US2499270A - Clock-controlled switch gear - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 28, 1950 J. w. ELLIS CLOCK CONTROLLED SWITCH GEAR 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, 1947 INV e NTo R w. 14m;

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CLOCK CONTROLLED SWITCH GEAR Filed May 29, 1947 s sheetssheet s H/ 2 15 g g 10 a s &9

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CLOCK CONTROLLED SWITCH GEAR Filed May 29, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 v Lam J. W. ELLIS CLOCK CONTROLLED SWITCH GEAR Feb. 28, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 29, 1947 Patented F eb. 28, 1950 CLO CK- CONTROLLED SWITCH GEAR John Wyndham Ellis, Cricklewood, London, England, assignor to S. Smith & Sons (England) Limited, Cricklewood, Lo

ish company ndon, England, a Brit- Application May 29, 1947, Serial No. 751,480 In Great Britain June 6, 1946 6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to clock-controlled switch gear of the kind provided with setting means, whereby the times at which the switch gear may be opened and closed may be preselected, and is particularly applicable to clockcontrolled electric switches for automatically starting and stopping radio sets, thereby enabling a programme, selected in advance, to be switched on at the appropriate time.

According to this invention, a clock-controlled switch gear of the kind referred to is characterised in that the switch operating mechanism comprisesan operating element driven by the clock, two control members associated with the operating element and adjustable either independently or together relatively thereto, one controlling the closing movement and the other the opening movement of the switch gear, which controlling members and operating element are arranged to impart quick opening and closing movements to the switch. This quick opening and closing movement is of particular importance in connection with switch gear for radio sets, since it prevents any protracted crackling noises and sparking of contacts.

The aforesaid switch gear may either comprise two switches independently and respectively controlled by the two control members or the switch gear may comprise one set of contacts differentially operated by both said controlling members.

The aforesaid driven operating member may comprise a rotatable cam member and said two control members comprise cam followers adjustable around the cam member and bearing on different parts thereof, which cam is so shaped as to effect rapid relative movement between it and said followers at pre-selected times. Preferably, said-relative movements are arranged to be axial.

In one form of construction according to this invention, one of said cam followers is fixed against axial movement and engages a cam track on one side of an axially movable and rotatable cam, the opposite side of which cam is provided with another cam track engageable by the other follower which is also axially movable, which cam member and latter follower are so connected to the switch gear that the movement of one closes the switch and the subsequent movement of the other opens it.

The arrangement may be such that the first action of the cam results in both it and the latter cam follower moving axially together, whereas the second action of the cam results only in said latter cam follower moving axially,

which follower is connected through a lost-motion device to the switch gear so that its second part of movement only operates the switch.

In one form of construction, the aforesaid switch comprises two contact-carrying blades spring-urged towards one another in the same direction as said axial movement, one of which blades is engaged by an operating member connected to said cam member so as to move axially therewith and the other of which blades is engaged through a lost-motion device by second operating member connected to the latter, i. e., second named cam follower so as to move axially therewith but so as to be movable both axially and rotationally relatively to the first said operating member and spring means urging said latter cam follower axially against the cam member whereby after an initial rotational movement of the cam member both it and the first operating member and the second cam follower are moved axially under the control of the spring means and of the first follower, and thus the first said control blade is moved towards the other which remains stationary due to the lost-motion device, whereafter continued rotation of the cam member eventually results in the second cam follower being moved axially thereby moving the second contact blade away from the first.

The aforesaid cam followers may either be arranged to be independently adjustable relatively to the cam member or may be coupled together so as to be adjustable together. In the latter case, they are so relatively disposed that the switch remains closed always for the same time irrespective of the time of opening. Such an arrangement is found to be suitable for a radio set where the switch may be arranged to remain closed say, for a period of two hours.

