IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE WINDING MECHANISM OF WATCHES AND CLOCKS." RELATING TO THE M OF
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Christian Lange, of 99, Strand, London, Watch,
Clock, and Chronometer Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
RELATING TO THE WINDING MECHANISM OF WATCHES AND CLOCKS."
RELATING TO THE WINDING MECHANISM OF WATCHES AND CLOCKS.”
Sealed the 25th September 1869, and dated the 1st April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christian Lange at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st April 1869.
I, CHRISTIAN LANGE, of 99, Strand, London, Watch, Clock, and
Chronometer Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE WINDING MECHANISM OF WATCHES AND
CLOCKS," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to arrange the winding mechanism of
watches and clocks in such a manner that the same may be effected
by the knob at the pendant (as applied to a watch) as well as by a
winding square inside the watch, by which arrangement the great
advantages are obtained, that both the key and the knob may be turned

page_text: the wrong way without detriment to the watch, while at the same time
the hands may be set by means of the knob as well as the common
key.
The nature of my Invention consists in the following:--For the sake
of illustration I propose to explain it with reference to a watch. The
wheel which is geared into and worked by the pinion on which the
knob at the pendant is fixed, and which I call the 1st wheel, is fitted on
to one end of an axle, while the other end of said axle is formed square
for the purpose of winding by a key fitted thereto. This 1st wheel
gears into a 2nd wheel, and the two are kept in constant connection
and gear by means of a piece of steel or other metal fitted over or under
them, and on which the centre or stud carrying the 2nd wheel is fixed.
This piece of steel has its turning centre in common with the 1st wheel,
and has an arm to be acted upon for the purpose of setting the hands. On
the barrel arbre is fitted a 3rd wheel, and the 2nd wheel is kept in gear
with it by the pressure of a spring. By turning the knob at the pendant
or a key fitted on the above-named square one way the watch is wound
up, but by turning it the reverse way the piece of steel on which the
stud of the 2nd wheel is fixed moves concentrically with the 1st wheel,
and the 2nd wheel is lifted out of gear with the 3rd wheel. The setting
of the hands is effected by pushing the piece of steel the reverse way
to that caused by the above-named spring, by which means the 2nd
wheel is thrown out of gear with the 3rd wheel and into gear with a
wheel acting into the motion work. I purpose applying this Invention
to clocks in any suitable way.
filed by the said Christian Lange in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHRISTIAN
LANGE, of 99, Strand, London, Watchmaker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of April, in the year of
3

page_text: our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Christian Lange, Her special licence
that I, the said Christian Lange, my executors, administrators,.
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Christian Lange, my
executors, administrators, 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.
RELATING TO THE WINDING MECHANISM OF WATCHES AND CLOCKS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Christian Lange, 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 Christian Lange, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon:-
The object of my Invention is to arrange the winding mechanism of
watches and clocks in such a manner that the same may be effected by
the knob at the pendant (as applied to a watch) as well as by a winding
square inside the watch by which arrangement the great advantages
are obtained that both the key and the knob may be turned the wrong
way without detriment to the watch, while at the same time the hands
may be set by means of the knob as well as the common key.
The nature of my Invention consists in the following:-For the sake
of illustration I propose to explain it with reference to a watch. The
wheel which is geared into and worked by the pinion on which the
knob at the pendant is fixed, and which I call the first wheel, is fixed on
to one end of an axle while the other end of the said axle is formed
square for the purpose of winding by a key fitted thereto. This first
wheel gears into a second wheel, and the two are kept in constant

page_text: connection and gear by means of a piece of steel or other metal fitted
over or under them, and on which the centre or stud carrying the second
wheel is fixed. This piece of steel has its turning centre in common
with the first wheel, and has an arm to be acted upon for the purpose
of setting the hands. On the barrel arbre is fitted a third wheel and the
second wheel is kept in gear with it by the pressure of a spring. By
turning the knob at the pendant or a key fitted on the above-named
square one way the watch is wound up, but by turning it the reverse
way the piece of steel on which the stud of the second wheel is fixed
moves concentrically with the first wheel, and the second wheel is lifted
out of gear with the third wheel. The setting of the hands is effected
by pushing the piece of steel the reverse way to that caused by the
above-named spring, by which means the second wheel is thrown out
of gear with the third wheel and into gear with a wheel acting into the
motion work. I propose applying this Invention to clocks in any
suitable way.
The Drawing shews those parts of a watch which form the subject
of this Invention. The knob A at the pendant has on the end of its
spindle a pinion which gears into a wheel on the spindle B, which
The latter has two arms one of which
passes through the steel plate C.
carries the stud D on which works a pinion which I call 2, gearing into
a wheel 1 on the spindle B, and the other arm has a pin or projection
against which presses a spring E, with the view of keeping the wheel 2
in gear with the wheel 3 on the barrel arbre. A small knob F by being
pressed against the arm with the projection on the plate C throws the
pinion 2 out of gear with wheel 3 and into gear with the wheel 4 acting
into the motion work.
The action of the mechanism is as follows:-The watch is wound up
either by a common key on the square of the spindle B or it may be
wound by the knob A, in either case supposing it be turned the wrong
way no harm will be done, because the wheel 2 will then of itself lift
out of gear with the wheel 3. The setting is likewise effected either
by the knob A or by a common key on the square of the spindle B, in
each case taking care to press against the knob F, whereby the wheel 2
is thrown out of gear with wheel 3 and into gear with wheel 4.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and particularly
one mode of applying the same, I claim as my Invention the com-

page_text: bination of improvements herein set forth, substantially as and for the
purposes described or any mere modification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christian Lange, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
CHRISTIAN LANGE. (L.S.)