US2817207A - Electric watch - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 24, 1957 A. BEYNER 2,817,207

ELECTRIC WATCH I Filed April 26, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1` l l l l INVENTOR Andr Begner wma/MW ATORNEY A. BEYNER ELECTRIC WATCH Dec. 24, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1955 i INVENTOR Andre Begner BY United 2,817,207v Patented Dec. 24, 1957 ELECTRIC WATCH Andr Beyner, Neuchatel, Switzerland, assignor to Ebauches S. A., Neuchatel, Switzerland Application April 26, 1955, Serial No. 503,946 Claims priority, application Switzerland May 7, 1954 8 Claims. (Cl. 58-28) The present invention relates to a watch comprising a driving balance the oscillations of which are sustained electrically.

This watch is characterized by an escape wheel connected with the counting train of gears of the watch and subjected to the action of a jumper permitting the same to be rotated in a single direction, this wheel carrying at its periphery equally spaced pins the axes of which are parallel to the axis of the wheel, and by an escape spring driven by the balance and executing an oscillating movement, the said spring carrying a projection cooperating with the said pins, the profile of this projection being such that for a direction of rotation of the spring, it drives the escape wheel, whereas for the other direction of rotation, it is lifted by one of the pins against the action of the spring and slips on the said pin without turning the escape wheel.

The accompanying drawings show, by way of example, two embodiments of the electric watch according to the invention. There is only shown in the drawings what is necessary for understanding the invention.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the rst embodiment, seen along the line I-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line Il-ll of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a detail, at an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 illustrates a diagram of the electric circuit sustaining the oscillations of the balance.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the second embodiment, seen along the line V-V of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional View of a detail, at an enlarged scale.

The electric watch shown in Figs. 1 to 3 comprises a balance 1 serving both as the driving element and the regulating element of the watch. The balance 1 is pivoted in the pillar plate 2 and in the balnace cock 3. On the balance staff 4 there is xed a collet 5 to which is attached the inner end of a hair spring 6 of usual type. The outer end of the hair spring 6 is fixed to the balance cock 3, for instance by means of a stud. A regulator 7 of conventional construction, carrying pins 7a, enables the active length of the hair spring 6 to be adjusted in a known manner.

A movable three-armed armature 8 is secured to the balance stati 4. It cooperates with the pole shoes 9 of an electromagnet provided with a coil 1l) of the electric circuit shown in Fig. 4. It is a motor with axial airgap, the operation of which is the Same for both directions of rotation of the balance 1. The coil 10 is connected on the one side to a battery 11 (Fig. 4) and on the other side to a switch or interrupter 12, described later, which is connected to the battery 11 and to the earth. The balance steif 4 carries a ring 13 having a lug 14 adapted to cooperate with a contact lamella 15 connected to the coil 10. The electric circuit for sustaining the oscillations of the balance 1 comprises the following elements: negative pole of the battery 11, coil 10, contact lamella 15, lug 14, balance staff 4, collet 5, hair spring 6, earth, positive pole of the battery 11. The interrupter 12 is formed by the elements 14 and 15. Therefore, the balance 1 receives one impulse at each half-oscillation. The impulse is given almost completely after the passage of the balance through the position of equilibrium.

On the balance staff 4 there is further fixed a plate 16 of a general rectangular shape. The plate 16 carries a spring 17 which will be called hereinafter escape spring. The spring 17 has the shape of a rectangle with rounded small sides and has in its central portion a rectangular opening. It is xed to the plate 16 by means of a rivet 18 placed near the small side of the plate 16 which is remote from the balance staff 4. Owing to this arrangement the escape spring 17 can be lifted with respect to the plate 16 on the side of the stati 4 opposite to the rivet 18 vbut cannot move downwards. At its end opposite to the rivet 18 the spring 17 carries on its lower face a stud 19 which is shown more clearly in Fig. 3. In the stud 19 is fitted a driving member 20 preferably of ruby. The member 20 is shaped as a pallet jewel, i. e. its lower face 21 is inclined. The face 22 of the member 20 is almost parallel to the axis of the stud 19. The small angle which it makes with this axis is provided for a reason given below.

An escape wheel 23 is arranged near the balance statt 4. It is pivoted in the pillar-plate 2 and in a small bridge 24. The wheel 23 has gullet teeth 25 and carries pins 26 the axes of which are parallel to the spindle 27 of the wheel 23. The number of the pins 26 is equal to the number of the teeth 25. These pins may be forced into the wheel 23 or be formed integral with the latter by a dieing or swaging process. The distance between the spindles 4 and 27 is chosen such that the driving member 20 may cooperate with the pins 26 of the escape wheel 23. A jumper 28, carried by a metallic leaf 29 fixed to the frame of the watch, cooperates with the teeth 25 of the wheel 23 and allows the latter to be rotated only in one direction. The jumper 28 is made of an insulating material, for instance of ruby.

On the spindle 27 of the escape wheel 23 is keyed a pinion 30, called escape pinion, which meshes with a seconds wheel 31 rigidly fixed to a seconds pinion 32. The spindle 33 of the pinion 32 is pivoted in the pillar plate 2 and in the train wheel bridge 34. The runners 31 and 32 control the hands of the watch. They belong to the normal gear train of an electric watch and, therefore, the other parts of this gear train will not be described.

