IMPROVEMENTS IN POCKET ALARUMS OR ALARM WATCHES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Powley Alexander, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN POCKET ALARUMS OR ALARM WATCHES." A
communication from abroad by Charles Frédéric Dietz-Monnin, of the Firni
of Tapy, Brothers, and Company, of Paris, in the Republic of France,
Manufacturers.
Sealed the 1st September 1870, and dated the 13th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Powley Alexander at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th March 1876.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN POCKET
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.
ALARUMS OR ALARM WATCHES." A communication from abroad by Charles Frédéric
Dietz-Monnin, of the Firm of Tapy, Brothers, and Company, of Paris, in the
Republic of France, Manufacturers.
This Invention relates to an arrangement of pocket alarum or alarm watch,
wherein a single barrel spring imparts motion during a period of, say, thirty-two
hours, after having sounded the alarm, to the hands indicating the hours, as well as
to the alarm hammer by causing it to strike against the metal of the watch case.
The alarm wheel, which is connected through the intervention of a ratchet wheel
and spring detent with the main spring communicates the rotary motion to the
anchor wheel, which imparts the vibrating movement to the anchor mounted on the
stem of the hammer. The detent rod rests against a detent pin in the end of the
spring of the detent. A pin in the side of the case forms a stop for the hammer
when it is desired to prevent the hammer from acting. A thin plate is attached by
three pillars to the back of the main plate, and carries a small brass block, into
which a screw is inserted through the back of the case. The escapement is driven
by the usual train of wheels. The cannon of the dial train carries the hour hand,
and is provided with a pin which bears against a cam carrying the alarm indicator
or hand, and fixed to the centre of the dial by the aid of a double key which enters
a groove in the said cam). A pin is fitted in the spring of the detent in order to
diminish the friction against the cannon. The square end of the arbour of the
mainspring carries a finger or tooth working in connection with a star wheel, which
Price 6d]

page_text: is so notched as to determine the time of ringing, and is acted upon by a stop spring
which presses against a pin in the said wheel. A rim sorves to connect the dial
with the movement, and the case is made in two parts, to the back of which is fixed
the screw herein-before referred to,
The same system is equally applicable to keyless watches which are wound from
the nondant
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edwin Powley Alexander in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th September 1876.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN POCKET
ALARUMS OR ALARM WATCHES." A communication from abroad by Charles Frédéric
Dietz-Monnin, of the Firm of Tapy, Brothers, and Company, of Paris, in the
Republic of France, Manufacturer.
The said Invention relates to certain peculiar constructions of pocket alarums or
alarm watches, and consists of an arrangement wherein the watch movement as
well as the alarm are both actuated by a single barrel spring common to the two,
which spring drives the watch movement for a period of, say, 32 hours after the
alarm has acted, and wherein also the hammer of the aların strikes against the case
which serves as the bell, such improved alarm watches being adapted for winding
either by the aid of a key or by the pendant, as preferred.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the
several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the same
letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings annexed represents a back view of the movement
drawn to a scale of three times the full size; Figure 2 is a corresponding transverse
section taken along the line 1-2 in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front view of the dial
train; Figures 4 and 5 represent respectively a full sized front and side elevation
of the alarm watch. In these Figures A is the barrel enclosing the mainspring,
which is coiled upon the arbour B, the said barrel being closed by the cover
plate C; D is the alarm wheel, communicating as soon as the pin of the "detent"
is free the rotary motion to the anchor wheel H, which imparts the vibratory
movement to the arms of the lever I mounted on the spindle which carries the
hammer J; E is the ratchet wheel; F, the click; and G, the spring; K is the arm
of the "detent;" and L is a pin situate near the end of the spring a of the "detent"
(see Figure 3); M is the pin which forms a stop for the hammer when the aların is
not to act; N is the cock or top plate, secured to the pillar plate O by three
pillars o, and carrying a projection P, into which a screw P¹ is inserted through
the back of the case to secure the movement therein. The wheels y' communicate
the motion to the escapement. b is a driving pinion carried by the arbour of the
second or centro wheel, and which gears into the minuto wheel c; d is the pinion
of the minute wheel; and e, the squared pivot, on which is fixed the minute hand.
The cannon of the wheel f receives the hour hand and carries the pin g which
presses upon the cam h carrying the alarm hand i, the said cam being attached to
the dial by a double key sliding in slots for that purpose. m is a pin fixed in
the spring a to reduce the friction against the cannon, and n is the single tooth
mounted on the square end of the barrel arbour; o is the stop work, which is
notched to determine or limit the duration of the ringing; p is a spring pressing
against a pin in the stop work o. The rim q serves to connect the dial with the a
movement, and is the case made in two parts, to the bottom of which is fixed the
screw Pl
Figure 6 illustrates the application of the same system to keyless watches. 1 is
the ratchet fixed to the barrel arbour; 2, the intermediate wheel attached to the

