Clock adapted to be synchronized by alternating current in a wireless manner

• US 3,881,310 A
• Filed: 07/16/1973
• Issued: 05/06/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alfred Meisner, Erich Gerum
• Original Assignee: Alfred Meisner, Erich Gerum
• Inventors: Gerum, Erich, Meisner, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilkinson, Richard B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weldon, J.
• Application Number:
  US05/379,563
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 58/35W,33,24R,23R,23A,23BA,23AC 318/16
• US Class Current: 368/47
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 11/02 by radio time setting brought into action by radio G04C9/02
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/14 incorporating a stepping motor G04C3/02 - G04C3/12 take precedence generating timing pulses G04F5/00, G04G3/00; setting G04G5/00; synchronisation G04G7/00; generating commutating pulses in masterclocks G04C13/0463, G04C13/02; slave clocks actuated intermittently by electromechanical step advancing mechanisms G04C13/10; control circuits for stepping motors in general H02P8/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 40/02 by phase locking

Abstract

An electric clock having an electromagnetically operated mechanical oscillator with actuating coil means and a magnet on the mechanical oscillator cooperating with said coil means. The natural frequency of the electromagnetical oscillator is double the rated frequency of an alternating current network. A transmitter connected to the network transmits a carrier wave at a supersonic frequency which is modulated by the network at double the network frequency. A receiver at the clock receives and demodulates the carrier wave and supplies the pulses to the coil of the mechanical oscillator. An electrical oscillating circuit at the clock is connected to the coil of the mechanical oscillator and a control arrangement disables the electric oscillator when the pulses derived from the carrier wave coincide in frequency with the natural frequency of the mechanical oscillator by enabling the electric oscillator when the network frequency departs a predetermined amount from the natural frequency of the mechanical oscillator.

Claims

1. In combination with an electric clock and a transmitter, said clock having therein an electromagnetically operated mechanical oscillator with a predetermined natural frequency which is a selected whole number times the rated frequency of an alternating current network, said electromagnetically operated mechanical oscillator including actuating coil means therein, said transmitter that generates a carrier wave being installed at a location remote from the electric clock wherein said mechanical oscillator is provided, aerial means respectively being provided for effective relationship between said transmitter and said clock, modulating means in the transmitter, said transmitter being adapted to be connected to said network and including means operable to transmit said carrier wave at a higher frequency greater than that of audible sound and modulated by said modulating means effective with said network at a lower frequency which is said selected whole number times the frequency of the network, a receiver at the clock having an input end and an output end, a demodulating means in the receiver, said receiver being adapted to receive said modUlated carrier wave at said input end and including amplifier means operable to amplify and connected serially with said demodulating means to demodulate the wave to develop first pulses at said lower frequency at said output end, means connecting said output end of said receiver to said coil means to supply said first pulses thereto, a battery powered electric oscillator at said clock developing second pulses at said natural frequency of said mechanical oscillator and connected to said coil means, semi-conductor control means in circuit between said electric oscillator and said coil means normally disabling said electric oscillator, means lying between said coil means and said electric oscillator sensitive to the supply of an impulse signal in response to deviation of frequency of the network by a predetermined amount from the rated frequency thereof to enable said electric oscillator to operate, and comparing means comparing the frequency of said first pulses to the said natural frequency of said mechanical oscillator connected therewith and connected to supply a said impulse signal to said semi-conductor control means in response to deviation of said network frequency by a predetermined amount from the said rated frequency thereof, said receiver at the output end including a first transistor having the emitter-collector path in series with said actuating coil means and the base connected to receive said first pulses;

said electric oscillator comprising a second transistor having the emitter-collector path in series with a portion of said actuating coil means and said battery;

said semi-conductor control means comprising a third transistor having the remainder of said actuating coil means connected between the base and the emitter thereof, the collector of said third transistor being connected to the base of said second transistor and via a capacitor to the emitter of said third transistor and via a resistor to one side of said battery, said mechanical oscillator having magnet means linking said remainder of said actuating coil means to develop pulses therein during oscillation of the mechanical oscillator.

2. A clock in combination according to claim 1 in which said transmitter comprises full wave rectifier means connected to the network and supplying modulating pulses to said carrier wave of said transmitter at double the frequency of said network.

3. A clock in combination according to claim 1 in which the frequency of said carrier wave is within the range of from about 20 kilocycles per second up to about 50 kilocycles per second.

4. A clock in combination according to claim 1 in which said receiver comprises a filter means including RC elements connected between said amplifier means and said demodulating means.

5. A clock in combination according to claim 4 in which the RC elements in said filter means are so dimensioned as to obtain maximum damping at carrier wave frequency.

6. A clock in combination according to claim 1 in which said transmitter and receiver comprise aerials for the respective transmission and receiving of the modulated carrier wave.

7. A clock in combination according to claim 6 in which said aerials are arranged vertically.

8. A clock in combination according to claim 2 in which said transmitter includes current controlling means in circuit with output location of said rectifier means.

9. A clock in combination according to claim 8 in which said current controlling means is in series with outlet location of said rectifier means.

10. A clock in combination according to claim 8 in which said current controlling means is in the form of a glow lamp having an ignition voltage which is about half of the normal network voltage.

11. A clock in combination according to claim 8 in which said current controlling means is in the form of Zener diodes arranged in branches of the rectifier means.

12. A clock in combination according to claim 1, in which said means sensitive to the supply of the impulse siGnal thereto to enable operation of said electric oscillator and said comparing means comprise a loosely-coupled pulse comaring circuit receiving pulse sequence to be compared with network frequency, and electrical mechanical pulse generator having a mechanical resonator means in resonance with the synchronizing pulses, the signals in said receiver after amplification and demodulation being conveyed to said pulse comparing circuit, during resonance condition there being energy supplied for maintaining oscillation thereof and for synchronous drive of a driving mechanism for an indicator from an amplified input signal of said receiver, and an electro-mechanical pulse generator means which disengages itself from the synchronizing pulses and which alone takes over the timewise proper control of the driving mechanism when the network frequency deviates from the rated frequency by at least partial fractional amount up to and including complete failure of network frequency.