Chronograph

Abstract

A chronograph having a second wheel with an entraining spring, a pulse-receiving wheel, wherein the entraining spring is constructed to engage with the pulse-receiving wheel, a pulse-transferring wheel, a minute wheel, wherein the minute wheel is in constant engagement with the pulse-transferring wheel, a second shaft, wherein the second wheel is rigidly connected to the second shaft, a multifunction shaft is orientated parallel to the second shaft, wherein the pulse-receiving wheel and the pulse-transferring wheel is rigidly connected to the multifunction shaft, and, a two-part constructed zeroing lever having a zeroing lever arm and a zeroing lever interlock, wherein the zeroing lever arm is supported in a rotatable manner around a pivotal point of a zeroing lever arm and the zeroing lever interlock is supported in a rotatable manner around a pivotal point of zeroing lever interlock.

Claims

1. A chronograph, comprising: a second wheel having an entraining spring; a pulse-receiving wheel, wherein the entraining spring is configured to engage with the pulse-receiving wheel; a drive wheel; a zeroing wheel, wherein the zeroing wheel is in constant engagement with the drive wheel; a pulse-transferring wheel; a minute wheel, wherein the minute wheel is in constant engagement with the pulse-transferring wheel; a second shaft, wherein the second wheel is rigidly connected to the second shaft; and, a multifunction shaft orientated parallel to the second shaft, wherein the pulse-receiving wheel, the drive wheel and the pulse-transferring wheel are rigidly connected to the multifunction shaft and the pulse-transferring wheel is in constant engagement with the minute wheel.

2. The chronograph of claim 1, wherein a center second hand is rigidly connected to the second shaft and a center minute hand is rigidly connected to the minute wheel.

3. The chronograph of claim 1, wherein the drive wheel is coaxially disposed above the pulse-receiving wheel.

4. The chronograph of claim 1, further comprising a two-part constructed zeroing lever having a zeroing lever arm and a zeroing lever interlock, wherein the zeroing lever arm is supported in a rotatable manner around a pivotal point of a zeroing lever arm and the zeroing lever interlock is supported in a rotatable manner around a pivotal point of zeroing lever interlock.

5. The chronograph of claim 4, further comprising a zeroing heart for minutes rigidly connected to the zeroing wheel via a zeroing shaft.

6. The chronograph of claim 4, wherein the zeroing lever interlock has a first angled end.

7. The chronograph of claim 6, wherein the zeroing heart for minutes has a flattened end, wherein in a zero position of the chronograph, the first angled end of the zeroing lever interlock is in contact with the flattened end of the zeroing heart for minutes.

8. The chronograph of claim 4, wherein a zeroing heart for seconds is rigidly connected to a second wheel via a second shaft.

9. The chronograph of claim 4, wherein the zeroing lever interlock has a second angled end.

10. The chronograph of claim 9, wherein the zeroing heart for seconds has a flattened end, wherein in a zero position of the chronograph, the second angled end of the zeroing lever interlock is in contact with the flattened end of the zeroing heart for seconds.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chronograph according to the prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective top view of a chronograph according to the present invention; and,

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective bottom view of the chronograph shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

(6) While the present invention is described with respect to what is presently considered to be the preferred aspects, it is to be understood that the invention as claimed is not limited to the disclosed aspect. The present invention is intended to include various modifications and equivalent arrangements within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

(7) Furthermore, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the particular methodology, materials and modifications described and as such may, of course, vary. It is also understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the appended claims.

(8) Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the preferred methods, devices, and materials are now described.

(9) A chronograph, according to the invention, is schematically shown in the perspective view of FIG. 2. The drive of the chronograph is effected by a slewing drive (not shown), which forces the gear train of the clock to engage with the second wheel 3. According to the invention, the pulse-receiving wheel 6 and the drive wheel 7, which is coaxially disposed above the pulse-receiving wheel 6, are rigidly connected to a multifunction shaft 18, which is supported in the ruby bearing jewel 21 in a plate (not shown), which is disposed above the drive wheel 7. Besides, the pulse-transferring wheel 9, which is in constant engagement with the minute wheel 10, is rigidly connected to the multifunction shaft 18.

(10) The entraining spring 5 is rigidly connected to the second wheel 3 with its section being averted to the pulse-receiving wheel 6. The section of the entraining spring 5, which is turned towards the pulse-receiving wheel 6, is constructed spring-loaded and is provided for engagement with the pulse-receiving wheel 6. The zeroing wheel 8, which is rigidly connected to the zeroing shaft 11, is in constant engagement with the drive wheel 7. The zeroing shaft 11 is supported in a plate (not shown).

