IMPROVE- MENTS IN CLOCKS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jesse Siddons, of West Bromwich, in the County
of Stafford, Iron Founder, and David Bowen Meese, of Sedgley,
in the County of Stafford, Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CLOCKS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jesse Siddons and
David Bowen Meese at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 11th March 1870.
We, JESSE SIDDONS, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford,
Iron Founder, and DAVID BOWEN MEESE, of Sedgley, in the County of
Stafford, Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOCKS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in
clocks, the said improvements having for their object to make clocks
indicate time after the manner of railway time tables instead of by the
ordinary dial and hands. For example, a quarter past two is indicated

page_text: as two hours fifteen minutes, half past two as two hours thirty minutes,
and on on.
In constructing a clock according to our Invention we employ a series
of three wheels, the peripheries of which are of a cylindrical figure and
have the required numerals painted or otherwise made thereon. Portions
of the peripheries of the said wheels are presented at an opening in the
case of the clock, and by the figures on the portions so presented the time
is indicated. The periphery of the wheel on the right carries a series of
numerals from one to nine, and also has after the nine the sign 0. The
figures on this wheel indicate the units in the minute series. The second
wheel carries two series of numerals, each series consisting of numerals,
from one to five each series being followed by a blank space. These
figures indicate the tens in the minute series. The third wheel carries
the numerals one to twelve to indicate the hours.
Motion is communicated to the first wheel by means of the mechanism
of an ordinary clock, the seconds finger of the said mechanism carrying
a cam or lever having the figure of the letter S. This cam slowly raises
a weighted lever at each semi-rotation and suddenly lets it fall.
By the
fall of the said lever every minute the first wheel is operated upon, and
by the said first wheel the second wheel is operated upon, and by the
said second wheel the third wheel is operated upon at the required
time.
The manner in which the weighted lever operates upon the first wheel
is as follows:-The free end of the weighted lever carries a click or pall,
and the said first wheel is provided with a series of projecting pieces
parallel to the axis, the said projecting pieces being respectively situated
between the figures on the periphery of the wheel. As the lever rises it
is raised above one of these projections, its pall or click sliding over the
said projection, but when the lever is liberated and falls its pall or click
engages with the projection and carries the wheel through one-tenth of
a revolution. In order to lock the wheel in the required position and to
prevent its accidental motion we employ the following arrangement
Near the upper part of the wheel are two locking arms or levers, the
short ends of which are higher than the longer and heavier ends, and
between the said said short ends of the locking levers one of the before
described projecting pieces on the wheel is situated and held during the
time that the said wheel is not required to move. The projecting piece
:-

page_text: slides over the end of the first locking lever (which prevents the return
motion of the wheel) and depresses the said lever. When the projecting
piece has passed over the short end of the first locking lever the said
lever rises and prevents the return motion of the said projecting piece.
The short end of the second locking lever requires to be depressed in
order to allow the projecting piece on the wheel to pass. This is effected
by the weighted or actuating lever herein-before described, which when
it has risen to nearly its full height lifts the long arm of the second
locking lever, thereby depressing its short arm and allowing the pro-
jecting piece to pass. As soon as the weighted or actuating lever has
fallen and carried down the wheel, the second locking lever resumes its
position and fixes the wheel until the weighted lever again rises.
The second wheel for indicating the tens of minutes is actuated by a
click carried by the first wheel, and is provided with locking levers
similar in general construction to those of the first wheel and similarly
the second wheel actuates the third wheel, which is also provided with
locking levers.
The apparatus may be provided with a slide to indicate the time inter-
mediate between the minutes.
The clock mechanism may be set or adjusted by lifting the weighted
lever and turning the axis of the first wheel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Jesse Siddons and David Bowen Meese in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th September 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JESSE
SIDDONS, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, Iron Founder,
and DAVID BOWEN MEESE, of Sedgley, in the County of Stafford, Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Jesse Siddons and David Bowen
Meese, Her special licence that we, the said Jesse Siddons and David

page_text: Bowen Meese, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Jesse Siddons and David Bowen Meese, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the 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 CLOCKS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Jesse Siddons and
David Bowen Meese, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and
seal of one of us, or them, 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 immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Jesse Siddons and David
Bowen Meese, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
that is to say :—
Our Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in
clocks, the said improvements having for their object to make clocks
indicate time after the manner of railway time tables instead of by the
ordinary dial and hands. For example, a quarter past two is indicated
as two hours fifteen minutes, half past two as two hours thirty minutes,
and so on.
In constructing a clock according to our Invention we employ a
series of three wheels, the peripheries of which are of a cylindrical
figure, and have the required numerals painted or otherwise made
thereon. Portions of the peripheries of the said wheels are presented
at an opening in the case of the clock and by the figures on the portions
so presented the time is indicated. The periphery of the wheel on the
right carries a series of numerals from one to nine, and also has after
the nine the sign 0. The figures on this wheel indicate the units in
the minute series. The second wheel carries two series of numerals,
each series consisting of numerals from one to five, each series being|
followed by a blank space. These figures indicate the tens in the

