Method of mainspring removal tool for mainspring removal
OwnerZbigniew Filipowersinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tool provides a means for easily and safely removing a timepiece mainspring from its barrel for cleaning and lubricating. A barrel holder is provided having a rim, and an essentially planar surface which includes openings therethrough. A mainspring barrel containing a mainspring is inserted into a mating opening. A barrel holder cap is snapped over a rim of the barrel holder. The cap surface includes openings opposite the barrel holder openings. The cap and barrel holder thereby form a receptacle for receiving an extracted mainspring. The watchmaker accesses a loop of the mainspring in the barrel holder, and removes the mainspring. The energy in the spring is thereby released and the expanding spring is captivated in the receptacle, permitting removal therefrom for cleaning and lubricating.
Claims10
A tool for removing a mainspring in a mainspring barrel from a watch or clock and for captivating the removed mainspring comprising:
- a) a mainspring barrel holder having a first essentially planar surface, a first rim depending from said planar surface, and a circular opening through said surface for accepting and holding said mainspring barrel;
- and
- b) a barrel holder cap having a second planar surface, said surface having a second circular opening therethrough, said second opening having a smaller size than said barrel holder circular opening, said cap having a second rim depending from said second planar surface, said cap rim mating with said mainspring barrel holder rim thereby forming a mainspring-receiving space such that said second opening is aligned with said first circular opening thereby providing access to said mainspring via said second opening;
- c) whereby said mainspring in said mainspring barrel can be safely removed therefrom through said circular opening in said barrel holder cap and captivated within said mainspring-receiving space.
A method for safely removing a mainspring from its mainspring barrel comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a tool having a mainspring barrel holder, said holder having a circular opening therethrough for receiving said mainspring barrel, said tool having a cap mating with said barrel holder, said cap having an opening aligned with said barrel holder circular opening, thereby forming a mainspring-receiving and captivating space therebetween;
- b) installing a mainspring barrel in said barrel holder;
- c) grasping said mainspring through said cap opening;
- and
- d) removing said mainspring from its barrel, causing said mainspring to expand into said mainspring-receiving and captivating space.
A tool for removing a mainspring in a mainspring barrel from a watch or clock, and for captivating the removed mainspring comprising:
- a) a mainspring barrel holder having a first essentially planar surface, a first rim depending from said planar surface, and a pair of tracks formed in said first surface thereby forming an opening between said tracks;
- b) an elongate slide slidably engaged by said tracks, wherein said slide includes a plurality of mainspring barrel-accepting openings of differing sizes;
- and
- c) a barrel holder cap having a second planar surface, said surface having a plurality of second openings therethrough, said second openings each having a smaller size than matching barrel holder circular openings, said cap having a second rim depending from said second planar surface, said cap mating with said mainspring barrel holder rim such that said second openings are aligned with said first circular openings, thereby providing access to said mainspring via a matching one of said second openings;
- c) wherein removing said mainspring from said barrel releases said mainspring to expand and thereby be captivated within said holder and said cap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.