IMPROVE- MENTS IN CLOCK MOVEMENT
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes and Son,
Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CLOCK MOVEMENT." A communication from abroad by Theodore
Freelingbuysen Breese, of New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.
Sealed the 15th October 1878, and dated the 17th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th April 1878.
EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 123,
Chancery Lane, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOCK MOVEMENT." A communica-
tion from abroad by Theodore Freelinghuysen Breese, of New Haven, Connecticut,
United States of America.
This Invention relates to an improvement in clock movements, the object being
to dispense with the usual train of gearing between the power and the escapement
wheel; and it consists in a central shaft supporting the escapement wheel, or so
that the axis of the central shaft and the axis of the escapement wheel are in the
same line, combined with a stationary toothed circular rack concentric with the said
central shaft, and the axis of the escapement wheel combined with a radial shaft
from said central shaft, and supported on said central shaft to be revolved in à hori-
zontal plane, the said radial shaft having a pinion on its outer end working in the
said concentric stationary rack, and a gear in the other end working in the gear of
the escapement wheel, and means for applying power to said central shaft to impart
a rotation thereto, and through the said travelling radial shaft and stationary rack
to communicate said power to the escapement wheel, as more fully herein-after
described.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a front view, Fig. 2 a vertical[central
section, and Fig. 3 a section through the radial shaft of the mproved clock
movement.
For convenience of illustration the mechanism of the clock is here represented as
in front of the dial

page_text: A represents the body frame or case of the clock; B, the central shaft, supported
at one end in the clock case and at the other end in a yoke C so as to revolve freely
in its bearings. Axially in the centre of this shaft is the shaft a of the escapement
wheel D, as seen in Fig. 3, and so that this escapement wheel will rotate inde-
pendently of the revolution of the shaft B. Concentric with the central shaft is
arranged a circular toothed rack d, which is made stationary and practically as a
part of the clock case. Attached to the central shaft B is an arm E, extending
radially outward and forming a bearing e at its outer end for a radial shaft F, the
inner end of the shaft F taking a bearing in the central shaft B, as seen in Fig. 3, so
that as the central shaft B revolves it will carry with it the arm E and shaft F.
On the outer end of the shaft F is a pinion ƒ working in the stationary rack d,
and so that as the shaft F is carried around by the revolution of the shaft E the
pinion f, working in the stationary rack d, will cause the shaft F to revolve on
its own axis. On the inner end of the shaft F-is a toothed gear h, working into
a pinion on the escapement wheel shaft a, which will cause the revolution of the
shaft F to be communicated to the escapement wheel.
Power is applied to the central shaft B by means of a weight on a drum G, or
may be a spring, in either case substantially in the usual manner of communicating
power to the driving shaft of clock movements.
Combined with the escapement wheel is a verge b, to which a pendulum is
applied in the usual manner.
The operation of this movement is as follows:-The power having been applied
the pendulum is given a vibration, the power. causing the escapement wheel to
rotate, as before described, the verge escapes at each beat, the escapement wheel
turning one tooth in the usual manner of clock escapements. As the escapement
wheel is permitted thus to rotate the shaft F travels around in its horizontal plane,
imparting to the escapement wheel the revolution it receives from the stationary
rack, and in practice the time of a full revolution of the shaft F around the rack f
is one hour. This allows the attachment of the minute hand directly to the shaft B.
The hour hand, concentrically arranged, may be geared in the usual manner, and
thus the movement will continue until the power is exhausted.
The dial may be arranged as shown, or upon the opposite side of the case, the
particular location of the dial. not in any sense qualifying the mechanism of the
clock.
Instead of the pendulum the usual balance wheel and lever may be applied.
By this construction the clock movement is very materially simplified, lessening
the number of parts and bearings, and thereby cheapening the construction and
increasing the durability, and insuring greater accuracy than can be attained in
more complicated mechanism, because not liable to the derangements incident to
such complications.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by.
the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Scal Patent Office on the 17th
October 1878.
EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 123,
Chancery Lane, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOCK MOVEMENT." A communica-
tion from abroad by Theodore Freelinghuysen Breese, of New Haven, Connecticut,
United States of America.
This Invention relates to an improvement in clock movements, the object being
to dispense with the usual train of gearing between the power and the escapement
wheel; and it consists in a central shaft supporting the escapement wheel, or so
that the axis of the central shaft and the axis of the escapement wheel are in the
same line, combined with a stationary toothed circular rack concentric with the
said central shaft, and the axis of the escapement wheel combined with a radial.
shaft from said central shaft, and supported on said central shaft, to be revolved in
a horizontal plane, the said radial shaft having a pinion on its outer end working
in the said concentric stationary rack, and a gear in the other end working in the
gear of the escapement wheel, and means for applying power to said central shaft to
impart a rotation thereto, and through the said traveling radial shaft and stationary
rack to communicate said power to the escapement wheel, as more fully herein-after
described.
And in order that the said Invention may be well understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the
Figures on the accompanying Drawing, like letters of reference indicating corre-
sponding parts in all the Figures.
Fig. 1 is a front view; Fig. 2, a vertical central section; and Fig. 3, section
through the radial shaft.
A represents the body frame or case of the clock; B, the central shaft, supported
at one end in the clock case and at the other end in a yoke C, so as to revolve
freely in its bearings. Axially in the centre of this shaft is the shaft a of the
escapement wheel D, as seen in Fig. 3, and so that this escapement wheel will
rotate independent of the revolution of the shaft B. Concentric with the central
shaft is arranged a circular toothed rack d, which is made stationary and practically
as a part of the clock case. Attached to the central shaft B is an arm E, extending
radially outward, and forming a bearing e at its outer end for a radial shaft F, the
inner end of the shaft F taking a bearing in the central shaft B, as seen in Fig. 3,
so that as the central shaft B revolves it will carry with it the arm E and shaft F.
On the outer end of the shaft F is a pinion f, working in the stationary rack d, and
so that as the shaft F is carried around by the revolution of the shaft F the pinion f
working in the stationary rack d will cause the shaft F to revolve on its own axis.
On the inner end of the shaft F is a toothed gear h, working into a pinion i on the
escapement wheel shaft a, which will cause the revolution of the shaft F to be
communicated to the escapement wheel.
Power is applied to the central shaft B by means of a weight on a drum G, or
may be a spring, in either case substantially in the usual manner of communicating
power to the driving shaft of clock movements.
Combined with the escapement wheel is a verge l, to which a pendulum is applied
in the usual manner.
The operation of this movement is as follows:-The power having been applied
the pendulum is given a vibration, the power causing the escapement wheel to
rotate, as before described; the verge escapes at each beat, the escapement wheel
turning one tooth in the usual manner of clock escapements. As the escapement
wheel is permitted thus to rotate the shaft F travels around in its horizontal plane,
imparting to the escapement wheel the revolution it receives from the stationary
rack, and in practice the time of a full revolution of the shaft F around the rack f
is one hour. This allows the attachment of the minute hand directly to the shaft B.

page_text: The hour hand, concentrically arranged, may be geared in the usual manner, and
thus the movement will continue until the power is exhausted.
The dial may be arranged as shewn, or upon the opposite side of the case, the
particular location of the dial not in any sense qualifying the mechanism of the
clock.
Instead of the pendulum the usual balance wheel and lever may be applied.
By this construction the clock movement is very materially simplified, lessening
the number of parts and bearings, and thereby cheapening the construction, and
increasing the durability, and insuring greater accuracy than can be attained in
more complicated mechanism, because not liable to the derangements incident to
such complications.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, in a clock movement the combination of a central revolving shaft; a
concentric stationary gear; a radial shaft, caused to revolve in a horizontal plane
by connection with said central shaft, and caused to revolve on its own axis by
connection with said stationary gear; and an escapement wheel in connection with
said radial shaft; substantially as herein-before described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of October; in the year of our
Lord 1878.
E. T. HUGHES. (L.S.)