Secular perpetual calendar
AssigneeFranck Müler Watchland S.A.
InventorPierre-Michel Golay
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The secular perpetual calendar comprises an additional mechanism (4 to 13) integrated in a conventional perpetual calendar mechanism comprising a last wheel (13) making one revolution in 400 years, this wheel (13) carrying a cam (13′) of which the steps cooperate with a lever (9) on which pivots a wheel (6) which carries a satellite (7′) on which is attached the February cam (7) and the cam (13′), which makes one quarter turn every century, presenting three low steps enabling the lever (9) to move back in such a way that the cam (7) on which the multiple lever (2) will press is in the same position as for a conventional 28-day month of February three times in succession for the years 2100, 2200 and 2300, and then a high step to restore the 29th of February of the year 2400.
Claims2
A secular perpetual calendar for timepieces comprising:
- a perpetual calendar mechanism;
- and
- a centenary mechanism integrated into the perpetual calendar mechanism, the centenary mechanism comprising:
- a last wheel making one revolution in 400 years, the last wheel carrying a first cam having a first set of cam steps;
- and
- a first lever cooperating with the first set of cam steps, a first wheel pivoting on the lever and carrying a satellite, with a February cam of the perpetual calendar mechanism attached to the satellite, wherein the first cam makes one quarter turn every century, and successively presents three low steps of the first set of cam steps, which enable the first lever to move back in such a way that the February cam, on which a second multiple lever will press, is in the same position as for a conventional 28-day month of February, and the first cam presenting a high step of the first set of cam steps to restore the 29th of February;
- and
- a double pin, which functions to restore, after the month of February of a centenary year, the normal rhythm of the perpetual calendar mechanism for a further 99 years, by causing the last wheel, and therefore the first cam, to advance by one eighth of a turn.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.