HK1007604B

HK1007604B - Universal watch

Info

Publication number: HK1007604B
Application number: HK98106737.8A
Authority: HK
Inventors: Vaucher Frank
Original assignee: 浪琴弗郎西龙手表有限公司
Priority date: 1992-07-17
Filing date: 1998-06-25
Publication date: 1999-04-16

Description

The present invention relates to a watch part providing a universal time display, i.e. capable of giving the current time of the different time zones, in particular in combination with local time instead of the wearer.

CH-515 540 describes a universal clock with a rotating central disc that has a twenty-four-hour turn and is driven in rotation by a movement by a satellite gear. DE-U-1 795 193 describes a universal clock with a rotating central disc that also has a turn but is driven by a reference in the clock wheel. These documents describe clocks that can provide the universal time, and whose current time display can be changed by action on the two hands, minutes and hours respectively.

Documents CH 284 845 and CH 648 449 describe similar constructions to those mentioned above.

In addition, document CH-A-662 234 describes a watchmaking watch which contains inside a box containing a conventional horometric movement a rotating crown or ring which completes a complete rotation in 24 hours and which is cinematically linked to a clock wheel driven by the movement.

This room has many drawbacks.

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It is understood that this operation may cause the display of universal time to be incorrect if the user makes a mistake in the angular positioning of the geographical indications when turning the dial.

Moreover, it is understandable that this arrangement necessarily requires a rotating bezel, which complicates the structure of the room and significantly increases its cost.

It is also noted that with this structure, the geographical indication indicating the time zone under which the user is located cannot be placed on the part in a fixed angular position, since the bezel when rotating is necessarily placed in any angular position on the part.

Thus, the present invention is intended to provide a simple-designed universal time display clock in which only the position of the hour hand can be changed without influence on the universal time.

The present invention is also intended to provide a watch part of the above type, equipped with a display of quantum numbers.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a watchmaking device comprising:a horometric movement comprising at least one timer;at least one hour hand which is mounted on a clock face driven by the clock face;a rotating ring driven to make a turn every 24 hours;a first display device comprising a clock face;a second display device comprising geographical indications indicating different time zones respectively, one of these display devices being fitted on the rotating ring to move in relation to the other and to provide with it the said universal clock face; and a correction mechanism capable of acting on the clock face,The correction mechanism is characterised by two overlapping gears, the lower wheel which is in contact with the timer and drives the rotating ring, being freely mounted on the clock face, while the upper wheel which is fixed to the clock face is connected to the lower wheel by a spring-loaded device and can be controlled by a timing rod for direct and independent correction of the position of the rotating clock face without action on the clock face and without influence on universal time.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, made by reference to the attached drawings which are given by way of example only, and in which: Figure 1 is a top view of a watch part according to the invention,Figure 2, which is a view made according to lines II-II of Figures 3 and 5, represents in longitudinal cut a correction mechanism equipping the part according to the invention;Figure 3, which is a top view made according to lines III-III of Figure 2, partially represents in cut and in a first position the mechanism of Figure 2;Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 3,but representing the part mechanism according to the invention in a second position, when moving to another time zone,Figure 5 is a very schematic top view of different parts drive mobiles according to the invention, andFigures 6, 7 and 8 are schematic parts drive mobiles according to the invention, made according to lines VI-VI, VII-VII and VIII-VIII of Figure 5 respectively, and in which the correction mechanism of Figures 1 to 3, although seen according to different cutting plans, has been represented in an identical way for the purpose of simplifying drawings.

The following is a description of a watchpiece of the invention, which is designated by the general reference P.

The P watchpiece has a B box on which CN horns are normally fitted (only one is referenced) to allow the fastening of a conventional (non-referenced) bracelet.

The P-piece in this example has two display hands, namely a 2 minute hand and a 4 hour hand, both moving in front of an AC dial to provide analogue time information, usually corresponding to the local time of the place where the wearer of the P-piece is located.

The first display medium, known as the 24-hour display medium, comprises a 24-hour clock cycle (same reference) represented here classically by a group of Arabic numerals 1 to 24.

The minute hand 2, the hour hand 4 and, in the embodiment shown, the first display device 3 are cinematically linked to a classical horometric movement M (Figures 2 and 6 to 8) housed in box B. The hour hand 4 in this example and in the classical way makes a turn every 12 hours, while the display device 3 makes a turn every 24 hours, counterclockwise.

As will be seen from the following description, the means of display 5 containing the geographical indications are, in this mode of production, advantageously saved on the P-piece, preferably fixed, for example on the B-box or on an unrepresented glass.

Referring now to Figures 2 to 4, a MC correction mechanism is described below to correct the position of the 4 o'clock hand without disturbing the time information provided by the 3 and 5 display devices.

As shown in Figure 2, the MC correction mechanism has a first barrel 4a, called the inner barrel, which is designed to be mounted conventionally in rotation around an X axis of rotation on a C-beam driven by the M-horometric movement, both schematically represented in mixed strokes interrupted in Figure 2.

The inner barrel 4a thus forms a clock barrel, and it supports a first outwardly toothed wheel 6, called the lower wheel, with a board 7.

In normal operation, this 6 o'clock wheel receives a time information from the timer gear 8 which it transmits indirectly to the internal clock face 4a and the corresponding indicator hand 4 as explained below.

The lower 6 o'clock wheel is mounted freely on the 4 o'clock barrel, and to this end the 4 o'clock barrel has at its opposite end to its free end the 4 o'clock needle, a collarette 10 forming a shoulder which freely supports a 12 star on which the 6 o'clock wheel is held fixed.

The 6 o'clock wheel is held fixed to the star 12 on the side against its 14th gear, the 6 o'clock wheel being forced outwards onto the 16th collar by means of a push and/or riveting force through the central part of its 7 board which has an outlet valve.

The 12th star and the 6 o'clock wheel are therefore directly connected in rotation and, in this example, they form, thanks to their mounting, only one piece reported on the 4a clock face.

The 12th star and the 6 o'clock wheel can therefore move together simultaneously under the influence of the 8th timer cog.

The part according to the invention also has two drive pebbles 20 which are stacked and each have a cylindrical base 22 from which a handle 24 normally extends. The pebbles are both engaged to rest by their base 22 in the denture 14 of the star 12 and they rest freely and laterally by this base against the unreferenced flank of the board 7 of the clock wheel 6.

The pebbles 20 are further held in this resting position, in the 14th denture, elastically by elastic means of recall 26 which are here formed by a closed annular spring, mounted coaxially to the 12th star and acting radially on the outer perimeter of the bases 22 of the 20th pebbles.

The MC correction mechanism of the invention also has a second barrel 30, called the outer barrel, which has a guide barrel 31 and is mounted externally, by this barrel 31, on the first barrel 4a. This second barrel 30 supports a second outer gear 32 placed above the lower 6 o'clock wheel and the so-called upper wheel.

The top wheel 32 has a board 33 and is driven by its outer gear with a correcting wheel 34 (Figures 5 and 8) which can be normally steered by a T-rod (schematically represented in Figure 5) combined with a CO timing crown (Figure 1).

The upper wheel 32 therefore forms a correction wheel which, as will be seen, allows the position of the hour hand 4a and the position of the hour hand 4 to be corrected directly without affecting the timer and thus without disturbing other hourly information, such as the minute and second, but also without disturbing the hourly information provided by means 3 and 5 of displaying universal time.

Advantageously, the outer barrel 30 was mounted by force exhaustion externally on the inner barrel of the 4a hours and thus attached to it.

So these two guns are rotating together and they can move together simultaneously.

The correction of the hours, via the correcting wheel 34, is therefore made on the inner clock face 4a via the outer clock face 30.

It should be noted that the 4a-hour barrel is also driven in normal operation by the M-movement timer, and in particular by the timer pin 8, also thanks to the outer barrel 30.

Therefore, in the 33rd board of the 32nd wheel, radial grooves 36 are provided in which the 24th handles are freely engaged which can be radially moved into them.

The 20 pebbles can therefore spin the correction wheel 32, and the two guns 4a and 30 when the 12 star is itself driven by the 6 o'clock wheel.

It will be noted that the radial grooves 36 extend from the outer gear of the steering wheel 32 to the body of the outer barrel 30 and open inwards into it, particularly into its groove 31.

The 36 grooves can therefore be made at the same time, using a drill bit, not shown, which is immersed in the 33rd board of the 32nd wheel and in the 30th barrel.

It will also be noted that the star 12 is held axially between the outer barrel 30 and the collarette 10 of the 4a clock.

As shown in Figures 5 and 8, the MC correction mechanism can be operated directly by the CO/T crown assembly which classically controls a 40-mounted crankshaft sliding into a PT plate of the M movement. When the CO crown is rotated in a first direction of rotation to perform a rapid hour correction, the crankshaft 40 is actuated with a 42-recoil in contact with an intermediate wheel 44 connected to the correction wheel 34.

Furthermore, referring to Figures 5 and 7, it will be noted that when the CO crown is turned in a second direction of rotation, the clockwork gear 40 is coupled with a timing wheel 46 which is connected to clockwork gear 8 and is in classic contact with the C-road (not shown).

