US2920439A

US2920439A - Electrically driven clock, particularly for batteries

Info

Publication number: US2920439A
Application number: US587877A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rich Walter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-05-28
Filing date: 1956-05-28
Publication date: 1960-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 1977-01-12

Description

Jan. 12, 1960 w. RICH 2,920,439

ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN CLOCK, PARTICULARLY FOR BATTERIES Filed May 28, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Wa/ier Ric/7 BY Ma 5w A rroQ/vs Vs Jan. 12, 1960 w. RICH 2,920,439

7 I ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN CLOCK, PARTICULARLY FOR BATTERIES Filed May 2a, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

Walter Rich GLQWJA Q ML Arrow/5% United States Patent ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN CLOCK, PARTICU- LARLY FOR BATTERIES Walter Rich, Boblingen, Germany Application May as, 1956, Serial No. 587,877,

1 Claim. or. 58-28) This invention relates to an electrical horological instrument and refers more particularly to an electrically driven clockwork, which is particularly suitable for use in conjunction with batteries.

Electrically driven clockwork mechanisms have to comply with two main requirements, namely, they must have a precise drive and they must consume the least possible amount of electricity. This last requirement is particularly important for clocks operated by batteries, since the consumption of electricity determines the life ofthe battery, as well as the time intervals of service. Clock mechanisms known in prior art have a swinging system which is driven by direct automatically operated magnetic impulses, and which is mechanically connected with a stepping device. Therefore, a certain amount of power is taken from the swinging system for the driving ofthe actual clock mechanism. Since the driving power, and consequently the oscillations of the balance wheel due to the different friction conditions in the clockwork are sometimes different, it is not possible to attain with any such construction a precise stepping movement. Furthermore, constructions of this type require latch locks or the like for the transmission of movements which are diflicult to manufacture, and which are easily damaged. Another drawback is that these devices operate quite noisily which is quite detrimental, particularly when they are used as alarm clocks.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a clock wherein the above-described drawbacks of prior art constructions are effectively eliminated.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

The objects of the present invention may be realized through the provision of an electrically driven clockwork having a stepping device and a swinging system which is located in an automatically-operated magnetic field, whereby the stepping mechanism has a rotary magnetically polarized armature which is located in an alternating magnetic field. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea the magnetic fields of the stepping device and of the swinging system are magnetically coupled and the actuation of the magnetic fields is. carried out by the swinging system through the actuation of electrical contacts.

Due to the fact that the stepping device and the swinging system are mechanically separated, the clockwork drive has no influence at all upon the swinging system, so that changes in the load of the entire apparatus have no effect any more upon the precision of movement of the swinging system. Thus, one of the basic require-, ments for properly operating horological instruments is attained. The use of a magnetic coupling for the two magnetic fields instead of the mechanical connection known in prior-art, has a further advantage resulting from the fact that in order to excite the swinging system a certain minimum value of the magnetic field is required, which is used solely to cover the frictional lossm and the like. However, in the present construction the magnetically polarized armature of the stepping device which is constructed as a permanent magnet from aluminum, nickel, steel, berium ferrite or like metal, contributes with its magnetism to the strengthening of the magnetic field for the swinging system due to the coupling of the two fields, so that at least the basic losses are not compensated any more by the battery but by the permanent magnet. This results in a substantial saving in electrical current, thereby increasing the life of the battery. The operation of the two magnetic fields is carried out from the swinging system by the actuation of electrical contacts. This is possible only if, as already stated, a magnetically polarized armature is used at the same time. This is caused by the fact that due to the small amount of pressure exerted by the contacts the actuation of the contacts cannot take place without so-called chattering. If the armature were not polarized a corresponding turning of the stepping device would take place during each engagement of the contacts, so that the step-wise movement would not be accurate. On the other hand, when the armature is polarized further engagement of the same contacts will not aifect the armature in any way. A further advantage is that the construction of the present invention eliminates pawl locks and similar transmissions so that friction in the entire apparatus and noise in the operation thereof, are greatly reduced.

The magnetic fields of the stepping device and of the swinging system are preferably connected magnetically in-parallel. This greatly simplifies construction problems and the required shape of the magnets has additional advantageous mechanical properties.

However, a further simplification may be attained by placing the stepping device and the swinging system in the same magnetic field. To retain the mechanical separation it is then necessary to mount the two devices upon different rotary axes.

