US2867274A - Appointment clock - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 6, 1959 l.. R. TAYLOR 2,867,274

APPOINTMENT cLocK Filed May 51, 1957 ATTD RN EYS APPOINTMENT CLOCK Leroy R. Taylor, Louisville, Ky. Application May 31, 1957, serial No. 662,809

1 claim. (ci. 161-n This invention.relates to an appointment clock.

The object of the invention is to provide an appointment clock which will automatically remind a person of appointments that are to be attended to.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reminder clock which is constructed so that a person can simultaneously write a memorandum of appointments to be made and wherein when the time for the appointment arrives, the person will be automatically notied of the appointment by a suitable signal mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide an appointment clock which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are usedto designate like parts throughout the same.

Figure l is a plan view of the appointment clock of the present invention, with parts broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a view illustrating the wiring diagram of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing certain constructional details of the apparatus and illustrating the plungers and push buttons.

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 4 but showing one of the plungers and push buttons depressed.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7 7 of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8 8 of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a sectional view illustrating the solenoid.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral lll indicates the appointment clock of the present invention which includes a hollow housing 11 that is adapted to be made of any suitable material, and the housing 11fincludes a bottom wall 12, spaced parallel vertically disposed end walls 13 and 14, and spaced parallel vertically disposed side walls 1S and 16.

There is further provided a vertically disposed partition 17 which has a platform 18 arranged at right angles thereto, and the platform 18 provides a support for a plurality of writing sheets 19. The writing sheets 19 may have suitable blank spaces 20 thereon whereby a person can jot down memorandums regarding appointments or the like, and arranged adjacent to certain spaces 20 are indicia or numerals indicating the diiferent hours of the day. There may also be provided, as indicated by the numeral 22, indicia indicating the day of the month.

There is defined in one end of the housing 11 a compartment 29, and a conventional clock motor 23 is posi- `tioued in the compartment 29.

A bracket 24 extends upwardly from the electric clock motor 23, and the bracket 24 supports an insulated collar 25, there being a plurality of spaced apart terminals 26 extending through the collar 25 and supported thereby. The dial face 27 having indicia thereon is supported above the collar 25, and a transparent plate 28 is arranged above the dial face 27.

Extending upwardly from the clock motor 23 is a shaft 30 which has an insulated sleeve 31 mounted thereon, Figure 1, and a metal shell or tube 32 surrounds a portion of the sleeve 31. A minute hand 33 and an hour hand 34 are contiguous to the shaft 30 for coaction with the dial face 27, and there is further provided a movable lever 35 which is adapted to selectively engage the upper projecting ends of the terminals 26 as the shaft 30 rotates. A wire 36 leads from the metal lever 35 to a suitable signaling or sounding device such as the buzzer 37, and the buzzer 37 is conveniently mounted within the housing 11.

Supported within the housing 11 on the bottom wall 12, is an insulated strip 38 which provides a support for a plurality of spaced apart L-shaped clips or terminals 39. Wires 40 lead from the metal clips 39 to the terminals 26.

Spaced from the insulated strip 38 is a base 41, Figures 5 and 8, and the base 41 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart cutouts `or recesses 42 which define shoulders 43 therebetween. Plungers or movable rods 47 are slidably positioned above the base 41, and the plungers 47 and spring members 44 are pivotally connected thereto by means of pins 45, Figure 7. Each of the spring members 44 is provided with transverse fingers 46 which are adapted to selectively engage the cutouts 42 or shoulders 43.

There is further provided a support member which is indicated generally by the numeral 48, and the support member 4S is provided with a plurality of bearings 49 through which extend stems 50, the stems 50 projecting from the plungers 47. Push buttons 51 are Connected to the outer ends of the stems 50, and coil springs 52 are circumposed on the stems 50 as shown in Figure 4.

There is further provided a solenoid 53 which is arranged within the housing 11, and the solenoid 53 serves to actuate a plunger or core 54 which engages an end of a shank 55 which projects from an end of the base 41. The shank 55 projects through a suitable opening in a bearing member 56, and a wire 57 electrically connects the solenoid 53 to a terminal 58. Thus, when the lever or arm 35 engages the terminal 5S, the solenoid 53 will be energized to thereby move the plunger 54 which in turn will shift the base 41 so that the fingers 46 on the spring members 44 can register with the cutouts 42 in the base 4l whereby the appointment clock can be cleared for the day, so that it will be ready for the next days use.

