US2649684A - Hairspring assembly - Google Patents

Hairspring assembly Download PDF

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Publication number
US2649684A
US2649684A US75593A US7559349A US2649684A US 2649684 A US2649684 A US 2649684A US 75593 A US75593 A US 75593A US 7559349 A US7559349 A US 7559349A US 2649684 A US2649684 A US 2649684A
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Prior art keywords
spring
collet
assembly
opening
slot
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Expired - Lifetime
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US75593A
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Thomas P Dolby
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INSTR SPRINGS Manufacturing Co
INSTRUMENT SPRINGS MANUFACTURING Co
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INSTR SPRINGS Manufacturing Co
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04D—APPARATUS OR TOOLS SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR MAKING OR MAINTAINING CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04D1/00—Gripping, holding, or supporting devices
    • G04D1/04—Tools for setting springs
    • G04D1/042—Tools for setting springs for coil springs in regulating mechanisms
    • G04D1/045—Tools for setting springs for coil springs in regulating mechanisms for fastening the ends
    • G04D1/047—Tools for setting springs for coil springs in regulating mechanisms for fastening the ends on the coil roll

Definitions

  • My invention relates in general to an improved hair spring assembly for time pieces and more specifically to a novel method of securing the end section of the hair spring of a time piece to the collet.
  • Timing units include a balance staff with a collet or hub to which one end of a hair spring must be secured while the other end of the spring is fastened to a rigid point.
  • This spring is the heart of the timing movement and must be perl iectly true and lie in a plane horizontal to the axis of the shaft.
  • An object of my invention is to provide a hair spring assembly which is always uni form and requires no expert craftsmen to true the same after assembly.
  • a further object is to provide a novel method of securing the hair spring to the collet so as to provide the above uniformity and produce the completed assembly at much less cost of manufacture.
  • a feature of the invention is the provision of a method of securing a hairspring to its collet in such a manner that the spring will always be properly centered relative to the collet and also be in the same horizontal plane with-the collet and which plane is at right angles to the axis of the balance shaft when the collet is mounted thereon.
  • the spring would be true in the round and in the fiat without further operations.
  • Fig. 1 is a top view of the usual hair spring showing the form of the spirals and bends therein;
  • FIG. 2 is a sectional view thereof taken on line AA of Fig. 1;
  • Fig. 3 is a top view of the collet
  • Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the collet taken on line BB of Fig. 3;
  • Fig. 5 is a top view of the spiral shaped centering form lying in place on the assembly tool
  • Fig. 5a is a modified form of centering arrangement
  • Fig. 6 is a top View of the collet, spring and form in place an the assembly tool
  • Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken along line C'C in Fig. 6;
  • Fig. 8 is a top view of the hair spring assembly after removal from the tool and form.
  • Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the complete assembly taken along line D-D in Fig. 8;
  • Fig. 1c is a sectional view of the tool and form after removal of the assembly.
  • Fig. 1 I have shown the hair spring and it will be seen that such springs when formed have the spiral coil arrangement shown and have a tail portion 2 bent at a particular angle to the body of the spring.
  • the collet 3 is formed as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 with a center opening 4 designed to fit tightly on the balance stafi of the timing unit.
  • a cup-like recess 5 is formed as shown with a thin inner wall 6 and a thin outer wall 1. There is a narrow saw slot 8 cut at an angle through the outer wall. This slot is slightly wider than the thickness of the hair spring I.
  • Fig. 4 showsthe collet in section showing the cup shaped portion which is deeper than the width of the spring.
  • Fig. 5 I have shown a broken out section of the top of the assembly tool 9 with the centering form It in place thereon.
  • the form as shown is of a spiral shape and is designed to hold the hair spring in its correct relationshipto the collet when the tail piece 2 is inserted in the saw slot 8 and the spring laid around the form.
  • the assembly tool 9 is better shown in Figures 6, 7 and 9. It consists of a heavy body portion with a flange II and a center piece [2 having an upward projecting stud l3 with a cupshaped space l4 into which the collet fits snugly with the walls 6 and l projecting above the upper surface of tool 9 and with the bottom of cup 5 lying slightly below the upper surface of tool 9 as shown in Fig. '7.
  • the tool 9 may be heated to a temperature sufficient to melt soft solder or other like material with a low melting point. The melted solder is then poured into the cup .shaped ⁇ opening ,5 in
  • FIG. 8 9 and 10 I have shown the parts after cooling.
  • Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along linesD-D of Fig. 8 showing how the solder has .the tail piece 2 of spring i embedded therein .and the parts thus secured.
  • Fig. .10 merely shows again .the relationship of the centering form 10 as it lies on the top of .tool :9 around :the .opening from which the assembled colletlhas .been withdrawn.
  • a hair spring assembly In a hair spring assembly, a spiral hair spring, a collet having an opening 'for'assembling .ittoa balance stafija ring shapedopeninghaving thin outer and inner walls, a slot through the.
  • a hair spring assembly comprising a spiral coiled hair spring having its inner end bent at an angle to the coils, a collet having a center opening forassembling it on .a balancestafi of a timing .unit, an opening around the center opening, a slot extending into said opening, and a mass of low melting point material hardened within said opening around the inner end of said spring to :hold the spring and collet in horizontal and centered relationship.
  • a collet having an opening .in the :upper surface thereof with a slot through which the inner end of a hair spring is inserted, means for holding the spring in fixed centered and horizontal relation with the collet with said inner end spaced from the edges of the slot and the surfaces of the opening, consisting of a meltedmaterial hardened Within said opening to bond the collet and spring.
  • a collet having a center opening for attaching the assembly to.a balance, staff, a ring shaped recess extending around the opening having thin inner and outer walls, a slot extending through the outer wall of the recess, a fiat spiral hair spring having a tail piece on its inner spiral, said tail piece inserted through the slot and into the recess, and a low melting point hardened material within said recess and holding the spring and collet rigidly in position with the end of the spring in said slot and the spirals thereof in a predetermined position relative the collet.

