IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATCHES, CHRONOMETERS, AND OTHER TIMEKEEPERS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Borthwick Smith; of Coventry, in the
County of Warwick, Watch Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATCHES, CHRONOMETERS, AND
OTHER TIMEKEEPERS."
Scaled the 15th November 1869, and dated the 10th May 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Borthwick
Smith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 10th May 1869.
I, WILLIAM BORTHWICK SMITH, of Coventry, in the County of
Warwick, Watch Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATCHES,
CHRONOMETERS, AND OTHER TIMEKEEPERS," to be as follows:-
These improvements have reference to the following arrangements :-
In the first place to planting the pillars of full plate, and the improved
half plate watch movements herein-after described, in such positions

page_text: that they shall stand as nearly as may be in a square and thereby hold
the top plate and bar firmer, and at the same time allow the dial feet
to be planted behind the figures, the positions of the pillars (at a proper
distance from the edge of the plates) being as follows:-
One. On the escapement side of the barrel, having both the top plate and
barrel bar screwed to it, one between the 'scape wheel and fourth wheel,
one inside the detent spring just at the back of the detent, and one
(instead of two,) between the fusee and barrel behind the third minute
divison, this latter pillar in the half plate movement being higher than
the others by the thickness of the top plate, and having the extended
barrel bar only screwed to it.
Secondly. In turning a hollow through the top plates of full plate
movements round the fusee cap thereby to give additional height
to the fusee equivalent to the thickness of the top plate, and to allow
the fusee cap to stand on a level with the top of the barrel, and in
extending the usual full plate barrel bar over the said hollow, fixing it
beyond the fusee by a screw into the fourth pillar above mentioned.
The balance cook is removed beyond the extension of the barrel bar and
planted over the third pillar. This improvement is applicable to
watch movements with either the ordinary or centre seconds train of
wheels, and constitutes the improved half plate movement herein
referred to.
Thirdly. In the adaptation to full plate and the improved half plate
watch movements of the star wheel stop-cock to work on the top plate
having the gatherer let down on the fusee or wind up square.
Fourthly. Where desirable I should adopt a combination of the
letent and spring in one piece by extending the tail of the detent filed
thin to act as a spring against a pillar or stud planted in the pillar plate.
Fifthly. Dispensing with the pottance and the bar on the pillar plate
in full and half plate watch movements with either the ordinary or
centre seconds by the use of an extra second, or (if for centre seconds)
an extra fourth centre pinion, and mounting the third wheel to work
under the top plate instead of in a hollow in the pillar plate.
Sixthly. Fixing the pendulum to work in the thickness of or below
the top plate in a hollow turned out of it round the balance staff hole,

page_text: 5
in which case the pendulum spring would be encompassed by the bow
of the regulator, an extension of which over the hollow would receive
the curb pins, the balance alone working above the level of the
top plate.
Seventhly. I use twin vertical or brequet pendulum springs having
them both pinned into the same stud but in opposite directions, and a con..
struction of pendulum stud attached by a bow to the balance cock
specially adapted for springing watches in this way.
Eighthly. The use in watch frames of bell metal plugs for wheel.
O hole stoppings into which the train wheel and escapement arbors would
be pivotted.
5
Ninthly. The use of platinum for watch balances, pendulum springs,
and other parts of the watch where the use of a metal of small expansive
power is specially desireable and calculated to affect the time rate..
Tenthly. An escapement adapted for watches, clocks, and other time-
keepers, having two pallet wheels of equal size mounted above or below
two connected train wheels of equal size, and acting upon a single pair
of pallets having each the same amount of drive, and having arms of
equal length with equidistant lockings, by which means the impulse and
unlocking resistance on each pallet would be equalized.
Eleventhly. The application of an elongated piece of brass or other
largely expansive metal, at the one end screwed to the top plate or main
bar and at the other end attached to the point of the regulator, in such
way that its expansion or contraction from changes of temperature
would push away the regulator or draw it nearer to the pendulum stud,
and thereby compensate the elongation or shortening of the pendulum
spring from the same changes of teniperature which affect the expansive
compensation bar.
Twelfthly. Where desireable I can on the same principle suspend clock-
pendulums on brackets having elongated arms of brass or other largely
expansive metal which by expansion or contraction from changes of
temperature would raise or lower the pendulum between the crutch and
thus compensate for the elongation or shortening of the pendulum itself.
consequent on the same changes of temperature affecting the arms of the
pendulum bracket.

