CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN KEYLESS AND OTHER WATCHES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Huton Errington, of Coventry, in the County of
Warwick, for an Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN KEYLESS AND
OTHER WATCHES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Huton Errington at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd December 1881.
CHARLES HUTON ERRINGTON of Coventry in the County of Warwick.
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN KEYLESS AND OTHER WATCHES."
My Invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described of a mode or
improved method for stopping and starting hunting and open faced watches,
especially keyless, also for setting the hands.
I will describe my Invention thus. A double action spring when pressed by
the button works a ratchet fixed on the pillar plate. A second spring locks the
ratchet. A third spring has a cam on its side and is operated upon by every other
tooth of the ratchet causing the end of the said spring to advance and recede from
the balance staff. A fourth spring placed so as to prevent the bridge locking
spring acting on the stopwork is removed by a piece made to slide on the edge or
bevel. The closing of the cover of the case relocking it. A fifth spring acting on
the ratchet and bar sets the hands. When open face only. Spring four is
dispensed with, when for stopping only. Spring five is dispensed with also.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Huton Errington in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd June 1882.
CHARLES HUTON ERRINGTON, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick.
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN KEYLESS AND OTHER WATCHES."
My Invention consists of the improvements herein after described of a mode or
improved method for stopping and starting hunting and open faced watches
especially keyless also for setting the hands.
I will describe my Invention thus. A double action spring when pressed by
the button works a ratchet fixed on the pillar plate, a second spring locks the
ratchet, a third spring has a cam on its side and is operated on by every other
tooth of the ratchet, causing the end of the said spring to advance and recedo from
the balance staff.
And in order that my Invention may be more clearly understood I will proceed
to describe it by means of the accompanying Drawing, in which similar letters of
reference indicate similar parts in the various Figures.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the pillar plate of the watch with the parts comprised
in my Invention-in-their-normal-position.-
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the pillar plate of the watch with the parts comprised
in my Invention in the position they assume when the button is depressed.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the top plate of the watch.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same.
Fig. 6 is a plan view, to an enlarged scale, of the double action spring.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation of same to the same scale.
Fig. 8 is a plan view of the second and third springs with the pin that locks the
balance to an enlarged scale.
Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the foregoing to the same scale.
Fig. 10 is a plan view of the ratchet to an enlarged scale.
Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the same to the same scale.
Fig. 12 is a plan view of the underside of the ratchet to the same scale.
In Figs. 1 and 3 the double action spring a is pivotted to the pillar plate at a
it is provided with a slot a through which projects the banking screw d, this
screw in combination with the slot a³ regulates the length of movement of the
spring a. The centre line of the slot a² is part of a circle of which a' is the centre.
The spring a is pressed towards the centre b' of the pillar plate b by a button not
shown on the Drawing which acts upon it at a³. The spring c which is formed in
one piece with the spring a banking against the screw f makes a return to its
normal position when released from pressure. On the end of the spring a is a
projection at right angles a' which has a pawl or projection a' which engages with
the teeth c c of the ratchet c which revolves on a pivot fixed to the pillar
plate b, and the end a is curved so as to slip over the ratchet teeth on its return.
It will be seen that every time the spring a is depressed the ratchet c is caused to
make a part of a revolution in the direction of the arrow.
The projection g' on the spring y locks the ratchet c when the spring a being
released from pressure returns to its normal position. The spring is secured to
the pillar plate by the screw g and steady pin g³. The spring h has a projecting
piece or cam h¹ near the free end, this engages with and is operated by the lower
part of the ratchet c, the half of each alternate tooth is cut away for this purpose
as shown at c c² especially in Figs. 10, 11, and 12. The action of the ratchet on
the free end of the spring / causes it to advance and recede. In the free end h³

page_text: of the spring his fixed the pin 2 which locks the balance. The springs g and h
are joined at the foot g' solid being made all in one piece whereby the same
screw g² and steady pin g³ act for both.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention for
improvements in watches, and the means whereby the same is or may be carried
into effect, I would observe that I do not limit myself to the exact form or
configuration of parts but reserve the right to vary the same while not departing
from the essence of my said Invention, but what I claim as novel, original and
useful, and desire to be secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters
Patent is
The combination and arrangement of springs and ratchet forming an improved
centre seconds stop work as adapted for keyless and key winding centre seconds
watches either hunting, semi-hunting or open faced, substantially as described and
set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Charles Huton Errington have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty second day of June in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
CHARLES HUTON ERRINGTON. (L.S.)
Witness
THOMAS KENDRICK.