IMPROVEMENTS SECONDS WATCHES " IN CENTRE
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hibbard Godsell of Coventry in the County of
Warwick Watch Maker for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
SECONDS WATCHES
"
IN CENTRE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hibbard Godsell at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th June 1882.
JOHN HIBBARD GODSELL of Coventry in the County of Warwick Watch
" IMPROVEMENTS IN CENTRE SECONDS WATCHES
Maker
"
My Invention consists of the improvements herein after described in centre
seconds watches; the object of my said improvements being to effect the
measurement of minute intervals of time in a distinct and accurate manner.
I make 240 divisions around the dial plate of the watch for the centre seconds
hand to traverse, but instead of the said centre seconds hand making a single
revolution per minute, I cause the said centre seconds hand to make five
revolutions per minute, the said hand moving in a second through a space equal to
five times that through which the hand moves in an ordinary watch. By this
arrangement each ordinary seconds space represents a fifth of a second and by
means of the 240 divisions around the dial plate the 20th part of a second can be
marked in a distinct and accurate manner
The increased speed of the centre seconds band is produced in the following
manner. The said centre seconds hand has a pinion of 15 teeth and this pinion
gears with the toothed wheel commonly called the fourth wheel, but I do not limit
myself to this particular arrangement of gearing as other arrangements or
combinations of gearing wheels may be used with like effect.
In combination with the centre seconds hand and dial described, I use an
ordinary seconds hand for the purpose of marking off' longer intervals of time.
The said ordinary seconds hand revolves once a minute and the dial it traverses

page_text: has divisions representing fifths of a minute, and the other ordinary divisions, 50
that as the ordinary seconds hand moves over each of the larger divisions of its
dial the centre seconds hand makes a complete revolution on the dial, indicating a
fifth of a minute. Thus the number of revolutions in a minute which the centre
seconds hand makes can be checked and any number of seconds ascertained as
easily as in an ordinary centre seconds watch
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Hibbard Godsell in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th December 1882.
JOHN HIBBARD GODSELL, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Watch
Maker "IMPROVEMENTS IN CENTRE SECONDS WATCHES
"
My Invention consists of the improvements herein after described in centre
seconds watches; the object of my said improvements being to effect the
measurement of minute intervals of time in a distinct and accurate manner.
I make 240 divisions around the dial plate of the watch for the centre seconds
hand to traverse, but instead of the said centre seconds hand making a single
revolution per minute, I cause the said centre seconds hand to make five
revolutions per minute, the said hand moving in a second through a space equal to
five times that through which the hand moves in an ordinary watch. By this
arrangement, each ordinary seconds space represents a fifth of a second and by
means of the 240 divisions around the dial plate, the 20th part of a second can be
marked in a distinct and accurate manner.
The increased speed of the centre seconds hand is produced in the following
manner. The said centre seconds hand has a pinion of 15 teeth, and this pinion
gears with the toothed wheel commonly called the fourth wheel having 75 teeth;
but I do not limit myself to this particular arrangement of gearing as other
arrangements or combinations of gearing wheels may be used with like effect.
In combination with the centre second hand and dial described, I use an ordinary
seconds hand for the purpose of marking off longer intervals of time.
The said ordinary seconds hand revolves once a minute and the dial it traverses
bas large divisions representing fifths of a minute, and the other ordinary small
divisions so that as the ordinary seconds hand moves over each of the larger
divisions of its dial, that is to say, one fifth of a minute, the centre seconds hand
makes a complete revolution on the dial, indicating a fifth of a minute. Thus, the
number of revolutions in a minute which the centre seconds hand makes can be
checked and any number of seconds ascertained as easily as in an ordinary centre
seconds watch.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.

