US2005158A - Combination radioreceiver and timepiece - Google Patents

Description

June 18, 1935. A. MCL, NICOLSON 2,005,158

COMBINATION RADIORECEIVER AND TIMEPIECE Filed Oct. 18, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY June 18, 1935. A, c cc s 2,005,158

COMBINATION RADIORECEIVER AND TIMEPIECE Filed Oct. 18, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR A/exander M LMH fY/to/son.

ATTORNEY Patented June 18, 1935 UNITED STATES COMBINATION RADIORECEIVER EPIECE TIM Alexander McLean Nicolson, New York, N. Y., as-

signor to Communication Patentalncu New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October 18, 1930, Serial No. 489,571

8Claims.

This invention relates to the electrical transmission of signals, certain of which are used for the adjustment of a clock or time piece.

An object of the invention is to combine radio receiving apparatus with a time piece to accomplish the setting and adjustment of the time piece by electrical signals.

Another object of the invention is to utilize the diaphragm of a radio speaker as a visual clock face to function as the tuning indicia of a radio receiver and the time dial.

A further object of the invention is to accomplish the adjustment of the clock through the operation of the radio apparatus automatically.

At the present time certain radio broadcast stations transmit at periodic intervals impulses having a definite time sequence, the impulses being initiated at a definite interval such as at hour or half hour periods. The present invention utilizes these impulses for adjusting the mechanism of a time piece which may slightly lead or lag the correct time. The radio receiver is the usual type of radio receiver which may function for the reception of the usual radio broadcast programs being received on a loud speaker of the usual type employing a conical actuating diaphragm. This diaphragm serves a triple purpose inasmuch as it serves to propagate the sound rays to the listener, it carries the station indicia to facilitate the tuning of the receiver to particular stations, and carries the clock face for the telling of the hour and minute. A fourth function is brought about by placing behind the diaphragm a light source which may project the clock hands and their indicia and the station indicia on the wall or ceiling at definite intervals or whenever desired.

The invention contemplates in brief a mechanism for automatically tuning the receiver to the time signal broadcasting station at the proper periods, and subsequently adjusting the clock mechanism to the correct indication by the time signals.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the radio and clock apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the radio receiver and tuning mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the speaker diaphragm showing the clock and station indicia;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the tuning mechanism shown in Fig. 2; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are detailed sketches of a second method of adjusting the clock indicating elements.

Referring specifically to Figure 1, a time signal broadcasting station 5 is shown with its transmitting antenna 6. This station sends out time signals periodically and we may assume for purposes of description that the signals are initiated one minute before the hour or half hour. Let us also assume that ten impulses are sent out over the minute period at six second intervals. How these impulses are utilized will be explained after the description of the receiving apparatus.

The receiving apparatus includes a receiving antenna 8 and the usual radio receiving set comprising radio .frequency amplifier 9, detector l and audio frequency circuit II. To more clearly illustrate the association of the tuning system with the clock portion of the circuit, it is shown schematically at l2. The receiving apparatus is energized from a rectifier l supplied with energy from the light socket leads I6 and connected through a manual switch ll. The manual switch I! is parallelled by an automatic relay switch I8, the operation of which will be explained hereinafter.

The output of the radio receiver is impressed upon an output transformer 20, the primary of which is in series with a blocking condenser 2|. In parallel with the transformer 20 is a relay 22 in series with a relay switch 23. Relay 22 is normally disconnected from the output of the amplifier except at the period when the time impulses are being received. The secondary of the transformer 20 feeds the voice coil of, a loud speaker 25, which may be of any type having a plane circular face associated therewith. This loud speaker has a tuning lever 26 shown connected to the tuning condenser I2.

The clock mechanism may be either the usual spring wound or motor driven type of mechanism. The addition necessary for the present invention is the provision of a notched wheel 28 containing ten notches which is driven through friction from the drive of the clock hands. That is, the notched wheel is positively connected to the clock hands, the hands, of course, being frictionally driven from the driving mechanism. The relay 22 has an armature 29 which contacts with the serrated portions of the notched wheel and adjusts it in accordance with its position at the time the impulse arrives. Connected with the notched wheel and the hand driving mechanism is a cam 30 having a notch therein 3|. Riding on this cam is a follower 32 which, when reaching the notch 3| closes a contact 34. The closing of contact 34 energizes three relays and one lamp or light source simultaneously over a series circuit including the house supply conductors.

