Impulse clock system

An analog clock mechanism comprising:

• a frame structure;
• a motor carried by said frame structure;
• hands mounted for rotary movement on said frame structure;
• a drive train carried by said frame structure connecting said motor to said hands and including a rotary member moving in synchronism with said hands;
• indicia on said rotary member;
• and
• sensor means carried by said frame, having an activated and an inactivated condition, and operative in said activated condition to track the angular position of said indicia and thereby track the position of said hands.

A method of maintaining a plurality of impulse movement secondary clocks in synchronism with a master clock unit comprising the steps of:

• normally maintaining the secondary clocks in timed relation to the master clock unit by transmitting a series of real time pulses from the master clock unit to the secondary clocks;
• beginning at a predetermined reset time prior to a predetermined registration time and continuing to the predetermined registration time, stopping each secondary clock as it reaches the registration time;
• immediately after the registration time, transmitting a rapid train of fast forward pulses to the secondary clocks to move the remaining secondary clocks not already stopped at the registration time to the registration time;
• stopping each of said remaining secondary clocks at the registration time;
• providing a sensor in each secondary clock operative when activated to stop the secondary clock at the registration time;
• maintaining the secondary clock sensors in an inactive condition during the normal pulsing of the secondary clock;
• activating the secondary clock sensors at the reset time;
• and
• deactivating the secondary clock sensors at the conclusion of the transmission of the rapid train of fast forward pulses.

A method of maintaining a plurality of impulse movement secondary clocks in synchronism with a master clock unit comprising the steps of:

• normally maintaining the secondary clocks in timed relation to the master clock unit by transmitting a series of real time pulses from the master clock unit to the secondary clocks;
• beginning at a predetermined reset time prior to a predetermined registration time and continuing to the predetermined registration time, stopping each secondary clock as it reaches the registration time;
• immediately after the registration time, transmitting forward signals to the secondary clocks to move the remaining secondary clocks not already stopped at the registration time to the registration time;
• stopping each of said remaining secondary clocks at the registration time;
• providing a sensor in each secondary clock operative when activated to stop the secondary clock at the registration time;
• maintaining the secondary clock sensors in an inactive condition during the normal pulsing of the secondary clock;
• activating the secondary clock sensors at the reset time;
• and
• deactivating the secondary clock sensors at the conclusion of the transmission of the forward signals.