shaft 15 and rotatable therewith. This carrier member has formed thereon an upwardly inclined cam surface 34 and a stop or shoulder 35 between which a second pin 36 on the under side of the lever 3% projects as shown particularly in Figs. 7 and 10.

The lever 3%, however, is actually rotated by an arm 37 extending from a post 58 on said carrier member 33, which engages the pin 36 and holds said pin against the stop or shoulder 35. This arm 37 is formed of springy material.

Co-operating with the printing wheel is a platen 38 on which the work sheet or ticket is placed to be printed on by the type on the wheel. This platen is normally spaced from the wheel, but is adapted to be moved to engage the work sheet with the type. The platen is mounted on one end of a pair of levers 39 pivoted intermediate their ends on a post 40. The other ends of these levers 39 are pivotally connected to the spaced arms of a fork-shaped member 41, which is normally held in raised position by springs 42. This forked member 41 is provided with an upward extension 43 which is provided with a head 44 extending through the top of the housing 11. The back wall of the housing is provided with a slot or opening above the platen to permit the positioning of the work sheet or ticket over the platen for printing.

The dial 18, as shown, is divided into four main divisions, each corresponding to one hour in time, and each division is divided into ten subdivisions, each the equivalent of six minutes. The ratch member 23 is provided with a tooth or abutment 29 for each subdivision on the dial, and the groups of characters on the printing wheel will also correspond in number and spacing with the teeth 29 on the ratch member.

The recorder is used as follows. At the commencement of the job, the main spring is wound up tightly, at which time the indicator blade 17 will be in alinement with the starting indication 45, as indicated in Fig. 1, and the spring 20 will then function to operate the gear train 26 to rotate the shaft 15 and with it the carrier 33 and the arm 37, which arm 37 tends to rotate the escape lever 30 and with it the shaft 23 on which the printing wheel is mounted.

The movement of the escape lever is, however, prevented by the engagement of the pin 31 with a tooth 29. As the shaft 15 continues to rotate while the escape lever is held from rotation, the pin 36 on the escape lever is forced to ride up the cam 34, at the same time bending the arm 37 to put it under tension. As soon as the pin 36, as it rides up the cam 34, moves the escape lever sufliciently to disengage the pin 31 from the tooth 29 with which it has been engaged, the arm 37 swings ahead and with it the escape lever 30 and thus rotates the associated parts operated thereby including the printing wheel, while the spring 32 pushes the escape lever back to position the pin 31 in front of the next tooth to prevent further movement. This procedure is allowed to continue until the workman or serviceman has completed his job, when the workman will place the work sheet or ticket over the platen, push down on the head 44 to cause the raising of the platen to engage the ticket or sheet with the type located immediately above it on the printing wheel.

It will be evident therefore that the marking on the ticket will indicate either the time spent on the work, or the value of such time, depending on the indications on the printing wheel.

When another job is started, the recorder will be reset by moving the knob 16 back to starting position, which will naturally also wind up the mainspring 20, this being possible without actuating the clock mechanism due to the slippage permitted by the clutch device mounted on the shaft 15.

At the same time, the printing wheel will be returned to starting position, this being effected by the stop 35 engaging the pin 36 to rotate the escape lever 30 in the return direction. This return movement is possible due to th act that the abutments or teeth 2? are one-way 4 abutments, that is, they have one abrupt side and one inclined side, up which latter the pin 31 will ride.

The stop 35 and cam 34 on the carrier member 33 must necessarily be higher than the teeth 29 of the ratch 28 to prevent disengagement of the pin 36 from the member 33 by the lifting operation by said teeth.

it will be seen that I have devised a simple time recorder adapted for the particular purpose intended by means of which the time, or the value of the time involved on a particular job may be kept and recorded on a job sheet or ticket, and which may be quickly reset for recording the extent of the next job.

The periphery of the printing wheel, being a removable belt, may be readily removed when desired and another one substituted, as would be necessary in a case where the belt prints the cost of the time involved in dollars and cents and the rate per hour is varied.

What is claimed is:

l. A time recorder comprising a supporting frame; a driving shaft and a driven shaft journalled in axial aline- .ent in said frame; clock mechanism for actuating the driving shaft continuously; a printing band actuated by the driven shaft; and means actuated by the driving shaft for effecting a step by step rotation of said driven shaft as the driving shaft rotates and comprising a ratch having an annular row or abutments arranged about the axes of said shafts, an escape lever on the driven shaft, said driven shaft being movable longitudinally of its axis, resilient means normally tending to hold the driven shaft with the escape lever engaging an abutment on the ratch, and a driving member mounted on and rotatable with the driving shaft, said driving member including an arm of springy material engaging said escape lever, a cam for moving the escape lever out of contact with said abutment, and a stop disposed adjacent said cam, the structure being characterized in that an element of the escape lever intervenes said cam and said stop.

2. A time recorder comprising a supporting frame; a driving shaft and a driven shaft journalled in axial alinement in said frame; clock mechanism for actuating the driving shaft continuously; a printing band actuated by the driven shaft; and means actuated by the driving shaft for effecting a step by step rotation of said driven shaft as the driving shaft rotates and comprising a ratch having an annular row of abutments arranged about the axes of said shafts, an escape lever on the driven shaft, said driven shaft being movable longtudinally of its axis, resilient means normally tending to hold the driven shaft with the escape lever engaging an abutment on the ratch, and a driving member mounted on and rotatable with the driving shaft, said driving member having a stop thereon engaging the escape lever, and an outwardly inclined cam surface adjacent said stop for moving the escape lever out of contact with the abutment, and resilient means normally tending to hold the escape lever against the stop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 500,037 Sage June 20, 1893 833,223 Kirksey Oct. 16, 1906 1,115,102 Perry Oct. 27, 1914 1,760,760 Long May 27, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS 17,125 Great Britain Apr. 23, 1914

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