An Improved Watch Key for Preventing Over-winding.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Watch Key for Preventing Over-winding.
•
I, WILLIAM BELL, of 32, Howe Street, Carlisle, Cumberland, Compositor, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an improved construction of watch key
whereby the over winding of the watch is prevented, this often being the cause
of broken main springs and otherwise straining of the watch.
According to this invention the key is constructed in two portions one within
the other a screw thread serving for the connection between the two. The outer
portion is formed at its end to fit on the winding stem of the watch. The inner
portion is provided with a head by which it can be held stationary while the outer
portion is turned, the result being that owing to the screw thread one portion
moves relatively to the other.
In order to wind the watch the inner portion is screwed to its outward position,
and the key placed on the winding stem of the watch. The head of the inner
portion is then held in the fingers and the outer portion turned to wind the
watch.
It will be seen that as the inner portion is held stationary it is drawn inwards
until the end of said inner portion comes in contact with the end of the winding
stem within the outer portion of the key. As further longitudinal movement
is prevented the outer portion as it is turned will be gradually drawn off the
winding stem of the watch and by the time the end of the screw thread connect-
ing the two portions is reached will be drawn entirely off and no further winding
can be effected.
By suitably proportioning the number of turns generally necessary to wind
the watch, in most cases about 7, it will be seen that when the required number
of turns have been given no further winding can be effected.
The end of the outer portion is constructed rather larger so as to prevent the
inner portion being drawn entirely out and will also prevent entry of dirt into
the interior.
Dated th: 711 1
די
1000
An improved watch Key for Preventing Over-winding.
I, William Bell, of 32, Howe Street, Carlisle, Cumberland, Compositor, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to.
[Price 81

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention has for its object an improved construction of watch key
whereby the over-winding of the watch is prevented, this often being the cause
of broken main springs and otherwise straining of the watch.
According to this invention the key is constructed in two portions one within
the other a screw thread serving for the connection between the two. The outer
portion is formed at its end to fit on the winding, stem of the-watch.., The, inner
portion is provided with a head by which it can be held stationary while the outer
portion is turned the result being that owing to the screw thread one portion
moves relatively to the other. In order to wind the watch the inner portion is
screwed to its outer position, and the key placed on the winding stem of the
watch. The head of the inner portion is then held in the fingers and the outer
portion turned to turn the watch.
It will be seen that as the inner portion is held stationary it is drawn inwards
until the end of said inner portion coin'és in contact with the end of the winding
stem within the outer portion of the key. As further, longitudinal movement
is prevented the outer portion as it is turned will gradually draw off the winding
stem of the watch and by the time the required number of turns for winding
the watch have been given it will be drawn entirely off and no further winding
can be effected.
In order that this invention may be more clearly described reference is had to
the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings on which Fig. 1 is a section.
to an enlarged scale of a watch key constructed according to this invention in
position for winding, and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the key when the
required number of turns have been given to it.
The watch key is formed in two portions A B connected together by a screw
thread. The outer portion A is formed with a square recess a at its end adapted
to fit on the winding stem C of the watch and is preferably milled at a¹ to facili-
tate turning. The portion A is hollow and is screw threaded on its inner sur-
face, the said screw threaded portion extending from the recess a to the end a²
which is somewhat smaller in diameter. The portion B is provided with a
head b and its other end 6¹ is enlarged and screw threaded so as to engage with
the screw threads upon the inner surface of the portion A.
In order to wind the watch the portion B is screwed to its outermost position
with the enlarged end 6 in contact with the end a² of the portion A as shown in
Fig. 1 and the key is placed on the winding stem C of the watch. The head b
is then held in the fingers so that it is prevented from rotating, and the portion A
is turned to wind the watch. The portion B is caused, because of the engage-
ment of the screw threads to move inwardly and after several turns have been
made the inner portion 1) comes in contact with the end of the winding stem C.
As further longitudinal movement is prevented the portion A as it is turned will
be gradually drawn off the winding stem C (see Fig. 2) and when the required
number of turns for winding the watch have been given it will be entirely drawn
off so that no further winding can be effected and overwinding will be prevented.
The number and pitch of the screw threads must be proportioned according
to the number of turns (generally about seven) necessary to wind the watch.
The end a² of the portion A prevents the portion B from being drawn com-
pletely out of the portion A and also prevents entry of dirt into the interior.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
-
(1) An improved watch key for preventing overwinding consisting of an outer
portion adapted to be fitted on the winding stem of the watch and screw threaded
its inner surface, and an inner portion screw threaded to engage
on

page_text: inside the outer portion, the inner portion being held stationary while
the outer portion is turned to wind the watch the result being that the
inner portion is drawn inwardly until it comes into contact with the end of
the winding stem, any further turning causing the outer portion to be drawn
off the winding stem substantially as described.
(2) An improved watch key for preventing overwinding substantially as de-
scribed with reference to the drawings and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 7th day of January 1899.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant