EP1408383A1 - Chronograph movement - Google Patents

Abstract

The chronometer watch mechanism is contained within a case (30) and has a chronometer start/stop control (24), a reset control (26) and minute hand locking control (28). The locking control ensures that during chronometer operation the chronometer and current time minute hands are superimposed and move together and uses a mechanism which includes a cam (38d), a spring loaded hammer (36), a hammer pin (391e) and free wheel

Description

• une source d'énergie,
• une base de temps alimentée par la source d'énergie,
• un premier rouage, de finissage, entraíné en rotation en synchronisme avec la base de temps, et comportant un mobile des unités de temps choisies parmi les minutes et les heures de temps courant, et
• un mécanisme de chronographe, lequel comprend :
  • un deuxième rouage, de chronographe, destiné à être entraíné, à la demande, en synchronisme avec la base de temps et comportant des première et deuxième roues effectuant respectivement un tour en soixante secondes et un tour en un temps permettant l'affichage des unités de temps chronométré choisies parmi les heures et les minutes et disposée coaxialement au premier mobile, ces roues étant agencées de manière à pouvoir porter des moyens d'affichage permettant l'affichage d'un temps chronométré, par exemple des aiguilles, pour indiquer respectivement les secondes de temps chronométré et l'unité choisie du temps chronométré,
  • un dispositif de commande pour assurer le départ et l'arrêt de la rotation du deuxième rouage, et
  • un dispositif de mise à zéro des moyens d'affichage.

The present invention relates to movements for so-called chronograph watches. Such movements comprise, in general and in a conventional manner, a frame, formed of a plate and bridges, and, carried by this frame:

• a source of energy,
• a time base powered by the energy source,
• a first gear train, for finishing, driven in rotation in synchronism with the time base, and comprising a moving body of time units chosen from the minutes and hours of current time, and
• a chronograph mechanism, which includes:
  • a second gear train, chronograph, intended to be driven, on demand, in synchronism with the time base and comprising first and second wheels respectively performing a revolution in sixty seconds and a revolution in time allowing the display of the units of timed time chosen from the hours and minutes and arranged coaxially to the first mobile, these wheels being arranged so as to be able to carry display means allowing the display of a timed time, for example hands, to indicate the seconds respectively of timed time and the chosen unit of timed time,
  • a control device for ensuring the start and stop of the rotation of the second gear train, and
  • a device for resetting the display means.

Chronographs allow measurement of time intervals, by pressure on one or two pushers, mounted sliding on the watch case, which control the chronograph mechanism. Successive pressures ensure the start and stop of the chronograph train, and consequently, the start and end of measurement.

The measured time is displayed using a second hand chronograph, carried by the first wheel of the chronograph train. According to type of chronograph, the first wheel also drives a wheel one turn in thirty or sixty minutes and likely to carry a minutes of timed time. This wheel is generally off-center, so so that the chronograph minute hand is smaller than that of the seconds chronograph.

Also, to facilitate the reading of the minute of timed time, it is advantageous to have the chronograph minute hand in the center of the movement. To prevent it from being confused with the second hand chronograph, it needs to be wider. It follows that it tends to hide the dial in the midday position when it is not in function. This can be inconvenient for reading the information given by the hands located below, i.e. those intended for time display current. The object of the present invention is to overcome this drawback.

This object is achieved thanks to the fact that the chronograph mechanism comprises, in in addition, switching means arranged so that they can occupy two states and in one of which they connect the second wheel of the cog from the chronograph to the mobile of the gear train, so that the means display carried by the second wheel display the current time unit equivalent to that of timed time.

Advantageously, the time unit displayed by the mobile and the second wheel mentioned above is the minute. So, as long as the first organ provides the link between the chronograph gear wheel intended to display the minutes and the current time minutes mobile, the minute hand, scope by the chronograph cog wheel is in a position corresponding to the display of the minutes of the current time.

More specifically, the switching means comprise a hammer pivotally mounted on the current time mobile, a cam fixed to the second wheel of the chronograph cog and an elastic body holding the hammer resting against the cam.

• un mobile d'isolation muni d'une première planche, de même diamètre que le premier mobile, et d'une deuxième planche agencée pour coopérer avec-un cliquet et portant une goupille destinée à actionner le marteau,
• un organe de retenue comprenant une bascule et une roue de retenue, montée mobile en rotation sur la bascule et comprenant des première et deuxième planches agencées pour pouvoir engrener respectivement avec la première planche du mobile d'isolation et le mobile des minutes du rouage de finissage, et reliées l'une à l'autre par un embrayage unidirectionnel, et
• des organes de commandes d'isolation comprenant :
  • un levier d'isolation,
  • un cliquet monté pivotant sur le levier et coopérant avec la deuxième planche du mobile d'isolation, pour la déplacer en référence à la première planche, et avec elle la goupille, laquelle soulève le marteau de manière à interrompre la liaison entre la deuxième roue du rouage de chronographe et le mobile des minutes du rouage de finissage.

To guarantee perfect functioning of the switching means as defined above, the chronograph mechanism further comprises an isolation device which comprises:

• an insulating mobile provided with a first board, of the same diameter as the first mobile, and a second board arranged to cooperate with a pawl and carrying a pin intended to actuate the hammer,
• a retaining member comprising a rocker and a retaining wheel, mounted so as to be able to rotate on the rocker and comprising first and second planks arranged so as to be able to mesh respectively with the first board of the insulating mobile and the mobile of the minutes of the final train , and connected to each other by a one-way clutch, and
• insulation control units comprising:
  • an isolation lever,
  • a ratchet pivotally mounted on the lever and cooperating with the second board of the isolation mobile, to move it with reference to the first board, and with it the pin, which lifts the hammer so as to interrupt the connection between the second wheel of the the chronograph train and the minute wheel for the finishing train.

