Year: 1896

page_text: I, ERNEST WATSON, of Ivydene, 15 Avondale Road, Southport, in the County
of Lancaster, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an apparatus which is adapted to be firmly affixed
within the pocket of the user and is so constructed that a watch, purse or other
article of value can be guarded from surreptitious removal from the pocket without
the knowledge of the user.
According to my invention the apparatus may consist of a rectangular or other
box of small dimensions which is provided with means, such as a screw-stud, for
engagement with a stud-hole formed in the garment of the user and in proximity
to the pocket in which the apparatus is to be carried. Within the said box
I arrange a spring controlled drum or fuzee provided with a chain which is
normally kept wound up on the drum. or fuzee by the aforesaid spring. The free
end of this chain is connected by steel links to a divided ring which is adapted to
be connected to the watch or other article it is desired to protect. I also provide
locking means within the box whereby the said chain will be incapable of unwinding
from the drum or withdrawal from the box unless a suitable external catch be
first actuated. These means may consist of a pear shaped piece carried by the
chain and having an annular groove formed therein with which a slide will engage
under the action of a spring when the chain is fully wound onto the aforesaid
spring drum or fuzee. I wish it to be understood however that any other
appropriate contrivance may be employed for this purpose.
In case the aforesaid slide should become unintentionally withdrawn by the user
or surreptitiously operated so that it would be possible for the watch or other
article to be withdrawn from the user's pocket and the chain unwound from its
drum or fuzee, 1 may provide any suitable means such as a small bell for giving
audible indication to the user that the watch or other article is being withdrawn
from the pocket. These means may consist of a toothed wheel carried by the
aforesaid drum or fuzee and a spring pawl or click engaging therewith the said
click carrying a bell hammer capable of striking a succession of blows upon a bell
within the apparatus when the chain unwinds from the drum or fuzee. Or I may
dispense with the bell and depend upon the sound made by the click and the toothed
wheel as the drum or fuzee revolves.
The before mentioned divided ring for connecting the watch or other article to
the chain of the apparatus may be formed in halves which are connected together
by a hinge or pivot, each of the said halves having a portion of a screw stem.
These screw stem portions meet together when the ring is in its closed position
and form a complete screw stem to receive a nut for retaining the ring firmly in its
closed position.
The said screw stud with which the apparatus is furnished is preferably provided
with a comparatively large circular nut which is advantageously made couvex.on
its inner surface and roughened so as to obtain a tight grip on a comparatively
large surface of the fabric through which the stud is passed to secure the apparatus

page_text: By my apparatus the user can very readily remove the watch or other article
from the pocket a sufficient distance to conveniently observe it by reason of the
chain in the apparatus allowing, of such removal, when released by the operation
of the aforesaid locking device.
Dated this 30th day of July 1898
Improvements in Watch, Purse, and like Protectors.
I, ERNEST WATSON, of Ivydene, 15, Avondale Road, Southport, in the County
of Lancaster, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to apparatus which is adapted to be firmly affixed within
the pocket of the user and is so constructed that a watch, purse, or other article of
value can be guarded from surreptitious removal from the pocket.
In the annexed drawing
Figure 1 is a section and Figure 2 a cross section of a device according to this
invention, for the purpose above referred to.
Figure 3 illustrates a device for attachment to the article to be guarded.
Figure 4 illustrates the application of my invention as a watch protector.
The device illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 consists of a lozenge shaped locket a,
provided with means such as the projecting screwed spindle b and milled nut c
whereby it may be secured to the garment, for instance to that strip or selvage of
cloth on the inner side of a waistcoat, designated d in Figure 4. The spindle may
be simply pressed through the cloth or a button-hole may be provided for it.
Within the locket a I arrange a spring controlled drum e, provided with a
chain (or its equivalent) which is normally kept wound up on the drum by the
aforesaid spring. In some cases a fuzee may be substituted for the drum e. The
free end of the chain f is attached to a pear shaped piece 9, and the latter is
connected by strong links h (or their equivalent) and a split ring, or the device
shewn in Figure 5, to the stem of a watch or other article to be protected. The
pear shaped piece g normally lies in its socket i and is locked therein by a spring k
which enters an annular groove in the piece g. To release the piece g the spring k
is pressed back by the stud l.
To connect the links to the stem of a watch or the like, I prefer to employ
the device shewn in Figure 5. m m¹ are two halves of a ring, which are hinged
together. The half ring m has a screwed stem, whilst the half ring m¹ has a
feather which enters a slot in said screwed stem, so that when the nut n is screwed
over such feather the two halves of the ring are locked round the watch-stem or
other article to be secured.
The milled nut c should be comparatively large and is advantageously made
convex, so as to grip a comparatively large surface of cloth.
By my apparatus the user can very readily remove his watch or other article
from the pocket a sufficient distance to conveniently observe it, by reason of the
chain allowing of such removal when released by the stud 1, which latter is
conveniently operated by the thumb of the left hand whilst the watch is taken in
the right hand.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
A device for preventing the surreptitious removal of a watch, purse, or the like,
from the pocket, characterized by a locket secured to the pocket by a screwed stem
and nut, a spring controlled drum within said locket, on which is wound a chain or
its equivalent which is connected by links or their equivalent to the watch or other
article, and a pear shaped piece, spring, and releasing stud by which the unwinding
of said chain is governed, whereby the watch or other article is normally retained
within the pocket and may only be removed a sufficient distance to afford convenient
inspection by pressing said stud, substantially as described.
Dated this 3rd day of March 1897.
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Registered Patent Agent (Qual. by Exam.),
10 St. George's Crescent, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicant.