GB2420879A

GB2420879A - Attachment arrangement for winding a clock

Info

Publication number: GB2420879A
Application number: GB0426345A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeffrey Fletcher
Original assignee: SMITH OF DERBY Ltd
Current assignee: SMITH OF DERBY Ltd
Priority date: 2004-12-01
Filing date: 2004-12-01
Publication date: 2006-06-07
Anticipated expiration: 2024-12-01
Also published as: GB0426345D0; GB2420879B

Abstract

An attachment arrangement 10 for attaching an automatic winding unit to a clock, and in particular to a main barrel 14 of a clock, comprises drive means 16 which are locatable on a shaft 12 of a clock and which are arranged to be driven in use by an automatic winding unit. The attachment arrangement 10 includes transmission means 26, preferably in the form of a cable or rope 28, which are arranged to extend in use between the drive means 16 and the shaft 12 to transit rotational force from the drive means 16 to the shaft 12.

Description

1 2420879 Attachment Arrangement for a Clock The present invention relates

to an attachment arrangement for attaching an automatic winding unit to a clock, and particularly but not exclusively to an attachment arrangement for attaching an automatic winding unit to a main barrel of a clock.

Manually winding weight driven clocks, such as turret clocks, can be inconvenient and time consuming. Automatic winding units are thus often retrofitted to such clocks to provide for automatic winding. These conventionally drive an arbor of the clock via a chain sprocket attached to the arbor.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an attachment arrangement for attaching an automatic winding unit to a clock, the attachment arrangement comprising drive means locatable on a shaft of the clock and arranged to be driven in use by an automatic winding unit, and transmission means arranged to extend in use between the drive means and the shaft to transmit rotational force from the drive means to the shaft.

The attachment arrangement is preferably adapted to attach an automatic winding unit to a main barrel of a clock, and the drive means is preferably locatable on a main barrel of a clock.

The drive means may be locatable on the shaft such that substantially all rotational force is transmitted from the drive means to the shaft solely by the transmission means.

The transmission means may be arranged to extend around the shaft in use and may be arranged to extend along the shaft. The transmission means may be arranged to extend around the shaft in use between the drive means and an attachment point on the shaft.

The transmission means may be elongate. The transmission means may comprise a plurality of turns extending around the shaft in use between the drive means and the attachment point. The transmission means may extend between the drive means and the attachment point in a substantially taught condition to enable the transmission of rotational force from the drive means to the shaft preferably with substantially no slippage of the transmission means on the shaft.

The transmission means may comprise a cable or rope.

The attachment arrangement may include a clamp arrangement for clamping the transmission means to the drive means. The clamp arrangement may comprise a clamping plate which may be arranged to clamp an end region of the transmission means between the clamping plate and the drive means. The clamp arrangement may further comprise means for urging the clamping plate towards the drive means to securely clamp an end region of the transmission means therebetween.

The drive means may define an aperture for receiving an end region of the transmission means. The clamping plate may be located substantially across the aperture for clamping the end region of the transmission means between the clamping plate and the drive means.

The attachment arrangement may include a locating arrangement for locating the drive means in use on a shaft of a clock. The locating arrangement may be arranged to space the drive means from the shaft in use.

The locating arrangement may be adjustable to enable location of the drive means on shafts of varying diameter and may be arranged to provide for centering of the drive means on the shaft in use.

The locating arrangement may include circumferentially spaced locating means which may be arranged in use to abut the shaft preferably to centre the location of the drive means on the shaft. The locating means may each extend radially inwardly through the drive means preferably towards the centre of the shaft on which the drive means is located in use. Three locating means may be provided, and these may be circumferentially equispaced around the drive means.

The drive means may comprise an annular drive member, and the annular drive member may be arranged to be driven in use by a drive chain of an automatic winding unit. The drive means may further comprise a toothed wheel or sprocket which may be mounted on the annular drive member.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided drive means locatable on a shaft of a clock and arranged to be driven in use by an automatic winding unit, wherein the drive means is as defined above.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a clock including an attachment arrangement according to the first aspect of the present invention.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for attaching an automatic winding unit to a clock, the method comprising locating drive means on a shaft of the clock, the drive means being arranged to be driven in use by an automatic winding unit, and connecting the drive means to the shaft using a transmission means which extends between the drive means and the shaft to transmit rotational force from the drive means to the shaft.

