US3763645A

US3763645A - World clock

Info

Publication number: US3763645A
Application number: US00227984A
Authority: US
Inventors: S Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-02-22
Filing date: 1972-02-22
Publication date: 1973-10-09
Anticipated expiration: 1990-10-09

Abstract

An hour dial is provided which is adapted to be attached on the same shaft used to rotate the hour hand on a conventional clock. The hour dial is shaped into twelve equal sectors each having a pointed periphery. When the conventional hour and minute hand of the clock are set to the local time, stickers provided with the names of cities in other time zones of the world can be placed on the respective sectors of the hour dial which are pointing to the hour of the time in the respective cities. As the hour dial revolves with the hour hand, each of the sector points to the hour of the time in the city identified by its sticker.

Description

United States Patent [1 91 Kim [ WORLD CLOCK [76] Inventor: Sunyong P. Kim, 1350 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90007 [22] Filed: Feb. 22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 227,984

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,189,639 2/1940 Manseau 58/43 3,316,709 5/1967 Edwards 58/152 2,794,314 6/1957 Slaugh 58/43 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Switzerland 58/43 Oct. 9, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT An hour dial is provided which is adapted to be attached on the same shaft used to rotate the hour hand on a conventional clock. The hour dial is shaped into twelve equal sectors each having a pointed periphery. When the conventional hour and minute hand of the clock are set to the local time, stickers provided with the names of cities in other time zones of the world can be placed on the respective sectors of the hour dial which are pointing to the hour of the time in the respective cities. As the hour dial revolves with the hour hand, each of the sector points to the hour of the time in the city identified by its sticker.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED GET 9 I975 o 5 y a WORLD CLOCK This invention relates to time clocks and more particularly to'a novel hour dial for a clock which makes it possible to simultaneously indicate on the face thereof the time in each of a number of cities located in different time zones of the world.

At airports in the major cities of the world, as well as in stock exchanges and other sites engaging in international types of activities, it is very important to not only know the exact local time but also the exact time in other remotely located cities in which one is interested in because he intends to fly there, to make a phone call during certain hours, or otherwise conduct business. In some instances it is the usual practice to provide several clocks on the wall of the airport or the stock exchange, each of which is set to indicate the exact time at that instant in a city located in a time zone different from the local time.

Furthermore, with the ever increasing air travel of the public to distant places, including the changing location of military personnel, those remaining at home are interested in knowing the exact time of day in the remote areas of the world where members of their family or friends are located.

It is thus seen that there is a need for a simple, inexpensive time clock which can be readily adapted to simultaneously and selectively indicate the exact time of day in any of a large number of remote cities each of which may be located in a different time zone.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved structure for a world time clock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a movable hour dial which can be adapted to be positioned on the face of a conventional clock and used to simultaneously indicate the time in many cities located in different time zones of the world.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple means for selecting and displaying the names of the cities whose time is to be indicated by a sectored hour dial adapted to be attached to the motor means provided for a conventional clock.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a movable hour dial on the face of a conventional clock which is especially adapted to indicate the time of cities located in different time zones without causing confusion to the viewer interested in reading the local time indicated by the clock.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as herein set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the time clock of the present invention;

. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the clock as taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the drive provided for the clock showing the movable parts on the face of the clock that are attached thereto; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the hour dial assembly of the present invention which is used for indicating the time in a number of cities located in different time zones.

2 Referring to the drawings, the clock there shown includes a circular clock face 14 provided with the numerals 1 through 12 thereon in a conventional manner.

The clock face plate 14 which may be formed of white I plastic material with black numerals is concentrically attached to a circular main front piece 15 provided with a central opening 16. Attached on the back of the face plate 14 is a plastic motor housing 18 which encloses an electric motor (not shown). The motor housing 18 is provided with a metal front wall 19. A battery 20 for energizing the electric motor is held below the motor housing 18 by positioning its terminal endsbetween a pair of spaced metal brackets attachedto either side of the motor housing 18. Extending from the center of the front wall 19 of the motor housing 18 and integrally formed therewith is a short sleeve 24.

When the clock 10 is assembled the motor housing 18 is positioned on the back of the face plate 14 with the sleeve 24 aligned with the opening 17 in the center of the face plate 14. The sleeve 24 is provided with internal threads for receiving the external threads on a hollow retainer member 25 which passes from the front of the fact plate 14 through the central opening 17 thereof. The retainer member 25 is provided with a shoulder 26a which bears against the front surface of the face plate 14 to hold the motor housing 13 in position on the face plate 114. Resilient washers 23 may be providedin the space between the front wall 19 of the motor housing 18 and the face plate 14. A plastic, cylindrical spacer 27 is positioned on the back of the clock 10 with the edge of the wall of the spacer surrounding the opening 16 of the front piece 15 and attached thereto by use of an adhesive, for example. In order to enable the white, plastic face plate 14 to stand out, the front piece 15 may be made of a black, plasticmaterial.

Extending from the center of motor housing 18 and through the opening in the sleeve 24 and the retainer member 25 is a hollow, outer drive shaft 26. Positioned on the end of the shaft 26 with a tight, sliding fit is an outer shaft bushing 28 formed of brass. Prior to positioning the bushing 28 on the shaft 26, an opening 33 on the inner portion of an hour hand 30 is fitted over a reduced diameter on the front end of the bushing 28, and a central oening 34 of an hour dial 32 is fitted over a reduced diameter on the back end of the bushing 23. The ends of the bushing 28 are peened to hold the hour hand 30 and the hour dial securely in position thereon.

The bushing 28 together with the hour dial 32 and the hour hand 30 comprise the dial hour assembly of the present invention.

Extending through the hollow outer drive shaft 26 of the motor is a smaller, inner drive shaft 35. The outer portion 36 of shaft 35 is turned to provide a first shoulder 37 and the terminal end 38 of the shaft 35 is further turned to provide a second shoulder 39. The terminal end 38 of the shaft 35 is threaded. An inner shaft bushing 41 formed of brass is fitted on the outer portion 36 of the shaft 35 and secured thereon by keying, for example. Prior to positioning the bushing 41 onto portion 36 of the shaft 35 an opening 42 on the inner end of a minute hand 40 is positioned on a reduced diameter of the bushing 41 and secured by peening. A nut 43 on the threaded terminal end 38 on the shaft 35 retains the bushing 41 as well as bushing 28 on the respective shafts.

The hour hand 30 and the minute hand 40 are set on the face place 14 of the clock to indicate the local time. Thus, as is conventional, the minute hand 40 is rotated by the inner drive shaft 35 which is coupled by gearing (not shown) to the outer drive shaft 26 such that every time the minute hand 40 revolves once, the hour hand which is rotated by the outer drive shaft 26 moves l/l2th of a complete turn. Thus, the minute hand 40 turns around on the face plate 14 of the clock twelve times while the hour hand 30 turns around once.

The movable hour dial 32 which is attached to the same bushing 28 to which the hour hand 30 is attached is preferably formed of a thin plate of aluminum whose face is divided into twelve equal sectors 44. The radial sides 48 of the sectors 44 may be painted or grooved to cause each of the sectors to be clearly defined for easy reading. Furthermore, the outer periphery of the plate forming the hour dial 32 is cut in such a manner that the outer portion of each of the sectors '44 is formed into a point, such as 45, whereby each of the sectors 44 resumbles an arrowhead. Each of these pointed sectors 44 on the hour dial 32 corresponds to an hour hand for indicating the time in a city that is located in a time zone that is different than the local time indicated by the hour hand 30 and the minute hand 40. The city whose time is being indicated by a particular sector 44 of the hour dial 32 may be identified by permanently etching the name of the city on the sector or by placing a sticker 47 over the surface of the sector. The use of the sticker 47 is preferable since it provides the user of the clock complete flexibility as to which city he is desirous of keeping track of the time in for each time zone. It should be noted that the radius of the pointed sectors 44 of the hour dial 32 is such that the outer sector points 45 do not interfere with the reading of the hour numerals on the face plate 14 of the clock.

It should be clearly understood that the hour hand 30 for the local time is at all times fixed relative to the hour dial 32 such that the hour dial 32 revolves with the hour hand 30. Thus, once the time of each of the various cities has been established by properly placing one or more stickers 47 on the appropriate sectors 44 of the hour dial 32, as the hour hand 30 indicating the local time slowly rotates, the hour dial 32 likewise rotates so that it is possible to indicate at all times the correct time in each of the cities identified by the stickers 47 on the pointed sectors 44. I

Next to be presented is a description of how the clock 10 of the present invention may be put into use. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, assuming that one is in the city of Los Angeles and the local time is 8 o'clock, i.e., the hour hand 30 is pointing to the numeral 8 on the face plate 14 and the minute hand 40 is pointing to the numeral 12. The sector 44 of the hour dial 32, which is under the hour hand 30, may then be provided with a sticker 47 having the name LOS ANGELES printed thereon, as shown in FIG. 4. Now then if one is interested in keeping track of the time in the city of Mexico City, for example, having once determined that the difference in time is two hours later than the local time, the sector 44 of the hour dial 32 pointing to the numeral 10 on the face plate 14 is selected for receiving a sticker 47 with the name MEXICO CITY printed thereon. If one was also further interested in keeping track of the time in the city of Paris, having once determined that the difference in time is eight hours later than the local time, the sector 44 of the hour dial 32 pointing to the numeral 4 on the face plate 14 is selected for receiving a sticker 47 with the name PARIS printed thereon. Likewise, if one is also interested in keeping track of the time in the city of Honolulu which is two hours earlier the sector 44 of the hour dial 32 pointing to the numeral 6 on the face plate 14 is selected for receiving a sticker 47 with the name HONO- LULU printed thereon. In a similar manner other sectors 44 of the hour dial 32 can be provided with stickers 47 printed with the names of the cities whose time corresponds to the hour to which the particular sector 44 is pointing. It should now be clear that as the hour and

minute hands

30 and 40 advance with the passage of time, the hour dial 32 advances with the hour hand 30 and the time changes in each of the cities marked by the sectors 44 can be instantly determined.

It should be particularly noted that by using conventionally shaped,

slender hands

30 and 40 for indicating the hour and minutes respectively of local time, and by making the hour hand 30 longer than the radius of the pointed sectors 44 on the hour dial 32, and by making the minute hand 40 extend beyond the edge of the face plate 14, the hour hand 30 and the minute hand 40 stand out and are easily readable. Such a structural arrangement is of advantage in assuring that the viewer of the clock 10 is not confused by the presence of the hour dial 32 on the face plate 14. However, if the viewer is interested in knowing the time in any one of the other cities, the sector 44 of the hour dial 32 with theidentifying sticker 47 thereon readily points to and indicates the hour in the remote city and minute hand 40 indicates the minutes before or after the hour.

While the clock shown and described herein is well adapted to fulfill the objects and advantages previously mentioned as desirable, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown and described but that the means and configuration herein disclosed are susceptable of modification in form, proportion and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or satisfying any of its advantages and the invention is therefore claimed in embodiments of various forms all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A world time clock comprising:

a circular face plate,

.a hollow shaft rotated in accordance with the passage of the hour extending through the center of said face plate,

an inner shaft extending through said hollow shaft and rotated in accordance with the passage of minutes,

an hour hand,

a minute hand,

a circular hour dial having its surface divided into twelve equal sectors with the outer periphery of each sector forming a point,

a bushing having reduced diameters on the opposite ends thereof,

said hour hand having an opening on the inner end thereof positioned on one end of said bushing,

said hour dial having an opening in the center thereof positioned on the other end of said bushing, the ends of said bushing being peened to securely hold said hour hand and said hour dial thereon,

said bushing being secured to the outer end of said hollow shaft, and

said minute hand secured on the end of said inner shaft,

whereby as said shafts rotate with the passage of time said hour hand and minute hand indicate the local time on the face plate of the clock and selected ones of the sectors on the hour dial and the minute hand indicate on the face plate the times in cities that are located in time zones different than the local time.

2. A world time clock comprising:

a circular face plate,

a hollow shaft rotated in accordance with the passage of the hour extending through the center of said face plate,

an hour hand,

a minute hand,

a circular hour dial having its surface divided into twelve equal sectors with the outer periphery of each sector forming a point, said hour dial being formed of a thin plate of aluminum with the radial sides of the sectors grooved,

said hour hand and said circular hour dial secured on the end of said hollow shaft, and

said minute hand secured on the end of said inner shaft,

whereby as said shafts rotate with the passage of time said hour hand and minute hand indicate the local time on the face plate of the clock and selected ones of the sectors on the hour dial and the minute hand indicate on the face plate the times in cities that are located in time zones different than the local time,

3. A world time clock comprising:

a circular face plate,

an hour hand,

a minute hand,

said minute hand secured on the end of said inner shaft,

whereby as said shafts rotate with the passage of time said hour hand and minute hand indicate the local time on the face plate of the clock and selected ones of the sectors on the hour dial and the minute hand indicate on the face plate the times in cities that are located in time zones different than the local time, and

wherein the city whose time is being indicated by a particular sector of the hour dial is identified by placing a sticker bearing the name of the city on the surface of the sector.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein the radius of the hour dial is such that the point sectors thereof extend adjacent to but do not interfere with the reading of the numerals on the face plate of the clock.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4 wherein the hour hand is longer than the radius of the pointed sectors of the hour dial.

Claims

1. A world time clock comprising: a circular face plate, a hollow shaft rotated in accordance with the passage of the hour extending through the center of said face plate, an inner shaft extending through said hollow shaft and rotated in accordance with the passage of minutes, an hour hand, a minute hand, a circular hour dial having its surface divided into twelve equal sectors with the outer periphery of each sector forming a point, a bushing having reduced diameters on the opposite ends thereof, said hour hand having an opening on the inner end thereof positioned on one end of said bushing, said hour dial having an opening in the center thereof positioned on the other end of said bushing, the ends of said bushing being peened to securely hold said hour hand and said hour dial thereon, said bushing being secured to the outer end of said hollow shaft, and said minute hand secured on the end of said inner shaft, whereby as said shafts rotate with the passage of time said hour hand and minute hand indicate the local time on the face plate of the clock and selected ones of the sectors on the hour dial and the minute hand indicate on the face plate the times in cities that are located in time zones different than the local time.

2. A world time clock comprising: a circular face plate, a hollow shaft rotated in accordance with the passage of the hour extending through the center of said face plate, an inner shaft extending through said hollow shaft and rotated in accordance with the passage of minutes, an hour hand, a minute hand, a circular hour dial having its surface divided into twelve equal sectors with the outer periphery of each sector forming a point, said hour dial being formed of a thin plate of aluminum with the radial sides of the sectors grooved, said hour hand and said circular hour dial secured on the end of said hollow shaft, and said minute hand secured on the end of said inner shaft, whereby as said shafts rotate with the passage of time said hour hand and minute hand indicate the local time on the face plate of the clock and selected ones of the sectors on the hour Dial and the minute hand indicate on the face plate the times in cities that are located in time zones different than the local time.

3. A world time clock comprising: a circular face plate, a hollow shaft rotated in accordance with the passage of the hour extending through the center of said face plate, an inner shaft extending through said hollow shaft and rotated in accordance with the passage of minutes, an hour hand, a minute hand, a circular hour dial having its surface divided into twelve equal sectors with the outer periphery of each sector forming a point, said hour hand and said circular hour dial secured on the end of said hollow shaft, and said minute hand secured on the end of said inner shaft, whereby as said shafts rotate with the passage of time said hour hand and minute hand indicate the local time on the face plate of the clock and selected ones of the sectors on the hour dial and the minute hand indicate on the face plate the times in cities that are located in time zones different than the local time, and wherein the city whose time is being indicated by a particular sector of the hour dial is identified by placing a sticker bearing the name of the city on the surface of the sector.