IMPROVE MENTS IN TIMEKEEPERS AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR ASCERTAINING THE ATTENDANCE ON DUTY OF WATCHMEN AND OTHER PERSONS HAVING CHARGE OF PROPERTY
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Rowbotham, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN TIMEKEEPERS AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR
ASCERTAINING THE ATTENDANCE ON DUTY OF WATCHMEN AND OTHER
PERSONS HAVING CHARGE OF PROPERTY." -A communication.
MYCHIVIO
UT
MENTS IN TIMEKEEPERS AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR
ASCERTAINING THE ATTENDANCE ON DUTY OF WATCHMEN AND OTHER
PERSONS HAVING CHARGE OF PROPERTY."-A communication.
Sealed the 31st May 1853, and dated the 4th December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Rowbotham
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th December 1852.
I, JOHN ROWBOTHAM, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TIMEKEEPERS AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
FOR ASCERTAINING THE ATTENDANCE ON DUTY OF WATCHMEN AND OTHER
PERSONS HAVING CHARGE OF PROPERTY" to be as follows, that is to say:
It consists in an improved construction of what are usually called
detective watches or clocks, along with certain apparatus connected
therewith; the intention of the whole of which is to secure the due

page_text: performance of the duties of a watchman or other person in charge of
mills or other property during the night.
I effect the purpose intended, in the first place, when the watch or
timepiece is intended to be portable, by constructing it in such a
manner that a loose circular card, having the hours or other arbitrary
figures marked thereon, may be fixed between the back and the outer
case, and capable of being turned regularly round by the clockwork by
means of pins projecting through the card.
At any part near the outer circumference of the card I make a small
hole in the casing, either directly-over or in the neighbourhood of the
divisions thereon, and to this hole I fit a number of small stamps or
types. I also construct in some part of the casing a small reservoir
for containing ink or other marking substance, and I make the case
of the timepiece capable of being securely locked up in all respects
except as far as regards the reservoir and the hole for introducing the
types.
When the apparatus is in use, the types are suspended by chains, which
are also locked in any room or in the neighbourhood of any property
which it is intended that the watchman should visit from time to time.
The timepiece being locked up and containing a revolving card, is now
delivered to the watchman, who at stated times, according to agree-
ment, proceeds to that part of the premises where one of the is
types
suspended, dips it into the ink reservoir, and presses it on the card
through the hole in the case. The card will thus be marked with.
different letters, according to the number of parts to be visited &
corresponding number of types, and at different divisions of the card
corresponding to different hours. Thus, when the timepiece is un-
locked and the card taken out, the latter will form a complete index
of the watchman's duties.
Secondly, when the timepiece is intended to be stationary, I employ
a revolving card and types, in the same manner as described; but in
this case, instead of suspending or fastening the types, I render them
portable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Rowbotham in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 3rd June 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN ROWBOTHAM, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Merchant,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Rowbotham, Her special license
that I, the said John Rowbotham, my executors, administrators, and
assigns; or such other as I, the said John Rowbotham, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at 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, communicated to
me, the said John Rowbotham, by a foreigner residing abroad, for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TIMEKEEPERS AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
FOR ASCERTAINING THE ATTENDANCE ON DUTY OF WATCHMEN AND OTHER
PERSONS HAVING CHARGE OF PROPERTY," upon condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Rowbotham, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 John Rowbotham, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 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 Draw-
ing hereto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):

