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US3631669A - Synchronizable clock - Google Patents

Synchronizable clock Download PDF

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Publication number
US3631669A
US3631669A US873439A US3631669DA US3631669A US 3631669 A US3631669 A US 3631669A US 873439 A US873439 A US 873439A US 3631669D A US3631669D A US 3631669DA US 3631669 A US3631669 A US 3631669A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
resonator
balance
motion
clock
oscillation
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US873439A
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English (en)
Inventor
Jean Fellrath
Claude Challandes
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Centre Electronique Horloger SA
Original Assignee
Centre Electronique Horloger SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Centre Electronique Horloger SA filed Critical Centre Electronique Horloger SA
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Publication of US3631669A publication Critical patent/US3631669A/en
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Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C11/00—Synchronisation of independently-driven clocks
    • G04C11/08—Synchronisation of independently-driven clocks using an electro-magnet or-motor for oscillation correction
    • G04C11/081—Synchronisation of independently-driven clocks using an electro-magnet or-motor for oscillation correction using an electro-magnet
    • G04C11/084—Synchronisation of independently-driven clocks using an electro-magnet or-motor for oscillation correction using an electro-magnet acting on the balance

Definitions

  • a regulating mechanism which is connectable to the resonator and which alters the spring force in the resonator according to intensity and position in proportion to the oscillating masses in such a manner that a reversal of the motion of the oscillating masses occurs in the region of the normal dead center.
  • a receiver clock controlled by wireless signals which comprises its own electric oscillator.
  • This oscillator serves on the one hand as the regulator of a running reserve should the time controlled wireless signals fail.
  • the oscillator of the proposed clock is destined to control receiving interruptions during periodically successive time intervals and thus contribute to the suppression of signal interference occurring during these time intervals.
  • the general purpose of the invention is therefore to provide a synchronizable clock with a mechanical resonator as regulator, which is of simple design and makes it possible to correct very small deviations of the motion of the mechanical resonator by means of synchronizing signals following relatively quickly on one another.
  • a particular purpose of the invention is to provide a receiver clock with a mechanical resonator as regulator, in which automatic regulation correction is effected by means of synchronizing signals.
  • the task on which the invention is based consists in providing a mechanical clockwork, in which the number of counted oscillations may be automatically increased or decreased.
  • the said task is solved in the case of a synchronizable clock with a mechanical resonator as regulator by means of a coupling between the resonator and the hand mechanism which only transmits one-half of the counting impulses and by means of a regulating mechanism which is connectable to the resonator and which alters the spring force in the resonator according to intensity and position in proportion to the oscillating masses in such a manner that a reversal of the motion of the oscillating masses occurs in the region of the normal dead center. It is not therefore the counting operation itself which is influenced, but it is the resonator which is influenced in such a manner that a greater or lesser number of countable events occur in it.
  • a particular embodiment of the clock according to the invention is characterized in that the oscillating masses of the resonator are provided with striking surfaces directed against the motion and in that the adjusting mechanism comprises stop springs which are arranged in such a manner that they can be pushed into the path of the motion of the striking surfaces.
  • a clock comprises a spiral spring balance resonator as a regulator, a pin on the balance, can form two striking surfaces, in the path of the motion of which a stop spring pivoted on one side may be arranged to swing.
  • the region of the angle of rotation of the balance in which counting at the balance takes place must in this case lie outside the angular region in which the pin can come into contact with the stop spring.
  • the adjusting mechanism acts on the securing points of the resonator springs, and forms for the securing points paths of motion which run nearly equidistant to the paths of motion of the centers of gravity of the oscillating masses.
  • the adjusting mechanism expediently acts on one end of the spiral spring and forms a path of motion running momentarily nearly tangentially to the spring force at the end of the spiral spring.
  • the last-named condition is nearly approximately fulfilled by a ring rotatably mounted coaxially to the balance axis, and to which one end of the spiral spring is secured.
  • the ring together with the end of the spiral spring may for instance, under the influence of an electromagnet mechanism, be turned for a short time in the direction opposite to that of the motion of the balance in such a manner that the latter reverses its motion in the region of the normal dead center.
  • the dead center may be defined as the position of the oscillating masses in which under normal conditions the spring force disappears and the oscillating masses have the greatest kinetic energy.
  • FIGS. 1a, lb, 10 show diagrams of the oscillating motion of the mechanical oscillator of the clock according to the invention, in which the amplitude of oscillation is plotted over the time of oscillation.
