Pendulum Patents (Class 368/165)
  • Patent number: 8876370
    Abstract: A pendulum-regulated clock. The clock has a movement at the bottom of a multi-rod pendulum. In an embodiment, a first pendulum rod and a second pendulum rod are provided. The clock provides swinging motion by imparting an oscillating torque to one or more of the pendulum rods. In an embodiment, a dual escapement mechanism may be provided. A dual escapement mechanism may synchronize the dual escapements via differential adjustment, to uniformly power pendulum rods during both directions of swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Inventor: Mark E. Pampe
  • Patent number: 7229209
    Abstract: A pendulum box for a clock pendulum box includes a tumbler seat, a pendulum mover pivotally mounted on the tumbler seat, and a pendulum rod mounted on the pendulum mover and having a portion secured in the pendulum mover to move therewith. Thus, the pendulum rod is combined with the pendulum mover closely, so that the pendulum rod is moved with the pendulum mover synchronously. In addition, the pendulum rod is combined with the pendulum mover rigidly and stably, thereby preventing the pendulum rod from producing vibration or sway during movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Centre Clock Industry Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Shanker Mo
  • Patent number: 6116775
    Abstract: A clock assembly having magnetic ornaments, including a power device, and a base. The power device includes a core having a time indication output and an induction coil at a lower portion thereof, and a swing lever pivotally connected to a rear side thereof by means of a pivot shaft capable of relative movement. The swing lever has an intermediate section provided with an ornament magnet corresponding to the induction coil at the lower portion of the core, and a lower end having a forwardly bent lever plate. The lever plate has a lever magnet provided thereon. The swing lever further has a swing ornament disposed at a top end thereof. The base is a hollow housing accommodating and securing therein the power device. An upper portion of the base is provided with a window adapted to correspond to the time indication output. A lower portion thereof extends forwardly to form a base platform. At least one base ornament is disposed on the base platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Inventor: Takahira Masateru
  • Patent number: 6036358
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for calculating the period of a mechanical clock while minimizing the effects of extraneous noise. The method of the invention senses three sounds from the clock and calculates the period of the clock based on those three sounds. The method defines a blanking period between the first and the second sounds and the second and the third sounds. During this blanking period, the method ignores all sound to prevent such sound from being mistaken for sounds from the clock. The method also defines an expected time interval between sounds from the clock. The system senses the beats of a mechanical clock while minimizing noise. The system includes a pick-up device, an amplifier coupled to the pick-up device, and a microcontroller configured to control the gain of the amplifier so that the expected time delay interval becomes approximately equal to the actual time interval, thereby minimizing noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Charles J. Montrose
  • Patent number: 5926443
    Abstract: A pendulum device comprises a pendulum rod, a support member for rockably supporting the pendulum rod to permit the pendulum rod to swing freely within a normal swinging angle, and a locking mechanism mounted on the support member for relative movement between first and second positions. The locking mechanism is operative in the first position to lock the pendulum rod from swinging freely and is operative in the second position to enable the pendulum rod to swing freely within the normal swinging angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Seiko Clock Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroharu Kitaura
  • Patent number: 5886956
    Abstract: When front and rear pendulum arms are swung together under the action of a clock movement, the front pendulum arm can swing behind an article supported on a pin because a slit formed in the front pendulum arm allows the front pendulum arm to pass by the article supporting pin. The slit in the front pendulum arm is camouflaged not to exist by camouflaging patterns.Therefore, although the article is supported on the pin with a space from the back board, the front pendulum arm can swing behind the article. The slit is camouflaged not to exist, so that the article will seem as if it supported itself or were floating in the air.Since the front pendulum arm can swing behind the article, the illusion of the floating article in the air is further enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Tenyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lubor Fiedler
  • Patent number: 5822277
    Abstract: A pendulum stem (16) not more than 4 inches in length has one end portion swingably connected to a pivot arrangement (18) and a concentrated mass (22) slidably located on the other end portion. Permanent magnets (56,58) secured to the mass (22) move past a pair of wire coils (60,62) during swinging movement of the stem and mass to induce a signal in the one coil (60). The signal actuates a circuit (66) to form a pulse that is applied to the other coil (62) at an appropriate later time to create a magnetic pulse driving the mass (22) and stem (16) along its swing path. The described pendulum drive applied to a miniature clock provides a slow-swinging pendulum having a period closely approximating that of a grandfather clock many feet in height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Inventors: Jan Van Amersfoort, deceased, by Theodora Johanna Van Amersfoort, legal representative
