IMPROVEMENTS IN KEYLESS REPEATING WATCHES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
KEYLESS REPEATING WATCHES." A communication from abroad by Ami
Louis Junod-Pattus, of Paris, France.
Sealed the 19th December 1876, and dated the 8th July 187
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th July 1876.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN KEYLESS REPEATING WATCHES.'
د"
This Invention relates to a keyless repeater watch in which the train of wheels
and the hammers of the ordinary repeating movement are dispensed with, the
repetition being actuated by turning the winding knob of the pendant to the right
for striking the hours, and to the left for striking the quarters, the 10 minutes, or
the half quarters, as the case may be.
Figure 1 of the annexed Drawing shows the repeating mechanism, and Figure 2
a face view of the keyless winding mechanism and spring gong. The various parts
are also shown separately. The same letters and figures of reference indicating the
same parts in all the Figures.
1, winding stem, by which the repetition mechanism is actuated; 2, pinion which,
by pressing on the stud of push piece 3, is geared with a quadrant on the hour and
quarter rack 9 and oscillates the same to left or right, according as it is desired to
strike the hours or quarters. The push piece and spring 3 has four functions, three
forwards and one backwards, when the pusher stud is released, viz., it gears the
pinion 2 with the quadrant of rack 9, as above mentioned; a short arm on it near
the pinion presses against the push piece 13 of the hand setting mechanism in order
to put the winding gear out of action; the shorter of two points at its tail end
presses upwards against a pin a on the end of the spring hammer 12 in order to set
it and put it in gear with the hour and quarter rack 9; and, lastly, when the
pusher is released the longer point presses against pin b of spring hammer 12 and
disengages it from the rack 9, thus allowing the latter to return to its normal
position; 4, 41, star wheel and hour snail, as in ordinary repeaters; 5, bridge of star
wheel, in which jumper 6 is also mounted; 7, 71, quarter snail and surprise, the
same as in ordinary repeaters; 8, bridge, in which the hour and quarter rack 9 is
[Price 6d]

page_text: mounted. This piece has three functions, viz., an arm on it falls against the hour
snail to determine the number of hours struck when the winding knob is turned to
the right. Another arm falls against the quarter snail to determine the number of
quarters struck when the knob is turned to the left. On the long arm there are
two racks, one of twelve teeth for the hours, and of 3 teeth for the quarters; 10,
spring for returning the hour and quarter rack to its position of rest. It bears
against two pins located in rear of the axis of rack 9; 11, stud carrying the spring
hammer 12, which is fulcrumed against the cross pin fixed in stud 11.
The spring
hammer has five pins, viz., pin a at the small end, under which takes the short
point of the push piece 3 in order to set the hammer and engage it with the hour
and quarter rack pin b on the other side of the stud, which bears against the
pillar plate when the spring hammer is set, and also serves for releasing the latter
through the medium of the long point of push piece 3, when the repetition knob is
released; pin c, which slips over the teeth of the hour rack for raising the spring
hammer and pin d, which performs the same office for the quarters; pin e, which
projects through the pillar plate and strikes the gong every time that one or other
of the pins falls into the intervals between the rack teeth; 13, push piece and
spring for setting the hands. It has two functions, viz., to put the mechanism for
setting the hands in gear when its stud is pressed, and to throw the winding
mechanism out of gear without however gearing the hands when the repeating
stud is pressed. 14, the gong. As either the hours or the quarters may be struck
first or one or other only struck at will, there is but one gong and therefore but
one stroke for each quarter, but it is only necessary to remember that the hours are
to the right and the quarters to the left.
To know the hour the stud 15 should be pressed at same time that the knob is
turned gently until there is a certain resistance felt. The stud should be released
after striking the hour in order to allow the hour and quarter rack to return to its
normal position before moving the other way for the quarters.
16 is the winding mechanism. Although it forms no part of the present Invention
I have shown it on account of its connection with the dial work. It is simple,
strong, and not liable to wear or get out of order, and placed as it is between the
arbor and the canon pinion it leaves ample room for the dial work.
By increasing the number of steps of the quarter snail 7, and providing corre-
sponding teeth on the rack 9, the watch will repeat the 10 minutes or half quarters,
&c
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
January 1877.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KEYLESS REPEATING WATCHES." A. commu-
nication from abroad by Ami Louis Junod-Pattus, of Paris, France.
This Invention (which has been communicated to me by Mr. Ami Louis Junod-
Pattus, of Sto. Croix, Canton de Vaud, Switzerland, and of Paris, France,) is termed
by the Inventor the "Repetition St. Croix." It relates to a keyless repeating watch
in which the ordinary repeating train is dispensed with, the repeating mechanism
being actuated by turning the winding knob at the pendant to the right for striking
the hours and to the left for striking the quarters or other subdivisions of an hour
desired.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood I will proceed to
describe it with reference to the annexed Drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the
repeating mechanism fitted in the watch, and Figure 2 a face view of the keyless
winding mechanism and gong. The various parts of the two mechanisms are also
shown separately, the whole being drawn full size. The same letters and figures
of reference are used to indicate the same parts in all the Figures.

page_text: 1 is the winding stem with the usual milled knob by which the repeating
mechanism is actuated. 2 is a crown pinion, keyed and sliding on stem 1, and
controlled by a spring lever 3 provided with a short arm 17, acted on by a pusher
stud 15 fitted in the side of the watch case. By pressing on the latter the lever 3
throws the pinion 2 into gear with a toothed quadrant on the large hour and quarter
piece 9 for the purpose of turning it to the left or right, according as it is desired to
strike the hours or the quarters. The lever 3 is provided with a spring 31, and it has
four functions, three when pressed inwards by the pusher stud 15, and one when it is
released; 1st, it gears pinion 2 with the quadrant of the hour and quarter piece 9,
as above mentioned; 2nd, a short arm 18 on it presses against the push piece or
lever 13 of the hand-setting mechanism in order to put the winding gear out of
action; 3rd, a toc or point 19 passes under and presses up against a pin e on the
tail end of the spring hammer 12, and so wedges it rigidly on its stud 11, at same
time depressing the other end of the hammer until the pins g, f, are in the path of
the hour and quarter racks c; 4thly, when the stud 15 is released another point 20
on lever 3 presses against another pin d on the spring hammer 12 to disengage the
pins g, f, from the hour and quarter racks, thus allowing the latter to return to the
normal position. 4, 41, star wheel and hour snail, 6 jumper, all mounted in a cock 5.
7, 7, quarter snail and surprise, as in ordinary repeaters; 8, bridge on which the
large hour and quarter piece 9 is mounted. This hour and quarter piece 9 has
three functions, the hour arm a, when the winding knob is turned to the right,
comes against the hour snail 4¹ to find the hour, the quarter arm b, when the
winding knob is turned to the left, comes against the quarter snail 7 to find the
quarter. The arm at the end of the piece 9 has fifteen teeth, of which twelve form
the hour rack and three the quarter rack. 10, spring for returning the large hour
and quarter piece 9 to its normal position, said spring bearing against two pins at
one side of its axis, as shown. The spring hammer 12 is fulcrumed loosely on a
stud 11 by a cross pin. The hammer 12 has five pins, viz., pin e under which the
point 19 comes, as above mentioned; pin d at the other side of the fulcrum, which
presses upon the plate to assist in fixing the hammer, and against which the point 20
comes, as above mentioned, to release the hammer; pin f engaging with the teeth
of the hour rack so as to raise and let fall the hammer as the teeth slip under the
said pin; ping engaging in the same way with the quarter rack, and pin i which
passes through a hole in the plate and strikes the gong 14 at the other side of the
plate every time that either of the pins for g slips over a tooth of the racks.
13, hand setting lever or push piece, and 13¹ its spring; it has two functions when
depressed by the lever 3, as above mentioned. It throws the winding mechanism
out of gear when it is desired to actuate the repeating mechanism. When still
further depressed by pressing on its stud 21 it throws the pinion 22 of the hand
setting mechanism into gear. 14, gong. As either the hours or the quarters may
be struck first there is but one gong, and therefore but one stroke for each quarter,
it being only necessary to remember that the winding knob is turned to the right
for the hours and to the left for the quarters. 15 is a loose pusher stud, as above
mentioned, fitted in a socket in the side of the watch case. To know the time the
stud 15 is pressed, and the winding knob is turned gently to the right until a
certain resistance is felt. The stud 15 should then be released in order to allow the
hour and quarter piece 9 to return to its normal position before moving the other
way for the quarters.
16 represents the winding mechanism which I have shown on account of its
connection with the dial work, although it forms no part of the Invention. It is
simple, strong, and not liable to wear or get out of order, and it is placed in such
position as to leave ample room for the dial work. The levers 3 and 13 and the
jumper 6 are pivoted on screw studs so as to work freely and ensure the necessary
strength.
By increasing the number of steps of the quarter snail 7, and providing corre-
sponding teeth on the quarter rack, it will strike half quarters or other subdivisions.

page_text: This new repeating mechanism, called Repetition Ste. Croix, is simple and easily
made, and therefore inexpensive, dispensing as it does with the ordinary costly and
complicated repeating train. It is perfectly accurate, and except that it is actuated
by turning the winding stein instead of by winding up the repeating train, as in
the old form of repeater, it comprises all the elements and advantages of the old
repeating mechanism without its faults. It is, in fact, a complete transformation of
the old mechanism, a repeater having never been hitherto made without a train and
hammers or actuated by the winding stem at the pendant.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improved repeating mechanism
called Repetition Sto. Croix, constructed and actuated as herein described and
represented in the Drawings, striking both the hours and quarters without the usual
repeating train, as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
A. M. CLARK.
(L.S.)