US1650662A - Electrically-wound timepiece - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 29, 12? 3 659 6 u. L. SUNBLAD ELECTRIGALLY WOUND TIMEPIECE Filed March 25, 1926 2 Sheets-Shaw l W 2,

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NQW 11 v ELECTRICALLY WOUND TImElIECE Filed March 25, 1%25 2 sheem filem 2 ill) CHABLEE i751. "W121 L115, OF NEW I115.

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ELEOTEIGALLY-iHUU-ND Application filedl'tiarch 25, 19%. Serial No. 'll'KJ-Zifi.

of an electricallypiece constructed in accordance in electrically-'wonnd timepieces, and while adapted for various purposes, this device is .particularlydesigned for small, watchlilre timenioreinent commonly used on antomobiles.

4L1'lfl0llf1 the objects of thisHinvent-ion are to provide winding-means for timepieces which will be periodically actuated to re wind the spring of the time-piece, rewinding being controlled by the :tensional condition of the spring, so that accurate-and reliable rewinding is obtained without interference with the normal running of the timepiece; to 1 ride a compact, closed mechanism which may be readily attached to and ldetachedirom the time-piece casing; to provide an improved motor transmission and driving inecha m; to. so compact and arrange the winding mechanism that: it can be enclosed in a case within the peripheral limitsot the movement-easing; anduto generally provide new and improved mechanism -for the accomplishment. of the above objects, and the invention consists in the construe tion as hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

in carrying out my invention, I employ a motor consisting of the usual armature l0 and field-coils ll. v'l1is armature has a 1101'." low shaft 12 mounted inbushings. l3 and Li respectively mounted in plates Li and-16 which are spaced apart by a ring-like fieldmagnet 12". These are enclosed in a shell lilsecnred to the i or of a time-.n1ovement- (It 19 of any preferred construction ere (rcpt that oil the spi-ii Willllilgizlliflfil', which includes a comparu ely large winding gear-wheel 20. Meshing with this gearwheel 20 is small pinion 21 fixed to the end of aspindle 22 which extends through the center of the hollow shaft oi the armatore, and its rear end is threaded. .i he rear end oi the hollow shaft is also extei ially .tlniesded. Screwed ontothe end of the hollow shaft of the armature .is a segiinental plate 525. Pivoted to the forward face of thisplate is .azpivotal switch-arm oer 11g on its inner race a contactsbrush ElQlSL'QLQCl, when the arm is turned, totcontact ,h a ring 28 mountedon the bushing i l but insulated-wthcrefroin andvconnected by a Wire 29 with'ithe field-coils 11. Theplezte :is also .provided onxits'rear face with" a pin 30 which projects through a slot l termed in a disk 32' fired to LtllG rear end of the spindle Fixed at one end to the rear face of the disk,- diametrically cpposite the slot 31, is a spring 33, the other end or" which projects into thepath of the pin .Fizred to the iorward face of the d is detent 341- having an angular end 35 to engage with a notch 36 in: the on the pletezii. On the hollow shaft of the armature is a bowed spring-washerw 'l' be: ;,,againstthe segmental ,plateto inscie good electrical connection between it and the shaft of the armature. .011 the armature-shaft is a ratchet-wheel 38 engaged by pawl 39,. so thatwhile ree to turn in one direction, the shaft will be held againstkmoie tent the oppositedirection, vth preventing unwinding. ,As described, one terminal of the field-coils is connected by the .wireil?) with the insulated ring 28, while the other terminal of the field-coils ,isconneoted by a wire 4:0 with a plate 41 mounted on an insulating block 4-2 attached to the rear plate 16. Also attached to this block 42 is a contac-tfinger connected to the other plate ll by a t ll, that linger engaging witha binding-post lo mounted in the! rear ol the shell 18 and insulated there from. The rear face oi the shell is also provided with a bindingpost l? in electrical contact vwith the shell thus completing an electric circuit through the motor.

