Year: 1888

page_text: I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to devices for holding the main springs of watches clocks or
the like between the time of the completion of the manufacture of the said springs
and the use of the same.
The large and increasing number of watch main springs demanded to replace those
broken in watches in use, necessitates the carrying of large numbers of main springs
in stock by watch dealers and repairers. As springs are made of varying sizes and
lengths, it is desirable to provide some means of indicating the size or number of each
individual spring. The form of a coiled spring is such as to preclude the marking of
the spring itself.
One method of preparing watch main springs for the market is to coil each one
tightly on itself, and hold it in such coiled condition by an encircling band of wire
twisted thereon to form a tie. Another method is to wire or tie the springs together
in bunches of a dozen and enclose them in a suitably marked wrapper. The objection
to the first mentioned plan is the absence of any designating marks or description,
and the second noted plan is open to the objection that all the springs in the bunch
must be handled together in order to remove a single spring, with the liability of
damaging the entire lot from rusting occasioned by dampness from the hands and
fingers.
To overcome these and other unmentioned objections, and to provide a means for
protecting each individual spring, and to accompany it with a proper and accurate

page_text: description or label indicating its size, structural, character &c., and rurtner to furnish
a ready and convenient means for placing the spring in the barrel of the watch is the
object of this invention.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a plan of a half dozen main springs in holders attached to a card.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a retaining capsule and its false bottom
separated.
Figure 3 represents a plan view of a label which may be arranged on the false
bottom under the spring.
Figure 4 represents a sectional view through the coiled spring, holder &c.
Figure 5 represents a sectional view through a barrel and a spring and its retaining
device or holder with the parts in position preparatory to transferring the spring from
its holder to the barrel.
Figure 6 represents a view similar to Figure 5, showing the position of the parts
after the spring has been transferred from its holder to the barrel.
Figure 7 represents a perspective view of a modified form of the invention.
Figure 8 is a view of the back or reverse side of a portion of a card of springs.
Figure 9 is a modified form of the invention, a series of bottomless cups, cells, or
recesses being in this instance formed in a card or sheet, with a coiled spring placed in
each cup, cell, or recess.
Figure 10 is a reverse view of the form of holder shown in Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a sectional view of Figures 9 and 10.
Figure 12 is a perspective view of an ejecting disc accompanying or attached to the
form of holder shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11.
Figure 13 is a form of holder differing slightly from that shown in Figure 11.
In carrying out this invention, having reference to sheet 1 of the drawings, I
provide a capsule or circular cup u, of any suitable metal or material, preferably of a
depth equal to or a little less than the width of the spring s to be held, though it may
be of greater depth, and of such internal diameter as shall correspond to that of the
barrel of the watch for which the spring is designed, or slightly less than the internal
diameter of the barrel. A portion of the bottom of the cup or holder a is removed
so as to leave a flange b projecting inward from the bottom, as best shown in
Figure 2.
Into this cup so formed is dropped a false bottom of a diameter nearly equal to the
internal diameter of the cup, or so as to make a free fit, and ears or clips d, d, are
formed on the flange bottom of the cup or holder, as shown in Figure 2, or it may be
'on false bottom c, as shown in Figure 4, to constitute means whereby the cup or holder
and its contained spring may be attached to a card (see Figure 1).
If desired, a card or label e having the size, number, &c. of the spring marked or
printed thereon may be placed on the bottom c, or data giving information as to the
size and structural character of the spring may be printed on the card to which the
cup or holder is attached, as shown in Figure 1, or such data may be stamped or
printed on the false bottom c.
The springs may be transferred from the cup or holder a to a watch barrel f, by
placing the holder with its contained main spring over the barrel, as shown in Figure 5,
and pressing on the false bottom c, by which operation the spring will be crowded in a
properly coiled position into the barrel, as represented in Figure 6, thus saving the
time and trouble usually occasioned in placing the spring in the barrel.
In Figure 7, is shown a modified form of the invention where the capsule is
provided with a slit or opening t in its side, through which the outer end of the
coiled spring may be drawn from the cup, if desired, for the purpose of examination,
measurement &c.
To attach the cup or holder to the card the latter is punctured and the ears or
clips d, d, are passed through the holes or punctures and clinched on the back side of
the card. It is not essential however that this should be done, as the invention may
be advantageously employed, as will be readily understood, without being attached to
a card.

page_text: To avoid the necessity for removing the cup from the retaining card in transferring
the spring from the holder to a watch barrel, 1 provide the card with a series of holes
or perforations r directly beneath the cups, as shown at the right in Figure 1 and in
Figure 8, through.which the descriptive tags or labels may be read, and which will
permit the ejection of the spring by pressure of the finger, or other means..
Having reference to sheet 2 of the drawings, a¹ designates a sheet or card of metal
or other suitable material, having a series of bottomless cups, cells, or recesses formed,
therein, which may be made by simply cutting a hole of proper form and dimensions
in the sheet or card, in each of which cells or recesses, is placed a spring b¹, coiled
and arranged preferably as it is designed it shall be in the barrel of a watch. The
card a' may be of such thickness as of itself to afford sufficient lateral, support or
bearing for the spring, as is shown in Figure 13, or if said card should be composed.
of thin sheet metal as shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11 it may be provided at the verge
of the recesses with a flange or rim c¹, which may be an integral part of the sheet
or card, or a separate part secured to the card in any suitable or desired manner.
The cups, cells, or apertures formed in the card are preferably of such size as that
the springs held therein may be ejected therefrom directly into the barrel of a watch,
and to conveniently accomplish this end, I provide a disc d¹ similar to the false
bottom c, which of such size as to adapt it to be placed upon a spring in one of the
cups or cells, so that by bearing on said disc or pushing there-against the spring in the
recess or cell may be ejected or pushed out therefrom into the barrel of a watch held
on the opposite side of the card over such cup or cell.
In order that the disc d¹ may be detachably connected with the card a', I provide
the former with clips e¹ adapted to be passed through slits or holes fl in the card, and
be bent over as represented in Figure 10, to hold it upon the card. When the disc is
wanted for use it can readily be detached by bending the clips upward or outward so
that they will pass back through the slits f¹, as will be readily understood without
further description. Any other suitable or convenient means may be employed for
temporarily attaching the disc to the card.
The size and strength of the spring may be engraved, printed, or marked directly
on either the front or back face of the card or sheet, as is indicated in Figure 10.
In this case there need be no bottom provided for the cells or recesses, as the
springs will be securely held therein by friction between the sides of the cells or
recesses and the springs.
It is obvious moreover that the said device can be somewhat further modified
without however departing in any way from the nature of the said invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents I declare that what I claim is :-
First. As a new article of manufacture, the holder for watch main springs herein
shown and described, consisting of a cup, cell or capsule or group of cups, cells, or
capsules, adapted to receive the spring in coiled form and have it ejected therefrom
directly into a watch barrel, as set forth.
Second. As a new article of manufacture, the holder for watch main springs herein
shown and described, consisting of a cup, cell or capsule, or group of cups, cells or
capsules, adapted to receive and hold the springs in coiled form, as set forth."
Third. As a new article of manufacture, a holder for watch main springs &c., con-
sisting of a capsule or cup having an open bottom and adapted to contain a coiled
spring, and an independent false bottom loosely placed in said capsule, whereby the
spring may be held for manipulation or transmission in the market, and be ejected
and inserted in a barrel, as set forth.
Fourth. As a new article of manufacture, a holder for watch main springs &c. con-
sisting of a capsule or cup having an open bottom, an independent false bottom loosely
placed in the capsule or cup, and a label or card arranged on or beneath the false
bottom, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. As a new article of manufacture, a holder for watch main springs &c.

page_text: consisting of a capsule or cup having an open bottom, and an independent false
bottom arranged loosely in the capsule, said holder being provided with ears or clips
whereby it may be attached to a card, substantially as set forth.
Sixth. As a new article of manufacture, a holder for watch main springs &c. con-
sisting of a capsule or cup having an independent false bottom loosely arranged
therein, the capsule or cup being provided with a slit or opening t in its side or edge
through which the spring or a part thereof may be drawn, as set forth.
Seventh. As a new article of manufacture, a holder for watch main springs &c.,
consisting of a capsule or cup provided with ears or clips, and an independent false
bottom loosely arranged in said capsule or cup, as set forth.
Eighth. As a new article of manufacture, a holder for watch main springs &c. con-
sisting of a capsule or cup having an open bottom and an independent false bottom
arranged loosely in the capsule or cup, said holder being provided with ears or clips,
in combination with a perforated retaining card, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 24th day of July 1888.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.