DE1548144A1 - Date display device for clocks - Google Patents

Description

2 February 4, 1967

Hamilton Watch Company 1 * A ft 1 A A

Lancaster, Pa », USA

Date display device for watches

The invention "relates to a novel drive arrangement for the date display device or the calendar ring of watches and in particular an improved calendar ring drive and «Locking mechanism, which is particularly suitable for clocks with low drive power, such as electrical ones Small watches, suitable.

The goal direction according to the invention relates to a mechanical calendar ring mechanism for use in electrical clocks with low output torque and with mechanical or electrical small and large clocks and other timepieces that have an automatic date display The system of the present invention is believed to be unique in that it is all desirable Date display features in one mechanism united, which does not require excessive drive energy, as is the case with other mechanisms of this type proposed so far, “Include these desirable features an instant change of date, accuracy and repeatability of the date change, exact alignment

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the date numbers, a calendar ring lock or holding and releasing the calendar ring as well as a quick one Manual adjustment of the calendar ring; all of these features are combined in a simple mechanism that requires little installation space and little energy. In contrast, the previously known devices have this Kind which combined most of these features, one about the efficiency of electrical Clocks exceeding energy requirements, while other of the known devices, which have sufficiently low energy requirements have one or more of the desirable characteristics lacking.

There are already numerous calendar systems for watches o, the like. Known timepieces in which the clockwork with a carrier having the date numbers is provided which is used to display the successive date numbers from Hour wheel of the clock is operated time-dependent. Many of the well-known calendar clocks systems are simply too bulky for small movements and are the ones required for use in a commercially available watch (size reduction inaccessible. In typical conventional calendar clock systems, the dial side of the clockwork is with a calendar ring or a calendar disc, which or «which rotatably mounted below the dial and thirty-one equally spaced saw-

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lan, which are revealed one after the other through a window provided in the dial when the ring or «the son every twenty-four hours through one The drive system connecting the calendar ring with the pointer drive of the clock is advanced by 1/31 of a turn

In the conventional calendar clock systems, the hand drive is for a period of twenty-one hours effective rom the calendar ring separated · During the remaining period of about three hours, the pointer drive works usually in drive engagement via a cam arrangement with the calendar ring, so that it is turned 1/31 of a turn remaining time span of three hours, usually around midnight, continuously updated, until the next date number is below the dial window This date now remains during one and

twenty hours visible and is then replaced by the next date when the calendar ring turns through the intermediate cam arrangement comes into drive engagement with the pointer drive and thereby moves it further will «These known calendar watch systems exert a fairly high load on the driving force source driving the movement, whereby this load is greater, than the well-known works of electrical clocks with a

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urges built, long-life power source can be expected. As a result of the relatively high power requirement of this known calendar clock systems there is also a difficulty with the so-called automatic or self-winding, spring-driven watches when they are not fully wound.

The known calendar clock systems have other disadvantages. For example, the calendar ring can be actuated the crown usually provided for setting the watch with adjusting shaft by hand only in one direction rotated so that a longer actuation of the adjusting shaft is necessary in order to rotate the calendar scale in such a way that that a lower date is displayed through the dial window,

The object of the invention is therefore to create a novel and improved calendar clock system which avoids the aforementioned and other disadvantages of conventional calendar clock systems and can thus be used in battery-powered small clocks or other types of clocks that have insufficient driving force for the calendar systems available to date Own burden,

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Another aim of the invention is to create one novel intermittent drive for a clock quay— the mechanism in which the calendar ring or the link that carries the date numbers exactly at midnight of each day or, very close to this point in time, it is advanced by a date number practically instantaneously.

This object is achieved in that the Calendar ring is indexed by triggering a weak spring, which practically during the entire period of time of twenty-four hours between the date changes is constantly wound by the hands.

Another goal of the invention relates to creation a novel combination of a calendar ring drive with a locking mechanism, which makes the movement only light is charged.

The calendar ring drive according to the invention has simplified and reliable construction and enables a quick and reliable setting of the calendar ring by hand both directions,

According to the invention, the calendar ring is provided with internal teeth that are connected to the pin of a Maltese cross

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zels can get into engagement, which during the is locked against movement throughout the period between the almost instantaneous date changes « However, this Maltese cross pinion is coupled with a weak spiral or hair spring, which during this period of time is constantly drawn up and in doing so stores the energy that is required for practically instantaneous switching of the calendar ring is required when releasing the Maltese cross pinion. During the winding up period this spring, i.e. between the individual date changes, causes a device cooperating with the Maltese cross pinion to automatically block or lock the Calendar ring so that it remains in its correct position and the correct date is indicated by an on the dial of the Clock shows through the window provided. The movement of the Maltese cross pinion during each change of date is accompanied by an automatic release of the locking device, so that the calendar ring free of all delaying Locking forces, as they can often be observed in the known constructions, due to the previously wound spring is advanced. Since the calendar ring is switched on without any locking delay, Purpose a very weak spring can be used, which is due to its weak spring force during the winding period the spring exerts a correspondingly low load on the movement.

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Another important feature of the invention is in a new type of swivel bracket for the calendar ring Fortechalt- and locking mechanism, which makes it possible to easily lock the calendar ring by operating a Adjusting shaft by hand in both directions.

The following is a preferred embodiment of the invention explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. Show it:

Fig «11. a view of the dial of one with the invention Date-display device fitted with an electric clock at 11:58 p.m. on the thirtieth Day of month,

FIG. 1B shows a view of the dial of the same watch 00:01 a.m. on the thirty-first day of the month,

Fig. 2 is a partially broken away partial top view a portion of the dial side of the timepiece of FIGS. 1A and 13 showing the operational Parts of the date display device illustrated, on an enlarged scale,, and

Fig. 3 with a vertical partial section through a clock the date display device according to the invention, on an enlarged scale

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1A and 1B show a currently commercially available watch

10 shown with a work of any construction, which can be, for example, the Y / erk used in the "Model 505" electric watch from the Hamilton Watch Company, Lancaster, Pennsylvania / USA and described in the Hamilton Service Bulletin Fr _{0 220,} which, however, has been modified to accommodate the watch / calendar system according to the invention, which will be explained in more detail below. Optionally, the clock 10 can also be the newer electric clock designated Hamilton Model 510.

The clockwork essentially has a pin plate, which is provided with a circumferential ring on the dial side, the one inner shoulder for inserting the lower outer portion of a circular, serrated Has calendar ring, a part of which is shown in FIG. 2 at 12. In the middle of the dial side of the The pivot plate is attached to a movement bridge, the circular edge sections of which together with the one on the circumference of the Pin plate provided ring shoulder form a guide for the toothed calendar ring 12 so that this around the Central axis 14 of an hour wheel 16 is rotatable around. A more detailed description of the storage for the rotatable

Calendar ring 12 can be found in the parallel patent

(Akt.-Z) from the same filing date to which reference is hereby made.

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Around the central axis 14 of the clock are on conventional

20 / One hour hand 18 and one minute hand can be rotated which hour digits provided on the dial 24 of the clock Paint over 22. An arched window 26 is provided in the dial, through which one of the at the top 30 of the calendar ring 12 provided date numbers 28 is visible. As shown in Fig. 1A, the number 30 is practical Visible through window 26 until midnight on the thirtieth day of a month. At this time- ' point the calendar ring 12 is advanced by the inventive mechanism by 1/31 of a turn, so that the calendar ring according to FIg, 1B shortly after midnight in has moved on to such an extent that the number 31 is visible through the dial window 26 and as a new one Date indicates the thirty-first day of that month.

According to FIG. 2, the hour wheel 16 which is rotatable about the central axis 14 drives a gear wheel 32 which is rotatable about an axis 34, which carries a pinion 36 rotatable with it about the axis 34, the teeth of which with the teeth of one about an axis 40 rotatable gear 38 mesh. With the gear 38 is connected for the purpose of common rotation about the axis 40, a further pinion 42, the teeth of which with those of a an axle 46 rotatable drive pinion 44 mesh.

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According to Pig x 2 and 3, the drive pinion 44 is provided teeth which are in engagement with similar teeth 48 of a Antrieba rads 50th The drive wheel 50 rotates about a shaft 52 whose lower end is mounted s'tarr in a bridge 54, which at one end by a screw 58 which is screwed into an opening provided in a stationary part of the movement threaded bore 60, is pivotally connected to Clockwork 56 is connected. More precisely, the bridge 54 carries the shaft 52 at one end and is pivotably mounted at the other end so that it can be moved about the central longitudinal axis of the screw 58.

On the shaft 52 also sits a rotatable Geneva pinion 62, which has a pin 64 and at its upper end a release finger 66 carries its lower end. The lowermost end of the Maltese cross pinion 62 is with the inner one Winding of a weak spiral spring or hairspring 68, the outer winding of which is attached to the drive wheel 50 is. Both the Geneva pinion and the drive wheel can be rotated or pivoted with the aid of bearings 70 and 72, respectively mounted on the fixed shaft 52.

According to Fig. 3 is at the upper end of the MäLteserkritzels a circular segment 74 is formed, which is equal to a plurality of on the inner surface of the calendar ring 12

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Spaced teeth 76 cooperate to advance the calendar ring. More precisely, these teeth are arranged with the formation of separating slots or grooves 78 at equal distances from one another and provided with concave surfaces 80 which have practically the same curvature as the circular segment 74 of the Maltese cross pinion 62. The seat braid 78 can succeed one another with that of the Maltese cross pinion supported pin 64 to move into engagement "When the pin 64 having a tooth slot 78 8teht engaged _t of the calendar ring 12 is rotated by 1/31 revolution, and in this case the date incremented by one day.

