Abstract: In a drive coupling for the coupling of an adjustment shaft with the ratchet adjusting knob of a wristwatch, a slide bushing which is axially movably disposed on the adjustment shaft has a collar with sections circumferentially punched therefrom and bent axially out of the collar plane so as to form an annular cam and detent structure.

Abstract: In an arrangement for limiting the axial play of gears of a watch time indicating mechanism with drive gears rotatably supported on a support plate with axis extending normal thereto and an adjustment shaft extending parallel to the support plate, a cover plate is mounted on the support plate so as to overlay the gears with arms engaging the gears and further is provided with an arm bent-over into engagement with the adjustment shaft to limit their axial play. The cover plate is U-shaped and has edge portions thereof resiliently received under projections of the support plate for firmly retaining the cover plate on the support plate.

Abstract: In a power supply control arrangement for the stepping motor of a watch an integrated circuit structure is disposed between the stepping motor and its energy source for controlling the supply of drive pulses to the motor. The circuit structure includes means for detecting the motor's non-response and means for supplying a correction pulse upon detection of non-response of the motor. There are further means for applying drive pulses of increased duration following such correction pulse for overcoming excessive loads and also means for shutting off the correction pulse or the energy source if the motor does not respond to the drive pulses of increased duration.

Abstract: In a mounting arrangement for a wristwatch operating mechanism wherein a base plate carries a circuit board and other circuit components and has a cavity for the reception of a battery with a connector strap extending between the battery cavity and the circuit board for electrical connection of one battery pole with the appropriate contact of the circuit board, the circuit board is mounted on the base by a single screw which extends through the board and at the same time through one end of the connector strap so as to firmly engage the connector strap with the appropriate contact of the circuit board, the connector strap having a full coating of insulating material except for the contact areas with the battery and the circuit board.

Abstract: The operating mechanism for a watch indicating arrangement, especially for a date indicating structure of an electrically operated wristwatch provided with an indicating element which is advanced periodically and operated by a drive mechanism associated with the watch, the operating mechanism includes a non-uniform transmission gear structure with a driving and a driven gear which have at least one engagement mode in which the non-uniform rotational speed of the driven gear is relatively low while the available torque is relatively high and the driven gear has associated therewith means for engaging the indicating structure for advancing the indicating element a predetermined step with each revolution of the driven gear wherein the means for engaging the indicating element are so arranged that engagement of the indicating element for its advance takes place while the non-uniform transmission is in the highest torque providing engagement mode.

Abstract: A watch drive has an electric stepping motor and other drive elements supported between opposite drive plates. A tubular center bearing is mounted on one of the drive plates and carries a watch hand shaft to which motion is transmitted from the stepping motor by way of an intermediate gear which is mounted on an intermediate gear shaft supported in a bearing projection extending from a mounting collar of the tubular center bearing. The bearing projection is disposed adjacent a cut-out area of the drive plate which cut-out area is sufficiently large to permit insertion of the small drive elements between the drive plates during assembly of the watch drive and to provide for the small size of the watch drive.

Abstract: In a drive shaft arrangement for a timepiece provided with a minute shaft for carrying a minute hand and an hour sleeve disposed on the minute shaft for carrying an hour hand, the minute shaft is provided with a collar and carries on one side of the collar a minute gear and a pinion gear for rotation with the minute shaft and on the other side the hour sleeve which is provided with an hour gear. The hour gear has a pan-shaped cavity formed in its face adjacent the collar and a Belleville spring is disposed in the pan-shaped cavity so as to abut with its outer circumference the cavity wall and with its radially inner end the collar.

Abstract: An instrument illuminating arrangement for the glare-free illumination of indicators such as characters of the instrument display area or, especially of movable hands or movable displays or electronically variable characters, has an excitation source which is so arranged as to irradiate the surfaces of the indicators and cause them to emit visible light. Preferably the excitation source generates light energy at least to some extent in the invisible range and the indicators' surfaces are provided with luminophors which convert the invisible light into visible light so that the light energy supplied to the indicators will not disturb the operator of, for example, a vehicle equipped with such instruments.