Abstract: Techniques for gas analysis using a parallel dipole line (PDL) trap viscometer are provided. In one aspect, a gas analysis system is provided which includes: a PDL trap including: a pair of diametric cylindrical magnets, and a diamagnetic rod levitating above the magnets; and a motion detector for capturing motion of the diamagnetic rod. The motion detector can include a digital video camera positioned facing a top of the PDL trap so as to permit capturing video images of the diamagnetic rod and the system can include a computer for receiving and analyzing video images from the video camera. Methods for measuring gas viscosity and pressure using the PDL trap system are also provided.

Abstract: Parallel dipole line (PDL) trap seismometer and vibration sensors are provided. In one aspect of the invention, a seismometer is provided. The seismometer includes: at least one PDL trap having a pair of dipole line magnets, and a diamagnetic object levitating above the dipole line magnets; and a sensing system (passive or active sensing) for determining a position of the diamagnetic object relative to the dipole line magnets and to yield the seismic signal in terms of displacement or acceleration. Methods for sensing vibrations using the present PDL trap seismometer and vibration sensors are also provided.

Abstract: A home appliance having an improved burner including an appliance body; at least one burner assembly supported in the appliance body to provide a heat source, the burner assembly including a burner head, an electrode and a venturi tube for mixing gas and air and directing the resultant gas and air mixture to the burner head for ignition by the electrode and flame output through the burner head, the venturi tube being formed from a material subjected to an electrolytic passivation process, preferably an anodizing process.

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.

Abstract: An enhanced escapement mechanism provides improved isolation of energy and torque for an oscillation system, e.g. a pendulum. In an exemplary embodiment, during a first phase, a pendulum releases an impulse arm that is decoupled from a main wheel, which falls and impulses the pendulum, such as at or near the middle of the pendulum swing. In a second phase, the impulse arm continues to fall, becoming totally detached from the pendulum, wherein the falling impulse arm releases the main wheel, which restores the impulse arm to its initial position. The main wheel continues to rotate until it is no longer in contact with the impulse arm, and is captured, such that the process may be repeated. While the enhanced escapement mechanism typically provides an impulse to an oscillation system during each period, alternate embodiments provide an impulse for each of a plurality of periods, e.g. once every ten periods.

Abstract: Enhanced compound pendulums provide thermal compensation and/or barometric compensation, such as for a mechanical clock system. The enhanced compound pendulums are simple to construct, and can be more easily compensated than conventional, single-bob pendulums. The enhanced compound pendulums typically comprise material that is added above the point of rotation. Thermal expansion factors for components of the enhanced compound pendulums may preferably be chosen to provide thermal compensation to the first order. In some embodiments of enhanced compound pendulums, volume is added above the pivot to provide barometric compensation, such as by equalizing the moments above and below the pivot, or by providing geometric symmetry above and below the pivot, with a lower density above the pivot.

Abstract: Enhanced compound pendulums provide thermal compensation and/or barometric compensation, such as for a mechanical clock system. The enhanced compound pendulums are simple to construct, and can be more easily compensated than conventional, single-bob pendulums. The enhanced compound pendulums typically comprise material that is added above the point of rotation. Thermal expansion factors for components of the enhanced compound pendulums may preferably be chosen to provide thermal compensation to the first order. In some embodiments of enhanced compound pendulums, volume is added above the pivot to provide barometric compensation, such as by equalizing the moments above and below the pivot, or by providing geometric symmetry above and below the pivot, with a lower density above the pivot.

Abstract: A gravity pendulum, referred to as a low-displacement pendulum because it does not displace air as it rotates, is disclosed. The low-displacement pendulum uses an unbalanced wheel instead of the more conventional suspended bob. Because the pendulum does not displace air as it rotates, it eliminates an important component of air drag that causes energy loss in a normal pendulum. The low-displacement pendulum also eliminates errors caused by variations in barometric pressure. In addition, it can be easily thermally compensated without the use of special materials, such as Invar.

Abstract: A pendulum clock comprising a pendulum clockwork with acoustic signaling means contained in a housing wherein the housing comprises vertical surface elements made of metal, optionally comprising openings in a minor part of the surface thereof, and wherein the housing comprises at least one horizontal surface element wherein the ratio of the specific surface mass of one horizontal and of the vertical metal surface elements is at least 3.

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.

Abstract: A clock is disclosed including a clock body, a clock drive mechanism mounted on the clock body, an hour hand and a minute hand driven by the clock drive mechanism, and a pendulum driven by the clock drive mechanism. The clock body has a front surface, a perimeter, and a back surface that are shaped to resemble a musical instrument. The pendulum resembles a feature of the musical instrument.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: An improved swinging type generator for use in automatic wrist watches is disclosed. It contains: (a) a base with a center shaft hole, (b) a stator mounted on the base containing at least one layer of ring-shaped coil plate having at least one periodic-wave-shaped induction coil arranged on and along a circumference of the ring-shaped coil plate; (c) an unbalanced-and-weighted swinging magnetic rotor having a central rotary shape. The rotary shaft is mounted in the shaft hole of the base, and the unbalanced-and-weighted swinging magnetic rotor includes a magnetic ring having a plurality of magnets arranged in a head-to-tail manner along a circumference of the magnetic ring.

