EA037160B1 - Clock with a perpetual calendar of one year season date - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to clock devices, in particular, to a clock with an integrated perpetual calendar comprising a clock mechanism, a perpetual calendar mechanism, a time indicator, a date indicator, and a month indicator. The technical result is achieved by provision of a design of a perpetual calendar mechanism that corresponds to the preset number of days for one of four seasons of the year, such as autumn, winter, summer, spring; the date indicator provides a date indication for each of three months of one season, while the month indicator provides indication of the corresponding month of three months of one season. The clock can be used in a group of clocks, containing, for example, four clocks. The technical result is ensuring the capability to simplify the design of the clock mechanism with a perpetual calendar, with simultaneous reduction of its dimensions; creation of a device implementing a new principle of functioning of the clock with an integrated perpetual calendar ensuring more adequate indication of the current date of the month; reduction of wear of the calendar mechanism due to reduction of its parts; improvement of durability of the clock equipped with a perpetual calendar mechanism; and simplifying the use of the perpetual calendar mechanism and date setup on it.

Description

(54) CLOCK WITH PERMANENT CALENDAR OF DATE OF ONE SEASON OF THE YEAR (43) 2021.02.08 (96) 2019000125 (RU) 2019.11.13 (71) (72) (73) Applicant, inventor and patent owner:

CHAIKIN KONSTANTIN YURIEVICH (RU) (74) Representative:

Bogdalov R.R. (RU) (56) US-A1-2018120771

US-A-563268 RU-C2-2622822

037160 Bl (57) The invention relates to watchmaking, in particular to a watch with a built-in perpetual calendar, containing a clock mechanism, a perpetual calendar mechanism, a time indicating device, a date indicating device, a month indicating device. The technical result is achieved in that the design of the perpetual calendar mechanism corresponds to a predetermined number of days of one of four seasons of the year, such as autumn, winter, summer, spring, while the means for indicating the date provides an indication of the date of each of the three months of one season, while the means month indication provides an indication of the corresponding month of the three months of the same season. The watch can be used as part of a watch group containing, for example, four watches. The technical result consists in providing the possibility of simplifying the design of the mechanism of a watch with a perpetual calendar while reducing its dimensions, as well as in creating a tool that implements a new principle of functioning of a watch with a built-in perpetual calendar, providing a more reliable indication of the current date of the month, reducing the wear of the calendar mechanism by reducing its details, increasing the durability of watches equipped with a perpetual calendar mechanism, and making it easier to use the perpetual calendar mechanism and set the date on it.

037160 B1

The present invention relates to watch movements, namely perpetual calendar movements.

Perpetual calendar watch designs are known in the art. Most of the mechanisms of watches with a regular calendar do not know how to independently determine the number of days in the current month, 31, 30 or 28. To correctly determine the date, the user has to bring up the calendar mechanism of the watch about once every two months. As a rule, the date mechanism is a disc hidden under the dial, on which the numbers from 1 to 31 are applied. The disc rotates at a frequency of one revolution per month, that is, for each revolution of the hour hand, the number in the date window increases by one. At the same time, if the 31st day in the current month is unnecessary, the owner has to manually set the clock one day ahead.

More advanced watch movements contain a sophisticated calendar mechanism that can independently determine the number of days in a month. This complication is called the semi-perpetual calendar. Its mechanism is not as simple as it might seem, because the months of the year do not alternate at all. Let's remember that in July and August, for example, there are 31 days each. At the same time, a special problem is caused by the month of February, in which there are 28 days, and in a leap year, February contains 29 days. Thus, the calendar mechanism needs to be programmed for the entire year. Inside the semi-perpetual calendar watch, there is an additional disc with tabs that correspond to shorter months. The protrusion activates the skip mechanism on the 31st (and in February also on the 29th and 30th). The disc rotates at a frequency of one revolution per year. At the same time, for one revolution of this disc, the hour hand makes 730 revolutions, the minute hand - 8760, and the second - 525600. That is, the accuracy of the mechanism of such a calendar is quite high. However, a clock with a semi-perpetual calendar must be manually adjusted every four years - February 29th. The solution to this problem was the creation of a perpetual calendar - a device that allows the clock to be set just three times every 400 years. Therefore, the mechanism is named conditionally as a perpetual calendar, since during the life of the owner of such a watch, he most likely will not have to translate the calendar mechanism of the watch even once.

As follows from the history of the creation of the perpetual calendar, this watch complication is an incredibly complex device, the work on its details can take from 3 to 8 years even for such watchmakers as Vacheron Constantin (see, for example, his Reference watch) or Breguet (see watch model 1369 with full Gregorian perpetual calendar).

Many have tried to simplify both the process of making a perpetual calendar of watches and its construction. So, known patent US 2358702, published 09/19/1944, which discloses the mechanism of a watch with a perpetual calendar. The watch contains a disc with the dates and names of the days of the week imprinted on it. At the same time, the watch contains several programmed disks, which allow switching the dates when the watch is in operation without the need to clarify and translate them by the user. However, the known mechanism does not allow displaying information on seasons (spring, summer, winter and autumn), is very difficult to manufacture and, as a result, has increased wear of parts due to the bulkiness of the structure, which in turn leads to a decrease in the reliability of watches equipped with such perpetual calendar device.

Known patent RU 2306618, published 20.09.2007, which discloses a calendar device for determining the date of Orthodox Easter and related Orthodox holidays. The known calendar device relates to the construction of a perpetual calendar and methods for determining the date of Orthodox Easter. The known device contains a very complex mechanism, consisting of a date scale and two discs with marks mounted on an axis with the ability to rotate the discs. The discs have 35 concentric circles with their centers coinciding with the center of the axis of the discs, 28 rays on one disc and 19 rays on the second disc. In this case, the disks are made in the form of gear wheels with the number of teeth equal to the number of beams on the disks, and the location of the tops of the teeth at the points of intersection of the beams on the disks with the edges of the disks. The watch design has a very large number of details and is very difficult to manufacture. Due to this, it cannot be used in wristwatches. At the same time, as mentioned above, the known mechanism does not allow displaying information by seasons (spring, summer, winter and autumn), is very difficult to manufacture and, as a result, has increased wear of parts due to the bulkiness of the structure, which in turn leads to decrease in the reliability of watches equipped with such a perpetual calendar device.

Also known is the design of the clock, known from the patent document US 563268, published 07.07.1896. The known watch contains the design of the calendar mechanism, made with the possibility of displaying on the dial the names of the seasons (winter, spring, summer autumn) and the calendar date with the date and month. However, the calendar device of the watch is not a calendar device of the perpetual calendar. That is, the known device contains a conventional calendar, calculated for 31 days, the translation of the day of which into months that do not contain 31 days, is carried out by the user manually. At the same time, the known mechanism contains a large number of additional parts (a wheel system that allows the season arrow to switch from one season to another; a system that allows you to display and fix the month and / or date). This greatly complicates the design of the watch. The disadvantage of such a watch design is the complexity of the watch design in manufacturing.

- 1 037160 and, as a result, increased wear of parts due to the bulkiness of the structure, which in turn leads to a decrease in the reliability of watches equipped with such a calendar device. Also, the design drawback is that the design of the calendar cannot fulfill the function of a perpetual calendar.

A common disadvantage of the perpetual calendar watch movements known in the prior art is the complexity of their design, which leads to an increase in the size of the watch, the inability to display information on the watch according to the seasons (spring, summer, winter and autumn), the complexity of making such watches and, as a consequence, increased wear of parts due to the bulkiness of the structure, which in turn leads to a decrease in the reliability of watches equipped with a perpetual calendar device.

The object of the claimed invention is to overcome the indicated drawback of the perpetual calendar watch mechanisms known in the prior art and to expand the arsenal of such technical means.

The technical result consists in providing the possibility of simplifying the design of the mechanism of a watch with a perpetual calendar while reducing its dimensions, as well as in creating a tool that implements a new principle of functioning of a watch with a built-in perpetual calendar, providing a more reliable indication of the current date of the month, reducing the wear of the calendar mechanism by reducing its details, increasing the durability of watches equipped with a perpetual calendar mechanism.

The specified technical result is achieved by the fact that in a watch with a perpetual calendar containing a clock mechanism, a perpetual calendar mechanism, a time indicating device, a date indicating device, a month indicating device, the design of the perpetual calendar mechanism corresponds to a given number of days of one of four seasons of the year, such as autumn , winter, summer, spring, and the date indicator provides a date indication for each of the three months of one season, while the month indicator provides an indication of the corresponding month of the three months of one season.

In this case, the watch additionally contains a mechanism for stopping the balance, which is activated after the end of the last day of the last month of the season and the watch mechanism stops.

