US288906A - Device for synchronizing clocks - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

B. W. WILLSON.

DEVICE FOR SYNGHRONIZING CLOCKS.

No. 288,906. Patented Nov. 20, 1883.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIQE.

ROBERT XV. \VILLSON, OF NEIV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

DEVICE FOR SYNCHRONIZING CLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,906, dated November 20, 1883.

(No model.)

1' 0 all whom it 71mg concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT \V. IVILLSON, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Synchronizing Clocks; and I do hereby declare the following,when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a front view, aportion of the front plate broken away for convenient illustration, and showing the parts in their normal condition; Fig. 2, a top or plan view; Fig. 3, a front view illustrating the operation of the synchronizing mechanism on receiving the impulse.

This invention relates to an improvement in device for synchronizing clocksthat is to say, at a predetermined time to automatically set or turn the minute-pointer to a fixed point, if during the previous period it has varied from the true time, the setting being performed through an impulse received from a distant or some central point, whereby many clocks on the circuit, or on different circuits in connection, may be at some predetermined time set to the exact time, notwithstanding a variation either faster or slower during the previous period.

In mechanism for thus synchronizing clocks as hitherto generally employed a strong current or impulse has been necessary in order to turn the pointers. In some cases it is the power of the current or impulse which turns the pointers, as in the well-known Lund patents. In othersas, for instance, in a patent granted to me November 7, 1882, No. 267, @00the current or impulse is required to remove or disconnect the power] of the clock which turns the pointers, and permit the action ofa spring to turn the pointers to the predetermined position. 111 either case the impulse or current must be very strong.

The obj eet of my invention is to avoid the necessity of a strong current or impulse, and at the same time prevent the power from running down should the circuit remain closed or the impulse continue; and the invention consists, principally, in the combination of a clock-movement carrying the time-pointers, a train of wheels, and power for driving the same independent of the clock-movement, with mechanism whereby acircuit closed or impulse received will liberate the power to cause the pointers to be turned, and arrest the action of the power after synchronizing shall have taken place, whether or not the impulse con tinue or the circuit be brokent-hat is to say, independent of the impulse giving or releasing device.

In illustrating my invention I show only a general view of the clock-movement which carries the minute-pointer A, this being sufi'icient for the illustration of my invention, as the mechanism of the clock may be any of the known clock-movements.

At some convenient position, and preferably as here represented, the independent power for synchronizing is arranged directly over the clock-movement; but it will be understood that it is entirely independent of the clockmovement and in no connection therewith. This independent power, as here represented, consists of a spring, B, applied to a main wheel by a pawl-and-ratchet connection in the usual manner of applying coiled springs to drive clock-movements, the spring being wound in the same manner-a device too well known to require particular description.

At a position each side the point where the synchronizing is to be performed, (here represented as at twelve o clock,) two wheels, I) E, of equal diameter, are arranged in suitable bearings and geared together. The power is communicated to a pinion, F, on the shaft of one of the wheels from the main wheel by an intermediate wheel, G, and pinion II, as seen in Fig. 2. From the shaft of one of the wheelssay Dan arm, a, extends radially and revolves with that shaft. I is the magnet, arranged in some convenient position near or in connection with this independent movement K, the armature on the end of an arm, L, which extends from arock-shaft, M. The usual circuit-connections are made so that when the circuit is closed the armature will be drawn to the mag net, and when released will rise from it, caused so to do by the action of a spring, N, or otherwise, represented in the drawing as raisedthat is, the circuit open. From the same rockshaft, M, an arm, P, extends upward, its end turned at right angles to the arm to form a hook, I), and when the circuit is open, as shown, the arm a, which extends from the shaft of the wheel D, stands beneath the hook I) of the arm P. This arm P, therefore, holds the wheel D from revolution, and consequent] y the p ower of the mainspring in suspense; but when the circuit is closed, as seen in Fig. 3, the arm P of the rock-shaft M is drawn out of the path of the arm (1, so that when the circuit is so closed the wheel D is free to revolve, as also the wheel E, the two revolving alike. On the forward ends of the shafts of the two wheels D E there are arranged, respectively, fingers d and f, which extend radially from the shafts. The ends of the fingers are turned outward, as seen in Fig. 2, so as to stand in the plane of the pointer A.

Now, suppose the clock to be slow at the time the synchronizing is to be produced-say, standing in the position seen in Fig. 1. At the predetermined time the circuit is closed,which instantly releases the arm a and permits the independent movement to run, which will impart revolution to the wheels D E in the direction indicated by arrows, and as the fingers come around the one at the left will strike the pointer and bring it to the vertical position between the two fingers, as seen in Fig. 3, which is the true time. The circuit broken, the wheels will continue their movement until the arm a again comes into engagement with the arm P, and will there be arrested, the wheels D E having made a full revolution, and will so remain until again the circuit is closed, when they will operate in the same manner. If, instead of slow,the pointer is fast, then the finger f on the wheel E will operate upon the opposite side of that pointer and return it to the true posit-ion between the two fingers, as seen in Fig. 3. The continued revolution of the wheels after the synchronizing is produced brings the fingers to a position out of the path of the pointer, so as not to interfere with its revolution during the rise between the times of synchronizin If the circuit should remain closed, the independent power would continue to revolve the wheelsD E; but if the circuit be broken during the first revolution of the wheels D E, which it easily may be, then the independent power will be arrested, as before described; but to provide against a longer closing of the circuit, and therefore prevent the wheels from continually revolving, I arrange an arm, 6, projecting radially from the shaft of the wheel E, but at about a quarter of a turn back of the position of the arm a on the other wheel. This arm extends into the same plane as the hooked end I) of the lever P, and so that when the circuit is closed, as seen in Fig. 3, the arm 0 will en- T gage the hook I) of the arm P and arrest the further running of the independent movement .until such time as the circuit shall be broken,

