AN IMPROVED CLOCK MOVEMENT
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jacob Merzbach, of Holborn Viaduct, in the City of
London, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CLOCK MOVEMENT." A
communication from abroad by Oreste Blanchetti, of Paris, France.
Sealed the 16th December 1879, and dated the 21st June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jacob Merzbach at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st June 1879.
JACOB MERZBACH, of Holborn Viaduct, in the City of London.
"
AN IMPROVED
CLOCK MOVEMENT." (A communication from abroad by Oreste Blanchetti, of
Paris, France).
0
Clock movements constructed according to this Invention are different from
others known to the present time, and have the following advantages :-
Firstly. Simplicity of construction, not costing more than ordinary clock
movements.
Secondly. They will be found to be good time keepers, being regulated by a
naturally compensated wheel pendulum actuated by an escapement which allows
perfect freedom of vibration of the wheel which acts as the pendulum.
Thirdly. The movement is capable of going for many months, or
without rewinding.
even years,
Fourthly. This movement goes with precision when actuated either by a weight
or with a new kind of spring constructed according to this Invention as hereinafter
described.
Fifthly. This improved movement is capable of being fitted to any description of
clock.
Sixthly. The weight of the bands is counterbalanced by the wheels of the dial
work.
This improved movement can be made either for striking or nonstriking clocks,
such movement being constructed so as to be capable of working for a year without
rewinding. I will first describe a non striking clock movement; this can be made
round or square, according to requirements, the same as in ordinary clock movements.
This movement should be actuated by a weight which will not descend more
than from six to eight inches in the course of twelve months, and is provided with
main wheel with pulley for carrying the weight or the cord representing the
Trinn 21

page_text: force of the new description of spring; this wheel has one hundred and eight teeth.
The first wheel with click and spring work for rewinding having one hundred teeth,
and a pinion with twelve leaves; the second wheel has eighty teeth and a pinion
with ten leaves; the third wheel has eighty teeth and a pinion with eight leaves;
the fourth wheel has one hundred and forty teeth and a pinion with eight leaves;
this acts as the centre wheel actuating in ordinary dial work. This last wheel may
be made with only seventy teeth when it is desired that the pendulum should
vibrate slowly, for example, six seconds to the right and six seconds to the left.
The escapement wheel has forty five teeth and a pinion with seven leaves; this
wheel can have any number of teeth, according to the number of vibrations it is
desired to give to the wheel pendulum. The escapement is not free but kept
between two springs or against one spring which keeps it perpendicular, as here-
after described. The pendulum is formed by a wheel or by a simple balance rod
made of any suitable metal or other suitable material suspended by two pivots which
roll freely on a smooth surface or on the section of a large circle. The supports which
represent the said surface or section may be of various shapes, according to require-
ments, provided that the surfaces of both sides is very level, or the sections of the
circle on which the pendulum is pivotted is perpendicular. The said surface or
section of circle can be made of hard stone, hardened steel, or polished copper. The
pendulum vibrates as desired, the wheel being perfectly counterbalanced by means
of one or two counterweights. The weight of these counterweights regulates the
vibration of the wheel pendulum, either making it to go quickly or slowly. The
small weight should be fixed so as to make it ascend and descend at will. The
pendulum has on its outside, or on that side where it receives its propulsion, one or
two little stop points; by means of these stop points or pins the wheel pendulum in
vibrating from right to left comes in contact with a needle, replacing the ordinary
fork, and receives from this needle the necessary impetus to cause the vibration.
These vibrations will be equal.
i.
The springs on each side of the said needle should only be of sufficient force to
keep it perpendicular, as theso are a substitute for the fork. .
I will now describe a striking movement.-The movement is-exactly similar to
the one above described, but with the addition of the striking movement. This
latter movement is similar to ordinary striking movements as regards form of con-
struction, it only differs with respect to the number of teeth, It is actuated by a
spring or weight, and is composed of five wheels. The spring or barrel wheel has
one hundred and forty four teeth; the first wheel has ninety six teeth and a pinion
with twelve leaves; the second wheel has eighty teeth and a pinion with eight
leaves; the third wheel has seventy teeth and a pinion with eight leaves; the
fourth wheel has sixty four teeth and a pinion with seven leaves; the fifth wheel-
has a pinion with seven leaves; this latter wheel replaces or acts as the flyer, and
has no teeth. A striking movement of the above construction will go for one
year.
I will now describe a movement that will go for one year, say three hundred
and seventy days, and more, by the action of a barrel or spring. The barrel or
driving wheel has one hundred and fourteen teeth; the first wheel has one hundred
and four teeth and a pinion with twelve leaves; the second wheel has ninety six
teeth and a pinion with eight leaves; the third wheel has seventy teeth and a
pinion with eight leaves; this wheel actuates an ordinary dial work.
The escapement wheel has thirty six teeth and a pinion with seven leaves. The
escapement may be of anchor or other suitable form, and the rest of the movement
is as before described. This latter movement can be worked either by a weight or
the new spring; in this case the barrel is replaced by a wheel with spring and
click work, the wheel having one hundred and fourteen teeth and a pinion with
fourteen leaves. A wheel is added having eighty four teeth to support a weight
or the power of the new spring; this latter wheel will make but one turn in a
year. The pendulum may be formed by a simple rod, either square or round, of
7

page_text: copper, iron, or other material, through the centre of which passes horizontally a
rod, round at each end, the same as for the wheel pendulum before described.
The same arrangement may be employed for round pendulums. A small weight
is fixed to the balance pendulum which regulates the vibration at will, and also a
needle fixed in the centre of the aforesaid rod, at its upper surface, which oscillates
in a fork. By this means the inpetus can be communicated to a balance rod or
wheel pendulum with a fork similar to that used in ordinary clock movements or
by the system before described. The dimensions of either of the before described
pendulums will depend upon circumstances according to the power required.
In the wheelwork forming the ordinary dial work, instead of making the hour
and minute hands counterbalanced they are counterbalanced by applying a counter
weight equivalent on the barrel or driving and on the first wheel; the second
wheel being only equivalent of the first wheel has no counterweight.
The regulating of the clock, if necessary, is provided for by the following
mechanism: A rod having a square end coming through the upper portion of the
face of the dial has a screw cut at the other end, and a capillary spring placed in such
a way as to act as a break on the arbor of the escapement. By this means the
force of the escapement is regulated so as to determine the speed of vibration of the
pendulum.
I will now describe the movement actuated by the before mentioned new spring,
which latter is the important feature in this Invention. The movement is exactly
the same as those before described.
The spring consists of a flat piece or blade of steel firmly fixed in a support
of iron, copper, or other suitable material. This blade is of the necessary
strength, according to requirement, and constitutes a very powerful spring having
but a limited action. By means of a lever fixed to the said support (to which is
fixed a catgut or metal cord passing under an eccentric) the necessary equal and
constant power is obtained by the movement placed above the spring.
This spring does not require oil, and can be placed in any position as to com-
municate with the movement. It can also be adapted to every description of clock
movement, as by means of a screw the power of the spring is either increased or
diminished. Tho before described pendulum can be actuated by an anchor or other
escapement, but it is preferable that it should be actuated by an escapeinent that
will allow it to vibrate freely, in order to effect which I will describe a system of
escapement that will answer. In this case the escapement is, so to say, formed in
two parts, one part representing a tooth fixed to a rod like the anchor escapement,
and the other part a lever turned up at one extremity to form a stop for the escape-
ment wheel, a needle taking the place of a fork by its to and fro movement on its
return disengages the point of the lever. The wheel pendulum receives on one
side only of a pin the impetus to cause it to vibrate, therefore by this system a
certain amount of friction is obviated. There is only one spring which the needle
comes against in returning.
By constructing clock movements as described the clock can be set in motion by
pressing slightly upon the minute hand.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Jacob Merzbach in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
December 1879.
Jacob Merzbac■, of Holborn Viaduct, in the City of London. "AN IMPROVED
CLOCK MOVEMENT." (A communication from abroad by Oreste Blanchetti, of Paris,
France.)
By this improved construction of clock movement clocks may be constructed
capable of going for three months, or even a year without rewinding. And in
order that this Invention may be better understood, I will now proceed to describe
the same with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 shews the way of passing the mechanical chain or cat gut from the
spring to the driving wheel of the clock movement, under an excentric pulley for
regulating the power of the spring; H is the frame to which is fixed the improved
spring Gadjusted by the screw I; the spring acts against the lever D to which is
attached the mechanical chain or cat gut F, passing under the excentric E to the
driving wheel of the clock movement.
Figure 1 shews a simple movement, that is to say, without the striking action.
This movement can be actuated either by a proportional weight, or by the improved
spring herein described. It is this latter way that is the most important in
carrying out this Invention. The spring consists of one or more strips or blades of
-steel applied to the clock, according to the requirement of the maker with regard to
strength of spring and form of clock. The movement shewn in this Figure is
_regulated so that the pendulum may vibrate about every 3 seconds, and should go
for a year or longer without rewinding.
A shows the driving wheel carrying an excentric to transmit to the movement a
regular force from the irregular force which it receives from the spring. When this
movement is worked by a weight, the wheels A, B, are dispensed with; B is the
first wheel actuating the next wheel called the winding wheel, this can be effected.
either by gearing or by means of a mechanical chain; C is the winding wheel;
D, E, F, G, are ordinary wheels, the number necessary for different movements
being according to the length of time it is desired the clock should go.
H, escapement of any desired form.
I, mechanical chain passing through the strips or blades of steel forming the
spring, and terminating with a screw and nut or other means for holding the said
spring firmly; K, spring formed by several strips or blades of steel placed in a
frame L. These steel blades may be combined as desired by the manufacturer.
Figure 2. The movement shewn at this Figure is the same as that shewn at
Figure 1, with regard to the application of the force and the regulating, but differs
therefrom with regard to the number of wheels to render 1 second of vibration for
each; and also has a striking movement added, according to the requirement of the
manufacturer, and which should also be actuated by the new kind of spring. This
striking movement only requires winding at the same time as the other side, that
is to say, it will have the saine duration as the clock. In this Figure is also shown
a second mode of applying the new kind of spring; A. shews strips or blades of
steel firmly held in the metal frame a', and regulated by a screw a¹; D, metallic
mechanical chain acting as before described and shewn at I, Figure 1; b, wheel
with excentric pulley called a snail for regulating and transmitting the force to the
wheelwork of the striking movement; c, d, e, f, g, five wheels, the number of teeth
in which will depend upon the time it is desired the clock should go without
rewinding. This striking movement may also be worked by a weight when a
weight is used for the clock movement, and in this case the wheels b, c, are
dispensed with..

page_text: Figure 3 shews the spring, which consists of a number of strips or blades of steel
held firmly in a frame. A screw placed at a certain fixed point is provided to
regulate by pressure the tension of the said steel blades, and consequently the
desired force.
This principle admits of the application of the said blades, and of the excentric
forming part of this Invention, and is adjustable according to the force required,
and the shape and design of the movement. The Drawings shew 2 ways of
application to give a practical idea.
The excentric receives by means of a mechanical chain the irregular force of the
spring, and transforms it into a regular force, according to the calculation of the
inventor, and communicates it to the wheel on which it is fixed. This wheel
makes but one half turn during the whole time the clock goes without rewinding;
a shews the metal frame; b, screw to regulate the tension of the blades of steel;
c, blades or strips of steel of such proportions, according to the strength of spring
required; d, mechanical chain; e, excentric pulley; f, wheel transmitting the force
regulated by the excentric. Figure 4 shews the pendulum which may be of any
suitable form. In this view it is shown in the form of a wheel to represent the
principle of a body perfectly compensated and counterbalanced, placed in equili-
brium by means of a spindle terminating with two ends or points rolling freely on
two parallel plains, thus giving much longer vibrations than those of an ordinary
pendulum, and enabling movements to be constructed capable of going for a much
longer period than at present. This vibrating body may be of any desired form,
the principle consisting in the free rolling of the two ends or points on the two
lateral plains. These plains can be horizontal as represented in the support shewn
at G, Figure 5, or as that shewn at Figure 4, which are formed of a circle at each
side, thus bringing the points on their centre of gravity; A is a wheel balancing or
vibrating on its points and on the two plains of the support C; D, small counter
weight placed under the said balance wheel to regulate the speed of the vibrations;
E, brake to hold the wheel for packing the clock; F, fork carrying the anchor
escapement and giving impulsion to the balance wheel. The balance wheel or
pendulum may be of any suitable metal, also of any desired weight and size; being
naturally compensated, the dilatations have no effect on it with regard to regulation
of action; Figure 5, regulator. The balance wheel carries a pin A on its outside,
and in vibrating this pin comes against an excentric made in the form of a snail,
which on turning on its spindle diminishes or lengthens the vibrations of the
balance wheel, thus making the clock go either slower or faster; A is the pin
placed on the balance wheel at any suitable point; B, excentric or snail.
C, balance wheel rolling on two horizontal plains of the support D; D', small
counter weight for regulating the vibrations of the balance wheel.
Figure 6. The movement in question is also regulated according to the require-
ment of the manufacturer by a pendulum depending upon the elasticity of an
elastic rod, having the form of an ordinary pendulum inverted. The weight and
length of the rod are only determined by calculation. This pendulum also gives
longer vibrations than the ordinary pendulum. It is conducted by the fork of the
escapement of any suitable form, and its vibrations are also regulated by a pin
placed on the piece A, and hitting against the excentric or snail as explained with
reference to Figure 5; A is the weight or piece counterbalancing on the elastic
rod B; C, pin to regulate the length of the vibrations; D, excentric or snail;
E, fork of the escapement; F, support retaining the elastic rod, and screwed on to
the plate of the movement.
The balance wheel instead of rolling on two pins or points as shewn in Figures
4 and 5, can vibrate on two points fixed in a spindle passing above the centre of
the wheel, as shewn in Figure 7; a is the balance wheel; b, spindle to which the
2 points are fixed; c, support of the balance wheel. By this method the balanco
wheel is prevented from shaking, and allows it to vibrate very freely.
Having thus described the nature and object of this Invention and the manner

page_text: of carrying the same into effect, I would remark in conclusion that what I claim
is,-
-
Firstly. The improved spring consisting of one or more blades or strips of steel
in combination with an excentric pulley, substantially as set forth.
Secondly. The improved pendulum (or substitute therefor) constructed and
arranged so as to be perfectly compensated and counterbalanced, and rolling or
balancing freely in two parallel circles or on two parallel plains, substantially as set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jacob Merzbach, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.