Method and apparatus for testing timepieces

Claim 1

Apparatus for indicating the rate of a timepiece, comprising a source of clock pulses (U2); a source of standard frequency pulses (U5); waveform generator means (16) for producing for corresponding pairs of said clock and standard frequency pulses sawtooth voltage pulses (U7) the magnitudes of which are a function of the time intervals between said clock and standard frequency pulses, respectively; storage means (17) for integrating said sawtooth voltage pulses to produce a resultant signal voltage (U8) the magnitude of which is a function of the sum of said sawtooth voltages; meter means (2) connected with said storage means for indicating the magnitude of said resultant voltage; means (33) for interrupting the supply of said clock and standard frequency pulses to said waveform generator means; means (35, 33) operable after a given first time interval (A-B) for reconnecting said source of clock pulses with said waveform generator means; timer means (34) activatd upon the occurrence of the next clock pulse (c) following said first time interval; voltage comparison synchronizing means (38) operable when the voltage of the sawtooth pulse associated with said next clock pulse reaches a value (D) corresponding with he zero set point of said pointer for discharging said storage means and for reconnecting said source of standard frequency pulses with said waveform generator means, whereby said storage means resumes integration of the succeeding sawtooth pulses; and means (25) operable by said timer means after a second time interval for providing a visual indication adjacent said meter, whereby the instantaneous meter reading at the end of said second time interval is a direct numerical indication of the rate of said timepiece.

Claim 9

The method of operating the integrating meter of a timepiece testing system to indicate the rate of a timepiece, said meter being normally operable to integrate sawtooth voltage pulses the amplitude of which correspond with the time intervals between corresponding clock and standard frequency pulses, respectively, comprising the steps of interrupting the supply of clock and standard pulses to said meter; resuming the supply of clock pulses to said meter after a first time interval (A-B); initiating a second time interval upon the occurrence of the next clock pulse (C); resuming the supply of standard frequency pulses when the voltage of the sawtooth pulse corresponding with said first clock pulse equals a given valve (D) corresponding wth the zero set point of the meter; and reading the meter indication at the end of said second time interval, whereby said meter reading is indicative of the rate of the timepiece under test.

Claim 10

The method of operating the integrating meter of a timepiece testing system to indicate the rate of a timepiece, said meter being normally operable to integrate sawtooth voltage pulses the amplitude of which correspond with the time intervals between corresponding clock and standard frequency pulses, respectively, comprising the steps of interrupting the supply of clock and standard pulses to said meter; resuming the supply of clock pulses to said meter after a first time interval (A-B); initiating a second time interval upon the occurrence of the next clock pulse (C); resuming the supply of standard frequency pulses when the voltage of the sawtooth pulse corresponding with said first clock pulse equals a given valve (D) corresponding wth the zero set point of the meter; and reading the meter indication at the end of said second time interval, whereby said meter reading is indicative of the rate of the timepiece under test.