page_text: minute series. The third wheel carries the numerals one to twelve to
indicate the hours.
Motion is communicated to the first wheel by means of the mechanism
of an ordinary clock, a toothed wheel of the said mechanism carrying a
cam or lever having the figure of the letter S. This cam slowly raises
a weighted lever at each semi-rotation and suddenly lets it fall. Or the
weighted lever may be raised and allowed suddenly to fall in any other
convenient manner. By the fall of the said lever every minute the
first wheel is operated upon, and by the said first wheel the second wheel
is operated upon, and by the said second wheel the third wheel is
operated upon at the required time.
The manner in which the weighted lever operates upon the first wheel
is as follows:-The free end of the weighted lever carries a click or
pawl, and the said first wheel is provided with a series of projecting
pieces parallel to the axis. As the lever rises it is raised above one of
these projections, its pawl or click sliding over the said projection, but
when the lever is liberated and falls its pawl or click engages with the
projection and carries the wheel through one-tenth of a revolution.
In order to lock the wheel in the required position, and to prevent its
accidental motion we employ the following arrangement:-Near the
upper part of the wheel are two locking arms or levers, the short ends
of which are higher than the longer and heavier ends, and between the
said short ends of the locking levers one of the before described pro-
jecting pieces on the wheel is situated and held during the time that
the said wheel is not required to move. The projecting piece slides over
the end of the first locking lever (which prevents the return motion of
the wheel) and depresses the said lever. When the said projecting
piece has passed over the short end of the first locking lever, the said
lever rises and prevents the return motion of the said projecting piece.
The short end of the second locking lever requires to be depressed in
order to allow the projecting piece on the wheel to pass. This is effected
by the weighted or actuating lever herein-before described, which when
it has risen to nearly its full height lifts the long arm of the second
locking lever, thereby depressing its short arm and allowing the pro-
jecting piece to pass. As soon as the weighted or actuating lever has
fallen and carried down the wheel, the second locking lever resumes its
position and fixes the wheel until the weighted lever again rises.

page_text: In place of the two locking levers described a single locking arm may be
employed, in combination with a ratchet wheel and click on each arbor.
The second wheel for indicating the tens of minutes is actuated by a
click or striking lever carried by the first wheel, and is provided with
a locking lever or locking levers similar in general construction to those
of the first wheel, and similarly the second wheel actuates the third
wheel, which is also provided with a locking lever or locking levers.
The apparatus may be provided with a slide to indicate the time
intermediate between the minutes.
The clock mechanism may be set or adjusted by lifting the weighted
lever and turning the axis of the first wheel.
Having explained the nature of our Invention, we will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation, and Figure 2 in side elevation
a clock constructed according to our Invention; Figure 3 is a back
elevation of the same, the case being represented in section; Figure 4
is a side elevation of the clock without the case, the said elevation
Figure 4 being taken at the side opposite to that at which the elevation
Figure 2 is taken; Figure 5 represents the principal parts of the clock
in longitudinal section; and Figure 6 represents the same view as
Figure 2, but with the escapement mechanism of the clock omitted;
Figure 7 represents a back elevation of the second or tens of minutes
wheel or dial of the clock and parts connected therewith; and Figures 8
and 9 represent parts of the clock separately on a larger scale, as herein-
after described. The same letters and figures of reference are employed
to indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the Drawings.
a, b, c, are the three wheels of the clock used in place of the ordinary
dial and fingers for indicating the time, the said wheels turning on
independent axes or arbors a², b², c². The peripheries of the said dial
wheels a, b, c, are of a cylindrical figure and have the required
numerals made on them. The periphery of the wheel a has upon it
the numerals one to nine, and after the nine the sign 0. These figures
indicate the units in the minute series. The wheel b has two series of
numerals upon its periphery, each series consisting of numerals from
one to five each series being followed by a blank space.
These figures

