Societe Suisse Pour L'industrie Horlogere Management Services S.a.

Pierre-Luc Gagnebin

Pierre Ginalski

An analog display timepiece includes an hours hand and a minutes hand. A control in association with electronic means enables transformation of the minutes hand into a seconds hand and the hours hand into a minutes hand which advances through an angle of 30.degree. per minute. In one version a first operation of the control positions the hands at noon and stops them. A second operation starts the timing operation with a span of 12.times.60 seconds. A third operation stops the timing and a fourth operation returns the hands to display the actual time of day following which operation is normal.

Timepiece with seconds display on demand

The invention comprises an arrangement which permits placing a timepiece o a state of minimum energy consumption for storage purposes. It includes a manual control arranged to act on an electronic circuit. When the manual control is briefly actuated the minutes hand may be set to the minute, with a longer actuation causing the hands to advance through one time zone. Should the control be actuated while the hands are in motion during time zone adjustment the hands are stopped and the timepiece is in order for storage. The arrangement is applicable to timepieces which must be stored during a certain period and serves to conserve energy as well as to stop the hands in a uniform position for a collection on display.

Timepiece including a storage arrangement

An electrically energized timepiece movement is provided with motion work the form of a planetary train entirely supported on the frame of a driving motor. Coaxial planet pinions are excentrically located on a minute wheel, one planet pinion engaging a fixed central gear and the other engaging the hour wheel.

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Bienne, Switzerland

Pierre-Luc Gagnebin