A relay 36 is energized over the series circuit just named closing the switch 23 and connecting the output of the radio receiver to the relay 22. A relay 3! is energized, closing power switch I 8 and energizing rectifier IS in case the manual switch I1 is open. A relay 38 is also energized,

this relay tuning the receiver to the time signal broadcast station in case the tuning is not for this particular station. In series with these relays is a lamp 39 which is contained within the loud speaker diaphragm and illuminates the tuning and clock face indicia or projects this indicia on a wall or ceiling. The lamp 39 may also be energized by a manual key 42 in case the time or tuning is to be viewed at any intermediate time. A resistance 4| compensates for the exclusion of the resistance of the windings of relays 36, 31 and 38. In the present schematic circuit an energizing circuit 43 is shown connected to the house leads and controllable by a manual switch 44. This circuit is the one which operates the clock mechanism in case of an electrically operated clock.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3 and 4', a set of gang condensers 45 is shown mounted on a shaft operable from a control disk 46. Connected to the circumference of this disk is a rod 48 having thereon a hand knob 49 which may be moved around the loud speaker diaphragm for the purpose of adjusting the condensers. The loud speaker diaphragm face is shown mounted on the conical portion of the diaphragm, which in turn is supported from the driving unit 54 attached to the receiver casing. Any type of mounted loud speaker may be employed, the tuning rod 48 being correspondingly formed. 'A clock mechanism 56 may be mounted on the support 53 within the loud speaker diaphragm, the driving shafts for the clock hands 55 projecting therethrough. The lamp 39 of Fig. 1 is shown mounted within this'diaphragm enclosure.

Referring now to Fig. 4, the disk 46 is shown having two coiled extension springs 58 and 59 mounted around the circumference of the disk 46 in a groove therein and adjusted to a normal position which corresponds to the broadcast frequency of the time station 5. This adjustment is accomplished by attaching the free ends of the springs to the disk 46 where they neutralize one another. This neutralizing point corresponds with a position of the tuning condensers which permits the reception of the time signal station. A friction lever Si is held in contact with the disk 46 by means of a spring 62 so that any adjustments of the tuning condensers will remain fixed by the friction contact against the tension of the springs 58 and 59. The relay 33 when energized, releases the lever 6| from the disk and allows the springs to return the rotor of the tuning condensers to the position to receive the time signal stations wave length.

In Fig. 3 a front view of the loud speaker is illustrated, showing the hands 55, the station tuning and clock dial indicia, and the manual tuning knob 49.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a divided relay 64 is shown, which is connected in the circuit in the same position as relay 22 of Fig. 1. Mounted between the cores of the two sections of the relay is a wheel 65 composed of insulating material such as bakelite or hard rubber, and containing along its circumference soft iron lugs or insertions 66. This wheel is comparable to the notched wheel 28 of Fig. 1, and is positively connected to the hands of the clock. It is obvious that if an impulse is placed on the relay 64 when the nearest soft iron projection is not exactly between the two pole pieces, it will be lined up therewith by a magnetic field either D. C. or A. 0. formed therebetween. This movement adjusts the hands forward or backward, depending upon the inaccuracy of' the clocks running mechanism.

The operation of the system shown in Fig. 1 is as follows: Upon our assumption that the signals are initiated one minute before the correct hour period, and one-half hour period, the cam 30 is adjusted to make contact at least two minutes before any period. That is, in case the manual switch I! is not closed and the receiver inoperative, it will become energized by the actuation of the relay 31. Simultaneously relay 36 will connect the output of the amplifier to the relay 22 which is normally disconnected so as not to interfere with the impedance of the connecting circuits between the loud speaker and the audio frequency amplifier. Furthermore, the relay 38 permits the springs 58 and 59 to tune the condenser l2 to the time signal station 5 in case the receiver is not so tuned. The light source 39 is also energized, bringing to view the indicia of the tuning system and clock dial in case of darkness.

Upon the reception of the first impulse in case the clock has lost time, the notch 61 will be retarded toward a vertical line through the center of the wheel. That is, should the clock be perfect, the notch 61 will be at a position so that the movement of the armature 29 will not contact therewith. In case the clock is slow, however, the armature 29 will contact with the notch 61 and move it up forward. Assuming that the clock is fast and the wheel 61 has moved so no adjustment can occur, then the friction of the arm 29 against the outer part of the notch will retard the hand until the next notch is reached when the second impulse will bring the wheel up to normal. The relay 22 has a slow release to accomplish this function. Upon discontinuation of the impulses, the armature 29 is out of contact with the notched wheel 28. At the completion of the ten impulses and the correct adjustment of the clock, the cam breaks the contact 34 and allows the circuit to return to the normal position, as shown.

