Improvements in Watch Keys.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Watch Keys.
WILLIAM PEARCE, Jeweller, 52, Hylton Street, Birmingham, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention is intended to be applied to keys with dilating jaws that will
wind any watch. The jaws of such keys when in use have a tendency to twist
& slip, which defects affect a watch injuriously. The invention which enables
these defects to be overcome may be applied in two ways. Firstly, by the inser-
tion into the side of the inner tube, which communicates with the jaws of this
kind of key, of a projecting pin. This pin slides up and down a slot in the outer
tube. When the process of winding takes place the said pin prevents the jaws
from twisting and slipping from the square of the winding stem. Secondly, the
nonslipping may be accomplished by providing the inner faces of the dilating
jaws with ridges or teeth across them. When the winding takes place, the pin,
which is usually placed between the jaws to expand them, engages with the said
teeth and prevents the jaws rising out of place & thereby twisting & slipping.
The invention may also be applied by means of the covering tube of the
expanding key being made of corrugated or fluted tubing. The inner tube
which holds the expanding jaws is also made of fluted tubing. The fluting
is so arranged and graduated that the one tube can slide inside the other, but is
unable to twist laterally.
1
1000
WILLIAM PEARCE,
Improvements in watch Keys.
I, WILLIAM PEARCE, of 52, Hylton Street, Birmingham, Jeweller, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to watch keys of that type in which dilating or expand-
ing jaws are employed to take upon any sized winding post or stem, and the
object of the improvements is to increase the rigidity of the jaws thereby
causing them to exert a definite grip on the post and obviating the slipping or
twisting of the key, whilst incidentally preventing the angles being taken off.
the post.
According to my invention, the twisting or slipping of the jaws is prevented
by making both the telescoping inner and outer tubes of the key of a similar

page_text: corrugated, angular or other irregular cross section which admits of the two
parts sliding vertically one within another but prevents the inner one from
furning within the outer one.
Figure represents one form of my invention in which the tubes are made
of a corrugated cross section.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the outer tube or casing and Figure 4 a cross
section, thereof upon the dotted line a.
Figure 5 represents an elevation of the inner tube and Figure 6.shows a
cross section thereof upon the dotted line a¹.
Figure represents, on an enlarged scale, a cross section of the two corru-
gated tubes placed one inside the other.
a is the sliding inner tube, which is connected by means of a stem a', to the
expanding jaws, and is the outer casing or tube carrying the fixed pin b
whilst e is the spring arranged between the abutment ², on the tube and an
opposite abutment in fixed connection with the tube 7. Both tubes w and b
are similarly fluted or ribbed longitudinally, or made of a corrugated cross
section as represented in Figares 4, 6 and 7 with the straight ribs or the inner
member engaging and sliding within the corresponding vertical channels or
grooves of the outer tube, whereby any tendency of the inner tube and the jaws
carried by it to twist within the outer one, when the key is in use, is effectually
prevented.
Instead of employing tubes of a corrugated cross section to provide a series
of vertical ribs and corresponding grooves, it is obvious that I may employ only
one rib or beading at, and a corresponding groove or channel 4, as represented
in Figure 8 or two or more of such ribs and grooves may be employed. Or the
groove or grooves may be formed in the inner tube and the rib or ribs or equiva-
lent projections on the outer tube or casing.
It is obvious that, instead of the two tubes and b, being of a corrugated
section or with a rib or ribs on the one part taking into corresponding grooves
in the other part, the twisting of the one tube within the other may be pre-
vented by making them both of an octagonal cross section as represented in
elevation and section in Figures 9 and 10, or of a hexagonal cross section as
represented in Figure 11, or square as shown in the elevation and cross section
Figures 12 and 13 or triangular as in Figures 14 and 15, or of an oval or ellip-
tical shape as represented in elevation and cross section in Figures 16 and 17.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
.
In watch keys having expanding jaws, making both the inner tube or slide and
the outer casing of a corrugated cross section, or with a rib or ribs or equivalent
on the one part and a vertical groove or grooves on the other part, or of any
cross sectional shape other than circular, substantially as and for the purpose as
herein described, and also as set forth in the several figures of the drawing.
Dated this 8th day of February 1900.
WILLIAM PEARCE,
By Henry Skerrett,
24. Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.