US3645086A

US3645086A - Calendar clock

Info

Publication number: US3645086A
Application number: US19905A
Authority: US
Inventors: Emil Niznik
Original assignee: Bunker Ramo Corp
Current assignee: Bunker Ramo Corp
Priority date: 1970-03-16
Filing date: 1970-03-16
Publication date: 1972-02-29
Anticipated expiration: 1989-02-28
Also published as: DE2112646A1; GB1280135A

Abstract

A calendar clock having a dial bearing indications of 31 days of the month, with one day indication exposed, and clockwork advancing the dial every 24 hours in an arrangement including a lever and ratchet means working on the dial, and the clock including a manual pushbutton which when depressed actuates the lever and advances the dial, independently of the clockwork and without interfering with the connection between the clockwork and the dial, to enable the dial to be advanced after the end of a short month to properly indicate the days of the next month.

Description

United States Patent Niznik [54] CALENDAR CLOCK [72] Inventor: .Emil Niznik, Lake Geneva, Wis. A [73] Assignee: The Bunker-Ramo Corporation, Oak

. Brook, Ill.

[22] Filed: Mar. 16, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 19,905

g [52] US. Cl 58/4, 58/58, 58/855 [5]] Int. Cl. ..G04b 19/24 [58] Field ofSenreh ..58/46, 58, 85.5;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,452,535 7/1969 Cabantous et al. ..58/4

[ 1 Feb. 29, 1972 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Edith C. Simmons Attorney-Frederick M. Arbuckle [57] ABSTRACT A calendar clock having a dial bearing indications of 31 days of the month, with one day indication exposed, and clockwork,

advancing the dial every 24 hours in an arrangement including a lever and ratchet means working on the dial, and the clock including a manual pushbutton which when depressed actuates the lever and advances the dial, independently of the clockwork and without interfering with the connection between the clockwork and the dial, to enable the dial to be advanced after the end of a short month to properly indicate the days of the next month.

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented Feb.29,1972 3,645,086

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Pat ented Feb. 29, 1972 3,645,086

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CALENDAR CLOCK FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention resides in the field of calendar clocks in which the hour of the day is registered in a normal manner, and which includes indications of the day of the month, in which the latter indications are advanced once each day. When a short month having 28, or 29, or 30 days is followed by a longer month, such as from February to March, at the end of the 28th day of February, the next day being March I, there would be a discrepancy of 3 days since the dial indicating the days of the month must provide for the maximum, namely 31 days. Accordingly there must-be a provision for manually ad- OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION A broad object of the invention is to provide a calendar clock having means for indicating the time of day and the day of the month, clockwork for driving the means for indicating the time of day, and including a novel arrangement in which the clockwork advances the means for indicating the day of the month.

Another object of the invention is to provide a calendar clock of the foregoing character which includes novel construction foradvancing the means for indicating the day of the month in a relatively momentary manner, such as by tripping, whereby the movement thereof occupies a very small proportion of the corresponding movement of the clockwork.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of the character just referred towhich incorporates a novel release arrangement which includes a freely movable trip element which moves free of the means for advancing the means for indicating the day of the month, whereby the latter means may be retracted freely, despite the relatively slow movement of the clockwork. I

An additional object is to provide a calendar clock of the end of a short month.

' DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 'In the drawings:

FIG. Us a front face view of a clock embodying the features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the clock, assembled, showing the spatial relation of the major components in direction along the axis of the clockwork;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the clock showing certain of its components in separated and detached relation;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the base or body component of the clock showing the principal components of the means for advancing the day-indicating means and the manually advancing means, with certain of the members in normal positionshown in full lines and in alternate advancing position in dot-dashlines;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the detail means utilized 7 for advancing the day-indicating means by manual operation; and

FIG. 6 is a view oriented according to line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawings the clock is indicated in its entirety at 10 and includes as its main components or physically self-supporting parts, a base or body member 12, a dial or disc 14 forming a calendar date wheel, a friction disc 16 and another dial or disc 18 forming a clockface and having a window 20 therein. Each of these individual members or components which will'be described in detail hereinbelow.

The body member 12 may be in the form of a-plate having 2 board of an automobile. The details of these mounting lugs need not be entered into.

The mounting plate or body 12 supports a clockwork 24 (FIG. 2) of conventional kind, which includes a shaft assembly 26, FIG. 4, incorporating the desired number and kind of elements, certain ones extending through the

members

12, 14, 16, 18 and on which are mounted suitable hands 28 (FIG. 1) for indicating the time of day in conjunction with indicia 30 upon the clockface 18, these hands rotating at the respectively corresponding rates.

The shaft assembly 26 includes, among others, an outer element 32 (FIG. 4) to which is secured a gear 34 (FIGS. 2 and 4) for rotation therewith. The clockwork is effective for rotating-the hands'28 at appropriate rates, to indicate the hour, minute, second, etc., and the outer element 32 with the gear 34 is rotated once every 24 hours, the direction of the latter being clockwise as indicated by the arrow 36 (FIG. 4). The gear 34 is provided with an upstanding lug 38 either struck therefrom or secured thereto, spaced radially inwardly somewhat from the outer periphery of the gear 34 for a purpose to be referred to again hereinbelow.

Mounted on the shaft assembly 26 and preferably axially directly adjacent the gear 34 is a cam member 40 having a radial extension 42 preferably in the form of a relatively sharp point. This cam member 40 is floatingly mounted on the shaft assembly for free rotation relative to that assembly and to the gear 34. The point 42 extends radially beyond the lug 38 and is engaged by the latter in the normal operation of the device as will be referred to again hereinbelow.

Also mounted on and carried by the base or mounting plate 12 is a lever 44 (FIGS. 4 and 5) swingable about a pivot member or stud 46 secured in the plate 12. The lever 44 includes a tip 48 engageable by the cam element 42, but positioned radially outwardly clear of the lug 38. The lever is biased to retracted normal position by a tension spring 50.

At the opposite end of the lever 44 is a springfinger 52 which maybe integral with the lever and having a free end 54 engageable with teeth on the calendar date wheel 14 as referred to below.

The lever 44 includes a pair of

anns

56, 58 having feet 60 engageable with the surface of the body 12 for guiding and firmly supporting the swinging end of the lever. The lever 44 on its main portion adjacent its axis is provided with a cam element 62 to be referred to again hereinbelow. Also mounted on the'plate or supporting memberl2 is a ratchet spring finger 64 engageable with the teeth on the calendar date wheel I4 also as referred to hereinbelow.

Additionally the body member or supporting plate 12 carries a manual advancing component or unit 66 which includes a lever 68 pivoted on suitable means 70 in the body 12 and having a remote swingingend 72 with an upturned lug 74 engageable with the arm'58 and cam element 62 on the lever 44. The otherend of the lever 68 is provided with a ring or loop 76 (FIGS. 4, 5, 6) which defines an aperture or hole 78 which partially overliesxbut is normally partially offsetfrom another aperture or hole 80 in the body 12. This overlapping or staggered'relation is preferably in a direction generally transverse to the length of the lever 70, or generally in the direction of the are about the member 70 as an axis.

A pushbuttonfll' is provided,'mounted in a sleeve 82 and normally biased upwardly (FIG.-6) by a leaf spring 83, i.e., outwardly from the surface of the body 12 as displayed in FIG. 4. The sleeve 82 may be mounted on a suitable means such as a yoke 84 (FIG. 4) and has a conical point 86. In the retracted position of the pushbutton its foremost point reaches into the

apertures

78, 80 and upon depression thereof it moves the lever 68 in clockwise direction (FIG. 5) toan effect referred to hereinbelow.

The calendar date wheel 14 is mounted on the shaft assembly 26, on a suitable element thereof 88 (FIG. 2) for free rotation relativeto the shaft assembly and other parts of the clock. This calendar date wheel is provided with indicia 90 (FIG. 3) indicating'the' days of the month and including numhers I to 31 inclusive for accommodating the days of the longest month, and exposed singly through the date window identified above. The calendar date wheel 14 is preferably provided with teeth 92 on its periphery, of sawtooth shape for advancing the wheel in the desired direction, here counterclockwise.

Positioned on and above the calendar date wheel 14 is the friction disc 16 (FIGS. 2, 3) which may be a simple disc with a central flat portion 94 and upturned side portions 96.

Superimposed on the foregoing members is the dial cloc face 18, this clock face conveniently including feet or lugs 98 extensible through or connectable with the mounting elements 22 on the base member 12.

When the calendar date wheel is in position as shown in FIG. 3 the springfinger 52 and the ratchet spring finger 64 engage corresponding ones of the teeth 92. The clockface 18 is held stationary in the overall assemblage, i.e., with the support plate or body 12, and the friction disc 16 normally holds the calendar date wheel 14 in stationary position except when it is positively moved in advancing movements. The mounting plate or body 12 and the clockface 18 together form a rigid and unitary asembly for mounting in position, such as in an automobile as indicated above.

In the normal operation of the clock, the clockwork 24 operates in the normal manner, moving the clock hands 28 for indicating the time of day. At the same time it advances the gear 34, (FIG. 4) in the direction noted and the lug 38 on the gear engages the free-floating cam element 40 and moves the latter around in the same direction. When the pointed cam element 42 engages the point or toe 48 of the lever 44, it swings the lever 44 counterclockwise (FIG. 4) and the springfinger 52, through its free end 54, engaging one of the teeth 92 of the calendar date wheel, moves that wheel in corresponding direction, counterclockwise. The ratchet finger 64 is biased downwardly, or radially inwardly, into resilient engagement with the teeth and prevents any reverse movement of the calendar date wheel. This advancing movement of the calendar date wheel advances one of the indicia numbers 90 next into exposure through window 20.

Since the gear 34 moves one full rotation in 24 hours its movement is relatively slow. The point 42 of the cam member 40 in engaging the point or toe 48 of the lever 44 swings the lever relatively rapidly, because of the short radius of the toe 48 from the axis of the element 16. Correspondingly the finger 52 is at a relatively long distance from that axis and produces the movement of the calendar date wheel in a relatively small angular movement of the lever 44. Because of the short radius of the element 48, the cam element 42 rapidly passes thereby and enables the lever 44 to be moved to its retracted and normal position under the action of the tension spring 50. in this action the cam element 42 rapidly passes by the toe 48, but because of the slow movement of the gear 34 the lug 38 will not have passed by the toe as rapidly, but because of the clearance between that lug and the toe 48, the latter can move past the lug freely, enabling the lever 48 to move to its retracted position.

When the end of the month has been reached, in, for example, a 30-day month, and the next day being the first of the next month, the calendar date wheel would not normally accurately indicate that day of the month. Accordingly the pushbutton 81 may be utilized for advancing the calendar date wheel, and for this purpose it is merely depressed by the operator. This depression, through the cone 86 acting in the

apertures

78, 80, moves the lever 68 in corresponding direction, (clockwise-FIG. 4) and the extended end of the lever, through the lug 74, engaging the cam element 62 on the lever 44, moves the lever 44 in counterclockwise direction, or in the same direction as is done normally in day-by-day advancement. This movement of the lever 44 in no wise interferes with the normal means for actuating the lever, namely the lug 38 and the cam element 42, because the lug 38 is beyond the reach of the toe 48 and the cam element 42 is freely movable and if it should be in position to be engaged by the toe 48 it will be moved ahead.

Thus the calendar date wheel 14 may be moved ahead by a manual operation without interference with or hindrance from the normal mechanism incorporated in the clock for moving it ahead in dayby-day fashion.

lclaim:

l. A calendar clock comprising a first dial bearing indicia of the time of day, clock hands cooperative with the first dial for indicating the time of day, a second dial bearing indications of the day of the month and advanceable for indicating each such day, clockwork having a central axis, means operatively interconnecting the clockwork and the clock hands for advancing the latter at a uniform rate, means operatively interconnecting the clockwork and the second dial for advancing the latter at each day including a lever movable on an axis spaced from but parallel with said central axis and advanceable by the clockwork, and means for retracting it and also including means actuated by the clockwork for engaging the lever and advancing it and thereupon immediately disengaging therefrom, said last-named means including a floating cam and a projection movable about said central axis, the floating cam being engageable with the lever but the projection being positioned beyond the lever in direction toward the central axis, whereby the projection can rotate free of interference between itself and the end of the lever.

2. A calendar clock including a base, a first dial bearing time of day indicia, indicator hands operative about a main axis substantially perpendicular to said first dial, clockwork mounted on said base operatively coupled to said indicator hands for driving said hands relative to said first dial for indicating the time of day, an advanceable second dial rotatably mounted relative to said base, said second dial bearing day of month indicia, advancing means driven by the clockwork for advancing the second dial relative to said base for indicating the day of the month, said advancing means including a first lever pivotally mounted relative to said base, a second lever pivotally mounted relative to said base and engageable with said first lever, means yieldingly retaining said levers to retracted positions, said first lever being movable to an advanced position free of engagement with the second lever, and manually actuatable pushbutton means mounted on the base operative upon said second lever along an axis substantially parallel to said main axis for conditionally causing said second lever to engage the first lever and advancing said second dial.

3. A calendar clock comprising a substantially flat mounting plate. relative to which is supported a clockwork, a time-indicating dial, indicator hands driven by the clockwork cooperative with said dial for indicating the time of day, a date-indicating dial, means driven by said clockwork for advancing said date-indicating dial, and a manually actuatable pushbutton-operated means for manually advancing said dateindicating dial independently of said clockwork, said pushbutton-operated means including a lever pivotably mounted on said mounting plate and spring loaded to a rest position, one end of said lever being coupled to said date-indicating dial for advancing the same when said lever is displaced from its rest position, the other end of said lever having an aperture therein substantially coincident with but displaced partially from an aperture in said mounting plate when said lever is in its rest position, and a pushbutton supported by a member afiixed to said mounting plate such that the longitudinal axis of said pushbutton is transverse to the fiat surface of said mounting plate, one end of said pushbutton being tapered and extending into the area of coincidence between the apertures in said lever and mounting plate so as to cause movement of said lever from its rest position when said pushbutton is manually pushed in a direction toward the mounting plate to effect a change in the coincidence between said apertures and thereby advance said date-indicating dial.

4. A calendar clock according to claim 1 wherein the lever includes an actuating finger engageable with the second dial for advancing it an increment corresponding to the swinging movement of the lever, said clock including a ratchet finger for retaining the second wheel in respectively advanced positions.

5. A calendar clock comprising a first dial bearing indicia of the time of day, clock hands cooperative with the first dial for indicating the time of day, a second dial bearing indicia of the day of the month and advanceable for indicating each such day, clockwork including shaft means, means operatively interconnecting the clockwork and the clock hands for advancing the clock hands at a uniform rate, the clockwork also including a projection movable about the axis of the shaft means, a cam mounted on the shaft means and freely rotatable relative thereto and having an element extending radially outwardly beyond said projection, and engageable by that projection and thereby limited in its movement only as by engagementwith that projection, a lever mounted on an axis closely adjacent the axis of the shaft means and having a short arm extending into proximity with said projection but short thereof, but extending into the circular path of the radially projecting element of the cam whereby the cam in its movement engages the short arm of the lever and swings the lever, the lever having an advancing springfinger retractably engaging the second dial and operative in response to swinging of the lever for advancing that second dial, the construction also including a ratchet springfinger resiliently engageable with the second dial for retaining it in position as advanced by said advancing springfinger.

6. A calendar clock comprising a first dial bearing indicia of the time of day, clock hands cooperative with the first dial for indicating the time of day, a second dial bearing indicia of the day of the month and advanceable for indicating each such day, clockwork including shaft means, clock hands mounted on the shaft means, means operatively interconnecting the clockwork and the shaft means for advancing the clock hands at a uniform rate, the clockwork also including a projection on the shaft means and movable about the axis of the shaft means, a cam mounted on the shaft means and freely rotatable relative thereto and having an element extending radially beyond said projection, and engageable by that projection and thereby limited in its movement only as by engagement with that projection, a lever mounted on an axis closely adjacent the axis of the shaft means and having a short arm extending radially inwardly into proximity with said projection but short thereof, but extending into the circular path of the cam whereby the cam in its movement engages the short arm of the lever and swings the lever, the lever having an advancing springfinger retractably engaging the second dial and operative in response to swinging of the lever for advancing that second dial, the construction also including a ratchet springfinger resiliently engageable with the second dial for retaining it in position as advanced by the advancing springfinger, and manually operable means for advancing the second dial independently of the clockwork and the interconnection between the clockwork and the second dial.

7. A calendar clock according to claim 2 wherein the manually actuatable means includes a pushbutton having a wedge element engageable with and between opposed reaction surfaces on the second lever and the base thereby operable upon depression of the pushbutton for moving the levers as stated.

8. A calendar clock according to claim 7 and including a leaf spring on the side of the base opposite the pushbutton for biasing the latter to retracted position.

9. A calendar clock according to claim 7 wherein the interengaging portions of the levers move transversely of a line extending through the axes of the levers.

Claims

1. A calendar clock comprising a first dial bearing indicia of the time of day, clock hands cooperative with the first dial for indicating the time of day, a second dial bearing indications of the day of the month and advanceable for indicating each such day, clockwork having a central axis, means operatively interconnecting the clockwork and the clock hands for advancing the latter at a uniform rate, means operatively interconnecting the clockwork and the second dial for advancing the latter at each day including a lever movable on an axis spaced from but parallel with said central axis and advanceable by the clockwork, and means for retracting it and also including means actuated by the clockwork for engaging the lever and advancing it and thereupon immediately disengaging therefrom, said last-named means including a floating cam and a projection movable about said central axis, the floating cam being engageable with the lever but the projection being positioned beyond the lever in direction toward the central axis, whereby the projection can rotate free of interference between itself and the end of the lever.

3. A calendar clock comprising a substantially flat mounting plate relative to which is supported a clockwork, a time-indicating dial, indicator hands driven by the clockwork cooperatIve with said dial for indicating the time of day, a date-indicating dial, means driven by said clockwork for advancing said date-indicating dial, and a manually actuatable pushbutton-operated means for manually advancing said date-indicating dial independently of said clockwork, said pushbutton-operated means including a lever pivotably mounted on said mounting plate and spring loaded to a rest position, one end of said lever being coupled to said date-indicating dial for advancing the same when said lever is displaced from its rest position, the other end of said lever having an aperture therein substantially coincident with but displaced partially from an aperture in said mounting plate when said lever is in its rest position, and a pushbutton supported by a member affixed to said mounting plate such that the longitudinal axis of said pushbutton is transverse to the flat surface of said mounting plate, one end of said pushbutton being tapered and extending into the area of coincidence between the apertures in said lever and mounting plate so as to cause movement of said lever from its rest position when said pushbutton is manually pushed in a direction toward the mounting plate to effect a change in the coincidence between said apertures and thereby advance said date-indicating dial.

5. A calendar clock comprising a first dial bearing indicia of the time of day, clock hands cooperative with the first dial for indicating the time of day, a second dial bearing indicia of the day of the month and advanceable for indicating each such day, clockwork including shaft means, means operatively interconnecting the clockwork and the clock hands for advancing the clock hands at a uniform rate, the clockwork also including a projection movable about the axis of the shaft means, a cam mounted on the shaft means and freely rotatable relative thereto and having an element extending radially outwardly beyond said projection, and engageable by that projection and thereby limited in its movement only as by engagement with that projection, a lever mounted on an axis closely adjacent the axis of the shaft means and having a short arm extending into proximity with said projection but short thereof, but extending into the circular path of the radially projecting element of the cam whereby the cam in its movement engages the short arm of the lever and swings the lever, the lever having an advancing springfinger retractably engaging the second dial and operative in response to swinging of the lever for advancing that second dial, the construction also including a ratchet springfinger resiliently engageable with the second dial for retaining it in position as advanced by said advancing springfinger.