US3116593A

US3116593A - Automatic regulator

Info

Publication number: US3116593A
Application number: US50216A
Authority: US
Inventors: John A Van Horn
Original assignee: Hamilton Watch Co
Current assignee: Hamilton Watch Co
Priority date: 1960-08-17
Filing date: 1960-08-17
Publication date: 1964-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 1981-01-07

Description

Jan. 7, 1964 J, A, VAN HORN 3,116,593

AUTMATIC REGULATOR Filed Aug. 17, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Jan. 7, 1964 J. A. VAN HORN AUTOMATIC REGULATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 17, 1960 INVENTOR John A. 7&11, Hora,

ATTORNEY'` United States Patent O 3,116,593 AUTOMATIC REGULATOR John A. Van Horn, Lancaster, Pa., assigner to Hamilton Watch Company, Lancaster, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug. 17, 1960, Ser. No. 50,216 9 Claims. (Cl. 58--85.5)

This invention relates to ja timepiece with an automatic regulator and more particularly relates to a timepiece so constructed as to automatically accomplish regulation when the hands of the timepiece are set.

Conventional timepieces, such as watches and clocks are ordinarily provided with a regulator which is accessible either from the inside of the case or from the 'haelt of the timepiece so that the timepiece may be regula-ted to keep accurate time. In certain types of timepieces, however, such as automobile clocks, the mounting of the clock makes it difficult to provide a readily ac- Cessible regulator which is not also subject to undesired tampering, such as by children. In solving this ditiiculty, it has been proposed to provide an automatic regulator which is actuated to cause regulation each time that the hands of the clock are set to correct an inaccurate time indication.

In a certain type of regulator of this nature it has been suggested that it is essential to proper automatic regulation that some means be provided to insure that the regulation set into the clock in a specified period of -time is limited to a predetermined maximum and various expedients have been proposed to accomplish this end. As one example, it has been suggested to always vary the regulator by a predetermined fixed amount each time that the hands of the clock are set. Such a regulator is shown in Rabinow Patent No. 2,542,430. According to another suggestion of the same inventor (Rabinotw Patent No. 2,858,029) it has been proposed to utilize limit means for limiting the magnitude of change of adjustment for a change in indication within a predetermined period of time to insure that at no time will the change in regulator adjustment exceed this predetermined amount. In conjunction w-i-th such limit means this same inventor provides a regulator lock-out so that it is impossible to re-regulate during the predetermined period of time.

As opposed to this prior concept of a limitation on the maximum regulation which may be injected into a clock in a predetermined period of time, the present inventor has proposed in copending application Serial No. 30,182, tiled May 19, 1960, a system which provides for regulation as a non-linear function of clock setting. That is to say, there is no limitation on the amount of regulation which can be injected in a given setting or in a predetermined period of time but the regulation occurs at a non-uniform rate so that regula-t-ion is effected at a high rate only during initial movement of the setting stem and then is eiiected at a much lower rate or at la zero rate until the setting stem has been twisted a certain predetermined amount. At this time, regulation again occurs at the high rate and the sequence may be indefinitely repeated.

With such a 4system it is possible for a jeweler or clock repair man to inject a large amount of regulation from the front of the clock without tampering with the regulating mechanism itself. As a `second advantage it is possible to correct a regulation in the wrong direction which has been injected by inadvertently moving the clock hands in the wrong direction.

In the device disclosed in the aforementioned copending application regulation is introduced at a iixed rate during the time of its introduction. According to the present invention it has been found that it is possi-ble to utilize a modilied mechanism of the foregoing type in ICC order to permit a greater `freedom in design of the rate of regulation introduction. That is to say, the present invention permits the unit to be designed so that regulation is introduced ei-ther at a uniform rate or at a non-uniform rate or at any selected rate or combination of rates and/ or times of introduction and/ or non-introduction.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved automatic regulator for a time piece.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved automatic regulator for a timepiece wherein there is no limitation on the amount of regulation which can be injected into the timepiece at any given setting of the hands but wherein the rate of movement of the regulator corresponding to a given increment of movement of the setting of the hands is non-uniform.

It is `another object of the invention to provide an automatic regulator for a timepiece wherein the amount of regulation corresponding to a given increment of setting of the hands varies as the hands are se-t.

It is another object of the invent-ion 4to provide an automatic regulator including a low velocity drive between the setting mechanism and the regulating mechanism.

It is another object of the invention to provide an automatic regulator including a low velocity drive between the setting mechanism and the regulating mechanism wherein the ratio of movement between the driving and driven elements is easily controllable.

n These and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the following specification and claims and appended drawings, wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective view showing an automatic regulator constructed according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a portion of the automatic regulator of FIGURE 1;

`FIGURE 3 is a vertical elevation, partly in section, of portion of the automatic regulator of FIGURES l and FIGURE 4 is la diagrammatic showing of another embodiment of clam which may be utilized in the regulator of FIGURES l through 3;

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic showing of still another embodiment of cam which may be used with the regulator of FIGURES l through 3;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical elevation of a portion of an automatic regulator constructed according to still another embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 7 is a horizontal section taken along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a time piece having an hour wheel 10 meshing with a minute pinion 14 and driving an hour hand 12. The minute pinion 14 is secured by shaft 16 to the conventional minute wheel 18 and this is adapted to be driven by a setting pinion 20. Setting pinion 20 is attached to a setting statt" 22 adapted to be rotated by a setting knob 24. The position of the setting staff 22 and setting pinion 20 is established by a bent leaf spring 26 having one arm 28 secured to a post 30 which is attached to the clock frame in any suitable manner. The settmg staif 22 has a necked-down portion 32 received in a slot 34 at the end of arm 28 of leaf spring 26. The setting staff 22 may be raised upwardly against the biasing force of the leaf spring until the setting pinion 20 engages the minute wheel 18 so that the hands of the clock may be set in a conventional manner.

A double gear comprising an upper gear 36 and lower gear 38 is secured to a shaft 40 journalled in a clock frame in any suitable manner which will permit axial movement of the shaft. The position of the shaft is determined by leaf spring 26 which is shown to have a second arm 42 having an upwardly bent end portion 44 which is slotted and locked in a groove in the shaft 40. The spring 26 determines the position of the two gears in such a manner that in the rest position of the unit the hour wheel pinion normally engages the teeth of the upper gear 36. The lower gear 38 is a full gear while the upper gear 36 has a portion 50 where the teeth are cut away.

The upper surface of the upper gear 36 has mounted thereon a cam plate 51 having a depressed cam track generally indicated at 52 which is in the nature of a spiral. This cam track may be formed on a separate cam plate, as shown, or may be provided in the surface of the gear 36 or in any other suitable manner as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Referring to FIGURE 2, the spiral cam track 52 forms two nearly complete concentric circles 54 and 56 which are joined by a non-radial straight portion 58. The outer end of the outer circle 56 has a further non-radial straight portion 60 attached thereto and this is parallel to the portion 58. The inner end of the inner circle 54 has a similar non-radial straight portion 62 attached thereto.

A toothed wheel 64 rests on the upper surface of the cam plate 51 with one of its teeth 66 disposed in the nonradial straight portion 58, as is best seen in FIGURE 3. The wheel 64 is provided with a relatively large central opening 68 through which a shaft 70 extends in spaced substantially concentric relationship. The shaft 70 is supported by a pair of

bearings

72 and 74 suitably secured to the watch frame and terminates in a worm 76. The worm 76 engages a gear 78 which is adapted to drive the regulator of the clock in order to increase or decrease its running rate. A guide block 80 is provided to hold the toothed wheel 64 in the position shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 through the guiding action of a slot 82 provided therein. The block 86 may be secured to the clock frame in any suitable manner.

In the rest position of the clock and regulator mechanism the tooth 66 of wheel 64 is in engagement with the track in the cam plate 51. Rotation of the gear 36 in a clockwise direction in FIGURE 2 will cause the tooth 66 to be pushed in towards the shaft 40 by the straight track portion 58 until the tooth reaches the inner concentric circle 54. Continued rotation of the gear 36 in a clockwise direction would finally bring the tooth 66 into the track portion 62 whereupon it would be moved still further towards the shaft 40. The teeth on the gear 64 are so disposed relative to the configuration of the spiral cam track 32 that at this time another tooth is in position at the straight cam track portion 58 so that continued rotation of gear 36 in a clockwise direction causes the procedure to be repeated.

