Control mechanism of at least one element of a timepiece which is running step by step
United States Patent Mougin Apr. 8, 1975 CONTROL MECHANISM OF AT LEAST {58] Field of Search 58/4, 5, 58  
  ONE ELEMENT OF A TIMEPIECE WHICH IS RUNNING STEP BY STEP [56] References Cited [75] Inventor: Richard Mougin, Fontainemelon. UNITED STATES PATENTS Swilzerland 3.427.799 2/1969 Besson 58/58 3.436.905 4/1969 Giger 58/58 [73} Assgnee&#39; 2 d g z de 3,667.211 6/1972 Schneider .7 58/58 3.673.789 7/1972 Tsuzuki 58/58 Fomamemelon&#39; Neuchateh 3721.085 3/1973 Zaugg .1 58/58 Switzerland [22] Filed: Aug, 1, 1974 Primary E.\&#39;aminerGeorge H. Miller. Jr. H pp NO: 493,982 Attorney, Agent, or F|rmS|lverman &amp; Cass, Ltd.  
  {57] ABSTRACT [30] Fore&#39;gn Apphc atlo Pnoniy Dam A day-date calendar driving mechanism comprising a l 450/73 spring loaded driving element which is controlled by a July l9 i974 Switzerland 995l/74 spring periodically wound and released by a camming action of a driving wheel. [52] US. Cl. 58/58 1511 1111.0. G04b 19/24 13 Clam, Drawmg Flgms PATENTEDAFR 81975 3 9 SHEET 1 0f 3 1 N m. 9&amp;1:- g4  
 FIG. 2  
  CONTROL MECHANISM OF AT LEAST ONE ELEMENT OF A TIMEPIECE WHICH IS RUNNING STEP BY STEP The present invention relates to a control mechanism of at least one element of a timepiece which is running step by step. by instantaneous jumps. comprising a wheel driven by the gearing of the movement. a rotatable control member operating periodically the said element. loosely mounted with respect to this wheel. and a spring which is wound and unwound periodically and which drives, in an instantaneous displacement. the said control member.  
  This mechanism is characterized by the fact that the said spring is bearing. by its two ends. on the said wheel, with which it is normally rotating. a stationary abutment being located on the way of the said spring and retaining. once per revolution of the said wheel, an end of the said spring. that produces its winding, this end of the spring being moreover submitted to the action of a cam which rotates with the wheel and which moves the said end of the spring substantially radially until it is released from the said stationary abutment, that permits it to strike. at least indirectly, the control member. so as to produce its instantaneous displace ment.  
 The drawings show. by way of example. two embodiments of the object of the invention.  
  FIG. I is a plan view of a first embodiment of a control mechanism of the date and days indicating memhers of a calendar watch.  
 FIG. 2 is a sectional view along line IIII of FIG. 1.  
  FIG. 3 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a control mechanism of the date and days indicating members of a calendar timepiece.  
  FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line IV-IV of FIG. 3.  
  FIGS. 5 and 6 are plan views of two details. and FIGS. 7 to are plan views of the mechanism in several operating positions.  
  The mechanism represented in FIGS. I and 2 comprises a wheel I driven. at the rate ofone revolution per 24 hours. by the gearing of the movement of the watch. for instance by the hour-wheel. This wheel I is rotatably mounted on a several stage stationary hub 2 forced on a journal 3 secured to the frame of the movement. This hub carries a control member 4 rotatably mounted thereon. operating on the one hand a date indicating member the inner toothing of which. designated by 5. has been only represented in the drawings. and on the other hand a days indicating member. coaxial with the center of the movement. the toothing of which. designated by 6. has also been only represented in the drawings. This control member 4, which is loosely mounted with respect to the wheel I, is provided with a beak 4a cooperating with the toothing and with two teeth 4b cooperating with the toothing 6.  
  The wheel I is provided with an elongated slot 7 through which pass the two ends 8:: and 8b, which are bent at right angle. of a wire spring 8 having the shape of an arc of circle. The spring 8 is slightly pre-wound. so that its ends 811 and 8b are normally bearing against the ends of the elongated slot 7.  
  The mechanism comprises moreover a stationary abutment 9 forced on the end of the hub 2 and against which bears. once per each revolution, the end 8a of the spring 8.  
