Improvements in Watch Bracelets.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Apr., 1890-Accepted, 31st May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Watch Bracelets.
I TOM GROVE HULL trading as Le Roy et Fils of 57 New Bond Street in the County
of Middlesex Jeweller and Watchinaker do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide an automatic method of winding up the
watches attached to so called watch bracelets or watch bangles by the simple and
necessary action of putting on and taking off the bracelet or bangle which operations
once performed shall be sufficient to wind the watch to its fullest extent without any
further or other action on the part of the wearer.
In carrying my invention into practice I provide a bracelet of the spring bangle
type having sufficient elasticity to enable it to be opened to such an extent as to freely
admit of the passage of the hand.
On one shoulder of the bracelet or bangle say the right hand shoulder 1 attach or
fix the watch at or near the right hand edge thereof and clear of the back.
To the left hand shoulder I attach or fix a projecting wire or rod forming the longer
arm of a jointed lever the shorter arm of which is fixed at its other extremnity to
the plate forming the back of the watch case. This plate revolves freely on a central
pivot its periphery working in a groove in the watch case so that when the bracelet is
opened for the purpose of admitting the arm or releasing the same or for any purpose
the moveable plate or back is turned a half circle on its pivot by means of the lover
before described the full revolution being completed on the closing of the bracelet or
bangle.
On the inner side of the back plate fix at or near the circumference a wheel
toothed internally for one half of its circumference the teeth thereof engaging with
a pinion fixed on the barrel arbor of the watch the number of teeth on the pinion and
half internally toothed wheel being so calculated and proportioned as to ensure.the
winding of the watch for half its full period on each revolution of the back plate of
the watch case.
Dated this 10th day of March 1800
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Watch Bracelets.
I TOM GROVE HULL trading as Le Roy et Fils of 57 New Bond Street in the County
of Middlesex Jeweller and Watchmaker 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide an automatic method of winding up the
watches attached to so called watch bracelets or watch bangles by the simple and
necessary action of putting on and taking off the bracelet or bangle which operations
once performed shall be sufficient to wind the watch to its fullest extent without any
further or other action on the part of the wearer.
In carrying my invention into practice I provide a bracelet of the spring bangle
type having sufficient elasticity to enable it to be opened to such an extent as to freely
admit of the passage of the hand.
The accompanying sheet of drawings with the Figures and letters of reference will
illustrate my method of automatically winding such watches.

page_text: Figure 1 is a view of a watch bracelet showing the back of the watch the bracelet
being half opened.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the bracelet closed.
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the winding mechanism attached to the inside of
the back the rest of the watch being removed.
On one shoulder of the bracelet A say the left hand shoulder I attach or fix a watch B
at or near the edge of such watch and clear of the back thereof from the opposite
shoulder CI project a wire or rod D forming the longer arm of a jointed lever the
shorter arm E of which is fixed at its extremity F to a convenient part of the plate G
which forms the back of the watch case. This plate revolves freely in a race or
groove or may be centrally pivotted so that when the arm D is moved by the opening
of the bracelet the back G is pulled round in or on its bearings by the short arm E
jointed at E to the longer arm D.
"
On the inner side of the back plate GI fix at or near the circumference thereof a
wheel H toothed internally for half or a convenient portion of its inner circumference
as at II the teeth engaging with a pinion K which is mounted on the barrel arbor
of the watch. No other parts of the watch proper are shown as this arrangement will
be well understood by any skilled workman in the art. Spring stops such as L on the
steel or other rim M of the race or groove and engaging in notches N N prevent
the plate being moved in the wrong direction.
Figure. 2 shows the bracelet closed the shorter arm E being under the longer arm D
and concealed thereby.
It will be seen that on moving the arm D from its horizontal position and pulling
the bracelet open the plate revolves and the arms when a quarter of a circle has been
described assume the position shown in Figure 1 and the internally toothed wheel
having been also moved for a similar distance the pinion mounted on the barrel arbor
has been actuated and the watch partially wound up. When the bracelet has been
opened to its fullest extent it is closed by completing the revolution of the back plate
the jointed lever also completing its revolution and returning to its normal position
after passing round the watch.
The usual set hands push piece may be provided for regulating the hands and by
pressing this the winding action is connected with the hands of the watch in any well
known manner.
The number of teeth on the pinion K and the partially internally toothed wheel H
are so calculated and proportioned as to ensure the winding of the watch for half its
full period on each revolution of the back plate. The internal teeth being omitted on
the return portion of the inner wheel H the plate G and the jointed lever return to
their normal position without further winding of the watch or it will be seen that the
teeth may be on the opposite side or all round the inner circumference of the wheel H
and the watch may be wound up by the closing of the bracelet.
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. In a so-called bracelet watch actuating the winding mechanism of the watch
attached to the bracelet by the opening or closing of such bracelet.
2. In a so-called bracelet watch actuating the winding mechanism of the watch
attached to such bracelet by means of a revolving back plate having attached thereto
partially toothed wheel engaging with a pinion mounted on the barrel arbor of the
watch substantially as described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
a
3. The means and method of automatically actuating the winding mechanism of
watches substantially as described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1890.
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
17.&.18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.