  • FIG. 2 shows a schematical sketch of the principal components of a first embodiment of the clock according to the invention.
  • FIGS. 3a, 3b show schematic enlargements of individual parts of a coupling between the spiral spring balance resonator and a time indicating mechanism of the clock, in which only each half of each oscillation of the resonator is counted.
  • FIG. la the amplitude of a mechanical resonator is plotted as a sinusoidal oscillation over a period of time.
  • the counting operation at the resonator takes place for instance in the third quarter of the first half-oscillation in a local region of oscillation and at times which are indicated on a sinusoidal curve 2 by round black spots la, lb and 1c.
  • a counting operation not normally provided for follows this in the local and time region 1d, which approximately corresponds in time to the seven-eighths of the second full oscillation of the normal condition of oscillation according to FIG. la. If then the resonator is not further influenced in the sense of synchronization, the following counting operation takes place in the local and time region 1e, which in relation to the time region 1c of the normal condition of oscillation according to'FIG. la is shifted by approximately half an oscillation.
  • a synchronizing action interferes with the conditions of oscillation of a resonator towards the end of the second full oscillation, so that a reversal of the motion takes place at a dead center 4, which in relation to the dead center 3 is shifted by half an oscillation.
  • the amplitude of which is smaller by a quantity A than the normal amplitude.
  • the next counting operation occurs in the local and time region 1/, which corresponds to the region Is in FIG. lb. It is of course not to be expected that a period between counting operations of the oscillating motion will automatically be multiplied or divided by an integer owing to the forced reversal of motion at a dead center. To obtain this would require special measures.
  • FIG. 2 the circle indicated by the reference 5 represents schematically a spiral spring balance resonator.
  • a central disk 6 is provided with an adjusting finger 7 parallel to the axis of the balance, which in the local and time region of a counting operation engages the teeth of a ratchet wheel 8.
  • the adjusting mechanism of the clock comprises principally an electromagnet 9, which is actively connected to a magnet armature 10 pivoted to be able to swing to one side.
  • the bearing is represented in the plane of the drawing by a dot 11.
  • a stop spring 12 is arranged at the free end of the magnet armature perpendicularly to the latter and can be swung in the path of a striking pin 13.
  • the strike pin 13 is secured to the balance and is approximately parallel to the axis of the balance.
  • the dotted lines 10a and 12a represent the magnet armature and the stop spring in the inactive position when the electromagnet 9 is not excited.
  • the stop spring 12 In the active position, when it is swung inwards, the stop spring 12 forms a supplementary spring, which increases the elastic return force in the whole of the resonant system in one direction.
  • the resonant system then comprises the balance, which forms an oscillating mass, and the spiral spring which is not shown as well as the stop spring 12.
  • the resonant system In the withdrawn state the resonant system only comprises the balance and the spiral spring.
  • the striking pin 13 could obviously also be some kind of elastic component, which in the active state of the magnet armature 10 would transiently form a part of the oscillating system not only on account of its mass but also on account of its elastic properties.
  • FIGS. 3a and 3b Details of the control finger and of the ratchet wheel 8 may be seen in FIGS. 3a and 3b. According to these a rotation of the balance in the clockwise direction causes the control finger 7 to rotate the ratchet wheel 8 by one tooth 15 in the counterclockwise direction. Intermediate positions and an end position of the control finger 7 and of the tooth 15 are shown in broken lines in both figures.
  • control finger 7' first moves the tooth 15 of the ratchet wheel 8 through a relatively small angular rotation in the counterclockwise direction when the balance effects a rotation in the clockwise direction. As soon as the control finger 7 is moved out of reach of the tooth 15,
  • the ratchet wheel 8 is turned back with all its teeth to its initial position by means of a permanent magnet 17.
  • the permanent magnet 17 is a simple circular pin held over against the teeth of the wheel 8 and which attracts the tooth which is nearest to it.
  • control finger 7 by a rotation of the balance in the reverse clockwise direction comes into contact with another striking face of the tooth 15 and the ratchet wheel 8 until it comes to an end position in which it again comes under the influence of the permanent magnet.
  • the permanent magnet then automatically moves the ratchet wheel to such a position that the tooth l5 occupies the position which had been occupied at the beginning of the control operation by a neighboring tooth 16.
  • a synchronizable clock comprising a mechanical resonator having oscillating masses; a hand mechanism, a coupling positioned between said resonator and said hand mechanism, said couplin only transmittin the oscillation of the resonator during a ha f-period of oscil ation; a regulating mechanism connectable to said resonator for producing a reversal of the motion of the oscillating masses of said resonator when the resonator is in the region of the normal dead center, said coupling thereby adding or suppressing a counting pulse during each period of oscillation when said regulating mechanism is connected.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Distances Traversed On The Ground (AREA)
  • Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
US873439A 1968-11-05 1969-11-03 Synchronizable clock Expired - Lifetime US3631669A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH1646668A CH501953A (de) 1968-11-05 1968-11-05 Synchronisierbare Uhr

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3631669A true US3631669A (en) 1972-01-04

Family

ID=4417619

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US873439A Expired - Lifetime US3631669A (en) 1968-11-05 1969-11-03 Synchronizable clock

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US3631669A (de)
AT (1) AT307321B (de)
BE (1) BE741238A (de)
CH (2) CH1646668A4 (de)
FR (1) FR2022653B1 (de)
GB (1) GB1282025A (de)
NL (1) NL6916621A (de)
SE (1) SE349875B (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3807164A (en) * 1972-10-16 1974-04-30 Timex Corp Synchronized quartz crystal watch
US20100002548A1 (en) * 2008-07-04 2010-01-07 The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd Coupled resonators for a timepiece
CN115087933A (zh) * 2020-02-17 2022-09-20 斯沃奇集团研究和开发有限公司 用于钟表的自动机芯的设有旋转装饰元件的上条摆陀

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3063233A (en) * 1960-04-08 1962-11-13 Hamilton Watch Co Secondary standard timer
US3167906A (en) * 1962-08-31 1965-02-02 Kokusai Electric Co Ltd Timekeeper corrected by electric time signals

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3063233A (en) * 1960-04-08 1962-11-13 Hamilton Watch Co Secondary standard timer
US3167906A (en) * 1962-08-31 1965-02-02 Kokusai Electric Co Ltd Timekeeper corrected by electric time signals

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3807164A (en) * 1972-10-16 1974-04-30 Timex Corp Synchronized quartz crystal watch
US20100002548A1 (en) * 2008-07-04 2010-01-07 The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd Coupled resonators for a timepiece
US7950846B2 (en) * 2008-07-04 2011-05-31 The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd Coupled resonators for a timepiece
CN115087933A (zh) * 2020-02-17 2022-09-20 斯沃奇集团研究和开发有限公司 用于钟表的自动机芯的设有旋转装饰元件的上条摆陀

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL6916621A (de) 1970-05-08
BE741238A (de) 1970-04-16
SE349875B (de) 1972-10-09
FR2022653B1 (de) 1974-02-22
AT307321B (de) 1973-05-25
FR2022653A1 (de) 1970-07-31
CH501953A (de) 1970-06-30
CH1646668A4 (de) 1970-06-30
GB1282025A (en) 1972-07-19

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