I'm looking for help designing a control for a clock project. Basic outline is as follows:
The clock comprise of two separate rings with numerals engraved on them. The rings are about 12" in diameter. One ring would be engraved with minutes and the other with hours.
Each ring would be driven by a its own small DC motor at controlled intervals, the DC motor would make one rotation and stop. Each rotation of the motor would advance the ring by one minute in the case of the minute motor and one hour in the case of the hour motor, probably through a linkage system (similar to a car wiper blade)….. the linkage system mechanically pushing the ring to advance it one division.
The time base for the system would be taken from a standard battery operated quartz clock mechanism. I prefer this as the time base as they are proven to be very stable timekeepers and readily available.
A light weight disk with a single slot mounted on the seconds hand shaft of the Quartz mechanism would trigger a circuit via an opto interruptor. This event would signal the minute ring motor to revolve 1 rotation, thereby advancing the minute ring one minute.
The engraved minute ring would have a similar signalling set up using a disk/opto interruptor which would be triggered every 60 minutes or one full rotation of the minute ring. This event would trigger the hour ring motor to make one rotation and thereby advance the hour ring by one hour.
I don’t have a strong background in electronics or controls but have the necessary equipment to assemble a circuit under your direction. If using something like Arduino is the best approach I would consider it but would prefer to avoid a programmable control.
If further details are needed please let me know.
Hope you can help.
Thanks
Phil