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
  • G04B19/22—Arrangements for indicating different local apparent times; Universal time pieces
  • G04B19/23—Arrangements for indicating different local apparent times; Universal time pieces by means of additional hands or additional pairs of hands

Definitions

• the present invention relates to watches provided with a solar time display.
• Time management on our planet is today based on a reference time, called GMT and on a time zone structure, within which the calendar time is the same everywhere.
• Such a definition of the time greatly simplifies human relationships.
• This time is, however, offset from the solar time, a function of the longitude of a place, and which is displayed by the sundials.
• the object of the present invention is to propose a watch making it possible to know both the civil time and the solar time, for any longitude and in any time zone.
• the means for displaying the civil time indicate the civil time of a time zone to be taken into account, and the means for displaying the phase difference the difference between the longitude of the middle of this zone and the longitude of the place considered.
• the means for displaying the civil time include an hour hand performing a revolution in twelve hours and a first, fixed dial, the upper part of which corresponds to the display for noon and midnight
• the time display means solar include a hand making a revolution in twenty-four hours, a second dial, fixed, indicating twenty-four hours on a revolution, the upper part of which corresponds to the midnight display
• phase shifter is provided with display means, to indicate the phase shift that presents the solar time hand with respect to the civil time hand.
• the means for displaying the civil time comprise an hour hand making a revolution in twelve hours and a first fixed dial, the upper part of which corresponds to the display of noon and midnight,
• the means for displaying the solar time comprise a hand making one revolution in twenty-four hours and a second dial, movable in rotation, indicating twenty-four hours on one revolution, the upper part of which corresponds to the midnight display, the correction means are arranged to allow the rotation of the second dial with reference to the first dial, so as to phase their scales, and
• the first and second dials one includes an index and the other a scale for indicating a difference in longitude, allowing the adjustment of the phase shift.
• the second dial bears a mark indicating north, arranged so that the hand and the mark are superimposed when the hand displays midnight.
• the needle comprises an aiming member to allow its orientation in the direction of the sun, comprising a body fixed to a mobile of the watch, an index extending above the body, and a target. , attached to the body and on which the shadow of the index finger, generated by the sun, can be projected.
• a phase difference appears between the mean solar time and the true solar time, known as the equation of time.
• the difference between the average solar time and the true solar time is between + 15 and -15 minutes of time approximately.
• the watch includes, in addition, means for correcting the equation of time.
• the means for correcting the equation of time includes means for displaying the position of the earth on the ecliptic.
• FIG. 1 represents a watch allowing the display of solar time and geographic north
• FIG. 2 illustrates, seen from the side, part of the watch of FIG. 1,
• - Figure 3 shows, schematically, a mechanism allowing this function
• - Figure 4 relates to a second embodiment of a watch allowing the display of solar time and geographic north.
• FIG. 1 represents a watch according to a first embodiment of the invention. It comprises a box 10 in which is housed a movement which will be partially described with reference to FIG. 3 and which drives display means.
• the movement carries a first dial 12, central and provided with a twelve-hour scale, and a second dial 13, annular, coplanar and concentric with dial 12, and carrying a twenty-four hour scale. It animates 14 minute hands, 16 calendar hour hours making a turn in twelve hours, of solar time 18 making a turn in twenty-four hours.
• a needle 23 ensures the display of the position of the Earth on the ecliptic, a turn of the needle 23 corresponding substantially to a tropical year.
• a time-setting crown 24 is arranged on the side of the case 10, to allow the correction of the information displayed by the watch, as will be explained below, and the winding of a barrel spring if it is a mechanical watch.
• the mechanism carrying the hands 16, 18, 20 and 23 is shown in FIG. 3. It is arranged on a watch plate 26 serving as a frame for the components of the watch, and in particular its time base and its finishing train, those these not being visible because they are arranged on the hidden face of the plate 26.
• the gear train comprises, in a conventional manner, a minute wheel, carrying the hand 14 and meshing with a timer wheel, which is connected to the time-setting mechanism and to a barrel wheel 28, placed in the center. of movement and intended to carry the needle 16.
• a solar time wheel 30 is superimposed on the barrel wheel 28. It is arranged to carry the needle 18.
• An intermediate wheel 32, mounted on a phase shifter 34 connects the wheel 30 to the wheel 28, increasing the movement of a factor 2.
• the phase shifter 34 is pivotally mounted in the center of the plate, on the barrel of the wheel 30. It is provided with a toothed sector 34a, the function of which will be explained later.
• a gear 36 meshing with the toothed sector 34a and pivotally mounted on a lever 38 The gear is kinematically connected to the time-setting mechanism of the watch, for example by a mobile, pivotally mounted on a lever. and not shown in the drawing to avoid overloading it, connected to the time-setting mechanism, which is controlled by the crown 24 when it is in one of its correction positions.
• the reference 36 is provided with a pivot 36a on which the needle 20 is fixed.
• the hand 18 is out of phase with respect to the hour hand 16 , so that it displays the solar time of the place considered.
• the reference 36 cooperates with a jumper spring not shown in the drawing and adjusted so that it cannot rotate under the effect of the torque generated by the wheel 28 on the wheel 32.
• the correction of the equation of time is carried out by means of a wheel 40, making a revolution in 365 1 4 days and carrying a cam of equation of time 42, and provided with a pivot 40a on which the needle 23 is chased.
