US361850A

US361850A - Regulator pin for watches

Info

Publication number: US361850A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Van Strait
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1886-06-12
Filing date: 1886-06-12
Publication date: 1887-04-26
Anticipated expiration: 1904-04-26

Description

(No Model.) A. VAN STRAIT.

' v REGULATOR PIN FOR WATCHES. No. 361,850. Patented Apr. 26, 1887.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW VAN STRAIT, OF SIDNEY, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, STEPHEN M. THORNTON, AND FRANCIS E. THORNTON, OF SAME PLACE.

REGULATOR-PIN FOR WATCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,850, dated April 26, 1887.

Serial No. 204,997. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW VAN STRAIT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sidney, in the county of Delaware and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Watches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in watches; and it consists of the peculiar eon- IO struetion and arrangement of the various parts for service, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and'particularly pointed out in the claims.

Heretofore means have been provided for 5 preventing the outer coils of the hair-spring of watches from being displaced or disarranged when the watch is subjected to a sudden jar or shock-as, for instance, when it is let fall which is liable to cause the watch to keep irregular time or to stop. One of the devices for preventing displacement of the outer coil of the hair-spring consists of two parallel pins that are carried by the regulator, and between these pins is fitted the outer coil of the hair-spring; but in this device the outer coil or extreme end of the hair-spring is liable to slip or pass beneath the extremities of the pins and become engaged with only one of the pins, or become disconnected from both pins, gotor in many instances two coils get or pass between the pins, or they may catch onto both pins, and hence this device cannot be confidently relied upon to effectively guard against the spring getting out of its proper place or position.

In my improved device I provide the inner pin of .the two which are carried by the regulator with an outwardly-extending foot that is formed integral with the pin by which it is 0 carried, and the outer coil of the hair'spring is fitted between the said pins, as is usual. The outwardly-extending foot of my invention passes beneath the said outer coil of the hairspring and effectually prevents the outer coil 5 from becoming accidentally detached or disconnected from the pins, and the outer pin terminates a very short distance above the foot'of the fellow pin, so as to be out of contact therewith, and thus permit the said outer 5o coil of the hair-spring to be passed edgewise between the lower extremity of the pin and the foot in removing the spring from the watch-movement to repair the latter, all as more fully described presently.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a part of a watch-movement with my invention applied thereto, Figure 1 is a view of so much of a watch-movement as is necessary for a proper understanding of my improvement. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the regulator detached from the movement and having the parallel pins with the foot applied thereto.

Referring to the'drawings, in which like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures, A designates the balancebridge of a watch-movement, beneath which the balance-wheel works, and on the shaft or arbor of this wheel is coiled a hair-spring, C, whose tension is controlled by the regulator D, all of which are of the ordinary construction common to watch-movements of American manufacture, to which class my improvements are especially applicable.

E and F designate the parallel pins, which are rigidly secured on and carried by the regulator D, and these pins are arranged one in rear of the other. The said pins are shown depending from the regulator when the watchmovement occupies a horizontal position, and they are located at or near the outer or free end of the said regulator.

The inner pin, F, of the pair carries at its lower end or extremity a foot, G, which is formed integral with the said pin by which it is carried, and the foot extends outwardly from the hair-spring and terminates to one side of the balance-wheel, so as to be out of contact therewith and not interfere with or obstruct the movement of the said wheel. The said foot extends beneath the outermost coil or free end of the hair-spring, and the outer extremity of the foot is curved or inclined upwardly to a point considerably above the lower terminal end of the outer pin, E, as clearly 5 shown .in Fig. 2, so that, should the outer coil of the hair-spring become accidentally displaced from between the pins E F by any possible means, the said coil of the spring will impinge upon the upwardly curved or inclined Ioo end of the foot G, and thereby more effectually prevent the coil from becoming wholly detached from the pins. The free end or outermost coil of the hair-spring is fitted loosely between the pins, and is thereby prevented from becoming detached from the pins laterally; and by means of the foot the spring is prevented from falling down and from passing beneath the pins when the watch is subjected to a sudden shock or jar. The pin E terminates above the foot a very short distance, so as to be out of contact therewith, the space which separates the terminal end of the pin E and the horizontal foot being less than the width of the outer coil of the hairspring, to prevent the same from slipping or passing between the pin and the foot, while at the same time the said coil of the hair-spring can be readily removed by the hands of the repairer or watch-maker, when it is desired to examine or repair any part of the works necessitating the removal of the hair-spring, by simply turn ing the outer coil edgewise and slipping it beneath the terminal end of the pin E while it is in this position.

By arranging the foot on the inner pin said foot may be extended out as far as desired with out interfering with the movement of the hairspring or offering apoint for the spring to lodge or catch against in its movements. Furthermore, the exterior faces of the foot are arranged in a horizontal plane, and the end thereof is turned up, so as to leave no point for thehairspring to catch against in its movements. The shoe thus serves as a guard to prevent the hairspring from catching around the pins by a sudden jar, to which watches are often subjected. There are no grooves, slots, points, or projections on the foot in or against which thehairspring can catch, either in its movements or by sudden shocks that would cause the displacement of the spring.

It will thus be seen that I provide simple means for effectively retaining the outer coils of a hair-spring of a watch-movement from getting out of its proper place when the watch is subjected to a sudden jar or shock, and that the spring can be readily disconnected and removed when it is desired to repair or clean the movement.

I am aware of Patent No.114.,6+l4, and do not claim the device therein shown.

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

1. The combination, with the regulator and the hair'spring of a watclrmovement, of the parallel pins E F, depending from and carried by the regulator and arranged one in rear of the other, and a horizontal foot, G, wh ch is carried by the lower end of the inner pin, F, and extends outwardly therefrom beneath the outer coil of the hair-spring, the lower terminal end of the outer pin being arranged above the horizontal foot and out of contact therewith, to provide a space of less width than one of the coils of the hair-spring, and the outer end of the horizontal foot being curved or inclined upwardly to a point considerably above the lower terminal end of the outer pin, E, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the regulator-plus E F of a watch-movement, a horizontal foot, G, formed integral with the inner pin, F, and extending outwardly therefrom to such distance as will reach beyond the movements of the hair-spring, so as to prevent the spring from catching around the pins, as set forth.

3. In combination with the regulator-pins E F of a watch-movement, a foot, G, carried by the lower end of the inner pin, F, and extending outwardly therefrom beneath the outer coil of the hair-spring, and having a smooth exterior surface, the foot being arranged substantially in a horizontal plane, and having its outer end curved or inclined upwardly, whereby there will be no danger of the coils of the hair-spring slipping down from be tween the pins, and, furthermore, there will be nothing in the construction or attachment of the foot that will offer an obstruction or point for the hair-spring to catch against in its movements or by sudden shocks,assct forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW VAN STRAIT.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR D. SMITH, ROSWELL A. MONROE.