IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO WATCHES AND CLOCKS, APPLICABLE IN PART TO OTHER PURPOSES.”
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Mark Cross, of Bristol, in the County of Gloucester, for
an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO WATCHES AND CLOCKS,
APPLICABLE IN PART TO OTHER PURPOSES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Mark Cross at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th October 1880.
MARK CROSS, of Bristol, in the County of Gloucester.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
OR RELATING TO WATCHES AND CLOCKS, APPLICABLE IN PART TO OTHER
PURPOSES."
My improved watch cases are designed so that the watch may be wound,
regulated, and the hands set all from the back and without exposing the works,
and I accomplish this by forming a small door in the case; this may be secured by
a catch and opened with the thumb nail, or by a spring and flown open by pressing
a knob or projection upon the case in the ordinary manner, except that I prefer to
place the knob on the side of the case instead of upon the pendant. When the
little door is opened a recess is exposed to view; in this are arranged the usual
squares for winding and setting the hands. One portion of this recess I prefer
(though it is not absolutely necessary) to close with a small inside door or cover,
upon opening which the auxiliary regulator appears. This is attached to a spindle
carrying a forked arm which takes onto the real regulator of the watch. By this
means the size of the case can be reduced, the cost lessened, the works are protected
from dirt, and are not unnecessarily exposed to the injury they frequently now
receive at the hands of careless persons. It will be seen that this arrangement of
case may with suitable modifications be utilized for certain kinds of clocks, such as
carriage clocks and the like.
My improvement in pinions is a very simple one, but a very important one.
Pinions of the kind called "lantern" or "skeleton" for clocks and other coarser
mechanisms are commonly made by taking two plates, perforating them and placing
cross wires between to form the leaves or teeth, and this form of pinion has some-
times advantages over the solid form, in as much, as dirt can drop through instead
of filling up the space, and perhaps stopping the clock or other mechanism, and
CD 631

page_text: many ineffectual attempts have been made to use this form of pinion in watches
and other fine mechanisms, but hitherto without success on account of their small
size. Now I get over all difficulty and produce a satisfactory "lantern" or
"skeleton" by removing the centre of the solid pinion by means of a hollow
or annular drill, the pinion being supported in a suitable die or equivalent, leaving
only the teeth or leaves outside, and the spindle or arbor in the centre. When
required for strength, a cap can be fitted to these pinions. These pinions are of
course applicable to other mechanisms besides watches, and have this advantage
over both the older forms, that the teeth are made in what is technically known as
the bay leaf shape, and can therefore be used either as drivers or driven, and at the
same time they are skeleton pinions, whereas the older ones if the teeth were of
bay leaf form had solid centres, or if of skeleton form the teeth were not of the bay
leaf pattern, and the pinion could not be used as a driver.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Mark Cross in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th April 1881.
MARK CROSS, of Bristol, in the County of Gloucester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OR RELATING TO WATCHES AND CLOCKS, APPLICABLE IN PART TO OTHER
PURPOSES."