page_text: indicate the tens in the minute series. The periphery of the third
wheel c carries the numbers one to twelve to indicate the hours. Each
of the wheels a, b, c, is provided with a series of projecting pieces or
teeth situated parallel to the axes of the said wheels. The projecting
pieces or teeth of the minute wheel a are marked f, those of the tens
of minutes wheel bare marked g, and those of the hour wheel c are
marked h. The projecting pieces or teeth of each of the wheels are
made from a metal ring, which ring is soldered or otherwise attached
by arms to the interior of the dial wheel. The said projecting pieces
or teeth may however be made in any other convenient manner. Each
of the projecting pieces or teeth of the wheel a is situated between
two of the numerals on the periphery of the said wheel a. In the
wheels b and c the projecting pieces or teeth are situated immediately
under the numerals of the said wheels b, c. In the front plate d of the
clock is a rectangular opening e, at which portions of the peripheries of
the wheels a, b, c, are presented to indicate the time as seen in Figure 1
where four hours and seventeen minutes is indicated. Motion is com-
municated to the minute wheel a from the toothed wheel i of the
ordinary clock mechanism in the manner herein-after described, the said
toothed wheel i making one rotation every ten minutes. The manner
in which the motion of the spring barrel k is transmitted through the
train of toothed wheels to the toothed wheel i, will be readily under-
stood by an examination of the Drawings. The construction and action
of the balance wheel and escapement wheel m are the same as those
of ordinary clock mechanism. On the face of the toothed wheel i and
at equidistant points is a series of ten pins or studs n, which studs
act one at a time through the arm p upon the weighted lever q, so as
to raise the said lever and allow it to fall, that is by the motion of the
wheel i, one of the pins n is made to act upon the arm p and cause the
latter to slowly raise the lever q to the proper height, and then to
suddenly allow it to fall. By the fall of the weighted lever q the
first or minute wheel a is operated upon, and by the said minute wheel
a the second or tens of minutes wheel 6 is operated upon, and by the
said second wheel 6 the third or hour wheel c is operated upon at the
3 required times. The manner in which the weighted lever q operates
upon the minute wheel a is as follows:-The said lever q turns on the
centre q, and the free end of its long arm carries a jointed click or
pawl r. This click or pawl consists of a bent plate or pallet, one
part being curved and the other flat, the said click or pawl being capablo

page_text: is so centred that the
vertical position. The
of motion on the centre ². The click or pawl
flat outer part has a tendency to fall into a
function of this jointed click or pawl is on the rising of the weighted
lever q to escape one of the projecting picces or teeth f of the minute
wheel a, and before the fall of the lever q to be moved into such a
position that its inner curved part will on the fall of the said lever q
strike one of the projecting pieces or teeth ƒ and carry down the
wheel a. In Figure 2 the weighted lever q is represented raised to
about half of its stroke, and in Figure 6 the said lever q is represented
raised to the top of its stroke and about to descend. When the weighted
lever զ is in its lowest position after it has by its descent carried down
the minute wheel a, the arm p is in such a position that it is opposite
one of the pins or studs n of the toothed wheel i. By the rotation
of the said wheel in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 6
the arm p is gradually raised and with it the weighted lever q. As the
lever q rises the curved part or pallet of the click or pawl r bears
against and slides over the projecting piece or tooth marked ƒ in
Figures 5 and 6, which it has subsequently to strike, and the said click
or pawl is thereby turned aside, and its vertical part or pallet is moved
out of a vertical plane. After the click or pawl has passed the
projecting piece or tooth f, as seen in Figure 6, the said click or pawl r
returns to its former position, that is, its outer part or pallet takes a
vertical position, and its inner curved part or pallet is thereby caused
to project over and be within range of the tooth f2 (see Figure 5).
When by the motion of the toothed wheel i the pin or stud n of the said
wheel has raised the lever q to its full height, the continued rotation
of the said wheel i causes the pin or stud n to escape from the
arm P, and the weighted lever q suddenly falls. By the descent of the
weighted lever q the curved part or pallet of the click or pawl r
engages with the projection or tooth f2 of the minute wheel a, and
carries down the said wheel through one-tenth of a revolution, that is
to say, the numeral eight on the periphery of the minute wheel a is
brought opposite the opening e in the clock plate d, and the clock now
indicates four hours eighteen minutes. Thus by the action of the toothed
wheel i of the ordinary clock mechanism and the weighted lever q
the
minute wheel a is advanced every minute through a tenth of a revolution,
and a fresh numeral each minute is brought opposite the opening e in
the clock plate d. In order to lock the minute wheel a after each
descent of the lever q in such a position as to bring the proper numeral

