Mechanical clockwork movement with a tourbillon

Abstract

A timepiece with a tourbillon unit, including a base plate, cage placed rotatably on the base plate and being connected to a fourth pinion, a balance placed on the cage, and an escape wheel that is placed on the cage and that is in work connection with the balance, a balance stop device being capable to be brought into engagement with the balance, wherein it further includes a zero-setting device for the angular orientation of the cage.

Claims

1. A clockwork movement with a tourbillon unit, comprising: a base plate, a cage placed rotatably on the base plate, and being connected to a fourth pinion, a balance placed on the cage and an escape wheel that is placed on the cage and that is in work connection with the balance, a balance stop device being capable to be brought into engagement with the balance, wherein said clockwork movement further comprises: a zero-setting device for the angular orientation of the cage.

2. The clockwork movement according to claim 1, wherein said zero-setting device is torque-proof engaged either with the cage or with the base plate and the zero-setting device is torque-proof fixed to the base plate in a base configuration.

3. The clockwork movement according to claim 1, wherein the zero-setting device is capable of being torque-proof coupled to the cage by means of the balance being stopped by the balance stop device.

4. The clockwork movement according to claim 1, wherein the balance stop device comprises a braking element being arranged on the rotating cage, being capable of being brought into frictional engagement with the balance and being movable axial to a balance axis.

5. The clockwork movement according to claim 4, wherein the zero-setting device is capable of being torque-proof coupled to the cage via the brake element.

6. The clockwork movement according to claim 1, wherein the zero-setting device is capable of being torque-proof fixed to the base plate by a fixing element and only by a torque-proof coupling between cage and zero-setting device the fixing element is transferable into a released position in which the zero-setting device together with the cage is rotatable mounted relative to the base plate.

7. The clockwork movement according to claim 6, wherein a locking latch is coupled to the fixing element and being transferred to a catch position for stopping the cage when the fixing element passes from the fixing position to the release position.

8. The clockwork movement according to claim 1, further comprising a locking latch movable arranged on the base plate, the said latch interacting with a catch cam being arranged on the cage for stopping the cage at a zero position.

9. The clockwork movement according to claim 1, wherein the zero-setting device has a carrier wheel with a circumference which is supported at an outer circumference by at least three rotatable rollers that are arranged on the base plate.

10. The clockwork movement according to claim 9, wherein the zero-setting device comprises a stop ring, said stop ring being axially movable relative to an axis of rotation, said stop ring having, at a radial outer edge, an outer start slope that corresponds to a respective first or second start slope of a first or second stop latch being movable arranged on the base plate.

11. The clockwork movement according to claim 10, wherein the stop ring comprises at a radial inner-lying edge at start slope that interacts with at least one cam of at least one latch that is movably mounted on the zero-setting device radially inwards against a restoring force.

12. The clockwork movement according to claim 11, wherein the at least one latch comprises at its radial inner end a control start slope being capable to be brought into engagement with a start slope of a brake ring.

13. The clockwork movement according to claim 12, further comprising a brake bolt which is axially movable guided in a hub of the tourbillon unit or in the cage and being designed axial movable by means of the brake ring for the displacement of the brake element and for stopping the balance.

14. The clockwork movement according to claim 1, wherein the zero-setting device comprises a circular wheel with inner teeth meshing with a pinion of the escape wheel.

15. A timepiece with a clockwork movement according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Further objects, features and advantageous embodiments are explained in the following description of an embodiment example with reference to the drawings. The figures show:

(2) FIG. 1 a top view of parts of the clockwork movement

(3) FIG. 2 a side view of the clockwork movement according to FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 a perspective view of the clockwork movement,

(5) FIG. 4 a plan view from below of the zero-setting device in the base configuration with a stop ring removed,

(6) FIG. 5 a cross section of the zero-setting device according to FIG. 4,

(7) FIG. 6 a plan view of the zero-setting device from above,

(8) FIG. 7 a view of the zero-setting device according to FIG. 4, however with radially inwards displaced latches,

(9) FIG. 8 a cross section of the zero-setting device according to FIG. 7,

(10) FIG. 9 a plan view from above of the zero-setting device according to FIG. 7,

