US3762156A

US3762156A - Time-piece

Info

Publication number: US3762156A
Application number: US00323459A
Authority: US
Inventors: C Vuilleumier
Original assignee: IND HORLOGERE MANAGEMENT SERVI
Current assignee: IND HORLOGERE MANAGEMENT SERVI; Soc Pour L Industrie Horlogere Management Services S A ch
Priority date: 1972-01-27
Filing date: 1973-01-15
Publication date: 1973-10-02
Anticipated expiration: 1990-10-02
Also published as: CH123172A4; JPS4887867A; CH579298B5

Abstract

A seconds hand setting mechanism comprising a seconds wheel, a power-driven gear-train for driving the seconds wheel, an axially movable winding stem, a setting lever actuated by the stem, a rocking lever actuated by the setting lever, a click carried by the rocking lever, a ratchet wheel operable by the click and capable of controlling the seconds wheel through a magnetic coupling independently of the gear train to advance or retard a seconds hand carried by the seconds wheel.

Description

United States Patent Vuilleumier 1 Oct. 2, 1973 [5 1 TIME-PIECE 1,244,252 10/1917 Sinbad 58/63 [751 lnventor: Cyril Vuilleumier, B1enne. 66 urnsnnc 58/63 [7ST Assigneez Societe Suisse Pour LIndustrie Horlogere Management Services S.A., Bienne, Switzerland 22 Filed: Jan. 15, 11973 [21] Appl. No.: 323,459

52 U.S. c1. 58/63 [51] G04!) 27/02 [58] Field of Search.; 58/63, 855

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 379,833 4/1888 Terstegen 58/63 1,244,251 10/1917 Sinbad 58/63 Switzerland Primary ExaminerGeorge H. Miller, Jr. Attorney-Watson, Cole, Grindle & Watson [57] ABSTRACT A seconds hand setting mechanism comprising a seconds wheel, a power-driven gear-train for driving the seconds wheel, an axially movable winding stem, a setting lever actuated by the stem, a rocking lever actuated by the setting lever, a click carried by the rocking lever, a ratchet wheel operable by the click and capable of controlling the seconds wheel through a magnetic coupling independently of the gear train to advance or retard a seconds hand carried by the seconds wheel.

7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures TllME-PlECE This invention relates to time-pieces having a seconds hand.

An object of the invention is to provide a time-piece having means whereby the seconds hand can be stopped to correct an advance or be advanced to correct a lag.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the seconds hand control mechanism in one possible form of embodiment of a time-piece according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a partial view, in vertical cross-section, of this particular form of embodiment of the time-piece.

To render the drawings easier to follow, only those parts of the time-piece that are necessary for an understanding of the invention have been shown.

The time-piece, as illustrated-in the drawings, comprises a winding stem 1 on which are mounted, in

1 known manner, a crown wheel 2 and a sliding pinion 3.

The stem actuates a setting lever 4, pivotally mounted at 5, through the intermediary ofa pin 6, carried by the setting lever 4 and engaging in a groove 7 formed in the stem 1. The stem is here so arranged as to be capable of occupying three different axial positions each defined by the engagement of a pin 8, carried by the setting lever 4, in any one of three

notches

9a, 9b and 90 made in a spring member 9. Further, the stem ll may be moved-axially inwards to a fourth, unstable, position located beyond the position where the pin 8 engages the notch 9a; the function of this fourth position willbe explained later on.

When'the stem 1 is in its normal inner position, i.e., when the pin 8 engages in the notch 9a, this being the winding position since the sliding pinion 3 meshes with the winding pinion 2, a beak 4a on the setting lever 4 comes to bear against a stud 10 secured to one end of v a monostable lever 11 rockably mounted on two fixed

pins

12 and 13, extending into

openings

14 and 15, respectively, formed in the setting lever. At the other end of the rockinglever 11 is secured a spring click 16 in tended to cooperate with a ratchet wheel 17 formed, in the present instance, with 60 teeth. The rocking lever 11 is maintained in its stable position, wherethe click spring 16 does not engage with the toothing of the wheel 17, by a spring 18 which bears on the stud 10 on the side opposite that on which the beak 4a of setting lever 4 comes to bear. The openings 14 and in the rocking lever 11 respectively have an elongated shape anda triangular shape to enable the rocking lever 11,. when moving from its stable position to its unstable position, to perform both a translatory motion and an angular motion.

The time-piece moreover comprises a gear-train hav ing a barrel, not shown, a centre or minutes wheel 19, partly shown without its staff, an intermediate wheel 20 with its pinion 21 and its staff 22, a seconds wheel 23 with its pinion 24, and an escapement wheel 25 with its pinion 26 and its staff 26a. The pinion 24 of the seconds wheel 23 is a drilled pinion, freely mounted on aspindle 27. It is held in place axially firstly by a shoulder formed on a hub 28 secured to the lower portion of the spindle 27 and secondly by a thickened portion 27a of the spindle near the upper end of the latter. On the hub 28 is fixed the ratchet'wheel l7 and on the thickened portion 27a is fixed another seconds wheel 29. This other seconds wheel lies over the first seconds wheel and meshes with a third seconds wheel 30, partially shown, whose staff, not shown, is designed to carry :1 seconds hand, not shown.

