US3207865A - Clock-controlled switch with drowse mechanism operable only in the auto position - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 21, 1965 D. MORRISON ETAL CLOCK-CONTROLLED SWITCH WITH DROWSE MECHANISM OPERABLE ONLY IN THE AUTO POSITION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 10, 1962 "'INVENTORS RALPH C. ROBINSON DAV D MORRISON D. MORRISON ETAL Sept. 21, 1965 3,207,865

CLOCK-CONTROLLED SWITCH WITH DROWSE MECHANISM OPERABLE ONLY IN THE AUTO POSITION Filed May 10, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR-S RALPH C. RoemsoN DAVlD MORRISON United States Patent O 3,207,865 CLOCK-CONTROLLED SWITCH WITH BROWSE MECHANISM OPERAB'LE ONLY 1N THE AUTO POSITION David Morrison and Ralph C. Robinson, Athens, Ga, assignors to General Time Oorporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 1%2, Ser. No. 193,796 3 Claims. (Cl. 200- 38) This invention relates generally to clock-operated switch mechanisms, such as those found in clock radios and, more particularly, to devices of this type which also provide a switch interrupting device sometimes referred to as a drowse mechanism.

A basic switch mechanism of this type is described in detail in copending application Serial No. 37,925, filed June 22, 1960, for a Clock Controlled Switch, now Patent No. 3,068,331 issued December 11, 1962. When ,such a switch is used with a clock radio, as an example, an additional drowse mechanism permits the radio operating through the switch to be temporarily interrupted for a convenient period, say 10 minutes, during which the user may answer a nearby phone, or possibly gain an extra short period of rest before getting up. It has been found, however, that often the user of a drowse mechanism will leave the vicinity of the clock radio before the period of interruption is over, and the radio, at the end of that period, will resume playing-possibly without being heard or remembered for a long time. Repeated occurrences of this type not only shorten the useful life of certain radio parts, but tend to irritate the user, thus diluting public acceptance of an otherwise useful product.

Experience has shown that a significantly greater tendency to forget that the radio is only temporarily interrupted exists when the radio was originally turned on manually, as compared to when the radio comes on automatically by means of the clock. In other words, it seems that when the user sets the controls for manual operation, subsequently operates the drowse mechanism, and then leaves the room for some reason, he is likely to forget about the radio entirely. The existence of the drowse period and the need to reset the controls are more easily recalled when the radio has come on automatically, probably since the user is .accustomed to resetting the controls after automatic operation.

With this in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a clock-controlled switch having a drowse mechanism which will increase customer ac ceptance of clock radios and the like by avoiding inadvertent operation of the switch-controlled device.

More specifically, it is an object to provide a switch of the above type whose drowse mechanism is inoperative. when the switch is manually operated, or, otherwise stated, to provide -a drowse mechanism that is effective only when the switch is operated through the clock mechanism automatically.

It is also an object to provide a switch mechanism as characterized above which is simple in design and well suited for economical, high-volume production.

Other advantages of the present invention will become more aparent from the reading of the detailed decription provided below, taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of a face of a clock mechanism embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of a portion of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows the mechanism of FIG. 2 when the clock is conditioned for automatic or AUTO operation;

3,207,865 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 FIG. 5 illustrates the mechanism conditioned as in FIG. 4 with the drowse operator actuated;

FIG. 6 illustrates the mechanism of FIG. 2 as it appears upon manually closing the switch by setting the indicator on the face of FIG. 1 to ON; and

FIG. 7 illustrates the mechanism of FIG. 6 after actuating the drowse operator.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrative embodiments have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in considerable detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but, on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring now to the appended drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, a clock mechanism 10 of the type which is cooperable with an electric switch for selectively operating the same is indicated, which embodies the invention in one of its forms. The mechanism 10 includes a tram 10a carrying a clock face 11 having conventional hour, minute, and second hands rotatable over the usual indicia on the clockface. A timer setting indicator 12 is also provided. The associated switch may be conditioned for manual or automatic operation, and a selector 13 is provided for this purpose, conveniently positioned in protruding fashion from the clockface. A manipulator 14, having a serrated periphery and a pointer, is provided on the selector for fingertip control of the selector switch between the operative positions of ON, OFF, and AUTO, which are visually indicated on the face 11 about the manipulator.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, the clockworks is operated by a drive motor (not shown) which preferably is of the synchronous type that drives, through appropriate reduction gearing, the hands of the mechanism 10. For purposes of the present disclosure, it will be sufficient to identify only a minute wheel 15 which drives and rotates with the minute hand of the mechanism and an alarm trip gear 16 together with its associated alarm-setting gear 17. The wheel 15 and gears 16, 17 are, of course, conventional elements of a timing mechanism of this type, as will be appreciated by those familiar with the art.

The mechanism 10 includes an electric switch 20 which is of simple and economical construction, comprising a set of contact points 21, 22 in a Bakelite or similar casing 23. One of the contacts 22 is cantilever mounted and movable into and out of contact with the other, which is rigid relative to the frame 10a. External connectors '24, leading inside the casing to the contacts, are provided for attaching any desired electrical circuit through the switch. A radio is one convenient example and will be used here to describe the invention as it is used in one exemplary structure.

As previously noted, the electrical switch 20 is conditioned by the user for either manual operation or automatic operation, in reponse to the timing mechanism, by the selector 13. To this end, the selector, which in the illustrated construction is a relatively long, stamped, sheet metal piece extending through the clockface 11, is provided with a pair of transverse projections 26, 27 which extend from the longitudinal axis of the selector. As a means of maintaining the selctor 13 in the position set by the user, small bosses 28 are provided on the back side of the clockface 11 in the path of one of the projections 26. A protuberance 29 is formed on the inner edge of the projection, in line with the bosses 28 so that additional eifort is required to move the projection over the bosses. The selector is biased by a spring 30 in a direction to resist movement thereof over the bosses, thus creating a detent action to maintain the selector in the position it is placed by the user.

The selector 13 controls the switch 20 through a switch operator 32 which, in its exemplary form, is a relatively long thin member, economically punched from fiberboard or the like. The operator 32 is biased normally downward and toward the face of the clock (as seen in any of FIGS. 4-7) by a cantilever spring 33 which is anchored at one end in the frame a. The operator passes through openings provided in the switch casing 23 where it engages the cantilevered contact as seen in FIGS. 4-7. The axial position of the operator determines whether the contacts are open or closed and the downwardly acting bias effect of the spring 33 on the operator 32 urges the switch contacts into normally closed relationship. The spring 33 passes through a transversely elongated slot 34 in the operator provided for the purpose, and is thus provided with some limited freedom of movement in the direction of its inward bias, without affecting the operator.

The selector 13 is adapted to establish the base position of the operator 32 for each mode of operation of the device, i.e., ON, OFF, and AUTO, by acting on the operator bias spring 33. In the OFF position, which is established by turning the selector to OFF as indicated on the clockface, the selector projection 27 bears against the cantilever spring 33 in a direction opposite its normal downward bias so as to move the operator to a position higher than normal, in which the contacts are separated and the switch is held open. With the operator 32 so positioned, a latch 35 is engaged to hold the operation in switch open position (see FIG. 2). Preferably, the latch 35 is formed by a projection on the operator 32 which is snapped into a slot in the frame 100 under the inward biasing force of the spring 33.

In the ON position, which is attained by a counterclockwise rotation of the manipulator 14 as seen in FIG. 1, the projection 27 is moved in an arc to the right as seen in FIGS. 4-7, away from a position of influence on the spring; and the projection 26 is rotated upward, in behind, and past the spring 33 so as to push the spring toward the rear of the mechanism. This tilts the operator 32 and releases the latch 35 with the result that the normal downward bias of the spring 33 acts upon the operator to move it downward from the OFF position to an ON position in which the contacts are closed.

The third position of the mechanism is the AUTO or automatic position in which the switch is conditioned for operation by the associated timing device. Thus, the radio may be automatically turned on at a predetermined time which may be set, in this instance as much as twelve (12) hours before, by setting the position of the timer hand 12. As the selector 13 is rotated to the AUTO position, it will be apparent that the selector must move from, or through, the OFF position which, as was explained above, causes the latch 35 to become engaged. When the selector assumes the AUTO position, both projection-s 26, 27 are clear of the spring 33 leaving the operator latched in OFF position against the bias of the spring 33.

To unlatch the operator 32 and operate the switch 20 at a preselected time, the operator is formed with a longitudinal finger 36 which extends upward to a position adjacent the trip gear 16. As is conventional, the gears 16, 17 have cooperating axially extending cam portions with the setting gear 17 being angularly positionable together with the indicator 12 while the trip gear 16 rotates with the hour hand of the mechanism 10. When the hour hand and the indicator 12 coincide, the cam portion-s on the gears 16, 17 force the trip gear 16 against the finger 36 so as to tilt the operator and release the latch 35. Thus, the switch 20 is operated at the preselected time shown by the indicator 12.

All of the above-described structure and modes of operation are discussed in greater detail in the previously 4 cited Patent No. 3,068,331, to which reference may be had.