Preferably the method comprises locating the drive means on a main barrel of a clock.

The connecting step preferably comprises connecting the drive means to the shaft using a transmission means in the form a cable or rope, and preferably using an existing winding cable or rope already present on the clock.

The method may comprise the use of an attachment arrangement according to the first aspect of the present invention.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Fig. 1 is a part cross-sectional side view of an attachment arrangement according to the present invention in use; and Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view along the line A-A of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown generally an attachment arrangement 10 for attaching an automatic winding unit (not shown) to a shaft 12 of a clock. The attachment arrangement 10 is particularly intended to attach an automatic winding unit to a main barrel 14 of a clock, and for the purposes of clarity, the main barrel 14 is illustrated without the clock being shown.

The attachment arrangement 10 comprises drive means 16 in the form of an annular drive member 17 carrying a toothed wheel or sprocket 18, the teeth of which engage in use a driving chain 20 of the automatic winding unit.

As can be clearly seen in Fig. 1, the annular drive member 17 is spaced from the main barrel 14 and does not directly engage the main barrel 14. The annular drive member 17 includes a locating arrangement 22 to locate it on the main barrel 14 and to space it therefrom. The locating arrangement 22 comprises a plurality of locating means in the form of adjustable threaded screws 24 which extend radially through correspondingly threaded holes in the annular drive member 17.

In the illustrated embodiment, the attachment arrangement 10 includes three threaded screws 24 which are circumferentially equispaced around the annular drive member 17, and the end of each of the screws 24 abuts the main barrel 14 of the clock in use. Rotation of each of the screws 24 in its threaded hole varies the length of the screw 24 projecting inwardly from the annular drive member 17, thereby enabling the annular drive member 17 to be centrally located on the main barrel 14 so that the axis of rotation of the annular drive member 17 is coincident with the axis of rotation of the main barrel 14.

The adjustability provided by rotation of the screws 24 also enables the annular drive member 17 to be easily located on main barrels 14 of varying diameter.

It should be noted that the screws 24 of the locating arrangement 22 provide only for location of the annular drive member 17 on the main barrel 14, and the screws 24 are only tightened to the minimum degree which is necessary to achieve the desired location so as to avoid causing any damage to the main barrel 14. The screws 24 are not intended to transmit any rotational forces from the annular drive member 17 to the main barrel 14.

Furthermore, it is also to be noted that the ends of the screws 24 abut the main barrel 14, and no holes are drilled into the main barrel 14 for receiving the ends of the screws 24.

In order to transmit the rotational force provided by the chain 20 of the automatic winding unit to the main barrel 14 and prevent rotational movement of the annular drive member 17 around the main barrel 14, the attachment arrangement 10 includes transmission means 26 which extend in use between the annular drive member 17 of the drive means 16 and the main barrel 14.

As best seen in Fig. 1, the transmission means 26 comprises an elongate drive means in the form of a cable or rope 28. The cable 28 is wound a plurality of times around the main barrel 14 to provide a plurality of turns extending along the main barrel 14, and has a first end region 29 which is attached to the main barrel 14 or an end face 30 of the main barrel 14.

The cable 28 is wound around the main barrel 14 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, in a substantially taught condition, and has a second end region 32 which extends through an aperture 34 in the annular drive member 17 and which is secured to the annular drive member 17 by way of a clamping arrangement 36.

The clamping arrangement 36 comprises a clamping plate 38 which is located substantially over the aperture 34 and which may be urged towards the annular drive member 14 by a threaded fastener 40 engageable in a correspondingly threaded aperture 42 in the annular drive member 17. The second end region 32 of the cable 28 is located in use between the clamping plate 38 and the annular drive member 17 such that when the threaded fastener 40 is tightened, the clamping plate 38 securely clamps the second end region 32 of the cable 28 in position.

