US360641A

US360641A - Watch for the blind

Info

Publication number: US360641A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1887-04-05
Anticipated expiration: 1904-04-05

Description

(No Model.)

S. F. ADAM.

WATCH FOR THE BLIND. No. 360,641. Patented Apr. 5, 1887.

WITNESSES: I/ILIVENTOR:

BY JAM L6 2 ATTORNEYS.

N. PETER; Pbolo-UIMIW. Wanhiuloa. 0.;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ SAMUEL F. ADAM, OF MIDDLETOVN, CONNECTICUT.

WATCH FOR THE BLIND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,641, dated April 5, 1887.

Application filed July 10, 1886, Serial No. 207,660. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL FORBES ADAM, of Middletown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvementsin atches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to the construction of the face and hands of a watch to enable the time to be told in the dark or by the blind; and the invention-consists of the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan View of a watch having my invention applied thereto, and Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, showing the cover closed.

The works of the watch are covered below the hands a b by the plate A, on which in this instance is formed the small dial 0. The hands a I) are each formed with a knob or projection,

d, and over the hands is placed the concave disk B, composed of several concentric annular rings, 6 e, spaced to form the annular slots f f, in which the upwardly-projecting points or knobs d of the hands move, so that they can be felt by the finger through the slotsand their relative position on the dial determined by the sense of touch. The annular plates 0 are united by the radial ribs 9 9, (four in nu mber,) which are formed with the upwardlycurved bridge-pieces g, to span the annular slots f, and not interfere with the movement of the hands a b. Upon the outer surfaces of the annular plates 0 are formed, between the ribs 9, the ribs 71, all of which, together with 40 the ribs 9, make twelve in number, and they are arranged equidistant apart, so they stand for the hour and five-minute marks upon the dial. The face of the watch may be closed by a cover or cap, C, in which in this instance is fitted a small crystal, C, through which the dial 0 may be observed without opening the watch.

In use, to ascertain the time by the sense of feeling, the fingers will be moved around the slots f to find the points (1, when their locality with reference to each other and to thetwelve side of the dial will be ascertained by counting the ribs y 71 which can be easily done, so that with a little practice thehourand minute can be quite accurately told by this watch in the dark or by a blind person.

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

l. A watch-face formed with annular slots, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination. with a watclrface having annular slots, of the hands of the watch SAMUEL F. ADAM.

\Vituesses:

FREDERIO VINAL, GEORGE A. HUNT.