IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE WATCH- MAN'S TIME DETECTORS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth & Co.,
Patent Agency, of Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of
Germany, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE WATCH-
MAN'S TIME DETECTORS."-A communication from Theodor Hahn,
residing at Stuttgart in the Empire of Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on tho
1st August 1874.
I, FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth & Co., Patent Agency,
of Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE
WATCHMAN'S TIME DETECTORS," a communication from Theodor Hahn, a
Person resident at Stuttgart, in the Empire of Germany, to be as
follows:-
0
-The portable detectors are all-of-the-same-system-and-combined with
a series of *keys, each making different marks or perforations-on-paper
dials and are enclosed in a
--
3.
-

page_text: The dial of paper or other suitable material which is affixed to the
movable dial plate of the watch or clock is to be renewed every day and
moved round by a clockwork. On the dials is marked a time table, and
a bridge passing over the dial serves as the index pointing on the
divisions of the time table. The watchman before entering upon his
duties receives the watch, which is provided with a fresh paper dial,
wound up, set, and locked. He makes his rounds and visits the different
stations, according to instructions received. On the various stations of
the beat different keys belonging to cach detector are securely fastened
within or outside the buildings, and on arriving at a station the watch-
man will insert the key fastened there into the proper keyhole of the
detector, when a figure will be printed or a perforation made on the
paper dial at the axact minute the bridge indicates, and therefore at
exactly the time at which the watchman has been at the station, the watch
having been set before delivering it to the watchman.
To cach detector belongs a series of keys, generally twelve, to which
however more can be added if requisite. The bits of those keys
correspond with the markers in such manner that by affixing a disc of
paper to the movable dial plate of the watch or clock, and causing said
diso to revolve under the bridge, the key or keys being introduced into
the watch or clock case, and turned in the proper direction, the corre-
sponding key will press against the paper dial and imprint thercon a
figure or make perforations in the different spaces intended to receive the
action of a different key. On delivering the watch to the person in
charge the latter on opening the case can see at once how often and at
what time the rounds of the watchman have been made, whether every
station has been visited or neglected at each round, and what space of
time elapsed between the different visits.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on 30
the 27th January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANK
WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency, of
Frankfort-on-the-Maine, in the Empire of Germany, send greeting.

page_text: First. In the arrangement of one or more stationary marking dies in 5
the face plate of a watch or clock in combination with a cam-shaped
bridge extending over the marking dio or dics, and with one or more
keys, the bit or bits of which correspond in position to the marking die
or dies in such a manner that by affixing a disc of paper or other
suitable material to the movable dial plato of the watch or clock, and 1
causing said disc to revolve between the stationary marking die or dies
and the cam-shaped bridge, the key or keys on being introduced into
the watch or clock casc and turned in the proper direction under tho
cam-shaped bridge will depress the paper or other material on the
marking die corresponding to the position of its bit, and the exact time 1
when the watchman has visited a certain room or station on his beat
will be recorded on the disc of paper or other material.
Second. The Invention consists in constructing a time detector of the
character of the preceeding, with the difference that in lieu of depressing
the paper or other suitable material on the marking die or dies by means 2
of the bit or bits of the key or keys the said marking die or dies aro
movable, and by the said key or keys pressed upwards towards the paper
and the cam-shaped bridge.
Third. The Invention consists in constructing one or more stationary
springs provided at their top with a point or with a square plate in com- 2
bination with a stationary cam-shaped bridge or hand extending over the
stationary springs, and provided or not at its inner side with marking
dies, and with one or more key or keys, the bit or bits of which corre-
spond in position to the stationary springs in such a manner that by
affixing a disc of paper or other suitable material to the movable dial g
plate of the watch or clock, and causing said dise to revolvo between the
stationary spring or springs and the bridge, the key will press the spring
corresponding to the position of its bit towards the stationary bridge or
hand, and prick a hole on the corresponding annular space of the paper
dial, or imprint a mark on the paper dial,
3

