Abstract:
Timepiece with an hour circle formed by a module placed around the movement. The module cover comprises openings at the position of each hour. Inside the module are rockers with decorations in two particular positions. An oscillating mass moves when the inclination of the plane of the timepiece changes and moves the rockers from one position to the other.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a timepiece. The dial constitutes the privileged visible face of that object. Many proposals have already been made to give the dial and the hour wheel esthetic and surprising appearances which arouse interest. With this aim, described below is a movable hour wheel formed by mechanical organs placed around and below the movement. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The following patents describe approaches which go in the same direction as the invention, but which do not use the same means and do not achieve the same aim. 
         [0003]    Swiss patent CH 684814 describes a timepiece with means making it possible to modify the presentation of the hour circle. A rack is arranged to cooperate with a crown and permit the rotation. At the hour points, studs are provided free in rotation, equipped with satellites engaged with the rack. The prism faces mounted on these studs are set with precious stones, which appear through openings formed in the middle or the dial. 
         [0004]    German patent DE 33129 describes a watch dial which makes it possible to see all twenty-four hours of the day. A window, formed at the location where the mention of the hour is located, shows one face of a four-faced body, provided with a staff held by bearings. Inscribed on the faces are the hours corresponding to 1 to 12 and 13 to 24. The staff holding this body is provided with pins which actuate, upon each clock revolution, an arbor, which is itself connected to the staff driving the hands. Upon the passage of the hour hand, the visible face of the body turns by one quarter revolution and goes, for example, from one o&#39;clock to thirteen o&#39;clock. 
         [0005]    Swiss patent CH 666380 describes a watch provided with movable decorative elements. The watch case includes a decorative disc with windows, turning freely along the axis of the hands, and a second movable disc, provided on its periphery with an increasing portion set with brilliants and creating an unbalance, turning freely along the same axis as the first decorative disc. The movement of these decorative elements around the dial of the watch is random, which constitutes the similarity with the invention. 
         [0006]    Japanese patent JP 2003084079 describes a clock where the figures of the hour circle are inscribed on doors which can open at determined moments. The doors are distributed by groups of three which open successively according to a program acting through electrical commands. Behind the doors are various decorations. The reversed sequences close the doors of each group of three. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The aim of the invention is to create an esthetic effect by variation of the hour circle, under the action of aan oscillating mass which moves according to the position of the arm and which causes levers to turn. These levers are provided with two decorative faces, which can be set with stones or bear the mention of the hour. Upon each tilt, the other face appears in the windows arranged to that end in the dial. The claims more precisely define a timepiece according to the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The invention is presented in more detail using one embodiment, chosen completely non-limitingly and described below using the following figures: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  Two 3D views of a timepiece according to the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  Outline sketch of the cover of the module, according to the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  3D view of the cover of the module; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  Outline sketch of the cover of the module; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  3D view of the base of the module, from below; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  Cross-sections A-A and B-B of the entire timepiece; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  Cross-section C-C of a lever at 10 o&#39;clock; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  Cross-section D-D of a lever at 3 o&#39;clock; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  Cross-sections E-E of the assembly; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  Cross-section showing the two positions of a lever; 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  Two 3D views of a lever with rectangular stone; 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  Two 3D views of a lever with round stone. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  shows the timepiece, from above and below. The case  1  is provided with a glass  9  through which the module  2  is visible. The cover of this module  2 , which appears in  FIG. 2 , comprises a face pierced with round  5  or rectangular  6  openings. The center of the module  2  is crossed out to make room for the movement. The 3D view of  FIG. 3  provides an illustration of the two pieces of the module, the cover  2  mounted on the base  11 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the base of the module  11 , provided with twelve levers  7  and  8 . In this embodiment, four levers support rectangular stones and eight support round stones. The cross-section lines A-A, B-B, C-C, D-D and E-E are illustrated and described below.  FIG. 5  is a 3D view of the same piece. The hollow in the center of the module, for the placement of the movement  29 , is clearly visible. 
         [0023]      FIG. 6  is the illustration of cross-sections A-A and B-B of the timepiece assembly. The outer envelope comprises the case  1 , the glass  9  and the bottom  17 . The module comprises the cover  2  and the base  11 . This module contains the levers  7 ,  8  on which the stones  10 ,  20  are mounted. The levers  7 ,  8  are provided with staffs  25  which cooperate with bearings formed in the two parts of the module  2 ,  11  allowing their rotation. The levers  7 ,  8  are still provided with pins  12 , which cooperate with the forks  28  of the oscillating mass  14 , itself placed on the bottom  17 . This mass can only move longitudinally. Laterally, it is provided with runners  15  which roll on tracks  26 . The heads of the staffs  16  serve as lateral stops. When the case is inclined in the longitudinal axis, the mass  17  moves until it encounters the stop of the bottom  27 . An incline in the other direction causes the contrary movement. By moving, the oscillating mass  1417  drives, through the pins  12 , the levers  7 ,  8 , causing the change of the stones of the hour circle. 
         [0024]      FIG. 7  is a C-C cross-section of the assembly at 10 o&#39;clock. The dial  21  is positioned: here it serves only to hide the movement  29 .  FIG. 8  is the D-D cross-section of the assembly, at 3 o&#39;clock. The particularity of this position is the passage left free for the crown shaft through the tube  23  and the hole formed in each lever  7 ,  8 . Another possibility is to place the crown between two hours, for example between 3 o&#39;clock and 4 o&#39;clock. 
         [0025]      FIG. 9  is a 6:00-12:00 cross-section of the assembly. The levers  7  cooperate with the mass  14  via forks  28  which are clearly visible.  FIG. 10  shows the two extreme positions of a lever  7 , which shows turn by turn one or the other stone  10 . It must be noted that a free space puts each stone  10  in contact with the orifice  30 . This channel can be used as a lightwave guide in case of lighting of the stones  10 ,  20  by diodes (not shown).  FIGS. 11 and 12  are 3D views of the levers  7 ,  8 . 
         [0026]    Among the other embodiments, it must be mentioned that the decoration of the levers can be quite varied. Instead of stones, there can be symbols, signs or illustrations. One embodiment illustrates an eye on one position and an eyelid on the other position, the outer face of the cover of the module contributing, through its decoration, to completing the shape of the eye. Thus, when the levers  7 ,  8  change position, each eye opens or closes. 
         [0027]    Another embodiment concerns the lighting of the stones  7 ,  8 . The idea to save the energy of the battery is to launch a flash by opening a contact as the mass  14  passes or only to light a limited number of stones. Another possibility is to create a sound or noise upon each movement of the oscillating mass. 
         [0028]    These examples show that the invention uses creativity to achieve surprising and esthetic effects. 
       NOMENCLATURE 
       [0000]    
       
           1 . Case 
           2 . Module, cover 
           3 . Location for the movement 
           4 . Crown 
           5 . Round opening 
           6 . Rectangular opening 
           7 . Lever for round stone 
           8 . Lever for rectangular stone 
           9 . Glass 
           10 . Round stone 
           11 . Module, base 
           12 . Pin 
           13 . Glass joint 
           14 . Oscillating mass 
           15 . Runner 
           16 . Runner staff 
           17 . Bottom of shape 
           18 . Closing screw 
           19 . Shape joint 
           20 . Rectangular stone 
           21 . Dial 
           22 . Casing-ring 
           23 . Driving-in tube 
           24 . Hand pipe 
           25 . Lever staff 
           26 . Rolling track 
           27 . Bottom stop 
           28 . Fork 
           29 . Movement