IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATCHES
Year: 1881

page_text: No text detected.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Malcolm Morgan
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th October 1881.
SAMUEL MALCOLM MORGAN, of Kingsland, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATCHES."
The object of my Invention is, first, to afford more room for the barrel or
other part of the movement without increasing the diameter or height of the case,
or in any way altering the external appearance of the watch, thereby enabling a
barrel of larger diameter to be used and rendering the watch a better time keeper;
and 2ndly, to more effectually protect the movement from dust, damp, and other
atmospheric influences.
According to my Invention I surround the movement with a stout ring of brass
or other metal of about the same height as the movement, in which ring the pillar
plate is accurately fitted in the same way that it now fits in the case itself. On
the other side of this ring, in a rebate or groove turned therein, I fit the dome.
The movement is thus enclosed in a box formed of the pillar plate, the ring, and
the dome, which box is in turn enclosed in the ordinary case, which may either be
open faced or a hunting case.
The pillar plate may be enlarged in diameter on the dial side (the diameter on
the movement side remaining unaltered) so as to make it larger than the dial itself,
and have a rebate turned on it to receive the bezel, which fits on the pillar plate
around the dial instead of on the case as usual. Or the pillar plate may be of the
ordinary size and the bezel be fitted on the outside of the ring in which the pillar
plate is fitted as above mentioned.
The barrel or the balance (or both) may be of such diameter as to extend beyond

page_text: the adjacent side of the pillar plate, a proper recess or recesses being made in the
inside of the ring which surrounds the movement, as above mentioned, to admit of
this.
The secret and locking springs may be fixed to the inside of the band of the
watch case in the usual manner, but it is preferred to fix them in recesses made in
the outside of the ring. In either case these springs, being outside the ring, there
are no holes in the latter for the springs to work in as there are in ordinary watch
cases, and the box enclosing the movement is therefore dust and damp proof. The
band of the case fits closely around and is strengthened by the ring, and it may
therefore be made lighter than usual.
In fitting the movement in the case the ring would be fixed in the case first, and
the movement then fitted in the ring, which would not afterwards require to be
removed from the case in order to take out the movement for cleaning, &c.
In keyless watches the winding shaft and hands push piece would be properly
fitted in holes made in the ring.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Samuel Malcolm Morgan in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 25th April 1882.
SAMUEL MALCOLM MORGAN, of Kingsland, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATCHES."
My Invention of improvements in the construction of watches has for its object,
first, to more effectually protect the movement from dust, damp, and other atmo-
spheric influences; and secondly, to afford space for the barrel or other part of the
movement without increasing the diameter of the case or in any way altering the
external appearance of the watch, thereby enabling a barrel or balance (or both) of
larger diameter to be used, and rendering the watch a better time keeper.
The Invention may be applied equally well to open faced or to hunting watches,
whether keyless or not, and whether the movement is mounted in full plates, three
quarter plate cocks, or bridges.
My Invention consists in surrounding the movement with a stout ring which
fits within the band of the case, and in which ring the pillar plate is accurately
fitted in the same way that it now fits in the case itself. The width of the flanges
of the band is reduced to an extent equal to the thickness of this ring, which has
recesses in it to receive the projecting parts of the movement, and thus so much
extra space is gained for the movement without enlarging the case. The bezel is
either fitted on a rebate of the pillar plate around the dial, or upon the outside of
the ring instead of on the case as usual, and the dome is fitted on a rebate at the
other side of the ring. The movement is thus enclosed in a box, which is quite
independent of the outer case, and which is quite damp and dust proof. The
barrel or balance, or both, is of such diameter as to extend beyond the adjacent
edge of the pillar plate, a proper recess or recesses being made in the ring to admit
of this. But for the employment of this ring a barrel or balance extending beyond
the pillar plate could not be conveniently used, owing to the necessity on the one
hand of cutting away the case to admit of the insertion and withdrawal of the
movement, and the difficulty on the other hand of making the case dust proof when
BO cut away. The fly and locking springs are carried on the outside of this ring
or fixed inside the watch case as usual, but in either case they are external to the
ring, so that there are no holes through which dust can enter the movement as in
ordinary watches. In keyless watches the winding stem and hands push-piece would
be properly fitted in holes in the ring. The band of the case, being strengthened
by the ring, may be made lighter than usual.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate my Invention on an enlarged scale as
applied to a keyless hunting watch. Figure 1 is a face view of the ring; Figure 2
is an edge view of the ring partly in section; Figure 3 shows the dial side of the
pillar plate; Figure 4 is an edge view of the same; and Figure 5 shows the move-
ment side of the plate; Figure 6 shows an edge view of the box (formed by the
glass and bezel, the ring and the dome), in which the movement is entirely enclosed,
the bezel and dome being partly in section; Figure 7 shows an edge view of the
watch, the outer case being partly in section; Figure 8 is a section across the band
of the case near one of the screws, by which the ring is secured within it. The
same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the Figures.
A is the ring; B is the pillar plate (or the plate in the watch in which the
arbors are mounted in cocks); C, is the bezel; D, the dome; E, the band of
the case.
The ring A is of brass or other metal; it is about equal in width to the height

page_text: of the movement, and is of such external diameter that the band of the case fits
closely around it. The ring A is fixed in the watch case by a rebate a (Figure 2)
turned around it, fitting within and against a corresponding rebate in the rear
flange of the band E, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, and by screws 6, three or more
in number, screwing through holes tapped in the ring A, and having conical or
rounded heads which bear against the inside edge of the other flange of the band E,
as shown in Figure 8, these screws being nicked at their points and driven from
within the ring, and their heads, when the band is to be inserted or removed,
being received in countersinks in the outside of the ring. c is a screw stud passing
through and projecting from the outer and inner periphery of the ring, and
received in corresponding recesses in the band E and plate B to aid in holding the
parts in their proper respective positions. The ring has recesses in its outer
periphery to receive the locking spring d and the fly springs e for the outer case,
the springs being fixed therein by screws f and two steady pins. The dome D is
hinged to the ring at g, and fits upon another rebate h (Figure 2) turned around
the rear edge of the ring. The internal diameter of the ring is also reduced at this
point, and fits close around the top or three quarter plate. i is a recess cut in the
inner side of the ring A to afford room for the barrel which projects beyond the
edge of the rebate on the pillar plate B, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 5.
Another similar recess may be made for the balance wheel, if it is so large as to
require one. This recess does not extend quite through the ring, and it is covered
by the pillar plate. The pillar plate B has a rebate on the movement side which
fits within the ring A, this side of the plate being of the same diameter as that of
the same side of a plate of an ordinary watch. The plate has the usual recesses
and holes for the wheels and arbors of the movement, which are not shown. The
part of the plate is larger than usual, and preferably of the same diameter as the
outside diameter of the ring A, so as to entirely cover the front edge of this ring
and the cavity i. is a rebate turned on the dial side of the plate, leaving the
plate on this side about the same diameter as the dial, upon which rebate the
bezel C fits, as shown in Figure 6. The part k of the plate fits within the band E,
and lies flush therewith, and the bezel C projects just beyond the edge of the plate,
so as to cover the joint and entirely conceal the plate B. Similarly, the dome D
projects beyond and covers the joint between the ring A and the flange of the
band E, and entirely conceals the ring. n is a hole in the ring A for the winding
stem p, which fits accurately therein, the stem being for convenience divided at
this point, and the two parts connected by a squared end on the upper part fitting
in a socket in the lower part, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 7. m is a hole
in the ring, through which the hands' push-piece passes.
In fitting the movement in the case the ring A is placed in the case first, and
secured therein by the screws b, after which the movement is fitted into the ring.
The ring does not afterwards require to be removed, the movement alone being
taken out for cleaning, leaving the ring permanently fixed in the case.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part Letters Patent is,―
1st. In a watch the combination with the pillar plate and dome of a stout ring
encircling the movement, these parts being constructed and fitted together and
enclosing the movement, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. In a watch the combination of the pillar plate and the bezel fitting the one
on the other, substantially as shown and described.
3rd. In a watch the combination of the pillar plate, the ring encircling the
movement, the dome, and the bezel and glass, all constructed and fitted together,
substantially as shown and described.
4th. In a watch the combination with the band of the case of an inner ring
fitted therein, and encircling the pillar plate and movement, substantially as shown
and described.

page_text: 5th. In a watch the combination with the band of the case of an inner ring
permanently fitted therein, and of fly and locking springs mounted in recesses in
the external periphery of said ring, substantially as shown and described.
6th. In a watch the combination of the band of the case, an inner ring permanently
fitted therein and encircling the movement, the pillar plate, and the dome, both
fitted to said ring, the fly and locking springs, and the screws, all substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
7th. In a watch the combination of the ring A, having a recess or recesses
within it, with a watch movement having the barrel or balance wheel or other
part of the movement projecting beyond the adjacent edge of the pillar plate, the
ring surrounding the movement, and being interposed between it and the band of
the case, which is reduced in thickness by the thickness of the ring, whereby extra
space is gained for the movement without enlarging the case, substantially as
shown and described.
8th. The construction of the ring A, substantially as shown and described.
9th. The construction of the pillar plate with rebates at both sides, substantially
as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Malcolm Morgan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Twenty fourth day of Anril & D 1889
Witness,
T. W. KENNARD,
Clerk to A. M. & W. Clark,
Patent Agents,
53, Chancery Lane.
S. M. MORGAN. (L.S.)