Year: 1885

page_text: My Invention has for its object the construction of watches which will give, at
every instant, and to a minute, the time of the principal cities of the world; such
watches I term "Spherometer" watches.
My improvements can be adapted to watch works of every description, the dial
work alone being of a special construction.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1, represents a vertical section of the watch
in which only are represented those parts having reference to my invention.
Fig. 2, is a plan of a 12 hour Spherometer watch, Fig. 3 is a back view of the
same, Fig. 4 shews detached, the moveable front dial, and Fig. 5, the moveable back
dial of the said watch.
Fig. 6, is a front view of a 24 hour Spherometer watch, Fig. 7 a back view of
the same, Fig. 8 shews the moveable front dial, and Fig. 9 the moveable back dial
of the said watch.
.
In all the figures the same letters of reference indicate like parts.
,
The indication of the time in the Spherometer watch takes place in the following
manner.
The face of the watch shews, in the first instance, a ring-shaped dial A, fixed on
the plate, and divided into 12 or 24 hours. Upon this dial a certain local time,
which can be chosen at will, is shewn by an hour hand B, and a minute hand C, as
in ordinary watches. In an opening in the dial A, is placed a moveable dial D,
fixed by means of screw nuts E and F, to the socket of the hour wheel G, which
carries the hand B.
This moveable dial D, is divided into geographical hours, starting from the
Greenwich meridian, shewn by an arrow. Every segment of this dial, representing
a geographical hour, is rendered distinct by a special colour, shewing at a glance
the localities having the same geographical time.
The same colours are shewn again only for localities being at least 6 geographical
hours distant from each other, so as to avoid any confusion in that respect.
Every city or town, the name of which is inscribed on the dial, D, in the segment
of its geographical hour, is accompanied by an engraved line on the edge of this
dial, and is moved in view of a marked division on the inner edge of the ring-
shaped dial A. This dial bears 12 divisions between two figures of hours, so that
the hour of each city, to within 5 minutes, may be found out by observing the
position of the line on the moveable dial, in connection with the inner division of
the fixed dial.

page_text: The back of the watch carries a fixed ring-shaped dial H, secured to a circular
plate H¹, fixed to the case ring.
The names of the cities inscribed on the moveable dial D, are repeated on the
dial H, in the colour of the geographical hour segment to which they belong, but
they are disposed in the order corresponding to their geographical minutes, starting
from the Greenwich meridian.
The ring-shaped dial H, on account of its larger size bears also the names of the
most important cities or towns which could not be shewn on the moveable
dial D.
The colour with which the names of those cities or towns are inscribed on the
dial H, of the geographical minute corresponds exactly with the colour of the
geographical hour to which it belongs and which has been adopted for distinguishing
its segment on the moveable dial D.
In the opening of this fixed dial H, moves a second moveable dial I, fixed by
means of screw nuts K and L, to the arbor or axis M, of the wheel N. This last
one presents nothing particular; it is set in motion by the teeth of the spring
barrel and acts upon the escapement by means of the usual train of gearing.
The moveable dial I, is divided into 60 minutes; it revolves simultaneously with
the minute hand and its divisions are displaced in regard to the lines corresponding
to the cities or towns inscribed on the fixed dial H.
To read the exact time of any place on the watch shewing 12 hours, (Figs. 2
and 3) say St Petersburg for instance, we will see at first on the dial D (fig. 2),
the line corresponding to that city placed between 2 o'clock and 2.5, of the inner
division of dial A. By turning the watch over we find then that the sign of
St Petersburg on the dial H, is in front of the first division of the dial I, so that
the watch shews for St Petersburg the exact time, 2.1.
Now if it be desired to know Paris time on the 24 hours watch, we find, in fig. 6
of the drawings, that the geographical hour segment in which Paris is inscribed
(coloured blue for instance) is placed between the XIIth and the Ist hour, and then
we find immediately on the other side of the watch that the sign corresponding to
Paris, on the dial H, is placed in front of the 9th division of the moving dial I,
which shews the exact time at Paris, 12.9.
The moving dial D, bears in the blue segment where is found the geographical
time at Paris only, the cities of Paris, Berne and Berlin, but we find on dial H,
inscribed in the same blue colour, the names of the cities of Brussels, Amsterdam,
Cologne, Carlsruhe; Stuttgart, Milan, Hamburg, Christiania, Munich, Rome,
Copenhagen, Trieste and Prague (Fig. 7). The coincidence of colours of the names
of those cities on the dial B, with the colours of the segment of the geographical
time of Paris, on the dial D, shews that the geographical time of all those towns
will be found by the inner part of the division of dial A, which is placed with
regard to the blue segment (from London to Berlin) of dial D.
Those cities, the names of which are found on the right hand side of the dial H
(Brussels, Amsterdam and Cologne) belong to the first half of the geographical
time in question (here for instance between London & Berne) while those which are
inscribed on the left hand side of dial H, (Carlsrube, Stuttgart, Milan, Hamburg,
Christiania, Munich, Rome, Copenhagen, Trieste and Prague) belong to the second
half of the geographical time.
The geographical minute of the cities in question can be found in the same way
as I have arranged for Paris, by observing the position of the name of the city on
the dial H, with regard to the division of the moving dial L
D
- 100K

