Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1837
Complete Left, 24th May, 1838
Complete Accepted, 29th June, 1888
A communication from PABLO AMIEL, of Reus, in the Kingdom of Spain, Clockmaker.
I. ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
M.I.M.E.
The object of the present invention is to simplify the works for clocks and to render
them consequently lighter and reduce the cost of manufacture.
The description of the improved clockwork is essentially the following:
In a suitable frame are journalled three parallel horizontal spindles the middle, one
of which operated by a spring or weight and cord produces the movement of the hands
on the dial in the ordinary manner. On this saine spindle is fixed a pinwheel the
movement of which is regulated by an ordinary escapement connected by a lever with
the horizontal balance beam of the works, which beam pivotted centrally and oscillating
replaces the pendulum. The movement of this balance beam is regulated by means of
an adjustable weight at each end.
The above named pinwheel makes one revolution every 15 minutes and a toothed
wheel at the end of the spindle the pinwheel is mounted on communicates the move-
ment to the hands.
On the other two spindles are mounted two worm wheels of the same size, one on
each spindle which operate two vertical spindles by means of worms fixed thereto.
Each of these vertical spindles is provided with a ring having a pin and on the upper
ends are mounted arms carrying vanes or flies.
The striking of the quarters takes place by means of four pins fixed to a disc
mounted on the middle spindle. These pins three of which are short and one longer
operate a lever but do not interfere with the worm wheel on the spindle of which is
fixed the so-called quarter drum round which is also wound the cord of the weight
which drives the train.
The arm operating the hammer is moved by pins fixed to the face of the worm
wheel.

page_text: On the disc carrying the four pins is further fastened a cam with four teeth or steps
corresponding to the four quarters on which cam rests a lever connected with a double
ratchet having four teeth on each side and operated by a pin on the spindle of a star
wheel turned by the pin on the spindle carrying the worm. The pawl holding the
ratchet on one side is operated by the lever lifted every quarter by the pins on the disc
of the middle spindle.
The movement of the hour barrel on the spindle of the other wormwheel is essentially
the same as that for the quarter barrel, with the exception of the double ratchet
arrangement which has here 12 teeth corresponding to the twelve hours. The move-
ment is released by the lever when the four quarters have struck.
It is easy to see from this arrangement that the clockwork has but three wheels and
no pinions and a system of levers so that there is little friction and the weight and the
cost of production are greatly reduced consequent on the greater simplicity of the
works.

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, M.I.M.E.
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:
The object of the present invention is to simplify the works for clocks and to render
then consequently lighter and reduce the cost of inanufacture.
In the accompanying drawings:
:-
Fig. 1 represents a general view in front elevation of the clock work.
Fig. 2 is a detail of the quarter striking mechanism.
In a suitable frame A are journalled three parallel horizontal spindles B C D, the
middle one B of which operated by a spring or weight and cord produces the move-
ment of the hands on the dial in the usual manner. On this same spindle B is fixed a
pin wheel R, the movement of which is regulated by an ordinary escapement E
connected by a lever F with the horizontal balance beam G which beam pivotted
centrally in H and oscillating replaces the pendulum. The movement of this balance
beam is regulated by means of a weight I at each end adjusted by micrometer screws.
The above named pin wheel R makes one revolution every 15 minutes and a toothed
wheel at the end of the spindle communicates the movement to the hands.
On the other two spindles.C D are mounted two worm wheels R¹ R² of equal size,
one on each spindle, which operate two vertical spindles K by means of worms J fixed
thereto. Each of these vertical spindles is provided with a ring having a pin L
and on the upper ends are mounted arms carrying vanes or flies M.
The striking of the quarter takes place by means of 4 pins fixed to a disc d mounted
on the middle spindle. These pins three of which are short and one longer operate a
lever N but do not interfere with the worm wheel R' on the spindle of which is fixed
the so called quarter drum O round which is also wound the cord of the weight which
drives the train.
The worm wheel R' imparts movement to the vertical worm J the spindle of which
carries the vanes or flies M the object of which is to regulate the movement and give
the hammer time to strike the bell and to withdraw directly so as to make the sound
well heard.
The arm P operating the hammer is moved by pins fixed to the face of the worm
wheel.
On the disc d carrying the four pins is further fastened a cam Z with four teeth or
steps corresponding to the four quarters, on which cam rests a lever Y connected with
a double ratchet V having four teeth on each side and operated by a pin U on the
spindle T of a star wheel S turned by the pin L of the spindle carrying the worm J.
The pawl X holding the ratchet on the other side is operated by the lever N lifted
every quarter by the pins on the disc d of the middle spindle. The double ratchet
held in position by two guide pieces cannot descend further than necessary because of
the lever Y with which it is connected. The object of the cam Z is only to liberate
the ratchet for the first tooth for the striking of the first quarter, for the socond tooth
for the half hour, etc.
When the four quarters have been struck the lever N liberates the hour drum the

page_text: movement of which is similar to that of the quarter drum with the difference that the
cam has twelve steps and the double ratchet twelve teeth corresponding with the twelve
hours on the dial.
This clock is a repeating one because it has two detents for the hours, the first which
is shorter lets the hours be struck directly after the quarters, the second does not touch
the hour drum until after a sufficient interval for repeating the hours.
The great advantages of the above described clock are the following:
1. While all other known systems have a great number of wheels and pinions and
therefore a considerable weight this system has no pinions and only comprises three
wheels, one being a pin wheel for actuating the hands of the dial, the second for the
quarter striking mechanism and the third for the hour striking mechanism.
2. Having no pinions there is therefore also no friction or resistance which is
consequent on the transmission of the movement from the wheels to the pinions. In
this system the wheels transmit the movement to the worms while in all other clock
work movements a system of levers is employed from this arrangement necessarily
a great saving of power results estimated at about half of that of other systems.
3. The space necessary is reduced as well in length and breadth as in height.
4. The light weight has been mentioned and here may be added the simplicity of
construction and the small wear and tear of the mechanism. It is easily understood
that the weight is less, from the fact that in consequence of its simple construction less
material is employed in this mechanism. 1t is simplified to such an extent that even
the least expert workman can mount and dismount it without great difficulty, and as
in this clockwork there are neither spindles nor wheels greatly exposed to wear and
tear, it stands to reason that it will last longer than the other systems known up to
the present.
5. Lastly this system has the immense advantage over all the others, that the move-
ment is obtained by three wheels and a system of levers which suffice to actuate the
quarter and hour striking mechanisms and to impart to the whole a regular
movement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said 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 :-
The system of clockwork substantially as herein described and characterised by the
following points :-
1. The arrangement on a suitable framework of three horizontal spindles such
as B CD carrying wheels such as R R R² in combination with the escapement E
connected with the horizontal balance beam G by means of the lever F, the said
balance beam being provided with adjustable weights I to assure a uniform
movement.
2. In a system of clockwork the arrangement of the wormwheels such as R¹ R2
actuating worms J the spindles of the worins being vertical and provided with a pin
such as L and with vanes or flies M to regulate their movement.
3. The arrangement of the double ratchet V held in position by the arm X which
is actuated every quarter of an hour by the lever N which imparts to it an oscillating
movement.
The whole constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for the
purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 24th day of May 1888.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents.