IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATCHES, CHRONOMETERS, CLOCKS, AND OTHER TIMEKEEPERS." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Watkins, of No. 36, Henrietta Street,
in the Parish of St. Paul, Covent Garden, in the County of
Middlesex, Watch and Chronometer Maker, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATCHES, CHRONOMETERS, CLOCKS,
AND OTHER TIMEKEEPERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Watkins at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th July 1868.
I, ALEXANDER WATKINS, of 36, Henrietta Street, in the Parish of
St. Paul, Covent Garden, in the County of Middlesex, Watch and
Chronometer Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATCHES, CHRONOMETERS, CLOCKS,
AND OTHER TIMEKEEPERS," to be as follows:-
I form the pillar plate on which the dial is fixed out of a solid piece
of metal, which is curved on the edge so as to admit of being fastened
into the case without the use of screws, bolts, or springs, and has

page_text: recesses formed or sunk on. its under surface, into which the barrel and
ratchet are placed, whereby the necessity of employing several separate
parts to carry the same is avoided.
In order to dispense with the use of a chain and fusee, and the
multiplicity of parts connected with the same, I apply the power
directly to the centre wheel by means of a box or barrel containing
the mainspring or actuating power, on the periphery or circumference
of which box or barrel a toothed rim or wheel is made, which teeth
act on the pinion of the centre wheel, whilst the box or barrel is on
the plain arbor. The mainspring is tapered both as to its depth and
thickness with a peculiar tapering on the latter, it having been found
necessary by experience to do this in order that it may properly free
itself and prevent biting in unwinding, whilst the narrow outer end
is one-third thinner in order to give the necessary elasticity. By this
arrangement an even or equalised power is communicated to the centre
wheel and any intervening mechanism rendered unnecessary. The
thinner and narrower end is attached to the side of the box or barrel
by a screw or other convenient arrangement, and the broad and thick
end is attached to the arbor as usual.
In order to allow of the spring being wound up, and at the same time
held in its required position when so wound without the use of springs to
retain it in position, I employ a click, pall, or catch, called a "self-acting
click," formed out of a solid piece of steel or other suitable material, in
such a manner as to do away with the necessity of employing a spring or
its equivalent to cause it to perform its functions, and it is made in the
form shown in the Drawings, by which means it is carried into the teeth
of the ratchet and cannot be broken, thus doing away with much of the
complication which exists in the ordinary mode employed for this
purpose. This click is placed underneath the barrel in a recess or sink
in the pillar plate which is provided for the purpose, whereby it is free
from any liability of becoming clogged or impeded in its action by any
dirt or extraneous matter which might get into the watch, and this click
is so formed that in winding up it keeps out of gear or free from entering
the teeth of the ratchet, and by means of a projection on the inside
opposite the part which enters the teeth of the ratchet, and which is
touched by the teeth of the ratchet in passing; when the winding is
finished the locking end is caused to enter the teeth and so hold the
spring in the proper position.

page_text: In order to obtain isochronism in the flat pendulum spring, in case-
there should be any inequality in the actuating power, I cause the outer
coil of the said spring to press slightly against the inner pin of the
regulator, by which means the desired end is attained..
To obtain an equal balance or poise of the pallets on. their centres
so as to prevent inequality of motion from accident or otherwise, I
fix or attach to the pallet staff or shaft a piece of flat steel or other
suitable material of a peculiar form, as shown in the Drawings, which is
adjusted to the position required to obtain the desired end.
In order to further simplify the construction of watches and other
timekeepers I form the minute pin out of the solid, whereby the drilling
and screwing in ordinary use are avoided.
In order to obtain greater bearing surface in the plate for the upper
pivot of the centre wheel, the set hand piece is so formed by means of
a sink or recess in the square as to enable a raised part or projection on
the pillar plate to enter into the same, thereby affording a greater length
of square without increasing the thickness of the watch...
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS..
(Fig. 1) represents the tapered mainspring; (Fig. 2) represents the
edge of the pillar plate so formed as to fasten into the case without the
use of screws, bolts, or springs; (Fig. 3) represents the inside of the.
pillar plate, showing the peculiar form of click a with ratchet 6 in
their place in the recess or sink c; (Fig. 4) represents the outside of
the pillar plate, with the minute pin a formed out of the solid plate;
(Fig. 5) represents a section on line A, B, Fig. 4, a being the minute
pin; (Fig. 6) represents the peculiar shaped balance piece attached to
the pallet staff or shaft, a being the plan, and 6 the edge view of the
same; (Fig. 7) represents the set hand piece of the form herein-
before described.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
WATKINS, of No. 36, Henrietta Street, in the Parish of Saint Paul,

