EP3570117A1 - Escapement mechanism for timepiece - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a direct escape mechanism (1) comprising an escape mobile (2) provided with a series of peripheral teeth (3) provided, and an anchor (4), comprising an inlet pallet (10). ) and an outlet pallet (11) each comprising a rest plane (10p, 11p) and further comprising a fork (43). It also comprises an ankle (6) capable of being secured to a regulating member (5) to cooperate at each alternation of said regulating member (5) with the fork (43) of the anchor in order to at least partially release said anchor from the mobile. exhaust (2) as well as at least one impulse vane (9) adapted to be secured to said regulator member (5) to cooperate with a tooth (3) of the exhaust mobile to transmit a direct pulse to said regulator member (5). Characteristically, at least one of the inlet or outlet vanes (11) comprises, in the extension of its rest plane (10p, 11p), an inclined plane (10i, 11i) arranged to provide an indirect impulse to said organ regulator (5) during a displacement of said pallet in the trajectory C of the escapement mobile (3) by rotation of the anchor (3) on its axis (X3). The invention also relates to a timepiece provided with such an escape mechanism.

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to the field of watchmaking. More particularly, it relates to a free escapement mechanism combining a direct exhaust and an indirect escape pattern.

The invention also relates to a timepiece comprising such an exhaust mechanism.

State of the art

Anchor escapements are certainly the most common category of escapements in mechanical clockwork, at least in the so-called free escapement class. Associated with a regulating member, typically of the pendulum or balance sprung-balance type, an anchor escapement makes it possible to maintain the oscillations of said regulating member by transmitting, by regular pulses, at a determined frequency, a fraction of mechanical energy of the mechanical energy source of a said clock mechanism, usually comprising a barrel spring at least. Simultaneously, the escapement also makes it possible to count the oscillations of the regulating organ and hence to count the time.

Numerous variations of anchor escapements have been proposed in the state of the art and are well known to those skilled in the art in the field of watchmaking. Their limitations, just as well known, are mainly a propensity to disturb the isochronism of the oscillations of the regulating organ due to successive shocks and friction between the anchor and the regulating member on the one hand and the anchor and the mobile exhaust on the other hand, and a low mechanical efficiency, mainly for the same reasons. Indeed, it is usually considered that an anchor escapement transmits to the regulator member only a limited amount of the motive force that it receives from the drive source.

Anchor escapements are however acclaimed for their reliable operation and are also self-starting.

Robin anchor mechanisms have the advantage of better performance than Swiss lever escapement mechanisms. The Robin exhaust is an exhaust that combines the advantages of the escapement escapement (high efficiencies and direct transmission of energy between the escape wheel and the balance) to those of the anchor escapement (better operating safety) . It is a direct impulse escapement of the escapement mobile to the balance wheel, the anchor of the exhaust mechanism constituting essentially a rocker equipped with two pallets of rest and which switches between two extreme rest positions of the escape wheel in outside the pulse phases.

However, the angle of lift of the anchor Robin is very small (of the order of 5 °) compared to conventional Swiss anchors (of the order of 15 °), which makes it difficult to apply the usual security solution of these by dart and plateau. For that, alternative solutions have been proposed in the documents EP 1 122 617 B1 and EP 2 444 860 A1 or EP 2,407,830 B1 . These Robin exhaust mechanisms and associated security devices are however difficult to implement.

The object of the present invention is also to provide an anchor escapement which combines the respective advantages of Swiss anchor escapements in terms of reliability and self-starting and those of direct impulse exhausts, in particular of the Robin type.

The invention also aims to provide a perfectly secure exhaust against shocks and risks of induced shutdown of the regulating member, even in case of micro-pulses.

Finally, the purpose of the invention is to propose a timepiece comprising such an escape mechanism.

Disclosure of the invention

For this purpose, the present invention proposes an anchor escapement mechanism according to claim 1, as well as a timepiece provided with such an escapement and defined in claim 9.

