IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOCKS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry William Ley, of Bear Street, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOCKS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry William Ley at the.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th August 1877.
HENRY WILLIAM LEY, of Bear Street, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CLOCKS,"
My Invention relates to house clocks and pendulum clocks generally, other than
turret clocks, and it consists in arranging the clock movement with the crutch.
turned upwards, the pendulum being suspended above the fork of the crutch as.
thus inverted. The clock case adapted to the same consists effectively of two com-
partments, a lower and an upper one; the lower compartment contains the clock
train, and exhibits the clock face; whilst the upper affords room for the crutch;
and provides for the pendulum suspension.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry William Ley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
February 1878.
HENRY WILLIAM LEY, of Bear Street, in the County of Middlesex.
MENTS IN CLOCKS."
"IMPROVE-
My said Invention relates to pendulum clocks other than turret clocks, and has
for its object the production of clocks of artistic and pleasing designs at a less cost
than it has heretofore been possible to produce the like. In order to effect this
object I employ a clock movement in which the crutch is turned upwards and the
pendulum is suspended above the fork of the crutch as thus upturned, and I
combine with it a clock case, which consists effectively of two compartments, a lower
one and an upper one; the lower one containing the clock train, and the upper one
affording room above the train for the crutch, and providing for the pendulum sus-
pension. This arrangement of the various portions of clock case and clock move-
ment in relation to each other enables me to construct clocks in a variety of pleasing
and yet inexpensive styles.
The Drawings hereunto annexed represent three patterns of clocks constructed
according to my said Invention, Figures 1, 4 and 7, 5 and 8, and 3, 6 and 9,
being respectively side, front, and back elevations of the same.
The side elevations in Figures 1, 4 and 7 shew the clocks with portions of the
cases removed, and the back elevations in Figures 3, 6 and 9 show the same with
the clock doors (which in these patterns of clocks form the backs) entirely removed.
By these removals of portions of the cases and the consequent partial exposure of
the clock movements in situ, my method of combining the clock case with the clock
movement is particularly set forth and ascertained.
The designs in Figures 1, 2 and 3, as also in Figures 4, 5 and 6, are architectural.
The clock represented in Figures 7, 8 and 9 is designed to receive a bust or other
piece of statuary in front of and to conceal the upper portion of the case. In all
the Figures like references indicate like parts.
A, B, C, D and E are the wheels of a clock train, A being the great wheel and
E the scape wheel. The dial wheels are not shewn, nor are any full détails of the
movements given except those appertaining to the crutch and pendulum. The face
and hands of the clock in no respect depart from established practice. F is the
escapement. In the movements represented in Figures 6 and 9 the scape wheels E
and consequently the escapements F are outside the back clock plates a, the near
ends of the scape wheel, arbors being carried by the brackets b as shown. In the
movement represented in Figures 1 and 3 the scape wheel and escapement F are
inside the back clock plate a, the near end of the escapement arbor being now carried
by a bracket b', so as to bring the crutch G outside the clock framing. This crutch G,
in each of the movements, is turned upwards, its fork H engaging with the rod c of
the pendulum I, which rod is slotted (as shewn at 62 in Figure 3) in the construction
in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the fork then becoming a pin which works in the slot. The
pendulum is suspended by any usual means; the point of its suspension is however
above the fork of the upturned crutch and consequently in a high position with
respect to the clock train.
The pendulum cock K is shewn in the clock case as fixed in its proper position to
receive the pendulum. The face L of the clock is shewn in the front elevations, as
is also the winding square M. Considering the clock case as consisting of two
compartments, a lower one N and an upper one 0 (see Figures 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9),
it will be seen that the lower one N contains the clock train, and the upper one O
affords room above the train for the upturned crutch, and provides for the pendulum
suspension. And it will be seen from the side views, Figures 1 and 7, that the upper
compartment O may be narrow as compared with the lower one N, since the upper
compartment need only have sufficient room to receive and permit of the oscillations

page_text: of the crutch G and pendulum I. And, examining the front elevations (Figures 2,
5 and 8) of the cases, it will be seen that in each the height above the centre of the
clock face is greater than the depth below the same.
This combination of movement and case admits of a great variety of ornamen-
tation of the case, of which ornamentation the Drawings, Figures 2 and 5, and the
explanation above given as regards Figure 8, furnish together three illustrations; also
models of public statues and frontages (in the style of Figure 2) of churches and
other public buildings, may be utilized for clock case designs, according to the
locality which is to be supplied with clocks for sale. Apart from this combination
clocks of like designs cannot be produced except at greater cost, seeing that in order
otherwise to produce the same finer and therefore more expensive movements must
be resorted to.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the combination in pendulum clocks other than turret clocks, of
a clock movement having the crutch turned upwards, and the pendulum suspended
above the fork of the crutch as thus upturned, and of a clock case, the height of
which above the centre of the clock face is greater than the depth below the same,
substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry William Ley, have to this my Specifi-
cation set my hand and seal, the Eighth day of February, Que thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
HENRY WILLIAM LEY. (LS.)