US340483A - caret - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-8heet 1.

(No Model.)

J. ROAREY.

ELECTRIC GLOCK SYSTEM.

' Patented Apr. 20, 1886. 129.!

Jig 2 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. E. CAREY.

ELECTRIC CLOCK SYSTEM.

No. 340,483. Patented Apr. 20, 1886.

i 2 3 l I "r .l I 1 x I i I l l i r @z u l 1 Hu NIH in H M'Zwesses. .Zwenflow UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIAN E. CAREY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRIC TIME COMPANY.

ELECTRIC CLOCK SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,483, dated April 20, 1886.

(No model.)

I 0 all? whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JULIAN E. CAREY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates, generally speaking, to a means for keeping or indicating time through the agency of electricity and a standard or controlling clock, commonly termed a pri mary clock.

My invention is designed more especially with reference to those systems in which normally-operated clocks are employed and are kept to standard time by the agency of controlling or synchronizing electric impulses sent over a circuit by the agency of the priinary clock; and my invention consists in certain improvements in details of construction, combinations of parts, and arrangements of circuits and devices that will be specifically stated in the claims.

My invention is designed, among other things, to improve the means and the method of winding or actuating normally-operated clocks by the agency of electricity. By a normally-operated clock I mean one in which a constant driving-power, as from a spring, weight, or other source, is constantly applied to the clock train or movement, and the operation of said movement is retarded or controlled by an escapement and a pendulum or balance, or by other device for regulating the speed of going of the movement under the influence of the (lrivingpowcr.

It has heretofore been proposed to wind up or keep the actuating-power of such clocks constantly applied by the agency of electromagnets energized at intervals; but the practice has ordinarily been to send the energizingimpulses only at considerable intervals-say once an hourand where anumber of clocks are on the same circuit to permit such clocks to automatically switch themselves into circuit one after another to receive the winding elec tric impulse. This plan is open to the objection that the switching devices are liable to get out of order, and that the magnets and strength of the actuating impulses must be very great in order to store power sufficient to keep the clock going during the intervals. Moreover, with this system,as with other winding systems of the same general nature, it has been found necessary to employ springs or driving-weights of less power than are employed with ordinary clocks adapted to run for a day or more without winding, as the power of the winding-magnets is limited. Under these plans but comparatively little energy can be stored, and as a consequence if the winding electric impulses be interrupted the clock is liable to run down.

According to my invention I send the winding impulses at frequently-recurring intervalssay once a second-and as the work required of the magnets is distributed magnets of much smaller size may be employed, and a current of less strength is employed. I am also, under this plan of operation, enabled to dispense with switching appliances at the clocks, as all of the magnets of a series of clocks may be included in the circuit at the same time and effectively energized, they individually requiring much less power than is required under the old system.

Instead of winding a weakspring or a small weight, as has heretofore been sometimes done, in order to reduce the work required of the winding-magnet, I can, moreover, under my system, by the employment ot'a red ucing-train, as hereinafter described, readily use springs or weights of ordinary power, and can thus very materially reduce the danger of the stoppage of a clock that might result from interruption of the electric circuit through which it is wound. The reducing-train, according to my invention, is interposed between the winding-magnet and the winding shaft or wheel, and is arranged to give to the magnet a mechanical advantage in the act of winding, so that a magnet of ordinary strength energized at frequent intervals may keep a spring, weight, or other source of power of ordinary strength wound up.

Another feature of my invention consists in the combination, with a normally-operated clock,of synchronizing devices for keeping its movements (as of the pendulum, balance, or oth r regulator) isochronons with those of a I controlling-clock, and means for winding such clock by the agency of an elect-ro-magnet energized by impulses coming over the synchronizing-circuit, or over a local or sub-circuit in which the impulses are periodically.

produced by the action of the clock itself.

My invention consists, also, in certain im provements in the arrangement of the windnations and details that will be described farther on.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a normally-operated clock, showing one form of my improved winder applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an edge view of a portion of the mechanism. Fig.3 shows in elevation and side view an improved adj ustable connection between the pendulum andthe crutch-rod. Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrams illustrative of my invention.

A indicates the main wheel of a clockmovement, from which wheel the power of a mainspring, a weight, or other source is imparted to a clock-train of any usual or desired description provided with a regulating or controlling device, such as a pendulum or balance. wheel.

E indicates the arbor of the escapementwheel for the clockmovement. With this escapement-wheel engages an ordinary escapement or crutch connected by a crutch wire or rod, K, Fig. 3, and pin m, projecting therefrom, with a pendulum, L, in the ordinary way, as indicated in Fig. 5, and to said pendulum, or such other regulating device as may be employed to take its place, are applied controlling or synchronizing devices, as will be presently described, through which regularly-recurring electric impulses may act to assist in keeping the pendulum in motion, or to maintain its movements or vibrations in isochronism with those of a primary or controlling time-piece.

For the sake of simplicity, I have herein illustrated my invention as applied to an ordinary spring-driven clock, but do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to such driving-power.

Leaving out the electric synchronizing devices,the parts as thus far described constitute one form of what I term a normally-operated clock.

B indicates a winding-wheel connected to the spring or other motor device in any desirable way, so that by turning the wheel the spring or weight may be wound up or put into action. Wheel Bis connected through a train of wheels, 0 O c, with a wheel, D, in obvious manner, which train serves as a reducing train for permitting a comparatively small power applied to wheel D to wind the mainspring or weight of the clock. The wheel D is actuated step by step through the agency of a winding electro-magnet, F, operated by frequently recurring electric impulses coming with sufficientrapidity to keep the mainspring or other motive device wound.

The desired step-by-step movement of the wheel D may be produced by any suitable actuating ratchet or pawl moved by the vibratory armature or core of the electro-magnet F. In the present case the actuating device consists of a pawl, i, carried by a lever, f, against which latter the armature or armaturelever of the electro-magnet F bears. The pawl or ratchet g is arranged to impel the wheel D, not on the forward movementof the armature toward the magnet, but on its reverse movement under the influence of its retractor. The retractor consists of a spring, 9, a pendulum weight, or other retracting device suitably constructed to exert an increased force as the armature approaches the magnet, so that the impelling action may be the greatest when the pawl begins its actuating movement. Were the pawl arranged to impel the wheel on the forward movement of the armature, it is obvious that it would have to do its greatest work under the weakest pull of the magnet on the armature, since at the beginning of the impelli ng movementthe force required to start the wheel is the greatest, and under the condition supposed the armature would be farthest away from the magnet, or in its least effective position. As the armature approaches the magnet the pull would rapidly increase, but would then be exerted when less power is required. By the arrangement described, however, the strongest pull of the magnet is husbanded and stored in the retrator, (which latter, as described, exertsits smallest pull when the armature is retracted,) and the strong pull of the magnet is made efl'ective in applying power to the wheel at the beginning of its movement, or when it is most required. By this arrangement I am enabled to most effectually utilize the power of the magnet in operating as a winding-magnet. It is obvious that a weight on an arm, f, might be employed, since when so arranged it would act, after the manner of the weight in apendulum weighing-balance, to exert an increasing retracting power as it is gradually raised.

1 do not limit myself to the kind or form of retractor, the only requirement to obtain the best results being that it should have an increased retracting force as the armature approaches the poles of the magnet. As the attracting force increases with great rapidity as the armature approaches the poles, it is obvious that the retractor should have an increasing retracting influence accommodated to such increase of attraction. If such re-- tractor be a spring, it should be comparatively stiff, and be applied where it will have a considerable movement under the action of the armature.

I am aware that springs have been applied to pawl-carrying armatures, and the pawl at the same time arranged to actuate a wheel of the time-movement on the reverse movement of the armature; but in all instances of which I am aware there has been no attemptto accommodate the variations of retracting influence to the rapid changes in magnetic attraction, the retractor being only arranged to pull at all times, but with an immaterial increase of power when the armature is drawn up. As a consequence a large portion of. the magnetic power has been accordingly lost.

In addition to the retractor described, I propose to employ an additional retractor suitably arranged to come into play only as the armature approaches the end of its forward movement toward the magnet, and to thus store and make effective the momentum acquired by the armature and its parts, i11- stead of permitting the same to be wasted upon a dead or rigid stop. One form of such device is herein shown. It consists of a bladespring, H, suitably supported with its end in the path of the lever f, so that the latter will impinge against the spring near the extremity of its movement under the influence of the magnet. An adjusting set-screw, 71., serves to adjust the end of the spring H, so as to determine the point at which the arm shall in its movement impinge against the spring. W'h en the armature draws the pawl t backward to a new position ofengagement, the leverfstrikes the spring H, and the resiliency of the latter gives the pawl a sudden impulse to assist in starting the wheel I).

I do not limit myself to this particular form of retractor, the gist of the invention consisting in the application of the retracting device in such way that it shall act only after the parts have acquired momentum and near the end of their movement under the influence of the magnet.

At It is indicated aback stop for the armature, while at i is shown a suitable retainingpawl for the wheel D.

I prefer to send electric impulses through the electromagnet F with sufficient frequency to energize the same every second. Thespring in which the energy transmitted through the leverfis stored is adapted to give movement unaided to the clock for a period of several hours, and in this respect is a material improvement upon the clocks heretofore devised to be wound by electricity.

\Vhere it has heretofore been proposed to wind the clockjby electric means once an hour, the amount of stored energy in the spring or weight has been necessarily limited, owing to the infrequeney with which the magnet acts. In fact, such clocks as ordinarily made have been adapted to run without a winding-impulse for a very limited period, and an interruption of the windingimpnlses for any consideralole period would result in stoppage of of vibration of the pendulum.

the clock. In other cases, where winding impulse has been given as often as oncea minute, the amount of stored energy has been sutticient to run the clock for a limited period onlysay for two hoursowing to the fact that it was impossible to use a spring of any considerable power. By my invention I am enabled to use a spring of any desired power, suiiicient to run the clock for weeks even. In fact my invention may be applied to any ordinary day or eight-day clock by simply applying a wheel, such as B, and its connected devices to the wimling-arbor. The pendulum L of the clock-movement imparts movement to the crutch-wire through a pin, m, as before mentioned, which pin is by preference made adjustable, so as to adjust the action of the crutch to unusual or irregular condition This adjustment is secured by mounting the pin on a piece, 02f, secured by a set screw or nut to the wire or rod K, so that the pin may be turned to one side or the other in the arc of a circle, and set in any desired position. The clockmovement as this driven and kept in operation is electrically synchronized or made to keep its proper rate of going by any proper electric means applied, preferably, to its pulsative or vibratory regulative device.

\Vhere the regulative device is a pendulum, as herein shown, I apply synchronizing devices thereto in any desired man ner; but I prefer to apply them in such way as not to stop orintert'ere with the free vibration of the pendulum. I therefore employ an electromagnct and armature, one fixed and the other carried by the pendulum in close proximity to the other, but without striking the same. This is a means of synchronizing or actuating pendulums that is well known in the art, and I make no claim to it, broadly. The form of such device here shown is one described and claimed in a prior application for patent filed by me, and consists of a fixed horseshoe-magnet, N N, having its poles arranged in a line parallel with the plane of vibration of the pendulum, and an armatn re, 0, carried by the pendulum, and swinging therewith in close proximity to the magnet. The armature has the three attracting portions a n it, either extreme one of which, with the intermediate portion, a", is adapted to form an armature for thehorscshoe-magnet.

At or near one extreme of vibration of the pendulum the portions a" )1 bridge the poles, while the portion a )2 bridge them at or near the other extreme ot'vibrations. By this means the vibrations of the pendulum may be kept isoehronous with those of a primary or controlling clock by causing electric impulses to energize the magnet at regular times in the well-known way,or said impulses may be utilized as actuating impulses and as a partial means for keeping the pendulum in vibration, thus assisting the spring .or weight and the winding-magnet in their work. Said impulses may come from any source or be produced in any way, provided they be made to energize I as a primary or controlling clock, while being the magnet in times isochronous with the nat- I itself electrically wound and controlled or ural time of vibration of the pendulum. In so far as they help to actuate the pendulum they might come from the normally operated clock. They are generally, however, produced by the agency of a primary or controlling time-piece, which, directly or indirectly, in any suitable way sends the regularly-recurring impulses in the proper times. One well-known arrangement for this purpose isindicated at VV,where I have illustrated apendulum of a controlling or primary clock arranged to close the circuit to line of a battery or other source of electric energy. The controlling, synchronizing, or actuating magnets N N of two normally-operated clocks are shown as in the main-line circuit from such battery and controlling or primary pendulum.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the winding-magnet F as in the circuit with the controlling or synchronizing devices. This circuit is independent of any action of the clock-|novement, and the magnet does not depend for its connection with the main line upon the action of any circuit-closing devices operated by its own clcck, as has heretofore often been the case. When there are two or more clocks on the same general circuit, I arrange the winding-magnets so that they shall all be in circuit together, and shall be energized together, instead of being switched into circuit and energized consecutively. Ifthe primary clock send seconds impulses, the winding magnets will obviously act every second. As they are actuated so frequently,they need do but little work at each impulse, and may be of comparatively small size and resistance. This being the case, no necessity exists for switching them into and out of circuit.

I have described the winding of the normally-operated clocks as being produced by electrical devices in a main or principal circuit; but this is not necessary, and I may employ the arrangement indicated in Fig. 5, or any other suitable arrangement whereby the magnet F may be frequently energized. In this instance the winding-magnet is energized by a local battery, or from other source in a local or sub circuit controlled by the normallyoperated clock itself.

L B indicate the local battery or other source of electricity, the circuit of which, through the winding-magnet F, is closed at intervals by the clock. This closure of circuit may be effected byany desired means. The means shown consist of a circuit-closing spring adapted to make momentary contact with the spurs of a wheel on the minute-arbor of the normally-operated clock. The frame of the clock or the seconds-arbor are connected to the local circuit in any desired manner.

In the local circuit with L B are one or more secondary clocks of any desired or usual description. (indicated at S.) The-circuit of these clocks is periodically closed by the normally-operated clock, which latter thus acts synchronized. In such a combination I contemplate synchronizing the clock or keeping it to uniform time with a standard clock by any means known in the art, and might obviously employ the device of setting its hands hourly or at every minute to time, instead of controlling or keeping the movements of the clock mechanism in isochronism with a primary clock.

The secondary clocks S may be electrically actuated, controlled, .or synchronized clocks of any description.

I do not limit myself to putting them in a circuit with the winding-magnet. They might be placed in aseparate local circuit over which synchronizing, controlling, or actuating impulses are sent once a second, a minute, or at greater or less intervals. Thus, as indicated in Fig. 5, secondary clocks S might be placed in a circuitfor a battery, M B", closed once a minute by a-stud on the minute wheel or arbor or the seconds escapement-whecl of the normally operated and electrically wound clock. T indicates a circuit-closing stud for this purpose, and R a spring with which it comes into contact at every revolution of the minute-wheel. The wheel is electrically connected with one pole by any suitable means and the spring with the other pole of the 10- cal circuit.

It is obvious that if two local circuits are controlled at once from the same clock the circuit-closing devices for the two circuits must be insulated from one another by mounting them on. separate insulated wheels, or otherwise insulating the two circuits.

That special feature of my invention,which is shown in Fig. 5, and consists in the combination, with the normally-operated clock and synchronizing devices for keeping its movements isochronous with those of a controllingclock, of the secondary clocks and the winding devices operated in a local or sub circuit in which the impulses are periodically produced by the action of the clock itself, is not herein specifically claimed, but is made the subject of claims in another application filed by me March 2, 1886, No. 193,756, as a division of the present application.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination, substantially as described, in a secondary electric clock, of a driving device, such as a spring or weight, electrically-operated winding devices for keeping the spring or weight wound, electric synchronizing devices applied to the regulating portion of the clock mechanism, and a main or controlling clock connected to the circuit of the synchronizing devices for transmitting the electric impulses for keeping the action of the regulating devices driven by the electrically-wound spring or weight in isochronism with those of the main controller.

2. The combination, with aclock-movement, of electricallyactuated winding devices, and

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synchronizing devices for keeping the clock mechanism continuously synchronous with a primary or controlling clock through constantly-recurring impulses sent in time with the normal beat of the regulating-clock.

3. Thecombination,withaclock-movement, of electrically-operated winding devices, and a pendulum electrically synchronized by devices on the same circuit with the winding devices.

4. The combination, in a secondary clock, of means for synchronizing said clock on a circuit with devices for sending controlling or synchronizing electric impulses, and winding devices actuated by the synchronizing impulses.

5. The. combination, with aclockqnovement, of an electrically-operated winding device, and constantly-operating synchronizing devices i'or said movement, both in a circuit controlled independently of the working of the clock mechanism.

6. The combination, with a synchronized clock movement, of electrically operated winding devices in a circuit controlled independently of the action of the clock mechanism, and electric synchronizing devices acting upon the regulating mechanism for regulating the speed oi the clock-train under the action of the electrically-wound spring or weight, to keep the movements or vibrations of said regu' lating mechanism isochroual with those of a primary or controlling clock.

7. The combination, with a clock-movement, of a driving spring or weight, a reducingtrain connected with the winding-arbor of the clock, a winding-magnet for turning said train and thereby winding up the spring or weight,said magnetbeing in a circuit controlled independently of the action of the clock mechanism, and means for transmitting electric impulses over said circuit.

8. The combination, with a secondary electric clock, of a winding-magnet, a magnet or magnets controlling the movements of the pendulum for said clock,a main or controlling source provided with a primary clock which controls the sending of the electric impulses that govern the movements of the pendulum, a circuit connecting the pendulum magnet or magnets with the controller, and a battery or other generator of electricity having means for connection to the circuit containing the winding-magnet.

9. The combination, in a secondary electric clock,of a driving spring or weight,a winding magnet or magnets connected with mechanism for operating on the winding-arbor of the spring or weight, a pendulum connected to the escapement ofthe train of wheels driven by said spring or weight, and a magnet or magnets acting on said pendulum and connected with a controller-clock, so that the movements of said pendulum, under the influence of the winding magnet and spring or weight actuated thereby, may be kept isochronous with those of the controller-clock.

10. The combination, with a spring or weight driven clock, of a winding-magnet in a circuit independent of the action of the cloclnasource of electricity for energizing said magnet, and

justing set-screw for determining its time of engagement, as and for the purposedescribed.

13. The combination, with a clock movement, of an actuating'magnet, an actuatingpawl operated in one direction by the magnet and in the other by a retractor adapted to eX- ert an increasing power, as described, and a supplemental retractor,arranged as described, to come into action at or near the completion of the motion under the influence of the magnet.

14. The combination, with a clock-movement, of a winding or actuating magnet, and two retractors for said magnets armatures,one of said retractors being in constant connection therewith, while the other is applied so as to exert its retracting influence only when the armature has nearly completed its movement under the influence of the magnet.

15. The combination, with a clock-movement, of a winding wheel or shaft connected through an intermediate reducing-train with a wheel upon which an actuating pawl or ratchet acts, an operatingmagnet for said pawl, arranged to throw the pawl back to position for re-engagement, and two retractors actuating the pawl so as to turn the wheel, one of said retractors being arranged to act only near the end of the pawls movement under the influence of the magnet, as and for the purpose described.

16. The combination, with a clockmovemeat, of a winding-magnet, a reducing-train of wheels between the magnet and the driving spring-or weight for the clock, and an actuatingpawl for said train operated by the magnet and arranged to engage with a wheel of the train upon a reverse movement of the magnets armature under the influence of its retractor.

17. The combination, with a clock-movement, of an actuatingmagnet, a reciprocating pawl carried by the armature and arranged to engage with a wheel on the reverse movement of the armature under the influence of a retractor, and a supplemental retractor arranged in proper position to act at or near the end only of the armatures forward movement,

18. The combinatiomwith the winding wheel of shaft for a clock-movement, of a reducingtrain an actuating-pawl operated by an arma- VV ture-lever and engaging with a wheel of said train on the reverse movement of the armature from its magnet, and a retractor for causing/the pawl to turn the wheel with which it engages, said retractor being adapted to exert an increased pull when the armature is near the magnet.

19. The combination, with two or more electric clocks in the same general circuit, of winding-magnets therefor placed on the circuit and operated simultaneously by an electric current or currents sent by a controlling mechanism operated or controlled at a common point.

20. In a clock mechanism, the combination, with a driving spring or weight connected with a time-train, of a winding-magnet, a

shaft or arbor operated by said magnet, a

winding arbor or shaft connected to the driving spring or Weight, and one or'more intermediate shafts or arbors betweenthe winding shaft or arbor and the shaft or arbor operated 2 by the winding-magnets, said intermediate arbor or arbors carrying a portion of the intermediate gear, through which the magnet may exercise the power requisite to wind the spring or weight.

o 21. The combination, with tlie windingarbor of a spring or weight driven clock, of a wheel, as 13, secured thereto, a windinggear train connected with said wheel, and an actuating pawl and magnet for imparting 5 movement directly to said train, so as through said train to wind up the spring or weight.

22. The combination, with the winding arbor for a weight or spring driven clock, of

a wheel and pinion redncing-train'geared to 40 the winding-arbor and having its shafts or connected to the secondary clock .by a main line, and electrically-operated winding devices energized by an electric current controlled by the main or primary clock.

24. The combination, with a clock-movement of the ordinary kind, of an impelling spring or weight, a winding electro-magnet, and an intermediate series of wheels and pinions having their arbors mounted in aframe and arranged parallel with those of the timetrain, said wheels and pinions constituting a reducing-train between the spring or weight I arbor and the electrically-operated wheel or arbor.

25. The combination, substantially as .described, of a time-train and a winding-train of wheels, all mounted in a common frame with their arbors parallel to one another, a spring or weight arborbetween the time-train and the winding-train, and electromagnetic operating devices applied to the arbor or wheel of the winding-train remote from the spring or weight, so as to give a mechanical advantage to the magnetic devices in the operation of winding.

26. The combination, with an electric clock, of a windingmagnet therefor placed in a' circuit leading to the time-controlling source, and devices at the latter point for admitting an electric current to said winding-magnet independently of the clock to which the winding-magnet is applied.

27. The combination, in an electricallyactuated clock, ofa time-train, a power spring or weight, a series of parallel shafts for c011- veying power through suitable gearing from the actuating electro-magnet to the driving spring or weight, and means for operating said magnet for the purpose of winding the spring or weight.

28. The combination, with the windingarbor for a weight or spring driven clock, of an electrically-operated wheel or arbor, and one or more intermediate arbors located between the winding-arbor and the electricallyoperated arbor, as and for the purpose described.

29. In a system of electrical time-control, the combination, with the time-train for a controlled clock, of electrically-operated winding mechanism energized by a current over the same general circuit over which the electric synchronizing or setting of the clock to correspondence with a main or controlling clock-is effected.

30. In an electric clock, the combination of a time-train, a magnet transmitting power to the driving spring or weight, a magnet or magnets controlling or maintaining the vibrations of the pendulum, and a main circuit to which said magnets are both connected and over which they receive their energizing electric current.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 25th day of June, A. D. 1884..

JULIAN E. CAREY. Witnesses:

THos. TOOMEY, J. F. COFFIN.

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