US3154911A - Striking mechanisms for clocks - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 3, 1964 o. TSCHUDIN 3,154,911

STRIKING MECHANISMS FOR CLOCKS F I F/c-z/ Filed June 19, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 313i AAAIIIU I T 3 M 55 E6 jg? ad INVEN r01? AMMM Wm M MW mm.

0. TSCHUDIN STRIKING MECHANISMS FOR CLOCKS Nov. 3, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1963 M QM E: w \Q Li 5. 8

United States Patent 3,154,911 STflItlltlNG MEQHMQKSM lFllR CLGQKS @swald Tschudin, l-ianptstrasse 153, Well am Rhein, Germany Filed June 39, 1963, Ser. No. 289,785 tlllaims priority, application Germany June 22, 1962 9 Claims. (U. 58-38) This invention has reference to electrically controllable striking works or striking mechanisms for clocks, and more particularly to such striking works or mechanisms for clocks which are wound by electromagnetic means.

Prior art electrically controllable striking works include a cam which is operated by the shaft of the minute hand of the clock and which, in turn, operat s a release lever for the striking work. Because of the way that release lever is being operated, its motion is a gradual motion effected in small uccessive increments. At the exact time when the striking work is LO operate the aforementioned release lever is brought out of engagement with a toothed sensing pack. The latter cooperates with a cam disc operated by the shaft of the hour hand of the clock and comprising sectors having progressively changing radii in such a fashion that the rack is being returned to its initial position in a number of successive steps, in the particular number of such steps depending upon the particular position of the cam disc. Each of the steps in which the sensing rack is being returned to its initial position results in one strike of the striking work.

Striking works of this description may be associated with clocks which are operated electromagnetically, or which are driven by an electric motor.

In striking Works of this description the cam which is operated by the shaft of the minute hand of the clock and which, in turn, releases the aforementioned toothed sensing rack is subjected to considerable stresses during a portion of each revolution of the minute hand of the clock. This load imposed upon the clockwork, i.e. upon the shaft of the minute hand thereof, is adverse to its precise operation.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide improved striking works which are not subject to the aforementioned drawback or limitation.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved striking works for clocks wherein operation is initiated by engagement of pairs of cooperating contacts requiring minimal forces for their operation rather than by means which greatly change the load to which a clockwork is subjected.

These and other objects of the invention and advantages thereof will become more apparent from the ensuing description of the invention when considered jointly with the appended drawings.

In the drawings FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a striking work for I3. clock embodying this invention, and

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a modification of the striking work shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 1, numeral ll has been applied to indicate a gear which is in meshing engagement with the minute hand drive of a clockwork, this latter drive not being shown in FIG. 1. There is a relatively large amount of play between the teeth of gear 11 and those of its driving gear (not shown). This play is so large that a cam 12 integral with gear Ill may freely be pivoted a predetermined angle a about the axis of gear 11. Armature 34 of soft iron is integral with cam 12, as a result of which both parts always move simultaneously. Armature 34- is operatively arranged in the gap formed between the poles of a magnetic yoke 35 supporting an energizing winding 36. Cam i2 is adapted to operate a pair or" cooperating contacts 32. Tie downward moverent of the lower contact of contacts 32 is limited by an abutment in. Contacts 32. are operated by cam 12 upon completion of any revolution of the minute drive of the clockwork, i.e. cam 12 causes an engagement of contacts 32 at the end of equal intervals of sixty rninutes. At such times armature is in the position shown in 1 angularly displaced from its median position a 1U. between the poles of yoke 35, the angle of angular displacement being a. degrees. Upon cnergization of wind: ing armature 3 2- is moved to its median position as (a result of which contacts 32 are released by cam 12 and separate.

Reference numeral 13 has been applied to indicate the shaft of the hour hand. Shaft 13 supports a cam disc 14 comprising sectors of 30 degrees having progressively changing radii. Rack i5 is arranged vertically above shaft 13 and adapted to move radiall either upward or downward. In view of the speed at which cam disc 14 is being driven another sector thereof is moved every hour under rack 15. Latches 31 and 17 are adapted to cooperate with toothed rack 15. Latch 31 adapted to engage the teeth 51 of rack 15 is supported by an arm 21 of lever 22 pivotally supported at 52. Latch 17 is pivotally supported at 16 and under the bias of spring Rack i5 is provided with an edge 49 projecting laterally beyond the ends of teeth 51 and engaged by latch 17.

Latch i7 is formed by a lever having two arms. In the position of the parts of the striking work which is shown in FIG. 1 arm 19 is juxtaposed to a hook-shaped abutment Ztl integral with lever 22. As a result abutment 2% maintains latch 17 in the particular position thereof shown in P16. 1.

Arm iof lever 22 supports a striker 29 adapted to hit against a bell or equivalent sound emitting body. Reference numenal 26 has been applied to indicate an electromagnet having an armature 25. As long as the constituent parts of the striking work are in the position shown in PEG. 1 contact 2 conductively interconnects arm 53 of lever 22 with the armature 25 of electromagnet 25 maintaining the energizing circuit of the latter closed. Arm 53 supports a damping piston 27 movably arranged in damping c linder 28. The latter is provided with check valve 48. Thus parts 2'7, 23, 43 form a dashpot. Normally lever 5.32 is maintained in the position shown under the bias of resetting spring 23.

Upon energization of electromagnet 26 the armature 25 of the latter is lifted. As a result cont-act 24 engages lever arm 53 and transmits the motion of armature 25 upon lever 22, causing a clockwise pivotal motion of the latter against the bias of spring 23. The presence of check valve 4-? precludes any damping of this stroke of lever 22. The length of the aforementioned stroke of lever arm 53 is limited by an adjustable abutment to which reference character it has been applied. Striker supported by lever arm 53 swings beyond the upper limit position of lever arm 53 determined by abutment hits against bell 3%, or an equivalent soundemitting body. As a result of the pivotal motion of lever 22 the energizing circuit of electromagnet 26 is opened at Thereupon lever 22 moves under the bias of resetting spring 2 3 in clockwise direction back to its initial position shown in FIG. 1, this backward swing being delayed by the action of dashpot 2'7, 28, d8. Abutment 3? engaging latch 31 lifts said latch from one tooth of rack 15' into the tooth immediately adjacent thereto. Hence rack 15 is lifted during the delayed resetting operation of lever 22 a distance equal to the spacing between two teeth of rack 15.

Any time contact 32 is closed by the operation of cam 12 associated with gear ii, the energizing circuit of electromagnet as is being closed, armature 25 is being attracted and lever 22 is bein pivoted in clockwise direction. Hook-shaped abutment 2d maintains latch 1'7 in the position shown. Abutment 39 causes disengagement of latch 31 from the gears 51 of rack 15. Therefore rack is free to drop down until engaged by one of the sectors of cam disc 14. Simultaneously arm 53 of lever 22 closes a pair of cooperating contacts 37, thus closing the energizing circuit of winding 3d. This circuit includes the switch-over contacts 1% operated by rack 15. The center switch-over contact is engaged by rack 15 in the initial position of the latter and instantly interrupted when rack 15' is moved out of its initial position. Yoke as is magnetized during the transient energization of winding as, as a result of which armature 34 is being pulled around an angle a exactly to its horizontal position, i.e. into the median plane of yoke 3d. As a result of the large play between gear 11 and its driving gear (not shown), this pivotal motion of armature 34 and switching cam 12 can be effected without affecting the driving shaft of the minute hand of the clock. When yoke 35 is magnetized and armature pivoted,

cam 12 is moved out of engagement with contacts 32, thus allowing opening of the latter.

As lever 22 is being reset by spring 23 rack 15 is lifted by latch 31 a distance equal to the spacing between two contiguous teeth of said rack. This resetting operation is slowed down by the action of dashpot 27, 23, 455. When rack 15 is lifted latch 17 may engage any of its teeth 51, depending upon the position of cam disk 1 1. However, if the striker 2% had to perform but one single strikeas is the case when cam disk 14 is in the position ofFIG. l-then rack 15 is returned to its initial position shown in FIG. 1 at the first resetting step thereof. Contact 2d recloses again after completion of the resetting stroke of lever 22, thus preparing repeated energization of electromagnet as.

Any time the striker mechanism has to perform several strikes cam disc 14 will be angularly displaced from the position shown in FIG. 1. Under such circumstances rack 15 is allowed to move upon release thereof a distance exceeding the spacing between two contiguous teeth, and contact 18; is closed following the first resetting step of rack 15. once contact 24 establishes right away the energizing circuit of electromagnet 26, whose armature 25 is again thrown against lever 22. This play is repeated periodically until rack 15 is returned to the initial position thereof wherein contact 13; is open and contact 18 is closed. Hence magnet 26 will be reenergized only after one full hour has elapsed upon operation of contact 32 by cam 12.