In use, the annular drive member 17 is located on the main barrel 14 of a clock by passing over an end plate 44 to a desired location on the main barrel 14. The threaded screws 24 are then adjusted to centre the annular drive member 17 on the main barrel 14.

The cable 28 may already be on the main barrel 14 with its first end region 29 already secured in position, for example it may be the original winding cable 28 of the clock to which weights were originally attached.

Indeed, this is preferred so that a maximum number of original components of the clock are preserved. However, if the original cable 28 is damaged or unsuitable, a replacement cable 28 is mounted on the main barrel 14 and is secured to the main barrel 14 at its first end region 29.

Once the cable 28 has been wound onto the main barrel 14 so that it is in a substantially taught condition, the second end region 32 of the cable 28 is secured to the annular drive member 17 using the clamping arrangement 36.

The chain 20 of the automatic winding unit may finally be located on the sprocket 18.

When the automatic winding unit operates, it causes the chain 20 to continue to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2, and thus causes the annular drive member 17 to rotate, also in the clockwise direction.

Due to the fact that the cable 28 is wound onto the main barrel 14 in a clockwise direction and in a substantially taught condition, there is substantially no slippage between the cable 28 and the main barrel 14, and the clockwise rotational force from the annular drive member 17 is transmitted through the cable 28 to the main barrel 14 and the main barrel 14 is thus caused to continue to rotate in the clockwise direction. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the automatic winding unit uses epicyclic gearing to continue rotating the main barrel 14 whilst rewinding.

Even if the cable 28 is not initially taught and there is some minimal slack in the cable 28, due to the fact that the threaded screws 24 merely serve to locate the annular drive member 17 on the main barrel 14 rather than secure it tightly to the main barrel 14, there may be some relative rotation between the annular drive member 17 and the main barrel 14 until the cable 28 becomes taught, at which point the rotational force will be transmitted from the annular drive member 17 to the main barrel 14.

As explained above, it is also to be understood that due to the fact that the threaded screws 24 only serve to locate the annular drive member 17, substantially all of the rotational force is transmitted from the annular drive member 17 to the main barrel 14 along the cable 28. None of the rotational force is transmitted through the threaded screws 24.

There is thus provided an attachment arrangement 10 which enables an automatic winding unit to be attached to a clock, and advantageously to a main barrel 14 of a clock, without any operations being required which would cause permanent damage to the clock, such as drilling into the main barrel 14 or other clock components. The integrity of the original clock can thus be maintained.

Also, by using a drive means 16 in the form a cable 28 which is wound around the main barrel 14 to extend along the main barrel 14, there is a substantially even load distribution on the bearings supporting the main barrel 14.

Although embodiments of the invention have been described in the preceding paragraphs with reference to various examples, it should be appreciated that various modifications to the examples given may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the transmission means 26 may be in a form other than a cable 28. A locating arrangement 22 which comprises means other than threaded screws 24 to locate the annular drive member 17 on the main barrel 14 may be provided.

The second end region 32 of the cable 28 may be attached to the annular drive member 17 by any suitable means. The automatic winding unit may be arranged to rotate the annular drive member 17, and hence the main barrel 14, in an anti-clockwise direction, and in this case the cable 28 is wound around the main barrel 14 in a corresponding anti-clockwise direction to transmit the rotational force from the annular drive member 17 to the main barrel 14.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance, it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings, whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

