US360725A - peentiss - Google Patents

Description

4 SheetsSheet 1.

H. S. PRENTISS. CALENDAR 013001;.

: 3 0.725. Patented Apr. 5, 1887.

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CALENDAR CLOCK. No. 360,725. Patented-Apr. 5, 1887.

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H. S. PRENTISS.

I CALENDAR CLOCK. No. 360,725. Patented Apr. 5, 1887.

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H. S. PRENTISS. CALENDAR CLOCK.

No. 360,725. Patented Apr. 5, 1887.

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HENRY S. PRENTISS, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

'CALENDAR-CLCCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,725, dated April 5, 1887.

Serial No. 210,192. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY S. PRENTISS, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Calendar-Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of calendars arranged to be operated by an ordinary clock-movement.

It has for its object the providing of devices whereby the day of the week and of the month and the month of the year may be automatically indicated at all times, and providing for all irregularities in our calendar without manual intervention. It aims also to indicate in the plainest possible manner the things desired-namely, the day of the week and month and the month of the year, and not to have in sight any other letters or figures, so that no error need be made; and itprovides, within a case of small dimensions, for showing the above in large and prominent type, so that they may be readily seen throughout a room of large size. The mechanism of both the clock and the calendar is inclosed within a suitable case, which contains,besides the clockface and preferably below it, three'openings or windows, and behind these are the indicating devices, which show successively the several daysof the week, names of the months, and the days of the month. The days of the week and the names of the month are arranged about cylinders in a manner well known. The days of the month are arranged upon separate cards, which are held and successively displayed in a novel manner, and which forms a part of my invention.

The time-clock used in connection with my invention may be of any ordinary form. I use, preferably, the ordinary marine movement in illustrating the invention; but any other style of clock-train will do equally Well. The office of the clock-train is simply to release the calendar movement at the proper time. The

latter is operated'by an independent train and is arranged to require winding only at long intervals.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a front view view of the mechanism, showing the two trains or movements and their relation to each other. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are details ofthe several parts of the trains and indicating devices.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures.

Referring to the figures, A represents the movement of the time-clock, (see Fig. 2,) the face and hands thereof being shown atthe top of Fig. 1.

B is the cylinder carrying the names which indicate the seven days of the week, and b is the shaft carrying the cylinder. 0 is the similar month-cylinder, and 0 its shaft.

D is the device for holding and displaying the cards indicating the days of the month, d d &c. being the separate cards.

E and E are the movements or rather the two parts of the same movement which operates the calendar, E being the actuatingspring.

To the ordinary hour hand shaft of the clock A there is geared the wheel a, making one revolution for each two revolutions of that shaft, In other words, it revolves once in twenty-four hours. The arbor of the wheel a carries the cam a, and this is the device which at the proper timesay at midnight0nce each day releases the calendar mechanism and changes the date displayed by the latter. Passing across and above the edge of the cam a is the rod aflhaving a pin, afiwhich rests upon the edge of the cam. The rod to is pivoted at a, so that the revolution of the cam from its lowest to its highest point will gradually raise the rod a. It is shown in nearly the highest position in Fig. 2. The further revolution of the cam a will allow the rod a to drop suddenly until the pin a meets the point a of the cam. At a the rod a is jointed to the rod a which stands or is suspended perpendicularly close to the inside of the case, the end a being free and turned at right angles, as shown in Fig. 3.

The calendar-movements E and E are normally prevented from running by the device 6, Fig. 3, which acts as a brake upon the arbor of the regulating-fan c. The device 6 turns upon the point stand the arm 6 extends upward, so that its curved end is in the path of the rod a as it moves downward. XVhen the rod a falls,which it does by its own weight when released by the movement of the cam a, the end a strikes the end of e and releases the calendar-train, which is prevented from immediately stopping again by the device presently to be described. It runs until the proper date is shown and it is then stopped. The devices for this will now be considered.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 4 it will be seen thatthe shaft or arborf passes through D and communicates motion from the drivingtrain E to the mechanism E, which regulates the calendar. In these figures, H is the day-wheel,- having upon its edge thirty-one teeth, It, and certain blanks, the use of which is hereinafter described. The lever h engages the teeth of the wheel H successively as the latter is turned in the direction of the arrow shown at the top. Theleverh is pivoted at hfland at h it isjoi-nted to the rod h. This engages the arm hflwhich is loosely pivoted on the arbor b of the dayof-the-week cylinder-B. A disk or ratchet wheel, I), is employed for revolving the cylinder B. It has seven pins, 1) b, &c., in it, and the pawl it", operated by the arm 7L5, engages them successively.

Now, when the day-wheel H is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow, which takes place when the train E is released, the lever h is carried with it until it slips over the edge of the tooth h, which engages it, and then it falls back against the next tooth. As it is carried forward the rod h is pushed. upward and with it the pivoted arm h. At the highest point, and just before the lever h is released from one tooth to the next, the pawl it engages one of the pins b l When the lever h is released the weight of the rod h and the arm 7L5 carries them down quickly, and the day-of-the-week cylinder B is turned thereby in the direction of the arrow one-seventh ofa revolution,bringing the next face on the cylinder in view. A locking-arm, h has its end h of such shape as to fall between the pins 2) and lock the cylinder in position after it has been actuated as above. Preferably the pawls h and 7? are arranged-with a limit of mox'ement to carry the cylinder B one-half the desired distance, or one-fourteenth of a revolution, while the locking-arm h, by engaging a pin, If, upon the angular face at its end, and by means of the spring It", carries it the remainder of the distance required. In this way the chance of carrying the cylinder B too far and jumping over one day is avoided. Having performed this operation, it is desired that the calendar train be stopped when the pawl h has fallen upon the tooth h of the regulator-wheel or day-wheel H succeeding that at which the train was started, or when it has reached the position to show the proper date.

7 Looking at Fig. 8, which shows the opposite side of the case from Fig. 4, the bent rod 9 is secured to the piece 9, which turns loosely upon the arbor c. The upper end of the rodg is acted upon by the pins 6" at the end of the cylinder B. When the red a described, and

its end a strikes the curved end of the rod 0', it pushes the latter downward until it clears a, at the right-hand end, Fig. 3, of the latter. This allows the device 0 to fall back to its original place, to which it tends by the weight 0. The rod 0 is curved about thesmall wheel 0 upon the arbor carrying the regulator-fan e, and, as described, acts as a brake. When the arm 0 is carried downward by a, the end ofthe rod 6 is also carried downward, and at once the lower end ofg passes above it by its weight and that of the arm g. This movement of g is limited by the lower end of 9*, which meets and rests upon the pin The train, therefore, is free to run until a pin, Z), on the end of the day-of-the-week cylinder B has carried the upper end of the rod g to the left far enough to allow the brake rod 0 to be raised to engage the edge ofthe wheel 6. This is effected by the rotation of the cylinder B inthe manner already described. Each twentyfour hours, therefore, the above operation is repeated by the revolution of the cam a.

It will now be easily understood how the month-cylinder is revolved. The wheel H revolves once each month. On the same axis with H is fixed the cam J. A pin projecting from the arm J rests upon the edge of the cam J, the arm J being pivoted loosely at j. Once each month it is carried to the highest point of the cam, as shown in Fig. 4. A further movement of the cam J will allow the arm J to descend,which is aided or caused by the spring S. This fall is gradual, the drop of the cam not being perpendicular, but angir lar. A disk, K, is attached to the arbor c of the month-cylinder O. The arm K carries the pawl 7a, which engages successively the pins 70 &c.

K is the retaining click or dog for the monthcylinder 0, the operation of which is appan ent. At the end of each month, therefore, the cam J, by its revolution, permits the arm J,which it has previously raised into position to act, to descend and turn the next month into view behind its window in the front of the case. This movement, it will be seen, is effected by the same action of the mechanism E and E that turns the day-of-the-week cylinder to display the name of the day, and will therefore take place (the movements being set for it) at midnight on the last day of the month.

It now remains to show how the varying number of days in the month are provided for, and how the extra day of February for leap year is indicated.

In Fig. 4, M is the month-wheel, and L is the February wheel. These are both carried about the axis of H by its revolution, M being pivoted at m, and L at Z. M is turned once a yearthat is, once for every twelve revolutions of Hby means of theplanet-movement M, (shown in Figs. 5 and 7,) and which is on the opposite side of the wheel H from M. It

in Fig. 4 is a space without teeth.

month-wheel M.

is left by necessity of construction in applying the wheels M and L. On one side of this space a tooth cut in the month-wheel M corresponds with one of the teeth of H. On the other sideo'f the space (the right) one of the teeth in the edge of L corresponds with two of the teeth of H. It will thus be seen that M and L are so placed upon the side of H that they will, as required, cover up the teeth corresponding to the 29th, 30th, and 31st days, which are the only variable ones.

The wheel M is turned by the train M in a direction opposite to that of H-that is, it turns in the direction indicated by the arrow below it. 1 It .turns, as stated, one-twelfth of a revolution each month. If all the months were equal in length and the wheel M had twelve teeth ,then each month one of them would eoincide with a tooth of H, and no effect would be produced; but some of the months require a day to be out off, and this is done by bringing one of the curved sections or arcs upon the edge of M to coincide with and therefore cover or cancel one of the teeth in H on the left side of the blank space alluded to. Thus the wheels are now in position for July 31. One month later M has turned to the left one-twelfth of a revolution, and that will bring m half-way to the tooth on H now engaged by the pawl h. The space therefore on H without teeth will be the same as now; and as August, the next month, has thirty-one days, the lever h will be actuated on August 31 by the same tooth, as shown in the drawings. The next month is September, with thirty days. \Vhen H comes round the are of M, between m and W, will be opposite the tooth now engaged by the pawl h, and the latter, therefore, without dropping into the notch corresponding to the thirtyfirst day, will slide over the blank space formed by the combination of H and M until the tooth :0 allows it to fall, and this corresponds to the first day of the month. The action of M can in this way be understood, December and J an nary having a long space out from the edge, as July and August'havc.

The month-wheel M is set for any particular month by means ofthe wheel J. (Shown in Fig. 7.) The sun-wheel and J are united, and by removing the pawl j the wheel J may be turned, thus operating the train M, which turns the month-wheel.

The February-wheel L is operated by the It revolves once in four years-that is, once in four revolutions of M. The wheel L carries a series of pins, Z Z, &c., eight in number. These pins are engaged by the lugs m m when the month-wheel M is in the proper position, which is-the case in February. The wheel L will remain in its present position until February, and therefore until then no teeth of H are cut off on the right hand of the blank space. During that month, however, the lug m will engage the pin Z which is nearest the axis of M and push it forward. Having pushed it partly into the designed place, the end of the dog or arm L falls behind the following pin and pushes L into the position where the are from Z to Z on its edge will coincide with and so cancel tn 0 of the teeth on H. \Vhen, therefore, the twenty: eighth tooth of the wheel H has actuated the lever h,the latter will slide over the long blank space formed by the combination of H, M, and L until the tooth 03 allows it to fall. At that time the are of the edge of M, which is, in the drawings, just abovethe arrow-head, will coincide with and cancel the tooth corresponding to the thirty-first day.

After February has passed it is evident that the two teeth cut off from the right-hand space on H must be restored again. This is effected by the second lug, m on the side of ill, which, in conjunction with the arm Z, pushes the wheel L over until the next space cutaway from its edge coincides with the two teeth of H in question, and so March andthe following months get their full number of days.

In leap year February has twenty'nine days, and therefore but one tooth must be canceled from H in that year. It will be seen that the arc of the circumference of L, which is at the bottom in the drawings, is but one-half as long as the other three, and it will be sufficient to say that when that are is brought upward, which is the case every fourth year, but one tooth will be cut off from the wheel H, and so one more day, or twenty-nine, will be allotted to this month.

The device for displaying the cards which give the day of the month is shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 6. It is desirable in all calendars that the day of the month be indicated in large figures, and in most if not all calendar-clocks this has been done, if at all, only by the oc cupation of a large space.

By my invention 1 am enabled to obtain the use of large figures for every dayof the month and display them conspicuously in a very small space. The device consists of eighteen cards, and each card has a number 011 both sides, with a few exceptions. Each card shows one side and the other alternately as it is brought before the opening in the case. Thus, there being eighteen cards; the card having 1 on one side has 19 on the other; that having 2 on one side has 20 on the other, and so on, each card being reversed as it passes around the axis which carries them. The shaft or axis"; has two disks, u and it. These have each eighteen holes, through which pass the wires a a &c. These are turned outward at right angles on each side after passing through the two disks, and each end is again turned inward toward each other, as shown at a a" in Fig. 5. The cards are suspended from their centers on these wires, which act as bails, as shown. The disks lb and a are constructed with rims a which prevent the arms of the bails from binding against the faces of the disks. The positions of the cards are shown in Fig. 6 with one presented before the window at 0, against which it rests. It is held in position by its wire resting upon the stop u. The next following one is prevented from falling by the catch a".

Vhen the axis f is revolved by the releasing of the train, as described, the card 0, Fig. 6, is first drawn slightly upward and backward. Then the short right-angled arm which is attached to the wire a (one such arm being attached to each of the wires 1%,) will clear the stop a", and the card will fall to the bottom and take its place compactly by the side of the others, as shown, and the card will fall into the position in front of the window. The card 0 will at the same time take the place now occupied by 0, and so on. An examination of the figure (6) will show how the mutual positions of the cards on the disks and wires cause their reversal as they are carried upward on the right-hand side, or the side away from the window. As the shaft fturns, the cards are carried up, and, turning naturally on their own axes, are reversed when again presented to view. The pin a aids in keeping the cards which hang below the axis in a proper and compact position until they commence to move upward on the back side.

The time-clock is wound by a key daily, weekly, or otherwise, in the usual manner, and the spring giving motion to the train E and E is made long and strong, so that it need be wound but once in several months or years.

The device for operating and displaying the cards which give the day of the month is adapted for other uses, and I do not limit myself to its use in calendars or calendar-clocks only.

One of the principal advantages in the device consists in the fact that it presents the surface of the cards close to the inside of the case or window, so that the printed number or other information upon the cards is plainly visible not onlyin front, but to a considerable distance on all sides.

It will be seen that normally the time clock which releases the calendar mechanism is entirely disconnected from the latter, being brought into contact with it only when it is desired to release and operate it. Aside, therefore, from raising the rod a upon the surface of the cam a, which work is regular and equable and may easily be adjusted for, the time-clock has nothing to affect its running rate or qualities.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, substantially as described, ot' a clock mechanism having the twentyfour hour wheel, a cam driven thereby and revolving once in twenty-four hours, a lever gradually thrown back by said cam and suddenly released at the end of each twenty-four hours, an independent train and its driving-power, a device normally restraining the operation of the last-named train, an arm connected with said restraining device extending into the path of said lever and actuated thereby to release the independent train each twenty-four hours, -a calendar indicating apparatus operated by said train, and an arresting device for the calendar imlicating apparatus controlled by its own train.

2. The combination, substantially as described, with a clock mechanism and a lever periodically actuated thereby, of the motortrain E, the shaftf, driven thereby, the brake 6 released from the motor by said lever, the wheel H, operated by the motor-train, the le ver 7/ and the pawl it, operated bysaid wheel, and the calcndanmovenient B, operated by said lever and pawl.

3. The combination of a clock-train, a calendar-movement, a motor for driving the calendar-movement, the wheel H, driven by the motor, the month-wheel M and the Februarywheel L, both pivoted to the wheel H, thelugs m m, for actuating the wheel L, the planetmovement for operating the wheel M, the pins 1), the brake 0, applied to the motor, the arm g, serving to restrain the brake 0 until oper ated by a pin, Z)", and mechanism controlled by the wheel H for moving the pins 1).

4. Thecombination,with aclock-movement, of an independent motor normally held in check, a tripping device for said motor operated by the clock-movement, the shaft f, revolved by the motor, the bails if, the plates or cards (7, independently pivoted upon the bails if, the catches t, and the stops it and of, against which said catches strike, substantially as do scribed.

5. An exhibiting device consisting of a motor, a shaft, f, driven by the motor, the bails a carried by the shaft, exhibiting'cards d, supported from said bails and capable of revolving upon their own axes, and means for holding them one at'a time in a perpendicular position and at right angles to the bails, and means for causing them to be reversed at each revolution of the shaftf.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a time-clock, an independent mechanism consisting of a spring or equiva lent motor and a train of wheels, a daily and monthly calendar periodically operated thereby, said calendar mechanism being normally mechanically disconnected from said timeclock, a lever periodically actuated by the clock mechanism to form such connection and release said mechanism at stated times, and a controlling device for the calendar mechanism operating to govern its movements independently of the releasing mechanism.

7. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a timeclock, a wheel attached to said clock which revolves once in twenty-four hours, a cam moving with said wheel, a lever operated by said cam, an arm connected therewith, independently-operated calendar mechanism, and a releasing device for the same periodically operated by said arm, the latter forminga temporary mechanical connection between said time-clock and said calendar mechanism.

8. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a time-clock having a twenty-four-hour wheel, a cylinder for showing the days of the week, a cylinder for showing the names of the months, aseries of separate cards showing the days of the month, and mechanism for operating said cylinders and cards, said mechanism being normally disconnected from said time-clock, but arranged to be released by the latter at stated times.

9. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a time-clock, a calendar mechanism disconnected from said time-clock,

a pressure-brake applied to said mechanism and normally restraining its movement, and a mechanical device controlled by the timecloclr forming a temporary mechanical connection between said time-clock and said calendar mechanism, thereby removing said brake and releasing said mechanism at regular times.

10. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a clock mechanism, of a calendar-movement consisting of a month, day, and date exposing device, a motor for operating the same, a detaining device consisting of a friction-brake applied to the motor, a tripping device controlled by the clock mechanism for setting the motor in operation, an arm for holding said brake away from said motor when the tripping device has been operated, and a device operated by the calendar-movement for releasing the brake from said arm after the predetermined movement on the part of the calendar.

11. The combination, with aclock-movement, of a calendar-movement, an independent motor for actuating said calendar-movement, a device normally restraining the operation of the calendar-movement, a device for forming a temporary connection between said clock-movement and said restraining device, and a controlling device entirely governed by the calendar-movement for preventing the cessation of the operation of the motor until a predetermined action of the calendar-movement has been accomplished.

12. The combination, substantially as hereinbeforeset forth, with a time-clock, of a shaft carrying indicating-marks for the days of the week, means for revolving the shaft step by step, a motor independent of said time-clock for driving the shaft, a friction-brake applied to the motor, a pawl or detent for holding said brake away from the motor, and a device moving with said shaft for withdrawing said detent from the path of said brake upon a predetermined movement of the shaft.

13. The combination, with a clock-movement, a series of indicators, a toothed wheel, and mechanism controlled thereby for actuating said indicators,of a motor for revolving said toothed wheel, a second wheel pivoted to the toothed wheel, having their peripheries to coincide at certain points, means for imparting a movement to the second wheel upon its own axis and thereby causing it to cover a tooth of the first-named wheel atstated times, and a device for setting the motor in operation, controlled by the clock-movement.

14. The combination, with a motor, a daycylinder, and a month-cylinder, of a toothed wheel driven by the motor, alever controlled directly by said toothed wheel for revolving the day-eylinder each time the motor is set in operation, and a cam moving with the toothed wheel for operating the monthcylinder once during each revolution of the said toothed wheel.

15. The combination of a day-cylinder, a month-cylinder, and a date-exhibiting device, a motor for actuating the same, a wheel driven by said motor, having thirty-one teeth, a lever actuated by the successive teeth for revolving the day-cylinder, a second wheel pivoted to the toothed wheel and having portions of its periphery cut away, and means for revolving said wheel and thereby placing portions of the periphery in the plane of one of the teeth of the first-named wheel at different revolutions of the latter, substantially as described.

16. The combination, in a calendar-movement, of a toothed wheel for operating the daydesignating device, eccentrically pivoted to said wheel and having thirty-one teeth, a device revolving therewith for periodically canceling certain of said teeth, a pawl and ratchet or equivalent device for actuating the calendar through the instrumentality of said teeth, and a locking device for interrupting the movement of said wheel after said day-designating device has been operated by one of the teeth.

17. The combination, with a motor and means for periodically locking the same, of a shaft revolved by said motor, a series of bails pivoted to said shaft, cards or other exhibiting devices pivoted to such bails, and stops for arresting each card in a predetermined position successively, thereby exposing the same one at a time, and means for causing each card to be reversed during each revolution of the shaft.

18. The combination of a shaft, pairs of arms extending therefrom and movable independently of the shaft, plates centrally pivoted in such arms and revolving upon their own axes, and also about the shaft as a central axis, and detaining devices for intercepting the same once during each revolution of the shaft, substantially as described.

19. A shaft, a series of cards or plates, arms carried by said shaft to which said plates are independently pivoted, and means for revolving said shaft.

20. A central shaft, a series of cards revolving around it, and themselves revolving upon their own axes and having designating-characters upon one or both sides, and stops for holding them one at a time in a vertical position.

21. In a calendar-movement, a device for exhibit-ing the names of the months, a revolving snail -cam having its shoulder or drop slightly inclined, and a lever applied to the cam for actuating said device gradually when passing along said shoulder.

22. In a calendar movement, a toothed jeotion is adapted to cover only one of said teeth, and means for revolving the second wheel once in four years.

23. The combination, with a toothed wheel or its equivalent, of means for actuating the same, a retaining (log or click serving to assist in advancing the wheel during a portion of 1 each forward movement, and having a bearing-shoulder extending at right angles to the direction of the movement of the tooth engaged thereby when the wheel is at rest.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub- 20 scribed my name this 4th day of August, A.D. 1886.

HENRY S. PRENTISS. Witnesses:

DANL. W. EDGECOM'B, CHARLES A. TERRY.

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