page_text: Thirteenthly. Key-hole boxes soldered or screwed into the dome bottoms
of watch cases, which when shut down or the watch movement (if
jointed) bolted in would press firmly on the bars or plates round the
wind up and set hand squares and thereby exclude dust from the works.
Fourteenthly. With the same object to screw on (instead of jointing the t
bizels of dome cased watches not requiring to be opened at the face by
the wearer.
Fifteenthly. Where required I should adopt an improved method of
motioning and fitting down the dials of hollow back movements upon
the same principle that dials are fitted to brass edges in order to fit them
more closely round the edges and allow of the dials being made without
the frames to work to. The pillar plates being in fact turned and
drilled to fit the dials, instead of the dials being made to fit the pillar
plates.
Sixteenthly. When desired I should also adopt a decimal system of
sizing and proportioning all parts of watch movements to the diameter of
the dials which shall have a difference in diameter of one-tenth of an inch
between each size, the sizes ranging from A (equivalent to the
ordinary three size) with a dial 1% or 1.3 inch in diameter to G
(equivalent to the ordinary twenty size watch movement) with a dial 1
or 1.9 inch in diameter, and so in proportion for larger or intermediate
sizes of watch movements and the diameter of the top plates, balances,
barrels, train wheels, and other parts would bear a certain relative
proportion to the fixed diameters of the dials according to the height of
pillar and whether for fitting in dome cases or for capping and fitting in
consular cases.
Seventeenthly. Simplified keyless mechanism for winding up and setting
the hands by means of a button attached to the pendant and wheels
connected therewith actuating the wind up arbor or motion wheels.
Eighteenthly. A mode of indicating both the hour and minute by means
of one dial and one hand, and dispensing with the ordinary train of
motion wheels. This is effected by making the dial itself (connected
with and actuated by the train of watch or clock wheels) revolve twice
in twenty-four hours, and causing the minute hand to go round twenty-
two or twenty-six times, instead of twenty-four or twenty-two times if the

page_text: the dial revolves in the opposite direction to the minute hand, and twenty-
five times if it revolves in the same direction; thus the ordinary train
of motion wheels would be thereby dispensed with, and a fixed stud at
the top of the clock somewhat overlapping the dial would indicate the
hour as the figures passed by it. And I may here remark that my
improvements are to be used in combination or some dispensed with
according as may be required.
Twentiethly. A particular train of motion wheels, which may be
applied to either full plate, three-quarter plate, or the half-plate construc-
tion herein described with extra pinion to set hands from the back and
centre seconds watch movements. This train of wheels having sixteen
leaves or teeth in the cannon, and set hands pinions forty-eight leaves
in the minute wheel nut, and forty-eight leaves in the hour wheel, and
in three sizes, being applicable to all the ordinary sizes of watch movement
of any construction, the only difference being that for centre seconds
movements the cannon or minute pinion would be made of brass instead
of steel as for other constructions.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Borthwick Smith in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 10th November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BORTHWICK SMITH, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Watch
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of 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 William Borthwick Smith, Her special licence
that I, the said William Borthwick Smith, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Borthwick Smith,
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

page_text: 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 IN
THE CONSTRUCTIEN OF WATCHES, CHRONOMETERS, AND OTHER TIMEKEEPERS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Borthwick
Smith, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Borthwick Smith, 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 :-
These improvements have reference to the following arrangements :-
In the first place, to planting the pillars (P) of full plate Fig. 1, and
the improved half plate watch movements, Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 herein-
after described, in such positions that they shall stand as nearly as
may be in a square, and thereby hold the top plate (E) and bar (K)
firmer, and at the same time allow the dial feet to be planted behind
the figures, the positions of the pillars (at a proper distance from the
edge of the plates) being as follows:-One (S, P,) on the escapement side
of the barrel, having both the top plate and barrel bar screwed to it,
one between the escape wheel (5), and fourth wheel (4), one inside the
detent spring just at the back of the detent, and one (instead of two)
between the fusee (1) and barrel (6) behind the third minute division,
this latter pillar in the half plate movement being higher than the others
by the thickness of the top plate and having the extended barrel bar
(K') only screwed to it.
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:
Secondly. In turning a hollow through the top plates of full plate
movements round the fusee cap, thereby to give additional height to
the fusee equivalent to the thickness of the top plate so cut away, and
to allow the fusee cap to stand on a level with the top of the barrel,
and in extending the usual full plate barrel bar (K), over the said
hollow, fixing the said extended bar (K') beyond the fusce by a screw
(S) into the top plate and between the barrel and fusee by a screw

