JPS6235074B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a time reporting mechanism for a timepiece, and more particularly to an improved time reporting mechanism that provides a warning bell operation prior to the time warning operation on the hour.

Time-reporting clocks that strike or chime at the desired time, that is, on the hour when the minute hand points to the 0 minute position, are well-known, and allow the user to know the time without visually checking the time-indicating hands. is widely used. However, in conventional time-reporting clocks, the hour or chime sounds at each alarm time without any prior notice, so it is actually impossible to know the exact time by missing the first alarm. There was a drawback that there was no such thing.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an improved time signal mechanism for a timepiece that can perform a warning bell operation prior to an alarm operation.

The present invention provides an electrical warning bell device that performs a warning bell operation on the hour, a warning bell control contact plate that comes into contact with and separates from a movable contact plate to control the operation of the warning bell device, and an electrical warning bell device that performs a warning bell operation on the hour. A time notification device, a time notification control contact plate that comes into contact with and separates from the movable contact plate to control the operation of the time notification device, and an outer cam protrusion that rotates synchronously with the clock train and corresponds to the hour. When controlling contact and separation of the movable contact plate with respect to the alarm control contact plate, a cam wheel is provided, an actuator is provided at one end, an engager is provided at the other end, and an engager is provided at the other end, and the actuator is connected to the movable contact plate. a one-minute control lever that is provided so as to be able to enter into a position that prevents the rotation of the lever and to be retractable from the rotation blocking position;
The engaging element of the one-minute control lever rotates in synchronization with the clock wheel train, and the engaging element of the one-minute control lever slides on its outer periphery, thereby temporarily retracting the actuating element of the one-minute control lever from the rotation blocking position of the movable contact plate every minute. a minute cam wheel, the pre-bell control contact plate having one end extending along the actuator of the one-minute control lever and elastically biasing the one-minute control lever to a rotation blocking position of the movable contact plate. At a predetermined hourly pre-bell time, the movable contact plate released from the hour cam wheel and the pre-bell control contact plate that presses the actuator of the one-minute control lever to the rotation blocking position are turned on and the movable contact plate is turned on. The electric warning bell device operates on the hour while the rotation of the warning bell is blocked, and the one-minute cam wheel rotates the actuator of the one-minute control lever at a predetermined hourly time after the warning bell operates. It is characterized in that the electrical alarm device is activated by retracting from the blocking position and turning on the movable contact plate and the alarm control contact plate.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 4 are layout diagrams of preferred embodiments of the time information mechanism according to the present invention, as seen from a plane direction, in accordance with various changes in operation.

Although not shown in the drawings, the electrical pre-bell operation in the embodiment includes a melody blower, and a synthesized electronic sound signal drives a sound generator to obtain a desired pre-bell operation. A first contact device 10 is provided to control the operation of the warning bell device, and in the embodiment, the first contact device includes a movable contact plate 10 and a warning bell control contact plate 12, and the movable contact plate 10 has a contact point. It is fixed to the base plate 14, and the pre-bell control contact plate 12 is screwed to the clock base.

Although not shown, the electrical alarm device consists of a well-known mechanical timing device driven by a motor.
A second contact device is provided for electrically controlling the motor operation, this contact device being connected to the movable contact plate 10.
and an alarm control contact plate 16 fixed to the contact board 14.
In the embodiment, the movable contact plate 10 is shared by the first and second contact devices.

In order to control the on/off operation of both contact devices, an hour cam wheel 18 that rotates in synchronization with the clock train is provided, and the contact driving force of the hour cam wheel 18 is applied to the age cam 20.
The signal is transmitted to each of the contact devices via the contact point device. The hour cam wheel 18 is integrally molded with a minute wheel (not shown), and rotates once per hour together with the minute wheel. A cam protrusion 22 corresponding to the hour is formed on the hour cam wheel 18, making it possible to start a time signal operation on the hour. The tip end 22a of the cam protrusion 22 is positioned so as to perform a time setting function, which will be described later, corresponding to approximately 10 seconds before the hour.

The age cam 20 is rotatably supported by a shaft 26 fixed to a watch plate, and a protrusion 28 formed at one end is in contact with the cam peripheral surface of the hour cam wheel 18, and at the other end. The formed pins 30 and 32 are respectively engaged with a counting hook 34 of a counting mechanism to be described later and the movable contact plate 10. This age cam 20 is always elastically biased in the direction of arrow A, and its protrusion 28 is controlled to swing to follow the cam peripheral surface of the hour cam wheel 18.
When they engage, each pin 30, 32 is configured to press and move the counter hook 34 and the contact plate 10.

As described above, the on/off operation of both contact devices is controlled at the predetermined time in synchronization with the rotation of the clock train, and in order to obtain the time notification action corresponding to the current time notification time, the time notification is performed. The mechanism is provided with a counting mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment, the alarm action is performed by controlling the number of rotations of the motor so that the number of strikes is set in accordance with the alarm time. The counter hook 34 is swingably supported on a shaft 36 fixed to the watch plate, and a protrusion 38 formed at one end is connected to the lever 40.
It extends so that it can be appropriately engaged with the rack teeth 40a of the. This counter hook 34 is always elastically biased in the direction of arrow B by a biasing spring 42, and an arcuate pressing portion 44 is provided so as to be able to engage with the time control contact plate 16.

The comb 40 is swingably supported by a shaft 46 fixed to a watch plate, and is always elastically biased in the direction of arrow C. The comb 40 selects the number of rotations of the motor, that is, the number of strokes per hour, depending on the swinging position of its crack teeth 40a, and this swinging position is controlled by a counter cam 48.

The counting cam 48 is integrally molded with an hour hand wheel (not shown), and on its outer periphery there are 12
Twelve stages of cam surfaces 48a are formed corresponding to each hour of the time display. The above-mentioned comb 40 is formed with a contact surface 40b that appropriately engages the cam surface 48a of the multi-take cam 48.

A feed cam 52 is fixed to a rotating shaft 50 of a drive motor (not shown), and a feed pin 54 fixed to the feed cam 52 meshes with the rack teeth 40a of the comb 40, so that each rotation of the motor causes the counter cam 34 to move forward. The projection 38 and the rack teeth 40a of the comb 40 are disengaged from each other, and the rack teeth 40a are driven one tooth at a time.

As described above, at the predetermined time, the hour cam wheel 18 enables both contact devices to be turned on via the bearer 20, and the alarm operation for the number of hour strikes selected by the warning bell operation and counting mechanism is performed. However, the hour cam wheel 18 rotates once per hour, and its rotational speed is slow, making it impossible to obtain highly accurate time reporting.In the present invention, in order to improve the accuracy of time reporting,
The ON operation of the second contact device is controlled by a minute cam wheel provided separately from the hour cam wheel 18.

The one-minute cam wheel 56 is integrally molded with the third wheel in order to rotate in synchronization with the clock train, and eight one-minute cams 58 are formed on its outer periphery, and each one-minute cam 58 rotates one pitch per minute. It is configured to rotate.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cam driving force of the one-minute cam wheel 56 is transmitted to both contact devices via a one-minute control lever 60, which swings on a pin 62 fixed to the watch plate. An engaging element 64 that is freely pivoted and provided at one end is connected to a one-minute cam 58.
The actuator 66 provided at the other end is provided so as to be able to engage with the movable contact plate 10 of the contact device as appropriate.

The pre-bell control contact plate 12 consists of a conductive spring material along the one-minute control lever 60 .
is constantly pressed and biased in the direction of arrow D, thereby acting to elastically hold the engaging element 64 of the one-minute control lever 60 on the cam peripheral surface of the one-minute cam wheel 56. This elastic retention is necessary only to prevent the one-minute control lever 60 from wobbling, and the weak elasticity is necessary to reduce the influence of the load on the clock train when the lever 60 and the one-minute cam 58 are engaged. It is desirable to use it as a biasing force.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention has the above configuration,
The effect will be explained below.

FIG. 1 shows the time on the hour before the time signal operation is performed, and corresponds to, for example, the time around 12:35. In this state, the protrusion 28 of the age cam 20 is engaged with the valley surface of the hour cam wheel 18, and the counter hook 34 is engaged with the trough 40 of the hour cam wheel 18, and the protrusion 38 engages the trough 40 of the hour cam wheel 18 as shown in the figure.
It is locked at a position where it comes into contact with the right end surface of a. In this state, both contact plates 16 and 10 are positioned and held by the pressing portion 44 of the counter hook 34 and the pin 32 of the swallow hook 20, respectively, and the second contact device is in an open state. The alarm device is therefore kept inactive. Similarly, both contact plates 1 of the first contact device
0 and 12 are also in a non-contact state, and the pre-bell device is also kept in a non-operating state.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the first stage of the warning bell operation is completed on the hour, and the hour cam wheel 18 is in the first stage.
The figure shows a state in which the clock has rotated counterclockwise to approximately 12:59. In this state, the age cam 20 is in the position of the cam projection 2 of the hour cam wheel 18.
As a result, the counter hook 34 is rotated counterclockwise and the protrusion 38 thereof is moved to a position where it is separated from the lever 40. As a result, the comb 40 rotates clockwise to a position where its abutting surface 40b abuts the cam surface 48a of the counter cam 48 corresponding to 1 o'clock. At this time, both contact plates 10 and 16 of the contact device are pressed and moved to the illustrated positions by the pressing portion 44 of the counter hook 34 and the pin 32 of the swallow hook 20, respectively, and the open state of both contact devices is still maintained.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the setting of the second stage of the time signal operation is completed on the hour, and corresponds to a time of approximately 12:59:50. In this state, the age cam 20 is rotated by the rotation of the hour cam wheel 18 so that the end portion 2 of the cam protrusion 22
2a and rotate counterclockwise. As a result, the pressing of the counter hook 34 by the pin 30 is released, the counter hook 34 rotates clockwise, and its protrusion 38 meshes with the tooth corresponding to 1 o'clock of the rack teeth 40a of the comb 40. At the same time, the pressing and holding of the bell control contact plate 10 by the pin 32 of the swallowtail hook 20 is released. Therefore, the contact plate 10 is rotated clockwise from FIG. 2, but the tip of the contact plate 10 engages with the actuator 66 of the one-minute control lever 60 and is held in the position shown in the figure. Therefore, in FIG. 3 as well, the second contact device is not turned on and the alarm device is not activated. However, in this state, the movable contact plate 10 contacts the pre-bell control contact plate 12, so the first contact device is turned on, and as a result, the pre-bell device performs a pre-bell operation prior to the alarm operation. Become.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the time-telling action is started on the hour, and shows the time corresponding to 1:00:00. In this state, the 1-minute cam wheel 58 of the 1-minute cam wheel 56, which is set in synchronization with the control position of the seconds hand, is set to 1.
The lever 60 is moved clockwise by contacting the engager 64 of the minute control lever 60, and as a result, the lever 60 is moved clockwise.
The 0 actuator 66 is detached from the contact plate 10, and the contact plate 10 is rotated back to the position where it comes into contact with the alarm control contact plate 16 due to its elastic action, and the second contact device is turned on.