Claims 1. An attachment arrangement for attaching an automatic winding

unit to a clock, the attachment arrangement comprising drive means locatable on a shaft of the clock and arranged to be driven in use by an automatic winding unit, and transmission means arranged to extend in use between the drive means and the shaft to transmit rotational force from the drive means to the shaft.
2. An attachment arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the attachment arrangement is adapted to attach an automatic winding unit to a main barrel of a clock.
3. An attachment arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the drive means is locatable on a main barrel of a clock.
4. An attachment arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the drive means is locatable on the shaft such that substantially all rotational force is transmitted from the drive means to the shaft solely by the transmission means.
5. An attachment arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the transmission means is arranged to extend around the shaft in use.
6. An attachment arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the transmission means is arranged to extend along the shaft in use.
7. An attachment arrangement according to claim 5, or claim 6 when dependent on claim 5, wherein the transmission means is arranged to extend around the shaft in use between the drive means and an attachment point on the shaft.
8. An attachment arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the transmission means is elongate.
9. An attachment arrangement according to claim 8 when dependent on claim 7, wherein the transmission means comprises a plurality of turns extending around the shaft in use between the drive means and the attachment point.
10. An attachment arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the transmission means extends between the drive means and the attachment point in a substantially taught condition to enable the transmission of rotational force from the drive means to the shaft with substantially no slippage of the transmission means on the shaft.
11. An attachment arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the transmission means comprises a cable or rope.
12. An attachment arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment arrangement includes a clamp arrangement for clamping the transmission means to the drive means.
13. An attachment arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the clamp arrangement comprises a clamping plate which is arranged to clamp an end region of the transmission means between the clamping plate and the drive means.
14. An attachment arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the clamp arrangement further comprises means for urging the clamping plate towards the drive means to securely clamp an end region of the transmission means therebetween.
15. An attachment arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the drive means defines an aperture for receiving an end region of the transmission means.
16. An attachment arrangement according to claim 15 when dependent on claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the clamping plate is located substantially across the aperture for clamping the end region of the transmission means between the clamping plate and the drive means.
17. An attachment arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment arrangement includes a locating arrangement for locating the drive means in use on a shaft of a clock.
18. An attachment arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the locating arrangement is arranged to space the drive means from the shaft in use.
19. An attachment arrangement according to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the locating arrangement is adjustable to enable location of the drive means on shafts of varying diameter.
20. An attachment arrangement according to any of claims 17 to 19, wherein the locating arrangement is arranged to provide for centering of the drive means on the shaft in use.
21. An attachment arrangement according to any of claims 17 to 20, wherein the locating arrangement includes circumferentially spaced locating means which are arranged in use to abut the shaft.
22. An attachment arrangement according to claim 21, wherein the locating means are arranged to centre the location of the drive means on the shaft.
23. An attachment arrangement according to claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the locating means each extend radially inwardly through the drive means towards the centre of the shaft on which the drive means is located in use.
24. An attachment arrangement according to any of claims 21 to 23, wherein three locating means are provided, and these are circumferentially equispaced around the drive means.
25. An attachment arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the drive means comprises an annular drive member.
26. An attachment arrangement according to claim 25, wherein the annular drive member is arranged to be driven in use by a drive chain of an automatic winding unit.
27. An attachment arrangement according to claim 25 or claim 26, wherein the drive means includes a toothed wheel or sprocket mounted on the annular drive member.
28. Drive means locatable on a shaft of a clock and arranged to be driven in use by an automatic winding unit, wherein the drive means is as defined in any of the preceding claims.
29. A clock including an attachment arrangement according to any of claims 1 to 27.
30. A method for attaching an automatic winding unit to a clock, the method comprising locating drive means on a shaft of the clock, the drive means being arranged to be driven in use by an automatic winding unit, and connecting the drive means to the shaft using a transmission means which extends between the drive means and the shaft to transmit rotational force from the drive means to the shaft.
31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the method comprises locating the drive means on a main barrel of a clock.
32. A method according to claim 30 or claim 31, wherein the connecting step comprises connecting the drive means to the shaft using a transmission means in the form a cable or rope.
33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the connecting step comprises connecting the drive means to the shaft using a transmission means in the form of an existing winding cable or rope already present on the clock.
34. A method according to any of claims 30 to 33, wherein the method comprises the use of an attachment arrangement according to any of claims 1 to 27.
35. An attachment arrangement for attaching an automatic winding unit to a clock substantially as hereinbefore described and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.
36. Drive means locatable on a shaft of a clock and arranged to be driven in use by an automatic winding unit substantially as hereinbefore described and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.
37. A clock including an attachment arrangement for attaching an automatic winding unit to the clock substantially as hereinbefore described and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.
38. A method for attaching an automatic winding unit to a clock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
39. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.