Abstract:
The watch comprises a case ( 9 ) with a fixed part ( 10 ) in the shape of a bracket ( 20 ) and a mobile part ( 11 ) with a middle ( 21 ) and a movement ( 23 ) mounted onto the fixed part ( 10 ) so as to be able to swivel about a swivel axis ( 32 ) thanks to pivots ( 31 ) in order to realize a tilting motion of the mobile part ( 11 ) in two opposite directions. Two actuating mechanisms ( 44, 45 ) are mounted into the middle ( 21 ) and intended to transform the tilting motions into an action upon two control organs of functions of the movement that may be of the chronograph type. One thus obtains a watch without push-pieces, functioning precisely, having great stability and easy manipulation.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a watch comprising a case and a movement fitted with at least one control organ that is accessible from outside the movement and intended for activating at least one function. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
   Watches of this type are known, and for instance offer the functions of start and stop and of zero reset of a chronograph watch. These watches generally have push-pieces protruding from the side of the watchcase, generally at the two o&#39;clock position and at the four o&#39;clock position. 
   These push-pieces make the watch generally bulkier and have the drawback of being elements that may get caught. They are not very comfortable to manipulate, above all for users wearing gloves. Their protruding shape may make the watch unpleasant to wear and produce a massive, not very aesthetic look. In addition, it is difficult to guarantee their protection against the entry of water and dirt, particularly when manipulating the push-pieces in a humid or polluting atmosphere. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is the aim of the invention to remedy these drawbacks and create a watch without visible external push-pieces in which the functions integrated into the movement, such as the chronograph functions, may be activated very easily even while wearing gloves, and in which the function controls work in a well defined, highly precise manner while having a solid construction and long life. To that end, the watch according to the invention comprises a watch comprising a case having a fixed part and a mobile part. The mobile part is tiltably mounted onto the fixed part about a first pivot and a second pivot. The first and second pivots define a swivel axis of the mobile part and are located at two diametrically opposite positions with respect to the face of the watch (for example at 3 o&#39;clock and 9 o&#39;clock). The case houses a watch movement that comprises at least one control organ for mechanically activating a function of the watch. The watch further comprises an actuating mechanism coupled to the mobile part and operable to actuate the control organ in response to a tilting motion of the mobile part relative to the fixed part about said swivel axis. 
   In accordance with the invention external push-pieces are not used, and activation of the controls of functions of the movement is facilitated even when wearing gloves. The watch has a construction that is very solid and durable, and functions precisely owing to a tilting motion about a given swivel axis while conferring great wearing comfort und an aesthetic look. 
   Preferably, the movement comprises first and second control organs for activating a first function and a second function respectively. In this case the first control organ is actuated in response to a tilting motion of the mobile part relative to the fixed part in a first direction and the second control organ being actuated in response to a tilting motion of the mobile part relative to the fixed part in a second direction opposite to the first direction. As such, the watch may comprise a chronograph mechanism, with the first and second functions being respectively a start/stop function and a zero-reset function of said chronograph mechanism. These characteristics yield a very precise control of at least two function controls, particularly the functions of a chronograph watch. 
   Other advantages will become apparent from the characteristics expressed in the dependent claims and from the description setting forth hereinafter the invention in greater detail with the aid of drawings representing schematically and in exemplary fashion an embodiment. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of this embodiment in the form of a chronograph without push-pieces. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of this chronograph. 
       FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  3 C are sectional views along line III-III of  FIG. 1  showing the chronograph in a rest position  3 A, in a position of start/stop control  3 B, and in a position of zero reset  3 C. 
       FIGS. 4A ,  4 B und  4 C are plan views of details of the chronograph in the positions of rest  3 A, start/stop control  3 B, and zero reset  3 C. 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are sectional views along lines V-V and VI-VI of  FIG. 1  showing details. 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view along the line VII-VII of  FIG. 1  and represents the selection means. 
       FIGS. 8A ,  8 B and  8 C are views of this embodiment in the positions of rest  8 A, start/stop control  8 B, and zero reset  8 C. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The embodiment illustrated in the figures consists of a chronograph-type watch. This chronograph  8  comprises a watchcase  9  including a fixed part  10  and a mobile part  11  mounted so as to swivel about the fixed part  10 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , said fixed part consists of a frame  12  and two horn segments  14 ,  15  attached to frame  12  by screws  16  so as to form a bracket  20  intended to hold the mobile part  11 . 
   This mobile part  11  comprises a middle  21  sealed off below by a screwed bottom  22  with gasket  19 . 
   The following elements are mounted into the middle, and can be seen in  FIG. 2  from bottom to top: a movement  23 , a dial  24 , indicating organs  25 , an inner bezel  26  screwed onto the middle, a collar  27  made of plastic, a sealing gasket  28  for the crystal, and a crystal  29 , as well as a crown  33  of customary design. 
   The middle  21  is pivotably or tiltably mounted onto the bracket  20  through two screws  30  intended to cooperate with two pivot segments  31  provided on frame  12  in the 3 o&#39;clock position and the 9 o&#39;clock position. By pressing the upper side of the mobile part  11  at the 12 o&#39;clock position or at the 6 o&#39;clock position one obtains a tilting motion of the mobile part  11  relative to the fixed part  10  following a swivel axis  32  defined by the central axis of the two screws  30  and of the two pivot segments  31 . 
