CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HORO- LOGICAL ALARMS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Timoléon Zoé Louis Maurel, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, and of 16, Castle Street, Holborn (City,)
London, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HORO-
LOGICAL ALARMS."
Sealed the 12th December 1853, and dated the 15th June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Timoléon Zoé Louis
Maurel at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 15th June 1853.
I, TIMOLEON ZOE LOUIS MAUREL, of Paris, in the Empire of France,
and of 16, Castle Street, Holborn (City:) London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HOROLOGICAL
ALARMS to be as follows, viz. :-
The mechanism of this alarm is enclosed in a small drum of brass or
other material (A, A, Fig. 1,) the top and bottom of which are hinged,
so that one of them a, a, opens to form a right angle, and the other b, b,
so as to form an angle of about 60 degrees, and is furnished with a
double clock bell c. The part a, a, is intended to receive a watch, and

page_text: is covered with cloth to prevent the turning of the watch when it is put
in communication with the mechanism.
A strong brass cap e, e, Fig. 2,
crosses the drum, and is securely fixed to the sides. About the centre
it has a screw hole into which screws one end of the shaft f', (Fig. 1,)
serving as a centre piece to a spring secreted in the barrel i, i;
against the bottom of the latter is fixed a ratchet, on the teeth of
which works a catch carried by the wheel h, h, (Figs. 2, and 3,) turn-
ing on the same shaft as the barrel, whose movement it partakes
only when the spring uncoils. A silk cord, is fixed at one end to
the barrel i, i, around which it winds, while the other end has a button
m, w ich projects outside the drum. In the wheel h, h, works a seven
toothed pinion, concealed by the bridge n, which bears one of its pivots
(Fig. 3); against its teeth is fixed the escapement o, which works the
anchor P. whose pivot extends beyond the cap which bears it suffi-
ciently to have fixed to it the rod q, q. The latter descends on the left, and
parallel with the cap e, e, (Fig. 2,) and has at its free end a ball q
which regulates the working of the apparatus. On the right of the cap
is a flat steel spring, r, descending to its base, near which it curves
sharply towards the bell, which it strikes; the raising of this spring
hammer is effected by the teeth which proceed from the openings
h, h, h, h, (Figs. 2, and 3,) and which act successively on a beveled
projection S, carried by the spring r, r, Fig. 4. The part opposite to
the bevel is cut at a right angle to permit the raised spring to fall quickly
on the bell c, (Fig. 1). Between the cap e, e, and the rod 7, 7, (Fig. 2,)
and parallel with them, slides with easy friction in an opening at the
head of the cap a crescent-formed axle t, t, one end of which, furnished
with a button g, projects beyond the drum A, A, and the other, furnished
with the part ', (Figs. 2, and 5,) may descend to the base of the cap.
Upon the part t, (Fig. 5,) hinges the bridge or support, u, kept perpen-
dicular to the section of the drum by the opening v, v, one end of which
uncircles the piece t¹, (Fig. 5,) and acts by the other on the moveable
bridge u, n. The latter has near its centre the piece a, a, (Figs. 5,
and 6,) and the wheel y, y, (Figs. 5, and 7.) which is concentric to it,
the wheely, y, at the same time acting as dial plate, its upper surface
being divided in 12 parts; it works by an eight toothed pinion, placed