• un mobile d'échappement, mobile en rotation autour d'un premier axe de rotation et doté d'une série de dents périphériques, lesdites dents définissant par leurs extrémités lors de la rotation du mobile d'échappement une trajectoire circulaire C, et
• une ancre, mobile en rotation autour d'un second axe de rotation entre deux positions de repos extrêmes délimitées par des goupilles, ladite ancre comportant une palette d'entrée et une palette de sortie comportant chacune un plan de repos et agencées sur l'ancre de telle sorte que chaque palette coopère en butée avec une dent du mobile d'échappement en chaque dite position de repos, ladite ancre comportant en outre une fourchette, et
• au moins une cheville apte à être solidarisée à un organe régulateur pivotant autour d'un troisième axe de rotation pour coopérer à chaque alternance dudit organe régulateur avec la fourchette de l'ancre afin de dégager au moins partiellement ladite ancre du mobile d'échappement,
• au moins une palette d'impulsion apte à être solidarisée audit organe régulateur pour coopérer avec une dent du mobile d'échappement pour transmettre une impulsion directe audit organe régulateur.

The invention thus proposes, according to a first object, a direct escapement mechanism for a timepiece, comprising, in a manner known to the watchmaker:

• an escape wheel, rotatable about a first axis of rotation and provided with a series of peripheral teeth, said teeth defining at their ends during the rotation of the escape wheel a circular path C, and
• an anchor movable in rotation about a second axis of rotation between two extreme rest positions delimited by pins, said anchor comprising an entry pallet and an exit pallet each having a rest plane and arranged on the anchor such that each pallet cooperates in abutment with a tooth of the escapement wheel in each said rest position, said anchor further comprising a fork, and
• at least one peg adapted to be secured to a regulating member pivoting about a third axis of rotation to cooperate with each alternation of said regulating member with the fork of the anchor to at least partially release said anchor of the escapement mobile,
• at least one pulse pallet adapted to be secured to said regulating member to cooperate with a tooth of the escapement mobile to transmit a direct pulse to said regulating member.

The escapement mechanism of the invention is however characterized with respect to the known escapements of the prior art in that it associates and combines with the conventional trace of a direct escapement a trace portion of an indirect escapement, as in a classic Swiss lever escapement. For this purpose, the escape mechanism of the invention is such that at least one of the entry or exit pallets comprises, in the extension of its rest plane, an inclined plane arranged for provide an indirect pulse to said regulating member during a movement of said pallet in the path C of the escapement mobile rotation of the anchor on its axis.

The escapement mechanism of the invention has a "hybrid" character resulting from the combination of traces of a Swiss anchor escapement, which provides pulling and is self-starting, with the drawing of a direct free exhaust, as for example a Robin type exhaust. This greatly simplifies the setting and the implementation of a direct free escapement by a "dose" of Swiss anchor escape route, known, mastered and tested for centuries by watchmakers, without affecting essentially the performances , including efficiency, such a direct free exhaust.

According to a particular characteristic of the invention, the ends of said inclined plane delimit with respect to said axis of rotation of the anchor an angle β, which is advantageously between 0.5 and 5 °, preferably between 0.5 and 2 °.

According to a particular characteristic of the invention, the fork comprises two horns separated by a notch and is devoid of dart or the like. Anti-rollover securing of the anchor relative to the regulating member is advantageously achieved by the arrangement of said horns of the symmetrical fork with respect to a straight line passing through the axis of rotation of the anchor and the center of the notch and extending from said notch in a circular arc radius of curvature R1, slightly greater than the radius of gyration of the ankle, and having at their free end a stud or finger protruding perpendicular to the median plane of the anchor in which extend the horns.

In a manner complementary to the horns of the anchor thus produced, the mechanism also comprises, in a particular embodiment, a circular collar adapted to be secured to said regulator member, said collar being centered on the axis of rotation of said regulating member, the pin being integrated into said flange so that it moves without contact along an inner face of said horns during the rest phases of the escapement mobile.