Also, the watch can be additionally equipped with a mechanism for returning the programming cam of the season to zero position.

In addition, the program cam can be fitted with a Maltese cross device, which creates an additional shoulder, allowing the calendar device to switch once every four years.

In this case, the mechanism of the perpetual calendar is structurally made in the form of a part of the clock mechanism or, in essence, is a separate mechanism.

An additional version of the watch is the execution on the surface, in the particular case on the dial, of an image, or an inscription, or other symbolism relating the indicated watch to one of the 4 seasons of the year, such as autumn, winter, spring, summer.

In addition, the mechanism of the perpetual calendar can be made, in particular, by a pointer, disk or retrograde.

Also, the technical result is provided by a group of watches containing a perpetual calendar that determines the duration of days in a specific period containing three months of one season, consisting of several hours, each of which is made in the above way.

In addition, the watch group includes four watches, each of which corresponds to one of the four seasons of the year.

The declared implementation of the watch mechanism with a built-in perpetual calendar allows creating a miniature and simple mechanism designed only for a given number of days of one season of the year, for example, winter, summer, autumn or spring, without the need for additional details. At the same time, when the next season comes, the user of such a watch will be able to avoid constant manipulations associated with winding watches containing a perpetual calendar device. As you know, watches with a perpetual calendar are subject to regular wear (in the case of self-winding watches) and / or regular winding of the watch mechanism, since if the watch stops, you will have to contact the watchmakers to set the correct date and time, since due to the complexity of the mechanism hours, the user is not able to independently carry out the setting of the clock, in particular the setting of the date of the perpetual calendar. This significantly reduces both the usability of all known perpetual calendar watches and forces the user to constantly make sure that the perpetual calendar watch does not stop. As a result, dependence on the human factor (forgetfulness, inattention, incompetence) significantly reduces not only and not so much the convenience of using watches with a perpetual calendar, but also to a greater extent the safety and durability of the watch mechanism, including the perpetual calendar mechanism. Unlike all known watches with a perpetual calendar, the declared watch allows the user not to think about the permanent winding of the watch, since if the watch has stopped, the user can easily adjust it by himself. The ease of use, setting and operation of the claimed perpetual calendar watch has a positive effect on the safety and durability of the perpetual calendar watch mechanism, and also greatly simplifies the process of setting up perpetual calendar watches and allows, in special cases, to independently translate the perpetual calendar dates on the watch.

- 2 037160

The mechanism of the perpetual calendar can be constructively made as a part of the watch mechanism or be, in essence, a separate mechanism.

On the surface of the watch, in particular on the dial, there may be an image, or an inscription, or other symbolism relating the indicated watch to a particular season of the year.

The claimed clock can be a wearable watch and / or stationary, that is, a wristwatch, a pocket watch, a wall clock, a table clock, an outdoor clock, a bedside clock and other clocks belonging to the types of their designs known in the prior art.

The mechanism of the perpetual calendar can be made by any of those known in the prior art, in particular, it can be a pointer, retrograde, disk.

Strengthening the positive effect when using watches with the above-described design of the perpetual calendar mechanism is provided by using watches from a set, including four watches (Fig. 1), each of which corresponds to its own season - winter, spring, summer, autumn. At the same time, each watch from the group of watches with a perpetual calendar of seasons allows you to determine the length of days in a specific period of the season for only one watch.

Thus, each watch belongs to one of the four seasons of the year (summer, autumn, winter, spring). Moreover, each watch has a built-in perpetual calendar, a date display and an indicator of one of the three months of the season. The perpetual calendar in each watch is calculated for a specified number of days in months corresponding to the months on the watch. Thus, a perpetual calendar can have a cycle of 28, 29, 30 or 31 days and a month indicator calculated for three months. In this case, the perpetual calendar device itself can be of any known type: pointer, disk, retrograde, etc.

A detailed description of the essence of the claimed solution is shown in the given drawings and a description of the implementation and operation of the perpetual calendar mechanism in hours.

