Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B13/00—Gearwork
  • G04B13/002—Gearwork where rotation in one direction is changed into a stepping movement
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
  • G04B19/02—Back-gearing arrangements between gear train and hands

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an instantaneous jumping display mechanism for a timepiece and counter.
• jumping display mechanisms are known in watchmaking.
• the best known are those used for calendar watches. They essentially consist of a toothed wheel or a toothed ring main ⁇ held in place by a jumper.
• the change of position does not take place entirely instantaneously, because the tooth of the toothed wheel or of the toothed ring must first of all gradually raise the jumper.
• This is hardly annoying for a calendar, given that the date change takes place at midnight and that the wearer of the watch rarely has the opportunity to observe this date change.
• the jumping hour clock movements are movements of particular construction.
• the present invention pursues the double aim of realizing a mechanism ensuring a truly instantaneous jump of the display and of producing a mechanism capable of being mounted on any movement without it being necessary to transform the blank.
• the mechanism should also be as simple as possible.
• the instantaneous jumping display mechanism is characterized in that it comprises a first star wheel driven continuously by the movement of the timepiece or comp ⁇ tor, a second wheel coaxial to the star pre ⁇ Mière star wheel of the same diameter, but free re ⁇ tively to the first starwheel and mouve ⁇ ment , a third star wheel of the same diameter as the previous ones, identical to the second star wheel and the teeth of which engage the teeth of the first and second star wheels, a first jumper positioning the second star wheel and a second jumper positioning the third star wheel, the strength of the second jumper being greater than the strength of the first jumper.
• This mechanism allows a truly instantaneous jump, in the fraction of a second, because the second star wheel, which will carry the jumping display means, is not driven by the first star wheel. It is only when the third star wheel is suddenly pushed by its jumper that this third star wheel suddenly drives the second star wheel by an angle sufficient for the jumper of the second star to finish drive the second star wheel to its new position.
• the jumper of the third star wheel plays an essential role in this instantaneous jump, so that the energy required for the jump is low and cannot harm the functioning of the watch.
• the mechanism is very simple and it is possible to mount it on conventional movements without the need to transform the blank or on any other movement by adding a modular plate carrying the entire mechanism. Total reliability is ensured by the very simplicity of the mechanism.
• the two necklaces can be made in one piece.
• the mechanism according to the invention makes it possible, with the same components, to obtain not only a watch with jumping hour display, but also watches with AM-PM indication, 24-hour watches. , time zone watches with rapid time correction and also a unique display, both analog and digital, comprising a disc fitted with a window moving by jumping in front of hourly digits arranged like the hourly digits of a dial.
• Figure 1 is a plan view of the mechanism.
• Figure 2 is a sectional view along II-II of Figure 1.
• Figure 3 is a partial view of an alternative embodiment.
• FIG. 4 schematically represents a first example of application.
• FIG. 5 schematically represents a second example of application.
• FIG. 6 schematically represents a third example of application.
• FIGS 1 and 2 show an hour wheel conventional 1.
• This hour wheel is conventionally driven by a timer not shown itself driven by a conventional movement not shown.
• a first star wheel 2 provided with twelve teeth.
• a second star 3 identical to the first star wheel 2 and able to rotate freely on the barrel 4 of the hour wheel 1.
• This second star wheel 3 is itself provided with a barrel 5 to which a disk 6 can be fixed.
• the second star wheel 3 is held in position by a first jumper 7.
• the mechanism further comprises a third star wheel 8 identical to the star wheels 2 and 3, except as regards its thickness and the teeth of which come into engagement with the teeth of the two star wheels 2 and 3.
• This third wheel star 8 is held in position by a second jumper 9.
• the jumps 7 and 9 are formed by a double jumper fixed at 10.
• the barrel 4 of the hour wheel could have an extension 4a above the disc 6 for fixing an hour hand.
• the operation of the mechanism shown is as follows: The first star wheel 2 rotates progressively with the hour wheel 1, while the second star wheel 3 remains stationary, retained by its jumper 7. In its rotation, the second wheel in star 3 drives the third star wheel 8. This gradually raises its jumper 9. A position intermediate of the star wheels 2 and 8 is partially shown in phantom in 2 'and 8'. In this position a tooth 8'-l of the star wheel 8 has almost arrived at the top 11 of the dihedral of the jumper 9. Another tooth 8'-2 comes into contact with a tooth of the second star wheel 3.
• FIG 3 partially shows an alternative embodiment of the previous mechanism.
• This variant differs from the previous embodiment in that the third star wheel 8 is divided into two identical star wheels 81 and 82 in its thickness.
• the star wheel 81 is fixed on a square 13 at the end of an axle 15 provided with a pinion 16. Between this pinion 16 and the star wheel 81 is mounted, with greasy friction, the other star wheel 82.
• the lower star wheel 82 is engaged with the first star wheel 2, while the upper star wheel 81 comes into engagement with the second star wheel 3.
• the upper star wheel 81 is driven by friction by the lower star wheel 82.
• the pinion 16 is des ⁇ tiné to come into engagement with a conventional corrector device.
• the drive of the pinion has the effect of drag the upper star wheel 81 which in turn drives the second star wheel 3 carrying the display means, without driving the lower star wheel 82 retained by the hour wheel.
• FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 Three examples of application of the mechanism according to the invention will now be described in relation to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.
• FIG. 4 schematically represents the dial 17 of a watch provided with a minute hand 18.
• the dial 17 is provided with a window 19 through which appear successively the hour digits carried by the disc 6 of FIG. 2.
• FIG. 5 illustrates a new display mode.
• the disc 6 of FIG. 2 is visible and moves above the dial 20. It is provided with a window 21 which, during the rotation by instantaneous jumps of the disc 6, lets appear successively the hour digits carried on the dial 20. The minutes are again displayed by means of a conventional hand 18. The position of the window 21 also indicating the time, this display is both analog and digital.
• the dial 20 can of course be shaped so that the disc 6 is in the same plane as the visible annular part of the dial.
• time zone watch that is to say a watch making it possible to display simultaneously, for example, the time of one's home and the time local time zone in which we are currently.
• FIG. 6 represents a conventional display by means of a dial 22, an hour hand 23 and a minute hand 24.
• the dial 22 is provided with a window 25 revealing successively the letters AM (morning) and PM (afternoon) alternately affixed to the disc 6 of FIG. 2.
• AM morning
• PM afternoon
• the disc 6 should only be driven once every twelve hours and the star wheel 2 is provided with a single tooth.
• the disc 6 could also be fixed on the third star wheel 8.
• the star wheels 3 and 8 need not necessarily have twelve teeth, the number of teeth having to be simply equal to the total number of indications AM, PM.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=4220546

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 1990
  • 1990-06-01 CH CH1871/90A patent/CH678787B5/fr not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1991
  • 1991-05-24 EP EP91910082A patent/EP0572396A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1991-05-24 WO PCT/EP1991/000964 patent/WO1991019233A1/fr not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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