Device for indication of the hour in a timepiece

Claim 2

A watch movement comprising an hour mobile organ, said organ including two coaxial parts coupled to one another by a coupling device that can make these two mobile organs solid in 12 or 24 different orientations against a given limit couple, an hour hand carried by one of said parts, a control device acting directly on said one part and maneuverable from the outside of the movement, said control device including a bent lever carried by said movement for pivoting movement about two axes, a spring engaging the end of one of the arms of said lever and defining therewith one of said pivotal axes, means carried adjacent the opposite end of said one arm defining the other pivotal axis for said lever, and a control organ acting on said one arm between said pivotal axes, teeth carried about said one part, the end of the other lever arm being engageable with said teeth to modify the orientation of said hour hand from one position to a neighboring position under the action of a pressure exerted on the control organ.

Claim 3

The movement according to claim 1 including a stop carried thereby close to the periphery of the hour indicator organ, the end of the other lever arm being normally engaged against said stop.

Claim 4

The movement according to claim 1 characterized in that said stop and the end of the other lever arm are shaped such that said lever pivots about said spring to engage the end of the other lever arm with said teeth, said lever thereafter being pivotal about said second axis to rotate said one part and thereby carry said hour hand to a neighboring position.

Claim 5

Coupling device between two coaxial organs in a watch movement, these organs presenting coaxial circular surfaces kept opposite one another and said surface of the first organ presenting housings in each of which is housed a ball solid in rotation with the first organ and pressed against said surface of the second organ by elastic means, characterized in that said surface of the second organ presents notches separated by sliding surface elements and distributed so that each ball can engage successively in each of the notches and make the two organs solid with each other against a determined maximum couple, in that the number of balls is at least equal to two and in that the the distribution of the housings and notches is such that the number of different angular orientations in which the two organs can be coupled by engagement of a ball in one of the housings is equal to the product of the number of notches times the number of balls, each organ comprising a central cannon, these cannons being coupled to one another, in that each ball is engaged in an opening presented by the outside cannon while the inside cannon presents opposite the opening or openings a circular groove forming sliding surfaces, and cut by deeper axial grooves and constituting said notches, said balls being pressed against the inside cannon by a spring blade bent in U-shape and mounted about the outside cannon.

Claim 6

Coupling device between two coaxial organs in a watch movement, these organs presenting coaxial circular surfaces kept opposite one another and said surface of the first organ presenting housings in each of which is housed a ball solid in rotation with the first organ and pressed against said surface of the second organ by elastic means, characterized in that said surface of the second organ presents notches separated by sliding surface elements and distributed so that each ball can engage successively in each of the notches and make the two organs solid with each other against a determined maximum couple, in that the number of balls is at least equal to two and in that the the distribution of the housings and notches is such that the number of different angular orientations in which the two organs can be coupled by engagement of a ball in one of the housings is equal to the product of the number of notches times the number of balls, each organ comprising a central cannon, these cannons being coupled to one another, in that each ball is engaged in an opening presented by the outside cannon while the inside cannon presents opposite the opening or openings a circular groove forming sliding surfaces, and cut by deeper axial grooves and constituting said notches, said balls being pressed against the inside cannon by a spring blade bent in U-shape and mounted about the outside cannon.

Claim 7

The device according to claim 4 characterized in that the inside cannon presents six axial notches distributed at 60* to one another and in that the outside cannon presents two openings spaced at 150* with each opening containing a ball.

Claim 8

A watch movement comprising an hour wheel including first and second coaxially arranged parts rotatable relative to one another, one of said parts carrying an hour hand, means for coupling said parts one to the other for conjoint rotary movement in one of 12 different relative angular orientations, said coupling means including a pair of balls carried by and spaced circumferentially about one of said parts, the other of said parts having six notches spaced circumferentially thereabout, said balls and said notches being arranged such that said balls alternately engage respective succesive notches as said parts rotate relative to one another, whereby each ball engages in each successive notch for a full 360* rotation of said parts relative to one another.

Claim 9

A watch movement comprising an hour wheel including first and second coaxially arranged parts rotatable relative to one another, one of said parts carrying an hour hand, means for coupling said parts one to the other for conjoint rotary movement in one of 12 different relative angular orientations, said coupling means including a pair of balls carried by and spaced circumferentially about one of said parts, the other of said parts having six notches spaced circumferentially thereabout, said balls and said notches being arranged such that said balls alternately engage respective succesive notches as said parts rotate relative to one another, whereby each ball engages in each successive notch for a full 360* rotation of said parts relative to one another.

Claim 10

The movement according to claim 6 wherein said parts have concentric portions, said balls being carried by the outer concentric portion of one of said parts, said notches being carried by the inner concentric portion of the other of said parts, and a generally U-shaped spring blade disposed about said outer concentric portion and engageable with said balls to urge the latter inwardly against said inner concentric portion and for engagement of the balls in the notches upon respective radial registration thereof.

Claim 11

A coupling device for a watch movement comprising inner and outer relatively rotatable concentric cannons, said outer cannon carrying for rotation therewith at least a pair of balls spaced circumferentially thereabout, said inner cannon having a circular surface containing a plurality of axially extending, radially outwardly facing notches circumferentially spaced thereabout and spaced one from the other by a circular groove, said notches being deeper in radial extent from said surface than said grooves, means for urging said balls inwardly for engagement in said notches and said circular groove, said balls and notches being arranged such that said balls alternately engage respective successive notches as said parts rotate relative to one another, said cannons being coupled for conjoint rotary movement when one of said balls engages in a notch, the number of different relative angular orientations of said cannons in which said cannons lie in driving relation one to the other being equal to the product of the number of notches times the number of balls.

Claim 12

A coupling device for a watch movement comprising inner and outer relatively rotatable concentric cannons, said outer cannon carrying for rotation therewith at least a pair of balls spaced circumferentially thereabout, said inner cannon having a circular surface containing a plurality of axially extending, radially outwardly facing notches circumferentially spaced thereabout and spaced one from the other by a circular groove, said notches being deeper in radial extent from said surface than said grooves, means for urging said balls inwardly for engagement in said notches and said circular groove, said balls and notches being arranged such that said balls alternately engage respective successive notches as said parts rotate relative to one another, said cannons being coupled for conjoint rotary movement when one of said balls engages in a notch, the number of different relative angular orientations of said cannons in which said cannons lie in driving relation one to the other being equal to the product of the number of notches times the number of balls.