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US 7,643,381 B2Granted
One-movement balanced hands clock
OwnerRubens A. Sigelmanninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A balanced hands clock. The clock utilizes a single movement, which movement may be located in the minute hand. A gear drive mechanism provides leverage from said movement via a first pivot shaft to drive the hour hand. The clock is mounted in a base for time indicating movement. Covers may be provided to hide the single movement and the gear mechanism, so that no visible drive configuration is visible to an observer.
Claims30
A clock, said clock comprising:
- a body;
- a first pivot shaft, said first pivot shaft rotatably extending from said body;
- a minute hand, said minute hand fixedly secured to said first pivot shaft for rotary movement in concert therewith;
- an hour hand, said hour hand rotatably secured to and operably balanced about said first pivot shaft, said hour hand further comprising
- a baseplate,
- a second pivot shaft, spaced outward along said hour hand away from said first pivot shaft, said second pivot shaft secured to said baseplate,
- a first gear, said first gear rotatably mounted with respect to said second pivot shaft, said first gear further comprising a first gear mass provided at a selected first gear mass orientation position with respect to said first gear, said first gear mass providing torque on said first gear about said second pivot shaft responsive to the location of said first gear mass during rotation of said first gear about said second pivot shaft;
- a second gear, said second gear affixed to and rotating in concert with said first pivot shaft, said second gear operably driving said first gear, said first gear mass maintaining or moving said first gear by gravity in a direction wherein said first gear mass remains positioned downward as said second gear orbits around said first gear;
- a single clock movement, said single clock movement mounted to said minute hand, said single clock movement configured to drive movement of said minute hand;
- and
- wherein said minute hand drives movement of said hour hand.
8 more elements
A clock, said clock comprising:
- a body;
- a first pivot shaft, said first pivot shaft rotatably extending from said body;
- a minute hand, said minute hand fixedly secured to said first pivot shaft for rotary movement in concert therewith;
- an hour hand, said hour hand rotatably secured to and operably balanced about said first pivot shaft, said hour hand further comprising
- a baseplate,
- a second pivot shaft, said second pivot shaft spaced outward along said hour hand away from said first pivot shaft, said second pivot shaft fixed to said baseplate,
- a first gear, said first gear rotabably secured for movement about said second pivot shaft, said first gear further comprising first gear mass, said first gear mass affixed to said first gear at a selected first gear orientation position, said first gear mass providing torque on said first gear about said second pivot shaft responsive to the location of said first gear mass during rotation of said first gear about said second pivot shaft;
- a second gear, said second gear affixed to and rotating in concert with said first pivot shaft, said second gear operably driving said first gear, said first gear and said second gear each comprising toothed gears wherein a gear ratio R, being the number of teeth in said first gear divided by the number of teeth in said second gear, is eleven (11);
- said first gear mass and said second gear juxtaposed to provide that said first gear mass maintains or moves said first gear by gravity in a direction wherein said first gear mass remains positioned downward as said second gear orbits around said first gear;
- a single clock movement, said single clock movement mounted to said minute hand, said single clock movement configured to drive movement of said minute hand;
- and
- wherein said minute hand drives movement of said hour hand.
9 more elements
The clock as set forth in 25, further comprising an hour arm adjustable weight, said hour arm adjustable weight moveable distally or proximally along said hour hand arm to provide balance adjustment for said hour hand.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.