• the wheel 40 advantageously has 487 teeth. It is rotated by a pawl 44 performing a back-and-forth movement and controlled by a cam carried by a wheel connected to the gear train and performing one revolution in 18 hours.
• a cam carried by a wheel connected to the gear train and performing one revolution in 18 hours.
• the cam 42 cooperates with a finger 38a that comprises the rocker 38.
• This finger 38a is held in abutment against the cam 42 by a spring 46 fixed on the plate 26. In this way, the rocker 38 moves slowly, in abutment against the cam 42, thus correcting the equation of time.
• the dial 22 is rigidly fixed on the rocker 38, by means which have not been shown, so that it follows the movement of this rocker. It includes an index 22a making it possible to display the equation of time, with reference to a scale 13a of the dial 13.
• the watch described therefore makes it possible to display solar time with precision, insofar as the longitude of the place is known, taking into account and displaying in a simple way the equation of time.
• FIG. 4 represents a watch according to a second embodiment.
• the box 10 in which is housed a movement which causes display means.
• the movement carries the first dial 12, fitted with a twelve-hour scale, the second dial 13 and the minute hands 14, hours of civil time 16 which turns around in twelve hours, and solar time 18 which turns around in twenty-four hours.
• the dial 13 is arranged so that it can rotate with reference to the dial 12 and be angularly displaced by the time-setting crown 24.
• the drive by the crown 24 can, for example, be done first position pulled, by means of a mechanism well known to those skilled in the art.
• the dial 12 carries an index 12a in the position through which the hour hand 16 passes at midnight and at noon, while the dial 13 carries a scale 13a opposite the index 12a, as well as an arrow 13b arranged at so that it is superimposed on the hand 18 when it is midnight of solar time, indicating north when the hand 18 is oriented towards the sun.
• the dial 13 could be replaced by a rotating ring mounted on the box 10 around the crystal. In this case, the bezel can be turned directly, without involving the crown and the correction mechanism.
• the scale 13a makes it possible to adjust the position of the dial 13 as a function of the longitude of the place considered, by orienting it so that the value located opposite the index 12a is equal to the longitude offset between the location and the middle of the time zone.
• the calendar time is read on an annular dial 48 provided with a twelve-hour scale, which serves as a reference to hands 14 and 16.
• the display of the solar time is carried out by means of a needle 50, performing one revolution in twelve hours, and a central disc 52, driven in synchronism with the needle 50 and performing one revolution in twenty-four hours.
• the disc 52 carries an index 52a, which indicates the north when the solar time hand 50 is aimed at the sun.
• the needle 50 can, moreover, be provided with a sighting member as defined with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. It has not, however, been shown in FIG. 5.
• This movement further comprises a first central solar wheel 54, superimposed on the wheel 28 and of the same diameter, a second solar wheel 56, coaxial with the wheels 28 and 54.
• a satellite 58, meshing with both the wheel 28 and the wheel 54 is pivotally mounted on the phase shifter 34, which further carries a mobile 60, which is driven by the wheel 54 and drives the wheel 56.
• the adjustment of the phase shift between solar time and calendar time is done identically to what has been described with reference to Figures 1 and 3, as well as the correction of the equation of time.
• the solar wheels 56 and 58 are respectively intended to carry the needle 50 and the disc 52. As soon as the wheels 28 and 54 have the same diameter, and they are kinematically connected by the satellite 58, they rotate in the same direction and at the same speed as long as the phase shifter 34 is fixed.
• the mobile 60 and the wheel 56 have numbers of teeth chosen so that the wheel 56 rotates twice as slowly as the wheel 54, that is to say that it makes one revolution in twenty-four hours.
• the display of solar time is done on the twelve-hour scale, which is more usual - and therefore easier to read - than that of twenty-four hours.
• the three embodiments described above make it possible to determine the direction of the north at a given place, insofar as the longitude of this place is known, by orienting the needle 18 or 50 in the direction of the Sun. It is also possible to determine the longitude of the place considered by noting, at night and on a fixed surface, the direction of the North Star, which corresponds to geographic north. The next day, the watch is oriented so that the index indicating north coincides with the noted direction. Then just correct the longitude indicator until the needle 18 is aimed at the Sun.
• the watches thus described therefore make it possible, by simple and easy-to-handle technical means, to display both civil time and solar time, and to determine the direction of geographic north or the longitude of the place considered.
• These watches can, of course, be the subject of numerous other variants, without going beyond the ambit of the invention.
• the wheel 40 could also be associated with a conventional calendar mechanism, displaying the date and the month, the time equation cam being controlled by the mobile carrying the month indicator.
• the above description relates to a mechanical type watch. It is also possible to envisage solutions using a display by means other than needles, for example liquid crystal display cells.
• the time base will be a quartz. So that this part can also determine the direction of geographic north, at least the solar time will be displayed by means of a hand simulated by indexes arranged radially on the display cell.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
• Electric Clocks (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (2)

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• 2002
  • 2002-03-08 EP EP02405177A patent/EP1343056A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2003
  • 2003-03-05 EP EP03702275A patent/EP1483630B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2003-03-05 WO PCT/CH2003/000152 patent/WO2003077043A2/fr active Application Filing
  • 2003-03-05 DE DE60332431T patent/DE60332431D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2003-03-05 AT AT03702275T patent/ATE467157T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2003-03-05 US US10/506,922 patent/US7372781B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

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