THE COLDMGN PLANOGRAPH CO. WASHINGTON D. C.
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE®
. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 11 1916.
Application filed November 25 1914. _ Serial No. 874 014.
WILBERFORCE B. HAMMOND ' OF BBAOKLINE MASSACHUSETTS.
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I WILBERFORCE B. HAr-MoND a citizen of the United States residing at Brookline in the county of Suffolk
5 and State of Massachusetts have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Releasing Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full clear and exact description of the invention such as will
10 enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.
This invention relates to a releasing de-vice for stored power operated mechanism.
More particularly the invention relates to
15 a releasing device for a spring operated member in which the spring is placed under stress and released to permit the spring to give motion to the member or to a train of mechanism connected with the member.
20 In the application of this invention the member stored with power is locked to a retarding releasing device which is adapted to hold the member in its position of stress for a period of time at the expiration of
25 which the member will be released to exert its power. The period to elapse between the time of locking the member to the releasing. device and the time when the member is released to exert its power may be an inde-
30 terminate period for some types of apparatus or may be accurately determined in order to definitely know when the' power of the member will be exerted in other types of apparatus. With either type of apparatus
35 it is desirable that the construction of the releasing device be simple yet reliable and certain in its action. A specific use to which such a device may be put is in toys where a spring attached to the toy is connected under
40 stress to a releasing device. In such an article the time for releasing the spring is preferably indefinite for the purpose of amusement and in such case it is only important that the releasing device be certain
45 in its operation. The releasing device may also be connected with power operated mechanism for exploding bombs or to delay the firing period of hand grenades. In such case it is important that the period to elapse
50 for releasing the power member should be definite in order to get the desired results. When the bomb or grenade is exploded the device would be destroyed so that such a use requires that the releasing device be cheap
55 while being accurate and reliable in action. Further as a definite period time releasing
device it may be employed for protographc exposing and printing and many other uses.
The object of the invention is to provide a releasing device for stored power operated 60 mechanism which is simple and inexpensive in construction yet . reliable and certain in action so that it may be set to release the power member at the expiration of an indeterminate or a determined period. In ac- 65 cordance with this object the invention con-templates the provision of a retarding re-leasing device consisting of two relatively movable members and a plastic viscid or wax-like substance between them which acts 7o to retard their relative movement. The members are preferably in the form of a container for the retarding substance and a plow adapted to force its way through the substance. The power member is connected 75 under stress with the releasing device in such a manner that its power acts to move the movable member of the releasing device and by this movement the power member is released from said device to exert its power. 80 The relative movement of the members of the releasing device is retarded by a definite resistance due to the presence of the wax-like substance between them so that the distance of the travel determines the period of 85 release.
To the accomplishment' of these objects and such others as may hereinafter appear as will be readily understood by those skilled
in the art the invention comprises features 90 and combinations of parts hereinafter de-scribed and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
The preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings 95 in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device showing the power mechanism in released position; Fig. 2 is a front elevation partly
in section of the device showing themem-100 ber stored with power connected with the retarding device; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3—3 of Fig. 2 showing the setting of the releasing device ; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the device showing the 105 relation of the parts of the retarding device when the power member has been released; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5—5 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a detail view taken on the line 6—6 of Fig. 4 showing the plow of the re- no tarding device.
In the embodiment of the invention illus-
1 179 301
trated in the drawings a power member con- the plunger will depend upon the extent of sistmg of a spring 10 is mounted at one end travel of the container. Under some condion a plunger 12 and at the other end to a tions the wax may settle or become hard so frame 14 for supporting the apparatus. The that it is desirable to so shape the plow pro-
f spring is inclosed in a tube 16 to shield it jections 34 that they will loosen up the wax 70 from associated parts. The plunger 12 has if the container is rotated and moved back a catch 18 at its lower end which is adapted and forth along the rod.
to be locked by engagement with a jaw 20 The above described releasing device is of a trip lever 22. The trip lever is pivoted well suited to be applied to a toy since the
to on the frame in the path of movement of the position of the container relative to the 75
catch so that as the plunger is pushed up plow may be varied and therefore the period
to put the spring under tension the jaw 20 for releasing the spring when set under ten-
engages with the catch to hold the plunger sion is indeterminate. When the device is
in raised position. The trip lever is slidably to be used for a time releasing device of a
15 mounted on a fulcrum pin 24 by means of a definite period however a scale 50 is mount- 80
slot 26 which provides for a movement of ed on a slotted arm fixed to the frame at the
the lever 22 along the pin to permit the side of the container which acts as a means
catch 18 to pass the jaw 20 on the trip lever for definitely positioning the container to
when raising the plunger. As the catch determine the period of release. An adjust-
20 moves up with the plunger to crowd back able pointer 52 is placed in the slot for regis- 85
the trip lever along the slot the lever is tering with the scale and the pointer carries
yieldingly held by a spring 28 so that when a block 54 on the opposite side of the scale.
the catch has been raised above the jaw the This block lies in the path of movement of
jaw will be snapped thereunder to hold the a lug 56 on the container and serves to de-
25 power spring under tension. The tension of termine the forward position of the con- 90
the spring 10 now tends to rotate the trip tainer for holding the trip latch in position
lever around the pin 24 and a fulcrum dog to lock the spring under tension. By adjust-
30 on the trip lever 22 which rests against ing the block 54 along the scale 50 to deter-
the catch (see Fig. 3) tends to push the slot mine the forward position of the container.
30 26 of the lever across the pin 24 and release the distance of travel of the container in 95 the jaw from the catch. The rotation of the releasing the plunger and thus the time of trip lever to release the catch is retarded by releasing can be accurately determined. a releasing device consisting of a rod 32 The member shown in the illustrated em-fixed upon a bracket 33 of the machine bodiment for the stored power consists of
35 frame and a containers 36 filled with a plas- a spring to be placed under tension but from 100
tic substance 38 which surrounds the rod. the above described mechanism it is obvious
The plastic or adhesive substance in the con- that any member capable of having stored
tainer consists of shoemaker's wax model.- power such as various kinds of springs or
ing wax or similar viscid substance which an elastic member to be put under tension
40 has been treated to be less sticky than shoe- or a piston to be compressed in a cylinder 105
maker's wax. This substance tends to ad- could be locked to the releasing device pre-
here to the container and rod so as to resist paratory to being released to exert their
the relative movement between them. The power. Further the spring elastic mein-
rod is also preferably provided with a pro- ber or piston need not be the sole means
45 jection or projections 34 so that it will act of movement but may act as a starting mem- no as a retarding plow which displaces the plas- ber to place other sets of mechanism in motic or adhesive substance during the relative tion.
movement of the container and rod. The While the particulars of construction here-container is movably mounted on the rod by in set forth are well suited for one form of
50 means of a stuffing box 40 which has a the invention such as used in a toy it is not 115 graphite packing 42 therein to prevent the to be understood that these particulars are wax from working into the joint between the essential since they may be variously modiplow and container. The trip lever is con- fled without departing from the scope of the netted with the container by means of a pair invention as defined by the claims.
        55 of arms 44 on its bifurcated end which are Having explained the nature and object of 120 held in engagement by the spring 28 with the invention and specifically described a pair of diametrically arranged lugs 46 on mechanism in which it may be embodied the stuffing box. With this structure as the what I claim is :
        spring 10 rotates the trip lever the arms 44 1. A releasing device having in combina-
60 move the container 36 away from the tion a spring a trip lever a latch connected 125
plunger 12. As the container is moved to with the spring adapted to be connected
force the rod or plow through the wax the with said lever to hold the spring under
resistance offered by the wax is practically tension a retarding device to hold the lever
constant so that the period of retardation with the spring under tension comprising a
65 of movement of the container in releasing plow a container a plastic substance acting 130
1 179 301
between the container and plow whereby the relative movement of the container and plow under the action of the spring is retarded in releasing the catch from the lever due to the
5 resistance caused by the plastic substance.
2. A releasing device having in combination a member adapted to be placed under tension a trip lever for holding said member under tension a container movably connect-
10 ed with said lever a plow within the container and a viscid plastic substance between the plow and container for retarding the movement of the container relatively to the plow when moved by the member.
15 3. A releasing device having in combination a member for stored power a retarding device comprising a plow and a container relatively movable to one another a plastic resistance giving substance between
20 the plow and the container and means for connecting the member stored with power to the retarding device whereby movement of the retarding device by the power member will release the connection between them.
25 4. A releasing device having in combination a frame a tension spring a plunger connected with said spring having a latch a trip lever with a pivoted slot mounted in said frame a retarcling device consisting of
30 a plow and a container filled with a wax-like substance surrounding said plow connecting means between said lever and retarding de-vice and a fulcrum dog on said lever for re-leasing the latch as the lever is rotated under
35 the tension of the spring.
5. A releasing device having in combination a frame a tension spring mounted in said frame a trip lever pivoted to the frame means for connecting the spring to the trip
40 lever a retarding device for retarding the movement of the trip lever under the tension of the spring comprising a container for a viscid substance and a plow in said sub-stance and means to set the container to
45 vary the period of release of the spring.
6. A releasing device having in combina tion a frame a member. mounted in said frame adapted to be stored with power means for holding said member when stored
50 with power retarding mechanism cooperating with said means to release the power of said member comprising a plow and a container having adhesive substance held between them to delay movement of the plow
55 through said substance.
7. A releasing device having in combination a frame a spring mounted upon the frame a retarding mechanism comprising a fixed plow a container surrounding said
60 plow a scale mounted on said frame means for connecting said spring with the con-
tamer whereby the tension of the spring will move the container relatively to the plow to release the spring means co-acting between the container and plow to give resistance to 65 the movement of the container relatively to the plow and means to set the container upon the scale to vary the time of movement of the container in releasing the spring.
8. A releasing device having in combina- 70 Lion a member adapted to be stored with power a retarding device for releasing said member when stored with power comprising a fixed member a movable member and a plastic cohesive substance held between them 75 for resisting the movement of the movable member and means for connecting the member stored with power to said retarding de-vice.
9. A releasing device having in combina- 80 tion a member adapted to be stored with power . a releasing device for releasing said member when stored with power comprising a fixed member a movable member and a wax-like substance held between them for re- 85 sisting the movement of the movable member means for connecting the member stored with power to said retarding device and means for setting the retarding device to predetermine the releasing period. 90
10. A releasing device having in combination a member adapted to be stored with power and a retarding device for gradually releasing the power of said member comprising a fixed member a movable member 95 and an adhesive substance between them for resisting the movement of the movable member.
11. A releasing device having in combination a member adapted to be stored with 100 power and a releasing device for gradually releasing and then entirely liberating the power of said member comprising a fixed member a connecting means for the power member and an adhesive substance between 105 said means and the fixed member for resisting a movement of said means.
12. A releasing device having in combination a frame a member adapted to be stored with power attached to said frame 110 and a releasing device for gradually releasing the power of said member comprising a connector for connecting said power member under stress to a part of said frame and an adhesive substance between the connector 115 and the part of the frame to resist a movement of the connector in releasing the power of the power member.
WILBERFORCE B. HAMMOND. Witnesses :
GEO. E. STEBBINS EDMUND G. BORDEN.
Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents.
Washington D. C."