IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCH KEYS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Vale, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN
WATCH KEYS."
Sealed the 31st May 1872, and dated the 5th February 1872.

page_text: in the manufacture of the pipe of the key herein-after explained the
same key may be employed to wind any sized watch.
I take a solid piece of steel wire, and having cut it into the required
lengths the ends are finished by filing in the usual manner, and a
proper sized hole or aperture being drilled in the pipe the said hole
or aperture is afterwards squared by a punch suitably shaped. The
lower part of the key (meaning by that the part farthest from the
pipe), is then screwed for the reception thereon of the metallic sliding
or moving cap or tube herein-after described.
Immediately underneath the key pipe a portion of the metal is
hollowed out by turning, so as to give the necessary elasticity and
inclination to spring outwards to the segments of the key pipe as next
herein-after explained. The pipe is now cut into four equal segments
or divisions by means of a circular saw or other equivalent means.
It is now hardened and tempered to a proper degree, and is then ready
for the reception thereon of the metallic cap before referred to, and
which consists substantially of a hollow circular tube screwed on its
inside part with a female screw suited to the male screw with which
the lower part of the key is provided, as herein-before mentioned, and
the said metallic cap or tube being made smaller at its upper end than
in its other parts its effect when screwed down upon the key pipe
will be to compress or bring together its four segments to any required
degree until they are if desired completely closed and brought into
immediate contact with each other, being held securely in this or in any
other more extended position by the said metallic cap or tube so as to
be allowed to fit any sized watch.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Vale, Her special licence
that I, the said William Vale, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Vale, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCH KEYS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Vale, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Vale, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):
This Invention relates to improvements in watch keys.
Hitherto the pipe of the key being exactly determined in shape
and size it has been possible to wind with it only that sized watch which
it may happen to fit, so that for another sized watch another sized key
would be required, and so on. Now by the improvements in the manu-
facture of the pipe of the key herein-after explained the same key may
be employed to wind any sized watch."
I také a solid piece of steel wire, and having cut it into the required
lengths the ends are finished by filing in the usual manner and a
proper sized hole or aperture being drilled in the pipe, the said hole or
aperture is afterwards squared by a punch suitably shaped. The lower
part of the key (meaning by that the part farthest from the pipe), is
then screwed for the reception thereon of the metallic sliding or moving
cap or tube herein-after described.

page_text: Immediately underneath the key pipe a portion of the metal is
hollowed out by turning, so as to give the necessary elasticity and
inclination to spring outwards to the segments of the key pipe as next
herein-after explained. The pipe is now cut into four equal segments
or divisions by means of a circular saw or other equivalent means.
It is now hardened and tempered to a proper degree, and is then ready
for the reception thereon of the metallic cap before referred to, and
which consists substantially of a hollow circular or cylindrical tube
screwed on its inside part with a female screw suited to the male screw
with which the lower part of the key is provided, as herein-before
mentioned, and the said metallic cap or tube being made smaller at its
upper end than in its other parts its effect when screwed down upon the
key pipe will be to compress or bring together its four segments to any
required degree until they are if desired completely closed and brought
into immediate contact with each other, being held securely in this or
in any other more extended position by the said metallic cap or tube, so
as to be allowed to fit any sized watch.
The key pipe can of course be mounted in any holder as desired.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is or may be performed, I desire it to be
understood that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before recited Letters Patent is, the improvements in the manu-
facture of watch keys herein-before explained so that the same key may
be employed to wind any sized watch.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Vale, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
WILLIAM VALE. (L.S.)