AN IMPROVED STOPPING-PIECE FOR WATCHES AND OTHER TIMEKEEPERS, INTENDED TO LIMIT THE WINDING-UP OF THE MOVING SPRING
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Célestin Philippe Gontard, of Besançon, in the
Empire of France, Watchmaker, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
STOPPING-PIECE FOR WATCHES AND OTHER TIMEKEEPERS, INTENDED TO LIMIT
THE WINDING-UP OF THE MOVING SPRING."
Sealed the 25th September 1862, and dated the 1st April 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Célestin Philippe Gontard
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st April 1862.
I, CÉLESTIN PHILIPPE GONTARD, of Besançon, in the Empire of France,
Watchmaker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED STOPPING-PIECE FOR WATCHES AND OTHER TIMEKEEPERS, INTENDED TO
LIMIT THE WINDING-UP OF THE MOVING SPRING," to be as follows:-
My contrivance is intended to supersede the Malta cross-shaped piece used
till now for the same purpose in all spring timekeepers. It consists in
modifying the shape of the boss fitted on the barrel arbor, around which the
moving spring is wound up; the upper face of the said boss being cut hollow
so as to leave only a ring, which much lessens the friction, increases the strength
of the said piece, and prevents its breaking out. A pin fixed on the top of the
boss opposite to the middle of a notch cut in the ring catches at each revolution
of the arbor with the teeth of the stop wheel (or curb wheel) the ends of the
said teeth.running behind the pin in the aforesaid notch.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Célestin Philippe Gontard in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th September 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CELESTIN
PHILIPPE GONTARD, of Besançon, in the Empire of France, Watchmaker,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Célestin Philippe Gontard, Her special licence that I, the said Célestin
Philippe Gontard, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such other
as I, the said Célestin Philippe Gontard, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter 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
"AN IMPROVED STOPPING-PIECE FOR WATCHES AND OTHER TIMEKEEPERS, INTENDED
TO LIMIT THE WINDING-UP OF THE MOVING SPRING," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Célestin Philippe Gontard, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and 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 Célestin Philippe Gontard, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described. and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of. Drawing hereunto
annexed, and forming part of this my Specification.
This Invention is intended to supersede, the organ applied in all timepieces
for winding up the main spring, and called by watchmakers the Maltese cross-
shaped piece, the effect of the said piece being to prevent the breakage of the.
spring. By means of this improvement the barrel is fitted more firmly and in
a style more in accordance with the principles of mechanical science. It is
submitted to less friction, it works better, it is more easily manufactured, and.
is so solid that its breakage seems impossible.
In the Drawing, Figures 1 and 2 shew separate views of the boss of the

page_text: barrel arbor; the said boss B is fastened by screwing on the said arbor A as
shewn Figure 3; the main spring is wound up round the boss B; C, Figures 1:
and 3, is the upper part of the boss B; this upper part is shaped in a special
way for the purpose of holding the stop wheel in a steady position, as the
common stop finger. The top part C'of the boss is hollow, as shewn at E, F,
Figure 2, in order to leave but a ring in this top part, so as to enter within a
recess cut in the lid of the barrel, inside of the said barrel, so that it may be
of suitable thickness for the pivot of the arbor; and, have a small recess for the
lubricating oil. The small triangular pin d projecting upon the edge of the
boss (as shewn Figure 2) catches with the stop wheel M (Figures 4 and 6,)
the teeth thereof moving behind the said pin in the notch cut in the ring at
each revolution, either of the barrel or its arbor. Figure 4 is the plan of the
barrel fitted with my improved stopping-piece; the ring C and triangular pin d
(Figures 1 and 2) are in the same level with the stop wheel M, Figure 4;
Figure 5 shews the barrel arbor A carrying the ratchet wheel I; Figure 6 shews
the under side of the lid II of the barrel, to the center of which is a recess a
for oil, and a hole, through which runs the pivot J of the barrel arbor; around
the recess a is cut a circular groove for the passage of both the ring C and
triangular pin d. The dotted circular line (Figure 6) shews the periphery
of the boss B. Figure 6 is an underneath side view of the lid of the barrel ;
Figure 7 is a cross section of the said lid. In the Figures 1 and 3, the
triangular pin d has not been shewn in the middle of the notch of the ring to
prevent confusion; i and h, hooks for catching the moving or main spring on
the boss and in the barrel.
The advantages of this stop or stopping-piece are, firstly, the barrel con-
taining the mainspring is mounted on an arbor, the pivots of which are at the
greatest distance from each other.
Secondly, the boss being on the very arbor, both the boss B and ring C are
perfectly round.
Thirdly, the part of the Maltese cross-shaped wheel which bears the stop
ring is cut slanting in a reverted way, whence it results, that when bearing on
the stop wheel, the finger presses the latter to the bottom of the groove instead
of raising it, which preserves the screw and drop (la goutte) on which the
stop wheel is set (Figure 7). The finger can run neither over nor under this
wheel to stop the watch, as this occurs most certainly after some use with the
old contrivance. My improved stop or stopping-piece is of great solidity,
lessening the friction, and moreover it is cheaper in its construction.
In conclusion, I claim as of my Invention the particular shape and arrange-
ment of the boss of the barrel arbor, which boss is fixed by screwing on the

page_text: said arbor with its upper part hollowed and shaped as a ring with a notch cut
at its periphery, which notch and a pin or finger projecting before it are to catch
with a Maltoso oross shaped wheel at each revolution when winding up the
moving or mainspring, for the purpose of preventing the breakage of the
said spring more efficiently than the contrivance used to this day for the
como purpose
said arbor with its upper part hollowed and shaped as a ring with a notch cut
at its periphery, which notch and a pin or finger projecting before it are to catch
with a Maltese oross shaped wheel at each revolution when winding up the
moving or mainspring, for the purpose of preventing the breakage of the
said spring more efficiently than the contrivance used to this day for the
some purpose
In witness whereof, I, the said Célestin Philippe Gontard, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
moving or mainspring, for the purpose of preventing the breakage of the
said spring more efficiently than the contrivance used to this day for the
come purpose
In witness whereof, I, the said Célestin Philippe Gontard, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
In witness whereof, I, the said Célestin Philippe Gontard, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Signed and sealed in the
presence of
L. D'AUBREVILLE, C.E.
C. P. GONTARD. (L.S.)