Improvements in Alarm-mechanism for Watches and Clocks.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 1st Sept,, 1899-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1899
[Communicated from abroad by Louis EUGÈNE FAVRE, of Cormoret, in the
Republic of Switzerland, Watchmaker].
Improvements in Alarm-mechanism for Watches and Clocks.
I, HENRY HARRIS Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of an improved alarm-mechanism of very simple and
solid construction which may be combined with watches or clocks of any kind.
This mechanism is acted upon by the same mainspring as the movements of an
ordinary watch or clock, the said main-spring having one of its extremities
connected to the barrel, the teeth of the same causing the motion of the watch
or clock and the other extremity of the said main-spring being connected to
the spring-barrel-shaft, which bears a special gear-wheel intended to cause the
working of the alarm-mechanism. Thus the said alarm-mechanism forms the
point of support of the inner end of the main-spring and replaces consequently
the click-device with which the mainspring barrels are usually provided in watches
or clocks.
The accompanying drawing shows by way of example one form of my invention
applied to a watch.
In this drawing only those parts of the watch-movement have been indicated
which are indispensable for clear and full understanding of the alarm-mechanism.
Figure 1 is a plan-view of the top-portion of the movement, the alarm-
mechanism being supposed to be stopped and the barrel being taken off from its
shaft.
Figure 2 shows a similar partial plan-view, certain portions of the mechanism
being withdrawn.
Figure 3 illustrates a plan-view of the lower face of the movement, that is
the face which is intended to be covered by the dial of the watch (not shown).
Figure 4 is a similar plan-view, certain parts of the alarm-mechanism having
been taken away.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the hammer of the alarm-mechanism and of
its anchor.
Figure 6 is a section of the mainspring barrel-shaft and of the barrel in its
place.
1
Figure 7 shews separately in plan view and side elevation the rocking bridge E
with pinion C and pivot screw e¹.
In all the figures similar letters indicate the same parts.
The main-spring-barrel-shaft A is represented in the drawing as being intended
to be wound up by means of a key, but of course it may be combined with any
other suitable winding-up mechanism.
The said shaft carries a gear-wheel B which is intended to act upon the alarm-
mechanism.
For this purpose the said gear-wheel B engages an intermediate pinion C
which is in gear with the pinion d of the wheel D of the alarm-mechanism. The
wheel D is in gear with an escapement-wheel F which acts upon the anchor G
fixed on the shaft of the hammer H (Figure 5).

page_text: A locking-spring J similar to that of the usual alarm-mechanisms, causes the
stopping of the anchor G when the pin k of the canon-wheel K is not engaged in
the notch of the nave of the alarm-hand. This construction being the same
which exists in most of the alarm mechanisms needs not to be more particularly
described here, it is understood that if the hour-hand, fixed to the hour-wheel
reaches the hour in front of which the alarm hand has been set, the pin k meets
the notch and the locking-spring J consequently raises the hour-wheel K and
leaves the anchor G free to play, which has been prevented heretofore by its
being in engagement with its extremity. The intermediate pinion C is pivoted
to a rocking-bridge E pivoted to the pillar-plate M by means of a pivot screw e
fixed to the pillar plate. The pivot e which connects the pinion C to the head
of the rocking bridge E is formed of a screw the stem of which extends over
the inner surface of the rocking-bridge E and which engages an opening m see
Figure 2 of the pillar-plate. The meeting of the stem of the screw e¹ with the
walls of the opening m determines the stroke of the rocking-bridge E about its
pivote and controls the proper meshing of the wheels C and pinion d and a
spring N tends to always cause the said pinion C to again engage the pinion d
when it has been disengaged that is to say when it has been rocked into the
position shewn in dotted lines in Figure 4. The rocking-bridge E has a tail E
intended to be acted upon by hand with the object of disarming the main-
spring and a nose E2 intended to act upon the stopping-device fixed to the
gearwheel B and the purpose of which is to limit the duration of the sounding
of the alarm. The said stopping-device is composed of a wheel O pivoted at o to
the gear-wheel B, of a pin 6 fixed to the latter and playing in the notch of the
wheel O and of a spring P which prevents the too easy play of the wheel O.
