CH709412B1 - Device for operations on watch movements. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) for operating on watch movements comprising a plate (2) mounted on a base (3), said plate comprising at least one storage surface (4) capable of receiving components of watch movements, said plate further comprising at least one working support (6) provided with holding means for watch movements, the working support being associated with said at least one storage surface and being arranged at the periphery of said storage surface to make extension to facilitate access to said movement.

Description

Description: The present invention relates to the field of devices for operating on watch movements. These devices include a tray mounted on a base, said tray comprising at least one storage area capable of receiving components of watch movements.

PRIOR ART Tools are known for intervening on watch movements, these interventions being able to be the construction or the repair of these movements. In general, the construction or repair of watch movements is done on a movement holder defined as a support with two jaws of shapes adapted to the movement to maintain it during work.

[0003] Thus, for the construction or repair of a movement, the movement is fixed, via its plate, to the movement holder. The operator can then mount or dismount the movement. Storage boxes are used for the storage of different parts: parts to assemble, disassembled parts, spare parts, all placed on a work bench allowing the operator to have access to the parts.

However, a disadvantage of this working configuration is that it does not optimize the operator's time by not allowing work in series.

Indeed, in the case of an overhaul or repair operation, the operator takes the movement to overhaul / repair, fixes it to a movement holder and takes the parts he will need for the operation on movement. Once this operation is finished, the operator arranges the different parts and takes a new movement to perform an operation on it, said operation can be similar to the previous one.

Thus, the serial revision of watch movements is not possible with the current configuration because the appropriate tools and procedures are not available.

This serial revision is even less possible when there is an operator per step, that is to say an operator for disassembly, an operator for repair and an operator for checks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention therefore seeks to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art by providing a device allowing operations to be carried out in series on watch movements.

To this end, the invention relates to a device for operating on watch movements comprising a plate mounted on a base, said plate comprising at least one storage surface capable of receiving components of clock movements, characterized in that said tray further comprises at least one work support provided with holding means for watch movements, the work support being associated with said storage surface and being arranged at the periphery of said storage surface to extend so as to facilitate the access to said movement.

In a first advantageous embodiment, the work support comprises a platform having a peripheral rim and the holding means allowing the maintenance of a watch movement.

In a second advantageous embodiment, the platform comprises an orifice in which the holding means are arranged, these holding means comprising a wedge mounted on a tube associated with a worm to modify the position of the wedge and thus adapt to different sizes of movement.

In a third advantageous embodiment, the holding means further comprises a spring allowing said wedge to be able to move elastically.

In a fourth advantageous embodiment, said storage surface includes at least one reception area.

In another advantageous embodiment, said reception area is a recess.

In another advantageous embodiment, said reception area is an opening in which a container is inserted.

In another advantageous embodiment, said plate is pivotally mounted relative to the base.

In another advantageous embodiment, the device further comprises a latching system for locking the position of the plate relative to the base.

In another advantageous embodiment, said tray comprises five storage surfaces, each being associated with a working support.

CH 709 412 B1

Brief Description of the Figures The objects, advantages and characteristics of the device according to the present invention will appear more clearly in the following detailed description of at least one embodiment of the invention given solely by way of nonlimiting and illustrated example by the attached drawings in which:

fig. 1 schematically represents the device for operating on watch movements according to the invention;

fig. 2 fig. 3A, 3B, 3C fig. 4 and 5 fig. 6 schematically represents a variant of the device for operating on watch movements according to the invention;

schematically represent different views of a peripheral support of the device for operating on watch movements according to the invention;

schematically represent views of the labeling system of the device for operating on watch movements according to the invention;

shows schematically the locking head of the locking system of the device for operating on watch movements according to the invention.

Detailed description In FIG. 1, a device 1 according to the present invention is shown. This device 1 is used to carry out assembly, disassembly and revision operations of at least one watch movement, which can be electronic, mechanical or electro-mechanical.

The device 1 comprises a circular plate 2. This circular plate 2 is mounted on a base 3. The base 3 has a base 3a from which extends a turret 3b, the latter has a height such that when the user works on the device 1, the plate 2 is at the watchmaker's working height, that is to say that when the latter has his arms placed on his work table, the plate 2 is at a short distance.

The plate 3 comprises at least one storage surface 4. This storage surface 4 is used for the storage of the various watch components. In the case of the revision of a watch movement, the operator must juggle between the disassembled parts, the defective parts and the replacement parts.

The storage surface 4 is therefore provided with several reception areas 5 at each of which a different type of part is placed. For example, in the case of the revision of a watch movement, the storage surface 4 is provided with three reception areas: one, central, for dismantled parts, one for defective parts and one for replacement parts. . The central reception area 5 can then be used to receive the washing baskets so that during the course of operations, the movement is dismantled by an operator, the defective parts being placed at the reception area 5 for the defective parts. The other disassembled parts of the movement are placed in one or more washing baskets at the central reception area 5 to be washed. When reassembling the movement, the parts located in the washing basket or baskets are reassembled in the movement while the defective parts are replaced by new parts from reception area 5 for replacement parts.

These reception areas 5 may, in a first embodiment, be in the form of hollows. It is understood by this that each reception area 5 is an area of the plate 2 which is hollowed out in a particular shape. These recesses are suitable for receiving the different pieces and for holding the different pieces on the plate, preventing them from slipping.

In an alternative to this first embodiment, containers can be placed at the level of the recesses.

In a second embodiment, the reception areas 5 are in the form of openings in each of which a container is inserted, this container containing the various parts of the watch movement. For example, this container is a washing basket. These containers can stack on top of each other. The advantage of this second embodiment is that it allows prior conditioning of the different types of parts in the containers. In addition, this allows the different containers to be interchanged with each other instead of emptying them to fill them with other parts. Indeed, with the use of washing baskets, these receive the non-defective parts to be washed during their disassembly, these parts remaining in the washing baskets throughout the operations on the movement.

Of course, provision may be made to mix the first and second embodiments so that certain reception areas 5 are in the form of a recess and that other reception areas 5 are presented in the form of an opening.

Advantageously according to the invention, the tray also includes at least one working support 6 visible in Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C. This working support 6 is used so that the watch movement can be placed there during the various operations that it will undergo. This work support 6 is arranged on the periphery of the plate 2. The work support 6 comprises

CH 709 412 B1 a cross-member 60 of parallelepipedic section to which a platform 61 is fixed. This platform 61 is substantially similar to a U, that is to say that this platform 61 comprises two parallel branches 62 connected together by one of their end, a space 63 being present between the two branches 62. The cross-member 60 is used to fix the support 6 to the plate 2, preferably at the level of the lower surface of the plate 2, that is to say the facing surface of the ground. The platform 61 includes a peripheral rim 61 a allowing the movement to rest thereon. The peripheral rim 61a at the level of the link between the two branches 62 can be produced in order to be rounded or to form at least an angle allowing better support of the movement holder. The peripheral rim 61a at the level of the link between the two branches 62 can thus have a triangular shape.

The platform 61 is provided with means 64 for keeping the watch movement. More particularly, the holding means 64 serve to maintain the movement, which being mounted on a movement holder. The holding means are arranged in the space 63 present between the two parallel branches 62 of the platform 61. These holding means 64 comprise a tube 66 mounted on an endless screw 65, disposed along the space 63. This worm allows to advance or retract the tube 66. This tube 66 is associated with a wedge 67 so that the latter moves jointly with said tube 66. The position of the wedge 67 is therefore modified to adapt to movements or movement holders of different sizes. This wedge 67 and the longitudinal sides 63a of the space 63 between the two branches 62 of the platform 61 can be configured so that said wedge 67 is mounted on rail.

The holding means 64 are also arranged to be mounted resiliently. For this, the tube 66 is also associated with a spring 68 used for maintaining the watch movement.

Indeed, the holding means 64 are used so that the operator can first of all adjust the position of the wedge 67 to the size of the movement holder so that the latter can be maintained by acting on the worm 65. The fact of resiliently mounting the holding means 64 makes it possible, when the movement holder is put in place on the working support 6, to act on the wedge 67 so as to momentarily modify its position so that the holder movement can be placed. The displacement of the wedge can be made a distance of the order of 2 to 3 mm. This ability to move is similar to a game, that is to say that the position of the wedge is not completely fixed and that it can move slightly to adapt. Once the latter is placed on the working support 6, the operator releases the wedge 67 from the stress which it exerts so that it returns to its initial position, that is to say to its position before the operator does not apply a constraint. In this case, the wedge 67 exerts a force on the movement carrier which comes to bear on the peripheral rim 61a of the working support 6 causing it to immobilize.

Cleverly, the fact of having the wedge 67 mounted on a spring having a play in its position makes it possible to adapt to the different types of movement holder. Indeed, these movement holders may have roughness or flats or not be completely circular and thus have a substantially oval or elliptical shape.

In the absence of play, the operator who disengages the movement holder from the working support 6 should make sure to re-engage it with the same angular position. In addition, the operator could not turn the movement holder on its axis when it is engaged on the working support 6.

With a wedge 67 having a clearance so as to be able to move over a few millimeters, it becomes possible to turn the movement holder on its axis when the latter is engaged on the working support 6. The asperities or flats cause the appearance of a stress exerted on the wedge 67 or a disappearance / reduction of the force exerted by the wedge 67 on the movement holder. This results in a displacement of said wedge 67 so as to obtain optimal and permanent maintenance of the movement holder on the support 6.

The advantage of having this working support 6 placed peripherally is that it allows the operator to work directly on the device 1. Indeed, having the support 6 at the periphery of the plate 2 causes the appearance of a free space around said support 6 facilitating access to the movement by the operator who can therefore work on it while it is placed on the device 1.

