IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES AND KEYS OR WINDERS THEREFOR
Year: 1884

page_text: I GEORGE NEWTON late of Havana, Cuba, but at present of 5 South Crescent
Chambers Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, Horologist, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES AND KEYS OR
WINDERS THEREFOR" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates chiefly to watch keys and consists in constructing the
same in the form of a flat faced disc convex on its under face, reduced to a thin
edge at its periphery, and provided with a central hole to fit the winding and
setting arbors of the watch to which it is to be applied.
The object of this Invention is to provide a key which may be applied to all key
winding watches now in use, and to such as are still being manufactured, and
which may be left in position in the watch at all times, though capable of transfer
from one arbor to the other when required, and in so adapting the watch as to
carry said key in position for winding.
Keys have heretofore been made in the form of a striated disc of considerablo
thickness at its edges. Seated in a cavity having upright walls, the disc being
permanently secured to the watch, but such keys do not serve the purpose of this,
because-first, they require a special construction of the watch and its case during
the process of inanufacture in order to adapt it to receive the key, and because the
watch cannot be substantially adapted to receive the key except by discarding the
original case and providing a new one.
Other keys have been made with a hub or disc to screw upon a threaded arbor,
but as arbors of watches as manufactured are never threaded it is necessary to take
the watch apart, draw the temper of the arbors, thread, and re-temper them before
the key can be applied, and when such change and adaptation is made the watch
cannot be wound with the ordinary key, which is an important advantage of the
plan proposed in the following Specification.
According to my Invention the key is so formed that the inner dome of any
key-winding watch may be readily depressed or sunk about the winding and
setting holes to permit the disc to be seated in the depression flush with the face of
said dome, and with this purpose in view I construct the key in the form of the
thin disc provided on its upper face with a series of fine hooked teeth or barbs
pointing in the opposite direction to that in which the key is turned in winding
the watch. The disc is bevelled or rounded on its under face to reduce it to a thin
Prins 71

page_text: edge at the periphery, and provided with a central hole of any required form and
size to fit the winding and setting arbors of a watch, said hole passing through the
disc and through its barrel.
The disc being thus reduced at its periphery and of but moderate thickness in
the middle, requires only a very shallow seat, which is formed by so light a
depression of the inner dome of the watch, that the boundaries of the seat are
scarcely distinguishable. This seat may therefore be made quickly and easily in
the dome or inner lid of any watch either by a few light blows with a jeweller's
hammer, or by a punch or die of the form required. Such a seat can easily be
formed without marring or disfiguring the dome in the least, and in fact when
made is scarcely noticeable, nothing being removed or cut away, with this
exception, that if there be a dust tube round the key-hole this had better be
reduced in height.
The disc, instead of having the small hooks may be roughened in any convenient
manner, perforated or made in the form of a star or other figure to cause the
thumb or finger to take a firm hold when pressed thereon and turned in the proper
direction for winding, but the hooks will be found much superior.
In practice the disc is preferably roughened by forming teeth, barbs or beards
similar to the teeth of a rasp, but more hooked or turned downward at their
points. The points of said barbs, beards or teeth thus raised and turned slightly
downward, are inclined in the opposite direction from that in which the watch is
wound, so that when the finger or the thumb is pressed upon the disc and turned
in the direction in which the watch is wound, the points of said barbs, beards or
teeth will take a firm hold on the finger or the thumb by hooking into the skin
thereof, so that on lifting the finger vertically without turning it backward to
unhook the barbs, beards or teeth from the skin of the finger or the thumb, the
key is lifted with it sticking to the finger or the thumb and may thus be readily
placed upon the centre post to set the hands of the watch to time. But if the
finger or the thumb be turned slightly in the opposite direction and lifted from the
disc, the barbs, beards or teeth being thus unhooked from the skin of the finger or
the thumb, the key will remain in position upon the winding arbor.
The key being placed upon the arbor, is ready for use, carries no dirt into the
watch because continuously retained in the watch, and is less liable to be lost than
if carried loosely in the pocket.
The barrel is made short enough to prevent its resting upon the shoulder of the
arbor, and hence the disc rests directly upon its seat in the dome hence it cannot
tip or rock when turned and consequently cannot twist or strain the arbor or wear
away the angles of the square portion.
The dome may be depressed about the setting hole in the same manner as at the
winding hole, though as the key is returned to the winding arbor before closing
the watch case, this is not essential.
When used with watches setting from the front the key may be applied to the
arbor by passing its barrel through a central hole in the crystal.
This key is to be clearly distinguished from all others requiring special
construction of the watch to permit their application such as before mentioned.
As there is some chance of the key dropping off in case the watch be turned over
when opened, or of being withdrawn by the finger unintentionally I sometimes
add a small spring bolt or catch which locks into a light groove in the key below
the dome when not pressed back by the nail; to liberate the key so as to use it
for hand-setting, the catch has simply to be pressed back.
* Dated this Thirty-first day of July 1884.

page_text: I GEORGE NEWTON, late of Havanna, Cuba, but at present of 5 South Crescent
Chambers, Liverpool, Lancashire, Horologist do hereby declare the nature of my
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES AND KEYS OR WINDERS
THEREFOR" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to watch keys, and consists in constructing the same in
the form of a flat faced disc, convex on its under face, reduced to a thin edge at
its periphery, and provided with a central hole to fit the winding and setting
arbors of the watch to which it is to be applied.
The object of this Invention is to provide a key which may be applied to all key
winding watches now in use, and to such as are still being manufactured, and
which may be left in position in the watch at all times though capable of transfer
from one arbor to the other when required.
In the accompanying Drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view looking from below of the improved key (considerably
enlarged in the Drawings filed herewith).
Fig. 2 perspective view, looking from above, of same.
Fig. 3 transverse section of same.
Fig. 4 sectional view of watch case shewing the key in position for use, the key.
being likewise in section.
Keys have heretofore been made in the form of a striated disc of considerable
thickness at its edges, seated in a cavity having upright walls, the disc being
permanently secured to the watch, but such keys do not serve the purpose of this,
because, first they require a special construction of the watch and its case during
the process of manufacture, in order to adapt it to receive the key, and because the
watch cannot be substantially adapted to receive the key except by discarding the
original case and providing a new one.
Other keys have been made with a hub or disc to screw upon a threaded arbor,
but as arbors of watches as manufactured are never threaded, it is necessary to
take the watch apart, draw the temper of the arbors, thread and re-temper them,
before the key can be applied, and when such change and adaptation is made the
watch cannot be wound with the ordinary key, which is an important advantage
of this plan.
According to my Invention the key is so formed that the inner dome of any
key-winding watch may be readily depressed or sunk about the winding and
setting holes to permit the disc to be seated in the depression flush with the face
of said dome, and with this purpose in view I construct the key in the form of the
thin disc A roughened on its upper face, bevelled or rounded on its under face to
reduce it to a thin edge at the periphery, and provided with a central hole B of
any required form and size to fit the winding and setting arbors of a watch, said
hole passing through the disc and through its barrel C as shown.
The disc being thus reduced at its periphery, and of but moderate thickness in
the middle, requires only a very shallow seat, which is formed by so light a
depression of the inner dome D of the watch that the boundaries of the seat are
scarcely distinguishable. This seat may therefore be made quickly and easily in
the dome or inner lid of any watch either by a few light blows with a jeweller's
hammer, or by a punch or die of the form required. Such a seat can easily be
formed without marring or disfiguring the dome in the least, and in fact, when
made, is scarcely noticeable, nothing being removed or cut away.
The disc may be roughened in any convenient manner, perforated, or made in
the form of a star or other figure to cause the thumb or finger to take a firm hold
when pressed thereon and turned in the proper direction for winding.

page_text: In practice the disc is preferably roughened by forming teeth, barbs, or beards
similar to those of a rasp, but more hooked, or turned downward at their points.
The points of said teeth, barbs, or beards thus raised and turned slightly
downward, are inclined in the opposite direction from that in which the watch is
wound, so that when the finger or thumb is pressed upon the disc and turned in
the direction in which the watch is wound, the points of said teeth, barbs or
beards will take a firm hold on the finger or the thumb, by hooking it into the
skin thereof, so that on lifting the finger or thumb vertically, without turning it
backward to unhook the teeth, barbs or beards from the skin of the finger or the
thumb, the key is lifted with it, sticking to the finger or thumb, and may thus be
readily placed upon the centre post to set the hands of the watch to time. But if
the finger or thumb be turned slightly in the opposite direction and lifted from the
disc, the teeth, barbs or beards being thus unhooked from the skin of the finger or
thumb, the key will remain in position upon the winding arbor.
The key being placed upon the arbor, as in Fig. 4, is ready for use, carries no
dirt into the watch because continuously retained in the watch, and is less liable to
be lost than if carried loosely in the pocket.
As shown in Fig. 4, the barrel C is made short enough to prevent its resting
upon the shoulder of the arbor, and hence the disc rests directly upon its seat in
the dome D, hence it cannot tip or rock when turned and consequently cannot
twist or strain the arbor, or wear away the angles of the square portion.
The dome may be depressed about the setting hole in the same manner as at the
winding hole, though as the key is returned to the winding arbor before closing
the watch case, this is not essential.
When used with watches setting from the front, the key may be applied to the
arbor by passing its barrel through a central hole formed in the crystal.
This key is to be clearly distinguished from all others requiring special
construction of the watch to permit their application, such as before mentioned.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1st. The herein described watch key, consisting of disc A having its under face
rounded or bevelled to a thin edge at the periphery, and provided with a central
opening, and in combination with a barrel C provided with a hole B to fit upon a
watch arbor, substantially as set forth.
2nd. In combination with a watch having its inner dome depressed around the
key hole, to form a shallow concave seat, a key consisting of a barrel perforated to
fit the arbor of the watch, and a dise convex on its under face to fit said seat and
sustain the downward pressure applied to the key when turning it by the thumb
or finger.
3rd. The watch key herein described and shown, consisting of disc A of convex
form on its under side, and provided with teeth or beards a on its upper face, and
barrel C provided with hole B, as and for the purpose set forth.
4th. As a new article of manufacture, a watch key consisting of a barrel C
having a square hole passing through it, and through the disc to receive the
winding post, and a barbed, bearded or toothed disc A. by which to turn the
barrel and winding arbor, as set forth.
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