Chronographic fly-back timepiece having a stop-start control for the fly-back hand

• US 5,122,995 A
• Filed: 11/12/1991
• Issued: 06/16/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ETA SA Fabriques d'Ebauches
• Original Assignee: ETA SA Fabriques d'Ebauches
• Inventors: Vuilleumier, Cyril
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US07/789,874
• Time in Patent Office: 217 Days
• Field of Search: 368/101-106
• US Class Current: 368/102
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 7/0876 Split-time function, e.g. rattrappante

Abstract

A fly-back chronograph provided with a stop-start control for the fly-back hand is provided. The control does not require careful and frequent adjustment and avoids premature wear of the fly-back wheel parts. The control device has fly-back pincer, a fly-back wheel disposed between the free extremities of the two branches of the said pincer, two fixed reaction members against which a connecting member between the two branches of the pincer bear and deformation means creating a force acting against the said reaction members on the said portion of the connecting member in order to deform it.

Claims

1. A timepiece of the type having a fly-back hand, provided with a control device for stopping and starting a fly-back hand, the timepiece comprising a fly-back wheel integral with the said fly-back hand, a fly-back pincer substantially in the form of a U with two branches connected by a connecting member, the fly-back wheel being disposed between the free extremities of the two branches and means adapted to deform said pincer in a manner such that they can assume two configurations, namely a first configuration called the closed, in which each branch of the pincer is in contact with the circumference of the fly-back wheel so as to block the latter and thereby to stop the fly-back hand, and a second configuration, called the open, in which the two branches of the pincer are not in contact with the fly-back wheel, so as to release the latter and to permit movement of the said fly-back hand, whereby the said timepiece also comprises two fixed reaction members which support the said connecting member and whereby said deformation means comprise means for generating a force acting against the said reaction members on the said connecting portion in a zone situated between the said reaction members, said connecting member being formed in a manner so as greater than the resilient deformability of the said branches in this same plane.

2. A timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the branches of the pincer have a width greater than the width of said connecting member.

3. A timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the said reaction members are pins mounted in a base support of the said timepiece.

4. A timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the said deformation means are so arranged as to apply a deformational force (F4) at the centre of the said connecting member, symmetrically with respect to the said pins.

5. A timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the said connecting member is provided with arcuate portions that are an integral part of the pincer and passes around the said pins at an angle of 270°

.

6. A timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the said deformation means comprise a control wheel formed from a two tier wheel, one of the tiers forming a ratchet and a cam being affixed to the other tier, and said wheel is rotatably mounted with respect to the said pincer and associated with a step by step control for its rotation and said cam is situated adjacent to the said portion of the said connecting piece, with the interposition of a pusher member adapted to operate selectively the said deformation following the raised and depressed areas of the cam in the course of its stepwise rotation.

7. A timepiece according to claim 6, wherein the said pusher member is formed of the extremity of one of the branches of a V-shaped spring of which the other branch constitutes the jumper also cooperating with the said cam.