US2623349A

US2623349A - Automatic winding timepiece

Info

Publication number: US2623349A
Application number: US238628A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bridevaux Georges
Original assignee: Tavannes Watch Co SA
Current assignee: Tavannes Watch Co SA
Priority date: 1951-06-29
Filing date: 1951-07-26
Publication date: 1952-12-30
Anticipated expiration: 1969-12-30
Also published as: GB704485A; FR1049545A; CH291567A; DE884315C

Description

Dec. 30, 1952 G'. BRIDE'VAUX AUTOMATIC WINDINGv TIMEPIECE Filed July 26, 1951 r/devaqx Patentecl Dec. 30, 1952 AUTOMATIC WINDING TIMEPIECE Georges Bridevaux, Tavannes, Switzerland, as-

signor to Tavannes Watch Co. S. A., Tavannes, Switzerland, a firm of Switzerland Application July 26, 1951, Serial No. 238,628 In Switzerland June 29, 1951 1 Claim. l

The present invention has for its object an -automatic winding time piece wherein the winding up means include a ratchet wheel controlled by a pawl carried by a swinging lever.

The improved time piece is characterized by the fact that said swinging lever is controlled in its turn by a rod pivotally secured thereto through one of its ends and sliding inside a guiding member to which the winding up member impresses a reciprocating movement, while a coil spring mounted round said rod abuts on one hand against the end of the guiding member and on the other hand against a shoulder on the rod in a manner such that the movements of the guiding member may be transmitted to the rod and therethrough to the swinging lever through the -agency of the said coil spring, which latter is adapted to yield, when the tensioning of the barrel spring reaches a predetermined value, in order that the ratchet Wheel may remain stationary even if the winding up member continues `acting on the guiding member.

I have illustrated by way of example in accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of the object of the invention. In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross-section through line I-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a clockwork including a section through line II-II of Fig. 1.

The time piece illustrated is a watch for an automobile adapted to be secured to the steering wheel, the turning of which provides for the winding up of the watch through a rotation imparted to the wheel I forming part of the winding gear. Said wheel I is rigid with a hub 2 pivotally secured inside an auxiliary bridge piece 3 and wherein may revolve a trunnion 4 that is eccentric with reference to the axis of the wheel hub, said trunnion forming the crankpin of a crank and pivotally carrying a lug a rigid with a tubular socket 5 the bottom 5b of which is perforated to allow the passage therethrough of a rod 6 the end of which carries a piston 'I slidingly engaging said socket 5. The other end of the rod 6 is screwed at 8, into the medial portion of a U-shaped member 9 between the arms of which 4a swinging lever II is pivotally secured at IQ. The latter is rigid with a socket I2 revolubiy carriedy round a sleeve I3 secured by a screw I4 to a square shaped part Ita provided at the end of a spindle I5 revolving in and between a base plate I6 for the clockwork `and the barrel bridge I1. A ratchet wheel I8 is also fitted over the square shaped end 15a of the spindle I5 between the barrel bridge Il and the sleeve I3.

2 On the other hand, the spindle I5 is rigid with a wheel I9 driving the barrel ratchet 20. The barrel is designated by the reference number 2|. To the swinging lever II is screwed at 22 an elastic blade 23, forming a pawl co-operating with the ratchet wheel I8. The latter is stopped against rearward movement through two

elastic blades

24 and 25 secured to the frame at 26 vand slightly shifted with reference to each other in a manner such that after each shifting by one half tooth interval, the ratchet I8 is held against rotation by either blade alternatingly. A rubber member 21 carried between the two elastic blades 2d and 25 prevents the latter from vibrating and reduces thus the noise produced by the catch arrangement.

A first spring 28 is carried by the rod 6 inside the socket 5 and bears through one end against the piston 1 and through its other end against the bottom 5b of the socket 5 while a second spring 29 surrounds the rod 6 on the outside of the socket 5 and is held between the member il and the bottom 5b of said socket 5.

The operation of said two springs provides for the transmission of the movement of the crank pin 4, as transformed into a reciprocation of the socket 5, to the rod 6 and then through the member 9 to the swinging lever II. When the latter is shifted in the direction of the arrow 30, the pawl 23 carries Ialong with it the ratchet I8, which produces a winding up movement whereas, when the swinging lever II is shifted in the opposite direction, the pawl 23 slides over the teeth of the ratchet I8. The operative movement of the swinging lever II is thus performed through the agency of the spring 28 while its return movement is ensured through the spring 29.l When the tensioning of the barrel spring reaches a predetermined value, the movements of the crank may continue, but are no longer transmitted to the swinging lever II; the spring 28 yields then and is compressed between the piston 6 and the bottom 5b of the socket. This arrangement cuts out any excess tensioning of the watch spring and shows, furthermore, the advantage of an exceedingly silent operation.

What I claim is:

In combination with yan automatic winding time piece including a barrel, a spring therein and a winding-up gear therefor, a ratchet wheel adapted to actuate the winding-up gear, a pawl controlling said ratchet wheel, and a swinging lever carrying said pawl: the provision of a rod pivotally. secured to said swinging lever by its first extremity and arranged substantially diametrically with respect to the time piece, a tubular guiding memberor said rod including a closed end through which passes said rod the second extremity of which lies partly in said guiding member, a perforated lug secured to said guiding member at the proximity of its closed end, so that said guiding member extends beyond said lug with respect to the iirst extremity of the rod, a crank controlled by the winding-up means and pivotally secured to said lug through its outer operative end, a piston rigid with the second extremity of the rod and lying inside said guiding member, and a coil-spring lying inside the guiding member too, mounted round the rod and between the piston and the closed end of said tubular guiding member for operatively connecting this latter with said rod, for transmitting the reciprocation of the guiding member to the rod and therethrough to the swinging lever, said spring transmitting the movement through the 4 winding-up gear only until the ratchet wheel has Wound the barrel spring up to a given value.

GEORGES BRIDEVAUX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS