IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCH KEYS AND HOLDING TOOLS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Summerfield Birch of the City County and State
of New York, United States of America for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS
IN WATCH KEYS AND HOLDING TOOLS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Summerfield Birch at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th August 1883.
JOHN SUMMERFIELD BIRCH of the City, County and State of New York United
States of America "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCH KEYS AND HOLDING TOOLS"
This invention relates to adjustable watch keys in which the jaws are made to
fit winding posts of different sizes by sliding lengthwise in a tubular case by which
said jaws are made to close on the posts, it also applies to the holding tools of various
forms for small objects In this case the invention consists of an inproved
construction of the jaws and the case in those parts having special reference to
closing of the jaws on the post by the case and the gripping of the post by the
jaws for turning the post, the said improved construction being to enable the key
to be made more cheaply and to be more efficient and durable The invention also
consists of an improved contrivance of the spring and finger bit for working the
jaws, And the invention also consists of a simple means of connecting the inner
ends of the jaws to the device by which the aforesaid spring and push piece are
made to act on them and by which the jaws are opened all as hereina.ter fully
described In the present case I make the interior of the end of the caso out of
which the jaws project for engaging the post of the watch in the following form
that is to say, straight and parallel along the lines to the corners which aro curved
for a short distance on about the radius of the case or less and between said corners
the part is curved on the same or a larger radius than that of the said case And
together with the case thus formed I construct the jaws to fit closely in the lines
and the corners but so as not to bear along the outer lines, the said jaws being
made on a still larger radius between corners than the outer line of the case is
This form of the jaws must extend as far along them in certain parts as the jaws
are to slide in and out of the case, but said jaws may be in that form, from the
bulge where the taper of the ends begin to the shoulder, where said jaws are

page_text: reduced in thickness to form the springs which is preferable because of uniformity.
From the bulge where the jaws have the greatest thickness to the springs, said
jaws are so curved that they always have contact with each other at some point
between said bulge and said springs whether extended to grip the watch post or
not, the said contact being a fulcrum on which the springs, spring out the jaws into
the corners wherein they are so confined that the torsional strain of the case turned
by the fingers of the operator causes them to grip and hold the post with the
requisite power, while the form of said jaws and of the case prevent the jaws from
turning in the case thus avoiding the labor and expense of providing any special
device for that purpose The corners might be angular instead of curved, with
corresponding angular corners of the jaws and still would hold the jaws against
turning in the case but such arrangement is not so desirable because the sharp
angles of the steel jaws would cut the soft metal of the case and enlarge the mouth
of the case so as to make the jaws slack, while the curved form avoids the cutting
of the angles and besides they form eccentric lines in which the jaws turn slightly
and are thus bound more firmly in their grip on the post than is due to the power
of the spring by which they are closed on said post thus being more efficient in
operation by reason of said curved corners The jaws will be formed in dies for
producing the shapes from the springs or thereabout downward and making the
angle creases in the gripping faces to engage the watch post, said creases being
made slightly increasing in depth upward to be parallel or thereabout with the
sides of the post of average size when the jaws are opened sufficiently to grip said
post. The spring portions of the jaws may be made by stamping or filing away
the metal on the back but it is immaterial which side is reduced and the reduction
may be partly on both sides if preferred The jaws may also be made in two-
separate pieces and connected at the top by a thimble said thimble formning the
finger piece or cap, by which to press down and thrust out the jaws, but it is to be
understood that the jaws may be formed on tlie ends of a single piece that may be
bent double at the place where said thimble is applied
While the improved jaws, constructed and arranged as above described may be
used with push piece and retracting spring as heretofore arranged by me, I now
prefer to employ a lever finger bit located in a slot in the side of the case on a
pivot with an arm connected with the jaws and having a Ụ spring attached to its
free end and located in the case so that pressure on the said lever will thrust the
jaws out and the spring will draw them back The spring is extended up from the
lever along the case and bent around the upper ends of the jaws to bear against
the case for a rest from which to react the lever, but it is not connected to the case,
the only connection being with the lever to which it may be made fast before said
lever is put in its place. The arm may be connected with the jaws in any
approved way, say with a slit in which the springs are inserted just below the
shoulders on which said arm acts to raise the jaws with spurs thrust out from said
springs below the arm by indenting the opposite sides for bearings under said arm,
but I do not limit myself to such method of connection
It will be understood that for utilizing the device like a pin vice for a holder of
pinion wire and other small objects of similar form I have only to groove the jaws
along the middle from above the creases to the upper ends of said jaws For
connecting the jaws to the spring bars when such bars are used, said bars have
heretoforo had a lip turned inward at the lower end, that engaged with a notch in
the back of the upper end of the jaw for connecting with the jaw, but this is
objectionable because it makes the jaws extend apart too much for the required
diameter of the rest of the koy which it is desirable to make smaller than such
arrangement will allow, and at the same time provide the necessary space to
prevent the bars from binding against the sides of the case when the jaws are
closed. I therefore now make the jaws with a slot or notch in the upper end and
with transverse nicks or creases in the back at the sides of the slot forming
backwardly projecting hooks or lugs above said creases and at the sides of the slot
and form the nicks in the edges of the spring bars making projecting studs at the

page_text: lower end adapted to rest in the creases while the neck occupies the slot making a
connection by which it will be understood that the connecting bars occupy no moro
of the space in the case transversely than the jaws do, that is to say, the diameter
through the bars is no greater than through the jaws so that the case which
heretofore required to be larger than was needed for the jaws on account of the
greater thickness of the bars may now be reduced to the size only required by the
jaws. As the spring bars have a set by which they press the jaws towards each
other it will be understood that this form of connection will not detach when the
parts are placed in position in the case and that it is of simple contrivance, both
the jaws and the bars being so designed that they can each one be shaped by a
blow of a drop or other die The spring resting on the seat and bearing against the
cap draws up and closes the jaws on the object to be held and a push down on the
cap by the finger thrusts the jaws down so that the spring bars open them to
receive the post or other object to be gripped. The push cap is fastened to the
spring bars by little stud points made to project in between the bars of the spring
at the bow by indenting the outside of the cap with a centre puuch The jaws
connected to the springs may be used with a pin to prevent them from turning by
the resistance of the watch post or they may be fitted as before described for that
purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said John Summerfield Birch
in the Patent Office on the 9th February 1884.
JOHN SUMMERFIELD BIRCH of the City, County, and State of New York, United
States of America "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCH KEY AND HOLDING TOOLS"
This invention relates to adjustable watch keys, in which the jaws are mado to
fit winding posts of different sizes by sliding lengthwise in a tubular case, by
which said jaws are made to close on the posts, it also applies to holding tools of
various forms for small objects. In this case the invention consists of an improved
construction of the jaws and the case in those parts having special reference to
closing of the jaws on the post by the case, and the gripping of the post by the
jaws for turning the post, the said improved construction being to enable the key
to be made more cheaply, and to be more efficient and durable The invention also
consists of an improved contrivance of the spring and finger bit for working the
jaws. And the invention also consists of a simple means of connecting the inner
ends of the jaws to the device by which the aforesaid spring and push piece are made
to act on them, and by which the jaws aro opened, all as hereinafter fully described,
reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which. Figure 1 is a
sectional elevation of a key in which the improvement of the jaws and the case
are represented, the spring and finger bit being of the form heretofore used Fig 2
is a side elevation of one of the jaws looking at the inside Fig 3 is an outside

page_text: elevation of one of the jaws Fig 4 is an end view of the key, the jaws being
closed Fig 5 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the jaws, and the case, the
jaws being open Fig 6 is an end view of the key the jaws. being open as in
figure 5 Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of the jaws as arranged for the said
improved form of finger bit Fig 8 is a sectional elevation of the case, and side
elevation of the rest, showing the improved form of the finger bit and spring.
Fig 9 is a side elevation of the key having the said improved form of finger bit
and spring Figure 10 is an elevation of one of the jaws of a watch key in back
view in the improved arrangement to connect the jaws to the device on which the
spring and thumb bit of the improvement act. Figure 11 is a side elevation of the
jaw represented in Figure 10. Figure 12 is an elevation of the jaw in back view
together with a side elevation of the aforesaid connecting device showing the
improved means for connecting the jaws to snid device Figure 13 is a side elevation
of the said connecting device without the jaw, and Fig 14 is a sectional elevation
of the key complete in which the jaws are connected to the said devico by which
they are actuated by the spring and thumb-bit of my said improved arrangement
In the present case I make the interior- of the end of the case a, out of which
the jaws a¹ project for engaging the post of the watch in the form represented
in Figures 4 and 6, that is to say, straight and parallel along the lines 6 to the
corners c, which are curved for a short distance on about the radius of the case or
less, and between said corners the part d is curved on the same or a larger radius
than that of the said case. And together with the case thus formed I construct the
jaws to fit closely in the lines b and the corners c but so as not to bear along the
outer lines d, the said jaws being made on a still larger radius. between corners c
than the outer line d of the case is This form of the jaws must extend as far
along them in certain parts a² as the jaws are to slide in and out of the case but
said jaws are here represented in that form from the bulge e where the taper of
the ends begin to the shoulder where said jaws are reduced in thickness to form
the springs which is preferable because of uniformity From the bulge e where
the jaws have the greatest thickness to the springs g said jaws are so curved that
they always have contact with each other at some point along parts a² between
said bulge and said springs whether extended to grip the watch post or not, the
said contact being a fulcrum on which the springs g spring out the jaws into the
corners c wherein they are so confined that the torsional strain of the caso
turned by the fingers of the operator, causes them to grip and hold the post with
the requisite power while the form of said jaws, and of the case at bc prevent the
jaws from turning in the case thus avoiding the labour and expense of providing
any special device for that purpose. The corners c might be angular instead of
curved with corresponding angular corners of the jaws, and still would hold the
jaws against turning in the case but such arrangement is not so desirable because
the sharp angles of the steel jaws would cut the soft metal of the case and enlarge
the mouth of the case so as to make the jaws slack while tho curved form avoids
the cutting of the angles, and besides they form eccentric lines in which the jaws
turn slightly, and are thus bound more firmly in their grip on the post than is due
to the power of the spring by which they are closed on said post, thus being more
efficient in operation by reason of said curved corners. The jaws will be formed in
dies for producing the shapes from the springs g or thereabout downward and
making the angle creases in the gripping faces to engage the watch post, said
creases being made slightly increasing in depth upward to be parallel or thereabout
with the sides of the post of average size when the jaws are opened sufficiently to
grip said post
I have in this case represented the spring portions g of the jaws as made by
stamping or filing away the metal on the back, but it is immaterial which side is
reduced and the reduction may be partly on both sides if preferred. I have here
represented the jaws as made in two separate pieces and connected at the top by a
thimble j said thimble forming the finger piece or cap in Fig 1 by which to
press down and thrust out the jaws, but it is to be understood that the jaws may

page_text: be formed on the ends of a single piece that may be bent double at the place where
said thimble is applied.
While the improved jaws constructed and arranged as above described may be
used with push piece ; and retracting spring k as heretofore arranged by me.
I now prefer to employ a lever finger bit located in a slot in the side of the case
on a pivot m with an arm n connected with the jaws and having a U spring o
attached to its free end, and located in the case so that pressure on the said lever
will thrust the jaws out and the spring will draw them back The spring is
extended up from the lever along the case and bent around the upper end of the
jaws to bear against the case for a rest from which to react the lever, but it is not
connected to the case the only connection being with the lever to which it may bo
made fast before said lever is put in its place The arm n may be connected with
the jaws in any approved way, but I have here represented it with a slit in which
the springs g are inserted, just below the shoulders p on which said arm acts to
raise the jaws with spurs 9 thrust out from said springs, below the arm by
indenting the opposite sides for bearings under said arm but I do not limit myself
to such method of connection It will be understood that for utilizing the device
like a pin vice for a holder of pinion wire, and other small objects of similar form.
I have only to groove the jaws along the middle from above the creases i to the
upper ends of said jaws as I have represented at x Fig 2. Figs 10 to 14 inclusive
represent my improved contrivance for connecting the jaws a' a³ to the spring
bars when such bars are used Heretofore the spring bars e¹ have had a lip
turned inward at the lower end, that engaged with a notch in the back of the
upper end of the jaw, for connecting with the jaw, but this is objectionable
because it makes the jaws extend apart too much for the required diameter of the
rest of the key which it is desirable to make smaller than such arrangement will
allow, and at the same time provide the necessary space to prevent the bars from
binding against the sides of the case when the jaws are closed as represented in
Figure 14. I therefore now make the jaws a' a' with a slot or notch g¹ as
shewn in the upper end and with the transverse nicks or creases h¹ in the
back at the sides of the slot forming backwardly projecting hooks or lugs i¹
above said creases and at the sides of the slot and form the nicks in the
edges of the spring bars e¹ making projecting studs at the lower end
adapted to rest in the creases while the neck occupies the slot g¹ making
a connection by which it will be understood and seen in Fig 11 that the
connecting bars e¹ occupy no more of the space in the case transversely than the
jaws do, that is to say, the diameter through the bars e¹ is no greater than through
the jaws, so that the case which heretofore required to be larger than was needed
for the jaws on account of the greater thickness of the bars may now be reduced
to the size only required by the jaws. As the spring bars e¹ have a set by which
they press the jaws towards each other, it will be understood that this form of
connection will not detach when the parts are placed in position in the
case a and that it is of simple contrivance, both the jaws and the bars
being so designed that they can each one be shaped by a blow of a drop or
other die. The spring n' resting on the seat o' and bearing against the cap j
draws up and closes the jaws on the object to be held and a push down on the
cap by the finger thrusts the jaws down so that the spring bars e¹ open them to
receive the post or other object to be gripped The push cap Fig 14 is fastened
to the spring bars e¹ by little stud points m¹ made to project in between the bars
of the spring at the bow by indenting the outside of the cap with a centre punch.
The jaws at a connected to springs e¹ as represented in Fig 14 may be used with
a pin e² to prevent them from turning by the resistance of the watch post or they
may be fitted as in Figs 4 and 6 for that purpose
Having thus described the nature of my invention, and how the same may be
practically employed What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is
1* In a watch key having jaws that open and close by sliding out and in the

page_text: end of the case, the end of the said case and the backs of the jaws bearing thereon,
having curves by which the turning of the key in winding the watch, binds said
jaws more tightly on the watch post substantially as described
2nd In a watch key having jaws that open and close by sliding out and in the
end of the case, the said jaws fitted to bear on straight or substantially straight
lines band in the curved corners c of the mouth of the case but without contact
along the sides & substantially as described
3rd In a watch key having jaws that open and close by sliding out and in the
end of the case, the said jaws fitted to bear on straight or substantially straight
lines b and in the curved corners c of the mouth of the case and having contact
with each other below springs g substantially as described
4th The combination in a watch key of a case having straight or nearly straight
and parallel sides b and curved corners c in the mouth, sliding jaws fitted therein to
bear on said sides b and corners c without contact along the sides d, and means for
projecting and opening said jaws, and also means for withdrawing and closing said
jaws substantially as described
5th The combination in a watch key in which the jaws are arranged to slide out
and in a case for opening and closing, of a lover finger bit and a spring o with
said case and jaws substantially as described
6th The combination in a watch key in which the jaws are arranged to slide out
and in a caso for opening and closing of a pair of jaws having springs g and a
fulcrum a³ and being grooved along the inside at a substantially as described
7th. The jaws ala of a watch key or holding device constructed substantially
as herein described having a slot or notch gland the cross-nicks.h' at the upper
end in combination with the spring bars el having notches j' in the edges and
studs at the end substantially as described
In Witness whereof I tho said John Summerfield, Birch have hereunto Bet
my hand and seal this twenty eighth day of January in the year of Our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
OHN NIMMYK
L
RIRALI
Signed Sealed and delivered by
the said John Summerfield
Birch in presence of
C, C, CUMMINGS
38 Dey Street
New York
JOHN
NIM
FELY RURALI