US2562293A - Front actuating means for alarm clock signals - Google Patents

Description

July 31, 1951 I BOURQUIN 2,562,293

FRONT ACTUATING MEANS FOR ALARM CLOCK SIGNALS Filed Aug. 13, 1945 INVENTOR.

firmewsx Patented July 31, 1951 UNITED PATENT OFFi-GE FRONT KCTUATING MEANS FFOR ALARM CLOCK {SIGNALS Edgar'Bourquin, Los Angel'e's; Calif.

Application Augustin, 1945,'Serial No. 61!);445

.(. Cl. 58f38 "3'Claims.

.Myinvention relates .to electrically driven clocks and is particularly directed to an electrically driven-.clock-in whichanalarm-orsignaling device lsrcontained, the construction permitting an indicator or setting hand tobe adjusted to a desired or predetermined 'alarm time from the dial or face of the clock and the .alarm rendered either operative or :inoperative .from theiront oi the clock so that the entire clock may be set into a v recess, panel or wall and .no adjustments need bemade'irom the rearof the clockor case thereof. This application is co-pending with my app1ication,Serial No. 757,392, filed June .27, 1947,

which is directed to front setting means for the time-and hour hands.

Electrically operated clocks ordinarily contain a case in which the .motor .and gearing are contained. In the event the clock is of the alarmor signaling-type, it is usually provided with a setting .hand which appears-ontheidial face with its center .of -.rotation:remov.ed from 'the axis around which the minute and .hourhands rotate. Means fer-gpresetting the alarm and means for adjusting the hour and minute hands, as Welles-means for rendering the signaling device either operative 'or moperative, are generally located on the back of the clock case and extend rearwardly therefrom so thatail or the adjustments are made irom the .rear. Nov difliculty encountered in making such adjustments in the "event the clock is of the so-called desk type Where it is supported from a table, 'cloc'k shelf, or the like and reads/access is had to therear of the clockcase'. However, there are many instances where it is desirable .to have the clock positionedjwithin "a .reeess 'or fastened to a wall orpanel so thatthe dial face "is virtually .flush with the surface of the :wall orgpanel. In such instances, acces to the :rear of the case is virtually impossible.

. ;Ihe;present inventionpermits electric :clocks to be' mounted within a panel, wallyor other supporting structure and all'of the necessary-adiustments for alarm setting maybe readily made mm the front of the clock. 1.1;;

It is an object of the invention to provide an alarm clock of the electrically driven type provided with means for selectively activating and inactivating the alarm mechanism from a position in front of the clock on its dial face.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of an exemplary construction by means of which the desired objects may be attained.

In the appended drawings, which will be re- 2 ferred to in describing the illustrative embodiment:

Fig. -1 isa front-elevation of a clock constructed in accordance with the-present inventionset .into or mounted upon a panelor wall.

Fig. 2 isafront elevation .ofthe clock withthe motor, :clock works, and dial face removed.

Fig. .3 is a horizontal :section takenalong' the plane III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken along theplane IVIV of Fig. 1.

The clock shown in thedrawings is of rectangular shape and comprises a case I inserted vinto arecess formed in the wall or panel 2. Any suitable means may be used in positioning and holding the clock within the panel. The case may beimperforate except for-a port 3 through which the normal, electrical conductor 4 is passed for the purpose of supplying -the-clock .with power.

" The clock'includes the dial face 5 carrying suit,-

ably arranged indices .to indicate the :hours. the minute hand being indicated at 6 and the hour hand indicated at 1. Circularly arranged around the central axis of rotation of the minute and hour hands is a series of indices for indicating the time for which the alarm .is preset.

.Positioned within the clock case i is a magnetic core having afield coil 12 wound around one portion thereof, the ends of the fielcl coil being connected to the electrical leads leading from a source of power. The magnetic core-II formsagap i 3 adapted to receive therotor of a suitable electric motor whose housing is indicated at 14. Details of the motor need not be shown, since-they are-well known-in the art. Suchmotor ordinarily includes adriving pinion I 5 extending therefrom, the .pinioneooperating with suitable clock works for actuating the minute and hour hands.

In the drawing, the clock works are shown contained and carried-bye, front plate 15 and a .rear plate 1-1, the two plates being maintained in "suitable, spaced relation bymeans of spacers, one of which is indicated at. The entire clock works assembly may be removably attached to the rear wall of the case I as by means of stud bolts or spacers IS.

The clock may be of the alarm type wherein a vibratable armature or striker 20 is positioned within the case, one end of the striker being attached to the case as at 2 I. When such striker 20 is released, it will vibrate either against the core II or against a suitable hell or sounding element (not shown) Means have been provided to render the alarm 3 or striker 20 either operative or inoperative, that is to inhibit the alarm or shut it off or to place it in a condition where it will become energized at a time indicated by the setting hand. Such means comprise a lever 55 pivotally connected as at 56 to a bracket 51 extending from the rear plate ll of the clock works. The lever 55 carries a latch 58 capable of being moved into engagement with the striker 20 so as to prevent its vibration. In Fig. 4, the latch 58 is in a disengaged position with respect to the striker 20.

Rods or bars 60 and BI extend through the front and rear plates of the clock works and through the dial 5 so as to be accessible from the front of the clock. The front end of rod 60 may carry a push plate or tab 60 marked on, whereas the front end of rod 6| may carry a push plate or tab Bl marked off. Rods 60 and 61 with their respective outwardly projecting tabs 60' and 6| may be spaced at diametrically opposite dial locations for readily identifying the alarm signal setting and for facilitating immediately desired operation of the alarm signal. The ends of lever 55 may be provided with horizontally extending extensions 55 and 55" terminating in upwardly extending pins capable of engaging slots formed in the inner arms of rods 60 and 6 I. It will be evident that manual movement of the rods pivots the lever 55 so as to cause the latch 58 to selectively engage and disengage the striker arm 20. In order to shut off the alarm, it is necessary only to push the protruding end 6| of the rod 6|. It should be noted that tabs 60' and GI are spaced well apart so that they may be unmistakably identified by touch and by sight. The outer projection of rods 60 and BI forwardly of the dial faceare of different lengths depending upon the position in which the alarm signal is set. Thus the rods and associated tabs may visually indicate the position of the alarm signal setting.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention is not limited to the specific means for inhibiting the striker 20. The frontally extending means for releasing or latching the vibratable element or alarm striker may be applied to mechanical or spring-driven clocks as well as electric clocks. Numerous changes and modifications may be made and all changes coming within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

' 1. In an electric clock and alarm device, including a case containing a magnetic core, a field coil associated therewith, a clock rotor in operative relation to the magnetic core, a clockwork mechanism driven by the rotor, a dial carried by the case and minute and hour hands movable over said dial, the combination of: a vibratable striker member in operative relation to the mag netic core; a centrally pivoted inhibitor lever including an integral latch arranged for movement into engagement with the vibratable striker for holding said striker out of contact with the magnetic core and movement out of engagement with the striker for releasing said striker for vibratable movement; and a manually movable push rod connected to each end of the lever, the front of each push rod extending frontally to a position in front of the assembled clock for manual actuation of the lever from opposite dial portions at the front thereof for ready identification.

2. In an electric clock and alarm device including a case containing a magnetic core, a field coil associated therewith, a clock rotor in operative relation to the magnetic core, a clock work mechanism driven by the rotor, a dial carried by the case, and minute and hour hands movable over said dial, the combination of a vibratable striker member; an inhibitor lever pivoted between its ends within the case and extending into proximity with opposite walls of the case; a latch carried by the lever intermediate its ends in operative relation to the striker member; a manually actuatable push rod connected to each end of the lever within the case, said rods extending through diametrically spaced opposite edge areas of the dial with end portions of the rods positioned in front of the assembled clock; said rods being axially movable for selectively actuating said lever for moving said latch into and out of contact with the striker member.

3. In an electric clock and alarm device including a case containing a magnetic core, a field coil associated therewith, a clock rotor in operative relation to the magnetic core, a clock work mechanism driven by the rotor, a dial carried by the case, and minute and hour hands movable over said dial, the combination of: avibratable striker member; an inhibitor lever pivoted between its ends within the case; a latch carried by the lever intermediate its ends in operative relation to the striker member; a manually actuatable push rod connected to each end of the lever within the case, said rods extending through spaced edge areas of the dial with end portions of the rods positioned in front of the assembled clock; said rods being movable for selectively actuating said lever for moving said latch into and out of contact with the striker member.

EDGAR BOURQUIN.

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

DeHaes Mar. 21, 1944

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