  • Patent number: 5446704
    Abstract: A structure of clock comprises a main body having a clock mechanism on upper portion, a battery and circuit chamber on medial portion, a pendulum chamber on lower portion and an oscilatory control device on the top thereof. The pendulum has a tubular member at the top having a pair of corresponding right triangular recesses formed at two ends respectively, which are made in registry with the right triangular support members on the oscilatory control device. Because the right triangular support members are sizely smaller than that of the right triangular recesses, it is characterized in that when the triangular recesses suspend from the triangular support members, the oscilatory span of the pendulum is restricted by the oscilatory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Inventor: Ching-Ti Chen
  • Patent number: 5442601
    Abstract: A structure of an ultrathin clock comprises generally a roughly rectangular housing having partitioned into a first chamber on upper portion for disposing a clockwork mechanism and a dial, a second chamber on median portion for disposing a set of electric circuit and batteries, and a third chamber on the lower portion for pivoting a pendulum therein and a cover which is snap fitted to the third chamber for securing the pendulum. The pendulum has a magnet on the upper end directly under an electric coil inside the second chamber so as to actuate the pendulum to swing laterally upon the variations of the electromagnetic field between the coil and the magnet. This invention has been characterized in the thickness of the housing which is greatly thiner than that of the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Inventor: Ching-Ti Chen
  • Patent number: 5402395
    Abstract: A driving device has a stepping motor for reciprocatively rotationally driving a decorative rotary member. A memory circuit stores a data table on the basis on which the operation timing of the stepping motor is determined. A control circuit controls the application of actuation pulses to the stepping motor on the basis of the data stored in the memory circuit. The data table is made up of numeric values representative of the inter-pulse spacing of the actuation pulses, the inter-pulse spacing being selected such that the rotational speed of the rotary decorative member varies in conformity with a sine curve or the rotation angle of the decorative rotary member varies in conformity with a secant function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Seikosha Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Ohshima, Susumu Shinmyo, Takuo Urabe
  • Patent number: 5159583
    Abstract: A combined clock and decorative liquid display wherein an oscillating pendulum of an electronic clock causes a float suspended in a body of liquid to move back and forth due to magnetic induction generated between a magnetic material carried by the pendulum and a magnetically attractive material carried by the float.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Inventor: Vincent K. W. Lee
  • Patent number: 5007036
    Abstract: A light source is associated with the oscillating pendulum of a case clock to be energized during operation of the pendulum to achieve a striking ornamental effect as the light source moves with the oscillating pendulum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Assignee: Pulaski Furniture Corporation
    Inventor: James H. Kelly, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4939709
    Abstract: A visual device for simulating the motion of a clock pendulum consisting of a series of light emitting diodes having the property of emitting two distinct colors and electronic logic arranged to activate sequentially the series in one color in one direction and in the other color in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Inventor: Sean Doyle
  • Patent number: 4829495
    Abstract: A pendulum rod is mounted so as to be able to swing within a desired or a normal swing angle. The means mounting the pendulum rod include means for restricting movement of the pendulum rod along the swinging axis relative to the support body when the pendulum rod is within this desired swinging angle to prevent the detachment thereof and for enabling free movement of the pendulum rod along the swinging axis when the pendulum exceeds the desired swinging angle to permit detachment thereof. The mounting means also include means for restricting upward movement of the pendulum along longitudinal axis and relative to the support body to prevent detachment thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: Seikosha Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Kaneko, Tsutomu Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 4745590
    Abstract: A prismatic glass or transparent synthetic resin case for a clockwork on a base of an anniversary clock is provided on at least some of its planar facets with a decor whose resistance to peeling is ensured by the planarity of the facets to which the decor is applied. All surfaces of the case are planar and adjoin other surface elements at obtuse angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1988
    Assignee: Kieninger & Obergfell GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Gunter Neininger
  • Patent number: 4741001
    Abstract: The substantial structure of this invention consists of an intensive mechanical swing device and a group of electronic circuits situated in a small-size box body. The swing device features a highly balanceable and sophisticated pendulum designed to absorb the natural swing energy of a human body during running. While the pendulum is swinging, a microswitch will turn on or off to transmit every signal to an IC where precise number of running steps is calculated. In the surface of the box body, a hanging ear is equipped so that the device can be hung on the waist. On the face of the box body is a display and four control keys are equipped to control and lay out all the designed functions of this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1988
    Inventor: Robert Ma
  • Patent number: 4712925
    Abstract: A clock is provided with at least partially upwardly disposed time indicia and a pendulum is arranged to oscillate above the correct indicia to indicate current time. The clock may take any one of a number of embodiments, the common factor being the oscillation of a pendulum above or adjacent to the current time, which may be mounted upon various clock faces, endless strips, rotating rings, and other arrangements over which a pendulum is arranged to oscillate to at least partially indicate the correct time. Auxiliary means such as lights or the like may be used to aid in the indication of the correct time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1987
    Inventor: William B. Beebe
  • Patent number: 4707144
    Abstract: A table clock characterized in thata first pole member being electromagnetically driven is swingably supported at its middle portion by the back of a support body erecting one a base,the first pole member has at its lower end portion a bob and by the front side of its upper end portion is swingably supported a second pole member at the upper end portion thereof, andthe second pole member has a clock body secured to its lower end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1987
    Assignee: Seikosha Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masumi Mukoyama
  • Patent number: 4707143
    Abstract: A device for driving multiple twist pendulums for a table clock is constructed such that the twist pendulums are arranged so as to operate independently of each other and are driven to rotate in directions opposite to each other. One twist pendulum is connected to a first pendulum shaft which depends from a body casing a greater distance than a second pendulum shaft which is in the form of a cylinder and which concentrically surrounds the first pendulum shaft. A gear train interconnects the pendulum shafts with a single driving wheel and a driving coil to provide the motive force to drive the twist pendulums.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1987
    Assignee: Seikosha Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masao Hanya
  • Patent number: 4641975
    Abstract: In a clock provided with a mechanical drive for the going train and having one or more striking mechanisms controlled by the going train, the motion regulator of the going train comprises a quartz-controlled stepping mechanism whose arbor is in drive connection with the wheelwork of the going train via an escapement. The connection insures that each step of its arbor releases the going train subject to the torque of the mechanical drive for a defined angle. Thereby it becomes possible to use for the going train a commercial, i.e. low-torque, quartz controlled stepping mechanism and yet to have available the torques required for the control of one or more striking mechanisms. It is of advantage if, between the arbor of the stepping mechanism and the wheelwork of the going train gear, elements in the form of a pallet controlled by a cam plate or in the form of a worm wheel engagement are provided, which gear elements remain in self-lock but are releasable from the self-lock by the arbor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1987
    Assignee: Joseph Kieninger Uhrenfabrik GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Hepfer, Rudolf Kieninger
  • Patent number: 4613236
    Abstract: A double pendulum clock swingingly hanging and supporting two different pendulums including a first pendulum rod swingingly pivoted on a clock body and connected to a first pendulum, a drive magnet attached to the first pendulum rod, a drive coil provided on the clock body to drive the first pendulum by means of electromagnetic coupling with the drive magnet, a second pendulum rod swingingly pivoted on the clock body and connected to a second pendulum, and linking magnets provided at positions facing both of the first pendulum rod and the second pendulum rod and swinging the second pendulum rod in accordance with the swing of the first pendulum rod by means of mutual magnetic force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1986
    Assignee: Rhythm Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Norihiko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 4544282
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pendulum means with a symmetrical post carrying two fixed magnets, each of which faces a movable magnet. The two movable magnets are coupled together by a rocker, so that alternately one assumes the minimum distance and the other the maximum distance with respect to the facing fixed magnet. A diaphragm movable at right angles to the magnetic field is associated with the pair of magnets, so that it alternately blocks one field and frees the other.The rocker and linkage systems carrying the magnets and the locking device are coupled together by a weight, e.g. a ball movable downwards along the sloping surface of a rocker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1985
    Inventor: Jose H. Sanchez Giraldez
  • Patent number: 4525078