page_text: cock by a headed screw; 3 is the actuating pinion fixed to the stem 4 of the
pendant of the watch, and gearing into the wheel 2. The stem 4 is so fixed as not
to interfere with the sound of the case. 5 is the bridge piece, which serves to
secure the stem 4 to the movement. The various views of Figure 10 illustrate a
modification of the case and of the movement of the pocket alarm. A hinge is fitted
to the case for connecting the rim in such a manner that the said hinge shall not
interfere with the sound, as would necessarily be the case were it placed as in all
other watches directly upon the body of the case. The pendant A is fixed to an
angle bracket B, the extremity of which is rivetted to the middle portion of the
case. The body of the case L is so pierced as to leave a small space between it and
the pendant in order not to interfere with the sound. The pendant A is slotted to
admit the arm D which is soldered to the rim E, and forms a binge within the
pendant by turning on the pin F, which serves the double purpose of a hinge pin
and a pivot for the bow G. H is a projecting piece fitted to the case, and forming
a stop for the silent action. When the rim is shut the piece 2 moving on the
axis 3 (see Figure 9) is turned over and interposes itself between the hammer and
the case so as to cause the alarm to be silent. Figure 11 is another view of this
arrangement. On opening the case, which is always necessary for the obtaining
of greater sound, a spring 4 elevates the piece 2 so as to leave the alarm ready to
operate.
The arrangement of the movement represented in Figures 7, 8, and 9 differs from
that already described by admitting of the height being reduced whilst still
maintaining the same height of barrel, and by enabling the pinion of the centre
wheel q, which is eccentrically disposed in the former arrangement, to be placed in
the centre; consequently, the driving pinion b is dispensed with, and the arrange-
ment is simplified. This new motion may be wound either by a key inserted
through the front of the dial, as in the first arrangement; or by a keyless action
worked from the centre of the bottom of the case by the aid of a milled button PI
(Figure 10) situate in the place of the screw P₁ (Figure 2), and serving also as a
foot to stand the watch upon and isolate it so as to increase the sound. To this
keyless movement there are added, 1st., the cock or bridge X (Figure 8); 2nd., the
two wheels Y, Z; 3rd., the cannon V (see Figure 7). The cock or bridge X, which
is screwed to the top plate, allows the end of the pivot of the centre or second
wheel to revolve freely, such pivot not reaching to the full height of the top plate,
so that the cannon V, which serves as the axis of the wheel Z, may be there placed.
The wheels Y and Z serve to transmit the motion of the milled button P to the
barrel arbour. This button P¹ is secured to the axis by a screw. The setting of the
movement in the case is effected by means of two screws 8, 8', which fix the case to
two projecting pieces t, t¹, rivetted to the top plate.
The reference letters indicated on Figures 7, 8, and 9, and which have already
been referred to correspond to those on Figures 1 to 6, and need not therefore be
further mentioned.
The arrangements shown at Figures 12 and 13 also differ in some respects from
the previously described arrangements. The case of the alarm which constitutes
the bell carries a pendant fixed to a projecting piece attached to the centre of the
case in order to maintain the sound intact. The movement has only one barrel.
The alarm wheel is completely separate and independent of the barrel, it being
placed above the top plate M in lieu of below the same, as in former arrangements.
A bridge piece P fixed to the top plate by two screws V, V₁, supports the anchor
wheel J and the the anchor carrying the hammer K, which pivots at its opposite
extremity in the pillar plate.
It will be seen that in this last arrangement the alarm movement is completely
independent of the movement which gives the hours and minutes, so that this
latter movement may be constructed as in an ordinary watch, and the aların
mechanism be afterwards added thereto, thereby greatly facilitating the con-
struction. The rim which carries the dial is also dispensed with, the dial being
screwed to an annular crown on the pillar plate, which plate is sunk to receivo

page_text: the hour train and the "detent" movement, as heretofore proposed by my foreign
correspondent.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the peculiar combinations herein-before described and illustrated
by the Drawings annexed, whereby a pocket alarum or alarm watch is obtained
capable of being wound by a key or by the pendant.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, have hereunto set
any hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
EDWIN P. ALEXANDER. (L.S.)