page_text: Fourth. The Invention consists in a combination of a watch case,
dial plate, and stationary bridge, same as above, of a tool provided with
one or more piercing points or with a square plate, which tool, by the
corresponding key can be swung nearer to or further away from the
_centre-of-the-dial-plate, and-(at-the-same time-can-be pressed towards
the stationary band by turning the key) in consequence whereof the
piercing point or points prick a hole into the corresponding annular
space of the paper dial, or if the tool is provided with a square plate in
lieu of the piercing point this squaro plate is pressed towards the
stationary hand, which in this case is in the same manner as in the
second part of this Invention, provided with a marking die or marking
dies, which imprint the corresponding mark on the paper dial.
Fifth. The Invention consists in constructing a rotating steel dial,
which has the hour and minute sub-divisions engraved in raised figures
thereon, and is set in motion by a suitable clock train. The numbers of
the stations are arranged sidewise thereof and marked on a plain paper
disc rotating with the steel dial by means of strong band springs with
steel marking plates, which are actuated by the keys at the stations in
such a manner that one spring strikes on the steel disc at each station
for indicating the time while the springs for marking the stations strike
their corresponding numbers consecutively in the customary manner.
"
Sixth. The Invention consists of the arrangement of a dial in con-
nection with a disc rotated without a clock train by the action of the
keys at the various stations on a ratchet wheel at the under side of the
same to produce the forward motion simultaneously with the action of
the keys on the spring marking devices.
:
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 represents a face view of a
portable time detector constructed in accordance with the first part of
the Invention; Figure 2 is a similar view of the same, the dial plate
being partially broken away to expose the marking dics; Figure 3 'is a
transverse central section of the same; Figure 4 is a detached section of
the cam-shaped bridge. Similar letters in these four Figures indicate
corresponding parts.
Tin in a noteative viave of

page_text: attached to it, and that when such dial is placed on the disc it will be
compelled to follow the motion of the same. From the face plate a
project one or more stationary dies f, the faces of which have engraved
or otherwise produced in them figures, letters, or other suitable
characters, and which-when-more-than-one-such die is used are set in a
radial direction, as shewn in Figure 2 of the Drawing. These dies are.
situated beneath a bridge g, which is firmly secured to the case a, and
which is perforated with a hole 7 to receive the key . The under
surface of the bridge is cam-shaped, as shewn in Figure 4, and the upper
surface of the key is rounded, so that when the key is inserted into the
keyhole and turned round under the bridge the projection i on said key
will be depressed toward the die, and the dial e which is carried through
between the dies and the bridge will receive an impression to correspond
to the face of the die. The position of the projection i on the key of
course must correspond to the position of the dic, and if more than ono
die is used several keys have to be prepared, one for each die. Theso
keys are intended to be secured in the various rooms or stations com-
posing the beat of the watchman, the watchman carrying the clock or
watch, the case of which is locked by a key in the possession of the
superintendant or proprietor of the place. On reaching a certain station
the watchman inserts the key in his clock, and by turning it a mark is
produced on the dial e indicating the station. On the dial is also
marked a time table j, and the bridgo 9 may serve as the index pointing
on to the divisions of the time table. As the dial is carried around by
the clock movement the time when a mark is produced on the dial by
one of the keys can be read off from the time table and the movements
of the watchman on his beat can be controlled. If the number of
stations in the beat exceeds the number of the marking dies in the clock,
keys can be prepared with two or more projections, and with six marking
dies a large number of stations can be controlled. If desired the bridge g
may be made yielding, so that its action on the key will depend not only
on its cam-shaped face, but also on the action of a spring having á
tendency to force said bridge in towards the marking dio or dies.
Referring in the next instance to Figure 8 of the Drawings, in the.
detector represented thereby each key corresponds with one of the
movable marking dies a and presses the corresponding die, and by-it-also
the paper dial towards the stationary bridge b. By theso means the

page_text: mark on the head of the movable marking die or dies corresponding to
the marking key is imprinted on the paper dial.
With reference in the following instance to Figure 6 in the detector
represented, each key corresponds with one of the spring points O, which
being pressed by the action of the key towards the stationary hand B
pricks a hole in the corresponding annular space of the paper dial A, or
each spring O is provided on the top with a square plate, and by the
action of the key the corresponding plate presses the paper dial towards
the stationary hand B and imprints on the paper dial the corresponding
mark fixed on the stationary hand abovo the paper dial.
Referring in the further instance to Figure 7, a is a piercing tool
provided with one or more points d, which tool by the corresponding koy
can be swung nearer to or further away from the centrio of the dial 6.
As the key acts also on this tool by swinging it up or down and pushing
towards the stationary bridge, cach key causes the point or points & of
the tool to prick a hole in the corresponding annular space of the paper
dial, or the tool a is provided with a square plate instead of with one or
more points, and the stationary hand C with marking dics fixed above
the paper dial. The key by swinging the tool up and pressing it towards
the stationary bridge imprints in this case on the paper dial the corrc-
sponding mark or marks. The tool a is under the action of a spring,
having a tendency to force said tool, if not actuated by the key, to keep
always the greatest distance possible from the centre of the dial plate.
Referring in the next instanco to Figures 8 and 9, it represents tho
casing or box of the detector. A clock train for rotating the central
steel dial B is arranged in the body of the casing while the spring
marking devices C are attached in suitable manner to the lid D. Tho
steel dial B has the figures of the hour and minute subdivisions engraved
thereon, the steel dies E for marking the numbers of the stations being
secured sidewise of the steel dial, as many dies being provided as there
aro stations to be visited by the watchman. A plain paper disc B¹ is
securely fastened by means of grooved pins a to steel dial B for rotating
therewith, being large enough to extend over the steel dies for marking
the stations. The marking devices C are made of strong V shaped steel,
band spring C¹ provided with small solid marking plates d, and curved
or tapering ends e, which aro arranged sidewise of the barrel guiding

page_text: pin fattached to a supporting plate f¹ of lid D, so that the key when
placed thereon and turned engages the curved ends of the springs,
presses them back, and allows them to strike with considerable force
with their marking plates & on the steel dial and dies, embossing thereby
the_time.and-number-of-stations-on-the-interposed rotating disc. The
marking springs O' are placed sidewise of each other, the innermost
being stronger than the others and placed above the raised time figures
at the circumference of the steel dial B. All the keys are provided with
end wards for actuating this time marking spring at every station, while
the wards for actuating the station marking springs are arranged in
changing positions thereon for producing the consecutive action of the
same, and thereby the true record of the watchman's visits at the
stations. The marks can be merely embossed as described or bo printed
in colors. This construction has the great advantage, that anybody can
make the discs, and further, that the marks are clearly produced by the
instant strokes of the springs without interference with the regular
motion of the steel dial and clock train.
.
Referring in the last instance to Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, A
represents the face dial of paper or other suitable material which
indicates the hours and minutes, and by radial outer subdivisions
marking columns for the number of the stations. The dial A is
attached by pins and fastening centre piece to a base disc B that slides
by its projecting top flange a on the main or supporting plate O to
which the marking mechanism is applied. The under side of disc B is
provided with a ratchet B' constructed with a number of tecth corre-
sponding to the minute subdivisions of the dial, so that when, for
instance, the time detector is arranged for six stations and the hour
space on the dial subdivided into six parts, cach tooth will move the
dial forward for one-sixth of an hour or ten minutes, and when the
detector is arranged for twelve stations the hour is subdivided into
twelve parts or five minutes, and the ratchet provided with a correspond-
ing number of teeth; each tooth will move the dial forward over one-
twelfth part of an hour, or five minutes. A spring pawl D is pivoted
to a sliding plate D', and engages the teeth of ratchet B, moving in a
recess of the vertical supporting plate O', evidence of which the
sliding plate D' is guided by suitable lugs and stops d and acted upon
by a band spring e for being carried back again. A downward exten-

page_text: g
sion of sliding plate D', with inclined flange f', is engaged by wards
on all the keys, so that when any key is inserted it will carry the sliding
plate sidewise, and moves thereby by the spring pawl the ratchet dial
forward one tooth, a spring check pawl of the same securing the exact
motion of the dial. A spring guard or check % of plato C₁ is placed
sidewise of the barrel pin opposite to the inclined flange of the sliding
plate for preventing the turning of the key in wrong direction. The
spring lever arms E are pivoted in the usual manner to bearings of the
supporting plates and carried in upward direction by the wards of tho
marking keys, of which each key corresponds with a lever arm and a
number or other mark at the end of its upward projecting arm which
projects through a slot of the main plate and the top guide ring so as to
press firmly the rotating dial against the bridge F and mark thereby
consecutively the stations as the watchman visits them. After the koy
is inserted and turned it engages first the sliding plate with pawl for
carrying the dial forward, and then by the ward the corresponding mark-
ing lever for marking thereby at one turn of the key the station on the
dial in the exact radial subdivision required. The dial will therefore
indicate whether or not all the stations have been visited, forming
especially when the stations are arranged at suitable distances also an
approximately exact record as to the time visited.
The rotating and marking devices are enclosed in a casing of the
usual shape and size, which is opened and locked for setting the dial
and substituting a new one.
D.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner it is to be performed, I wish it understood that I claim, a
rotary printed dial or (as described in the fifth part of the Invention, and
represented by the Figures 8 and 9) a plain disc of paper or other
suitable material affixed on the movable dial plate of a watchwork, and
on the watch arbor, and revolving with this dial plato beneath a
stationary hand or bridge (which latter may also be dispensed with as
described in the fifth part of the Invention) in combination with a series
of keys with different bits corresponding with marking dies or spring
points or a piercing tool in such a manner that cach die or each annular
space of the paper dial receives the action of a different key, so that
with one detector and one watchman as many stations as desired can be
controlled, and that for. each station to be controlled only a marking key

page_text: is required, all as above described and set forth and fully represented by
the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.