The following is a more detailed description of two alternative constructions of a clock-controlled switch for a radio set, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure l is a plan view of one form of clockcontrolled switch;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the arrangement shown in Figure 1;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are sections on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 showing different positions of the control device;

Figure 6 is a similar view to Figure l of an alternative arrangement;

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the arrangement shown in Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a section on the bent line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Rotatably mounted in an outer plate In of the clock frame is a bush II which is fixed against axial movement. Fixed to this bush on the inner side of said plate is a setting disc [2, a friction washer l3 being arranged between it and said plate. The setting disc [2 is provided with teeth 48 on its periphery which are engaged by a pinion 8 on a hand-operated adjusting spindle. The outer end of the bush is provided with a shoulder l4 and a spring washer I5 is arranged .between said shoulder and the plate so as to press the friction washer against the setting disc. The outer end of the bush is provided'with a circumferential groove in which is secured an indicating disc it marked with a 24-hour clock scale, the indicating disc being held frictionally in said groove, so as to rotate with the setting disc 12. Extending through said bush is a rotatable operating spindle H to which is fixed a cam member I8 and a 24-hour wheel which is driven from al'Z-hourpinionfi ofthe 12-hour motion wheel of the clock through an "intermediate pinion '5,

the minute pinion driving the aforesaid 24-hour wheel and the normal 12-hour wheel of the clock mechanism. The cam member 58 comprises a "dis'chavingia rim portion 22 directed towards the may be arranged at a comparatively large angle in'relation'tothe first said face, the arrangement being such that'the aforesaidlug 23 on the setting disc l2 may move rapidly into the notch after passing-beyond the first said face. Encircling said spindle between said cam member and 24-hour wheel is a second setting disc 24 rigidly fixed to a bush and having a rim portion 25 of larger diameter than the rim of the cam member, which rim portion is connected to the first said setting di'scby alug 26 on the setting disc which engages witha slot 2l inthe rim 250i the second setting disc,thereby preventing-relative rotational movement between them butpermitting axial movement. A lug'28 is pressed out of the second setting disc 2:2 and bears on the inner face of the cam member l8, which face is provided with a slot 29 or 'recess into which said lug may'enter "and'is so shapedthat the entry may be rapid. The lug 28 is arranged at a predetermined angular distance in advance of the lug 2% representing the time during which the wireless is required to be r in operation. The second setting disc is fixed to the bush 3'0 which is rotatable onsaid spindle 'and which extends inwardly from the setting disc. The forked limbs 3! of a blade spring loosely straddle the bush and bear against a Washer I32 disposed between them and the inner face of the second settingdisc 24 urging both it and the cam member [8 towards the first setting disc l2. Pivotally mounted on theplates 32 and 33 of the clock frame are two contactblades 3d and 35 so arranged that the latter contacts with theend of the aforesaid spindle I l, whereas the former is 'apertured so as to encircle a groove 85 in the aforesaid bush 3G fixed to the second setting disc 24. The pivot axes 31,38 of the 'two contact blades are arranged transversely to theaxis of the spindle andspaced apartin a direction parallel with said spindle. Theifree ends of the contact blades are drawn together-Thy a helical tension spring 39. The aforesaid groove-36 in thebush 30 on the second setting disc iszof greater :width than he thickness of the contact blade, thereby arms being provided with contacts 40, M at their extreme ends. In this position the contact arm 34 engaging said bush 30 is located by a stop 42 disposed on a frame member 32 of the clock between the two contact arms. When the notch l9 in'the cam member l8 comes opposite the lug 23 on the first setting disc I2, the resulting axial movement of the cam I8 is imparted to the spindle 11?, thereby causing the innermost contact arm 35, under the action of the tension spring 39, to bring its contact ll into engagement with the contact '4!) on the other arm 34, as shown in Figure 1. At the same time the second setting discmoves axially under the action of thespring :fork 3i, bringing theinner wall of the groove 36 in the bush fixed to it into contact with the outerm'os'tbontact arm 3 l. When the 1ug28 on the second setting disc 24 enters the recess-of aperture in the cam member l8, further axial movement of the second setting disc 24 takes place underthe action of the spring fork 3 I, whereupon the inner Wall of the groove 36 of the bush 3!] moves the outer 'cont'actarm 34 with its contact all away from the other contact l-l, as shownin Figure 5. Continued rotation of the cam member ll? may gradually bring the parts into their "initial positions.

As in'the-construction described with reference to Figures 1 5, the indicating disc It bearing the indicating scale is fixed to'a part-which may be rotated around the operating shaft I "l by means of a setting disc -or gear wheel 12 which has peripheral teeth engaged by the hand operated pinion 49. The gear wheel 20 'which is driven by the clock-mechanism is keycd'to the operating spindle H and the driven cam'member l 8-is also keyed "to this shaft -or spindle. The 24-hour markings are shown as cooperating'with-awindowdn the clock casing, indica'tedby-chain lines in Figures "1 and' 6. The margins'of'the window maycarry a 'lubber "line with reference to which the gradualtions on the disc may be read.

