IMPROVEMENTS IN KEYS FOR WINDING WATCHES SPRING CLOCKS AND OTHER LIKE SPRING MECHANISM
Year: 1884

page_text: I JOHN ASTEN of Chapel Street Colchester in the County of Essex Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KEYS FOR
WINDING WATCHES SPRING CLOCKS AND OTHER LIKE SPRING MECHANISM to be as
follows:-
38
This Invention has for its object the prevention of overwinding and the
consequent breakage of the main springs of watches, clocks, musical-boxes, clock-
work toys and other like spring mechanism and consists of a peculiar construction
and arrangement of winding key wherein the pipe or that part which fits onto the
winding spindle or arbour is frictionally coupled with the outer portion of the key
held by the fingers of the user so that when the spring has been fully wound up
the outer part of the key is free to turn round the pipe without imparting further
rotary movement thereto whilst the friction between the said two portions of the
key is sufficient to overcome the resistance of the spring in the act of winding
which friction is capable of adjustment to suit the strength of spring operated upon.
According to one mode of carrying out the said invention I connect the pipe or
spindle of the key with an inner split cylinder or a series of spring friction tongues
which revolve inside an outer cylinder and are capable of being pressed outwards
more or less against the inner surface of the outer cylinder by a cone working on
a screw thread on the upper portion of the pipe or spindle passing entirely through
the outer cylinder. By screwing down the said cone the spring friction tongues
will be expanded and the friction increased or vice versa. The said cone may be
turned round the screwed portion of the spindle or pipe for the purpose of
adjustment by an convenient driver introduced for that purpose through the top
of the outer cylinder which may be made removeable.
According to another mode of obtaining the requisite friction between the two
main parts of the key I dispense with the inner split cylinder and form a shoulder
or inner collar round the interior of the outer cylinder in which collar the pipe or
spindle of the key (which in this arrangement need not pass entirely through the

page_text: outer cylinder) turns freely. This pipe or spindle has formed upon it below the
before mentioned inner collar a collar or shoulder between which and the inner
collar I interpose a helical or equivalent spring a similar spring being placed above
the inner collar and above this again an adjustable or tightening nut working on
a thread on the central spindle or pipe. By turning this nut more or less in one
direction or the other the springs will be caused to grip or press more or less
against the surfaces of the inner collar so as to produce the amount of friction
required.
1004

page_text: I JOHN ASTEN of Chapel Street Colchester in the County of Essex, Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KEYS FOR
WINDING WATCHES, SPRING CLOCKS AND OTHER LIKE SPRING MECHANISM" and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This invention relates to a simple and effective arrangement of frictional winding
key for winding watches spring clocks, musical boxes clockwork toys and other
like spring mechanism and has for its object the prevention of overwinding and
the consequent breakage of the main-spring.
In carrying out my invention I mount on the pipe or spindle of the key so as to.
turn therewith a friction cylinder or series of spring friction tongues which are
frictionally coupled with the interior of an outer hollow cylinder revolving freely
round the said pipe or spindle the friction between the said tongues and the inner
surface of the outer cylinder being regulated if required so as to suit the particular
strength of spring to be wound by an adjustable cone working along a screw
thread on the upper portion of the spindle which serves to expand more or less the
said tongues. The said cone may be adjusted by any convenient driver introduced
through the end of the outer cylinder which may be provided with a removeable top
or cover for that purpose. The pipe of the key which fits onto the winding spindle
or arbor being thus only frictionally coupled with the outer loose portion held by
the finger and thumb of the operator in the act of winding it follows that when
the spring has been fully wound the outer part of the key will turn freely round
the pipe without imparting further rotary movement thereto the friction between
the said two positions of the key being only sufficient to overcome the resistance
of the spring in the act of winding hence overwinding of the spring is effectually
prevented.
Figure 1 of my drawings represents a horizontal section of my improved winding
key taken along the line 1-2 in figure 2 which latter figure represents a vertical
section of the key taken at or near the axial centre line thereof. These figures
are drawn to a scale of about six times the actual size of the key. a is the lower
or cylindrical portion of the pipo or spindle of the key provided with the usual
recess for fitting onto the squared end of the arbor for winding the spring. The
upper portion 6 of this spindle is made with one or more flat sides or faces and
passes through an opening of corresponding form in the bottom of the friction
cylinder c made hollow and split longitudinally at the sides so as to form a series
of spring friction tongues c¹ c¹ which fit inside and exert friction against the outer
cylinder d mounted loose upon the cylindrical portion a of the pipe or spindle.
is a cone the smaller end of which fits into the upper end of the inner split
cylinder which cone is adjustable as before described along the upper screwod
portion of the spindle b in order to regulate the friction between the inner and
outer parts of the key. g is the top or cover of the outer cylinder to which a ring

page_text: may be attached for suspending it to a watch chain or guard. This cover is by
preference made capable of being removed from the cylinder d when required so as
to afford access to the cone for the purpose of adjusting it on the spindle which
may be accomplished by any convenient driver fitting into a groove or recess in
the top of the cone.
In figure 1 the before mentioned friction regulating cone is supposed to be
removed. The outer cylinder may be of any form or design and more or less
ornamented but for convenience of holding and turning the same it may be formed
with flattened sides as shown or provided with a milled rim or edge.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The combination in keys for winding watches clocks and spring clockwork
mechanism generally of an outer hollow cylinder turning freely round the pipe or
spindle of the key and an inner split cylinder or series of spring friction tongues
fast on the spindle and so disposed inside the said outer cylinder as to exert friction
thereon in conjunction or not with an adjustable cone or equivalent device for
regulating the amount of friction substantially as and for the purpose specified.