At the start of timing, the seconds hands and chronograph minutes are zero, to allow the user to know that its counter is initialized. It might not be the case when the stopwatch minute hand is superimposed on the minutes of running time. Also, to avoid any comprehension problem operation, the chronograph mechanism further includes a locking device arranged to lock the control devices and of zeroing as long as the switching means connect the second wheel of the chronograph cog in the moving gear of the finishing cog.

In a first variant, the mobile for the minutes of current time is arranged to carry a current time minute hand and the second wheel of the chronograph cog, a minute hand with timed time. In this variant, when the switching means are in the state for which they connect the second wheel of the chronograph train to the mobile of the finishing cog, the needles carried by the wheel and the mobile are superimposed.

In a second variant, only the second wheel of the gear train chronograph carries a hand, so that this hand displays the minutes of running time as long as the locking device locks the control device, and the minutes of timed time in the case opposite. The information provided is thus reduced, but the watch is more thin, which improves its aesthetics. It actually offers the advantage of a display of the minute of timed time using a large hand, while having only three hands in the center of the movement, i.e. those displaying the hour of current time, the minute of current time and of timed time, as well as the second of timed time.

• La figure 1 représente une montre munie d'un mouvement selon l'invention, dans un état où une mesure de temps chronométré est en cours,
• La figure 2 est un schéma logique de fonctionnement du mouvement selon l'invention,
• La figure 3 est une vue en coupe du mouvement selon l'invention,
• Les figures 4a à 4d montrent le côté cadran du mouvement, dans différents états correspondants aux étapes définies dans le schéma de la figure 2, et
• La figure 5 illustre le côté fond du mouvement, lorsque la fonction chronographe est verrouillée.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawing, in which:

• FIG. 1 represents a watch provided with a movement according to the invention, in a state where a measurement of timed time is in progress,
• FIG. 2 is a logic diagram of the operation of the movement according to the invention,
• FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the movement according to the invention,
• FIGS. 4a to 4d show the dial side of the movement, in different states corresponding to the steps defined in the diagram of FIG. 2, and
• FIG. 5 illustrates the back side of the movement, when the chronograph function is locked.

In the following description, the position of certain components is sometimes defined with reference to a time. This position corresponds to that occupied, on a dial, the index showing the given time.

The watch shown in Figure 1 is of the chronograph type. It involves, conventionally, a box 10 serving as a housing for a movement, which has a dial 12, hour hands of current time 14, minutes of current time 16, minutes of timed time 18 and seconds of timed time 20.

The display of the current time is corrected by means of a setting crown hour 22, connected to the movement organs by a non-time setting rod visible in the drawing.

The timing functions are provided by three pushers 24, 26 and 28 respectively arranged at two o'clock, four o'clock and eight o'clock. The push-button 24 controls the start and stop of a timed time measurement, while the pusher 26 ensures the setting of the hands 18 and 20 to zero when a timed time measurement was interrupted. Finally, the pusher 28 allows to pass the chronograph mechanism from a first state, in which it is locked, to a second state in which it is unlocked.

As will be explained later, the chronograph mechanism is arranged so that, when locked, the minute hands of time current 16 and timed time 18 are superimposed and rotate together, while the stopwatch time second hand 20 is at noon. In this state, pushers 24 and 26 are inactive.

Figure 2 illustrates the effect of the different pushers according to the states of the chronograph mechanism, which are identified by a capital letter surrounded by a circle. Pressing buttons 24, 26 and 28 corresponds respectively to the indications P1, P2 and P3 in the figure.

In the initial state, identified by A and corresponding to the situation illustrated by the Figures 4a and 4b, the chronograph mechanism is locked. The needle of chronograph 20 seconds is at noon and the minute hand chronograph 18 is superimposed on the current time minute hand 16, the pushers 24 and 26 being inactive.

Pressing P3 unlocks the chronograph mechanism. It follows that the stopwatch time minute hand 18 leaves the running time minute hand 16 to align with twelve hours, thus superimposing the stopwatch time second hand 20. This state, represented on FIG. 4c is identified by B.

In this state, the pushers 24 (P1) and 28 (P3) are active. Pressing P1 has the effect of starting the counting of a timed time, the second hand of timed time 20 starting to turn and, more slowly, the minute hand of timed time 18. This state, represented on Figure 4d and identified by the letter C , brings the display into a situation as illustrated in Figure 1.

At state B , pressing P3 brings the chronograph mechanism back to its initial state A.

In state C , only the pusher 24 is active. Pressing P1 has the effect of stopping the counting of the timed time. The hands 18 and 20 therefore stop in the position corresponding to the measured time, which corresponds to state D , which differs from state B only in that the hands are not at zero.

A new pressure P1 then has the effect of restarting the counting, the mechanism thus finding itself in state C , while a pressure P2 brings the needles 18 and 20 back to noon, which corresponds to state B.

In a variant, carried out by means of a movement such as that described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, the current time minute hand 16 is eliminated. In this way, the current time is read by means of the hours of the current time hours 14 and the minutes 18 as long as the movement is in state A, while in the other states, the minute hand 18 ensures the display of the timed time, the minutes of the current time to be evaluated from the position of the hour hand of the current time 14.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 and in order to avoid overloading the drawing, the springs have have been represented only schematically, by means of an arrow showing the force they generate, associated with a reference Fi, "i" being equal to the reference of the part on which the spring acts. They are essentially visible in Figure 4b.

More specifically, FIGS. 4a and 4b represent the mechanism in its rest position, corresponding to state A , and FIGS. 4c and 4d in positions corresponding respectively to states B and C in FIG. 2. In FIGS. 4a to 4d, which show the movement on the dial side, certain parts are removed or partially torn from one or the other of these figures, to better see the underlying parts.

The terms wheel or wheel are used to differentiate the constituents chronograph cogs, respectively finishing.

The movement according to the invention comprises, conventionally and not visible in the drawing, a source of energy such as a barrel, a time base such a balance spring, a gear train of which only a mobile 29 is visible in Figures 3 and 4, and an exhaust connecting the gear train to pendulum for maintenance, as well as time-setting mechanisms and chronograph. These different components are arranged on a frame 30, formed of a plate and bridges, which ensures the relative positioning of the different moving parts of the movement.

FIG. 3 represents the central part of the movement, seen in section along the line III-III of figure 4a, with an axis A-A corresponding to the axis around from which the needles rotate. The frame 30 carries, rigidly fixed on its side face dial, a tube 32 comprising a plate 32a integral with the frame 30 and two cylindrical portions 32b and 32c, of axis merging with axis A-A and arranged one after the other, connected by a shoulder 32d, and intended to serve fixed shaft to ensure the pivoting of mobiles and wheels, as will be explained below.

A mobile of minutes of current time 34 is pivotally mounted on the tube 32. It is provided with a barrel 34a engaged on the cylindrical portion 32b of the tube 32 and a board 34b having a toothing 34c at its periphery. Canon 34a, the board 34b and the toothing 34c are made in one piece.

The mobile 34 permanently meshes, by its teeth 34c, with the mobile 29 of the finishing gear, in a gear ratio chosen so that it performs one revolution per hour of current time.

• d'une découpe 34d en forme de portion annulaire embrassant un angle de 50° environ, dont la fonction sera précisée plus loin,
• d'un tenon 34e, sur lequel est fixé un marteau 36 de liaison, ainsi que
• d'un ressort tendant à repousser le marteau 36 vers le centre et schématiquement représenté par la flèche F36 (figure 4b).

Plate 34b is provided with:

• a cutout 34d in the form of an annular portion embracing an angle of approximately 50 °, the function of which will be explained below,
• a stud 34e, on which is fixed a hammer 36 of connection, as well as
• a spring tending to push the hammer 36 towards the center and schematically represented by the arrow F36 (FIG. 4b).

A minute hand wheel 38 is pivotally mounted on the portion cylindrical 32c of the tube 32. This wheel 38 is visible, in plan, only in the figure 4c. It comprises a board 38a provided, at its periphery, with a toothing 38b, and a barrel 38c engaged on the tube 32 and extending upward enough to that its free end is free and allows the attachment of the needle minutes 18. The latter ensures both the display of the current time and the timed time. The barrel 38c extends below the board 38a. A cam 38d, generally called a heart, and more particularly visible in plan in Figures 4a, 4b and 4d, is fixed thereto by driving or welding. His face lower is in abutment against the shoulder 32d. This cam 38d is arranged with so that it can cooperate with the hammer 36, as it will explained further.

The movement includes an isolation device, the reference of which components begins with 39 and which includes a 391 isolation mobile mounted on the barrel 34a, a rocker 392, a retaining wheel 393 pivotally mounted on lever 392, an isolation lever 394 and a ratchet 395 mounted on the lever 394 (Figure 4a).

The mobile 391 comprises two superimposed boards 391a and 391b, connected rigidly to each other and provided at their periphery with teeth respectively referenced 391c and 391d, and a pin 391e fixed in plate 391a. This last, lower, is provided with wolf teeth, clearly visible in FIG. 4a, while the toothing 391d, of the upper board 391b, has the same number of teeth and has the same profile and the same diameter as the teeth 34c. Pin 391e is engaged in cutout 34d and extends to hammer level 36.

The retaining lever 392 is mounted on the frame 30, pivoting in its part median. It carries, at one of its ends, the wheel 393 which can turn on a stud 392a driven into lever 392, while the other end forms a nose 392b which, as will be explained below, makes it possible to control the movement of the rocker 392. A spring F392 tends to apply the nose 392b on a bearing surface.

As shown schematically in Figure 3, the wheel 393 is formed of two boards 393a and 393b, interconnected by a snap 393c and respectively likely to be engaged with the teeth 34c and 391d. The snap 393c is arranged so that, when the mobile 34 turns clockwise, the latching is blocked, so that the board 393b drives the mobile 391 in rotation. If, on the contrary, this is what last which is turned clockwise, only the board 393b is driven, the snap 393c ensuring its declutching function.

• un corps 394a monté pivotant sur la bâti 30; par engagement d'un trou 394b pratiqué à l'une des extrémités du corps 394a du levier dans un tenon non référencé, solidaire du bâti 30,
• un nez 394c, se trouvant au voisinage du trou 394b, et destiné à commander le déplacement du levier 394,
• un tenon 394d chassé dans le corps à l'extrémité opposée à celle munie du trou 394b, sur lequel pivote le cliquet 395, et
• une goupille 394e, formant butée et limitant le mouvement du cliquet 395.

The lever 394 comprises (FIG. 4a):

• a body 394a pivotally mounted on the frame 30; by engagement of a hole 394b made at one of the ends of the body 394a of the lever in an unreferenced stud, integral with the frame 30,
• a nose 394c, located in the vicinity of the hole 394b, and intended to control the movement of the lever 394,
• a pin 394d driven into the body at the end opposite to that provided with the hole 394b, on which the pawl 395 pivots, and
• a pin 394e, forming a stop and limiting the movement of the pawl 395.

The lever 394 is positioned by pressing the nose 394c against a bearing surface, by the action of a spring F394. A spring F395 tends to hold the pawl 395 resting against pin 394e.

The isolation mobile 391 can be moved by an angle of about 45 ° by relative to the mobile 34, by engagement of the pawl 395 in the teeth 391c. then of this movement, the pin 391e, moving freely in the cutout 34d, lifts the hammer 36, the free end of which is brought out.

When the chronograph mechanism is locked, by means which will be explained later, the hammer 36, positioned by the spring F36 which tends when applied against the cam 38d, acts as a connecting member between the mobile 34 and the wheel 38, which are thus integral in rotation. So it comes back to say that the minute hand 18, carried by the barrel 38c of the wheel 38, displays the minutes of current time.

