US3148313A

US3148313A - Noise-eliminating means for selfwinding electric clocks

Info

Publication number: US3148313A
Application number: US214733A
Authority: US
Inventors: John L Hancock
Original assignee: Amphenol Borg Electronics Corp
Current assignee: Amphenol Borg Electronics Corp
Priority date: 1962-08-03
Filing date: 1962-08-03
Publication date: 1964-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 1981-09-08

Description

p 3, 1964 J. L. HANCOCK 3,148,313

NOISE-ELIMINATING MEANS FOR SELF-WINDING ELECTRIC CLOCKS Filed Aug. 3, 1962 1:ui lllllllll l 14, 28 mama/9770 INVENTOR. I.

QM/1 ,mmx

United States Patent 3,148,313 NOISE-ELIMINATING MEANS FOR SELF- WINDING ELECTREC CLOCKS John L. Hancock, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Amphenol-Borg Eiectronics Corporation,

Broadview, 111., a corporation of Deiaware Filed Aug. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 214,733 1 Claim. (Cl. 317-195) My invention relates to noise-dampening means for selfwinding electric clocks.

Heretofore in electric clocks utilizing an armature of an electromagnetic coil acting upon a fly wheel by engagement of the contact carried by the latter, for driving the fly wheel in spring-winding direction, the striking of the armature against the frame of the field coil produces upon each stroke of the armature an annoying noise of Sulficient volume to be head. One of the objects of this invention is to substantially dampen such noise, thus to provide a self-winding electric clock which is quiet in operation.

Another and equally important object is to provide an arrangement for accomplishing the foregoing object which is relatively simple, positive in operation and economical in manufacture.

Yet another and equally important object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective arrangement for separating the engagement between the contact carried by the armature of an electric clock and the contact carried by the fly wheel at a critical point in the operation of the latter whereby to eliminate locking of the two contacts.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric self-winding clock showing the invention associated therewith;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view similar to FIG. 2, but showing certain parts thereof in different posi tions;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 44 of FIG. 2.

I prefer to accomplish the several objects of this invention by the preferred form of construction as seen in the drawings and hereinafter described. In such drawings I have illustrated only so much of the electric self-winding clock as is necessary for an understanding of this invention.

The self-winding clock includes a back plate It on which the clock works 11 is mounted. In the illustration shown in the drawings, this clock works, includes, among other elements, a segmental fly wheel 12, the shaft 13 of which is journaled in one end portion 14 of a bracket 15. The fly wheel 12 has an extension to provide an arm 16. This arm 16 has a laterally extending lug 17 which carries a contact 19.

Mounted on this plate is an electromagnetic element 20 comprising a frame 21 carrying a field coil 22. The lower bar 23 of the frame 21 has pivotally connected thereto in a manner well known in the art an armature 24. The upper end portion of this armature 24 terminates into an arm 25 which carries at its outer end portion 25' a contact 26 adapted to engage the hereinbefore referred to contact 19 whereby to complete the circuit 20' between the field coil 22 and a source of power (not shown). Fixed to the outer end portion 25 by means of the contact 26 which is riveted to the arm 25, is an elongated relatively fiat plate 27 formed of non-conductive material. This plate 27 has an opening 28 through 3,148,313 Patented Sept. 8,, 1964 which the contact 26 is exposed for engagement with the contact 19.

Upon engagement of the contact 26 with the contact '19, the field coil 22 will be energized and will cause the spring-winding direction without producing any undesirable noise.

The relationship of the

contacts

19 and 26 to the nonconductive plate 27 is such that when the armature is at the end of its stroke, the

contacts

19 and 26 being out of contact, it is impossible for the contacts to lock as frequently occurs in self-winding clocks now commercially in use.

Normally, whenever the armature is attracted toward the core of the field coil 22, the armature 24 will strike against the edge portion 29 of the frame, resulting in a pronounced noise which is readily heard. To overcome this objectionable feature which is present in the presentday electromagnetic coils of self-winding clocks, I mount between the armature 24 and the field coil plate 30 a plurality of laminated relatively thin metal or plastic sheets 31 of high tensile strength and not subject to swelling or distortion due to heat or humidity. These sheets 31 have their corresponding edge portions 32 connected to the plate 30 by means of screw studs 33, the outer ends of which loosely project into enlarged openings 33' formed in the armature 24. The sheets 31 are self-spaced from each other as shown in FIG. 2, when the armature is in a starting position. Whenever the armature 24 is drawn toward the core of the coil 22, the sheets will be pressed together and the air therebetween expelled, to provide a noise dampener for the armature 24, which together with the dampening of the noise by the non-conductive plate 27, provides a substantially quietly operating selfwinding clock.

The sheets 31 are preferably each of the same dimension and are each of a length and breadth substantially the same as that of the armature 24.

As is the practice in self-winding electric clocks using an electromagnetic coil, a coil spring 34 is employed with one end portion connected to the lower arm 23 of the frame 21 and the opposite end portion connected to a depending finger 36 provided by the armature 24. The function of this spring 34, well-known in the art, is to return the armature to its initial starting position each time that the field coil 22 is deenergized.

To dampen noise of operation of the armature 24, I provide a wire 37 of spring material having one end portion connected as at 38 to the armature 34 and an opposite end portion 39 bearing against the arm 23 of the frame 21. The tension of this spring 37 is sufficient to cushion the return movement of the armature 24 without interfering with the return of the armature by action of the spring 34.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that I have accomplished the several objects of this invention by an arrangement which is relatively simple and economical in manufacture.

While I have illustrated the improvements as being associated with an electric self-winding clock, it is obvious that the same may have other application.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore do not Wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

In combination, an electromagnetic device for a selfwinding clock, said device including (a) a substantially U-shaped frame,

([2) a coil supported by and arranged in said frame,

(0) a field plate extending vertically between the end portions of the legs of said frame in front of said coil,

((1) a relatively fiat armature having one edge portion pivotally connected to one of said legs and spaced from said field plate,

(e) a plurality of laminated substantially rectangularly shaped sheets, each of high tensile strength and resistant to swelling and distortion due to changes in temperature and humidity, said sheets being arranged in confronting relation with respect to each other between said armature and said field plate to provide a noise-dampening means,

( and means for connecting corresponding edge portions of said sheets to an edge portion of said field plate adjacent the point of connection between the armature and said one leg of said frame,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED'STATES PATENTS 1,060,380 Thompson Apr. 29, 1913 1,226,748 Burnham May 22, 1917 3,046,456 Petrus July 26, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 606,429 France June 14, 1926 965,690 Germany June 13, 1957 OTHER REFERENCES Germany (application) M 13473, printed December 13, 1956.

Germany (application) 1,069,085 printed November 12, 1959.