IMPROVEMENTS IN PROTECTORS FOR WATCHES, PORTEMONNAIES, AND POCKET BOOKS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Gottheimer, of Hampstead Road, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROTECTORS
FOR WATCHES, PORTEMONNAIES, AND POCKET BOOKS."
Sealed the 9th July 1866, and dated the 13th January 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Gottheimer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th January 1866.
I, HENRY GOTTHEIMER, of Hampstead Road, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRO-
TECTORS FOR WATCHES, PORTEMONNAIES, AND POCKET BOOKS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in protectors for watches,.
portemonnaies, and pocket books, the object of the Invention being to prevent.
the felonious withdrawal of such articles from the pocket of the owner.
I propose to take a short length of vulcanized or pure india-rubber, either
solid or tubular, and to insert in or attach to each end thereof a small socket
baving a groove on the exterior and a female screw in the centre; theun, by
means of fine wire or thread I compress the rubber into the grooves, and so
fasten the socket in the india-rubber. These sockets serve for the reception
of small metallic caps having rings at their tops and male screws within the
caps; therefore, by screwing the caps into the sockets there results a short
I then
piece of india-rubber, with a metallic cap and ring at each end.
attach to one ring a hook having a sharp point; this hook may be easily
formed of brass or other wire, and should receive a double turn or kink at

page_text: the curve of the shank to act as a stop, or the wire may be twisted to
form a screw, or a small disc may be soldered thereto. The hook should be
attached by means of an intervening split or solid ring. The hook is intended
to be passed through the bottom of the pocket, and the stop will regulate the
distance of its penetration, and also keep the point of the hook in such position
that it will not injure the fingers of the wearer. The watch guard, instead of
being attached as usual to the bow of the watch is to be attached to the
intervening ring; the object of which is that when the watch is attempted to
be withdrawn by the guard the pull is directly against the hook, and there-
fore it is not only impossible to withdraw the watch by this means, but detec-
tion of a thief is rendered probable. The other extremity of the protector or
guard is provided with a split or solid ring and ordinary swivil, to which the
watch bow is attached; and the wearer therefore removes his watch against
the action of the india-rubber spring, and not by the chain. If, however, a
thief withdraws the watch by similar means the strain on the rubber gives
warning to the wearer. The india-rubber, when tubular, may be provided
with a helical steel spring fixed inside the tube and attached to both ends of
the sockets; this spring will strengthen the tube; the elongation and conse-
quent decrease of its diameter will be compensated by the corresponding
decrease in the diameter of the spring. In lieu of a single cylinder or tube
of india-rubber I also propose to use an india-rubber ring, either solid,
tubular, or tubular with a spring inside; in all these instances some of the
attachments before mentioned may be applied by means of split or solid rings,
the object of the Invention being the same.
. In order to apply the Invention to pocket books and portemonnaies and
other articles the upper or exterior attachment of the protector should be
attached to the usual india-rubber braid or elastic band encircling the article,
so that when an attempt is made to withdraw the article the owner receives
warning. of such attempt; or the protector may be attached to the band which
should enclose the pocket book or portemonnaie by passing around it length-
wise or through the inside.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Gottheimer, Her special licence, that I, the said Henry Gottheimer,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henry Gottheimer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should in 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PROTECTORS FOR WATCHES, PORTEMONNAIES, AND POCKET Books,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Gottheimer, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 I, the said Henry Gottheimer, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention, as set forth in the accompanying Drawings, relates to
certain improvements in protectors for watches, portemonnaies, and pocket
books, the object of the Invention being to prevent the felonious withdrawal.
of such articles from the pocket of the owner.
Figure 1 is my protector or guard for watches; Figure 2 is my protector
or guard for pocket books, portemonnaies, &c.; Figure 3 is an additional ring
for the more effectual securing of watches.
I propose to take a short length of vulcanized or pure india-rubber A, as
seen in Figures 1 and 2, either solid or tubular, and to insert in or attach to
each end thereof a small socket B having a groove on the exterior and a
female screw C in the centre; then by means of fine wire or thread I com-
press the rubber into the grooves and so fasten the socket in the india-rubber.
These sockets serve for the reception of small metallic caps D having rings E
at their tops and male screws within the caps, so that by screwing the caps
into the sockets there results a short piece of india-rubber with a metallic cap
and ring at each end. I then attach to one ring a hook F having a short.

