US3056253A - Electrically operated oscillatory system for timepieces - Google Patents

Electrically operated oscillatory system for timepieces Download PDF

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Publication number
US3056253A
US3056253A US112994A US11299461A US3056253A US 3056253 A US3056253 A US 3056253A US 112994 A US112994 A US 112994A US 11299461 A US11299461 A US 11299461A US 3056253 A US3056253 A US 3056253A
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Prior art keywords
timepieces
oscillatory system
electrically operated
plate
magnet
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Expired - Lifetime
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US112994A
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Beyner Andre
Meister Rene
Hug Andre
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Ebauches SA
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Ebauches SA
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C3/00—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means
    • G04C3/04—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means wherein movement is regulated by a balance
    • G04C3/06—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means wherein movement is regulated by a balance using electromagnetic coupling between electric power source and balance

Definitions

  • This oscillatory system is characterized in that it comprises a circular plate made of ferro-magnetic material, carried by the shaft on which the said system oscillates, and an annular mount constituting a fixing frame, and made of non-magnetic material, to which the said plate is fixed, the said mount comprising two internal lugs which are diametrally opposite one another and to which a permanent magnet and a balancing counter-weight are fixed respectively, the said magnet being in contact with the said plate.
  • FIGURE 1 is an axial sectional view of an oscillatory system for a timepiece
  • FIGURE 2 is a sectional view thereof taken on the line 11-11 of FIGURE 1.
  • the oscillatory system illustrated comprises a shaft 1 rotating between two bearings 2 carried by the frame of the timepiece movement.
  • This shaft carries two co-axial circular plates 3 and 4 made of ferro-magnetic material and spaced apart from one another 'by a spacer element 5 which is also made of ferro-magnetic material and is force-fitted on to the shaft. These plates are crimped to the spacer element.
  • the plate 3 carries a permanent magnet 6 and a balancing counter-weight 7.
  • This magnet and this counterweight are fixed to a common mount constituted by a ring or fixing frame 8 made of non-magnetic material such as, for example, nickel silver, and the said ring is forcefitted about the plate 3 but could also be welded electrically.
  • the said ring comprises two inner lugs 80:, which are arranged diametrally opposite one another and in whose housings 9 there are force-fitted the magnet 6 and the counter-weight 7 respectively. The magnet is in contact with the plate 3.
  • the system is provided with a spiral-type return spring 10.
  • the advantages of the present construction reside in the simplicity and the facility with which it permits of adjustment.
  • the system can be balanced by slightly enlarging a central hole 11 provided in the counterweight 7.
  • the adjustment of its moment of inertia is easily obtained by retouching the external diameter of the ring 8. This adjustment thus does not affect the magnetic circuit in any way.
  • the electric elements for maintaining the oscillatory movements of the system have not been shown in the drawings, since they do not form part of the present invention. They comprise fixed coils which are in relative movement with respect to the air gap 12, provided between the magnet 6 and the plate 3, during the oscillations of the system.
  • the magnetic circuit forms a loop situated in a radial zone with respect to the axis of oscillation; it passes through the two plates 3 and 4, through the central spacer element 5, and is closed at the air gap 12.
  • this system is astatic, and that it is not influenced by the vicinity of ferromagnetic parts, since the magnetic losses exhibit a circular symmetry.
  • the disturbing torques thus do not depend on the amplitude, but produce a constant braking torque independent of the amplitude of the oscillations.
  • an oscillatory system for timepieces the oscillations of which are maintained electrically, a shaft on which the said system oscillates, a circular plate made of ferromagnetic material which is carried by the said shaft, an annular mount forming a fixing frame and consisting of non-magnetic material, to which the said plate is fixed, the said mount comprising two inner lugs which are situated diametrally opposite one another, a permanent magnet, extending parallely to the said shaft, in contact with the said plate, a balancing counter-weight, said magnet and said counter-weight being fixed respectively to the said lugs, and a second circular plate coaxial with the first plate, carried by the said shaft, also made of ferro-magnetic material, said second plate being situated at a certain distance from the end of the said magnet.

Description

Oct. 2, 1962 A. BEYNER ETAL 3,056,253
ELECTRICALLY OPERATED OSCILLATORY SYSTEM FOR TIMEPIECES Filed y 26, 1961 JAM/[mom ANDRE/ 5mm ANDRE HU6 RENE MEISTER BY AGENTJ United States Patent O 3,056,253 ELECTRICALLY OPERATED OSCILLATORY SYSTEM FOR TIMEPIECES Andr Beyner, Neuchatel, Ren Meister, Bienne, and Andr Hug, Neuchatel, Switzerland, assignors to Ebauches S.A., Neuchatel, Switzerland, a Swiss firm Filed May 26, 1961, Ser. No. 112,994 Claims priority, application Switzerland June 10, 1960 1 Claim. (Cl. 58-28) The present invention relates to an oscillatory system for timepieces, whose oscillations are maintained electrically.
This oscillatory system is characterized in that it comprises a circular plate made of ferro-magnetic material, carried by the shaft on which the said system oscillates, and an annular mount constituting a fixing frame, and made of non-magnetic material, to which the said plate is fixed, the said mount comprising two internal lugs which are diametrally opposite one another and to which a permanent magnet and a balancing counter-weight are fixed respectively, the said magnet being in contact with the said plate.
The drawings show by way of example one form of embodiment of the subject of the invention.
FIGURE 1 is an axial sectional view of an oscillatory system for a timepiece, and
FIGURE 2 is a sectional view thereof taken on the line 11-11 of FIGURE 1.
The oscillatory system illustrated comprises a shaft 1 rotating between two bearings 2 carried by the frame of the timepiece movement. This shaft carries two co-axial circular plates 3 and 4 made of ferro-magnetic material and spaced apart from one another 'by a spacer element 5 which is also made of ferro-magnetic material and is force-fitted on to the shaft. These plates are crimped to the spacer element.
The plate 3 carries a permanent magnet 6 and a balancing counter-weight 7. This magnet and this counterweight are fixed to a common mount constituted by a ring or fixing frame 8 made of non-magnetic material such as, for example, nickel silver, and the said ring is forcefitted about the plate 3 but could also be welded electrically. The said ring comprises two inner lugs 80:, which are arranged diametrally opposite one another and in whose housings 9 there are force-fitted the magnet 6 and the counter-weight 7 respectively. The magnet is in contact with the plate 3.
The system is provided with a spiral-type return spring 10.
The advantages of the present construction reside in the simplicity and the facility with which it permits of adjustment. Thus, the system can be balanced by slightly enlarging a central hole 11 provided in the counterweight 7. The adjustment of its moment of inertia is easily obtained by retouching the external diameter of the ring 8. This adjustment thus does not affect the magnetic circuit in any way.
The electric elements for maintaining the oscillatory movements of the system have not been shown in the drawings, since they do not form part of the present invention. They comprise fixed coils which are in relative movement with respect to the air gap 12, provided between the magnet 6 and the plate 3, during the oscillations of the system. The magnetic circuit forms a loop situated in a radial zone with respect to the axis of oscillation; it passes through the two plates 3 and 4, through the central spacer element 5, and is closed at the air gap 12.
It should be noted that this system is astatic, and that it is not influenced by the vicinity of ferromagnetic parts, since the magnetic losses exhibit a circular symmetry. The disturbing torques thus do not depend on the amplitude, but produce a constant braking torque independent of the amplitude of the oscillations.
What we claim is:
'In an oscillatory system for timepieces, the oscillations of which are maintained electrically, a shaft on which the said system oscillates, a circular plate made of ferromagnetic material which is carried by the said shaft, an annular mount forming a fixing frame and consisting of non-magnetic material, to which the said plate is fixed, the said mount comprising two inner lugs which are situated diametrally opposite one another, a permanent magnet, extending parallely to the said shaft, in contact with the said plate, a balancing counter-weight, said magnet and said counter-weight being fixed respectively to the said lugs, and a second circular plate coaxial with the first plate, carried by the said shaft, also made of ferro-magnetic material, said second plate being situated at a certain distance from the end of the said magnet.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,800,763 Ensign et a1 July 30, 1957 2,986,683 Lanet et al. May 30, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,074,506 Germany Ian. 28, 1960
US112994A 1960-06-10 1961-05-26 Electrically operated oscillatory system for timepieces Expired - Lifetime US3056253A (en)

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3161012A (en) * 1962-08-22 1964-12-15 Ebauches Sa Driving balance-wheel for an electrical timepiece
US3670492A (en) * 1969-05-28 1972-06-20 Citizen Watch Co Ltd Balance wheel assembly
US3893288A (en) * 1973-01-20 1975-07-08 Bifora Uhren Balance of watches and method of its manufacture
US20110248590A1 (en) * 2008-08-06 2011-10-13 Titus Larry D Rotary motor

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2800763A (en) * 1953-08-04 1957-07-30 Elgin Nat Watch Co Power take-off device with staggered ratchets
DE1074506B (en) * 1960-01-28 Ebauches S A Neuchatcl (Schweiz) Vcrtr Dr Ing H Dabrmghaus Pat Anw Dusseldorf 1 Contactless drive and control system in the form of a time-keeping electrical device, in particular an electrical clock
US2986683A (en) * 1956-07-26 1961-05-30 Hatot Leon Ets Driving balance-wheels more particularly applicable to timing instruments

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1074506B (en) * 1960-01-28 Ebauches S A Neuchatcl (Schweiz) Vcrtr Dr Ing H Dabrmghaus Pat Anw Dusseldorf 1 Contactless drive and control system in the form of a time-keeping electrical device, in particular an electrical clock
US2800763A (en) * 1953-08-04 1957-07-30 Elgin Nat Watch Co Power take-off device with staggered ratchets
US2986683A (en) * 1956-07-26 1961-05-30 Hatot Leon Ets Driving balance-wheels more particularly applicable to timing instruments

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3161012A (en) * 1962-08-22 1964-12-15 Ebauches Sa Driving balance-wheel for an electrical timepiece
US3670492A (en) * 1969-05-28 1972-06-20 Citizen Watch Co Ltd Balance wheel assembly
US3893288A (en) * 1973-01-20 1975-07-08 Bifora Uhren Balance of watches and method of its manufacture
US20110248590A1 (en) * 2008-08-06 2011-10-13 Titus Larry D Rotary motor
US8368269B2 (en) * 2008-08-06 2013-02-05 Larry Titus Clean Energy Technologies, Inc. Rotary motor

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