Ball Clock II ~ Reset Clutch

Photo 096To utilize the aux power shaft, I had to be able to control when the reset of the flips occurred.

There had to be some sort of a clutch to engage the reset cam on the shaft.  This is getting complicated.

The reset of the flips had to occur every 15 minutes at the quarter, half, three quarter and full hour.

The trigger for these events had to come from a ball dropping thru the appropriate flip.

There had to be a way to detect that happening and set off the reset cycle for the 14 flips.  Also the same had to occur at the full hour where all 17 flips would be reset.

Photo 101I created a bail that was moved when a ball contacted a flat plate adjacent to the flips.  The bail would move a pawl away from the clutch dog and allow it to engage the power shaft.  The pawl had to move back into position to stop the clutch on the next rotation allowing only one cycle of the reset shafts to occur.

The trick was to provide enough travel from the ball dropping to the exit path and still not get stuck while passing through.

Photo 109It became a balancing act to reset the bail and still trip the clutch.

In the lower photo you can see a rod going through a hole in a tab on the bail.

The rod is operated by the hours lever and will trip the clutch for the full hour reset.

Now time for some detecting.

 

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