CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR MANUFACTURE OF WATCHES OF DIFFERENT DESCRIP- TIONS
Year: 1826

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, We, JAMES
OGSTON and JAMES THOMAS BELL, of Davis Street, Berkley Square, in the
County of Middlesex, Watch Makers, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth, by
Ilis Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Sixth day of January, in the sixth year of His reign,
did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, James
Ogston and James Thomas Bell, His especial licence, that we, the said
James Ogston and James Thomas Bell, our exors, adññiors, and assigns, or
such others as we, the James Ogston and James Thomas Bell, our exors,
adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR MANUFACTURE OF WATCHES OF DIFFERENT DESCRIP-
TIONS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging us, the.
said James Ogston and James Thomas Bell, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, parti-
cularly to describe and ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be

page_text: inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within two calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more
fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said James
Ogston and James Thomas Bell, do hereby declare that the nature of our
said improvements, and how the same are to be performed, are herein
described and ascertained, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, (that is to say):-
There is scarcely an object that has been more sought for than a method of
making and combining the parts of pocket watches, so as to render them con-
siderably thinner, or, as it is commonly expressed, flatter, than they are at
present made in this country, and yet preserve a sufficient power in the main
spring to ensure their due performance; for it must be evident to every
person acquainted with the principles of mechanics, that if a main spring be
reduced to half it necessary breadth it will of course be deprived of half its
power, and this has in all cases proved a most insurmountable difficulty,
and rendered the manufacture of very flat watches with a proper or necessary
degree of power to ensure their due performance a desideratum. But by
adopting the improvements herein described very flat watches may be made
with a power equal to those of nearly double the thickness, by which means
their external appearance is much improved, while their valuable properties for
keeping correct time remain the same.
Drawing, Fig. 1, represents a plan or bird's-eye-view of a movement for
one of our improved flat watches, drawn to a scale of two inches to an inch,
consequently the Drawings represent the parts twice as large as they are in
the real object; but by this mode the parts will be represented sufficiently
large to place the necessary letters of reference upon. A, A, shews the
upper plate formed with a solid rim, having two steady pins fixed in the
under side. These drop into two corresponding holes in another plate below,
which plate is similar to what in other watches is called the pillar plate.
These two plates when united by the screws a, a, a, form the frame for contain-
ing the main springs, the train of wheels, and also the escapement, which in
these improved watches should be either horizontal or duplex. Fig. 2 shews
a plan of the top of the upper plate detached, and Fig. 3 represents a similar
view of the under side. The projecting steady pins will be seen upon the rim.
Fig. is a section through the centre of the samo plate, shewing its thickness
or depth. Fig. 5 shews a plan of the lower frame plate, with two barrels
B, C, each containing a spiral main spring, which are both made taper, so

page_text: as to compensate without the application of a fuzee. Each barrel has a
projecting rim b, b, formed upon its circumference, which is cut into seventy-
five teeth that act in the centre wheel pinion of ten leaves, similar to the teeth
formed in the great wheel of a common fuzee. c represents the centre or
second wheel pinion with the barrel teeth acting therein. d is the centre wheel;
e the third wheel pinion, and the third wheel. g is a lock screwed to the frame
plate; at one end a pivot hole is made to receive the pivot of the arbor of the
fourth wheel pinion h shewn in dotted lines. i is the fourth wheel. D is the cock,
in which the upper pivot of either a horizontal or duplex escapement works.
In these Drawings the escapement is omitted, as our improvements do not ex-
tend to that department of the manufacture. Two circular recesses are formed
in each barrel to receive the tooth and pallett stop-work k, l, which is so well
known as to need no description here. Fig. 6 represents an edge view of
Fig. 5. Fig. 7 shews a front view of two barrels B, C, and the centre wheel
pinion c.combined with the teeth of the barrels. This is the position they
assume when placed in the frame before described. It will be seen that the
teeth are formed at the bottom of the right-hand barrel, and about halfway up
the cylindrical part of the left-hand one; therefore the left-hand rim of teeth
lay and work over those formed on the right-hand barrel, by which means the
diameter of each barrel may be considerably larger than they could be if the
teeth were made to work in the same plane. Fig. 8 shews. a vertical section
through the centre of the barrel B, and also the barrel arbor m which has a
square hole to receive the square stem of a ratchet wheel, to be hereafter.
described. Fig. 9 represents a plan and side view of the barrel arbor
detached. The square hole through the centre will be seen in the plan. The
two barrels and their arbors are exactly duplicate, except in the position of
their teeth. Fig. 10 shews a plan of the barrel covers, and Fig. 11 represents
a section through the centre of the same. Fig. 12 represents a plan of the
back or under side of the lower frame plate, and also the ratchet wheels.
n, 0, p. Each of the ratchet wheels n and o has a click and spring to retain
it stationary when the main springs are wound up. Fig. 13 represents an;
edge view of the ratchet wheel o. Detached from the frames is a square stem,
which is made to fit very accurately into the square hole formed in the centre.
of the barrel arbor m, and when it is so fitted the barrel arbor is turned upon
it perfectly true. The barrel arbor is also fitted very accurately in the barrel
and cover, as shewn by the section in Fig. 8. These directions must be
carefully attended to, because it is absolutely necessary that each barrel should
work very truly upon its arbor. The shoulder seen at 9, in Fig. 13, is

page_text: accurately fitted into a hole in the lower frame plate, and the other end of the
arbor is carefully fitted into a hole made in a covering plate E, the under side
of which is shewn at Fig. 14. The three upper recesses countersunk in the
plate permit the three ratchet wheels to lay therein, and the lower one is made
to receive the fourth wheel, and also one pivot made at one end of its
arbor.
Fig. 15 shews a section taken through the centre of the covering plate,
and Fig. 16 represents the same plate in its place, and attached to the back
of the lower frame plate by five screws. p, in Fig. 12, is a third ratchet
wheel. The teeth of this act in the other two, seen at n, o.
The upper
end of the arbor is squared to receive the key by which the main springs
may be wound up. The lower part of the arbor p is fitted into the
lower or pillar plate, and also the covering plate E, in the same manner
as described in Fig. 13. The squared end made to receive the key is
shewn at r, in Fig. 1. And it should be observed, that by the method here
adopted of forming the bearings for the arbor in two plates, as before
described, the square stem will be left much longer than it could be according
to the present method of manufacturing very flat watches, and there will be
sufficient room to make the pipe of the key, so as to prevent the frequent
breaking so universally complained of; and by making the teeth of the three
wheels n, o, p, of the ratchet form, sufficient strength will be obtained to over-
come the resistance of the two main springs contained in the two barrels,
which are both wound up at the same time.
Having described the various parts, and shewn them detached and combined,
we shall now explain how they act when they are arranged and combined in
the manner before described. And in order to render our description more
easy to be understood, we shall commence when the main springs are wound
up about half way. The barrels will be then moved by the main springs in
the direction of the darts, as shewn in Figure 5; and as the teeth b, b, formed
upon their rims, act in the leaves of the centre wheel pinion c, they actuate
the whole train of wheels, which are regulated by any suitable escapement in
the usual manner; and as both the main springs are made taper, so as to
form an adjustment without the application of a fuzee, the watch continues
When the
to act and keep cqual time until the main springs are unwound.
main springs are to be wound up, the barrels remain stationary, and the key
being applied on the square r, and turned in a proper direction, the wheel p,
Fig. 12, acts in the teeth of those marked n, o, and as the barrel arbors are
fixed upon the square stems of cach, they are also turned round with them,

page_text: and each spring being attached at one end to its barrel arbor by a small book
in the usual manner, and the other end made fast to the rim of the barrel by
a stud, it follows that when the ratchet wheels are turned round, as above
described, the barrel arbors, being nicely fitted into their respective barrels,
will wind up the springs as long as the key is used, until its further progress
is prevented by the tooth and pallet stop-work fixed to each barrel. When
the key is withdrawn, the main springs endeavour to obtain the position
nearest to a state of rest, and consequently force round each barrel in the
direction of the darts, see Figure 5, each turning very truly upon the necks of
its arbor; and then the united power of the two main springs is applied to
the train of wheels, and an equable motion obtained in the manner before
described. We trust it will now be evident that the united power of the two
main springs contained in the barrels is advantageously applied to the train of
wheels, and consequently that much flatter watches of various descriptions
may be manufactured, and with a maintaining power greatly superior to any
hitherto known or made use of: And we hereby further declare, that all
the parts that are made of brass are colored to imitate that metal,
and those that we prefer to be made of steel are designated by the
tints that imitate that metal. But we do not confine ourselves to any
particular metal or material, for any suitable metal or material may be used
that will answer the purpose. Nor do we confine ourselves to any particular
size, for that may be varied at pleasure. And although we have not shewn the
pivot holes as being jewelled, yet we would advise it to be done in every-case
where it can be afforded. And we hereby further declare that our improve-
ments consist,—
Firstly, in applying to the usual train of wheels used in pocket watches two
barrels instead of one, each containing a main spring. And,
Secondly, in combining each of these barrels with a ratchet wheel, by means
of our improved barrel arbors, by which means, when they are constructed as
above described, and combined with a third ratchet wheel, very flat watches
of various descriptions may be constructed or manufactured with a more
affective maintaining power then were ever before known or made use of.
In witnes whereof, we, the said James Ogston and James Thomas Bell,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-six.
JAMES (L.S.) OGSION.
JAMES THOMAS (L.s.) BELL

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourth day of March, in the
year of our Lord 1826, the aforesaid James Ogston and James Thomas Bell
came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged
the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and
specified, in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was
stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.