Rotation of the gear 36 in a counter clockwise direction causes tooth 66 to be moved away from the shaft 40 by means of the straight track portion 58. The tooth then remains stationary relative to the shaft 40 as it moves through the outer concentric circles 56 until it is driven further away from the shaft 40 by straight track portion 60. As this tooth moves out through straight track portion 60 another tooth is brought into position at straight track portions 58 so that as the gear 36 is continuously rotated in a counter clockwise direction this action is repeated.

It will thus be seen that the rotational movement of the wheel 64 is intermittent. During the times that the wheel does move its motion is controlled by the shape of the straight cam track portion 58 and may be modified by a modiiication of the shape of this section.

The operation of the device is as follows. With the unit in the rest position shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 the hour wheel causes no motion of the double gears 36 and 38 since its teeth move in the cut away portion S0 of the upper gear 36 which is at the same lever as the hour wheel 10. When it is desired to set the clock the setting stem 22 is withdrawn upwardly by knob 24 so that the setting pinion engages the minute wheel 13 to drive the hour wheel 10 to set the hands of the clock.

This motion of the setting stati 22 causes the leaf spring 26 to be elevated to thereby bring the lower gear 38 into registry with the teeth of the hour wheel 10. Rotation of the hour wheel 10 then causes rotation of the

gears

36 and 38.

This same upward motion of the upper gear 36 causes the toothed wheel 64 to move up relative to the shaft 70 in FIGURE 3 until the shaft 70 frictionally engages the hole 68 in wheel 64. As the gear 36 is now rotated the wheel 64 is rotated as previously described and this motion is frictionally transmitted to the shaft 70 which introduces regulation through the worm 76 and gear '73. If desired, the surface of shaft 70 which extends through hole 68 in wheel 64 may be roughened in order to facilitate a driving engagement between the wheel and the shaft. Alternatively the end of the shaft may be provided with a rubber sleeve for the same purpose.

Referring to FIGURE 4 there is shown an example of a different cam surface for providing a different type of non-linear relationship between the operation of the regulator and the motion of the setting stern. In this figure the upper gear is indicated at 36, the lower gear at 33 and the cut away portion of the upper gear at 50. The shaft upon which the gears are mounted is shown at 40 as in the preceding embodiment. A cam track generally indicated at 86 in a cam plate 87 is comprised of an inner circular track portion 88 terminating in a nonradial portion 90 and connected to a straight chordal portion 92. The other side of the chordal portion is connected to a segment 94 of the same diameter as the circular portion 83 and this portion is connected to a nonradial portion 96. The portion 96 is connected to a second circular portion 98 which is concentric with the circular portion 88 and which terminates in a second chordal portion 100.

With a cam arrangement of this type the wheel 64 of FIGURE 3 is arranged so that in the rest position the tooth 66 lies in the center of the short track portion 94. As the setting stem is rotated to set the clock forward or back no regulation is injected for small settings of the size likely to be required by a clock already well regulated.

For rotations beyond this amount regulation is introduced in the following manner. If rotation of the double gear is in a counter clockwise direction, the tooth 66 is caused to move away from the shaft 40 by means of the straight track portion 96. If rotation of the double gear is in a clockwise direction the tooth 66 is caused to move toward the shaft 40 by means of the straight track or chordal portion 92. Continuous rotation of the double gears causes a repetition of this action in the manner described in connection with the preceding embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGURE 5 there is shown an arrangement of a cam track which would permit regulation for changes in setting of less than an hour or more than an hour but which would prevent regulation for changes in setting for exactly an hour, such as occur during changes in time Zone. A double gear 36-38 carries a cam plate 101 having a cam track indicated generally at 102. This track consists of a non-radial end 104, circular portion 106, V portion 108, circular portion 109, non-radial portion 110, circular portion 112, V portion 114, circular portion 116, and non-radial portion 118. V portion 108 has at the inside thereof a further V track 120 while V portion 114 has at the outside thereof a further V track 122. The tooth 66 is centered at the point 117 in the non-radial track portion in the rest position of the unit. Points 117, 119 and 121 are arranged at equal radial distances from shaft 40.

