Abstract: A sealing device for a minute-repeater mechanism, comprising a striking work control bolt which can move in an aperture of a case between a rest position and a pulled-out position. The case includes a seat for receiving in sealed abutment, in the rest position of the bolt, a first sealing gasket mounted in a sealed manner on the bolt and moveable therewith, and which is at a distance from the seat when the bolt is in a pulled-out position for operating the striking work. The case includes a chamber, one wall of which comprises the aperture, which limits the travel of a second sliding sealing gasket in which the bolt slides in a sealed manner, and which is in sealed abutment on an inner surface of the chamber.

Abstract: A timepiece includes a movement and a current-time ringing mechanism that includes: an hour cam (40) for providing information on the hour of the current time to an hour sampler, quarter cam (28) for providing information on the quarters of the current time to a quarter sampler, a minute cam (22) for providing information on the minutes of the current time to a minute sampler, wherein the cams are adapted to be driven by the movement, the quarter cam (28) and the minute cam (22) being pivotally mounted and being free relative to each other, and the minute cam (22) including a snail including a single row of 60/N stages and being adapted to be driven by the movement at N revolutions per hour.

Abstract: A ringing mechanism includes a power source (10) for driving rakes (18) and a gear (12) connecting the power source (10) to a regulation member (14), characterised in that the rakes (18) are kinetically connected to the power source (10) through a differential (20) provided in the gear (12).

Abstract: A timepiece equipped with an alarm mechanism having a striking device and a minute repeater mechanism provided with a striking device. The two striking devices share at least one gong and one hammer. A power source can be locked when the mechanism is at rest and unlocked when the mechanism is in operation. An adjustment system can be used to program the alarm time. A trigger system includes a control member which controls the unlocking of the power source and a cam which is kinematically connected to the movement and performs one revolution every 24 hours. A first striking mechanism is equipped with at least one hammer arranged to strike at least one gong, and a supplemental striking mechanism is equipped with at least one hammer arranged to strike at least one non-resonant object, wherein the power source drives one or the other of these striking mechanisms.

Abstract: For a timepiece movement, a striking train mechanism having: at least one resonant element (32) which can emit at least two sounds of different frequencies, at least two pallets (36), and at least two hammers (34) which are designed to be driven by the pallets (36) in order to strike the resonant element (32).

Abstract: It is intended to provide a governor that is small, does not produce wear particles or noise, is low cost, is not affected by differences in attitude, is not affected by magnetism, and has outstanding durability. The governor has a rotor that rotates using energy supplied from an energy storage means through a power transfer means, a wing having wing surfaces perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotor, and disposed movably to an outside circumference side radially to the rotor by means of centrifugal force produced by rotor rotation, a zigzag spring disposed between the rotor and wing for pulling the wing to the inside circumference side radially to the rotor, and an opposing member disposed to the outside circumference of the rotor and having an opposing surface located opposite and separated a predetermined gap from the wing surface when the wing moves to the outside circumference side radially to the rotor.

Abstract: A decorative body driving mechanism having a decorative body therein and at least one openable and closable door arranged in front of the decorative body, the mechanism includes a door open and close mechanism and a decorative body operating mechanism. The door open and close mechanism includes a first gear rotatable in both directions with a motor, and a second gear being engaged with the first gear only within a given range to rotate intermittently and open and close the door. The decorative body operating mechanism transmits a driving force of the motor to the decorative body to make the decorative body move. It is possible to open and close the door and operate the decorative body with the single motor, and the door can be opened and closed intermittently by the door open and close mechanism. The decorative body can be worked without transmitting the driving force to the door.

Abstract: The timepiece includes a striking mechanism (20) which includes a mobile part (60, 70), and a time-setting mechanism (16). The time-setting mechanism (16) cooperates via a first arm (72) with the mobile part (60) of the striking mechanism (20) and via a second arm (78) with an element (30) of the time-setting mechanism (16). The time-setting mechanism includes a control member (88) whose pivoting is controlled by a time-setting lever (30). The pull-out piece (50) which causes the locking lever (24) to pivot to a locked time-setting position, when the time-setting lever (30) pivots to the time-setting position thereof and the locking lever (24) includes locking means (74) which cooperate with the striking mechanism (60) to prevent the release of the striking work in the striking work locked position.

Abstract: The Orgasm Clock is a clock that chimes every hour with a different female orgasm sound each hour and is intended for entertainment. The Orgasm Clock has a clock face with female figures on every hour in the place of numbers.

Abstract: A watch with a clockwork comprising a ringer whose actuation is controlled from outside the watch by means of a control unit, a dial plate comprising an opening, a shutter (10) movable between a first position covering the opening and a second position leaving the opening free. The control unit (12) is arranged in such a way that it enables the shutter to be moved from the first position to the second position when the ringer is actuated.

Abstract: The timepiece includes a striking mechanism (20) which includes a mobile part (60, 70), and a time-setting mechanism (16) which cooperates with a winding stem (26). The time-setting mechanism (16) includes a pull-out piece (50) whose pivoting is controlled by a time-setting lever (30). The pull-out piece (50) controls the sliding of a sliding pinion (36) from a winding position to a time-setting position. The pivoting of an isolating lever (94) is controlled by the mobile part (70) of the striking mechanism (20) so as to cause the sliding pinion (36) to slide from the winding position to an intermediate position, located axially between the winding position and the time-setting position thereof.

Abstract: The invention proposes a timepiece comprising a repeater striking mechanism (14), the striking mechanism being released either automatically, or manually by a manual control member (22), wherein the striking mechanism (14) includes a release lever (24) fitted with a click (26) which meshes with the teeth of a ratchet detent wheel (28) such that, during automatic release, a release cam causes the release lever (24) to pivot towards the detent wheel (28), characterized in that the release lever (24) is fitted with a toggle lever (104) which carries the click (26) and which is pivotably connected to the release lever (24) during automatic release, and in that manual release is caused by the pivoting of the toggle lever (104) relative to the release lever (24) via the action of the manual control member (22).

Abstract: The invention proposes a timepiece (10) including a striking mechanism (20), and including a control device (28) for activating an element (22) releasing the striking mechanism (20), via a control surface (64) carried by a piston (32), characterized in that a resilient transmission element (68) is arranged between the piston (32) and the release element (22) and in that the travel of the piston (32) includes an active travel, from the rest position of the piston (32) to an intermediate position corresponding to the stop position of the release element (22), during which the travel of the piston (32) is connected to the travel of the release element (22) via the resilient transmission element (68), and a passive travel during which the piston (32) slides against the resilient transmission element (68).

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for audibly playing through a speaker (12) of a timekeeping apparatus (1) comprising a visual replica of a shofar (11), at least one shofar call sound (14) in response to a timing device (17) of said timekeeping apparatus (1) reaching a predetermined time.

Abstract: An educational audio visual clock having an image window adjacent each numeral on the clock face to show the images of twelve Presidents of the United States at any given time. Images are on an image plate behind the clock face and display the images of the first twelve presidents from midnight until noon wherein the image plate is rotated to reveal the images of the second twelve Presidents of the United States for the next twelve hours, at which point the image wheel returns to its original position. At the top of each hour an LED illuminates the corresponding presidential image and an audio device plays an audio clip related to that president.

Abstract: A musical circle of fifths clock that allows a user to tell practical time as well as hear musical scales at the turn of each hour. The clock has a housing having a face portion and a rear surface. A music generator, positioned within the clock housing, stores the musical scales, and plays the appropriate scale at the turn of each hour. The face portion has an outer perimeter around which hour indicators are positioned. The hour indicators are represented by the tonic of different musical scales. When all of the hour indicators on the face portion are taken as a whole, a perfect circle of fifths is represented.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and apparatus for audio track playback during fast forward playback video trick modes. A storage medium reader is provided for reading digital data from a storage medium such as a DVD. The digital data represents a video presentation and a corresponding audio programming. A decoder decodes from a portion of the digital data comprising the audio programming a plurality of digital audio samples corresponding to a selected portion of the video presentation. Subsequently, a digital signal processor can convert the audio samples to their corresponding frequency domain equivalents and scale the frequency and amplitude of a playback audio frequency associated with the audio samples in accordance with trick mode video playback.

Abstract: A chime activated by a clock to sound a pleasing sound every hour, by attaching a clock to an electrical controller that operates a striker mechanism. The striker mechanism, comprising a striker ball that strikes the chime elements when rotated provides an uniquely pleasing sound. The invention also includes means of disconnecting the sound independent of clock operations as well as chime activation for a varying period or a varying number of striker rotations to provide auditory indication of the time.

Abstract: An ornamental clock capable of producing motion and sounds including a vehicle frame having a base installed at its bottom. A clock slot is provided at an appropriate position of the vehicle frame for receiving a clock actuated by a clock movement. The ornamental clock is characterized in that a power transmission mechanism, a power source means, a speaker, a reset button and a circuit board are installed at appropriate positions within the vehicle frame. The power transmission mechanism, power source device, speaker and reset button are connected together with the circuit board via an electrical circuit board. The circuit board is also connected to the clock movement by an electrical wire. Through the control of the circuit board in conjunction with the setting of the reset button, at each hour, the power transmission mechanism drives wheels on the outer side of the vehicle frame to rotate during a specific period of time.

Abstract: Melodies are changed over sequentially in accordance with hours at each of which an alarm melody is to be played as a time signal so that predetermined melodies are always played at predetermined hours, respectively. In addition, even if the hours and the melodies become discordant with each other as a result, for example, of the correction of the time made during the timekeeping operation of the timepiece, the melodies are automatically reset at a predetermined time so as to be coincident with the corresponding hours.A switch S2 for detecting a correct hour is on-off controlled by a cam 6a provided as an integral part of a minute pipe 6 that makes one revolution per hour. A reset switch S3 is on-off controlled through a reset lever 5 pivoted by an hour wheel 4 that makes one revolution per twelve hours. An alarm control circuit in an IC 3 incorporates a plurality of melodies.

Abstract: In order to avoid erroneous manipulation of alarm ON/OFF and sleep buttons, on a clock radio type alarm, a night light is provided to illuminate at least these two buttons when the alarm ON/OFF button is set to it's ON position. An illumination level control is provided which allows the brightness of the night light to be selective controlled or turned off irrespective of the alarm button being set to its ON position. The night light preferably includes two readily replaceable bulbs which are circuited in such a manner that when one becomes defective, the other can be still be energized.

Abstract: A clock includes a base, a seat and a frame fixed above the base, a motor fixed on the seat, a tape device for telling time being disposed in the base and coupled to the motor so as to be driven by the motor. A head, a body, an arm, a leg are supported on the frame and coupled to the motor so as to be rotated by the motor in order to simulate the head, the body, the arm and the leg of creature.

Abstract: An easy setting hour repeating device comprising mainly of a transmission shaft, a slot (or flange), a minute wheel, a cam claw, a short spring and a long spring, wherein the slot is provided at the side edge of the hand assembly section on the top of the transmission shaft which is protrusively extended on the dial from the minute wheel, and the position of the slot forms a certain included angle with the cam claw under the wheel, when the minute wheel moves, the cam claw will contact the alarm spring first, then release the spring to make the spring activate the electric circuit of the alarm clock, the slot are aligned with the dial index 12, during assembly, it requires only the slot, minute hand and the dial index 12 be aligned to make the alarm clock repeat on the hour to achieve the easy hands assembly purpose.

Abstract: A vocal reporting device for pointer type timers comprising a printed circuit board which converts the positions of the pointers into electric signals and sends the same to a microprocessor to broadcast the time associated therewith with a voice synthesizing circuit and a speaker. A photoelectric calibration device detects the positions of the pointers and then calibrate the microprocessor with the detected pointer positions.

Abstract: A timepiece with mobile decorations comprises: a roof disposed over a case body having a timepiece unit built therein; driving means to make said roof up and down while turning the same in response to a signal from the said timepiece unit; and mobile decorations disposed inside of the roof to operate and become visible from the outside while the roof is in a raised position.

Abstract: A digital clock for giving acoustic time-indicating signals having an oscillator, a time integrated circuit driven by the oscillator, a first display element connected to the time integrated circuit to show hour and minute and, a second display element connected to the time integrated circuit to show a day among a week. A minute and a hour decoders are connected to the first display element to convert signals into a form of binary code. A memory unit receives the signals from the minute and hour decoders. A setting circuit has a number of flip-flops and control switches to be connected to inputs of the memory unit to pre-set a moment for giving acoustic time-indicating signals. An acoustic generator and a driving interface are connected to respective outputs of the memory unit and are driven by the memory unit to output the time-indicating signals.

Abstract: A musical scale generating circuit comprises an oscillator, a programmable frequency divider for frequency-dividing an output signal from the oscillator, a tone generating circuit for generating a tone, and a frequency dividing ratio data output circuit for successively outputting frequency dividing ratio data determinative of a plurality of frequency dividing ratios of the programmable frequency divider. A frequency dividing ratio discriminating circuit detects whether a frequency dividing ratio necessary for outputting a desired scale frequency is an odd or even number. A frequency dividing ratio correcting circuit is operative to add one to or substract one from frequency dividing ratio data, when a frequency dividing ratio is detected to be an odd numbered frequency dividing ratio and applies corrected frequency dividing ratio to the programmable frequency divider. A one-half frequency divider further divides a signal from the programmable frequency divider by two.

