US603232A - fischer - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.- S. FISCHER. ELECTRIC CLOCK Patented Apr. 26,1 98.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 3 S11eets-Sheet 2.

S. FISCHER.

ELEGTRIG CLOCK.

No, 603,232. Patented Apr. 26, 1898.

I2 llllllllllf (N0 Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' S. FISCHER.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

Patented Apr. 26, 1898.

iNVENTOR- I ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIGISMUND FISCHER, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,232, dated April 26, 1898.

Application filed June 26, 1897.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SIGISMUND FIseHER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the electric clock for which Letters Patent No. 555,313, dated February 25, 1896, were granted to me, said improvements being designed with a View of improving the drivin g mechanism of the going-train of the clock,

the regulation of the motion of the minute and seconds hands, and the synchronizing of said hands by a switch operated either by hand or automatically from a master-clock whenever the minute and seconds hands arrive at zero.

My invention consists of an electric clock having a synchronizing electromagnet and an arm extending radially from the minutehand arbor and provided at its outer end with an armature adapted to be attracted by said magnet for moving the minute-hand forward or backward to a given point of time, so as to synchronize with a master or other clock; and the invention consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and then particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the clock-move ment of my improved electric clock with the dial removed and some parts broken away, so as to show the operating parts beneath the same. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the going-train of my improved clock, partly in section on line 3 3, Fig. 2, and showing the driving mechanism of the clock. Fig. 4 is a detail of the mechanism by which the electric impulses are imparted to the pendulum. Fig. 5 is a detail front view of the synchronizing device for the seconds-hand. Figs. 6 and 7 are top views of the same, showing the same respectively in normal position and in the act of synchronizing. Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 are details of the mechanism for alternately throwing the different batteries by the current of which the clock is driven into action. Figs. 12, 13, a'nd13" are details of the driving mech- Serial No. 642,386. (No model.)

anism. Figs. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 are additional details, drawn on a larger scale, of the synchronizing mechanism of the seconds-hand. Figs. 20 and 21 are a vertical transverse section and a front elevation of the synchronizing mechanism of the minutehand, and Fig. 22 is a diagram showing the electric connection of the clock and synohronizing devices with the batteries by which electric current is supplied.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, Arepresents the frame of my improved electric clock, which is supported on an iron casting or plate B, which is screwed to wooden back of the clockcase. From a horizontal support I) at the upper part of the casting B is suspended the pendulum P in the usual manner. The pendulum-rod is engaged by a pin 0 on a crutch C, the upper end of which is attached to a spindle cl, that turns in bearings of the supportingframe A. On the spindle d is mounted a bar armature E, which is arranged between the pole-faces of an electromagnet E, that is attached to the casting or supporting-plate B of the clock. The ends of the armature E, as well as the pole-faces of the electromagnet E, are made equidistant from either side of the axis of the spindle d, so that the ends of the armature can pass by said pole-faces as the armature is oscillated by the beats of the pendulum.

On the crutch O is arranged a pin F,which is made wedge or knife edged and adapted to engage a notched or bifurcated pendant F, which is pivoted to the inner end of a fulcrumed contact-lever F, the outer end of which is provided with a platinum point f that presses on a contact-spring f whenever the pendant engages the pin F on the crutch, said contact-spring being insulated from the clock-frame by the insulating-block f on which it is fixed. One bifurcation of the notched pendant is made somewhat longer than the other bifurcation, so that the pendant is only engaged by the pin F when the pendulum moves in one direction, but cannot be engaged by the return beat of the pendulum. A light spring F supported at one end on the frame A, bears by its free end on the contact-lever F in such a manner as that in case of the pivots being clogged by oil or otherwise there will be a perfect electrical connection between the said lever and frame, while at the same time it acts to return the lever to normal position for breaking contact. An adjusting-screw f is arranged adjacent to and bearing on the contact-spring f for setting the latter relatively to the contactpoint f 2 on the lever and thus regulating the contact. Whenever the platinum point f 2 of the contact-lever F is pressed against the spring f the circuit with the driving battery is closed, so that the current of the same passes from one pole of the battery to the clock-frame, then through lever F to the insulated contact-spring f thence through the clam ping-clip f and suitable metallic connections to the coils of the electromagnet E, and then back to the other pole of the battery. (See Fig. 22.) As soon as the circuit is closed the current energizes the electromagnet, so that the poles of the same attract the armature E and impart a turning motion to the same on its spindle and thereby through the crutch C an impulse to the pendulum.

Upon the arbor d of the crutch G of the pendulum P is applied a cross-piece g, that carries two gravity push-pawls g 9 which are pivoted to the cross-piece at opposite points and equidistantly from the spindle d, said cross-piece being secured to the crutch-spindle by a suitable set-screw. The pawls alternately engage the teeth of the driving spurwheel G, by which, in connection with suitable transmitting-gear, the necessary motion is imparted to the arbor of the minute-hand mechanism to the arbor of the hour-hand.

When the push-pawls and driving spurwheel are used in a clock-movement having a seconds-hand, the spur-wheel G is applied directly to the arbor of the seconds-hand, the pawls. being arranged so as to work in the same plane with the spur wheel, as shown in Fig. 3, When used in a clock-movement without seconds-hand, the motion-transmitting beveled gear-Wheel, as shown in Fig. 3,

is dispensed with, and pawls of special shape of the spur-wheel G are used, said spur-wheel having in this case a horizontal or nearly horizontal position on its arbor, as shown in Fig. 12. In the place of the horizontally-projecting teeth on the spur-wheel G the teeth may be bent up at an angle with the plane of the wheel, so as to form a crown-wheel with ratchet-teeth by which the driving motion is imparted to the clock-train.

By the double-push-pawl device described a forward motion is imparted to the hands at each beat of the pendulum, the advance of thespur-wheel being one-half tooth for each singlebeat of the pendulum. This res-1 .113 is obtained because while one pawl engages the spur-wheel the other moves backwardly over a tooth of the spur-wheel, and vice versa. By this arrangement it is possible to give a correct motion to the seconds-hand, so as to divide the minute properly, as indicated on the seconds-dial. With the use of a single driving-pawl in conjunction with a fixed checkpawl motion would be imparted to the hands by the driving-pawl only once for each alternate beat, so that in a clock having a pendulum of length to beat seconds, or sixty times per minute, the seconds-hand would only be moved thirty times per minute, or once every two beats of the pendulum. By using the double push-pawl, however, the minute is accurately divided into seconds, and the seconds-hand is moved with each beat of the pendulum. The same proportion is maintained when using shorter pendulu ns-as, for instance, with an eighty-beat pendulum the minute is divided by fractions less than seconds by this device, so that the time may be accurately measured by the seconds-hand, whereas the single drive-pawl would give only forty motions per minute, or more than one second for each motion of the secondshand. By employing the double-pusl1-pawl device the check-pawl may be dispensed with,

i as each pawl acts in its turn as a check-pawl for the other pawl. of the pendulum is more evenly divided, in-

Furthermore, the work asmuch as it moves the clock-train forward at every beat instead of by every second heat. Imovement of the minute-hand, which is an advantage, especially in the ease of large clocks having long hands, so as to make the advancing motion of the minute-hand less a noticeable.

and from the same by the usual transmitting j This produces also a more frequent lhe synchronizing device by which the hands are electrically set at certain intervals ;of time, so as to be placed in synchronism with a master or other clock, is composed of two separate and independent mechanisms, one for setting the minute hand and the iotherfor setting the seconds-hand. In clocks Twithout seconds-hands the latter mechanism is not required, while for clocks having seconds-hands both the mechanism for synchronizing the minute and seconds hands are 3 used. that engage the teeth or notches in the side i The minute and hour hands synchronizer A plate M, forming the outer The rear and electromagnet in front of the front plate of the clock-frame, so as to permit an armature M,which is made in the shape of an arm and provided with an enlarged lower end, to move through said space in following the move 'ment of the minute-hand arbor, to which said armature is rigidly applied. The armature M is arranged diametrically in line with the minute-hand and applied by a brass clip 1% to the arbor of the minute-hand, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

In place of the bar electromagnet a horseshoe or bipolar electromagnet may be used, in which case the armature has to be attracted by the combined means of the polefaces,'so as to sweep across the same. The armature M is located on the arbor of the minute-hand back of the dial, so that it is not seen during the rotation of the minutehand.

The described method of supporting the transmitting gear-wheels by which the motion is transmitted from the minute-hand arbor to the hour-hand sleeve, as shown in Fig. 2, leaves a sufficient clearance for the armature h as the same moves around with the minute-hand, which would not be the case if said gear-wheels were arranged in the usual manner upon the front plate of the clockframe.

The coil of the electromagnet M is connected with a suitable electric battery W and with a main wire, which is connected with a suitable switch S, as shown in the diagram Fig. 22. The switch is either worked in the usual way by hand, whenever it is desired to synchronize the clocks, or automatically by being connected electrically with a masterclock. The closing of the circuit and the time-signals are given exactly at the even hour. In case the clock to be synchronized should be a little too fast or too slow, the momentary closing of the switch causes a current to flow through the electromagnet M, so as to energize the core of the same and attract the enlarged end of the armature, so as to set thereby the hand to point exactly to the even hournamely, 12 or zeroas the armature is attracted and placed with the hand into vertical position by the pole end of the electromagnet. The armature M may be adjusted laterally on the arbor of the minute-hand by means of set-screw m, so as to be slightly adjusted relatively to the position of the minute-hand, so that when it is exactly at rest or at the dead-point over the pole face or faces of the electromagnet the minute-hand will point exactly to 12 or zero. The armature M is also capable of adjustment in longitudinal direction, as its upper end is attached by a screw m to a socket on the clip m, as shown in Figs. 20 and 21, so as to bring the enlarged lower end of the armature as close as possible to the pole face or faces of the electromagnet without touching the same, reducing thereby the airspace between them to a minimum. As the closing of the switch takes place for only a fraction of a second, the armature is immediately released again from the attraction of the electromagnet M, so that the minutehand is at liberty to move over the dial as before.

The minute-hand arbor is thus free to be moved by the synchronizing electromagnet without interfering with the action of the clock-movement on account of the usual friction-spring device, the tension of which is preferably as light and even as possible. The armature M serves also as an internal concealed counterpoise for the minute-hand, so as to do away with the unsightly external visible counterpoise which is usually employed on the hands of large clocks. The armature is preferably made of the same weight as the minute hand, so as to balance the same and permit thereby the easy movement of the minute-hand on its arbor.

The seconds-hand synchronizing device is in the same circuit with the synchronizing mechanism for the minute and hour hands, so that both sets are actuated at the same instant. The seconds-hand synchronizer consists of a specially-shaped thimble 473, which is attached to the outer end of the secondshand arbor which carries the seconds-hand, so that the two parts turn together, the whole being mounted upon the front end of the seconds-hand arbor either by the usual friction and tension device or by means of the mechanism shown in Figs. 14 to 17. The thimble n is cut away at one side, so as to form a slot in which rests one leg of a U shaped tensionspring 92 which bears upon the seconds-hand arbor, while the opposite leg bears upon the outer surface of the thimble. This U shaped spring by abutting against a shoulder or enlargement n on the seconds-hand arbor serves to keep the parts on said arbor and furnishes at the same time the required tension and friction, which may be averaged according to the stiffness of the spring employed. The thimble n is provided with a cam portion 91, having converging and slanting cam-faces 1%, that are engaged by a knife-edge, roller, or other device 0, which is applied by a shank and set-screw 0 into a socket of an armature P (see particularly Figs. 18 and 19) of an electromagnet P, which is supported by an extension-bracket attached by fastening-screws to the front plate of the clock-frame. The armature P is hinged at the outer end of the eX- tension and actuated by means of a spring 3 so as to keep it away from the pole-face of the projecting core of the electromagnet. The electromagnet may be made in the shape of a bar magnet with single pole or in the shape of a horseshoe with two poles or in any other shape. The extent to which the armature may move away from the pole-face of the electromagnet is regulated by a stud P having an enlarged end P which passes through a slot P in the armature, said stud being applied to the bracket or extension of the frame. The headed stud P together with the guideslot in the armature serve to guide the armature, so as to prevent any lateral play of the same in its forward-and-backward motion when attracted or released by the pole. The knife-edge is applied to the inwardly-projecting end of the armature, which is made long enough so as to extend to a point directly opposite the cam-faced friction-thimble n on the arbor of the seconds-hand. When the armature is attracted by the closing of the circuit and the energizing of the pole of the electromagnet, the knife-edge or roller will bear on either one of the'i'nclined or cam faces of the friction-thimble and turn it around, carrying the seconds-hand with it until the limit of motion is reached,when the knifeedge or roller arrives at the converging inner ends of the inclined, slanting, or cam faces and can go no farther, as shown in Fig. 7. When the seconds-hand is therefore at either side of the zero or sixty-seconds point of the seconds-dial, the action of the armature on the cam-faces of the friction-thimble will move it exactly up to zero and thereby synchronize the seconds-hand simultaneously with the minute-hand. As the switch is immediately opened again after being closed, the current is interrupted and the armature moved out of engagement with the frictionthimble, so that the seconds-hand can move on in the usual manner.

arbor, so as to form a kind of automatic switch by which the current is applied alternately from one battery or the other at regular in-. If three batteries are em-E tervals of time.

ployed, as shown in Fig. 22, the three projectmg segments are arranged on the sleeve V of the minute-hand arbor, as shown clearly in detail in Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11. the segments are applied to the hub of the center wheel, which extends in the form of a sleeve over the minute-hand arbor. The

In this case raised segments on the sleeve V are arranged parallel with each other and extend circum-- ferentially around the sleeve, but are located at different points on the circumference of the same, they being of a length slightly less than one-third of the circumference of the sleeve, so that spaces or intervals are formed between the planes of the adjacent ends of the segments. insuch a position to each other that only one at a time is'engaged by one of three contactbrushes T, which are applied to an insulatingblock T, that is pivoted tothe frame of the clock between the front and intermediate plate of the same, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 8, and 9. The contact-brushes T are non-elastic and rigidly attached to the insulating-block, which latter is actuated by a tension-spring if, so that the brush which is in action presses evenly against its corresponding segment on the sleeve V. The contact-brushesare each connected with the poles of the three batteries, theenlarged ends extending vertically over the center of the sleeve, so that each forms contact with the segments 0* on the same as The segments are thereby arranged the sleeve is rotated. During the rotation of the sleeve V one segment 0' after the other is brought into contact with its contact-brush, so that at the instant one battery is cut out of the circuit the next is switched in and at no time more than one battery is in circuit. This is accomplished by the brushes, as immediately when one contact-brush drops off from the end of its segment the next one drops onto the forward end of its segment. The segments project far enough above the sleeve V so that the brushes will not touch it when dropping from one segment to the next. The object of changing from one battery to the other is to give each battery a chance to rest and recuperate at regular intervals, so as to prolong thereby the life of the batteries and increase their effectiveness. When three batteries are used in connection with springs having three segments, each battery supplies current for twenty minutes and rests forty minutes during every hour.

It is evident that without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention the synchronizing of the minute-hand need not necessarilybe obtained at 12, for by setting the operating-electromagnet and the armature at different angles to the arbor of the minutehand the same may be accomplished at a different time.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the minute-hand arbor, of a synchronizing electromagnet, and an arm extending radially from the said arbor and provided at its outer end with an armature, adapted to be attracted by said magnet for moving the minute-hand forward or backward to a given point of time so as to synchronize with a master or other clock, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the minute-hand arbor, provided with a minute -hand, of a synchronizing electromagnet, and an armature applied to the said arbor diametrically in line with the said minute-hand and acting as a counterpoise, said electromagnet being arranged in the circle described by the armature, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the arbor of the minute-hand, of a synchronizing electromagnet located adjacent to the same, an armature extending radially from said arbor, and means for adjusting said armature longitudinally to and from the arbor and toward the pole of the electromagnet, said magnet and armature cooperating to produce the forward or backward motion of the minute-hand and the synchronizing of the same with a master or other clock, substantially as set forth.

4:- The combination, with the arbor of the minute-hand, of a synchronizing electromag net located adjacent to the same, an arm extending radially from the said arbor, means for adjusting the arm around the arbor, an armature, and means for connecting the armature with said arm and longitudinally adjusting the said armature toward the pole of the electromagnet, said magnet and armature producing the forward or backward movement of the minute-hand to the desired point of time, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the clock-frame provided with a supporting-bracket, of a synchronizing electromagnet attached to the bracket, a plate forming the outer clamping part of the bracket, and provided with bearings for the intermediate transmitting mechanism of the hour-hand, said bracket and plate providing a space between them, and an armature attached to the arbor of the minute-hand and adapted to move through said space, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the seconds-hand cam-faces of said friction-thimble, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in pres- 3o ence of two subscribing witnesses.

SIGISMUN D FISCHER.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. J AEKEL, CARL FABLE.

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