Since the operation of the contacts and their actuation are of great importance for the precise stepping operation of the device and for the consumptionof the current, it is necessary to provide specially suitable constructions of such contacts. In accordance with the present invention this object is attained through the use of two contacts which consist of rigid contact pieces, and resilient contacting springs, said contacts being constructed as rest contacts. Between these contacts is located a rotatably mounted intermediate member consisting of an insulating material and reciprocated by the swinging system, said member opening one contact and closing the other contact during each movement in one direction. By means of this type of contacts a particularly smooth operation with uniform contact pressure is attained without so-called chattering. The closing of the contacts is particularly effective, since the parts thereof do not slide relatively to each other, so that no sparks can be formed.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing showing a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially diagrammatic, showing the basic mechanisms included in the clock, some parts having been omitted for clarity;

Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of the alarm release; and

Figure 3 illustrates a side elevation of the clock, parts being differently disposed from the diagrammatic showing of Figure 1.

The battery driven clock shown in the drawings has a swinging system which comprises a core 1 made of soft iron and firmly connected with a shaft 2 (Fig. 1). The shaft 2 is rotatably supported upon plates 62 and 63 (Fig. 3) and carries a disc 64 which serves as a fly wheel to facilitate the precise operation of the stepping system. A spring 3 has one end which is firmly connected with the shaft 2. The other end of the spring 3 extends through the hook65 and is firmly connected at 4 to the plate 66. The hook 65 is carried by swingablelever '67, so that the operative length of the spring- 3 may be shortened or lengthened by'the swinging of the lever, 67.

The core 1 of the swinging system is located in a mag netic field 7 produced by an electro-magnet 8.

The stepping system comprises a polarized armature 5 .consisting of, a permanent magnet and keyed upon a shaft 6. The armature 5 is located within the magnetic field 9 of the magnet 8. In the illustrated construction the

magnetic fields

7 and 9 are magnetically interconnected in parallel. In addition to the armature S-the shaft 6 is. also firmly connected with a pinion 10 which meshes with a gear 11. The gear 11 is keyed upon a shaft which is also firmly connected with a pinion 12 meshing with the gear 13. The gear 13 is keyed upon the shaft which is firmly connected with a pinion 14 meshing with a gear 15. The gear 15 is keyed upon the minute shaft 16 which carries the minute hand 17 of the clock. As shown in Figure 3, the minute shaft 16 is firmly connected with a gear 18 which meshes with the gear 19. The gear 19 is connected with a pinion 20 which meshes with a gear 21. The gear 21 is firmly connected with a cylindrical hour shaft 22 which surrounds the shaft 16 and which carries the hour hand 23. Thus it is apparent that the step-wise movement of the armature 5 is transmitted to the minute hand 17 and the hour hand 23.

The movements of the armature 5 are also used to actuate a ringing device. For that purpose the minute shaft 16 carries a pinion 24 which is keyed thereon, and which meshes with a gear 25. The gear 25 is firmly connected with a core 26 which is used for winding a spring (not shown) and used to operate the alarm. The spring is situated in the spring casing 27 and is. mounted so that one end thereof is attached to the core 26 while its free end presses against the casing 27. The device is so constructed that when a predetermined torque is reached the spring will slide in relation to the spring casing 27, so that. the movement of the clock will not be. stopped. It is apparent, however, that the spring will be wound and that the power created by this winding of the spring will be transmitted from the spring casing 27 to a gear 28 which is connected with the. casing 27. The gear 28 meshes with a pinion 29 which is firmly connected with the gear 30. The gear 30 cooperates with an alarm anchor which actuates the bell ringing device 37. I

The alarm actuating device is best shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The gear 21 carries a forwardly extending projection 31. The spring 32 presses the wheel 21 and therefore the projection 31 against a surface 33 of a sleeve 34 which is firmly connected with an alarm wheel 35.

When the hour wheel 21 is rotated clockwise the pro jection 31 moves over the surface 33 until it is dropped in a recess 36 provided in the surface 33 to permit the release of spring 32 and its locking tip 38 from the alarm train.

As shown in Figure 1, the soft iron core 1 carries a pin 42 which is eccentrically mounted thereon, and which is in engagement with a pin 43. The pin 43 is carried by an intermediate member 45, which is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 44. The member 45 is located between two resilient contact springs 46 and 47. The

springs

46 and 47 are adapted to engage

immovable contacts

48 and 49. Thus the two pairs of contacts are rest contacts, namely, when they are not affected by the member 45 the contact 49 is in operative engagement with the contact 47 while the contact 46 is in operative engagement with the contact 48. Theresilient contacts 46 and 47'are carried by a support '50 which is mounted upon the plate 51'. a

The electrical connections of the apparatus comprise a battery 56: having a negative pole and a positive pole 60. A wire 59 connects the

contacts

48 and 49 with the battery 56. The electro-magnet .8 has

windings

52 and 53. One end of the winding 53 is connected by wire 54 with the negative pole 'SSof the battery 56. The other end of the winding 53 is connected by wire '58 with the contact 46. One end of the winding 52 of the electro-magnet 8 is connected with the wire,5.4. The other end of the winding 52 is connected by the wire57 with the contact 47.

