A NEW OR IMPROVED INDEPENDENT ESCAPEMENT FOR CLOCKS, CHRONOMETERS, AND WATCHES.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Augustus Soul, of Nos. 4 and 5, Cross
Street, Finsbury Square, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED INDEPENDENT
ESCAPEMENT FOR CLOCKS, CHRONOMETERS, AND WATCHES.".
A com-
munication from abroad by C. Otto Gehrckens, of Hamburg, in
Germany.
-
Sealed the 26th September 1871, and dated the 30th March 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Augustus
Soul at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th March 1871.
I, MATTHEW Augustus Soul, of Nos. 4 and 5, Cross Street, Finsbury
Square, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED INDEPENDENT
ESCAPEMENT FOR CLOCKS, CHRONOMETERS, AND WATCHES," a communication to
me from abroad by C. Otto Gehrckens, of Hamburg, in Germany, to
be as follows :-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of a new and improved
escapement for clocks, chronometers, and watches, for the purpose of
rendering the pendulum or balance totally independant of the works.

page_text: The usual plan does not permit of a free and unhindered oscillation to
the pendulum as this is guided by a shaft which stands in direct con-
nection with the works.
The construction of this improved escapement will be readily under-
stood by reference to Figures 1 and 2 in the Drawing accompanying this
Provisional Specification.
The triangular prism a, b, c, and scapement wheel c, c', e³, are on
the axle & coming direct from the works of the clock. Shaft S, with
branches B, B', balancing on axletree h, is moved by the prism. This
shaft is also supplied with branches p, p', forming the pallets p, p',
which alternately arrest and liberate the scapement wheel e, e', c³, thus
On the branches B, B', are fixed
regulating the progress of the clock.
These springs are
Pendulum P is
two pivots, on which rest the springs 1, 1ª².
alternately tensed if shaft S is moved by the prism.
suspended in vertical line under axletrech. It moves with branches b, b',
and screw v, v¹, to and fro, thus tensing alternately springs r, r¹.
In the position shown in the Drawing prism a, b, c, has no force; if
it is brought in connection with the propelling weights it turns, and the
point c will drive the shaft S to the right, e¹ touches the pallet p',
spring is tensed. The pendulum is also brought in motion, but to
the left, till screw & touches spring 7. Spring still presses on pivotƒ'
and spring being liberated by the pendulum the shaft moves to the
right until e falls off pallet p'. Prism a, b, c, turns until e is arrested
by pallet p. Point a has thus driven shaft S to the left, spring "¹ is
tensed by pivot. Pendulum P returning to the right touches spring,
spring makes e fall off pallet p, prism a, b, c, tenses spring », and thus
continues. If the spring i which holds the pendulum is brought in a
horizontal line with axletree h, and springs 1 and 2ª also turn in the
vertical line of hand i, there will not be the least friction in the escape-
ment, and the pendulum moving totally free, receiving every time the
same impulse, the oscillations must be uniform, and the progress of the
clock does not depend on the works.
In some cases it is proposed instead of springs to apply small weights
which clevated every time and alternately by shaft S will produce tho
same effect as the spring, and it is intended in some cases to use a
combination of springs and weights.
For watches the construction may be somewhat of a similar kind to
that first described for clocks, but instead of the pendulum a balance P

page_text: is employed turning by axletree i and provided with pivot v.
Figure 3 in the Drawing.)
(See
The
Set in motion point e touches pallet P¹; spring r is tensed.
balance liberating spring by pivot v, e¹ falls off pallet p¹, prism a, b, c,
turns and drives shaft S to the left, thus permitting spring to give the
impulse to balance P. Pallet p wanting, the prism continues to turn,
and thus tenses spring until e³ is arrested by pallet p', and thus
continues. Balance P moves totally free, receiving each time the same
impulse by spring ; the oscillations must be uniform, and the progress.
of the watch does not depend on the works.
The construction both for clocks and watches may be varied in detail
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Matthew Augustus Soul in the Great Seal Patent
Offico on the 29th September 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
AUGUSTUS SOUL, of Nos. 4 and 5, Cross Street, Finsbury Square, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her leirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Matthew Augustus Soul, Her special
licence that I, the said Matthew Augustus Soul, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Matthew Augustus
Soul, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "A NEW OR IMPROVED INDEPENDENT ESCAPEMENT FOR CLOCKS, CHRONOMETERS,
AND WATCHES," a communication to me from abroad by C. Otto Gehrckens,
of Hamburg, in Germany, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Matthew Augustus Soul, my exccutors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
agree

