US3026708A

US3026708A - Microphone for apparatus to check the rate of timepieces

Info

Publication number: US3026708A
Application number: US750237A
Authority: US
Inventors: Marti Frederic; Braunschweig Georges; Schaad Jean
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-08-13
Filing date: 1958-07-22
Publication date: 1962-03-27
Anticipated expiration: 1979-03-27

Description

March 27, 1962 F. MART! ETAL 3,026,708

MICROPHONE FOR APPARATUS TO CHECK THE RATE OF TIMEPIECES Filed July 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 78 5 15 9b Q .90 9b: 7 8 8 A 6 INVENTORS Fre'cle'ric Marpb' geolyes .Bramsckum'y 1km Schaad Y M,W

ATTORNEYS MICROPHONE FOR APPARATUS TO CHECK THE RATE OF TIMEPIECES Filed July 22, 1958 March 27, 1962 F. MART] ETAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WYW 5 $2 A 2 m Mmm m M w n HWBJY a 5 6 W G iJ-nited States Patent 3,026,708 MTQROPHONE FOR APPARATUS TO CHECK THE RATE OF TIMEPIECES Frederic Marti, Georges Braunschweig, and Jean Schaad,

aii of 165 Rue Numa-Droz, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland Filed July 22, 1958, Ser. No. 750,237 Claims priority, application Switzerland Aug. 13, 1957 1 Claim. (Cl. 73-6) This invention relates to improvements in the construction of microphones for apparatus to check the rate of timepieces or timepiece movements.

One object of the invention is to provide a microphone of this character comprising a support, a case enclosing a piezoelectric device and a sliding clamping member adapted to co-operate with a fixed clamping member for removably securing a timepiece to be checked on the observation surface of said case.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sliding arrangement whereby the sliding clamping member will be adapted to slide substantially over the whole length of the observation surface of the microphone case.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved sliding arrangement in which the sliding clamping member is mounted on a spring loaded slide which is guided in two side guides extending longitudinally to a rectangular microphone case on both sides of the piezoelectric device enclosed therein.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings represent, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section of the microphone.

FIGURE 2' is a cross section on line 11-11 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the microphone case, in which some parts have been removed or broken to show the sliding arrangement.

FIGURE 4 is a partial cross section on line IV-IV of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a partial cross section on line V-V of FIGURE 1.

The microphone represented comprises a support 1 composed of a horse-shoe shaped base 1a, an upright 1b made integral with the base 1a, and a hollow horizontal supporting arm 2 fixed to the upright 1b and designed for the passage of a flexible cable 3 to connect electrically a piezoelectric device 4 enclosed in a rectangular case 5 to an apparatus, not shown, to check the rate of timepiece mpvements.

On a reduced diameter extension 2a of the hollow horizontal supporting arm 2 is rotatably mounted an arm 6 carrying a fixed hollow shaft 7 extending perpendicularly to the axis of arm 6. On said shaft 7 is pivoted by means of side flanges 8, the lower piece 9a of a metallic frame which forms the bottom and the body of case 5. Said metallic frame comprises also an upper piece 9b which forms the cover of the case 5. The upper surface of this cover 9b is the observation surface of the microphone.

The two

pieces

9a and 9b are removably secured to each other by means of screws (not shown). The lower piece 9a is formed at its front portion, opposite to the supporting arm 2, with a rectangular recess 10 within which is lodged the piezoelectric device 4. This recess 10 is closed by a cover 11 which extends above the upper surface of the lower piece 9a; the latter is formed in prolongation of the cover 11 up to its back end with a wide longitudinal rib 9a. Furthermore, the upper piece 9b which forms the cover of the case is provided with two side flanges 9b which form, together with the cover 1 1 pf the recess 10 and the central rib 9a, two side channels 12 designed for guiding the two U-shaped edges of a slide 13; this slide .13 carries a jaw 14 having two

teeth

14a and 14b and a handling finger 14c adapted to slide in a longitudinal slot 15 in the median portion of the piece 9b which forms the observation surface of the microphone. Both channels 12 extend from one end to the other of the rectangular case, whereby it is made possible to shift the sliding jaw 14 almost over the whole length of the case 5 and therefore to fix on the observation surface timepieces in a very large range of sizes.

Two coil springs 16 are lodged in the U-shaped edges of slide 13 and attached at one end to pins secured to the front end of piece 9b and at the other end to the back end of the slide 13, so as to constantly pull the jaw 14 towards the front end of the case. A second jaw 17 is fixed to the bottom of the recess 10' and is provided with two teeth 17a and 17b which extend outwardly through apertures in the

covers

11 and 9b. The cover 9b bears at its back end two fingers 18 designed to facilitate operation with a single hand of the sliding jaw 14 against the action of the coil springs 16.

Through an aperture in one of the side flanges 9b of the upper piece 9b passes a push-button 19 pressed by a spring 20 and designed to lock the sliding jaw 14 in a position remote from the fixed jaw 17; to this end, the push-button 19 engages with a side slot 21 in the U- shaped edge of the slide 13. By so locking the sliding jaw 14 it is made possible to simply lean a timepiece to be checked against the fixed jaw 17 without clamping it between said fixed jaw 17 and sliding jaw 14, thus increasing the possibilities of using the microphone for checking the rate of big sized timepieces.

What is claimed is:

Apparatus for clamping and holding a timepiece to check its rate, said apparatus comprising a support stand, a generally rectangular case adjustably mounted on said stand and enclosing at one end a sound transducer, said case having a track along its length extending from one end to nearly the other end, and leaving an open slot in the top of said case, a mating slide member fitted in said track and having an upstanding clamp portion extending through said slot, said slide member having two bent-over edges on opposite sides, a stationary clamp posi tioned at one end of said track and cooperating with said upstanding clamp to hold a timepiece against said case, said stationary clamp extending freely through the top of said case down to said sound transducer, spring means urging said slide member toward said stationary clamp, said spring means comprising a pair of tension springs recessed in the bent-over edges of said slide member, said upstanding clamp comprising a bifurcated bracket fastened to said slide member, said slide member being captive in said track, and finger holding means provided on said case and on said slide member, whereby said 3 member can be manipulated by an operator using one hand and a wide range of timepiece sizes can be accommodated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Starbuck Nov. 7, 1905 4 Thompson Ian. 4, 1927 Franks et a1. May 24, 1949 Mtongelli et a1 Apr. 17, 1951 Mongell-i May 4, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Aug. 16, 1947 Great Britain n-- May 16, 1956