page_text: point; this hook may be easily formed of brass or other wire, and should
receive a double turn or knik at the curve of the shank to act as a stop, or.
the wire may be twisted to form a screw, or a small disc may be soldered to
it. The hook should be attached by means of an intervening split or solid.
ring. The hook is intended to be passed through the bottom of the pocket,
and the stop will regulate the distance of its penetration, and keep the point of
the book in such position that it will not injure the fingers of the wearer.
I also propose to apply in lieu of the hook a screw with a sharp point and.
with a. little ring on top. The point of the screw is to be stuck through the
lining on the inside of the pocket, and a little button or knot is screwed on.
the said pointed screw on the outside of the pocket. There is a spring swivel,
attached to the ring of the cap intended to be jumped into the ring on the top
of the screw at leisure. The watch guard, instead of being attached as usual
to the bow of the watch, is to be attached to the intervening ring; the object
of which is that when the watch is attempted to be withdrawn by the guard
the pull is directly against the hook, and therefore it is not only impossible to
withdraw the watch by this means, but the detection of the thief is rendered
probable. The other extremity of the protector or guard is provided with a
split or solid ring G and ordinary swivel H, to which the watch bow is attached,
and the wearer therefore removes his watch against the action of the india-
rubber spring, and not by the chain. If, however, a thief withdraws the watch
by similar means the strain on the rubber gives warning to the wearer. The
india-rubber when tubular may be provided with a helical steel spring fixed
inside the tube and attached to both ends of the sockets; this spring will
strengthen the tube; the elongation and consequent decrease of its diameter
will be compensated by the corresponding decrease in the diameter of the
spring. In lieu of a single cylinder or tube of india-rubber I also propose to
use an india-rubber ring, either solid, tubular, or tubular with a spring inside.
In all these instances some of the attachments before mentioned may be
applied by means of split or solid rings, the object of the Invention being the
In order to apply the Invention to pocket books and portemonnaies
and other articles the upper or exterior attachment of the protector should be
attached to the usual india-rubber braid or elastic band I encircling the
article, so that when an attempt is made to withdraw the article the owner
receives warning of such attempt; or the protector may be attached to the
band, which should enclose the pocket book or portemonnaie by passing around
it lengthwise or through the inside. Also for the more effectual securing of
the watch I propose using a hollow metal ring, Figure 3, in two unequal parts
joined together by means of a rivet or hinge J. The largest of these two
same.

page_text: unequal parts K contains in its interior a helical spring L, which touches a bit
of metal M sliding in the tube of the larger portion of the ring, and moving up
and down a slit in the ring by means of a little notch N, which bit of metal,
when drawn back, presses against the spring inside, and so causes the smaller
portion O of the ring to fly open by acting on its hinge. This smaller portion
of the ring when forced down on the bit of metal causes it to jump into its
mouth and so remains fastened; this ring has a little chain attached to it,
with a little ring at the end of the chain. The said spring ring is put round
the neck or ball of the watch, and the ring at the end of the little chain goes
on the swivel which is attached to the bow of the watch, so that when the bow
of the watch is broken, which is mostly the case when a watch is stolen, the
little chain attached by means of the spring ring to the neck or ball of the
watch and to the swivel of the guard will still prevent the watch from being
detached. By the same means ladies may protect their watches by having
the chain attached to the spring ring round the neck or ball of the watch
longer, and by sewing on an eye or ring, or by making a loop at a convenient
distance from the pocket or where the watch is worn, and having at the other
end of the chain a spring swivel attached, which is to be jumped in or made
fast to the said eye, ring, or loop.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
carrying it into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise details above given, but claim the manufacture of protectors or
guards for watches, portemonnaies, and pocket books by means of india-rubber
lengths, solid or tubular, fixed at one end to the pocket and at the other end
to the watch or object to be secured, substantially as herein set forth and
represented in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Gottheimer, have hereto set my
band and seal, this Tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
HY. GOTTHEIMER. (L.S.)