page_text: 0
in front of the clock and also to prevent the accidental turning of the
wheel, we employ the following arrangament of parts :-Near the upper
part of the wheel is a cranked levers turning on the centre &³, carried
by the fixed uprights t, t, of the clock. The cranked lever s and parts
connected therewith are represented detached on a larger scale in plan
in Figure 8, and elevation in Figure 9 of the Drawings. The outer end
of the cranked levers is provided with two arms u, u², and to the inner
end of the said cranked lever a locking bar or arm v is jointed, the said
locking bar working in a slot in the plate w and being capable of a
vertical motion. This locking bar vis operated upon by the weighted
lever q in the following manner:-During the intervals of rest of the
minute wheel a the locking bar is situated behind one of the projecting
pieces or teeth f of the said wheel a, as represented in Figure 2, and the
said locking bar v remains in this position until just before the weighted
lever reaches its highest position, or the position represented in
Figure 6. During the ascending motion of the weighted lever q, its
free end acting on the long arm of the cranked lever s, lifts the said
arm u and causes the cranked lever to turn on its centre and draw down
the locking bar v. The said locking bar is now without the range of
the teeth f of the wheel a, and the said wheel a is released before the
weighted lever q falls. On the fall of the weighted lever q, and after
the tooth fhas escaped from the locking bar v, the weight of the arm u
causes the cranked lever 8 and locking bar to resume their normal
positions, that is, the locking bar v is again raised in front of another
of the projecting pieces or teeth ƒ of the wheel a, which tooth on the ad-
vance of the said wheel a strikes against the locking bar, and the advance
motion of the said wheel a is thus limited, and the said wheel locked
in its advanced position. The return motion of the minute wheel a is
prevented by the pawl engaging with the fixed ratchet wheel w³ on
the axis or arbor a² of the said wheel a. At the side of the [minute
wheel a is a curved slide for indicating half and quarter minutes.
This slide is provided with a projection y at back, which rests upon the
tail or short arm of the weighted lever q, or engages in a slot therein.
As the long arm of the weighted lever q rises the tail or short arm falls
and allows the slide gradually to descend by its weight and by the
pointer on it, and the graduations on the fixed plate a to indicate at the
opening e in the clock the half and quarter minutes. On the fall of the
weighted lever q the said slide z is raised to its highest position.

page_text: The wheel 6 for indicating the tens of minutes is moved forward on
the tenth advance of the minute wheel a in the following manner :-
On the back face of the minute wheel a is a cranked lever 2 (see
Figure 7) turning freely on its centre, and in front of the said lever 2 is
a pin 3 parallel to the axis of the wheel a. As the minute wheel a is
advanced at the required times the lever 2 slips over the teeth or pro-
jecting pieces g of the wheel 6 and no motion is communicated to the
said wheel b, the said lever 2 during this inaction assuming the position
indicated in dotted lines in Figure 7. When however the part of the
wheel a carrying the striking lever 2 has arrived at its highest position
the tail or short arm of the said lever 2 is brought against the platform
4 supported on the upright 5, and the striking lever 2 is now incapable
of motion upon its centre, its longer arm being situated vertically as
represented in Figure 7. When the striking lever 2 is in this position
its longer arm extends above one of the projecting pieces or teeth
marked g³ of the wheel b, and on the motion of the minute wheel a the
striking lever 2 operates upon the said tooth 9' and carries the wheel b
through one-twelfth of a revolution and causes a fresh numeral on the
periphery of the said wheel 6 to be brought in front of the opening e in
the clock frame or case. The wheel 6 is prevented from being advanced
beyond its proper distance by the locking lever 6, the upper arm of which
engages with one of the teeth or projecting pieces 9 of the wheel b.
The tail 7 of the lever 6 is so weighted that it causes the said lever 6 to
rise in front of the teeth or projecting pieces g. But before the striking
lever 2 commences to act upon the tooth or projection g² to advance
the wheel 6 the pin 3 near the said striking lever 2 passes under the tail
7 of the locking lever 6, and thereby depresses the said lever 6 and
releases the wheel 6, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 7. After the
pin 3 has passed under the tail 7 the lever 6 again rises and by bearing
against the tooth behind that last struck prevents the wheel 6 being
advanced beyond the required distance. The return motion of the wheel
bis prevented by a pawl similar to the pawl engaging with the fixed
ratchet wheel 8 on the axis or arbor 6 of the said wheel b. At each
half revolution of the tens of minutes wheel bit advances the hour
wheel c by means of similar striking levers 10 and 11 best seen in
Figures 4 and 5, acting against the projecting pieces or teeth h of the
said hour wheel c, and the said hour wheel is locked and released at the
proper times by means of the locking lever 13 and platform 14, the