page_text: at the free end of the bridge u, u, and whose pivot projects sufficiently
beyond the bridge to have riveted to it a capsule 1, (Figs. 1, and 5,)
provided with several notches, in one of which lodges the minute hand
of a watch placed on the under part. The bridge u, u, also has near
its fixed end a lever a', (Figs. 5, 6, and 7,) one end of which rubs against
the piece a, a, and the other is pressed by the ball or rod 7, 7, (Fig. 2)
and the oscillation of which it prevents, until the piece a, a, presents its
hollow part to the arm of the lever which presses it (Figs. 5, and 6).
Following the above arrangements, it is easily perceived that when
the part a, a, Fig. 1, is closed, the bridge u, u, pressed by it, will
play on its hinge until it attains a position parallel to the cap e, e,
(Fig. 2.) Before this closing takes place the watch d, d, Fig. 1, must
be removed, and the axle t, t, depressed to the bottom of its course by
pressing on its button, to which is attached a slight spring b', b',
hooked at both ends to keep closed the two coverings a, a, and b, b.
Method of using-Open the alarm by drawing the button g; at
the first movement the two coverings become free and open, the
one pressed by the spring hammer acting on the bell, the other by
the spring, acting on the hinged bridge u, u, which it brings
into the horizontal position. Calculate the number of hours it is
desirable to sleep, and bring under the fixed index J, (Fig. 7,) the
corresponding figure or number; then place an open watch on the
cover a, a, (Fig. 1,) taking care to lower the axle t, t', until the
capsule 2, be in communication with the minute hand; the motive
spring is then raised by drawing the button m, (Fig. 2, and 3).
Figs. 8, 9, 1, 12, and 13, 14, represent an arrangement some-
what different from that already described, by which three toothed
wheels a, a, b, b, c, e, (Fig. 8.) replace the corresponding parts of the
first arrangement. These wheels gear with each other by means of
two pinions e, and . The wheel d, d, is riveted on the axis of the
latter pinion, and communicates an oscillating motion to an anchor k,
which in its turn transmits it to the balance m, m, by means of the
forked piece s, s, (Figs. 8, & 9,) in which is a pin inserted in a
collar t, fixed on the axle of the balance m, m; the latter has a spiral
spring whose moderating motion completes the similarity of the escape-

page_text: ment with those of watches in general. The works just described are
set between two plates A, A, A', A', connected by means of three
bars 1, 2, 3, (Figs. 8, and 10,) the second plate A', A', which serves
as a cap, has a hole f, at its centre, in which is screwed the shaft of the
barrel, i. v, v, (Fig. 11.) is a ratchet gearing with a pinion concealed
by the bridge n, (Fig. 10). y,, (Fig. 12,) is a rod working between
the two plates, and furnished with an arm y', the forked end of which
engages in a groove made in the wheel a, a. The works are set in a
drum A", A", (Fig. 13); to the cover b', ', is adjusted an alarm c, fixed
by means of a screw, which latter has at it centre a round hole,
through which passes an axis, from one end of which projects a
hand 7, 1, (Fig. 14,) passing over the dial b, b.
This alarm is worked in nearly the same manner as that before
described, only the dial b, b, (Fig. 14,) is moved from right to left till the
hand 7, 7, indicates the time; it is then moved in a contrary direction,
till the figure which represents the hour at which one desires to awake
corresponds to the head of a spring index placed on the point of the
drum diametrically opposite to the hinge; the hand following the
motion of the dial by means of the gearing it has with it will still
mark the hour on which it was first placed, so that when the hand
arrives on the figure corresponding to the index the ungearings will
take place, and consequently the bell pushed forward by the spring
hammer will suddenly open at the same time as the rod y, z, (Fig. 12.)
yielding to the pressure of a spiral spring will ungear the wheel a, a,
(Fig. 8,) the axis of which become free will then be governed in its
motion only by the parts o, p. 1, Fig. 10.
The gearing is so calculated that the barrel may make exactly one
turn every twelve hours this system would cause the bell to strike
the alarm every twelve hours, were it not for a flat spring A, fixed
by one end to the exterior of the drum, while the other end has a hook
which catches the end of the lid opposite to the hinge, and when the
dial presents to it the notch ', (Fig. 14,) the spring has no effect, as
it constantly remains raised or unhooked by the circumference of the
dial. It then only serves as an index.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Timoléon Zoé Louis Maurel in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 15th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
TIMOLEON ZOE LOUIS MAUREL, of Paris, in the Empire of France, and
of 16, Castle Street, Holborn (City), London, send grecting.
WHEREAS Iler most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Timoléon Zoé Louis Maurel, Her
special license that I, the said Timoléon Zoé Louis Maurel, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Timo-
léon Zoé Louis Maurel, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United King-
don of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HOROLOGICAL ALARMS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Timoléon Zoé
Louis Maurel, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Oflice within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Timoléon Zoé Louis Maurel, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement (that is to say):
The mechanism of this alarm is enclosed in a small drum of brass or
other material (A, A, Fig 1,) the top and bottom of which are hinged
so that one of them a, a, opens to form a right angle, and the other
b, b, so as to form an angle of about sixty degrees. In the centre a
clock bell c, is fixed. The other a, a, is intended to receive a watch d, d,

