IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Eugène Laederich, of Paris, France,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Eugène Laederich
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th March 1864.
I, CHARLES EUGÈNE LAEDERICH, of Paris, France, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES,'
to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to certain modifications in the arrangements
described in my Patent of 28th May 1863, No. 1389, and they are represented
in the annexed Drawings, in the various Figs. of which corresponding parts
are indicated by the same letters of reference.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the pillar or pallet plate a of my improved
remontoir or keyless watch, showing only the parts required for the winding-
up and the setting of the hands of the same; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view
of the watch: Fig. 8 shows a plan view, and Fig. 4 a sectional view of the
said parts of another modification; a is the pallet plate; c the knob of the

page_text: spindle d, for winding up or setting the hands of the watch. This spindle d
glides in a fixed button or guide piece, and carries the pinion f, which may be
thrown into gear either with the wheel h (for winding up the watch), or with
the wheel p (for setting the hands); Fig. 5 shows a separate view of the
wheel h, and of the wheel i, fixed to the top of this latter, the wheel i is kept
in position by a disc fixed to the guide piece for the spindle d. The wheel
i is in gear with the one m fixed on the arbor of the watch barrel. The
minute wheel p drives the pinion q for the minute hand, this pinion drives the
wheel t, and carries the pinion u, which latter drives a wheel v for the hour
hand.
A modification of this arrangement consists in having the wheel p fitted
with its socket round the stems, and provided on the top with the the socket r
for the minute band, and with a pinion driving a connecting wheel, the axis
of which latter carries a pinion in gear with a wheel fitted also round the
stem s, and carrying the hour hand socket.
In the modifications just described the arrangements for the winding-up
and for the setting of the hands are both situated between the pallet plate and
the dial plate.
Another modification is represented respectively in plan and in sectional
views in the Figs. 3 & 4. In this modification the parts for the winding-up
are situated on one surface of the pallet plate, and those for setting the hands
on the opposite surface of this plate, which latter is made of two thicknesses
of plates of metal 6 and 6', fixed together by screws, 212, the upper one
carries the wheels i and m and the connecting wheel y, the latter being
made use of in order that the winding-up may take place in the same direction
as usual, viz., from left to right. The advancing and receding of the spindle
d may be obtained by a small lever or other suitable means. The button or
guide piece for the spindle d is fixed to the part 6 of the pallet plate. The
wheel is driven by the wheel h, shown separately in Fig 5, and is acted upon
by the pinion f, the teeth of which are cut in the end of a cylindrical part, in
order to protrude further down, viz., nearly to the middle of the thickness of
the pallet plate, in order to allow of being acted upon by the pinion f. The
wheel p for the setting of the hands is situated on the opposite side of the
pallet plate, with its teeth turned towards the wheel h, and thus allow of being
likewise acted upon by the pinion f. The arrangements for the winding-up
and the setting of the hands may be situated both on the same side of the
watch, either underneath the dial plate or at the back of the movement, or
the arrangement for the winding-up may be situated at the back of the move-
ment, and that for the setting of the hands underneath the dial plate. By

page_text: means of the pinion f I do away with the ratches hitherto made use of in
most remontoir arrangements; the spindle d of the pinion f is situated in such
manner that by only a slight advancing or receding motion this pinion at
once may be put in gear with the wheel h or with that p.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,. filed
by the said Charles Eugène Laederich in the Great Seal Patent Office ou
the 8th September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
EUGENE LAEDERICH, of Paris, France, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Eerself, Her heirs and successors, givo and grant unto
my, the said Charlos Eugène Laoderich, Her special licence that I, the said
Charles Eugène Laederich, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Charles Eugène Laederich, ny executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that J, the said Charles Eugène Laederich, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under iny, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the sail
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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Eugène Laederich, 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:
These improvements relate to certain modifications in the arrangements
described in my Patent of 28th May 1868, No. 1889. In the said Patent
are described my improvements in that description of watches, commonly
called remontoir or keyless watches. In the present improvements, although the
principal parts already described in my said Patent of 28th May 1863 are

