EP0869411A2 - Dispositif pour l'indication des phases de la lune - Google Patents

Dispositif pour l'indication des phases de la lune Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0869411A2
EP0869411A2 EP98302573A EP98302573A EP0869411A2 EP 0869411 A2 EP0869411 A2 EP 0869411A2 EP 98302573 A EP98302573 A EP 98302573A EP 98302573 A EP98302573 A EP 98302573A EP 0869411 A2 EP0869411 A2 EP 0869411A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
moon
discs
time
piece
disc
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP98302573A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0869411A3 (fr
Inventor
Richard Keatch
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0869411A2 publication Critical patent/EP0869411A2/fr
Publication of EP0869411A3 publication Critical patent/EP0869411A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
    • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
    • G04B19/26—Clocks or watches with indicators for tides, for the phases of the moon, or the like
    • G04B19/268—Clocks or watches with indicators for tides, for the phases of the moon, or the like with indicators for the phases of the moon

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a mechanism which mimmicks the illumination of the Moon as it passes through its various phases.
  • the Moon has a significant physical influence on life on our planet due to its large size and its close proximity. At full moon it can reflect sufficient sunlight to light up the night. Its mass is great enough to distort the Earths shape and to produce tides in oceans and lakes. It also provides the main force that moves the poles of the Earth in the precession of the equinoxes. Its shadow on the earth at occasional times and places may obscure light from the Sun to produce solar eclipses. Though these influences on Earth may be subject to simple laws of physics and dynamics, we are only just beginning to understand how the Moon may influence the biology of life on our planet.
  • the calendar month is equivalent approximately to the period of revolution of the Moon around the Earth. This period (29 days 12 hours 44 minutes 2.8 seconds) is the synodic month and represents the time it takes for the Moon to pass through the sequence of phases from new to first quarter to full to third quarter to new again and make a complete revolution about the Earth with respect to the Sun.
  • the relative positions of the Sun, Earth and Moon affect the illuminated lunar image that is seen by an observer.
  • the "New” phase occurs when the moon surface is in full shade and all three bodies are linearly aligned with the Moon positioned centrally.
  • the phase "First Quarter” occurs when the half moon surface is in sunlight forming a semi-circular shape. This occurs as the moon revolves around the Earth with the Sun Earth Moon angle describing an approximate right angle.
  • the phase "Full” occurs when the observed surface of the moon is fully illuminated by the Sun and again all bodies are linearly aligned but with the Earth centrally positioned.
  • the phase “Third or last quarter” relates to a "half moon” but this time the moon position is between the new moon and full moon (i.e.
  • the left hand side of the Moon is illuminated as observed from Earth whereas it is the right hand side which is illuminated at the first quarter. In between these points, the shape of the moon appears as illuminated crescents or is gibbous and various angles of tilt can be observed.
  • Conventional moon dials may comprise a single disc printed with two circular moon shapes positioned at 180 degrees to one another rotating behind a shaped window whose shape masks the visible or partly visible moon as it rotates to give an impression of the lunar phase.
  • the window shape is similar to an axehead positioned with the crescent "cutting edge" uppermost and semicircular convex and concave sides which represent shadow as the moon disc rotates clockwise west to east.
  • a disadvantage of this mechanism is that, as the moon goes from the third quarter to full phase, the shape of the shadow does not accurately represent the shadow which is observed on a near spherical object such as the Moon.
  • a second mechanism utilises a rotating globe, half of which is painted white and the other half black. As this rotates, an accurate impression of lunar phase is displayed but the size of the sphere is a significant disadvantage.
  • a third method involves a device in which the various phases of the moon are separately displayed around the circumference of a clock and a pointer indicates the particular phase at a given time. Again this method suffers the disadvantage relating to the size of the moon, since many separate moons have to be represented on the same dial.
  • the present invention seeks to overcome these disadvantages by providing a stationary lunar image which mimmicks the appearance of the actual lunar phase more closely.
  • the invention allows the phase of the Moon to be represented more accurately and to be seen for any day of the year.
  • the present invention provides a moon-phase dial mechanism comprising, two overlapping rotatable discs behind a substantially circular window.
  • a moon phase calendar has printed around the circumference of one of the discs the numbers 1-31 representing the days of the month. Conveniently these may be viewed through a partially transparent screen eg. a screen with one or more transparent viewing strips.
  • the discs are preferably but not essentially rotatable in the same direction.
  • the first disc may be partially transparent and the surface of said discs may be provided with appropriate shading representative of the lunar phases.
  • the discs may be rotatably driven by any known suitable driving means.
  • driving means may be capable of mechanically cooperating with said discs eg. one or more cogs, gears, cams and the like.
  • the discs are mounted in overlapping arrangement on centrally positioned axles and fitted with at least one cog. In this arrangement the discs are conveniently driven by a single cog which co-operates with the disc cogs.
  • the discs may also be mounted on the same axle and turned in opposite directions eg. by a single driving cog.
  • the moon-phase dial movement of the invention is used as a lunar display on watches or clocks.
  • the present invention provides a time-piece (eg. a clock or watch) comprising a moon-phase dial mechanism as hereinbefore defined together with a time-piece movement.
  • a time-piece eg. a clock or watch
  • a moon-phase dial mechanism as hereinbefore defined together with a time-piece movement.
  • a series of cogwheels and gears may be utilised to pair the watch or clock movement with the lunar phase movement of the invention.
  • a cog on a clock movement whose period is one day can drive a series of cogs whose end result is a gear ratio of about 1:29:5306 so that the overlapping dials rotation is equivalent to the synodic month.
  • a further set or sets of cams, gears and other devices may be employed to provide intermittent motion to the twin disc assembly so that the tilt of the moon at any particular time is accurately represented.
  • the movement as described results in the appearance of a crescent moon at an angle of approximately 45° clockwise form vertical, following the new moon.
  • the angle of tilt approaches 90° at first quarter and then proceeds to increase as the moon becomes gibbous to an angle of approximately 135°C just before Full Moon.
  • a mechanism can correct these tilts so that the tangent to the lunar surface shadow of crescent and subsequent gibbous Moons always appear perpendicular to the lunar equator.
  • the line joining the centre of the two overlapping dials makes an angle of 135°C with the vertical at new moon.
  • the mechanism comprises two overlapping discs ( Figures 1.1 and 1.2).
  • the upper one (a) is transparent in part and each disc is printed with specially shaped light and dark areas corresponding to illuminated and shaded areas of the Moon. Around the upper disc are printed the days of the month.
  • the discs are fixed onto separate axles each fitted with a cog (c) and (d) and each disc is made to turn in the same direction by means of a centrally positioned third drive cog (e) ( Figure 2).
  • the backpiece is used to fit the various rotating cogs and discs.
  • the frontpiece screens out the turning discs except for a substantially circular section (f) representing the Moon.
  • a further clear circular strip section (g) on the front piece allows the dates to be observed on the circumference of the rotating numbered disc and to be matched to the month which is printed on the frontpiece at the appropriate position alongside the clear circular strip section.
  • the actual position of the months has to take into account the difference between the lunar cycle and the various numbers of days there are in each month.
  • the discs are typically separated by a distance of just less than the radius of the disc and the part-clear disc (a) is positioned above the solid printed disc (b).
  • Each disc is driven at the same rate and in the same direction and the circular topmost window section of the frontpiece is positioned almost centrally between the two discs so that, as the discs rotate beneath the window, the pattern produced by the overlapping windowed section is that of the real lunar phase.
  • the two discs are correctly aligned so that the pattern produced is correct.
  • the different lengths of the various calendar months creates a problem which can be allowed for in the simplest form by careful positioning of the month labels, though the mechanism could be fitted with a series of gears to compensate for the difference and additional gears to also enable the year to be indicated.
  • the mechanism as described is envisaged as a simple annual pocket moon phase calendar but provision of additional cogs would allow lunar phases to be accurately displayed over an extended period of years.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Astronomy & Astrophysics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electric Clocks (AREA)
  • Displays For Variable Information Using Movable Means (AREA)
  • Rotary Switch, Piano Key Switch, And Lever Switch (AREA)
  • Adjustable Resistors (AREA)
EP98302573A 1997-04-01 1998-03-31 Dispositif pour l'indication des phases de la lune Withdrawn EP0869411A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9706614 1997-04-01
GBGB9706614.6A GB9706614D0 (en) 1997-04-01 1997-04-01 Novel moon-phase dial mechanism