If 4the hands of the clock are set an amount in excess of the back-lash between the tooth 66 and cam track 110 regulation occurs for a limited period of time followed by no regulation for further rotation of the setting stern. In the particular unit shown, the gearing is so arranged that the double gear makes one complete rotation for a four hour setting of the hands of the clock. Thus, if the hands of the clock are set for one hour the double gears rotate 90 to bring the tooth 66 into engagement with either the V section 114 or V section 108 at points 121 or 119 depending upon the direction of rotation of the setting stem. If the setting stem is rotated in a direction to drive the double gears counter clockwise, the tooth 66 is moved away from the shaft 40 by the non-radial track section 110 to inject regulation into the clock. If the setting is continued for a 90 rotation of the double gears, however, the tooth 66 enters the V track section 114 whereupon it is driven toward the shaft 40 to erase the regulation previously injected. Still further rotation of the setting stem in the same direction will cause reinjection of the regulation which was initially inserted. Still further rotation of the setting stem in the same direction causes no additional regulation for the next three 4hours of setting but then causes a repetition of the entire procedure.

While the foregoing embodiments of the invention have utilized a cam track in a cam plate on the upper gear of the double gear, it is also contemplated that other types of cam or drive arrangements may be utilized and one such arrangement is shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. Referring to FIGURES 6 and 7 there is shown a modification of an automatic regulator according to the invention wherein the double gears 36 and 38 are provided as in the preceding embodiments on a shaft 40 which is free to move up and down under the inliuence of the motion of the setting stem as in the embodiment shown in FIG- URE 1. The shaft 7l) is also provided in the same relative position as it is found in FIGURES 1 and 2 but in this embodiment of this invention there is provided a different drive arrangement between the

double gears

36 and 38 and the shaft 70.

Mounted on the shaft 40 in a wheel carrier 124 which is secured in position between a pair of collars 126 and 12S. That is to say, the carrier 124 is provided with an extension 130 rotatively received on shaft 40 between collars 126 and 128 which are locked to the shaft. The wheel carrier has a pair of spaced

upstanding plates

132 and 134 which are parallel and receive therebetween the toothed Wheel 136. Wheel 136 is provided with a pair of

cylindrical extensions

138 and 140 protruding from the opposite sides thereof and these are received in openings 142 in the plates 134 of the carrier 124 to provide a rotatable mounting for the wheel 136. The center of the wheel 136 is provided with a large opening 144 which receives the end of the shaft 70 in spaced relation as in the preceding embodiment. A finger 146 extends from the side of the carrier 124 and is received within a slot 14S in a guide block 150 suitably secured to the frame of the clock in order to prevent rotational movement of the carrier 124 as the shaft 40 is rotated.

The end 152 of shaft 40 is provided with a suitable spiral cam ridge 154 much in the form of a worm gear but shaped to create the same motion in the Wheel 136 as was created by the cam arrangement of the preceding embodiments of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG- URES 6 and 7 upward motion of the setting stem 22 causes upward motion of the