(11) FIG. 10 an exploded view of the zero-setting device,

(12) FIG. 11 a cross section A-A according to FIG. 6 in a final assembled configuration with a tourbillon unit,

(13) FIG. 12 a cross section B-B according to FIG. 9, also with tourbillon unit,

(14) FIG. 13 a perspective and partly-exploded view of the clockwork movement in the base configuration and

(15) FIG. 14 a view of the clockwork movement of FIG. 13, however with activated balance stop device and with a zero-setting device in the release position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(16) FIGS. 1 to 3 show a tourbillon unit 10 of a mechanical clockwork movement 1, here partially shown. The clockwork movement 1 has a base plate 2 on which the tourbillon unit 10 is rotatably placed. The tourbillon unit 10 is, as can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 11, coupled to a third wheel 7 via a seconds pinion 5. The third wheel 7 meshes with a minutes wheel 8, which engages a barrel 9, which here acts as a mechanical energy storage device.

(17) The tourbillon unit 10 further comprises a hub 6 shown in a cross-section in FIG. 11, which is rotatably placed on the base plate 2 and is fixed to a cage 11 of the tourbillon unit 10.

(18) The cage 11 comprises a lower frame 11a with diverse radially arranged spokes 11d which join the cage 11 to the hub 6. Here, three vertical, axially directed pillars 11c are arranged around the outer circumference of the lower frame 11a. An upper frame 11b is placed on the end section of the far side of the lower frame 11a. The balance 15 of the movement 1 is placed between the upper and lower frames 11a, 11b. The balance 15 can be pivoted relative to a balance axis 17, wherein the balance axis 17 is located on an extension of the seconds pinion 5.

(19) The balance 15 is also coupled to a balance spring 16. An escapement 14 is also provided at the cage 11. An escape wheel 12 is rotatably placed on the cage 11. The axis of rotation of the escape wheel 12 extends parallel to the balance axis 17. The escapement 14 also has a not explicitly shown pallets which engage alternately with the teeth of the escape wheel 4 in the well-known manner. The balance 16, the not explicitly shown pallets and the escape wheel 12 form the escapement 14.

(20) As follows from the cross-section of FIGS. 11 and 12, the escape wheel 12 is fitted with a pinion 19 which meshes with the inner teeth 49 of a zero-setting device 40. The zero-setting device 40 is fixed to the base plate 2 during normal operation of the clockwork movement 1. The step-by-step rotational movement of the escape wheel 12 therefore leads to a rotation of the entire cage 11 relative to the base plate 2. Further a seconds hand 18 is located on the cage 11 with the tip of the hand protruding radially outwards from cage 11upper frame 11b in the present case. The rotational position of the cage 11 therefore passes on the seconds to a time indicator.

(21) Apart from the zero-setting device 40, the clockwork movement 1 has a balance stop device 50 which is used to stop the balance 15 if required.

(22) The multi-part structure of the zero-setting device 40 is made clear in FIGS. 4 to 10. The zero-setting device 40 has a carrier wheel 41 with a central passage 71. The carrier wheel 41 has a ring-shaped contour. The central passage 71 is bordered in particular by an inner edge 72, as indicated in FIG. 4. Three latches 45 arranged over the circumference of the inner edge 72 protrude radially inwards from the inner edge 72. These are mounted and can be rotated or pivoted in the plane of the carrier wheel 41. They can be displaced radially inwards, as a comparison of FIGS. 4 and 7 makes clear.

(23) Each of the latches 45 has a control start slope 45a at its free and inwards protruding end. A dome-shaped latch cam 47 is formed on the underside of the latches 45. Each of the latches 45 is also coupled to a latch spring 46 by means of which the individual latches 45 can be displaced radially inwards against a spring force. The radially directed displacement inwards takes place via an axial force applied to the latch cams 47. If the force reduces, the individual latch springs 46 effect a movement of the latches 45 radially outwards to the start position as shown in FIG. 4.

(24) On the radially outer edge of the carrier wheel 41 of the zero-setting device 40 is, as shown in FIG. 5, formed a circular rim 44. The carrier wheel 41 has an outer toothing 48 axially offset to this. A circular wheel 42 is located on the upper side of the carrier wheel 41. The circular wheel 42 also has a ring-shaped contour. On an inner side of the circular wheel 42 circumferential inner teeth 49 are formed, which, as already mentioned, mesh with the pinion 19 of the balance 15.

(25) A stop ring 43 is located on the underside of the carrier wheel 41. The stop ring 43 has an outer start slope 53 on its outer edge. The stop ring 43 mounted on the carrier wheel 41 can also be axially displaced. The stop ring 43 also possesses, as shown in FIG. 5, a further start slope 54 on its inner edge.

(26) With the torque-proof connection and the axial slideability of the stop ring 43 and carrier wheel 41, the inner start slope 54 of the stop ring 43 engages the latch cam 47. An upwards axial movement of the stop ring 43 up to the carrier wheel 41 therefore effects a radial inwards displacement of the three latches 45. This can be recognized by comparing FIGS. 5 and 8 or FIGS. 6 and 9.

(27) The entire zero-setting device 40 is rotationally mounted on the base plate 2 via the circular rim 44 with a plurality of rotatable mounting rollers 31 distributed over the circumference of the zero-setting device 40. The zero-setting device 40 can also be fixed to, but also detached from, base plate 2 using a fixing element 30 which is formed here as a fixing lever. A free end of the fixing element 30 engages, for example frictionally, with an outer edge of the zero-setting device 40.

(28) By pivoting of the fixing element 30 the zero-setting device 40 can be released so that it can be rotated relative to base plate 2 about a central axis of rotation 73. The axis of rotation 73 of the zero-setting device 40 can coincide in particular with the balance axis 70 as well as with the axis of the seconds pinion 5.

(29) Furthermore, a braking element 60 is mounted on the upper side of the lower frame 11a, here in the form of a flat brake spring. The braking element 60, especially its free and radially inwards protruding end, is located axially movable on the cage 11. In particular, it can be moved by means of an axially slidable brake bolt 58, either in the hub 6 or on the cage 11 from a starting position as shown in FIG. 11, to a braking position as shown in FIG. 12.

(30) The brake bolt 58 is located with a head in a recess of the lower frame 11a. By means of an axial, upwards directed movement, the braking bolt 58 presses axially on the braking element 60 so that its free end engages frictionally and in the axial direction with a correspondingly designed friction surface of a double roller 62, which is connected to the balance 15. In this way, the balance 15 can be stopped and fixed relative to the cage 11.

(31) The brake bolt 58 can be transferred from the starting or base position shown in FIG. 11 to the brake position shown in FIG. 12 by means of the axially movable mounted brake ring 56. Radial external and at the lower end, the brake ring 56 has a start slope 56a, which is circumferentially formed and designed to correspond to the regulating start slope 45a of the latches 45. A radially inwards directed pivot movement of the latches 45 therefore leads to an upwards axial shift of the brake ring 56 in direction to the cage 11 by which the brake bolt 58 and therefore also the brake element 60 is axially displaced or axially shifted. Due to the radial inwards pivot movement of the latches 45, the brake element 60 finally engages with the double roller 62 of the balance 15.

(32) The axial displacement of the brake ring 56 relative to the hub 6 or relative to the cage 11 takes place against the restoring force of a expander spring 57, which is located axially between the hub 6 and the brake ring 56. If for example, the latches 45 under the influence of their respective latch springs 46 are pivoted back into the starting position shown in FIG. 4, a movement of the brake ring 56 also takes place under the influence of the expander spring 57 in the same way to its starting position shown in FIG. 11. As a consequence, the balance 15 is again released causing the stopped clockwork movement 1 to be self-actingly set in motion again.

(33) To stop the clockwork movement 1 and the tourbillon unit 10, respectively two first and second opposing stop latches 20 and 22 are provided on the outer circumference of the zero-setting device 40 as can be seen in FIG. 13. The first stop latch 20 and the second stop latch 22 are pivoting mounted on the base plate. A first start slope 21 and a second start slope 23 are provided at their free ends. These are designed, for example, in the form of beveled small wheels. Respectively the first and second start slopes 21 and 23 of the relevant first and second stop latches 20 and 22 are located at the height of the outer start slopes 53 provided on the outer edge of the stop ring 43.