The operation of the deviceis asfollows:

As soon as oneofflthe' windings'52v or 53 is energized by electrical current from the battery, the electromagnet 8 will be magnetized in the predetermined direction so that the

magnetic fields

7 and 9 will becreated. 'Then the soft iron core 1 will beturned by magnetic forces within the magnetic field 7 againsttheaction of the spring 3, so that its longitudinal axis will be in the direction of the magnetic lines of forces. This movement will be transmitted by the

pins

42 and 43 to the intermediate member 45 which will be turned until it engages one of the resilient contacts 46 or- 47 and moves that resilient contact outwardly, thereby interrupting its engagement with the

immovable contact

48 or 49. On the other hand, the other resilient contact will be in engagement with its immovable contact so that the electric current will flow through that winding 52 or 53 which was not energized heretofore while the winding which was previously energized will be cut off from the battery. It should be noted that the second pair of contacts closes only when the core 1 has moved into its middle position. Through the force of the spring 3 the core 1 will swing beyond this middle position in the opposite direction, with the result that the other pair of contacts will be energized. Due to this arrangement, the swinging movement of the core 1 takes place under the action of the spring 3 and the actuation of the.

contents

46, 48 and 47, 49. It is thus apparent that the swinging of the member 45 and the alternating closing and opening of the contacts will result in alternating

magnetic fields

7 and 9.

As already stated, the magnetic field 9 in which the armature 5 is located, is changed in the same manner as the magnetic field 7. While the core 1 is made of soft iron, the armature 5 is made of a permanent magnetic material, and consequently when the polesv of the electromagnet 8 and of the magnetic field 9 are reversed, the armature 5 is moved further to the extent of one tooth 61. This turning of they armature 5 is transmitted through the gear drive consisting of the members 10 to 15 to the

hands

17 and 23 of the clock, so thatthe clock is operated in the usual manner. The lines of forces emerging from the magnetic armature 5 are also effective in the magnetic field'7, so that the force is increased without withdrawing additionalenergy from the battery 56.

As already stated, the effective length of the spring 3'may be varied by the lever 67 shown in Figure 3. Due to this arrangement the number of oscillations of. the members 1 and 45 per time unit, as well as the time periods during which the-contacts are closed and opened can be effectively varied, thereby varying the operation of the clock.

The alarm is operated in the following manner: When the projection 31 shownin Figure 2 engages the recess 36 upon the contact surface 33, the wheel 21 will be shifted along with the shaft 22 by the pressure of the spring 32. This shifting takes place in the axial direction toward the wheel 35 to the extent of the length of the projection 31. Due to this movement the hook-shaped end of the spring 38 will release the lever 39, so that the alarm device 37 can be actuated.

The setting. of the alarm is carried out. by moving the alarm wheel'35 counter-clockwise by a shaft, and pinion whichare not shown in the drawings. This movement of thewheel 35 determines the length of the path of the projection 31- upon the surface 33 until it reaches the

recess

3,6;

The spring 41' (Fig. 3) presses against thegear. 15 whichis, firmly connected with. the pinion 24,. so that due to the frictional engagement between the spring 41 and the gear wheel 15, the minute shaft 16 can be set without influencing the rest of the mechanism. 3

It is apparent that the example shown above has been given solely by way of illustration and not by way of limitation, and that it is capable of many variations and modifications within the scope of the present invention. For example, the two magnetic fields may be combined into a single field. All such variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

A battery driven horological instrument, comprising means producing magnetic fields, a contact-making and breaking device operatively connected with said means and reversing the direction of said magnetic fields, a swinging element located in the magnetic field and swingable when the magnetic field is reversed, said swinging element being operatively connected with said contact-making and breaking device to reverse the direction of the magnetic fields during each swinging movement of the swinging element, a magnetically polarized rotary armature located in the magnetic field, and a clockwork operatively connected with said armature.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 343,976 Lange June 15, 1886 1,167,762 Kettering Ian. 11, 1916 1,907,919 Whitehead May 9, 1933 1,914,231 Armstrong June 13, 1933 2,150,516 Minneker Mar. 14, 1939 2,768,495 Sullivan Oct. 30, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,701 Great Britain Apr. 2, 1903 611,450 France July 5, 1926 1,092,411 France Nov. 10, 1954 290,656 Switzerland Aug. 1, 1953