Movement and _# specifically, the more accurate RIAA hour wheel 16 of the watch also drives, via "the second gear 38, a trigger gear 82 on which is mounted about the axis 86 mounted on the shaft 84 and to which a second geneva pinion is connected integrally rotatable 88th This This Matteserkreuz pinion 33, which carries a release pin 90, is driven in synchronism with the drive wheel 50 and in turn drives a Maltese cross 92 with several, preferably four, slots 94 evenly spaced around its circumference, which receive the pin 90 provided on the Geneva pinion 88 with drive engagement The Maltese cross 92 is rotatable about an axis 98

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bar mounted on a shaft 96 and is non-rotatable with a Control disk 100 connected, which has a cutout 102 and an otherwise circular outer edge «According to 2 and 3, the outer edge of this control disk is normally in engagement with that of the first Geneva pinion 62 carried trigger finger 66 "Finally the bridge 54" on the one the drive wheel 50 and the first Part of the drive device comprising the retaining cross pinion 62 is mounted by a bast or locking spring 106 (Fig. 2) resiliently into a locking position with the surface of the circular segment 74 in close contact with the concave surface 80 one of the teeth 76 pushed.

In operation, the drive wheel 50 is continuously rotated at a speed of one revolution by the hour wheel 16 of the pointer mechanism powered per 24 hours. The control disk 100, which is in engagement with the release finger 66, prevents rotation of the Maltese cross pinion 62 by prevention a jr ^ 'vung of the trigger-is. As a result, will lie spring 65 rolled up or, wound up and saves it the energy for the later switching of the calendar ring 12, at the right time for a date change, i.e., at or near midnight, the pin 90 of the second Maltese pinion 88 also takes it continuously driven in synchronism with the rest of the drive

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is, one immediately between the center point of the MaHsserl cross pinion 88 and the center of the Maltese cross 92 is a position. As soon as the peg is one immediately has taken a position lying between the centers of these two revolving parts, it is at a point at which he of the control disk 100 maximum Circulation speed granted so that the control disk over its cutout 102 the finger 66 in exactly repeatable Twenty-four hour intervals. triggers "As a result of this triggering of the finger 66 by the Cutout 102, the spiral spring 68 can quickly roll up so that it moves the Geneva pinion 62 around the shaft 52 set in rotation. When turning the Maltese cross pinion 62 comes the pin 64 into engagement with one of the tooth slots 78 of the calendar ring 12, so that the latter is advanced by a date ",

During the rotation of the Maltese cross pinion 62, the circular segment 74 ensures the described calendar ring locking function, by holding the calendar ring and automatically releasing it at the right time. More precisely, the circle segment engages the concave surface 80 of one of the teeth until the pin 64 is in driving engagement got with the same tooth. At this moment the rotating circle segment 74 comes off the concave surface of the tooth and allows the pin 64 to drive the calendar ring 12 by 1/31 of a turn. However, if the pin is

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with the further rotation of the Maltese cross pinion 62 from When the slot 78 begins to separate, the circle segment 74 moves again into contact with the concave surface 80 of the next tooth so that the calendar ring is stopped and locked in the correct advanced position. After indexing, the Geneva pinion 62 is returned to its original or starting position by the spiral spring 68 brought back and blocked the control disc 100 in turn the trigger finger 66 before a second Rotation can begin. With the drive wheel 50 rotating continuously for the next twenty-four hours the spiral spring 68 is in turn wound up, which provides the energy required for the next date change saves.

To enable the calendar ring to be adjusted from Hand in both directions, the Maltese cross pinion 62 is mounted on the bridge 54, which in turn is mounted on the screw 58 pivotably mounted, -is. This is on the one hand a close contact between the circular segment 74 and a concave surface of a tooth, but on the other hand also a separation of the circle segment and the creation of a locking or Locking effect enabled by this when the calendar ring 12 is rotated by force or by hand in a conventional manner via the adjusting device of the clock. At this

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Separation while setting the clock by hand are the drive wheel 50 and the drive pinion 44 associated therewith aligned with one another in such a way that they are in engagement with one another stay in sync with the hands 18 and 20 of the clock «,

From the above description it can be seen that the invention provides a novel device or a novel mechanism for locating the calendar ring of a clockwork, which or which the pointer mechanism and thus the power source, such as a small, compactly built battery to drive the clock , only a minimum load imposed »In the case of the known clockworks with a winding spring, this celebration is inevitably quite strong, as they not only drive the calendar ring while overcoming normal frictional forces, but also the inhibiting forces exerted by the separate spring-loaded locks or snap arrangements must overcome. In addition, these strong spring of conventional designs is drawn not twenty-four hours during the entire period Ton, as in the invention, the case is therefore "The known constructions not low Belastun have _s * ssigenschafter the erfind'jngsjemä3en construction. Although efforts have already been made to switch off the effect of the inhibiting locks or catches during the setting and maintenance of the calendar ring, the known construction

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There are other serious drawbacks, such as the lack of a virtually instantaneous date change or the integral and automatic locking feature, which is achieved by having the concave surface of one of the teeth of the calendar ring in Engaging circular segment 74 of the construction according to the invention is guaranteed.

