IMPROVEMENTS IN TOY WATCHES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for. the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TOY WATCHES." A communication from abroad by John George Powell,
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 22nd February 1878, and dated the 15th September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th September 1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOY WATCHES." A communication from abroad
by John George Powell, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States of
America.
The object of this Invention is to make a cheap representation of a watch which
without indicating time will, owing to the automatic movement of the pointer over
a dial and to the ticking noise emitted by the works, be a source of gratification to
children.
The main feature of the Invention consists of a toy watch within which is a
central mainspring for actuating the pointers, and an escapement device for con-
trolling the spring and creating a ticking noise, as fully herein-after explained.
In carrying out this Invention the case of the toy watch is made of thin ductile
metal struck up by dies, the case being if desired embossed to imitate the ornamen-
tation of the cases of ordinary watches. Concentrically within the case is an inner
case made in the form of a flanged disc or inverted cup, the flange or periphery of
which is converted by perforations into a circular rack, or as it may be more pro-
perly termed a fixed internally toothed pallet wheel. The cup may be secured
within the outer case by forming on the flange of the said cup projecting lips which
are passed through the back of the case and bent against the same. Lips are also
formed on the upper edge of the cup for supporting the glass, a portion of the edge
of the case being bent inward and downward so as to form an annular flange for
ID 837

page_text: retaining the glass, beneath which is a dial plate, preferably a disc of comparatively
stiff paper on which the usual figures and graduations are printed, the paper disc
being simply pressed down on to the top of the cup so that the lips, secondly men-
tioned, will pierce the paper and prevent the dial from turning.
To the edge of the outer case of the watch is soldered or otherwise secured a tube,
through which passes a winding stem or spindle, and to the outer end of the latter
is secured a wheel, by manipulating which with the finger and thumb the stem
can be turned freely.
A swivel is fitted loosely to the tube, and to this swivel is connected the usual
pendant or hoop for receiving the end of the watch chain. A cog wheel attached to
or forming a part of the stem gears into another cog wheel, the arbor of which is
arranged to turn in the top of the cup part of the wheel projecting through a slot in
the flange of the cup, and the wheel gearing into a pinion arranged to turn loosely
on a fixed arbor projecting from the centre of the said cup. Beneath the wheel last
mentioned and its pinion is a central disc or barrel with turned-up flange, and
within this barrel is contained a coiled spring, the outer end of the spring being
connected to the flange of the barrel and the inner end being secured to the hub of
the pinion, so that on turning the stem the spring is wound up.
To the barrel is secured a central spindle, one end of which turns in the top of
the cup and carries pointers which are made of one piece of metal or perma-
nently united, the other end having its bearing in the back of the watch case or
otherwise.
A projection on the barrel forms the fulcrum of a pallet lever, the projection
passing through a triangular opening formed on the said lever, on one end of which
are two pallets adapted to the teeth of the fixed pallet wheel, the latter being, as
before stated, formed by perforating the flange of the inverted cup with holes.
The long arm of the pallet lever has a toothed segment which gears into the
pinion of a balance wheel, the latter being free to vibrate on the central spindle.
The recoiling spring tends to rotate the barrel in one direction, but the relation
of the lever are such that the said lever, aided by the balance wheel and under the
influence of the spring, must vibrate and the pallets must enter and leave perforation
after perforation of the pallet wheel, and the barrel must be alternately retained
and released, the pallet lever being carried round with the barrel and at the same
time compelling the latter to rotate intermittently. This device is designated a
planetary escapement. This intermittent motion of the barrel, and consequently of
the pointers attached to the central spindle, is accompanied with comparatively
loud ticks.
An additional source of gratification to children to that before mentioned is the
noise made in winding up the watch by manipulating the wheel provided for that
purpose. A. spring secured to the interior of the flange of the cup bears against the
teeth of the wheel which is in gear with the pinion, as before mentioned, and not
only prevents the wheel from being turned in the wrong direction, but is also the
source of the desired rattling sound when the spring is wound up.
It will be seen that the winding up of the spring does not interfere with the
movement of the pointers.
With a view to the attainment of the desired simplicity and economy in the
construction of toy watches the following methods may be adopted:
The outer case is formed of thin metal by striking it up with the aid of dies and
ornamented by embossing it, as before mentioned.
The inverted cup is made of tinned sheet iron by first striking up a disc of that
material to the desired cup shape, and then converting the flange into a pallet
wheel by perforating it, the lips being formed by turning up a part of the cup. The
arbor of the cog wheel gearing into the pinion, as before mentioned, is made by so
punching a hole through the wheel as to form a tubular projection adapted to a hole
in the cup, the wheel being retained in place by a slight rivetting of the edge of the
arbor. A deeper arbor is made for the pinion by making three or more incisions in
the top of the cup, by which incisions lips are formed of the metal composing the

page_text: cup, the said lips being turned down so as to form the fixed arbor adapted to the
eye of the pinion, which is retained in place by simply bending upward and outward
the extreme ends of the lips for supporting the pinion.
The barrel for holding the spring is made of tinned plate struck up so as to form
on the edge a flange extending nearly round it.
It is preferred to make the spring of flattened brass wire or of phosphor bronze
wire, the outer end of the spring having a hole so that it can be hooked on to a
projection made by forcing a part of the flange of the barrel outwards, the other
end of the spring having a hole adapted to a similar hooked projection on the
tubular hub of the pinion.
The pallet lever is punched out of the comparatively soft metal, say, sheet brass
for example, at one operation, and its pallets are bent to the desired shape.
The making of these pallets of flexible metal is an important feature of the Inven-
tion. In all escapements exactitude of pallets in respect to the teeth of the
pallet wheel is necessary, and this exactitude is attained not by the usual plan
of making permanent pallets of the precise shape demanded in the first instance,
but by making them of flexible metal so that they can by the aid of a pair of pliers
be bent to the form which will insure their proper action.
The fulcrum for the pallet lever is simply a hooked projection forming part of the
barrel, and bent downwards so that it may pass through the eye of the pallet lever,
a small lip on the end of the projection serving to retain the lever near the barrel
at one end, while the other end of the lever is held between the barrel and a lip
struck from the said barrel.
The rim of the balance wheel is made of flattened wire bent to the form of a ring,
and a cross bar of tinned iron is secured to this disc.
The pinion which engages with the segment, as before mentioned, consists in the
first instance of a flat plate of sheet metal with as many arms as there are to be
teeth in the pinion. These arms are all bent at right angles, and the bent arms are
soldered to the cross bar. The pinion, which is mounted loosely on the fixed arbor,
is simply a flanged cylet, teeth being cut on the flange.
In lieu of making the central spindle to turn in the back of the case, and securing
the edge of the cup to the said case in the manner herein-before described, it is
preferable to secure to the cup a plate or bar in which the spindle can turn. By
this arrangement the works of the watch will be self-contained, and can be finished
and adjusted before they are put into the case.
According to a modification of the said Invention the pallet wheel in lieu of being
fixed and forming part of the cup is actuated by the mainspring and forms the
holder or barrel for the same, the pallet lever vibrating on a fixed fulcrum and
having pallets adapted to the teeth of the wheel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
March 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOY WATCHES." A communication from abroad
by John George Powell, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States of
America.
The object of the said Invention is to make a cheap representation of a watch
which without indicating time will, owing to the automatic movement of the
pointer over a dial and to the ticking noise emitted by the works, be a source of
gratification to children.
The main feature of the Invention consists of a toy watch within which is a main-
spring for actuating the pointers, and an escapement device for controlling the
spring and creating a ticking noise, as fully herein-after explained.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now pro-
ceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the
several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding Figures.
Figures 1 to 12 are views drawn to an enlarged scale and representing a toy
watch constructed in the manner which is preferred in carrying the Invention
into effect.
