Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1887
Specification Accepted, 8th Nov., 1887
I EDWARD DAVIES of Hockley, Birmingham in the county of Warwick Horological
Mechanist do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
saine is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in clocks or time pieces, which are actuated
by means of a spring, in combination with a pawl and ratchet wheel, or their
equivalents; and the objects of my improvements are first, to provide a spring box
separate from the working parts, but securely attached and fixed thereto; secondly to
afford facilities for ready access to the interior of the said spring box without
disturbing or interfering with the working parts; and thirdly to provide a central
key or winder which shall be readily removed in order to afford access to the
spring box.
I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing
in which :-
Fig. 1 is a front view of a clock, embracing these my improvements.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, is a back view of the clock.
Fig. 4, is a detail view of the spring box.
Fig. 5, is a part sectional elevation of the box and lid.
Fig. 6, is a detail view of the back plate of the frame which carries the working
parts.
Fig. 7, is a sectional elevation of the clock.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
The working parts do not form any part of my invention of themselves, and there-
fore I have not shewn more than is necessary to explain my improvements.
a, is the case which carries or encases the working parts, and the spring & spring
box &c. &c, are the plates forming the frame between which the working parts
are chiefly situated.
d, is the spring box containing the springe; f, is the spring box lid or cover,
9, is the ratchet wheel formed upon or secured to the winding barrel arbour h, i is the
pawl.

page_text: This winding barrel arbour h, is made tubular and rotates upon a central arbour,
upon which, at its front end is mounted a pinion which gives motion to the indicating
fingers of the clock upon its face and thereby by means of the knob or handle j, the
position of the fingers can be altered similar as in ordinary clocks. The toothed wheel k
is also secured to the ratchet wheel, and, by means of its gearing with the pinion !,
conveys its motion due to the action of the spring as ordinarily, to the working parts
of the clock. Upon the rear side of the spring box d, I provide studs m, which are
made to fit into corresponding holes n; in the back plate of the frame, and secured
thereto, by cotter pins being passed through the projecting ends of the studs behind
the plate c, of the frame, or, by other device.
The spring e, would be secured at one end to the rim of the box d, at o, its other
end being secured to the barrel arbour h at p.
As before intimated is the box lid or cover, which may be made to slide externally
or internally, upon or in the said box d, and secured thereto by means of the peg 7
engaging with the slot r; by first passing the lid on the box with the peg passing
along the straight part of the slot, and then by turning the lid around, the peg slides
up the inclined slot, which brings the said lid firmly home. I may use one, two, or
more of such pegs and slots.
Upon the end of the barrel arbour h, I provide a screw thread at s, to receive the
winding key or handle t. This handle t is provided with a plate u, having a central
tapped hole to suit the end of the barrel arbour, the handle part t being generally
made to swivel at its ends. In Fig. 2, such. handle is shewn turned up while in
Fig. 7, it is turned down.
am aware that there has been already a spring box separate from the working
paris, but such spring box has been made to revolve, with the winding up of the
spring, the pawl i, being upon the plate of the frame, and the ratchet wheel upon the
box, or vice, versa. In such arrangements however it is very difficult, and incon-
venient, and expensive to make the various parts of sufficient strength to carry a
strong long spring, equal to what is commonly styled eight day working while in
my case, by making the box a fixture to the frame, and arranging the ratchet wheel
and pawl as shewn, I can use a spring of sufficient strength and length to give motion
to the clock, to run at least ten days, nominally an eight day timepiece.
:
Further, by reason of the lid being loose, and secured to the box as shewn, I can
readily remove the said lid, in order to remove or replace the spring &c., without
interfering with or disturbing the other parts of the mechanism.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1st. The combination in a clock or timepiece of the spring box d; being fixed to the
frame, which latter carries the working parts of such clock substantially as set forth
and illustrated.
2nd. The combination in a clock or timepiece, of the fixed spring box d, with the
central winding (barrel arbour h, pawl i, and ratchet wheel g, substantially as shewn
and set forth.
3rd. The central winding key or handle t, with plate u, engaging with the winding
barrel arbour h, substantially as described and illustrated.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
4, Cherry Street, Birmingham,
Applicant's Agent.