US3702056A - World timepiece - Google Patents

Abstract

A timepiece for showing the time in different time zones which comprises a dial with a plurality of apertures which has under it a disc having the numbers or hours of the different time zones arranged at positions along a circle corresponding to the positions of the said apertures and suitable operating elements to rotate said disc by one step corresponding to 1 hour of the rotation of the minute hand.

Description

"United states Pate 'Zolietal." I I p [is] 3,702,056 9 1451 Nov.'7 1972.

[54] WORLD TIMEPIECE inventors: ArmandolZolifLuigi Zoli; Giuseppe V Fini, all of via della 'Foscherara, 29

, Bologna, Italy Filed: March 5, 1971 Appl. No.: 121,290

Foreign A rplica ltion Priority Data March 9, 1970 f Italy..."... ..-....33 61 A170 Field of Search... ..5s/42.s,43, 44,58

' References Cited v UNITED" STATES PATENTS t 1 2,056,038 9/1936 De Angelisetal. ..5s/43 Us-Cl. ..-.';.-s8/43 Int. Cl. .0041; 19/33 12,456,12212/1948 Guilden, ..5s/43 2,128,970 9/1938 ,Smyser etal. ..58/43 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Edith C. Simmons Jackmon Attorney-Guido Modiano and Albert Josif 2 ABSTRACT A timepiece for showing the time in different time zones which comprises a dial with a plurality of apertures which has under it a disc having the numbers or hours of the different time zones arranged at positions along a circle correspondingto the positions of the said apertures and suitable operating elements to rotate said disc by one step corresponding to 1 hour of the rotationof the minute hand.

. 1 cum, 2 Drawing Figures 4/ 1 964 Switzerland ..58/42.5

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, WORLD TIMEPIECE BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION 'The present invention relates to a world timepiece or, in particular for indicating thetime in difi'erent time zones. v

At present inltalyf watches cal led meridian? are known and conceived for telling the timein regions situated in different time zones. These watches. comprise a dial orjlface on which the minute hand rotates, while the time .corresponding to the different time .zones appears 'onthe dial through aperturesor boxes provided onsaid dial and marked'with the number of the time zones and/or with names of cities. The .hour

numbers are arranged on a disc which is under the dial" and which rotates one pace or step every hour. To

know for examplethe local time, the minutes on the disc indicated by'the relative hand, are read, while the hour-isifound in the box corresponding to the'time zone.

I With said watches the looking .for the time is I nevertheless not very practical, because it forces the observer-to resolve by memory, the observation of the positioning of the minute hand on the dial by the readpears on the box of the disc. I

1 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention consists in the conceiving of a watch which also allowsthe showing of the time zones, and permits a reading of the whole similar to that of conventional types.

' ing of the number corresponding to the time which aptions of the wheels 3,5 are in a ratio of 12 1 or 24 l to each other depending upon the type of watch either,

partial, that is with 12 hours on the dia l, or global, with 13', provided along a circle on the dial 7 and marked This object is achieved by a world timepiece com- 7 prising a dial provided with a plurality of apertures arranged along a circle, a disc having numbers corresponding to the time zones, arranged along a circle with latitude degrees or with names of cities. In order to allow a perfect alignment of the time zones with the apertures 13, the disc 12 can be moved with respect to the wheel by means of friction on the shoulder 1 1.

The teeth 14 of the wheel 10 are saw-toothed shaped and the number of teeth is equal to that of the, hours marked on the disc 12, that is 12 or 24.