Abstract: An analog or digital clock having a ferromagnetic pendulum that is magnetically levitated under feeedback-control and that, alternatively, may be (1) driven at a forced oscillation frequency which is decoupled from and asynchronous with the clock's time control element (e.g., a quartz crystal), (2) driven at a forced oscillation frequency which is coupled to and synchronous with the clock's time control element or (3) oscillated at the resonant frequency of the levitated pendulum and this resonant frequency is used as a time control for determining the clock's timing. Such a levitated pendulum clock is useful for both ornamental and educational purposes.

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.

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.

Abstract: A noise producing device that produces a tick-tock sound is provided for use on simulated pendulum clocks that otherwise produce no sound. The device is constructed of an elongated cage member having two extremities provided with hard abutment closures. The cage member is orthogonally associated with the pendulum. A metal ball is confined within the cage, and is adapted to roll back and forth with each swing of the pendulum mechanism. The impact of the ball with each closure produces the desired sound.

Abstract: A capacitor, which is charged up by induction currents generated in coils, is used as the current source of the wristwatch. To this end, a rotor, which can rotate about the center of the housing, is provided whose circumferential zone lies in an annular space surrounding the watch mechanism and supports a plurality of coils which are distributed uniformly and are electrically connected in parallel. Attached in the annular space are a plurality of permanent magnet pairs whose magnets are in each case located opposite, separated from one another, and between which the coils oscillate, which coils are connected via annular contact tracks on the rotor and contact springs to a rectifier, via which the capacitor is charged up. The permanent magnets are seated on the circumferential region of a base plate consisting of soft iron, whose central region has a pot-shaped depression for holding the watch mechanism.

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.

Abstract: An isochronous pendulum for clocks. The oscillation of the pendulum causes a small compensating mass attached to the pendulum's primary mass to move in such a manner that the center of mass of the pendulum moves in the path of a cycloid.

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.

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.

Abstract: Case clocks, especially of the so-called tall-case or grandfather type, equipped with at least one suspended elongated weight, preferably contained within a weight shell or casing, are provided with at least one narrow annular memorializing band surrounding the weight or shell and retained thereon, the annular band carrying on an exposed surface indicia commemorating a particular event to be memorialized. Preferably, the memorializing band slidably encircles the weight or shell, the latter including at its lower end a radially projecting detent, of bead shape for example, to limit the downward movement of the band. A plurality of such bands can be stacked vertically end-to-end on each weight or shell. The weight and bands are visually exposed through doors or other openings or transparent panels in the clock case.

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.

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.

Abstract: A display or other type device having intrinsic attention attracting properties and eye appeal is provided in the form of a pendulum type device arranged so the pendulum has an arrhythmic movement in time and/or in space and time. The pendulum may be deviated to one side in its oscillations, and/or temporarily halted at the end of some or all of its oscillations, such unexpected deviations in space and/or in time serving to catch and hold the observer's attention or otherwise amuse onlookers. The arrhythmic movements of the pendulum are controlled by electromagnetic means positioned near the end of the oscillation trajectory of the pendulum.

Abstract: A clock is provided with a pendulum suspended generally upwardly from the face of the clock and an electromagnet means is provided adjacent to the periphery of the face to catch and hold the pendulum bob momentarily to indicate at least one aspect of the time such as the minutes past the hour. Preferably the electromagnet is carried on a rotating support progressively around the peripheral portion of the clock face to alter the time indication. A lighted hand may be used to indicate the time in hours. In some embodiments the pendulum may swing outwardly beyond the face of the clock.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: A table clock characterized in thattwo pendulum rods are swingably supported on either side of a support body in symmetrical positional relation,bobs are attached to the lower ends of the respective pendulum rods,the upper end portions of the two pendulum rods are mutually interlinked by a coupling rod,a vertical rod is coupled to the middle of the coupling rod, anda clock body and a bob are attached, respectively, to the upper end and the lower end of the vertical rod.

Abstract: An electric power supply system for portable miniature size power consuming devices, comprising an AC generator, a rechargeable battery and a charging device to be fed from the AC generator and maintaining the battery charging level, the AC generator comprising a multi-polar rotor wheel having permanently magnetized poles, a stator having one or more windings providing the AC current and an eccentric mass driving the permanently magnetized rotor wheel; the rotor wheel, the stator and the eccentric mass being mounted coaxially, a transmission being arranged between the eccentric mass and the rotor wheel. According to the invention the transmission is a loose coupling means to be tightened by magnetic fields between the poles of the rotor wheel and the respective poles of the stator.

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.

Abstract: A whole body swingable clock which includes a clock body swingingly supported on the pendulum fulcrum, an additional pendulum contained in the clock body to swing the clock body by means of movement of gravity center position, said clock body containing a clock drive mechanism having a clock drive gear train to indicate a certain time and an additional pendulum drive mechanism having an additional pendulum drive gear train to drive the additional pendulum, the additional pendulum drive gear train prepared with an escape wheel, a pallet fork which engages with the escape wheel to swing and is connected to the additional pendulum and a urging means which provides the predetermined rotating force to the escape wheel so that the rotation of the escape wheel enables the engaging conditions between the escape wheel and the pallet fork to be changed to swing the pallet fork and the additional pendulum connected thereto and further the whole clock body, wherein the clock drive gear train and the additional pendulum d

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.

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.

Abstract: An electromagnetically-induced rocking clock includes a pendulum-adjustment means having an adjustable weight pivotedly formed on a casing movably fixed on a pendulum so that the weight can be moved either rightward or leftward and the casing can be vertically moved up and down to adjust the gravity center of the pendulum to obtain the selective swinging angle, speed or amplitude of the pendulum.

Abstract: A whole body swingable clock wherein a clock body itself swings. This whole body swingable clock includes: a clock body swingably supported on a pendulum fulcrum and solidly secured thereto with a clock mechanism case housing therein a movement case; and a stationary receiving plate provided thereon with a magnet or a driving coil to be electromagnetically connected to a driving coil or a magnet provided on the movement case for generating a swinging driving force in the clock body. In this whole body swingable clock, the stationary receiving plate with the magnet or the driving coil is housed in a space formed in the movement case, whereby the clock body can swing with the stationary receiving plate with the magnet or the driving coil being hardly exposed to outside from the clock body.

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.

Abstract: This invention is a pendulum structure that operates as near as possible as a perpetual motion machine to provide activity and entertainment to one using same. The pendulum structure includes: (1) a housing assembly; (2) a pendulum assembly mounted within the housing assembly; and (3) an actuator assembly connected to the pendulum assembly. The housing assembly includes a bottom assembly connector by a wall assembly to a top assembly. The bottom assembly and the top assembly are substantially identical, each being of a tray shape, having a bottom wall section with integral side wall sections and end wall sections. The wall assembly is preferrably constructed of a transparent material having a front wall and a back wall interconnected by opposed side walls. The front wall has an arcuate slot therein to gain access to the interior of the housing assembly. The pendulum assembly includes a basic support member and a pendulum member attached by a connector assembly to the basic support member.

Abstract: A combination linear bearing and force-generating mechanism comprising an outer frame attached to a first set of cams and an inner shaft attached to a second set of cams. Flexible pendulums connect and wrap around the first and second set of cams, the flexible pendulum being formed and constrained thereby to produce non-arcuate, linear mobility to the inner shaft.

Abstract: A time keeping clock that includes a kinetic clock sculpture arrangement in which the clock comprises the usual minute and hour hands journalled for rotation in clockwise directions about a common axis, and a time keeping mechanism for driving said minute and hour hands to keep time, with the clock including a kinetic sculpture arrangement comprising a relatively large, medially located, kinetic sculpture drive gear wheel that is vertically disposed and has its axis of rotation disposed horizontally and paralleling that of the common axis of the clock minute and hour hands, one or more driven gear wheels that are of a diameter which is relatively small as compared to that of the drive wheel gear, and which are disposed in coupled rotation to the drive gear wheel at spaced locations thereabout, with several of said driven gear wheels each driving a separate crank about a horizontal axis, and a drive gear wheel actuated mechanical linkage of miniature stick figure form articulated to each of the said cranks, wi

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accurately controlling a timekeeping apparatus utilizing a relatively heavy free pendulum or other harmonic structure carrying a permanent magnet, and a powered harmonic structure carrying a ferromagnetic element. The magnet is positioned on its carrier in a manner to effect energy transfer between the pendulums or structures during intermittent periods of magnetic attraction as the two structures oscillate. The free structure governs the speed of oscillation of the powered structure to maintain accurate control over the latter and energy transferred from the powered structure to the free structure maintains continued oscillation of the governing, free structure.

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

Abstract: An autonomously operating pendulum mechanism, adapted to be attached as a unit to a clockwork, comprises a supporting plate adapted to be attached to a clockwork casing in overlying spaced relationship to the front face of the casing. The supporting plate is fastened to the casing by a fastening device which is concentric with the spindles for the clock hands and through which said spindles may project to the exterior of the plate. A pivot bearing is provided on the supporting plate vertically above the spindles adjacent the upper edge of the casing, and the lower edge of the supporting plate carries a circuit board having an electrically energizable coil thereon located immediately below the clockwork casing comprising a portion of an electrical drive mechanism.