As previously noted, the present invention is primarily concerned with a clock-controlled switch of the type described, which includes a drowse mechanism for temporarily interrupting the operation of the switch for a predetermined length of time. Thus, in the present device, a drowse mechanism 40 is provided which includes a drowse lever 41 having a generally crescent-shaped profile and which is suitably stamped from sheet metal. The lever is pivotally mounted on a shaft 42 fixed in the frame 10a and is biased by a torsion spring 43 against a stop pin 44 which establishes a rest or inactive position for the lever, shown in FIG. 4. A pawl 45 is pivoted at 46 on the lever 41 and is biased by a tensioned spring 47 toward the periphery of the minute wheel 15. With the lever 41 in its rest position, a cam portion 48 on the pawl 45 engages the stop pin 44. The force of the spring 43 exceeds the force of the spring 47 so that the pawl is swung clockwise, as seen in FIGS. 4-7, to a disabled position well clear of the minute wheel 15.

The drowse mechanism 40 is actuated by a convenient manually operable actuator 49 which is mounted, in this instance, on pins 49a for reciprocal movement against the lever 41. Depressing the actuator 49 rotates the lever 41 about its pivot shaft 42 counterclockwise against the bias of the spring 43.

This rotation of the lever 41 carries the cam portion 48 of the pawl 45 clear of the stop pin 44 so that the spring 47 snaps the pawl into drawing engagement with the gear teeth of the minute wheel 15 (see FIG. 5). Upon release of the actuator 49, the lever 41 remains propped by the pawl 45 in its activated, FIG. 5, position until the constantly driven minute wheel 15 rotates out from under the pawl,'turning the pawl in a clockwise direction. As the minute wheel returns the pawl 45 to approximately its disabled, FIG. 4, position and the teeth of the wheel slip past and release the pawl, the torsion spring 43 snaps the lever 41 and the pawl into their disabled positions clear of the minute wheel. This preferably requires about ten minutes and establishes the drowse interval of the mechanism 40. Since the pawl 45 is completely clear of the minute wheel 15 when in disabled position, there is no annoying clocking noise, as is associated with an idling ratchet.

In keeping with the invention, the drowse mechanism 40 is rendered effective only when the selector is in the AUTO position. To this end, a wishbone lever 50, formed of resilient material, is pivotally mounted at the intersection of its legs 53 and 56 on a pin 51 fastened to the frame 10a. The lever is positioned at one side of the electrical switch 20 so that the legs 53, 56 appear to straddle the casing 23.

The lower leg 53 of the wishbone lever (as viewed in FIGS. 47) is provided with a tab 54 in close proximity to the selector 13. A third projection 55 on the selector 13 is adapted to bear against the tab 54 when it is moved to the AUTO position. The projection acts on the tab 54 as the selector is moved from the OFF position, urging the same upward, and, accordingly, the lever clockwise about its pivot.

The upper leg 56 of the wishbone lever presents a flat spatulalike end portion 57 that is parallel to the axis of the lever 50 so as to provide resilience in the plane in which the lever 50 rotates. When the selector 13 is moved to AUTO position, the end portion 57 is urged toward a nose 58 at the lower end of the drowse lever 41. With the lever 41 in its disabled, FIG. 4, position, the portion 57 is deflected by the nose 58 so as to slightly compress the legs 53, 56. With the lever 41 in its abled or active, FIG. 5, position, the nose 58 clears the portion 57 so that the lever leg 56 can straighten out.

In order that the wishbone lever 50 be able to effect the position of the operator 32 when not restricted in its movement by the nose 58 of the drowse cam, a relatively rigid wire 59 is mounted on a pin in the frame a so as to be freely rotatable about the pin. The wire 59 extends through a hole in the operator 32 to a position overlying the end portion 57 of the lever 56 while being laterally spaced from and clear of the lever 41. The wire 59 thus floats with the operator 32 except when the drowse lever 41 is actuated and the selector 13 is in AUTO position, the condition of the parts shown in FIG. 5. In this situation, the portion 57 of the lever 50 lifts the wire 59 so as to raise the operator 32 and hold the switch contacts open.

Operation of the drowse mechanism 40 can now be readily appreciated. Turning the selector to the AUTO position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 causes the projection 55 to bear against the tab 54 and swing the lever 50 clockwise. With the drowse lever 41 in disabled position against the stop pin 44, the portion 57 of the lever 50 engages and is held in deflected position by the nose 58 of the lever 41 (see FIG. 4). Movement of the wire 59 is thus unaffected by the drowse mechanism parts and, at the time determined by the gears 16, 17, the operator 32 is unlatched and drawn downwardly by the spring 33 so as to close the contacts of the switch and energize the radio with which the mechanism 10 has been assumed to be associated.

If the user desires to temporarily de-energiZ-e the radio through a drowse period, the actuator 49 is depressed so as to swing the lever 41 counterclockwise to its abled or actuated position. The pawl 45 is freed from the pin 44 and snaps into engagement with the teeth of the minute wheel 15, thus propping the lever 41 in its abled FIG. 5 position until rotation of the minute wheel timesout the drowse mechanism and returns the parts to their FIG. 4 position. With the drowse lever 41 swung counterclockwise, the nose 58 clears and thus releases the portion 57 of the lever 50, whereupon the upper leg 56 of the lever 50 lifts the wire 39 to shift the operator 32 against the bias of the spring 33 and open the contacts of the switch 20. The drowse period is thus initiated and the radio remain-s de-energized until the mechanism 40 times-out and the parts return to their FIG. 4 position, in which the portion 57 of the wishbone lever 50 is held deflected and out of contact with the wire 59 by the nose 58 of the drowse lever 41.

When the selector 13 is rotated to ON position, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the upward force on the tab 54 is relaxed so that the lever 50 drops freely in a counterclockwise direction to the position shown in FIG. 6 wherein the portion 57 is not restrained against upward movement by the nose 58 of the drowse lever. As a result, depression of the actuator 46 to swing the lever 41 to its abled, FIG. 7, position has no effect on the switch 20. Since the contacts of the switch are closed upon movement of the selector 13 to the ON position (see FIG. 6), the contacts remain closed during the timing-out period of the mechanism 40 (see FIG. 7).

Thus, it is seen that the mechanism 10 contains all of the features of comparable devices including ON, OFF, and AUTO operation, with the addition of a drowse feature. Of particular importance is the fact that drowse operation is possible only in the AUTO condition of operation. All of these features are attained through the use of a few parts which can economically be made and assembled using standard manufacturing techniques.

We claim as our invention:

1. A switch comprising, in combination, a frame, a movable contact and a fixed contact each anchored relative to said frame, a switch operator coupled to said movable contact, said operator being movable relative to said frame so as to open and close said contacts, means for latching said operator to hold said contacts open, means for unlatching said operator and closing said contacts, a control member coupled to said operator and being movably mounted in said frame between a first position, wherein said operator closes said contacts, and a second position which latches said operator, a resilient element pivoted on said frame for movement between abled and disabled positions, said element exerting a resilient force when in abled position to hold said operator in contacts open position and being clear of said operator when in disabled position, said control member having an abutment for swinging said resilient element between abled and disabled positions upon movement of the member between said second and first positions respectively, a lever shiftably mounted on said frame for movement from a rest position to an operated position wherein said lever is returned to its rest position over a timed interval, and a manual control on said frame for shifting said lever and thus initiating said timed interval, said lever being positioned when in said rest position to deflect said resilient element and prevent said force exertion on said operator, said lever, when shifted from said rest position, clearing said element so as to permit said contacts to be held open for said timed interval when said element is abled and said control operated.

2. In a switch operating timer, the combination comprising, a frame, a switch mounted on said frame, a switch operator coupled to said switch and being shiftably mounted on said frame between a first position in which the operator holds the switch open and a second position in which the operator holds the switch closed, means on said frame for latching said operator in said first position, clock-controlled means on said frame for unlatching said operator at a preselected time, means on said frame including a rotatable control member for (1) holding said operator in said first position when said control member is in one angular position (2) holding said operation in said second position when said control member is in a second angular position and (3) latching said control member and biasing it for movement to said second position when said control member is in a third angular position, a lever shiftably mounted on said frame for movement from a rest position to a position in engagement with said clock-controlled means which returns the lever to said rest position, and means on said frame interposed between said lever and said member for shifting said operator to said first position only when the lever is shifted from its rest position and said member is in said third position.

3. In a switch operating timer, the combination comprising, a frame, a switch mounted on said frame, clockcontrolled means on said frame coupled to said switch for operating the switch at a preselected time, a mechanism on said frame coupled to said switch and selectively engageable with said clock-controlled means for interrupting operation of said switch for a timed interval, means including a control member for manually operat' ing said switch, and means operated by said control member for disabling said mechanism when the switch is manually operated.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,996,874 8/61 Chartier et a1. 58-2112 3,004,380 10/61 Sidell et al 58-21.12 [3,068,331 12/62 Morrison et al 200-38 3,086,351 4/63 Boyles 200-38 3,109,280 11/63 Ring et al. 200-38 X BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 3. IN A SWITCH OPERATING TIMER, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, A FRAME, A SWITCH MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, CLOCKCONTROLLED MEANS ON SAID FRAME COUPLED TO SAID SWITCH FOR OPERATING THE SWITCH AT A PRESELECTED TIME, A MECHANISN ON SAID FRAME COUPLED TO SAID SWITCH AND SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CLOCK-CONTROLLED MEANS FOR INTERRUPTING OPERATION OF SAID SWITCH FOR A TIMED INTERVAL, MEANS INCLUDING A CONTROL MEMBER FOR MANUALLY OPERATING SAID SWITCH, AND MEANS OPERATED BY SAID CONTROL MEM-

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