page_text: and is covered with cloth to prevent the turning of the watch when it
is put in communication with the mechanism. A strong brass cape, e,
Fig. 2, crosses the drum, and is securely fixed to the sides. About the
centre it has a screw hole into which one end of the shaft f', Fig. 1, is
serewed, serving as a centre piece to a spring secreted in the barrel i, i;
against the bottom of the latter is fixed a ratchet, on the teeth of which
works a catch carried by the wheel h, h, (Figs. 2, and 3,) with eighty
teeth turning on the same shaft as the barrel, whose movement it
partakes only when the spring uncoils. A silk cord 1, is fixed at one
end to the barrel i, i, around which it winds, while the other end has a
buttom m, which projects outside the drum. In the wheel h, h, works
a seven toothed pinion, concealed by the bridge n, which bears one
of its pivots (Fig. 3). Against its teeth is fixed the escapement o, of
fifteenth parts for teeth, which works the anchor p, whose pivot extends
beyond the
cap which bears it sufficiently to have fixed to it a rod 7: 4.
The latter descends on the left and parallel with the cap e, e, (Fig. 2.)
and has at its free end a ball g, which regulates the working of the
apparatus. On the right of the cap is a flat steel spring 1, 7, descending
to its base, near which it curves sharply towards the bell, which it
strikes; the raising of this spring hammer is effected by the teeth which
proceed from the openings h, h, h, h, (Figs. 2, and 3,) made in the
wheel h, h, and which act successively on a beveled projections, carried
by the spring, r, Fig. 4. The part opposite to the bevel is cut at a
right angle to permit the raised spring to fall quickly on the bell c,
(Fig. 1). Between the cap e, e, and the rod q, 4, (Fig. 2,) and parallel
with them, a crescent-formed axle t, t', slides with ease in an opening
made at the top of the cap, one end of which, furnished with a button g,
projects beyond the drum A, A, and the other, furnished with the little
piece t, Figs. 2, and 5, may descend to the base of the cap. Upon
this piece t, (Fig. 5,) hinges the bridge or support u, u, kept perpen-
dicular to the section of the drum by the spring v, v, one end of which
encircles the piece t', (Fig. 5,) and acts by the other on the move-
able bridge u, U.
The latter has near its centre the roller a, a,
Figs. 5, and 6, and the wheel y, y, Figs. 5, and 7, which is concentric
to it, the wheel y, y, at same time acting as a dial plate, its upper

page_text: surface being divided into twelve parts, it works by an eight toothed
pinion z, placed at the free end of the bridge u, u, and whose pivot
projects sufficiently beyond the bridge to have riveted to it a capsule =¹,
(Figs. 1, and 5,) provided with several notches, in one of which lodges
the minute hand of a watch placed on the under part. The bridge u, u,
also has near its fixed end a lever a', (Figs. 5, 6, 7.) one end of which
rubs against the roller a, a, and the other is pressed by the ball or
rod q, q, Fig. 2, and the oscillation of which it prevents until the roller
a, a, presents it hollow part to the arm of the lever which presses it
(Figs. 5, and 6).
Following the above arrangements it is easily perceived that when
the part a, a, Fig. 1, is closed the bridge u, u, pressed by it will
play on its hinge until it obtains a position parallel to the cap c, e,
Fig. 2. Before this closing takes place the watch d, d, Fig. 1, nust
be removed, and the axle t, f¹, lowered as far as practicable by pressing
on its button, to which is riveted a slight spring 1, 1, hooked at both
ends to keep closed the two coverings a, a, and b, b.
Method of using the alarms.-Open the alarm by drawing the button
; at the first movement the two coverings become free and open, one
pressed by the spring hammer acting on the bell, the other by the spring
v, v, acting on the hinged bridge u, u, which it brings into the horizontal
position. Calculate the number of hours it is desirable to sleep, and
bring under the fixed index j, (Fig. 7.) the corresponding figure or
number, then place an open watch on the cover a, a, (Fig. 1,) taking
care to lower the axle t, t', until the capsule ¹, comes into communica-
tion with the minute hand, the motive spring is then raised by drawing
the button m, (Fig. 2, and 3). In watches whose minute hand or hands
work by means of a square axis cut flush with the interior bottom, by
placing them, with the glass opened, upon the cover a, a, this axis can
be put in communication with the capsule ', which should in this case
be square, then it works the same as described above, but with an
alarm, whose wheel gearing, shown Figs. 5, and 7, should be arranged
so as to move in a contrary direction. It is easy to avoid calculating
the hours during which it is desired to sleep by making the wheel of
the dial plate y, y, independent of the roller a, a, Figs. 5, and 7, and

page_text: by riveting a needle upon the periphery of the latter. Thus by means
of this needle is indicated upon the wheel of the dial plate the same
hour which the watch marks when the alarm is put in operation; then
the hour at which it is desired to awake is brought under the fixed
index; the indentation ought in this case to be arranged so that the
alarm should sound when the needle and index come together.
Alarm marking the hour.The principal difference between the
pre-
ceding alarm and that I am about to describe consists in replacing the
wheel gearing of the watch, which becomes useless, by three wheels,
Fig. 8, a, a, of 70 teeth; c, c, of 108; and d, d, of 50 teeth; forming a
gearing among themselves by means of two pinions 7, of 7 teeth, and 7,
of 6 teeth. The wheel of escapement d, d, riveted upon the axis
of this last pinion, communicates a movement of oscillation to an
anchor k, which transmits it to the balance m, m, by means of the
forked pieces, s, Figs 8, and 9, in which a pin moves, carried by a
roller fixed upon the axis of the balance m, m. The latter is furnished
with a spiral spring, whose moderating action completes the analogy of
this escapement with those of watches. The clockwork which I have
just described is mounted between two plates A, A, A, A, Fig. 8, and
10, placed between them by means of three pillars marked 1, 2, 3.
These two plates are pierced at their centre with a hole f, in which an
axle rotates, the pivots of which pass rather beyond the plates, so that
the one that is supported by the plate A', A', may serve as a centre for
the barrel i, i, and so that the other, supported by the plate A, A, may
receive at its square end a large button, or rather a washer M, Fig. 11,
by the aid of which, toothed on its circumference, the spring hammer
is wound up; the lines marked on its surface represent notches cut in
it, and in which the curved extremity of the catch N, Fig. 8, enters,
after having crossed the plate A, A, perforated at this part for that pur-
pose. This gearing is in place of the one adopted in the precedingly
described alarm between the barrel i, i, and the working wheel h, h,
now riveted against the bottom of the first, from which it must in no
case be separated. Besides this difference all the parts shown upon the
plate A', A', Fig. 10, work here in the same manner as in the alarm
already described; that is to say, that the wheel h, h, of 96 teeth, works

page_text: with the pinion of 8 teeth n, against the teeth of which is riveted the
wheel of the anchor o, o, for the purpose of making the anchor q, act,
to which is fixed the pendulum q, q, which oscillates between the barre
and the envelope; the wheel h, h, is perforated in a similar manner
with its ten openings for the play of the spring hammer 2, fixed upon
the opposite face of the plate A', A', divided for this in the length of
the spring. I may observe that the axis of the pinions n, projects be-
yond the plate A', A', to support the wheel a, a, capable of becoming
free whenever the pin with which it is furnished is not engaged with
the piece a, Fig. 8, fixed at the extremity of its axis. The engaging
movement takes place by the aid of a weak coiled spring round the
axis of the wheel a, a, and which coming on one side against a pin
fixed upon this axis presses on the other the periphery of the
wheel a, a, against the piece 2. The disengagement is effected by the
rod
y,, Fig. 12, sliding between the two plates parallel to the axis of
the wheel a, ; it is furnished with an arm, the forked end of which
goes into a groove made upon the periphery of the said wheel. A
strong coiled spring placed upon the axis of the rod y, z, urges it con-
stantly to become disengaged. The whole mechanism is mounted
entirely within a copper barrel A", A", Fig. 13, by means of 3
screws. The other pieces for completing the alarm are fixed upon
the covers ', ', Fig. 6, with a hinge, as in the preceding alarms; it
also has in its centre a bell c, fixed by means of a strong screw per-
forated itself in the middle with a little cross hole, which passes an axis
terminated in the interior of the bell by a flat spring s, for forming a
catch with the teeth upon the barrel i, i, but only when the cover
is closed. The other end of this axis projects sufficiently beyond the
lid to support a needle 1, 1, Fig. 14, for traversing the dial plate b, b, a
little larger in diameter than the lid b, b, with which it matches. It is
adjusted for sliding upon the end of the screw, passing for this purpose
beyond the lid b', ', Fig. 13. This dial plate, which could serve as a
cover to the alarm instead of the cover b', ', to which the form of a
cap or hinged bridge should be given, has its surface divided into 12
parts. Upon this surface, covered with glass, is a circle of very close
teeth v, v, Fig. 14, upon which gears a pin fixed to the extremity

page_text: of the needle 1, 1, and bevelled, so that the latter may be turned with
the dial plate only when it is moved from left to right. These explana-
tions are for closing the alarm, that is to say, the cover b', ', Fig. 13,
by means of two pieces t', t', and a, . The former is a curved axis
free upon its pivots, and for the purpose of penetrating the notch a
made upon the curved extremity of the piece a, a, riveted to the bead
of the screw which bears the bell. The spring p, Fig. 10, is for bring-
ing back the piece t, when it has been separated by the spring s, s,
Fig. 13, at the moment of the opening of the cover Thus closed, the
alarm works as an ordinary watch. In effect the spring hammer
Fig. 10, is constantly held pushed by the bell outside the openings of
the wheel h, h; moreover, the disengagement of the wheel a, a, cannot
take place whilst the rod y,, which regulates it remains constantly
engaged by the bell, which presses its extremity for this purpose on this
side of the plate A, A. I place, in preference, the rod y,, near the
hinge, so as to render the action of its coiled spring less sensible, and con-
sequently to obtain less resistance in the act of opening; this displace-
ment affects that of the wheels, which continue to work identically.
Mode of using this alarm.-Turn the dial plate from right to left
till the needle marks the correct time; turn it then in a contrary
direction till the hour at which you desire to wake corresponds with
the spring index B, B, Fig. 13; then wind up the alarm by the aid of
its rotary bottom, and place it immediately so as to bear upon its hinge.
When the needle arrives upon the number corresponding to the index
the opening will take place by the spring 8, s, and consequently the bell
pushed by the spring hammer will be quickly opened, at the same time
that the rod y,, yielding to the pressure of its spring, will disengage
the wheel a, a, whose axis become free will be no longer moderated in
its movement by the pendulumi q, 2. The works being so arranged
that the barrel may make exactly one turn every twelve hours, the
sounding will always take place after this lapse of time, even if not
required to obviate this inconvenience I have placed the spring
index B, B, fixed by one of its ends upon the barrel, while the other is
curved so as to hook the cap b', b, only when the dial plate b, b, pre-
sents its indentation K, to it, Fig. 14; beyond this point the spring is
;

page_text: of no effect while it remains constantly raised by the circumference of
the dial plate; it only then serves as an index.
-
I claim For the alarm with time piece in connection: 1st. The
arrangement of the hinged covers, one of which bears a bell, while the
other supports the watch. 2d. The mode of establishing a connection
between the alarm and watch by means of the slide rod. For the
alarm marking the hour: 3r. The arrangement of the bell upon the
hinged cover, and the mode of sounding it. 4th. The mode of setting
the alarm to the time, and of arranging it for sounding. 5th. The
escapement as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Timoléon Zoé Louis Maurel, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
T. Z. L. MAUREL. (L.S.)