"
My improved watch cases are designed so that the watch may be wound,
regulated, and the hands set, all from the back and without exposing the works,
and I accomplish this by forming a small door in the case; this may be secured by
a catch and opened with the thumb-nail, or by a spring and flown open by pressing
a knob or projection upon the case in the ordinary manner, except that I prefer to
place the knob on the side of the case instead of upon the pendant. When the
little door is opened a recess is exposed to view; in this are arranged the usual
squares for winding and setting the hands. One portion of this recess I prefer
(though it is not absolutely necessary) to close with a small inside door or cover,
upon opening which the auxiliary regulator appears. This is attached to a spindle
carrying a forked arm, which takes on to the real regulator of the watch. By this
means the size of the case can be reduced, the cost lessened, the works are protected
from dirt, and are not necessarily exposed to the injury they frequently now
receive at the hands of careless persons. It will be seen that this arrangement of
case may with suitable modifications be utilized for certain kinds of clocks, such as
carriage clocks and the like. Pinions of the kind called "lantern ог "skeleton
for clocks and other coarse mechanisms are commonly made by taking two plates,
perforating them, and placing cross wires between to form the leaves or teeth, and
this form of pinion has sometimes advantages over the solid form, in as much, as
dirt can drop through instead of filling up the space, and perhaps stopping the
clock or other mechanism, and many ineffectual attempts have been made to use
this form of pinion in watches and other fine mechanisms, but hitherto without
Buccess on account of their small size. Now I get over all difficulty and produce a
satisfactory "lantern" or "skeleton "pinion by removing the centre of the solid
pinion by means of a hollow or annular drill, the pinion being supported in a
suitable die or equivalent, leaving only the teeth or leaves outside, and the spindle
or harbor in the centre. When required for strength a cap can be fitted to these
pinions. These pinions are of course applicable to other mechanisms besides
watches, and have this advantage over both the older forms, that the teeth are
made in what is technically known as the bay leaf shape, and can therefore be used
either as drivers or driven, and at the same time they are skeleton pinions, whereas
the older ones if the teeth were of bay leaf form had solid centres, or if of skeleton
form the teeth were not of the bay leaf pattern, and the pinion could not be used
as a driver.
Reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, in which like letters
represent like parts, Fig. 1 shows a view of the improved watch case with both
outer and inner doors open, and the winding and setting squares and auxiliary
regulator in view; Fig. 2 is a similar view with the inner door closed; Fig. 3 is a
reverse view from the inside of the case, and shows the forked regulator arm which
moves the real regulator; Fig. 4 is a sectional side view showing the general
arrangement and the false regulator outside, with its spindle and the forked
regulator inside stand out clearly; Fig. 5 shows the inclined plan upon which the
opening and closing spring of the cover works; Fig. 6 is a side view of the pinion
partly in section, so as to show the annular space between the leaves or teeth, and
the spindle or centre; Fig. 7 is an end view of the pinion; Figs. 8 and 9 are two
views of an ordinary hollow drill, which may be employed in making these
pinions.

page_text: These views are enlarged for the sake of clearness; no view is given of the
application of this Invention to clocks, etc., that not being considered necessary, as
it is similar to that set forth herein, due allowance being made for the slight
necessary modifications; the recess would generally be formed in the framework
instead of in the case, but so it could in watches, only that I generally prefer to
form it in the case itself as being more convenient, and better suited to keep
out dirt.
A is the case, and B the recess closed by a hinged door or lid B'; there is also a
smaller lid B within the first when desired, though it is not absolutely necessary
to have it; B³ are the winding and handsetting squares, and C is the auxiliary
regulator capable of being moved over the sector C¹. A spindle or arbor C³ passes
through the case and carries a forked arm C, the jaws of which fit over the real
regulator, so that it moves with the auxiliary one. An alternative arrangement
would be to dispense with the real regulator, square the end of its spindle, and
recess the auxiliary regulator spindle so as to fit over it. A single spring D
pivotted at D' and having a projecting arm D³ serves the tripple purpose of opening
the outer lid, of keeping it open, and when closed of keeping it closed; this is
accomplished in the following simple manner :-The ordinary pin or presser passes
through the watch pendant, and communicates by a spring or equivalent E with a
pin D³ upon arm D²; upon lid B¹ is an inclined plane F, Fig. 5, the ends of which
are turned up for the end of spring D to bear upon; its action is as follows:-
Spring D is capable of turning upon its axis at D¹, and has a permanent tendency
towards the back of the watch; when it is in the position shown in Fig. 3 (by
pushing in the presser in the pendant which moves spring E and arm D²), its
outward tendency opens lid B', and still pressing upon the turned over end of the
inclined plane F keeps it open; but when the lid is shut down the spring D is
compressed, and the spring automatically turns upon its pivot to the other end of
inclined plane F, which being at the other side of the hinge of lid B' keeps it shut,
just as when it occupied the former end of the inclined plane it kept the lid open.
The reason of the automatic turn of spring D upon its pivot is that the inclined
plane F is so placed upon the lid that when the lid is shut the end F¹ recedes from
the spring, which naturally follows it, and is obliged to turn upon its pivot to do
80. It is not necessary to place the presser within the pendant, and it may be
placed at the side if desired, and in some cases I prefer to place it so.
The arrangement of the inner or regulator lid is sufficiently indicated in
Figs. 1, 2, 3, (dotted lines) and 4; the object of it is to protect the auxiliary
regulator which might be damaged or moved in winding or setting the watch; as
already stated however it is only desirable not absolutely necessary to have it.
The pinion is shown in Figs. 6 and 7; in Fig. 6 four of the teeth are removed so
as to show more clearly the annular space G and spindle G'; Figs. 8 and 9 show
one form of drill which may be employed to remove the metal and form the
annular space; other suitable forms of tool (such, for instance, as a rose-bit with a
hollow centre) may however be used for this purpose; I make no claim to the tool.
Various methods may be employed for forming the annular space G, such as
fixing the pinion in a suitable block to sustain the leaves or teeth whilst the
cutting, which can be performed by hand or power; but the method which I prefer
to adopt when making the pinions in small numbers is the following:―The pinion
is made in the ordinary way by turning down "pinion wire;" the drill is fixed in
the turns or lathe, the pinion is softened, placed in the ordinary watchmaker's bow
(in place of the drill), and drilled down about two thirds of the length of the leaves,
more or less, as may be necessary, and hardened and polished again for use.
А сар
or caps are placed upon the pinions when required, but these are not shown in the
Drawing. These pinions are of course applicable to other purposes besides watches,
and have this great advantage over both of the older forms of pinion in ordinary
use, viz., that the leaves or teeth are of the "bay leaf" pattern, while the pinion
is a "lantern" pinion, that is, has a hollow inside the leaves. By being "bay leaf"
shaped in the teeth, these pinions can be used indifferently for "drivers" or

page_text: "driven" (which cannot be done with the ordinary "lantern" pinion); and by
having a hollow centre the dirt does not collect between the teeth and clogg the
works, as is the case with the ordinary bay leaf pinion; therefore it will be seen
that by this simple device I combine in one pinion the advantages formerly spread
over two, and which formerly could not be combined in one pinion, so that if it
was necessary to have bay leaf teeth one could not have a "lantern" pinion, or if a
"lantern" pinion was essential then the "bay leaf" teeth must be sacrificed.
Existing solid pinions can be readily converted into "lantern" pinions by this
method. There is no reason why the entire centre of the pinion should not be
removed in the manner suggested, no hole being left in the centre of the drill; but
in this case the pinion, and perhaps its wheel also, would be supported on one side
only, and as a rule it is better to leave the spindle in the centre to provide a
second bearing for the pinion, and also to place the cap upon when caps are used.
Having now described my Invention, and. the method of carrying it into effect,
I wish it to be understood that I am aware that "lantern" pinions alone and
pinions with "bay leaf" teeth alone have been long known to the public, and that
I do not claim separately either of those forms of pinions, but that what I do claim
and desire to protect under the hereinbefore in part recited Letter Patent is,―
"
First. The formation of a " lantern or hollow-centred pinion having "bay
leaf" shaped leaves or teeth, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and
shown.
Second. The herein described method of converting an ordinary solid pinion into
a "lantern" or hollow-centred pinion, by the removal of a portion or the whole of
the centre, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and shewn.
Third. The formation in a watch case or framework of the recess B to contain
the winding and setting squares and regulator, whereby the hands may be set and
the watch wound and regulated from the back without exposing the works,
substantially as set forth and shown.
Fourth. The employment in a watch of the auxiliary regulator C with its spindle
and forked arm C and C³, or their mechanical equivalent for the purpose of
regulating a watch without exposing the works, substantially as set forth and
shown.
Fifth. The employment in a watch of the spring D with its accessories, arm D³,
and inclined plane F (upon the lid) for the purpose, when operated upon, of springing
open the lid or cover to which it is applied, holding it open, and when the lid is
shut of holding it shut, substantially as set forth and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Mark Cross, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.
MARK CROSS. (L.S.)