US204150A - Improvement in winding-clicks for watches - Google Patents

Description

. G. T. 'HIGGINBOTHAM.

Winding-Click for Watches.

No. 204,150. Patented May 28,1878.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES T. HIGGINBOTHAM, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE HAMPDEN WATCH COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN WINDING-CLICKS FOR WATCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,150, dated May 28, 1878; application filed April 10, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known thatI, OHAs. T. HIGGINBOTHAM, of Springfield, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in WVatches; and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to the winding-clicks of watches, and is especially adapted to such watches as have the click and ratchet located beneath the dial, the object being to provide a cheap and simple means of letting down the mainspring; and it consists of a click provided with a projection protruding through, or partially through, a slot or opening made in the plate, the combination of th e said click, ratchet,

and recessed plate being substantially as hereinafter described.

Figure I is an enlarged plan view of the lower plate of a watch, with the winding mechanism made according to myinvention in position; and Fig. II is an enlarged plan view of the click made according to my invention.

In the drawings, A represents the lower plate of a watch; B, the ratchet, and C the click pivoted to the plate, and provided with a tail or projection, I). A part of the plate A is milled out or cut away at the outer edge, forming a slot or recess, 0, through which, or partially so, protrudes the tail or projection 11 of the click, as shown clearly in Fig. I.

The click is operated, to let down the mainspring, by pressing the finger-nail against the end of the tail 1) of the click, thus releasing or disengaging it from the teeth of the ratchet B, and permitting the mainspring to be unwound or let down. Removing the pressure against the tail of the click allows the point of the click to resume its positon of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet.

It is obvious that the tail of the click may be made of any desired form best adapted to be operated by the finger without departing from the principle of its operation.

I am aware that various devices have heretofore been made and used to accomplish the same purpose-as, for example, a perforation of the plate, intowhich a pin is inserted to raise the click; but this is objectionable, both on account of necessitating the extra piece or pin, and also of the difficulty in holding the pin in the proper position.

A screw or cam has also been inserted in the plate, so that by turning it into the proper position the clickspring v would be raised. This is also objectionable, as it requires a separate piece, which must also be turned back again after using, to allow the spring to operate.

These objections are not found in my invention, as no separate piece is required, and the click itself is easily operated with the finger without removing any of the parts from the watch.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is The combination of the click C, provided with the tail or projection b, the plate A, hav ing the slot or recess a therein, the ratchetwheel B, and the click-spring e, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

CHAS. T. HIGGINBOTHAM.

Witnesses '1. A. (loans, 0. E. BUGKLAND.

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