To ensure the counting of a timed time, the movement shown in drawing includes a chronograph seconds wheel 40, pivotally mounted in the tube 32, visible in FIG. 5 and partially in FIG. 3, as well as a mobile player 42 (Figures 3 and 4c). The wheel 40 comprises a shaft 40a, mounted pivoting in the tube 32 and in the frame 30, a board 40b driven on the shaft 40a and fitted with teeth, a cam 40c, also driven out on the shaft 40a, and a training finger 41.

The chronograph mechanism further comprises and not visible in the drawing, a clutch provided with a wheel which, when the chronograph mechanism is in state C , kinematically connects the wheel 40 to the gear train, so that it is rotated, at the rate of one revolution per minute. Such a clutch is well known to those skilled in the art.

The portable mobile 42 comprises a shaft 42a (FIG. 3) rotatably mounted in a stone 43, with an olive hole, driven out on a bridge of the frame 30 and on a rocker 44, itself pivoting on the frame 30 and which will be described in more detail below. It further comprises two wheels 42b and 42c, respectively intended for cooperate with the finger 41 and with the wheel 38. Depending on the position occupied by the rocker 44, the wheel 42b is or is not in the space scanned by the finger 41. Furthermore, the wheel 42c is permanently engaged with the toothing 38b. The rocker 44 tends to move towards the center of the movement, under the effect a F44 spring (Figure 5).

When the chronograph mechanism is in one of the states B, C or D, the hammer 36 is lifted by the pin 391e, so that it is no longer in abutment against the cam 38d. The mobile 34 and the wheel 38 are therefore no longer integral in rotation. In addition, when the mechanism is in state C, the shaft 42a is arranged parallel to the axis AA and its wheel 42b can be rotated by the finger 41, at the rate of one step at each revolution of the wheel 40. In other words, the portable mobile 42 performs a function of connecting member between the timed seconds seconds wheel 40 and the wheel 38, so that the latter allows the display of the timed minutes of minutes when the mechanism is in state C or D.

The connecting members formed by the hammer 36, the spring F36 and the cam 38d on the one hand, the portable mobile 42 on the other hand, together perform a function switching means.

As the mobile of the minutes of current time 34 rotates continuously, driven by the gear train, the isolation mobile 391 must rotate with him, otherwise the hammer 36 could no longer be controlled. In this Indeed, the retaining wheel 393 is brought into engagement with the teeth 34c of the mobile 34 and 391d of the insulation mobile 391, the two boards 393a and 393b being made integral in rotation by the snap 393c.

• un commutateur permettant de rendre active ou non la fonction de chronométrage, et dont les pièces constitutives sont définies par des références commençant par 46,
• un dispositif de commande, commandant le départ et l'arrêt d'une mesure, et dont les pièces constitutives sont définies par des références commençant par 48, et
• un dispositif de mise à zéro, permettant de réinitialiser les compteurs de temps chronométré, et dont les pièces constitutives sont définies par des références commençant par 50.

To perform the functions as defined with reference to FIG. 2, the chronograph mechanism shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, comprises, in addition to the cogs and the isolation device described above:

• a switch making it possible to activate or not the timing function, and the constituent parts of which are defined by references starting with 46,
• a control device, controlling the start and stop of a measurement, and the constituent parts of which are defined by references starting with 48, and
• a zero-setting device, making it possible to reinitialize the timed time counters, and the constituent parts of which are defined by references starting with 50.

It will be noted that these devices interact and that certain parts are arbitrarily defined as part of one rather than the other device.

• un organe de commutation 461, comprenant :
  • un corps 461a en forme d'oiseau, avec une tête 461b munie d'un trou 461c dans lequel est engagée une tige traversant le bâti 30 de part en part et portant un doigt 461d visible sur la figure 5, un bec 461e, deux ailes 461f et 461g, l'aile 461g étant munie d'une goupille 461h, et une queue 461j, la tête étant disposée du côté du centre du mouvement et la queue 461j à la périphérie, au voisinage de 7 heures,
  • un levier 461k monté pivotant sur la queue 461j et s'étendant sur le pourtour du mouvement de 7 à 9 heures, muni d'une goupille 461m disposée de manière à se trouver ou non sur le chemin parcouru par le poussoir 28 lorsqu'il est actionné selon la position qu'occupe le levier 461k, et d'une butée 461n disposée à son extrémité libre,
  • un cliquet 461p monté pivotant sur le levier 461k et limité dans son mouvement par la butée 461n,
• une came de commutation, par exemple une roue à colonnes 462, schématiquement représentée, commandée en rotation par le cliquet 461p, tournant sur le bâti 30 en 462a, et coopérant avec les nez 392b de la bascule 392 et 394c du levier 394,
• un levier d'enclenchement 464, comportant un corps de forme allongée 464a, monté pivotant sur le bâti 30 dans sa partie médiane, et dont l'une des extrémités est munie d'un nez 464b agencé pour coopérer avec les colonnes de la roue 462, alors que l'autre extrémité comporte un premier trou oblong 464c dans lequel un plot 465 est monté coulissant, destiné à coopérer avec le dispositif de commande 48, et un deuxième trou oblong 464d, dans lequel est logée une goupille à tête 466, elle-même fixée sur le bâti 30, assurant le positionnement du levier dans le plan du mouvement.

The switch 46 is controlled by the push-button 28. It makes it possible to bring the minute hand 16 to zero, and to activate the push-button 24. It includes, for this purpose (FIG. 4a):

• a switching member 461, comprising:
  • a body 461a in the shape of a bird, with a head 461b provided with a hole 461c in which is engaged a rod passing through the frame 30 right through and carrying a finger 461d visible in FIG. 5, a beak 461e, two wings 461f and 461g, the wing 461g being provided with a pin 461h, and a tail 461j, the head being arranged on the side of the center of the movement and the tail 461j at the periphery, in the vicinity of 7 o'clock,
  • a lever 461k pivotally mounted on the tail 461j and extending around the periphery of the movement from 7 to 9 hours, provided with a pin 461m arranged so as to be or not on the path traveled by the pusher 28 when it is actuated according to the position occupied by the lever 461k, and a stop 461n disposed at its free end,
  • a pawl 461p pivotally mounted on the lever 461k and limited in its movement by the stop 461n,
• a switching cam, for example a column wheel 462, diagrammatically shown, controlled in rotation by the pawl 461p, rotating on the frame 30 at 462a, and cooperating with the noses 392b of the rocker 392 and 394c of the lever 394,
• an engagement lever 464, comprising an elongated body 464a, pivotally mounted on the frame 30 in its middle part, and one of the ends of which is provided with a nose 464b arranged to cooperate with the columns of the wheel 462 , while the other end has a first oblong hole 464c in which a stud 465 is slidably mounted, intended to cooperate with the control device 48, and a second oblong hole 464d, in which is housed a pin with head 466, it even fixed on the frame 30, ensuring the positioning of the lever in the plane of movement.

• le corps 461a par le ressort F461a,
• le levier 461k par le ressort F461k qui tend à le ramener lorsqu'une pression a été appliquée sur le poussoir 28,
• le cliquet 461p par le ressort F461p qui le maintient en appui contre la goupille 461n,
• le corps 464a par le ressort F464a qui tend à appliquer le nez 464b contre la roue 462, et
• le plot 465 par le ressort F465 qui tend à l'appuyer du côté extérieur du trou oblong 464c.

The constituent parts of the switch 46 are positioned by springs schematically shown in FIG. 4b, and more particularly:

• the body 461a by the spring F461a,
• the lever 461k by the spring F461k which tends to bring it back when a pressure has been applied to the pusher 28,
• the pawl 461p by the spring F461p which keeps it in abutment against the pin 461n,
• the body 464a by the spring F464a which tends to apply the nose 464b against the wheel 462, and
• the pad 465 by the spring F465 which tends to press it on the outside of the oblong hole 464c.

• un levier de commande 481 comportant :
  • un corps 481 a disposé à la périphérie du mouvement de 2 à 7 heures, qui pivote en 481b sur le bâti 30 légèrement en dessous de 4 heures, et qui est muni, à l'une de ses extrémités, d'un pliage 481c s'étendant dans l'épaisseur du plot 465, et
  • un cliquet 481d monté pivotant sur l'autre extrémité du corps 481a, dont la fonction sera précisée ci-dessous,
• une came 482, par exemple de type roue à colonnes, entraínée par le cliquet 481d, qui commande l'embrayage de chronographe, non représenté au dessin, et positionne l'organe de commutation 461 par son doigt 461d.

The control device 48 is more particularly visible in FIG. 5. It comprises:

• a control lever 481 comprising:
  • a body 481 disposed at the periphery of the movement from 2 to 7 hours, which pivots at 481b on the frame 30 slightly below 4 hours, and which is provided, at one of its ends, with a folding 481c s 'extending in the thickness of the pad 465, and
  • a pawl 481d pivotally mounted on the other end of the body 481a, the function of which will be specified below,
• a cam 482, for example of column wheel type, driven by the pawl 481d, which controls the chronograph clutch, not shown in the drawing, and positions the switching member 461 by its finger 461d.

• le corps 481 a par le ressort F481a qui tend à le ramener lorsqu'une pression a été appliquée sur le poussoir 24, et
• le cliquet 481 d par le ressort F481d qui l'applique contre la came 482.

The constituent parts of the control device 48 are positioned by springs and more particularly:

• the body 481 has by the spring F481a which tends to bring it back when a pressure has been applied to the pusher 24, and
• the pawl 481 d by the spring F481d which presses it against the cam 482.

• un levier de mise à zéro 501 (figure 4a) disposé et monté pivotant à la périphérie le bâti 30 et s'étendant de 4 heures à 6 heures, muni à son extrémité voisine de 4 heures d'une goupille 501a destinée à coopérer avec le poussoir 26, et à son autre extrémité d'une gorge 501b destinée à coopérer avec la goupille 461h,
• un marteau 502 de mise à zéro des minutes disposé au voisinage de la roue à colonnes 462 et s'étendant jusque vers la partie centrale du mouvement pour coopérer avec la came 38d par une surface d'appui 502a, muni :
  • d'un nez 502b qui coopère avec les colonnes de la roue 462, et
  • d'une goupille 502c destinée à coopérer avec l'aile 461f, et
• un marteau 503 de mise à zéro des secondes (figure 5) monté pivotant sur la face opposée du bâti 30 au voisinage de la came 482, muni :
  • d'un nez 503a, coopérant avec la came 482,
  • d'un doigt de retenue 503b coopérant avec la bascule 44 par l'intermédiaire d'une goupille 44a que comporte cette dernière, et
  • d'une surface d'appui 503c destinée à amener l'aiguille des secondes à zéro en venant prendre appui contre la came 40c.

The zero-setting device 50 comprises:

• a reset lever 501 (FIG. 4a) arranged and mounted pivoting at the periphery of the frame 30 and extending from 4 hours to 6 hours, provided at its end close to 4 hours with a pin 501a intended to cooperate with the pusher 26, and at its other end with a groove 501b intended to cooperate with the pin 461h,
• a hammer 502 for resetting the minutes to zero placed in the vicinity of the column wheel 462 and extending as far as the central part of the movement to cooperate with the cam 38d by a bearing surface 502a, provided with:
  • a nose 502b which cooperates with the columns of the wheel 462, and
  • a pin 502c intended to cooperate with the wing 461f, and
• a seconds zeroing hammer 503 (FIG. 5) pivotally mounted on the opposite face of the frame 30 in the vicinity of the cam 482, provided with:
  • a nose 503a, cooperating with the cam 482,
  • a retaining finger 503b cooperating with the lever 44 by means of a pin 44a which the latter comprises, and
  • a bearing surface 503c intended to bring the second hand to zero by coming to bear against the cam 40c.

• le levier 501 par le ressort F501 qui tend à le ramener après qu'une pression a été appliquée sur le poussoir 26,
• le marteau 502 par le ressort F502 qui tend à appliquer la surface d'appui 502a contre la came 38d, et
• le marteau 503 par le ressort F503 qui tend à l'appliquer contre la came 40c.

The constituent parts of the zero-setting device 50 are positioned by springs and more particularly:

• the lever 501 by the spring F501 which tends to bring it back after a pressure has been applied to the pusher 26,
• the hammer 502 by the spring F502 which tends to apply the bearing surface 502a against the cam 38d, and
• the hammer 503 by the spring F503 which tends to apply it against the cam 40c.

The movement further comprises a moving body of the hours of current time 52, pivotally mounted on the barrel 38c of the minute hand wheel 38. The cellphone 52 carries the hour hand 14 of the current time. It is kinematically linked to mobile 34 by a gear train, which divides the movement by a factor 12. This timer mechanism has not been shown to avoid overloading the drawing.

When the chronograph mechanism is at rest, i.e. in state A defined in reference to FIG. 2, its constituent parts are in the position shown in Figures 4a, 4b and 5. More specifically, the nose 392b of the retaining lever 392 is between two columns of column wheel 462 under the effect of spring F392, so that the retaining wheel 393 is not in taken with teeth 34c and 391d. The nose 394c of lever 394 is also between two columns under the effect of spring F394, so that the pawl 395 is set back from teeth 391c. Thus, the hammer 36, under the action of the spring F36, bears against the cam 38d. The needle needle wheel 38 minutes therefore rotates synchronously with the minutes mobile current time 34.

The engagement lever 464 is in support, by its nose 464b and under the effect of spring F464a, against a column of the wheel 462, so that the stud 465 is not interposed between the pusher 24 and the folding 481c, which makes the button 24 inactive. Furthermore, an action on the pusher 26 rotates the lever 501, but without it acting on other parts.

• le nez 392b de la bascule de retenue 392 est soulevé par une colonne, ce qui amène la roue 393 en prise avec les dentures 34c et 391d ;
• le nez 394c du levier 394 est soulevé, de telle sorte que le cliquet 395 entre en prise avec la denture 391c, entraínant en rotation, dans le sens horaire, le mobile 391 et la seule planche 393b, la planche 393a, en prise avec le mobile 34, étant débrayée, à cause de l'encliquetage 393c ;
• durant le mouvement relatif du mobile 391 en référence au mobile 34, la goupille 391e soulève le marteau 36, de telle sorte que la came 38d de la roue 38 n'est plus maintenue en phase avec le mobile 34 ;
• le nez 502b du marteau 502 tombe, sous l'effet du ressort F502, entre deux colonnes de la roue 462, la surface d'appui 502a venant coopérer avec la came 38d de manière telle que la roue 38, qui porte l'aiguille 18, amène cette dernière à midi ; et
• le nez 464b du levier d'enclenchement 464 tombe entre deux colonnes de la roue 462 sous l'effet du ressort F464a, amenant le plot 465 entre le poussoir 24 et le pliage 481c.

Pressing the pusher 28 actuates the pin 461m, which carries with it the lever 461k, which switches the chronograph mechanism. More specifically, the tilting of the lever 461k causes the pawl 461p which rotates the column wheel 462 and generates the following movements, which take place practically simultaneously or in the following order:

• the nose 392b of the retaining lever 392 is raised by a column, which brings the wheel 393 into engagement with the teeth 34c and 391d;
• the nose 394c of the lever 394 is raised, so that the pawl 395 engages with the teeth 391c, driving in rotation, clockwise, the mobile 391 and the only board 393b, the board 393a, engaged with the mobile 34, being disengaged, because of the snap 393c;
• during the relative movement of the mobile 391 with reference to the mobile 34, the pin 391e lifts the hammer 36, so that the cam 38d of the wheel 38 is no longer kept in phase with the mobile 34;
• the nose 502b of the hammer 502 falls, under the effect of the spring F502, between two columns of the wheel 462, the bearing surface 502a coming to cooperate with the cam 38d so that the wheel 38, which carries the needle 18 , bring the latter to noon; and
• the nose 464b of the engagement lever 464 falls between two columns of the wheel 462 under the effect of the spring F464a, bringing the pad 465 between the pusher 24 and the folding 481c.

The mechanism is then in state B defined in Figure 2 and shown in Figure 4c. The link member formed by the hammer 36 and the cam 38d then no longer ensures the link between the wheel 38 and the mobile 34. The switch 46 thus plays the role of control member, and deactivates this link member.

• le nez 392b de la bascule de retenue 392 tombe entre deux colonnes de la roue 462 sous l'effet du ressort F392, la roue 393 se dégageant ainsi des dentures 34c et 391d ;
• le nez 502b est soulevé par une colonne, de telle sorte que le marteau 502 libère la came 38d ;
• le nez 394c retombe entre deux colonnes et le levier 394 reprend la position représentée sur la figure 4a sous l'effet du ressort F394 ;
• sous l'effet du ressort F36, le marteau 36 bascule et prend appui contre la goupille 391e, ce qui fait tourner le mobile d'isolation 391, puis contre la came 38d qui entraíne la roue 38 jusqu'à ce que l'aiguille 18 affiche à nouveau les minutes de temps courant ; et
• le nez 464b du levier d'enclenchement 464 est soulevé par une colonne de la roue 462, de telle sorte que le plot 465 quitte l'espace compris entre le pliage 481c et le poussoir 24.

