IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Azro Ashley Buck, of the City and County of
Worcester, in the County of Worcester, and State of Massachusetts, in the
United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES,"
Sealed the 12th November 1878, and dated the 7th June 1878.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Daniel Azro Ashley Buck at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th June 1878.
DANIEL AZRO ASHLEY BUCK, of the City and County of Worcester, in the State
of Massachusetts, and United States of America. IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES."
In the accompanying Drawings,
"
Figure 1 is a plan view of the upper side of my watch; Figure 2 is a like view
of the lower side of the same, the case, back, and cap being removed.
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively plan views of the upper and lower sides of the
spring wheel and its stop mechanism.
Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of the upper side of the frame of the train,
and show different methods for confining the top plate in position upon the pillars;
Figures 7 and 8 are respectively vertical sections of one of the pillars of said
Figures 5 and 6.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the escape wheel.
Figure 10 is a side elevation of the balance arbor or staff, and shows the escape
wheel in vertical section; Figure 11 is a plan view of said parts from the upper
side.
Figure 12 is a central cross section of the watch upon a line passing through the
stem.
Figure 13 is an enlarged cross section of the dial and stationary dial wheel;
Figure 14 is a like view of the top plate, dial, dial wheels, and hands.
Figure 15 is an enlarged elevation of the inner side of the spring pawl or detent
for engagement with the spring wheels; and Figure 16 is a vertical section of one
of the pivot bearings or openings of the top plate, showing the means employed for
securing the caps in place.

page_text: Similar letters of reference are employed in all the Figures of the Drawings to
indicate corresponding parts wherever such may occur.
The design of my Invention is merely to simplify the construction of a watch so as
to enable it to be constructed at a much less expense than has heretofore been
practicable, to which end it consists principally in the peculiar construction of the 5
combined spring wheel and barrel, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
after specified.
It consists further in combining the stem thumb-piece and stem wheel with
each other and with the case, substantially as and for the purposes herein-after set
forth.
It consists further in the cap for confining the mainspring and its wheel in
position within the case, substantially as is herein-after described, and shown in the
Drawings.
It consists further in the means employed for preventing backward rotation of
the spring wheel, consisting of a spring pawl pivoted upon the winding stem
between the stem wheel and the inner face of the case centre, substantially as and
for the purposes herein-after specified.
It consists further in the means employed for releasing the spring pawl from
engagement with the spring wheel, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
after shown.
It consists further in the stop mechanism for limiting the coiling of the main-
spring, when such mechanism is actuated by such mainspring, substantially as is
herein-after set forth.
It consists further in upper and lower plates, cut each from a single piece of
sheet metal, and having bearings for staff of balance wheel, so connected with other
'portions of the plate as to enable them to be bent to change the depth of engage-
ment of said balance wheel with the escape wheel, substantially as and for the
purposes herein-after shown and described.
It consists further in a watch plate, having a hairspring stud connected with
and forming part of the same, substantially as and for the purposes herein-after
specified.
It consists further in the means employed for limiting end motions of the arbors;
consisting of a steel cap placed within a suitable recess at the outer end of each
pivot opening, and secured in position by swaying or burnishing the contiguous
metal of the plate inward over the edge of said cap, substantially as and for the
purpose herein-after shown.
It consists further in a balance wheel, having peripheral projections formed upon
and of the material composing said wheel, substantially as and for the purposes
herein-after set forth.
It consists further in the staff of a balance wheel, having formed within its
shoulder a notch for engagement with the impulse tooth of an escape wheel, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein-after shown and described.
It further consists of an escape wheel, having peripheral teeth of different lengths,
formed of the same plate, and having one or both sets of such teeth bent laterally
at any desired angle to the face of said wheel, substantially as and for the purpose
herein-after specified.
It consists further in the means employed for causing the rotation of the frame
of the movement to impart motion to the train, consisting of a stationary toothed
wheel secured to or upon the dial or other fixed support, and engaging with one of
the wheels of said train, substantially as and for the purpose herein-after shown.
It consists further in a pivoted arbor for the upper end of the rotating move-
ment, which is connected with the upper plate by a friction bearing, and forms a
pivoted support for the minute hand, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
after set forth.
It further consists of the means employed for imparting the desired motion to
the hour hand, consisting of an hour hand wheel pivoted below a fixed wheel that
has a less number of peripheral teeth, and caused to mesh with a pinion, which

page_text: engages with and rotates around both of said wheels, substantially as and for the
purpose herein-after shown and described.
It consists further in an hour hand permanently connected with a hollow arbor
by rivetting or burnishing the end of the latter downward over the hub of said
hand, substantially as and for the purpose herein-after specified.
It consists further in producing a friction bearing of the hour hand upon its sup-
porting arbor by interposing a concave steel washer between the hub of said hand
and the upper rivetted end of said arbor, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
after set forth.
It consists further in securing the dial within the case by placing the former
within a rebate that is formed within the inner upper corner of the centre piece,
and then burnishing the contiguous metal inward and downward over the edge of
said dial, substantially as and for the purpose herein-after shown and described.
It consists further in an open dial formed by removing the material around the
figures or characters, substantially as and for the purpose herein-after set forth.
It consists further in the means employed for connecting the centre wheel to or
with the dial, consisting of an intermediate washer provided with a hollow hub,
which projects through said parts and is rivetted or headed down upon each, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein-after specified.
It consists further in the means employed for uniting the upper and lower plates
of the movement consisting of pillars permanently secured within one plate, and
having the opposite ends, which project through the second plate, enlarged laterally
so as to confine said parts together with sufficient firmness to prevent accidental
displacement, substantially as and for the purpose herein-after shown.
It consists further in providing within the lower inner corners of the centre piece
of the case a groove or rebate for containing the toothed ring, spring wheel, and
cap, substantially as and for the purpose herein-after specified.
It consists further in a watch in which the centre piece of the case operates to
support the parts of the movement, to connect the same together, and to confine
them in place, substantially as and for the purpose herein-after shown and
described.
It consists, finally, in the means employed for supporting the pivotal arbors, upon
and around which the movement rotates, consisting of the dial permanently
secured within one side of the case centre, and the spring wheel confined in position
within the opposite side of the same, and each provided at its centre with an
opening for the reception of one of said arbors, substantially as and for the purpose
herein-after specified.
In the accompanying Drawings A represents the lower and B the upper plates of
my watch movement, which are connected together by means of three or more
pillars C that are permanently secured within said lower plate A, and have their
uppor reduced ends c contained within corresponding openings within said upper
plate B, the arrangement being such as to cause said plates to maintain the relative
position, shown in Figs. 5 and 6, their inner faces being parallel and their pivot
openings coincident with each other.
In order that the upper plate B may be securely held in position upon the
pillars C the reduced ends c of the latter are either made cylindrical and provided
with a round axial opening, into which when said plate is in position a round
tapering steel mandrel is driven, so as to spread said ends as seen in Fig. 5; or the
latter are made square and split, as shown in Fig. 6, so as to permit their lateral
expansion, by means of a wedge-shaped tool driven into the opening of each.
At the centre of the bottom or pillar plate A is rigidly secured an arbor D,
which extends outward to a suitable distance, and at its end is squared or other-
wise prepared for the reception of a spring collet d; while at the centre of the
upper plate B is an arbor E, which is reduced in diameter at its lower end, and has
such reduced portion e contained within a corresponding opening in said plate.
In order that the arbor E may be revolved within the plate B when desired, itn

page_text: lower end e is loosely fitted within the latter, and over said end below said
plate is placed a round concave steel washer e¹ with its concave side upward; after
which said end is headed, so as to cause said washer to bear firmly against said
plate, when it will be found that the spring of said washer will produce sufficient
friction between its upper side and said plate A, and between the latter and the
shoulder which forms the upper end of said reduced portion e, to cause said arbor
to rotate with the plates A & B, unless a considerable force is exerted to move it
in an opposite direction.
