Escapement Mechanism Locking Anchor Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dragging or rubbing locking escapements in watchmaking have poor efficiency and alter the isochronism of sprung balance regulating organs, making them unsuitable for modern mechanical watches with high frequency oscillations.
Innovation Solution
An escapement mechanism with a separate locking anchor and impulse pallets, where the locking anchor is permanently connected to the regulating organ, reducing friction and isochronism disturbances, and allowing for self-starting and secure impulse transmission with minimal locking friction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional rubbing locking anchor escapement is used, then the structure is simple and sensitive to shocks is reduced, but the efficiency is poor and isochronism is altered
Solution Approach 1:
The locking anchor is divided into separate functional components: locking pallets for engagement with the escapement wheel teeth and impulse pallets for receiving impulses from the regulating organ. This segmentation allows the locking and impulsion functions to be performed by different parts, reducing the rubbing friction that occurs in conventional anchor escapements where the same anchor performs both functions, thereby improving efficiency while maintaining shock resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The impulse pallets act as intermediary elements between the regulating organ and the escapement wheel. Instead of the locking anchor directly engaging the escapement wheel teeth for both locking and impulsion, the impulse pallets mediate the impulse transmission, reducing the direct rubbing contact and friction that degrades efficiency in conventional designs
2Device complexity
If a conventional rubbing locking anchor escapement is used, then the structure is simple, but the isochronism of the regulating organ is altered
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the anchor into locking pallets and impulse pallets, the design separates the locking function (which maintains position) from the impulsion function (which provides periodic kicks). This separation reduces the continuous rubbing friction that occurs in conventional designs, thereby preserving the isochronism of the regulating organ while keeping the overall structure relatively simple
Solution Approach 2:
The impulse transmission function is extracted from the locking anchor and assigned to separate impulse pallets. This extraction removes the source of harmful rubbing friction that was previously integrated into the locking mechanism, thereby protecting the isochronism of the regulating organ without significantly increasing structural complexity
3Productivity
If the locking anchor is permanently connected to the regulating organ, then friction and isochronism disturbances are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking anchor and impulse pallets are permanently connected to form an integrated assembly that moves as a single unit with the regulating organ. This merging ensures that both locking and impulsion functions are performed by components that share the same motion reference, eliminating relative friction and isochronism disturbances while the integrated nature of the assembly keeps the overall complexity manageable
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly reduces friction and isochronism disturbances, enabling efficient energy distribution and improved performance in mechanical watches with high frequency oscillations, while maintaining simplicity and compactness.
Implementation Method 1
The escape mechanism further comprises at least one impulse pallet adapted to be fixed to a said regulating organ to transmit an impulse by sliding a tooth of the escapement wheel on an impulse plane of said impulse pallet
Implementation Method 2
the locking anchor comprises a connecting member for permanent kinematic engagement in rotation to said regulating organ so as to provide a lever arm between the axis of rotation of the regulating organ and the escapement wheel
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an escapement mechanism with a locking anchor for a timepiece including a sprung-balance regulating organ, including an escapement wheel provided with a series of peripheral teeth, and a locking anchor including first and second locking pallets arranged respectively at one end of first and second arms to allow alternately engaging a tooth of the escapement wheel at each rotation step of the escapement wheel and of the anchor about their respective axis of rotation. This mechanism includes an impulse pallet adapted to be fixed to one the regulating organ to transmit an impulse by sliding a tooth of the escapement wheel on an impulse plane of the impulse pallet once at least every two oscillations of the regulating organ while the locking anchor includes a connecting member for permanent kinematic engagement in rotation to the regulating organ. Also disclosed is a timepiece incorporating such an escapement mechanism.