(11) After a whole rotation of the second wheel 3, the pulse-receiving wheel 6 is continued to rotate for a subunit by the entraining spring 5. The zeroing wheel 8, the pulse-transferring wheel 9 and the minute wheel 10 are continued to move by the drive wheel 7, by what the center minute hand 2 finally advances for one unit.

(12) The center second hand 1 is rigidly connected to the second shaft 4, wherein the second shaft 4 is in contrast rigidly connected to the second wheel 3. The second shaft 4 penetrates the center of the minute wheel 10. The slewing drive (not shown) provides a direct drive of the second wheel 3, wherein the center second hand 1 is moved via the second shaft 4, as well.

(13) A further component of the chronograph is the two-piece constructed and rotatable stored zeroing lever 12, whose functions are to be explained with the help of FIG. 3. The zeroing lever 12 consists of a zeroing lever arm 12a and a zeroing lever interlock 12b, wherein the zeroing lever arm 12a is supported in a rotatable manner around the pivotal point of the zeroing lever arm 19 and the zeroing lever interlock 12b is connected in a rotatable manner around the pivotal point of the zeroing lever interlock 20 to the zeroing lever arm 12a. The zeroing interlock 12b is located in a plane with the zeroing heart for minutes 17 and the zeroing heart for seconds 16. The zeroing heart for minutes 17 is rigidly connected to the zeroing wheel 8 via the zeroing shaft 11, whereas the zeroing heart for seconds 16 is rigidly connected to the second wheel 3 via the second shaft 4.

(14) For stopping the chronograph, the slewing drive (not shown) is forced to release the engagement with the second wheel 3 with the help of a pusher (not shown). Additionally, operating the pusher causes, that an appropriate holding means (not shown), as for example a blocking interlock, is forced to engage with the second wheel 3. Pressing the pusher therefore results in a halt of center second hand 5 and center minute hand 2.

(15) For delivering the chronograph in its zero position for a further time measurement, the blocking interlock (not shown) is forced to release the engagement with the second wheel 3 with the help of a further pusher (not shown). Simultaneously, the zeroing lever arm 12a and therefore the zeroing lever interlock 12b, as well, are pivoted for a small value in their particular plane by operating the pusher, by what the zeroing lever interlock 12b contacts with its front the zeroing heart for minutes 17 as well as the zeroing heart for seconds 16. Therefore the zeroing heart for minutes 17 and the zeroing wheel 8, which is rigidly connected to the zeroing heart for minutes 17 via the zeroing shaft 11, as well as the zeroing heart for seconds 16 and the second wheel 3, which is rigidly connected to the zeroing heart for seconds 16 via the second shaft 4, are rotated so far, until they are in their zero position. This is the case, if the first angled end 13 of the zeroing lever interlock 12b touches the flattened end 17 of the zeroing heart for minutes 17 and the second angled end 14 of the zeroing lever interlock 12b touches the flattened end 16 of the zeroing heart for seconds 16.

(16) Due to this movement of the zeroing wheel 8 in its zero position, the drive wheel 7, the pulse-transmitting wheel 9, the minute wheel 10 and the center minute hand 2 are moved in their particular zero position, as well. Analogous to this, the center second hand 1 is delivered to its zero position due to the movement of the second wheel 3.

(17) Thus, it is seen that the objects of the present invention are efficiently obtained, although modifications and changes to the invention should be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, such modifications are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. It also is understood that the foregoing description is illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered as limiting. Therefore, other embodiments of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as claimed.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(18) 1 Center second hand 2 Center minute hand 3 Second wheel 4 Second shaft 5 Entraining spring 6 Pulse-receiving wheel 7 Drive wheel 8 Zeroing wheel 9 Pulse-transmitting wheel 10 Minute wheel 11 Zeroing shaft 12 Zeroing lever 12a Zeroing lever arm 12b Zeroing lever interlock 13 First angled end of the zeroing lever interlock 14 Second angled end of the zeroing lever interlock 15 Intermediate wheel 16 Zeroing heart for seconds 16 Flattened end of the zeroing heart for seconds 17 Zeroing heart for minutes 17 Flattened end of the zeroing heart for minutes 18 Multifunction shaft 19 Pivotal point of the zeroing lever arm 20 Pivotal point of the zeroing lever interlock 21 Ruby bearing jewel