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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Matthew Augustus Soul, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 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 relates to the manufacture of a new or improved
escapement for clocks, chronometers, and watches for the purpose of
rendering the pendulum or balance totally independent of the works.
The usual plan does not permit of a free and unhindered oscillation
to the pendulum as this is guided by a shaft which stands in direct
connection with the works.
The construction of this improved escapement will be readily under-
stood by reference to Figures 1 and 2 in the Sheet of Drawings
accompanying this' Specification.
The triangular prism a, b, c, and escapement wheel e, c', e², are on
the axle & coming direct from the works of the clock. Shaft S, with
branches B, B', balancing on axle h, is moved by the prism. This shaft
is also supplied with branches p, p, forming the pallets p, p', which
alternately arrest and liberate the escapement wheel e, e¹, e, thus
regulating the progress of the clock. On the branches B, B', are fixed
two pivots, on which rest the springs 7, 7. These springs aro
alternately tensed if shaft S is moved by the prism. Pendulum P is
suspended in vertical line under axle h. It moves with branches b, b',
and screw, v', to and fro, thus tensing alternately springs 7, r
In the position shown in the Drawing prism a, b, c, has no force. If
it is brought in connection with the propelling weights it turns, and the
point will drive the shaft S to the right; e' touches the pallet p¹;
spring is tensed.
The pendulum is also brought into motion, but
to the left, till screw touches spring . Spring" still presses on
pivot, and spring being liberated by the pendulum the shaft moves
to the right until e falls off pallet p'. Prism a, b, c, turns until e is
arrested by pallet p. Point a has thus driven shaft S to the left,
spring is tensed by pivot f'. Pendulum P returning to the right

page_text: touches spring, spring "makes e fall off pallet p, prism a, b, c, tenses
spring ", and thus continues. If the spring i which holds the pendulum
is brought in a horizontal line with axle h, and springs r,, also turn
in the vertical line of hand i there will not be the least friction in the
escapement, and the pendulum moving totally free, receiving every time
the same impulse; the oscillations must be uniform, and the progress
of the clock does not depend on the works.
In some cases it is proposed instead of springs to apply small weights,
which clevated every time, and alternately by shaft S, will produce the
same effect as the springs, and it is intended in some cases to usc a
combination of springs and weights.
Another modification of this Invention as applied to clocks is illustrated
in Figures 4 and 5 in the Drawings.
Pendulum P is suspended at i; springs ", r¹, are fixed at y, y', and
turn also at i. They are supplied with pallets p, p, stopping pivots a, a¹,
which are on the same axle as wheels h, h, and h¹, h². The wheels
h, h, h, h', are driven by wheel e, e, e, which wheel stands in con-
nection with the works. Spring is tensed by pivot a. Pendulum P
set in motion to the left will touch spring by means of screw v, pivot a
becomes liberated from pallet p. Wheel e, e, c, together with the
wheels h, h, and ', ', then turn round until a¹ tenses spring r¹, and is
arrested by pallet p³. In the meanwhile the pendulum P has been
driven to the right by spring until v¹ touches spring
wheel e, e, e, turns round a tense spring r, and thus continues.
liberating a',
Figure 5 shows the best construction for the springs r,, which
move in the same line as the springs i, i, by which the pendulum is
suspended.
For watches the construction may be somewhat of a similar kind to
that first described for clocks, but instead of the pendulum a balance P
is employed turning by axle i, and provided with pivot (sec Figure 3
in the Drawing).
Set in motion point e touches pallet p', spring is tensed. The
balance liberating spring r by pivot e' falls off pallet p';' prism a, b, c,
turns and drives shaft S to the left, thus permitting spring r to give
the impulse to balance P, pallet p wanting, the prism continues to turn,
and thus tenses spring r until e is arrested by pallet p¹, and thus
continues. Balance P moves totally free, receiving each time the same

page_text: impulse by spring "; the oscillations must be uniform, and the progress
of the watch does not depend on the works.
The construction both for clocks and watches may be varied in detail,
so long as the main feature of the Invention is maintained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is effected, what
is claimed is, the independent and uniform tensing of a spring or
clevating of a weight on one side, whilst the pendulum or balance
releases the escapement on the other side by the arrangements herein
described and in the Drawings illustrated, by means of which the
progress of the clock is rendered entirely independent of irregularities
in the motion of the works.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Augustus Soul, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-eighth day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-one.
MATTHEW AUGUSTUS SOUL. (L.S.)