The electric water as described and illustrated operates as follows:

Let us first suppose that the balance 1 rotates in the clockwise direction of Fig. l so that in Fig. 3 the stud 19 moves from right to left. The flank 22 of the driving member 20, therefore, comes into contact with one of the pins 26 of the escape wheel 23. Thus, the member 20 turns the wheel 23 by a certain angle in the counterclockwise direction of Fig. l until the contact is broken between the member 20 and the said pin 26, owing to the diverging movements of these members. The angle by which the wheel 23 has been turned is such that the tip of one of the teeth 25 has passed beyond the apex 35 of the jumper 28, and therefore this jumper completes the rotation of one angular pitch of the escape wheel 23. rThe same jumper 28 keeps the wheel 23 unmoved between two successive displacements of same. The balance 1 then effects its first arc of supplementary oscillaaslaaov 3 tion. Upon the return motion of the balance 1 under the action of the hair spring 6 the inclined ank 21 of the member 20 comes into contact with one of the pins 26 of the wheel 23. Asthe spring 17 is only fixed at 18,

yit can be lifted on the opposite side, i. e. on the side of the member 20, as already explained. The inclined flank 21 of the member Ztl can thus slide on the pin 26 and is lifted more and more against the action of the escape spring 17, until it escapes the pin 26 and falls again into its initial position under the action of the spring 17. Owing to the provision of the jumper 28 the escape wheel 23 is not driven. The balance 1 then effects the second arc vof supplementary oscillation until it comes back into its initial position under the action of the hair spring 6, and the cycle described is now repeated. In Fig. l the parts of the escapement are represented in the position corresponding to the moment when the balance 1, turning in the counterclockwise direction, is about to bring the lower face 21 of the member 20 into contact with one of the pins 26 of the wheel 23.

The reason why the face 22 preferably makes a small angle with the axis of the stud 19 is the following: on the half-oscillation during which the balance 1 drives the escape wheel 23, the member 20 strikes rather sharp` ly against the pin 26 and it may happen that the spring 17 somewhat yields and is lifted on the right-hand side of Fig. 3. The member 20 is then slightly rocked and its flank 22 tends to become temporarily vertical, i. e. parallel to the axis of the pin 26. However, the driving member 20 might also be fixed to the stud 19 so that its face 22 be parallel to the axis of the stud 19. Since the member 20 is made of an insulating material (for instance a jewel) it is not necessary to insulate the escape wheel.

The second embodiment illustrated in Figs. to 7 mainly differs from the first example in that the escape spring 17, instead of being fixed to a plate carried by the balance staff, is supported by an intermediate member which will hereinafter be called leven arranged between the balance and the escape wheel.

In order to simplify the drawings, the motor 9, and the upper portion of the balance staff 4 are not illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, but it is to be understood that these parts are identical with those shown in Figs. l and 2.

The balance staff 4 carries a large roller 36 provided with a metallic impulse pin 37 extending downwards, as well as a Small roller 38 having a cut-out part 39.

An insulating plate 40 obtained by molding is fixed to the pillar-plate 2 by means of two screws 41. Into the plate 40 is forced a long pin 42 on which is freely mounted a sleeve 43 closed and rounded at its upper end. The lower end of the sleeve 43 rests on the plate 40. The `sleeve 43 is rigidly fixed to a lever 44 capable of effecting oscillations the amplitude of which is limited by two limiting pins 45 forced into the insulating plate 40.

The lever 44 has a general rectangular shape which is similar to that of the plate 16 of the first embodiment. It carries an escape spring 17 similar to that described above. The spring 17 is secured to the lever 44 by means of a pin 46 which also yserves the purpose of maintaining a fork-shaped contact piece 47 adapted to cooperate with the impulse pin 37 carried by the large roller 36. The pin 46 has a projection forming a safety pin or guard pin 48 cooperating with the small roller 38 in order to prevent overbanking of the lever 44. The escape spring 17 is thus clamped between the lever 44 and the contact piece 47 and since it is fixed only at this place to the lever 44, it can be lifted at its opposite end but cannot move in the reverse direction.

A pin 49 is xed to the lever 44 between the sleeve 43 and the pin 46. It is adapted to cooperate with a lever jumper Si) which is insulated with respect to thc movement frame.

At its end remote from the pin 46 the escape spring 17 has a projection obtained by swaging or pressing, extending downwards and having a vertical face 51, i. e. perpendicular to the plane of the spring, and an oblique face 52. This projection 51, 52 is shown in detail in Fig. 7. The function of this projection is similar to that of the member 20 shown in Fig. 3.

A spring leaf 53 insulatingly mounted on the frame and connected to the coil 10 bears with its free end against the rounded end of the sleeve 43 so as to maintain axially the lever 44.

The escape wheel 23 is similar to that of the first embodiment. However, it is here mounted on an insulating ring 54, for the projection 51, 52 of the spring 17 is conducting, contrary to the ruby member 20. The gear train connecting the wheel 23 with the hands is identical with that described above.

The circuit for sustaining the oscillations of the balance 1 is different from that of the first embodiment. It comprises the following elements: negative pole of the battery 11, coil 10, `spring leaf 53, sleeve 43. lever 44, Contact piece 47, pin 37, balance staff 4, collet 5. hair spring 6, earth, positive pole of the battery 11. The interrupter 12 shown in Fig. 4 is here formed by the elements 37 and 47.

The operation of this second embodiment is as follows:

When the balance 1 rotates in the counter-clockwise direction of Fig. 5, i-ts pin 37 abuts against the entry of the contact piece 47 and rocks the lever 44 in the clockwise direction, against the action of the lever jumper Si) which assists the safety pin 48 in preventing any overbanking of the lever 44. The vertical flank S1 of the projection of the escape spring 17 comes into contact with one `of the pins 26 of the wheel 23 and drives the latter by one angular pitch in the counter-clockwise direction of Fig. 5. When the balance 1 has effected its first arc ofi supplementary oscillation and comes back in the clockwise direction under the action of the hair spring 6, the pin 37 rocks the lever 44 in the counter-clockwise direction of Fig. 5 so that now the oblique ank 52 of the projection of the spring 17 comes into contact with one of the pins 26 of the wheel 23. The spring 17 is thus lifted by the pin 26 until the projection 51, 52 escapes the pin 26, the spring 17 then taking again its initial position. The escape wheel 23 is not driven, as it is retained by its jumper 28. The vbalance 1 then eifects its second arc of supplementary oscillation and comes back into its initial position under the action of the hair spring 6, and the cycle described begins again. in Fig. 5 the parts of the escapement are represented in the position corresponding to the moment when the balance 1, rotating in the clockwise direction, is about to rock, by means of the pin 3'7, the lever 44 in the counter-clockwise direction.

The arrangement of the second embodiment offers some advantages over the first embodiment:

(a) The angular velocity of the lever 44 may be rendered smaller than that of the balance 1;

(b) The shock of the projection Si., 52 against the pins 26 of the escape wheel 23 is less violent and the angular Velocity of the escape wheel 23 also decreases to a certain extent;

(c) The inertia effects are reduced so that it is possible to choose a weaker escape jumper It is of course possible to combine in different manners the elements of both illustrated embodiments. Thus, for example, the driving member 2G fitted in the stud 19 (Fig. 3) may be replaced by the swaged projection 51, 52, provided that the escape wheel 23 is mounted on an insulating ring 54. In a similar manner, in the second embodiment, the swaged projection 51, 52 may be replaced by a ruby member 20 and then it is no longer necessary to mount the wheel 23 on an insulating ring 54.

The electric circuit for sustaining the oscillations of the balance 1, in the second embodiment, might also be modified so as not to include thc lever 44. It would suice to make the impulse pin 37 of an insulating material and to provide on the balance staff 4 a finger such as the lug 14 (Figs. 1 and 2) cooperating with a contact lamella 15.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments thereof, i-t will be understood that other embodiments may be resorted to without departing from the invention. Therefore, the form of the invention set out above should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A watch comprising a driving balance the Ioscillations of which are sustained electrically, a hand-controlling gearing adapted to be rotated always in the same direction at each full oscillation of the balance, an escape wheel connected to the said gearing, a jumper holding the escape wheel in predetermined positions and allowing the latter to be rotated only in one direction, a support mounted for executing an oscillatory movement controlled by the balance, an escape spring having two parallel arms extending on both sides of the axis of the said support in a plane perpendicular to the said axis and being interconnected at their ends, the said escape spring being secured at one end to the said support and resting on the said support over the whole length of its arms, the other end of the said spring being disengaged from the support and carrying a projection, the escape wheel carrying at its periphery equally spaced pins the axes of which are parallel to the axis of the escape wheel, the said projection adapted to engage the said pins, the prole of the projection being such that for a direction of rotation of the spring, it drives the escape wheel, whereas for the other direction of rotation, it is lifted by one of the pins against the action of the spring and slips on the said pin without turning the escape wheel.

2. A watch according to claim 1, in which the said support is rigidly xed to the shaft of the balance.

3. In a watch according to claim 1, a lever swingably arranged between the balance and the escape wheel and set into an oscillatory motion by the balance, the said support being carried by the said lever.

4. A watch according to claim 1, in which the said projection is formed by a member made of insulating material, xed to the escape spring.

5. A watch according to claim 1, in which the said projection is formed by a swaged portion of 4the escape spring.

6. In a watch according to claim 3, a pin carried by the said lever and a jumper adapted to engage the said pin so as to hold the lever in its two end positions.

7. A watch according to claim 1, in which the escape wheel has gullet teeth engaged by the said rst-mentioned jumper.

8. A watch according to claim 7, in which the number of the pins of the escape wheel is equal to the number of the gullet teeth, each pin being xed substantially in the head of one of .the gullet teeth.

References Cited in the tile of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 410,554 Great Britain May 24, 1934 648,393 France Aug. 13, 1928 923,788 France Feb. 24, 1947

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