    Abstract: An electromagnetically-induced rocking clock includes an adjustable combination rod fixed with a permanent magnet, two abrasion-resistant sockets formed on the combination rod and two supporting needles fixed with a rocking clock body having an induction coil corresponding to the permanent magnet and pivotedly mounted on the two sockets whereby the permanent magnet can be adjusted by adjusting the vertical or horizontal plate of the combination rod to be applicable for different sizes of clocks and the clock body or pendulum can smoothly swing on two fulcra formed on the two sockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1985
    Inventor: Kuo-Chin Chu
  • Patent number: 4449831
    Abstract: A pendulum arrangement for a clock movement in which such arrangement has a pendulum arm being mounted to swing freely at a pendulum arm supporting means which is installed on a clock movement housing, and said pendulum arm supporting means consists of a pendulum arm supporter which is pivotally held with free rotation on the clock movement housing so that the pendulum arm supporter can rotate and adjust its supporting position in accordance with the swinging state of the pendulum arm in the inclination of the clock movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1984
    Assignee: Rhythm Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaru Itami, Kunio Tatusawa
  • Patent number: 4378166
    Abstract: In a pendulum arrangement of a pendulum clock having a pendulum arm hanging a pendulum disc on one end and being pivotally and swingingly supported at a supporting portion of a base plate, an electromagnet fixed to the base plate and a permanent magnet arranged facingly to the electromagnet and swinging together with the pendulum arm for the purpose of swinging a pendulum by means of electromagnet force of the electromagnet and the permanent magnet, a pendulum arrangement further comprising a slip arm one end of which the permanent magnet is fixed and on the other end of which is loosely engaged with the pendulum arm at a little larger slipping torque than a driving torque which said permanent magnet receives from the electromagnet, and a pair of limit pins fixed on the both side of the swinging region of the slip arm on the base plate, wherein either one of the limit pins touches the slip arm to slip the slip arm away from the pendulum arm and the permanent magnet always swings so that it can center the elec
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1983
    Assignee: Rhythm Watch Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaru Itami, Yasue Ashibe
  • Patent number: 4308606
    Abstract: A rotary pendulum without time-keeping function, comprising an inertial body suspended from a clockwork housing of a preferably electronically driven timepiece through the intermediary of an elongate torsion spring, is periodically accelerated by the impact between a vane on the spring and radial camming teeth of an impeller wheel frictionally entrained on a horizontal seconds shaft of the timepiece via a spiral spring anchored to that shaft. The vane, near the upper end of the torsion spring, oscillates only through a half-cycle limited on the return swing by an abutment on the clockwork housing. The inertial body is secured to a latch member at the lower end of the torsion with the aid of a coupling ring on which a drag ring is rotatably mounted, the latter carrying a radial fin engageable with a fixed stop pin as well as with a peripheral lug on the coupling ring whereby the body can turn through almost two full revolutions before being positively arrested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1981
    Assignee: Kundo-Kieninger & Obergfell
    Inventor: Wolfgang Fehrenbacher
  • Patent number: 4241437
    Abstract: A simulated pendulum clock has a pendulum which rocks to and fro for decorative purposes only thereby simulating a pendulum clock of the type having a rocking pendulum for timekeeping purposes. A transmission wheel is rotationally driven by the timepiece movement of the clock and a friction clutch mechanism transmits the rotational movement of the transmission wheel to a rotating member whenever the load on the rotating member is less than a predetermined value and otherwise enables slipping of the transmission wheel relative to the rotating member. A toothed escape wheel is coaxially mounted with the rotating member and is connected thereto through a coil spring which applies a rotating torque to the escape wheel. The teeth of the escape wheel coact with a pair of pallet pins of a pallet which is mounted to undergo rocking movement in response to alternative engagement and disengagement of the pallet pins with the escape wheel teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1980
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Seikosha
    Inventor: Itaru Ashida
  • Patent number: 4196579
    Abstract: A mechanically operating pendulum clock is provided with an electronic cocting device which comprises a quartz oscillator. An electronic frequency divider generates from the oscillation frequency of the quartz oscillator a frequency equal to that of the pendulum. A permanent magnet is arranged on the pendulum to cooperate with a control coil forming an electro-mechanical converter. The control coil is effective at least in the two turning positions of the pendulum. A contact-free pendulum sensor is also provided. A proportional electronic control device includes a converter which produces rectangular signals from the signals emitted by the quartz oscillator and the sensor, and a comparator is adapted, depending upon the reciprocal phase position of the quartz oscillator and sensor signals to transmit delay or acceleration signals to the control coil as well as opposing acceleration or delay signals to the control coil but phase-shifted by 180.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1980
    Assignee: Urgos Uhrenfabrik Schwenningen, Haller, Jauch und Pabst GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Konrad Schaefer