US553890A

US553890A - zeidlee

Info

Publication number: US553890A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1913-02-04

Description

(No Model.) K 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. L

- H.T. R. ZRIDLRR. 1

ELEGTRIG PROGRAM CLOCK.

No. 553,890. Patented Feb. 4; 1896.`

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ANDREW EGRAHAM PNOTOMTMQWASMNGTOKDYC.

(NC Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. T. R. ZEIDLER.

ELECTRIC PROGRAM CLOCK.

No. 553,890. C l Patented Feb.- 4, 1896.

wif/785565: Y /n Ven/0m JM/W UNTTED STATES PATENT @Erica HERMAN THEODOR REINIIOLD ZEIDLER, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

ELECTREC PROGRAM-CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,890, dated February 4, 1896.

Application led June 29, 1895. Serial No. 554,422. (No model.)

To all whom. t may concern:

Be it linown that I, HERMAN THEOD'OR REINHOLD ZEIDLER., a subject of the German Emperor, residing at Berlin, in the German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signal or Time-Alarm Clocks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to time-alarm clocks forgiving electric signals at one or more places upon a prearranged program.

This invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section through aportion of a program-clock constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view taken in section on the line ct b in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a detail longitudinal and cross see-tion through one of the contactpieces. Fig. 5 is a front view of a portion of the wheel :r and the mechanism for operating it.

A is the dial-plate of the program-clock, which is preferably provided with a glass front of approved construction.

B is the minute-hand, and D is the hourhand.

The dial need not be provided with figures or numerals, as the device can be placed in a cellar or other dark place, and when unprovided with numerals the plate A becomes an ordinary plate or Iiat disk, and the minutehand B becomes a mere rod, which projects laterally of the central driving-shaft.

A train of clock-driving mechanism (not shown in the drawings) and of any approved construction is provided, and this train is connected to the main driving-shaft 7c. A shaft t' is journaled in a frame E inside the clock-case in line with the shaft 7e, and l is a coupling-plate of insulating material interposed between the ends of the said shafts and coupling them together. The frame E is of insulating material or is insulated in any approved manner.

A toothed pinion q and a toothed wheel f are secured upon the shaft t'. The hourhand D is secured on a shaft c, which also has a toothed wheel h secured on it and gearing into the pinion The minute-hand B is secured on a tubular shaft d, which encircles the shaft c and is journaled in the dial-plate A. The dialplate A is formed of insulating material or is insulated in any approvedv manner. The shaft c is journaled in the frame E and in the tubular shaft d.

The tubular shaft d is slidable longitudinally on the shaft c, and has secured upon it a broad-faced toothed pinion c, which gears into the wheel f. The toothed wheels and pinions are proportioned so that the minutehand makes twelve revolutions while the hour-hand makes one revolution, the same as an ordinary clock.

An internal toothed wheel c is journaled in a ring af', which is secured to the back of the dial A. A toothed pinion r is Asecured on the tubular shaft d, and w is an idle toothed wheel journaled on the pin fu projecting from the back of the dial. The idlewheel w gears into the teeth of the pinion r, and the wheel x is revolved once every twelve or twenty-four hours or any other prearran ged period.

A collar p is secured on the tubular shaft d, and 0 is a spring which normally holds the said shaft pressed to the right, and which also serves as a contact-spring.

A disengaging-lever m is provided for pushing the tubular shaft d to the left when requisite. This lever is pivoted on the pin q carried by the end of the pint, and its lower end bears against the said collar p. The upper end n of the lever m bears against a Y stop-flange y formed on the wheel oc, and is provided with a hook a which engages with the said flange. The lever m is provided for sliding the tubular shaft d to the left, and the said flange y is provided with a notch ,e at one point of its periphery which permits the lever m to be turned on its pivot when. the said notch .e comes opposite the hook a'. A cam or detent s is also secured on the tubular shaft CZ and the use of this cam will be more fully described hereinafter.

G is an electric bell, signal orannunciator, of any approved construction. This bell is sounded at prearranged intervals of time by the program-clock. The bell G .is shown arranged inside the clock-case, but it is obvious that it can be arranged at a distance from the clock and that a number of bells G- can be included in series in the wire m through which the electricity is supplied to aetuate the bell.

The dial-plate A has a spiral groove f formed in it, and on the trout oi the said dialplateaprogram or contact plate A is secured. The program-plate A is formed of conducting material, and when the dial-plateis not formed ot' non-comlucting materia-l the plate A is insulated from itin any approved manner. rlhecontact-plate A has a spiral guide, Ijireferably consisting ot a spiral groove c corresponding with the spiral groovef", and this groove c preferably consists ot twelve or twenty-four convolutions. Each convolution represents one hour, and each convolution is marked off by radins-'lines into sixty minute spaces, as shown in Fig. 2.

The wire nl. is operatively connected with the contact-plate A. This may be accomplished by securing the wire m direct to the plate, in which case the connection is constant. In order to obtain an interniittent connection between the wire ym and the plate A, and thereby compel the bell to ring `for the same length ot time at dillerent intervals during the day, as will be hereinafter more ,i'ully explained, a contact-ring o is secured to the dial-plate concentric with andata little distance from the contact-plate A. The contact-ring o is provided with a series of: plates oi' non-conducting material r arranged equidistant from cach other, or grooves may be used instead oi the said plates. A series of contact-surfaces is thereby formed between the platesr. This series ot' contact-surfaces may be iormed on the plate A instead of on the ring o', it desired.

The minute-hand ,ll is provided with an insulated roller q, or any other approved i'orm ot' contact-piece. This roller runs between collars on the rod c which forms a part of the minute-haiugl, and this roller completes the circuit between the ring o and the plate A as long as it is in contact with the contactsurfaces of the said ring between the plates r. The wire m is connected to the ring 0 by an ordinary binding-screw.

A contact-roller b, or any other approved :form oi' contact-piece, is slidable on the rod c of the minute-hand and runs in the spiral guide or groove e ot the contact-plate A. Plates of insulating' material d are interposed between the roller Z1 and the plate A, but the said roller is always in circuit with the rod c'.

Contact-piec s n are provided for making the circuit between the roller 1) and the plate A at prearranged intervals. These contactpieces n are channel-shaped in cross-section and have sufficient elasticity to retain their places when pressed into the groove c at any point.

F is a battery or electricity generator of any approved construction. One pole ol.` the battery is connected with the minute-bami by the sleeve CZ and spring o, and the other pole is connected with the ring o including the bell G in the circuit.

The contact-roller b is moved outwardly along the rod by the convolutions ol. the spiral groove c with which it engages as the ni i nnte-hand is revolved.

Suppose that it is desired to ring the bell at eight minutes past twelve. Acontact-piece n is pressed into the lirst convolution upon the eighth section corresponding radially in position with the eighth minute-space al'ter the hour. Then the contact-roller o touches the bottom ot' the chanucl-shaped ci'mtiiaet-Ijiiece n, the circuit is established from the battery F through the spring o, tubular shal't d, rod c, roller b, contact-piece yn, contact-plate A', roller q, contact-ring o" to the bell, and l'rom the bell to the negative pole ot" the battery. The bell continues to sound as long as the contact-roller b remains in contact willi the contact-piece n.

Itis obvious thatany desired number ot contact-pieces n maybe `inserted .iu the spiral groove c', so that the bell may be sounded on any prearranged program or schedule.

The function oi the contact-ring o is to equalize the periods during which the bell. sounds. The insulating plates r, or grooves, are arranged on the radial minute-lines ol.l the clock and ol' the contact-plate A, and the bell only sounds while the contact-roller q' is in. contact with the ring o. ly this means all the contact-pieces n can be ol canal size, and each time the bell is sounded itwill continue to ring for the same length oit' time, whether the contact-piece n, which completes t-he circuit, is in the Iirst or twellth convolution of the spiral groove c.

lVhen the contact-roller il arrives at the end g of the twelfth convolution ot the spiral groove c', it is automatically restored to its original position in the iirst canlvolution by automatic disengaging mechanism, which slides the minute-hand 13 away :trom the dialplate. As soon as the roller o' clears the groove c, it slides down the rod c by gravity, the end g of the twelfth convolution being arranged to come at the upper part-ot' the dialplate. iVhen the end g ot the groove comes in any other position, a spring or counterweight of approved construction. can be used to slide the roller along the rod autinnaticall y.

The position ot' the hour-hand D is indicated by a dotted line in Fig. 2 tor the sake of clearncss,

An electromagnet 't is provided tor operating the disengaging-lever on and thereby sliding the minute-hand away from the dial-plate. This eleetromagnet is energized periodically. A lever' 71, is pivoted to the :tramo E and projects through a hole in the same .i nto the path of the cam s. This lever 7L carries a contactmagnet by the wire l.

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to the frame E in the path of the contactscrew i, and this spring is connected to the battery F by the Wire l. The other pole of the 'battery is provided with a Wire also leading to the electromagnet. lVhen the cam s tips up the lever h', it makes the circuit, and

- roller to re-enOaOe with the roove e as soon C D b 7 as the cam s releases the lever h. The lever 7L resumes its original position by gravity and may be assisted by a spring, if desired.

Various other means for automatically sliding the shaft d longitudinally may be used. For instance, a tappet u may be formed on the wheel as indicated by the dotted line in Fig. l, and this tappet may be arranged to push back the upper part of the lever m, when the hook a is oppositev the notch z of the flange y, and the electromagnet may be dispensed with.

This program-clock is used for giving simultaneous signals at different places-as, for instance, in the departments of a factory or school or in hotels for awakening all the guests at a certain hour-and it is also used with a single bell for giving' signals upon a prearranged program.

lVhat I claim isl. The combination, with a program-plate provided with a spiral guide, of a longitudinally-slidable central shaft provided with a laterally-projecting rod, a contact-piece slidable on the said rod and movable laterally therewith into and out of engagement with the said spiral guide, and a spring normally holding the said contact-piece in engagement with the guide, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a program-plate, and a contact-ring insulated from and surrounding the said plate, one of the said parts being provided with a series of contact-surfaces on its' face, of a central shaft provided with a laterally-projecting rod carrying a contact-piece, overlapping the adjacent edges of the said plate and ring and operating to establish a seriesl of connections between the said plate and ring, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a plate of nonconducting material provided with a spiral groove, and a contact-plate provided with a similar spiral groove, of a central shaft provided With a laterally-projecting rod, a contact-piece slidable on the said rod, a stationary contact piece engaging with the said grooves and arranged in the path of the aforesaid contact-piece, a ring insulated from the said contact-plate and provided with a series of contact-surfaces, and a contact-piece carried by the said rod and completing the circuit periodically between the said plate and ring, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a program-plate provided With a spiral guide, and a slidable contactpiece engaging with the guide, of driving mechanism for supporting the contact-piece and moving' it along the guide, m ean s--s uch as a spring-for holding the contact-piece in the guide, and automatic disengaging mechanism operating to slide the contact-piece out of the guide When it arrives at the outer end thereof, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the minute-hand of a clock and its supporting-shaft, of a program-plate provided with a spiral guide, a Contact piece carried by the said hand, a spring pressing the said shaft in one direction and normally holding the said contact-piece in the guide, and disengaging mechanism controlled by the motion of the clock and operating automatically to slide the said shaft in the opposite direction and move the said contactpiece clear of the guide at prearran ged intervals, substantially as set forth.

(l. The combination, with the minute-hand of a clock and its supporting-shaft, of a program-plate provided with a spiral guide, a contact-piece carried by the said hand and automatically slidable toward the said shaft when clear of the said guide, and a stop carried by the said hand and operating to arrest the said contact-piece opposite the inner end of the guide, substantially as set forth.

'7. The combination, With a dial-plate, a spiral guide in front of the dial-plate, and a slidable shaft having secured thereon a toothed pinion and a hand carrying a contactpiece engaging with the said guide; of an internal toothed wheel vjournaled behind the dial-plate and provided with a notched iiange, a toothed idle-wheel operatively connecting the said pinion and wheel, and a pivoted lever provided with a hooked end engaging with the said flange and operating to slide the said shaft and move the contact-piece clear of the guide when the said hooked endis drawn back through the notch in the said flange, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with a slidable shaft, a Wheel provided with a notched flange and revolved from the said shaft, and a lever for sliding the shaft, said lever being provided with a hooked end engaging with the said flange; of automatic retracting devices operatively connected with the said shaft and arranged to operate the said lever when the notch in the said flange comes opposite its hooked end, substantially as set forth.

9. The combinationLwith a slidable shaft, a wheel provided with a notched flange and revolved from the said shaft, and a lever for sliding the said shaft, said lever being provided With a hooked end engaging with thesaid flange 5 of an electrom agnet arranged be- IOO IIO

hind the said lever and operating to retract itshooked end through the notch in the flange, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination7 with a prograin-clock operating to give signals upon a recurrent program, said clock being provided with a contact-piece s'lidable longitudinally on one oi' its hands, and a stationary spiral guide carrying contact-pieces and controlling the movement of the aforesaid contact-piece; of an electromagnet, intermittent operating devices causing the said eleetromagnet to be energized automatically at the end of each program, and disengagin g devices actuated by the said electromagnet and operating to restore the said slidable contact-piece to the position occ u pied by it at the beginning of the program, substantially as set forth.

ll. The combination, with a program-clock operating to give signals upon a recurrent program, said clock being provided with a contact-piece slidable longitudinally on one of its hands, and a stationaryY spiral guide carrying contact-pieces and controlling the movement of the aforesaid contact-piece, of an electromagnet, a cam driven by the said clock, a pivoted lever arranged in the path of the said cam and operating when actuated thereby to switch an electric current .into the said electromagnet, and disengaging mechanism actuated by the said electromagnet and opcrating to restore the said slidable contact-piece to the position occupied by it at the beginning oi the program, substantially as set forth.

l2. The combination,with an insulated contact-plate provided with a sp iral-guide groove, of an insulated minute-hand provided with appropriate driving mechanism and a slidable contact-piece controlled by the said guidegroove, a trough-shaped contact-piece sprung into the said groove and permitting the said slidable contact-piece to pass through il, in its passage along the said guide-groove, an electric signal, an electricity-generator, and wires connecting the said generator with the said hand and plate respectively and including the said signal in the circuit, wherel y the said signal is operated while the two said contact-pieces are together, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination ,with an insu lated contact-plate provided with a spiral guide, and an insulated contact-ring surrounding the said plate, one of the said parts being provided with a series of equidistant and equal contact-surfaces; of an insulated minutehand provided with appropriate driving mechanism, a slidable contact-piece 'h' controlled l y the said guide, and an insulated coniaet-ijiiece q operatingto establish a circuit periodically between the said plate and ring; a stationary contact-piecen carried by the said plate and arranged in the path oi the said. slidable (fontact-piece, an electric signal, an electricitygenerator, and wires connecting the said generator with the said hand and ring respectively and including the said signal in the circuit, whereby the said signal is operated for the same length of time while the two coutact-pieecs Z1 and a' are together .irrespective of the convolution in which the contact-piece `n/ is placed, substantially as set iforth.

In testimony whereof I have ai'lixed my sig nature in presence of two witnesses.

HERNAN 'illllilOllOR` lilllXllOlill Zllllllrllll. lVitnesses:

EMIL KOLLINER, MAX KVA GNER.