Improvements in Safety Action for Watches.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application. 7th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 21st May, 1895-4ccepted, 22nd June, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Action for Watches.
I, CHARLES JAMES HEWITT, Lancashire Watch Factory, Prescot, in the
County of Lancaster Watch Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an arrangement whereby when the main spring
breaks or other event happens tending to revolve the barrel in the wrong direction,
a slip shall take place, and the train of the watch shall not be injured.
The invention consists in introducing an extra wheel between the barrel and the
centre pinion mounted on a moveable arm or frame. When the main spring is
wound up and is driving the watch in the direction necessary to turn the hands
forward the extra wheel gears rigidly into the train pinion, but when the main
spring breaks, or other factor enters into operation tending to revolve the barrel in
the opposite direction, the extra wheel slips out of action and revolves without
injury to the train of the watch.
The main idea in this invention is that the extra wheel is moveable in position
relatively to the train of the watch or to the barrel. This motion may be radial
or parallel, or the extra wheel may be planted in a rigid frame and move out of
action in elongated slots. It is obvious however that once given the idea of an
extra wheel made moveable, and there are numerous ways by which that movement
could be arranged, so that on the sudden breaking of the main spring or any
suddenly acting force coming into operation tending to revolve the barrel, the
extra wheel shall slip out of action and revolve without driving the train.
Dated the 6th day of November 1894.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Safety Action for Watches.
I, CHARLES JAMES HEWITT, Lancashire Watch Factory, Prescot in the
County of Lancaster, Watch Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object an arrangement whereby when the main spring
breaks or other event happens tending to revolve the barrel in the wrong direction,
a slip shall take place, and the train of the watch shall not be injured.
The invention consists in introducing an extra wheel between the barrel and the
centre pinion mounted on a moveable arm or frame. When the main spring
wound up and is driving the watch in the direction necessary to turn the hands
forward, the extra wheel gears rigidly into the train pinion, but when the main
spring breaks, or other factor enters into operation tending to revolve the barrel
in the opposite direction, the extra wheel slips out of action and revolves without
injury to the train of the watch.

page_text: The main idea in this invention is that the extra wheel is moveable in position
relatively to the train of the watch or to the barrel. This motion may be radial
or parallel, or the extra wheel may be planted in a rigid frame and more out of
action in elongated slots. It is obvious however that once given the idea of an
extra wheel made moveable, and there are numerous ways by which that movement
could be arranged, so that on the sudden breaking of the main spring or any
suddenly acting force coming into operation tending to revolve the barrel, the
extra wheel shall slip out of action and revolve without driving the train.
Fa pin on the
G a light spring
on arm D.
The drawing illustrates one method of carrying my invention into effect. In
this A is the watch plate drawn on a large scale. B the spring barrel, C first
pinion in the train. D a plate or arm pivoted on an axis E.
watch plate passing through an elongated hole or slot in arm D.
keeping the arm in place. H wheel carried on an arbor and fixed
The mode of action is as follows-
As long as the barrel B rotates in the direction of the arrow, the wheel H gears
into its teeth, and in those of the pinion C. The moment however an event
happens tending to revolve the barrel in the direction opposite the arrow, its
action draws the wheel H away from the pinion C, and thus the barrel can run
down without injuring the train of wheels. The spring G keeps the wheel H in
position in defiance of any ordinary shake.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improvement in safety action for watches, which consists in gearing the
barrel to the pinion of the train by a spare moveable pinion so arranged as to fly
out of gear with the train with any strong force tending to drive the barrel in the
abnormal direction.
2. The arrangement of safety action mechanism for watches substantially as
,herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 20th day of M 190
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.