Description

Aug. 25, 1953 T. P. DOLBY 2,649,684
HAIRSPRING ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 10, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG! 2 trauuuun wnuuaaj INVENTOR. THOMAS P. DOLBY ATTORNEY INVENTOR. THOMAS P. DOLBY BY ATTORNEY ENTOR. DOLBY BY T ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 25, 1953 HAIRSPRING ASSEMBLY Thomas P. Dolby, Elgin, Ill., assignor to Instrument Springs Manufacturing Company, Elgin, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 10, 1949, Serial No. 75,593
4 Claims.
My invention relates in general to an improved hair spring assembly for time pieces and more specifically to a novel method of securing the end section of the hair spring of a time piece to the collet.
All timing units include a balance staff with a collet or hub to which one end of a hair spring must be secured while the other end of the spring is fastened to a rigid point. This spring is the heart of the timing movement and must be perl iectly true and lie in a plane horizontal to the axis of the shaft.
Several methods have been practiced and proposed for securing the inner end of a hair spring to the collet. ods the spring end was secured to the collet. by being clamped in a slot in the outer edge thereof. Such methods usually require leveling or truing operations due to the liability of a slight twist or variation in assembly, and such operations are costly and require great skill and patience.
An object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a hair spring assembly which is always uni form and requires no expert craftsmen to true the same after assembly.
A further object is to provide a novel method of securing the hair spring to the collet so as to provide the above uniformity and produce the completed assembly at much less cost of manufacture.
A feature of the invention is the provision of a method of securing a hairspring to its collet in such a manner that the spring will always be properly centered relative to the collet and also be in the same horizontal plane with-the collet and which plane is at right angles to the axis of the balance shaft when the collet is mounted thereon. In horological terms the spring would be true in the round and in the fiat without further operations.
This result is accomplishedby using an assembly tool and a spiral shaped centering form to hold the spring in its proper position and then filling an opening in the collet, into which the end of the spring is inserted, with a molten metal which when hardened holds the spring and collet in true relationship.
Further details of the invention will be understood from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a top view of the usual hair spring showing the form of the spirals and bends therein;
In most of these previous meth- 3 Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof taken on line AA of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a top view of the collet;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the collet taken on line BB of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a top view of the spiral shaped centering form lying in place on the assembly tool;
Fig. 5a is a modified form of centering arrangement;
Fig. 6 is a top View of the collet, spring and form in place an the assembly tool;
Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken along line C'C in Fig. 6;
Fig. 8 is a top view of the hair spring assembly after removal from the tool and form.
Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the complete assembly taken along line D-D in Fig. 8;
Fig. 1c is a sectional view of the tool and form after removal of the assembly.
Referring now to Fig. 1, I have shown the hair spring and it will be seen that such springs when formed have the spiral coil arrangement shown and have a tail portion 2 bent at a particular angle to the body of the spring. The collet 3 is formed as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 with a center opening 4 designed to fit tightly on the balance stafi of the timing unit. A cup-like recess 5 is formed as shown with a thin inner wall 6 and a thin outer wall 1. There is a narrow saw slot 8 cut at an angle through the outer wall. This slot is slightly wider than the thickness of the hair spring I. Fig. 4 showsthe collet in section showing the cup shaped portion which is deeper than the width of the spring.
In Fig. 5 I have shown a broken out section of the top of the assembly tool 9 with the centering form It in place thereon. The form as shown is of a spiral shape and is designed to hold the hair spring in its correct relationshipto the collet when the tail piece 2 is inserted in the saw slot 8 and the spring laid around the form. The assembly tool 9 is better shown in Figures 6, 7 and 9. It consists of a heavy body portion with a flange II and a center piece [2 having an upward projecting stud l3 with a cupshaped space l4 into which the collet fits snugly with the walls 6 and l projecting above the upper surface of tool 9 and with the bottom of cup 5 lying slightly below the upper surface of tool 9 as shown in Fig. '7.
The spiral form is now placed as shown in Figures 5, 6 and '7 around the collet on top surface of tool 9 with the opening between points [5 and it of the centering form opposite the saw slot 8.
The hair spring is now placed as shown in Figores 6 and 7 with the inner eoii adjacent the outer edge of form ill with the tail piece 2 passing through slot 8. In this position the piece 2 does not touch the sides of slot 8 nor does it touch the bottom of opening 5 in the collet and the bot tom edges of all the coils of the spring lie fiat on the upper surface of tool 9.
With the parts in this position the spring and collet are in the exactzre'lationship in which they are to be when finally fastened together. At this time the tool 9 may be heated to a temperature sufficient to melt soft solder or other like material with a low melting point. The melted solder is then poured into the cup .shaped \opening ,5 in
the collet to a point where it covers .the tail piece 2 of the hair spring and the tool is then cooled to harden the solder and thus rigidly bond the spring and collet together in "the proper relationship.
In Figures 8, 9 and 10 I have shown the parts after cooling. .Fig. 8.is.a.top viewof the assembled spring and collet as removed from the assembly tool with the solder in-the cup .ofthe co1let 'ho1ding the spring "rigid therewith. Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along linesD-D of Fig. 8 showing how the solder has .the tail piece 2 of spring i embedded therein .and the parts thus secured. Fig. .10 merely shows again .the relationship of the centering form 10 as it lies on the top of .tool :9 around :the .opening from which the assembled colletlhas .been withdrawn.
In Figurefia I have shown amodifiedarrangement in which a series of pins I"! are secured in :thetop surface oftool .9 .to Iormthe spiralcenter- :ing form. The ,pinsare so arranged that they form .aspiral of the shape exactly the same in contour as theouter surface of form LSO so that a hair spring .may .be .placed .with'its inner coil around these pins in vthe .same manner as it is placed :around form I'O in Fig. 6.
It will .thus .be .seen that 'I have provided a .novel method .of .assemblingthespring and collet of a timing unit in such amanner that a predetermined relationship is insured by a simple operation and :that (the old .tedious and expensive truing operations .can .be dispensed with. Further, although IZhave shown adetailedconstructionof partsand described a certainprocess, it will .be understood that certain variations 'in op- .erationormaterials andin the shape of theparts will .fall within (the .scopeof the invention as set forth in the appended .claims.
What is claimed is:
'1. In a hair spring assembly, a spiral hair spring, a collet having an opening 'for'assembling .ittoa balance stafija ring shapedopeninghaving thin outer and inner walls, a slot through the.
outer wall through which the inner end 'o fthe spring extends, and amass of low meltingpoint material hardenedaround the end'of said'spring in said ring-shaped opening around said end-and 4 thereby rigidly securing said inner end of the spring within said slot with the coils of the spring in a predetermined proper relationship with the axis of the collet. I
2. A hair spring assembly comprising a spiral coiled hair spring having its inner end bent at an angle to the coils, a collet having a center opening forassembling it on .a balancestafi of a timing .unit, an opening around the center opening, a slot extending into said opening, and a mass of low melting point material hardened within said opening around the inner end of said spring to :hold the spring and collet in horizontal and centered relationship.
.3. .Inahairspr'ing assembly, a collet having an opening .in the :upper surface thereof with a slot through which the inner end of a hair spring is inserted, means for holding the spring in fixed centered and horizontal relation with the collet with said inner end spaced from the edges of the slot and the surfaces of the opening, consisting of a meltedmaterial hardened Within said opening to bond the collet and spring.
4. In a hair spring assembly for use in a timing unit, a collet having a center opening for attaching the assembly to.a balance, staff, a ring shaped recess extending around the opening having thin inner and outer walls, a slot extending through the outer wall of the recess, a fiat spiral hair spring having a tail piece on its inner spiral, said tail piece inserted through the slot and into the recess, and a low melting point hardened material within said recess and holding the spring and collet rigidly in position with the end of the spring in said slot and the spirals thereof in a predetermined position relative the collet.
THOMAS P. 'DOLBY.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number :Name Date 33,193 Hale Sept. ,3, 1861 643,472 Cowles ,F'eb. 13,1900 915,762 Grivolas .Mar. 23, 1909 974,798 Jaooby -Nov. 8, 1910 1,104,700 Ohlson July21, 1914 1,136,950 Freistadter Apr.:27, 1915 1,293,383 Eaton Feb. 4, .1919 1,790,218 Appleby Jan..27, 1931 1,923,073 Brell Aug. :22, .1933 1,935,747 Ratta Nov..21, 1933 2,088,094 Robarge July 27, 1937 2,310,841 LCurtis -Feb. 9,1943 2,329,710 Fix .Sept. 21, 1943 2,332,856 Kalajian Oct. 26, 1943 2,424,230 .Fawcett .July 22, 1947 2,475,772 Allen 1 July 12, 1949 2,529,807 ,Marti Nov. 14, 1950 32,540,242 Brennan Feb. 6, 1951
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Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2842935A (en) * 1956-03-15 1958-07-15 Robert I Bradley Spring and collet assemblies
US2931164A (en) * 1958-04-01 1960-04-05 Kienzle Uhrenfabriken Ag Balance wheel spring-end mounting
US3274766A (en) * 1964-01-31 1966-09-27 Tissot Horlogerie Fixing device of the inner end of a regulating hairspring in a timepiece
US3481139A (en) * 1965-04-21 1969-12-02 Marcel Dumont Assembly for securing the inner end of a coiled balance spring to a balance staff
US20060055097A1 (en) * 2003-02-06 2006-03-16 Eta Sa Manufacture Horlogere Suisse Hairspring for balance wheel hairspring resonator and production method thereof
US20100061192A1 (en) * 2006-02-09 2010-03-11 The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd Anti-shock collet

