US549038A - Electric program-clock - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. H.. WATTERS.

ELECTRIC PROGRAM OLOGK. No. 549,038. V Patented Oct. 29, 1895.

TATES rrron ATENT LEON H. WATTERS, OF MEDIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549.038, dated October 29, 1895. Application filed November 30,1891. Serial No. 418.623 (No model.)

To aZl whom it may conccrm Be it known that I, LEON H. WATTERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Media, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and use-. f ul Automatic Electric Program Attachment j for Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic electric program attachments for clocks; and the object of my invention is to provide for the ringing of clectric bells at any minute of the day or night, according to one or more programs. This object is attaned by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a front view of an attachment for clocks embodying my invention. Fg 2 represents a perspective View of one of the insulating-plates with lever and controlling-spring. Fg. 3 represcnts a View of the back of the clock.

Like parts are represented by the same letters in each of the Views.

The ring B is made of brass or other conducting material and is attached to the minute-post P of the clock by means of the arms L and the nave V, of the sane material, and rotates with the minute-hand of the clock. At equal intel-Vals in this ring are sixty perforations extending radially through the same for the reception of pins or screws of conducting material, two of which are represented at E and E'. The ring C, also of conducting material, is attached to the collar of the hourhand of the clock by means of the armsUand moves with the hour-hand. This ring has one hundred and forty-four perforations arranged in like manner as in the outer ring B for the reception of pins or screws of conducting material, two of which are shown at F and F'.

On a radius of the dial A of the clock (preferably on the radius passing through the XII of the dial) are three perforations through the dial for the reception of the, levers D D' D D which pass through the plate I, of insulating material, attached to the' back of the clock-dial The lever D and plate I are represented in cross-section in Fg. 2, in which K is the posterior end of the lever, bent so as to form a table for the reception of the spring O, ,which holds the lever in position parallel with the radius of the dial and at the same time permits the lever to move When one of the pins of the hour or minute rings comes in contact with it T and T' in Fg. 1 are sections of the clockcase.

The spring controlling the lever D is connected with one pole of the battery W by the wire N, and the spring controlling the lever D'. is connected with the other pole of the same battery by the wire S. The pin E of the ring B coming in contact with the lever D while the pin F of the ring C is in contact with the lever D', the circuit is closed, and the bell X, placed in the circuit, is caused to ring. In like manner the spring controlling the lever D is connected with one pole of the battery W' by the wire N' and the spring controlling the lever D with the other pole of the same battery by the wire S'. Both 'sets of wires may, however, run to the same battery, and but one battery be used.

When the pin E' of the ring B is in contact with the liver D the pin F' of the ring C will be in contact with the lever D, and the circuit being closed the bell X', which is in the circuit, will ring.

To have the bell, or set ot' bells, ring at any desired time, as at twelve minutes past ten, as represented in the drawings, a pin (or ,preferably a screw) is placed in the ring B in the twelfth perforation to the left of the minutehand and allowed to project far enough to come in contact with the leverD Another pin or screw is placed in the ring C in the second perforation to the left of the ten-o clock (X mark and allowed to project far enough to come in contact with the lever D'. There being one hundred and forty-four perforations in the ring C, there is one perforation for every five minutes, and hence to havethe bells ring at any minute within this limit the pin or screw must be-placed in the perforation to the right of the time at which the bellsare to ring and must be allowed to project far enough to hold onto the lever until the required time, which will of course never be for a longer period than four minutes. In like manner the clock may be set to ring the bells at any minute of the twelve hours. The length of time that the bells will continue to ring depends upon the duration of` the contact, which is regulated by the length of the contact pins or screws.

WVhen it is not desirable to have the bells ring during either period of twelvehours, the circuit is cut out for that period by means ot an ordinary switchboard.

The bells X' in the circuit of the other battery are caused to ring by arranging the pi ns or screws in like manner as for the other bells, allowing the pins or screws to project from the inner surface of the rings, so as to come in' contact with the levers D and D.

If both sets of bells are toring at the same time, the pins or screws nust project from both the onter and'the inner surfaces of' the` rings, as at E' and F'. As here represented, both sets of bells will ring'athalf-past three.

It it is desired to ring more than two' sets of bells, the rings B and C may be mad e:

double, and another 'set of levers may be placed on any other radius of the dial, but

preferably on the same diameter" as the other set.

W'hat I claim as myinvention i-s-- 1. Iu an automatic-electric program attachment for a clock, a ringof conducting material havi ng'radia l means for securi ng it to the minute post of' the clock and having radialperforations therein, a pin projecting from one of said perfor'ations, an electric circuit with an alarm therein, a plate ofi insulating* material attached to the clock dial, aspring controlled lever in said plate having an end normally in the path of said pin, said parts being combined substantially as described.

2. In an automatic electric program attach-- ment for a clock, two rings of conducting material each having radial perforations therein and provided With pins adapted to project from said perforations, one of said ringshav-` ing means for attaching it to the minute post, and the other ring having means for attaching it to the hour post of the clock, plates of insulating material attached` to the clock dial 4 springs in and provided with spring controlled levers having ends normally in the path of said pins, and an electric circuit With an alarm therein, said levers being in the said electric circuit, said parts being combined substantially as described.

3. In an electric program attachment for clocks, two rin gs of conducting material havaing radialpertorations therein, and provided with detachable pins adapted to project from either end of any of said perforations, said "ri-ngs having means respectively to connect them With the minute and hour posts of a clock, electric circuits with alarms therein, insulating plates secu'ed to the clock dial, levers mounted in saidplates and having ends adapted to be in the path of said pins, and said electric circuits controlling said levers,` said parts being combined substantially as described.

t. An automatic electric attachment for a clock,` having rings with means for securing them respectively to the minute and hour i posts ot' a clock, one of said rings having a pin projecting outwardly from its periphery,

and the other ring having a pin projecting inwardl-y from its periphery, a non-conducti ing plate attachedi to the clock dial intermediate of said rings, and having leversthereon adapted to be' engaged by said pins, and electric circuits with alarms and springs therein, the latter controlling said levers, said paris being combined substan tially' as described.

5. An` automatic electric program attachment for clocks, consisting of the dial A, the

insulated leversD, D', D D and the conduct-` ing rings B and C carrying the pins or screws E and E', and F and F' respectively, for the purpose of making electrical contactiwith the insulated levers D, D',`D D substantially as specified.

LEON H. XVATTERS.

VVtnesses:

STEPHEN- H. APPLETON, THOS. R. VERNON.

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