Abstract: Two rows of plural electrodes are disposed on a base plate, and a contact member is resiliently held against two of the electrodes in the two rows. One of the base plate and the contact member is rotated in unison with an hour hand. Pulses which are successively out of phase with each other are supplied to the electrodes in one row, and a displayed time of the hour hand is detected to produce a corresponding time signal in response to outputs from the electrodes in the other row and the pulses.

Abstract: A device for generating musical time signalling signals for a timepiece in which combination of the data in ROM installed in the time signalling sound selecting circuit and the controlling action of the time signalling control circuit can simplify the circuit composition performing the complicated and multi-functional time signalling action, and can perform the necessary time signalling action by optional selection to produce a musical sound.

Abstract: A musical door chime which includes a repertoire of musical tunes one of which is played when a door pushbutton, preferably the front door pushbutton, is actuated. The musical tune which is played may be selected by means of a keyboard connected to a microprocessor. Digitally encoded representations of the notes of each musical tune are stored in a memory.

Abstract: A device for converting pulses generated by a 7-segment, 12-hour clock unit of a standard electronic timepiece into a sequence of nonoptical time-indicating signals. The device comprises binary counter means for counting minutes and groups of 5-minute multiples each, a parallel binary-to-serial pulse converter for converting the parallel hour, 5-minute-multiple and minute signals from the 7-segment display unit and from the counter means respectively, into serial pulses distinctly representing hours, 5-minute multiples and minutes respectively. The device also comprises amplifier means for amplifying the serial pulses and aural or tactile sensation-producing device to render the pulses audible or palpable.

Abstract: In a preferred aspect of the present invention, there is provided a speech synthesizer timepiece with an alarm function or a remaining interval counting function. The timepiece is adapted to set advance announcements at different intervals depending upon the length of a remaining time with respect to an intended time, the intervals being increasingly shorter as the intended time is approached. The remaining time is audibly announced each time the advance announcements are to be delivered.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece, which comprises a circuit for encoding an externally supplied voice and a semiconductor memory for memorizing the encoded voice data. The voice data memorized in the semiconductor memory is read out when a preset time is reached, and the data thus read out is converted into a voice signal which is coupled to a sound producing device such as a loudspeaker for the reproduction of the voice.

Abstract: In a miniaturized electronic device having two time informing sound generating functions, namely time signaling and alarm sound generating functions, the volume of the sound produced is automatically controlled such that it is different at the time of the time signaling sound generation and at the time of the alarm sound generation.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece with a time striking device including an electric preliminary signalling means, an electric time striking means, an electric contact means, a time striking selecting means, and a time striking timing circuit in which a timer circuit is included, and preventing mishearing of time striking numbers at a right hour due to the preliminary signalling action making a time striking action predicted in advance.

Abstract: An electronic clock emitting half-hourly time signals corresponding to sh' bells comprises an electromagnetic striker driven by a crystal-controlled oscillator via a multistage binary frequency divider whose last several stages, with the exception of the penultimate stage, have outputs interconnected by a logical coincidence gate to generate a succession of output pulses occurring in pairs during the first half of every cycle of a square wave emitted by the final stage. This square wave steps a motor which drives an associated clockwork entraining a multibank rotary switch and alternately closing, for short periods on the full hour and on the half hour, respective contacts which transmit the square wave to a control circuit including an electronic pulse counter.

Abstract: A music box having time-sounding function characterized in that a chime-zone with a row of chiming pins and a time-sounding zone with a row of time-sounding pins are formed on the periphery of a single rotatable drum in its rotating direction, said rows of pins successively fillipping vibrating teeth and thereby playing a chime, followed by time-sounding for a given hour. The number of hours to be struck is automatically selected by a sort of control cam installed parallel to said rotatable drum. The invented device, when coupled with a clock, can for instance chime and then strike once at "one o'clock" or strike two times at "two o'clock".

