IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WINDING AND SETTING THE HANDS OF WATCHES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Fritz Robert-Theurer, of the Firm of Robert-
Theurer et Fils, of Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland, Manufacturer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WINDING AND
SETTING THE HANDS OF WATCHES."
Scaled the 8th June 1869, and dated the 17th December 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Fritz Robert-Theurer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th December 1868.
I, FRITZ ROBERT-THEURER, of the Firm of Robert-Theurer et Fils, of
Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WINDING
AND SETTING THE HANDS OF WATCHES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improved mechanism for winding the watch
and for setting the hands. The bow of the watch, instead of being as usual
fixed to the case, is attached to a curved base or plate corresponding to
and fitting over the circumferential curve of the case. Into the bow I
let one end of an arm, the other end of which is pivotted to the centre of

page_text: the movement. This arm carries two pauls which by their engagement
with the teeth of a ratchet wheel on the barrel arbor effect the winding
of the barrel if a to-and-fro movement be given to the bow. Thus, by
moving the bow to and fro with the fingers on the circumference of the
case the arm is caused to oscillate on its pivot, and this oscillation
produces by the pauls the winding of the barrel. At the centre of the
watch movement a wheel connected with the hands is placed, and on a
lug of the arm before described another wheel is mounted. During the
reciprocating movement of the bow the last-named wheel although
engaged with the central wheel is displaced without turning the central
wheel, so that in this situation the winding is effected independently of
the mechanism for setting the hands. In one of the plates of the watch
a lever is placed pivotted at its lower end, and free to slide or move at its
upper end; this end carries a pin, while a thumb or finger piece pro-
jecting through the case is connected to the lever. When it is required
to set the hands-it-is-only-necessary to press on the finger picce in order
to cause the pin to engage into the teeth of the wheel on the arm and
then to give a to-and-fro movement to the arm when the wheel thercon
being, as it were, skidded by the pin will cause the central wheel to turn.
A double and simultaneous effect is thus produced, that is to say, the
winding of the barrel and the setting of the hands.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Fritz Robert-Theurer in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th June 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRITZ
ROBERT-THEURER, of the Firm of Robert-Theurer et Fils, of Chaux de
Fonds, Switzerland, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in
the thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Fritz Robert-Theurer,
Her special licence that I, the said Fritz Robert-Theurer, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Fritz Robert-

page_text: Theurer, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Fritz Robert-Theurer, my executors or administrators, 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 Inven-
tion, 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 Fritz Robert-Theurer 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 thercof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improved mechanism for winding the watch
and for setting the hands. I proceed to describe the improved mechanism
with reference to the accompanying Drawings of which Figure 1 shows
the winding mechanism, Figure 2 the watch movement seen from
within the case, Figure 3 the watch movement seen from the dial,
and Figure 4 the mechanism for setting the hands. The bow a of the
watch, instead of being as usual fixed to the case is attached to a
curved base or plate b, corresponding to and fitting over the circum-
ferential curve of the case. Into the bow a I let one end of an arm c,
the other end of which is pivotted to the centre d of the movement. This
arm c carries two pauls e, f, which by their engagement with the tooth
of a racket wheel g on the barrel arbor, effect the winding of the
barrel if a to-and-fro movement be given to the bow a. Thus, by moving
the bow a to and fro with the fingers on the circumference of the case,
the arm c is caused to oscillate on its pivot d, and this oscillation
produces by the pauls e, f, the winding of the barrel. At the centre of
the watch movement a wheel connected with the hands is placed,
and on a lug of the arm c before described another wheel is mounted.
During the reciprocating movement of the bow a the last-named wheel Z
although engaged with the central wheel h is displaced without turning
the central wheel, so that in this situation the winding is effected

page_text: independently of the mechanism for setting the hands. In one of the
plates of the watoh seen at Figure 3 a lever is placed pivotted at its
lower end at r, and free to slide or move at its upper end; this end
carries a pin 8, while a thumb or finger piece u, Figure 4, projecting
through the case is connected to the lever a. When it is required to set
the hands it is only necessary to press on the finger piece u in order to
cause the pins to engage into the teeth of the wheel 1. The latter being,
as it were, skidded will turn in the alternate movement of the arm c,
and will cause the central wheel to turn. A double and simultaneous
effect is thus produced, that is to say, the winding of the barrel and the
setting of the hands.
This system of automatic winding combined with setting the hands of
watches just described may act either by means of the bow a, as shewn
in Figures 1 and 2, or by a pin arranged at the side of the case. The
system is generally applicable to watches, and I am of course able to
vary the form and arrangement of the mechanism as required.
And having now.described the nature_of_my_said Invention, and in
what manner the-same-is-to-be-performed,-I-declare that I claim as.my.
improvements in watches winding and setting the hands of watches by
the mechanism substantially as herein-before described and shewn with
reference to the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Fritz Robert-Theurer, have hore-
unto set my hand and seal, this First day of June, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-nine.
F. ROBERT-THEURER. (L.S.)
Witness,
CH. ARMENGAUD, J.,
Civil Engineer,
Boulevard de Strasbourg, 23,
à Paris.