The two

seconds wheels

23 and 29 are drivingly associated by a non-positive coupling, here a magnetic cou pling consisting of two

permanent magnets

31 and 32, eachhaving sixty pairs of poles and respectively secured to the wheel 23 and to the wheel 29. By nonpositive coupling is meant a coupling which, in the case of a driving wheel and of a driven wheel, enables the driven wheel to slip in relation to the driving wheel, as

i for example when the torque applied to the latter exceeds a given value.

The above-described mechanism for controlling the seconds hand operates as follows:

The various components of the mechanism normally occupy the position shown in full lines in FIG. 1, with the winding stem 1 located in the winding position, i.e., when the pin 8 of the setting lever 4 engages in the notch of spring 9, and with the rocking lever 11 in its stable position, i.e., when the

pins

12 and 13 are in engagement with the edges of the

openings

14 and 15 under the thrust exerted by the spring 18 on the stud 10. The latter, which is secured to the rocking lever 11, contacts the beak 4a of the setting lever 4 and the spring click 16 is clear of the toothing of the ratchet wheel 17. The seconds wheel 23 of the gear train drives the seconds wheel 29 through the intermediary of the magnetic coupling formed by the

magnets

31 and 32, and hence the seconds wheel 30 whose staff carries the seconds hand.

Pressure on the winding button will cause axial inward displacement of the stem 1 from its winding position to the position indicated in phantom lines and hence an angular counter-clockwise displacement of the setting lever 4 to the position indicated in phantom lines. During this displacement of the setting lever 4, its beak 4a, which bears on the stud 10, causes the rocking lever 11 to move against the action of the spring 18 to the illustrated phantom line position. In so doing and by virtue of the shape of the

openings

14 and 15, the rocking lever lll simultaneously performs a translatory movement and an angular movement causing the spring click 16 to engage in the toothing of the ratchet wheel 15 and to cause the latter to turn in an anticlockwise direction by one step, thereby causing the seconds hand to move forward by one second in relation to its normal forward movement, By maintaining the pressure being exerted on the winding button against the action of the spring 18, the spring click 16 is held in engagement with the toothing of the ratchet wheel 17 thereby immobilising the latter and hence the seconds needle. This is made possible by the non positive coupling between the

seconds wheels

29 and 23 which enables the latter to slip in relation to the first and the gear train to continue rotating.

Thus when the seconds hand is slightly fast in relationto a reference source (speaking clock, time signal, etc.), all the watch wearer need do is to apply pressure on the winding button and to maintain this pressure to stop the seconds hand for the required length of time to synchronise it with the reference source. As soon as the winding button is released, all of the parts return to the initial position (indicated in full lines) under the action of the spring 18 and the seconds wheel 29 and hence the wheel 30 and the hand secured to its staff can again be driven by the gear train.

The application of pressure on the winding button causes, as indicated above, the spring click 16 to engage with the toothing of the ratchet wheel 17 and the latter to be moved forward by one step, corresponding to an advance of one second of the seconds hand in relation to its normal forward motion.

Thus, when the seconds hand is slightly lagging, all the watch wearer need then do is rapidly to depress the winding button a number of times to enable the seconds hand to catch up the lag and to be synchronised with the reference source.

In the illustrated and described form of embodiment, the seconds wheel 30 whose staff is designed to carry the seconds hand is a center-wheel. It is driven by the gear train through the intermediary of the wheel 29 which is magnetically coupled to the wheel 23 of the gear-train. The non positive coupling between this center seconds wheel 30 and the gear train thus consists of the magnetic coupling between the gear-train seconds wheel 23 and the intermediate seconds wheel 29. Clearly this intermediate wheel 29 can be dispensed with when the relative position of the gear-train and of the center seconds wheel is such that it enables a magnetic or any other non positive coupling to be fitted between the center seconds wheel and the gear-train secondswheel. In such a case, the ratchet wheel 17 would be secured to the spindle or staff carrying the seconds hand. Further, in the illustrated form of embodiment, which comprises an intermediate seconds hand, the ratchet wheel could be made fast with the staff designed to 'carry the seconds hand, i.e., the staff, not shown, of the wheel 30; in such a case, the means for controlling the ratchet wheel from the winding stem are suitably adapted.

Various other modifications may be made to the above-described mechanism for'controlling the seconds hand, in particular as regards the means for controlling the ratchet wheel. For example, instead of actuating the click off the winding stem, the click could be actuated by another outer control member, such as a push-button for the purpose of advancing or retarding the seconds hand, as required, and to synchronize it with a reference source.

I claim:

l. A time-piece comprising a power driven gear train, a seconds wheel driven by said gear train and having a staff arranged to carry a seconds hand, a non positive coupling between the gear train and said seconds wheel, and a control mechanism for controlling the seconds hand via said seconds wheel and including a ratchet wheel drivingly associated with said seconds wheel, a click arranged to cooperate with the ratchet wheel and externally operable click actuating means for causing the click to move the seconds hand clock wise, via the ratchet wheel and the seconds wheel, by a step additional to its normal motion, whereby at least one rapid operation of said means will cause the seconds hand to move forward faster than its normal movement and a single prolonged operation of said means will cause the seconds hand to be held up and retarded.