Abstract: The chime unit of pre-programmed melody type and that of programmable melody type for the electric clock and the mechanical clock. The chime units consist of the hour and the minute hands position sensing means using magnetic Reed switches or photo-transistors, melody decoding circuits using D-type Flip Flop to trigger counters to provide proper addressing signals to ROMs or RAMs, ROMs or RAMs which contain pre-programmed control signals of multiplexers, notes synthesizer generating all tones needed as input to multiplexers, multiplexers for selecting and mixing the tones from notes synthesizer to form the chime notes, decay generator and voltage controlled amplifier to provide decaying characteristics of chime notes, and speaker to convert electrical signal to mechanical sound. For the programmable melody type, there is an additional notes decoder to convert the notes to the control signals of the multiplexers and store in RAMs.

Abstract: A time sound generating device which generates a time announcement sound by detecting a change of time from a portion of a display element driving signal supplied to a time display element of a digital electronic clock and by driving an audio sound signal source by the detected time signal.

Abstract: A speech-synthesizer timepiece is adapted to produce audible sounds indicative of updated time information at a desired point in time through the use of the speech synthesizing technique. To avoid the user's failure to listen to the audible sounds or to avoid the user's error in dictating the audible sounds, an advance announcement is generated which includes a monotonous sound, a simple phrase or sentence. This advance announcement is provided when the audible sounds indicative of updated time is about to develop.

Abstract: An electronic clock emitting half-hourly time signals corresponding to the strokes of ships' bells comprises an electromagnetic striker driven by a normally blocked astable multivibrator whenever the closure of contacts operated by an associated clockwork, stepped by a crystal-controlled square-wave generator, coincides with a half-circle of predetermined polarity of the generated square wave. The multivibrator has a period of approximately 3/4 the duration of a half-circle of the square wave whereby not more than two pulses energizing the striker mechanism can be emitted by it during an unblocking half-circle so that strokes occurring at the ends of a second, third and fourth hour of a four-hour watch will appear in distinct pairs while those on the preceding half-hours will form one or more pairs followed by a single stroke after a larger time interval.

Abstract: An electronic clock with a chime system has exclusively electronic processing for production of a variety of tone signal sequences consisting of known melodies or portions thereof and time-identifying sequences of strokes. The characteristic values of these tone signal sequences are loaded into a ROM memory and can be recalled, as required, by electronic control and release circuits at each quarter, half, three quarter or full hour. The amplitude of the audio output signals is automatically controlled in accordance with the time of day.

Abstract: A signal-generating system for a striker clock comprises a clockwork-driven hour disk (12) having conductor tracks which coact with respective contact springs of an hour switch (13) whose pattern of energization changes from one quarter hour to the next, thereby calling forth different numerical values which are stored in a first read-only memory (18) and determine the number of strikes to be emitted in any 15-minute interval when a switch (8) coupled with the minute shaft of the clock is briefly closed. A flip-flop (23) set upon such closure starts a periodically pulsed binary counter (25) which works into a comparator (20) also receiving the numerical value read out from the first memory (18); when the count matches that value, the comparator resets the flip-flop and the counter. The reading of the counter is further transmitted to a decoder (30) addressing a second read-only memory (31) which actuates selected sound emitters (37a-37f) the requisite number of times.

Abstract: A digitized multifrequency tone generator comprising a memory having N readable word locations with each location containing an amplitude representing binary word, and with the total N binary words sequentially and collectively representing a period T.sub.o of the waveform of a multifrequency tone such as a chime with certain harmonics contained therein. Memory scanning signals of frequencies Nf.sub.o, where f.sub.o =f.sub.1, f.sub.2 . . . f.sub.n, are each employed, one at a time in a predetermined chime sequence, to repeatedly and sequentially read the N words from the memory to form a sequence of chimes each of whose fundamental tone frequencies is equal to the employed scanning frequency f.sub.o =f.sub.o1, f.sub.o2 . . . f.sub.n, with the said harmonics being reproduced at the proper frequency relative to each scanning frequency. A digital-to-analog device converts the read out binary words to form the aforementioned waveform.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece having an acoustic hour information function in which a photosensitive switch mechanism essentially comprising a photosensitive element is provided to detect a quantity of light below a predetermined value in the surrounding environment where the timepiece is placed and control the acoustic hour information function of the timepiece depending upon the detected result.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece equipped with an alarm system in which a single external control member is used as both a snooze switch and an alarm stopping signal. The timepiece has a switching circuit means for generating a snooze signal when the external control member is actuated in a predetermined actuation mode and generating an alarm stopping signal when the external control member is actuated in another predetermined actuation mode. The timepiece includes a snooze control circuit responsive to the snooze signal to temporarily stop an alarm generated by an alarm device, and means for interrupting an alarm enabling signal from being applied to the alarm device to stop the alarm.