When the second contact device is turned on, the drive motor of the electric alarm device rotates to perform a ticking operation, and at this time, the feed cam 52 interlocked with the motor rotates to perform a ticking operation for each ticking operation. The latch teeth 40a of the comb 40 are fed and driven. Therefore, after one time striking action is completed, the protrusion 38 of the kutori kama 34 reaches the kushiba 4.
0 and returns to the state shown in Figure 1, both contact plates 1
0 and 16 are opened. Therefore, the timing action is performed the number of times determined by the position of the counting cam 48 corresponding to the designated time at each notified time.

As described above, according to the present invention, a warning bell operation can be obtained prior to the alarm operation on the hour, and since the contact device is controlled to be turned on by the 1-minute cam wheel 56, extremely high precision can be achieved. It is possible to obtain a time-signaling effect, and it is possible to perform a warning bell operation in the range from the 50 seconds of the second hand to the minute, and a time-warning operation in the range from the minute to at least 10 seconds.

As explained above, according to the present invention, the warning bell can be activated prior to the hourly warning operation,
It is possible to obtain a good time-telling clock that prevents mishearing of the alarm time, etc., and its time-reporting accuracy is determined by the 1-minute cam wheel with a relatively high rotation speed, achieving a remarkable improvement in accuracy compared to the conventional one. becomes possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1, 2, 3, and 4 are plan views showing respective operating states of a preferred embodiment of the time reporting mechanism according to the present invention. 10... Movable contact plate, 12... Pre-bell control contact plate, 16... Hour control contact plate, 18... Hour cam wheel, 22... Hour cam protrusion, 56... 1 minute cam wheel, 58... ...1 minute cam, 60...1 minute control lever.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An electric warning bell device that performs a warning bell operation on the hour; a warning bell control contact plate that comes into contact with and separates from a movable contact plate to control the operation of the warning bell device; an electric alarm device for controlling the operation of the alarm device; an alarm control contact plate that comes into contact with and separates from the movable contact plate to control the operation of the alarm device; and an outer cam protrusion that rotates in synchronization with the clock train and corresponds to the hour. a cam wheel for controlling contact and separation of the movable contact plate with respect to the alarm control contact plate; an actuator at one end and an engaging element at the other end; a one-minute control lever which is provided so as to be able to enter into a rotation blocking position and to be retractable from the rotation blocking position; and an engager of the one-minute control lever that rotates in synchronization with the clock train and whose outer periphery is in sliding contact with the one-minute control lever. a 1-minute cam wheel for temporarily retracting the actuator of the 1-minute control lever from the rotation blocking position of the movable contact plate every minute, the pre-bell control contact plate having one end thereof adapted to actuate the 1-minute control lever; the one-minute control lever is elastically pressed to the rotation blocking position of the movable contact plate, and the movable contact plate and the rotation blocking position are released from the hour cam wheel at a predetermined hourly pre-bell time. With the pre-bell control contact plate pressing the actuator of the 1-minute control lever turned on and preventing rotation of the movable contact plate, the electric pre-bell device operates on the hour, and the pre-bell is activated. At a subsequent predetermined hour-on-the-hour alarm time, the one-minute cam wheel retracts the actuator of the one-minute control lever from the rotation blocker position, turns on the movable contact plate and the alarm control contact plate, and electrically A time-telling mechanism for a watch, characterized in that a time-telling device is activated.