IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION TO CLOCKS AND ALARMS OF A CIRCULAR ESCAPEMENT IN PLACE OF THE ORDINARY BALANCE WHEEL
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Pierre Eugène Bidaux, of 18, Rue de l'Echiquier,
Paris, in the Empire of France, Clock Maker, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION TO CLOCKS AND ALARMS OF A CIRCULAR
ESCAPEMENT IN PLACE OF THE ORDINARY BALANCE WHEEL."-A communication
from Joseph Génévrier, residing at No. 83, Rue du Chateau d'Eau, Paris,
in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 11th August 1865, and dated the 18th February 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Pierre Eugène Bidaux
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th February 1865.
I, PIERRE EUGÈNE BIDAUX, of No. 18, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the
Empire of France, Clock Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION TO CLOCKS AND ALARMS OF A
CIRCULAR ESCAPEMENT IN PLACE OF THE ORDINARY BALANCE WHEEL," a communi-
cation from Joseph Génévrier, a person resident at No. 83, Rue du Chateau
d'Eau, Paris, in the Empire of France, to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to certain improvements in clocks and alarms, and

page_text: consists in substituting a circular escapement for the ordinary balance wheel,
the advantage of which is that it obviates the necessity of maintaining the
time-piece always in a vertical position.
The arrangement of the various parts will be easily understood by aid of
the accompanying Drawings.
Fig. 1 shows a back view of the works; Fig. 2, a section following the
line 1-2 of the Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is the bottom plate. The same letters indicate
like parts shown in the different Figures.
A represents the bottom plate; B, the dial plate; a, b, is a double bridge,
at the end of which is the arbor or axle of the circular balance wheel c; dis
the spring. The balance wheel c is furnished with a pin e, which butts against
the lever arm f, mounted on the axle g of the anchor piece h; the arm facts
thus as a sort of compensator. The axle g is entirely independent of the balance
wheel c, and is held in its place by the plate B and the third bridge j. The
upper bridge has an ear i (see Fig. 1), attached to which is one end of the
spring d. The regulator is furnished with two pins, which regulate the
movement by acting on the spirals of the spring, a wheel acting as usual on
the anchor piece h. Thus it will be seen that each tooth of the wheel i,
Fig. 2, produces a movement of the spring by the arm f, and the spring in
turn brings back the anchor piece to its first position by means of the
arm h.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Pierre Eugène Bidaux in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 17th August 1865..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PIERRE
EUGENE BIDAUX, of No. 18, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of
France, Clock Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight, hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Pierre Eugène Bidaux, Her special licence that I, the said Pierre
Eugène Bidaux, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Pierre Eugène Bidaux, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time

page_text: 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 THE APPLICATION TO CLOCKS AND ALARMS OF A
CIRCULAR ESCAPEMENT IN PLACE OF THE ORDINARY BALANCE WHEEL," a commu-
nication from Joseph Génévrier, a person resident at No. 83; Rue du Chateau
d'Eau, Paris, in the Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Pierre Eugène Bidaux, 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 Pierre Eugène Bidaux, 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 and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
My Invention relates to certain improvements in clocks and alarms, and
consists in substituting a circular escapement for the ordinary balance wheel,
the advantage of which is that it obviates the necessity of maintaining the
time-piece always in a vertical position.
The arrangement of the various parts will be easily understood by aid of
the accompanying Drawings.
Fig. 1 shews a back view of a clock having my circular escapement.;
Fig. 2, portion of a side view of same; Figs. 3. and 4 are elevations and plans
of some of the parts, the same letters of reference indicating the same parts in
all the different Figures.
A is the pallet plate; B, the dial plate; a, b, are bridges or potances,
between which is the axle of the balance wheel c; d is the mainspring. The
balance wheel c is furnished with a pin e, which butts against the lever f of
the fork f', mounted on the axle g of the anchor piece h; this fork f¹ thus
acts as a compensator. The axle g is quite independent of the balance
wheel c, and is held in its place by the dial plate B and the third bridge j.
The regulator is mounted on the bridge a; this bridge has an ear i, to which
one end of the spring d is attached. 1, Fig. 2, is the wheel acting as usual on
the anchor piece h by means of the spring d. Thus it will be seen that by the
fork f' and the pin e each tooth of the wheel
Balance wheel.
produces a movement of the

page_text: Figs. 5 to 11 shew a second arrangement of my system, the principal
features of which are, 1st, an anchor piece furnished with either two or four
teeth; Fig. 12 represents it about ten times the natural size, and as having
two teeth; and, 2ndly, the faculty given to the balance wheel of completing.
one entire revolution before making the return stroke, the result of which is 5
that greater power is given to the movement as well as to the spring d..
Fig. 5 is a back view of a clock; Fig. 6, a side view of same; Figs. 7, 8, 9,
10, and 11, details double the natural size of the different works.
A is the pallet plate; B, the dial plate; a, b, bridges, between which the
axle of the balance wheel c works; d, the mainspring; i, ears, to which the
end of the mainspring is, attached; k is the regulator; j, the third bridge,
which with the dial plate B supports the axle of the anchor piece h. This
axle bears, instead of the fork piece f¹, a single elbow piece f, the object of
which will be described hereafter. It will be observed in Fig. 9 that the
pin e turns freely below the bridge b in such wise that each time the pin is
driven forward by the elbow piece f the balance wheel c describes in its
backward and forward motion the course shewn in Fig. 8 by the two arrows;
for instance, the arrow (1) shews the entire course of the pin and the balance
wheel from left to right, and the arrow (2) shews the entire course from right
to left made at the return stroke. The object of the arm f being bent is that
in each course of the pin e from right to left, or vice versa, the pin is pressed
longer by the arm, thus forming an inclined plane in one sense or other, so as
to prevent too sudden a shock, and at the same time give greater power to
the balance wheel c. In Figs. 7, 8, 10, and 11 the spring d is not shewn, so
as to better illustrate what has just been described. The Figs. 8, 10, and 1.1
are intended especially to shew the free backward and forward motion of the
balance wheel, as well as the position and action of the anchor piece h with
the escapement wheel 1, which is governed as usual by the spring barrel z by
wheels not shewn in the Drawings. I have simply shewn those parts relating
to my Invention, the others being well known, and consequently not requiring
illustration.
Having thus described my Invention, what I claim and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is,―
The application of a circular escapement to clocks and alarms, as shewn
in the accompanying Drawings, Figs. 1 to 4.
I claim also the peculiar arrangement represented in Figs. 5 to 11, and for
the purposes herein-before described..
And, lastly, the right of dispensing with the bridge b, by causing the axle

page_text: of the balance wheel c to rest on the plate A. At the same time I must
observe that the various parts above mentioned, and forming my Invention,
may be varied or modined more or less without departing from the principle
of action.
In witness whereof, I, the said Pierre Eugène Bidaux, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
may be varied or modined more or less withou parting
of action.
тетрге
In witness whereof, I, the said Pierre Eugène Bidaux, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
year
Witness,
0
J. CLAES,
PIERRE EUGÈNE BIDAUX. (L.B.)
18, Rue de l'Echiquier,
Paris.