In a first variant, the tray 3 comprises a plurality of storage surfaces 4, each being provided with several reception areas 5. On each reception area 5, a different type of room is placed. These storage surfaces 4 are distributed angularly on the tray. In a preferred version of this first variant, the tray 2 is provided with five storage surfaces 4, angularly distributed but this number is not limited since there may be 2, 3, 4, 6 storage surfaces 4 and more again.

This variant has the advantage of allowing the operator to act in series on several watch movements. Certainly, this configuration allows the operator to work on a first movement, then to switch to a second movement and so on. Preferably, the same type of operation is performed for each movement placed on the device 1.

In a second variant, compatible with the first variant, the plate is rotatably mounted on the base

3. So that the rotation is not permanent, the plate 2 is equipped with a locking system 7 visible in FIGS. 4 and 5. For this, the plate 2 comprises in its center an orifice 8 in which the latching system 7 is arranged in order to lock the angular position of the plate 2. This latching system 7 comprises a hub 70 in the form of disk. This hub 70 is in the form of three superimposed discs, the central disc 72 having a larger diameter than the other two discs 71. This larger diameter of the central disc 72 allows the latter to

CH 709 412 B1 cooperate with the plate 2. In fact, the plate 2 has at its orifice 8, an annular zone 8a of smaller thickness whose dimensions are identical to that of the central disc 72. The central disc 72 serves to fix the hub 70 to the plate 2. The latching system 7 also comprises an annular guide piece 75, the inner wall 76 of which is sculpted.

This annular guide piece 75 is dimensioned to cooperate with the plate 2 present at the annular zone 8a of the orifice 8. During assembly, the latter is carried out so that the annular zone 8a of the orifice 8 of the plate 2 is interposed between the hub 70 and the annular guide piece 75, the hub 70 coming to be placed under the plate 2. Fixing means 72a like screws are used to secure these different elements.

The hub 70 further has a hole 73 for mounting the plate 2 on the base 3. Indeed, the turret 3b further comprises a circular stud 3c whose dimensions allow it to be inserted in the hole 73 of the hub 70. The latching system 7 further comprises a locking element 78 of the angular position visible in FIG. 6. This locking element 78 is mounted on the stud 3c of the turret. This angular position locking element 78 comprises a chassis 780, preferably in the form of a U with two parallel branches 781. These two branches 781 each have an opening 782. In these openings 782, a rod 783 is mounted. The rod 783 is associated with a spring 784. This rod 783 comprises a ring 785 so that the spring 784 is placed between the ring 785 and one of the branches 781. The free end of the rod 783 has a locking head 786. This locking head 786 comprises a structure 787 in which a wheel 788 is mounted. The locking head 786 is configured to cooperate with the inner wall 76 of the annular guide piece 75. Indeed, the inner wall 76 of the annular piece of guide 75 is sculpted to present notches 77 into which the locking head 786 can be inserted. The number of notches is equal to the number of storage surfaces 4. When the operator wants to turn the plate 2, the force exerted by the latter applies to the locking element 78. More particularly, the force applies on the locking head 786 causing a displacement of the rod 783 and, consequently, a compression of the spring 784. This displacement then releases the plate 2 so that it can rotate. When the locking head 786 comes opposite a notch 77 in the inner wall 76, the stress exerted on the locking head 786 decreases so that the spring 784 of the locking element 78 is released. Consequently, the rod 783 moves to resume its rest position and the locking head 786 cooperates with said notch 77.

In a variant visible in FIG. 2, the turret 3b can have a height almost zero depending on the layout of the operator's work plan. The turret 3b which includes the stud 3c inserting into the hole in the hub is then only one so that the plate 2 and the base 3a of the base 3 are almost in contact.

It will be understood that various modifications and / or improvements obvious to those skilled in the art can be made to the various embodiments of the invention described in the present description without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

claims 1. Device (1) for operating on watch movements comprising a plate (2) mounted on a base (3), said plate comprising at least one storage surface (4) capable of receiving components of clock movements, characterized in that that said tray further comprises at least one work support (6) provided with holding means (64) for watch movements, the work support being associated with said at least one storage surface and being arranged at the periphery of said surface storage to extend so as to facilitate access to said movement. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the working support (6) comprises a platform (61) having a peripheral rim (61a) and said holding means (64) allowing the maintenance of a watch movement. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the platform (61) comprises an orifice (63) in which the holding means (64) are arranged, these holding means comprising a wedge (67) mounted on a tube ( 66) associated with a worm (65) to modify the position of the wedge and thus adapt to different sizes of movement. 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the holding means (64) further comprises a spring (68) allowing said wedge to be able to move elastically. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said storage surface (4) comprises at least one reception area (5). 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said reception area (5) is a recess. 7. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said reception area (5) is an opening in which a container is inserted. 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plate (2) is pivotally mounted relative to the base (3). 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that it further comprises a latching system (7) for locking the position of the plate relative to the base. CH 709 412 B1 10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tray comprises five storage surfaces, each being associated with a peripheral support. CH 709 412 B1 3b CH 709 412 B1 CH 709 412 B1