Assuming that the timepiece is in condi tion to be re-wound, the parts will stand, in the position shown in 3 of the drawings, and assuming that the binding-posts are connected with suitable sources ot electric power and. the contact-bush beingin conring 28, the cnit is thus conitill engaging with the spring turns the disk 32 and this disk, being lined to the spindle 22 and its pinion, turns the winding-gear to energize the main-spring.

When the time-movement spring is wound to a predetermined point, its resistance to being wound will bend the spring 33 and cause a relative movement between the segmental plate and disk, and this movement of the segmental plate with respect to the disk causes the switch-arm 26 to move under the detent 84, so as to move the brush out of engagement with the disk 28, thus breaking the circuit and stopping the motor, and the angular outer end 35 of the detent snaps into the notch 36 and locks the arm.

The time-movement, acting under the pressure of its spring, will run until the pressure of that spring is so reduced that the spring 33 is able to reassert itself and move the segmental plate 25 relative to the disk and in moving this segmental plate, the notch of the arm 26 is disengaged from the detent and the brush is snapped into engagement with the disk 28 by the engagement of the forward end of the detent with the end of the arm. The circuit through the motor is thus again established and the re winding operation takes place when the cycle of breaking the circuit is again repeated, and so on.

By providing the armature with a hollow shaft and arranging the winding spindle through it, the movement of the armature is transmitted directly and, consequently, with saving of space, as well as elimination of gearing, and the power from the arbor of the main-spring is used to connect and disconnect the motor. Furthermore, with this arrangement of parts, the running of the time-movement is in no wise interfered with.

If desired, and to avoid gumming the lubricant around the pivot 18 on which the switch-arm 26 oscillates, due to passage of electricity through it, I attach to the outer end of this switch-arm a light wire 49, which is looped and soldered to the segment-plate 25, thus directing the electric current throu h the wire to the segment, independent ot the connection through the pivot.

I claim:

1. The combination with a time-piece, having a winding-arbor-gear, of an electric motor having a shaft, an electric circuit for the motor, a spindle extending through said shaft, a pinion on said spindle meshing with said gear, a segmental plate carried by the motor-shaft and provided with a pin, a disk carried by said spindle and formed with a slot through which said pin extends, a springarm secured to said disk and extending into engagement with said pin, and a cFrci1it-making-ancl-breaki11g brush carried by said plate, said brush moved in one direction by the tension of the winding-spring and in the other direction by the tension of the said spring-arm.

2. In combination, a spring, winding mechanism therefor including a motor, transmission operatively interposed between said spring and motor including a pair of rotatable members, yielding means associated with said members, said members being relatively movable, said yielding means normally resisting such relative movement and a switch actuated by the relative movement between said members to open or close the circuit for said motor.

3. In combination, a spring winding mechanism therefor including a motor, transmission operatively interposed between said motor and spring and comprising a winding spindle, a rotatable disk carried thereby, a driving member actuated by said motor, a spring carried by said disk and means carried by said driving member engaging said spring and transmitting its driving effect therethrough to said disk, said last named means comprising a pin carried by said rotatable member, said disk being-slotted to accommodate said pin, said slot being constructed to permit movement of said pin relative to said disk.

4-. The combination with a winding-arborgear, of an electric motor having a shaft, an electric circuit for the motor, a spindle extending throu 'h said shaft, a pinion on said spindle mesning with said gear, a plate carried by the motor-shalt and provided with a pin, a disk carried by said spindle and formed with a slot through which said pin extends, a springnrm secured to said disk and extending into engagement with said pin, and a circuit-1naking-and-breaking brush carried by said plate, said brush moved in one direction by the tension of the winding-spring and in the other direction by the tension of the said spring-arm.

5. In combination, a driving-spring, an electric-motor for periodically energizing the same; a hollow shaft for the said motor; a driving-spindle extending through the said hollow shaft; a driving-pinion mounted at the forward end of the said spindle; an eiectriccircuit for the said motor; a switchmechanism interposed in the sa d circuit and including two relatively-mo able members, one of which is mounted upon the rear end of the said hollow shaft and the other of which is mounted upon the rear end of the said driving-spindle; and a switch-spring for ieldingly holding the said members against relative movement.

In testimon whereof, I have signed this specification.

UNO L. SUNDBLAD.

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