US2990676A - Battery driven clock - Google Patents

Description

y 4, 1961 K. H. JENSEN BATTERY DRIVEN CLOCK Filed July 16, 1958 m 1 PT 6 F u 5 3 C E O m M w W 6 P Q 2. 4L a A: 6 m 6G\\. 4 M5 T 2 m ////7A //q w M w MIA LV/ 2 U mlxwm ww M .l M Q W v A a m M H a Q Z 5 I Z 2 m w O 4 J 6 7 w w 6 V/ a Ka/ H. Je'nsen INVENTOR.

i 5 ATTO/PNEYS United States Patent vania Filed July 16, 1958, Ser. No. 748,953 4 Claims. (Cl. 58-28) This invention relates to electric clocks and more particularly relates to battery driven electric clocks of the type wherein the balance wheel serves both as the driving element and the regulating element.

United States patent to Koehler, No. 2,662,366, issued December 15, 1953, shows an electric clock of the foregoing type wherein the balance wheel is used to drive a conventional train. The present invention relates to an improvement in that type of clock whereby the number of bearings and wheels in the train is reduced with a concomitant reduction in the cost of the clock. These advantages are made possible through a novel train arrangement cooperating with a unique drive connection and an electrically driven balance wheel.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved battery-driven electric clock.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved battery driven electric clock having a reduced number of wheels and bearings in the train which permit of economies in its manufacture.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved battery operated electric clock having a unique and improved drive or index connection between the electrically driven balance wheel and the train.

The foregoing and additional objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification and claims" and appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partial horizontal section of a clock constructed according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial vertical elevation taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the driving cam which provides the connection between the oscillating balance staff and the fourth wheel.

Referring to FIGURE 1, there is seen a U-shaped metal member indicated generally at which provides a pillar plate 12 and bridge 14. A center staff 16 is journalled in a bearing 18 in the bridge 14 and its other end is supported by the pillar plate 12 in a manner presently to be described in further detail. The center staff carries a fourth pinion 20 having an extended shoulder 22 which is pinned to the center staff.

A center arbor 24 is mounted over the center staff and is journalled at its left and right ends respectively on the shoulder 22 and on the center staff at 26. The center arbor 24 has a cannon pinion 28 rotatably mounted thereon and this cannon pinion is provided with an elongated barrel 30 which is received in the bearing in the pillar plate 12. A resilient spring 32 is mounted in a peripheral groove 34 in the center arbor 24 and frictionally engages the cannon pinion to provide a frictional drive between the cannon pinion and the center arbor.

The fourth pinion 20 drives a third wheel 36 which, with a third pinion 40, is journalled on a pin 38 mounted in the pillar plate 12. The third pinion 40 engages the cannon pinion 28 to establish a drive to the minute hand. The center arbor 24 has a further pinion 42 formed integrally therewith and abutting the end of the barrel 30 of the cannon pinion 28.

An hour wheel 44 having an elongated barrel 46 is mounted over the center arbor and engages a pinion 48. The pinion 48 is formed integrally with a corresponding ice wheel 50 which is pivoted on the pin 38 and which engages the integral pinion 42. An hour hand 52 is attached to the barrel 46 on the hour wheel 44, a minute hand 54 is attached to the outer end of the center arbor 24 and a second hand 56 is attached to the end of the center staff 16. The center staff is driven by means of a fourth wheel 58.

A setting wheel 60 is mounted on a shaft 62 slidably and rotatably mounted in an aperture 64 in the pillar plate 12 and in an aperture 66 in the dial face '68. The shaft is urged outwardly by a spring 65 attached to pillar plate 12 by a rivet 67.

The fourth wheel 58 is driven by the balance wheel as presently will be described in further detail, and drives the center arbor through the fourth pinion, third wheel, third pinion, cannon pinion, and flexible spring 32. The hour hand is, of course, driven by the pinion 42, wheel 50, pinion 48 and hour wheel 44. The movement may be set by depressing the shaft 62 to move the wheel 60 into engagement with the wheel 50, the spring 32 slipping to permit the hands to be set.

The fourth wheel 58 is driven by means of a cam 70 carried by a collar 72 on the balance staff 74. Referring to FIGURE 2, the balance staff 74 is pivoted in bearings 76 and 78 in plates 80 and 82 which are attached to the U-shaped frame 10 either as separate or integral parts thereof. These plates 80 and 82 extend perpendicularly to the bridge 14, so that the balance wheel 84 is disposed perpendicularly to the wheels in the train.

The balance staff 74 carries a first split washer 86 which is frictionally secured to the balance staif. Above this washer, the collar 72 is slidably received on the balance staff and is held down by means of a spring 88, the upper end of which bears against a second split washer 90 engaged with the balance staff 74. The collar 72 has a depending finger 92 which is slidably received in the split washer 86 to key the collar to the washer and balance staff. This permits vertical movement of the collar against the action of spring 88.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the cam 70 extends outwardly from the collar 72 in a sector-like fashion and is helically cocked as is best seen in FIGURE 2. Oil passages 94 may be provided in the collar 72 to permit the retention of oil to facilitate sliding of the collar on the balance stafi 74.

Refening to FIGURE 2, a spring 96 is attached to an upstanding lug 98 on the plate 82 and supports intermediate its ends a cam 100 which it forces into engage ment with the teeth 102 of the fourth wheel. A contact 104 is mounted at the upper end of the spring 96 and cooperates with a second contact 106 carried by a second spring 108 mounted adjacent and parallel to the spring 96. The spring 108 is carried by an insulating block 110 and is connected by a wire 112 to one of the terminals of the coil driving the clock. This coil and the electric and magnetic arrangement of the driving mechanism is similar to that shown in the previously mentioned Koehler patent and is not described in further detail herein.

As the balance staff 74 oscillates in a counter clockwise direction, the helically cocked cam 70 engages the adjacent tooth 114 of the fourth wheel 58. The engagement is between the underside of the cam and the top of the tooth and raises the collar 72 against the action of the spring 88. The cam 100 and spring 96 holds the fourth wheel in position during this movement so that no appreciable movement of the fourth wheel occurs. As the balance staff 74 undergoes its return motion and rotates in a clockwise direction, the upper surface of the helically cocked cam 70 engages the underside of tooth 1 14 of the fourth wheel 58 and forces this tooth up. It will be seen that this upward movement of the tooth is caused by the fact that the cam 70 cannot slide downward on balance staff 74 by reason of the engagement of collar 72 with the first split washer 86.

As the cam 70 causes a one-tooth clockwise advancement of fourth wheel 58, cam 100 on spring 96 is forced outwardly causing contacts 104 and 106 to engage. This energizes the electric drive arrangement of the clock as is explained in detail in the aforementioned Koehler patent.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the clock of this invention utilizes a smaller number of bearings and wheels than is conventional and thus may be manufactured at a lower cost. The elimination of bearings also diminishes the number of possible points of failure and reduces the wear and lubrication problem.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which comewithin the meaning and range or" equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a clock movement having a driven center staff, a center arbor mounted over said staif, a generally U- shaped frame member having a bridge and pillar plate as parallel legs thereof, said center staff being journalled in said bridge and pillar plate, a cannon pinion frictionally drivingly engaged with said arbor, a fourth pinion fixed to said center staff, a third wheel and third pinion forming a driving connection between said cannon pinion and driven center staff, a pin in said pillar plate extending toward but terminating short of said bridge, said third wheel and pinion being journalled on said pin, and an electrically impulsed balance staff extending perpendicular 4 to said center stafl and positioned between the end of said pin and said bridge.

2. In a clock movement, a center arbor journalled in a pillar plate and having a driven center staff passing therethrough, a cannon pinion mounted over said center arbor and connected thereto by a flexible spring, a fourth pinion connected to said center stafi, and a third pinion and third wheel journalled on a pin in said pillar plate and providing a driving connection between said fourth pinion and said cannon pinion, a further pinion fixed on said arbor, an hour wheel on said arbor, and a wheel and pinion journalled on said pin in said pillar plate and having a driving connection between said further pinion on said arbor and said hour wheel.

3. A clock movement as set out in claim 1 wherein said frictional driving connection between said cannon pinion and arbor comprises a resilient washer received within a peripheral groove in said arbor and bearing against said cannon pinion.

4. A clock movement as set out in claim 2 wherein said last named wheel and pinion is mounted on e other side of said pillar plate from said third wheel and third pinion, said pin in said pillar plate extending therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,203,690 Borresen Nov. 7, 1916 1,752,446 Marti -2 Apr. 1, 1930 1,797,912 Hammond Mar. 24, 1931 1,911,062 Conrad May 23, 1933 1,913,481 Gody June 13, 1933 2,084,226 Strahm June 15, 1937 2,589,052 Chifielle Mar. 11, 1952 2,618,118 Harris Nov. 18, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 544,715 France July 1, 1922

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