US3158987A

US3158987A - Timing device

Info

Publication number: US3158987A
Application number: US87328A
Authority: US
Inventors: James L Hamilton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-02-06
Filing date: 1961-02-06
Publication date: 1964-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 1981-12-01

Description

Dec. 1, 1964 J. L. HAMILTON 3,158,987

TIMING DEVICE Filed Feb. 6. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

JAMES l, HAM/l ra/v 56.5 MQ

%4%: M,Qw;z

Arron/v5 ys Dec. 1, 1964 J. 1.. HAMILTON 3,158,987

TIMING DEVICE Filed Feb. 6. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet'Z INVENTOR. JAMES L. HAMILTON WM, 3% .flwaww Dec. 1, 1964 J. L. HAMILTON TIMING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 6. 1961 m lq INVENTOR. JAMES L. HAMILTON BY MIG %%,Qmdf%- ,4 TT0RNEYS issu'edto P. H. Kaufmann.

United States Patent Filed Feb. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 87,328 6 Claims. c1. 58-223) which a vehicle must travel in order to have continuous movement without stopping through a number of spaced traffic signals which are sequentially timed such that a vehicle traveling at a fixed preselected'speed may pass through the signals without stop. Details of construc tion of a timing device applied to a vehicle for the above purposes are found in United States Patent No. 2,598,701

According tothe presentinvention, a timing deviceis provided which includes improved means for setting the second hand to a predetermined position in its path of movement prior to initiation of a timing operation. For

I In a preferred embodiment of the invention the timing device includes conventional minute and hour indicatinghandsinaddition to a sweep second indicating hand. The timing device further includes a driving shaft which is rotated "in'any suitable manner to effect rotation of a driven shaft to which the second hand is secured.' These shafts are-conveniently rotatable about a common axis and are connected through suitable clutch means including asepar ate clutching part associated with each of the shafts;

The clutch actuating means includes movable to actuate the clutch means. The driven shaft is mounted for displacement along its axis of rotation in response to movement of the lever to carryits clutching part toward and away from the clutching part of the driving shaft) Theclutch actuating meansis conveniently operated in'response to energization of a suitable electrically energizable solenoid. The solenoid may be energized by actuation of a suitable switch which is preferably located on a portion of the vehicle which is readitinned movement of the lever subsequent to its operationfor actuatingfthe clutch means. vFor thispurpose a suitable cam is carried by the driven shaft to be engaged by the lever. The camand lever are configured such that the cam assumes a single stable position when engaged, by the; lever to provide the desired setting of the second hand. The desired setting of-the second hand is eifected without terminating the minute and-hour indicating hands;

provide a timing device of improved construction.

normal rotation ofthe It istherefo re an objectfof thepre'sent invention to a lever which i5 5 I It is another object of the invention to provide a timing device having a sweep secondhand with improved means for setting the'second hand to a predetermined position in its path of movement prior to initiation of a timing operation.

the second hand is carried bya driven shaft which is connected to driving means through clutch means with improved means for actuatingthe clutch means. i

It is still another object of the invention to provide a timing device including a sweep second hand carried by a driven shaft which is connected to driving means through clutch means with clutch actuating means effective to displace the driven shaft along its axis to actuate'the clutch means. i

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a timing device as defined in the preceding object wherein the clutch actuating means is also effective to provide the desired setting of the second hand subsequent to its clutch actuating operation.

It is still another object'of the invention .to provide a timing device which is of compact and inexpensive construction for installation in amotor vehicle forascertaining the timing characteristics of traffic signals.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which i i i FIG. 1 is a view in elevation showing a portion of a motor vehicle having installed therein a timing device FIG. 2 is a view takeni along the line 22 of FIG. 3; i

FIG. 3 is aview taken'along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a view in frontelevation of the timing device; I

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the vehicle of FIG.,1 showing a switch attached to the gear shift lever for controlling the timing device; and

, FIG. 6 is a'vicw taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1. Referring .nowto the drawings, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a timing device 1 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Although the device 1 has many and varied uses, it is particularly ad vantageous in associationwith a motor vehicle for "the purpose of ascertaining and therefore predicting the timing characteristics of traffic signals, and will be described in' this connection. A

As shown in FIG. 1, the device 1 is mounted on a .portion of the vehicle which is clearly visible'to the cooperate with numerals 6' to indicate seconds. The numerals 6' are observed to be arranged "substantially in a circle having a greater diameter .tharrthe circle defined by the numerals 4. a In order to eifect rotation'of the several hands 4, 5 and 6, the device 1 includes a driving system which may now be described. -As best shown in FIG. ,3, the driving system includes a main spindle or'driving shaft 7 which may be-rotated in any desired manner, such as by an electrical or spring type motor. The spindle 7 has spaced ends 8 and 9 which are mounted respectively by bearings 10 and 11, such that the spindle 7 is rotatable about a horizontal axis when the timing device is positioned with the plate 3 extending vertically. The bearing 10 may be secured in any suitable manner to a vertically extending rear supporting plate 12. The plate 12 has attached thereto a bracket 13 including a portion which extends parallel to the plate 12 and which is spaced forwardly therefrom toward the plate 3. The bracket 13 includes an opening through which the end 9 of the spindle 7 extends to provide the bearing 11.

The spindle 7 carries a suitable gear 14 which is in meshing engagement with a gear 15 of larger radius supported on a spindle 16. The spindle 16 is rotatable about a horizontal axis and is supported by

spaced bearings

17 and 18. In order to provide the bearing 18 an extension plate 19 which is secured to the face plate 3 has an opening through which a restricted end 20 of the spindle16 extends.

The spindle 16 is observed to carry a gear 21 which is located beneath a supporting plate 22 which extends parallel to the plate 12 between the bracket 13 and plate 3, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The gear 21 is in meshing engagement with a gear 23 of larger radius than the gear 21. The gear 23 is loosely carried by a driven shaft or spindle 24 for rotation relative to the spindle 24.

The driven shaft or spindle 24 extends along a horizontal axis through an opening of the plate 22 and is supported in a manner appearing hereinafter. The gear 23 is integrally attached to a tubular hub 25 which extends longitudinally of the spindle 24 to surround the spindle 24. The minute indicating hand 5 is carried by the hub 25 at the outer end thereof, as shown in FIG. 3.

Adjacent the gear 23 is a gear 26 integrally formed on the hub 25 which meshes'with a larger gear 27 secured to a shaft 28 having ends extending through

openings

29 and 30, respectively, of the

plates

22 and 3. A gear 31 is integrally attached to the gear 27 and meshes with a gear 32 having an integral tubular hub 33 which loosely surrounds the hub 25 for rotation relative to the hub 25. As shown in FIG. 3, the hub 33 has secured thereto at its outer end the hour indicating hand 4. The various gears described are proportioned so that the properrates of rotation of the hands 4 and 5 are obtained.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the spindle 24 extends through an opening of the plate 22 and is partially supported by a bearing 34 which is secured within the opening of the plate 22. It is noted also that the spindle 24, the hub 25, and the hub 33 all project through an opening 35 of the face plate 3.

The supporting

plates

12 and 22 may be mounted in spaced parallel relation by a plurality of posts 36, 37 and 38. These posts may be provided with rearwardly extending end portions for the purpose of permitting attachment of the device 1 to a suitable supporting surface such as the dashboard or windshield molding of a vehicle.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the spindle 24 has a restricted outer end 39 to which is secured the second indicating hand or pointer 6. As will presently appear, a timing operation is initiated after rotation of the hand 6 from the spindle 7 has been terminated and the hand 6 has been set to predetermined starting position in its path of travel. In order to connect and disconnect the spindle 24 and the spindle 7 the invention provides clutch means associated with these spindles.

In the present invention the clutch means includes a clutching part carried by the spindle 7 and a clutching part secured to the spindle 24. As shown in FIG. 3' a plate 46 is mounted by the spindle 7 at its forward end between the bracket 13 and the plate 22 to cooperate with a pointed projection 41 which extends from a plate 42 carried by the spindle 24. The plate 42 is mounted at the rear restricted end 43 of the spindle 24 such that the projection 41 is located between the plates 40 and 42. The plate 40 is provided in any suitable manner with a clutching surface 40' with which the projection 41 is engageable to provide the clutching action. As an example, the clutching surface 40' may constitute a layer of suitable resilient material applied to the plate 40 which is deformable by the point of the projection 41 when engaged thereby to provide a clutching action.

In order to permit actuation of the clutch means the invention provides that the spindle 24 is mounted for displacement toward and away from the plate 40 along its axis of rotation, as will presently appear. With refer- ,ence to FIGS. 2 and 3, the spindles 7 and 24 are observed to be mounted for rotation substantially about a common axis which extends horizontally as viewed in FIG. 3.

In order to actuate the clutch means above described, the invention provides a suitable electrically energizable solenoid 44 which includes a hollow cylinder 45 conveniently supported by a plate 46 secured to the plate 12 as by a screw member 47. The cylinder 45 carries a suitable electrical winding 48 within its hollow which rriay consist of a number of turns of insulated electroconductive wire. The winding 48 is shown in FIG. 2 as being positioned adjacent the wall of the cylinder 45 to provide a suitable passage through the winding. The terminals 50 and 51 of the winding 48 are illustrated in FIG. 2 as extending from a common end of the cylinder to be attached to a suitable switch and to a suitable source of voltage to permit energization of the winding 48 as described hereinafter.

The passage 49 through the winding 48 contains a suitable magnetic armature 52 and a suitable coil spring 53 which is positioned between one end of the armature and and end of the cylinder 45. The spring 53 is normally in an expanded condition, as shown in FIG. 2, to bias the armature 52 toward the opposite end of the cylinder when the solenoid is in a de-energized condition. A tubular partition 52 may be provided between the winding 48 and the armature 52 and spring 53 to extend longitudinally of the cylinder 45.

Attached to the armature 52 in any suitable manner is an extension 54 which projects outwardly of the cylinder, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The extension 54 includes a slot 55 extending longitudinally thereof from one end, as clearly shown in FIG. 3. A pin 56 extends through a suitable opening of the extension 54 transversely through the slot 55. The pin 56 also projects transversely through a slot 57 of [a lever 58 which is secured to a shaft 59 journaled in the

plates

12 and 22.

The shaft 59 also carries an elongated lever 60 which is adjacent and parallel to the plate 22 in the space between the

plates

12 and 22. The lever 60 has the configuration illustrated in FIG. 2 and includes an inclined end surface 61, fora purpose described hereinafter. When the solenoid 44 is energized the lever 60 will be moved towards the clutch means from its normal position shown in FIG. 2 in a plane which is substantially transverse to the common axis of rotation of the spindles 7 and 24.

In order to permit displacement of the spindle 24 along its axis, the invention provides a resilient member 62 illustrated in the form of a spring which is attached to the support plate 22 as by a screw 63 extending through one end of the spring. As best shown in FIG. 2, the spring 62 includes a forked terminal portion 64 having a pair of arms 65 [and 66 which are spaced to define a slot 67 in which the restricted end 43 of the spindle 24 is located.

The spring 62 also includes an inclined portion 69 which extends from the plate 22 toward the rear of the device as viewed in FIG. 3. The forked extension 64 is connected to the portion 69 to extend substantially in a plane parallel to the plane of movement of the lever 60. As

forengagement with the edge 60' of the lever 60, as will presently appear. The arms 65 and 66 are observed in FIG. 3 to be positioned between the plate 42 and a sur- 'cause the face 61' of the lever to slide over the surface of portion 69 to deflect the portion 69 and the arms 65 and 66 in a right'hand direction,,as viewed in FIG. 3. This movement of the arms 65 andv 66 will result in their engagement with the surface 7 of the spindle 24 to move the spindle 24 toward the right, as viewed in FIG. 3, so that the plate 42 and its projection 41 is also movedin this direction. 7 Consequently, theprojection 41 is moved out of engagement with the surface 40' of the plate 40, whereby the clutch parts are effectively disengaged and the spindles 7 and 24 aredisconnected. Movement of the lever 60 in a direction opposite to the direction previously described is effective to reverse the above described operations to return the projection 41 into clutching engagement with the surface 40' of the plate 40. H

, In order to facilitate a timing operation, the invention provides means for setting the second hand 6 to a predetermined position in its path of travel such as a vertical indicating position pniorfto initiation of a timing operation. Such means is preferably operated immediately following actuation of the clutch means in response to energization of the solenoid 44.

In the embodiment illustrated such hand setting means conveniently includes the plate 42. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the plate 42 is of substantially heart-shaped configuration including peripheral surfaces 72,73, and '74. The surfaces 73 and 74 are observed to have a convexconfiguration, whereas the surface 72 is provided with a concave configuration. The surfaces 72 and 73 are joined'by a curved apex 75 and the surfaces 73 and 74 are joined by a curved apex76. In a similar manner, the surfaces 74 and 72 are joined by a curved apex 77.

In the present invention the plate 42 and the lever 60 are positioned with respect to each other such that the lever 60 will engage the periphery of the platet42 in response to continued movement of the lever 60 subsequent to its engagement with thespring 62 for effecting disconnection of the spindles 7 and 24. The lever 60 and plate 42 are so configured that regardless of the position of the plate 42 about its axis when engaged by the surface 61 of the lever 60, the plate 42 is rotated so that the apices 75 and 77 bear against the surface 61 to provide the only stable position of engagement between the periphery of the plate 42 and the surface 61. The second hand 6 is secured to the spindle 24 in such a position. about the spindle axis that the second hand 6 will be located to indicate sixty or zero seconds, as shown in FIG. 4, for the stable position of the plate 42; The-arrangement is such that-when the surface 61 of the lever 60 engages the plate 42, the face 61 of the lever also engages the portion-69 to maintain the spindles 7 and 24 disconnected. It is observed that the setting of the hand 6 is effected without terminating rotation of the hands 4 and 5.

The driver of the vehicle is normally seated behind the U steering wheel with ready access to a gear shift lever 7 8 which extends fromthe steering shaft. The lever 78 is observed in FIG. I tohave a bracket 79 secured thereto, as by a suitable clamping "device 80. The bracket 79 includes a projecting part to which asuitable switch 81 is attached. The switch 31 is actuat'able in any suitable manner, such as by the pressing of a button, to connect a pair of

conductors

82 and 83 leading respectively to one of the terminals 50 and 51 of the winding 48 and to a suitable source of electrical voltage to'which the other cations of the timing device.

.of the terminals 50 and 511s connected. Such voltage source may conveniently comprise the battery normally employed in the vehicle. The

conductors

82 and 83 may be clamped to the bracket 79 as by

clamps

84 and 85. The button actuated switch 81 may have locations other than those shown. For example, the switch may be associated with a conventional directional signal lever (not shown), or may be positioned within a hollow gear shift or signal lever.

Also, the switch may be foot operatedif desired. Instead of a two wire system, a single wire and groundsystem maybe employed. g

In operation, when it is desired to effect a timingoporation, the driver merely actuates the switch 81 to effect energization of the winding 48* of the solenoid. Such energization results in movement of the armature 52 withment of theface 61' of the lever ,60 with the surface'of the inclined portion 69 to effect the clutch actuating operation for disconnecting the spindles 7 and 24. Im mediately followingdisconnection of the spindles the lever 60 is moved to the position wherein the surface 61 thereof engages the peripheral surface of the plate 42. Such engagement results in rotation of the plate 42 in ;a direction dependent upon the point of engagement and the establishment of the stable cam position previously described, such that the second hand 6 is positioned to indicate sixty or zero seconds, as viewed in FIG. 4. i

The operations above described are effected very rapidly in response to energization of the solenoid and when the hand 6 has assumed the position shown in FIG. 4, the button of the switch 31 is released to initiate the timing operation. Such release is effective to deenergize the solenoid to reverse the sequence of operations previously c described. The arrangement of parts is such thatthe operatoris required to maintain actuation of the switch for only a very short time interval, such as a fraction of a second, in order to preset the hand 6. Overload pro tection is preferably provided to prevent damage to the solenoid which might result if the button is depressed for an extended period. c p

De-energiza-tion of the winding 48 of the solenoid by release of the switch button results in movement of the armature 52 in the direction opposite to that previously describedby the expanding action of the spring 53. This movement results in a counterclockwise rotation of the lever 60 wherein the surface 61 is disengaged from the apices 75 and 7,7 of the plate 42. Continued movement of the lever .60 in the counterclockwise direction resultsin disengagement of the lever 60 with the spring 62, such that the forked extension 64 moves to the left, as viewed in FIG. 3, to actuate the clutch means for connecting the spindles 7 and 24. The lever 60,;then returns to its normal position, as shown in FIG. 2 and the second hand 6 begins to rotate from its preset position to initiate the timing operation. i

It is to be understood that the solenoid44 together with its connections to the shaft59 may be omitted and replaced by other means effective to permit rotation of the shaft 5 9. If desired, means also may be provided to permit manual rotation of the shaft for certain appli- .Although the invention has been described with ref erence to certain specific embodiments thereof, numerous modifications are possible, and it is desired to cover all appended claims 1 c Having thus described my invention, I clairnz 1. In a timing device, driving and driven shafts indemodificat io'ns. falling within the spirit and scope of the pendently rotatableabout a common. axis, a time indicating pointer secured to the driven shaft for rotation therewith, clutch means including a pair of clutching parts each carried by a separate one of said shafts, means mounting said driven shaft for displacement along its axis relative to the driving shaft to move the clutching part carried thereby into and out of clutching engagement with the clutching part carried by the driving shaft, clutch actuating means including a member movable in a plane substantially transverse to said common axis to effect displacement of said driven shaft along its axis of rotation, and cam means secured to said driven shaft, said member being movable into and out of engagement with said cam means after effecting displacement of said driven shaft, said cam means having a single stable position of engagement with said member corresponding to a preselected position of the pointer, and a solenoid effective when energized to move said member into engagement with said cam means subsequent to movement of the driven shaft clutching part out of clutching engagement with the driving shaft clutching part, and effective when de-energized to allow said member to move out of engagement with said cam means.

2. In a timing device, driving and driven shafts independently rotatable about a common axis, a time indicating pointer secured to the driven shaft for rotation therewith, clutch means including a pair of clutching parts each carried by a separate one of said shafts, means mounting said driven shaft for displacement along its axis relative to the driving shaft to move the clutching part carried thereby into and out of clutching engagement with the clutching part carried by the driving shaft, clutch actuating means including a member movable in a plane substantially transverse to said common axis to effect displacement of said driven shaft along its axis of rotation, said clutch part carried by said driven shaft including a heart-shaped cam member having a peripheral surface including a pair of convex surfaces connected by a concave surface, said member having a straight surface portion movable into and out of engagement with said peripheral surface after said member has effected displacement of said drive shaft, said cam member having a single stable position of engagement with said straight surface portion corresponding to a preselected position of said pointer, and means for moving said straight surface portion into'engagement with said peripheral surface subsequent to movement of the clutching part carried by the drivenshaft out of clutching engagement with the clutching part carried by the driving shaft and for moving said straight surface portion out of engagement with said peripheral surface.

3. In a timing device, driving and driven shafts independently rotatable about a common axis, a time indicating pointer secured to the driven shaft for rotation therewith, clutch means including a pair of clutching parts each carried by a separate one of said shafts, means mounting said driven shaft for displacement along its axis relative to the driving shaft to move the clutching part carried thereby into and out of engagement with the clutching part carried by the driving shaft, resilient means urging said clutch parts together and including an elongated spring means having a portion inclined with respect to said common axis of said shafts, clutch actuating means including a member movable in a plane substantially transverse to said common axis to engage said inclined portion of said elongated spring means to effect displacement of said driven shaft along its axis of rotation, and cam means secured to said driven shaft for axial displacement with the driven shaft, said member being movable into and out of engagement with said cam means after effecting displacement of said drive shaft, said cam means having a single stable position of engagement with said member corresponding to a preselected position of said pointer.

4. In a timing device, driving and driven shafts independently rotatable about a common axis, a time indicating pointer secured to the driven shaft for rotation there- .means to disengage said clutch parts and a straight surface portion, and heart-shaped cam means seemed to said driven shaft and displaceable therewith, said substantially straight surface portion being movable into and out of engagement with said cam means after disengagement of said clutch parts, said cam means having a single stable position of engagement with said straight surface portion corresponding to a preselected position of said pointer. 5. In a timing device, driving and driven shafts independently rotatable about a common axis, clutch means including a pair of clutching parts each carried by a separate one of said shafts, means mounting said driven shaft for displacement along the common axis relative to the driving shaft to move the clutching part carried thereby into and out of clutching engagement with the clutching part carried by said driving shaft, and clutch actuating means including resilient spring means positioned adjacent said driven shaft and operatively connected to said driven shaft to normally bias said driven shaft clutching part into clutching engagement with the driving shaft clutching part and a member supported adjacent said driven shaft and movable in a plane substantially transverse to said common axis to effect displacement of said driven shaft along the common axis, said resilient spring means having a portion positioned in said plane of movement of said movable member and'engaged by said member upon movement thereof to effect deflection of said spring means and displacement of said driven shaft and the clutching part carried thereby along the common axis out of clutching engagement with the clutching part carried by said driving shaft.

6. A timing device having an indicator movable from a reference point and resettable to the reference point comprising a driven shaft member supporting said indicator for rotation therewith, a driving shaft member rotatable about an axis common with the axis of rotation of said driven shaft member, clutch means including a pair of clutching parts each carried by a separate one of said shafts, said driven shaft being mounted for displacement along its axis relative to the driving shaft to move the clutching part carried thereby into and out of clutching engagement with the clutching part carried by the driven shaft, biasing spring means operatively connected to said driven shaft and operable to hold said driven shaft in a position wherein said clutching parts are in engagement, a member movable transverse to said common axis and operatively associated with said biasing means and driven shaft to move said driven shaft axially against said biasing member to disengage said clutching parts, and cam means mounted on said driven shaft and engageable by said member upon movement thereof to effect rotation of said driven shaft to position said indicator at said reference point after displacement of said driven shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims

1. IN A TIMING DEVICE, DRIVING AND DRIVEN SHAFTS INDEPENDENTLY ROTATABLE ABOUT A COMMON AXIS, A TIME INDICATING POINTER SECURED TO THE DRIVEN SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, CLUTCH MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF CLUTCHING PARTS EACH CARRIED BY A SEPARATE ONE OF SAID SHAFTS, MEANS MOUNTING SAID DRIVEN SHAFT FOR DISPLACEMENT ALONG ITS AXIS RELATIVE TO THE DRIVING SHAFT TO MOVE THE CLUTCHING PART CARRIED THEREBY INTO AND OUT OF CLUTCHING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CLUTCHING PART CARRIED BY THE DRIVING SHAFT, CLUTCH ACTUATING MEANS INCLUDING A MEMBER MOVABLE IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSE TO SAID COMMON AXIS TO EFFECT DISPLACEMENT OF SAID DRIVEN SHAFT ALONG ITS AXIS OF ROTATION, AND CAM MEANS SECURED TO SAID DRIVEN SHAFT, SAID MEMBER BEING MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CAM MEANS AFTER EFFECTING DISPLACEMENT OF SAID DRIVEN SHAFT, SAID CAM MEANS HAVING A SINGLE STABLE POSITION OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID MEMBER CORRESPONDING TO A PRESELECTED POSITION OF THE POINTER, AND A SOLENOID EFFECTIVE WHEN ENERGIZED TO MOVE SAID MEMBER INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CAM MEANS SUBSEQUENT TO MOVEMENT OF THE DRIVEN SHAFT CLUTCHING PART OUT OF CLUTCHING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE DRIVEN SHAFT CLUTCHING PART, AND EFFECTIVE WHEN DE-ENERGIZED TO ALLOW SAID MEMBER TO MOVE OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CAM MEANS.