Does anyone know the patent date, or the development history, of the Seiko magic lever winding system?

I'm interested in this subject for its own sake (I love Seikos and currently own about a dozen) and because of an ongoing discussion about the Claro Semag 888 movement which, I believe, uses the magic lever winding system (and the Miyota indirect seconds hand). The assertion has been made that the Claro movement was developed in Switzerland in the early-1960's.

This would seem to collide with the magic lever system having an active patent held by Seiko and imply that either Seiko licensed this technology, which seems unlikely, or the Swiss copied or developed this winding mechanism.

The reality, I believe, is that the Claro 888 is, at the very least, based on the Seagull ST16--a movement developed after the patent on the magic lever would have expired.

I'd love any information (or links) that anyone has about the development and patenting of the magic lever winding system.

TIA

I think it WAS in the 60's...1964ish?
Patent No.3097512...That's if you can believe every thing on the internet.

http://www.biosciencecommunications.dk/Seiko/1964%20Seiko%20collection.html


I'll keep lookin'

"this caliber uses a more complicated and efficient roller clutch in the winding gear train, rather than the simpler "magic lever" system<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />"

The only auto that doesn't indicate the winding design is the 6601B.  Does anyone know if the 6601B uses the 'magic lever' system?

Here is a SCWF post with a little more info
http://www.network54.com/Forum/78440/message/1196189581/Four+Seiko%B4s+from+1964---some+ramblings+from+an+addict>

Here is some good info on the history of Claro-Semag
http://www.tractionink.com/watch_wiki/index.php?title=Claro-Semag>
"One claim is that Claro-Semag, in the 1960s, was building this movement and selling it in Hong Kong, and the Chinese have subsequently copied the design. This begs the question as to why Sea-Gull waited until 1997 to first produce their 'copy'. This story also seems less likely in light of the fact that the auto-winding mechanism employed in the ST16 and CL-888 was patented by Seiko, and the patent remained in force until the 1970s. Thus Claro-Semag could only have built this movement if they had a license agreement with Seiko to use the Japanese technology.One claim is that Claro-Semag, in the 1960s, was building this movement and selling it in Hong Kong, and the Chinese have subsequently copied the design. This begs the question as to why Sea-Gull waited until 1997 to first produce their 'copy'. This story also seems less likely in light of the fact that the auto-winding mechanism employed in the ST16 and CL-888 was patented by Seiko, and the patent remained in force until the 1970s. Thus Claro-Semag could only have built this movement if they had a license agreement with Seiko to use the Japanese technology."

Another good post on the subject
http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=144328&highlight=cl888>

 

Cheers,
gigfy

 

Thanks for the information.

I'm still trying to pin down an exact date, but appreciate the help.