US2992526A

US2992526A - Timepiece mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2992526A
Application number: US759079A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oscar H Dicke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-09-04
Filing date: 1958-09-04
Publication date: 1961-07-18
Anticipated expiration: 1978-07-18

Description

United States Patent 2,992,526 TIMEPIECE MECHANISM Oscar H. Dicke, 211 S. Washington St., New Bremen, Ohio Filed Sept. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 759,079 12 Claims. (Cl. 58-109) This invention relates to mechanical timepieces and more particularly to semi-automatic rate regulation of such timepieces and constitutes a somewhat different approach to the problem from that of the approach resorted to in my prior applications, Serial No. 673,293 filed July 22, 1957, now Patent No. 2,927,421, and Serial No. 746,927, filed July 7, 1958.

It is well known that the time-keeping error of a clock or watch or other timepiece is proportional to the extent of setting required, if set periodically at predetermined equal intervals, to set it to correct time indication. Also, that the timepiece will be rate regulated to correct timekeeping if the same extent of adjustment to the rate regulation is imposed as the extent of setting of the clock hands provided that the elapsed time period between the original setting and the combined setting and rate regulation is properly chosen. Also, that if the elapsed time between the original setting and the first combined setting and rate regulating adjustment, and the periods of elapsed time between combined setting and rate regulating adjustments thereafter, are made at intervals each consisting of a predetermined fraction of such chosen time period a fraction only of the required rate regulation will be made at each combined setting and rate regulation adjustment, so that correct rate regulation of the timepiece will finally be reached but will be reached asymptotically.

In view of the foregoing, and other important considerations, it is proposed in accordance with the present invention to provide a setting knob for setting the hands of the timepiece to correct time indication, and to provide adjacent thereto and concentrically related thereto, a rate regulating knob, the structure being such that if the two knobs are rotated synchronously to an extent and in a direction to set the clock hands forward the rate regulation structure is adjusted to'increase the rate of operation of the timepiece and vice versa. In one form of the invention, these knobs are preferably located on the front or dial side, of the timepiece so that the timepiece may be used on the instrument panel of an automobile and in another form of the invention it is proposed to provide such setting and rate regulating knobs on the back of the clock and preferably concentric with the axis of rotation of the time indicating hands for use on either alarm clocks or shelf clocks.

In other forms of the invention, one or both of the knobs may be flexible so that the two knobs may be pressed together into contact with each other and rotated together and in another form of the invention the setting knob is preferably of slightly larger diameter than the rate regulating knob and is provided with a flexible skirt so that this skirt may be firmly pressed into contact with the rate regulating knob, so that the two knobs will be rotated together and to the same extent during setting of the time indicating hands, which will simultaneously therewith result in automatic rate regulation of the timepiece. In this latter structure when this skirt is left free only setting will take place.

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the invention will be understood from the following specification when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows the front elevation of a timepiece embodying the invention and which illustrates a set button, or knob, on the face side of the timepiece by solid lines,

the rate regulating button or knob being shown by dotted lines;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional elevation of the structure of FIG. 1, as viewed from the right side, showing the casing and portions of the gears and associated mechanism in cross-section and showing other gears and pinions in elevation, the section being taken substantially through the axis of the minute shaft; and

FIG. 3 shows a modified rate regulating button or knob constructed of very thin metal which may be flexed into contact with the setting button so that upon turning of the setting button or knob the rate regulating button or knob will be turned the same number of degees.

Description of FIGS. 1 and 2 In FIG. 1 has been shown the front face or dial -11 of a clock which may, by reason of its appearance, be an alarm clock, but which by reason of its front setting knob 10, may be an automobile clock.

This timepiece of FIG. 1 includes the face or dial 11, a bale 12 secured to the top of the casing 19, legs 13 and 14, a minute hand 15 and an hour hand 16, and a minute shaft 17. The rate regulating knob 18 has been shown by dotted lines in FIG. 1. The setting knob 10 is provided with a flexible skirt 10A, made of suitable flexible material, such as rubber, as more clearly shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows a more direct setting knob 20 connected directly to the minute shaft 17 and shows a second rate regulating knob 28 concentric with the setting knob 20 and directly behind the same, similar to the rate regulating knob 18 directly behind setting knob 10 but with the rubber skirt 10A omitted. As pointed out hereinafter either one of these pairs of concentric knobs may be omitted, if desired, and both pairs have been shown in FIG. 2 because

knobs

10 and 18 are more suitable for automobile clocks whereas knobs 20 and 28 are more suitable for shelf and alarm clocks. However, if desired, both pairs of knobs may be retained.

Although the mechanism of the timepiece has been shown to be a mechanism of the escapement balance wheel type, it should be understood that it may be of any suitable type, so. long as it is: provided with speed control means requiring rate regulating means for determining its speed of operation.

Referring to FIG. 2 the clock, or watch, mechanism comprises a mainspring drum or barrel 21, containing a mainspring 22 having its outer end connected to the drum 21 and having its inner end connected to the shaft 23, having secured thereto a gear 24 comprising a portion of a gear train consisting of gears 24, 26, idler gear 27 connected to the minute shaft 17 by a friction clutch 34, gears 30 and 32 and pinions 25, 29, 31 and 33. It will be seen that pinions 25, 29 and 31 are respectively integral with gears 26, 30 and 32 and that gears 24, 27, 30 and 32 directly drive pinions 25, 29, 31 and 33 respectively. The pinion 33 drives shaft 34A which supports and drives escapement Wheel 35, which oscillates escapement pallet 36, the iforked end of which engages the pin 37 on the balance wheel 38, urged to a center position by the hairspring 40. It should be noted that spring barrel 21 is operatively connected to the winding key 39, suitable ratchet means being provided, not shown, for holding the spring barrel in its wound-up position, that is, prevent the mainspring from rotating the spring barrel instead of rotating the shaft 23 and gear 24. The rate regulating gear 45 has an eccentrically located pin 46 which has a bifurcated end which embraces the outer turn of the hairspring 40, so that turning of the gear 45, between certain limits, as determined by spokes of gear 45 striking stop pin 47, will determine the effective length of the hairspring 40 and the speed of operation of the 3 escapement mechanism. It is thus seen that the rate of oscillation of the balance wheel 30 is determined by the turned position of rate regulating gear 45 and that this determines the rate of operation of the clock, or watch, mechanism.

The rate regulating gear 45 may be turned on its axis, which is coaxial with the axis of balance wheel 38, by turning of the pinion 50, secured to shaft 51 driven by a pinion 52. This pinion 52 is in mesh with and is driven by idler gear 53 in mesh with and driven by gear 54 integral with sleeve 54A contained on, and concentric with minute shaft 17. The construction is such that if rate regulating knob 28, integral with sleeve 54A, is turned clockwise, as viewed from the front of the clock, the rate regulating gear 45 is turned counterclockwise and in a direction to reduce the effective length of the hairspring 44). In other words, if the knobs 20 and 28 are both turned clockwise, as viewed from the front of the clock, the clock hands 15 and 16 are advanced and the rate of operation of the clock mechanism is increased. These clock hands 15 and 16 and the dial 11 are housed behind the usual crystal or glass 64.

It will be observed that the clock bands can also be advanced, that is set forward, by turning the setting knob clockwise, as viewed from the front, this knob being integral with shaft 60 containing a pinion 61, in mesh with the teeth of idler gear 62, meshing with minute gear 63. On this shaft 60 is pivoted a sleeve 65, containing rate regulating knob 18 and a pinion 66, meshing with idler gear 67, driving idler gear 68, in mesh with rate regulating gear 45. It is thus seen that when rate regulating knob 18, secured to sleeve 65, is turned clockwise, as viewed from the front of the clock the rate regulating gear 45 is turned counter-clockwise and in a direction to increase the speed of the clock. In this connection it should be understood that knob 10 is gear connected to setting knob 20 and that rate regulating knob 18 is gear "connected to rate regulating knob 28 and that the gear ratio from knob 10 to knob 20 is the same as the gear ratio of knob 18 to knob .28. Even though setting knob 10 must be turned more degrees to advance the minute hand one degree whereas only one degree of turn ing of setting knob '20 is required to advance the minute hand 15 one degree, nevertheless when

knobs

10 and 18 are turned together and in synchronism the same extent of rate regulation is made per unit of setting as when knobs and 28 are turned together and in synchronism. Also, when

knobs

10 and 18 are turned clockwise knobs 20 and 28 are also turned clockwise, both as viewed from the front of the clock. In other words, when

knobs

10 and 18 are turned in synchronism the knobs 20 and 28 also turn in synchronism even through this latter pair of knobs turn a less number of degrees.

Operation of Figs. 1 and 2 Let us assume that the clock hands 15 and 16 are correctly set with similar clock hands of a synchronous motor electric clock operated from a frequency regulated commercial alternating current system having its frequency regulated to correctly manifest the passing of time, and that such setting is accomplished by turning set button or knob 20 without turning rate regulating knob 28. Let us now assume that 24 hours later it is found that the clock of FIGS. 1 and 2 is two minutes fast as compared with the same synchronous motor electric clock, used as a standard. Let us also assume that the rate-correcting rate, as determined by ratio of gears 45, 53 and 54 and pinions 5t and 52 and the structure of hairspring 40, is such that seven-eighth of the time keeping error is removed if the knobs 20 and 28 are turned, in synchronism, exactly twenty-four hours after the original setting, to set the hands 15 and 16 to correct time, as determined from the same synchronous motor electric clock, used as a standard. If we now again wait exactly 24 hours until we compare the time indication of hands 15 and 16 with the minute and hour hand of the electric clock, used as a standard, we will find that the minute hand 15 is now only one-eighth of two, or onefourth minute fast as compared with the minute hand of the electric clock. If now, after another twentyfour hours lapse of time, this procedure is repeated we find that the clock of FIGS. 1 and 2 will gain only oneeighth of one-fourth minute or one thirty-second of a minute, or about two seconds per day. In other words, the final remaining error is the first remaining error raised to the power of the number of corrections made. Namely, in the above example it will be one-eighth raised to the second power, namely squared which is one-sixty-fourth of two minutes which is two sixthy-fourth minutes or onethirty second of a minute or about two seconds. The rate at which rate correction is preferably made, as just explained, is resorted to so that the clock need not be set and simultaneously rate corrected by turning the knobs 20 and 28 in synchronism, at exactly twenty-four hour intervals. For instance, if one waited as long as twentyeight hours there still would not be an over-correction, but in this case the clock would be substantially fully rate corrected, so that no second rate-correction would need to be made. If, on the other hand, the user of the clock made a combined setting and rate regulation operation by firmly holding the knobs 20 and 28 together and turning them in synchronism as he set the clock exactly twenty-one hours after the original setting he would make a substantial under-correction, insofar as the rate correction is concerned, in that in this case he would only remove three-fourth of the error. If this were repeated three times on three successive days the clock would be in error only one-fourth raised to the third power or only one-sixty-fourth of the original error. This desire to make an under correction stems from the fact that the user of the clock will have much leeway as to the exact time in which clock setting and simultaneous rate regulation must be made in that the instruction may call for combined setting and rate regulation to be made at about twenty-four hour intervals, meaning from about twenty-one to twenty-seven hours after the previous setting, and at any minute in this leeway period.

By looking at FIG. 2, it is readily seen that if knob 20 is grasped in the usual way and turned, the knob 28 is not turned at all, but if care is taken to grasp both knobs 20 and 23 the operators hand will constitute part of a clutch to lock the two knobs together. Also, if setting knob 10 is grasped in the usual way, and turned, the knob 18 is not turned at all and only hand setting is accomplished, but if the skirt 10A thereof is firmly grasped this skirt 10A will engage knob 18 and both

knobs

10 and 18 will be turned together and in synchronism and combined setting and rate regulation will result. In this connection it should be understood that the skirt 10A may, for instance, be made of very thin metal, possibly slotted, to permit it to be flexed into contact with the knob 18 or, if desired, the entire knob 10 10A may be made of rubber so long as the disk portion is thick enough to prevent the knob 18 being turned when it is desired to only set, and not rate regulate, the clock. There will be a little friction between minute shaft 17 and sleeve 54A and also between shaft 60 and sleeve 65. To prevent accidental rate regulation during a setting procedure a spring pressed brake 70 hearing against the side of the rate regulating gear 45 has been provided. It should be observed that the hour hand 16 is mounted on a sleeve 16A which is gear driven by the minute shaft through the medium of reduction gears 72 and 74 and pinions 71 and 73.

In the foregoing discussion of the operation of FIGS. 1 and 2 no details were given with respect to the manner in which rate regulating knob 28, when turned in synchronism with the set knob 20 in a direction to advance the clock hands, will shorten the effective length of the hairspring 40 by the operation of rate regulating gear 45. In this connection, it should be noted that when the clock is advanced by turning knob 20 clockwise as viewed from the front that the knob 28, when knobs 2i and 28 are gripped together, will also be turned clockwise and that such turning of knob 28 will cause the effective length of the hairspring 40 to be shortened and the speed of operation of the clock to be increased. Also, if desired, a set button such as knob 20 of FIG. 2 and designated '80 in FIG. 3, may be used in combination with a rate regulating knob 88 shown in FIG. 3, which knob-88 is constructed of thin sheet metal, such as razor blade steel, so that it may be flexed into contact with knob 80, is desired. Also, this knob 88 may be constructed of thin rubber, so that it may be flexed likewise.

As pointed out hereinbefore, either the knobs and 18 or the knobs 20 and 28, may be omitted, in that if the clock under consideration is used as an auto clock, on an instrument board, the

knobs

10 and 18 are preferably used and if the clock is used as an alarm or shelftype clock, the knobs 20 and 28 are preferably used. In this connection it should be understood that if

knobs

10 and 18 are omitted the pinions 61 and 66 and the

gears

62, 63, 67 and 68 are also omitted. If on the other hand the knobs 20 and 28 are omitted then the gears 53, 54 and pinions 50 and 52 are also omitted. It should however be understood that both pairs of knobs may be retained, if desired.

Having thus shown and described numerous embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that the showing of these modifications has been resorted to in order to illustrate the nature of the invention, rather than the specific form the invention may take, and it should be understood that the forms shown do not exhaust all forms the invention may take and that various changes, modifications and additions may be made so long as these changes do not depart from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece comprising; a gear reduction train; means for driving said gear reduction train; escapement mechanism driven by said gear reduction train; adjustable rate regulating means operatively connected to said escapement mechanism and determining the rate of operation of said escapement mechanism in accordance with its adjustment; a slip clutch; a rotatable time indicating hand driven by said gear train through the medium of said slip clutch; a setting knob for setting said time indicating hand by slipping said slip clutch; and a rate adjusting knob operatively connected to said rate regulating means arranged coaxially with and adjacent to said setting knob so that both knobs may be grasped together by the operators hand and turned together and in synchronism. said rate regulating knob being so operatively connected to said rate regulating means that when said knobs are turned together and in synchronism and in a direction to advance said time indicating hand, said rate regulating means is adjusted in a direction to increase the rate of operation of the timepiece.

2. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the knobs is constructed of flexible material so that the two knobs may be brought into contact with each other in engagingclutch fashion.

3. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as defined in claim 1, wherein the setting knob is secured to a setting shaft and the rate regulatingknob is secured to a sleeve surrounding said setting shaft.

4. A semi-automatically rate regulated timeplece as claimed in claim 1; wherein the concentrically juxtaposed knobs are located on the dial-side of the timepiece. 5. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim 1; wherein the concentrically juxtaposed knobs are located on the back of the timepiece.

6. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein the setting knob is secured to a setting shaft and the rate regulating knob is secured to a sleeve surrounding said setting shaft and supplemented by a flexible skirt depending from said setting knob and surrounding said rate regulating knob to enable this skirt to be pressed by the operators hand into engagement with said rate regulating knob.

7. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece comprising; timekeeping mechanism; rate regulating mechanism for determining the speed of operation of said timekeeping mechanism and connected to said timekeeping mechanism, said rate regulating mechanism being adjustable to change the speed of operation of said timekeeping mechanism; a slip clutch; a rotatable time indicating means by said timekeeping mechanism through the medium of said slip clutch; a setting knob for setting said time indicating means by slipping said slip clutch; and a rate adjusting knob operatively connected to said rate regulating mechanism and arranged coaxially with and adjacent to said setting knob so that both knobs may be grasped by the operators hand into a unitary structure and turned together and in synchronism, and when so locked together and turned in synchronism, and in a direction to advance said time indicating means, said rate regulating mechanism is adjusted in a direction to increase the rate of operation of the timekeeping mechanism.

8. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as defined in claim 7, wherein at least one of the knobs is constructed of flexible material so that the two knobs may be pressed by the operators hand into contact with each other in engaging-clutch fashion.

9. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as defined in claim 7, wherein the setting knob is secured to a setting shaft and the rate regulating knob is secured to a sleeve surrounding said setting shaft.

10. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim 7; wherein the concentrically juxtaposed knobs are located on the dial-side of the timepiece.

11. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim 7; wherein the concentrically juxtaposed knobs are located on the back of the timepiece.

12. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim 7, wherein the setting knob is secured to a setting shaft and the rate regulating knob is secured to a sleeve surrounding said setting shaft and supplemented by a flexible skirt depending from said setting knob and surrounding said rate regulating knob to enable this skirt to be pressed by the operators hand into engagement with said rate regulating knob.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 519,488 Woodsum May 8, 1894 1,597,067 Dienner Aug. 24, 1926 2,498,835 Brotman Feb. 28, 1950 2,554,029 Holdman May 22, 1951 2,700,867 Doane Feb. 1, 1955 2,779,154 Maurer Jan. 29, 1957 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent- No 2,992,526 July 18, 1961 Oscar Hy Dicke It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 6 line 24 after "means" insert driven Signed and sealed this 28th day of November 1961.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 2,992,526 July 18,, 1961 Oscar 'I-I. Dicke It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered petent requiring correction and that the s aid Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 6 line 24,- after "means" insert driven Signed and sealed this 28th day of November 1961.,

( SEA L) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer DAVID L. LADD Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC