US3678678A - Reminder clock - Google Patents

Abstract

A reminder clock including a mechanism adapted to any conventional type of clock, comprising a gear-train driven by one of the normal members of the clock to which it is adapted, such as the hour hand axle, which by means of a pinion coupled thereto, through said gear-train, finally drives an inner gear with a shift ratio reduced into a scale depending upon the days wanted to be included in the schedule. At the periphery of the face of the reminder clock, there are included a plurality of slots wherein there are located a corresponding number of contacts positionable at will to operative or inoperative positions by the action of several bolts capable of being depressed, each of which coincides with different parts of the contacts and are located in a movable outer rim. An electric circuit is provided to produce an audible signal when the contacts in operative position are engaged by a contact of the circuit. The inner gear can be fastened to a face movable around the conventional face and including at the periphery thereof the positionable contacts which in due time can contact the circuit contact. Alternatively the face with the positionable contacts is fixed to or integral with the conventional face, and the inner gear synchronously shifts the circuit contact so that it can opportunely connect the now stationary positionable contacts.

Description

United States Patent Macedo [5 4l REMINDER CLOCK Alfonso 0. Macedo, Queretaro, Qro., Mexico [22] Filed: Aug. 28, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 67,848

[72] Inventor: Hidalgo 135,

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data April 2, 1970 Mexico ..1 18,356

[52] U.S.Cl. ..58/l6.S,58/17,58/l9 A, 200/166 BH, 200/38 [51] Int. Cl. G04!) 23/06 [58] Field ofSearch ..58/16.5,l7,l9,2l.15; 200/38 A, 38 C, 38 D, 166 BH FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 263,865 12/1949 Switzerland ..200/166 [15] 3,678,678 5 July 25,1972

Primary Examiner-Stephen J. Tomsky Assistant Examiner-Lawrence R. Franklin Attorney-Waters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen [57] ABSTRACT A reminder clock including a mechanism adapted to any conventional type of clock, comprising a gear-train driven by one of the normal members of the clock to which it is adapted, such as the hour hand axle, which by means of a pinion coupled thereto, through said gear-train, finally drives an inner gear with a shift ratio reduced into a scale depending upon the days wanted to be included in the schedule. At the periphery of the face of the reminder clock, there are included a plurality of slots wherein there are located a corresponding number of contacts positionable at will to operative or inoperative positions by the action of several bolts capable of being depressed, each of which coincides with difierent parts of the contacts and are located in a movable outer rim. An electric circuit is provided to produce an audible signal when the contacts in operative position are engaged by a contact of the circuit. The inner gear can be fastened to a face movable around the conventional face and including at the periphery thereof the positionable contacts which in due time can contact the circuit contact. Alternatively the face with the positionable contacts is fixed to or integral with the conventional face, and the inner gear synchronously shifts the circuit contact so that it can opportunely connect the now stationary positionable contacts.

8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures Patented July 25, 1972 3,678,678

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented July 25, 1972 3,678,678

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 25, 1972 3,678,678

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 25, 1972 3,678,678

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Ju!y 25, 1972 3,678,678

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A simple reminder clock already known is the so-called alarm-clock; the operation thereof is completely mechanical and the audible detector element employs a simple bell with a spiral mainspring which operates when the previously positioned detent thereof is liberated.

The disadvantages of this type of clock are mainly the large size of the reminder mechanism, involving the spiral mainspring thereof, as well as the impossibility of positioning two or more different hours simultaneously. On the other hand, it generally cannot be positioned for an appointment in the very near future.

Another type of conventional reminder clock, which has been adapted in wrist-watches, operates with an electric circuit including a battery, and is capable of making an audible indication of a time previously set, however, in order to register another further time it is necessary for the former to have elapsed.

From the above, it can be easily concluded that, at present, there is no reminder clock available wherein two or more hours to be indicated either audibly or visually to the user at a suitable time, can be registered simultaneously.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a reminder clock wherein a plurality of times can be registered simultaneously, which will be audibly indicated in a sequential manner and in due time to the user.

It is another object of this invention to provide a reminder clock wherein a plurality of times can be set or unset at will, at any time, by the user, which set times are automatically cancelled after having been so indicated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a reminder clock wherein the user can visibly know the number of appointments with the date and hour thereof, to be attended to.

It is also deemed as an object of this invention the provision of a reminder clock with a movable calendar face, that is, wherein depending upon the position thereof, the present date can be known.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing a preferred embodiment of the reminder clock of the present invention, with the face thereof partially movable.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the reminder clock of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the reminder clock of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view with the face broken away and conventional sections illustrating the gear-train of the reminder clock of the present invention, and corresponding to FIGS. 1 through 3.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view in section, showing the bolts actuating the positionable contacts of the reminder clock of this invention. The dotted lines represent the contact in a working condition.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section view similar to FIG. 3, showing another embodiment of the present reminder clock, with the face thereof fixed.

FIG. 7 is a detailed view in section, showing the automatic erase cam to return said contacts into their rest position in the reminder clock of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a vertical elevational view of one of the positionable contacts of the reminder clock of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of one of the positionable contacts of the reminder clock of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The reminder clock 11 of the present invention comprises, according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a face 12 of conventional type, firmly fastened by means of screws 13 or similar fastening means, through spacers 14 of suitable length, to the upper portion 15 of case 16, wherein the conventional machinery of the clock is located. Said face 12 includes an hour hand l7 and a minute hand 18, operating in a conventional manner.

Independently of the fixed face 12, there is located at the periphery thereof an annular movable face 19, slightly separated from face 12, which includes partitions 20 forming sectors 21 corresponding each to every day of the week in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1; of course, these sectors could correspond to dissimilar dates. This movable face 19 is fastened by screws 22 to an upper cylindrical annular spacer rim 23, to an inner gear 24 and to a lower annular spacer rim 25. Said lower annular spacer rim 25 includes a channel or hemispherical slot 26 in the central portion of the base thereof, which is supported on a plurality of bearings 27, housed in a channel 28 of the upper portion 15 of said case 16. This provides for the free movement of said face 19, thus avoiding any type of undesirable friction between the sliding contact surfaces.

The axle 29 of the hour hand includes, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a pinion 30 driving an idle or intermediate gear 31 which, in turn, transfers the motion to an inner gear 32. The intermediate gear 31 is connected to the upper portion 15 of case 16, by means of an adjustable bridge or framing 33, supporting the axle 34 of gear 31. In the embodiment herein illustrated, by virtue of the face having been divided into 7 days, there is required a gear ratio between said pinion and the inner gear, of one-fourteenth that is, for every two complete turns of pinion 30, corresponding to 24 hours or 1 day, said inner gear is displaced or shifted one-seventh, i.e., corresponding to one sector 21 corresponding, in turn, to a day of the week.

The above relationship can be obtained, for instance, with a pinion having 12 teeth and 0.5 cm. diameter with an enclosing or cycloidic profile, in the first instance, with a diametral pitch of 60 or 120, according to the size required and with a 25 pressure angle; the intermediate gear 31 can be formed with 78 teeth and 3.25 cm. diameter and said inner gear 32 with 168 teeth and 7.5 cm. diameter. This relationship also can be obtained when said pinion has eight teeth, the intermediate gear 31 has 52 teeth and the inner gear 32 has 112 teeth. As can be observed, the amount of teeth or the arrangement of the gears can be varied as long as a suitable relationship is maintained to obtain the desired shift of the face; in the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, the same should be always one-seventh of the circumference of the movable face for every two complete turns of the axle 29.

The inner gear 32 projects beyond the spacer rims 23 and 25, forming a portion 35 which includes radial slots 36, wherein positionable contacts 37 are housed, which contacts are in the form of shims of equilateral trangular shape.

In order to make a registration each hour, there are included in every sector 21, each corresponding to a day of the week, and at said movable face 19, 24 slots 36 each of which houses a corresponding positionable contact. From the above it is concluded that, in the embodiments shown in the drawings, the amount of slots and positionable contacts are 168. The positionable contacts 37 include a slot 38 extending from the center thereof perpendicularly to the central portion of one of their sides, and a central orifice 39, with a greater diameter than the width of the slot 38. A metal ring 40 is pressure-inserted in the orifices 39 via slots 38 and each contact is individually rotatable on the ring 40. The ring is pressed into face 19 via slots 41, perpendicularly located and in the middle portion of radial slots 36. The slots 41 have a width slightly lesser at the bottom 42 thereof in order to house said ring 40. In order to maintain said positionable contacts 37 in such position as selected, an embossing 43 is provided on the contacts.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the upper portion of said case 16 includes a fixed electric contact 44 protruding a suitable distance, which contact forms a permanent part of an electric circuit as schematically illustrated in FIG. 30f the drawings, which includes also switch 45, a bell 46 and a battery 47, connected at the terminal 48 to said ring 40 fastening said movable contacts; thereby, any time a vertex of a positionable contact 37 is located in its lower end position and makes contact with the upper edge of contact 44, the circuit energizing said bell 46 is closed to sound the same during an interval governed by the closure of switch 45.

in order to position one of said contacts with its vertex downwardly so as to close the circuit, a tubular rim 49 is provided which is engaged at its lower end 50 with an upper emboss or prong 51 of the case 16, said rim 49 being fastened by a c'ounternut 52 threaded in the upper part 53 of the case; said rim 49 carries two pivots or bolts, one being a marking or registering pivot 54, and the other a cancelling or returning pivot 55, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5; these cancelling and marking pivots include a helical spring 56 urging them to their maximum outwardly position as determined by annular stops or the like 57.

Said pivots 54' and 55 include actuating knobs 58, by means of which the user can rotate said positionable contacts 37, either to a working position, that is, with its vertex downwardly as shown in dotted lines, or to a rest position with a vertex upwardly. The turn between both posiu'ons is about 60 and by having one of the sides 59 of said movable contacts colored, it can be easily observed whether any is in a resting or working position. The outer movable rim 49 includes a slot or notch 60, at the upper portion thereof, wherein a protecting glass 61 of conventional type is inserted. The glass 61 may include. magnification regions coincident with said marking and cancelling pivots, in order to facilitate examination of the setting thereof.

When a marking is desired, such as, for instance, Friday 8 p.m., the movable rim 49 is rotated until marking stem 54 coincides with the th slot of the face s sector corresponding to Friday, and the head 58 of stem 54 is depressed in order to turn the corresponding positionable contact 60 9 into a working position, that is, with a vertex in a lower end position thereof, so as to contact fixed contact 44 when it passes thereby.

As it will be easy to understand, any number of registrations or cancellations can be made at the will of the user. As is illustrated in FIG, 1, there is included an automatic cancelling cam 62, shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1 and located after fixed contact 44, in the direction of rotation of inner gear 32, in order to return the positionable contacts 37 into the rest position thereof, that is, with a vertex upwardly, after the contacts 37 have fulfilled their purpose.

In an embodiment of the invention, when for example it is desired to take advantage of the month and day indication in calendar-clocks, it will be suitable for the entire face to be stationary and to this end a one-piece face 63 is included with an annular band 64, the periphery of which is broadened downwardly, thus forming a more resistant portion; in the center of the broadened portion 64 there are plurality of slots, each of which houses one of the positionable contacts fastened by ring 67, which is pressure-inserted. Face 63 is fixed at the upper portion 68 of case 69, wherein a conventional clock mechanism is located, by means of screws and spacers 70. Mounted on the hour axle 71 is a pinion 72 driving an intermediate or idle gear 73 rotating on an axle 74 and in turn driving an inner gear 75, that comprises an annular framework 76 supporting an isolating bakelite annular piece 77. Under the piece 77 there is centrally mounted a rail or annular copper plate 78. The supporting framework 76 includes channels 79 supported on ball-bearings 80 in order to avoid any undesirable friction. The annular plate 78 is continuously energized through a brush 81 connected to the upper portion 68 of case 69, which brush is the end of an electric circuit including a switch 82, a battery 83 and a bell 84, the end 85 of contacts. At just one point of annular structure 76 rotating synchronously with inner gear 75, there is a rotating contact 86, which extends through bakelite plate 77 and is in direct contact with copper rail 78, continuously connected to the electric circuit. The height of contact 86 is gauged so as to touch the point or vertex of a positionable contact when this latter is in its lower end position, such as illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 6.

In this embodiment there is included a registering bolt 87 and a cancelling bolt 88, with respective helical springs 89 and operational heads 90 thereof housed in a movable rim 91. The rim 91 has a slot 92 wherein there is mounted a glass crystal which can have conventional amplification embosses. The rim slides in a slot 94 of case 69, and protrusion 95 extends into a recess in rim 91. The lower end 96 of rim 91 is supported on a recessed step 97 of case 69. As can be observed, both embodiments are similar and the only difference therebetween is that in the former the positionable contacts, registering the hour, are movable and in the latter they are fixed and, the single contact permanently connected to said electric circuit is fixed in the first embodiment and is movable in the second embodiment.

When the entire diameter of the reminder clock is small, the thickness of each positionable contact can be very thin, thus introducing possible faults during operation; in order to prevent this, two positionable contact rows can be employed mounted on two different concentric rings, whereby the thickness thereof can be increased while producing, of course, the same effects as described in the above embodiments.

The above description has been made in connection with specific embodiments of the invention; however, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above cited and any other variations in form, detail and the like, are embraced within the true spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a reminder clock having a casing, a clock mechanism in the casing, and hour and minute hands with respective shafts driven from the clock mechanism: a train of gears driven by said clock mechanism in proportion to the drive of the shaft of the hour hand, a member having a contact element thereon, means having a face with a peripheral portion provided with slots therein, individual contact members pivotably mounted in each slot and having operative and inoperative positions and normally occupying the inoperative position, a rotatable setting ring on the case, a displaceable setting member mounted on the ring, a displaceable cancelling member mounted on the ring, said displaceable setting member being positioned in said ring to face a respective contact member when the setting ring is rotated to bring the setting member into registry with such contact member, said setting member then being displaceable to move the selected contact member to operative position, said cancelling member also being positioned'in said ring to be brought into facing relation with a selected contact member by rotation of the ring, said cancelling member being displaceable to return the contact member to its operative position, alarm means for producing a signal, said train of gears producing relative rotation of said face means and said contact element member, and a normally open electrical circuit which actuates said alarm means when said contact element touches an operatively positioned contact member.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said contact members are of triangular shape and have stable states with a vertex facing upwardly in one of said positions and facing downwardly in the other of said positions.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 comprising a fixed cam element on said contact element member to return the contact members to inoperative position after they have passed the contact element.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 2 comprising an annular element mounted in said face and supporting said conwhich is connected to supporting ring 67 of the positionable 75 tact members.

. 7. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein an annular portion of said face is divided into seven sectors, each corresponding to a day of the week, the clock having a fixed time face within said annular portion. g

8. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said face means includes an inner gear in driving relation with said train, said peripheral portion with the slots being formed on said inner gear.

I i i l

Claims (8)

1. In a reminder clock having a casing, a clock mechanism in the casing, and hour and minute hands with respective shafts driven from the clock mechanism: a train of gears driven by said clock mechanism in proportion to the drive of the shaft of the hour hand, a member having a contact element thereon, means having a face with a peripheral portion provided with slots therein, individual contact members pivotably mounted in each slot and having operative and inoperative positions and normally occupying the inoperative position, a rotatable setting ring on the case, a displaceable setting member mounted on the ring, a displaceable cancelling member mounted on the ring, said displaceable setting member being positioned in said ring to face a respective contact member when the setting ring is rotated to bring the setting member into registry with such contact member, said setting member then being displaceable to move the selected contact member to operative position, said cancelling member also being positioned in said ring to be brought into facing relation with a selected contact member by rotation of the ring, said cancelling member being displaceable to return the contact member to its operative position, alarm means for producing a signal, said train of gears producing relative rotation of said face means and said contact element member, and a normally open electrical circuit which actuates said alarm means when said contact element touches an operatively positioned contact member.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said contact members are of triangular shape and have stable states with a vertex facing upwardly in one of said positions and facing downwardly in the other of said positions.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 comprising a fixed cam element on said contact element member to return the contact members to inoperative position after they have passed the contact element.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 2 comprising an annular element mounted in said face and supporting said contact members.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 4 wherein said contact members each has a central bore with a slot extending therefrom to one of the sides of the contact member, said annular element being insertable into each bore of a contact member via the slot therein.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 2 wherein said setting and cancelling members are mounted in vertically spaced relation to engage the contact members at the top and bottom thereof to pivot the same 60* in one direction or the other.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein an annular portion of said face is divided into seven sectors, each corresponding to a day of the week, the clock having a fixed time face within said annular portion.

8. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said face means includes an inner gear in driving relation with said train, said peripheral portion with the slots being formed on said inner gear.

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