The mechanism according to the invention thus overcomes one or several of the aforementioned disadvantages and difficulties inherent in the conventional constructions, in that he firstly, constantly relatively small amounts of energy from Movement of a clock decreases and this energy in a spring for instant release at the correct stepping time saves, secondly creates a Maltese cross link, which regardless of its long working cycle time span ne is able to release this energy for switching the calendar ring at exactly the predetermined moment, third a second Maltese cross member provides, which a) the energy stored in Fe-jer for the momentary occurrence Moving the Kaleixderring exploits, b) the calendar ring position correctly related to the date display window holds and c) automatically the locking effect, i.e. the holding and release «? enforcement of the calendar ring guaranteed, and fourth provides an arrangement for pivotably mounting the second Geneva cross member, which

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a) an arrangement for disengaging or unlocking the calendar ring for setting by hand, b) a 'ratchet or locking effect for the correct alignment of the calendar ring while setting by hand and c) setting Hand allows, which does not require changing the time indicated by the clock hands, and synchronization the date change time is not affected.

Of course, the invention can be practiced in other specific embodiments without that deviates from its scope. For this reason, the above-described and illustrated embodiment of the Invention in all respects are only illustrative and in no way restrictive; rather, all should changes and modifications within the extended scope of protection are also included in the invention "

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Claims (1)

1548H4 Claims «Y Date display device for watches, marked. by a spring, a device for the constant winding of the spring over the drive mechanism of the clock, a the spring in drive connection with the date display device coupling device and a device operated in synchronism with the drive mechanism for periodic release or triggering of the spring, so that it shows the date display device on the next following Able to advance the date. 2. Date display device according to claim 1, characterized in that that on the date display device engages a movable lock that is triggered by a the spring responsive device is movable out of engagement with the date display device. 3. Date display device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized characterized in that the date display device is a calendar ring provided with teeth. -19- 009825/0192 1548H4 4 # date display device according to claim 3 »characterized in that that the teeth are spaced apart by fixing shiits, that a Maltese cross pinion with a pin engaging in one of the slots for driving the calendar ring and a drive wheel are provided with teeth which mesh with the drive mechanism of the clock that the drive wheel and the Maltese cross pinion are rotatably mounted on a common shaft and that the spring is a drive wheel is the spiral spring coupling with the Maltese cross pinion. 5 Datua display device according to Claim 4, characterized in that that a device for holding the Malteeerkreuzritzela against a rotational movement and a in synchronism with the pointers of the clock operated device are provided, which the lifting device temporarily releases the Maltese cross pinion every twenty-four hours. 6. Date display device according to Claim 5, characterized in that that the lock is a rotatable segment of a circle and that a pivoting device is provided, which supports the circular segment for movement towards and away from the calendar ring. -2C-009825/0192 ^BA ° « 7. Date display device according to claim 1, characterized in that eirf can be driven by the drive mechanism of the clock Drive wheel and a Maltese cross pinion are provided for indexing the date display device are that the drive wheel and the Geneva pinion are rotatably mounted independently of each other, that the Drive wheel through which the spring is coupled to the Maltese cross pinion and that a device for keeping the plague of the Geneva pinion against rotation and a device for periodically releasing the Geneva pinion are provided. 8. -Electric clock marked with a calendar ring by a drive wheel driven in synchronism with the clock hands, a rotatable Geneva pinion, a roller coupling the drive wheel with the Maltese pinion, a device coupled to the Geneva pinion for further switching the calendar ring, a device for holding the Geneva pinion against rotation and one in synchronism with Clockwise operated facility for the temporary release of the bathing facility at the end of each _x ages. 9. You after. .Anspruch S, characterized in that a on the calendar ring engaging movable lock and a -21- 0 0 9 8 2 5/0192 ^ " 1548U4 device rotatable with the Maltese cross pinion, are provided, which can move the lock away from the calendar ring, 10 «clock according to claim 9» characterized in that the Calendar ring has sections distributed at intervals, each with a concave surface and that the lock is a circular segment rotatable with the Maltese cross pinion. 009825/0192 29 Blank page