An Improved Means to be Employed for Regulating the Pendulums of English, French, or German Clocks.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept., 1889-Accepted, 19th Oct.,
1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Means to be Employed for Regulating the Pendulums
of English, French, or German Clocks.
I, WILLIAM THOMAS STORY, of Market Place, Dewsbury, in the County of York,
Watchmaker and Jeweller, 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 has reference to certain means to be employed to regulate clocks, more
particularly French clocks, but my improvements are applicable to English, German, or
any other descriptions of clocks. As is well known, when French clocks are gaining or
losing time they have hitherto been adjusted by means of a key acting upon a small
arbour projecting through a hole on the top of the face or dial of the clock, but there has
been no hand or pointer to indicate in which direction to turn the said arbour, and when
such arbour has been turned there is no means of knowing how much it has been
moved, consequently the adjustment thereof has been uncertain and not reliable.
My improvements consist in marking upon the face or dial of a clock, a circle
or segment of a circle divided into divisions indicating time, and also marked with
arrows shewing in which direction the arbour must be turned to regulate the clock.
Upon the central arbour carrying the usual minute and hour hands, I place loosely
a small pointer or hand which is to be employed in connection with the additional
circle or segment. The pointer or hand is attached to a wheel, which through the
intervention of an intermediate wheel is in gear with a wheel on the arbour placed
on the top of the face or dial of the clock, so that as the arbour is turned by a
key in the ordinary manner the pointer is moved accordingly on the small circle or
segment, the letters and marks thereon indicating which way the said pointer must
be turned in order that the clock may gain or lose time. In combination with the
above dial and pointer I employ means for indicating in what direction and how
much the regulating arbour requires to be turned to adjust the time-keeping of the
clock, but my improvements also relate to the means of raising and lowering the
pendulum, which consists of a double snail or eccentric or cam fixed on the end of
the arbour; this double snail regulates the suspension spring, so that as the arbour
is turned in one direction, the suspension spring and the pendulum attached
thereto are raised, and on the arbour being turned in the opposite direction, the
suspension spring and pendulum are lowered, consequently the regulation of the clock
can be accurately adjusted.
The outer edge or rim of the double snail is milled or cut with teeth into which
takes a spring for keeping the regulator steady and under control.
Instead of placing the pointer or hand on the central arbour of the clock, it
may be placed on the arbour at the top of the dial and indicate on a circle or
segment as previously explained, or the two pointers may be used in combination.
In order that my invention may be better understood, I will now make reference to
the accompanying sheet of drawings illustrative thereof, wherein
Fig. 1 is elevation of the front part of a French or other clock.
Fig. 2 is elevation of the back pa of the clock.
Fig. 3 is side view of parts of the mechanism I employ.
Fig. 4 is a detail.
a represents the arbour attached to a disc b formed with a snail or slotted eccentric
groove c, the opposite end of such arbour carrying a pointer d working on the dial e.
In addition to the dial e I also form on the face of the clock a segment f and I use
a pointer g fixed on the central arbour carrying the clock hands, which central
arbour is in gear with wheels communicating with the arbour a, so that on the
said arbour a being turned with a key, the movement thereof is transmitted to the

page_text: pointer g, indicating in which direction pointer d has been moved and to what
extent. The arrows, together with the wording on the face of the clock, indicate
which way the arbour a must be turned to regulate the clock. In order to lengthen
and shorten the suspension spring for the purpose of regulating the clock, such
suspension spring i passes through a slit in the moving stud which stud is fastened
upon the upright bar ke kept vertical and capable of sliding up and down in the
framework. The upper end of the said bar k has a projecting peg or stud m, which
enters into the snail slot or groove c, so that on the arbour a being turned either to
the right or left, the snail revolves and causes the bark and stud to traverse up or
down accordingly, by which means the position of the stud j in relation to the
suspension spring i is varied, by which means the clock is regulated.
If preferred, the dial e and pointer d may be dispensed with, and the segment fand
pointer g used instead.
Instead of placing a pointer or hand on the central arbour of the clock, it may be
placed on the arbour at the top of the dial, and have a circle or segment of a circle
in combination with it, divided into divisions shewing how much and which way to
turn the arbour to regulate the clock, or the two pointers and two indexes may be
used together.
By means of the double snail it will be seen that the raising and lowering of the
pendulum or the lengthening and shortening of the suspension spring is made
positive both up and down; and very little movement of the arbour a is necessary,
as the movement of the snail readily acts upon the stud j.
French clocks which have a visible escapement require somewhat different
mechanism. The segment of a circle as already describet as market on the dial
and the indicator or pointer, might be placed below the centre of the dial instead of
above, or the centre indicating pointer and segment previously mentioned might be
omitted, and the small pointer on the upper arbour with its corresponding circle or
segment might be used in its place, or both might be used in combination.
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 :-
Firstly. The use of a segment or circle, or both, divided into divisions, on a
clock dial, provided with a hand, in combination with a double snail for purposes
described.
Secondly. The use and employment of a double snail operated by the turning of a
key for raising and lowering the pendulum of French or other clocks in manner
substantially as herein shewn and described.
Thirdly. The use and employment of a double snail for raising and lowering a
stud which shortens or lengthens the working of the suspension spring.
Dated this 31st day of August 1880
TASKER & ('ROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.