US337417A - George w - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

G. W. MILLARD & J. H. CLARKE.

MEANS FOR REGULATING PBNDULUM CLOCKS FROM A DISTANGE. N0 153K417. Patented Mar. 9;, 1886.

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Uriiren STATES PATENT Orrics.

GEORGE W. MILLARD AND JOSEPH H. CLARKE, OF PROVIDENCE, R. I.', ASSIGNORS TO THE SYNOHRONOUS TIME COMPANY OF PORTLAND, ME.

MEANS i-GR REGULATING PENDULUM-CLOCKS FROM A DISTANCE.

SFECIFECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,417, dated March 9, 1888.

Application filed December 5, 1884.

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE W. .MILLARD and J OSEPH H. CLARKE, both of the city and county of Providence, and State of Rhode Island, have jointly invented anew and useful Improvement in Regulating Pendulum-Clocks from a Distance; and we hereby declare the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a to part of the same, to be a description thereof.

This invention relates to regulating from a distance that variety of pendulum-clocks having a block which forks the pendulum-spring, and is arranged to be raised and lowered there on by means of a screw, to change the center of oscillation of the pendulum by increasing or diminishing its vibrating length; and the invention consists in the employmentof means, as herein alter described, whereby the position of said regulating-block upon the pendulumspring can be changed from a distance,aud the regulation of a clock be thereby effected. In the regulation of such a clock or a series of such clocks from a distant place we design and prefer to employ an electric current and a master-clock, which shall automatically apply such current and govern the regulation of such clock or clocks, although the regulation may be secured by hand at such distant place,

if desired.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows in elevation at master-clock and a secondary clock, which it is desired shall keep the same time. Fig. 2 represents, on an en- 5 larged scale, a front View of a portion of the pendulum of the secondary clock, the regulating-block, and thescrew and wheel for moving said block. Fig. 8 shows a side view of the upper portion of the pendulum and the 0 regulating mechanism connected therewith. Fig. etrepresents a top view of the same. Fig. 5 shows means located in the secondary clock for closing an electric circuit. Fig. 6 represents a horizontal section of the master-clock pendulum, anda top view ofan electro-magnet whose armature is provided with two springs adapted to be moved into the path ofsaid pendulum. Fig. 7 shows a face view of disks to be applied to certain arbors of the master- Seria1No.149,552. (No model.)

clock, and springs, to operate in conjunction 5o therewith, to close an electric circuit. Fig. 8 shows a chord of an arcin which the pendulum of the secondary clock moves.

A is the pendulum of the secondary clock or clock to be regulated, which is suspended 5 by one or more springs, a, upon a plate, B, in the usual manner.

0 is a block, which forks said spring or springs a, so as to slide upon the same, and thereby govern the vibrating length of the pendulum, the said block being prevented from oscillating by cheek-pieces b b, attached to the plate B, or by other suitable means.

D is a screw, which is threaded into the block O, and passes upwardly through the 6 plate B, and dis a wheel secured to the upper end of said screw, and having teeth (1, in the form of pins, which project upwardly from the face of the wheel. By turning the wheel (2 to the right or to the left the block O is raised or lowered upon the pendulum-springs, as will be readily understood.

E E are two eleetro-magnets secured to the clock-case or other convenient support, the armatures c e of which are connected by a bar, E. This bar is mounted to rock upon a shaft, 6 and is held normally in the position shown in Fig. 4: by a spring, F, which is secured upon a fixed screw, f, by nutsor other suitable means. The bar E has two pawls,G G, pivoted thereto, which are provided with plates 9 g, each having an inclined plane thereon, and. are preferably normally held against stop-pins or rests h h by springs H H.

It wiil readily be seen that when the armature e is made to approach the magnet E the in clined plane on the plate 9 of the pawl Gwill engage the pin it and force said pawl into en gagement with a tooth, d, of the whee (2, there by turning said wheel as the pawl is moved, 0 and that the movement of the armature e to ward its magnet will cause the pawl G to engage a tooth, d, of the wheel (if, and turn it in an opposite direction, thereby changing the vertical position of the block O on the pendu- 5 lum-springs a, and affecting the rate of movement of the pendulum A. Theouter port-ions of the pawls G G,beyond the plates 9 g, are

, movement of these pins are respectively springs, so that the said pawls will notdisturb the position of the wheel 61 when they return to their normal positions.

Secured to the scape-wheel arbor of the secondary clock is a disk, J, which bears two pins,jj, asshown in Fig. 5. In the path of the pathof movement of the armature-bar 0 of a magnet, O, (the said bar and springs being normally held out of engagement by the spring 0,) and the magnet O is connected electrically with the master-clock by wires 0 0 The master-clock is provided with a magnet, P, Fig. 6, the armature-bar P of which is-furnished with two springs, p p, insulated from each other, and said springs are connected to the wires 0 0 a battery, 0", being located in the line thus formed. The springs p p are arranged in proximity to the masterclock pendulum Q, and are normally held'out of the path of movement of said pendulum by the usual spring, pflwhich holds the armaturebar P in its rearward position, one of the said springs, as 10, being provided witha hooked end, as shown in Fig. 6, to permit free passage of the pendulum-rod when in engagement.

which is shown in Fig. 7.

It is designed that an electric current shall be automatically applied by the master-clock to the magnet P once in about ten minutes, and for one second. A variety of means may be employed for accomplishing this, one of A disk, R, is attached to the scape-wheel arbor r of the master-clock, and is provided with a pin, R; and

i in the path of movement of said pin are two springs, S S, in engagement with which the pin R is intended to remain one second. That arbor t of the master clock which revolves once in about ten minutes, and bears a wheel meshing with the pinion on the scape-wheel arbor r, is furnished with a disk, T, having a pin, T, and in the path of movement of said pin are two springs, U U, in engagement with which the pin T is intended to remain, say, five seconds, the contact between the pin T and springs U U being effected, say, two seconds before the pin R on the disk R engages the springs S S. The springs S and U are connected with each other by a wire, s, and the springs S U are connected by wires ss to the coils of the magnet P, a battery, S, being located in the circuit, as shown in Fig. 6.

It is intended that the electric circuit through the battery S and magnet P shall be closed by the engagement of the pin R with the springs S S, so as to bring the springs p into the path of movement of the masterclock pendulum Q when said pendulum, is leaving that point in its arc of movement indicated by the point a on the chord 2 2, Fig. 6,. and is swinging toward the point o. time-distance on said chord between the points '0 u, a w, w w, and my is one-fourth of a second. As the engagement of the pin R and springs S S is for one second, the springsp 1; will be found in the path of movement of the pendulum Q when it returns to the point a from the point a and is swinging in the direction of.

the arrow toward w. The pendulum Q has upon it a mctalplate, g, which, when the pendulum reaches the'point u in the move ment toward to, will engage the springs 10 19, bring them in contact with each other, and thereby close the electric circuit for an instant through the battery 0 and the magnet O .of-

the secondary clock, Fig. 5, thereby bringing The the bar 0 of said magnet into engagement with the springs M M. The pin j on the disk J, Fig. 5, comes in contact with the springs KK when the pendulum A of the secondary clock is at that point in its arc of movement, indicated by x on the chord 3 3, Fig. 8, and is swinging toward the point y, and said pin and springs remain in contact one second. A point, 7' on the disk J comes opposite the points ofthe springsKK L L when the pendulum A is at the point a, and is swinging toward 'u, and remains there one second. The pin j comes in contact with the springs L L when the pendulum A is at the point as and is swinging toward the point y, and said pin,

andsprings remain in contact one second.

As hereinbefore explained, the electric circuit is closed through the battery 0 and mag net 0 when the master-clock pendulum Q is in the position shown in Fig. 6 and is swinging toward w on thechord 2 2. If the pendulum A of the secondary clock be swinging synchronously with that of the master-clock, it will-be at the point a on the chord 3 3, Fig. 8, and be swinging in the direction of the arrow, and the point j half-way between the pins jj on the disk J, Fig. 5, will be opposite the points of the springs K-K L L, the said pointj having come to such position onehalf second before the pendulum A reaches the position shown in Fig. 8 At such time the pin j will have passed out of engagement with the springs K K, and the pin j will not have yet engaged the springsL L. Therefore no electric circuit will be closed through the battery N and magnet E or E to bring the pawls G or G into engagement with the wheel d, and the regulating-block 0, Figs. 2 and 3, will remain unchanged in its position. Before the pendulum Q of the master-clock again returns to the point a the pin R will have passed out of engagementwith thesprings S S, and the springsp 19 will have been re tracted out of the path of movement of said pendulum by the rearward movement of the armature-bar P, and'the" circuit through the battery 8* and magnet P will not be closed again for ten minutes that is, until the pin T again engages the springs U U.

When the pendulum A gets a trifle more than a half-second slew of the master-clock pendulum, the piuj will be in contact with the springs K K, when the circuit through the battery 0 and magnet O is closed by the engagement of the master-clock pendulum with the springs pp, Fig. 6, and the engagement of the bar 0 of the magnet O with the springs M M, Fig. 5, will close the cir- .Cuit from the battery N through the magnet E, and cause the pawl G to engage and turn the wheel (Z, and lower the block 0 on the springs a of the pendulum A, thereby decreasing its vibratory length and causing it to take a faster rate.

hen the pendulum A gets a trifle more than ahalfsecond fast of the master clock pendulum, the pin j will be in contact with the springs L L when the circuit through the battery 0 and magnet O is closed by the engagement of the master-clock pendulum with the springspp', and the engagement of the bar 0 of said magnet with the springs M M will close the circuit from the battery N through the magnet E, and cause the pawl G to engage and turn the wheel (I, and raise the block 0, thereby increasing the vibrating length of the pendulum and causing it to take a slower rate.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that, by the means employed, the secondary clock will be kept within a fraction of a second of the master-clock at all times.

If a series of clocks are to be regulated, each is provided with the mechanism shown in Figs. land 5, and all the magnets O of such mechanism are connected in a series, so that a current from the battery 0 will work them all.

Although we prefer to secure the armatures of the magnets E E to a single bar, E Figs. 3 and at, mounted to rock as described, yet the said armatures may be mounted on separate bars, one for each magnet, in the usual manner, and a pawl, G, be connected to one of said bars, and a pawl,G, to the other, so as to engage the wheel (I, as will be readily understood. If desired, the teeth of the wheel (I may be placed upon the periphery of the se me, so as to be engaged by properly-shaped pawls of any preferred construction.

Although we prefer to employ a masterelock provided with means, substantially as described, for automatically applying an electric current to the magnet 0, yet an ordinary telegraph-key placed in theline 0 0 may be used for such purpose, if desired; also, in place of employing an electric current to move the bar 0 into engagement with the springs M M, pneumatic n1eans,automatically worked by the master-clock, or by hand, or mechanical means, may be used to move the bar 0 into such engagement, as will be readily understood.

As shown the drawings, the line between the master and secondary clocks, composedof the wires 0 0 is a metallic circuit; but the wire 0 may be grounded at the master-clock and at the secondary clock, and the earth be allowed to complete the electric circuit through the wire 0 as a line.

The mechanisms shown and described for closing the electric circuit from the batteryN through the magnets E E, and from the battery 8* through the magnet P, may be greatly varied, as will be readily understood by electricians as, for instance, the springs K L, Fig. 5, may be omitted, and the disk Jbe electrically connected by the wire Z to the spring M. The spring M may be omitted and the battery N be connected by the wire 7r? to thearmaturebar 0, and, if the spring M be omitted, and the battery N be connected to the bar 0, then the springs K L M may be omitted, and said bar (or a spring thereon) be arranged in such proximity to the disk J as to come into electrical contact with said disk when said bar is moved by the magnet O. The springs S U, Fig. 7, may also be omitted, and the battery S" be connected by the wires 8 s" to the disks R and T, respectively, which disks should be insulated from their arbors. If this connection of the battery S to the disks R T be adopted, the springs S U may also be omitted, and the pins R T be removed from the peripheries of the disks, and said pins or their equivalents be placed upon the adjacent faces of said disks, so that they will come in electrical contact once during each revolution of the disk T, and remain in contact for one second, as will be readily understood. If desired, also, the disks J, R, and T may each be in the form of an arm. the said arms being provided with the pins j, 9', It, and T, respectively, it being not necessary that thesaid parts J R T should be circular in form.

The springs p p, instead of being arranged side by side longitudinally with relation to the armature 1?, may be arranged transversely with relation to said armature, thependulumrod wiping over them when they come into the path of movement of the said pendulumrod; or the armature may be extended and the springs 19 1) located at the end, so that when brought into the path of movement of the pendulum-rod the latter may bear against them, and it is this latter arrangement which we prefer to use.

In another application filed by us November 10, 1884, Serial No. 147,568, devices were shown and described whereby the center of oscillation of a pendulum was raised and lowered by means of a weight supported by the pendulum, said weight being raised and lowered with relation to the said pendulum by means controlled from a distance; but such devices are not herein claimed.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the pendulum of a clock to be regulated, of a block, 0, arranged, as described, to slide upon the pendulum, ascrew, D, provided with a wheel for raising and lowering said block, the electro-magnets E E, having pawls connected to their armaturesfor turning the said wheel in opposite directions, a movable bar, 0, suitable means, as described, for moving said bar from a distance, and mechanism, substantially as described, for electrically connecting said bar with the magnets E or E, if the clock to be regulated be fast or slow a certain amount, as described, whereby the said pendulum is made to take a gaining or a losing rate relatively to its prior performance, substantially as set forth.

, upon the pendulum, a screw, D, provided with a wheel for raising and lowering said block, the electro-magnets E E", having pawls connected to their armatures for turning the said wheel in opposite directions, an electro-magnet, 0, having an armature-bar, O, mechanism, substantially as described, for electrically connecting said bar with the magnets E and E, as described, a master-clock, and mechanism, substantially as described, for automatically electrically connecting said master-clock with the magnet O at predetermined times, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination, with the pendulum of a secondary clock or a clock to be regulated, of a block, 0, arranged, as described, to slide upon the pendulum, a screw, D, provided with a wheel for raising and lowering said block, the electro-magnets E E, having pawls connected to their armatures for turning the said wheel in opposite directions, an electro-magnet, 0, having an armature-bar, O, the disk or arm J, arranged, as described, to be rotated by the clock to be regulated, means, substantially as deseribed,-for electrically connecting. the said disk or arm to the magnets E E andbar 0, a master-clock, a magnet, P, having its armature-bar furnished with springs p p,

electrically connected with the magnet O, and

adapted to be brought into the path of move-v ment of the master-clock pendulum, as described, the disks or arms R T, arranged to be rotated by the master-clock, as described,- and suitable means, as described, for electrically connecting the disks or arms R T with the magnet P at predetermined times, whereby the 'master'clock may automatically regulate the secondary clock, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the pendulum of a clock, of a block adapted to be raised and lowered thereon, to thereby change the center of oscillation of the pendulum by increasing or diminishing its vibrating length, suitable means, substantiallyas described, for raising and lowering said block, suitable mechanism, substantially as described, for moving the said means in opposite directions, suitable means,

substantially as described, for operating from a distance the said means employed for raising and lowering the said block, whereby the vibrating rate of the pendulum relatively to its prior performance may be changed, substantially as described.

5. The combination,with a clock-pendulum, of a block adapted to be raised and lowered thereon, to increase and decrease the vibrating length of thependulum, as described, a screw and wheel for raising and lowering said block,

a pair of pawls for turning the wheel in op-' posite directions, as described, and suitable means, substantially as described, for operating the said pawls from a distance, substantially as set forth.

GEO. W. MILLARD.

Witnesses M J, W. DUIQBU (3, WHITE.

JOSEPH H. CLARKE.

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