US3237461A - Motion-transmitting system in a timepiece - Google Patents

Motion-transmitting system in a timepiece Download PDF

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Publication number
US3237461A
US3237461A US381838A US38183864A US3237461A US 3237461 A US3237461 A US 3237461A US 381838 A US381838 A US 381838A US 38183864 A US38183864 A US 38183864A US 3237461 A US3237461 A US 3237461A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
fork
oscillating member
driving element
balance wheel
motion
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US381838A
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English (en)
Inventor
Raval Gaston
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Omega Louis Brandt and Frere SA
Original Assignee
Omega Louis Brandt and Frere SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Omega Louis Brandt and Frere SA filed Critical Omega Louis Brandt and Frere SA
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3237461A publication Critical patent/US3237461A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C3/00—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means
    • G04C3/04—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means wherein movement is regulated by a balance
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C3/00—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means
    • G04C3/04—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means wherein movement is regulated by a balance
    • G04C3/06—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means wherein movement is regulated by a balance using electromagnetic coupling between electric power source and balance
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C3/00—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means
    • G04C3/04—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means wherein movement is regulated by a balance
    • G04C3/06—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means wherein movement is regulated by a balance using electromagnetic coupling between electric power source and balance
    • G04C3/061—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means wherein movement is regulated by a balance using electromagnetic coupling between electric power source and balance the balance controlling contacts and mechanically driving the gear-train
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C3/00—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means
    • G04C3/08—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means wherein movement is regulated by a mechanical oscillator other than a pendulum or balance, e.g. by a tuning fork, e.g. electrostatically
    • G04C3/10—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means wherein movement is regulated by a mechanical oscillator other than a pendulum or balance, e.g. by a tuning fork, e.g. electrostatically driven by electromagnetic means
    • G04C3/101—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means wherein movement is regulated by a mechanical oscillator other than a pendulum or balance, e.g. by a tuning fork, e.g. electrostatically driven by electromagnetic means constructional details
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T74/00—Machine element or mechanism
    • Y10T74/15—Intermittent grip type mechanical movement
    • Y10T74/1526—Oscillation or reciprocation to intermittent unidirectional motion
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T74/00—Machine element or mechanism
    • Y10T74/18—Mechanical movements
    • Y10T74/18856—Oscillating to oscillating

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a motion-transmitting system between an oscillating member electrically sustained in oscillation and the wheelwork of a timepiece, comprising a transmission lever actuated by a driving element of the said oscillating member, said driving element being engaged within a fork of the transmission lever in a position symmetrically opposite the open side of the fork when the oscillating member is in its neutral rest position.
  • the classical function of the escapement that is the transmission of the driving energy-to-t'he' balance wheel for sustaining its oscillation, is accomplished by an electro-mechanical driving system. Under such circumstances the transmission between the oscillating member, for instance the balance Wheel, and the wheelwork of the timepiece is a simple motiontransmitting system serving for transmission of energy from the balance wheel to the wheelwork and hands respectively.
  • the stability of the frequency of oscillating members of timepieces depends on the Q-factor of the oscillating system. Since energy is withdrawn from the oscillating member for driving the wheelwork and hands of the timepiece, care must be taken to withdraw the said driving energy under the most favourable conditions in order not to affect the Q-factor and consequently the stability of the oscillating system.
  • the kinetic energy withdrawn should be as small as possible.
  • the driving energy should be withdrawn within a period of time as short as possible as compared with the oscillating period of the oscillating member and this period of time should coincide as closely as possible with the passage of the oscillating member through its neutral position that is with the maximum speed of the oscillating member.
  • the amplitude of displacement of the transmission lever should be small compared with the amplitude of the oscillating member and the mass of the driven system should be very small.
  • the motion-transmitting system according to this invention is adapted to fulfil the above conditions and it is perfectly suitable for use with an electrically sustained oscillating member.
  • the motion-transmitting system according to this invention is broadly characterized in that the arc of curvature of the said fork includes an angle exceeding 180 and the shaft of the oscillating member is entirely engaged within the fork in an eccentric position relatively to the arc of curvature of the fork, and the said driving element has the shape of a crescent.
  • FIG. 1 is a top view of the system
  • FIG. 2 is a section taken along line II-II in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 3-5 illustrate different characteristic positions of the system.
  • a plate 2 is fixed on the shaft 1 of the balance wheel, the said plate 2 comprising a driving element or hook 3 in the shape of a crescent.
  • the hook 3 is symmetrically engaged within a fork 4 comprising a cylindrical portion 5 having a gap or open side 6.
  • the fork 4 is fixed on a transmission lever 7.
  • the end of the lever opposite to the fork 4 is a fork of which the arms 8 and 9 are pivoted by separate pivot pins 10 and 11.
  • the fork arms 8 and 9 enclose a pawl wheel 12 gearing in a manner not shown in the drawing with the wheelwork driving the hands of the timepiece.
  • a pawl 13 is mounted on lever 7.
  • the supporting spring 14 of a stop-clock 15 is fixed at a portion 16 fixed in a portion 17 of a bridge 18.
  • the bridge 18 has a slit 19 so that portion 17 is connected to the bridge 18 by a relatively narrow elongated portion 20.
  • the bridge portion may elastically be deformed for adjustment of the position of portion 17 and of the stop-click 15 respectively.
  • the driving hook 3 has an outer surface of cylindrical shape and of which the diameter is at least approximately equal to the diameter of the inner cylindrical surface of the curved portion 5 of the fork 4.
  • the center of curvature of the inner surface of the fork is displaced upwardly in the direction of the common plane of symmetry of the fork and of the hook 3 as seen in FIG. 1 relatively to the axis of the balance wheel.
  • the fork When the balance wheel and the fork are in their rest positions as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the fork is in a symmetrical position relatively to the axis of the balance wheel.
  • the driving hook 3 is in a symmetrical position relatively to the fork so that the outer cylindrical surface of the hook 3 does not contact the inner cylindrical surface of the curved portion 5 of the fork.
  • the hook 3 When the balance wheel starts to oscillate with a relatively small amplitude the hook 3 will first oscillate without touching the inner surface of the fork.
  • This feature of the transmitting system is important for the starting abilities of an electrically driven balance wheel because no energy is Withdrawn by the motion-transmitting system for small amplitudes whereby starting of the oscillation of the balance wheel is appreciably facilitated and improved.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates that the width of the gap 6 of the fork and the width of the hook 3 are so coordinated that the hook is able to leave the fork through its gap.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates the one extreme position of the hook 3 at normal amplitude of the balance wheel in the order of 200.
  • the one extremity of the hook 3 will abut against the outer surface of fork portion 5 as shown in FIG. 5. Under these conditions the one extremity of the hook 3 abuts against the outer surface of the fork and the inner surface of the fork abuts against the tube of plate 2 mounted on shaft 1 of the balance wheel.
  • the extreme positions or amplitudes of the balance wheel and of the lever 7 are thus positively limited. In this way the maximum amplitude of the balance wheel is limited to about 265.
  • This limitation of the amplitude of the balance wheel is of particular importance for electrically driven balance wheels in order to avoid undesired supplemental operation of the electromagnetic or dynamic driving system in the extreme positions of the balance wheel.
  • a motion-transmitting system comprising a shaft for an oscillating member, a driving element carried by said shaft, a transmission lever actuated by the driving element of the said oscillating member, said driving element being engaged within a fork of the transmission lever in a position symmetrically opposite the open side of the fork when the oscillating member is in its neutral rest position, the arc of curvature of the said fork including an angle exceeding 180 and the shaft of the oscillating member being entirely engaged within the fork in an eccentric position relatively to the curvature of the fork, and the said driving element having the shape of a crescent.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Electric Clocks (AREA)
  • Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
US381838A 1963-07-16 1964-07-10 Motion-transmitting system in a timepiece Expired - Lifetime US3237461A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH887363A CH390799A (fr) 1963-07-16 1963-07-16 Mécanisme de transmission de mouvement

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3237461A true US3237461A (en) 1966-03-01

Family

ID=4345710

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US381838A Expired - Lifetime US3237461A (en) 1963-07-16 1964-07-10 Motion-transmitting system in a timepiece

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US3237461A (fr)
CH (1) CH390799A (fr)
GB (1) GB1064874A (fr)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1343223A (en) * 1971-02-17 1974-01-10 Suwa Seikosha Kk Detent apparatus eg for use in an electronic timepiece

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2789411A (en) * 1954-04-19 1957-04-23 Elgin Nat Watch Co Electric timepiece with power take-off

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2789411A (en) * 1954-04-19 1957-04-23 Elgin Nat Watch Co Electric timepiece with power take-off

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1064874A (en) 1967-04-12
CH887363A4 (fr) 1964-12-15
CH390799A (fr) 1965-08-13

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