368 



Invention or the balance sprin<5. 



He disclosed 



his secret (in 

 part), and was 

 afterwards 

 unworthily 

 treated. 



The patent 

 sprins; aban- 

 doned. 



Disclosure of 

 the invention 

 ef the balance 

 spring hy Huy 

 ghens: conteS' 

 ted by Haute- 

 feuille. 



end of 1(360, it appears that things were brought to suCh d 

 bearing that he explained the cypher, and even showed the 

 construction of the watches. For in the register of the Royal 

 Society it is recorded that Mr. Hooke had exhibited his pocfcef 

 watches, which were regulated by springs. A pocket watch 

 can be moved no other way but by a spring ; and therefore the 

 word regulated must undoubtedly apply or refer to the regu- 

 lation of it by means of a pendulum spring. But the associa- 

 tion now broke up. The three gentlemen insisted on another 

 condition, that if they, or any other person, sJiould remarkably, 

 improve this watch by any new principle introduced into it, 

 they should be at liberty to enjoy the profits of the improve- 

 ment even during the currency of the patent. This Hooke 

 flatly refused, saying, that if once he showed them the principle, 

 it was easy to improve on it; and he himself saw several im- 

 perfections in it, arising from the very nature of metals, which 

 he was labouring to remove ; and as he had no intention of 

 excluding them from the benefits of any improvements of his, 

 which might perhaps be still necessary before the watch was 

 good for any thing, he would not be excluded from the advan- 

 tages of any other improvements made on his invention. It is 

 not unlikely that he had thoughts of the effects of heat and cold 

 on the watch, and was thinking of adding a compensation piece 

 of some sort or other to it. 



By this means the affair of the patent broke up and miscarri- 

 ed; Hooke being exceedingly disgusted, and his manners being 

 extremely ungracious and fretful, probably displeased the 

 partners as much. He became extremely close and jealous 

 after this. 



It was not till about 1 67 4 or 1 67 5, that Iluyghens pub- 

 lished his discovery of the spiral spring, applying both to the 

 States of Holland and the Court of France, for such an exten- 

 tion of his patent as should comprehend watches. He was 

 opposed from all quarters : the watchmakers allowed him to 

 monopolize the pendulum, which they thought he had in 

 some measure invented ; but they. did not choose his encroach- 

 ment on watches. The Abbe Hautefeuille had also discovered 

 ihe regulating power of a spring, and claimed the invention ; 

 his opposition was so effectual, that the registration of the 

 French patent was stopped, but the Dutch patent was com- 



pletedj 