gears

36 and 38 thereby carrying the wheel carrier 124 upwardly in FIGURE 6 and causing the shaft 70 to engage the hole 144 in the wheel 136. Rotation of the shaft 40 thereupon imparts driving motion to the shaft 70 to cause regulation of the clock in a manner determined by the shape of the cam 154 on the shaft 40. As previously pointed out, this motion may be of any desired nature as is determined by the particular shape of the cam utilized.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the automatic regulator of this invention permits the provision of a wide variety of relationships between the regulation introduced and the rotational motion of the setting stem. The particular nature of the cam utilized is not critical so long as the desired functional relationship is obtained, It will be recognized that the disconnectable drive between the toothed wheel and the shaft which drives the regulator is in its broadest aspect a clutch and it is contemplated that other types of clutchesmay be utilized.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a timepiece comprising time measuring means including an hour wheel, time indicating means actuated by said time measuring means, reciprocable means for setting said time indicating means, rate regulating means for regulating the rate of said time measuring means, automatic regulating means actuated by said recprocable setting means for causing adjustment of said regulating means, said automatic regulating means including a pair of superposed gears, a first of said gears being meshed with the hour wheel of said timepiece when said setting means is in an inoperative position, means for moving the second of said gears into mesh with said hour wheel when said setting means is reciprocated to an operative position, cam means asociated with said lirst gear, and a cam follower in engagement with said cam means but disconnected from said rate regulating means, when said setting means is reciprocated to an inoperative position, said rate regumeans associated With said first gear, and a cam follower being mounted in said timepiece to be frictionally connected to said drive shaft of said regulating means when said setting means is reciprocated into operative position whereby actuation of said setting means causes a nonlinear adjustment of said rate regulating means.

2. In a timepiece as set out in claim 1 including said rst gear having a cut-out portion adapted to stop said gear when said cam means is positioned at a predetermined angular position.

3. In a timepiece comprising time measuring means, time indicating means actuated by said time measuring means, reciprocable setting means for setting said time indicating means, rate regulating means for regulating the rate of said time measuring means, automatic regulating means actuated by said reciprocable setting means for causing adjutment of said rate regulating means, said automatic regulating means including a cam means drivingly connected to a cam follower, said cam means being movable upon reciprocation of said setting means to drivingly connect said cam follower to said rate regulating means, said rate regulating means including a drive shaft, said drive shaft is frictionally engageable with said cam follower whereby actuation of said setting means when said setting means is in its operative position causes an intermittent, non-linear adjustment of said rate regulating means.

4. In a timepiece comprising: time measuring means including an hour wheel; time indicating means actuated by said time measuring means; time setting means for setting said time indicating means; rate regulating means for regulating the rate of said time measuring means; a main shaft rotatably mounted in said timepiece; gear means xedly mounted on said main shaft and rotatable therewith; cam means xedly mounted on said main shaft and rotatable therewith; cam follower means engageable with said cam means and rotatably driven thereby; the relation between said cam follower means and said cam means is such that the rotation of said cam follower means is an intermittent, non-linear function of the rotation of said cam means; said gear means comprises rst means which mesh with said hour wheel when said time setting means is in an operative position thereby proportionally rotating with the rotational movement of said hour wheel, and second means which mesh with said hour Wheel when said time setting means is in an inoperative position thereby proportionally rotating with the rotational movement of said hour Wheel; said second means being adapted to be disengaged from said hour wheel when said cam means reaches a predetermined angular position thereby causing said cam means to be predeterminedly positioned between adjustments of said rate regulating means; the rotational movement of said time setting means when in an operative position causes said hour wheel to proportionally rotate; said cam follower means is adapted to frictionally drive said rate regulating means when said setting means is in an operative position; said main shaft is connected in said timepiece so as to axially move in response to axial movement of said time setting means from an inoperative to operative position; the axial movement of said main shaft when said trim setting means is in an operative position causes said cam follower means to frictionally engage said rate regulating means whereby the rotational movement of said cam follower means causes an intermittent, non-linear adjustment of said rate regulating means upon the continuous, uniform adjustment of said time indicating means.

5. A timepiece in accordance with claim 4 wherein: said rst means comprises a first gear; said second means comprises a second gear; ksaid second gear having a cutout por-tion adapted to stop said second gear when said cam means reaches a predetermined angular position.

6. A timepiece in accordance ywith claim 5 wherein: said cam follower means comprises a third gear having teeth thereon engageable with said cam means; said third gear having a central opening adapted to frictionally engage a drive shaft of said rate regulating means; said drive shaft being connected to said rate regulating means whereby the intermittent, non-linear rotational movement of said third gear is coupled to said rate regulating means by said drive shaft.

7. A timepiece in accordance with claim 6 wherein said cam means comprises: a circular cam plate having a cam track formed therein; said cam track having inner and outer substantially concentric circular portions; said inner portion having one end connected to a rst nonradial straight portion; the other end of said inner portion being connected to one end of asecond non-radial Astraight portion; the other end of said second portion being connected to one end of said outer portion; the other end of said outer portion being connected to a third non-radial `straight portion; and said first, second and third portions being parallel.

8. A timepiece in accordance with claim 6 wherein said cam means comprises: a circular cam plate having a cam track forrned therein; said cam track having an inner and outer substantially concentric circular portions; `said inner portion has one end connected to a irst straight non-radial portion; the other end of said inner portion is connected to a second straight non-radial portion; said inner portion has :a straight chordal portion formed therein between said first and second portions; said second portion is connected to one end of said outer portion; and the other end of said outer portion is connected to a third straight non-radial portion.

9. A timepiece in accordance with claim 6 wherein said cam means comprises: ra 4circular cam plate having a cam track formed therein; said cam track having an inner and outer substantially concentric circular por-tions; said inner portion has one end thereof connected to a first straight non-radial portion; the other end of said inner portion is connected to one end of a second straight non-radial portion; the other end of said second portion is connected to one end of said outer portion; the other end of said outer portion is connected to one end of a third straight non-radial portion; said inner portion has a first V-shaped portion formed therein between said first and second portions; and said outer portion has a second V-shaped portion formed therein between said second and third portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,601,710 Andersson c Oct. 5, 1926 UNITED STATES PATENT oEEICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 116,593 January 7, 1964 John A. Van Horn It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 7l, for "lever" read level column 6, line 36, for "means associated with said first gear, and a cam follower" read lating means including la drive shaft, v said cam follower column 7, line 21, for "t'rim read time column 8, line 5, for "asecond" read a second Signed and sealed this 14th day of July 1964,

(SEAL) Attest:

EsToN G. JOHNSON EDWARD J. 'BRENNER Attestng Officer Commissioner of Patents UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ClllTIlICA'lEv 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 116,593 January 7, 1964 John A. Van Horn It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 7l, for "lever" read level column 6, line 36, for "means associated with said first gear, and a cam follower" -read lating -means including `a drive-shaft, said cam follower column 7, line 2l, for "trim" read time column 8, line 5, for "-asecond" read a second Signed and sealed this 14th day Of July 1964.

(SEAL) Attest:

ESTON G. JOHNSON EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims

1. IN A TIMEPIECE COMPRISING TIME MEASURING MEANS INCLUDING AN HOUR WHEEL, TIME INDICATING MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID TIME MEASURING MEANS, RECIPROCABLE MEANS FOR SETTING SAID TIME INDICATING MEANS, RATE REGULATING MEANS FOR REGULATING THE RATE OF SAID TIME MEASURING MEANS, AUTOMATIC REGULATING MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID RECIPROCABLE SETTING MEANS FOR CAUSING ADJUSTMENT OF SAID REGULATING MEANS, SAID AUTOMATIC REGULATING MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF SUPERPOSED GEARS, A FIRST OF SAID GEARS BEING MESHED WITH THE HOUR WHEEL OF SAID TIMEPIECE WHEN SAID SETTING MEANS IS IN AN INOPERATIVE POSITION, MEANS FOR MOVING THE SECOND OF SAID GEARS INTO MESH WITH SAID HOUR WHEEL WHEN SAID SETTING MEANS IS RECIPROCATED TO AN OPERATIVE POSITION, CAM MEANS ASOCIATED WITH SAID FIRST GEAR, AND A CAM FOLLOWER IS ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CAM MEANS BUT DISCONNECTED FROM SAID RATE REGULATING MEANS, WHEN SAID SETTING MEANS IS RECIPROCATED TO AN INOPERATIVE POSITION, SAID RATE REGUMEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID FIRST GEAR, AND A CAM FOLLOWER BEING MOUNTED IN SAID TIMEPIECE TO BE FRICTIONALLY CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT FO SAID REGULATING MEANS WHEN SAID SETTING MEANS IS RECIPROCATED INTO OPERATIVE POSITION WHEREBY ACTUATION OF SAID SETTING MEANS CAUSES A NONLINEAR ADJUSTMENT OF SAID RATE REGULATING MEANS.