IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES." A communication from abroad by August
von Lochr, of Prâter-strasse, 42, Vienna, in the Empire of Austria.
Sealed the 11th October 1878, and dated the 12th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th April 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES." [A commu
nication from abroad by August von Lochr, of Prâter-strasse, 42, Vienna, in the
Empire of Austria.]
In a pocket watch constructed according to this Invention a vibrating pendulum
or weight is so hung that when it is put in action by the shaking produced by the
walking or other motion of the body of the wearer, it will wind up the main watch
spring by means of a pawl acting on a ratchet wheel connected by a train of wheels
and pinions to the said main spring, and this will be effected in such a manner
that no special arrangements for preventing overwinding will be required.
The said pendulum or weight is so arranged that when the watch is hung
vertically and the wearer of it is walking, the said pendulum or weight will swing
down by its own weight and up by the counterpressure of a spring connected to it.
A pawl, preferably in the shape of a small flat or slightly curved spring, is fixed
to the said pendulum, which spring engages in a ratchet wheel having preferably
very fine teeth, and each time the pendulum vibrates it will, by means of the said
spring engaging in the teeth of the ratchet wheel, drive the latter round a certain
number of teeth, greater or less, according to the distance through which the.
pendulum passes. A second pawl, preferably also in the shape of a fine flat or
slightly curved spring, prevents the ratchet wheel from returning.
In order to obviate the danger of overwinding the mainspring the vibrating
pendulum or weight is preferably made of light weight, and the teeth of the ratchet

page_text: wheel as well as the train of wheels are preferably arranged so that, although a
large number of vibrations of the pendulum will be required, only little power will
be necessary for automatically winding up the watch. The resistance of the wound
up mainspring will therefore generally be sufficient to stop the pendulum vibrations,
and the pendulum will therefore simply cease to vibrate as soon as the watch has
been fully wound up.
When springs are used as pawls they will also by their elasticity take up any
strain arising from any tendency of the pendulum to vibrate after the mainspring
has been fully wound up.
The ratchet wheel may be provided with about one hundred and fifty teeth, and
the gearing may be so arranged that about four hundred rotations of the ratchet
wheel will be necessary to wind up the watch completely. As the pendulum at
each full vibration will move the ratchet wheel round about five teeth, about
twelve thousand vibrations of the pendulum may be necessary for completely
winding up the watch. But it is evident that these proportions may be varied
without departing from the substance of this Invention.
辈
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
October 1878.
.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltino, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. " IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES." A. communi-
cation from abroad by August von Loehr, of Prâterstrasse, 42, Vienna, in tho
Empiro of Austria.
In a watch constructed according to the present Invention a vibrating pendulum
or weight is so hung that when it is put in action by the shaking produced by the
walking or other movement of the wearer, it will wind up the main watch spring
by means of an elastic pawl acting on a ratchet wheel connected by a train of
wheels and pinions to the said main spring, and will effect this operation in such a
manner that no special arrangements for preventing overwinding will be required.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figures 1 and 2 show two modifications of the present Invention, and Figure 3
shows the arrangement whereby the rotation of the ratchet wheel is transmitted
by intermediate gearing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 to the main spring.
For the sake of clearness theso Figures are drawn about double the natural size.
The remaining Figures are herein-after described.
The pendulum or weight a is so arranged that when the watch is hung vertically
and the wearer of it is walking the said pendulum or weight will swing down by
its own weight, and up by the counterpressure of the spring bor b' connected.
to it.

