US3903687A

US3903687A - Digital clock or the like and drive unit therefor

Info

Publication number: US3903687A
Application number: US437826A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edgar E Marquis
Original assignee: Robertshaw Controls Co
Current assignee: Robertshaw Controls Co
Priority date: 1974-01-30
Filing date: 1974-01-30
Publication date: 1975-09-09
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-09

Abstract

A digital clock having a time indicating wheel rotatably mounted to the clock frame. A drive is carried by the frame and is operatively associated with the wheel to incrementally rotate the wheel relative to the frame in a time relation for time indicating purposes, the drive having manual means for manually setting the wheel in a desired time indicating position in either a forward direction or a reverse direction of rotation thereof.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Marquis 1 1 DIGITAL CLOCK OR THE LIKE AND DRIVE UNIT THEREFOR [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company,

Richmond, Va.

221 Filed: Jan.30, 1974 2| Appl. No.:437,826

Edgar E. Marquis, Newtown, Conn.

[52] U.S. Cl. 58/125 C; 58/126 E; 58/855 [51] Int. Cl. G04B 19/02 [58] Field of Search 58/125 C, 126 E, 85.5,

58/125 R, 15, 7; 235/132 R, 117 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,576,119 11/1951 Holzner 58/125 C X 2,762,190 9/1956 Holzner 2,959,914 11/1960 Harada .1 58/855 X [451 Sept. 9, 1975 3,574,995 4/1971 Turner 58/125 C 3,590,571 7/1971 Niznik 58/125 C 3,721,086 3/1973 Flumm 58/125 3,807,167 4/1974 Chappatte 58/125 C Primary Examiner-Joseph W. Hartary Assistant ExaminerU. Weldon Attorney, Agent, or FirmCandor, Candor & Tassone [57] ABSTRACT A digital clock having a time indicating wheel rotatably mounted to the clock frame. A drive is carried by the frame and is operatively associated with the wheel to incrementally rotate the wheel relative to the frame in a time relation for time indicating purposes, the drive having manual means for manually setting the wheel in a desired time indicating position in either a forward direction or a reverse direction of rotation thereof.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 919;;

SHEET 2 []F 2 DIGITAL CLOCK OR THE LIKE AND DRIVE UNIT THEREFOR This invention relates to an improved digital clock or the like as well as to improved drive means for such clock or the like.

It is well known from the US. patent to Flumm, No. 3,721,086, that a digital clock or the like can be provided wherein the minute indicating wheel is rotatably mounted on a drive shaft of the clock timer motor and is incrementally driven thereby by a torsion spring having one end interconnected to the indicating wheel and the other end operatively interconnected to the drive shaft through a drive means, such incrementally driven minute wheel itself subsequently causing incremental drive of a tens of minute wheel and an hour wheel also rotatably mounted on the drive Shaft.

However, it has been found according to the teachings of this invention that such prior drive means does not permit a resetting of the time indicating wheel means thereof in a reverse rotational direction thereof as the same only permits a resetting of the time indication thereof in a forward rotational direction of the indicating wheel means whereby a relatively long time may be required to reset the clock structure to the desired time.

Accordingly, it is a feature of this invention to provide improved drive means for such a digital clock or the like which drive means readily permits the user to set the time indication thereof by either moving the time indicating means in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, as desired.

In particular, one embodiment of this invention provides a digital clock having a time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted to the frame means of the clock. Drive means are carried by the frame means and are operatively associated with the wheel means to incrementally rotate the wheel means relative to the frame means in a timed relation for time indicating purposes, the drive means having manual means for manually setting the wheel means in a desired time indicating position thereof in either a forward direction or in a reverse direction, as desired.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved digital clock or the like having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved drive unit for such a digital clock or the like, the improved drive unit of this invention having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description, which proceeds with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIG. I is a fragmentary front view of the improved digital clock of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the digital clock of FIG. 1 and is taken on line 2-2 thereof.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view of the various parts for driving the minute indicating wheel of the clock structure of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2 and illustrates the drive means for the minute indicating wheel.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 and illustrates the drive structure with certain parts removed.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 and illustrates the incremental advancement of the minute indicating wheel.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 5.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adapted to provide improved drive means for a digital clock, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide drive means for other types of apparatus, such as a digital timer or the like, as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the improved digital clock of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a frame means 11 carrying a front cover 12 having a plurality of

windows

13 and 14 provided therein to respectively expose portions of time indicating wheel means 15, 16 and 17 for time indicating purposes.

