US904128A - Electric clock. - Google Patents

Description

R. D. HIGKOK.

ELECTRIC GLOGK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, 27, 1908.

90%128. Patented Nov. 1?. 1908.

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ROBERT D. HIGKOK, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

Emerald cLocK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1903.

Application filed March 27, 1908. Serial No. 423,678.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT D. HrcKoK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric clocks in which impulses are given to the pendulum by means of electro magnets which are periodically energized, and the object of the invention is to form an improved mechanism for closing the circuit and actuating the electro magnets when the pendulum vibrations fall to a predetermined minimum. The advantage of this type of apparatus is that the current is only used when it becomes necessary, to continue the vibrations of the pendulum; 1

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation showing the circuit closing devices in one position. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the said devices in different position. Fig. 3 is a detail in side or edge view of the parts. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44, looking down. Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged details showing a pendant and a pin which is caught thereby at the minimum vibration.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 0 indicates the pendulum rod with a slot N into which a pin M projects from the lower bar' of a frame P the upper ends of which are connected to the armature V which is pivoted at o to vibrate between the poles X and N of the electro magnets m and to. One

side or arm of the frame P has secured there to, on its inner edge, a flat spring D, attached by a screw Q. An adjustable screw E passes through the frame and presses against the inner or rear side of the spring. At the lower end the spring carries a block with a forwardly projecting pin C; and the screw E may be adjusted to movethe spring, and consequently the pin, to the right or left, to bring the clock in beat.

G indicates a circular bridge or hearing support in whichis mounted for vibration an arbor T which carries an arm F which stops against a shoulder f on the bridge, and which causes its position at rest to be as shown in Fig. 1. From the arm F is suspended, by a pivot a, aninverted V-shaped pendant A. This is pivoted at the top, at

the angle, and the two arms balance each from the arm F, and is conveniently'fixed.

to the arm and the arbor by screws k. The

arbor byla strip of mica k thereunder andof the circuit terminates'in a screw J pr plate S of the movement.

the connection at the pin M, and the pin C swings with the frame. The parts are so ar: ranged that the pin will strike the V-shaped piece Has the parts vibrate. On the vibra tion from left to right the pin will strike erly positioned to receive the contact of t e outer end of the spring H.- All of the arts described are suitably supported on the ack In operation, the pendulum rod 0 and the frame P oscillate together, by reason of spring H is insulated from the arm and the.

and lift said piece and will pass under and beyond the same, and on the return beat,

from right to left will again strike the inolined side of said piece and swing the same down and pass thereover. The spring H is" normally out of contact with the screw J, and consequently no current is transmitted. When the pendulum reaches the predetermined point of minimum vibration the pin C lifting the same, and said piece will immediately drop, engaging the pin in the groove or V-shaped recess on the under side thereof, The pendulum then starts to swing to'the' left carrying with it the piece B angLthe pendant A until their paths diverge, and in consequence of the shorter radius of the pendant A the effect is to lift said pendant, and the arm F, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby turnin the arbor T to an extent sufiicient to press t%e spring H a ainst the contact point will not pass the piece B, but at the end of the beat will stop directly thereunder, after.

, whereby the circuit is closed and the imby insulating bushings around the screws. The wire L forming one side of the circuit to the electro magnets is connected tofsaid. spring H, and the wire K on the other side pulse is imparted to the armature by means 1 .minimum at which point the engagement between the pin and the pendant is effected in the manner above described and the circuit is thereupon closed. The pin 0, being car- .ried by the spring D, allows it to be adjusted to the right or' left, thus allowing the clock to be put exactly in beat. The use of the sprin 1) also prevents the breakage of the pin if at any time said pin should catch upon said piece B when the pendulum is travelin to the right. It is evident that if the pin were rig-idly held and should catch as stated, either the pin or the pivot of the pendant A would receive the full momentum of the pendulum and would therefore be broken.

A minimum amount of power is required to operate the device for the following reasons: first, because the only parts of the device in motion-when not making contactare the pendant A and the pin C, and said pendant being made of aluminum or other light metal and delicately balanced, with jeweled pivots if desired, a minimum amount of power is required to operate it;

-second, because at those vibrations at which 7 contact is made the power required to lift the arm F- and swing the spring H down to contact is in fact only that needed to overcome the friction of the pivots and the inertia of the parts, for the arm F is lifted to its highest position during the first half of the motion of the pendulum to the left, and returns to its original position during the last half of the motion to the left, and

as it returns to its original position it necessarily gives its weight to the pendulum; or in other words,.the. power re uired to lift the arm F during the first ha f of the motion to the left is returned to the pendu- 111m during the last half of the motion to the left. The engagement between the pin and the ooved piece, when the pendulum reaches t e minimum beat, is quite certain, because they are presented to or toward each other in horizontal position and because of the wide place of engagement thus pro- ,vided, slight variation in the plane of oscillation is not apt to cause them to miss engagement and thus fail to close the circuit.

I claim: 1. In an electric clock, the combination with the pendulum rod, of an armature frame which is connected thereto and swings therewith, an adjustable spring carried by the armature frame and having a projection,-

and means actuated by said projection to minimum swing. of the pendulum.

2. Inan electric clock, the combination of close the clock circuit at a predetermined I a pivoted arm, a circuit closing contact spring carried thereby, a pendant hanging from the arm, and means actuated by the pendulum-of the clock on minimum swing thereof to engage and'lift the pendant and turn the arm circuit. 3. In an electric clock the combination with a swinging pendant having a horizontal piece projectin therefrom with a groove inand the spring to close the its under side, of a frame vibrating with the v pendulum and having a horizontal pin arranged to strike said piece and swing-the pendant as the pendulum vibrats, and constructed to engage 111 said groove on 1111111 mum vibration, andimeans actuated by the in will strike the piece and dant, when the pin is so engaged, to close the clock circuit. Y

5. In an electric clock the combination of a pivoted arm arranged to swing vertically v and having a projecting contact spring, a pendant consisting of an inverted V-shaped piece pivoted at' its-apex to the free end of the arm, and having a horizontal grooved piece projecting laterally from one branch thereof, a swinging frame oscillating with the pendulum, and a pin projecting from the frame and arranged to strike and swing the pendant and to engage in the said groove on minimum oscillation of the frame.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT D.-HICKOK. Witnesses:

.- E. F. CH'ILDRnss,

JAMES E. WARREN.

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