Musical module of a movement of a watch

0001The present invention relates to the field of horology, more particularly to a musical module of a watch movement, in particular a wristwatch, and a watch including the musical module.

0002It is already known from the state of the art of watches comprising a musical module adapted to a watch movement. <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="CA966705"><text>CA 966705</text></patcit> Describes a musical module comprising the fundamental elements of the music box, namely a cylinder, a cylinder, a keyboard and a speed regulator. These elements have been adapted to be as compact as possible so that they can be integrated into a watch case.

0003The main disadvantage of this module is that it allows playing only one melody. The bulk and the geometry of the cylinder do not allow, on this scale at least, the positioning of several cylinders.

0004Document is also known <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="CH8631"><text>CH 8 631</text></patcit> A watch comprising a musical module according to the preamble of claim 1 of the patent.

0005The document <patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="US287104A"><text>US 287104</text></patcit> A watch comprising a musical module comprising a drum cooperating with a keyboard in which the drum is associated with control means of the on-off type.

0006The object of the present invention is to provide a musical module comprising at least one toothed musical disc provided with pins, the said disc replacing the cylinder thus saving space, the musical module possibly comprising several discs, the latter possibly To be positioned on the keyboard in order to play several melodies.

0007According to the invention, this object is achieved by a musical module of a watch movement according to claim 1 of the patent.

0008BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The characteristics of the invention will appear more clearly on reading a description of an embodiment given solely by way of example, and in no way limiting, with reference to the schematic figures, in which:<ul><li>the <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> Shows a top view of the musical module comprising a carousel provided with four arms at the end of which a musical disc provided with pins is arranged,</li><li>the <figref idrefs="f0002">Figure 2</figref> Represents an intermediate bottom view of the musical module,</li><li>the <figref idrefs="f0003">Figure 3</figref> Represents a bottom view of the music module.</li></ul>

0009According to the main embodiment of the present invention, the musical module comprises a carousel (1) provided with four arms (2) arranged around a central axis (3). At its end, each arm (2) has an axis (4) around which is arranged one of the four toothed musical discs (5). A central gear (6) is freely arranged around the central axis (3) of the carousel (1) in order to simultaneously drive the four musical discs (5) and on the other hand a first wheel (7) Of a gear train (7, 8, 9) cooperating with an inertia flywheel (10). The train (7, 8, 9) and the flywheel (10) constitute the regulating member of the musical module (<figref idrefs="f0002">Figure 2</figref>). The central pinion (6) is capable of being driven by the barrel (11).

0010Each of the musical discs (5) has on its lower side pins (12) for lifting the blades of a keyboard (13) when the four discs (5) are positioned in turn on the latter. The positioning of the pins (12) varies from one disc (5) to the other in order to assign to each of the discs (5) a distinct melody.

0011The musical module comprises a control device intended to engage, on the one hand, the rotation of the disks (5) and, on the other hand, the rotation of the carousel (1) by 90 °. To this end, a rotary member (14) comprising a finger (14a) is arranged integrally with the first wheel (7) of the gear train (7, 8, 9) Of Malta (15) integral with the central axis (3) of the carousel (1). The primary circumference of the musical discs (5) is identical to that of the first wheel (7) so that the rotation of the carousel (1) is only triggered by the finger (14a) when the disc (5) positioned on the keyboard ) Has rotated and the melody is complete.

0012The rotary member (14) has an annular groove (18), the inner side of which has a projection (19). This secures the carousel (2) by means of a first locking pin (16a) secured to a locking lever (16). The latter is capable of actuating a lever (22) (<figref idrefs="f0001">Figure 1</figref>) Which holds the carousel (1) in a stable position when playing a musical disc (5). The external flank of the groove (18) has a notch (20) inside which a second locking pin (17a) is secured to a stop lever (17) for stopping the flywheel (10) so as to keep the musical module at a standstill.

0013These two levers (16, 17) can be actuated by a rocker (21) in order to release the carousel (1) and the flywheel (10) respectively as described hereinafter.

0014The lever (16) which actuates the lever (22) is disengaged on the one hand by the action of the rocker (21), on the one hand, the first locking pin (16a) of the locking lever (16) In order to unlock the carousel (1), and on the one hand the second pin (17a) of the notch (20) in order to release the flywheel (10) thereby releasing the gear train (7, 8, 9) (6) which is immediately driven by the barrel (11).

0015When the control device (16, 17, 21) is actuated, the sequence of the following movements is triggered:<ul><li>The lever (21) actuates the locking lever (16) by means of a pin (21a) in order to disengage the first locking pin (16a) from the projection (19),</li><li>The lever (22) is actuated by the locking lever (16) thereby unlocking the carousel (1),</li><li>The lever (21) actuates the locking lever (17) in order to disengage the second locking pin (17a) from the notch (20) thereby releasing the flywheel (10)</li><li>The gear train (7, 8, 9) is immediately released and driven by the central pinion (6), the latter being driven by the barrel (11), said pinion (6) also simultaneously driving the four musical discs ),</li><li>The rotary member (14) is in rotation and drives the Maltese cross (15) via its finger (14a), which actuates the rotation of the carousel (1) by 90 °,</li><li>One of the discs (5), which is always driven by the central pinion (6), is positioned on the keyboard (13) and actuates the blades thereof in order to play a melody,</li><li>The second locking pin (17a) moves along the outer flank of the groove (18) acting as a cam to hold the locking lever (17) disengaged from the flywheel (10) during the reading of one Of the music discs (5),</li><li>As soon as the musical disc (5) has completed a complete revolution, the second locking pin (17a) is repositioned in the notch (20), blocking the flywheel (10) (17) and the first pin (16a) of the locking lever (16) returns to contact with the projection (19),</li><li>The module is stopped.</li></ul>

0016The musical module enables the play of a musical disc (5) by the action of a control pushbutton (not shown) actuating the rocker (21).

0017The musical discs (5) have the particularity of having a part (23) without pins (12) in order to be able to position each of them, in turn, on the keyboard (13) while preventing the pins ) Strike the blades of the latter during positioning.

0018The musical module further includes a wheel (24) (<figref idrefs="f0002">Figure 2</figref>) Mounted on a rocker (25), said wheel (24) being arranged to drive the ratchet (26) of the barrel (11) when the rotation of the watch winding crown (not shown) Time. The wheel (24) is then driven by means of a first winding pinion (27) and an intermediate pinion (28).

0019A second winding pinion (29) is arranged so as to carry out the reassembly of the clockwork movement when the rotation of the winding crown is carried out in the counterclockwise direction.

0020The time of the watch is set by the rotation of the winding crown and simultaneously pressing a time-setting plunger (not shown). This pusher allows by means of a set of flip-flops (30, 31, 32, 33, 25, 35) (<figref idrefs="f0003">Figure 3</figref>) On the one hand to disengage the rocker (25) in order to avoid the reassembly of the musical module and, on the other hand, to actuate a rocker (35) acting on the watch movement in order to be able to set the time.

0021It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described hereinabove by way of example, but embraces, on the contrary, all the variant embodiments delimited by the claims. By way of example, the musical module could be adapted for a minute repetition.