US3921387A

US3921387A - Time-piece with time-setting adjustment

Info

Publication number: US3921387A
Application number: US518601A
Authority: US
Inventors: Pierre Barbier
Original assignee: Jaeger
Priority date: 1973-10-29
Filing date: 1974-10-29
Publication date: 1975-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 1992-11-25
Also published as: FR2249376B1; AR201172A1; IT1022999B; AU7481374A; GB1480263A; FR2249376A1; DE2418731B2; BR7408958D0; JPS5535670B2; JPS5080164A; CA1018778A; DE2418731A1; ES431462A1

Abstract

A means for adjusting the time indicated by a clock by moving an actuator to engage the minute hand and turn it. The invention relates to clocks having a second hand which might be damaged by movement of the actuator and accordingly the actuator has a bevelled edge leading to a radial ridge for deflecting the second hand and also the actuator is positioned very close to the second hand post.

Description

United States Patent 1 Barbier TIME-PIECE WITH TIME-SETTING ADJUSTMENT Inventor: Pierre Barbier, Paris, France Assignee: Jaeger, Levallois-Perret, France Filed: 'Oct. 29, 1974 Appl. No.: 518,601

Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 29, 1973 France 73.38474 U.S. Cl 58/855; 58/855 Int. Cl. x G04B 27/00 Field of Search 58/855, 63, 73, 126 D References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1972 Dinerstein 58/855 [4 1 Nov. 25, 1975 Primary ExaminerGeorge H. Miller, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmDonald D. Jeffery [57] ABSTRACT A means for adjusting the time indicated by a clock by moving an actuator to engage the minute hand and turn it. The invention relates to clocks having a second hand which might be damaged by movement of the actuator and accordingly the actuator has a bevelled edge leading to a radial ridge for deflecting the second hand and also the actuator is positioned very close to the second hand post.

3 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 TIME-PIECE WITH TIME-SETTING ADJUSTMENT The invention relates to a watch or a clock "herein called a time-piece for example for mounting in an automobile, having a second hand on a port within a hollow time-setting housing, whichwill usually be the minute hand shaft, and having an actuator extending through the face of the dial and capable of axial movement to engage the housing and rotational movement to set the time indicated.

A known time-piece has a second hand fixed to a barrel which is itself fastened to the second hand spindle. The regulating spindle of the time setting device, passes through the face of the dial and has a connecting means provided with depending two feet positioned lower than the spindle which pass over the second hand and engage in a corresponding part of the housing. The main disadvantage of such a device lies in the fact that if, when the regulating spindle is displaced downwards, one of the clips is to the right of the center-second hand and rests on it, the latter can be bent in such a way that it catches the hour hand, thus causing the watch to stop.

An object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for setting the time indicated on the time-piece which is of simple construction and which is not likely to cause damage to the second hand as the actuator moves to engage the housing or as it moves the housing after engagement.

According to the invention the inner end of the actuator comprises a pair of diametrically spaced feet each arranged to engage one of a pair of notches in the housing, the inner end of each foot comprising a bevelled edge.

Thus, as the feet are moved to engage the clutch, if they encounter the second hand, the bevelled sides will displace the second hand to avoid its being damaged.

The radial spacing of the feet in the present invention is very slightly greater than the diameter of that part of the post supporting the second hand, so that interference between one of the feet and the said hand can only occur in immediate proximity to the point where the hand emerges from the post. Thus, provided that the second hand is made from a steel or threadlike spring and a sufficient length is held in the barrel, de-

formation of the said hand can hardly occur even if great pressure is exerted on the actuator.

The upper end of the post above the second hand can be bevelled so that when the actuator is moved downwards the feet are prevented from striking the upper surface of the post.

The invention also has the advantage that it avoids interference or jamming between the feet and a part of the time-piece in the clearance between the housing and its bearing or by an eccentric positioning of the actuator bearing on the face of the dial.

A preferred embodiment provides for a central cavity to be made in the actuator to accommodate that part of the post which projects above the second hand. In this way, at the moment when the actuator moves downwards, the clutch will be centred upon the housing.

There might be a danger of the post and the second hand spindle being moved by the downward displacement of the clutch against the inner wall of the housing in such a way that only one of the claws engages in the notch provided in the latter, the other being placed alongside the corresponding notch on the outer wall of 2 the said housing. this disadvantage can be avoided by reducing the diameter of the post in the area where the feet act which makes it possible to reduce the radial spacing of the said feet by the same proportions in such a way that it is no longer possible for them to descend over the outer wall of the housing.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, and one embodiment will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing whose single FIGURE is an elevation of a setting mechanism in partial section with parts cut away.

The watch, only the essential elements of which are shown, comprises a central time-setting device 1, second hand 3 integral with a second hand post 16 and a minute hand 4 fixed on a hollow shaft 5 constituting a time-setting housing, and surrounding the post 16 and a second-hand spindle 2.

The time-setting device 1 consists of an actuator spindle 6 rotatably movable in a bearing in the face 7 of the dial and capable of being axially displaced downwards, the spindle having at its outer end a regulating knob 8 and at its inner end a clutch 9. Between the knob 8 and the upper surface of the face 7, is a compression spring 10 which tends to hold the clutch 9 in its disengaged position in a counter-bore in the under surface of the face 7. The inner end of the clutch 9 has two

feet

11 and 12 which are diametrically separated on either side of the post 16 when the clutch is engaged. Their inner ends are bevelled at 13 and 14 to define a sharp radially extending ridge. When the regulating spindle 6 is displaced downwards the feet 1 1 and 12 engage in respective notches 15 in the shaft 5.

The second hand 3 is a fine steel finger 17 with its inner end fast in the plastics post 16, the left-hand end in the FIGURE being flush with the surface of the post.

The upper end 19 of the post 16 is bevelled, and the diameter of that part 18 which is within the area of action of the

feet

11 and 12 is less than that of the rest of the post. When the regulating spindle 6 is displaced downwards this part 18 of the post fits easily into a cavity 20 in the clutch 9, the diameter of which cavity, together with the radial spacing of the inner faces of the

feet

11 and 12, is approximately .2 millimeters greater than that of the upper part 18 of the post.

When the time shown is to be re-set, the knob is pushed to force the clutch 9 downwards to engage the notches 15. The bevel at the top of the post 16 assists in directing the part 18 of the post into the cavity 20 so that the feet pass on either side of the part 18. If a

foot

11 or 12 should foul the second hand 3 as it descends, the

bevel

13 or 14 will displace the hand slightly so that it is not bent.

Adjustment of the time shown is by rotating the knob 8 to rotate the shaft 5 and the minute hand 4. During rotation the clutch will probably encounter the second hand 3, but since engagement will be very close to the post 16, there will be substantially no bending moment on the finger 17 so that it will not be bent.

The facts that the part 18 of the post 16 is of reduced diameter and the

feet

11 and 12 are closely on either side of it, means that there is substantially no possibility of one of the feet engaging outside the shaft 5 due to a slight misalignment.

Thus the adjustment mechanism is very simple and yet there is little likelihood of damage to the second hand.

I claim:

1. A time-piece comprising in combination a. a dial b. a wire-like second hand having one end thereof mounted in a post which is fixed to a second hand shaft, the upper end of said post adjacent said dial being bevelled,

c. a minute hand mounted on a sleeve, said sleeve and said second hand shaft being coaxially mounted with respect to one another, with said sleeve enveloping said shaft, said sleeve being formed with at least two diametrically opposed notches in the end thereof adjacent said dial, and

d. a rotatable and axially moveable actuator shaft carrying a pair of diametrically spaced feet at the bottom thereof and arranged to engage said notches when said actuator shaft is axially moved shaft is provided with a guidance recess for the upper end of the said post.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the upper end of said post is of reduced diameter compared with the rest of the post.

Claims

1. A time-piece comprising in combination a. a dial b. a wire-like second hand having one end thereof mounted in a post which is fixed to a second hand shaft, the upper end of said post adjacent said dial being bevelled, c. a minute hand mounted on a sleeve, said sleeve and said second hand shaft being coaxially mounted with respect to one another, with said sleeve enveloping said shaft, said sleeve being formEd with at least two diametrically opposed notches in the end thereof adjacent said dial, and d. a rotatable and axially moveable actuator shaft carrying a pair of diametrically spaced feet at the bottom thereof and arranged to engage said notches when said actuator shaft is axially moved toward said dial, a radially extending sharp ridge being formed on the free end of each of said feet, said feet being spaced a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the said post, whereby said post forms a centering means for said actuator shaft when said shaft is moved toward said dial for adjusting said minute hand.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said actuator shaft is provided with a guidance recess for the upper end of the said post.