NEW OR IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE FOR THE SELF-WINDING OP CLOCKS, TIME-PIECES, AND OTHER MACHINERY REQUIRING WINDING
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Fredrich Gustav Adolph Horst-
mann at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 13th March 1866.
I, FREDRICH GUSTAV ADOLPH HORSTMANN, of the City and Borough of
Bath, in the County of Somerset, Watch and Clock Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "NEW OR IMPROVED MECHANISM
FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE FOR THE SELF-WINDING
OP CLOCKS, TIME-PIECES, AND OTHER MACHINERY REQUIRING WINDING," to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to dispense with the necessary labour of
winding clocks, timepieces, and other machinery, and consists of a tube
constructed with a metallic piston, packed and cupped with one or more
layers of leather or other material, with a spring or springs for keeping the
piston pressed close home on the fluid in the cylinder. The piston works up
and down within the said cylinder, forming a perfect float or floating bucket.
The cylinder is in conjunction or connection with a vessel or vessels of any
shape or size containing naptha, spirits of wine, or other expansive fluid,
glycerine or other oily matter being used therewith to prevent the evaporation
of the naptha or spirit. The alternation of temperature acting upon this
fluid causes the same to expand or contract, as the case may be, thereby

page_text: causing the piston or floating bucket to rise and fall, thus producing an
impulse or motion either in a horizontal or vertical direction. To the said
piston or floating bucket I attach a rod, and by means of a cross bar attached
thereto cause a drum or wheel to revolve and carry an endless chain, by
preferenco formed of watch spring, this chain is passed over the main wheel
arbor or barrel of the clock so that it hangs in a loop on either side thereof,
and to each of these loops I attach a weight for giving the necessary working
power to the clock and setting in motion the train of wheelwork, and thus
rendering the process of winding unnecessary. The rack of the aforesaid
piston or floating bucket is made to work immediately upon a wheel in
connection with a set of wheels, pinions, springs, and drums, thereby
rendering the endless chain unnecessary when applied to time pieces or
mechanism of smaller construction. This principle is also peculiarly adapted
for raising green house and hot house windows and for other similar purposes.
Having now explained my said Invention generally I will proceed more
fully to describo the several details thereof, reference being made to the
accompanying Drawing to which this explanation refers.
EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 a side elevation of the apparatus
employed for the self-winding of clocks, timepieces, and other machinery,
but here shewn applied to a clock. Where similar letters are used in each
Fig. they refer to similar parts.
A is the cylinder; B the piston or floating bucket which rises and falls
within the cylinder A; C, the piston rod; D, the connecting pipe between
the cylinder A and vessel E, which contains the fluid. The alternation of
temperature acting upon this fluid causes the piston B carrying the cross
bar F to work up and down. To the bar F I connect a chain passing under
the wheel X, and from this wheel to a drum H which contains a spring for
regulating the back pressure upon the piston B. This drum is in connection
with a second drum or wheel K, and by means of an endless chain G lifts
the weights W, W. The endless chain follows the direction of the arrows
as long as the fluid is under expansion, thereby causing the greater weight to
be raised, the endless chain then passes over the drum L, which causes tho
wheel or drum M to rotate, and this wheel or drum M being in connection
with the wheels and pinions N, O, Q, of the clock, acts as a continual winder.
If preferred a weight may be used in lieu of the regulating spring. 1, is
a spring and pawl or click; 2, a discharging wheel; 3, main winding click
wheel or ratchet wheel; 4, ratchet wheel in connection with drum H and

page_text: cross head 5 of lever 6. The discharging pawl or click is used only when
the weight W has been raised so as to come into contact with the lever
marked 6, thereby causing the said pawl to be raised and the wheel 4 to be
released, thus leaving the piston B to ascend and descend without causing
the drum K to revolve,
Fig, 3 shews the same motion applied immediately upon a set of wheels,
drums, pinions, and springs marked J by means of a rack and pinion F
and H. X is a guide wheel to keep the piston rod or rack in a perpendicular,
horizontal, vertical, or other position, thereby rendering the endless chain
shewn in Figs, 1 and 2 unnecessary,