The watch movement is shown in Figure 3 (without elements C, M, 8 and 34) in a display position corresponding to one of the time zones.

Figure 4 shows the coin as it is in an intermediate position when moving through another time zone, so we notice that when the correction wheel 34 is rotated, the pebbles 20 are moved angularly and (while the star 12 and the 6 o'clock wheel remain motionless due to their timing) these pebbles 20 jump into the 14 star's denture by ovalising the spring 26.

The 20 pebbles then return to the 14th tooth of the 12th star, in a resting position, but in a way that is out of step with their original position (Figure 3). The 4th hand then indicates another time zone.

It is understood that the structure just described forms a detachable coupling mechanism between the 6 o'clock wheel and the inner barrel of the 4 o'clock, which allows the stepwise correction of the hour display according to indexed positions corresponding to a whole fraction of the number of hours, without changing the relative position of the means 3 and 5 of displaying universal time.

It will also be noted that this structure, which includes the six o'clock wheel and the four o'clock clock, forms a unit that can be easily removed from the watchmaking piece and can be easily transported without the risk of untimely dissociation of its components.

The 20 pebbles are kept trapped between the 32nd correction wheel and the 6 o'clock wheel, which is itself held by the two cannons 4a and 30.

The pebbles 20 are further held in place radially by spring 26 which is also trapped between the two upper 32 and lower 6 wheels.

The unit structure can be dismantled simply (after it has been removed from the P-piece) by leaning on the end face of the 16th collar and releasing the inner barrel 4a by an action according to the D-arrow, on its end face protruding from the direction of the needle.

In this case, pebbles 20 remain supported by the board 7 of the 6 o'clock wheel and the 4 o'clock wheel can be replaced without the other components having been dissociated.

The following is a description of the structure of the display devices 3 and 5 (Figure 1) and their connection with the other components of the watch part P according to the invention, now referred to in Figures 5 and 6.

In the example shown, the display medium 3 is mounted on a rotating ring 48 (partially shown in Figure 5) which is mounted and guided in rotation on the PTA auxiliary plate by guidance means 51 with bearings 52. The rotating ring 48 which is arranged coaxially to the AC dial, around it, has at its periphery an outer radial throat 50 into which bearings 52 (one being represented here) consisting of a screw are engaged. The guidance bearing 52 is mounted free in rotation on a plot 54 cast into the PTA auxiliary plate and in which a holding engagement 56 is attached to the pallet retainer 52 which here has the shape of a screw.

The part according to the invention preferably has three bearings of the type described above, capable of guiding and holding the rotating ring 48 both axially and radially.

This rotary ring 48 is actuated by a drive train 58 (Figure 5) which controls its rotation.

The 58 drive train consists of a drive train 60 essentially carried by the PTA auxiliary platform. The 60 train has a wheel 62 which is connected to the 48 rotary ring and which is connected in rotation with a gear 64 by means of an axle 66 driven on this gear and on this wheel. The wheel 62 is housed inside the PTA auxiliary platform, in an unreferenced groove cleansed in it, and it is arranged directly under the AC dial which completely covers it.

Note that this wheel 62 is shown in Figure 6 in the ring cut-out view 48 for a better understanding of the drawing.

The 64 gear is located under the PTA auxiliary platform and is driven by a 68 wheel mounted freely on an axle 70 driven into the PT platform.

It should be noted that wheel 68 is part of a mobile 72, called a mobile of the quantimes, which also includes a tractor wheel 74 conformed to be able to be piloted in a conventional way, a disc of the quantimes 76, partially represented in Figure 1, through a window 78 in the AC dial.

In addition, the 58th train has a reference 82 which, as will be understood, has two independent groups of mobiles, nested in each other and mounted in free rotation relative to each other.

One of the above-mentioned engines, referred to as 84 has a first wheel assembly 88 - gear 86.

Wheel 88 which is fixed to gear 86 and is placed directly underneath it, engages the MC correction mechanism with the 6-hour wheel, while gear 86 engages the rotary ring 48 by being in direct contact with wheel 68.

The other plea in law, cited in paragraph 94, contains a second wheel set 98 - gear 96.

The wheel 98 which is driven on the common axis 90, directly above the gear 86, engages directly with the correction wheel 32 of the MC correction mechanism, while the gear 96, which is also driven on the common axis 90, but which is placed under the wheel 88 of the mobile 84, engages directly with the quantum trainer 74.

Thus, the first wheel 84 formed by the wheel 88 - gear 86 assembly was mounted on the axle 90 mechanically connecting the gear 96 and wheel 98 of the second wheel 94.