Citations (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US33193A (en) * 1861-09-03 Pipe-coupling
US643472A (en) * 1899-12-06 1900-02-13 Ansonia Brass And Copper Company Table for hooping coiled metal.
US915762A (en) * 1908-01-17 1909-03-23 Claude Grivolas Method of hardening clockwork pivot-holes.
US974798A (en) * 1910-05-02 1910-11-08 William L Jacoby Wheel.
US1104700A (en) * 1911-07-12 1914-07-21 Waltham Watch Co Method of mounting pivot-bearings for timepieces.
US1136950A (en) * 1914-10-07 1915-04-27 Jacob Freistadter Hair-spring collet for watches.
US1293383A (en) * 1917-07-20 1919-02-04 Warren S Eaton Cable-coupling.
US1790218A (en) * 1927-01-03 1931-01-27 Frank Graves Sash Door And Mil Machine for winding spiral springs and inserting the wound springs in drums
US1923073A (en) * 1932-07-22 1933-08-22 Harry Radxinsky Electrical connection device
US1935747A (en) * 1932-12-16 1933-11-21 American Telephone & Telegraph Soldering form for cables
US2088094A (en) * 1936-06-20 1937-07-27 George F Robarge Spring winding and assembling machine
US2310841A (en) * 1940-08-17 1943-02-09 Curtis Pump Co Device for fabricating pump impellers
US2329710A (en) * 1939-01-23 1943-09-21 Eugene J Fix Means for securing hairsprings to arbors
US2332856A (en) * 1941-01-30 1943-10-26 Harley C Loney Company Molding die for balance weights
US2424230A (en) * 1939-01-04 1947-07-22 Cecil C Fawcett Means for securing a hairspring to an arbor
US2475772A (en) * 1943-03-31 1949-07-12 Allis Chalmers Mfg Co Method of blading rotors and other elements
US2529807A (en) * 1945-05-05 1950-11-14 Marti Fritz Hairspring collet
US2540242A (en) * 1947-05-26 1951-02-06 Joseph B Brennan Apparatus for casting metal strips

Patent Citations (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US33193A (en) * 1861-09-03 Pipe-coupling
US643472A (en) * 1899-12-06 1900-02-13 Ansonia Brass And Copper Company Table for hooping coiled metal.
US915762A (en) * 1908-01-17 1909-03-23 Claude Grivolas Method of hardening clockwork pivot-holes.
US974798A (en) * 1910-05-02 1910-11-08 William L Jacoby Wheel.
US1104700A (en) * 1911-07-12 1914-07-21 Waltham Watch Co Method of mounting pivot-bearings for timepieces.
US1136950A (en) * 1914-10-07 1915-04-27 Jacob Freistadter Hair-spring collet for watches.
US1293383A (en) * 1917-07-20 1919-02-04 Warren S Eaton Cable-coupling.
US1790218A (en) * 1927-01-03 1931-01-27 Frank Graves Sash Door And Mil Machine for winding spiral springs and inserting the wound springs in drums
US1923073A (en) * 1932-07-22 1933-08-22 Harry Radxinsky Electrical connection device
US1935747A (en) * 1932-12-16 1933-11-21 American Telephone & Telegraph Soldering form for cables
US2088094A (en) * 1936-06-20 1937-07-27 George F Robarge Spring winding and assembling machine
US2424230A (en) * 1939-01-04 1947-07-22 Cecil C Fawcett Means for securing a hairspring to an arbor
US2329710A (en) * 1939-01-23 1943-09-21 Eugene J Fix Means for securing hairsprings to arbors
US2310841A (en) * 1940-08-17 1943-02-09 Curtis Pump Co Device for fabricating pump impellers
US2332856A (en) * 1941-01-30 1943-10-26 Harley C Loney Company Molding die for balance weights
US2475772A (en) * 1943-03-31 1949-07-12 Allis Chalmers Mfg Co Method of blading rotors and other elements
US2529807A (en) * 1945-05-05 1950-11-14 Marti Fritz Hairspring collet
US2540242A (en) * 1947-05-26 1951-02-06 Joseph B Brennan Apparatus for casting metal strips

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2842935A (en) * 1956-03-15 1958-07-15 Robert I Bradley Spring and collet assemblies
US2931164A (en) * 1958-04-01 1960-04-05 Kienzle Uhrenfabriken Ag Balance wheel spring-end mounting
US3274766A (en) * 1964-01-31 1966-09-27 Tissot Horlogerie Fixing device of the inner end of a regulating hairspring in a timepiece
US3481139A (en) * 1965-04-21 1969-12-02 Marcel Dumont Assembly for securing the inner end of a coiled balance spring to a balance staff
US20060055097A1 (en) * 2003-02-06 2006-03-16 Eta Sa Manufacture Horlogere Suisse Hairspring for balance wheel hairspring resonator and production method thereof
US10444706B2 (en) 2003-02-06 2019-10-15 Eta Sa Manufacture Horlogere Suisse Spiral spring for a sprung balance spiral resonator and method for manufacturing the same
US20100061192A1 (en) * 2006-02-09 2010-03-11 The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd Anti-shock collet
US8047705B2 (en) * 2006-02-09 2011-11-01 The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd Anti-shock collet

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