IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOCKS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOCKS." A communication from abroad by Almeron
Mark Lane, of Winsted, Connecticut, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st February 1882.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOCKS." [A communi-
cation from abroad by Almeron Mark Lane, of Winsted, Connecticut, United
States of America.]
This Invention consists in improvements in clocks, and relates more particularly
to tine movements, the object of the said Invention being to combine with an
ordinary time movement an independent second without materially increasing the
space occupied by the clock movement. The said Invention comprises two main
wheels arranged upon the same shaft, and concentric with each other, a main
spring between them, one end of which spring is attached to one main wheel, and
the other end to the other main wheel, so that the power of the said spring is
applied to drive one wheel in one direction and the other wheel in the opposite
direction, a train of wheels for imparting motion from one of the said main
wheels directly to the crown or escapement wheel shaft, and a second train of
wheels for imparting motion from the other main wheel to a shaft near the said
escapement-wheel-shaft, the connection between the said second train and the latter
being effected by means of an arm extending from a shaft, and working into the
wheel on the escapement-shaft, so that while the power of the spring is applied
through the said second train, the said wheel on the escapement-shaft permits the
said arm to escape from it at intervals, and therefore allow the main spring to
impart to the said train an intermittent rotation which is communicated through

page_text: the central shaft to an independent second pointer or hand, so as to give to the
latter one movement each second, as more fully hereinafter described.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1, in which is a front view of my improved clock movement, and
Figure 2 is a side view of the same.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on a plane or line just in rear of the front plate,
shewing the train of wheels.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A represents one main wheel, which for convenience I hereinafter term the time
wheel, and B is the other main wheel, which is hereinafter termed the second
wheel. From the time wheel A, a train of gearing C, D, and E, leads to the crown
or escapement wheel F, so as to impart rotation to the same in the usual manner;
into this escapement wheel the verge G or a lever works in the usual manner.
The shaft of the wheel C extends through the front plate, and has fixed to it the
pinion C¹ which communicates the power to the wheels of the time pointers or
hands R, S, in the usual manner, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2.
From the second wheel B a train of gearing H, I, K, L, and M, communicates
the power of the said wheel to a shaft Ň near the escapement-wheel shaft; tho
wheel L is upon the centre shaft P which extends through the front of the plate
and forms the centre around which the pointers or hands revolve, and to the
extreme end of the said shaft a second pointer T is attached.
From the shaft N an arm a extends radially outward so as to engage with the
teeth of the wheel b on the escapement-shaft, as shewn in Figure 3. From the
opposite side of the said shaft N a second arm & preferably extends radially in the
opposite direction.
When the arm a is engaged with the wheel b, the movement of the second train
is substantially stopped, while the other train proceeds as usual at each beat of the
pendulum or lever turning the escapement wheel in the usual manner.
As soon as the tooth of the wheel b which holds back the arm a has advanced
so far that the latter may escape therefrom, the said arm being free, the second
train of gearing is set in motion, and imparts to the arm a quick or instantaneous
revolution, until the arm a or the opposite arm & if it be used, engages with the
next tooth of the wheel b, when the further movement of that train will be arrested,
until that arm may in like manner escape from its tooth, and so continuing one
arm will first engage with a tooth of the wheel and escape therefrom, and permit
the other arm to engage the next tooth, and so on, such escapement permitting a
corresponding movement of the second train, and consequently a corresponding
movement of the second pointer T, the relation of the wheels in the said second
train boing such that the shaft of the wheel L will make one sixtieth of a
revolution per minute, and carry with it the second pointer T, thus indicating on
the dial successive seconds.
The arm from the shaft N bears against the tooth of the wheel on the escape-
ment shaft, with the force of the main spring applied to it in the direction in which
the shaft is revolving, hence it imparts to that shaft the power of the spring to the
extent to which it may be communicated through the said connection, and thus
the full power of the spring is communicated to the escapement wheel through the
two independent trains.
In case the two arms a and d are used, it will be understood that the train of
gearing is proportioned accordingly, that is to say, so that the movement of the
pointer by the escapement of the one arm or the two arms, as the case may be,
shall give the required intermittent movement to the second pointer.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I am aware that a single-main-spring has been applied to two driving wheels,
arranged upon the same shaft concentric with each other, so that one end of the
main-spring will turn one wheel in one direction and the other end of the said
main-spring will turn the other wheel in the opposite direction, the said two

page_text: wheels being employed to drive different parts of clock mechanism, and therefore I
do not claim broadly such a construction of driving wheel, but I claim,-
The combination of two main or driving wheels arranged upon the same shaft,
and concentric with each other, a main-spring arranged between the said wheels so
that one end of the said spring engages with one wheel, and the other end of the
same with the other wheel, whereby one of the said wheels is caused to revolve in
one direction and the other wheel in the opposite direction, and a train of gearing
leading from one of the said driving wheels to impart rotation to the escapement-
wheel shaft, and to the hour and minute hands or pointers, with a second train of
wheels leading from the other driving wheel to a shaft from which an arm projects
outward, so as to engage with the teeth of a wheel on the escapement-shaft, from
which teeth the said arm escapes by the rotation of the said escapement shaft
produced by the first train, and by such escapement imparts an intermittent
movement to the said second train, which movement is communicated through the
latter to an independent second hand or pointer on the central shaft, substantially
as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Harris Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
HENRY H. LAKE. (L.S.)