Brief Description of Drawings

Structurally, in a preferred, but not limiting embodiment of a watch with a perpetual calendar device, it includes the following details:

building 1;

watch strap - 2;

crown - 3;

hour hand - 4;

minute hand - 5;

dial - 6;

date scale - 7;

date indicator - 8;

month indicator - 9;

date window - 10;

clock wheel - 11;

daily wheel - 12;

daily wheel pin - 13;

the second daily wheel - 14;

the pin of the second daily wheel - 15;

wheel of the season - 16;

season wheel pin - 17;

season wheel lock - 18 date asterisk - 19 date asterisk lock - 20;

finger of February - 21;

pin February - 22;

cam of the season - 23;

comb - 24;

date indicator tribe - 25;

backlash sampling wheel - 26;

backlash sampling pin - 27;

backlash selection spring - 28;

comb finger - 29;

asterisk for switching months - 30;

small sprocket wheel - 31;

wheel of months with indicator - 32.

The figures show particular variants of implementation and use of the claimed invention, not limiting in any way the scope of legal protection of the claimed invention.

FIG. 1 shows 4 hours, each clock corresponds to one season (winter, spring, summer, autumn)

- 3037160 years.

FIG. 2 shows a variant of one watch out of four with a central calendar hand and a disc display of months.

FIG. 3 shows a variant of one watch out of four with a side calendar hand and hand indication of months.

FIG. 4 shows a variant of one watch out of four with a retrograde date display and a disc display of months.

FIG. 5 shows a variant of building a software cam for the fall season - 91 days.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the mechanism of the perpetual calendar of the seasons with a retrograde (sector) date display and a disc display of months.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the mechanism of the perpetual calendar of the seasons with a hand indication for the fall season.

And in FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the mechanism of the perpetual calendar of the seasons with hand indication for the spring season.

According to the Gregorian calendar, the length of months in days by seasons is as follows:

summer - 92 (June - 30, July - 31, August - 31);

autumn -91 (September - 30, October - 31, November - 30);

winter 90/91 (December - 31, January - 31, February - 28/29);

spring - 92 (March - 31, April - 30, May - 31).

The description of the operation of the perpetual calendar mechanism of the watch for a particular season with a continuous circular hand indication according to FIG. 2, 3, 7 and 8

In one embodiment of the perpetual calendar mechanism, the clock wheel 11, which makes one revolution in 12 hours, transmits rotation to the daily wheel 12, which makes one revolution per day. A pin 13 is installed on the daily wheel 12, which turns the calendar sprocket 19 by one tooth once a day. Calendar sprocket 19 has 31 teeth. The movement from the daily wheel 19 is also transmitted to the second daily wheel 14, on which the pin 15 is located. Once a day, the pin 15 turns the wheel of season 16 by one tooth, which has 90, 91 or 92 teeth.

There are 17 pins on the season wheel. The number of pins is equal to the number of months in a season where the number of days is less than 31. For example, for summer - one pin, for autumn - two. The arrangement of pins 17 (Fig. 7) corresponds to short months (less than 31). The pins are designed for additional rotation of the sprocket 19 during the last day of the month by one day. In a short month after the end of the 30th of the month, first pin 13 rotates sprocket 19 by one tooth on 31st, and after that pin 17 turns sprocket 19 for several hours on the first day of the next month.

FIG. 8 shows the implementation of the calendar mechanism for the winter season. Unlike other seasons, it has a shortened month of February with 28 days. To ensure switching to three days at once, a long finger is installed on the wheel of the season, which turns pin 22 on sprocket 19 by three teeth at once, providing the necessary switching in the last, 28- th day immediately on the first day. In addition, the specified design makes it possible, after three seasons, not to add an additional calendar, but to make the transition to February 29 by means of the declared design of the perpetual calendar in the winter season. In particular, the watch mechanism contains a software cam (not shown in the drawings), which can be equipped with a Maltese cross device, which creates an additional shoulder, allowing the calendar device to switch once every four years. Thus, to ensure the switching of the perpetual calendar in a leap year, the program cam is equipped with an additionally known Maltese cross device used in perpetual calendars, which is triggered once every four years and creates an additional step, allowing the calendar device to switch from February 28 to February 29. Since the design of a software cam with a Maltese cross is known (see, for example, the Ulysse Nardin Classic Trilogy watch), the applicant did not mention its design in the application materials.

The description of the operation of the perpetual calendar mechanism in a watch for a particular season with a retrograde (sector) indication according to FIG. 4, 5 and 6

In one embodiment of the perpetual calendar mechanism in hours for a certain season, the hour wheel 11, which makes one revolution in 12 hours, transmits rotation to the daily wheel 12, which makes one revolution per day. A pin 13 is installed on the daily wheel 12, which once a day turns the calendar sprocket 16, which has 90, 91 or 92 teeth, depending on the season, per tooth. The program cam 23 is rigidly mounted on the axis of the calendar wheel.

