Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1887.
Complete Left, 31st Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 4th Oct., 1887.
1, FRANCIS ROBERT BAKER' of Arcade Chambers, Snow Hill Birmingham in the
County of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to an adjustable watch key, or a watch key that can be made
to fit all sized posts.
By my invention, the said article is much simplified in its construction, and its cost
of manufacture greatly reduced.
The watch key consists essentially of a longitudinal divided barrel, with a spring
connecting loop at its upper end, and with the opposite inside grip faces of the barrel
parts made angular, so as to grip in a diagonal manner, the opposite corners of the
post of a watch.
The adjustment of the size of the bore of a key, is effected by a cam or excentric
action.
In carrying out my invention, I take a long strip of thin sheet metal, with an
extended or widened out part near one end. This blank which is Vd at its inside
lower ends, is transformed into a longitudinal divided barrel or stem, with the upper
end bowed into a loop, by the bringing of the end portions of the blank, parallel with
each other.
The widened out, or extended metal part as before named, is made to embrace and
extend to the front of the opposite side, thus forming a clip or sheath, which limits
the outward movement of the divided halves, which form the barrel to the key; and
which said sheath part, carries opposite bracket bearings, between which, the cam or
excentric end of a lever works, and with the acting edge of the said cam or excentric,
pressing upon the divided outside half of the barrel.
Thus, the excentric end, which is jointed between the bracket bearings, is of a
graduated throw; and on the turning of the lever or arm, upon its centre, makes its
acting face bring together more or less, the divided halves of the barrel, and so
graduate the bore to the sized watch post required.

page_text: Limiting stops on the top of the one side near the bow, come upon the top edge of
the sheathed or turned over part before named. These stops keep the legs, or half
barrel parts, always in their proper relative positions, with respect to the loop and
their bottom ends.
On using the watch-key, turn the lever with its arm downwards, when the spring
bow at the upper end, opens out the divided sides to their fullest extent, then place
the bore, or the open lower end of the key, over the post of a watch, then raise the
arm of the lever, until the spring divided halves of the barrel firmly grip the post.
The action of the excentric, by turning upwards the. arm of the lever, brings the
longitudinally divided halves or jaws of the barrel closer together, and keeps them
clamped firmly to the sides of a post; and in order to remove a key from the said
post after winding the motion of the arm of the lever requires to be reversed.
The grip of the sides is parallel or nearly parallel, while the inside gripping parts
are V to follow the diagonal or opposite corners of a post.
The barrel of the key may be made up of two V inside semi-circular lengths or
legs, one of which is jointed to the other, at the top.
The opening out of the said lengths or legs, is effected by a spring interposed
between them.
Dated this Fourteenth day of June 1887

page_text: cost of manufacture greatly reduced.
The watch key consists essentially of a longitudinal divided barrel, with a spring
connecting loop at its upper end, and with the opposite inside grip faces of the barrel
parts made angular so as to grip in a diagonal manner, the opposite corners of the
post of a watch.
The adjustment of the size of the bore of a key, is effected by a cam or eccentric
action.
In carrying out my invention, I take a long strip of thin sheet metal, with an
extended or widened out part near one end. This blank which is V at its inside
lower ends, is transformed into a longitudinal divided barrel or stem, with the upper
end bowed into a loop, by the bringing of the end portions of the blank, parallel with
each other.
The widened out, or extended metal part, as before named, is made to embrace and
extend to the front of the opposite side, thus forming a clip or sheath, which limits
the outward movement of the divided halves, which forms the barrel to the key;
and which said sheath part, carries opposite bracket bearings, between which, the cam
or eccentric end of a lever works, and with the acting edge of the said cam or
eccentric, pressing upon the divided outside half of the barrel.
Thus, the eccentric end, which is jointed between the bracket bearings is of a
graduated throw; and on the turning of the lever or arm, upon its centre, makes its
acting face bring together more or less, the divided halves of the barrel, and so
graduate the bore to the sized watch post required.
Limiting stops on the top of the one side near the bow, come upon the top edge of
the sheathed or turned over pari before named. These stops keep the legs, or half
barrel parts, always in their proper relative positions, with respect to the loop, and
their bottom ends.
On using the watch key, turn the lever with its arm downwards, when the spring
bow at the upper end, opens out the divided sides to their fullest extent, then place
the bore, or the open lower end of the key, over the post of a watch, then raise the
arm of the lever, until the spring divided halves of the barrel firmly grip the post.
The action of the eccentric, by turning upwards the arm of the lever, brings the

page_text: longitudinally divided halves or jaws of the barrel closer together, and keeps them
clamped firmly to the sides of a post; and in order to remove a key from the second
post after winding, the motion of the arm of the lever requires to be reversed.
The grip of the sides is parallel, or nearly parallel, while the inside gripping parts
are V to follow the diagonal or opposite corners of a post.
The barrel of the key may be made up of two Vd inside semicircular lengths or
legs, one of which is jointed to the other at the top.
The opening out of the said lengths or legs, is effected by a spring interposed
between them.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawing, the
manner in which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation, an adjustable watch key, constructed and
made according to this invention, and in the position which it assumes, when the post
of a watch, is being gripped and held, by the closing or contraction of the front or
jaw parts of the key. Figure 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the said
key, and figure 3 is an inverted plan of figure 1, while figure 4 is a part elevation,
and part horizontal section of the top side of the said key, exhibiting the joint centres,
upon which the lever for the closing of the divided parts, constituting the stem and
the jaws, and also the stops, for limiting the longitudinal movement of the parts.
Figure 5 represents the said watch key figure 2, in a position which it assumes, when
the post of a watch is about being embraced, and subsequently gripped. Figure 6
represents the same, with the jaws, and the longitudinally divided stem, closed upon
the said post of a watch.
It will be seen from this last named figure, that the throwing back of the lever,
causes the short arm which is made in the form of a cam or rolling eccentric to
forcibly bulge or contract inwardly, the curved or outwardly bowed shape of the stem,
so as to give to the jaws a parallel grip.
Figure 7 represents a front elevation, of the said watch key, and with the post of a
watch in section.
Figure 8 is a plan of the blank, from which the lever is made, and which is cut of
sheet metal, and figure 9 is a plan, and figure 10 a side elevation of the blank, from
which the body, and loop of the watch key is made.
a, a is a longitudinally divided barrel or stem part, with a yielding or spring
connecting loop b, at its rear or top end; and which said loop, forms both the handle
or holder to the key, and also serves as a means, for opening out the jaws and divided
barrel or stem part, on the grip of the drawing to device being relaxed. a³ is the
front or forward part of the key, provided at its opposite inside parts, with angular,
or diagonal grips, which take upon the opposite angles or corners, of the post of a
watch. These angular or opposite V grips, are best seen in the end view figure 7.
c is a lever of the first order, consisting of a long and short arm c³, c², and fulcrumed
at ; and whose joint centres, work within bearings or holes, made near the tops of
standing out brackets a¹, which are extensions of the lower sides a, of the stem of
the key.
These perpendicular bracket parts a¹, besides constituting the bearings for the
fulcrum of the lever, form bracing stays or sheaths, which brace up, and limit the
outward movements of the divided halves, which form the stem or barrel to the key.
Between the lever bearings, and the top side of the divided stem part a³, a cam or
rolling eccentric short arm works; and on the levers' position being changed from
left to right, as in figures 1, 2, 6 and 7, the upper half a² of the stem or barrel, is
forced inwardly, while its lower half a, is drawn inwardly. Thus, the action of the
cam or rolling eccentric a² is to bring and move in unison, the divided halves and
jaws of the key, and keep the V gripping parts of the jaws, firmly clamped upon the
sides of the post d of a watch as in figure 6.
The longitudinal displacement of the half stem or barrel parts, on the motion of
the cam or rolling eccentric, is prevented by stops a³, carried and depending from the
two opposite sides of the divided half a, taking their bearings against shoulders a³, at
the rear of the lever bearing brackets a¹,

page_text: On the lever being turned from left to right, for the contraction or bringing
together of the jaws, the tendency is for the part pressed upon by the cam, to move
longitudinally, which is prevented by the stops and shoulders as aforesaid.
In making the watch key from sheet metal, I take a blank figuro 9, cut out by a
press and tools, and by subsequent shaping processes, I give the blank in cross
section, the general figure of the cross section of the key to be produced. This
blank which is V at its inside opposite ends, is transformed into a key, by
folding or doubling crosswise, the said blank about its middle, and forming at
the folded part, a loop, which connects together the half stem or barrel parts,
which are presented with their troughed and Vd inside parts opposite to each
other, or in juxta position.
The lever is made from a sheet metal blank figure 8, and with the short arm
olled into the cam or eccentric, which is of a graduated throw.
Although I have described my invention in connection with a watch key made
from thin sheet metal, preferably pen steel, yet I do not limit myself thereto, as
the same may be made by the process of casting, or by other means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. A watch key body part, consisting of a longitudinally divided barrel or
stem part a, a, a³, loop b, and with the fronts or jaws of the former, inwardly
sunken with V grooves, for the purpose, substantially as herein described and
set forth.
Secondly. A watch key, consisting of a longitudinally divided barrel or stem
part a, a a, bracket bearings and bracing stays a' with shoulders a³, against
which stops a take their bearing, for preventing longitudinal displacement of the
parts; and which said half stems, or the divided jaws thereof, are brought
together, adjusted and clamped upon the post of a watch, by a cam or roller
eccentric c² on the end of a jointed lever c, c¹, c³, substantially as described and
set forth in figures 1 to 7.
Thirdly Closing, adjusting and clamping the jaws of a watch key, upon the
post of a watch, by a jointed lever, having upon one end, a graduated cam or
roller eccentric c, c², c², e³, substantially as described and set forth.
Fourthly. Automatic opening of the jaws, or divided body parts of watch keys,
by a spring loop b, at its top or rear end, substantially as described and set forth.
Fifthly. Making watch keys from a blank of cut out sheet metal, subsequently
troughed and fashioned into the desired form, substantially as described and set
forth; also fashioning the operating levers of watch keys, from sheet metal, as
described and illustrated.
Dated this Twenty third day of Avanst 1887