IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on 24th July 1883. Communicated to him
from abroad by Frederick Fitt of Chaux-de-Fonds Switzerland.
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WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES [a communi-
cation to him from abroad by Frederick Fitt of Chaux-de-Fonds Switzerland.]
This invention relates to detachable watch escapements, and consists in a novel
construction of the same, whereby the escapement may be applied or removed
without difficulty or loss of time, and in which the act of disconnecting the
escapement bed or plate froin the watch frame also causes the centre wheel to be
locked, and thus prevents the unwinding of the spring.
The present invention is designed to simplify and perfect the construction and
to enable any form or pattern of escapement to be used and of any height or
thickness required without unduly increasing the thickness of the watch.
In carrying the said invention into practice the pillar plate is formed with an
opening at that point over which the escapement is placed, one end being bevelled.
This opening is to receive the bottom plate or bed, of the escapement platform,
said bottom plate or bracket extending below the body of the platform for the
purpose of entering or passing through said recess to secure and steady the plate
in place, and to give room for the necessary. or desired length of escape and
balance wheel spindles or shafts, and other parts, without unduly increasing the
thickness of the watch.
The
The lower plate or bed carries the bearings of the escape and balance wheels,
escape lever, and other parts, while a balance cock, and arms or supports are
provided to sustain the bearings of the upper ends of said parts as usual.
said plate or bed is furnished with a projecting finger or point at one end, which
is designed to engage with the pillar plate, and to assist in holding the escapement
platform in place, and the opposite end is bevelled to fit the bevelled end of the
opening.
The end having the projecting finger or point is first dropped into and through
the opening and then the escapement platform is moved a short distance longi-
tudinally causing the said finger or point to engage over the edge of the pillar
plate, and just as the limit of movement is reached the bevelled end of the plate or

page_text: bed falls to the bevelled seat formed for it at the end of the opening. The opening
being much smaller than the platform, the latter rests upon the pillar plate at each
end and at the side of the opening and thus gets a firm, broad bearing thereon,
while being prevented by the close fitting of the bottom plate or bed from shifting
around thereon.
For the purpose of locking the escapement platform firmly to the pillar plate I
provide a slide having a lateral projection, to enter a recess in the side or edge of
the escapement and thereby to prevent the platform from being raised or lifted up
from the pillar plate, upon which the slide is mounted, and held by a screw and
guide pin.
The slide is furnished with a knob or stud by which to move it back and forth,
and lias on its under or inner face near its outer end, a pin, which extends through
an opening in the pillar plate and projects slightly beyond the face of said plate to
bear against the end of a spring, said end being formed with a double incline so
that by moving the pin to one or the other side of the angle of the double incline
the pin will be pressed and held in one or the other position. This movement of
the pin in the manner stated is occasioned by the movement of the slide in one or
the other direction as already mentioned. When the slide is moved inward the
lateral wing or projection passes out of the notch leaving the escapement platform
to be raised up and drawn off from the pillar plate.
In order that the watch may not run down and that it may not be necessary to
unwind the spring before removing the escapement, the slide is furnished, at its
forward or inner end with a stop pin, which, as the slide is moved inward, enters
between the teeth of the centre wheel and locks it against rotation; thus permitting
the escapement to be removed without affecting the condition of the spring.
When the escapement is restored to its place the slide is drawn out to lock it in
position causing the pin to be withdrawn from the teeth of the centre wheel the
wheels of the train and escapement being put into mesh in adjusting the escapement
platform to the pillar plate.
I provide a screw having its head slightly rounded, which head forms a bearing
for the point or finger, the screw being turned in or out to cause the escapement
platform to be drawn down more or less tightly by the point riding upon the head
of the screw.
Screws near the end of the escapement platform serve to adjust and steady the
same or to prevent its rocking or tipping on the pillar plate.