Figure 1 is a transverse section of the toy watch; Figure 2, a face view; Figure 3,
a sectional plan taken along the dotted line 1; Figure 4, a sectional plan taken
along the dotted line 2; Figure 5, a sectional plan taken along the dotted
line 3 (Figure 1); Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, perspective views of different parts of
the works; Figures 10, 11, and 12, views illustrating the mode of making some of
the parts.
Figure 13 is a transverse section illustrating a modification of the method of
fitting the works to the outer case.
And Figure 14 and Figures 15 and 16 illustrate other modifications, which will
be herein-after described.
The case A of the toy watch is of thin ductile metal struck up by dies, the case
being if desired embossed to imitate the ornamentation of the cases of ordinary
watches. Within the case A. is an inner case B made in the form of a flanged disc or
inverted cup, the flange or periphery of which is converted by perforations a, as
best observed in Figure 6, into a circular rack, or as it may be more properly
termed, a fixed internally toothed pallet wheel.
In the example illustrated the cup B is secured within the outer case by
forming on the flange b of the said cup projecting lips d which are passed
through the back of the case A and bent against the same. Lips e are also
formed on the upper edge of the cup for supporting the glass D (Figure 1), a
portion of the edge of the case being bent inwards and downwards so as to
form an annular flange for retaining the glass, beneath which is a dial plate D',
preferably a disc of comparatively stiff paper on which the usual figures and
graduations are printed, the paper disc being simply pressed down on to the top of
the cup B so that the lips e will pierce the paper and prevent the dial from
turning.
To the edge of the outer case of the watch is soldered or otherwise secured the
tube E through which passes the winding stem F, and to the outer end of the
latter is secured a wheel G, by manipulating which with the finger and thumb
the stem F can be turned freely.
A swivel H is fitted loosely to the tube F, and to this swivel is connected the
usual pendant or hoop h for receiving the end of the watch chain. A toothed

page_text: wheel attached to, or forming a part of the stem F, gears into a toothed
wheel j, the asbor k of which is arranged to turn in the top of the cup B,
part of the wheel projecting through a slot in the flange b of the cup, as shewn in
Figure 6, and the wheel gearing into a pinion m arranged to turn loosely on a fixed
arbor projecting from the centre of the said cup. Beneath the wheel j and its
pinion m is a central disc or barrel I with turned up flange, and within this barrel
is contained the coiled spring J, the outer end of the spring being connected at x to
the flange of the barrel I, and the inner end being secured to the hub of the pinion m,
so that on turning the stem F in the direction indicated by the arrow at G in
Figure 4 the spring is wound up.
To the barrel I is secured the central spindle n, one end of which turns in the
top of the cup B and carries the pointers e', which are made of one piece of metal
or permanently united, the other end having its bearing in the present example in
the back A' of the watch case A.
A projection p (Figure 7) on the barrel I forms the fulcrum of the pallet lever K,
the projection passing through the triangular opening of the said lever, on the one
end of which are the two pallets 8, 8', adapted to the teeth of the fixed pallet wheel,
the latter being, as before stated, formed by perforating the flange 6 of the inverted
cup B with holes a.
The long arm of the pallet lever has a toothed segment t which gears into the
pinion u of the balance wheel w (Figure 9), the latter being free to vibrate on the
central spindle n.
The recoiling spring J tends to rotate the barrel I in the direction indicated by
the corresponding arrow in Figure 4, but the relation of the teeth of the fixed pallet
wheel to the pallets of the lever K are such that the said lever aided by the balance
wheel and under the influence of the spring must vibrate and the pallets must
enter and leave perforation after perforation of the pallet wheel, and the barrel I
must be alternately retained and released, the pallet lever being carried round with
the barrel and at the same time compelling the latter to rotate intermittently. This
device the communicator of the said Invention designates a planetary escapement.
This intermittent motion of the barrel I, and consequently of the pointers attached
to the spindle n, is accompanied with comparatively loud ticks.
