US905816A - Clock. - Google Patents

Description

A. L. HAHL.

CLOCK. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1903.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

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APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2 ,1903.

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A. HAHL.

GLOGK. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.26,1903.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFF? AUGUSTUS L. HAHL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HAHL AUTOMATIC CLOCK COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

Application filed September 26, 1903. Serial No. 17 5773.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, rinensrus L. Henri, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Clocks, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates in general to clocks, and more particularly to lever clocks.

The primary object of my invention is to pr vide a clock having absolutely uniform motive power and which while comparatively simple in construction will be of permanently high time keeping etliciency under all conditions.

A further object of my invention is to provide a clock the motor springs of which will be automatically electrically wound at frequent intervals so that the springs will uncoil only a fraction of a revolution and their adjacent convolutions consequently need never touch thereby avoiding all friction in the springs and permitting lighter springs to be used.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an electric self-winding clock in which the work of closing the contacts will be done mainly by the armature of the winding magnets, thereby relieving the movement of all work except that of tripping one of the contacts which is done by such an extended leverage as to exert practically no resistance upon the clock movement.

My invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the same is illustrated as embodied in a convenient and practical form, and in which Figure l is a central elevation view; Fig. 2 a plan view; Fig. 3 a detail elevational view; Fig. 4 a detail plan view of the winding mechanism, the parts being shown in the positions they assume when the magnets are energized; Fig. 5 a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the parts in the positions they occupy when the magnet is deenergized; Figs. 6, 7, and 8 detail views of the circuitmaking and breaking mechanism; Fig. 9 a plan view of the circuit-controlling disk; Fig. 10 a sectional view on line 10l0, Fig. 9; Fig. 11 a detail view of the mechanism for alternately winding the motor springs; Fig. 12 a fragmentary elevational view of the upper end of the magnet and the circuitcontrolling contacts; Fig. 13 an enlarged detail view of the circuit-controlling contacts; Fig. 1a a detail elevational view of that part of the clock movement which controls the contacts; and Fig. 15 an enlarged sectional view through one of the motor springs and the adjacent parts.

Similar reference characters are used to designate similar parts in the several figures of the drawings.

A indicates a vertical supporting plate to which is secured the face B of the clock.

6 designates the dial upon the face of the clock, while Z) indicates an outwardly flaring flange which supports within its periphery the glass 13.

A designates a laterally projecting bracket upon which is supported the winding mag net.

A designates a horizontal laterally projecting plate supported upon the upper end of the vertical plate A.

A designates a second horizontal plate located above the plate A and supported by means of posts a and a interposed between and suitably secured to the plates A and A C designates the minute hand shaft which is journaled in brackets a and a supported by and depending below the plate A The minute hand shaft extends through a bearing in the upper end of the vertical plate A and projects through the face 13 and dial 6.

c designates the minute hand secured to the outer end of the minute hand shaft.

0 designates the hour hand which is suitably secured to a sleeve C surrounding the minute hand shaft and connected thereto with the usual 12 to 1 speed reducing gearing C.

D and D indicate twin main wheel staves which are located vertically and have reduced lower ends extending through bearings in the plate A and supported at their lower points upon plates secured to and located beneath the plate A, as clearly shown in Fig. l.

