IMPROVE- MENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO CHRONOMETRICAL APPARATUS, ESPECIALLY WATCHES FOR THE POCKET, WHEREBY THE SAME ARE RENDERED CAPABLE OF TRANSMITTING ELECTRICAL SIGNALS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th December 1878.
A communication from abroad by Ernest Ganelli and Felix Bardelli, both
of Turin, in the Kingdom of Italy.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 23,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO CHRONOMETRICAL APPARATUS, ESPECIALLY WATCHES
FOR THE POCKET, WHEREBY THE SAME ARE RENDERED CAPABLE OF TRANSMITTING
ELECTRICAL SIGNALS." A communication from abroad by Ernest Ganelli and Felix
Bardelli, both of Turin, in the Kingdom of Italy.
The inventors having conceived the idea that it would be very useful to possess a
means of electrical transmission for signals, which would unite simplicity with the
yet more important quality of portability, and of occupying very small space, have
been led to apply to chronometric apparatus, and more especially to watches for the
pocket, apparatus which whilst being easy of application and cheap, consequent on
its simplicity, is at the same time certain in its action, and such as to exercise not
the least influence on the chronometric apparatus, which latter is very important
especially in watches of precision.
Having premised the above I will now proceed to describe the various parts of
which the apparatus in one of its forms is composed, and then its mode of working,
and how the electrical signals it is desired to give are obtained.
To the upper or dial side of the watch plate is screwed a spring, which is
provided at its free end with an insulated pin or stud, which bears against the
under side of the hour wheel with a tendency to raise the latter.
The hour wheel is also provided with a pin or stud projecting from one side
thereof.
At the under or movement side of the watch plate is mounted another spring also
provided with a pin or stud at its free end, whilst at its other end it is fixed to an
insulated metallic pivot, which passes through the plate and is fixed on the other
side to a block or piece to which is screwed the conductor, which communicates
with one of the electrical wires.

page_text: The pin or stud in the hour wheel runs on the edge of a projecting ring carried
by the signalling needle, hand, or pointer, and concentric with the axis thereof.
This signalling needle or hand being on the face of the dial, this projecting ring
which it carries on its underside exercises a pressure on the pin or stud of the hour
wheel, which in its turn being depressed pushes against the pin or stud carried by
the spring at the back of the plate. The spring is raised by this pressure, and its
contact being prevented with the pin or stud carried by the spring at the front or
dial side of the plate, the circuit is broken or interrupted.
The projecting ring of the signalling needle or pointer serves therefore to
interrupt the circuit, but it is also arranged to complete the circuit in the following
manner :-
The projecting ring of the signalling needle or hand is at one portion of its
circumference provided with a notch, arranged so that the pin or stud of the
hour wheel shall enter such notch at the moment when it is desired to give a
signal.
It follows that when the pin or stud of the hour wheel arrives at this notch it
enters the same, being pushed by the pressure of the spring at the back of the
watch plate, which spring being capable of depression comes in contact with the
insulated stud or pin of the spring at the front or dial side of the watch plate, thus
completing the circuit.
A conducting wire is placed in connection with each of the springs, but as the
case of the watch is metallic, one of the conducting wires may be put in contact
therewith at any desired point.
In order the better to explain the Invention I will suppose a practical case :-
Suppose the watch indicates twenty minutes to one or any other time, and it is
desired to give a signal at 4 o'clock, the signalling needle or hand is placed at the
figure 4, after which the watch movement will follow its course. When the time
has arrived, the pin or stud of the hour wheel will enter the notch in the projecting
ring of the signalling needle or hand, and the circuit will be thereby completed in
the manner before described, and the signal will be given.
It will be understood that the details of construction of the apparatus may be
considerably varied without departing from the peculiar character of the Invention,
which consists in combining with chronometric apparatus generally, and especially
with watches for the pocket, an electrical apparatus which serves to give one or
more signals for any desired purpose.