page_text: The back of the watch carries a fixed ring-shaped dial H, secured to a circular
plate fixed to the case ring.
The names of the cities inscribed on the moveable dial D, are repeated on the
dial H, in the colour of the geographical hour segment to which they belong, but
they are disposed in the order corresponding to their geographical minutes, starting
from the Greenwich meridian.
The ring shaped dial H, on account of its larger size, bears also the names of the
most important cities which could not be shewn on the moveable dial D.
The colour with which the names of those cities are inscribed on the dial H, of
the geographical minute corresponds exactly with the colour of the geographical
hour to which it belongs, and which has been adopted for distinguishing its
segment on the moveable dial D.
In the opening of this fixed dial H, moves a second moveable dial I, fixed by
means of screw nuts K and L, to the arbor or axis M of the wheel N. This last
one presents nothing particular, it is set in motion by the teeth of the spring barrel
and acts upon the escapement by means of the usual train of gearing. The
moveable dial I, is divided into 60 minutes; it revolves simultaneously with the
minute hand, and its divisions are displaced in regard to the lines corresponding to
the cities inscribed on the fixed dial Ĥ.
To read the exact time of any place on the watch shewing 12 hours (Figs. 2
and 3), say St Petersburg for instance, we at first see on the dial D (Fig. 2) the
line corresponding to that city placed between 2 o'clock and 2.5, of the inner
division of dial A. By turning the watch over we find that the sign of
St Petersburg on the dial H, is in front of the first division of the dial I, so that
the watch shews for St Petersburg the exact time 2 o'clock.
Now if it be desired to know Paris time on the 24 hours watch, we find in
Fig. 6 of the drawings that the geographical hour segment in which Paris is
inscribed (coloured blue for instance) is placed between the XIIth and the 1st hour,
and then we find immediately on the other side of the watch that the sign
corresponding to Paris on the dial H, is placed in front of the 9th division of the
moving dial I, which shows the exact time at Paris 12.9.
The moving dial D, bears in the blue segment, where is found the geographical
time at Paris only, the cities of Paris, Berne and Berlin, but we find on dial H,
inscribed in the same blue colour, the names of the cities of Brussels, Amsterdam,
Cologne, Carlsruhe, Stuttgart, Milan, Hamburg, Christiania, Munich, Rome,
Copenhagen, Trieste and Prague (Fig. 7) The coincidence of colours of the names
of those cities on the dial H, with the colours of the segment of the geographical
time of Paris on the dial D, shews that the geographical time of all those cities
will be found by the inner part of the division of dial A, which is placed with
regard to the blue segment (from London to Berlin) of dial D.
Those cities, the names of which are found on the right hand side of dial H,
(Brussells, Amsterdam and Cologne) belong to the first half of the geographical
time in question (here for instance between London and Berne) while those which
are inscribed on the left hand side of dial H, (Carlsruhe, Stuttgart, Milan,
Hamburg, Christiania, Munich, Rome, Copenhagen, Trieste and Prague) belong to
the second half of the same geographical time.
The geographical minute of the cities in question can be found in the same way
as I have arranged it for Paris, by observing the position of the name of the city
on the dial H with regard to the division of the moving dial I.
Having thus described my invention, I declare that what I claim is:—
1. A watch giving the accurate time of the principal cities of the world, without
much seeking, by the use of two annular fixed dials, the one set on the face, the
other on the back of the watch, and of two moving dials, one of which turns with
the minute hand, and the other with the hour hand of the watch, substantially as
specified.

page_text: 2. The combination of a fixed ring shaped dial A, bearing either a division in
12 hours, as shewn in Fig. 2, or a division in 24 hours, as shown in Fig. 6,
provided with a division placed on the inner edge of the opening of the dial, with
a moving dial D, divided either into 12 or 24 segments of varied colours,
representing the geographical hour of the cities whose names are disposed in
regular order on this dial starting from the first meridian, as described and shewn.
3. The combination of the fixed dial A, and of the moving dial D, with a
stationary annular dial H, and a moving dial I, the first bearing the names of the
important cities of the globe marked in colours corresponding to those of the
segment of dial D, the second bearing a division of 60 minutes, the whole arranged
in such a way as to show, at any moment, and accurately, the time at the city in
question, as described and shewn.
4. The arrangement upon the hour wheel G (Fig. 1) of the dial D, set by means
of screw nuts E and F, and of the hour wheel of dial I, fixed upon the pin M of
the hour wheel by means of screw nuts K and L, as described and shewn.
5. The circular plate H¹ affixed to the ring of the watch case and carrying the
annular dial H, as described and shewn.