US3884034A - Quartz synchronised clockwork - Google Patents

Quartz synchronised clockwork Download PDF

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Publication number
US3884034A
US3884034A US404916A US40491673A US3884034A US 3884034 A US3884034 A US 3884034A US 404916 A US404916 A US 404916A US 40491673 A US40491673 A US 40491673A US 3884034 A US3884034 A US 3884034A
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United States
Prior art keywords
frequency
balance
impulses
maintenance
circuit
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Expired - Lifetime
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US404916A
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English (en)
Inventor
Jacques J G Dietsch
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Leon Hatot SA France
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Establissements Leon Hatot Sa
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Application filed by Establissements Leon Hatot Sa filed Critical Establissements Leon Hatot Sa
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C11/00—Synchronisation of independently-driven clocks
    • G04C11/08—Synchronisation of independently-driven clocks using an electro-magnet or-motor for oscillation correction
    • G04C11/081—Synchronisation of independently-driven clocks using an electro-magnet or-motor for oscillation correction using an electro-magnet
    • G04C11/084—Synchronisation of independently-driven clocks using an electro-magnet or-motor for oscillation correction using an electro-magnet acting on the balance

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to clockwork movements, and to apparatus for controlling them, and more particularly to electronic arrangements for synchronising a clockwork movement in relation to a quartz oscillator.
  • these devices in general comprise a step-by-step motor which responds directly to the impulses of the quartz oscillator.
  • a parasitic impulse superimposed on the impulses supplied by the quartz oscillator results in a very great error in relation to the required precision.
  • the present applicant has proposed, in particular in his U.S, Pat. No, 3,168,690 clockwork movements already having a high precision, comprising a classical clockwork movement of which the balance is provided with a magnetic element.
  • a controlling winding and a driving winding are connected in an electric circuit comprising a transistor and a source of supply, so that the driving winding is traversed by current impulses amplified with respect to those induced in the control winding.
  • the two windings co-operate with the magnetic device to maintain oscillations of the latter at a predetermined maintenance frequency.
  • the balance may be a pendulum or a wheel and hairspring and the term is used herein to include any vibrating system having a natural frequency of vibration.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus combining a quartz oscillator associated with a frequency dividing circuit with a movement of the above type, preferably without loss of the desired precision.
  • apparatus for controlling a clockwork movement incorporating a balance and a driving winding receiving electric maintenance impulses to co-operate with a magnetic element of the balance to maintain oscillation of the balance with a normal amplitude at a predetermined maintenance frequency includes a quartz oscillator associated with a frequency dividing circuit to supply electric reference impulses at a reference frequency differing slightly from the predetermined maintenance frequency, and gating means serving to modify the amplitude of each maintenance impulse if and so long as it overlaps with a reference impulse, and thereby adjust the actual frequency of oscillation of the balance to make it equal to the reference frequency.
  • the means for providing maintenance impulses may include a maintenance transistor having its output circuit conncted in series with the driving winding to a supply, and a control winding producing impulses in response to the movement of the balance, connected to the input circuit of the transistor.
  • the gating means comprises a resistor in series with the driving winding, and a gating transistor with its collector emitter circuit connected across the resistor, with its base circuit connected to the output of the frequency divider.
  • the gating means comprises a gating transistor of which the base circuit is connected to the output of the frequency divider and of which the collector emitter circuit comprises the control winding and the driving winding.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 are circuit diagrams respectively of two arrangements for synchronising a clockwork movement with a quartz oscillator
  • FIG. 2A is a fragmentary circuit diagram identical to FIG. 2 except that a resistor has been replaced by a diode.
  • the invention is applied to a clockwork movement provided with a balance having a magnetic element co-operating (as in US, Pat. No. 3,168,690 referred to above) with a control winding BC, a driving winding BM, a maintenance transistor T and a decoupling capacitor C connected in a circuit with a source S.
  • the driving winding BM is connected to the source S through the emitter collector path of the maintenance transistor T while the control winding is connected between its emitter and base, and a capacitor C between its base and collector.
  • a resistor R is connected in series with the driving winding BM and is shunted by the emitter collector path of a gating transistor T to enable the amplitude of the maintenance impulses to be varied.
  • the emitter base circuit of the gating transistor T is connected through a resistor R to the output of an 08- cillatorand frequency dividing circuit DVO controlled by a quartz crystal Q2. (The frequency division may be effected by numerical counting).
  • the frequency divider and oscillator are also powered from the source S.
  • the output of the frequency divider provides calibrated reference impulses, and the spacing between these impulses is always the same, defining a reference frequency with very high precision. It will be understood that the width of the impulse can vary substantially, in accordance with the types of frequency divider, to the point at which the signals reach the stage of resembling rather square or rectangular signals.
  • the word impulse will however be 1 used herein for simplicity.
  • the balance is chosen or modified to have degraded isochronism, for example by employing a pendulum having a wide angle of swing, or a balance wheel with a modified hairspring
  • a pendulum having a wide angle of swing or a balance wheel with a modified hairspring
  • a balance wheel with a modified hairspring to degrade the isochronisme of a balance wheel and hairspring one can, as is known, slightly deform its spiral hair spring or equally one can employ another means of disturbance (magnetic, metallic mass).
  • the balance has a higher frequency at low amplitude than it has at high amplitude.
  • the natural frequency of the balance is chosen to be lower than the reference fre quency.
  • natural frequency one means the predetermined maintenance frequency on which the driving winding may sustain the balance at a normal amplitude, without any synchronising means, according to prior art.
  • the gating transistor T is rendered periodically conducting at the reference frequency by the impulse supplied at the output of the frequency dividing circuit DVO.
  • each maintenance impulse comprises a first part at high energy and a second part at lower energy.
  • the relative importance of the first part grows when the real frequency of oscillation of the balance further approaches the reference frequency. This then produces an increase of amplitude of the balance, which as noted above tends to reduce the maintenance frequency.
  • the oscillations of the balance adapt themselves to the reference frequency, anyinstantaneous departure tending to be corrected by increase or decrease of the part of the driving impulse during which the transistor T conducts. In mean value the precision of the system is that provided by the quartz oscillator.
  • the resistor R is connected between the base of the transistor T and the collector of the transistor T of which the emitter is connected to the positive terminal of the source S.
  • the operation takes place in substantially the same way as for the embodiment of FIG. 1, taking into account however that the conduction of the transistor T during the reference impulses is liable to produce diminution of the amplitude of the maintaining impulse, and not an increase as in the first embodiment. The result is that the reference impulses this time produce diminution of amplitude in a later portion of the maintaining impulses.
  • resistor R has been replaced by diode d although it will be understood that more than one diode may be employed. In this case it is the duration of the maintenance impulse that is modified.
  • the intermittent opposing torque produced by the train of the clockwork movement produces a reduction of amplitude of the balance, but that the frequency is immediately corrected by a change of the maintenance impulse which compensates for the energy absorbed.
  • the energy necessary for maintaining the quartz-controlled movement according to the invention is less than that, already low, which is required for the known electrical maintenance of oscillation of the balance described in the U.S. Pat No. 3,168,690 referred to: in FIG. 1 this results from the inclusion of the series resistor R in FIG. 2, it results from reduction of amplitude or ofduration of the maintaining impulses.
  • FIG. 1 is also directly applicable for the synchronisation of clockwork movements with an electrical contact actuated in time with the movement of the balance.
  • the output impulses can have different polarities with respect to the potential V of the supply.
  • the gating transistor T will be of PNP or NPN type, and will be connected to one pole or the other of the source of supply.
  • Apparatus for controlling a clockwork movement incorporating a balance and a driving winding receiving electric maintenance impulses to co-operate with a magnetic element of the balance to maintain oscillation of the balance with a normal amplitude at a predetermined maintenance frequency
  • said apparatus comprising a quartz oscillator operatively associated with a frequency 'div iding circuit having an output supplying electric reference impulses at a reference frequency differing slightly from the predetermined maintenance frequency, and gating means operatively connected to said output to modify the amplitude of each maintenance impulse if and so long as it overlaps with a reference impulse, and thereby adjust the actual frequency of oscillation of the balance to make it equal to the reference frequency.
  • the means for providing maintenance impulses include a maintenance transistor having its output circuit connected in series with the driving winding to a supply, and a control winding producing impulses in response to the movement of the balance, connected to the input circuit of the transistor.
  • Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the gating means comprise a resistor in series with the driving 6 collector emitter circuit also includes a resistor.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electric Clocks (AREA)
US404916A 1972-10-11 1973-10-10 Quartz synchronised clockwork Expired - Lifetime US3884034A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR7235957A FR2202318B1 (de) 1972-10-11 1972-10-11

Publications (1)

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US3884034A true US3884034A (en) 1975-05-20

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Family Applications (1)

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US404916A Expired - Lifetime US3884034A (en) 1972-10-11 1973-10-10 Quartz synchronised clockwork

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US (1) US3884034A (de)
DE (1) DE2350879A1 (de)
FR (1) FR2202318B1 (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4641975A (en) * 1985-03-11 1987-02-10 Joseph Kieninger Uhrenfabrik Gmbh Clock with mechanical drive

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3451210A (en) * 1966-07-01 1969-06-24 Benrus Corp System for maintaining oscillations in an electric timing mechanism having an oscillatory element
US3648453A (en) * 1968-07-19 1972-03-14 Suwa Seikosha Kk Electric timepiece
US3756014A (en) * 1971-05-18 1973-09-04 Timex Corp Synchronized quartz crystal watch

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3451210A (en) * 1966-07-01 1969-06-24 Benrus Corp System for maintaining oscillations in an electric timing mechanism having an oscillatory element
US3648453A (en) * 1968-07-19 1972-03-14 Suwa Seikosha Kk Electric timepiece
US3756014A (en) * 1971-05-18 1973-09-04 Timex Corp Synchronized quartz crystal watch

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4641975A (en) * 1985-03-11 1987-02-10 Joseph Kieninger Uhrenfabrik Gmbh Clock with mechanical drive

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2202318A1 (de) 1974-05-03
DE2350879A1 (de) 1974-04-25
FR2202318B1 (de) 1976-10-29

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