In practice, the flange, whose geometry may vary, has the function of providing a contact surface to the pads in case of shock during the additional arc of the regulator, said pads then abutting either on the inside or on the outside said flange.

Preferably, the radius of curvature R1 is between 0.5 and 1.5 cm.

In a particular embodiment, said flange has free ends beveled in a vertical plane or curved.

The present invention also provides in a second object a timepiece comprising an exhaust mechanism as previously stated, arranged to cooperate with a regulating member which are integral said pin and said pulse pallet.

According to alternative embodiments, the timepiece of the invention may comprise a balance spring-type or resonator-type regulator member rotatably mounted on a virtual knife pivot (x).

Brief description of the drawings

• La figure 1 représente un mécanisme d'échappement selon l'invention et d'organe régulateur associé tel qu'un balancier représenté schématiquement, dans une position dite de « point-mort », hors impulsion ou repos;
• La figure 2 représente un agrandissement de l'extrémité d'une palette de repos de l'ancre du mécanisme d'échappement de la figure 1 ;
• La figure 3 représente en agrandissement le mécanisme d'échappement de la figure 1 avec les différents angles déterminant la condition d'auto-démarrage de l'échappement selon la construction du mécanisme de l'invention ;
• Les figures 4 à 9 représentent les différentes phases de fonctionnement du mécanisme d'échappement de l'invention sur une première alternance ;
• Les figures 10 à 16 représentent les différentes phases de fonctionnement du mécanisme d'échappement de l'invention sur une second alternance, correspondant à un « coup perdu » ;
• Les figures 17 à 21 représentent différentes positions de sécurisation du dispositif anti-renversement du mécanisme d'échappement de l'invention lors de deux alternances successives.

Other details of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• The figure 1 represents an exhaust mechanism according to the invention and associated regulating member such as a beam shown schematically, in a position called "dead point", out of pulse or rest;
• The figure 2 represents an enlargement of the end of a pallet of rest of the anchor of the escape mechanism of the figure 1 ;
• The figure 3 represents in enlargement the escape mechanism of the figure 1 with the different angles determining the self-starting condition of the exhaust according to the construction of the mechanism of the invention;
• The Figures 4 to 9 represent the different operating phases of the escape mechanism of the invention on a first half cycle;
• The Figures 10 to 16 represent the different operating phases of the escapement mechanism of the invention on a second alternation, corresponding to a "lost shot";
• The Figures 17 to 21 represent different positions for securing the anti-rollover device of the exhaust mechanism of the invention during two successive alternations.

Embodiments of the invention

The present invention proposes a free escapement mechanism 1 of a new kind, designed and arranged to exploit and combine, in a direct-impulse free exhaust, the advantages of reliability, simplicity of adjustment and self-starting of a Swiss lever escapement well known to watchmakers for decades.

A particular embodiment of such an exhaust mechanism 1 is shown in FIG. figure 1 , corresponding to the dead point of the exhaust 1. In general, the exhaust mechanism 1 is structurally similar to a type Robin exhaust but modified in various aspects as described below. The exhaust mechanism comprises an escapement wheel 2 provided with pointed teeth 3 and rotatably mounted about a first axis of rotation X1. In a conventional manner, this escapement mobile 2 is associated with an exhaust pinion (not shown) through which the escapement wheel 2 is coupled to the finishing gear and the driving source of a watch movement, for example a spring barrel, which thus transmits a driving torque to the escapement mobile 2, that it distributes sequentially to a regulating member 5 mounted to rotate about a second axis of rotation X2, in cooperation with an anchor 4, itself same mobile in rotation about a third axis of rotation X3, the axes of rotation X1, X2, X3 being parallel to each other. The regulating member 5 may consist of a spiral balance well known to those skilled in the watchmaking art or any other oscillating regulating organ, such as for example a knife resonator (x) as proposed by the applicant in the patent application WO 2016/012281 .

The anchor 4 acts as a rocker and comprises a board 41 on which are arranged an inlet pallet 10 and an outlet pallet 11, each having a rest plane 10p, 11p intended to alternately form a resting surface in abutment for the teeth 3 of the escapement mobile 2 in two extreme positions in rotation of the anchor 4 about its axis X3, said rest positions. In order to actuate the pivoting of the anchor 4 from a rest position to the following said anchor comprises a fork 43 disposed at the end of an arm 42 extending from the plate 41 along a straight line connecting the axis rotation X3 of the anchor 4 to the axis of rotation X2 of the regulating member 5. The fork 43 comprises two horns 44, 45 separated by a notch 46 and devoid of dart, finger, or anti-rollover safety element similar. These horns 44, 45 are symmetrical with respect to the line connecting, in neutral, the axis of rotation X3 and the axis X2 of the regulator, which also passes through the center of the notch 46. The anchor 4 cooperates with this fork 43, more particularly at its notch 46, with a pin 6 mounted integral with the regulating member 5, for example a coaxial plate of said regulating member 5 and which is further secured to a direct pulse pallet 9 which is propelled, at each alternation of the regulator 5 by a tooth 3 of the escapement 2. The anchor stroke is limited by two pins 7, 8 which limit the angle A of travel of the anchor 4 between 5 and 6 ° with respect to the axis X3 of the anchor 4.

In accordance with the invention, and shown in detail in figures 2 and 3 , the entry pallet 10 and the output pallet 11, in any case at least the output pallet 11, comprise, in the extension of their respective rest plane 10p, 11p, an inclined plane 10i, 11i arranged for provide an indirect pulse to the regulating member 5 when said pallets 10, 11 intersect the trajectory C defined by the end of the teeth 3 of the escapement wheel 2 in rotation, during the rotation of the anchor 4 on its axis X3 between the two rest positions. These inclined planes 10i, 11i are advantageously formed on the resting pallets 10, 11 so that an angle β, called a micro-pulse angle, of a value of between 0.5 ° and 5 °, more particularly in The example shown between 1 ° and 2 °, preferably of the order of 1.5 ° is formed between its ends and the axis of rotation X3 of the anchor 4.

In addition, the pallets 10, 11 of the inlet and the outlet of the anchor 4 are advantageously fitted on the plate 41 so that the functions of rest and clearance of the anchor vis-à-vis the mobile of escapement 2, as well as the stroke safety of the latter vis-à-vis said pallets are optimized. With reference to the figure 2 the pallets 10, 11 are thus positioned such that, in the rest positions, a first of the vanes is in contact with a tooth 3 of the escape wheel on its rest plane over a distance defining an angle α of rest of the order 2 ° to the axis of rotation X3 of the anchor while the other of pallets is spaced from the circle C of the escapement mobile a distance forming a safety angle ε to the passage of the teeth 3 of the order 1.5 ° to the axis of rotation X3.

In addition, the pallets 10, 11 provide by their configuration and positioning, a slight draw, their inclined planes 10i, 11i providing a self-starting character to the mechanism of the invention and the micro-pulse at each alternation, characteristics of a Swiss anchor escapement.

Specifically, it is necessary for the mechanism 1 starts of itself under the torque of the escapement mobile 2 that, from the rest position, the path to the dead point (the half angle of the total displacement of the anchor) positions an inclined plane in the path C and not on a rest zone. In addition, the passage from one pallet to another also requires that the safety pallet-exhaust is smaller than the half-angle of travel of the anchor 4. Thus, an essential condition of the mechanism of the invention is defined such as: $$\frac{\lambda }{2}-\epsilon \le \beta$$

In this way, a combined or conjugated escape route is obtained between a Swiss lever escapement and a Robin direct escapement.

To avoid the risks of overturning or jamming encountered with the dart-type safeties, such as in the Robin exhaust, the escapement mechanism 1 of the invention proposes an anti-rollover safety device formed in a conjugated manner on the fork 43 of the anchor 4 and the regulating member 2, more particularly a flange secured to the regulating member 5. As previously indicated, the fork 43 of the anchor 4 is devoid of stinger between its horns 44, 45. Indeed, the low angular path traveled by the anchor 4 does not allow to consider as originally planned in the exhaust Robin , the implementation of such a sting cooperating a small balance plate according to the usual form of a Swiss lever escapement for example, the difficulty of adjusting the exhaust to avoid the risk of jamming being too important for servicing the exhaust at the industrial level. In replacement, the fork 43 of the anchor 4 of the mechanism 1 of the invention comprises two horns 44, 45 symmetrical with respect to a line passing through the axis of rotation X3 of the anchor and the center of the notch 46 and which extend from said notch 46 in an arc of a circle of radius of curvature R1, advantageously between 0.5 and 1.5 cm or more empirically slightly greater than the radius of gyration of the peg 6 secured to the regulating member 5 by relative to the axis of rotation X2 thereof. Said horns 44, 45 further include at their free end a stud or finger 44e, 45e cylindrical protruding perpendicular to the median plane of the anchor 4 in which the plate 41, the arm 42 and the fork 43 extend. The studs however, could have another geometry as well. The horns 44, 45 thus form a guiding body of said peg 6 during the rest phases on the whole of the angular amplitude in rotation of the regulating member 5 if this is reduced and the oscillation frequency is high or almost the entire additional arc rotating said regulator member 5 if it is of the conventional balance spring type.

In addition to the horns 44, 45 the anti-rollover device also comprises a circular collar 12 extending on either side of the pin 6 on the regulating member 5. Said collar 12 is centered on the axis X2 of rotation of the regulating organ. Thus, the pin 6 is integrated in said flange so that it moves, normally without contact, along an inner face of said horns during the rest phases of the escapement mobile 2. The total length of the flange 12 is preferably substantially equal to the total distance between the studs 44e, 45e of said horns 44, 45.

Thus, in the event of a shock to the mechanism 1 causing a displacement of the anchor 4 specific to the overturning during the additional arc of the regulator member a 44th or 45th stud will pass on the underside of the flange 12 but this will not not cause a stop because the regulating member 5 will continue to rotate beyond this inner face of the flange 12 against the stud 44e, 45e as shown in FIGS. Figures 16, 17 and to figures 19 , 20 on two distinct alternations. In addition, returns ( figures 18 , 21 ) of the flange 12 and the pin 6 between the horns in a normal operating configuration is provided by the free ends of the flange 12 which are advantageously bevelled in a vertical plane in order to pass said studs 44e, 45e to return between the horns 44, 45 after having possibly switched to the outside of the horns during the previous alternation. This arrangement and conformation of the horns 44, 45 and the flange 12 thus provides optimum safety against possible overturning without adversely affecting the operation of the escapement mechanism 1.

The Figures 4 to 15 represent the different operating phases of the escapement mechanism of the invention on two successive alternations of the regulating member 5 the respective directions of rotation of the escapement wheel 2, the anchor 4 and said regulator member being represented by arrows F1, F2, F3 on a first alternation respectively and arrows F4, F5, F6 on a second alternation respectively.

The figure 4 represents the mechanism 1 in the release position. The peg 6 is in the notch 46 of the fork 43 of the anchor 4 and under the action of the regulating member 5 in rotation along F3 leaves the bearing against the pin 8 along F2, passing through the dead point to halfway ( figure 1 ) to arrive ( figure 5 ) in the indirect micro-pulse position via the input pallet 10. Then the regulator 5 receives ( figure 6 ) its direct impulse to the pallet 9 by the escape wheel at the end of which ( figure 7 ) the fork falls ( figure 8 ) against the pin 7 and the anchor 4 is in the rest position, a tooth 3 of the escapement wheel 2 resting on the rest plane of the output pallet 11. The regulating member 5 then travels its supplementary arc ( figure 9 ) and the anchor 4 is pulled by its output pallet 11 against the pin 7.