page_text: pins 15 and 16 operating upon the locking lever 13 at the proper times
as herein-before described with respect to the locking lever 6 of the tens
of minutes wheel b. The return motion of the hour wheel c is prevented
by the pawl 17 and fixed ratchet wheel 18 on the arbor c³. By the
construction and arrangement or combination of parts described and
illustrated the wheel a is advanced every minute, the wheel 6 every ten
minutes, and the wheel c every hour, the said wheels a, b, c, thus indi-
cating the time by those portions of them which are successively
brought opposite the opening e in the front of the clock plate.
The dial wheels a, b, c, are set or adjusted in the following manner :-In
order to set the minute wheel a it is necessary to depress the locking
bar v, so as to bring the said bar without the range of the teeth or
projections f. This is effected by means of the plate 19 of the button
20 situated at the top of the outer frame or case of the clock acting upon
the arm u² of the cranked lever 8. When the button 20 is depressed
the locking bar is released from the teeth of the wheel a, and the
said wheel may be freely rotated by means of its axis or arbor a². The
tens of minutes wheel 6 is adjusted by the motion of the minute wheel a.
The hour wheel c is adjusted by depressing the button 21 the stem of
the said button acting upon the arm 22 of the pawl 17 (see Figures
3 and 4), and releasing the said pawl from the ratchet wheel 18.
The
hour wheel c may now be rotated by its arbor or axis c. The ends
of the bow spring 23 connected with the buttons 20, 21, lift the said
buttons out of action when they are not pressed down. The accidental
turning of the hour wheel c may be prevented by means of two levers
or locking arms fixed on the wheel b.
This arrangement of our Invention is illustrated in Figures 10 and 11
of the Drawing. Figure 10 representing a back elevation of the tens
of minutes wheel 6, and Figure 11 a back elevation and horizontal
section of the said wheel in combination with the hour wheel c.
Figure 12 represents a part of Figure 11, turning on the same centres
as the striking levers 10, 11, of the wheel 6 are two locking arms 24, 25,
for preventing the accidental turning of the hour wheel c.
The locking
lever 6 for preventing the advance of the wheel 6 bears against the
b teeth g of the said wheel b, but the locking arms 24, 25, for preventing
the accidental turning of the hour wheel c bear against the teeth h of
the said hour wheel c by means of shoulders or bent parts on the said
arms 24, 25. The locking arms 24, 25, act alternately on the teeth

page_text: at the left hand side of the wheel c, that is, as the descending side of
the wheel b passes from its highest to its lowest position, the locking
arm 24, or 25, which is for the time being on the descending side of the
wheel b, slips over the teeth h of the wheel c, the shoulder of the
locking arm preventing the motion of the wheel c. In Figure 11 the
locking arm 25 is represented engaged in front of the tooth marked
of the wheel c, the locking lever 6 being represented out of action,
and the striking lever 10 about to move forward the hour wheel c.
the locking arm 25 moves with the ascending side of the wheel bit no
longer acts upon the teeth of the wheel c but the other locking arm 24,
which is now on the descending side of the wheel 6 comes into action
and prevents the accidental turning of the hour wheel c; one of the
locking arms 24, 25, may be placed on the wheel a to prevent the
accidental turning of the wheel b.
As
Although we have represented a clock actuated by a spring and
regulated by a balance wheel, yet our Invention is equally applicable
to clocks actuated by weights and to clocks having pendulums or other
regulating mechanism. The several moving parts described as falling
into the required positions by the force of gravity may be acted upon
by springs instead of by the force of gravity. In this case the clock
if provided with a balance wheel escapement will work in any position.
Our improvements are applicable to clocks of various kinds and sizes.
Having now described the nature of our Invention and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood
that we do not limit ourselves to the precise details herein described
and illustrated, as the same may be varied without departing from the
nature of our Invention, for example, the weighted or actuating lever
by which motion is given to the minute wheel or dial may be worked
in a variety of ways from the ordinary clock mechanism, and the
advancing, arresting, and locking of the dial wheels may also be effected
in ways different from those herein-before described. But we claim as
our Invention the improvements in clocks herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-Constructing
clocks to indicate time after the manner of railway time tables by
combining together side by side a series of wheels or wheel dials having
an intermittent motion given to them, the peripheries of the said wheels
or wheel dials having the required numerals upon them, portions of the
said peripheries being successively presented at an opening in the front of

page_text: the clock to indicate the time, the said wheels or wheel dials being
constructed, arranged, and worked substantially as herein-before de-
scribed and illustrated.
In witness whereof, we, the said Jesse Siddons and David Bowen
Meese, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventh
day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JESSE SIDDONS.
(L.S.)
DAVID BOWEN MEESE. (L.S.)