US2429690A - Time switch device - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l R. D. HUSZAGH TIME SWITCH DEVICE Filed Jan. 21, 1944 Oct. 28, -1947.

Patented Oct. 28, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims. 1

This invention relates .to improvements in a time switch device, and more particularly to a time switch device which may be attached to a standard alarm clock or equivalent mechanism for the purpose of controlling the operation of an electrical household appliance, such as an electric stove, toaster, radio, etc., although the invention may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

I am aware that in the past many and various clockwork controlled time switch devices have been developed, but these devices have been objectionable in that the entire time switch construction including both the clock mechanism and the switch mechanism had to be built together as an individual unit, or in the event the device were attached to clockwork mechanism already constructed, an objectionable amount of revision or rearrangement of that clock mechanism had to be made in order to combine the switch mechanism with it. Consequently, the ultimate time switch device was objectionably expensive, too likely to become out of order, and undesirably difiicult to repair.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a switch device capable of being associated with a standard alarm clock or equivalent standard mechanism without changing the design of the'same or rearranging the working parts of the same in any way to effect the addition of the switch mechanism.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a switch mechanism operable by a clock mechanism in which the major portion of the switch mechanism is contained in an individual case readily attachable to a standard alarm clock or equivalent structure.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a switch mechanism for attachment to a standard clock mechanism, which switch mechanism is so economical and simplified in form as to warrant its removal and replacement with a new such mechanism in the event any repairs are needed.

Still another object of the instant invention is the provision of a switch mechanism for association with a standard clock mechanism, the switch mechanism being contained in a single housing and being of such economical construction as to warrantthe mere removal of the housing and replacement of the new housing containing new switch mechanism, in the event repairs are required.

Also a feature of the invention resides in the provision of novel switch mechanisms readily and easily attachable to substantially any form of standard clock mechanism, regardless of whether that clock mechanism is electrically or mechanically driven.

Still another object of the instant invention is the provision of switch mechanisms readily attachable to substantially any standard clock mechanism for operation thereby, the switch mechanism being also equipped with hand control means in the event the user desires to open or close the switch mechanism at a different time than that for which the clock mechanism has been previously set.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a standard alarm clock equipped with a switchmechanism embodying principles of the instant invention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the structure of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the clock casing just inside of the front Wall, this figure being enlarged over the showing in Fi ure 2;

Figure 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through both the clock casing and the casing containing the switch mechanism, parts being shown in elevation for the purpose of clarity; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan sectional view through both the clock casing and switch mechanism housing.

As shown on the drawings:

The illustrated embodiment of the instant invention is shown in the form of a standard alarm clock combined with switch mechanism, both the switch mechanism per se and the combination with the alarm clock embodying principles of the instant invention.

It will be appreciated that it makes no difference whether the alarm clock is of the mechanical spring motor type or of the electrical synchronous motor type. The switch mechanism may just as well be combined with either type of clock mechanism. For purposes of illustration, I have selected the mechanical spring motor type of alarm clock, not by way of limitation, but by way of an example of the character of clock mechanisms with which the switch structure may be easily combined.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, there will be seen a standard form of alarm clock including a casing l including a removable back cover plate 2. The front of the casing is equipped with the usual clock dial 3, an on alarm set dial 4, and an off alarm set dial 5. In a well known manner, with the aid of the dials 4 and 5, the clock alarm may be set to operate at a predetermined time denoted by the position of the hand on the on dial 4, and to discontinue operation at a predetermined time denoted by the position of the hand on the off dial 5.

On the back cover 2 of the clock casing l is a thumb nut 6 on a clock winding shaft 1, a thumb nut 8 on an on alarm wind shaft 8 seen in Figure 5, and a thumb nut H) for an off alarm wind shaft II. There is also the usual time set shaft 12, an on alarm set shaft l3, and an off alarm set shaft 14, each of these shafts being equipped with a suitable manipulating knob disposed outside the clock casing.