The regulating member 5 then returns in the opposite direction along F6 towards the release position ( figure 10 ) on the second alternation, thus releasing the anchor 4 of the pin 7, the pivoting anchor F5. then, passing through the neutral ( figure 11 ) undergoes a second indirect micro-pulse on the output pallet 11 ( figure 12 ) while the mobile exhaust is released in rotation following F4, after which the anchor 4 drops on the pin 8 ( figure 13 ), then reaching the second rest position ( Figure 14 ) or a tooth 3 of the escapement mobile abuts on the rest plane of the input pallet 10. The regulating member 5 then continues its course along F6 by making a blow to the end of its second alternation to then return next F1 to the release position of the figure 4 .

The escapement mechanism 1 of the invention thus provides a direct escape with a hybrid layout including indirect micro-pulses and a slight draw like a Swiss lever escapement in a Robin-type direct exhaust configuration without essentially disturbing the parameters and performance benefits of it but simplifying and reliable implementation, while providing optimum operational safety.

Claims (9)

Mechanism (1) direct exhaust for a timepiece, comprising: an escape wheel (2) rotatable about a first axis of rotation (X1) and provided with a series of peripheral teeth (3), said teeth (3) defining by their ends during the rotation of the escape mobile a circular trajectory C, and an anchor (4) movable in rotation about a second axis of rotation (X3) between two extreme rest positions delimited by pins (7, 8), said anchor comprising an entry pallet (10) and an pallet outlet (11) each having a rest plane (10p, 11p) and arranged on the anchor so that each pallet cooperates in abutment with a tooth (3) of the escapement wheel in each said rest position, said anchor (4) further comprising a fork (43), and - At least one peg (6) adapted to be secured to a regulating member (5) pivoting about a third axis of rotation (X2) to cooperate with each alternation of said regulating member (5) with the fork (43) of the anchor for at least partially disengaging said anchor from the escapement wheel (2), - at least one pulse pallet (9) adapted to be secured to said regulating member (5) for cooperating with a tooth (3) of the escapement mobile to transmit a direct pulse to said regulating member (5); characterized in that at least one of the entry or exit pallets (11) comprises, in the extension of its rest plane (10p, 11p), an inclined plane (10i, 11i) arranged to provide an indirect impulse to said member regulator (5) during a movement of said pallet in the path C of the escapement wheel (3) by rotation of the anchor (3) on its axis (X3). Exhaust mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the ends of said inclined plane (10i, 11i) delimit with respect to said axis of rotation (X3) of the anchor (4) a micro-pulse angle β of between 0.5 ° and 5 °, preferably of 0.5 ° to 2 ° Exhaust mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fork (43) comprises two horns (44, 45) separated by a notch (46) and devoid of dart or the like. Exhaust mechanism according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said horns (44, 45) of the fork (43) are symmetrical with respect to a straight line passing through the axis of rotation (X3) of the anchor and center of the notch (46) and extending from said notch (46) in a circular arc radius of curvature R1 and having at their free end a stud or finger (44e, 45e) protruding perpendicularly the median plane of the anchor in which the horns extend. Exhaust mechanism according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that it comprises a circular collar (12) adapted to be secured to said regulating member, said collar being centered on the axis of rotation of said regulating member (5). ), the pin (6) being integrated in said collar so that it moves without contact along an inner face of said horns during the rest phases of the escapement mobile. Exhaust mechanism according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the radius of curvature R1 is between 0.5 and 1.5 cm Exhaust mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that said collar has free ends beveled in a vertical plane. Timepiece comprising an exhaust mechanism (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7 arranged to cooperate with a regulating member (5) which are secured to said pin (6) and said pulse pallet (9). Timepiece according to claim 8, characterized in that the regulating member (5) is a sprung balance or a resonator mounted to rotate on a virtual pivot knife (x).

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