Device for rewinding and/or immobilizing a marine chronometer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10935932-B2
Application number	US-201816104246-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2018
Priority date	Sep 22, 2017
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

A marine chronometer includes a clock mounted on a support, for example mounted so that it can be inclined with respect to the support using a gimbal mounting, the clock including, inside a case, a mechanical clock movement driven by a barrel, and the clock also including a rewinding control member engaged with a rewinding geartrain for rewinding the barrel. The rewinding control member includes a rewinding control geartrain positioned on the outside of the clock, secured to a spindle passing through a wall of the case via a bearing, the through-spindle being engaged with the rewinding geartrain.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A marine chronometer, comprising:
a clock mounted on a support so that the clock is configured to be inclined with respect to the support by means of a gimbal mounting, the clock comprising, inside a case, a mechanical clock movement driven by a barrel, the clock also comprising a rewinding control member engaged with a rewinding geartrain for rewinding the barrel,
wherein the rewinding control member comprises a rewinding control geartrain positioned on the outside of the clock, secured to a spindle passing through a wall of the case via a bearing, the spindle being engaged with the rewinding geartrain, and
wherein the chronometer further comprises a coupling means comprising a coupling geartrain, the coupling means configured to move between:
a coupling position where the rewinding control member of the clock is mechanically coupled to the coupling means, and
a rest position where the rewinding control member is independent of the coupling means.

2. The chronometer according to claim 1 , wherein the bearing comprises, on an interior wall, at least one groove in which a seal is housed.

3. The chronometer according to claim 1 , wherein:
the rewinding control geartrain comprises a flange and a plurality of teeth cut into an underside face of the flange of the rewinding control geartrain, and
the coupling geartrain comprises a flange and a plurality of teeth cut into a top face of the coupling geartrain flange and arranged in such a way that the coupling geartrain is configured to drive rotation of the rewinding control geartrain when the coupling means is in the coupling position.

4. The chronometer according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling means further comprises a retaining spindle and a lifting mechanism for sliding the coupling geartrain along the retaining spindle between the coupling position and the rest position.

5. The chronometer according to claim 1 , wherein the rewinding control member and the coupling means are positioned under the case in such a way that, when the coupling means is in the coupling position, the clock is resting on the coupling means.

6. The chronometer according to claim 1 , further comprising a rewinding means comprising a rotation mechanism for driving rotation of the coupling means.

7. The chronometer according to claim 6 , wherein the rewinding means also comprises a release mechanism configured to isolate the coupling means from the rotation mechanism when the barrel has reached a rewound position.

8. The chronometer according to claim 7 , wherein
the coupling means comprises a connecting geartrain,
the rotation mechanism comprises:
a starting spindle comprising a free end configured to accept a manual drive device including one of a key, a crank, a crown, or an electrically assisted drive device,
a drive member comprising a geartrain in mesh with the connecting geartrain and a claw-coupling pinion, the coupling means being mounted and configured to rotate on the starting spindle, and
a drive pinion that complements the claw-coupling pinion and is kept in mesh with the claw-coupling pinion by an elastic return means, and

the claw-coupling pinion, the drive pinion, and the elastic return means together form the release mechanism of the rewinding means.

9. The chronometer according to claim 1 , wherein sealing conditions of the bearing are the same in the rest position and the coupling position.

10. The chronometer according to claim 4 , wherein the lifting mechanism includes a lever configured to be manually actuated to drive the coupling geartrain between the rest position and the coupling position.

Assignees

• Montres Breguet Sa

Inventors

• Mace Jerome
• Zaugg Alain

Classifications

• G04B3/02

  Removably-mounted keys or the like {(special tools for clockworks with difficult access, universal keys for watches with a small crown G04B3/006; keys with means preventing overwinding G04B3/06; protecting means preventing overwinding G04B3/10)} · CPC title

• G04B3/12

  by mechanical means, e.g. pneumatic motor (winding up with electric or electromechanical means G04C {; liquid or gas driving mechanisms G04B1/26; automatic winding up by wind power G04B5/203}) · CPC title

• G04B41/00

  Locking or holding devices for pendulums, chimes, or the like, for use during transport · CPC title

• G04B3/00 Primary

  Normal winding of clockworks by hand or mechanically; Winding up several mainsprings or driving weights simultaneously {(automatic winding up G04B5/00; combined normal and automatic winding up G04B7/00; click devices G04B11/00; winding up the striking mechanism by the clockwork and vice versa G04B21/14; mechanical devices for setting the time-indication by using the winding means G04B27/02, G04B27/083; calibers of which the mainsprings are easily removable G04B33/14; winding mechanical clocks electrically G04C1/00; tools for setting springs G04D1/04; driving mechanisms for gramophones G11B19/00; driving mechanisms for cinematographs G03B1/00)} · CPC title

• G04B37/1426

  Means whereby the clockwork piece may move with regard to its suspension device · CPC title