US3636699A - Digital alarm clock - Google Patents

Digital alarm clock Download PDF

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Publication number
US3636699A
US3636699A US55817A US3636699DA US3636699A US 3636699 A US3636699 A US 3636699A US 55817 A US55817 A US 55817A US 3636699D A US3636699D A US 3636699DA US 3636699 A US3636699 A US 3636699A
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United States
Prior art keywords
alarm
cam
clock
digital
lever
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US55817A
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English (en)
Inventor
Chester B Marble
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
General Electric Co
Original Assignee
General Electric Co
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by General Electric Co filed Critical General Electric Co
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Publication of US3636699A publication Critical patent/US3636699A/en
Assigned to BLACK & DECKER, INC., A CORP. OF DE reassignment BLACK & DECKER, INC., A CORP. OF DE ASSIGNS AS OF APRIL 27, 1984 THE ENTIRE INTEREST Assignors: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY A NY CORP.
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C21/00—Producing acoustic time signals by electrical means
    • G04C21/16—Producing acoustic time signals by electrical means producing the signals at adjustable fixed times
    • G04C21/18—Producing acoustic time signals by electrical means producing the signals at adjustable fixed times by mechanically unlocking an electromechanical vibrator, e.g. actuated by the leakage flux of the electric driving means

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A digital alarm clock wherein an alarm mechanism is provided at the sides of the digital clock numerals.
  • An elongated longitudinally moveable rod 76 extends from an electric motor 5 on one side of the digital alarm clock to an alarm cam mechanism 64-72 on the other side of the digital alarm clock for translating motion from one side to the other side of the clock.
  • an alarm mechanism including a bellcrank lever 13 which is arranged to be resiliently urged toward an alarm cam gear 3 by a resilient vibrator arm 10.
  • a manually movable shutoff lever 11 may be provided for lifting the resilient vibrator arm to remove the spring force from the bellcrank l3 and the axially movable cam gear 3 when the alarm has been shut off.
  • This invention is concerned with such a digital alarm clock movement and has its general object the provision of a lowcost digital alarm clock in which the parts are constructed so that an objectionable click is not heard on the days when it is not desired to have the alarm sound.
  • two generally parallel sideplates are provided for supporting digital numerals between the plates.
  • An electric motor is mounted on the outside of one of the plates and an alarm time control cam is mounted on the outside of the other plate.
  • a resilient vibrator is mounted adjacent to the motor and is arranged to provide the resilient force necessary to move a continuously rotated alarm cam toward the alarm time control cam.
  • an elongated longitudinally slidable rod is loosely positioned within an aperture in one of the plates for cooperating with the vibrator on the motor side of the alarm clock and the continuously rotated gear on the other side of the alarm clock.
  • a "no click alarm clock is also achieved since a manual alarm shutoff lever may be provided for lifting the resilient vibrator to shut off the alarm.
  • a manual alarm shutoff lever may be provided for lifting the resilient vibrator to shut off the alarm.
  • FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a digital alarm clock constructed in accordance with my invention
  • FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the alarm clock shown in FIG. I;
  • FIG. 3 is a partial exploded perspective view of a portion of the alarm control mechanism of the alarm clock shown in FIG.
  • FIG. 4 is a partial rear elevational view of the alarm clock shown in FIG. 1 with the parts in the alarm-sounding position;
  • FIG. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevational view similar to FIG. 4 with the parts held in the alarm set position by the alarm control mechanism;
  • FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front perspective view of the casing and the alarm time-indicating drum of the digital alarm clock shown in FIG. 1.
  • the digital alarm clock which includes my unique low-cost alarm control mechanism.
  • the digital clock numerals may conventionally include two sets of pages 2 and 4 which. are centrally positioned on the clock for indicating the time of day.
  • the digital alarm clock may be driven by conventional timing mechanism including a self-starting synchronous motor 5. Portions of the motor stator magnetic core and energizing coil are shown at 6 and 8, respectively.
  • a resilient magnetic vibrator l0 operated by leakage flux from the motor is arranged to have its free end portion 12 vibrate against a stator portion 14 and produce an audible alami at all times when the motor is energized unless the vibrator is prevented from vibrating hy a manual alarm shutoff lever 16, or my unique automatic alarm control mechanism including a bellcrank lever 18.
  • the manual alarm shutoff lever 16 may be suitably mounted on a supporting plate 17 of the clock motor and has a projection 20 thereon which is positioned so as to engage the free end 12 of the vibrator arm 10.
  • a knob 22 which may extend outside of the clock casing is fixed to the lever 16 for sliding the lever to the left to shut off the alarm, or to the right to the position shown in FIG. 2 to allow the alarm to sound at the preset time.
  • the bellcrank lever 18 for automatically permitting the alarm to sound at a preset time is generally similar to the bellcrank lever 13 as shown in FIG. 2 of the aforementioned US. Pat. No. 2,768,332 issued Oct. 23, 1956 to D. E. Protzmann et al. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5 of the instant application, the bellcrank lever I8 is pivoted to the motor-supporting plate 17 by means of ears 28 and a pivot pin 30, and the resilient vibrator arm I0 is utilized to-spring load the bellcrank lever.
  • a supporting structure including two sideplates 32 and 34 is provided for supporting the two sets of pages 2 and 4 for indicating the time of day. As shown more particularly in FIG. 1, I
  • the sideplates 32 and 34 are arranged generally parallel to each other, and a plurality of spacer posts 36, 38 and 40 are provided for securely connecting the plates to each other in the desired spaced relationship.
  • the synchronous motor 5 for driving the pages of the clock is suitably connected to sideplate 32 of the page-supporting structure.
  • suitable spacer posts 42 and 44 are provided for connecting the motor-mounting plate 17 in spaced parallel relationship with respect to sideplate 32.
  • reduction gearing 46 from the clock motor may be positioned between the motor-supporting plate 17 and the sideplate 32 for driving the sets of pages 2 and 4 of the digital clock at the appropriate synchronous speed.
  • the digital numerals may be adjusted and set by means of an adjusting wheel 48 which is also suitably mounted between the sideplate 32 and the motor-mounting plate 17.
  • the adjusting wheel 48 is arranged in mesh with the reduction gearing 46 of the clock motor for setting the time-indicating pages of the digital clock.
  • the reduction gearing 46 between the motor-mounting plate 17 and slideplate 32 drives a center shaft 50 of the digital clock movement at l revolution per hour.
  • the center shaft 50 extends from the motor side of the digital clock to the alarm control mechanism side of the digital clock and is supported in suitable bearings which are provided in the sideplates 32 and 34.
  • ALARM CONTROL MECHANISM there is combined with the aforedescribed digital clock elements a uniquely designed and positioned alarm control mechanism which may utilize the alarm vibrator at the left side of the clock for sounding an audible alarm at the appropriate time.
  • the mechanism utilizes the output from the center shaft 50 for driving a 12-hour cam mechanism which cooperates with a manually adjustable alarm set cam for causing the alarm vibrator 10 to sound at the preset time.
  • a gear 56 may be fixed to the central power output shaft 50 for rotation along with the shaft 50 at I revolution per hour.
  • Suitable reduction gearing 58 and 60 is mounted on a stub shaft 62 fixed to plate 34 for rotating a cam gear 64 at I revolution every [2 hours.
  • the cam gear 64 is suitably mounted on a centrally located bearing shaft 50 of the digital clock-supporting structure, and has two projecting cam portions 66 integrally formed thereon.
  • the cam portions 66 comprise abrupt axially extending cam surfaces 68 located on one side thereof and sloped cam surfaces 70 located on the other.
  • the continuously rotated axially movable cam 64 is arranged for cooperation with a manually adjustable alarm time cam 72.
  • the alarm time cam is provided with abrupt cam surfaces formed by two slots 74 for cooperating with the abrupt cam surfaces 68 of the axially movable continuously rotated alarm time cam 64.
  • the mechanism includes two principal parts.
  • a readily movable longitudinally slidable rod 76 which extends from the electric motor side to the alarm cam side of the digital alarm clock, and a readily formed alarm actuator lever 78 which is arranged between the continuously rotated I2- hour cam gear 64 and the longitudinally slidable rod 76. As shown more particularly in FIGS.
  • the alarm actuator lever 78 may be formed from flat sheet metal and it extends from its pivot 80 at the front right corner of the digital alarm clock upwardly and rearwardly to the upper right rear corner of the digital alarm clock where it cooperates with the elongated longitudinally slidable rod 76.
  • the pivot 80 for the alarm actuator lever 78 may be formed from an extension of the spacer post 36. With this arrangement, the pivot 80 is provided without the use of additional materials.
  • a similar low-cost reliable arrangement is also provided for guiding the upper portion of the alarm-actuating lever 78.
  • an aperture 83 is formed in the lever 78 for cooperating with guidepost 84 which may be readily staked to sideplate 34.
  • a suitable enlarged aperture 86 may be formed in the alarm actuator lever 78 for receiving pinion gear 60 of the reduction gearing for the continuously rotated cam gear 64, and another enlarged aperture 88 is also formed in the alarm actuator lever for receiving the end portion of shaft 50.
  • the elongated rod 76 which extends from one side of the digital alarm clock to the other side of the alarm clock may be readily and reliably mounted without the use of any additional parts. As shown more particularly in FIG. 2, an aperture 90 is formed in sideplate 34 for receiving one end of the elongated rod 76 while another aperture 92 is formed in the motor-supporting plate 17 for guiding the other end of the elongated rod.
  • the resilient vibrator alarm 10 provides the force required for urging the continuously rotated alarm cam gear 64 into engagement with the manually set alarm time gear 72.
  • the end 12 of the vibrator is urged downwardly against the upper portion of bellcrank lever 18, thereby causing the bellcrank lever to pivot to the left as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 to urge the elongated rod 76 to the left to thereby urge the actuator lever 78 to the left about its pivot 80, and the continuously rotated cam gear 64 to the left into engagement with the manually settable alarm time gear 72.
  • suitable protrusions 94 and 96 may be readily formed on the outside surface of alarm-actuating lever 78 for providing low-friction contact between the alarm-actuating lever 78 and the side surface of the continuously rotated cam 64.
  • a screw 98 may be threaded into the upper portion of lever 78 for providing a contact surface with the end of elongated rod 76.
  • the screw also provides an arrangement to compensate for manufacturing tolerances between the bellcrank lever 18, vibrator l0, alarm actuator lever 78, and the continuously rotated cam 64.
  • the alarm time cam 72 includes a shaft portion 100, an inside surface 102 which is provided with the slots 74 for cooperating with the cam projections 66 on the continuously rotated cam gear 64, and a surface 104 for cooperating with an alarm time-indicating drum 106.
  • the alarm time-indicating drum 106 In order to mount the alarm time-indicating drum 106 on the alarm time cam 72, it is merely necessary to place an aperture 108 formed in the drum over a cylindrical guide surface 10 of the alarm time cam 72, and then place a flat metal spring washer 110 over the end of drum 106. Suitable projections lll extend outwardly from the alarm time cam 72 for connecting the washer I10 to the alarm time cam 72.
  • the alarm time-indicating drum 106 is frictionally held between the alarm time cam 72 and the flexible metal washer 110.
  • the alarm time-indicating drum 106 may be rotated relative to the alarm time cam in order to set the numerals on the drum to the appropriate relative position with respect to the cams 66 and 74 during manufacture of the clock.
  • the friction washer 110 provides sufficient force against the side surface of the alarm time-indicating drum 106 so that the drum 106 is carried with the cam 72 as the cam is rotated to change the alarm time setting of the digital alarm clock.
  • gear 112 is mounted on a stub shaft 113 which is staked to the sideplate 34.
  • gear 112 is arranged to be in mesh with gear teeth 1 I5 formed on the outer periphery of the alarm time set gear 72, and thus manual adjusting movement of gear 112 causes corresponding movement of the alarm time cam gear 72 and the alarm time-indicating drum 106.
  • a readily formed indexing mechanism is provided for bolding the alarm time-indicating drum I06 and the alarm time cam 72 in any one of a plurality of alarm time set positions.
  • a detent lever is provided with a bored sleeve 122 and is mounted on a post 124 which may be staked to the outside of sideplate 34.
  • a suitable spring I26 is positioned between the sideplate 34 and the indexing lever 120 for resiliently urging the detent lever 120 toward the gear teeth 115 which are formed on the outer periphery of the alarm time set cam 72.
  • the spring 126 is of sufficient force so that a detent 130 at the end of the detent lever 120 will be urged into engagement with the teeth 115 with such force as to permit alarm set cam gear 72 to be adjusted and readily moved by simply rotating the adjusting wheel 112 which protrudes from the bottom of the clock casing, and yet, the spring is of sufficient force to hold the alarm set cam 72 in its adjusted position after it has been set.
  • the abrupt cam surfaces 68 become aligned with the abrupt cam surfaces 75 formed by slots 74 in the alarm set cam 72, and the vibrator arm 10 acting through the bellcrank lever 18, the elongated rod 76, and the alarm actuator lever 78 rapidly forces the continuously rotated cam gear 64 toward the time set cam gear 72 from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 4.
  • the vibrator arm 10 is unrestrained and is free to vibrate under the influence of the continuously applied electromagnetic forces to give an audible alarm signal.
  • the elongated rod 76 which is utilized for translating motion from the electric motor side of the digital clock to the alarm cam side of the clock is a simple cylindrical rod which is arranged for longitudinal slidable motion in apertures 90 and 92 which may be readily formed in plate 34 and the motor-mounting plate 17, respectively, at the same time that these plates are being punched to provide other apertures and tabs.
  • the alarm-actuating lever 78 which is positioned at one end of the longitudinally slidable rod may be stamped from a single piece of metal, and may be pivotally mounted on an existing spacer post 80 of the digital clock.
  • a digital alarm clock comprising:
  • a rotatably mounted alarm time control cam member positioned adjacent to said first cam member for permitting movement of first said cam member at a preset alarm time
  • an elongated axially movable rod mounted on said supporting structure and extending from one side of said supporting structure to the other side of said supporting structure, one end of said rod being arranged for longitudinal slidable movement by the resilient vibrator arm;
  • a digital alarm clock as defined in claim 1 wherein a generally flat lever is pivotally mounted on said supporting structure and is positioned between the other end of said elongated rod and said first cam gear for permitting said resilient vibrator arm to longitudinally slide said rod and said first cam gear toward the alarm time control cam to thereby release the alarm vibrator arm to sound the alarm at a preset time.
  • a digital alarm clock as defined in claim 3 wherein gear teeth are formed on the outer periphery of said alarm time control cam and a gearwheel is positioned in mesh with the teeth on the alarm time control cam for adjusting the relative position of the alarm time control cam with respect to the continuously rotated gear.
  • a digital alarm clock as defined in claim 4 wherein an indexing lever is pivotally mounted on said supporting structure and is spring urged against the teeth formed on the periphery of the alarm time control cam for holding the alarm time control cam and the alarm time-indicating drum in any one of a plurality of alarm time set positions.
  • a digital alarm clock comprising:
  • a. a supporting structure including two sideplates arranged generally parallel to each other and held spaced from each other by a plurality of spacer posts;
  • an alarm mechanism having a resilient vibrator arm for causing an audible sound upon vibration thereof connected to said electric motor;
  • a pivotally mounted bellcrank lever having a first portion for engaging said vibrator to restrain vibratory movement thereof;
  • y g. a rotatably mounted alarm time cam member positioned adjacent to said first cam gear for permitting axial movement of said first cam gear at a preset alarm time;
  • an elongated slidable rod extending through an aperture in one of said sideplates, one end of said elongated slidable rod being arranged for engagement with a second portion of said bellcrank lever, and the other end of said elongated rod being in engagement with said flat lever, said vibrator arm exerting a spring force on said bellcrank lever for causing pivotal rotation thereof and longitudinal slidable motion of said elongated rod toward said flat lever;
  • said first cam gear and said alarm time cam cooperating to cause axial movement of said first cam gear upon relative rotation of said cams as a function of time through a predetermined relative angular movement of said cam members for allowing said elongated rod to slide toward said first cam gear to thereby allow said bellcrank lever to pivot to release the alarm vibrator to sound the alarm.
  • said flat lever is pivotally mounted on one of said spacer posts and is provided with an aperture for receiving a guidepost which is fixed to one of said sideplates in order to pivotally mount and guide said lever on said clock-supporting structure.
  • a digital alarm clock as defined in claim 6 wherein a screw is threaded into an upper portion of said generally flat lever for providing a contact surface with the end of the elongated rod and for compensating for manufacturing tolerances between the bellcrank lever, the alarm vibrator, the flat alarm actuator lever and the first cam gear.
  • a digital alarm clock as defined in claim 6 wherein the electric motor is supported on a supporting plate which is arranged generally parallel to and spaced from one of said sideplates.
  • a digital alarm clock as defined in claim 9 wherein an aperture is provided in one of said sideplates for guiding one end of said elongated rod and an aperture is provided in the motor-supporting plate for guiding the other end of the elongated rod.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
US55817A 1970-07-17 1970-07-17 Digital alarm clock Expired - Lifetime US3636699A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US5581770A 1970-07-17 1970-07-17

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US3636699A true US3636699A (en) 1972-01-25

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US55817A Expired - Lifetime US3636699A (en) 1970-07-17 1970-07-17 Digital alarm clock

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US (1) US3636699A (xx)
CH (2) CH1058871A4 (xx)
DE (1) DE2135479A1 (xx)
FR (1) FR2099439B1 (xx)
GB (1) GB1329169A (xx)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3825702A (en) * 1972-01-19 1974-07-23 Copal Co Ltd Operating mechanism for twenty four hour cycle digital timer
US3875737A (en) * 1973-08-27 1975-04-08 Gen Electric Alarm clock timer
US3903685A (en) * 1972-11-09 1975-09-09 Mansei Kogyo Kk Digital clock
DE2512900A1 (de) * 1974-05-14 1975-11-20 Carpano & Pons Programmschalter
US4050232A (en) * 1975-06-05 1977-09-27 Copal Company Limited Construction of a frame of a digital clock
US4060972A (en) * 1976-04-08 1977-12-06 Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. Digital clock
US4137703A (en) * 1976-06-30 1979-02-06 Copal Company Limited Timer device

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3825702A (en) * 1972-01-19 1974-07-23 Copal Co Ltd Operating mechanism for twenty four hour cycle digital timer
US3903685A (en) * 1972-11-09 1975-09-09 Mansei Kogyo Kk Digital clock
US3875737A (en) * 1973-08-27 1975-04-08 Gen Electric Alarm clock timer
DE2512900A1 (de) * 1974-05-14 1975-11-20 Carpano & Pons Programmschalter
US4050232A (en) * 1975-06-05 1977-09-27 Copal Company Limited Construction of a frame of a digital clock
US4060972A (en) * 1976-04-08 1977-12-06 Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. Digital clock
US4137703A (en) * 1976-06-30 1979-02-06 Copal Company Limited Timer device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1329169A (en) 1973-09-05
FR2099439B1 (xx) 1974-04-05
CH1058871A4 (xx) 1972-08-15
DE2135479A1 (de) 1972-01-20
FR2099439A1 (xx) 1972-03-17
CH533333A (de) 1972-08-15

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: BLACK & DECKER, INC., 1423 KIRKWOOD HIGHWAY NEWARK

Free format text: ASSIGNS AS OF APRIL 27, 1984 THE ENTIRE INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY A NY CORP.;REEL/FRAME:004349/0275

Effective date: 19840824