US497429A

US497429A - Mainspring for watches

Info

Publication number: US497429A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1893-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 1910-05-16

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. B. JOBSON, MAINSPRING POR WATCHES.

No. 497,429. Patented May 16,1893.

TN: mams Farms es, pHoro-mwa. wAsmuomN. vv c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. B. JOBSON. MAINSPRING POR WATCHES.

No. 497,429. Patented May 16,1893.

UNITEDY STATES PATENT OEEicEo JOHN B. JOBSON, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

MAINSPRING FOR WATCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 497,429, dated May 16, 1893.

Application iiled August 9, 1892. Serial No. 442,561. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. JOBsON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mainsprings for lVatches 5 and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. My invention has relation to improvements in main springs for time pieces, music boxes, mechanical toys, and other devices in which a spring is employed as a motor, and it has for its several objects to prevent overwindin g of the spring and thereby overcome and reduce the liability of breakage; to obtain a more equal tension and an invariable pressure from the time that the spring is wound up until it is run down; to distribute pressure throughout the spring while the same is being wound up; and to prevent acute bending of the inner coils when the watch is wound u p.

With the foregoing ends in View the novelty of the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in connection with the annexed drawings in which Figure l, is a plan View of a watch barrel, the cap being removed to permit of a better illustration of the spring. Fig. 2, is a diametrical section of the same. Fig. 3, is a perspective View, illustrating the relative position of the friction spring for preventing overwinding to the mainspring to which said friction spring is connected as shown. Fig. 4, is a perspective view of the shell removed, and Fig. 5, is a detail plan view illustrating the position of the friction spring to the main spring before the said main spring is wound In the said drawings similar letters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views referring to which:

A, indicates the barrel of a watch or the like which may be of the ordinary or any approved construction; and B, indicates the arbor having the enlarged portion I), provided with the shoulder c, and a lug or stud d.

C, indicates the main spring proper, which may be of the ordinary or any approved construct-ion; and D, indicates the stay spring which is formed integral with or is connected to the inner end of the main spring, within the coil, at about the point e, in Fig. l, of the drawings. This short stay spring D, which is of a lower temper than the main spring C, and is bent upon itself so as to be against the inner whirl of said main spring, bears against the shoulder o, of the enlarged portion b, ot the arbor, and is provided with a suitable aperture for the engagement of thelug` or stud d, of the said enlarged portion b. The stay spring D, is not only of a lower temper, but it is of an approximately double thickness and strength with respect to the main spring, whereby it will be seen that said stay spring will at once give the timepiece or other device the proper motion when the main spring is the least wound; and the pressure of the said stay spring against the main spring is amply sufiic-ient to force the pressure outward throughout the main spring, by virtue of which acute bending and consequent breakage of the inner whirls or coils will be prevented. By the provision of the stay spring it will be further seen that when the main spring is wound up the inner coils thereof will be the last to wind, andwill be prevented from approaching too close to the arbor, so as to leave a space about said arbor and prevent the acute bending before mentioned, the size of such space about the arborbeing governed by the thickness, temper, and length of the stay spring.

As better illustrated in Fig. l, of the drawings, the stay spring D, is tapered for a portion of its length adjacent to its free end so that the main spring proper willbe permitted to coil symmetrically and will be prevented from bulging or the like. Inasmuch as by the provision of the stay spring D, the outer coils of the main spring are wound before the inner coils, the force or pressure will iirst be from the outside of the coil toward the center thereof, and when the central portion of the spring is wound, there will also be a pressure from the center of the coil toward the outside thereof or in other words there will IOO be a pressure or brace on each side of each coilwhich will overcome acuteand quick bending and will consequently prevent breakage.