As soon as the gear-wheel B rotates in the direction of the arrow x, Figure 2,
acting upon the alarm-mechanism, the teeth of the wheel O meet the nosc E2 of
the rocking-bridge E and the said wheel O rotates one tooth forward at every
revolution, until it be prevented in doing so by the pin b. The said wheel Ŏ
being then immovable and supported by the nose E2, the gear-wheel B is stopped;
this stopping takes place when the said gear-wheel B has already made 2 revolu-
tions and even if the locking-spring J mentioned herein before leaves the anchor G
still free to work.
It will therefore be seen that the stopping of the alarm-mechanism takes place
by the locking-spring J when the watch is wound-up and by the nose E3 of the
rocking-bridge E when the alarm-mechanism has already sounded.
y
with
It will also be understood, that, if the main-spring-barrel-shaft A is rotated
in the direction of the arrow
a view of winding-up the
watch, the gear-wheel B, not being able to cause the pinion C to be rotated
backward while prevented from doing so by the escapement of the alarm-
mechanism, the gear-wheel B causes the pinion C to be oscillated with the
rocking-bridge E in the direction shown by the arrow z, the pinion C thereby
escaping tooth by tooth from the pinion d. This function replaces the usual
click-device of the main-spring-barrel.
The movers of the alarm-mechanism are pivoted on the one side to a
pillar-plate M and on the other side to a bridge Q fixed to the said pillar-plate by
means of 3 screws.
On the barrel-bridge R a sliding-bolt S is fixed which, when in the position
indicated in Figure 1, prevents the hammer H striking against the sonorous
spring T.
The tails of the bolt S is accessible when the watch-case is open.
This system of alarm-mechanisms is applicable to any kinds of watches or
clocks of any construction whatever.
Dated this 17th day of January 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: improve in Alarm-mecha
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 consists of an improved alarm-mechanism of very simple and
solid construction which may be combined with watches or clocks of any kind.
This mechanism is acted upon by the same mainspring as the movements of an
ordinary watch or clock, the said main-spring having one of its extremities
connected to the barrel, the teeth of the same causing the motion of the watch
or clock and the other extremity of the said main-spring being connected to
the spring-barrel shaft, which bears a special gear-wheel intended to cause the
working of the alarm mechanism. Thus the said alarm-mechanism forms the
point of support of the inner end of the main-spring and replaces consequently
the click-device with which the mainspring barrels are usually provided in watches
or clocks.
The drawing accompanying my Provisional Application shows by way
of example one form of my invention applied to a watch.
In the said drawing only those parts of the watch movement have been indicated
which are indispensable for clear and full understanding of the alarm-mechanism.
Figure 1 is a plan-view of the top-portion of the movement, the alarm-
mechanism being supposed to be stopped and the barrel_being taken off from its
shaft.
Figure 2 shows a similar partial plan-view, certain portions of the mechanism
being withdrawn.
Figure 3 illustrates a plan-view of the lower face of the movement, that is
the face which is intended to be covered by the dial of the watch (not shown).
Figure 4 is a similar plan-view, certain parts of the alarm-mechanism having
been taken away.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the hammer of the alarm-mechanism and of
its anchor.
Figure 6 is a section of the main spring barrel-shaft and of the barrel in its
place.
1
Figure 7 shows separately in plan view and side elevation the rocking-bridge E
with pinion C and pivot-screw e¹.
In all the figures similar letters indicate the same parts.
The main-spring-barrel-shaft A is represented in the drawing as being intended
to be wound up by means of a key, but of course it may be combined with any
other suitable winding-up mechanism.
The said shaft carries a gear-wheel B which is intended to act upon the alarm-
mechanism.
'
For this purpose the said gear-wheel B engages an intermediate pinion G
which is in gear with the pinion d of the wheel D of the alarm-mechanism. The
wheel D is in gear with an escapement-wheel F which acts upon the anchor G
fixed on the shaft of the hammer H (Figure 5).
A locking-spring J similar to that of the usual alarm-mechanisms, causes the
stopping of the anchor G when the pink of the canon-wheel K is not engaged in
the notch of the nave of the alarm-wheel. This construction being the same
which exists in most of the alarm mechanisms needs not to be more particularly
described here, it is understood that if the hour-hand, fixed to the hour-wheel

page_text: reaches the hour in front of which the alarm hand has been set, the pin k meets
the notch and the locking-spring J consequently raises the hour-wheel K and
leaves the anchor G free to play, which has been prevented heretofore by its
being in engagement with its extremity. The intermediate pinion C is pivoted
to a rocking-bridge E pivoted to the pillar-plate M by means of a pivot screw e
fixed to the pillar plate. The pivot el which connects the pinion to the head
of the rolling-bridge E is formed of a screw the stem of which extends over
the inner surface of the rocking-bridge E and which engages an opening m (see
Figure 2) of the pillar-plate. The meeting of the stem of the screw a¹ with the
walls of the opening in determines the stroke of the rocking-bridge E about its
pivote and control the proper meshing of the wheels C and pinion d and a
spring N tends to always cause the said pinion C to again engage the pinion d
when it has been disengaged that is to say when it has been rocked into the
position shown by dotted lines in Figure 4. The rocking-bridge E has a tail E¹
intended to be acted upon by hand with the object of disarming the main-
spring and a nose intended to act upon the stopping-device fixed to the
gear wheel B and the purpose of which is to limit the duration of the sounding
of the alarm. The said stopping-device is composed of a wheel O pivoted at o to
the gear-wheel B, of a pin 6 fixed to the latter and playing in the notch of the
wheel O and of a spring P which prevents the too easy play of the wheel O.
As soon as the gear-wheel B rotates in the direction of the arrow, Figure 2,
acting upon the alarm-mechanism, the teeth of the wheel O meet the nose E2 of
the rocking-bridge E and the said wheel O rotates one tooth forward at every
revolution, until it be prevented in doing so by the pin b. The said wheel Ö
being then immovable and supported by the nose E2, the gear-wheel B is stopped;
this stopping takes place when the said gear-wheel B has already made 2 revolu-
tions and even if the locking-spring J hereinbefore mentioned leaves the anchor G
still free to work.
It will therefore be seen that the stopping of the alarm-mechanism takes place
by the locking-spring J when the watch is wound-up and by the nose E of the
rocking-bridge E when the alarm-mechanism has already sounded.
It will also be understood, that, if the main-spring-barrel-shaft A is rotated
in the direction of the arrow y Figure 2 with a view of winding-up the
watch, the gear-wheel B, not being able to cause the pinion C to be rotated
backward while prevented from doing so by the escapement of the alarm-
mechanism, the gear-wheel B causes the pinion C to be oscillated with the
rocking-bridge E in the direction shown by the arrow z, the pinion C thereby
escaping tooth by tooth from the pinion d. This function replaces the usual
click-device of the main spring-barrel.
The movements of the alarm-mechanism are pivoted on the one side to the
pillar-plate M and on the other side to a bridge Q fixed to the said pillar-plate by
means. of 3 screws.
On the barrel-bridge E a sliding bolt S is fixed which, when in position
indicated in Figure 1, prevents the hammer H striking against the sonorous
spring T.
The tail s of the bolt S is accessible when the watch-case is open.
This system of alarm-mechanisms is applicable to any kind of watch or
clock of any construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. An alarm-mechanism, applicable to watches and clocks of any construction,
combined with the motor of the watch or clock so as to be acted upon by a
gear-wheel fixed to the main-spring-barrel-shaft and the rotation of which is
transmitted to the usual movements of the alarm-watch by an intermediate
pinion pivoted to a rocking-bridge which allows the latter to be disengaged tooth

page_text: by tooth whilst the winding-up of the main-spring takes place, substantially
as shown and described.
2. In a mechanism as specified in Claim 1, a rocking-bridge E having a
tail E and a nose E2 in combination with a spring N and with a stopping-device
of any suitable construction intended to limit the stroke so as to control the
penetration of the pinion C in the teeth-range of the pinion d, substantially as
shown and described.
3. In a mechanism as claimed in Claim 1, the combination of the gearwheel B
With a stopping-device composed of a wheel O, of a pin band of a jumping-
spring P substantially as shown and described.
4. In a mechanism as claimed in Claim 1, a hammer H the shaft of which
carries an anchor G substantially as shown and described.
5. In a mechanism as claimed in Claim 1, a bolt S causing the stopping of the
hammer H, substantially as shown and described.
Toted this 1st day of Santambon 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicant.