US3486323A - Damage-resistant mechanical metronome - Google Patents

Damage-resistant mechanical metronome Download PDF

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Publication number
US3486323A
US3486323A US776085A US3486323DA US3486323A US 3486323 A US3486323 A US 3486323A US 776085 A US776085 A US 776085A US 3486323D A US3486323D A US 3486323DA US 3486323 A US3486323 A US 3486323A
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United States
Prior art keywords
pendulum
shaft
metronome
spring
pallets
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Expired - Lifetime
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US776085A
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English (en)
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Frederick Franz
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Individual
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Individual
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04F—TIME-INTERVAL MEASURING
    • G04F5/00—Apparatus for producing preselected time intervals for use as timing standards
    • G04F5/02—Metronomes
    • G04F5/022—Mechanic metronomes
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04F—TIME-INTERVAL MEASURING
    • G04F5/00—Apparatus for producing preselected time intervals for use as timing standards
    • G04F5/02—Metronomes

Definitions

  • an object of the invention is to provide an improved damageresistant mechanical metronome having novel means for preventing damage or malfunctioning of the instrument if the pendulum is forcibly swung during obstruction of the driving pallets. This is accomplished by the provision of a yieldable spring connection between the pallets on the one hand and the pendulum on the other hand. When the pallets are obstructed, force applied to the pendulum will merely spring or cause to yield the said spring a means connection without any bending, breakage, or other damage being done. Resetting or restoring the spring connection is readily effected either manually or automatically, to restore the device to normal use.
  • FIG. 1 is a front view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section of a metronome embodying the invention, shown in process of operation.
  • FIG. 2 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation, of the metronome of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the I line 3-3 of FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 4 is a detail in front-to-rear section, showing one arrangement of spring drive between pallets and pendulum.
  • FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the shaft-carried spring part of the connection of FIGS. 4 and 5.
  • FIG. 7 is an end elevation of the spring part of FIG. 6.
  • FIG. 8 is a detail in front-to-rear section, showing another arrangement of spring drive between pallets and pendulum.
  • FIG. 9 is a vertical section taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8.
  • FIG. 10 is a detail showing the action of a stop associateed with the spring part of FIGS. 6 and 7.
  • the present .improved damage-resistant metronome comprises a base 10 in the form of a pyramidal-shaped housing, having a bottom edge 12 which engages the supporting surface on which the metronome rests.
  • the present netronome is of the type which, when placed on a slopng supporting surface, will not limp; i.e. produce unequal back-and-forth movements of the pendulum due to the pendulum drive and escapement being tilted.
  • a spring motor or metronome movement 14 Carried by the base 10 is a spring motor or metronome movement 14 having a compound pendulum 16 including I a fixed weight 18 and a movable weight or slider 20 which is adjustable along the pendulum arm 22 to vary the frequency of oscillation.
  • the pendulum 16 is carried by an escapement shaft 24 mounted in bearing arms 26, 28 of a stamped frame, 30.
  • the forward end 32 of the escapement shaft 24 engages a sound button or metal disk 34 carried by a sounding board portion 36 of the base-housing 10, such end being continually urged into said engagement under the action of an escapement wheel 38 alternately engaging escapement disks or pallets 40, 42 on the shaft, in the well-known manner.
  • a special, yieldable drive is provided by the invention between the pendulum 16 and pallets 40, 42 as is described in detail further on.
  • the escapement wheel 38 turns with a pinion 44, both being on a shaft 46 and the pinion being driven by a main-spring gear 48 on a winding shaft 50 having a key 52 and also a back-check ratchet 54, the latter being engaged by a spring-charged pawl 56 on the frame 30.
  • a main spring 58 drives the gear 48.
  • the escapement pallets 40, 42 have the usual interrupted peripheries with bent, camming portions at radial cuts, whereby alternate, opposite turning moments are imparted to the shaft 24 by the escapement wheel 38 to maintain oscillation of the pendulum 16.
  • the motor 14 which carries the pendulum 16 is suspended or movably mounted on the base 10 so as to be under the control of gravity whereby its position is automatically adjusted, providing (for different tilted positions of the base 10 within limits about an axis transverse to the direction of gravity) a fixed orientation of said movement with respect to a plane extending in a direction of gravity, said axis being contained in said plane.
  • the axis that is transverse to the direction of gravity is in this instance parallel to the escapement shaft 24, and the reference plane that extends in the direction of gravity would be a vertical plane that includes the shaft 24.
  • the mounting for the motor 14 maintains the motor in a given horizontal position as in FIG. 1 even though the base 10 is tilted either clockwise or counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 1.
  • a horizontal pivot shaft 62 carried by the base 10 and in turn carrying the metronome movement 14, 16 by bearing arms 64, 66 of the frame 30.
  • the movement 14, 16 is thus pivotally suspended below the pivot shaft 62 whereby its position is under the control of gravity.
  • the suspension arms 64, 66 are located as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to dispose the pivot or rocker shaft 62 vertically above and parallel to the escapement shaft 24.
  • a counterbalance weight 68 is mounted on the frame 30 whereby the effective center of gravity of the metronome unit 14, 16 is located vertically below the pivot shaft 62 as seen in FIG. 1.
  • a thrust collar 70 on the pivot shaft 62 takes the thrust force existing between the shaft 24 and sound button 34.
  • the escapement wheel 38 turns counterclock wise as viewed in FIG. 2, thereby exerting force from left to right on the shaft 24, said shaft being axially movable within limits.
  • the natural period of oscillation of the metronome movement 14, 16, about the pivot shaft 62 is outside of the traditionally accepted musicians range of from 40 to 208 half oscillations per minute, thereby minimizing the tendency for the swinging pendulum 16 to cause a sympathetic oscillation of the movement 14. Also, a frictional drag exists as a result of engagement between the end 32 of the shaft 24 and the sound button 34, which frictional drag tends to damp any oscillation of the metronome movement 14, 16, about the pivot shaft 62.
  • the winding shaft 50 passes through a side opening 72 of the pyramidal housing (indicated generally by the numeral 74) there being adequate clearance above and below the winding shaft 50 to permit the metronome movement 14 to assume different angular positions with respect to the base 10 and housing portion 74 thereof.
  • the pivotal suspension of the metronome movement 14 is effective regardless of front-to-rear tilting of the base 10 within limits, as will be understood.
  • a novel, yieldable driving connection between the pallets 40, 42, and the pendulum 16 said connection including a plurality of cooperable parts 78, 80 at least one of which yields when the pendulum is forcibly swung while a pallet is obstructed by a tooth of the wheel 38, such as can occur during a run-down condition of the spring motor.
  • the pendulum 16 is carried by a hub 82 which is turnable on the shaft portion 32.
  • C01- lars 84 affixed to the shaft position the hub 82 against axial movement thereon.
  • the part 78 Rigid on the hub 82 is the part 78, constituted preferably in the form of a flat disc or plate 86 having in its periphery a notch 88 adapted to accommodate a tongue portion 90 of the cooperable tongue part 80.
  • the part 80 is shown as comprising a leaf spring or spring finger 92 having one end affixed to a combined mounting and stop member 94 which is rigid on the shaft 24.
  • the mounting member 94 has staked portions 96 for securement of the spring 92 in a manner that the 4 tongue 90 is resiliently or yieldably engaged in the notch 88.
  • operative condition means are provided in accordance with the invention which limits the total permissible arc of travel of the pallets to a figure which is not greater than the total maximum arc of travel of the pendulum.
  • the mounting member 94 has oppositely disposed ears 97 which are engageable with the undersurface of a stop member or block 98 carried by the bearing part or frame 30, FIGS. 4, 7 and 10. Such engagement'can occur after the tongue 90 has become disengaged from the notch 88, and for a condition wherein there has occurred approximately a 45 turning of the shaft 24 (FIG. 10) from a dead center position of the tongue 90 wherein it is vertically below the shaft 24.
  • the stop member 98 limits the turning of the shaft 24 and part (including the tongue to a maximum of 90.
  • the pendulum can swing 60 in either direction from center.
  • a pallet obstruction occurs usually with the tongue 90 at dead center.
  • the disk 86 can shift 60 to displace the notch 88 a like amount from the tongue.
  • the pendulum is swung to the other extreme through a 120 are it will similarly turn the disk 86 more than enough to restore the tongue in the notch, which at most requires 45 plus 60 or
  • the user need merely swing the pendulum between its extreme positions after first rewinding the clockwork.
  • the maximum arc of the pendulum 18 need not be 60 to each side of center, in order to enable a user to restore the yieldable driving connection. For example, if the pendulum is able to swing slightly more than 45 each side of the center, the maximum displacement of the tongue 90 from the notch 88 would be approximately 45, and the restoring movement required would then be 45, plus 45, or 90, of which the pendulum would be capable. For a greater arc of travel of the pendulum (in excess of a total of 90), it will be undesrtood that any slight overriding of the tongue 90 past the notch 88 will not defeat the restoring action since the bevel and the camming nature of the tongue will cause it to be self-centering. Thus, even a 15 override, which is preferably provided for a wide margin of safety, will still enable the tongue 90 to retrace itself and become centered in the notch 88.
  • FIGS. 8 and 9 Another embodiment of the invention by which there is established a yieldable spring driving connection between the pendulum 16 and the pallets 40, 42 is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9.
  • a hub 102 which mounts the pallets 40, 42 and which is turnably carried by the shaft 24, said hub carrying an angle-shaped arm 104, parallel to the shaft 24.
  • a second hub 106 is press-fitted on the shaft 24 so as to turn therewith, such hub fixedly carrying a second angle-shaped arm 108.
  • the arms 104 and 108 have free extremity portions 110, 112 respectively, extending parallel to the shaft 24 and in spaced overlapping relation as seen in FIGS. 8 and 9.
  • the hub 106 has an axial extension 114 around which there extends a two-layer coil spring 116 having an inner layer 118 and an outer layer 120.
  • the two ends 122 and 124 of the coil spring 116 are generally parallel to each other and extend on opposite sides of the extremity portions 110, 112 of the angle arms 104,
  • the extremity portions 110, 112 are provided with notches 126, 128 to accommodate and confine the spring ends 122, 124. It will be understood that the pendulum 16, for the embodiments of FIGS. 8 and 9, is fixedly carried by the shaft 24.
  • the pendulum 16 is rigid with the angle-shaped arm 108, these being movable with respect to the arm 104 and pallets 40, 42.
  • the coil spring 116 by means of its two ends 122, 124 normally maintains the arm extremities 110, 112 in superposed and juxtaposed relation to each other as shown in FIG. 9. This is the normal condition of the yieldable driving connection, and the metronome will operate normally when the arms are held in this position.
  • any excessive turning movement or force which might occur between the pendulum 16 and the pallets 40, 42 will cause the spring to yield under the force exerted by the arm extremities 110, 112.
  • the spring driving connection is self-restoring in that the arms 104, 108 will be automatically reset to the proper driving positions of FIGS. 8 and 9 by the spring 116 as soon as the excessive torque or turning movement is removed between the pendulum 16 and the pallets 40, 42.
  • a metronome comprising, in combination:
  • connection including a plurality of cooperable parts and said connection yielding when the pendulum is forcibly swung while a pallet is obstructed by a tooth in the wheel, thereby to prevent any damage from occurring.
  • said yieldable driving connection comprises a notched part and a cooperable tongue part, and a yieldable mounting for one of said parts
  • said tongue part comprises a Spring finger which constitutes the said yieldable mounting.
  • (a) means limiting the travel of the pallets to an are which is not substantially in excess of the travel of the pendulum.
  • said travel-limiting means comprises a pair of spaced-apart portions of the tongue part, and comprises a bearing part rotatably carrying said pallets and engageable with said portions of the tongue part when the pallets are turned past their operative limits.
  • said yieldable driving connection comprises a pair of relatively movable arms rigid respectively with the pendulum and the pallets, and comprises a spring device for yieldably holding the arms in and returning them to a given relative position
  • said spring device comprising a coil encircling the shaft

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
  • Transmission Devices (AREA)
  • Mechanical Operated Clutches (AREA)
US776085A 1968-11-15 1968-11-15 Damage-resistant mechanical metronome Expired - Lifetime US3486323A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US77608568A 1968-11-15 1968-11-15

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US3486323A true US3486323A (en) 1969-12-30

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US776085A Expired - Lifetime US3486323A (en) 1968-11-15 1968-11-15 Damage-resistant mechanical metronome

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3486323A (de)
JP (1) JPS4822220B1 (de)
CH (2) CH1690169A4 (de)
DE (1) DE1955546C3 (de)
FR (1) FR2023351A1 (de)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3724203A (en) * 1970-07-22 1973-04-03 R Wittner Pyramidal metronome
US4012901A (en) * 1975-09-25 1977-03-22 Franz Manufacturing Co., Inc. Damage-resistant mechanical metronome
US4050236A (en) * 1976-04-08 1977-09-27 Spartus Corporation Clock having ornamental pendulum with adjustable period
WO1992020247A1 (en) * 1991-05-14 1992-11-26 Power Fardy Stephen N Self-contained display device for headwear
USD751424S1 (en) * 2013-08-09 2016-03-15 Wittner Gmbh & Co. Kg Metronome
CN114019775A (zh) * 2021-11-24 2022-02-08 怀化市新谱乐器有限公司 一种视唱练耳用辅助节拍器

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP6037909B2 (ja) * 2013-03-22 2016-12-07 セイコーインスツル株式会社 メトロノーム

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US705647A (en) * 1901-02-19 1902-07-29 George L Clark Conical pendulum.
US1868941A (en) * 1930-04-14 1932-07-26 Herschede Hall Clock Company Clock
FR1067427A (fr) * 1952-12-04 1954-06-15 Métronome
US3386327A (en) * 1965-11-22 1968-06-04 Franz Frederick Metronome

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US705647A (en) * 1901-02-19 1902-07-29 George L Clark Conical pendulum.
US1868941A (en) * 1930-04-14 1932-07-26 Herschede Hall Clock Company Clock
FR1067427A (fr) * 1952-12-04 1954-06-15 Métronome
US3386327A (en) * 1965-11-22 1968-06-04 Franz Frederick Metronome

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3724203A (en) * 1970-07-22 1973-04-03 R Wittner Pyramidal metronome
US4012901A (en) * 1975-09-25 1977-03-22 Franz Manufacturing Co., Inc. Damage-resistant mechanical metronome
DE2636782A1 (de) * 1975-09-25 1977-04-07 Iii Henry Ware Jones Metronom
US4050236A (en) * 1976-04-08 1977-09-27 Spartus Corporation Clock having ornamental pendulum with adjustable period
WO1992020247A1 (en) * 1991-05-14 1992-11-26 Power Fardy Stephen N Self-contained display device for headwear
USD751424S1 (en) * 2013-08-09 2016-03-15 Wittner Gmbh & Co. Kg Metronome
CN114019775A (zh) * 2021-11-24 2022-02-08 怀化市新谱乐器有限公司 一种视唱练耳用辅助节拍器

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH534917A (fr) 1972-10-13
JPS4822220B1 (de) 1973-07-04
CH1690169A4 (de) 1972-10-13
DE1955546A1 (de) 1970-06-11
DE1955546C3 (de) 1978-11-02
FR2023351A1 (de) 1970-08-21
DE1955546B2 (de) 1978-03-02

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