A second 24-hour wheel -53 may -be "arranged to engage a twelve-hour wheel 6 driven by a pinion '5 of the clock and may be provided with a 6150"54 having p. m. and a. m. indications viewable through "another window.

In the arrangementshownin Figures '6 to 8, the mechanism is similar, but instead of the second settingdi-sc 24 being'provid'ed witha rim coupled "to the first setting disc I 2, it 'is provided with teeth 43 onits'perimeter which are engaged by -a pinion i l. This p'inion is-adjustablyrotated by "a train of wheels 45 and "46, the latter *of which I is provided with an adjusting spindl 41 whilethe former has a spindle tl to which 'is secured an indicating disc 52. Similarily, the first'setting disc i'2'is provided with teeth 4'B angagecl byzaipinion i'fl'on an adjusting spindle 56. By these means, the'length of timedur'ing which the contactsit and 42 are closed maybe adjusted, the indicating disc 52 showing the time when the contacts are required to be opened.

.In either of th'e arrangements referred to above, instead of the contact arms 34 and '35 being differentially controlled 'by the members [8 and 2G, Teach-of those members might be arranged independently to control separate switches.

I claim:

1. A clock controlled switch gear comprising an axially movable rotatable cam member driven by the clock mechanism and having two control cam tracks thereon, two cam followers rotatably adjustable about the aXis of the cam member and arranged one on either side thereof, one of which is fixed against axial movement and the other axially movable, two electric contacts movable towards and away from one another, means transmitting th axial movement of the rotatable direction to separate the contacts and means transmitting the axial move- 2. A clock controlled switch gear comprising an axially movable rotatable cam member driven by the clock mechanism and having two control cam tracks thereon, two cam followers rotatably adjustable about the axis of the cam member and arranged one on either side thereof, one of which is fixed against the axial movement and the other axially movable, two electric contacts movable towards and away from one another, means transmitting the axial movement of the rotatable cam member in one direction to one contact so as to move it away from the other contact and means transmitting axial movement it towards the first 3. A clock controlled switch gear comprising an axially movable spindle cam followers rotatably spindle, one of which cam followers is fixed against axial movement and the other of which is axially movable, two electric contacts movable towards one another, means transmittin the axial movement of the rotatable cam member in one direction to one contact so as to move it away from the other contact and means transmitting axial movement of said axially movable cam follower in one direction to the other said contact so as to move it towards the first said contact.

4. A clock controlled switch gear comprising an axially movable spindle, rotated by the clock mechanism, a cam member fixed to said spindle and having inner and outer cam tracks thereon, two cam followers mounted on said spindle one on either side of the cam member and rotatably adjustable about said spindle, one of which cam followers is fixed against axial movement and the other of which is axially movable in relation to said spindle, spring means engaging said latter cam follower and urging it towards the cam member and other cam follower, two electric contacts movable towards and away from one another, one of which contacts is operated by axial movement of the spindle and the other by the axially movable cam follower.

5. A clock controlled switch gear comprising an axially movable spindle rotated by the clock mechanism, a cup shaped cam member fixed to said spindle and having one cam track formed on its rim and another on the bottom wall, two rotatably adjustable disc-like cam followers mounted on said spindle so as to permit the spindle to roon the rim, while the other is provided with a hub portion axially slidable on the spindle and is provided with a projection which engages with the cam track on the bottom wall, one pivotally mounted contact blade is engaged by said spindle and the other pivotally mounted contact blade by said hub, and spring means engaging the cam follower having the hub so as to move it and the cam towards the other cam follower.

6. A clock controlled switch gear comprising an axially movable rotatable cam member driven by the clock mechanism and having two control cam tracks thereon, two interconnected cam followers rotatably adjustable about the axis of the and arranged one on either side thereof, which is fixed against axial movement and the other axially movable, two electric contacts movable towards and away from one another, means transmitting the axial movement of the rotatable cam member in one direction to separate the contacts, means transmitting the axial movement of said cam follower in one direction to close the contacts, a rotatable adjusting member operating said cam followers, and indicating means associated with said adjusting member.

JOHN WYNDHAM ELLIS.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,920,664 Perrone Aug. 1, 1933 2,312,492 Schlenker Mar. 2, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 768,719 France Feb. 15, 1934

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