The time indicating wheels l5, l6 and 17 are rotatably mounted on a shaft 18 rotatably carried by the frame means 11 and being interconnected through suitable gearing and clutch means 19 to an electric timer motor 20 that is adapted to continuously rotate the shaft 18 in a counter-clockwise direction in FIG. 4 as long as the timer motor 20 is being continuously energized.

As previously stated, one feature of this invention is to provide means for resetting a time indication of the time indicating wheels l5, l6 and I7 in either a forward or reverse rotational direction thereof because the drive means for the indicating wheels of the aforementioned US. patent to Flumm only permitted a resetting thereof in a forward rotational direction and not in a reverse rotational direction thereof.

Accordingly, the minute indicating wheel means 17 of this invention as illustrated in FIGS. 3-7 has a hub portion 21 for being rotatably mounted on the .i drive shaft 18 and carries two pairs of outwardly directed tangs 22 which respectively define slots 23 therebetween for receiving a slide member 24 which is adapted to slide back and forth in the slots 23 upon the movement of a driving dog 25 being rotatably mounted on the shaft 18 through an opening 26 in the dog 25 and having a tooth 27 adapted to be received in a rectangular notch 28 of the slide member 24 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

A coiled torsion spring 29 has one end 30 secured to the minute indicating wheel 17 by being received in an opening 31 formed therein. The other end 32 of the torsion spring 29 is interconnected to the driving dog 25 by being received in a notch 33 formed therein, the torsion spring 29 having a bias that always tends to rotate the time indicating wheel 17 in a counterclockwise direction in FIGS. 3-6 as will be apparent hereinafter.

A gear-like member 34 is also rotatably mounted on the shaft 18 by an opening 35 formed in the member 34 and has a plurality of peripheral teeth 36 disposed about the outer periphery thereof and against which an outwardly directed tang 37 of the slide member 24 operates as will be apparent hereinafter.

The gear-like member 34 also has a plurality of cutouts 38 formed therethrough to define a plurality of ratchet teeth 39 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A ratchet spring member 40 of this invention is adapted to be rotatably mounted on the shaft 18 by receiving the shaft 18 through an opening 41 thereof, the spring member 40 having an outwardly directed tang 42 adapted to be captured between a pair of outwardly bent tangs 43 of the frame means 11 to prevent rotational movement of the spring 40 as the shaft 18 rotates. The spring 40 also has an outwardly directed angularly bent spring finger 44 for ratcheting against the teeth 39 of the gear-like member 34 for permitting the gear-like member 34 to be rotated in a clockwise direction in FIG. 4 for a purpose hereinafter described but preventing counterclockwise rotation of the member 34 in FIG. 4 for a purpose hereinafter described, because of the angle of the finger 44 acting against the ratchet teeth 39 of the member 34 as best illustrated in FIG. 7.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the shaft 18 passes completely through the hub 21 of the minute indicating wheel 17 and can be operatively interconnected to a manual resetting member 45 either located at the side of the clock structure as illustrated in HO. 2 or, through suitable gear trains or the like, the member 45 can project out of the front 12 of the clock 10, as desired, and still be operatively interconnected to the shaft 18 for manually rotating the same.

The operation of the digital clock 10 of this invention will now be described.

As previously stated, the aforementioned U.S. patent to Flumm discloses and claims the digital clock structure wherein the gear member 34 is held stationary by the frame means 11 without the use of the ratchet spring 40 of this invention whereby the details of the structure and operation of the clock structure 10 of this invention can be readily obtained by reference to the aforementioned U.S. patent to Flumm.

However, in order to understand the features of this invention, sufficient details of the operation of the clock structure 10 will now be described.

As the shaft 18 is continuously rotating in a counterclockwise direction in FIGS. 35 by the timer motor 20, the driving dog rotates therewith in a counter clockwise direction and as the tooth 27 thereof moves in a counterclockwise direction, the same carries the slide member 24 therewith so that the tang 37 of the slide member 24 will move downwardly across a straight portion 36' of a particular tooth 36A on the gear member 34 as illustrated in FIG. 6 until the tang 37 moves beyond the apex 36" of the tooth 36A as illustrated in full lines in H0. 6 whereby the force of the torsion spring 29 rapidly advances the wheel 17 in a counterclockwise direction to the dotted line position of F IG. 6. Thus, it can be seen that the slide tang 37 has now moved backwardly by the slowly advancing dog 25 and engages against the side surface 36' of the next adjacent tooth 368 until the drive dog 25 again slides the member 24 to clear the tooth 36B in the manner previously described.

Thus, as the shaft 18 continuously rotates in a counterclockwise direction, the driving dog 25 causes incremental movement of the minute indicating wheel 17 in a counterclockwise direction and through suitable drive means (not shown), the incremental movement of the drive wheel 17 at appropriate times causes incremental movement of the wheel 16 and, thus, incremental movement of the wheel 16 eventually causes incremental movement of the hour wheel 15 in the manner fully set forth in the aforementioned U.S. patent to Flumm whereby the clock 10 continuously indicates the correct time of day.

However, should it be desired to reset the time indication of the clock 10 during the operation thereof so as to provide the correct time, a person can grasp the selector 45 and by rotating the same in a counterclockwise direction in FIGS. 3-5 rotate the shaft 18 at a faster rate in a counterclockwise direction than the timer motor 20 to advance the indicating wheels l7, l6 and 15 in a forward direction to the desired time indication thereof, such feature being provided by suitable clutch means in the gear means 19 and such resetting in the forward rotational direction being provided in the aforementioned U.S. patent to Flumm because the gear-like member 34 is still held stationary from counterclockwise rotation by the tang 4-4 of the ratchet spring 40 acting against a ratchet tooth 39 of the member 34.

However, if it is desired to reset the time indication of the clock 10 in a reverse rotational direction, the member 45 can be rotated in a clockwise direction in FIGS. 3-6 and such movement of the shaft 18 is permitted because the gear-like member 34 will rotate in a clockwise direction in unison with the shaft 18 as the same will merely have the teeth 39 thereof ratchet against the tang 44 of the spring 40 during such clockwise movement of the shaft 18 whereby the wheel 17 will likewise be moved in a clockwise direction because the dog 25 will be driven in a clockwise direction and will cause the tang 37 of the slide member 24 to bear against a tooth 36 of the gear member 34 to carry the same therewith. Thus the clockwise rotating dog 25, through the slide member 24, thereby rotates the time indicating wheel 17 in unison therewith. Thus, through the drive of the wheel member 17 to the wheel members l6 and 15, the wheel members l7, l6 and 15 can be reset in a reverse rotational direction upon clockwise rotation of the shaft 18 by the manual means 45 in the manner previously described.

Therefore, it can be seen that the digital clock 10 of this invention provides means for setting the same in a forward direction or in a reverse direction thereof by the ratchet spring 40 holding the gear-like member 34 stationary relative to the frame means 11 during forward setting of the clock 10 by the timer motor 20. However, the ratchet spring 40 of this invention permits the gear-like member 34 to be rotated in a reverse direction relative to the frame means to cause reverse rotation of the time indicating wheels l7, l6 and 15 for resetting the clock 10 in a reverse direction thereof.