At one side of the centre of the plates A & B is pivoted an arbor F, which at
its upper end projects through said plate B, and to said end has secured a pinion f;
while at a point just below said plate B is secured a toothed wheel f¹. A second
arbor G is pivoted at one side to the arbor F, and at about the same distance from
the centre of the plates A and B, and at its upperend is provided with a pinion g
that meshes with the toothed wheel f¹; while near its longitudinal centre said arbor
.has secured a toothed wheel g', that has substantially the same size of said. wheel f'.
Near the centre of the plates A and B is pivoted an arbor H, which at or near its
longitudinal centre is provided with a pinion h that meshes with the toothed
wheel g; while below said pinion is secured an escape wheel I, which around its
periphery has a series of longitudinal pointed teeth i that incline slightly forward,
while between each of said teeth is provided another similar but shorter tooth i
that extends upward at an angle of about 10° from the face of said wheel.
The teeth of the escape wheel are cut in the usual manner, after which one set,
preferably the short teeth i', are bent upwards, so as to bring their ends into a
different plane from that occupied by the long teeth i
While the arrangement named is deemed most desirable the long teeth may be
bent upward and the short teeth permitted to maintain their ordinary positions,
or one set may be bent upward and the other downward, the only object of
such change being to cause said teeth to occupy different planes as before
stated.
"Near the periphery of the escape wheel I, upon the side of the centre of the
plates A, B, opposite to the arbor G, is pivoted an arbor or staff K, to which at
a point above said escape wheel is secured a balance wheel L that is stamped out of
sheet metal, and around its periphery is provided with a series of radial pro-
jections that form a part of said balance, and in dimensions resemble the screws
of an expansion balance.
Upon the staff K immediately below the balance L, upon the same plane as that
occupied by the short teeth i¹, is provided a collar k, which has such a diameter as
to cause its periphery to extend within the circle described by the ends of said
teeth;
and within said collar is formed a notch A, that in horizontal section has
the form of a right angle, and is arranged, as scen in Fig. 11, with its forward side
in a line with the radius, in which position one of said short teeth i may
enter said notch until its forward face bears against the forward side of the
latter.
The location of the staff K with relation to the arbor H is such as to cause about
one half its diameter below the collar k to be within the circle described by
the ends of the long teeth ; and within such part of said staff is formed a V
shaped notch k¹¹, that is located about one fourth the circumference of said staff
in advance of said notch k¹.
As thus arranged the operation of the escapement is as follows:-When the
balance is revolving backward one of the long or locking teeth i bears against the
staff K and prevents motion of the escape wheel I, but as said balance wheel revolves
in an opposite or forward direction said tooth i drops into the notch and moves
forward, and the succeeding tooth i in turn bears upon said staff and again arrests
the movement of said escape wheel. While the locking tooth i is passing through
the notch the short impulse tooth i¹ immediately in its rear passes into the
notch, and bearing against the forward end of the latter gives impulse to the

page_text: balance, its engagement with said notch ceasing just before the next locking tooth
impinges upon the shaft K.
If desired the notch may be omitted, and in its stead a pin or stud be placed
in the upper side of the collar k, in which event said collar must be arranged so as
to permit the impulse teeth i¹ to pass freely about it.
End motion of the staff K and arbors H, F, is prevented by means of the steel
caps M, which are circular in form, and are placed within corresponding recesses
formed in the plates A and B at the end of each pivot hole, where they are secured
in place by swaging or burnishing the contiguous metal of said plates over the
edges of said caps. Holes for the insertion of oil within the pivot holes are formed
at one side of the centre of each cap.
The plates A and B, which are formed by dies, have all surplus metal removed
from their central portions, a sufficient quantity only being left to ensure the
necessary strength and cause the operative mechanism to be properly supported.
The portion of each plate which forms a bearing for the balance wheel staff K is so
connected with said plate as to enable it to be bent toward or from the escape
wheel, by which means the depth of the engagement of the escapement may be
varied at will.
The hair spring attachment or stud h forms part of the upper plate B, and after
the latter is stamped out is bent downward until its end is in position to receive
the end of the hair spring, such construction effecting an important saving in
expense over the usual method of forming such stud separately and attaching it to
the plate by one or more screws and dowel pins.
The parts described, which constitute the train of my watch, are pivoted
by means of the arbors D and E within a dial N and spring wheel O, in
such manner as to permit of their rotation. The dial N is preferably composed
wholly of metal, and is stamped or cut by dies from a plate which has sufficient
thickness to afford the necessary strength. The metal around the figures of said
dial is cut away, as is also most of the central portion of the same, so as to leave
said figures disconnected except at their outer and inner ends, and to expose as
much of the interior of the watch as is possible, while reserving sufficient metal to
afford the necessary strength to support the operative mechanism. The dial N is
secured in position within the case by being fitted at its edge into a rebate P that
is formed within the upper inner edge of the centre pieces P, after which the con-
tiguous metal of the latter is burnished or spun over the face of said dial, firmly
locking the same in position, and preventing rotary motion or accidental displace-
ment. At the centre of the dial N at its lower side is a toothed wheel Q, which is
permanently secured in place by means of a washer q that is placed between said
parts, and is provided at each side with a hub q' that passes through a corresponding
spring in said dial or wheel, and has its projecting ends riveted or headed down,
such arrangement causing the parallelism of the contiguous faces of said parts to
be maintained, and said wheel at its rim to be slightly below said dial. The washer
is provided with an axial opening, through which passes the hollow arbor
the hour hand wheel R, said wheel being immediately below the wheel Q, while said
hollow arbor extends above the dial N sufficiently to enable it to receive the hour
hand S. Said hour hand is permanently connected with said hollow arbor by
having the end of the latter riveted or burnished downward over its hub.
of
In order that the hour hand may be rotated upon the hollow arbor r for the
purpose of setting the watch, a concave steel washer r¹ is placed around the end of
said arbor above said hand before the end of the former is headed downward, the
concave side of the washer being downward, when it is found that the pressure exerted
by the latter will produce sufficient friction between its lower surface and the upper
side of the hub of said hand, and between the lower side of the latter and the
shoulder upon which it rests, to cause said hand to rotate with said hollow arbor
except when purposely moved thereon.
From the upper end downward nearly to the plate B the arbor E is reduced in

page_text: diameter, so as to permit it to pass loosely through the hollow arbor, which latter
forms a bearing for the former. The shoulder which forms the lower end of the
reduced portion of the arbor E bears against the lower side of the hub of the
wheel R, while the upper end of said arbor extends sufficiently through the hollow
arbor to permit of the attachment thereto of a minute hand T by any desired
means.
The diameters of the wheels Q and R are the same, so that each meshes with the
pinion, but said wheels have different numbers of teeth, the stationary wheel Q
having 44, and the movable wheel R 48 teeth, but if desired a larger or lesser
number may be employed, provided that the relative proportion is maintained. By
this arrangement each rotation of the pivoted movement will cause the minute hand
to pass entirely around the dial, while the hour hand will be carried forward one-
twelfth of a revolution as its wheel R is moved forward by the rotation of the
pinion around the same, said pinion engaging with but 44 of the 48 teeth of said
wheel of its periphery, in traveling around the same, and consequently having
moved said wheel forward just 4 teeth.
The spring wheel O has substantially the same diameter as the dial N, and is
contained within a rebate p' that is formed within the lower inner edge of the case
centre P, where it is held in place while permitted to rotate by means of a cap U,
which fits at its edges into said rebate with sufficient closeness to permit it to main-
tain its position unless purposely moved therefrom. The spring wheel O is provided
with a central opening o, which receives and contains the arbor D, and forms a
bearing for the same, while immediately within the outer edge of said wheel are
formed a series of rectangular openings o¹, that are arranged radially and at equi-
distant points around the same, and receive the teeth of a spur wheel V, which
wheel is secured to or upon the inner end of the stem W, and engages with said
spring wheel from the upper side. The stem W, stem wheel V, and a thumb-piece X
placed around the outer end of the former are permanently secured together by
riveting or heading down the ends of said stem after the parts are in place within
the case.
The spring wheel O has its central portion cut away so as to leave a rim, hub,
and spokes, and from equidistant points from the inner edge of such rim a number
of lugs o project downward, as shown in Fig. 4. Said wheel, including its lugs, is
cut with a die from a piece of metal, and said lugs afterwards bent downward into
position. Upon the outer end of the arbor D is secured a collet Y, which receives
the inner end of a mainspring Z, the outer end of which spring is doubled back-
ward around one of the lugs o", and said spring, together with the backward
double end, thence passes outside of the next lug, and thence continues inward
toward the centre.
The spring wheel O is prevented from rotating backward by means of a spring
pawl or detent A', shown in Fig. 15, which near its longitudinal centre is
provided with an opening that enables it to be placed over the stem W between
the stem wheel V and case centre P, in which position said stem operates as a pivotal
bearing for said pawl. The rear portion of the pawl A¹ is made thin vertically so
as to form a spring, and has its end pressed against a suitable bearing that is placed
immediately above the spring wheel O, while the front end of said pawl is pointed
and turned downward and forward, and engages with the openings of of said spring
wheel. As thus arranged the pawl A' will oscillate upon its pivotal bearing, the
stem W, whenever the spring wheel O is moved in a forward direction, the front
end of said pawl being alternately depressed and allowed to spring outward as each
opening o' passes over the same, but in consequence of the shape of said engaging
end said wheel cannot be rotated rearward, while each part remains intact.
In order that the pawl A' may be released from engagement with the spring
wheel O whenever it is desired to let down the spring a lug a' is formed upon the
upper side in rear of the pivotal bearing of said pawl, and projects upward through
a suitable notch in the dial N, in which position a slight rearward pressure upon

page_text: the lug will cause the engaging end of said pawl to be moved upward out of engage-
ment with said spring wheel.
To prevent breakage of the mainspring or injury to other parts of the watch by
the too close winding of said spring the following described means are employed :-
Immediately above the spring wheel O, within the rebate p', is placed a ring B',
which has about one-half the width of the rim of said wheel, is held in circumferen-
tial position by any suitable means, and upon and within its inner periphery is pro-
vided with a series of notches b¹ that have the form shown in Fig. 3, and each.
inclines outward and forward in the line of motion of said spring wheel. Upon the
upper face of the spring wheel O within the line of the inner edge of the ring B₁ is
pivoted a pawl C¹ which may be turned until its forward end-engages with one of
the notches b¹ of said ring, and arrests farther forward motion of said wheel; or said
pawl may be turned so as to release its said end from engagement and permit said
spring wheel to rotate without interruption. From the lower side, at the rear end
of the spring pawl C¹, a stud c¹¹ extends downward between the rearward bent end
of the mainspring Z and the outer coil of the same in such a position as to cause
end to bear upon and press said stud and the rear end of said pawl outward. As
thus arranged the outward pressure of the end of the mainspring Z will cause the
pawl C to remain out of engagement with the toothed ring B¹ until said spring has
been nearly coiled up, when the outside coil of the latter drawing diagonally inward
across the stud ell will exert sufficient force to overcome the resistance of said
spring end, and will cause said pawl to engage with said toothed ring and the
forward motion of the spring wheel to be arrested.
Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my Invention, what I claim
as new is,―
1st. The spring wheel O, cut from sheet metal and provided on its periphery
with radial openings o¹ for the reception of the teeth of a spur gear wheel, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2d. The spring wheel O, having at the inner edge of its rim a number of lugs o",
which are attached to and form part of said rim, and are bent downward at a
right angle to the plane of said wheel, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
3d. The cap-U, arranged to fit within the rebate p¹ of the case centre P and to
embrace the spring wheel O and spring Z, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
4th. The combination with the spring wheel O the pawl A¹, provided at one end
with a point which engages with said wheel and its opposite end with a spring, and
pivoted upon the stem W between the winding wheel V and the case centre P, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose specified.
