A NEW SYSTEM OF REMONTOIRS ORS OR APPARATUS FOR WINDING UP WATCHES WITHOUT A KEY
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alphonse François Damiens Duvillier, of 10, Rue
du Bouloi, Paris, Empire of France, and of 16, Castle Street, Holborn,
(City) London, for the Invention of "A NEW SYSTEM OF REMONTOIRS OR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alphouse François
Damiens Duvillier at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 7th February 1854.
I, ALPHONSE FRANÇOIS DAMIENS DUVILLIER, of 10, Rue du Bouloi, Paris,
Empire of France, and of 16, Castle Street, Holborn, (City) London, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW SYSTEM OF REMONTOIRS OR
APPARATUS FOR WINDING UP WATCHES WITHOUT A KEY " to be as follows, viz. :-
My Invention consists in the application of a clutch box or otherwise striated
wheel to the spindle of the remontoir or winding up apparatus of watches and
pocket chronometers. The teeth of this wheel project above the cap of the
watch. They may either have a section like an isosceles triangle, or resembling
a right angled triangle, so as to offer the greatest resistance in the direction in
which the watch is wound up. By means of this wheel the watch may be
wound up without a key by slightly pressing a finger against the toothed wheel
and turning the watch in the direction required, as is done with keys. The

page_text: inclination of the teeth prevents the finger from remaining in gear, when the
watch is turned in the opposite direction. Also when the watch is completely
wound up the finger is thrown out of gear; and owing to the small diameter
of the clutch wheel, it is impossible even with a greater pressure of the finger
to overcome the resistance of the stop work so as to cause breakage. A.
similar wheel projects through the cap, and is fixed to the minute spindle so
as to allow of setting the watch without a key.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alphonse François Damiens Duvillier in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 7th August 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALPHONSE
FRANÇOIS DAMIENS DUVILLIER, of 10, Rue du Bouloi, Paris, Empire of France,
and of 16, Castle Street, Holborn, (City) London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the
year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alphonse Francois Damiens Duvillier, Her special licence that I, the said
Alphonse Francois Damiens Duvillier, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Alphonse Francois Damiens Duvillier, my execu-
tors, 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 for "A NEW SYSTEM OF REMONTOIRS OR APPARATUS FOR WINDING
WATCHES WITHOUT A KEY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Alphonse François Damiens Duvillier, 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 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 Alphonse François Damiens Duvillier,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement (that is to say):-

page_text: My Invention consists in the application of a clutch box or otherwise striated
wheel (or a wheel with a roughened face) to the spindle of the remontoir or
winding up apparatus of watches and pocket chronometers. The teeth of this
wheel project above the cap of the watch. They may have a section like an.
isosceles triangle, or resembling a right angled triangle, so as to offer the
greatest resistance in the direction in which the watch is wound up. By means
of this wheel the watch may be wound up by slightly pressing a finger against
the toothed wheel, and turning the watch in the direction required as is done
with keys. The inclination of the teeth prevents the finger from remaining in
gear when the watch is turned in the opposite direction. Also, when the watch
is completely wound up, the finger rises out of gear; and owing to the small
diameter of the clutch or striated wheel, it will be found impossible even with
a greater pressure of the finger to overcome the resistance of the stop work so
as to cause breakage. A similar wheel projects through the cap, and is fixed
to the minute spindle so as to allow to set the watch without a key.
Having thus explained the general nature of my Invention, I shall now
enter upon describing the particular way or ways in which the same is or may
be carrried into effect. For this purpose I have represented on the annexed
Sheet of Drawings, on an exaggerated scale, Fig. 1, a plan of watch cap,
with the improved remontoir and minute wheel; Fig. 2 is a vertical section
through the centres of the same. A is the watch cap; B is the toothed wheel,
which is fixed on the axis of the remontoir. This wheel is generally speaking
fluted or striated radially, and in order to cause it to offer a greater resistance
in the proper direction I give to the striae or flutes the shape of a rectangular
triangle as seen in profile, Fig. 2. The general surface of the wheel is preferred
to be concave, or dished out so as to fit on the finger. C is a similar wheel,
but less in diameter; this wheel may either be fixed on the minute spindle, or
for the purpose of being able to turn the hands several times round whilst the
wheel C is only turned once. I apply to it the change wheels E, F, shewn in
red or dotted lines Fig. 2, and the velocity ratio I generally use is three revo-
lutions of the minute hand for one of the wheel C, which greatly facilitates the
setting of the watch. If it should be thought proper to combine this improved
system with the common one so as to be able to use keys also, hollow or solid
squares may be made on the arbors. D, D, are circular cups or guards
surrounding the base of the wheels B & C, for preventing dust and other im-
purities from penetrating into the watch; however, on the Drawing I have
only shewn the wheel B as having such guard. It will also be observed by the
Drawing that the grooves of the second wheel C are triangular, so as to act

page_text: equally both ways, i.e., for turning the minute hands both backwards and
forwards.
Having thus described my Invention, and the ways in which the same is or
may be carried into effect, I wish it to be understood that what I claim as
being secured to me by these Letters Patent is,-
Firstly, fixing on the remontoir arbor or spindle a striated fluted clutch box
or ratchet wheel for the purpose of winding the watch by applying one
finger to said wheel, said arbor either being with or without a hollow or
solid square for using common keys if required, substantially as above
described.
Secondly, turning the arbors of the watch hands in a similar way to the one
described under the first claim, either by fixing a fluted or striated wheel on
said hand arbor, or by suitably gearing said arbor with another arbor carrying
such fluted wheel, the arbor of the fluted wheel being with or without hollow
or solid square, as above.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alphouse François Damiens Duvillier,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of July,
in the year of our Lord 1854.
A. F. DAMIENS DUVILLIER. (L.S.)