page_text: A pawl c engages in a ratchet wheel d, which has preferably very fine teeth, and
each time the pendulum a vibrates, it will by means of the said spring c engaging
in the teeth of the ratchet wheel d, drive the ratchet wheel partly round. A second
pawl e prevents the return of the ratchet wheel.
Stops h, h, Figure 1, may be arranged for limiting the distance traversed by the
swinging pendulum.
To obviate the danger of overwinding the mainspring, the said vibrating pendulum
or weight is not made very heavy, and the teeth of the ratchet wheel as well as the
gearing of the train of wheels are preferably so arranged that although a large
number of vibrations of the pendulum will be required, but little power will be
necessary for automatically winding up the watch.
But an especial feature of this Invention is that the pawl c is made very elastic
in order by this elasticity to take up the strain arising from any tendency of the
pendulum to vibrate after the mainspring has been fully wound up. This elasticity
may be obtained by making the said pawl of a fine spring, as shewn in Figure 1.
Instead of the flat spring a spiral spring or other elastic equivalent may be
used.
Instead of hanging the pendulum a on a pivot f, as shown in Figure 1, it may
be hung directly to the spring 6', as shewn in Figuro 2.
For setting the hands of the watch a disc g, Figure 2, may be fixed to the stem
of the hands and the setting effected by prossing a finger on the said disc and
turning the same as required.
The hooks or serve to hang the watch from the side of the pocket, and so
ensure the vertical position of the watch when in use.
In Figure 1 the hook is formed in one pieco with the suspension ring; in
Figure 2 it is made of an ornamental form.
The said hook may have other suitable ornamental forms, such as that of a fleur-
de-lys, a heart, or an acorn.
The aforesaid ratchet wheel may be provided with about one hundred and fifty
teeth, and the gearing may be so arranged that about four hundred rotations of the
ratchet wheel will be necessary to wind up the main spring completely. As the
pendulum at each full vibration will move the said ratchet wheel around about five
teeth, about twelve thousand vibrations of the pendulum may be necessary for
completely winding up the watch. But it is evident that these proportions may be
varied without departing from the substance of this Invention.
When the watch is not worn and the pendulum is therefore not in motion, the
mainspring may be wound up by any ordinary or well-known means.
I prefer to make the mainspring of such a length that when the watch is fully
wound up it will go for about fifty-six hours without requiring any motion of the
pendulum.
In practice it has been found advantageous to use in connection with this self-
winding apparatus mechanisin for indicating at any time to what extent the watch
is wound up.
A suitable arrangement for this purpose is shown in Figures 4, 5, and G. It
consists in arranging a dial plate and pointer in connection with the spring
barrel and winding pin m in such a manner that on winding the watch up the
pointer moves from before the number 1 to the last number 50 on the dial j, and
while tho barrel is running down the dialj moves past the pointer, so that gradually
lower numbers from 56 down to 1 will cross the pointer.
These movements are effected by means of the intermediate gearing, consisting,-
Firstly. Of the teeth n arranged on the wheel o fixed on the winding pin m, and
gearing into the wheel p, the spindle of which carries the pointer k.
And, Secondly. Of the teeth q arranged on the spring barrel l, and gearing into
the wheel, the hollow axle of which carries the dial plate j.
In the arrangement shown the mainspring is calculated to keep the watch going
for 56 hours, and the pin m has to be rotated seven times for completely winding
up the mainspring.

page_text: The wheel o fixed to the pin m has four teeth n, and will make seven revolutions,
while the wheel p carrying the pointer k and driven by the teeth n, and having
twenty-eight teeth, will make ouly one revolution. In the same manner the wheel r
carrying the dial j, and having twenty-eight teeth, will make one revolution in
seven revolutions of the barrel 7.
The dial has 56 numbers indicating the 56 hours for which the mainspring runs.
It is evident therefore that if, for instance, the mainspring is wound up one-seventh
for eight hours, the pointer will be at the number 8, and that while the main-
spring is running down the dial plate alone will be moving in the direction of the
arrow, and so indicating lower numbers, while on the other hand, while the spring
is being wound up, the pointer alone will be moving in the direction of the arrow,
and so indicating higher numbers.
It is evident that without departing from the substance of this Invention other
numbers of teeth on the dial or other intermediate gearing may be used.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I am aware of swinging weights having been used for measuring steps, and
also for winding up watches, but in the latter case the contrivances were practically
uscless, because exceedingly complicated and delicate, and because special arrange-
ments had to be used for stopping the motion of the pendulum when the watch bad
been wound up, whereas according to the present Invention the same result is
obtained in a most simple and efficient manner, and I claim,-
First. A watch embodying in its construction the above-described improvements,
as and for the purposes specified.
Second. A device for winding up the mainspring of a watch, and consisting of
a swinging pendulum or weight in combination with an elastic pawl and a ratchet
wheel, as above described.
Third. In a device for winding up the mainspring of a watch, a pendulum hung
from a bow spring in combination with an elastic pawl, as above described.
Fourth. The construction of the hooks for ensuring the vertical suspension of the
watch, as above described and shown.
Fifth. The construction and arrangement of the mechanism for indicating at any
moment to what extent the mainspring is wound up, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
M PART TAKE (5.0)