IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATCH KEYS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Arthur Walton, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturing Jeweller, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF WATCH KEYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Arthur Walton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th March 1881.
FREDERICK ARTHUR WALTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturing Jeweller. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATCH
KEYS."
My Invention relates to the parts of watch keys by which the swivelling of the
key is effected, and to the parts connected with the said swivelling parts.
In manufacturing a watch key according to my Invention I form on the top of
the body of the watch key a stem, either cylindrical or tapering. Around this
stem I form a groove or depression, preferably at that part of the stem opposite
which in the finished watch key the ends of the loop are situated. Upon the grooved
stem I place a close fitting tube, and by means of pressing tools I indent the said
tube at opposite points, the indentations made being opposite the groove in the
stem, and taking into or engaging with the said groove.
The indentations or depressions made at opposite points in the tube serve for the
reception of the ends of the loop or ring of the watch key, and when the said ends
of the loop are soldered in the said indentations the latter become virtually solid,
and are thereby securely engaged in the groove in consequence of their non-
liability to change of figure by any strain which may be put upon the watch key.
Instead of making in the tube two indentations at opposite points, more than
two of the said indentations may be made, each of the indentations engaging in the
groove in the stem; or there may be formed in the tube an indentation passing all
round the stem, thereby forming an internal collar engaging with the groove in the
stem. Although I prefer to solder the ends of the loop in two depressions formed
at opposite points in the tube, or at opposite points in the circular indentation, yet
I do not limit myself thereto, as the loop may be soldered to the tube either above
or below the indentations or circular indentation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frederick Arthur Walton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th August 1881.
FREDERICK ARTHUR WALTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturing Jeweller. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATCH
KEYS."
My Invention relates to the parts of watch keys by which the swivelling of the
key is effected, and to the parts connected with the said swivelling parts.
In manufacturing a watch key according to my Invention I form on the top of
the body of the watch key a stem, either cylindrical or tapering. Around this
stem I form a groove or depression, preferably at that part of the stem opposite
which in the finished watch key the ends of the loop are situated. Upon the
grooved stem I place a tube, and by means of pressing tools I indent the said tube
at opposite points, the indentations made being opposite the groove in the stem,
and taking into or engaging with the said groove.
The indentations or depressions made at opposite points in the tube serve for the
reception of the ends of the loop or ring of the watch key, and when the said ends
of the loop are soldered in the said indentations the latter becomes virtually solid,
and are thereby securely engaged in the groove in consequence of their non-
liability to change of figure by any strain which may be put upon the watch key.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in elevation, and Figure 2
partly in section, a watch key drawn to a large scale, the swivelling parts of the said
watch key being made according to my Invention.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 represent the parts detached; Figure 6 represents the tube
to which the loop or ring is soldered ready to be secured to the stem; and Figure 7
represents the same after it has been secured to the stem by indenting or forcing
portions of the said tube into the depression or neck of the stem; Figure 8
represents a horizontal section of the stem and tube, Figure 7, drawn to a larger
scale.
In making the swivelling parts of the watch key according to my Invention I
form on the top of the body a of the watch key a cylindrical or tapering stem b,
and I form in the said stem a groove, depression, or neck c, as best seen in Figure 3.
I take a tube d, Figure 4, preferably closed at one end, of a size suitable to fit
upon the grooved or necked stem b, and I place it upon the said stem, as illustrated
in Figure 6, the open bottom of the tube being supported upon the shoulder b² of
the stem. By means of pressing tools I indent the tube d at opposite points, and
opposite the groove or neck c in the stem, so as to force portions of the said tube
into the said groove or neck c, as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, the indented parts
of the tube being marked f, f. The tube d is thereby secured in its place on the
stem b, but is capable of swivelling or rotating on the said stem. The indentations
ff, in the tube d serve for the reception of the ends of the loop or ring h (Figure 5)
of the watch key, the said ends of the loop being fixed in the said indentations by
soldering. When the ends of the loop h are soldered in the indentations f, f, as
illustrated in Figure 2, the said indentations become virtually solid, and are securely
engaged in the neck or groove c in consequence of their non-liability to change of
figure by any strain which may be put upon them.
After the loop or ring h has been fixed in its place the swivelling parts of the
watch key are finished in the ordinary way.
Instead of making in the tube d two indentations f, f, at opposite points, more
than two of the said indentations may be made, each of the indentations engaging
in the groove c in the stem b; or there may be formed in the tube d an indentation

page_text: passing all round the stem, thereby forming an internal collar engaging with the
groove c in the stem.
Although I prefer to solder the ends of the loop h in two depressions formed at
opposite points in the tube d, or at opposite points. in the circular indentation
described, yet I do not limit myself thereto, as the loop may be soldered to the
tube d either above or below the indentations or circular indentation.
Neither do I limit myself to the shape of the tube to which the ring or loop is
soldered, as the part to which the ring or loop is soldered may be made of forms
other than that represented; for example, it may be made spherical or conical, or of
other shapes which will permit of the indenting, forcing, or closing of the said part
into or upon the groove, depression, or neck in the stem.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
Invention,-
The improvements in the manufacture of watch keys, herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is to say, making the swivelling parts
of watch keys by forming in the stem of the watch key a groove, depression, or
neck, and placing upon the grooved or necked stem a tube or hollow part, and
indenting or forcing portions of the said tube or hollow part into the groove,
depression, or neck of the stem; or closing or indenting the said tube or hollow
part all round so as to form an internal collar engaging with the groove, depression,
or neck in the stem, the loop or ring being soldered to the tube or hollow part,
substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Arthur Walton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
FREDERICK ARTHUR WALTON. (L.S.)