US3114237A - Winding system actuated by a rocking bar - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 17, 1963 R. POLO ETAL 3,114,237

WINDING SYSTEM ACTUATED BY A ROCKING BAR Filed Feb. 20, 1962 United States Patent 3,114,237 WINDING SYSTEM ACTUATED BY A RGCKING BAR Raymond Polo and Marcel Loichat, La Chaux-de-Fonds,

Switzerland, assignors to Fabriques Movado, La Channde-Fonds, Switzerland, a Swiss company Filed Feb. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 174,537 Claims priority, application Switzerland Feb. 23, 1961 1 Claim. (Cl. 58-71) it is a well-known fact that winding systems actuated by rocking bars are simpler in their execution than those including a sliding pinion, but they generally have a drawback in that when the pinion carried by the rocking bar and controlling the minute wheel engages the latter, the tooth of the pinion which is to engage the minute wheel does not drop immediately in the space between two teeth of the latter but impinges against a tooth to one side of the space which leads to an oscillation of the minute wheel prior to its controlled shifting and consequently to a corresponding oscillation of the time-indicating hands.

Our invention has for its obiect to eliminate this drawback which allows resorting to winding means of the rocking bar type even in the case of high-grade watches.

We have illustrated by way of example in the -accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of our invention. in said drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are plan views of the winding system, according to the invention, 'for two different operative positions thereof.

In the drawing a winding and time-setting stern v1 is provided and includes a square section 1a which serves for driving the winding wheel 2 fitted over said square section. A rocking bar or yoke 3 is pivotal'ly secured to the point A rigid with the time-piece case. A middle wheel 4 is carried coaxially with the rocking bar at A so as to remain in permanent mesh with the wheel 2 whatever the operative position of the winding stem may be as in all arrangements of the type referred to.

On the other hand, the rocking bar carries revolvably two pinions' 5 and d which are both in permanent mesh with the middle wheel 4. For the winding position of the stem illustrated in FIG. 1, the pinion 5 meshes with the barrel wheel 7 and for the time-setting position illustrated in FIG. 2, the setting pinion 6 engages the wheel 15]) of an intermediate gear 1'5 the pinion 15a of which is in permanent mesh with the minute wheel of the dial train. A setting lever 9 is adapted to rock on a pivot 10, and carries a stud 11 engaging a groove 12. in the winding stem. The setting lever acts on the rocking bar 3 through a roller 13. The setting lever 9 is subjected to the action or" a spring 14 holding it in either of two operative positions which may be occupied by it. a

A gearing 15 including a pinion 15a meshes with the wheel 8 0i the movement, The pinion is co-axially secured to a toothed wheel 15b adapted to engage the pinion 6 on the rocking bar. The pinion 6 and the pinion 15b are each provided with pointed teeth, the number of which is three times larger for the pinion 1512 than for 2. the pinion 6 or generally speaking a multiple of the number of teeth of the pinion 6.

FIG. 1 shows the parts in the winding position, the winding stem being shifted into its innermost position and the setting lever 9 is illustrated holding the rocking bar 3 in a position such that the pinion 5 meshes with the barrel wheel '7, which allows winding the barrel spring, not shown.

When the winding stem is drawn outwardly, the parts enter the position illustrated in FIG. 2; the pinion 5 moves away from the barrel wheel '7, while in contradistinction, the pinion d engages the pinion 15b.

It will be udnderstood that when the rocking arm is rocked so as tobring the tooth 5a of the pinion 5 into the gap or space To between two teeth of the barrel wheel 7, it will not immediately assume the desired position, and will begin by impinging against the tooth 7b which would, in the case of a freely running wheel being used as a barrel wheel, slightly shift the latter.

The shifting would also occur during time setting, if the teeth on the pinion 6 had an oval shape and engaged directly the teeth on the minute wheel 8. Such a defective operation is however practically eliminated by reason of the fact that the teeth on the pinion o and on the wheel 15b are pointed and that the teeth on the latter are more numerous than those on the pinion, which still further reduces the width of said teeth.

What we claim is:

In a winding system for a watch including a barrel, a minute wheel driven by the barrel, a winding stem mounted to be shifted axially between two operative positions, a rocking bar controlled by said winding stem to be set by said stem selectively in a winding position and in a time-setting position in dependence upon the position of said stem, a pivot for said rocking bar, a middle pinion coaxial with said'rocla-ing bar and controlled by the rotation of the stem, 2. first pinion revolvably carried by the rocking bar permanently meshing with said middle pinion to wind the barrel for the winding position of the rockin-g bar, a gearing to operatively connect the middle wheel with-the minute wheel and including a second pinion revolvably carried by the rocking bar and provided with i a series of pointed teeth in permanent mesh with the middle pinion and an inter-mediate gear including a pinion disposed to mesh with the minute wheel in the time-setting position of, the rocking bar and a wheel provided with pointed teeth the number of which is an integral multiple of the number of teeth on said second pinion and disposed to mesh therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 May 2, 1961

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