World timepiece
View Patent ↗A mechanical world timepiece having a transmission mechanism which allows the time display, such as, for example, a 12-hour hand and/or a 24-hour hand, to be directly adjusted with a turning ring having 24 time zones. The timepiece serves for the easily manageable adjustment of the time zone and the reading of the time in a different time zone. Operation could not be simpler. After a lever has been opened, the mechanism in FIG. 1 automatically engages. The gear rim ( 6 ), which is fixed with the turning ring, drives a vertical drive wheel ( 5 ), which is connected by a shaft to a clutch wheel ( 4 ). Once the pinion ( 4 ) is engaged, it drives one or two minute wheels ( 8, 9 ), which move a 12-hour wheel ( 10 ) and a 24-hour wheel ( 11 ) in a 1 h-cycle. The turning ring is thus easily turned to the desired destination at 12 h and the local time can immediately be read. Either the turning ring is now turned back to its original locality or the lever is simply closed. In the latter case, the time now continues running according to the set destination. The push-piece ( 2 ) disengages the mechanism via a rocker ( 3 ), simultaneously fixes, in the closed state, the gear rim ( 6 ) and prevents accidental adjustment of the time. The transmission mechanism can also be used for setting or changing other time displays, such as date, day of the week, month, year, minutes, or for other functions such as an alarm.
1. A world timepiece comprising a mechanical transmission system and a turning ring for adjusting a time display by actuating the mechanical transmission system,
wherein the mechanical transmission system includes a gear rim fastened on the bottom side of the turning ring, a wheel train, which can be engaged and disengaged from outside a housing of the world timepiece, that interacts between the turning ring and hour hand provided for the time display, and engagement/disengagement mechanism with a clutch rocker is provided, and
further wherein,
the gear rim drives a drive wheel connected by a shaft to a clutch wheel,
the turning ring can be turned both clockwise and counter clockwise,
the time display is moved by the turning ring upon adjustment,
the turning ring can be activated or deactivated via a locking device, and
the timepiece is water tight.
2. The timepiece of claim 1 , wherein the drive wheel drives at least one minute wheel, which moves at least one time display wheel and is determined by the number of teeth on a star rim.
3. The timepiece of claim 1 , wherein the locking device comprises a lever which can be opened/closed and/or lock/unlock the turning ring and/or engage/disengage the transmission mechanism.
4. The timepiece of claim 1 , wherein the shape and dimensions of the lever and of the clutch rocker are chosen such that the locking of the turning ring is only released once engagement has taken place and disengagement only occurs once the turning ring is locked.
5. The timepiece of claim 1 , wherein a push-piece with a rounded portion for preventing turning and a boss for engaging in the gear rim is provided for locking the turning ring.
6. The timepiece of claim 1 , wherein the turning ring can be latch-locked at twenty-four positions in accordance with time zones.
7. The timepiece of claim 1 , wherein the display of the time at a desired locality denoted on the turning ring can be set by setting the locality denoted on the turning ring to the 12 o'clock position.
8. The timepiece of claim 1 , wherein the turning ring has an exchangeable turning ring insert.
9. The timepiece of claim 1 , wherein an additional wheel coupled to a date display is provided, so that, when a 24 hour threshold is breached, the date is automatically advances or put back by a turning of the turning ring.
10. The timepiece of claim 1 , wherein the wheel train can be actuated with the turning ring for setting any combination of an alarm function, minutes, hours, or for winding a mechanical movement.
11. The timepiece of claim 1 , wherein, for the time display, a 12-hour hand and/or a 24-hour hand and/or a daytime disk having at least two daytimes and/or a minute hand and/or a 12-hour disk and/or a 24-hour disk is provided.
12. The timepiece of any one of claims 1 , 2 , 3 , and 11 , wherein the time is also displayed in a half-hour cycle and the number of teeth on each transmission wheel is adapted appropriately.