Accordingly, this invention not only provides an improved digital clock or the like, but also this invention provides an improved drive unit for such a digital clock or the like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been described and illustrated as required by the Patent Statute, it is to be understood that other forms can be utilized and stillcome within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A digital clock comprising a frame means, a time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted to said frame means, drive means carried by said frame means and being operatively associated with said wheel means to incrementally rotate said wheel means relative to said frame means in a time relation for time indicating purposes and for time setting purposes, said drive means having manual means for manually setting said drive means and thus said wheel means in a desired time indicating position in either a forward direction or in a reverse direction, said drive means including a shaft rotatably carried by said frame means, said wheel means being rotatably disposed on said shaft, said drive means including a timer motor carried by said frame means and being operatively associated with said shaft to continuously drive said shaft in one rotational direction for time producing function, said manual means being operatively associated with said shaft to rotate said shaft in either said one rotational direction or in the opposite rotational direction, said drive means including a torsion spring operatively interconnected to said shaft and drivingly interconnected to said wheel means by latch means operatively associated with said shaft and said wheel means to cause incremental latching and unlatching of said wheel means relative to said frame means whereby said wheel means makes an incremental movement relative to said frame means each time said latch means unlatches said wheel means to cause said torsion spring to move said wheel means relative to said shaft, said torsion spring tend to rotate said wheel means in said one direction as said shaft rotates in said one direction, said latch means including a gearlike member, and a ratchet spring carried by said frame means and being operatively associated with said gearlike member to cause said gear-like member to be held stationary relative to said frame means as said shaft is rotated in said one direction and to cause said gear-like member to rotate with said shaft as said shaft is rotated in said opposite direction.

2. A digital clock as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gear-like member has a plurality of teeth about its outer periphery, a slide member movably carried by said wheel means and having a tang serially engageable with said teeth, and a drive member operatively interconnected to said shaft to rotate in unison therewith and being operatively interconnected to said slide member to cause the same to slide relative to said wheel means and its tang to slide relative to a respective tooth of said gear-like member to cause said wheel means to be latched from movement relative to said frame means until said tang clears that respective tooth to unlatch said wheel means and have said torsion spring rotate said wheel means one increment in said one direction until said tang engages the next adjacent tooth on said gear-like member that latches said wheel means from movement until that tooth is cleared by said tang in the above manner.

3. A digital clock as set forth in claim 2 wherein said gear-like member has ratchet teeth separate from said peripheral teeth thereof, said ratchet spring having a resilient tang cooperable with said ratchet teeth.

4. A digital clock as set forth in claim 3 wherein said ratchet spring is rotatably mounted on said shaft, said ratchet spring having a part thereof held stationary by said frame means whereby said shaft is adapted to rotate relative to said ratchet spring.

5. A drive unit for a digital clock comprising a frame means, a time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted to said frame means, drive means carried by said frame means and being operatively associated with said wheel means to incrementally rotate said wheel means relative to frame means in a time relation for time indicating purposes and for time setting purposes, said drive means having manual means for manually setting said drive means and thus said whee] means in a desired time indicating position in either a forward direction or in a reverse direction, said drive means including a shaft rotatably carried by said frame means, said wheel means being rotatably disposed on said shaft, said drive means including a timer motor carried by said frame means and being operatively associated with said shaft to continuously drive said shaft in one rotational direction for time producing function, said manual means being operatively associated with said shaft to rotate said shaft in either said one rotational direction or in the opposite rotational direction, said drive means including a torsion spring operatively interconnected to said shaft and drivingly interconnected to said wheel means by latch means operatively associated with said shaft and said wheel means to cause incremental latching and unlatching of said wheel means relative to said frame means whereby said wheel means makes an incremental movement relative to said frame means each time said latch means unlatches said wheel means to cause said torsion spring to move said wheel means relative to said shaft, said torsion spring tend to rotate said wheel means in said one direction as said shaft rotates in said one direction, said latch means including a gear-like member, and a ratchet spring carried by said frame means and being operatively associated with said gear-like member to cause said gear-like member to be held stationary relative to said frame means as said shaft is rotated in said one direction and to cause said gear-like member to rotate with said shaft as said shaft is rotated in said opposite direction.

