Method and Means of Setting the Hands of Balance Time-keepers.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1899-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Method and Means of Setting the Hands of Balance Time-keepers.
I, GEORGE GREGOR GRANT, of 8, Manhattan Mansions, Holloway Road,
London, N., Watchmaker, 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:-
66
"
My invention relates to a method and means of setting the hands, and in
particular the seconds hand, of a chronometer or other balance timekeeper of
precision, accurately in accord with a standard timekeeper without stopping or
in any way disturbing the action of the escapement and balance, it being
especially desirable to avoid such stoppage or disturbance in the case of a chrono-
rate of the chronometer
meter escapement so as to avoid any alteration of the
which might occur in consequence of such stoppage.
The invention consists essentially in so mounting the escapement as to enable
it to be moved bodily around the "fourth" wheel and in so moving to act,
fourth wheel and to carry said wheel along with it either in
directly on the
the forward or the backward direction to any extent required in order to set the
hands and this without disturbing the action of the escapement and balance.
By thus turning the "fourth" wheel with or against the action of the driving
train the "seconds" hand which is fixed on the arbor of that wheel may be
accurately set and as all the wheels of the train partake in this adjusting motion
of the fourth" wheel all the hands of the timekeeper are proportionately
adjusted so that the correct positions of the hands in relation to each other will
be preserved notwithstanding the adjustment of the seconds hand.
"
"
In carrying out the invention in practice the balance and escapement are
mounted in a frame capable of being moved (for the purpose of setting the
fourth wheel, this frame being
hands) concentrically about the axis of the
normally held rigidly stationary and being turned for the purpose of setting
the hands either directly or preferably through the medium of a tangent screw
or a pinion, turned by a suitable key.
The invention will be more fully described with reference to the accompanying
"fourth
O drawing wherein I have illustrated (in section in the plane of the
wheel arbor) so much of the movement as is necessary to explain the invention.
A is the plate of the movement, B the balance, C the scape wheel, D the
"fourth" wheel and d its arbor.
The frame in which the balance and escapement are mounted comprises an
5 upper plate E (supporting the cocks for the balance and escapement) in which
the lower part of the balance staff and the lower pivot of the pallet staff (if a
lever escapement be used) and the shorter pivot of the "fourth" wheel arbo
are pivoted, and a lower part F chambered to receive within it the
"
fourth

page_text: "
wheel D and the escapement pinion b, the parts E F being screwed together and
adjustable as one. For this purpose the lower part F is countersunk to receive
an annular bush G having a shouldered periphery, which is screwed to the
plate A and whereby the part F is securely held in position with freedom to be
rotated about the bush which is peripherally concentric with the axis of the
"fourth
wheel. The escape wheel arbor passes through an aperture in the
plate E and has its lower pivot hole in the part F. To enable the desired adjust-
ment to be made with precision and the parts to be securely retained after adjust-
ment, the part F is externally toothed at f and has in gear with it a tangent
screw H of which the axis is mounted on the plate A and is squared to receive
a key for turning it. On turning the tangent screw the whole escapement is
carried round the axis of the fourth "wheel arbor as a centre and the escape
wheel pinion not being capable of rolling around the "fourth" wheel with which
it is engaged, the fourth wheel is carried with it. This movement of the
fourth wheel backwards or forwards may be of any extent required for setting
the hands and does not arrest or in anywise disturb the action of the escapement.
Instead of employing a tangent screw, a pinion may be geared with the
teeth of the part F and be turned by a key applied to its arbor, the part F
being held in position of adjustment by a friction spring or the adjustment may
be effected by turning the part E F directly by hand.
"
"
It will be convenient to give the worm wheel part F sixty teeth so that one
turn of the tangent screw H will move it one tooth or one-sixtieth of the circle
and consequently advance or retard the "seconds" hand to the extent of one
second, any fractional part of a turn of the tangent screw producing an equiva-
lent fractional difference.
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:
**
1. The herein described method of accurately setting the hands of a balance
timekeeper without arresting or disturbing the balance or escapement, which
consists in rotating the balance and escapement about the axis of the fourth"
wheel and thereby turning the fourth wheel and the rest of the train to the
required extent substantially, as specified.
.
2. The herein described means of accurately setting the hands of a balance
timekeeper without arresting or disturbing the balance or escapement, which
consists in a stationary frame wherein the balance and escapement are mounted
the said frame being capable of being rotated for the purpose of setting the
hands about an axis concentric with the "fourth" wheel arbor and the escape
wheel pinion being in gear with the fourth wheel so as by such rotation of
the frame to cause the "fourth" wheel to be rotated therewith and the rest of
the train to be rotated in proportion independently of the rotation of the escape
wheel about its own axis substantially as specified.
"
3. The herein described means of accurately setting the hands of a balance
timekeeper without arresting or disturbing the balance or escapement which
consists in a stationary frame wherein the balance and escapement are mounted
the said frame being capable of being rotated for the purpose of setting the
hands about an axis concentric with the fourth wheel arbor and being toothed
and geared with a tangent screw whereby to cause the "fourth" wheel and the
rest of the train to be so rotated by virtue of the engagement of the escape
wheel pinion with the "fourth" wheel independently of the rotation of the escape
wheel about its own axis substantially as specified..
4. The herein described means of accurately setting the hands of a balance
timekeeper without arresting or disturbing the balance or escapement, which
consists in a stationary frame wherein the balance and escapement are mounted
the said frame being capable of being rotated for the purpose of setting the

page_text: hands about an axis concentric with the "fourth" wheel arbor and being toothed
and geared with a pinion whereby to cause the "fourth" wheel and the rest
of the train to be so rotated by virtue of the engagement of the escape wheel
pinion with the "fourth" wheel independently of the rotation of the escape wheel
about its own axis substantially as specified.
1000
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.