CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATCH CASES AND IN MACHINERY FOR PRODUCING THE SAME
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Louis Thiery, of Boston, Massachusetts,
United States of America, for the Invention of "CERTAIN NEW AND
USEFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATCH CASES AND IN
MACHINERY FOR PRODUCING THE SAME."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Louis Thiery
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th January 1870.
I, CHARLES LOUIS THIERY, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States
of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATCH
CASES, AND IN MACHINERY FOR PRODUCING THE SAME," to be as follows:
-
Heretofore watch cases have been made up of several pieces of metal
and brazed or soldered together. The "centre," so called, is made of a
strip of metal bent into a circle and its ends abutted together and brazed,
the "glass bezel," so called, being produced in the same way.
watches of English manufacture the back and centre are immovable
In

page_text: or non-detachable, that is to say, the back is not as in Swiss and American
watches hinged to the centre so as to be opened, but is formed in an
independent piece and brazed to such centre.
My Invention is applicable to cases of any manufacture, but is
especially valuable in the manufacture of English cases.
The Invention consists in forming the different portions of a watch
case in homogeneous pieces of metal without joints or solder. For
instance in producing a case for watches of English make the back and
centre are struck up or produced in one entire homogeneous piece of
metal, the "glass bezel" being formed in the same way and applied to
the centre in the usual manner. For American, Swiss, or other watches
with the back and dial cover hinged to the centre, the latter is to be
" struck up
or otherwise produced from a homogeneous piece of metal,
the "glass bezel " as before mentioned being produced in the same way
and applied in the manner now common to watches.
"
Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the annexed Drawings are sections of a watch
case, in the production of which my Invention is embodied; Figure 4
is an outer face view; Figure 5 a perspective representation, and
Figure 6 a section of the cover of a watch case made according to my
Invention taken on line 1, 2, Figure 5; Figure 7 is a face representation
and Figure 8 a section of the centre of the watch case on line 3, 4,
Figure 7.
In the accompanying Drawings I have adopted an English watch case
with which to illustrate my Invention, the centre of such case being
shown at a, and its back at b, such parts as before mentioned being
produced by proper machinery from one piece of metal and without
joints or solder. Figure 2 of the Drawings is a section taken through
the longest area of the centre of the case, this centre in itself being the
same, whether applied to an English or other manufactured case. As
will be percieved this centre is in one solid piece of metal without joint
or seam.
This Invention relates also to the production of detailed portions of
watch cases manufactured under the mode herein described.
Heretofore in the construction of watch cases or those manufactured
prior to the origin of my present Invention as above explained it has
been customary in producing the bead or finish upon the outer edges of
the cases to turn them in a lathe.

page_text: One portion of my present Invention consists in producing this bead
or other finish by impressing it upon the cover in the mould in which
the said case is produced, and at the same time with the latter part of.
the operation of producing the cover, by which means I am enabled to.
produce a plain bead or moulding or an elaborate ornamental figure at
a fraction of the expense now required to produce the former, since
such ornamental design may be produced as easily and quickly as the
plain bead after the mould or matrix has been produced.
And this Invention further, relates to means for producing in an,
equally expeditious, economical, and withal perfect manner the "pendant
lip" so called, or that portion of the cover which overlaps one side of
the pendant or stem of the watch, such part of the cover before the
origin of my Invention having been accomplished by first drilling or
cutting out the metal of the cover and inserting and soldering within
the depression a piece of metal of greater thickness.
My present Invention is intended to include within its scope also and
by like means the formation of the thumb piece and of the "hinge
bearer or stay," such parts in the present mode of manufacture of watch
cases being detached pieces soldered to the main parts. All or any of
these last mentioned details are obtained by changing the relative form,
condition, or disposition of the metal of the cover or centre at any given
point and pressing it into the desired shape. For instance, in producing
the "hinge stay SO called upon the cover or centre the metal is
pressed inward laterally, and thus by forcing towards the interior of the
cover or centre a portion of the metal I retain and utilize what in
other cases would be cut away or chamfered in perfecting the hinge,
thus enabling me to greatly strengthen the parts at these points without.
the application of an independent piece soldered thereto as at present:
"
The whole Invention consists briefly in "striking up" or impressing
from the bulk of the metal the outside "bead" or finish, the "pendent
lip," the "thumb piece" and the "hinge bearer" which formerly were
composed of individual pieces, soldered in place, the advantages of my
Invention being a great reduction in the expense of producing such
parts combined with a more perfect product.
An additional feature or detail of this Invention will be found to
consist in producing a hollow "pendent" or ring holding stem of a
watch case after the manner substantially as before alluded to, as the
process, whereby I produce the improvement in other portions of such
17
:

page_text: case.
Watch case "pendents" so called have heretofore been produced
in several ways. That practised in Europe has been to form its two
halves of thin sheet metal. and braze or solder the edges together. In
America the practice has been either to cast the pendent in a solid piece
of metal, or to cut and turn it from a piece of wire of sufficient size.
'
In my present Invention I produce a pendent by forming it from
sheet metal in one homogeneous piece. A pendent thus made is
light. As it is made from scraps or a refuse piece of metal which would
otherwise be melted down an economy is effected which is of considerable
moment. The time consumed in striking up the two halves and soldering
them together as in foreign made cases is avoided, while the turning
as well as the weight of the cast metal or solid pendent is avoided, while
in addition to these advantages the whole labor of producing the
pendent is accomplished in much less time than by any other mode
heretofore known.
"
.
"
"
The Drawings accompanying this Specification represent in Figures 4,
5, 6, 7, and 8 at a the cover of a watch, and of which 6 is the "bead'
or outer finish, c the "pendent lip," d the "thumb piece" or ledge by
which upon inserting the thumb nail, the cover is opened, and e the
'hinge bearer
or stay or support, such parts as before premised being
struck up or impressed from one homogeneous piece of metal; f repre-
sents the "centre" of the case, and g the hinge bearer or or stay formed
thereupon, the stem or pendant of such centre being represented at g,
the hinge bearer being formed in like manner with that of the cover.
Although the accompanying Drawing represents a plain moulding or
bead upon the cover a design of any nature or extent may be impressed
thereupon with facility, the only condition necessary to fulfil to accom-
plish this being to produce a die for each design.
The machine portion of my Invention consists first in the employment
of a revolving matrix or die suitably supported in a horizontal position
and operated by suitable toothed gearing, while in combination with such
die I employ two reducing rollers or revolving swages mounted upon
spindles or arbors on a revolving disc or face plate situate in immediate
proximity to the matrix and travelling in unison about its upper surface,
one roller revolving in a vertical and the other in a horizontal path of
motion with respect thereto, the former being susceptible of vertical
movements towards or from the matrix, and being intended for de-
pressing and condensing the metal blank into the sinuosities of the

page_text: matrix, and the office of the latter being to prevent lateral distension.
and fracture of the blank, which but for it or an analogous device would
ensue from the compression of the metal under the actions of the first-
mentioned roller, a further component part of the mechanism of this
Invention being the adoption of a cylindrical plunger moving in a
perpendicular path and serving not only to confine the metal blank to
the matrix during the operation of the machine but to act as a support
to the sides of the same, and to preserve the proper cylindrical form of
such sides. As the metal blank introduced within the matrix receives
the exact impress of the latter, it results that for the different portions of
a watch case different matrices or dies are to be provided, but thus
provided the general action and result of the machine become identical
under varying conditions of service.
'
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent;
.
filed by the said Charles Louis Thiery in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st July 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
LOUIS THIERY, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America;
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Charles Louis Thiery, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Louis Thiery, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Louis Thiery, my
exccutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agrec with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an. Invention for "CERTAIN NEW
AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATCH CASES, AND IN
MACHINERY FOR PRODUCING THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles Louis Thiery, my executors or administrators, Ly
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and

page_text: .
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
E
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Louis Thiery, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the three Sheets of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked 1
thereon (that is to say) :-
In the explanation of the first portion of my Invention Figures 1, 2,
and 3 are cross sections of a watch case in the production of which my
Invention is embodied; Figure 4 is an outer face view; Figure 5, a
perspective representation, and Figure 6 a section of the cover of a
watch case made according to my Invention; Figure 7 is a facé repre-
sentation, and Figure 8 a section of the "centre" of the watch case;
Figure 9 being a section of the "pendant" of the same.
$6
Heretofore watch cases have been made up of several pieces of metal
and brazed or soldered together. The centre," so called, is made up
of a strip of metal bent into a circle, and its ends abutted together and
brazed, the "glass bezel," so called, being produced in the same way.
In watches of English manufacture the back and centre are immovable
or non-detachable, that is to say, the back is not as in the Swiss and
American watches hinged to the centre so as to be opened, but is formed
in an independent piece and brazed to such centre.
My Invention is applicable to cases of any manufacture, but is
especially valuable in the manufacture of English cases.
The first portion as before premised of my Invention consists in
forming the different portions of a watch case in homogeneous pieces
of metal without joints or solder. For instance, in producing a case for
watches of English make the back and centre are struck up or produced
in one entire homogeneous piece of metal, the "glass bezel" being
formed in the same way and applied to the centre in the usual manner.
For American, Swiss, or other watches with the back and dial cover
hinged to the centre the latter is to be "struck up" or otherwise pro-
duced from a homogeneous piece of metal, the "glass bezel" as before

page_text: mentioned being produced in the same way and applied in the manner
now common to watches.
In the accompanying Drawings I have adopted an English watch
case with which to illustrate my Invention, the centre of such case
being shown at a and its back at b, such parts as before mentioned
being produced by proper machinery from one piece of metal, and
without joints or solder.
Figure 2 of the Drawings is a section taken through the longest area of
the "centre" of the case, this "centre" in itself being the same whether
applied to an English or other manufactured case. As will be perceived
this centre is in one solid piece of metal without joint or seam.
This Invention relates also to the production of detailed portions of
watch cases manufactured under the mode herein described.
"Heretofore in the construction of watch cases, or those manufactured
prior to the origin of my present Invention as above explained, it has
been customary in producing the "bead" or finish upon the outer edges
of the case to turn them in a lathe.
One portion of my present Invention consists in producing this bead.
or other finish by impressing it upon the cover in the mould in which
the said case is produced, and at the same time with the latter part of
the operation of producing the cover, by which means I am enabled to.
produce a plain bead or moulding or an elaborate ornamental figure at
a fraction of the expense now required to produce the former, since such.
ornamental design may be produced as easily and quickly as the plain'
bead after the mould or matrix has been produced.
And this Invention further relates to means for producing in an
equally expeditious, economical, and withal perfect manner the "pendent
lip" so called, or that portion of the cover which overlaps one side of
the pendent or stem of the watch, such part of the cover before the
Oorigin of my Invention having been accomplished by first drilling or
cutting out the metal of the cover, and inserting and soldering within
the depression a piece of metal of greater thickness.
"
My present Invention is intended to include within its scope also and
by like means the formation of the "thumb piece" and of the "hinge
5 bearer" or "stay," such parts in the present mode of manufacture of
watch cases being detached pieces soldered to the main parts. All or
any of these last-mentioned details are obtained by changing the relative

page_text: form, condition, or disposition of the metal of the cover or "centre" at any
given point, and pressing it into the desired shape. For instance, in pro-
ducing the "hinge stay" so called upon the cover and centre the metal is
pressed inward laterally, and thus by forcing toward the interior of the
cover or centre a portion of the metal I retain and utilize what in other
cases would be cut away or chamferred in perfecting the hinge, thus
enabling me to greatly strengthen the parts at these points without the
application of an independent piece soldered thereto as at present.
The whole Invention consists briefly in "striking up" or impressing
in manner as herein-after specifically stated from the bulk of the metal
the outside "bead" or finish, the "pendent lip," the "thumb piece,"
and the "hinge bearer," which formerly were composed of individual
pieces soldered in place, the advantages of my Invention being a great
reduction in the expense of producing such parts combined with a more
perfect product.
An additional feature or detail of this Invention will be found to
consist in producing a hollow "pendent" or ring holding stem of a
watch case after the manner substantially as before alluded to as the
process whereby I produce the improvement in other portions of such
case. Watch case "pendents" so called have heretofore been produced
in several ways. That practiced in Europe has been to form its two
halves of thin sheet metal and braze or solder the edges together. In
America the practice has been either to cast the pendent in a solid piece
.of metal or to cut and turn it from a piece of wire of sufficient size. .
In my present Invention I produce a pendent by forming it from
sheet metal in one homogeneous piece, as shown in the annexed Draw.
ings in Figure 9, which is a section of a "pendent." A pendent thus
made is light. As it is made from scraps or a refuse piece of metal
which would otherwise be melted down an economy is effected, which
is of considerable moment. The time consumed in striking up the two
halves and soldering them together as in foreign made cases is avoided,
while the turning as well as weight of the cast metal or solid pendent
is avoided, while in addition to these advantages the whole labor of
producing the -pendent is accomplished in much less time than by any
mode heretofore known.
The Drawings accompanying this Specification represent in Figures 4,
5, 6, 7, and 8, at a the cover of a watch, and of which 6 is the bead or
outer finish; c, the pendent lip; d, the thumb piece or ledge by which

page_text: "
upon inserting the thumb nail the cover is opened; and e the "hinge
bearer or stay or support, such parts as before premised being struck
up or impressed from one homogeneous piece of metal. f represents the
"centre" of the case, and g the "hinge bearer" or stay formed thereupon,.
the stem or pendent" of such centre being represented at g¹, the
hinge bearer" being formed in like manner with that of the cover.
66
«
I
Although the accompanying Drawing represents a plain moulding
or bead upon the cover, a design of any nature or extent may be
impressed thereupon with facility, the only condition necessary to fulfil
to accomplish this being to produce a die for each design.
The machinery for producing the above-described products is shown
in plan in Figure 10, in side elevation in Figure 11, in vertical section
in Figures 12 and 13, and in front elevation in Figure 14.
This portion of my Invention consists, first, in the employment of a
revolving matrix or die suitably supported in a horizontal position, and
operated by instrumentalitics hereafter explained, while in combination
with such die I employ two reducing rollers or revolving swages
mounted upon spindles or arbors situated in immediate proximity to the
matrix, and travelling in unison about its upper surface, one roller
revolving in a vertical and the other in a horizontal path of motion with
respect thereto, the former being susceptible of vertical movements
toward or from the matrix, and being intended for depressing and con-
densing the metal blank into the sinuosities or cavities of the matrix,
and the office of the latter being to prevent lateral distension and
fracture of the blank, which but for it or an analogous device would
ensue from the compression of the metal under the action of the first-
mentioned roller, a further component part of the primary feature of
the mechanism of this Invention being the adoption of a cylindrical
plunger moving in a perpendicular path, and serving not only to confine
the metal blank to the matrix during the operation of the machine,
but to act as a support to the sides of the same, and to preserve the
proper cylindrical form of such sides. As the metal "blank" introduced
within the matrix receives the exact impress of the latter it results that
for the different portions of a watch case different matrices or dies are to
be provided, but thus provided the general action and results of the
machine become identical under varying condition of service.
It may be well at this the initial point of this description to state
that the greater portion of the area of a blank," whether it be the
66

page_text: centre of a cover, or the middle and waste portion of a "centre" of a
case, is forced directly upon the matrix and shaped thereto by the
plunger before mentioned, the edges or boundaries or the irregular
depressions of the "cover" or centre" being the portion produced by
the revolving rollers before mentioned. With this digression we will
proceed with the construction and operation of the machine.
ઃ
In Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 before mentioned of the Drawings
accompanying this Specification A denotes an upright cylindrical post
or standard erected upon and supported in a perpendicular position by
a bed plate or base B, the lower part of such standard being provided
with a male screw C, which is cut upon its periphery for some distance
above the base B, and for purposes herein-after alluded to. Upon the
upper part of the standard or post A, and revolving freely thereupon, is
mounted a flat horizontal dise or face plate D, the revolution of this
disc being effected by means of an annular bevelled gear or rack E
formed upon its lower face, into which meshes a bevelled pinion F
mounted upon the inner extremity of a horizontal shaft G, which is
supported and rotates in a standard H erected upon the base B of the
machine and to one side of the disc, as represented in the Drawings,
the outer end of the said shaft G being provided with fast and loose
pulleys I, I', after the manner of machinery in general, the shaft G and
pinion F being the driving power of the machine. Upon the upper face
of the disc or face plate D, and revolving with it, are the rollers before
alluded to. The first-named, as being the one for effecting the depression
of the sides of the sheet metal "blank" to be operated upon, and which
is shown at J, is mounted upon the inner extremity of a horizontal
oscillating arm or lever a, which lever is fulcrumed upon a post b
supported upon the revolving disc or tablet D, and about midway
between its centre and circumference. The post b, last mentioned, is
inserted within a radial shelf groove c formed in the upper face of the
disc D, and is to be provided with a suitable means of feeding it toward
or away from the centre standard A, in order that the position of its
roller J with respect to the latter or the matrix carried by it may be
varied to correspond with the varying height of the sides or walls of the
different blanks" which are introduced to the machine. To the outer
end of the lever a is pivoted the upper extremity of a pitman d, the lower
end of which is in turn pivoted to a lateral offset e of a tubular sleeve f
which encompasses and both slides vertically and revolves freely upon

page_text: 68
the lower part of the central post A and below the tablet D. This
sleeve is formed with an annular spline or rib g, which circumscribes
it. While clasping this rib the reader will see a fork or clasp h, which
makes part of the hub i of a hand wheel j, such hand wheel being
mounted upon a post A and below the said sleeve, and having an
interior female screw k to screw upon the male screw C herein-before
mentioned as being cut upon such post. Revolution of the hand wheel j
in either direction will effect sympathetic vertical movements of the
roller J toward or away from the upper end of the post A or its matrix.
Hence by manipulation of the hand wheel at the hands of an attendant
the vertical adjustment of the roller J is controlled. An adjustable stop
or regulator is situated below the inner end of the lever a to determine
the extent of the depression of said lever. The upper end of the central
post A is tubular or cavernous, and is for reception of the shank m of
the moulding die or matrix hercin-before frequently alluded to, and
which is represented in the accompanying Drawings at n. The matrix
in its interior conformation is of such construction as to correspond to
the portion of a watch case which is to be produced, whether the
cover," "glass bezel," or "centre," etc., and is to be held' securely to
the post or arbor A by a screw or other suitable device. Both the
upright and horizontal rollers act in conjunction with the upper surface
of the matrix n, the latter roller being shown at o as mounted
and revolving freely upon. an upright post p erected upon a sliding
block or carrier q which is contained with a radial shelf groover
formed in the upper face of the disc D, herein-before mentioned,
this last-mentioned groove being of similar character to the groove c,
and disposed with respect thereto in such manner that the roller o
shall preferably act in advance of the roller J as the two travel
in company in a circular path about the upper circumference of the
matrix. The vertical adjustment of the roller or swage o toward or
'away from the matrix is effected by means of a male screw s cut upon
the lower end of its post p, and which screws into the carrier q before
mentioned, while the horizontal adjustment of said roller relatively to
the matrix is effected by means of a horizontal screw t, which is screwed
through an upright u erected upon the surface of the revolving disc D,
the inner end of said screw abutting against the outer side of the post p,
as represented in the Drawings.
-
The plunger to which allusion has before been made in this context is
exhibited in the annexed Drawings. At a as a cylindrical block inserted