page_text: The Invention consists in the application to any of the ordinary
movements of watches or clocks of certain additional mechanism,
along with other accessories appertaining thereto, for the purpose of
indicating the due attendance on duty of watchmen and other persons
having charge of property, and of detecting where such duty has been
neglected. The nature as well as the mode of carrying out the
Invention will be readily understood by reference to the annexed
Drawing, which I shall proceed to describe. Figure 1, is a side view
of the watch, shewing the principal parts of the interior, the outer
case being supposed to be in section. A, A, is the dial; and B, B, the
frame containing the ordinary watch movement. This movement may
be of any of the ordinary constructions; but an additional mechanism
must be applied (either by making use of the arbor of the hour
pinion for that purpose or by other intermediate means) by which a
plate C, may be turned round with a motion precisely corresponding
with that of the hour hand. This plate is flush or nearly so with the
back plate D, which covers the entire movement, and it is supplied
with two or more small projecting pins c, c. This is shewn more clearly
in Figure 2, which represents the back of the watch in plan, with the
case open. Figure 3, is a loose dial of paper, card board, or other suit-
able material, marked with figures in the same manner as the dial A,
and pierced with holes c', c', corresponding with the pins c, c, in
the plate C. Thus, if the loose dial be laid on the back of the
plate D, the pins projecting through their holes, it will have a move-
ment imparted to it corresponding to the movement of the hour hand,
turning once round in twelve hours. E, Figure 2, is the exterior case
or back of the watch, which is capable of being shut down. and
securely locked over the loose dial, at the same time allowing the latter
to turn round. Figure 4, represents the back of the watch with the
case shut down. It will be observed that it is furnished with a small
hole D, giving access to the card or dial in the neighbourhood of the
figures marked thereon. This hole is for the insertion of the key or
stamp, Figure 8, as will be afterwards explained. F, is a shallow
reservoir, containing printers ink or other coloring matter. This may
be placed at any part of the watch, and it is shewn in the Drawing

page_text: :-
snap G,
upon by the screw J, the
The screw J, passes up
with a cover, which slides laterally over it. The mode in which the
case E, is securely locked and opened when required is the following:-
G, is a snap or hook, which, when the case is shut, passes through
the plate D, and is detained or released at option by one end of
the lever H; this part of the mechanism being shewn more fully in
Figure 5, which is a plan of the front of the watch, but with the
outer case and glass, shewn separately at Figure 6, removed. The.
lever H, is pressed upon by the spring I, so as to detain the
when permitted; and the whole is acted
drawing up of which releases the snap.
through a hole in the neck or handle F, and is there furnished with a
bush or nut K, the turning of which lowers or raises the screw. Το
this nut is fitted a key, Figure 7, which has a slot corresponding to a
heel on the nut, so that by inserting it in the hole M, and turning it
round in either direction the case may be locked or unlocked. In
order, however, to give certainty to the relocking of the case after the
insertion of a card or dial, the following contrivance is made use of:-
It will be observed that the extremity of the screw J, projects a little.
beyond the top of the nut K. Now, at the end of the barrel of the
key, fitting the nut, is a small hole, tapped with a thread corresponding
with that of the screw, and the barrel is contrived of such a length,
that the projecting part of the screw shall enter the hole before the
nut begins to turn round. Thus, when the nut has been subsequently
turned to such an extent as to unlock the case, it will be seen that it
will now be impossible to withdraw the key without turning it back to
an equal extent, and thus relocking the case. The general mechanical
arrangement of the Invention being thus rendered clear, the mode of
application to the purpose intended will be readily understood. Sup-
posing the appointed duties of a watchman require him to visit
given number of rooms at successive given hours, in each room must
be suspended a stamp, Figure 8, chained and securely locked in any
convenient and safe position, each stamp being marked with a distinct.
letter. The watch being supplied with a paper dial, and having the
case locked, is now delivered to him, in order to carry with him in his
rounds of inspection. As he visits each room at the appointed times,
a

page_text: he takes the respective stamps, dips them in the ink or color reservoir,
and stamps the card or loose dial through the hole D. By this means,
when the card is removed from the casing, the species, number, and
position of the letters marked thereon will furnish a complete index of
the watchman's due performance of his duty, and the omission of any
letter or letters will point out his corresponding neglect. It is obvious
that this system may be employed to control periodical inspection,
either for the protection of property or for any purpose whatever. In
some instances it may be found more convenient, instead of using a
portable watch, as above described, to employ one or more stationary
timepieces. In this case also the same description of card or loose
dial may be applied, but the stamp or stamps must either be rendered
portable, or must be suspended within reach of the timepiece.
Having now fully ascertained and described the nature of the In-
vention communicated to me, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, I would have it understood that what I claim as new is,
first, the use of portable detective watches or timepieces; secondly,
the mechanism which renders them detective, namely, the revolving
loose dial, the stamp, and the mode of locking the case; thirdly, the
revolving loose dial and stamp applied to stationary timepieces; the
whole as described.
...
In witness whereof, I, the said John Rowbotham, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of June, in the
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
year of
Signed by the within-named
John Rowbotham in the
presence of..
S. EDWARDES,
JOHN ROWBOTHAM. (L.S.)
A Master Extraordinary in Chancery.