Reference numeral 33 has been applied to indicate a push button switch adapted when operated to shunt contact 32, thus energizing the circuit of magnet 26 before one full hour has elapsed. This causes a renewed release of rack 15 and consequently a repetition of the last sequence of strikes.

Reference numeral 41 has been applied to indicate a second electromagnet for effecting half hourly strikes. Magnet 41 is provided with an armature engaging a lever (l3? pivotally supported at 54. Lever 43, in turn,

supports a striker 44 adapted to strike against a bell 45, or equivalent sound emitting body.

This occurs after the pivotal movement of lever 43 about fulcrum 54 has been stopped by abutment 55. The energizing circuit of magnet 41 includes cooperating contacts 4 6 closed each minutes by cam 12 of gear 11. This results in energization of electromagnet d1 and closing of contacts by lever 43. Closing of contacts effects energization of winding as whose armature 34 is being turned an angle tr about its axis vOf symmetry vertical to the plane of the paper on which FIG. 1 is drawn, thus resulting in immediate reopening of contact 16.

Referring now to 1 1G. 2, the structure shown therein includes a toothed sensing rack 115 taking the place of til the linear sensing rack 15 of P18. 1. Toothed sensing rack 11$ is in the shape of a gear segment and is pivoted at 65. Reference numeral 151 has been applied to indicate the teeth of rack 115. Latch 131 on lever 122 cooperatively engages the teeth 151 of rack 115. In addition thereto, latch 11'7 pivoted at 116 coopenatively engages the teeth 151 of rack 115. Ann 121 of lever 122 pivotaliy supports latch 131 and the latter is in the shape of a lever having two arms each to different sides of the pivot of latch 131. Reference numeral 120 has been applied to indicate the lower of these arms abutting against an eccentric 139. Gne end 119 of latch 117 projects into the path of movement of arm 120 and when latch 117 engages an edge 149 of rack projecting beyond the teeth 151 thereof when rack 115 is in its initial position shown in FIG. 2.

The structure of FIG. 2 further comprises a number of parts identical to those included in the structure of PEG. 1 and designated in FIG. 2 by the same reference charactersas in PEG. 1. Thus numeral 12 has been applied to indicate a cam for controlling contact 32. Cam 12 forms part of a gear in meshing engagement with another. gear and having a substantial play as more fully ex lained in connection with the description of FIG. 1. Cam 12 is driven at such a speed as to achieve a complete revolution each 60 minutes. Cam 1?; is associated with another oam 134 turning about the same shaft and hence at the same speed as cam 12.. Whenever cam 12 closes contact 32 at the end of a full hour, cam 134 is juxtaposed to a slide as. Slide 66 is coupled with lever 122 by the intermediary of bell-crank-shaped lever 70. Magnet 26 is energized in the same fashion as set forth in detail in connection with FIG. 1. If electromagnet 26 is energized and its armature 25 attracted, lever 122 is pivoted in count rclockwise direction about fulcrum 52, and slide 65 is moved from left to right by the action of bell-crank-shaped coupling lever '70. As a result abutment (:9 on slide as engages cam 134 and pivots cams 13d and 12 jointly a predetermined distance depending upon the amount of play between the gear of which cams 112 and 134 form a part and the gear meshing with and driving that gear. The aforementioned pivotal motions of cams 13d and 12 cause disengagement of cam 12 from contact 32 and opening of the latter.

The first closing of contact 32 and energization of electromagnet 26 results in clockwise operation of lever 122.

During this stroke of lever 122 arm 12d thereof engages a pin on arm 119 of latch 117 and pivots the latter in counterclockwise direction. At the same time latch 131 engages the eccentric abutment 139 as a result of which latch 131 is lifted out of the teeth 151 of rack 115. This frees rack 115 which may now drop down until its lower end abuts against one of the sectors of cam disc 14. During the resetting stroke of lever 122 both latches 131 and 1.17 cooperatively reengage the teeth 151 of rack 115. Since contact 118 under the control of rack 115 close instantly when rack 115 is moved out of the initial position thereof, electromaguet Z5 is being energized periodically until such time when rack 115 is returned to the initial position thereof shown in FIG. 2. The striker 29 strikes against bell 3%, or an equivalent sound emitting body, incident to each energization of electromagnet 26 and incident to each resetting step of rack 115.

it will be understood that 1 have illustrated and described herein preferred embodiments only of my invention and that various alterations may be made in the details thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A striking work for clocks comprising in combination:

relatively remote from said cam disc and a plurality of positions relatively close to said cam disc and determined by the angular position of said cam disc;

(0) means for resetting said rack in successive steps to said initial position thereof from any of said plurality of positions thereof including an electromagnet, an armature operatively related to said electromagnet, a pivotable lever operated by said armature and means providing a resetting force for said lever;

(d) a striker under the control of said lever;

(e) a sound emitting body arranged in the path of movement of said striker;

(f) a latch cooperating with the teeth of said rack; and

(g) abutment means under the control of said lever for maintaining said latch out of engagement with the teeth of said rack when said rack is in said initial position thereof and said armature is spaced from said electromagnet.

2. A striking Work for clocks as specified in claim 1 comprising:

(a) an edge on said rack projecting beyond the toothed portion thereof and engaged by said latch when said rack is in said initial position thereof; and

(b) an abutment integral with said lever cooperating with said latch to maintain said latch out of engagement with said rack.

3. A striking Work for clocks as specified in claim 1 comprising a damping system eifective in but one single direction delaying the resetting stroke of said lever under the action of said resetting force.

4. A striking work for clocks as specified in claim 1 comprising a single contact means under the control of a clockwork for closing the energizing circuit of said electromagnet.

5. A striking work for clocks as specified in claim 1 comprising:

(a) a single contact means under the control of the minute hand drive of a clockwork for closing the energizing circuit of said electromagnet; and

(b) means under the control of said armature for causing deenergization of the energizing circuit of said electromagnet.

6. A striking work for clocks as specified in claim 1 comprising:

(a) contact means under the control of the minute hand drive of a clockwork for closing the energizing circuit of said electromagnet;

(b) electromagnetic contact opening means for separating said contact means; and

(c) additional contact means under the control of said armature for closing the energizing circuit of said electromagnetic contact opening means.

7. A striking work for clocks as specified in claim 1 comprising:

(a) contact means under the control of the minute hand drive of a clockwork for closing the energizing circuit of said electromagnet;

(b) a gear adapted to be driven with considerable play by said minute hand drive;

(0) a cam integral with said gear to engage said contact means to cause closing thereof;

(d) a magnetizable element integral with said gear and said cam;

(e) a magnetizable yoke supporting an energizing Winding for jointly pivoting said magnetizable element, said gear and said cam in response to energization of said energizing winding to separate said contact means; and

(1) additional contact means under the control of said armature for closing the circuit of said energizing winding supported by said yoke.

8. A striking Work for clocks as specified in claim 1 comprising contact means arranged in the energizing circuit of said electromagnet and under the control of said rack for closiri said energizing circuit in response to movement of said rack from said initial position thereof.

9. A striking Work for clocks as specified in claim 1 comprising:

(a) contact means under the control of the minute hand drive of a clockwork for closing the energizing circuit of said electromagnet;

(b) a gear adapted to be driven with considerable play by said minute gear drive;

(0) a first carn integral with said gear adapted to engage said contact means to cause closing thereof;

(d) a second cam integral with said gear; and

(e) a slide under the control of said lever and including abutment means engaging said second cam upon movement of said lever under the action of said electromagnet and thereby causing said second cam to engage and to open said contact means.

No references cited.

Claims (1)

1. A STRIKING WORK FOR CLOCKS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A ROTATABLE CAM DISC HAVING SECTORS OF PROGRESSIVELY VARYING RADII; (B) A MOVABLE TOOTHED SENSING RACK COOPERATING WITH SAID CAM DISC, SAID RACK HAVING AN INITIAL POSITION RELATIVELY REMOTE FROM SAID CAM SDISC AND A PLURALITY OF POSITION RELATIVELY CLOSE TO SAID CAM DISC AND DETERMINED BY THE ANGULAR POSITION OF SAID CAM DISC; (C) MEANS FOR RESETTING SAID RACK IN SUCCESSIVE STEPS TO SAID INITIAL POSITION THEREOF FROM ANY OF SAID PLURALITY OF POSITIONS THEREOF INCLUDING AN ELECTROMAGENET, AN ARMATURE OPERATIVELY RELATED TO SAID ELECTROMAGNET, A PIVOTABLE LEVER OPERATED BY SAID ARMATURE AND MEANS PROVIDING A RESETTING FORCE FOR SAID LEVER;

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