IMPROVEMENTS IN CYLINDER WATCHES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Herbert John Allison at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th February 1880. A communication
from abroad by Edouard Gillot, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the Firm of Allison Brothers, Patent Agents, of
41, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CYLINDER WATCHES.” A communication from abroad by Edouard Gillot, of
Paris, in the Republic of France.
According to this Invention the barrel and the centre wheel are dispensed with,
the watch working with only two wheels besides the escapement. It would appear
at first sight that the action of the spring would necessarily be felt by the escape-
ment, and consequently the shock of the cylinder wheel on the cylinder would
inevitably be stronger, and would pierce the cylinder much more easily than
ordinarily. In order to prevent this a compensation is provided, which consists in
making the spring much longer, thinner, and more flexible and soft than ordinary,
giving it a lighter pull, this pull taking place at the centre of the spring, and also
by the restricted number of vibrations, which are only 14,000 per hour, giving an
average of 96,000 vibrations less per day than in an ordinary cylinder watch.
By this system a watch can go for 30 hours. This result is obtained by the
number of teeth in the two wheels. The first wheel, which is called the driving
wheel, on account of its immediate contact with the spring, has 126 teeth, and
the second, called the intermediate wheel, since it receives its movement from the
driving wheel and gears directly with the wheel of the cylinder, has 134 teeth.
The breaking of the spring is rendered nearly impossible, as it is set in a recess in
the plate, and its unwinding operates from the centre. This watch is hermetically
closed by the cover plates, which entirely prevent air or dust from entering.
The winding up apparatus consists of a small movable handle which is raised or
lowered at will by a hinge on the part carrying the ratchet arrangement, and
which turns between the fingers during the winding up. For setting the hands, it'
suffices to press the end of the finger on small projections on a part carrying a pin
or the button, which is also attached to the part carrying the ratchet arrangement,
and to move the finger in the desired direction.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Fig. 1 shows a general view of the
movement (the dial being removed).
Fig. 2 shows a bottom view of the movement (plate for the working of spring)
G is the movable handle for winding up; G¹, hole for the end of the regulator;
G₁, degrees for regulating.

page_text: Fig. 3 shows top view of upper plate. C is the position of the intermediate
wheel; C, bearing for the wheel of cylinder; C, chariot; C, hole for the end of
regulator; C hole for the passage of axle of driving wheel.
Fig. 4 shows bottom view of upper plate. D is the recess for spring; D³, hole
for the pivot of intermediate wheel; D", hole for the end of regulator;
D¹¹, fastening for spring.
Fig. 5. A is the driving wheel with 126 teeth; A', steel rod pierced for the
passage of the pin; A", position of the ratchet arrangement.
Fig. 6. E is the cover plate for driving and intermediate wheels; E¹, E", E¹¹¹,
train for working the hands; E., transmission pinion.
Fig. 7. B is the intermediate wheel with 134 teeth gearing with the cylinder
wheel; B¹, pinion with six teeth.
Fig. 8 shows the bottom view of part carrying the ratchet arrangement. F, stop
(bonde).
Fig. 9 shows the part carrying the pin for setting the hands.
Fig. 10 shows the top view of the part carrying the ratchet arrangement, with
handle for winding up.
Fig. 11 shows a side elevation and plan of regulator.
Fig. 12 shows sections of the pin.
Fig. 13 shows the transmission pinion of train for working hands.