IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS KNOWN AS WATCHMENS TELL TALES.
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Carl Reinhold Ferdinand Schloesser of Manchester in the
County of Lancaster, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF APPARATUS KNOWN AS WATCHMENS TELL TALES. Communicated to him
from abroad by Messieurs Kreutz and Bauer of Vienna.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carl Reinhold Ferdinand
Schloesser at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th July
1882.
CARL REINHOLD FERDINAND SCHLOESSER of Manchester in the County of
Lancaster IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS KNOWN AS
WATCHMENS "TELL-TALES" (being a Communication to me from abroad by
Messieurs Kreutz and Bauer of Vienna)
This invention relates to the construction of "Watchmens tell-tales" or clocks
designed for the purpose of indicating on a strip of paper or other material the
times at which a watchman has visited certain parts of his rounds during the
night; the advantage of the improved construction being that it precludes
the possibility of the indication being tampered with, the mechanism for producing
the marks not being (as in other clocks of this kind) in the clock itself, but the
mark is produced by a type projecting from the bit on a key in connection with a
self-acting color box.
The clock has a time dial and two fingers like an ordinary clock, and round the
dial is fitted a flat ring connected to the works of the clock by springs and
revolving at the same speed as the hour hand.
Outside this is a second movable ring which can be lifted off, and round which
is fixed the slip of paper or other material on which the indications are to be
marked. This slip is marked with a printed division of hours and minutes
corresponding with those on the dial and the types on the keys are so arranged that
they can print over or under a line which runs the length of the slip in the centre.
A key pin is fixed in the case in such a position that upon inserting a key and

page_text: turning it round, it makes an impression of the type (which it carries) on the slip
in revolving, itself receiving ink or color from a self acting inking pad or roller
also put in motion by the key.
The keys are 12 in number corresponding with the twelve hours and each bearing
a type of a corresponding number so that the watchman on reaching his station
(say at 8 o'clock) selects the key No. 8. and inserting it in the key hole turns it
once round thus marking a figure 8 on the slip, the position of which mark with
regard to the printed divisions will show whether the workman was punctual, and
if not, how many minutes he was late.
The keys may be so arranged that they will print any other signs than numbers
and different keys may be used by different watchmen, which would be especially
useful in large establishments where more watchmen are kept than one.
The whole mechanism is enclosed in a locked case and the watchman can have
no access whatever to any portion thereof except the keyhole, by inserting one of
the keys in which and turning it round it will distinctly and in an indelible ink
or color-mark its number or other sign on the minute of time shown on the slip
and it will therefore be impossible to tamper with the impression thus obtained
as the slip can only be removed by the person who possesses the key of the
outside case.
The rim on which the slip is fixed being mounted on a spring as before
mentioned adapts itself to the various shapes of the keys, so as to ensure from
each one an accurate and distinct impression on the slip; and these slips if pasted
subsequently in a reference book will at all times afterwards admit, like printed
books, of investigation. The watchmen's stations can in conformity with the
above described arrangements be multiplied to an unlimited number without
interfering with one another (which is not the case with tell tale clocks of
ordinary construction) nor will the operation of the keys in any way interfere with
the going of the clock.
.
The slips are preferably made of paper fixed onto the metal ring by small pins
and having a thin india rubber ring between the metal and the paper to act as a
pad in receiving the impression, and the keys are of a metal that will not rust.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Carl Reinhold Ferdinand Schloesser in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th January 1883.
OF
APPARATUS KNOWN AS
CARL REINHOLD FERDINAND SCHLOESSER of Manchester in the County of
Lancaster IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
WATCHMEN'S TELL TALES" (being a communication to me from abroad by
Messieurs Kreutz and Bauer of Vienna)
This invention relates to the construction of Watchmen's "tell tales" or clocks
designed for the purpose of indicating on a strip of paper or other material the
times at which a watchman has visited certain parts of his rounds during the
night, one of the advantages of the improved construction being that it precludes
the possibility of the indication being tampered with, the mechanism for producing
the marks not being (as in other clocks of this kind) in the clock itself but the
mark is produced by a type projecting from the bit on the key in connection with
a self acting color box, and thus the number of stations may be increased by simply
providing a correspondingly increased number of keys without any alteration to
the clock being necessary.
The invention will be readily understood from the following description thereof
and on reference to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1. is a plan view of the apparatus with the case open, Fig. 2 is a plan view
of part of the works beneath the plate a, a, Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of part
of the works above the said plate a, a showing the method of fixing and actuating
the ring which carries the slip of paper (shown at Fig. 6) upon which the indications
are to be made. Figs 4 and 5 are views of one of the marking or indicating keys
and Fig 7 is a transverse section of Fig. 3.
The clock has a time dial b, b and two fingers like an ordinary clock and round
the dial is fitted a flat ring c, c connected to the works of the clock by springs and
revolving at the same speed as the hour hand.
This is effected in the following manner. The ring e, e has small wedge shaped
grooves or notches d, d formed in its inner surface (see also enlarged sections
Figs 8 and 9) into which notches fit a similar number of projecting wedges each
fixed upon springs e, e attached to a second ring f, f which is provided with an
internally toothed spur wheel g, g driven by the pinion h (see Figs. 3 and 8) which
actuate the hour hand. The projections d', d on the ring c, c passing through
slots in the ring f, flimit the springing motion of the said ring c, c Outside the
ring c, c is a movable ring i, i held in place by spring clips k, k and a notch in the
ring c, c into which fits a projection or pin on the ring i, i. The outer surface
of the ring i, i is provided with a padding of thin india rubber or other suitable
material over which is fixed the slip or band of paper upon which the indications
are to be marked. This slip (see Fig. 6) is marked with a printed division of
hours and minutes corresponding with those on the dial and the types on the keys
are so arranged that they can print over or under a line which runs the length of
the slip in the centre. Or in some cases where the stations are very numerous
more than one longitudinal line may be marked on the slip or band and thus
prevent the marks from the keys from running into one another and being
confused. A key pin m, m is fixed in the case in such a position that upon
inserting a key made as shown at Figs 4 and 5 and turning it round; it makes an
impression of the type (which it carries) on the slip in revolving itself receiving
ink or color from a self acting inking pad or roller also put in motion by the key
in the following manner. The key tits into the boss n, n of a spur wheel-n¹, n¹

