Improvements in or relating to Watches, Clocks, and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left. 19th Aug.. 1891-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Watches, Clocks, and the like.
I, JULES VILLON of 9 Rue Blaize, Paris in the Republic of France, Watch-
maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a device adapted to render less liable to damage or
breakage the escapements of watches, travelling or other clocks or mechanisms
operated by means of a balance-wheel.
In carrying this invention into practice an arbour or spindle is secured to the
balance wheel which is provided with a plate or disc and a roller or boss for the
hair-spring. The bridge retains in place upon the base or movement plate
the balance wheel, its arbour and boss the before mentioned disc and another
plate.
The last mentioned plate is retained in place by friction against a projecting
ring provided on the bridge. A jewel groove is formed in the thickness of the
bridge and another groove is situated on a lower level than the first mentioned
groove. The inner wall of the second groove is bevelled and provided with a
perforated jewel set without a bezel and free to move which is provided with a
bevel corresponding to the bevel which it fits being level with the first mentioned
groove.
A steel spring is provided in the centre of whose head is set a jewel which forms.
a counter pivot. This spring is secured to the bridge by means of a screw and two
pins or legs while its head is embedded in the first mentioned groove or recess and
retains in place the perforated jewel by firmly pressing upon it.
Should the watch provided with this arrangement be dropped and fall on the flat
surface of the case the spring yields to the pressure of the perforated jewel which
is thereby moved upwardly through the pivot end of the arbour until the roller or
boss meets or strikes the bridge. When the watch is picked up the parts readily
resume their positions again under the pressure of the spring.
Should the watch fall edgewise the perforated jewel leaves the groove or recess
without pressure by simply shifting to one side so that its bevel comes in contact
with the bevelled portion whereby the said jewel is forced upwardly a distance.
corresponding to the depth of the bevel. The pivots then fall out of their holes
and being thus released cannot break the perforated jewels move in the free space
between the first mentioned groove and the head of the spring until the portion of
the arbour or spindle which carries the spring roller touches or strikes the bridge.
After the fall the pivots sliding in the jewel grooves resume their positions simply
under the pressure of the spring.
The pin and pivot of the arbour pass through the central opening of the bridge
with very little play. This enables the arbour in case of a shock to bear sideways
on the surrounding wall the perforated jewels being shifted a distance only just
sufficient to prevent the pivots from leaving the jewel-grooves so that they may
resume their place by the simple pressure of the spring as before stated. The
jewels are here spoken of in plural as the effect obtained on the bridge is exactly
the same in the case of the under-side of the balance-wheel whether within or
underneath the plates; except that when the watch falls flatwise upon the glass
the balance wheel comes in contact with the base or movement plate which then
pushes up the perforated jewel from below after which the jewel resumes its
position under the pressure of a spring similar in shape and operation to the
spring.
As the pivot ends never come out of the jewel recesses or grooves they very
readily re-enter their holes.
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page_text: The two jewels perforated or recessed at their upper and lower ends are set with-
out any bezel which owing to the polished surfaces of the bevels greatly assist their
sliding motion into or out of the recesses. If however it is desired to set them in
bezels of brass or steel this may be done.
Dated this 21st day of November 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: The action and construction of the regulator e and its operation upon the hair
spring is the same as usual the end of the said spring being fixed to the underside
of the projection E of the cock and the length of the spring being varied by the
two pins in the portion e of the regulator in the usual way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. For the purpose of protecting the escapements of watches travelling or other
clocks or time-pieces having a balance-wheel the employment of a perforated jewel
such as capable of free displacement in the direction of the shock along the axis
of the balance wheel arbor or in the groove or recess in which the jewel is embedded
in which latter case it rises along the bevel or incline of the said groove after which
a springs brings the whole mechanism back to its original position substantially as
described.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete escape-
ment protection mechanism substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 18th dov of August 1901
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.