Year: 1888

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by HUGUES RIME, of 26, Rue de l'Entrepot, Paris, France,
and LA SOCIÉTÉ ARMAND SCHWOB ET FRÈRE, of Paris, France, Manufacturers.]
I, OLIVER IMRAY of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in the County
of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved construction of watches with transparent body,
so that no means of moving the hands are visible.
The essential feature of the invention consists in the use of a transparent glass disc
which is made to revolve once every hour by concealed clockwork at any convenient
point of the periphery, and which is fixed to a central axis carrying the minute hand,
the said axis being carried in fixed glass discs on each side of the revolving one and
imparting motion to the hour hand by means of very small toothed wheels at the
centre, by the central discs of the hands.
The clockwork of the watch is of the ordinary kind, being merely made small
enough to be contained in the pendant of the watch, this being closed by a hinged
cover.
The hands are driven from the main wheel which, as usual, makes one revolution
every hour, and the motion of which is transmitted to the said glass disc by means of
suitable wheels gearing with a toothed metal ring fixed on the glass disc, the wheels
being so proportioned that the glass disc also makes one revolution in an hour.
The metal toothed ring of the disc is hidden by the circular metal frame of the
watch. The glass disc is fixed on a spindle that has its bearings in two fixed glass
discs one on each side of the rotating one, which spindle carries the minute and hour
hands to which it imparts motion in the usual manner, namely the minute hand direct,
and the hour hand which is carried by a tubular sleeve, through the usual toothed
gear which is however made of very small dimensions so as to be hidden behind the
central disc of the minute hand.

page_text: The dial of the watch being of glass as also the outer covers (these being fixed in
the watch rim) it will be seen that the body of the watch is quite transparent, shewing
nothing but the hands, which consequently appear to move without clock work.
Dated this 6th day of July 1888.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Watch with Transparent Body.
I, OLIVER IMRAY of No. 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in the County
of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved construction of watch with transparent body,
so that no means of moving the hands are visible.
The essential feature of the invention consists in the use of a transparent glass disc
which is made to revolve once every hour by concealed clockwork at the periphery,
and which is fixed to a central axis carrying the minute hand, the said axis being
carried in fixed glass discs on each side of the revolving disc and imparting motion to
the hour hand by means of very small toothed wheels at the centre, concealed by the
central discs of the hands.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shews a back view of the watch constructed
according to my invention, the glass cover of the dial, and the plate that covers the
mechanism being both open. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 shew
respectively a back view and a. vertical section to an enlarged scale.
The clockwork X of the watch is of the ordinary kind, being merely made small
enough to be contained in the pendant P of the watch, this being closed by a hinged
cover a.
The hands are driven from the main wheel E which, as usual, makes one revolution
every hour, and the motion of which is transmitted to the glass disc B by means of a
pinion 6 gearing with the wheel E, and a wheel A gearing with a toothed metal ring c
fixed on B, the gearing being so proportioned that B also makes one revolution in an
hour.
b
The metal toothed ring c of the disc B is hidden by the circular metal frame of
the watch. The disc B is fixed on a spindle S that has its bearings in two fixed glass
discs D D, and carries the minute and hour hands d and e to which it imparts motion

page_text: in the usual manner, namely the minute hand d direct and the hour hand e, which is
carried by a tubular sleeve, through the usual toothed gear f, g, h, i, which is however
made of very small dimensions so as to be hidden behind the central disc of the minute
hand.
.
The dial C being of glass as also the outer covers F F of the watch (these being
fixed in the metal rim G) it will be seen that the body of the watch is quite trans-
parent, showing nothing but the hands which consequently appear to move without
clockwork.
Fig. 5 shews a modification in which the clockwork A E is arranged below the dial
instead of above it, the construction being otherwise, the same. In like manner it
might be arranged at any other part of the circumference.
Instead of imparting the motion of the clockwork to the disc B by means of a
toothed rim as described, it may be driven by an endless chain or cord passing round
a groove in its periphery and round a pitch wheel or pulley on the clockwork.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
1. claim is
1. A watch with transparent body, consisting of a glass disc caused to revolve once
an hour by watch mechanism outside its circumference, the spindle of the disc having
bearings in two stationary glass discs and carrying the minute hand fixed to it and the
hour hand on a tube suitably geared to the spindle, these hands presenting themselves
in front of a glass dial substantially as described.
2. The gearing for driving the hour hand, from the minute hand spindle made of
sinall dimensions and accommodated behind the central boss of the hand, so as to be
invisible in front, substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of April 1889.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.