Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1886.
Complete Left, 8th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 9th Sept., 1887.
I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Consulting
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The essential features of this invention consist, firstly, in the construction of the
chronograph without any supplementary wheels, and secondly in the working of the
hand or pointer by friction. The result of these improvements is, that the chrono-
graph is comprised of the smallest possible number of pieces, and consequently that
the cost price is considerably reduced compared with that of chronographs heretofore
in use.
The drawings hereto annexed, show clearly two arrangements based on the same
principle and effecting the stoppage and starting of the hand or pointer by similar
means.
Figures 1 to 4 show a chronograph with means of returning the hand or pointer
to zero, and Figures 5 and 6 a chronograph without means of returning the hand or
pointer to zero.
Figure 1 is a front view of the chronograph with the dial and the hour and minute
hands removed.
Figure 2 shows two views of the hand or pointer of the chronograph to double
full size.
Figure 3 shows two views of the piece for returning the hand to zero.
Figure 4 shows two views of an oscillating knife edge or wedge, the action of which
will be hereafter described.
The improved arrangements are placed below the dial on the pivot or arbor a of
the centre seconds at the centre of the frame plate b. It consists simply of a steel
plate c, which carries a sleeve d, on which is fitted and fixed a heart cam f, for
returning the chronograph hand or pointer a to zero, and the said hand or pointer
itself.

page_text: On the plate c or rather on the heart cam f, bears a spring 9, which produces
friction between the plate c, and the centre pivot a.
To stop this friction between the plate c and the pivot, an oscillating knife edge his
placed under the steel plate c. The function of the knife edge h, is to raise the plate c
and disengage it from the pivot and the hand or pointer is thereby stopped.
All the other parts of the chronograph remain unaltered. The knob of the winder p,
acts by the piece m', carrying a pawl n, on the star or ratchet wheel o, into the teeth
of which gears the end h¹ of the knife edge h, under the action of the spring h²; the
piece q, for returning the hand or pointer a to zero, oscillates at 9' and is also operated
by the star wheel o, with which it is held in gear at q2 by the springs, whilst its end o³
acts on the heart cam f.
The action is as follows:-The centre seconds hand x being at rest and at zero, the
winding knob p is pressed in the direction of the arrow, Figure 1, and disengages
the knife edge h from under the steel plate c. Then the spring g acts on the heart
cam fand the plate c pressing them against the pivot a, and the friction thus produced
between the plate c and the pivot a causes the hand or pointer x of the chronograph
to follow the movement of the latter. By pressing again upon the winding knob p,
the end of the knife is disengaged from the star wheel o whilst the knife edge is
inserted between the frame plate and the steel plate c in order to raise the latter and
thereby to prevent it from being carried round by the pivot a. The stoppage of the
hand is thereby effected instantaneously. Finally, by pressing a third time on the
knob p, the piece q is brought into action, so that its end q³ acts on the heart cam f to
return the hand of the chronograph to zero.
In the chronograph shown in Figures 5 and 6, the hand or pointer & is fixed on the
sleeve d of the steel plate c, which, in this case, is not furnished with the heart cam
for returning the hand a to zero; and consequently it is acted on directly by the
spring 9.
The knife his oscillated at * by means of the finger piece r.
The chronograph acts whenever the knife edge h is removed from between the frame
plate b and the steel plate c; and its stoppage is effected immediately this knife edge is
reinserted between the frame plate b and the plate c, so as to raise the latter and thereby
prevent the frictional action by which the hand x has been forced to follow the motion
of the centre seconds pivot a. This action is therefore similar to that explained in
reference to Figures 1 to 4 but without means of returning the hand a to zero.
Dated this 8th day of November 1886.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chronographs.
1, WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of 115 Cannon Street in the City of London, Consulting
Engineer and Patent Agent 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, reference being had to the accompanying sheet of
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The essential features of this invention consist, firstly, in the construction of the
chronograph without any supplementary wheels and, secondly, in the working of the
hand or pointer by friction. The result of these improvements is that the chronograph
is comprised of the smallest possible number of pieces, and consequently, that the cost
is considerably reduced, compared with that of chronographs heretofore in use.
The drawings hereto annexed show clearly two arrangements based on the same
principle and effecting the stoppage and starting of the hand or pointer by similar
means.
Figures 1 to 4 show a chronograph with means of returning the hand or pointer to
zero, and Figures 5 to 10 a chronograph without means of returning the hand or
pointer to zero.
Figure 1 is a front view of a chronograph watch with the dial and the hour and
minute hands removed.
Figure 2 shows two views of the hand or pointer of the chronograph to double
full size.
Figure 3 shows two views of the piece for returning the hand to zero and,
Figure 4 shows two views of an oscillating knife edge or wedge the action of which
will be hereafter described.
The improved arrangements are placed below the dial on the pivot or arbor a of
the centre seconds hand at the centre of the frame plate b. They consist simply of
a steel plate c which carries a sleeve d on which is fitted and fixed a heart cam ƒ for
returning the chronograph hand or pointer a to zero and the said hand or pointer x
itself.
On the plate c, or rather on the heart cam f, bears a spring g which produces friction
between the plate c and the centre pivot a.
To stop this friction between the plate c and the pivot, an oscillating knife edge h
is placed under the steel plate c. The function of the knife edge h is to raise the
plate and disengage it from the pivot, and the hand or pointer x is thereby
stopped.
All the other parts of the chronograph remain unaltered. The knob of the winder p
acts, by the piece m carrying a pawl n, on the star or ratchet wheel o, into the teeth
of which gears the end of the knife edge h under the action of the spring h²; the
piece for returning the hand or pointer a to zero oscillates at q' and is also operated
by the star wheel o with which it is held in gear at q2 by the springs, whilst its end q³
acts on the heart cam f.
The action is as follows:-the centre seconds hand x, being at rest and at zero,
the winding knob p is pressed in the direction of the arrow, Figure 1, and disengages

page_text: P,
09
the knife edge h from under the steel plate c. Then the spring g acts on the heart
cam and the plate c, pressing them against the pivot a, and the friction thus
produced between the plate c and the pivot a causes the hand or pointer of the
chronograph to follow the movement of the said pivot a. By pressing again upon
the winding knob the end of the knife is disengaged from the star wheel
whilst the knife edge is inserted between the frame plate 6 and the steel plate c in
order to raise the latter and thereby to prevent it from being carried round by the
pivot a. The stoppage of the hand a is thereby effected instantaneously. Finally
by pressing a third time on the knob p, the piece q is brought into action, so that
its end acts on the heart cam f to return the hand x of the chronograph to zero.
Figure 5 is a front view of the chronograph or watch with the parts modified.
Figure 6 is a detail view to an enlarged scale. Figures 7 and 8 are respectively
an elevation and underside view of the sleeve carrying the seconds hand, and
Figures 9 and 10 show the small driving sleeve actuating the sleeve & shown in
Figures 7 and 8. The pivot a of the centre second hand carries the plate a² and
its sleeve a which turn constantly therewith. The upper surface of the plate a² is
furnished with more or less fine teeth or serrations as shown in Figure 10. On the
sleve a turns the sleeve d the plate c of which is also furnished with teeth or
serrations (as shown in Figure 8) which correspond to the teeth or serrations of
the plate a². The sleeve d can be raised and lowered by means of the knife h and
the spring g and thereby be put in and out of gear with the small sleeve a¹. The
motion of the hand of the chronograph is thereby made definite. The knife his
oscillated at * by means of the finger piece r.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :—
First. The construction of a chronograph without supplementary wheels, the hand
or pointer of the chronograph being operated by frictional contact with the pivot a of
the centre seconds hand, such friction being produced by a spring the action of which
is neutralized or stopped when the stopping of the hand of the chronograph is to be
effected by an oscillating knife edge or wedge h, and with or without means for
returning the hand of the chronograph to zero substantially as herein before described,
and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Second. The chronographic mechanism in connection with the pivot a of the
centre seconds hand, consisting of the steel plate c, the sleeve d, the heart cam f, the
spring g, the oscillating knife edge or wedge h, the winding knob p, the piece m,
the pawl n, the star or ratchet wheel o, the spring h² and the piece q, arranged, com-
bined and operating as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3
and 4 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Third. The chronographic mechanism in connection with the pivot a of the centre
seconds hand, consisting of the steel plate c having a toothed or serrated surface, the
sleeve d formed with or connected to the plate c and carrying the hand of the
chronograph, the sleeve a¹ of the centre seconds hand with the plate a² having a
toothed or serrated surface corresponding to that of the plate the oscillating knife
رنا
or wedge h, and the finger piece r, and with or without means for returning the
hand of the chronograph to zero all arranged, combined and operating as herein before
described, and illustrated in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the Drawings hereto
annexed.