page_text: made use of, the said parts are combined or arranged in a manner different
from that described in the said Patent, I must at once remark here that, for
the sake of clearness, only those parts as refer more especially to the remontoir
arrangements are described in this Specification and represented in the
Drawings, the remainder of the watch being the same as in ordinary watches.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the pillar or pallet plate a of my improved remontoir
or keyless watch, showing the parts required for the winding up of the watch
and for the setting of the hands of the same; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view
of the said parts; Fig. 3 shows a plan view and Fig. 4 a sectional view of the
said parts of another modification, viz., with the parts for the winding up of
the watch on one and those for the setting of the hands on the opposite side
of the pillar plate a; Fig. 5 represents a separate view of the principal wheel
for the winding up shown from the outside. In all the Figures of the annexed
Drawings the pillar plate a is represented without the outer casing of the
watch, and-on-a-scale-twice-the-ordinary-natural-size.
Description of the Figs. 1 & 2.-a is the pillar plate; c, the knob of the
spindle d, this latter entering in the plate a and gliding in a fixed button or
guide piece e; this spindle d is provided in g & g¹ with notches for allowing the
wheel h of revolving freely; the wheel. h is fixed to that i provided with ratchet
or other suitable cogs or indentations, and the said wheel h is situated in a
depression provided for that purpose in the pillar plate a round the guide
picce e, the wheel i is kept in position by means of a disk k fixed by small screws
or other means to this guide piece e. The wheel i drives the wheel m situated
on the axis of the spring barrel of the watch; for the winding up of this
latter, the wheel m may be fixed to this axis either by a square part or socket
or by a left-hand screw. In the Drawing the stop n mentioned in my Patent
of 28th May 1863 is not represented, but the same may be arranged in such
manner as. to serve for pushing forward or backward the spindle & instead of
by hand. The minute wheel p is situated on the continuation of the axis of
the spindle & carrying the pinion f, this wheel of 18 teeth drives a pinion 9 of
6 teeth, the end or socket r of the axis of which carries the minute hand. The
pinion 9 drives an 18 teeth wheel carrying an 8 teeth pinion u, this latter
driving a 32 teeth wheel v provided with the hollow axis or socket & for the
hour hand turning freely on the hollow axle or socket r of the pinion 7. The
socket, a carries the hour hand..
Another modification of my improved remontoir arrangement. consists in
having the parts for the winding up of the watch situated on one side of the
pillar plate a and those for the setting of the hands on the opposite side of
the said plate. Fig. 3 represents the plate a scen from the side for

page_text: the winding up of the watch; part of this plate a is formed by two thinner
plates 6 and 6', the one 6', shown in the Drawings by a yellow colour, is
fixed on the other 6 by means of the screws 2, 1, 2, and carries the
wheels i, m, and connecting wheel y, the indentations of these.wheels may
be ratchet or other. cogs, the guide piece e forms part of or is fixed to
the larger plate. b. The wheel i is driven by that h (this latter shown
separately in Fig. 5) in gear with the pinion f of the spindle d; this Fig. 5
shows in what.manner the indentations of the wheel h are cut on the top or
periphery of a cylindrical part, so as to allow. them of entering deeper into the
depression of the plate a, viz.,. to about one half the depth or thickness of this
plate in order to come in gear with the pinion f. The wheel p for the setting
of the hands is situated on the opposite side (see Fig. 4) and its indentations
are turned upwards in order to be in gear with the pinion f opposite to the
wheel h. The remainder of the wheels for the setting of the hands has not
been shown in these Figures in order to avoid confusion, they may be situated
either in the manner just described, or in that described in my Patent of
28th May 1863.
Another modification or more simplified arrangement of my remontoir is
represented in the Figs. 6 and 7, Fig. 6 showing a plan view of the pillar
plate a with the dial removed, whereas Fig. 7 is a sectional view over the
diameter of the said plate, whilst Fig. 8 represents the socket r provided with
a crown wheel p which may be brought in gear with the pinion f.; this wheel p
is situated in the centre of the pillar plate a and the wheel i placed nearer
to the centre, of the plate; this arrangement dispenses with the use of the, 18
teeth wheel, the wheel p driving at once the minute, hand and also the hollow
arbor of the hour hand. This latter arrangement is based, however, on the
same principles as the preceding ones, viz., allowing the pinion f to shift
position from the parts that serve for the winding up of the watch to those for
the setting of the hands, the said pinion being in gear at one time with the
wheel hand at the other with the wheel p. I wish it to be observed that the
wheel p is provided at the top with a pinion s for driving the socket x for
the hour hand by means of the train of wheels s¹, s, & s¹¹.
As an important feature of my Invention, I consider the putting aside by
my improvements of the ratches hitherto made use of in remontoir watches,
the said result being obtained by allowing the pinion f to shift position at once
from the parts required for the winding up of the watch to those for the setting
of the hands, the spindle d of the said pinion passing and traversing in front of
the wheel h so as to come in gear at one time with this latter and at another
time with the wheel p, whilst the notch 9, 9', in the spindle d permits of the

page_text: free revolving of. the wheel h. My. arrangements allow of having either the
parts for the setting of the hands and those for the winding up situated both
on the same side of the pillar plate underneath the dial, or the parts for the
winding up to be visible at the back of the work or movement, this latter being
in that case provided with the connecting wheel y in order that the direction
for winding up should remain the same: as for the already described arrange-
ments, whilst the setting of the hands takes place at the back of the dial, or
the parts for the winding up. and those for the setting of the hands may both
be visible at the back of the work.
Each of the improvements above described allow of passing directly from
the winding up to the setting of the hands by means of the spindle d, the
pinion of which being alternately set in gear with the wheel. h, and the
wheel p thus causes the said pinion to act as a double pinion, the same being
of sufficient length for allowing one part or end of its indentations to be set in
gear with the wheel-h-and afterwards the opposite end with the wheel p, the
middle part of the indentations might consequently remain cylindrically or
smooth, the entire thus forming as it were two pinions connected by the said
cylindrical part, or a cylinder provided at each end with indentations each of which
forms a-pinion. This arrangement is-represented respectively in plan and in side
views in the Figs. 9 and 10, whilst Fig. 11 represents part of the plan view of
Fig. 9 in which the wheels i, m, and.p'have been removed in order clearer to
show the spindle and pinions f and f; Fig. 12 shows a side view of another
modification in which the pinions f and f' are situated farther apart, whilst
instead of being both bevil shaped the one fis cylindrical. In these Figs. 9,
10, 11, and 12 the same letters refer to corresponding parts. In the arrange-
ments shown in the Figs. 9, 10, and 11, the wheels h and p are both bevilled,
so as to correspond with the bevilled teeth of the pinions f and f' whereas in
Fig. 12 the wheel h is an ordinary crown wheel so as to correspond with the
cylindrical-pinion f. The part k of the spindle d is made square and moves
freely in a corresponding perforation in the cylindrical boss l, to which latter
is affixed the milled knob c, by means of which the boss 2 may be caused to
turn without shifting position longitudinally, the spindle d in advancing puts
the pinion in gear with the wheel p, whereas by pushing the spindle d
backward this pinion f leaves the wheel p, and on its turn the pinion f comes
in gear with the wheel h; for this purpose one end of the lever arm r, s, turning
on a screw pin s is inserted in a neck o of the spindle d, a spring u pushing
from above against the lever arm r, s, by pressing on the stud t fixed to the
arm and passing freely through a corresponding opening in the casing of the
watch the spindle d will be pushed. forward so as to set the pinion f in gear

page_text: with the wheel p, but immediately the pressure on the stud t ceases the spring u
will cause the lever arm 7, and consequently the spindle d to recede, thereby
disengaging the pinion f from the wheel p, whereas the pinion f' is set in gear
with the wheel h.
Fig. 11 shows more distinctly the arrangement and mode of working of the
spindle & and pinions f, f', the lever r, s, turns on a spindle s and is constantly
pushed back by the spring : In the arrangement shown in Fig. 12 by
pushing forward the spindle d the bevil pinion f will be set in gear with the
bevil wheel p and the cylindrical pinion f¹ be disconnected from the wheel h
and carried towards the centro of this latter, on the contrary the spindle d
being pushed backward the pinion f will leave the wheel p and the cylindrical
pinion set in gear with the crown wheel h. For throwing the pinions f
and fout and in gear other mechanical contrivances, such for instance as
that commonly known as Breguet's watch key scapement, be resorted to, the
distinguishing feature of my Invention remaining unimpaired, viz., allowing to
pass directly from the winding up to the setting of the hands by means of the
sole spindle d carrying the pinion for the pinions f and f¹ for performing
alternately one or the other of the said operations.
Having thus described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be put into effect,
I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to restrict or restrain myself to
the precise details or arrangements above described, as many variations may be
made therefrom without departing from the main features of the Invention,
but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent,
is, the general arrangement, combination of parts, and mode of working of the
above-described arrangements of remontoir for remontoir or keyless watches
substantially as described and illustrated in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Eugène Laederich, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of September in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
DREYFOUS,
Eng. Civil.
CHLES, EUGNE. LAEDERICH. (L.S.)