5th. As a means for releasing the pawl A¹ from engagement with the spring
wheel O, the lug a' formed upon the upper end of said pawl in rear of the pivoted
bearing, and projecting upward through the dial N, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
6th. Stop mechanism for limiting the coiling of the mainspring when such
mechanism is actuated by said spring, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
7th. The upper and lower plates, each cut from one piece of metal, and having
bearings for the staff of the balance wheel so connected with other portions of said
plates as to enable them to be bent toward or from the escape wheel, and thereby
change the depth of engagement of said balance wheel with said escape wheel, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes specified.
8th. A watch plate having a hairspring stud cut or stamped from the same piece
of metal, as and forming part of the same, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
9th. As a means for limiting end motion of the arbor, a cap M placed within a
recess at the outer-end of each pivot opening in the plates A and B, and secured in

page_text: position by swaging or burnishing the contiguous metal of its said plates over the
edge of said cap, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
10th. A balance wheel having peripheral projections formed upon, and of the
material composing said wheel, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
:
11th. The staff of a balance wheel, having formed within its shoulder a notch for
engagement with the impulse tooth of an escape wheel, and within its periphery &
notch for the passage of a locking tooth of the same, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
12th. An escape wheel having radial peripheral teeth of different lengths formed
of the same plate, and having one or both set of such teeth bent laterally at any
desired angle to the face of said wheel, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
13th. As a means for causing the rotation of the pivoted frame of the move-
ment to impart motion to the train a stationary toothed wheel secured to or
upon the dial or other fixed support, and engaging with one of the wheels of
said train, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
14th. In a watch movement having its train arranged to rotate upon or around
a centre, a pivoted arbor for the upper end of the same, which forms a pivoted
support for the minute hand, and is connected to or with the upper plate of
the frame of said train by means of a friction bearing, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
15th. As a means for imparting motion to the hour hand S, the toothed
wheel secured to or upon the dial N, the toothed wheel R having a less
number of teeth than said wheel Q and provided with the arbor r, which
passes through said wheel Q and receives and supports said hand and the pinion f,
forming part of the train of the watch, and arranged to mesh with and rotate around
said wheels, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
16th. An hour hand permanently connected with a hollow arbor by riveting or
burnishing the latter downward over the hub of the former, substantially as set
forth.
17th. As a means for producing a friction bearing of the hour hand S upon its
supporting arbor r, a concave steel washer r¹ interposed between the hub of said
hand and the upper riveted end of said arbor, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
18th. A watch in which the dial is secured within the case by placing said dial
within a rebate that is formed within the inner upper edge of the centre piece, and
burnishing the contiguous metal inward and downward over the edge of said dial,
substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.
19th. An open watch dial formed by removing the material around the figures,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
20th. As a means for connecting the centre, wheel Q to or with the dial N, the
washer g placed between said parts and provided with a hollow hub q¹ which pro-
jects through said parts and is riveted or headed down upon each, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
21st. As a mean sfor uniting the plates A and B, the pillars C permanently secured
within said plate A, and having their opposite reduced ends c project through said
plate B, and when in place enlarged laterally, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
22d. As a means for containing and securing in position the toothed ring B¹,
spring wheel O, and cap U, the rebate p' formed within the inner lower corners
of the centre piece P, substantially as set forth.
23d. A watch in which the centre piece of the case operates to support the parts
of the movement, to connect the same together, and to confine them in place, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose specified.
24th. As a means for supporting the pivotal arbors D and E of the movement, the
dial N permanently secured within one side of the case centre P, and the spring

page_text: wheel O confined in position within the opposite side of the latter, and each pro-
vided with a central opening for the reception of one of said arbors, substantially as
and for the purpose specified. .
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Azro Ashley Buck, have hereto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of May, in the year of our Lord Ono
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
DANIEL AZRO ASHLEY BUCK. (L.S.)