(34) A radial inwards pivoting of the first and second stop latches 20, 22 leads to a uniform raising or axial displacement of the stop ring 43 from the starting position or base configuration shown in FIG. 11 to the stop configuration shown in FIG. 12. For the sake of simplicity, the position of the first and second start slopes 21, 23 are not explicitly shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The axial movement of the stop ring 43 leads, as already described, to a radially inwards directed displacement of the latches 45 and therefore to an axial shift of the braking bolt 58 and finally to a displacement of the braking element 60 stopping the balance 15.

(35) A synchronous displacement movement of both first and second braking latches 20, 22 causing a stopping of the clockwork mechanism 1 can take place by pulling out the crown to a given ratchet position. This stops the clockwork movement 1. If the crown, here not explicitly shown, is pulled out starting from that stop configuration to a further, for example second ratchet position, a coupled pivoting of the fixing element 30, and of a locking latch 26 is effected.

(36) It is initially intended here that the locking latch 26 shown in FIG. 13 is moved radially inwards so that a locking catch 27 protruding radially inwards at the free end of the locking latch engages with a catch mechanism 28 located on the outer circumference of the cage 11. In this respect, the locking latch 26 can be transferred from its start position in FIG. 13 to an indicated catch position in FIG. 14. In this, the locking latch 26 prevents the cage 11 with its catch mechanism 28 rotating beyond the position of the locking catch 27.

(37) In the course of the zero-setting procedure, the cage 11 can be rotated freely while mounted on the base plate 2. Due to the mutual engagement of locking latch 26 and catch mechanism 28, a defined end stop for the cage 11 is therefore generated for the entire tourbillon unit 10 so that the seconds hand 18 comes typically to rest at the twelve. Once the locking latch 26 has clicked into its catch position, the fixing element 30 engaged with the zero-setting device 40 is displaced radially outwards in the course of the pulling-out movement of the crown. Thus, the zero-setting device 40 is transferred to a release position so that its rotary fixing relative to base plate 2 is nullified.

(38) The coupled movement of locking latch 26 and fixing element 30 is initiated by control lever 24 as indicated in FIG. 13. The pivoting movements of the fixing element 30 and of the locking latch 26 are rigidly coupled together. It is necessary to ensure that the fixing lever 30 can only be transferred to its release position when the locking latch 26 is in its catch position.

(39) When setting the timepiece, for example, the regulating lever 24 is moved by pulling a crown out of the base position to a first pull-out position, this effects a radial inwards pivoting of both first and second stop latches 20, 22. As a consequence the balance 15 is stopped. This fixes the balance 15 on the cage 11 or the hub 6. In each configuration, the cage and the zero-setting device 40 form a combination which can be rotated relative to the base plate 2.

(40) In a next step the locking latch 26 gets into the further catch position indicated in FIG. 14 when the crown is pulled out to the next catch position. Finally in a last step, the fixing element 30 is transferred to the release position so that the ensemble of zero-setting device 40 and cage 11 can be rotated via the mounting rollers 31 relative to the base plate 2. The seconds pinion 5 of the tourbillon unit 10 remains here in engagement with the barrel 9. The still remaining flow of forces between the tourbillon unit 10 and the barrel 9 effects that the cage 11 together with the zero-setting unit 40 rotates until the catch cam 28 engages with the locking latch 26.

(41) In this axial position of the crown, the seconds hand 18 therefore automatically reaches a well-defined zero-position without any further action being necessary at the crown. The usual interaction between a zero-setting lever and a usual zero-setting flyback is therefore no longer necessary. As the zero setting of the seconds hand 18 takes place via a combined rotational movement of zero-setting device 40 and tourbillon unit 10 driven by the barrel via the seconds drive 5, this rotational movement can be preferably damped or braked using a separate braking mechanism. This braking mechanism not explicitly shown here can, for example, permanently engage with of the outer teeth 48 of the zero-setting device 40. This braking device can, for example, act as a rotational damper. It can, for example, comprise a so-called wind vane that limits the free rotational motion of the zero-setting device 40 to a preset maximum speed. According to a preferred embodiment, not shown here, the rotational damper is made as a hydraulic damper module which meshes with the outer teeth 48 of the zero-setting device 40 via an intermediate wheel. In this way, the gear ratios in this gear wheel train as well as the viscosity of the liquid in the hydraulic damper module can be set to achieve an adjusted rotational speed.

