US717606A - Stop-watch. - Google Patents

Description

No. 717,606. PATENTED JAN. 6, 19031-2 0.' P. OSTERGREN. STOP WATCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 28, 1901.

No MODEL.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

OTTO F. OSTERGREN, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN RUTHERFOORD, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

STOP-WATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters :Patent No. 717,606, dated January 6, 1903.

Application filed August 28, 1901. Serial No. 73,553. (No model.)

To @ZZ wtom t may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO F. OSTERGREN, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Richmond, county of Henrico, and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Timers, of which the following is a specification.

The timer which constitutes the subjectinatter of the present invention has been more particularly designed as a pulse-timer, but it may be used for other purposes. For convenience, however, and for the sake of brevity the device will hereinafter be designated as a pulse-timer.

The object of the present invention is to make a small timepiece which can be readily carried in the pocket and which when wound up will run for a definite prescribed period of time and will then come to a stop, at the same time giving an audible indication of the lapse of the prescribed time period. If,for example, the device is used asa pulse-timer it will preferably be organizedV so as to run for just one minute, coming to a stop and'making an audible indication at the end of the minute, so that a physician in taking the pulse of a patient may count it in the dark, if necessary, and need not look at the timer, since it will give its own aural signal at the end of the minute. The improved pulse-timer is also so organized that it is wound up at each time of use. The inward pressure of the linger upon a suitable projecting stem or plunger winds up the motor-spring with which the timer is provided, and then on releasing the pressure of the nger the time-movement starts in operation and continues to run for just one minute or other prescribed definite length of time.

One embodiment of the present invention is shown in the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of the pulse-timer. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the movement. Fig. 3 is a View of the movement with the rear plate removed, the casing being in section. Fig. 4 is a sectional viewof the movement along the irregular dotted linein Fig. 3. Figs. 2, 3, and

4 are on a greatly-exaggerated scale.

The movement may be inclosed in anysuitable casing similar to that of an ordinary watch, with the exception that it is provided with suitable starting mechanism, consisting '.composed.

in the illustrated case of an outwardly-projecting plunger A. This plunger extends through the watch-rim and ls maintained in and restored to its outer position by means of a spring a. (Shown in Fig.

The timer has a suitable dial, preferably graduated so as to indicate seconds and preferably arranged so that a complete rotation of theindex or hand b will indicate just one minute.

The movement itself is mounted in and carried by two parallel plates c and cl, suitably connected and spaced by distancaposts in the manner common to watch-movements. Between these two plates are mounted all of the operative parts with the exception of the motor-spring B, the index b, and the cam P. The motor-spring Bis secured to the exterior of the rear plate cl and is held in place thereon by means of two projecting clips e, which are bent up out of the metal of which the plate dis The free end of this motor-spring B presses againsta pin C, which is secured to a lever D, pivoted atf between the two plates c CZ. This projecting pin C extends outwardly through a curved slot g in the rear plate d, this slot being concentric with the pivot f, whereby the swing of the lever D through the necessary arc is permitted. The motorspring normally holds the lever D in the p0- sition shown in Fig. 3, said lever atthis time abutting against post h. As shown in Fig. 3, a nose t' 0n the lever CZ is then directly in the path of the plunger A. When the plunger A is thrust inwardly bythe pressure of the finger on its outer end, it comes in contact with said nose t', whereby the lever D is swung in the direction of the arrow 10 until said lever abuts against a stopj. This movement of the lever D increases the tension of the motor-spring B, thus winding it up. On removing the finger from the plunger A said plunger is thrust outwardly by its spring ct, and the motor-spring B therupeon moves the lever D back again.

Thev lever D has on its free end a curved rack E, which is adapted to meshwith a pinion F, fixed to the same arbor l which carries the index'b. Fixed to this same arbor Z is a ratchetwheelk, which is connected by a spring-pawl m with a pinion G, which is loose on the arbor Z. Consequently when the leverD swings backward in the direction of the arrow l0 the arborZ is rotated, thus rotating the index-hand backward one complete revolution, but during this movement the pawl slips on the ratchet 7c, and' consequently the pinion G is not roi-ated. During, however, the forward swing of the leverD under theimpulse of the motor-spring B the ratchet and pawl engage and the pinion G is rotated. v

The extent of mesh between the rack E and pinion F is such that the arbor Z will be rotated just one revolution during the complete forward swing of the lever D.

The rotation of the arbor Z under the stress of the motor-spring is regulated so as to consume just one minute of time by means of 'the escapement mechanism shown. The pinion G meshes with a small pinion I-I, fast on an arbor n, which also has fast to it a larger pinion I, which in turn meshes with a small pinion J on an arbor 0. This arbor 0 carries the escapement-wheel K, which is engaged by the pallets Il. These pallets are fixed to an oscillating or pendulous lever M, pivoted at p, and this lever has on its upper end a curved rack N, which meshes with the pinion O of a balance-wheel on arbor q. This escapetrain insures the consumption of just one minute during the advance of the lever D under the stress of the motor-spring.

It will be observed on an inspection of Fig. 3 that when the movement is in the illustrated state of rest, the rack E on the lever D does not mesh with the pinion F. The effect of this construction is that at the expiration of the period of one minute (during which the movement has been running) the rack E becomes automatically disengaged from the pinion F, and it then gives a sudden jump forward under the stress of the motor-spring, and hence the lever D strikes the post h with a sharp click, thus giving a distinctly audible indication of the completion of the duration of the period of time during which the movement runs.

In order that the swinging rack E may properly engage with and be disengaged from pinion F, so as not to disturb the accuracy of the movement of said pinion, I have found it desirable to give the arbor Z, upon which said arbor F is mounted, a slight lateral play in its bearings. As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the aperture s in the lower plate CZ, which constitutes one of the bearings for the arbor Z, is elongated, (this elongation being purposely exaggerated so as to be distinctly shown,) and the corresponding aperture in the plate c is somewhat tapered, as indicated in Fig. 4. When the movement is running, the tension of the spring B holds the arbor Z at one end of said slot, and when the minutes period has been completed the said arbor is moved backwardly in said slot to the other end thereof. This is effected in the construction shown At this period of the operation the butt of the index runs up on this incline P, thus shifting the position of the arbor Z, so that there is a sufficient compensation in the position of the pinion F to permit the engagement and disengagement of the rack E without disturbing the accuracy of the rotation of the arbor Z.

To secure accuracy, two means of adjustment are shown. The stopj is eccentrically carried by a screw-head, so that by turning said head the position of said stud relatively to the lever D can be regulated, thereby adjusting the extent of swing of said lever. Also the arbor q of the balance-wheel is shown mounted in a clip r, formed of the metal of the back plate d, and by bending this clip slightly to and from the rack N on the pendulum-lever M .the efficacy of the balancewheel can be varied. Thus the time-movement can be accurately adjusted.

I claim as my invention- 1. A time-movement comprising an arbor with a pinion thereon, in combination with-a swinging rack adapted to engage and disengage said pinion, said rack swinging between two fixed abutments, a motor-spring for moving said rack forward, and manually-controlled means for moving said rack backward, said rack being freed from said pinion before it reaches its forward limit of motion,whereby it has a quick movement under the infiuence of its motor-spring after ceasing to coperate with the time-movement, so that it strikes a sharpl blow upon the forward limiting-abutment, thereby giving an audible indication of the cessation of the operation of the timemovement.

2. A time-movement adapted to run for a definite period of time, in combination with a motor spring for driving said movement, manuallycontrolled means for simultaneously winding up said spring-and bringing said movement into starting position, and means for giving an audible indication upon the completion of the predetermined period of time and upon the stoppage of the movement.

3. A time-movement comprising an arbor with a pinion thereon, said arbor and pinion having a lateral play, in combination with a swinging rack adapted to engage and disengage said pinion, a motor-spring for moving said rack forward,manually-controlled means for moving said rack backward, said rack being freed from said pinion before it reaches its forward limit of motion, and means for giving said arbor and pinion a lateral movement as said rack becomes disengaged therefrom.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OTTO F. OSTERGREN.

Witnesses:

JULIUs STRAUS, MANN C. EICHEL.

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