6. A drive unit as set forth in claim 5 wherein said gear-like member has a plurality of teeth about its outer periphery, a slide member movably carried by said wheel means and having a tang serially engageable with said teeth, and a drive member operatively interconnected to said shaft to rotate in unison therewith and being operatively interconnected to said slide member to cause the same to slide relative to said wheel means and its tang to slide relative to a respective tooth of said gear-like member to cause said wheel means to be latched from movement relative to said frame means until said tang clears that respective tooth to unlatch said wheel means and have said torsion spring rotate said wheel means one increment in said one direction until said tang engages the next adjacent tooth on said gear-like member that latches said wheel means from movement until that tooth is cleared by said tang in the above manner.

7. A drive unit as set forth in claim 6 wherein said gear-like member has ratchet teeth separate from said peripheral teeth thereof, said ratchet spring having a resilient tang cooperable with said ratchet teeth.

8. A drive unit as set forth in claim 7 wherein said ratchet spring is rotatably mounted on said shaft, said ratchet spring having a part thereof held stationary by said frame means whereby said shaft is adapted to rotate relative to said ratchet spring.

Claims

1. A digital clock comprising a frame means, a time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted to said frame means, drive means carried by said frame means and being operatively associated with said wheel means to incrementally rotate said wheel means relative to said frame means in a time relation for time indicating purposes and for time setting purposes, said drive means having manual means for manually setting said drive means and thus said wheel means in a desired time indicating position in either a forward direction or in a reverse direction, said drive means including a shaft rotatably carried by said frame means, said wheel means being rotatably disposed on said shaft, said drive means including a timer motor carried by said frame means and being operatively associated with said shaft to continuously drive said shaft in one rotational direction for time producing function, said manual means being operatively associated with said shaft to rotate said shaft in either said one rotational direction or in the opposite rotational direction, said drive means including a torsion spring operatively interconnected to said shaft and drivingly interconnected to said wheel means by latch means operatively associated with said shaft and said wheel means to cause incremental latching and unlatching of said wheel means relative to said frame means whereby said wheel means makes an incremental movement relative to said frame means each time said latch means unlatches said wheel means to cause said torsion spring to move said wheel means relative to said sHaft, said torsion spring tend to rotate said wheel means in said one direction as said shaft rotates in said one direction, said latch means including a gear-like member, and a ratchet spring carried by said frame means and being operatively associated with said gear-like member to cause said gear-like member to be held stationary relative to said frame means as said shaft is rotated in said one direction and to cause said gearlike member to rotate with said shaft as said shaft is rotated in said opposite direction.

5. A drive unit for a digital clock comprising a frame means, a time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted to said frame means, drive means carried by said frame means and being operatively associated with said wheel means to incrementally rotate said wheel means relative to frame means in a time relation for time indicating purposes and for time setting purposes, said drive means having manual means for manually setting said drive means and thus said wheel means in a desired time indicating position in either a forward direction or in a reverse direction, said drive means including a shaft rotatably carried by said frame means, said wheel means being rotatably disposed on said shaft, said drive means including a timer motor carried by said frame means and being operatively associated with said shaft to continuously drive said shaft in one rotational direction for time producing function, said manual means being operatively associated with said shaft to rotate said shaft in either said one rotational direction or in the opposite rotational direction, said drive means including a torsion spring operatively interconnected to said shaft and drivingly interconnected to said wheel means by latch means operatively associated with said shaft and said wheel means to cause incremental latching and unlatching of said wheel means relative to said frame means whereby said wheel means makes an incremental movement relative to said frame means each time said latch means unlatches said wheel means to cause said torsion spring to move said wheel means relative to said shaft, said torsion spring tend to rotate said wheel means in said one direction as said shaft rotates in said one direction, said latch means including a gear-like member, and a ratchet spring carried by said frame means and being operatively associated with said gear-like member to cause said gear-like member to be held stationary relative to said frame means as said shaft is rotated in said one direction and to cause said gear-like member to rotate with said shaft as said shaft is rotated in said opposite direction.