IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCH CASES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO LOCKET AND MINIATURE CASES
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Thomas Hatfield
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd August 1867.
I, JAMES THOMAS HATFIELD, of Hoboken, State of New Jersey, in the
United States of America, late Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCH CASES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO LOCKET AND MINIATURE CASES," a communication
from William Henry Halsey, a person resident in said Hoboken, to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in making the cases of watches from. or of " vulca-
nite," so called, or hard.india-rubber or gutta percha, and from substances such
as horn, bone, ivory, tortoiseshell, and the like, possessing similar elastic, tough,
or hornlike properties, and capable of being moulded, instead of making such
cases from metal as heretofore. Watch cases when made of such materials.or
substances will in their general shape and appearance except as to colour be
substantially like those made of metal, but such cases are much lighter, and
-

page_text: are also from the nature of the material from which they are formed better
adapted to receive a greater variety of ornamentation. Cases made of such
substances can also be made of a smaller number of pieces than if made of
metal, and their construction is thereby simplified and cheapened. Such
cases can be made perfectly plain, and then polished, and will then if made of
hard rubber or gutta percha resemble the most perfect jet, though greatly
stronger, or they can be engine-turned in all the varieties of figure and design
possible, or inlaid with metals, precious stones, or mosaics, and are thus capable
of a great variety of finish, and of being elaborately and richly ornamented in
designs of the highest art. The hard rubber or gutta percha can be reduced
to proper shapes by carving or by turning in a lathe, and the various parts,
as the lunette and the inner and outer caps, can be hinged to the centre
part or frame by metallic hinges, or by hinges formed in the material itself.
Such material or vulcanite can, however, best be formed or shaped by being
pressed up in moulds or dies as this material when heated becomes partially
soft, in which state it readily takes the form of any mould in which it is
pressed, and requires only slight dressing after it leaves the moulds to be
ready for use; and by giving to the inside surfaces of the moulds any design
or pattern desired the surface of the india-rubber or gutta percha will be
embossed, and a beautiful style of ornamentation thus secured at a com-
paratively trifling expence. Horn, bone, tortoiseshell, and similar substances
are also capable of being softened by boiling or steaming, or otherwise, and
when so softened can be pressed and moulded into any form desired. These
substances when so prepared can be used in the manufacture of watch and
similar cases in the same way as hard rubber or gutta percha. The same
materials can also be used in making locket and miniature cases, and the
process of manufacture will be substantially the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Thomas Hatfield in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
THOMAS HATFIELD, of Hoboken, State of New Jersey, in the United States of
America, late Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Thomas Hatfield, Her' special licence that I, the said James
Thomas Hatfield, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said James Thomas Hatfield, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCH CASES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLI-
CABLE TO LOCKET AND MINIATURE CASES," (a communication from William Henry
Halsey, a person resident in said Hoboken,) upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Thomas Hatfield, 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 James Thomas Hatfield, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This Invention relates to the making of watch cases and also locket and
miniature cases from "vulcanite," so called, or hard india-rubber or gutta
percha, or other similarly vulcanized gum, or from substances such as horn,
bone, ivory, tortoiseshell, and the like, possessing elastic, tough, and hornlike
properties similar to those possessed by bard rubber, and which like hard rubber
can be moulded and shaped in proper dies instead of making such cases of
metal and similar materials, from which they bave heretofore been formed.
Watch cases when made of bard rubber, gutta percha, or similarly vulcanized
gum will ordinarily in their general shape and appearance, except as to color, be
substantially like such cases when made of metal, though they can very easily
and readily be formed in any shape and after any design desired. Such cases
will be very much lighter than metal ones, and are also from the nature of
the materials from which formed better adapted to receive and have given
them a greater variety of ornamentation, and with greatly reduced cost. Such
cases when formed of such materials can also be made of a much less number:
of pieces than when made of metal in the usual manner, and their construc-
tion is thereby both simplified and cheapened. In watch cases when made of
metal the centre part or ring is usually composed of two or more pieces. struck

page_text: up or formed separately, and then afterwards soldered together, and the raised
or projecting rims thereon over and upon which shut the, lunette and the
inside cap, and the front and back. outer caps are also very often if not most
generally soldered to the centre wing. The inside back cap, and the outer front
and. back caps are also frequently, if.not.most generally made in two or more
parts, consisting of a rin or bezel, into which is sprung a centre piece, and a
flat rim. or plate which snaps over the projecting parts of the centre piece, and
which is soldered to the bezel. The entire case when made of metal is thus
made up of a number of separate pieces, each and all of which must necessarily
be finished with great nicety and perfection, and require to be put together
very carefully. In constructing a watch. case of hard rubber or gutta percha
the centre part or ring with its. projecting portions over which shut the
lunette and the inner and outer caps, itogether.with. the pendant, is made of a
single piece of the. vulcanite material, and the lunette, and the several inner and
outer caps are also each formed from a single piece of. the same, material; the
whole case therefore consists of a very few pieces, and each part in itself is
solid, and consequently firmer and stronger, while from the nature, of the
material the complete case when. completed is very light in weight. The
several pieces composing the case may be acut out or 'may be turned up, in a
lathe, but can be best and cheapest formed or moulded in suitable dies, as
vulcanite or hard rubber or gutta percha when heated becomes partially
soft and pliable, in which condition it is capable of being moulded, 'and
readily takes the form of any die in which it may be pressed, and will per-
manently retain when removed from the dies the form given it. The'dies
used for such. purpose may be made of brass, the inner surfaces of which
should be: highly finished, and will be most conveniently made in two parts,
though a larger number of parts may be used if necessary, or found in special.
cases desirable. The opposite dies for constructing the centre part or ring
will be so shaped as to form on one side thereof the proper projecting portions
to take the lunette and front outer cap, and on the other side suitable pro-
jecting portions to take the inner and outer back caps. After having been
thus moulded a central recess or cavity can be turned out on the inside of
such ring to furnish a suitable position and support for the metallic springs
that fasten and also throw back the outer caps of the case; or such recess cap
be formed in the ring at the time it is moulded. A push pin can be inserted in
the pendant, as in metallic cases. The. dies:for the lunette and for the inner
and outer caps will be shaped with reference to the particular style or-pattern
desired to be given to these parts, and so as 'to form these parts that they will
suap or shut over-the-proper projecting portions on the central ring, and be

page_text: held tightly upon it. Such cases can be moulded entirely plain, in which
case they will resemble the most perfect jet, or they can after being so
moulded be engine-turned in all the innumerable variety of figure and design
which that process is capable of producing. By forming the inside surface of
one of the dies after any desired design or pattern the exterior of the cases
will be embossed, and a beautiful style of ornamentation be thus secured and
at no expense, except preparing the dies. Such cases also readily admit of
being inlaid with metals of different kind, or with mosaic work or precious
stones; they are thus capable of a great variety of finish, and permit elaborate
ornamentation after designs of the highest art, and with comparatively mode-
rate increased cost. The outer caps can be hinged to the centre part or ring
either by metallic hinges or by hinges formed in and of the material of which
the case is made; the former method is considered most preferable. Horn, bone,
tortoiseshell, and similar substances which are capable of being softened by
boiling or steaming, or by beat, and which when so softened admit of being
moulded in different shapes and designs, and which will retain after being
removed from the moulds or dies the form given them, may be used for and
formed into watch cases in the same manner as bard rubber or gutta percha,
though in some respects they may not be as desirable. Buffalo horn, however,
when properly treated so nearly resembles bard rubber as to be with difficulty
distinguished therefrom. The same materials or substances may be used in
manufacturing locket and miniature cases, and by substantially the same
process or manner of construction.
What is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is,―
1. Forming watch, locket, and miniature cases from hard rubber or gutta
percha, or other similar elastic, bard, or born-like substance by moulding the
same in dies, substantially as set forth.
2. Watch, locket, & miniature cases made of hard rubber or gutta percha,
or other similar elastic, hard, or horn-like substances, whether plain, embossed,
or inlaid with metals or other substances.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Thomas Hatfield, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of January, in the year of our
Lord 1868
JAMES THOMAS HATFIELD. (L.S.)
JAMES THOMAS HATFIELD. (L.S.)