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0869411A2 true EP0869411A2 (fr) 1998-10-07
EP0869411A3 EP0869411A3 (fr) 2000-12-27

Family

ID=10810113

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98302573A Withdrawn EP0869411A3 (fr) 1997-04-01 1998-03-31 Dispositif pour l'indication des phases de la lune

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0869411A3 (fr)
GB (1) GB9706614D0 (fr)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1103872A1 (fr) * 1999-11-24 2001-05-30 Richard Keatch Montre lunaire
EP1475680A1 (fr) * 2003-05-05 2004-11-10 Asulab S.A. Dispositif d'affichage des phases de la lune, notamment dans une pièce d'horlogerie
EP1475679A1 (fr) * 2003-05-05 2004-11-10 Asulab S.A. Dispositif d'affichage des phases de la lune, notamment dans une piece d'horologerie
CH704745B1 (fr) * 2008-03-25 2012-10-15 Maurice Lacroix Sa Pièce d'horlogerie comportant un mécanisme d'affichage des phases de lune.
RU2746157C1 (ru) * 2020-08-06 2021-04-08 Константин Юрьевич Чайкин Лунные часы

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3379343B1 (fr) * 2017-03-20 2020-02-19 Blancpain SA Dispositif d'affichage de phases lunaires

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH658159GA3 (fr) * 1982-10-27 1986-10-31
CH672223B5 (fr) * 1988-03-31 1990-05-15 Catena S A
CH684917B5 (fr) * 1992-08-10 1995-08-15 Ebauchesfabrik Eta Ag Montre avec fonction de quantième.

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
None

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1103872A1 (fr) * 1999-11-24 2001-05-30 Richard Keatch Montre lunaire
EP1475680A1 (fr) * 2003-05-05 2004-11-10 Asulab S.A. Dispositif d'affichage des phases de la lune, notamment dans une pièce d'horlogerie
EP1475679A1 (fr) * 2003-05-05 2004-11-10 Asulab S.A. Dispositif d'affichage des phases de la lune, notamment dans une piece d'horologerie
US6885614B2 (en) 2003-05-05 2005-04-26 Asulab S.A. Moon phase display device, particularly for a timepiece
CN100451877C (zh) * 2003-05-05 2009-01-14 阿苏拉布股份有限公司 用于时计的月相显示装置
CH704745B1 (fr) * 2008-03-25 2012-10-15 Maurice Lacroix Sa Pièce d'horlogerie comportant un mécanisme d'affichage des phases de lune.
RU2746157C1 (ru) * 2020-08-06 2021-04-08 Константин Юрьевич Чайкин Лунные часы

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9706614D0 (en) 1997-05-21
EP0869411A3 (fr) 2000-12-27

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