With the wheel 10, an arm 15, co operates ,mounted on a pin 16 and operated by a toothed wheel 17 which receives motion'from the reduction gear 4. The toothed .wheel 17- is of dimensions equal to that of the wheel 3 so that the arm rotates synchronously with the minutehand 8 and with each rotation, it makes the toothed wheel 10 and therefore the disc 12, advance one step in an anticlockwise direction. v r 1 To maintain the toothed wheel 10 in position, a pawl 18, is provided, pivoted at 19 and underthe action of a spring 20 fixed by a screw 21 to the watch case or more precisely to the so-said round plate. Said pawl 18 is shaped in a way to be able to impart a jerk to the'disc 12 when the point of thetooth 14 has surpassed the crest 22 of the pawl. It is thus'possible to shorten the time during which the number of the disc 12 stays parunder said apertures, which is characterized by the fact that it further comprises a toothed wheel rigid to said disc. and connected with the operating element of the watch in a way toadvance a step in the anticlockwise direction,corresponding to 1 hour of every rotation of the minute hand and elements for the resilient retaining of said toothed wheel at the end of each step. I v v BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT i The watch in object comprises a'central pin 1 on which a brush 2, is superimposed by pressure, and provided with a toothed wheel 3. Said toothed wheel 3,.

which receives through the pin 1 motion from the motor elements of the watch (not illustrated because they are of conventional type), is in engagement through a reduction gear 4 with a toothed wheel 5 rigid to a bush 6 coaxial to the bush 2. The number of rotatially covered by the interspaces between the apertures 13. I The operating of the invention is easily realizable.

'With each rotation of the minute hand 8, there also corresponds a rotation of the arm 15, and therefore of k the wheel 10, which will make the disc 12 advance one step in an anticlockwise direction. While, then, the local time can be learned by reading the position of the hands 8, 9, aslin conventional watches, thatof the other time zones is read on the corresponding aperture 13. For example if in New York the local time is 7 in the morning, at Los Angeles it is 4 in the morning. i

If it is desired to synchronize the hand 9 to the time on the Chicago time zone (that is carrying it from the hour 7 to the hour 6 as in FIG. 1). The winder is operated in the direction in which the arm 15 engages,

.not the front, but the back of the teeth 14. There thus takes place a movement of the wheel 10 in a clockwise direction, which nevertheless, as soon as the end of the arm 15 has surpassed the crest of the tooth 14, returns to its departing position by the effect of the pawl 18. in 9 hands independent from that of the disc of the time t zones The invention is susceptible to numerous'modifica tions and changes all falling within the inventive concept. When it is desired to select the morning times provided. Naturally it is also possible to use a disc on which all the 24 time zones are provided, while instead the dial of the watch is provided with 12 dictions. In this case the transmission ratio of the toothed wheel 17 and the number of teeth of the toothed wheel will be changed.

We claimz from the afternoon times, the use of a bicolored disc is 1. A timepiece comprising a dial provided with a plu- 'rality of apertures arranged along a circle, a disc having numbers corresponding to the time zones, arranged along a circle under said apertures, a toothed wheel rigid to saiddiscand connected with the operating elements of the" time piece in a way to advance a step in the anticlockwisedirection; corresponding to 1 hour of berance.

every rotation of the minutehand and elements for the resilient retaining of said toothed wheel at the end of I elements comprise a pawl pivoted at one end and urged with one side against said toothed wheel by resilient means, a crest protuberance beingforrned at said side in order to impart a jerk to said wheel when the point of each tooth of said wheel has surpassed said crest protu-

Claims (1)

1. A timepiece comprising a dial provided with a plurality of apertures arranged along a circle, a disc having numbers corresponding to the time zones, arranged along a circle under said apertures, a toothed wheel rigid to said disc and connected with the operating elements of the time piece in a way to advance a step in the anticlockwise direction, corresponding to 1 hour of every rotation of the minute hand and elements for the resilient retaining of said toothed wheel at the end of each step; wherein, according to the improvement, said toothed wheel rigid to the time zones disc has saw-toothed shaped teeth on the front of the which an arm is engaged connected to a toothed wheel pulled by the gearing which couples the motion of the minute hand with that of the hour hand and wherein said retaining elements comprise a pawl pivoted at one end and urged with one side against said toothed wheel by resilient means, a crest protuberance being formed at said side in order to impart a jerk to said wheel when the point of each tooth of said wheel has surpassed said crest protuberance.

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