6 and c designate the main Wheels which are rigidly secured near the upper ends of the staves D and D E and E designate twin main springs mounted above the main wheels (2 and c and rigidly secured thereto at their outer ends by any suitable means, such for instance as a hook (i as shown in Fig. 15. The inner ends of the main springs are rigidly secured to a drum F mounted axially above the corresponding main wheel staff D or D see Fig. 15, and surrounding a pin f which extends through and is rigidly secured to the top supporting plate A The lower end of each pin f is enlarged and provided with a recess into which extends the reduced upper end of the corresponding main wheel staff D or D concentrically surrounding and rigidly secured to the sleeve F located above the staff D, is a disk G having two lugs g projecting radially from the periphery thereof and located at diametrical points. Located above the disk G is a ratchet wheel or pinion H also rigidly fixed to the sleeve F. The teeth It located around the periphery of the ratchet wheel H are divided into two series, such series being separated by radially shorter inclined teeth /L located at diametrically opposite points on the periphery of the ratchet wheel. Located above the ratchet wheel H is a disk K also surrounding and fixed to the sleeve F. The disk K is provided with two radial teeth 7a, is, located at diametrical points on its periphery as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The sleeve F superimposed above the staff D is provided with similar disks and gear wheels G H and 1 the disk G being provided with diametrically arranged lugs 9 while the gear wheel H is provided with two series of teeth 72, separated by diametrically short inclined teeth h, h. The disk K is also similar to the disk K in that it is provided with diametrically located inclined teeth L 6 The main wheel staff D is provided with a bevel gear (l which meshes with a large bevel gear 0 rigidly secured to the minute wheel shafts C. Interposed between the main wheel staves D and D is a vertical stafl D having reduced upper and lower ends extending through hearings in the plates A and A respectively, the lower reduced end being supported upon a plate located beneath the plate A as clearly shown in 1. Fixed to the staff D is a pinion c in mesh with the main wheels 6 and c and lo cated in alinement with their centers. The staff D connects the main spring with the escaping mechanism by means of a wheel f which meshes with a pinion n on the escape ment shaft wheel a.

N designates the escape wheel which 00- operates with an anchor M fixed to the anchor stafi m.

Z designates the balance staff which is operatively connected to the anchor staff by any usual means.

L designates the hair spring which is located in a horizontal plane and is as usual secured at its inner end to the balance staff and at its outer end to a fixed point Z.

P designates a shaft journaled above the plate A and projecting at its outer end through the face of the clock where it is squared to receive a key.

p is a worm upon the shaft P which meshes with a segment P which is provided with the usual means 9 for engaging the hair spring to regulate the clock.

Mounted upon the bracket A is the magnet comprising spools R and R R designates the armature which is rigidly secured to the upper end of the vertical shaft R the latter being rotatably mounted by means of its lower end being reduced and extending through the yoke of the magnet and resting on the upper surface of the bracket A. The upper end of the shaft R is journaled in a bracket 1 which projects upwardly from the yoke and is bent laterally at its upper end where it supports the shaft R Rigidly carried by the armature is an angular bracket V the opposite end I) of which is rigidly secured to the armature. Upon the bracket V is j ournaled a rod V in suitable ears 4/ and a respectively. Rigidly secured to the outer end of the rod V is a curved bar 1V carrying segmental rack bars TV and These rack bars are pivoted upon horizontally projecting pins 10 and w respectively, rigidly fixed to the bar W. A linger w projects from one end of the bar V and extends beneath the segmental rack TV, while a pin w projects from the bar TV beneath the segmental rack as clearly shown in Figs. l and 5. Each of the segmental racks WV and l 72 is provided with a series of short teeth w and w respectively equal in number to each series of teeth 72, and 72 on the ratchet wheels I and H Each of the segmental racks is provided at its free end with a long tooth w and 108 adapted to engage the short inclined teeth It on the respective ratchet wheels H and H Each segmental rack is provided with a shoulder to and 10 adjacent to its pivotal point of connection with the bar 1V and located in a higher plane than the teeth on such rack bar and thereby adapted to cooperate with the lugs and k located at diametrical points on the peripheries of the disks K and K In order that the twin main springs maybe wound alternately one at each energization of the magnet, the rack bar V is adapted to be tilted so as to elevate one of the segmental rack bars above the plane of the cooperating ratchet wheel and disks, while the other segmental rack is in position to engage the teeth on the cotiperating ratchet wheel and disks. The means for oscillating the bar N consist in a transverse pin (Z extending through and projecting at the opposite sides of the main wheel staff D which engages e inclined surface 00 see Fig. 11, on the under side of a lever X, the latter being pivotally supported at one enc, ac, upon a post X, while its other end is provided with an upwardly projecting pin a: which engages the under surface of the tail piece to pro jecting from the bar W.