page_text: Covent Garden, in the County of Middlesex, Watch and Chronometer
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-first
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Alexander Watkins, Her special licence that I;
the said Alexander Watkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Alexander Watkins, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF WATCHES, CHRONOMETERS, CLOCKS, AND OTHER TIMEKEEPERS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Watkins, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Watkins, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
This Invention has for its object improvements in the arrangement
of the parts used in the construction of watches, chronometers, clocks,
and other timekeepers in such a manner as to simplify their construction
and dispense with the use of several parts hitherto employed therein,
by which means machinery and tools can be economically employed
for their manufacture, and the facility and economy with which they
can be made are greatly increased, and the tendency to get out of order
which is inherent in watches, chronometers, clocks, and other time-
keepers constructed of a great number of complicated pieces and
worked by means of a chain is greatly reduced.
In order to carry out my Invention I form the pillar plate on which
the dial is fixed out of a solid piece of metal, which is curved on the

page_text: edge so as to admit of being fastened into the case without the use of
screws, bolts, or springs, and has recesses formed or sunk on its under
surface into which the barrel and ratchet are placed, whereby the
necessity of employing several separate parts to carry the same is
5 avoided.
In order to dispense with the use of a chain and fusee and the
multiplicity of parts connected with the same, I apply the power directly
to the centre wheel by means of a box or barrel containing the main-
spring or actuating power, on the periphery or circumference of which
box or barrel a toothed rim or wheel is made, which teeth act on the
pinion of the centre wheel whilst the box or barrel is on a plain arbor.
The mainspring is tapered both as to its depth and thickness with a
pecular tapering on the latter, it having been found necessary by ex-
perience to do this in order that it may properly free itself and prevent
biting in unwinding, whilst the narrow outer end is one-third thinner in
order to give the necessary elasticity. By this arrangement an even or
equalised power is communicated to the centre wheel and the inter-
vening mechanism rendered unnecessary. The thinner and narrower
end is attached to the side of the box or barrel by a screw or other con-
venient arrangement, and the broad and thick end is attached to the
arbor as usual.
In order to allow of the spring being wound up, and at the same
time held in its required position when so wound without the use of
springs to retain it in position, I employ a click, pall, or catch, called a
"self-acting click," formed out of a solid piece of steel or other suitable
material, in such a manner as to do away with the necessity of employing
a spring or its equivalent to cause it to perform its functions, and it is
made in the form shown in the Drawing, by which means it is carried
into the teeth of the ratchet and cannot be broken, thus doing away
with much of the complication which exists in the ordinary mode em-
ployed for this purpose. This click is placed underneath the barrel in a
recess or sink in the pillar plate which is provided for the purpose,
whereby it is free from any liability of becoming clogged or impeded in
its action by any dirt or extraneous matter which might get into the
watch, and this click is so formed that in winding up it keeps out of gear
or free from entering the teeth of the ratchet, and by means of a pro-
jection on the inside opposite the part which enters the teeth of tho
ratchet and which is touched by the teeth of the ratchet in passing

page_text: First. Forming the pillar plates of such watches and other time-
keepers as fit into cases with edges of such a form as to fit into the case
and be retained therein without the use of springs, screws, or other
additional parts.
Secondly. Forming the mainspring of watches and other timekeepers
with a taper both on their breadth and thickness in order to allow it to
free itself and prevent biting in unwinding.
Thirdly. The employment, form, and arrangement of a winding click
which shall be self-acting without the use of springs or other equivalent
to cause it to enter the teeth of the ratchet.
Fourthly. The application of a balance piece on the balance staff or
pivot so as to cause the pallets to be in balance and free from bias.
Fifthly. The adjustment of the pendulum spring, so as to bear on one
of the pins of the regulator.
Sixthly. Forming the minute pin out of the solid plate, so as to carry
the minute nut and give greater simplicity of construction.
Seventhly. Forming the set hand piece with a recess in the square, so
as to obtain greater bearing surface and give greater length of square for
the key.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Watkins, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this 29th day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
25 Witness,
CHA. F. T. YOUNG, C.E.,
Consulting Engineer for Patents,
7, Duke Street, Adelphi,
W.C.
ALEX. WATKINS. (L.S.)