page_text: within the lower end of a perpendicular sliding arbor or spindle k, such
arbor being situated above the central post A, and in axial alignment
therewith, and playing within a cross head y surmounting the disc D
and its adjuncts, and supported upon columns z, z, erected upon the
base of the machine, a spline and groove connection being created
between the arbor and cross head to prevent rotation of the former
within the latter. The vertical feeding of the arbor, or the recession and
approach of the same with respect to the post A and its matrix, are
effected by means of an upright screw a', which is screwed through a
second cross or transverse bar b'spanning the upper ends of the columns <,<,
and situated over the cross head y, such screw being in axial alignment
with the arbor k, and being swivelled to it in a suitable manner. The
upper extremity of this latter screw a¹ is provided with a hand wheel c¹
for rotating it in either direction.
The operation of a machine organized substantially as above set forth
in brief is as follows:-The circular piece of metal destined to form the
desired object is first cut from a sheet and struck up by a suitable press
into the form shown in Figure 15 of the accompanying Drawings, which
is a section of a "blank." This "blank" thus produced is placed bottom
down within the matrix n, and the plunger lowered (by means of the
screw a¹) until it meets the "blank" and clamps it tightly to and within
the matrix, it being understood that the diameter of the plunger or dic
is somewhat less than that of the matrix, in order to allow of con-
solidation, and, when necessary, expansion of the metal. The driving
pinion is next put in revolution, which imparts rotation to the
tablet D, the roller o being previously advanced until it nearly or quite
impinges against the outer face of the side or wall of the "blank,” thus
serving to prevent lateral crushing or misplacement of such wall. As
the two rollers by the revolution of the tablet travel about the "blank"
the upright roller rests upon the upper edge of such "blank," con-
sequently if the attendant by means of the screw a depresses the said
roller the side or wall of the "blank" will be compressed and forced
within the space between the matrix and periphery or circumference of
the plunger or male die, and as a natural result such blank will receive
the impress of the characters formed in such die, of whatever nature
they may be, whether intended for producing the "hinge bearer," the
"thumb piece," the "pendent lip," etc., etc.
In order to produce these details of the watch case I am compelled to
employ a sectional plunger with a detachable die for producing the indi-

page_text: vidual detail, since, were this portion of the plunger made integral with its
main body, the watch cover could not be detached from it. The amount
of metal contained in the wall or sides of a "blank" is to be so calculated
as to produce the exact effect required. For instance, in producing a
should
cover the length of the side or enclosing rim of the "blank"
be such that upon compressing and depressing the metal it shall not
only be crowded into the "beading" formed in the matrix, but shall
expand its upper edge inward to such an extent as to produce an over-
hanging lip, as shown at din Figure 16 of the Drawings, which is a
section of a portion of the matrix and plunger and of the cover of a
watch case.
I have found in practice that the operation of the horizontal roller is
attended with less strain, and performs its work in a much more perfect
manner by bevelling its lower edge, as shown in the Drawings.
I would remark that in addition to the two swaging or compressing
and forming rollers carried by the rotating tablet D other instru-
mentalities may as well be applied thereto which time or practice
may suggest or render desirable. In fact, I have already applied
thereto a "milling" wheel for "milling" the outer edge of the centre
of the case.
I claim the before-described manufacture of watch cases and
machinery for carrying out the same, or any modifications, improve-
ments, or changes in the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Louis Thiery, have hercunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.