(42) The beveled first and second start slopes 21, 23 are used, in addition to the mounting rollers 31, for the radial and axial mounting of the zero-setting device 40 on the base plate 2.

(43) If the crown of the clockwork movement 1 is again moved back stepwise, the fixing element 30 is initially engaged frictionally with the zero-setting device 40. The locking latch 26 is then returned from its catch position back to a starting position. As a consequence, the zero-setting device 40 is on the one hand refixed to the base plate 2 while the cage 11 disengages with the locking latch 26.

(44) To set the clockwork movement 1 automatically in motion again, it is only necessary by a further inwards movement of the crown to move the two first and second stop latches 20, 22 radially outwards again. As a consequence, the force on the stop ring decreases. This is returned in particular by the latch springs 46 and the mutual engagement between latches 45 and stop ring 43 to its starting position shown in FIG. 5. At the same time an axial displacement of the braking ring 56 to its starting position under the influence of the expansion spring 57 takes place. The brake bolt 58 therefore reaches its starting position and the braking element 60 releases the double roller 62 of the balance 15.

(45) Due to the interaction of the zero-setting device and the balance stop device 50, it is possible for the first time to move an entire tourbillon unit 10 independently of the escapement 14 in the clockwork movement 1 in a controlled manner. That independent movement enables a tourbillon unit 10 to be moved faster and automatically to a reference point in any conceivable position. This option is especially suitable for a so-called minutes tourbillon, which serves simultaneously as a seconds hand. In this respect, a seconds zero stop is provided for a setting procedure of the clockwork movement 1.

(46) It is especially advantageous here that no radial forces act on the tourbillon unit, neither when the balance wheel 15 is stopped nor during the zero-setting procedure. The escapement 14 is namely stopped and therefore protected against external influences during the zero setting operation. Furthermore, the here-shown embodiment of the zero-setting device 40 with the balance stop device 50 enables a small constructional change to an existing flying tourbillon, as known for example from EP 2 793 087 A1.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(47) 1 Clockwork movement

(48) 2 Base plate

(49) 5 Fourth pinion

(50) 6 Hub

(51) 7 Third wheel

(52) 8 Minutes wheel

(53) 9 Barrel

(54) 10 Tourbillon unit

(55) 11 Cage

(56) 11a Lower frame

(57) 11b Upper frame

(58) 11c Pillar

(59) 11d Spoke

(60) 12 Escape wheel

(61) 14 Escapement

(62) 15 Balance

(63) 16 Balance spring

(64) 17 Balance axis

(65) 18 Seconds hand

(66) 19 Pinion of the escape wheel

(67) 20 First stop latch

(68) 21 First start slope

(69) 22 Second stopping latch

(70) 23 Second start slope

(71) 24 Control lever

(72) 26 Locking latch

(73) 27 Locking catch

(74) 28 Detent cam

(75) 30 Fixing element

(76) 31 Mounting roller

(77) 40 Zero-setting device

(78) 41 Carrier wheel

(79) 42 Circular wheel

(80) 43 Stop ring

(81) 44 Circular rim

(82) 45 Latch

(83) 45a Start slope

(84) 46 Latch spring

(85) 47 Latch cam

(86) 48 Outer teeth

(87) 49 Inner teeth

(88) 50 Balance stop device

(89) 53 Outer start slope

(90) 54 Inner start slope

(91) 56 Brake ring

(92) 56a Start slope

(93) 57 Expander spring

(94) 58 Brake bolt

(95) 60 Brake element

(96) 62 Double roller

(97) 71 Passage

(98) 72 Inner edge

(99) 73 Axis of rotation