One embodiment of a program cam for a 91-day Fall season is shown in FIG. five.

The probe 33 of the comb 24 moves along the profile surface of the cam. Raising along the profile of the cam, the comb rotates the date display tribe 25 with a toothed part. A date indicator arrow is installed on the tribe axis 8. Depending on the profile of the cam blades, the hand rises from 28 to 31 days on the date scale ... A pin 27 is installed on the wheel 26, spring-loaded by a spring 28. These

- 4 037160 elements are necessary to eliminate the play of the arrow, as well as to ensure a constant touch of the probe 33 to the cam 23.

To switch the display of months, on the opposite side of the comb 24, there is a comb finger 29, which, when the stylus falls into the cam cavity, switches the sprocket 30 to one tooth.

The sprocket is fixed with a latch 33.

On the axis of the sprocket there is a small sprocket wheel 31, which transmits rotation to the wheel of months with an indicator 32, on which the indication of three months of one season is applied. The gear ratio between the teeth of the sprocket 30, the small wheel 31 and the wheel 32 is calculated in such a way that when one tooth of the sprocket is shifted, the wheel 32 rotates by a third of a revolution - 120 °.

Due to its simplicity and compactness, the perpetual calendar movement, the design of which is designed for each of the four seasons of the year, can be used in all types of watches known in the state of the art. The use of this perpetual calendar mechanism will be most in demand in those watches in which the overall dimensions should be minimized, for example, in wristwatches, the appearance of which is shown in Fig. 1-4.

In order not to adjust the clock before the start of a new cycle in a new season, after the end of the last day of the last month of the season, the clock mechanism stops. This is achieved by using a balance stop mechanism (not shown in the drawings), which is supplied with most modern watches, or by installing such a mechanism. In addition, the device can be equipped with a mechanism for returning to the zero position of the programming cam of the season (not shown in the drawings). With these simple mechanisms, the watch can be stopped on the last day of the month of the season. To restart the watch, you just need to wind the spring by means of the crown or start the automatic winding by removing the lever of the balance stop mechanism.

Depending on the type of calendar mechanism (pointer, retrograde, disk, etc.), the date indicator can be made with a basically hidden dial, in which there is a corresponding window (aperture) for the date, or it can be made of an open type, that is, it can be completely placed on the dial surface. Also, the date indicator can be placed in different parts of the dial, for example, in the center, from the right or left edge, above or below the center of the dial (Fig. 2-4).

The watch mechanism can be made by any of those known in the prior art, for example mechanical, electromechanical, including quartz, and essentially electronic.

The watch mechanism can be a standard 12-hour or 24-hour, or it can be configured to indicate world time. The movement can be fitted with a frictional outer end of the mainspring to ensure endless winding of the spring and to prevent breakage or overstressing.

Claims (8)

1. A watch with a perpetual calendar dates of one season of the year, containing a clock mechanism, a perpetual calendar mechanism, a time indicating device, a date indicating device, a month indicating device, characterized in that the design of the perpetual calendar mechanism corresponds to a given number of days of one of four seasons of the year, such like autumn, winter, summer, spring; the date indicating means provides an indication of the date of each of the three months of one season, while the month indicating means provides an indication of the corresponding month of the three months of one season. 2. A watch according to claim 1 of the formula, which additionally contains a mechanism for stopping the balance, which is activated after the end of the last day of the last month of the season, and the clock mechanism stops. 3. A watch according to claim 1 of the formula, which is additionally equipped with a mechanism for returning the programming cam of the season to zero position. 4. A watch according to claim 1 of the formula, in which the perpetual calendar mechanism is structurally made in the form of a part of the watch mechanism or is, in essence, a separate mechanism. 5. A watch according to claim 1 of the formula, in which an image, or an inscription, or other symbolism is made on the surface, in a particular case, on the dial, referring the indicated watch to one of 4 seasons of the year, such as autumn, winter, spring, summer. 6. A watch according to claim 1 of the formula, in which the mechanism of the perpetual calendar is made, in particular, a pointer, disk or retrograde. 7. A group of hours containing a perpetual calendar of the date of one season of the year, which determines the length of days in a specific period containing three months of one season, and consisting of several hours, each of which is performed according to claims 1-6 of the formula. 8. A group of hours according to claim 7 of the formula, which includes four hours, each hours of which correspond to one of the four seasons of the year.