I provide the following mechanism for intermittently closing the circuit through the nagnet to energize the same and thereby rock the armature and through the segmental rack bars carried thereby alternately wind the main springs. An angular bracket S is rigidly supported above the armature y any suitable means, such for instance as a stud s secured to the upper surface of the inturned end of the bracket 1. One arm of the angular bracket S serves as a bearing for the upper end of the staff S, the lower end of which is journaled upon the bracket a rigidly secured to the bracket r, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Fixed upon the staff S is a disk S see Figs. 12 and 14:, provided with four radially projecting fingers 8 located 90- apart, those 180 apart being in the same horizontal plane and in a different horizontal plane from the other diametrical pair. Fixed upon the staff S immediately below the disk S is a raachet wheel S provided with four teeth .9 such teeth being 90 and projecting radially at points intermediate of the adjacent fingers 8 as clearly shown in Figs. 6 to 8.

Rigidly secured to the inner edge of the armature is a horizontally projecting finger R carrying in its outer end a curved flange located in the same horizontal plane as are the teeth 8 on the ratchet wheel Extending through the main wheel stafi :the upper end thereof is a cam disk T comprising four inclined sectors T, T T and T", as clearly indicated in Figs. 9 and 10. lnterposed between the adjacent edges of the several sectors are raised portions t, F, t and 5 terminating a distance radially within the periphery of the cam disk T. Carried by the outer arm of the angular bracket at the end thereof are two spring fingers U and U which extend into contact with the upper surface of the cam disk T, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 to The finger U occupies a position above the cam disk sulficiently near the center thereof to be engaged by the raised portions 25, 25 t and i as the cam disk revolves, while the spring finger U occupies a position above the cam disk radially beyond said raised portions. The finger U has rigidly secured to the upper surface thereof a contact a, preferably formed of platinum and provided with a vertical groove, as clearly shown in Fig. 13. The spring finger U has fixed to its upper surface and insulated therefrom a second contact if provided with a horizontally V- shaped groove at the bottom of which an opening is provided. The contact a engages within the .i-shaped groove in the contact a with its vertical rib projecting at its lower end into the opening at the bottom of the "v -shaped groove. One of the conductors extending to a battery or other source of electricity and connecting with the coils of the magnet spools is connected to the spring finger 1), while the lead extending from the opposite pole of the battery is connected to the contact if, so that as the contacts a and a are engaged or disengaged, the circuit through the magnet is made or broken.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The tension of the twin motor springs E and E is applied through the gear wheels 0 and c and the meshed pinion e to the main wheel staves D and D and thence through the beveled gear wheels d and c to the minute hand shaft C and from such shaft to the hour hand 0 through the interposed speed reducing mechanism C and sleeve C The tension of the twin motor springs is also exerted through the wheel f fixed upon the staff 1) and the pinion it upon the escapement shaft 11 to the escape wheel N, the movement of which is controlled by the anchor M, the oscillation of which in turn is governed by the hair spring L and the balance 0 which are connected to the anchor through the ordinary connecting means between the balance shaft Z and the anchor, as clearly shown in Fig.

The main springs are normally only under such tension that their adjacent convo lutions do not touch and are kept under such tension by the frequent winding thereof due to the energization of the winding magnet which is effected at predetermined intervals by means of the circuit therethrough being closed by the movement. By referring to Fig. 6 it will be seen that the pin (Z upon the main wheel staff D is in engagement with one of the radial fingers s of the disk S which in turn is fixed upon the staff S upon which is also fixed the cam disk T. It will be seen that in Fig. 6 the spring finger U has fallen from the edge of the inl 1 wheel and disk fixed upon such sleeve. The

clined cam surface T while the spring finger U is held upwardly at its lower end by means of the raised portion 2?, consequently the circuit is broken as the contact a carried by the spring finger U is held above the V-shaped contact a mounted upon the spring finger U The rotation of the main wheel staff D rotates the staff S and with it the cam disk T to the position shown in Fig. 7, through the engagement between the pin (Z and the finger 8 The movement of the cam disk T to the position shown in Fig. 7 permits the spring finger U to fall from the raised portion t so that the contact u engages the contact 10 thereby closing the circuit through the magnet and causing the same to oscillate the armature R to the position shown in Fig. 8. The movement of the armature from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 8 rotates the staff S through the engagement of the flange carried by the armature with the adjacent tooth s on the disk S rigidly fixed upon the staff S, thereby partially rotating the cam disk T. During such movement of the cam disk T by the armature the contacts u and a are kept tightly pressed together by reason of the engagement of the lower ends of the spring fingers U and U with the cam surface T the inclination of the cam surface being such that the spring finger U is lifted upwardly more than the spring finger U, thereby causing the V-shaped contact a to slightly lift upwardly the contact a. Upon the completion of the rotation of the staff S by the armature, the spring finger U falls from the edge of the cam surface T thereby breaking the circuit by permitting the contact 14 to drop out of engagement with the contact a, the latter being retained in an elevated position by reason of the spring finger U being supported by the raised portion 6" of the cam disk T. Upon the breaking of the circuit through the magnet, the spring r instantly swings the armature R to the position shown in Fig. 6, through the medium of the shaft R to the upper end of which the armature is secured. continues broken until the staff D is rotated 90, whereupon the next pin (Z* engages the corresponding finger s and rotates the cam disk the slight distance necessary to permit the spring finger U to fall from the raised portion T thereupon again closing the circuit through the magnet.

When the magnet is energized and the armature oscillated the curved bar W carried by the armature through the interposed rod V journaled upon the bracket V which is connected at o to the armature, causes one of the segmental rack bars TV or to rotate the corresponding sleeve above the main wheel staff D or I) through engagement The circuit through the magnet with the teeth and projections on the ratchet ratchet segment which is efiective at each energization of the magnet, is determined by the position of the pin (Z on the main wheel stafi D with respect to the oscillating lever K, see in particular Figs. 1 and 11. VV hen the pin (Z occupies the position shown in Fig. 11, the lever X occupies its lower position as does also the bar which is swung downwardly by gravity into contact with the reduced upwardly extending end 00 of the lever X. The segmental rack W is then in the position shown in Fig. 5 and in the same horizontal plane as the ratchet wheel H while the segmental rack WV occupies an elevated position above the plane of the ratchet wheel H and disk K. lVith the parts in the position shown in Fig. 5 an energization of the magnet moves the parts to the position shown in Fig. 4. During such movement the front long tooth 'w on the segmental rack \V engages the short inclined tooth it on the ratchet wheel H and partially rotates such ratchet wheel, bringing the adjacent ratchet tooth 7L into position to be engaged by the first one of the short teeth to on the segmental rack The teeth to engage in succession the teeth 7L and rotate the ratchet wheel H until the projection L on the disk K which is fixed upon the sleeve F, is brought into position to be engaged by the shoulder 10 which coinpletes the rotation of the sleeve F through 180, and brings one of the lugs g on the disk G into position to be engaged by the pawl 9 see Fig. 2, which retains the sleeve F in the position to which it has been ro tated and maintains the main spring E under the tension which has been imparted to it. hen the circuit through the magnet is broken and the armature is swung by the spring r from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5, the short teeth to on the segmental rack do not engage the teeth on the ratchet wheel H as the short tooth'h then occupies a position opposite to the segmental bar. YVhen the long tooth 10 reaches the inclined tooth 7L it is elevated thereby and falls behind the same to the position shown in Fig. 5, such elevation of the tooth w being permitted by the pivotal connection between the segmental rack V and the rack bar V. It will be therefore noticed that upon the return movement of the segmental rack no frictional engagement occurs between the same and the ratchet wheel H except that due to the engagement between the long tooth 'w and short tooth 71 After the operation above described the rotation of the main wheel staff '1) elevates the lever X through the engagement of the pin (F with the cam m see Fig. 11, thereby swinging upwardly the bar W about its point of pivotal connection upon the bracket V and elevates the segmental rack above the horizontal plane of the ratchet wheel H and disk Y and permits the segmental rack W to be lowered into the same horizontal plane as the cooperating ratchet wheel H and disk K. The next energize.- tion of the magnet consequently rotates the sleeve F above the main wheel stall D and thereby winds the main spring E through the engagement of the teeth on the rack bar lV with the teeth on the ratchet wheel H and through the engagement of the shoulder to with one of the lugs on the disk K.

The operation of the segmental rack W in rotating the sleeve above the staff D is in all respects similar to the operation above described in connection with the segmental rack and its cooperation with the ratchet wheel and disk in rotating the sleeve F above the wheel staff D The tension imparted to the main spring E is retained and the parts held in the positions to which they are rotated by means of the pawl g see Fig. 2, engaging one of the lugs g on the disk G.

The continued rotation of the staff D through 180 disengages the pin d from the lever X, permitting the latter to fall and the bar W to be oscillated in position to lower the segmental rack VP in position to again wind the spring E It is thus evident that the twin main springs are alternately wound and maintained under uniform tension which permits batteries of less voltage to be employed than would be necessary if both of the springs were wound simultaneously. I, however, contemplate winding both springs simultaneously at each energization of the magnet where the size of the battery employed is not of importance.

By means of the improved contacts 2/. and 71 shown in detail in Fig. 13, the engaged surfaces are always kept free from dustand in a condition to efiect a good electrical connection, the particles of foreign matter being scraped by the contact u from. the en gaged surfaces and permitted to fall through the opening at the bottom of the Vshaped contact 20 Three points of contact exist between the contact a and a namely be tween the edges of the contact a, at either side of the rib and the bottom of the V- shaped contact a and between the rib and the adjacent wall of the contact if, as clearly shown in Fig. 13.

By the means which I employ for controlling the circuit through the magnet a minimum amount of work is imposed upon the clock movement owing to the movement of the armature maintaining the contacts in engagement through the cam disk T and spring fingers U and U it only being necessary for the movement to rotate the staff S, and with it the cam disk T, the distance indicated by Figs. 6 and '7, and such rotation of the stall S is effected by a multiplied leverage due to the fingers s projecting radially upon the stall S a much greater distance than do the pins d and (Z project radially from the main wheel staff D.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that I have invented an improved mechanism for electrically winding a clock in which the work of controlling the circuit through the motor magnet is mainly performed by the magnet itself and only a minimum of resistance imposed upon the clock movement.

While I have described more or less precisely the details of construction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form, the proportion of parts, and the substitution of equivalents, as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a self-winding clock, the combination with a main wheel staff, of a main spring operatively connected at one end to the main wheel, a ratchet wheel to which the opposite end of the main spring is secured, a rack bar cooperating with said ratchet wheel, and means for automatically actuating said rack bar at predetermined intervals, and means for disengaging the rack bar from the ratchet wheel at the end of the stroke of the rack bar.

2. In a self-winding clock, the combination with a main wheel staff, of a main spring operatively connected at one end to the main wheel, a ratchet wheel to which the opposite end of the main spring is secured, a rack bar cooperating with said ratchet wheel, an electro-magnet the armature of which is connected to said rack bar, and means for energizing said magnet at predetermined intervals thereby actuating said rack bar and winding said spring, and means for disengaging the rack bar from the ratchet wheel at the end of the stroke of the rack bar.

3. In a self-winding clock, the combination with a plurality of main wheel staves, a main spring operatively connected at one end to each main wheel, a ratchet wheel located in axial alinement with each main wheel staff to which the opposite end of the corresponding main spring is secured, a rack bar cooperating with each ratchet wheel, and means for automatically actuating said rack bars at predetermined intervals.

In a self-winding clock, the combination with a plurality of main wheel staves, of a main spring operatively connected at one end to each main wheel, a hand staff interposed between and operatively connected to said main wheel staves, a ratchet wheel located axially above each main wheel staff to which the corresponding main springs are secured, rack bars cooperating with said ratchet wheels, an electro-magnet the armature of which is operatively connected to said rack bars, and means for energizing said magnet at predetermined intervals and thereby actuating said rack bars to wind said springs.

5. In a self-winding clock, the combina' tion with a plurality of main wheel staves, amain spring operatively connected at one end to each main wheel, a ratchet wheel located in axial alinement with each main wheel staff to which the opposite end of the corresponding main spring is secured, a rack bar cooperating with each ratchet wheel, and means for alternately and automatically actuating said rack bars at predetermined intervals of time.

6. In a self-winding clock, the combination with a plurality of main wheel staves, a main spring operatively connected at one end to each main wheel, a ratchet wheel located in axial alinement with each main wheel staff to which the opposite end of the corresponding main spring is secured, a rack bar cooperating with each ratchet wheel, an electro-magnet the armature of which is connected to said rack bars, means for energizing said magnet at predetermined intervals, and means for engaging each rack bar with its cooperating ratchet wheel during alternate energizations of the magnet.

7 In a self-winding clock, the combination with a plurality of main wheel staves, of a seconds hand staff interposed between and operatively connected to said main wheel staves, main springs operatively connected to said main wheel staves, ratchet wheels located axially above said main wheel staves to which the respective main springs are secured, rack bars cooperating with said ratchet wheels, an electro-magnet for winding said main springs, a bar pivotally carried by the armature of said magnet to which said rack bars are pivotally connected, means for oscillating said bar and thereby alternately lifting one of said rack bars out of the plane of its cooperating ratchet wheel.

8. In a self-winding clock, the combination with a plurality of main wheel staves, of a seconds hand staff interposed between and operatively connected to said main wheel staffs, main springs operatively connected to said main wheel staves, ratchet wheels located axially above said main wheel staves to which the respective main springs are S3, cured, rack bars cooperating with said ratchet wheels, an electro-magnet for winding said main springs, a bar pivotally carried by the armature of said magnet to which said rack bars are pivotally connected, a lever engaging said bar to oscillate the same and pivotally mounted adjacent to one of said main wheel staves, a pin projecting from said adjacent main Wheel stafi and adapted to periodically engage a cam on said lever to lift the same and thereby oscillate said bar and lift one of said rack bars out of the plane of its cooperating ratchet wheel, the other rack bar being lowered by gravity into the plane of its cooperating ratchet wheel when said pin is disengaged from said cam.

9. In a self-winding clock, the combination with a main wheel staff, of a main spring operatively connected at one end to the main wheel, a sleeve mounted above said staff to which the opposite end of the main spring is secured, a ratchet wheel fixed to said sleeve having a series of peripheral teeth and a single inclined short tooth in advance of said series of teeth, a ratchet bar having a long tooth adapted to engage said short tooth on the ratchet wheel and a series of teeth adapted to cooperate with the series of teeth on the ratchet wheel, and means for automatically actuating said ratchet bar.

10. In a self-winding clock, the combination with a main wheel staff, of a main spring operatively connected at one end to the main wheel, a sleeve mounted above said staff to which the opposite end of the main spring is secured, a ratchet wheel fixed to said sleeve having a series of peripheral teeth and a single inclined short tooth in advance of said series, a disk located above said ratchet wheel and also fixed to said sleeve and having a tooth projecting radially between the last tooth of said series and the succeeding short tooth, a ratchet bar having a long tooth adapted to engage the short tooth on said ratchet wheel and a series of teeth adapted to cooperate with the series of teeth on the ratchet wheel, a shoulder on said ratchet bar located in a plane above the teeth thereon and adapted to engage the tooth on said disk, and means for automatically actuating said ratchet bar.

11. In a self-winding clock, the combination with a main wheel staff, of a main spring operatively connected at one end to the main wheel, a sleeve mounted above said staff to which the opposite end of the main spring is secured, a ratchet wheel fixed to said sleeve having a series of peripheral teeth and a single inclined short toothin advance of said series, a disk located above said ratchet wheel and also fixed to said sleeve and having a tooth projecting radially between the last tooth of said series and the succeeding short tooth, a ratchet bar having a long tooth adapted to engage the shorttooth on said ratchet wheel and a series of teeth adapted to cooperate with the series of teeth on the ratchet wheel, a shoulder on said ratchet bar located in a plane above the teeth thereon and adapted to engage the tooth on said disk, a second disk also fixed upon said sleeve and having radial lugs, a pawl adapted to engage the lugs on said second disk to retain the spring under tension, and means for automatically actuating said ratchet bar.

12. The combination with a self-winding clock, of an electro-magnet, operative connections interposed between the armature of said magnet and the main spring of the clock whereby upon the energization of the magnet the main spring is wound, cooperating contacts for closing the circuit through said magnet, means actuated by the clock movement for closing said contacts, and means actuated by the armature of the magnet for maintaining the contacts closed, opening the contacts, and setting them in position to be closed by the clock movement.

13. The combination with a self-winding clock, of an electro-magnet, operative connections interposed between the armature of said magnet and the main spring of the clock whereby upon the energization of the magnet the main spring is wound, cooperating contacts for closing the circuit through said magnet, spring fingers upon which said contacts are mounted, means for relatively moving said fingers to close and open the contacts carried thereby, such means being actuated by the clock movement to close the contacts and by the armature of the magnet to maintain the contacts closed, to open the contacts and to set the contacts in position to be closed by the clock movement.

let. The combination with a self-winding clock, of an electro-magnet, operative connections interposed between the armature of said magnet and the main spring of the clock whereby upon the energization of the magnet the main spring is wound, cooperating contacts for closing the circuit through said magnet, spring fingers upon which said contacts are mounted, means for relatively moving said fingers to close and open the contacts carried thereby, a pin carried by the main wheel staff for actuating said means to close the contacts and connecting mechanism interposed between the armature of the magnet and said means for maintaining the contacts closed, opening the contacts and setting them in position to be closed by the clock movement.

15. The combination with a self-winding clock, of an electro-magnet, operative connections interposed between the armature of said magnet and the main spring of the clock whereby the energization of the magnet winds the main spring, contacts for making and breaking the circuit through said magnet, a rotary stafi, means carried by said staff for closing and opening said contacts, operative connections between the clock movement and said stafi for rotating the latter and thereby closing the circuit through the magnet, and independent operative connections between the armature of the magnet and said staff for rotating the latter to open said contacts.

16. The combination with a self-winding clock, of an electro-magnet, operative connections interposed between the armature of said magnet and the main spring of the clock whereby the energization of the magnet winds the main spring, contacts for making and breaking the circuit through said magnet, a rotary stafi', means carried by said staff for closing and opening said contacts, a finger projecting from said staff, a pin carried by the clock movement adapted to engage said finger to rotate said staff and thereby close the contacts, a tooth projecting from said staff, a projection carried by the armature of the magnet adapted to engage said tooth to rotate said staff and thereby open the contacts.

17. The combination with a self-winding clock, of an electro-magnet, operative connections interposed between the armature of said magnet and the main spring of the clock whereby upon the energization of the magnet the main spring is wound, cooperating contacts for closing the circuit through said magnet, spring fingers upon which said contacts are mounted, a rotary stafi, a cam disk carried by said staff with which the lower ends of said spring fingers engage, operative connections between said staff and the clock movement for rotating said cam to such a position that the contacts are closed, and operative connections between the armature of said magnet and said staff for rotating said cam disk into position to open said contacts.

18. In an electric self-winding clock, the combination with an electro-magnet, of contacts controlling the circuit through said magnet, spring fingers carrying said con tacts, a rotary cam disk upon the surface of which the ends of said spring fingers engage, said surface comprising upwardly inclined sectors adapted upon rotation of the disk to elevate the ends of the fingers and retain the contacts engaged, and raised portions on said cam disk adapted to retain one of said spring fingers elevated while the other falls thereby separating said contacts and breaking the circuit through the magnet, and means actuated by the clock movement and by said armature for rotating said cam disk and thereby controlling the circuit.

19. In an electric self-winding clock, the combination with an electro-magnet, of operative connections between the armature of said magnet and the main spring of the clock whereby upon an energization of the magnet the main spring is wound, contacts controlling the circuit through said magnet, one of said contacts having a V-shaped groove to receive the other contact, and means for relatively moving said contacts to control the circuit.

20. In an electric self-Winding clock, the combination with an electro-magnet, of operative connections'between the armature of said magnet and the main spring of the clock whereby upon an energization of the magnet the main spring is Wound, contacts controlling the circuit through said magnet, one of said contacts having a V-shaped groove With an opening at the bottom thereof, and the other contact adapted to be received in said V-shaped groove and having a rib adapted to project through said opening when the 15 contacts are closed.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

AUGUSTUS L. 'HAHL. "itnesses GEO. L. \VILKENSON, C. C. CUNNINGHAM.

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