US648487A - Electric clock. - Google Patents

Description

Patented May l, |900.

2 Sheets- Sheet l,v

W. J. IJUDLEY.

` ELECTRIC CLOCK,

(No Model (Applicaeion med Jan. 3o, 1s99.)

(No Model.)

' Patented May I, 1900. W. J. DUDLEY.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

(Application filed Jan.v 30, 1899.)

2 Sheets-'Sheet 2.

UNTTD STATES PATENT "rtree,

W'ALTER J. DUDLEY, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE BANGOR ELECTRIC CLOCK COMPANY, OF BANGOR, MAINE;

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

SPEGFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 648,48*?, dated May 1, 190.

Application filed January 30, 1899. Serial No. 703,913. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- under the control of the circuit-closing lever Be it known that I, WALTER J. DUDLEY, of d, the said circuit-closer being secondarily Somerville, county of Middlesex, and State controlled by the impelling-lever b, as will be vof Massachusetts, have invented an Improvehereinafter described. I 5 ment in Electric Clocks, of which the follow- The impelling-leverhis a straight arm having description, in connection with the acing a lateral projection which supports the companying drawings, is a specification, like weight b3, the said weight thus being supportletters on the drawings representing like ed above the armature c, so that it is adapted parts. v to be directly lifted when the said armature 6o 1o The present invention is embodied in a is attracted, the said weight being shown as clock operating in substantially the same way provided with a cushioned surface b4 to as the clock shown and described in Patent deaden the shock when said weight is en'- No. 447,105, granted to me February 24, 1,891, gaged by the armature and to prevent the and relates mainly to certain novel details of sound or click which would otherwise occur. 65 construction and arrangement whereby the The pendulum-rod c in accordance with the Various parts may be more symmetrically arpresent invention is supported by a frame a2, ranged and are more durable, while certain independent of the frame which supports the other advantages are obtained, as willbe more other working parts of the clock, thus relievfully described hereinafter. ing the said clockwork-frame of the weight 7o zo Figure l is a front elevation of the works of the pendulum, so that the said frame is not of the clock embodying the invention, parts apt to'become strained or out of true, as is being broken away and parts shown in secthe case when the pendulum is supported at tion. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; the front thereof. In order that the said pen- Fig. 3, a sectional view taken on `line w3 of dulum may cooperate with the levers Z2 and ci' 75 Fig. 2; Figs. 4, 5, and 6, views similar to Fig. to perform the functions describedin the prior 1, showing the parts in the different positions patent aboved referred to, said pendulum is assumed in the operation of the clock; Fig. 7, connected through an arm a3 with a rocka similar view to Fig. 2, but taken from the shaft a4, which is supported between the front opposite side of the clock; Fig. 8, a detail of and rear plates A and B of the clockwork- 8o 3o the circuit-breaker with the contact-plug reframe, the said rock-shaft having an arm a5,

moved, and Fig. 9 a detail to be hereinafter provided with a projection a, extending bereferred to. tween the levers l) and d, so as to alternately The principal operating devices comprise engage the same as the pendulum swings. the pendulum and its rod Ct, the impelling- The circuit-closing lever d, which also actu- 3 5 lever b and its detent c, and the circuit-closates the train of clockwork, is shown as proing lever d, all of which operate in substanvided with a weight d3, which tends to move tially the manner shown and described in my it toward the pendulum projection a,the said prior patent above referred to. lever also having a projection d4, arranged to The impelling-lever h and the circuit-closoperate u ponaspring-supported arm g4,which 9o 4o ing lever d are pivoted at b2 and d2 near the carries the contact g2 of the circuit-closer, so point of oscillation of the pendulum, the imthat as the said arm d moves in response to pellinglever being provided with a weight b3, its weight it will tend to keep the circuit open which is arranged to be lifted by the armaand the magnet deenergized. The levers Z9 ture e of the electromagnet e2, which magnet and d cooperate with a detent c, which is 45 is shown as comprising two coils, each proadapted to hold the lever b in such a position vided witha pole-piece cvwhile the armature that the weight b3 is ready to operate upon c is pivoted between the said coils and adaptthe pendulum when released, the said detent ed to move on its pivot when attracted by being shown as provided with an inclined or the electromagnet which is energized by the undercut shoulder c2, adapted to engage a roo 5o current from the battery f, the circuit of projection b5 from the lever b, as shown in which is provided with a circuitcloser g g2 Fig. 1, the said detent being pivoted at c3,