The magnetic adjustment feature shown in Figs. 5 and 6 may be substituted for the relay 22 and the notched wheel 28, and is preferable thereto for full electrical operation. As shown in the drawings of Figs. 5 and 6, only four lugs 66 are illustrated, but any number may be placed around the periphery of the adjustment wheel as well as any number of notches in the notched wheel 28. For instance should ten impulses arrive in one minute, the wheel can make one revolution per minute, and contain ten lugs, as illustrated in Fig. 1 with the serrated wheel, or it may make two revolutions per minute and contain five lugs. The correcting serrations or lugs are so positioned and geared to the clock hand mechanism that the lag or lead is always less than one-half the distance between serrations or lugs- The above combination is advantageous to maintain absolute constant time and to utilize a portion of the diaphragm of a loud speaker for carrying the tuning and clock indicia both of which function together to provide a radio receiving system and a clock adjusting system of extreme convenience. Should the impulses be characterized by pleasant sounds such as gongs or chimes, they may be received simultaneously over the loud speaker, the'energy therefrom operating the relay 22.

Although the invention has been described with respect to its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that there are equivalent systems which are contemplated to be within the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a radio receiver, a power supply therefor, tuning mechanism for said receiver, means for automatically tuning said receiver to a particular station, means for controlling the time of said tuning, a time keeping mechanism, a loud speaker, and means for utilizing energy received from the output of said receiver for adjusting said time keeping mechanism, a portion of said energy also operating said loud speaker.

2. In combination, a time keeping mechanism including a serrated wheel connected to a time indicating element, a rotating cam attached to said serrated wheel, a radio receiver, tuning means for said receiver, and means associated with said cam for energizing and tuning said radio receiver to a certain broadcast wave length for adjusting said serrated wheel.

3. In combination, a time keeping mechanism, a serrated wheel therefor, a rotating cam connected thereto, a relay operating on said serrated wheel at periodic intervals, a radio receiver having said relay connected in the output thereof, means for energizing said receiver, means for tuning said receiver, and means associated with said cam for operating said energizing means connecting said relay in the output of said receiver, tuning said receiver, and illuminating the time indication portion of said time keeping mechanism simultaneously. I

4. In combination, a radio receiver having a loud speaker connected thereto, a time adjusting mechanism connected to said receiver, tuning indicia and time indicia on said loud speaker,

and a cam associated with said time mechanism for connecting said time adjusting mechanism with said receiver and illuminating said tuning and time indicia at periodic intervals, the energy for said time mechanism being supplied from said receiver.

5. In combination, a radio receiver for detecting a plurality of differently modulated carrier waves at mutually exclusive intervals, means for tuning said receiver to receive each of said waves at mutually exclusive intervals, a loud speaker for reproducing the modulations of said carrier waves, a time keeping mechanism within said speaker, tuning indicia and time indicia located on said speaker, means for adjusting said tuning means at predetermined intervals to a particular carrier wave, and means for simultaneously adjusting said time keeping mechanism and operating said loud speaker with the output current of said receiver.

6. In combination, a radio receiver for detecting a plurality of difierently modulated carrier waves at mutually exclusive intervals, tuning means for said receiver, a loud speaker for said receiver, a time keeping mechanism associated with said receiver, said tuning means and time keeping mechanism having indicators located on said loud speaker, means for illuminating said time indicator when said receiver is energized, means associated with said time keeping mechanism for energizing and tuning said receiver to a particular wave length at predetermined intervals, and means for adjusting said time keeping mechanism and operating said speaker with the same output current from said receiver.

7. In combination, a radio receiver for detecting a plurality of differently modulated carrier waves at mutually exclusive intervals, means for tuning said receiver to receive each of said waves at mutually exclusive intervals, a loud speaker for reproducing the modulations of said waves, a time keeping mechanism positioned at said speaker, tuning and time indicia on said speaker, means for adjusting said tuning means, said means being adjacent said tuning and time indicia, and means for simultaneously adjusting said time keeping mechanism and operating said speaker with the same currents from said receiver.

8. In combination, a radio receiver for detecting a plurality of carrier waves, a loud speaker for reproducing modulations of said waves, a clock partially enclosed by the diaphragm of said speaker for tuning said receiver to a particular carrier wave, tuning and clock indicia on said speaker, means for energizing and deenergizing saidreceiver, means for illuminating said tuning and clock indicia when said receiver is energized, means for tuning said receiver to each of said carrier waves at mutually exclusive intervals from said tuning indicia, and means for adjusting said clock and operating said speaker with the same current from said receiver initiated by corresponding received currents.

ALEXANDER MCLEAN NICOLSON.

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