and then,when the circuit is broken, the arm P of the rock-shaft will escape from the arm of the wheel E and pass into a position to en gage the arm a of the wheel D, as in Fig. 1, the extreme vibrations of the arm P being from a position in the path of one arm, a, into the path of the arm 6 and return; hence but a single revolution of the wheels D E can 00- it will be seen that while the synchronizing is positive, the synchronizing devices cannot by any possibility interfere with the proper running of the clock, and should the circuit be accidentally closed and held closed during the time between two synchronizing periods, it can have no effect upon the clock, and thus will not interfere with the regular running of the clock, as many of the synchronizing devices heretofore constructed will do. To prevent the wheels D E from running too rapidly, I arrange a brake, R, upon one of the wheels; or a fly may be introduced, or other known device, to prevent the too rapid running of the wheels under the influence of the power when liberated. All the power that is required for the magnet is simply to turn the arm P from its engagement with the arm a of the synchronizing-wheel. That wheel, being a rapidly-revolving wheel, is capable of imparting but a very slight power or pressure upon the arm P; hence the electric power required to liberate the synchronizing mechanism is .very small when compared with the electric power required where that power is applied directly to the turning of the pointers, or where applied to relieve the pointers from the power of the clock work, as in my patent before mentioned. The arrangement of a mechanism independent of the clock-movement enables the application of a synchronizing mechanism to many clocks where it would be difficult to apply it in rear of the dial, as in the Lund and other patents.

I have represented the clock-train as actuated by a spring acting directly on the main wheel; but it will be understood that this may be a weight or other known means for applying power thereto.

I have represented the impulse as being received through an electrical circuit; but this impulse may be received through any of the known impulse-giving mediums, it onlybeing essential that such impulse received shall be suffieient to turn the arm P from its engaged position-that is, simply to liberate the power.

I have represented the apparatus as operated upon an open circuit; but it will be un- 'derstood that if the circuit be a closed circuit the action will be reversed. '7

Instead of employing the wheels D E and their respective arms as the synchronizing device, other mechanism may be employed, through which the independent movement or ICO train of gearing may act to turn the pointer at the predetermined time. Instead of applying this independent power or train of gearing to operate the synchronizing mechanism, that mechanism may be held in suspense by this independent train of gearing, and so that when the power of that train is liberated by the impulse it will liberate the synchronizing device and permit it to perform its work, and then after it has performed the work of synchronizing to remove it from its point of action or connection, so as to be out of the way and not to interfere with the turning of the pointers. This modified form of my independent synchronizing-power will constitute the subject of a separate application.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the particular device between the independent train of gearing and the pointers to be acted upon, the essential feature of my invention being the application of a train of gearing forming a power inde pendent of the clock -movement, combined with mechanism between said independent train and the pointers to be operated upon, the power of said independent train also independent of the impulse-giving devices, the said impulse-giving devices being employed only to permit it to act at a predetermined time, and having combined therewith mechanism whereby if the liberating force of the impulse be continued the action of the power which operates the synchronizing mechanism will be arrestedthat is to say, independent of the impulse giving or receiving device.

I claim 1. The combination of a clock-movement carrying the time-pointer, a train of wheels and power for driving the same independent of the clock-movement, mechanism, substantially such as described, between said train and the pointers, whereby at a predetermined time said independent train will act upon the point ers, and a lever, one arm of which is arranged to receive the impulse and in connection with said train, whereby the movement of said lever under the said impulse will liberate the power to cause the wheels of the train to revolve and operate said synchronizing mechanism, and also arrest the further revolution of the train after the synchronizing shall have been produced, such arrest being independent of said impulse-that is, whether or not the power of the impulse be broken or continuedsubstantially as described.

2. The combination of a clock-movement carrying the time-pointer, a train of wheels and power for driving the same independent of the clock-movement, mechanism, substantially such as described, between said train and the pointers, whereby at a predetermined time said independent train will act upon the point ers, and a lever, one arm of which is arranged to receive the impulse and in connection with said train, whereby the movement of said lever under the said impulse will liberate the power to cause the wheels of the train to revolve and operate said synchronizing mechanism, and also arrest the further revolution of the train after the synchronizing shall have been produced, and the said lever upon being released from said impulse will again liberate the said power to cause a slight movement of the synchronizing mechanism before said lever will again engage and arrest the movement of the train preparatory to the next synchronizing operation, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a clock-movement carrying the time-pointers, a train of gearing and power for driving the same independent of the clock-movement, the wheels D E, carrying, respectively, the synchronizing-fingers d f, the magnet I, armature-lever L, arm P in connection with said armature-lever, the arm a in connection with the said wheel D, and arm 0 on the wheel E, substantially as described.

ROBERT XV. XVILLSOX.

XYit-nesses:

JOHN E. EARLE, LILLIAN D. KELSEY.

Images