With reference more particularly to Figure 5, it will be seen that within the clock casing l suitable bearing partitions l5 and I6 may be provided to support the customary clock mechanism, the main portion of which is disposed within a suitable housing I! between the partitions. No specific description of the clock mechanism per se will be given herein, because the details of construction of that particular mechanism may vary materially with different clocks. That portion of the clock mechanism projecting without the housing ll includes a gear l8 on the inner end of the on alarm wind shaft 9, which gear meshes with another gear I9 carried by a shaft 28 set between the partitions l5 and [6, the gear [9 being in turn engaged with mechanism within the housing H. Likewise, there is a gear 2| on the inner end of the off alarm wind shaft H in mesh with a gear 22 carried by a shaft 23 be tween the partitions.

All of the above described clock construction is standard. In order to apply the switch mechanism to the clock for timed operation thereby it is simply necessary to attach a convenience outlet 24 to the rear panel 2 so that the appliance to be controlled by the switch mechanism may be connected to it. A terminal plug 25 is also attached to the inside of the rear wall 2 and a conduit 26 enclosing a pair of conductors extends through the rear wall to any suitable source of electric energy. Inside the clock casing a conductor 21 connects one terminal of the terminal plug 25 with one terminal of the outlet 24 and conductors 28 and 29 lead from the other terminal of the outlet and the other terminal of the plug 25 to a pair of terminals 30 and 3| associated with the switch mechanism and seen in Figure 4.

In addition to the positioning of the plug 25 and the outlet 24, a suitable slot 32 is provided in the top wall of the clock casing and a pair of similar stop members 33 and 34 are screw attached or equivalently secured to the upper inside portion of the rear cover 2. A lever 35 is attached to the on alarm wind shaft 9. This lever may be of rod-like form' and may be threadedly engaged in a topped opening drilled in the shaft 9. In like manner, a similar lever 35 is attached to the off alarm wind shaft II. The switch mechanism itself is preferably enclosed within a suitable housing 31, which housing may be attached in any suitable manner to the inside of the rear cover 2 of the clock casing, as seen best in Figure 3. In the event anything becomes out of order in connection with the switch mechanism, it is a simple expedient to remove the housing 3! and replace it with a new housing 3! containing new switch mechanism. This operation may be accomplished with the aid of a screw driver or some other equivalently simple tool.

The switch mechanism within the housing 31 includes an operating lever 38 pivoted as at 39 to a cross shaft intermediate the ends of the lever. The inner end of the lever carries a roller 40, and the outer end of the lever projects through a slot 4| in the housing in position to be contacted by the lever 35 during a revolution of the shaft 9. The lever 38 is maintained substan tially in mid-position with the aid of a flat spring 42 having its free end extending Within a stirrup 43 attached to the lever, and its fixed end secured to a cross pin 44. The roller 48 on the inner end of the lever arm 38 is positioned for engagement with the edge of a sector shaped switch blade 45, preferably of non-conductive material. The switch blade is pivoted on a cross shaft 48 with sufficient frictional engagement to maintain the switch blade in whatever position it is thrown against accidental movement. The switch blade has a conductive insert 41 in an upper corner thereof which is engageable between a pair of spring contacts 48 and 43 to which conductors 50 and 5|, respectively, lead from the aforesaid terminals 30 and 3|. The spring contacts 48 and 49 are separated by an insulating block 52 carried upon a cross support 53, as best seen in Figure 4. A hand lever 54 extends outwardly from the arcuate edge of the sector 45 through a slot 55 in the housing 31 and through the aforesaid slot 32 in the top of the clock casing, so that the sector switch blade may be operated by hand whenever desired.

Directly opposite the lever 38 is a similar lever 56 extending through a slot 51 in the opposite end of the housing 31 and intermediately pivoted as indicated at 58. The inner end of this lever carries a roller 59 also engageable against an edge of the sector switch blade 45. The general construction of the lever 56 is the same as that of the lever 38, and it is held normally in substantially horizontal position by a spring arrangement similar to the spring 42.

In operation the instant invention is quite positive. As the structure is seen in Figure 4, the switch blade 45 has just been moved to open circuit position by means of the lever arm 36 acting upon the intermediately pivoted lever 56. The switch throwing lever 58 has just been moved to normal position by the spring associated therewith. It should also be understood that the lever 35 upon the wind shaft 9 for the on alarm arrangement will only permit the shaft 9 to make substantially one complete revolution in either direction by virtue of the engagement of this lever with the stop member 34. Likewise, the lever 36 and stop member 33 permits the shaft II on the off alarm arrangement to only make substantially one complete revolution in either direction. It will further be appreciated that when the on alarm arrangement is wound the lever 35 and the shaft 9 will be in the dotted line position seen in Figure 4, and when the alarm is tripped by the clock mechanism in a well known manner, the shaft 9 will turn counter-clockwise as seen in Fi ure 4. In the same manner, it will be understood that the lever 38 will be in the dotted line position seen in Figure 4 when the off alarm arrangement is wound, and when this arrangement is tripped by the clock mechanism, the shaft II will turn in a clockwise direction, that is, a direction opposite the rotation of the shaft 9. It will be understood, therefore, that when neither of the alarm arrangements is wound, it is simply necessary to rotate the shafts 9 and II substantially one revolution each until the respective levers 35 and 36 contact the stop members 34 and 33. I

Let it be assumed that both alarm arrangements have been fully wound, that is the levers 35and 36 on the shafts 9 and I l are in the dotted line positions of Figure 4; and that by manipulation of the shaft 13, the on alarm arrangement has been set to operate at 2:00. oclock and by manipulation of the shaft M, the off alarm arrangement has been set to operate at substantially 2:15 oclock as indicated in Figure 1. At 2:00 oclock, therefore, the clock mechanism will trip the on alarm arrangement and start the shaft 9 rotatin in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure i. In approximately a quarter turn, the lever 35 will contact the projecting portion of the switch operating lever 38 and move the switch 38 downwardly to the dotted line position, thus moving the roller 49 along the edge of the sector switch blade 45 and moving this switch blade from the full line position of Figure 4 to the dotted line or circuit closing position. As the lever 35 passes off the end of the lever 38, this lever will be brought back to substantially horizontal position by the spring 42. When the switch blade 45 is in circuit closing position, the outlet 24 on the rear wall of the clock casing is energized and whatever household appliance may be connected to this outlet is also energized. After substantially one revolution, the shaft 9 will of course be stopped by the stop member 34.

-Atsubstantially 2:15 oclock, the clock mechanism will trip the ofi alarm arrangement and the shaft i I together with its lever'36 will begin to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4. The lever 35 will contact the projecting portion of the switch actuating lever 56, causing the roller 59 to ride up the adjacent edge of the switch blade 45, and throw this switch blade from the dotted line position to the full line or open circuit position, as seen in Figure 4, thus cutting off the energy to the household appliance connected to the outlet 24.

As indicated by dotted lines in Figure 4, it will be noted that when the respective on and off alarm arrangements are wound, the outer portions of the levers 38 and 56 will be moved upwardly, and the rollers 40 and 59 will be carried in a downward direction entirely out of contact with the switch blade 45.

It should also be noted that regardless of the setting of either of the alarm arrangements the switch blade 45 may be manually moved with the aid of the lever 54 in either direction. Such movement does not disturb the automatically operable switch mechanism in any degree whatever. If so desired, the customary alarm signal may be actuated during the movement of the shaft 9 simultaneously with the closin of the circuit.

It will further be appreciated that it makes no difference whether the clock mechanism is of the spring motor type requiring hand winding or whether it is of the synchronous motor type electrically driven. In the event the clock has only one alarm arrangement, the switch mechanism may equally as well be combined with the clock but in that event it would be necessary to open the circuit by manipulation of the hand lever 54 at the desired time.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a novel and highly eflicient combination of standard mechanism with novel switch mechanism. The switch mechanism may readily be associated with substantially any standard clock mechanism or equivalent structure without any change of design or rearrangement of parts of the clock mechanism. It will likewise be appreciated that if any repairs are required to the switch mechanism, the structure is sufficiently economical to warrant the removal of the entire housing containing the switch mechanism and the replacement thereof with an entirely new switch mechanism. The switch mechanism may readily be associated with the clock mechanism regardless of the type of drive associated with the clock mechanism, and regardless of the setting for operation at a predetermined time or cessation of operation at a predetermined time, the switch mechanism may be hand controlled to open or close the circuit without disturbin any part of the associated apparatus.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as follows:

1. In combination, a clock including a casing, clock mechanism in said casing and including a pair of spaced presettable arrangements each of which embodies a windshaft, switch mechanism contained in a unitary housing mountable between said presettable arrangements, a switch actuating lever projecting without each end of said housing; and a lever projecting radially from each said windshaft in position to contact and throw the respective switch actuating lever during rotation of the windshaft, one of said actuating levers closing the switch mechanism and one opening it, and stop means in said casing contactable by said radially projecting levers to limit the rotation of each windshaft to substantially one revolution in either direction.