While its under surface normally rests upon the projection b5, the said detent being so weighted that after the said projection reaches the shoulder c2 the detent will drop and the shoulder will engage the projection b5. When, therefore, the magnet is energized, the armature will lift the weight b3 and the arm l) will be caught with the weight thus lifted by the detent c, as shown in Fig. l. The movement of the arm Z) to this position results in the breaking of the circuit, the said arm b having a projection b arranged to engage the arm g1 and move the saine out of contact with the contact-piece g. The operation of the magnet, therefore, is only momentary, but results in leaving the weight b3 supported ready to act upon the pendulum as soon as the arm-h is released. The detent c is shown as provided with a projection c, adapted to be engaged by a projection (Z5, formed on a cross member CZ at the lower end of the lever CZ, the tendency of the weight (Z3, therefore, being to rock the detent cnpon its pivot c3 and to thereby trip the said detent and release the arm Z). The parts are so adjusted, however, that the friction developed by the downward tendency of the weight b3, acting through the projection b5, upon the undercut shoulder c2 is sufficient to overcome the tendency of the weight Z3 to trip the detent c, the tripping being accomplished through the action of the pendulum itself, which in swinging to the right engages the lever b with sufiicient force to move the projection b5 away from the shoulder c2, so that the action of the weight Z3 is no longer resisted and the detent c is lifted. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1 the pendulum is swinging to the right, it being obvious, therefore, that the engagement of the projection a with the lever ZJ will cause the said lever to be tripped, the weight b3 then falling and giving the necessary impulse to the pendulum, which will then swing to the left, as indicated in Fig. t, where the lever is shown as tripped and the weight about to fall. The arm gl1 of the circuit-closer is then released by the projection b and remains under the control of the lever (Z. As the pendulum swings to the left, however, it comes in contact with the said lever CZ, moving the same to the left, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the spring-arm gIl follows the projection (Z4 until contact is made at the circuit-closer, which results in the movement of the armature c, which lifts the weight lf3, at the same time breaking the circuit through the agency of the projection 726, as shown in Fig. 6. The ai mature thus immediately falls from the position shown in Fig. 6 back to its normal position; but the weight b3 is held up through the agency of the detent c, as above described. The pendulum then swings back, the arm (Z following the same until it is stopped and held by the engagement of the projection Z5 with the tail c" of the detent c, said arm remaining in this position until the arm 'b is tripped, as hcreinbefore described. Thclever CZ then continues its movement in response toits weight Z3 far enough to move the actuating-wheel Zt of the clock-train the distance between two of the ratchet-teeth shown as formed along the surface thereof. For this purpose thc said lever (Z is shown as provided with a pawl (Z7, pivoted at Z8 and supported upon a pin CZ", the said pawl projecting toward the ratchetwheel Zt, so as to produce a movement of said ratchet-wheel as the lever (Z swings. In order to control the movement of the lever d, so that the wheel Zt will be moved only the distance between two teeth at each operation, the said lever is provided with a stop (Zw, arranged to engage the periphery of the ratchetwheel 7i at the right time, the said lever then remaining stationary until restored by the action of the pendulum, as described. rllhe wheel is also controlled by the detent-pawl Zz?, which is adapted te prevent the rearward movement thereof. The pinions for the wheel 7L and the detent c and the support for the pawl Zt2 are at the front of the framc-plate A, and the latter are supported between said plate and the supplemental plate Ail, which is separated from said plate by means of studs A3, the pinion b3 of the wheel 7L, however, eX- tending through the plate A and having one of its bearings in the plate B, as shown in Fig."7, so as to actuate the clock-train. The circuit-controlling lever CZ is T-shaped at its lower end, having the cross member CZ", which carries the projections d5, (Z9, and CZ, together with the bearing CZB for the pawl CZ", the parts thus being symmetricallyarranged and properly balanced.

ln the operation of the clocl; the circuit broken at each operation during a very brief interval of time, and the separation of the contacts when properly adj usted is very slight. It is necessary, however, that the operation should be positive, and to this end the movable contact-piece g3, which consists of a light spring, is provided, in accordance with the present invention, with the rigid member (f1, connected thereto at a point near the supporting-bracket g5, to which the said spring is connected. The said rigid member g* is arranged to be engaged by the projections (,Z'i and bf, which operate the circuit-closer, it being obvious, therefore, that the spring g3 will always bend along that part which is between the bracket g and the rigid member g4, so that there can be no failure to break the contact through the tendency of the spring to bend indefinitely throughout its entire length. The contact-pins g2 are connected directly with the spring g3, so as to partake of the rcsiliency of the entire spring when the member g4 is moved to permit the said contactpins to come in contact with the member g, the said spring, however, being maintained in definite relation to the member q4 by means of an engaging projection g, overlying the free end of the spring gf, so that as the said member g1 is moved away from the contact-pieces g the contact-piece (/l will he car- IOC) IIO

ried with it, thus insuring the breaking of the circuit. The member g of the circuitcloser consists of a screw-plug threaded in a socket Q7, so as to be adjustable with relation to the other member of the circuit-closer, the said socket being made slightly smaller than the said plug and split, (see Figs. 2 and 8,) so as to afford an elastic bearing therefor, so

that the plug will be held in its adjusted po-y sition without the use of lock-nuts or similar devices. As best shown in Fig. l, the said socket, projecting beyond the plug, su rrou nds and protects the contact-surfaces from dust and dirt, which would otherwise be likely to settle thereon, with the tendency to form an insulating` coating.

A further feature of the invention consists in so arranging the armature and impellinglever that the former when attracted by the magnets will move a considerable distance before engaging the impelling-lever, thus acquiring a certain momentum, which renders the action more positive than when the attraction of the magnet acts directly upon the weighted impelling-lever at the beginning, as is the case in the construction shown in the prior patent above referred to, wherein the impelling-lever is shown as supported by the armature when free from the detent.

As herein shown, the impelling-lever when released bythe detent c brings up against the spindle D,which carries the clock-hands, (not herein shown,) the armature e therefore being free to move to the position shown in Fig. 5 and being entirely out of engagement with the weight b3, so as to move some distance before it comes in contact with the said weight to lift the same. The said armature when released by the magnet is prevented from moving too far away from the pole-piece e3 by its engagement with one of the posts t', which support the plate i2, between which and the plate A are supported the said armature e and the levers b and d.

To prevent the adhesion of the engaging parts, which has been found a source of trouble in clocks of this kind, the said, parts are protected, in accordance with the present invention, by a covering of organic substance, such as paper, the levers b and d being shown as provided With coatings Z220 and d20, of paper or similarsubstance, where they are engaged by the projection a6, the said projection having a similar covering ctw, which may be a sleeve, which can be conveniently made of ivory or some other organic substance. `In the same way the arm g4 is provided with a covering Q40 where it is engaged by the projections d4 and 196, and the said projections may be provided with coverings likethat of th'e projection CLG. The tail c of the detente is provided with a covering 040 and the projection b5 with a covering 650, it having been found that this construction throughout entirely obviates the tendency of the parts to adhere, while the said coverings are sufficien tlydurable to be practically indestructible. In order to afford a good supportingsurface for the paper, the levers l) and d and the tail of the detent c are shown as provided with offset tongues to which the paper is stuck. (See Fig. 9.)

The frame-pieces A and B, which support the electromagnet and the clock-train, are connected together by posts C, the rear plate B being secured to posts or projections d20 from the supporting-frame ad, the said plate B having slots B2, Fig. 3, along its under edge, so that to remove the said frame it is only necessary to take out the upper screw and loosen the two lower ones, after which the clockframe can be slipped off the supporting-frame in case it is desired to remove the same for repairs or otherwise.

I claim-d l. In an electric clock of the kind described, a clockwork-frame for the operating mechanism comprising front and rear plates, a supplemental frame or support having three posts or projections arranged triangularly, a hole in the rear plate of the clockwork-frame to receive a screw extending into the post at the apex of the triangle, and slots in the lower edge of said plate to receive screws extending into the posts at the base of the triangle; and a pendulum supported wholly by said supplemental frame and being connected with a movable member supported in the clockwork-frame, as set forth.

2. The combination with the pendulum, of an impelling-lever therefor, a circuit-closing lever cooperating with said pendulum, a projection-carried by said pendulum adapted to engage said levers respectively, a coating or covering of organic substance, as paper, for the parts of said 'levers which come in engagement with said projection, and a covering for said projection, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the impelling-lever and its detent, of the circuit-closing lever adapted to engage said detent, a covering or coating of organic substance, as paper, for said detent where it is engaged by said circuit-closing lever, a circuit-closing contact member adapted to be engaged by said lever, and a similar coating for said contact member where it is engaged by said lever, substantially as described.

4. In an electric clock, the combination with the pendulum, its impelling device, and the mechanism cooperating therewith, of coatings of organic substance, as paper, for those parts of the various devices which engage each other in the operation of the clock, substantially as described.

5. In an electric clock, the combination with the pendulum, of an impelling device therefor consisting of a weighted arm, a detent.

adapted to support said arm prior to its operation on the pendulum, a stop to support said arm after its operation, au electromagnet, and an armature for said magnet normally out of engagement with said impclling IOO IIO

fi eee/ler device and at some distance therefrom but adapted to move toward and engage the same when the magnet is energized, the said parts not coming into engagement until the said armature has acquired momentum, substantially as described.

6. In an electric clock, the combination with the electromagnet, of a circuit-closer to control the same, the said circuit-closer comprising the adjustable plug g, the inclined split socket Q7, the movable Contact g3, and the projection g2 extending into said socket to engage said plug, substantiallg7 as described.

'.7. ln an electric clock, the combination with the electromagnet, of a circuit-closer to control the same, the said eircuit-closer comprising a spring g3 secured at one end to a suit- W'ALTER J. DUDLEY.

Witnesses:

HENRY J. Lrvnmronm NANCY P. Form.

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