Timepiece barrel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9291999-B2
Application number	US-201314653484-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2013
Priority date	Dec 18, 2012
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A ratchet for winding a barrel, including an axial passage for fitting the ratchet onto an arbor carrying pivotal drive mechanism. The ratchet includes, in the axial passage, a strip spring permitting fitting of the ratchet onto the arbor, and exerting a bearing force on the pivotal drive mechanism, wherein the at least one strip spring forms a complementary drive for pivotally driving the arbor. A timepiece barrel for pivotal assembly between a bottom plate and a bridge includes a spring housed between a pivoting drum and a ratchet and hooked between, at an outer end thereof, the drum, and at an inner end thereof, an arbor, the arbor pivoting integrally with the ratchet about a pivot axis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A timepiece arbor-ratchet assembly, comprising:
an arbor and a ratchet for winding a timepiece barrel,
the ratchet including an axial passage for fitting the ratchet onto the arbor including a protruding or recessed pivotal drive means,
wherein the ratchet includes, in the axial passage, at least one strip spring permitting fitting of the ratchet on the arbor and arranged to exert a bearing force on the pivotal drive means,
wherein the at least one strip spring forms complementary drive means for pivotally driving the arbor.

2. An arbor-ratchet assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ratchet includes, for each strip spring, a slot opening into the axial passage.

3. An arbor-ratchet assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ratchet includes at least one upper abutment fillet for limiting travel of the ratchet relative to a bottom plate or to a bridge or to a jewel.

4. An arbor-ratchet assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ratchet includes, in immediate proximity to the axial passage, at least one lower abutment fillet for limiting travel of the ratchet relative to a drum or to a barrel core.

5. A timepiece barrel comprising:
an arbor-ratchet assembly according to claim 1 , for pivotal assembly between a bottom plate and a bridge and including at least one spring, housed between a pivoting drum and a cover, and the spring being hooked between, at an outer end thereof, the drum, and at an inner end thereof, the arbor of the arbor-ratchet assembly, the arbor pivoting integrally about a pivot axis with the ratchet of the arbor-ratchet assembly,
wherein the arbor includes, about a cylindrical drum element, along the pivot axis, a protruding hook for hooking the spring, and a protruding or recessed pivotal drive means, which cooperate with the complementary drive means in the ratchet for pivotal driving thereof.

6. A barrel according to claim 5 , wherein the pivotal drive means forms an axial stop member for the ratchet along the pivot axis,
wherein the arbor is pivoted on an upper shoulder in a bore of the bridge or of a jewel in the bridge,
wherein the ratchet includes an upper abutment fillet whose travel is limited by a lower surface of the bridge or of the jewel, the ratchet being arranged between the bridge and an upper surface of the drum opposite a lower surface of the ratchet, and
wherein the drum pivots in a bore therein in the cylindrical drum element.

7. A barrel according to claim 5 , wherein the spring includes, in the axial direction of the pivot axis, a protruding upper portion arranged to bear on an inner surface of the drum, and a lower protruding surface arranged to bear on an upper portion of the cover.

8. A barrel according to claim 5 , wherein the drum carries a cover that pivots integrally with the drum, and a bore of which cooperates with the cylindrical drum element of the arbor, and
wherein travel of a lower surface of the cover is limited by an upper surface of the bottom plate or of a jewel housed in the bottom plate, a bore of the bottom plate or of the jewel acting as pivot for the cylindrical drum element of the arbor.

9. A barrel according to claim 5 , wherein an endshake of the drum is limited downwardly relative to the ratchet by an upper surface of the drum which is limited by a lower surface of the ratchet,
wherein an endshake of the ratchet is limited downwardly relative to the bridge by a fillet of the ratchet which is limited by a lower surface of the bridge or of a jewel in the bridge, and
wherein an endshake of the cover is limited upwardly relative to the bottom plate by a lower surface of the cover which is limited by an upper surface of the bottom plate or of a jewel in the bottom plate.

10. A barrel according to claim 5 , wherein the spring is made of a multiphase, cobalt-nickel-chromium based alloy, comprising 44 to 46% cobalt, 20 to 22% nickel, 17 to 19% chromium, 4 to 6% iron, 3 to 5% tungsten, 3 to 5% molybdenum, 0 to 2% titanium, 0 to 1% beryllium, and having a Young's modulus of between 200 and 240 GPa and a shear modulus of between 80 and 100 GPa,
wherein the spring has a width to thickness ratio of between 3 and 23, and
wherein the ratio between the maximum radius of a spring bearing shoulder of the arbor and thickness of the spring is between 3 and 9.

11. A timepiece movement comprising at least one bottom plate and a bridge and a barrel according to claim 5 .

12. A movement according to claim 11 , wherein the bridge includes an upper stop plate of which a lower surface is arranged to limit axial travel of the arbor, and
wherein the bottom plate includes a lower stop plate of which an upper surface is arranged to limit axial travel of the arbor.

13. A watch comprising a movement according to claim 11 .

Assignees

• Eta Sa Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
• Eta Sa Mft Horlogere Suisse

Inventors

• Kaelin Laurent
• Queval Arthur
• Vautherot Martin

Classifications

• G04B1/16 Primary

  Barrels; Arbors; Barrel axles (arrangements facilitating the removal of the mainspring G04B33/14) · CPC title

• G04B1/14

  Mainsprings; Bridles therefor (mainsprings with bridles G04B1/18; alloys C22C; springs in general F16F {; constructions for compensation of changes in the motive power of the mainspring G04B1/22; construction of the hairspring G04B17/066; arrangements facilitating the removal of the mainspring G04B33/14}) · CPC title

• G04B1/18

  Constructions for connecting the ends of the mainsprings with the barrel or the arbor {(mainsprings and bridles therefor G04B1/14; clamping the hairspring on the regulator G04B18/026; clamping the hairspring on the arbor G04B17/32)} · CPC title

• G04B1/145

  Composition and manufacture of the springs (compositions and manufacture of components, wheels, spindles, pivots, or the like G04B13/02; compositions of component escapements G04B15/14; composition and manufacture or hairsprings G04B17/066; compensation for the effects of variations of temperature of springs using alloys, especially for hairsprings G04B17/227; materials for bearings of clockworks G04B31/00; heat treatment and chemical or mechanical treatment for control of the structure C21D8/00; iron and steel alloys C22C; non-ferrous alloys C22C and B22F) · CPC title