page_text: into the fourth pillar (S, P¹) above mentioned. The balance cock (C')
is removed beyond the extension of the barrel bar and planted over
the third pillar (P). The part cut away to effect this improvement
is indicted by the red dotted line in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5, the
under side of the fusee cap hollow in the top plate being bevelled off
to free the fusee brass and chain. This improvement is applicable to
watch movements with either the ordinary (as Fig. 2) or centre
seconds train of wheels (as Fig. 3), and constitutes the improved half
plate watch movement herein referred to, or as adapted for fitting in
dome cases the double plate watch movement shown in Fig. 5.
Thirdly. In the adaptation to full plate and the improved half
plate watch movements of the star wheel stop work to work on the
top plate, having the gatherer let down on the fusee or wind up square,
the gatherer being made with a body above it which is pinned through
to the fusce square.
Fourthly. Where desirable I should adopt a combination of the
detent and spring in one piece by extending the tail of the detent
filed thin to act as a spring against a pillar or stud planted in the pillar
plate.
Fifthly. Dispensing with the pottance and the bar on the pillar
plate in full and half plate watch movements with either the ordinary
or centre seconds, by the use of an extra second, or (if for centre seconds
movement as Figs. 3 and 5) an extra fourth centre pinion, and mounting
the third wheel to work under the top plate instead of in a hollow in
the pillar plate.
Sixthly. Fixing the pendulum to work in the thickness of or
below the top plate in a hollow turned out of it round the balance
staff hole (7), in which case the pendulum spring (L) would be
encompassed by the bow of the regulator (R), an extension of which
over the hollow would receive the curb pins, the balance (B) alone
working above the level of the top plate, as arranged in Fig. 4.
Seventhly. I use twin vertical or brequet pendulum springs having
them both pinned into the same stud, but in opposite directions, and
a construction of pendulum stud attached by a bow to the balance
cock specially adapted for springing watches in this way. Figs. 7
and 8 shows the construction of this stud.

page_text: Eighthly. The use in watch frames of bell-metal plugs for wheel hole
stoppings into which the train wheel and escapement arbors would be
pivotted.
Ninthly. The use of platinum as the material for watch balances,
pendulums, springs, and other parts of the watch where the use of a
metal of small expansive powers is specially desirable and calculated
to effect the time rate to the least possible extent.
Tenthly. An escapement adapted for watches, clocks, and other
timekeepers, having two pallet wheels mounted above or below two
connected train wheels of equal size, and acting upon a single pair of
pallets having each the same amount of drive, and having arms of
equal length with equidistant lockings, by which means the impulse
and unlocking resistance on each pallet would be equalized.
Eleventhly. The application of an elongated piece of brass (X) or
other largely expansive metal, the same being at the one end screwed to
the top plate or name bar (K¹) in Plan 2, and at the other end attached
to the point of the regulator (R) in such way that its expansion or con-
traction from changes of temperature would push away the regulator or
draw it nearer to the pendulum stud, and thereby compensate the
elongation or shortening of the pendulum spring from the same changes
of temperature which affect the expansive compensation bar.
Twelfthly. Where desirable I can on the same principle suspend clock
pendulums on brackets having elongated arms of brass or other largely
expansive metal which by expansion or contraction from changes of
temperature would raise or lower the pendulum between the crutch, and
thus compensate for the clongating or shortening of the pendulum itself
consequent on the same changes of temperature affecting the arms of
the pendulum bracket equivalent to the expansive compensation bar
described for watches.
Thirteenthly. Key-hole boxes soldered or screwed into the dome
bottoms of watch cases, which when shut down or the watch movement
(if jointed) bolted in would press firmly on the bars or plates round
the wind up and set hands squares, and thereby exclude dust from the
works.
Fourteenthly. With the same object to screw on (instead of jointing)
the bizels of dome-cased watches not requiring to be opened at the face
by the wearer.

page_text: Fifteenthly. Where required I should adopt an improved method of
motioning and fitting down the dials of hollow back movements upon
the same principles that dials are fitted to brass edges in order to fit
them more closely round the edges and allow of the dials being made
without the frames to work to, the pillar plate being in fact turned
and drilled to fit the dials instead of the dials being made to fit the pillar
plates.
Sixteenthly. When desired I should also adopt a decimal system of
sizing and proportioning all parts of watch movements to the diameter
of the dials which shall have a difference in diameter of one-tenth of an
inch between each size, the sizes ranging from (A) (equivalent to the.
ordinary three size) with the dial 1 or 13. inch in diameter to (G)
(equivalent to the ordinary twenty size watch movement) with a dial 1+%
or 1.9 inch in diameter, and so in proportion for larger or intermediate
sizes of watch movements, and the diameter of the top plates, balances,
barrels, train wheels, and other parts would bear a certain relative pro-
portion to the fixed diameters of the dials according to the height of
pillar, and whether for fitting in dome cases or for capping and fitting
in consular cases.
Seventeenthly. Simplified keyless mechanism for winding up and
setting the hands by means of a button attached to the pendant, and
wheels connected therewith actuating the wind up arbor or motion
wheels, the same being shown in Fig. 4, and described in the reference
thereto.
Eighteenthly. A mode of indicating both the hour and minute by
means of one dial and one hand, and dispensing with the ordinary train
of motion wheels. This is effected by making the dial itself (connected
with and actuated by the train of watch or clock wheels) revolve twice
in twenty-four hours, and causing the minute hand to go round twenty-
two times instead of twenty-four, the dial revolving in the opposite
direction to the minute hand. The ordinary train of motion wheels
would be thereby dispensed with, and a fixed stud at the top of the watch
or clock somewhat overlapping the dial would indicate the hour as the
figures passed by it.
Nineteenthly. A ratchet wheel and other mechanism can be actuated
by pulling a spring or cord attached to a spring in connection with the
wind up arbor or barrel whereby suspended clocks may be wound up
without a key; and I may here remark that my improvements are all

page_text: to be used in combination or some dispensed with, according as may be
required.
Fig. 1, plan of my improved full plate watch movement; Fig. 2, plan
of my improved half plate watch movement; Fig. 3, plan of my
improved half plate and centre seconds watch movement; Fig. 4, plan
of my improved half plate movement, with left-hand train and spring
with the improved regulator, as herein-before described in clause
Sixthly; Fig. 5, plan of my improved centre seconds watch movement,
specially adapted for fitting in dome cases; Fig. 6, plan of my keyless
mechanism for winding-up and setting the hands; Figs. 7 and 8, views
of my improved stud for the attachment of twin pendulum springs.
A, star stop work with 'body of gatherer pinned through on the fusce
or wind up square; B, balance; C, balance cock; D, pendulum stud;
E, top plate; F, pillar plate; K, barrel bar; K', extended barrel bar; L,
pendulum spring; M, barrel; P, pillars; S, screws; S, P, screw pillars;
R, regulator; X, expansive compensation bar, having serrated surface
at the end on which the wedge-shaped point of the regulator (R') rests.
1, fusee on great wheel hole; 2, centre or second wheel hole; 3, third
wheel hole; 4, fourth wheel hole; 4', extra fourth centre pinion hole;
5, pallet wheel hole; 6, barrel arbor; 7, balance or roller staff hole; 8, set
hands, pinion, and square.
Reference to Fig. G.-a, stud or push pin, by pressure of which the
wheel is thrown into depth for actuating the pinion / for setting the
hands; a¹, stud or push pin, by which wheel h is thrown into depth
with winding wheel i attached to the fusee square; b, T-shaped plat-
form or rocking plate carrying a fixed wheel g and intermediate move-
able wheel h, having arms or levers c and c¹ in connection with the
studs or push pins a and a respectively; d, d', pins against which the
levers c and c¹ respectively bank when the wheel h is thrown into proper
depth and action for setting hands or winding up; e, e', springs by which
the platform or rocking plato (b) is held in position of rest with the
wheel h out of action for either winding up or setting the bands, and by
means of which it is brought back to that position when the pressure
from either push pin is removed; i, winding wheel attached to the fusec
arbor; h, wheel of which motion is given at will to wheel h or pinion k;
k, pinion by which the minute wheel is actuated; m, cannon pinion;
f, contrate wheel attached to the button on the pendant, from which
rotary motion is imparted to the wheels g and h.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I
hereby declare that I claim the "Improvements in the Construction of
Watches, Chronometers, and other Timekeepers, arranged and used sub-
stantially in manner set forth and described in the foregoing Specifica-
tion under the heads firstly to nineteenthly, and further illustrated in
and by the accompanying Drawings and the reference thereto.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Borthwick Smith, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
W. BORTHWICK SMITH. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALEX. P. WRIGHT,
Secretary to the
Inventors' Patent Right Association, Limited,
Patentee's Agents,
21, Cockspur Street,
Charing Cross,
London, S.W.