Bangerter's Inventions; His Marvelous Time Clock

by Unknown

The front strips O⁸ and rear strips O⁹ and the front sheets O¹⁰ and the rear sheets O¹¹ are connected to the levers O⁶, so as to form, in effect, single expansion strips and sheets of relatively great length. They are fastened, however, at their front upper ends to the cross-bars O⁴, so that the expansion cannot extend beyond that point and takes place in a direction towards the opposite end, and, of course, the contraction takes place in the opposite direction. Assuming now that at a temperature of say 75 degrees Fahr. these heavy strips and sheets lie in the position shown in [Figs. 4] and [9] (the heavy strips O⁸, O⁹ being shown in [Fig. 9], and the heavy wide sheets O¹⁰, O¹¹ in [Fig. 4]), on a decrease in temperature of say five degrees Fahr., the heavy strips O⁸, O⁹ and sheets O¹¹, O¹² will contract in the direction of the arrows, depressing the rear ends of the levers O¹, O⁶, and thereby through the levers O¹ lifting the knife-bars E, and the balance-levers suspended thereon, with the result that the force normally exerted at the ends of each expansion coil is increased to the extent of the lifting power of the contraction of the metal strips and sheets.

I have found by experiment as well as observation that the average daily change of temperature in residence and office buildings is about five degrees. Sometimes the changes will be much greater, and sometimes less. On even a low average of temperature change, my apparatus will be able to generate force in larger amounts than required, and the surplus will be stored in a power-storage device such as above described, or by means hereinafter referred to, which surplus will

be drawn upon when it should happen that the average temperature is approximately uniform.

For clearness of illustration, I have shown, as above stated, but two sets of expansion coils, but there is no limit to the number that may be used. Assuming that we have an apparatus with four expansion coils, each knife-bar holding 50 balance levers, giving a total of 200 levers, with expansion strips of the same number, in 5-foot lengths, we would have a total of 1,000 linear feet of zinc strips, which entire length of strips will, on the slightest change of temperature, get longer or shorter. The expansion and contracting of this 1,000 feet of zinc strips for every temperature change of 5 degrees Fahr. will be 1 inch. Now, assuming that the knife-bars are pulled upward by heavy strips O⁸, O⁹, and sheets O¹⁰, O¹¹ of five feet length (making ten feet for the front and rear strips and sheets), on a decrease in temperature of 5 degrees Fahr. the upward movement of those bars will be 10-1000 of one inch; this contraction (10-1000) will now be multiplied as many times as there are levers and strips in the expansion coils, viz., 200 times, which would be 2 inches, and this, together with 1 inch from the contraction of the expansion coils alone, will give a total movement of 3 inches. If the strips are of a capacity to pull or lift 100 pounds, we obtain a lift of 100 pounds 3 inches. As thirty-three per cent approximately must be deducted for loss by stress (it being necessary to place the coils under strain, as shown in the drawings and described above), the final result will be a power to lift 100 pounds 2 inches, or 10 pounds 20 inches, and this force will be sufficient to run a large sized time clock with powerful striking force.

As illustrated in [Figs. 4], [5], [6] and [7], the power applied by the springs M⁹, M¹⁰ to the power transmission shaft M¹ is taken, through the spur wheel M² by means of any suitable gearing, to run a clock or any other machine adapted to the purpose. As there illustrated, I show the spur wheel M² meshing with a pinion P, through which is driven the spur wheel P¹, which latter meshes with a pinion P², through which is driven a sprocket wheel P³ carried by the bracket P⁴, which latter, as well as the shafts carrying said spur wheels and pinions, are supported by an upright P⁵ mounted upon the casing M. The sprocket wheel P³ carries a sprocket chain P⁶, which, through any suitable gearing, is adapted to wind the main spring of a clock indicated at Q, carried by suitable supports on the cross-bar Q¹ secured to the uprights C, C¹. As this clock may be of any well known form, it will not be necessary to describe the same in detail, except to state that as soon as the main spring of the clock becomes weaker than the springs of the power-storage device illustrated in [Fig. 7], the latter will wind the clock main spring, and as in this manner it is wound frequently, it is always kept at a uniform high tension, which is desirable and results in good time-keeping.

In [Fig. 12] I show a modification of my invention, wherein, instead of having the balance-levers F, F¹ arranged side by side, they are superposed one above the other, in this case a plurality of knife-bars E, E¹ also being superposed one above the other, the expansion strips G, G¹, etc. (in this case shown as formed of wires or rods), and balance-levers being arranged in the same plane, somewhat in the nature of a coiled spring, the coil shaft being indicated at J and the coil lever at I, to which are connected the end expansion strips G, G^x, and the weight K¹ for placing the coil under tension. By this arrangement of balance-levers and expansion strips, in the same plane, much economy of space is effected, and when desired, a great number of such coils may be suspended upon the series of knife-bars.