The numeral 59 designates a wire which may have a plug 6@ thereon whereby the device can be readily connected to a suitable source of electrical energy.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided an appointment clock which is constructed so that a person will be reminded of appointments which are to be attended to. In use, the sheets 19 can be used as writing sheets wherein the spaces 20 can be used to jot down any desired memorandum such as data regarding an appointment. As previously described, the sheets 19 may be provided with the numerals 21 which indicate the hours of the appointments, and as an example of the use of the device the following is given. Assuming that a person has an appointment for ten oclock, suitable data regarding this may be written on the sheet 19 along side the numeral 10 and then the push button 51 adjacent the numeral 10 is pushed in and this` causes the following sequence of operations to take place.

As the push button 51 is pushed inwardly, the plunger 47 is moved into electrical Contact with the corresponding terminal or clip 39 so as to complete the circuit to a vterminal 26 throughthe wirel 40. Then, when the clockmotor 23 rotates the lever 35 to a position which corresponds to the terminal 26 which has been-actuated, a circuit will be completed to the buzzer` 37 so that this buzzer will provide a signal to call to the attention of the user the appointment which is scheduled or pending. A plurality of the push buttons 51 may be depressed at the same time so that the user will be advised of a plurality of different appointments which may be scheduled for a particular day. After a predetermined period of time,` as for example, when the lever 35 makes a complete' revolution, the lever 35 will engage theterminal 58 as to complete the circuit to the solenoid 53 through tbe wire 57 and'thiswill have the effect of moving the core 54 which in turn will push the base 41; Normally, the

spring members 44-have their fingers 46 engaging thel shoulders 43 so that the plungers 47 are maintained in their proper adjusted position. However, when the sole noid 53 moves the base 41, the cutouts 42 will move into registry with the fingers 46 of the spring members 44 so that the coil springs 52 will be able to shift the push buttons 51 outwardly and consequently the plunger 47 will be shifted out of electrical contact with the clips 39 so that the appointment clock will be cleared automatically.-

As previously stated, when an appointment is recorded on the pad or sheets 19 at a particular time, the button 51 opposite that appointment is pushed in so as to connect the source of current with one of the Wires 40 which leads to the collar and which wire is attached to the terminals 26, there being a plurality of the terminals 26 supported by the collar 25. These terminals 26 are arranged on the hour and at the half hour points which correspond to the face of the clock. When the hand or lever 35 which is connected to rotate with the hour hand 33 of the clock, contacts a terminal 26 where the button to a wire to that particular terminal has been pushed in, the circuit is completed to the buzzer 37 which buzzes until the contact is broken by the hand or lever 35 moving on. Any other terminals for which the buttons have not been pushed, will not cause the buzzer to sound because the circuit will not be completed.

When the lever or hand 35 contacts the terminal 58, the magnetic coil or solenoid 53 is energized so as to move thebar or base 41 whereby all buttons 51 are released which have been pushed in during a twelve hour period. The button and plungers 47 are held in by the spring catch 44 which hook over the shoulders 43 on the base 41. At'the beginning of each day, the user can tear 01T a page of the calendar for the previous day. The springs 52 serve to return the buttons to their outer position, as previously described.

The above description of the invention is for illustrative puposes only and it is understood that modifications may be made in the construction within the scope and spirit of the following claim.

I claim:

In an appointment clock, a hollow housing including a horizontally disposed bottom wall, spaced parallel vertically disposed end Walls, spaced parallel vertically disposed side walls, a vertically disposed partition arranged in said housing and coacting with said walls to define a compartment, a platform arranged parallel to the bottom wall of said housing and extending from the lower edge of said partition to one of said end walls, a pad of writing sheets supported on said platform, a clock motor positioned in said compartment, a bracket extending upwardly from said clock motor, a collar supported above said clock motor and supported by said bracket, a plurality of spaced apart terminals extending through said collar, a shaft extending upwardly from said clock motor, an hour hand connected to said shaft, a lever` extending outwardly from said shaft and mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said terminals, au insulated strip supported in said housing on the bottom wall thereof, an insulated base supported in said housing and spaced from said strip, a plurality of spaced parallel L-shaped clips secured to said strip, wires leading from said clips to' said terminals, a support member spaced from said strip and from said base, said base being provided withy a plurality of spaced apart cutouts therein delining shoulders, a plurality of spaced parallel plungers mounted for movement into and out or engagement with said clips, spring pressed push buttons for actuating said plungers, spring members pivotally connected to said plungers and having portions mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said cutouts and shoulders,

a solenoid yfor periodically actuating said base, anda sounding member electrically connected to said lever.

References Cited in the'tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,469,056 Sullivan Sept. 25, 1923 1,469,887 Burleigh Oct. 9, 1923 1,879,641 Sunkenberg et al Sept. 27, 1932 2,014,754 Wheeler Sept. 17, 1935 2,223,917 McGloin Dec. 3, 1940

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