page_text: :
i
(see Fig. 2) beneath the plate a and causes it to revolve as it (the key) turns on
the pin m, m. The inking apparatus o, o is driven in the same direction by means
of the spur wheel o¹, o¹ and the carrier wheel p, p (Fig. 2) upon the axle of the
inking apparatus o, o is fixed an excentric or cam q, q against which works one
end of a strong lever, the pivot or fulcrum of which is at s (see Fig. 1). The
other end of this lever is provided with a pin held between two arms at
the end of a strong spring t, t upon which is fixed a block u, u. As the key is
turned in the direction of the arrow the inking apparatus o, o meets it when it
has made about a quarter of a revolution and supplies color to the type on the bit
of the key, which as it revolves still further causes the excentric or cam q, q to
revolve also thus pushing away the end r of the lever and causing the end r¹, to
move outwards from the centre of the clock. When the key has made half a
revolution and the type is facing the indicating ring i, i and the slip of paper the
excentric or cam g, q has pushed away the end of the lever to its furthest point
and at the moment the lever is released by the flattened or reduced part of the
excentric or cam and springs back somewhat violently, the block u, u on the
spring t, t knocks against thé ring i, i causing it to spring slightly out of its
position and come into contact with the type on the key and thus receive the
impression therefrom. It immediately returns to its normal position by the action
of the springs e, e already described. The key continues its revolution until it and
the inking rollers have reached their first position the latter having received a
further supply of color from the pad of the color box v, v.
As soon as this position is regained the end of the lever falls into a small
notch cut in the excentric or cam, and a click is heard.
This notch prevents the apparatus from being turned backwards and it will be
evident that the lid being closed the key cannot be withdrawn until the apparatus
is in this position; and if turned round twice it will only mark again over the
same figure or letter as the ring i, i revolves very slowly. Fig. 10 shows a
'simplified inking apparatus.
The cam g and lever r, r¹ are placed on the reverse side of the key hole, w is
an inking roller and x, x is an india rubber wiper, both of which revolve loosely,
being merely turned by contact with the bit of the key in passing. The inter-
mediate spur wheel is thus dispensed with.
The keys may be so arranged that they will print any other signs than numbers
and different keys may be used by different watchmen which would be especially
useful in large establishments where more watchmen are kept than one.
It will be seen on the drawing that the whole mechanism is enclosed in a locked
case w¹, w¹ and the watchman can have no access whatever to any portion thereof
except the key hole a', a by inserting one of the keys in which and turning it
'round it will distinctly and in an indelible ink or color mark its number or
other sign on the minute of time as shown on the slip and it will therefore be
impossible to tamper with the impression thus obtained as the slip can only be
removed by the person who possesses the key y, y of the outside case. The slips if
pasted subsequently in a reference book will at all times afterwards admit of
investigation like printed books.
The watchmens stations can in conformity with the above described arrange-
ments be multiplied to an unlimited number without interfering with one another
(which is not the case with tell tale clocks of the ordinary construction), nor will
the operation of the keys in any way interfere with the going of the clock.
The slips are preferably made of paper and fixed onto the ring i, i by small pins
and the keys are of a metal that will not rust.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as the invention communi-
cated to me by the said Messieurs Kreutz and Bauer.
First. The combination in a Watchman's time detector of a spring ring c, c
(carrying the paper slip and revolved by the mechanism of the watch, at the same

page_text: time that it is capable of transverse vibration so as to press the paper slip against the
bit of the key) with a curved lever r, acted upon by a cam 9 revolved by the
key which causes the said ring to vibrate at the moment of giving the impression
Secondly The revolving inking apparatus o, o or any other equivalent inking
device worked directly by the turning of the key.
Thirdly. The peculiar construction of keys for watchmen's time detectors having
the bits made with projecting type, points or markers which are selfinking and
act directly upon the proper slip on which the indications are recorded.
In witness whereof I the said Carl Reinhold Ferdinand Schloesser have
hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty fourth day of January in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty three
D
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