M, indicates a friction spring which is designed and adapted to hold the outer end of the main spring while the same is being wound and to move and permit a movement of the main spring when the same has been completely wound so as to prevent overwindingand consequent breakage of the said main spring. This friction spring M, is of such a thickness and temper that it will bind against the shell (presently described,) and by frictional contact with said shell will hold the spring until the same is completely wound up; and the said friction spring which is riveted or otherwise connected to the main spring, is provided with a tongue w, which extends forward of the end of the main spring and is reduced in width so as to render it more resiln ient for a purpose presently set forth. The end of the friction spring M, opposite to the tongue w, is preferably beveled in practice so as to better adapt it to take between the end of the main spring and the friction spring after it has been passed around said main spring as better shown in Fig. 3, of the drawings.

N, indicates a shell which is preferably formed from steel and is designed and adapted to be placed within the barrel and to inclose the main spring and friction spring whereby it will prevent an expansion of the brass barrel by the action of the friction spring. This barrel N, as better shown in Fig. 4f, of the drawings, is provided at inter- Vals in its length with apertures or slots u, into one of which the tongue fw, of the friction spring takes as soon as said friction spring moves around after the main spring` is wound up; the click of the tongue in entering the aperture or slot being designed to notify the person winding the watch that the spring has been completely wound. The friction spring being moved in the direction of the arrow, shown in Fig. 3, it will be seen that if the winding is continued after the tongue takes into one of the apertures or slots of the shell, the tongue will take out of Ithe aperture and slot and move upon the inside of the shell until it reaches the next aperture or slot, and so on, whereby it will be seen that the arbor may be turned for an indefinite period of time without damage to the spring.

In the practice of myinvention I do not desire to confine myself to details in construction, as I reserve the right to make such changes or modifications as fairly fall within the scope or spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A main spring for time pieces, music boxes and the like having a stay spring at its inner end, substantially as and for the pur= pose set forth.

2. A main spring for time pieces, music boxes and the like having a stay spring at its inner end; the said stay spring being bent upon itself to engage an arbor and bear against the inner coil of the main spring, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

A main spring for time pieces, music boxes and the like, having a stay springl at its inner end; the said stay spring being bent upon itself to engage the arbor and bear against the inner coil of the main springand having its free portion tapered, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A main spring for time pieces, music boxes and the like having a stay spring at its inner end; the said stay spring being of a lower temper anda greater strength than the said main spring,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a barrel for time pieces, music boxes and the like, the combination with an arbor having the enlarged portion provided with a shoulder and a lug or stud; of a main spring, and a stay spring at the inner end of said main spring; the said stay spring being bent upon itself to engage the shoulder and lug or stud of the enlarged portion of the arbor, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

G. The combination of an inclosing shell having an aperture, anda main spring arranged within the shell and having a friction spring at its outer end; the said friction spring having one of its ends extended forward of the outer end of the main spring to engage the aperture of the inclosing shell, and being adapted to bind and hold the main spring while the same is being wound and to move with said main spring if the arbor is turned after the completion of the winding, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. A main spring for time pieces, music boxes and the like having a friction spring at its outer end; the said friction spring being adapted to bind and hold the main spring while the same is being wound and. to move with said main spring if the arbor is turned after the completion of the winding, and having one of its ends extended forward of the outer end of the main spring and reduced in width so as to engage an aperture in an inclosing shell, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

S. Ina barrel for time pieces, music boxes and the like, the combination with a shell adapted to be placed within the barrel and having a slot or aperture; of a main spring having a friction spring at its outer end; the said friction spring having one of its ends extended forward of the end of the main spring and adapted to en gage the slot or aperture in the shell, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a barrel for time pieces, music boxes and the like, the combination with a spring; of a steel shell placed. within the barrel so as to surround the spring and prevent the same IOC rgo

from expanding the barrel, substantially as specified.

l0. Ina barrel for time pieces, music boxes and the like, the combination with the main spring and a shell arranged Within the barrel and having an aperture; of a friction spring connected to the main spring and having a resilient tongue adapted to engage the aperture in the shell, substantially as specified.

11. In a barrel for time pieces, music boxes and the like, the combination with a main spring having a stay spring at its inner end anda friction spring atits outer end 3 the said friction spring being adapted to surround the JOHN B. JOBSON.

lVitnesses:

C. W. LEONARD, J. Sn BUDD.