US184615A - Improvement in adjustable watch-keys - Google Patents

Description

LA. HARDY. ADJUSTABLE WATCH-KEY.

Patented Nov.y 21, 18776.

INVENTOR.

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TMI: QRAPHIC COMM UNITED STATES PATENT OEFIGEQ Vm'iAncIS A. HARDY, or AUBURNDALE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN ADJUSTABLE WATCH-KEYS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 184.615, dated November 21, 1876; application led October 26, 1876. 1

To all whom it may concern Be itknown that I, FRANCIS A. HARDY, of Auburndale, in the county ot' Middlesex and State ot' Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in W atch-Keys, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specitication:

My invention relates to that class of watchkeys which are adapted to tit dii'erent sizes of watch-stems; and it consists in the use of a pair of pivoted jaws, each having formed in its outer end the half ot' av square socket to embrace the watchstem, in combination with a spring for opening the socket end of said jaws, and a reciprocating wedge for closing the same.

My invention further consists in the use, in combination, of a tubular case; a pair ofjaws pivoted to said case near the middle of their length, and each having formed in the inner face of its outer end the halt' ot' a square socket to embrace the watch-stem; a wedge placed between the inner ends of said jaws, and connected by a pin or otherwise with a ring embracing the exteriorof the tubular case, and adapted to be moved endwise thereon 5 a spring placed behind said wedge, and tending to force it between` the inner arms ot' the jaws,A and, by forcing said inner arms apart, cause the outer arms or the socket ends of said jaws to approach each other till they firmly embrace the watch-stem; and a spring applied or acting upon the inner ends of said pivoted jaws, to keep them in contact with said wedge, and cause the socket ends of said jaws to separate when the wedge is withdrawn by moving the exterior ringendwise on the tubular casing.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a plan, and Fig. 2 is an elevationbf my improved Watch-key. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 4 is a similar section, illustrating a modification ot' the manner of pivoting the jaws, and ot'applying the spring for opening the jaws. Figs. 5 and 6 are details ofthe spring for opening the jaws, as applied in Fig. 2J

A is the tubular casing, closed at one end by the head B, and embraced near its middle by the swiveling suspension-ring C. D D are two jaws, arranged side by Side, and pivoted near the middle ot' their length to the case A, in such a manner that the larger part of the outer arm ot' said jaws extends beyond the end ofthe casing, as shown. The exterior of the two jaws, when plu-ced together, are circular, and of such a diameter at the point wherethey are pivoted as tojust fill the casing, but are reduced toward their two ends, their contiguous faces being made flat, and otl such a shape longitudinally that when the outer ends are in contact the inner ends will diverge, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. E is a wedge iirted to slide endwise within the casing A, with its point between the inner arms ot' the jaws D D, and connected by means of the piu a, which passes through slots-b in the case A to the ring F, encompassing the case A, and adapted to be moved endwise thereon to a limited extent, for the purpose of partially withdrawing the wedge E from between the inner arms of the jaws D, and allow the tension ot' the spring or springs c to draw said inner arms ofthe jaws D D toward each other, and thus expand the socket d, one-half of which is formed in each of said jaws. G is a spring placed within the casing A behind the wedge E, and acting upon said wedge to force it between the inner arms ot' the jaws D D, and by forcing them apart cause the outer end thereof to approach each other.

ln the moditication illustrated in Fig. 4, the jaws-D D are pivoted by asingle pin, e, which passes between them and lits into a semicircular groove formed across the inner face of each of said jaws, the jaws just filling the casing, so that when the pin is inserted the jaws cannot be withdrawn 5 and instead of the circular spring, shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 6, two leaf-springs, c, are used, said springs being secured at one end to the head B, or the casing A, and bearing at their other ends upon the inner ends ot' thejaws D D, as shown.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is;-

1. The combiliation of a tubular casing, a pair of jaws pivoted thereto, and each having formed in its outer end one-halt' of a square socket, a spring or springs adapted to force the inner ends of said jaws toward each other, l

and a wedge adapted to be moved endwise Within said casing, and to force the inner ends ofsaid jaws outward, as and forthe purposes described.

2. The combination of the tube or casing A,`

pivoted jaws D D,` spring or springs o, wedge E, and the ring Econnected to said Wedge byV the, pin a, all arranged and adapted to operate as and for the purposes described.

3. The combination ofthe tubular case A, pivoted jaws D D, spring or springs c, Wedge E, spring Gr, and ring F, oonnectedfto the wedge E by the pin a passing through slots in the casing, all arranged vand adapted to `operateas and for the purposes described.

Executed at Boston, Massachusetts, this 23d day of October, A. D. 1876.

FRANCIS A. vHARDY.

Witnesses: 4

N O. LOMBARD, E. A. HEMMENWAY.

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