2. A time-piece according to claim 1, wherein said click-actuating means comprise a control member located externally of the time-piece and arranged for displacement between a stable position and'an unstable position, a monostable rocking lever carrying said click, an elastic element acting on the rocking lever to maintain the rocking lever in its stable position, corresponding to the disengaged position of the click from the ratchet wheel, said rocking lever being operatively connected to said control member whereby, upon the control member being displaced from said stable position thereof to said unstable position thereof, the rocking lever is moved against the action of the elastic element from its stable position to its unstable position, and guide means associated with the rocking lever to cause the rocking lever to carry out during such movement thereof both a translatory motion to enable the click to engage with the ratchet wheel and an angular motion to enable the click to move the ratchet wheel forward one step.

3. A time-piece according to claim 1, wherein the non positive coupling is a magnetic coupling.

4. A time-piece according to claim 1, wherein said ratchet wheel acts directly on said seconds wheel.

5. A time-piece according to claim 1, wherein said click-actuating means comprise a winding stem axially movable between a stable, winding, position and an inner unstable position, a setting lever actuated by the winding stem, a monostable rocking lever actuatable by said setting lever and carrying said click, an elastic element acting on the rocking lever to maintain the rocking lever'in its stable position, corresponding to the disengaged position of the click from the ratchet wheel and to said stable, winding, position of the stem, and guide means associated with the rocking lever to cause the rocking lever to carry out while being moved from its stable position to its unstable position both a translatory motion to enable the click to engage with the ratchet wheel and an angular motion to enable the click to move the ratchet wheel forward one step.

6. A time-piece according to claim 1, comprising an intermediate seconds wheel drivingly connected with said first-mentioned seconds wheel and a further seconds wheel in said gear-train and wherein said non positive coupling is disposed between said intermediate seconds wheel and said further seconds wheel.

7. A time-piece according to claim 4, wherein said ratchet wheel is fixed to said intermediate seconds wheel.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,762,156 DATED October 2, 1973 INVENTOR(S) Cyril Vuilleumier It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the first page of the patent, in the left-hand column after the application number insert Foreign Application Priority Data January 27, 1972 Switzerland 0.0. 1231/72o Signed and Scaled this I Twen -sixth a 0 [SEAL] y D y f October 1976 A nest:

RUTH C. MASON Commissioner ofPatents and Trademarks UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3 762 156 DATED October 2, 1973 INVENIOR S Cyril Vuilleumier It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the first page of the patent, in the left-hand column after the application number insert Foreign Application Priority Data January 27, 1972 Switzerland 0.0.. 1231/72,

Signed and Scaled this Twenty-sixth Day of October 1976 [SEAL] A nest:

RUTH C. MASON Commissioner oj'Palenls and Trademarks

Claims

1. A time-piece comprising a power driven gear train, a seconds wheel driven by said gear train and having a staff arranged to carry a seconds hand, a non positive coupling between the gear train and said seconds wheel, and a control mechanism for controlling the seconds hand via said seconds wheel and including a ratchet wheel drivingly associated with said seconds wheel, a click arranged to cooperate with the ratchet wheel and externally operable click actuating means for causing the click to move the seconds hand clockwise, via the ratchet wheel and the seconds wheel, by a step additional to its normal motion, whereby at least one rapid operation of said means will cause the seconds hand to move forward faster than its normal movement and a single prolonged operation of said means will cause the seconds hand to be held up and retarded.

2. A time-piece according to claim 1, wherein said click-actuating means comprise a control member located externally of the time-piece and arranged for displacement between a stable position and an unstable position, a monostable rocking lever carrying said click, an elastic element acting on the rocking lever to maintain the rocking lever in its stable position, corresponding to the disengaged position of the click from the ratchet wheel, said rocking lever being operatively connected to said control member whereby, upon the control member being displaced from said stable position thereof to said unstable position thereof, the rocking lever is moved against the action of the elastic element from its stable position to its unstable position, and guide means associated with the rocking lever to cause the rocking lever to carry out during such movement thereof both a translatory motion to enable the click to engage with the ratchet wheel and an angular motion to enable the click to move the ratchet wheel forward one step.

5. A time-piece according to claim 1, wherein said click-actuating means comprise a winding stem axially movable between a stable, winding, position and an inner unstable position, a setting lever actuated by the winding stem, a monostable rocking lever actuatable by said setting lever and carrying said click, an elastic element acting on the rocking lever to maintain the rocking lever in its stable position, corresponding to the disengaged position of the click from the ratchet wheel and to said stable, winding, position of the stem, and guide means associated with the rocking lever to cause the rocking lever to carry out while being moved from its stable position to its unstable position both a translatory motion to enable the click to engage with the ratchet wheel and an angular motion to enable the click to move the ratchet wheel forward one step.