Electromechanical digital readout clock

Claim 2

In an electromechanical clock including a plurality of selectively electrically operable digital time-readout means: plural conductor means connected to different ones of said timereadout means; plural intermittently drivingly interengageable rotors positioned adjacent said conductor means, each rotor carrying for rotation as a unit therewith an electrically conductive wiper engageable selectively with different ones of said conductor means with turning of the rotor, a wiper and a conductor means when engaged forming part of an electrical circuit for operating a time-readout means; and time-base drive means positioned adjacent said rotors for driving the same.

Claim 3

The clock of claim 1 which further comprises detent means for each rotor acting on the rotor, each detent means tending to maintain its associated rotor in a fixed angular position until the same is driven, and under the latter circumstance effecting accelerated turning of the rotor toward a new fixed angular position.

Claim 4

The clock of claim 1, wherein said drive means comprises a synchronous AC motor.

Claim 5

In an electromechanical clock including a plurality of selectively electrically operable digital time-readout means: plural conductor means connected to different ones of said time-readout means; plural intermittently drivingly interengageable rotors positioned adjacent said conductor means, each rotor carrying an electrically conductive wiper engageable selectively with different ones of said conductor means with turning of the rotor, a wiper and a conductor means when engaged forming part of an electrical circuit for operating a time-readout means; the conductor means engageable by a wiper in one of said rotors comprising a plurality of conductive expanses, said conductive expanses being disposed on a wheel mounted adjacent said one rotor for selective independent rotation relative to, and on substantially the same rotational axis provided for, said one rotor; and time-base drive means positioned adjacent said rotors for driving the same.

Claim 6

In an electromechanical clock including a plurality of selectively electrically operable digital time-readout means: plural conductor means connected to different ones of said time-readout means; plural intermittently drivingly interengageable rotors positioned adjacent said conductor means, each rotor carrying an electrically conductive wiper engageable selectively with different ones of said conductor means with turning of the rotor, a wiper and a conductor means when engaged forming part of an electrical circuit for operating a time-readout means; the conductor means engageable by a wiper in one of said rotors comprising a plurality of conductive expanses, said conductive expanses being disposed on a wheel mounted adjacent said one rotor for selective independent rotation relative to, and on substantially the same rotational axis provided for, said one rotor; and time-base drive means positioned adjacent said rotors for driving the same.

Claim 7

An electromechanical clock comprising: a plurality of selectively electrically operable digital time-readout means; plural conductor means connected to different ones of said time-readout means; plural intermittently drivingly interengageable rotors positioned adjacent said conductor means, each rotor carrying for rotation as a unit therewith an electrically conductive wiper engageable selectively with different ones of said conductor means with turning of the rotor, a wiper and a conductor means when engaged forming part of an electrical circuit for operating a time-readout means; detent means for each rotor acting on the rotor, each detent means tending to maintain its associated rotor in a fixed angular position until the same is driven, and under the latter circumstance effecting accelerated turning of the rotor toward a new fixed angular position; and time-base drive means positioned adjacent said rotors for driving the same.

Claim 8

An electromechanical clock comprising: a plurality of selectively electrically operable digital time-readout means; plural conductor means connected to different ones of said time-readout means; plural intermittently drivingly interengageable rotors positioned adjacent said conductor means, each rotor carrying for rotation as a unit therewith an electrically conductive wiper engageable selectively with different ones of said conductor means with turning of the rotor, a wiper and a conductor means when engaged forming part of an electrical circuit for operating a time-readout means; detent means for each rotor acting on the rotor, each detent means tending to maintain its associated rotor in a fixed angular position until the same is driven, and under the latter circumstance effecting accelerated turning of the rotor toward a new fixed angular position; and time-base drive means positioned adjacent said rotors for driving the same.

Claim 9

An electromechanical clock comprising: plural electrically operated time-readout means including an hours readout means and a minutes readout means; a minutes circuit including multiple switches which are oPened and closed to control the minutes readout means; an hours circuit including multiple switches which are opened and closed to control the hours readout means; a minutes rotor which on incremental rotation, actuates different switches on the minutes circuit to produce different minutes readings in the minutes readout means, and an hours rotor which on incremental rotation actuates different switches of the hours circuit to produce different hours readings in the hours readout means; said rotors being arranged whereby rotation of one regularly causes rotation of the other; and a selectively movable time zone change adjuster, and means whereby movement of the time zone change adjuster produces movement of a portion of the hours circuit relative to the hours rotor to produce actuation of switches in the hours circuit changing the hours reading in the hours readout means.

Claim 10

An electromechanical clock comprising: plural electrically operated time-readout means including an hours readout means and a minutes readout means; a minutes circuit including multiple switches which are oPened and closed to control the minutes readout means; an hours circuit including multiple switches which are opened and closed to control the hours readout means; a minutes rotor which on incremental rotation, actuates different switches on the minutes circuit to produce different minutes readings in the minutes readout means, and an hours rotor which on incremental rotation actuates different switches of the hours circuit to produce different hours readings in the hours readout means; said rotors being arranged whereby rotation of one regularly causes rotation of the other; and a selectively movable time zone change adjuster, and means whereby movement of the time zone change adjuster produces movement of a portion of the hours circuit relative to the hours rotor to produce actuation of switches in the hours circuit changing the hours reading in the hours readout means.

Claim 11

The clock of claim 4 which further comprises means for adjusting said wheel to different selected angular positions about said rotational axis.

Claim 12

The clock of claim 7, wherein certain ones of said conductive expanses are each associated with different hour readings produceable by said time-readout means.

Claim 13

A clock comprising: plural selectively electrically operable digital time-readout means; plural conductor means connected to different ones of said time-readout means, said conductor means comprising plural conductive expanses distributed in plural generally circular clusters; plural intermittently drivingly interengageable rotors, one for each of said clusters, each rotor being mounted adjacent its associated cluster for rotation about the axis of the cluster, and each rotor carrying an electrically conductive wiper engageable selectively with different ones of the conductive expanses in the associated cluster, a wiper and a conductive expanse when engaged forming part of an electrical circuit for operating a time-readout means; and a synchronous AC motor positioned adjacent said rotors for driving the same.

Claim 14

A clock comprising: plural selectively electrically operable digital time-readout means; plural conductor means connected to different ones of said time-readout means, said conductor means comprising plural conductive expanses distributed in plural generally circular clusters; plural intermittently drivingly interengageable rotors, one for each of said clusters, each rotor being mounted adjacent its associated cluster for rotation about the axis of the cluster, and each rotor carrying an electrically conductive wiper engageable selectively with different ones of the conductive expanses in the associated cluster, a wiper and a conductive expanse when engaged forming part of an electrical circuit for operating a time-readout means; and a synchronous AC motor positioned adjacent said rotors for driving the same.

Claim 15

The clock of claim 9 which further comprises detent means for each rotor acting on the rotor, each detent means tending to maintain its associated rotor in a fixed angular position until the rotor is driven, and under the latter circumstance effecting accelerated turning of the rotor toward a new fixed angular position.