Patents by Inventor Rolf Hepfer

Rolf Hepfer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6126308
    Abstract: Chain wheel assembly unit for weight movement of a clock movement and/or of a striking train of a clock comprises a chain wheel (22), which is arranged on a shaft (1) between two coaxial profiled disks (20, 21), is in rotary connection with a drive gear (7) axially fixed on the shaft (1) via a directional locking mechanism in the direction of drive and is pressed with its two profiled disks (20, 21) against the drive gear (7) by a spring in the axial direction. The chain wheel (22) and the first profiled disk (20) located between it and the drive gear (7) are in connection with one another, rotating in unison, at least in the direction of drive, through a coupling element (14). This profiled disk (20) has at least one axially movable flexible tongue (31 through 34), which engages a support surface ring (9) of the drive gear. The second profiled disk (21) is designed as a mute disk and holds together the parts which are otherwise seated loosely on the shaft (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Keininger Uhrenfabrik GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Hepfer, Jurgen Runzler
  • Patent number: 4803673
    Abstract: The invention relates to a striking mechanism clock including a clock movement and a mechanical strike mechanism. The mechanical striking mechanism includes a plurality of striking hammers which have contact levers, the hammers being positioned on a common turning arbor of a hammer shaft. A lifting stud cylinder is provided with a mantle surface having a plurality of groups of lifting studs disposed staggered axially with respect to each other. Each group of lifting studs effect a different striking sequence of the striking hammers. Each of the lifting stud groups is adapted to be brought into a working position by adjusting the working position of the stud cylinder by axially displacing the lifting stud cylinder with respect to contact levers associated with respect to striking hammers. An adjusting element or correcting element including a camming surface or step surface. The steps of the correcting element being connected to the lifting stud cylinder by a contact slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1989
    Assignee: Joseph Kieninger Uhrenfabrik GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Hepfer, Jurgen Runzler
  • 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: 4508456
    Abstract: In a striking clock having a striking mechanism, a release lever for releasing the striking mechanism to cause a striking of the clock, a barrel cam associated with the release lever for moving the release lever to release and retain the striking mechanism, a clockwork for rotating the barrel, and a lock disk driven one revolution in 24 hours by the clockwork, a device is provided for disconnecting the striking mechanism at any time, selectively and/or temporarily. The lock disk has a sector type lock cam which extends over a distance corresponding to about a 10 hour period on the lock disk. A feeler lever engages the lock disk and is moveable from a release position to a stop position when the feeler lever encountered the lock cam. A lock lever is couplable to the feeler lever and engageable with the release lever for moving the release lever to retain the striking mechanism when the feeler lever is in its stop position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1985
    Assignee: Joseph Kieninger Uhrenfabrik GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Hepfer, Jurgen Runzler
  • Patent number: 4466744
    Abstract: To prevent a striking clock temporarily from striking, a device is provided comprising a sectorial detent disc which is driven by the clockwork to make a revolution once in 24 hours and is mounted in the swing range of an engaging lever. To eliminate the effect of the detect disc for any period of time, or restoring its function again manually, while avoiding an obstruction of the normal function of the striking mechanism, the engaging lever is secured to a shaft which is driven through a lever by the striking mechanism and carries or actuates one or more hammers. The engaging lever is manually arrestable for any time in a position for preventing the striking motion of the hammers and the detent disc can be displaced away from the swing range of the engaging lever. The detent disc may be designed with individual sectors which are displaceable or deflectable into and out of the swing range of the engaging lever, so that the time periods during which the striking is eliminated can be varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1984
    Assignee: Joseph Kieninger GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Rolf Hepfer, Jurgen Runzler