US269670A - Watch-regulator - Google Patents

Description

"(No Model.)

0. M. HOFFMAN.

} WATCH REGULATOR.

269,670- Patented Deo.26,- 1882.

v/ A) W/ A ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M. BORED/IAN, OF WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VERMONT.

WATCH-REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,670, dated December 26,1882,

' Application filed September 1, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. HOFFMAN,

of novel construction, in which provision is made in a very simple manner for its general adjustment and special subsequent liner or closer adjustment, and for its retention in position after adjustment, substantially as hereinafter described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l representsa plan view upon an enlarged scale of a regulator embodying my invention in connection with the balance-spring and balance-wheel of a watch. Fig. 2 is a section in part, upon a still larger scale of the same on the line a; x in Fig.1; and Fig. 3 is a further section, in part, on the line y y.

A in the drawings indicates the balancewheel of a watch and B its spring.

0 is the regulating-lever that engages with.

the spring B in the usual or any suitable manner, and is connected at its outer or free end with a sliding block or carrier D, which is furnished with a pointer, a, arranged to travel over a graduated or divided index-plate E, by which the regulation of the watch is determined. The graduated plate E occupies a raised position above a base-plate, F, and the sliding block Dis slotted or formed with a projection, b, which works beneath the graduated plate E, that is thus received within the sliding block, and which has its inner edge concentric with the line of movement of the end of the regulator. This construction admits of the graduated plate acting as a guide for the sliding block, to keep it in position. Said sliding block Dis also steadied and supported by the base-plate F, on or over which it moves, and which also is of like concentric construction with the are or course of travel of the sliding block, and which plate F also serves to support at either end the raised graduated plate E.

His a curved rod, which is concentric with the course of travel of the end of the regulator, and is arranged so that the sliding block D lies immediately beneath it. This rod has a screw-thread, 0, extending from its one end to any suitable distance along it, and passes at its opposite ends through projections d a, mounted on opposite ends of the concentric base-plate F. The one, (1, of these projections serves to carry a nut, I, serrated or suitably roughened on its outer edge to admit of its operation by the finger or finger-nail, and arranged to receive the screw-threaded portion of the curved rod H through it for engagement therewith. The other projection, 0, forms a plain guide tor the rod H to slide through when the nut I, which has a fixed position within the projection d, is turned to move the rod. Upon the sliding block D is a bindingscrew. J, the head of which overlaps the curved rod H, so that when said screw is turned in the one direction it binds on the rod Hand only admits of said block and rod moving in concert; but when said screw J is turned in the reverse direction it is released from hold on the rod H, and leaves the sliding block 1) at liberty to he moved independently of the curved rod. This arrangement essentially differs from a mere curved screw-rod adjustable by a nut having a fixed position and in permanent connection with the regulating-lever, which combination merely provides for a single slow adjustment, and in which the curved rod has no sliding support or guide.

The operation of my improved regulator is as follows: Upon loosening the screw J the watch may be approximately and quickly regulated by merely moving the sliding block D, which carries the regulating-lever 0 also with it. This brings the pointer a to an approximate position on the graduated plate E. The binding-screw J may then be screwed down so as to clamp the curved rod H between it and the sliding block, and the regulation be finished with the greatest precision or degree of accuracy by simply turning with the fingernail or knife-blade or other article the nut I, which will give a fine adjusting or sliding movement to the rod H and with it the sliding block D and its attached regulating-lever 0.

Instead of the binding-screw J, which virtually forms a clamp, a spring or other form of clamp may be applied to the sliding regulating-block D to engage it with and disengage it from the curved adjusting-rod H.

A regulator constructed as herein described provides in a very simple and eflicient manner for both a rapid general and special finishing adjustment of the watch, which may readily be brought down to close time, and the regulator is restrained from being accidentally moved ortt'rom slipping.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a watch-regulator, the raised, curved,

and concentric graduated plate E, in comhi- 3. The sliding block D and its b nding-screw J, in combination with the attached regulating-lever O, and the curved adjusting screwrod H and nut l, for operating said rod, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the curved adjusting screw-rod H and its operating-nut I, of the base-plate E, having projections 01 0, arranged to support and guide said rod and nut, the sliding block I), with its attached regulating-lever C, the binding or clamping screw J, and the graduated plate F, essentially as specified.

5. A watch-regulator in which the follow ing elements are combined, namely: a sliding regulating-block with attached lever, a graduated plate over which the sliding block is free to move. a sliding con(sentrically-curved screw-threaded rod a nut for operating said rod, and a clamp applied to the sliding block for engaging it with and disengaging it from said rod, substantially as described.

CHARLES M. HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

DAVID A. Pnaam, UHAs. S. WILSON.

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