  The mechanism as disclosed and represented operates as follows:  
  Once per revolution of the wheel I, the spring 8. which rotates with this wheel, has its end which abuts against a beak 9a of the stationary abutment 9. The rotation of the wheel I continuing, the spring 8 is progressively wound. Since the slot 7 is not coaxial to the axis of the wheel I, but is going away from its center. considered in the sense contrary to the rotation sense of wheel I. the inner edge, designated by 10, of the slot 7 constitutes a cam acting on the end 80 of the spring for pushing it radially outwardly until it is released from the retaining beak 9a. This end 80 of the spring effects then an instantaneous movement during which it strikes the control member 4 which moves itself. driving, in an instantaneous jump, the date and days indicating member. The displacements of these two members are ended by two jumpers which have not been represented in the drawings.  
  It is to be noted that. when the control member 4 has ended its instantaneous displacement. the control beak 4a. which then occupies the position represented in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. I, remains partially engaged in the toothing 5, that locks momentarily the date indicator and prevents that, during its instantaneous jump. this indicator, due to its inertia. goes beyond the position it must occupy. The same for the days indicator which is then locked by the second of the teeth 4b of the control member 4. This locking of the two indicating members is rendered possible by the fact that the control member 4 is itself rendered rigid with the spring 8 which. when it strikes the control member. engages itself into a notch II of this member. At the end of its instantaneous jumps. the spring 8 has its end 811 bearing against the inner end. seen in the sense of running. of the slot 7, the control member 4 being thus momentarily prevented from moving beyond the position represented in dot-and-dash lines in the drawings.  
  The mechanism represented in FIGS. 3 to 10 comprises a wheel 12, corresponding to the wheel 1 of the first embodiment. driven. at the rate of one revolution per 24 hours. by the gearing of the movement of the watch. This wheel I2 is rotatably mounted on a several stage stationary hub 13 forced on a journal 14 secured to the frame of the movement. This hub carries a control member made of three pieces I5, I6 and I7, two of which. i.e. pieces I5 and I7, are loosely mounted thereon and the third of which. i.e. piece I6, is carried by the first one.  
  Pieces [5 and I6 of the control member are provided each with a finger I50. respectively I6a. cooperating with the toothing. designated by 18a. of a wheel I8 rigid with a days indicating member. while piece 17 of the control member is provided with a beak 17a a bent portion [7h of which cooperates with an inner toothing 19a ofa crown I9 rigid with a date indicating member.  
  The piece I6 of the control member. represented in detail in FIG. 5, is constituted by an open resilient ring engaged with play on the hub I3, one end of which is provided with the control finger I60 and the opposite end of which. designated by 16b. is bent at right angle and is engaged in a hole 20 provided in the piece 15 of the control member, also represented in detail in FIG. 5. Thus. the piece 16 of the control member is articulated on the piece 15 thereof.  
  The piece 17 of the control member. represented in detail in FIG. 6. has its beak 17a situated at the end of a resilient arm 17c permitting to its active portion 17b to act on the toothing 19 of the date indicator like a pawl and to drive it, this way, only in one sense. This resilient arm 17c passes under an ear b of the piece l5 of the control member, that maintains it in height. The piece I? is provided with a nose 17d which constitutes, with the root of the resilient arm 17c. an areshaped free space 21 in which is engaged the end of the bent portion 16b of the resilient ring 16 constituting the second piece of the control member. Owing to this arrangement, the third piece, 17, of the control member can move freely, angularly, with respect to the two first ones IS and I6, the length of the space 2i determining however the value of its maximum angular shifting.  
  The wheel I2 is provided with an elongated slot 22 traversed by the two ends 230 and 23b, which are bent at right angle, of an arc-shaped wire spring 23, slightly pre-wound, so that its ends are normally bearing against the ends of the slot 22. This latter is provided with a branch 22a, having the shape of an arc of circle, the purpose of which will be indicated later.  
  The mechanism comprises moreover a stationary abutting ring 24 forced on the end of the hub 13, against a nose 24a of which bears, once per revolution, the end 23a of the spring 23.  
  The operation of this mechanism is identical with this one of the first embodiment:  
  Once per revolution of wheel 12, the spring 23, which rotates with this wheel, has its end 230 which bears against the nose 24a of the stationary abutting member 24. The rotation of the wheel I2 continuing, the spring 23 is progressively wound. Since the slot 22 is not coaxial with the axis of wheel I2, but goes away from its center, considered in the sense contrary to the sense of rotation of wheel 12, the inner edge, designated by 25, of the slot 22 constitutes a cam acting on the end 23a of the spring for pushing it radially outwardly until it be released from the retaining nose 24a. The end 230 of the spring effects then an instantaneous displacement during which it strikes the three pieces l5, l6 and 17 of the control member which move then. driving, in an instantaneous jump, the date and days indicating members. The displacements of these two indicating members are ended by two jumpers which have not been represented in the drawings.  
  The mechanism according to this second embodiment will be especially suitable for calendar timepieces provided with a correcting device permitting to act manually on the date indicator and on the days indicator. It will permit, especially, to effect the correction even at the very moment when these indicators are operated by the control mechanism without any damage be produced.  
  This mechanism will be specially indicated in the case of calendar timepieces the days indicator of which is provided with two sets of the days of the week, in two different languages. which are alternated. The days indicators of this type are rigid with a 14 teeth wheel serving to their driving, the control mechanism having to drive, at each step, the days indicator on the value of two teeth of its driving wheel. In such arrangements, the means permitting to the control member, which is generally constituted by a finger, to give up if the manual correction is effected at the same time where this finger is operating, must permit an important free running of this finger, due to the fact that, as hereabove indicated, the indicator advances, at each step, of the value of two teeth of the wheel with which it is rigid, that is to say wheel I8 in the example disclosed and represented.  
  FIGS. 7 to 10 of the drawings show the mechanism in four unfavourable operating positions. In each of them, the stationary abutting ring 24 has been deleted so as to increase the clearness of the drawings.  
  The mechanism is represented in FIG. 7 in the position it occupies if a correction of the days indicator is effected immediately after the jump of the two indicators, of the days and of the dates. In this case, the wheel 18 rigid with the days indicator is driven in the sense of the arrow 26. One of the teeth 18a of this wheel acts on the finger 16a of the piece l6 of the rotatable control member for rotating it in the clockwise direction. The piece 16 of the control member drives then the piece 15 which moves itself freely with respect to the piece 17, the end of the bent portion 16b moving itself in the arc-shaped aperture 21 without, however, abutting against the nose l7d of the piece 17.  
  FIG. 8 represents the control mechanism when a cor rection of the date indicator is effected immediately after the jump of this indicator and of the days indicator. As it can be seen, a tooth 19a of this indicator, which is driven manually in the sense of the arrow 27,  
 acts on the beak 17a of piece I? of the rotatable control member for moving it in the clockwise direction. Pieces I5 and I6 of the control member are also driven by the intermediary of the bent portion of the piece I6. Simultaneously, the beak 17a acts on the bent end 23b of the spring 23 which, once the tooth I has passed over this beak, returns piece 17 of the control member in the counter clockwise direction.  
  FIG. 9 represents the mechanism in the position it occupies when a correction of the days indicator is effected immediately after its jump, but in the case where, moreover. a counter rotation of the control mechanism has been effected manually by means of the setting mechanism of the timepiece. It is, practically, the case the most unfavourable which can occur, together with this one of FIG. I0 disclosed hereafter. In this case, wheel 18, rotating in the sense of the arrow 26, as in the case of FIG. 7, acts, by one of its teeth 180, on the finger I60 of the piece 16 of the rotatable control member. However, the control mechanism having rotated, under the effect of the manual setting, in the sense of arrow 28, with respect to the position represented in FIG. 7, the displacement of piece 16 brings this latter to abut against piece 15, the two pieces l5 and I6 moving then simultaneously, of a value higher than the amplitude authorised by the length of the areshaped opening 2i, so that the bent portion 16b of the piece 16 abuts against the nose 17d of piece 17. There results that piece I7 is then driven in rotation at the same time as pieces 15 and I6, in the clockwise direction. This displacement is effected against the action of spring 23 the bent portion 23b of which, pushed by the beak 17a of piece 17 of the control member, moves itself in the arc-shaped branch 22a of the slot 22 provided in the driving wheel 12. The spring 23 returns in their normal position the several pieces of the control member when the tooth 18a has passed over the end of the finger 160.  
  FIG. 10 represents the control mechanism in the position it occupies when the date indicator is operated manually immediately after his jump, and after the mechanism has been counter rotated by means of the setting mechanism of the timepiece. In this case. a tooth 19a of wheel 19 of the date indicator. which is manually driven in the sense of arrow 27.. acts on the beak 17a of piece 17 of the control member sooner than in the case of FIG. 8. so that the amplitude of the displacements of piece 17 is greater than this one in the case of FIG. 8. The bent portion 23b of the spring 23 is then driven and engages in the arc-shaped branch 22a of the slot 22 provided in the driving wheel 12.  
  lt is to be noted that. whatever may be the angular position of the several pieces of the control member when ceases the manual correction. the bent portion 23a of the spring 23 brings them back into a determined relative angular position, such as represented in FIG. 3, before acting thereon for producing their instantaneous jump.  
 What I claim is:  
  l. Control mechanism of at least one element of a timepiece which is running step by step. by instantaneous jumps. comprising a wheel driven by the gearing of the movement. a rotatable control member operating periodically the said elements. loosely mounted coaxially with respect to the said wheel. and a spring which is wound and unwound periodically, and which drives. in an instantaneous displacement. the said control member. characterized by the fact that the said spring lies generally in the plane of the wheel with two ends bent parallel to the axis of the wheel and located in an opening of the wheel with which it is normally rotating. a stationary abutment being located in the way of the said spring and retaining. once per revolution of the said wheel. an end of the said spring. that produces its winding. this end of the spring being moreover submitted to the action of a cam which rotates with the wheel and which moves the said end of the spring substantially radially until it is released from the said stationary abutment. that permits it to strike. at least indirectly. the control member. so as to produce its instantaneous displacement.  
  2. Control mechanism as claimed in claim I, characterized by the fact that the control member is provided with a notch in which engages the end of the spring. at the end of its instantaneous displacements. that renders the control member rigid with the spring.  
  3. Control mechanism as claimed in claim I, characterized by the fact that the control member comprises two fingers cooperating. during its instantaneous displacements. with a toothing ofthe element of the timepiece it operates. so that. at the end of the instantaneous jumps of the said element. one of the said fingers remains meshing with the said toothing, thus locking the said element.  
  4. Control mechanism as claimed in claim I. characterized by the fact that the control member comprises a finger cooperating. during its instantaneous displacements. with a toothing of the element of the timepiece it operates. said finger being arranged in such a way that. at the end of the instantaneous jumps. it remains partially engaged in the said toothing. thus locking the said element.  
  5. Control mechanism as claimed in claim I, characterized by the fact that the wheel is provided with an elongated slot traversed by the two ends. which are bent at right angle. of the spring. which is a wire spring. these ends bearing against the ends of the said slot.  
  6. Control mechanism as claimed in claim 5, characterized by the fact that the cam controlling the spring is constituted by one of the longitudinal edges of the said slot which goes away from the center of the wheel, considered in a sense contrary to this of the rotation.  
  7. Control mechanism as claimed in claim 1. arranged in such a way as to act on two elements of a timepiece each rigid with a toothing. one of which is operated by two extensions of the rotatable control member and the other of which is operated by a third extension of this member. characterized by the fact that the said rotatable control member is made of three pieces each provided with one of the said extensions. two of which. provided with the extensions cooperating with one of the said toothings. are rigid one from each other. one of them having its extension situated at the end of an elastic arm. which can this way move itself with respect to the extension of the piece with which it is rigid. and the third of them has some a degree of angular liberty with respect to the two other ones. the whole in such a way as to permit to the said extensions to give up or to move themselves when they operate at the very moment where the element they operate is either prevented from rotating or rotatably driven in a sense opposite to this one in which it is normally driven by the control mechanism.  
  8. Control mechanism as claimed in claim 7. characterized by the fact that one of the two first pieces of the control member is constituted by a ring rotatably mounted on a cylindrical surface provided on the frame of the timepiece. coaxially to the wheel driven by the movement. the second piece of the said control member being constituted by a resilient open ring engaged with play on the said cylindrical bearing surface. and which is articulated. by one of its ends. on the said first piece. and the opposite end of which is provided with the extension. the third piece of the control member being constituted by a ring also rotatably mounted on the said cylindrical bearing surface. one of the two elements-first and third pieces of the control member-being provided with a protrusion engaged into an arc-shaped aperture of the other element-third and first pieces of the control member-so that these two elements be angularly rigid one with each other. but with some a degree of liberty.  
  9. Control mechanism as claimed in claim 8, characterized by the fact that the end of the second piece of the control member opposed to this one provided with the extension is bent at right angle and is engaged in an opening of the first piece. that ensures the articulation of the second piece on the first one.  
  It]. Control mechanism as claimed in claim 9. characterized by the fact that the third piece of the control member is provided with an arc-shaped aperture in which is engaged the end of the bent portion of the first piece of the control member. that ensures the angular connection between the two first pieces of this member and the third one.  
  1]. Control mechanism as claimed in claim 7. characterized by the fact that the third piece of the control member has its extension situated at the end of an elastic arm permitting it to cooperate with the toothing it operates like a pawl. so as to drive this toothing only in one sense.  
  12. Control mechanism as claimed in claim 11. characterized by the fact that the wheel driven by the movement is provided with an elongated slot traversed by the two ends. which are bent at right angle. of the spring, which is a wire spring. the control cam of this 8 by the movement is provided with an aroshaped branch. coaxial with the center of the said wheel, permitting to the end of the spring bearing against the third piece of the control member to move when it is urged in rotation by a force which is not produced by the control mechanism.