In this state, the pushers 24 and 28 are functional. By pressing the pusher 28 again, the lever 46 1 k switches and causes the pawl 46 1 p. This rotates the column wheel 462, which gives rise to the following movements, which take place practically simultaneously or in the following order:

• the nose 392b of the retaining lever 392 falls between two columns of the wheel 462 under the effect of the spring F392, the wheel 393 thus emerging from the teeth 34c and 391d;
• the nose 502b is lifted by a column, so that the hammer 502 releases the cam 38d;
• the nose 394c falls between two columns and the lever 394 returns to the position shown in FIG. 4a under the effect of the spring F394;
• under the effect of the spring F36, the hammer 36 rocks and bears against the pin 391e, which rotates the insulating mobile 391, then against the cam 38d which drives the wheel 38 until the needle 18 displays the minutes of current time again; and
• the nose 464b of the engagement lever 464 is raised by a column of the wheel 462, so that the stud 465 leaves the space between the folding 481c and the pusher 24.

The mechanism has thus recovered state A shown in FIG. 4a.

• le marteau 503, visible sur la figure 5, est soulevé par son nez 503a, de telle sorte que la surface d'appui 503c se libère de la came 40c ;
• l'embrayage de chronographe amène la roue d'embrayage en prise à la fois avec le rouage de finissage et la roue de secondes 40 de chronographe, de manière à ce que cette dernière soit entraínée en rotation et, avec elle, l'aiguille des secondes de chronographe 20 ;
• le doigt de retenue 503b libère la goupille 44a de la bascule 44, de telle sorte que le ressort F44 fait pivoter la bascule 44, la roue 42b étant alors positionnée de manière à ce qu'elle se trouve dans l'espace balayé par le doigt 41, lequel peut ainsi faire tourner le mobile baladeur 42 et, par lui, la roue 38 de l'aiguille des minutes, à raison de un pas chaque minute ; et
• le doigt 461 d est soulevé par une colonne de la came 482, ce qui fait basculer le corps 461a (figure 4b) et le levier 46 1 k de l'organe de commutation 461. De la sorte, la goupille 461m est décalée par rapport au poussoir 28, rendant ainsi ce dernier inactif. De plus, l'aile 461f soulève le marteau 502 par sa goupille 502c, autorisant ainsi la rotation de la roue 38 de l'aiguille des minutes.

From state B , shown in FIG. 4c, it is also possible to activate the pusher 24, which has the effect of starting a measurement of timed time. More specifically, the pusher 24 presses against the pad 465, which slides in the oblong hole 464c and, applied against the folding 481 c, rotates the body 481a of the lever 481. Its pawl 481d, more particularly visible in FIG. 5, makes turn cam 482 by one step. This movement of the cam 482 generates the movements described below, which take place practically simultaneously or in the following order:

• the hammer 503, visible in FIG. 5, is lifted by its nose 503a, so that the bearing surface 503c is released from the cam 40c;
• the chronograph clutch brings the clutch wheel into engagement with both the gear train and the seconds wheel 40 of the chronograph, so that the latter is rotated and, with it, the hand of the chronograph 20 seconds;
• the retaining finger 503b releases the pin 44a from the rocker 44, so that the spring F44 rotates the rocker 44, the wheel 42b then being positioned so that it is in the space swept by the finger 41, which can thus rotate the portable mobile 42 and, by it, the wheel 38 of the minute hand, at a rate of one step per minute; and
• the finger 461 d is lifted by a column of the cam 482, which causes the body 461a (FIG. 4b) to tilt and the lever 46 1 k of the switching member 461. In this way, the pin 461m is offset with respect to to pusher 28, thus rendering the latter inactive. In addition, the wing 461f lifts the hammer 502 by its pin 502c, thus authorizing the rotation of the wheel 38 of the minute hand.

In addition, the pivoting of the body 461 a brings its pin 461 h in the groove 501b of the reset lever 501. During this operation, the connection formed by the portable mobile 42, controlled by the device command 48 via hammer 503, goes from deactivated state to the activated state.

The mechanism is then in the position shown in FIG. 4d, which corresponds to state C of FIG. 2. In this state, only the pusher 24 is active. Indeed, the pin 461m is offset with respect to the pusher 28, which makes it inactive. In addition, the body 461a, the position of which is defined by the finger 461 d pressing against a column of the cam 482, remains in this position, even if the groove 501b releases the pin 461h. In other words, pressing the pusher 26 has no effect.

• l'embrayage de chronographe est déplacé, de telle sorte que la roue des secondes de chronographe 40 n'est plus reliée au rouage de finissage, ce qui fait qu'elle s'arrête ;
• le doigt 461d passe de l'appui contre une colonne de la came 482 à une position dans lequel il se trouve entre deux colonnes, sans pour autant que le corps 461 a et le doigt 461d ne pivotent, car le corps 461a est retenu par la goupille 461h engagée dans la gorge 501b du levier 501 ; et
• le nez 502a du marteau 502 se trouve entre deux colonnes de la roue 462, mais ne change pas de position, à cause de la goupille 502c qui est en appui contre l'aile 461f du corps 461a.

A pressure on the pusher 24 brings it into abutment against the stud 465 which slides in the oblong hole 464c and, applied against the folding 481c, makes the lever 481 pivot. Its pawl 481d (FIG. 5) rotates the cam 482 from a new step. This movement of the cam 482 generates the movements described below, which take place practically simultaneously or in the following order:

• the chronograph clutch is moved, so that the chronograph seconds wheel 40 is no longer connected to the finishing train, so that it stops;
• the finger 461d passes from the support against a column of the cam 482 to a position in which it is between two columns, without, however, the body 461 a and the finger 461d not pivoting, because the body 461a is retained by the pin 461h engaged in the groove 501b of the lever 501; and
• the nose 502a of the hammer 502 is located between two columns of the wheel 462, but does not change position, because of the pin 502c which is in abutment against the wing 461f of the body 461a.

The hammer 503 is retained by means similar to those retaining the hammer 502, but which have not been shown to avoid overloading the drawing. The chronograph mechanism is then in state D of the logic diagram in FIG. 2. This state, which is not shown in the drawing, allows action on pushers 24 and 26. Pressing pushbutton 24 starts again. counting time, the mechanism returning to state C by a new rotation of the cam 482. Thus, the chronograph clutch is reset, while the nose 503a of the hammer and the finger 461d are in abutment against a column of the cam 482.

When the mechanism is in state D , a pressure exerted on the pusher 26 drives the lever 501 which, by pivoting, releases the pin 461h. As the finger 461 d is located between two columns of the cam 482, nothing retains it, so that the spring F461a brings the switching member 461 back to the position shown in FIG. 4b. In addition, the hammer 502 is no longer retained by the wing 461f, so that its spring F502 causes it to tilt and bear against the cam 38d, which has the effect of bringing the minute hand 18 back to zero .

A similar process is applied to the hammer 503, so that the cam 40c is also subjected to a force which brings the seconds hand of timed time 20 to 12 o'clock. The chronograph mechanism is again in state B defined above, so that it is possible to press on the pusher 28, to return the mechanism to state A, where the pusher 24 and 26 are inactive and where the minute hand 18 displays the minutes of time current. It is also possible to press push-button 24 to start a new measurement, the mechanism being in state C.

The mechanism described with reference to Figures 3 to 5 has only one needle! minutes, which displays either the current time or the timed time. he would also be possible, with a minor modification, to have a hand 16 permanently displaying the minutes of current time, then that the hand 18 displays the minutes of timed time, as shown in FIG. 1. To do this, it suffices to equip the mobile 34 with a cannon extending towards the dial and which would come between the barrel 38c of the wheel 38 and the tube 32, its end carrying the needle 16.

Many other variants are still possible, in which the parts constituting the organs of the chronograph mechanism could present other forms and cooperate in very different ways, without going out of the scope of the invention. Thus, the column wheels 462 and 482 could be advantageously replaced by pivoting cams. It would also be possible to use an axial and / or friction clutch, instead of the mobile 42.

It is also quite possible to decenter the hour hand of time current and keep only the minute hands at the center of the movement and seconds of timed time and the minute hand of current time. It is obvious that the principle described is also applicable to the display of the hour of current time and of timed time, the hour hands being or not central.

In a variant which has not been described, it is also possible to waive to the switch 46, and consequently to the pusher 28, so that, when the pusher 26 is activated, the second hand 20 starts to rotate, while the minute hand 18 moves from the superimposed position to the hand 16 at a noon alignment.

So, thanks to the features described in the chronograph mechanism object of the present invention, it is possible to make a watch in which the minute and / or hour hand of timed time does not overload display outside of times during which the mechanism is engaged. In in addition, a mechanism allows locking the start, stop and set to zero, until a measurement is in progress.

Claims (7)

Chronograph watch movement, comprising a frame (30) and, carried by the latter: a source of energy, a time base powered by the energy source, a first gear train, for finishing, driven in rotation, in synchronism with the time base, and comprising a moving body of time units chosen from the minutes and hours of current time, and a chronograph mechanism, which includes: a second cog, chronograph, intended to be driven, on demand, in synchronism with the time base and comprising first (40) and second (38) wheels respectively performing a revolution in sixty seconds and a revolution in time allowing the display of timed time units chosen from the hours and minutes and arranged coaxially with said mobile, said wheels being arranged so as to be able to carry display means allowing the display of a timed time, a control device (48) for starting and stopping said wheels of the second gear train, and a device for resetting (50) the display means, characterized in that said mechanism further comprises switching means arranged so that they can occupy two states and in one of which they connect the second wheel (38) of the chronograph train to the mobile of the train of finishing, so that the display means carried by the second wheel display the unit of current time equivalent to that of timed time. Movement according to claim 1, characterized in that said current time unit and said timed time unit is the minute. Movement according to claim 2, characterized in that the switching means comprise a hammer (36) pivotally mounted on the mobile (34), a cam (38d) fixed to the second wheel (38) and an elastic member holding the hammer ( 36) resting against the cam (38d). Movement according to claim 3, characterized in that it is furthermore provided with an isolation device (39) which comprises: an insulating mobile (391) comprising a first board (391b), of the same diameter as the first mobile (34), and a second board (391c) arranged to cooperate with a pawl and provided with a pin (391e) intended actuating the hammer (36), a retaining member comprising a rocker (392) and a retaining wheel (393), rotatably mounted on the rocker (392) and comprising first (393b) and second (393a) boards arranged to be able to mesh respectively with the first board (391b) of the isolation mobile (391) and the mobile for the minutes of the first gear train, and connected to each other by a one-way clutch (393c), and insulation control units comprising: an isolation lever (394), a pawl (395) pivotally mounted on the lever (394) and cooperating with the second board (391c) of the isolation mobile (391), to move it with reference to the first board (391b), and with it said pin ( 391e), which lifts the hammer (36) so as to interrupt the connection between the second wheel (38) of the second gear train and the minute wheel (34) of the gear train. Movement according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the chronograph mechanism further comprises a locking device (464) arranged to lock the control device (48) as long as the switching means connect the second wheel (38) of the second gear train to said mobile (34). Movement according to claim 5, characterized in that said mobile (34) carries a current time minute hand (16) and the second wheel (38) a timed time minute hand (18), all so that , as long as the locking device locks the control device, the switching means position the second wheel (38) with reference to the first mobile (34) so that the two needles (16, 18) are superposed. Movement according to claim 5, characterized in that only the second wheel (38) carries a minute hand (18), so that it displays the minutes of current time as long as the locking device (464) locks the control device (48), and the minutes of timed time otherwise.

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