US3144098A - Draft-operated drive means for clocks and the like - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 11, 1964 D. F. MINGRONE 3,144,098

DRAFT-OPERATED DRIVE MEANS FOR CLOCKS AND THE LIKE Filed May 2, 1963 INVENTOR.

ome/720k 1' M51 ["0/76 United States Patent "ce 3,144,098 DRAFT-OPERATED DRIVE MEANS FOR CLOCKS AND THE LIKE Domenick F. Mingrone, 37 Elizabeth St., Derby, Conn.

Filed May 2, 1963, Ser. No. 277,582

- 1 Claim. (Cl. 185-40) The present invention relates to draft-operated drive means and more particularly to a draft-operated motor connected to a drive mechanism provided with means for continuously winding remotely disposed clocks.

Heretofore, efiorts have been made to provide a' draftoperated drive means for winding clocks and the like which have been inserted in the wall of a chimney and directly connected to a clock or the like. Such means, it will be apparent, must be located in a room in which the chimney is contiguous and can be only located on the wall adjacent the chimney.

The present invention overcomes these difliculties by providing a novel unit mounted in a vertically disposed pipe section which is adapted to be connected into the flue in a chimney or the like in any convenient location and has drive means mounted on the pipe section. The pipe section is adapted to be connected by other pipe sections to the flue of the chimney so that the draft in the chimney will cause air to flow upwardly through the section. A rotating vane, connected to a vertically disposed shaft in the pipe section, is connected to a drive mechanism incorporating a spring having a slip connection to prevent overwinding thereof and to remotely disposed clocks which are connected to the drive mechanism by flexible drive cables extending from the drive mechanism to any room in the house in which the clock is disposed to provide a drive connection for a clock in said room. Preferably, the pipe section may be provided with auxiliary vent means for increasing the draft through the pipe section to insure adequate turning of the Vane in the unit.

A feature of the invention resides in the ease of installation of the unit in the most advantageous location to provide the best operating draft, and in the convenience and the location of the remotely disposed clocks. It is particularly useful in connection with alarm clocks, and especially those of the 24 hour variety, which will insure operation of the alarm under all circumstances.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claim when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows the unit in position and connected to a remotely disposed clock.

FIG. 2 -is a longitudinal section through the pipe showing the vane in position.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the drive mechanism on the side of the pipe section.

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken through the spring drum showing the gear drive connected thereto.

As shown in FIG. 2, the draft-operated drive means of the present invention comprises a draft functioning motor in the form of a pipe section having a disk-like vane 11 disposed therein and secured to a shaft 12 rotatably mounted in bearing means 13 having cap jewel or the like anti-friction bearings to provide a freely rotating shaft, which bearing means is carried by a bracket or bridge 14 within the pipe section so that the shaft is located axially of the pipe section and the vane is so disposed as to extend substantially across the entire internal area of the cross-section of the pipe section as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

The unit is to be disposed in a vertical position and is connected by an elbow or the like 15 to a fitting 16 disposed in the wall of a chimney 17 communicating with 3,144,098 Patented Aug. 11., 1964 5 Also, vent means including upwardly inclined tubular passages 20 projecting from the sides of the unit can be provided for effecting a venturi action so as to increase the flow of air into the pipe section and rotate the vane.

As shown in FIG. 2, a deflector means or ring 21 can be provided on the inner Walls of the pipe section to insure that the air passing through the pipe section will flow through the Vane means.

The rotating vane and its shaft are arranged to drive a shaft 22 projecting through the side of the pipe section and geared to the drive mechanism 23. While this may take various forms, in the illustrated and preferred form of the invention, the shaft 12 connected to the vane is provided with a worm gear 24 which drives a wormwheel 25 mounted on the shaft 22 projecting from the side of the pipe section. This shaft is geared through a train of gearing 26 to the gear 27 on a rotatable drum 28 enclosing a spring 29. The outer end 29a of the spring frictionally engages the inner wall of the drum and provides a slip driving connection thereto, while the inner end 2% of the spring is connected to a drive shaft 30 projecting from the drive mechanism and to which a coupling 31 of a flexible drive shaft or cable 32 is connected.

The flexible drive cable can be of any desired length in order to connect the drive means to any room in the house and can have its other end connected to the winding stem on the clock to maintain the clock wound at all times.

While the drive mechanism can be provided with suitable gearing to drive a plurality of clocks simultaneously from the draft-operated drive means in the illustrated form of the invention, for the purpose of simplicity, it is shown as employing a single driving cable.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the novel draftoperated drive means can be located in the basement or any other convenient place in the house and connected to the flue of the chimney so as to provide a maximum flow of air therethrough to rotate the vane therein and actuate the drive means, and the clocks can be located in the various rooms of the house and in such locations in the rooms as may be convenient and connected by the driving cable to the drive means.

Furthermore, the drive means is so constructed that should the clocks become completely wound or the rotation of the drive cable stopped for any reason, the slip connection of the spring in the drum will prevent any damage to the drive means or to the clocks.

Since the present invention is independent of continuous electric current or periodic winding by a person, it will maintain the clocks, particularly 24 hour alarm or 8- day or striking clocks, operating without interruption indefinitely and maintain accurate time. This is of substantial advantage, particularly in rural areas or any place where the electric current is not 60 cycles.

Also, the drive mechanism is capable, with suitable gearing, of driving a plurality of clocks in various rooms, if desired.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claim and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

A draft functioning unit to be connected to a chimney flue by a pipe coupling, said unit comprising a section having cylindrical side walls and an open top and bottom, bearing means disposed within the section and secured to the side walls, a first shaft rotatably carried by said bearing means and disposed axially of said section, a vane rotatably mounted on the upper end of said shaft and disposed within the section to extend transversely of the cylindrical sidewalls to be driven by a draft of air passing through the bottom and out of the top of the section, said cylindrical side walls having a plurality of spaced upwardly inclined vent tubes projecting outwardly therefrom and disposed below the vane to augment the draft in said section, a second shaft extending transversely of and carried by the cylindrical side walls and having one end drivingly connected to said first shaft and the other end projecting from the side walls, a spring motor mounted on the outside of the cylindrical side walls, means connecting the projecting end of the second shaft to' the spring motor to wind the same in response to rotation of said vane, and a flexible cable connected to the spring motor to be driven thereby, said cable being adapted to be connected to a remotely disposed clock or the like to maintain the same in a wound condition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 559,853 Johnson May 12, 1896 687,242 Kikut Nov. 26, 1901 963,854 Busenbenz Oct. 25, 1910 1,013,798 'Messina Jan. 2, 1912 1,112,203 Fandrey Sept. 29, 1914 1,522,073 Odom Jan. 6, 1925 2,477,681 Anderson Aug. 2, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,144,098 August 11 1964 Domenick F, Mingrone 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 4, line 11, for "963,854" read 973,854

This certificate. supersedes Certificate of Correction issued December 8, 1964.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of April 1965 (SEAL) littest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER A-ttesting Officer Commissioner of Patents UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 144,098 August ll, 1964 Domenick F0 Mingrone 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 4, line 11, for "963,854" read 973,854

This certificate supersedes Certificate of Correction issued December 8, 1964,

Signed and sealed this 13th day of April 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER' EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

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