   The movement  23  comprises two control organs  40 , 41  ( FIG. 4 ) accessible from outside the movement, and intended to activate at least two functions, here the, functions of start/stop and of zero reset of the chronograph. As best seen in  FIG. 4A , these control organs comprise stems extending outwardly from the movement that are arranged in conventional manner at the 2 o&#39;clock position and at the 4 o&#39;clock position. 
   For an activation of these two functions, the watch is provided with two identical actuating mechanisms  44 ,  45  cooperating with the fixed and mobile parts  10 ,  11  in order to transform the tilting motion of the mobile part  11  into an action upon either of the control organs  40 ,  41 . 
   The two actuating mechanisms  44 ,  45  are mounted into the middle  21 , each comprising a piston  46  ( FIGS. 3A ,  3 B) mounted slidingly and sealingly into the middle  21  and provided with a spring  47  and a sealing gasket  48 . The lower end of piston  46  cooperates with a recess  49  provided in the bracket  20 , while the head of piston  46  is in contact with a first intermediate wheel  50  mounted rotatably about a screw  51  set horizontally into the middle  21 . 
   This first intermediate wheel  50  acts upon a second intermediate wheel  52  mounted via a ball bearing on a vertical arbor  53  of the middle ( FIG. 4A ). The second intermediate wheel  52  drives a lever  54  mounted via a ball beating on a vertical arbor  55  of the middle. The curved end  56  of lever  54  is intended to activate control organ  40  or  41  of the movement  23 . The two actuating mechanisms  44 , 45  have an identical design that is symmetric relative to a plane of symmetry passing through the 3 o&#39;clock position and the 9 o&#39;clock position, one  44  actuating the control  40  of start/stop, the other  45  actuating the control  41  of zero reset of the chronograph. 
   The tilting motion of the mobile part  11  in the two opposite directions is limited by two adjustable stops  60  screwed into the bracket  20  at the 6 o&#39;clock position and at the 12 o&#39;clock position ( FIG. 5 ). 
   The middle  21  is provided with two poising buttons  62  ( FIGS. 2 and 6 ) mounted next to the two pistons  46 , and intended to cooperate elastically with recesses  63  provided in bracket  20 , in order to stabilise and poise the mobile part  11  in its tilting motion. 
   The watch moreover comprises a selection mechanism  66  ( FIGS. 2 and 7 ) mounted onto the middle  21  and including a cursor  67  intended to be actuated by the user, and a slide  68  screwed onto the cursor. 
   The bottom face of slide  68  has a recess  69 , and is intended to cooperate with three pins  70 ,  71 ,  72  driven into bores of bracket  20  in order to realise a selection of the movements of mobile part (II). 
   In the middle position illustrated in  FIG. 7  none of the pins is in contact with slide  68 , hence the mobile part  11  may be swiveled in the two directions in order to control the two chronograph functions of start/stop and zero reset. 
   With the cursor  67  pushed to the right in  FIG. 7 , pin  72  on the right is in contact with slide  68 , hence the mobile part  11  may only perform a tilting motion counterclockwise about the swivel axis  32 . A motion clockwise is inhibited. In this position a control of the start/stop function is possible while control of the zero-reset function is inhibited. 
   With the curser  67  placed to the left in  FIG. 7 , pins  70  and  71  are in contact with slide  68 , and the mobile part  11  cannot be tilted, hence no control function of the chronograph can be effected. 
     FIG. 7  in addition shows the entire set of parts of the bracket  20  including the two horn segments  14 ,  15  screwed into the frame  12  with screws  16 . The facing sides  75 ,  76  of the bracket  20  and mobile part  11  are machined so as to form cylindrical surfaces with a spherical base and very narrow gap allowing a sliding motion of one relative to the other during the tilting motion about the swivel axis  32 , the latter constituting the central axis of the cylindrical surfaces. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 8A ,  8 B and  8 C, this tilting motion is barely visible owing to the very narrow gap between the fixed and mobile parts  10 ,  11 . 
   The control positions of the start/stop function ( FIG. 8B ) by pressing at the 12 o&#39;clock position and of the zero-reset function ( FIG. 8C ) by pressing at the 6 o&#39;clock position are barely distinguishable from the intermediate rest position of the mobile part  11  ( FIG. 8A ). Through this mechanism of tilting about a well-defined swivel axis  32 , one obtains a precise working and a very easy control of the functions even when wearing gloves, while awkward and bulky push-pieces are avoided. 
     FIGS. 3C and 7  show that the bottom face of the bracket that is facing the wrist of the user exhibits a concave central segment  80  securing elevated wearing comfort. This central segment is surrounded by a peripheral flat segment  81  yielding a stable position of the watch when placed onto a flat support. 
   It is understood that the embodiment described hereinabove is not of a restricting character, and may receive any modification desired within the scope defined by the claims. In particular, the control functions of the movement may be of any other type, such as those of a repeater, a watch with striking work, a split timer, a timer, a watch with two or more time zones etc. The bracket and the mobile part may be of any other design. 
   The watch could also exhibit a double bracket with crossed swivel axes enabling a tilting motion about two perpendicular swivel axes. The actuating mechanisms and the selection means could have any other design.