Digital clock and method of operation and making the same

Claim 2

A digital clock comprising a frame means carrying a rotatable shaft and a timer for rotating said shaft at a predetermined rate, a plurality of time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted on said shaft, a first drive means carried by said shaft and being operatively associated with one of said wheel means for incrementally rotating said one wheel means relative to said shaft on a time basis as said shaft rotates, other drive means operatively associated with said shaft and the remaining wheel means to tend to rotate said remaining wheel means as said shaft rotates, and latch means operatively associated with said one wheel means and said remaining wheel means for holding said remaining wheel means from rotating relative to said frame means except in a timed relation to the incremental movement of said one wheel means, said latch means comprising a single latch member pivotally mounted to said frame means.

Claim 3

A digital clock as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one wheel means comprises a ''''unit'''' minute indicator.

Claim 4

A digital clock as set forth in claim 2 wherein said remaining wheel means comprises two wheel means one of which comprises a ''''ten'''' minute indicator while the other comprises an ''''hour'''' indicator.

Claim 5

A digital clock as set forth in claim 3 wherein said one wheel means is numbered from ''''0'''' to ''''9'''' about its outer periphery, said ''''ten'''' minute indicator wheel means is numbered from ''''0'''' to ''''5'''' in two series about its outer periphery, and said ''''hour'''' indicator wheel means is numbered from ''''1'''' to ''''12'''' about its outer periphery.

Claim 6

A digital clock as set forth in claim 4 wherein said timer and said shaft are so constructed and arranged that said shaft makes one revolution every 10 minutes.

Claim 7

A digital clock as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first drive means comprises a torsion spring operatively interconnected to said shaft at one end of said spring and drivingly interconnected to said one wheel means at the other end thereof to tend to rotate said one wheel means as said shaft rotates.

Claim 8

A digital clock as set forth in claim 1 wherein said other drive means comprises torsion spring means having one end means operatively interconnected to said shaft and having the other end means thereof drivingly interconnected to said remaining wheel means to tend to rotate said remaining wheel means as said shaft rotates.

Claim 9

A digital clock as set forth in claim 7 wherein said remaining wheel means comprises a pair of wheel means and said other drive means comprises a torsion spring for each of said wheel means of said pair thereof.

Claim 10

A digital clock as set forth in claim 8 wherein each torsion spring has an inner end means interconnected to said shaft and an outer end means disposed in sliding and compressed relation against its respective wheel means so as to tend to cause rotation of the respective wheel means as said spring is being rotated by said shaft.

Claim 11

A digital clock comprising a frame means carrying a rotatable shaft and a timer for rotating said shaft at a predetermined rate, a plurality of time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted on said shaft, a first drive means carried by said shaft and being operatively associated with one of said wheel means for incrementally rotating said one wheel means relative to said shaft on a time basis as said shaft rotates, other drive means operatively associated with said shaft and the remaining wheel means to tend to rotate said remaining wheel means as said shaft rotates, and latch means operatively associated with said one wheel means and said remaining wheel means for holding said remaining wheel means from rotating relative to said frame means except in a timed relation to the incremental movement of said one wheel means, said other drive means comprising torsion spring means having one end means operatively interconnected to said shaft and having the other end means thereof drivingly interconnected to said remaining wheel means to tend to rotate said remaining wheel means as said shaft rotates, said remaining wheel means comprising a pair of wheel means and said other drive means comprising a torsion spring for each of said wheel means of said pair thereof, each torsion spring hAving an inner end means interconnected to said shaft and an outer end means disposed in sliding and compressed relation against its respective wheel means so as to tend to cause rotation of the respective wheel means as said spring is being rotated by said shaft, each torsion spring being coiled upon itself between said shaft and its respective wheel means, each torsion spring having its inner coils providing a performing bias to tend to rotate said respective wheel means and having its outer coils providing a greater degree of compression against said respective wheel means to drivingly interconnect said spring thereto while permitting sliding movement therebetween.

Claim 12

A digital clock comprising a frame means carrying a rotatable shaft and a timer for rotating said shaft at a predetermined rate, a plurality of time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted on said shaft, a first drive means carried by said shaft and being operatively associated with one of said wheel means for incrementally rotating said one wheel means relative to said shaft on a time basis as said shaft rotates, other drive means operatively associated with said shaft and the remaining wheel means to tend to rotate said remaining wheel means as said shaft rotates, and latch means operatively associated with said one wheel means and said remaining wheel means for holding said remaining wheel means from rotating relative to said frame means except in a timed relation to the incremental movement of said one wheel means, said other drive means comprising torsion spring means having one end means operatively interconnected to said shaft and having the other end means thereof drivingly interconnected to said remaining wheel means to tend to rotate said remaining wheel means as said shaft rotates, said remaining wheel means comprising a pair of wheel means and said other drive means comprising a torsion spring for each of said wheel means of said pair thereof, each torsion spring hAving an inner end means interconnected to said shaft and an outer end means disposed in sliding and compressed relation against its respective wheel means so as to tend to cause rotation of the respective wheel means as said spring is being rotated by said shaft, each torsion spring being coiled upon itself between said shaft and its respective wheel means, each torsion spring having its inner coils providing a performing bias to tend to rotate said respective wheel means and having its outer coils providing a greater degree of compression against said respective wheel means to drivingly interconnect said spring thereto while permitting sliding movement therebetween.

Claim 13

A digital clock as set forth in claim 10 wherein each torsion spring has said inner coils thereof formed under tension and has said outer coils formed freely.

Claim 14

A digital clock comprising a frame means carrying a rotatable shaft and a timer for rotating said shaft at a predetermined rate, a plurality of time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted on said shaft, a first drive means carried by said shaft and being operatively associated with one of said wheel means for incrementally rotating said one wheel means relative to said shaft on a time basis as said shaft rotates, other drive means operatively associated with said shaft and the remaining wheel means to tend to rotate said remaining wheel means as said shaft rotates, and latch means operatively associated with said one wheel means and said remaining wheel means for holding said remaining wheel means from rotating relative to said frame means except in a timed relation to the incremental movement of said one wheel means, said first drive means comprising a torsion spring operatively interconnected to said shaft at one end of said spring and drivingly interconnected to said one wheel means at the other end thereof to tend to rotate said one wheel means as said shaft rotates, said first drive means also comprising another latch means, said other latch means being operatively associated with said shaft and said one wheel means to cause incremental latching and unlatching of said one wheel means relative to said frame means whereby said one wheel means an incremental movement relative to said frame means each time said latch means unlatches said one wheel means to cause said torsion spring to move said one wheel means relative to said shaft.

Claim 15

A digital clock comprising a frame means carrying a rotatable shaft and a timer for rotating said shaft at a predetermined rate, a plurality of time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted on said shaft, a first drive means carried by said shaft and being operatively associated with one of said wheel means for incrementally rotating said one wheel means relative to said shaft on a time basis as said shaft rotates, other drive means operatively associated with said shaft and the remaining wheel means to tend to rotate said remaining wheel means as said shaft rotates, and latch means operatively associated with said one wheel means and said remaining wheel means for holding said remaining wheel means from rotating relative to said frame means except in a timed relation to the incremental movement of said one wheel means, said first drive means comprising a torsion spring operatively interconnected to said shaft at one end of said spring and drivingly interconnected to said one wheel means at the other end thereof to tend to rotate said one wheel means as said shaft rotates, said first drive means also comprising another latch means, said other latch means being operatively associated with said shaft and said one wheel means to cause incremental latching and unlatching of said one wheel means relative to said frame means whereby said one wheel means an incremental movement relative to said frame means each time said latch means unlatches said one wheel means to cause said torsion spring to move said one wheel means relative to said shaft.

Claim 16

A digital clock as set forth in claim 2 wherein said other latch means comprises a stationary member having a plurality of teeth about its outer periphery, a slide member movably carried by said one wheel means and having a tang serially engageable with said teeth, and a drive member operatively interconnected to said shaft to rotate in unison therewith and being operatively interconnected to said slide member to cause the same to slide relative to said one wheel means and its tang to slide relative to a respective tooth of said stationary member to cause said one wheel means to be latched from movement relative to said frame means until said tang clears that respective tooth to unlatch said one wheel means and have said torsion spring rotate said one wheel means one increment until said tang engages the next adjacent tooth on said stationary member that latches said one wheel means from movement until that tooth is cleared by said tang in the above manner.

Claim 17

A digital clock as set forth in claim 13 wherein each tooth of said stationary member provides a profile to said tang of said slide member when engaged thereby that is parallel to the sliding movement of said slide member relative to said one wheel means.

Claim 18

A digital clock as set forth in claim 13 wherein said stationary member has ten such teeth about its outer periphery whereby said one wheel means makes ten increments of movement relative to said frame means for each revolution of said shaft relative to said frame means.

Claim 19

A digital clock comprising a frame means carrying a rotatable shaft and a timer for rotating said shaft at a predetermined rate, a plurality of time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted on said shaft, a first drive means carried by said shaft and being operatively associated with one of said wheel means for incrementally rotating said one wheel means relative to said shaft on a time basis as said shaft rotates, other drive means operatively associated with said shaft and the remaining wheel means to tend to rotate said remaining wheel means as said shaft rotates, and latch means operatively associated with said one wheel means and said remaining wheel means for holding said remaining wheel means from rotating relative to said frame means except in a timed relation to the incremental movement of said one wheel means, said other drive means comprising torsion spring means having one end means operatively interconnected to said shaft and having the other end means thereof drivingly interconnected to said remaining wheel means to tend to rotate said remaining wheel means as said shaft rotates, said remaining wheel means comprising a pair of wheel means and said other drive means comprising a torsion spring for each of said wheel means of said pair thereof, said latch means being adapted to cause incremental latching and unlatching of each of said pair of wheel means relative to said frame means in a timed relation to said incremental movement of said one wheel means whereby said wheel means of said pair thereof make incremental movement relative to said frame means when said latch means unlatches the respective wheel means to cause its torsion spring to move that wheel means relative to said shaft.

Claim 20

A digital clock comprising a frame means carrying a rotatable shaft and a timer for rotating said shaft at a predetermined rate, a plurality of time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted on said shaft, a first drive means carried by said shaft and being operatively associated with one of said wheel means for incrementally rotating said one wheel means relative to said shaft on a time basis as said shaft rotates, other drive means operatively associated with said shaft and the remaining wheel means to tend to rotate said remaining wheel means as said shaft rotates, and latch means operatively associated with said one wheel means and said remaining wheel means for holding said remaining wheel means from rotating relative to said frame means except in a timed relation to the incremental movement of said one wheel means, said other drive means comprising torsion spring means having one end means operatively interconnected to said shaft and having the other end means thereof drivingly interconnected to said remaining wheel means to tend to rotate said remaining wheel means as said shaft rotates, said remaining wheel means comprising a pair of wheel means and said other drive means comprising a torsion spring for each of said wheel means of said pair thereof, said latch means being adapted to cause incremental latching and unlatching of each of said pair of wheel means relative to said frame means in a timed relation to said incremental movement of said one wheel means whereby said wheel means of said pair thereof make incremental movement relative to said frame means when said latch means unlatches the respective wheel means to cause its torsion spring to move that wheel means relative to said shaft.

Claim 21

A digital clock as set forth in claim 16 wherein said latch means comprises a latch member movably carried by said frame means and being movable between a latching position for said pair of wheel means and respective unlatching positions for said pair of wheel means, said one wheel means having time means operatively associated with said latch member for tending to move said latch member from said latching position thereof to both of said unlatching positions thereof in a timed relation to movement of said one wheel means.

Claim 22

A digital clock as set forth in claim 17 wherein one of said wheel means of said pair thereof has means for preventing said latch member from moving to its unlatching position for the other wheel means of said pair thereof except in a timed relation to movement of said one wheel means of said pair thereof.

Claim 23

A digital clock as set forth in claim 18 wherein said one wheel means makes one complete revolution before said time means thereof causes said latch member to move to its unlatching position for said one wheel means of said pair thereof.

Claim 24

A digital clock as set forth in claim 19 wherein said means of said one wheel means of said pair thereof permits said latch member to move to its unlatching position for said other wheel means of said pair each one-half revolution of said one wheel means of said pair thereof.

Claim 25

A drive means for a digital clock or the like comprising a shaft adapted to be rotatably carried by a frame means and be continuously rotated in one direction by a timer motor, a time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted on said shaft, and a coiled torsion spring having an inner end means thereof operatively interconnected to said shaft and having an outer end means disposed in sliding and frictional engagement with said wheel means to tend to cause rotation of said wheel means in said one direction as said shaft is rotated in said one direction, said torsion spring being coiled upon itself between said shaft and said wheel means, said torsion spring having its inner coils providing a performing bias to end to rotate said wheel means in said one direction relative to said shaft and having its outer coils providing a greater degree of compression against said wheel means to drivingly interconnect said spring thereto while permitting sliding movement therebetween.

Claim 26

A drive means for a digital clock or the like comprising a shaft adapted to be rotatably carried by a frame means and be continuously rotated in one direction by a timer motor, a time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted on said shaft, and a coiled torsion spring having an inner end means thereof operatively interconnected to said shaft and having an outer end means disposed in sliding and frictional engagement with said wheel means to tend to cause rotation of said wheel means in said one direction as said shaft is rotated in said one direction, said torsion spring being coiled upon itself between said shaft and said wheel means, said torsion spring having its inner coils providing a performing bias to end to rotate said wheel means in said one direction relative to said shaft and having its outer coils providing a greater degree of compression against said wheel means to drivingly interconnect said spring thereto while permitting sliding movement therebetween.

Claim 27

A drive means as set forth in claim 21 wherein said torsion sPring has said inner coils thereof formed under tension and has said outer coils formed freely.

Claim 28

A drive means for a digital clock or the like comprising a frame means, a shaft rotatably carried by said frame means and being adapted to be continuously rotated in one direction by a timer motor, a time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted on said shaft, a torsion spring operatively interconnected to said shaft at one end of said spring and drivingly interconnected to said wheel means at the other end thereof to tend to rotate said wheel means in said one direction as said shaft rotates in said one direction, a latch means carried by said frame means, said latch means being operatively associated with said shaft and said wheel means to cause incremental latching and unlatching of said wheel means relative to said frame means whereby said wheel means makes an incremental movement relative to said frame means each time said latch means unlatches said wheel means to cause said torsion spring to move said wheel means relative to said shaft, said latch means comprising a stationary member having a plurality of teeth about is outer periphery, a slide member movably carried by said wheel means and having a tang serially engageable with said teeth, and a drive member operatively interconnected to said shaft to rotate in unison therewith and being operatively interconnected to said slide member to cause the same to slide relative to said wheel means and its tang to slide relative to a respective tooth of said stationary member to cause said wheel means to be latched from movement relative to said frame means until said tang clears that respective tooth to unlatch said wheel means and have said torsion spring rotate said wheel means one increment in said one direction until said tang engages the next adjacent tooth on said stationary member that latches said wheel means from movement until that tooth is cleared by said tang in the above manner.

Claim 29

A drive means for a digital clock or the like comprising a frame means, a shaft rotatably carried by said frame means and being adapted to be continuously rotated in one direction by a timer motor, a time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted on said shaft, a torsion spring operatively interconnected to said shaft at one end of said spring and drivingly interconnected to said wheel means at the other end thereof to tend to rotate said wheel means in said one direction as said shaft rotates in said one direction, a latch means carried by said frame means, said latch means being operatively associated with said shaft and said wheel means to cause incremental latching and unlatching of said wheel means relative to said frame means whereby said wheel means makes an incremental movement relative to said frame means each time said latch means unlatches said wheel means to cause said torsion spring to move said wheel means relative to said shaft, said latch means comprising a stationary member having a plurality of teeth about is outer periphery, a slide member movably carried by said wheel means and having a tang serially engageable with said teeth, and a drive member operatively interconnected to said shaft to rotate in unison therewith and being operatively interconnected to said slide member to cause the same to slide relative to said wheel means and its tang to slide relative to a respective tooth of said stationary member to cause said wheel means to be latched from movement relative to said frame means until said tang clears that respective tooth to unlatch said wheel means and have said torsion spring rotate said wheel means one increment in said one direction until said tang engages the next adjacent tooth on said stationary member that latches said wheel means from movement until that tooth is cleared by said tang in the above manner.

Claim 30

A drive means as set forth in claim 23 wherein each tooth of said stationary member provides a profile to said tang of said slide member when engaged thereby that is parallel to the sliding movement of said slide member relative to said wheel means.

Claim 31

A drive means as set forth in claim 24 wherein said stationary member has ten such teeth about its outer periphery whereby said wheel means makes ten increments of movement relative to said frame means for each revolution of said shaft relative to said frame means.

Claim 32

A drive means as set forth in claim 23 wherein said slide member has a notch therein receiving said drive member whereby rotational movement of said drive member causes sliding movement of said slide member.

Claim 33

A drive means as set forth in claim 23 wherein said one of said torsion spring is interconnected to said drive member.

Claim 34

A drive means as set forth in claim 23 wherein said wheel means has two pairs of spaced ears disposed in spaced apart aligned relation, said slide member being slidable in the space between each pair of ears to be guided thereby.

Claim 35

A drive means as set forth in claim 28 wherein said slide member has a notch therein receiving said drive member whereby rotational movement of said drive member cause sliding movement of said slide member in the space between each pair of ears.

Claim 36

A drive means as set forth in claim 29 wherein said notch in said slide bar is located in the space between said aligned pairs of ears.

Claim 39

A method as set forth in claim 31 wherein said steps of incrementally rotating said wheel means relative to said shaft comprises the step of operatively interconnecting said wheel means to said shaft with torsion spring means.

Claim 44

A method as set forth in claim 34 wherein said coiling step forms said inner coils under tension and forms said outer coils freely.