It should be noted here that the first mobile 84 is mounted between the gear 96 and the wheel 98 of the second mobile 94, these two mobile 84 and 94 being able to rotate independently.

It is also noted that the first and second wheels of the MC correction mechanism, respectively 6 and 32, are connected respectively to the rotating ring 48 and to the display of the quantum numbers formed by the disc 76, via the common reference 82. It is also noted that the display of the quantum numbers formed by the disc 76 is controlled by the correction wheel or second wheel 32 of the MC correction mechanism. It should also be noted that the first or six-hour wheel of this MC correction mechanism, which is mounted in free rotation on the 4a barrel, is configured to drive the 48-hour rotating ring at a rate of twenty-four-hour rotation, the anti-clockwise ring. In particular, the 48-hour MC correction ring is placed between the 48-hour timer and the 48-hour MC correction wheel (which is placed in the direction of the 48-hour rotation of the mechanism, which is controlled by the 48-hour rotation of the 48-hour rotation mechanism).

It is noted that when the steering wheel 32 is driven by the CO crown, as explained above, the angular displacement of the 4 o'clock hand occurs without causing subsequent drive to the 6 o'clock wheel, since this steering wheel 32 is not part of the drive train 58, since it only engages with wheel 98 which indirectly steers the quantum drive 74.

It should also be noted that, thanks to this arrangement, when moving to another time zone, and in particular when moving at midnight, the disc of the quantum 76 is driven in rotation, which allows the passage to the next day. It should also be noted that, when the wheels 6 and 32 of the MC correction mechanism are normally driven at the same speed, the two movers 94 and 84 are also driven at the same speed and therefore move simultaneously with the axis 90 without causing friction on it.

Figure 6 also shows the mounting of the display devices 5 on a bezel 92 mounted on box B in the conventional way, on the periphery and on the top of the box.

It should be noted that although in the above model the display means 3 with the 24-hour clock cycle are saved on the rotary ring 48 and the display means 5 with the geographical indications are saved on the outer bezel 92 and are fixed in this example, an inverse arrangement (not shown) can be provided, in which the display means 3 are saved on the outer bezel 92 and the display means 5 on the inner rotary ring 48.

Claims

Timepiece with a universal time display including :
- a horometric movement (M) including at least one dial train (8, 46),

- at least one hours hand (4) which is mounted on an hours pipe (4a) driven by said dial train (8, 46),

- a rotary ring (48) driven in order to effect one revolution per twenty-four hours,

- a first diplay means (3) including a twenty-four hour-hours circle, and

- a second display means (5) including geographic indications respectively indicating various time zones, one (3) of said display means being arranged on the rotary ring (48) so as to be displaced facing the other (5) and to furnish with the latter said universal time display, and a correction mechanism (MC) adapted to act on said hours hand (4), characterized in that the correction mechanism (MC) includes two toothed wheels (6, 32) mounted in a superposed manner, the lower wheel (6) which is in gear with the dial train (8, 46) and which drives the rotary ring (48), being mounted to rotate freely on the hours pipe (4a) , while the upper wheel (32) which is fixedly secured to said hours pipe (4a) is coupled in rotation to the lower wheel (6) through an indexed jumping device and may be operated by a time setting stem (T) for correcting the position of the hours hand (4) directly and independently without acting on the rotary ring (48) and without disturbing the universal time.
Timepiece according to claim 1, characterized in that the jumping device includes a star (12) solid with the lower wheel (6) and in which are housed and elastically maintained rollers (20) able to move radially in slots (36) arranged in the upper wheel (32)
Timepiece according to claim 2, characterized in that said rollers (20) are elastically maintained in star (12) by a self-centered spring (26) freely mounted around said rollers.
Timepiece according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it includes a date display (76), such display being operated by the upper wheel (32) of said correction mechanism.
Timepiece according to claim 4, characterized in that the upper (32) and lower (6) wheels of the correction mechanism are respectively coupled to the rotary ring (48) and to the date display (76) via a common intermediate device (82).
Timepiece according to claim 5, characterized in that said common intermediate device (82) includes two wheel sets (84, 94) interleaving one another and mounted to be movable in rotation relative to one another.
Timepiece according to claim 6, characterized in that one of the wheel sets (84) includes a first wheel (88)-pinion (86) assembly meshing with the lower wheel (6) of the correction mechanism (MC) and with the rotary ring (48), while the other wheel set (94) includes a second wheel (98)-pinion (96) assembly meshing with the upper wheel (32) of said mechanism (MC) and with the date display (76), the first assembly (86, 88) being loosely mounted on an arbor (90) of the second assembly (96, 98) between the pinion (96) and its associated wheel (98).