US2662595A - Timer construction - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 15, 1953 K. K. NEUMANN 2,662,595

TIMER CONSTRUCTION Filed July 6, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 15, 1953 K. K. NEUMANN TIMER CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 6, 1946 INVENTOR. /zer NEM/774,7.

BY Mz; Yf-

Patented Dec. 15, 1953 ,'rIMnn ooNsTRUc'rIoN Kurt'K; Neumann,Ann Arbor,Mich;, assignortto King-Seeleyv Corporation, Ann Arbor, Mich.,.a

corporation of Michigan Application July 6, 1946, Serial No. 681,740

-The presentinvention relates to 'timersof the type-'which are used totim'e the cycleiof operationof anyapparatus such as a stove; washing machine, or the like, and'whic-h are operative either to initiate orterminateanfoperatingcycle after a predetermined 'time interval 'orv to actuate the signal device for theguidance ofthe operator. fOneof'the objects -of'the present inventi'onlis t'-provide, in'a' timerA of the typelmentioned, an improved -signal actuator cocking and tripping mechanism. f 1' Another objectis to-provide an improved'cocklng and trippin'g-1mechanism lwhich Arelieves'- the main`a-1'bor-of'-the timer, of the-friction-alv-load incidenttoholding the vactuator in cocked positionf' 'Another object of the f-inventi'on sto provide; in a mechanismof the typementionedimproted means for'rendering-the timingmechanism inoperative in one position of the arbor.` A' further 'object is? to provide'- anvimproved construction in 'which all of the Operating elements-;are enclosed within casng means Vsealing them against dirt-andforeign matter. vAnother'object is'to provide,- ina timer havingan'adjustable balance staff bearing andimproved means =for maintaining said bearing in adjusted positionr e Other vobjects and advantages of the inventi'on will becomeapparent from the followingspecification-,=the accompanying drawings, and the appendedl claimsl In-the drawings:v Fig; 1-is-a1sectional view of the mechanism';

Fig `21isa-sectional -view'similar-'to-Figliiniv which parts are broken away to show 'the actuator and the hammer levermechanism; -f 1 Fig. 3 is a sectional view of' thestructureshown in Fig'l taken substantially along the line 3-'--3"' thereof; 1 1 Figzfi is -a-rear vview'of the timer-with thecasi-ng removed to-show the mechanism carried on the rear lside of -the rear -movement'platez V Figr is'a'fragmentary sectional viewof= thev7 structure of Fig. V1 Vtaken substantially along the line '5-5=thereof; and I Pig-6 is a fragmentarysectional view-of! the structure of Fig. 5 taken substantially alongthe line 6,-6 thereof. o i Inasmuch as the typeof timer'to which the present' invention'relatesmay, to a large extent; be 'conventional in'constructon,A only'so-'much' 0f=th`e details of' construction Mare shown-'as1` are necessary to 'fullyunderstand theV features Aof improved timer 2 Claims. (Cl. 161-23) 2 the present invention. For'further details of one suitable. type of timer to which the present invention relat'es, reference may be hadto the copending application of Rex C. Darnell, Serial No. 659;?64, filed April 5, 1946, now Patent' No. 2571004.v It is sufficient to note here that the mechanism ordinarily comprises a casing containing any suitableform of clock mechanism mounted between a pair of movement plates in the usualmanner and aspring operated signal electrical'switch or both.

actuating device which is cocked when the timer is set to the desired timing cycle and which, when tripped, either rings'a bell or operates an InV the type of timer construction to which the present invention relates, the'main arbortof the clockwork is provided with a manual control knob and the arrangement is such that when the arbor is rotated in one direction from a zero or starting' position, the signal actuator is cocked. The rate of return of the arbor to starting position is Controlled by the clock mechanism, and the actuator is tripped upon return of the arbor to starting. position, thus Operating a signal, `an

' electrical switch or'iother suitable device.

Referring to Figures 1 Vandr3 of the drawings, thefmechanism of the present invention' is shown incorporated in a timer having: a clock mechanis'm'carried by and between a pair of movement, plates land 12. The clock mechanism includes a main arbor 14' suitably journaled' for rotation with respect to the movement plates. As in theconstructon of the above mentioned application of Rex C. Darnell, the present mechanism includesa mounting plate IS, described int-greater detail therein, and which similarly provides thelfront -bearing for the'arbor [4; at the point indicated by thenumeral l', to relieve the movement plates of strains incident to'manual operation` of the arbor. The arbor [4' is connected in the usual manner through a train of gears to a verge-type escapement comprising an'escapement wheel 16, a verge arm 18, and' a balance Vwheel Z'carried by a balance staff 22. The ends of the balance wheel'staif V22 are tapered and'fitted into conical bearings in' a bearing insert 24 carried by movement plate mand an ad'justable' plug 26 which is threaded into a suitable' opening in theV movement plate |2, as'best shown in Figure 3. A main spring 28, shown in Figure 3, is-associated with the arbor '[4 and normall'y tends-to rotate the arbor in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figures 1 and 2,

associated gear train in the'usual manner.

As best shown in Figure 4, the adjustable plug 26 which carries the bearing for one end of the balance staff 22 is normally held against rotation by a Wire spring 30, one end of which is secured to the movement plate |2 as by hooking a reversely turned portion thereof into a peripheral notch 32 formed in the movement plate, and the other end of which engages one of the posts 34 by which the movement plates are connected together, to maintain an intermediate portion of the spring S in engagement with the adjustable plug 25 and exert a suficient pressure thereon to substantially increase the frctional force resisting rotation of the plug. The pressure exerted by the spring 30 is such that the frictional force may be readily overcome when it is desired to adjust the plug 25, while at the same time the frictional force is sufiicient to prevent rotation of the plug as a result of the vibration incident to normal operation of the timer and associated apparatus.

The mechanism of the timer which operates the signal or a Controlled switch is best shown in Figures l, 2, and 3 and comprises a shaft 36 which is journaled with respect to the movement plates ll and 12 and has xed thereto a bell crank lever indicated generally at 38, and provided with a pair of arms 4G and 42, best shown in Figure 2. As best seen in Figure 3, arm :iii is provided at its extremity with a stub shaft 44 carrying a roller 45, which is normally urged inwardly toward the arbor Hi by means of a spring 48, shown best in Figures l and 2. The bell crank 38 is positioned between the movement plates, but the pin 44 projects through an arcuate slot 58 in the movement plate i and the roller 46 is located rearwardly of the latter movement plate in position to cooperate with a cocking and trippingrmechanism, shown best in Figure 4.

As there shown, the cocking and tripping mechanism comprises a latch 52 which is pivotally mounted on the rear movement plate |2 by a pin 54 and which has a large elongated opening 56 centrally thereof adapted to loosely fit the rearwardly projecting end of the arbor Ill and permit limited pivotal movement of the latch 52 about the pin Eli. The latch 52 is urged in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Figure 4 by a spring 58 and has an upwardly projecting arm GE! adapted to engage the roller 46 carried by the arm lit of the bell crank 38. One side wall of the arm 8% has a portion 62 extending generally radially of the pin 54 adapted to engage the roller 45 when it is in the start or tripped position illustrated in full lines in Figure 4. A second wall portion 64 is disposed generally at right angles to the wall portion 62 and adapted to support the roller 46 when in the cocked positionillustrated in broken lines at 66. A third wall portion B8 is adapted to cam the roller 46 from the cocked position 66 to an overstop position illustrated in broken lines at 10, upon pivotal movement of the latch 52 in a counterelockwise direction from the cocked position. The arm St is also provided with a rearwardly projecting annular flange 'H for a purpose hereinafter described.

The rearwardly projecting end of the arbor |4, extending through the opening 56 in the latch 52, carries a cam disc 12 having a generally radially extending arm '14. One side wall 76 of this arm, affords a sloping cam adapted to engage the roller lit and raise it from the tripped position to the cocked position indicated at 66, upon rotation of the arbor |4 vin a counterclock- Wise direction as viewed in Figure 4. The oppo-T1 site side wall of the arm 14 carries an integrally formed inwardly turned flange 18 adapted to engage the rearwardly turned fiange 7|, upon continued rotation of the arbor 14 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4, to pivot the latch 52 in a counterclockwise direction and raise the roller 46 to the over-stop position indicated at 18.

When the roller 46 is raised to the over-stop position 'Ill a full wind stop 8B which is mounted on the bell crank 38 engages the verge arm |8 to interfere with the operation of the escapement mechanism and prevent operation of the timing mechanism in the manner more fully described in the above identied co-pending application of Rex C. Darnell.

It is an important feature of the present invention that the above described cocking and tripping mechanism relieves the main arbor of the timer of the frictional load incident to holding the actuator in cocked position and aifords mechanical stops limiting rotation of the arbor beyond the over stop position, in one direction, and beyond the zero or tripping position in the other direction. In the present construction the load is carried by the movement plate |2 through the pin 54 and the latch 52 and the mechanical stops are provided by the engagement of the arbor with the latch at the ends of the opening 56 as is more fully described in connection with the following description of the operation.

The above described cocking and tripping mechanism operates in the following manner. A control knob, not shown, which is mounted on the arbor Ill at the front of the timer mechanism, is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed from the front of the timer, thereby rotating the arbor M in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4. The cam plate 12, which is secured to the arbor 14, is rotated in a counterclockwise direction raising the roller 46 along the cam surface 13 to the cocked position indicated at 66. When the roller 46 is raised clear of the wall portion 62, the latch 52 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction by the spring 58 to a position in which the roller 46 is supported on the wall portion 64 of the latch. Rotation of the control knob in the same direction is continued until the desired time interval is set into the timer mechanism or until the flange 18 on the cam plate i2 engages the flange 1| on the latch and pivots the latter to the overstop position described above. Pivotal movement of the latch, and hence the arbor, beyond the over stop position is limited by the mechanical stop afforded by the engagement of the arbor and the latch at the right hand end of the opening 56 as seen in Fig. 4.

Upon release of the control knob when the knob has not been turned sufiiciently to reach the overstop position, or upon manual movement thereof from the overstop position, the arbor |4 is returned in a clockwise direction 'as viewed in Figure 4, by the main spring 28 acting through the clock mechanism. Upon return of the arbor to the zero or start position, the fiange 18 on the cam disc 12 engages the flange 'll formed on the means providing a lost motion connection between said cooking and tripping member and saidv latch and effective upon continued rotation of said shaft in the same direction, to pivot the actuator 38 to be quickly rotated to the tripped position by the action of the spring 48. Continued pivotal movement of the latch by manual 5 rotation? of the arbor beyond' the zero position is'liniited' by the mechanical stop afior'de'd. by the'engagement at .the arborand the latch atthe left hand end of the opening 56, as seen in Figf4.

VAsibest Zseen in Figures `1 and 2,' the bell crank actuator`38 is employedto operate a'lever 8| which, in the illustrated form of the invention, operateJ` a bell hainmer'. Thehammer lever 8| isifpivotally mounted ontheflshaft 3y 6 and has a lost motion connection'to'thearm 42 of the'bell crank by reason of a pair of bent up tongues 84 and 86 formed on the arm 42 which act to limit relative movement between the lever 8| and the arm 42. A wire spring 88 encircles the shaft 36 and has its ends connected respectively to the lever 8| and to the arm 42 of the bell crank 38 as is shown in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2. The spring 88 acts to normally hold the hammer lever 8| against the bent up tongue or stop 84 on the arm 112. However, when the bell crank 38 is tripped by the tripping mechanism, the arm 42 makes a Sudden sharp movement in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, thus throwing the hammer lever 8| away from the stop 84 and causing an upwardly turned fiange 96 formed on the lever 8| to strike the bell hammer 82.

A cup-shaped casing element 62 encloses the rear of the timer, as best seen in Figure 3, and is secured to the mounting plate I 3 by suitable fastening means 93. Referring to Figure 5, the bell hammer 82 is mounted in the casing and has a shank 94 extending through an aperture therein and an enlarged head 96 disposed outwardly of the casing. Adjacent its inner end the shank 94 has an annular groove 98 formed therein for mounting a leaf spring 106. The spring leo, as clearly shown in Figures 5 and 6 is arcuately shaped and has a keyhole opening [02. This opening has an enlarged portion IM, and a small portion 196 connected thereto by a reduced neck portion m8. The opening |02 is also provided With longitudinally extending slots O communicating therewith which permit the neck portion |8 to be forced slightly open to permit the grooved portion of the shank 94 to be snapped through said neck m8 and engaged by the smaller portion |ii6 of the opening. The ends of the spring Iil engag the interior of the casing to hold the head 96 of the bell hammer against v the outer surface of the casing and thereby seal the opening against the entry of dust and foreign material.

The timer may be mounted in a bell |l2 having a skirt which surrounds the casing and which may be engaged by the bell hammer head 96 to sound a signal when the bell hammer 82 is struck by the lever 8| as described above.

The actuator 38 may also be employed to operate an electrical switch. For this purpose one end ||f1 of the shaft 36 projects through movement plate |2 and the casing.

It will be noted that in the above described construction all of the parts are sealed within the casing. Only the bell hammer and switch control extend through the casing and they extend through closely fitting openings. For this reason the Operating elements are free from dirt and foreign matter. Moreover, by providing a bell striking element which projects through a sealed opening in the side of the case the advantages of a sealed casing embodied in the aforementioned application of Rex C. Darnell are retained, and in addition the rear of the case is unobstructed` and `a bell havinga shorter skirt may be employed., v

While only one form of the invention has been illustratedand described in detail, it is apparent that others are available with the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim: i

1. A timer including a clock mechanism, an element movable between a stop position, an'intermediate cocked position, 'and a tripped position, a spring urging said element toward said tripped position, a supporting member, a rotatable shaft extending through said member, a latch pivotally connected to said member in spaced relation to said shaft and having an elongated opening adapted to loosely fit said shaft and permit limited pivotal movement of said latch, said latch having a surface adapted to engage said element when said element is in the tripped position, a portion adapted to support said element when in the cocked position, and a cam connecting with said portion adapted to lift said element from said cocked position to said stop position, spring means effective to pivot said latch into position to support said element when said element is in the cocked position, a cocking and tripping member secured to said shaft for rotation therewith and including means effective, upon rotation of said shaft in one direction, to raise said element to a cocked position, means providing a lost motion connection between said cocking and tripping element and said latch and effective upon continued rotation of said shaft in the same direction, to pivot said latch in a direction to cause said cam to lift said element to said stop position, and means operable in response to the movement of said element to said stop position for stopping operation of said clock mechanism.

2. A timer including a clock mechanism, an element movable between a stop position, an intermediate cocked position, and a tripped position, a spring urging said element toward said tripped position, a supporting member, a rotatable shaft extending through said member, a latch pivotally connected to said member in spaced relation to said shaft and having an elongated opening adapted to loosely fit said shaft and permit limited pivotal movement of said latch, said latch having a surface adapted to engage said element when said element is in the tripped position, a portion adapted to support said element when in the cocked position, and a cam connecting with said portion adapted to lift said element from said cocked position to said stop position, spring means effective to pivot said latch into position to support said element when said element is in the cocked position, means connected to said shaft including cam means effective upon rotation of said shaft in one direction to raise said element to said cocked position and means providing a lost motion connection between said shaft and said latch and effective upon continued rotation of said shaft in the same direction to pivot said latch in a direction to cause said cam to lift said element to said stop position, and means operable in response to the movement of said element to said stop position for stopping operation of said clock mechanism.

KURT K. NEUMANN.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2:253:474 1,226,810 Redfield et al May 22, 1917 5 2274,635 1,300,278 Kern Apr. 15, 1919 2292576 1,439,064 Bull Dec. 19, 1922 1,546,075 Horn July 14, 1925 1,795,362 Colomb Mar. 10, 1931 Number 1,851,593 Pastor Mar. 29, 1932 10 155,380

Name Date Rhodes Jan. 24, 1933 Smith Aug. 20, 1935 Simmons Oct. 7, 1941 Rhodes Mar. 3, 1942 Lux Aug. 11, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Dec. 20, 1920

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