It will be understood that the watch is not intended to indicate time, all that is
aimed at being a movement of the pointers accompanied with a ticking sound for
the gratification of children, for whom the toy watch is intended.
An additional source of gratification to children to that before mentioned is the
noise made in winding up the watch by manipulating the wheel G of the spindle F.
A spring y secured to the interior of the flange b of the cup B, Figure 4, bears
against the teeth of the wheel j and not only prevents the wheel from being turned
in the wrong direction but is also the source of the desired rattling sound when the
spring is wound up.
It will be seen that the winding up of the spring does not interfere with the
movement of the pointers.
The parts of a toy watch should be simple, and readily and cheaply constructed
and put together so that the toys can be retailed at a low price.
With a view to the attainment of the desired simplicity and economy the
following methods are by preference adopted, but it should be understood that I do
not desire to resctrict myself to the precise plans shown and described.
The outer case is formed of thin metal by striking it up with the aid of dies, and
ornamented by embossing it, as before mentioned.
The inverted cup B is made of tinned sheet iron by first striking up a disc of
that material to the desired cup shape, and then converting the flange 6 into a pallet
wheel by perforating it as shown, the lips e being formed by turning up a part of
the cup.
The arbor k of the toothed wheel j is made by so punching a hole through
the wheel as to form a tubular projection (Figure 10), adapted to a hole in the
cup, the wheel being retained in place by a slight rivetting of the edge of the arbor,

page_text: A deeper arbor is made for the pinion m by making three or more incisions g in the
top of the cup B, Figure 6, by which incisions lips are formed of the metal com-
posing the cup, the said lips being turned down so as to form the fixed arbor adapted
to the eye of the pinion, which is retained in place by simply bending upwards and
outwards the extreme ends of the lips for supporting the pinion.
The barrel I for holding the spring is made of tinned plate struck up so as to
form on the edge a flange extending nearly round it.
It is preferred to make the spring of flattened brass wire, or (which is still more
suitable), of phosphor bronze wire, the outer end of the spring having a hole so that
it can be hooked on to a projection x (Figure 7), made by forcing a part of the
flange of the barrel outwards, the other end of the spring having a hole adapted to
a similar hooked projection on the tubular hub of the pinion m.
The pallet lever K is punched out of comparatively soft metal, say, sheet brass
for example, at one operation, and its pallets 8, 8', are bent to the desired shape.
The making of these pallets of flexible metal is an important feature of the said
Invention. In all escapements exactitude of pallets in respect to the teeth of the
pallet wheel is necessary, and this exactitude is attained, not by the usual plan of
making permanent pallets of the precise shape demanded in the first instance, but by
making them of flexible metal so that they can by the aid of a pair of pliers be bent
to the form which will ensure their proper action.
The fulcrum p for the pallet lever is simply a hooked projection forming part of
the barrel I, and bent downwards so that it may pass through the eye q of the
pallet lever, a small lip on the end of the projection serving to retain the lever near
the barrel at one end, while the other end of the lever is held between the barrel I
and a lip t struck from the said barrel.
The rim of the balance wheel wis made of flattened wire bent to the form of a
ring, and a cross bar w¹ of tinned iron is secured to this disc, in the manner clearly
shown in Figure 9.
The pinion u consists in the first instance of a flat plate of sheet metal with as
many arms, Figure 11, as there are to be teeth in the pinion. These arms are all
bent at right angles on the dotted line in the said Figure, and the bent arms are
soldered to the cross bar w¹. The pinion m is simply a flanged eylet (Figure 12),
teeth being cut on the flange.
It will be seen from the foregoing that all the parts described above can be readily
made by the aid of simple machinery and tools and unskilled labor.
In lieu of making the spindle n to turn in the back of the case, and securing the
edge of the cup B to the said case, in the manner herein-before described, it is pre-
ferable to secure to the cup a plate or bar n³¹ (Figure 13), in which the spindle n
can turn.
By this arrangement the works of the watch will be self-contained, and can be
finished and adjusted before they are put into the case.
In Figure 14 I have illustrated the form of pallet wheel and connections which
experience has shown to be most preferable. In this case the pallet wheel b' in
lieu of being fixed and forming part of the cup B, as above described, is actuated by
the mainspring J, and forms the holder or barrel for the same, the pallet lever K¹
vibrating on a fixed fulcrum p' and having pallets adapted to the teeth of the wheel.
The balance wheel w is constructed in the manner herein-before described.
In Figures 15 and 16 I have illustrated devices whereby the long and short
pointers which are mounted separately may be caused to traverse the dial plate at
different speeds. The front bearing of the entral spindle n, which is enlarged, is
in the disc or plate B' and pinion O, which is fixed to the face of the disc or plate.
On the end of the spindle n, and forming part of the same, is a pin p² situated
eccentrically in respect to the said spindle, and to this eccentric pin is hung a
wheel N having internal teeth adapted to those of the pinion, both wheel and pinion
being confined in a recess in the disc B'. The long pointer or hand is secured

page_text: directly to the spindle n, and the short pointer to the wheel N which has
twelve teeth, the pinion O having eleven teeth, so that as the spindle turns
the wheel N controlled by the eccentric pin p³ will turn but once thereon
while the spindle revolves twelve times, and therefore the long pointer will
traverse the dial plate twelve times as fast as the short pointer.
The disc F¹ of stiff paper or other suitable material is attached to and turns
with the wheel N and with the short pointer, and on the face of this disc are
a series of pictures of objects attractive to or a source of instruction for children,
object after object appearing through an opening in the dial plate while the disc is
in operation.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. A toy watch in which a central mainspring for actuating the pointers is
combined with an escapement for controlling the spring and creating a ticking
noise, substantially as herein-before described.
Second. A toy watch in which a central mainspring is combined with a stem-
winding spindle and with intermittent gearing, through the medium of which the
turning of the spindle is caused to wind up the said spring.
Third. A toy wach in which a fixed pallet wheel is combined with a pallet lever
pivoted to and carried round with the barrel or plate actuated by the mainspring,
all substantially as herein-before described.
Fourth. The combination of the outer case with an inverted cup B situate con-
centrically in the case, and having a flange b perforated to form a pallet wheel.
Fifth. The combination of the central spindle n attached to the barrel of the main-
spring and carrying the pointers with the pallet lever and pallet wheel.
Sixth. The combination of the pallet lever and its toothed segment with the
pinion of the balance wheel.
Seventh. The combination of the central spindle n carrying the barrel of the
mainspring, the pallet lever adapted to the pallet wheel, and the balance wheel and
its pinion hung loosely to the said spindle.
Eighth. The pallet lever having flexible pallets 8, s', as and for the purpose herein-
before described.
Ninth. The combination of the pallet lever with its fulcrum consisting of the
hooked projection p on the barrel of the mainspring.
Tenth. The inverted cup B having downwardly bent lips g constituting the arbor
of the pinion m.
Eleventh. The combination of the central pinion m attached to the mainspring,
the toothed wheel ; with the pinion i on the winding stem F.
Twelfth. The combination of the cup B, the lips e on the same, the dial D' and
glass D, with the outer case A.
Thirteenth. The combination of the intermediate wheel j with the retaining
spring y.
Fourteenth. The cup B in combination with a plate or bar n¹ (Figure 13),
attached to the cup and forming a bearing for the spindle n.
Fifteenth. The combination of the outer casing A with an inner casing concentric
with the said outer casing, the said inner casing consisting of the cup B and bar or
plate n¹, and serving to carry the works independently of the outer casing.
Sixteenth. The combination of the pallet lever K¹ adapted to a fixed pivot, with
the pallet wheel b₁ actuated by a central mainspring, substantially as herein-before
described, and illustrated by Figure 14 of the Drawings.
Seventeenth. The general arrangements and combinations of parts constituting

page_text: toy watches, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated by the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Seventh day of March, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
J. HENRY JOHNSON.
(L.S.)