2. In combination, clock mechanism, switch mechanism associated with said clock mechanism and including a sector shaped switch blade pivoted at the apex, a pair of intermediately pivoted levers disposed on opposite sides of said switch blade, each of said levers carrying a roller at the switch blade end thereof, contacts closed by said switch blade when pivoted in one direction, and means associated with said clock mechanism to actuate said levers to throw said switch blade.

3. In combination, clock mechanism, switch mechanism associated with said clock mechanism and including a sector shaped switch blade pivoted at the apex, a pair of intermediately pivoted levers disposed on opposite sides of said switch blade, each of said levers carrying a roller at the switch blade end thereof, contacts closed by said switch blade when pivoted in one direction, and means associated with said clock mechanism to actuate said levers to throw said switch blade, and a handle extending from the arcuate edge of said switch blade to permit manual manipulation of the switch blade, the arrangement being such that manual manipulation does not affect the mechanical actuation.

4. In combination, clock mechanism, switch 7 mechanism associated with said clock mechanism and including a sector shaped switch blade pivoted at the apex, a pair of intermediately pivoted levers disposed on opposite sides of said switch blade, each of said levers having one end positioned to bear against a. radial .edge of said switch blade, contacts closed by said switch blade when pivoted in one direction, and presettable means associated with said clock mechanism to actuate said levers at predetermined times.

5. In combination, clock mechanism, switch mechanism associated with said clock mechanism and including a sector shaped switch blade P oted-at the apex, a pair of intermediately pivoted levers disposed on opposite sides of said switch blade, each of said levers having one end positioned to bear against a radial edge .of said switch blade, contacts closed by said switch blade when pivoted in one direction, and presettable means associated with said clock mechanism to actuate said levers at predetermined times, and a handle on said switch blade for manual manipulation thereof, the arrangement being such that manual actuation of the switch blade does notdisturb the function and timing of said presettable means.

6. In combination, clock mechanism, switch mechanism associated with said clock mechanism and including a pivoted switch blade, a pair of intermediately pivoted levers arranged so that one lever will pivot said switch blade to circuit closing position and the other lever will pivot said switch blade to circuit opening position, contact means engaged by said switch blade when the blade is pivoted to circuit closing position, and rotary means associated with said clock mechanism to actuate said levers at predetermined time intervals by moving the adjacent end of the lever as the rotary means pass thereby.

7. In combination, clock mechanism, switch mechanism associated with said clock mechanism and including a pivoted switch blade, a

8 pair of intermediately pivoted levers arranged so that one lever will pivot said switch blade to circuit closing position and the other lever will pivot said switch blade to circuit opening position, contact means engaged by said switch blade when the blade is pivoted to circuit closing position, means associated with said clock mechanism to actuate said levers .at predetermined time inter- .vals, and resilient means tending at all times to hold said levers in neutral position to effect immediate restoration of a lever to starting position after being acted upon by said means.

18. In combination, clock mechanism, switch mechanism associated with said clock mechanism and including a. single switch blade pivots-11y mounted, a pair of independently mounted intermediately pivoted actuating levers one of which moves said switch blade to circuit closing position and the other of which moves said switch blade .to circuit opening position, contact means engaged by said switch blade when moved to ciricuit closing position, resilient means associated with each of said levers tending to maintain the respective lever in neutral position, and means projecting from and rotatable with a shaft of said clock mechanism adjacent each said lever to actuate that lever against the action of said resilient means at predetermined time intermals.

RALPH D. ,HUSZAGH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 871,671 Campbell Nov. 1-9, 1907 1,757,456 Frocks May 6, 1930 2,190,241 Mor-rone Feb. 13, 1940 "2,090,300 Kurtis Aug. 17, 1937 2,233,139 McCullough s Feb. 25, 1941 2,126,496 Padgett Aug. 9, 1938

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