page_text: Figure 1 represents the dial and hand of a centre seconds watch constructed
according to my Invent on; Figure 2 represents a plan of the upper face of the
plate with the dial removed, and Figure 3 represents a plan of the under face of
the plate; Figure 4 represents a section of the dial, plate and other parts of the
watch. The said Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 are drawn to a large scale in order that the
parts constituting my invention may be better understood. In the drawing
I have omitted most of the ordinary parts of the watch, those parts only being
represented which are necessary for the proper understanding of my invention.
The outer graduated circle b of the dial a, Figures 1 and 4, is divided into 240
divisions and the next inner graduated circle into 120 divisions. Each of the
outer divisions at b of the dial a represents the fifth of a second; c is the centre
seconds hand which is made to perform five revolutions per minute upon the dial co,
the said hand moving in a second through an angle equal to five times that through
which the centre seconds hand moves in an ordinary watch. In conjunction with
the dial a thus divided and its hand chaving the speed described, I use an
ordinary seconds dial d and hand e, the said dial d having the same position on
the principal dial a as that in an ordinary watch, the said dial and hand e being
employed for marking off longer intervals of time than those indicated by the
centre seconds hand on its dial. The hand e of the ordinary seconds dial d revolves
once a minute and the dial d over which it traverses has divisions representing
fifths of a minute (and the other smaller ordinary divisions). Thus it will be
understood that while the ordinary seconds hand e moves over each of the larger
divisions of its dial d (that is, over one fifth of a circle) and indicates the twelfth
of a minute, the centre seconds hand c makes a complete revolution upon its dial a
and indicates the fifth of a minute, and as the centre seconds hand c makes five
revolutions for each revolution of the ordinary seconds hand eit follows that by
means of the 240 divisions around the dial a, the twentieth part of a second can
be marked in a distinct and accurate manner.
The gearing by which the relative speeds described of the two hands c and c are
obtained is carried by the plate and is constructed as follows;-
On the axis or arbor of the centre seconds hand c is a fly pinion f having 15
teeth, which pinion gears with a toothed wheel g having 75 teeth. The last
named wheel is commonly called the fourth wheel and its axis carries the
ordinary seconds hand c.
The third wheel (not shewn in the Drawing) which drives the fourth wheel g is
situated on one side of it and is driven by the watch mechanism in the ordinary way.
By means of the gearing described, the fourth wheel g is made to perform one
revolution while the fly pinion f is perforining five revolutions, the hands carried by
the axes of the said wheels ƒ and g making the like rotations upon their dials.
Instead of making the fourth wheel with 75 teeth and the fly pinion with 15
teeth, the said fourth wheel may be made with SO teeth and the fly pinion with
16 teeth, but other arrangements or combinations of gearing wheels for producing
the relative speeds described of the two hands c and e may be employed.
is the minute hand wheel and the hour hand wheel, the motion of the said
minute hand wheel being steadied by the spring brake k pressing upon the disc
below the said wheel or upon the wheel itself.
The watch is provided with the ordinary stop mechanism for bringing the
hands to rest in the measurement of time as is well understood. As the said stop
mechanism is of the ordinary kind I do not consider it necessary either to describo
or represent it.
Although I prefer to make the centre seconds hand describe five revolutions per
minute to each revolution of the ordinary seconds hand, yet when desired, the said
centre seconds hand may be made to perform a greater or less number of
revolutions per minute, the graduated circles traversed by the said centre seconds
hand being modified accordingly. This change in the rate of motion of the centre
seconds hand may be effected by increasing or diminishing the number of teeth of
the fly pinion f.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my invention
of "Improvements in centre seconds watches; "
The construction and arrangement of parts herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing for causing the centre seconds hand of
the watch, driven from the fourth wheel carrying the ordinary seconds hand, to
describe five revolutions per minute, or other number of revolutions per minute
more than one, so as to fit the watch for the measurement of shorter intervals
of time than can be measured by centre seconds watches of the ordinary
construction.
In witness whereof I the said John Hibbard Godsell have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Seventh day of December in the year of our Lord'
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
THOMAS PLAYER
10 Craven Street
Coventry
JOHN HIBBARD GODSELL (L.S.).