Abstract: The method consists in using a setting device for jewel holes or prismatic jewels including at least a reference plane, on which the jewel to be fixed is wedged, said plane including at least spatial positioning means for said jewel, such as studs or cavities. Once the jewel is set in place, it is secured to its housing by applying a laser beam to its edge, possibly with the addition of a fusible material.

Abstract: An indicating instrument includes a dial plate, a casing disposed behind the dial plate, a drive control section disposed in the casing and a rotary shaft driven by the drive control section. The rotary shaft is comprised of a pair of thin shafts respectively supported by a pair of bearings and a thick shaft connecting the pair of thin shafts. Each thin shaft has such a length and an outside diameter that the ratio of the length to the outside diameter provides a sufficient bending strength. Therefore, the rotary shaft rotates smoothly and a pointer carried by the shaft indicates accurate values of a vehicle operating condition.

Abstract: In an electronic watch including a so-called automatic winding dynamo, structures of parts themselves and layout of the parts are improved to achieve a reduction in thickness of the electronic watch. Bearing portions for a rotational shaft (211) of a dynamo rotor (21) are made up of hole jewels (212, 214) and ring-shaped caps (213, 215). The cap (215) covers, from the outer side, one end surface (216) of the hole jewel (214) which locates on the side facing a dynamo rotor (21), and defines a lubricant holding annular slot (G3) between the cap and an outer circumferential surface of the rotational shaft (211). Accordingly, even with the dynamo rotor (21) rotating at a high speed, a lubricant is prevented from scattering to the surroundings from the annular slot (G3). Spacings between adjacent parts can be narrowed and the thickness of the electronic watch can be reduced.

Abstract: A clockwork wheel (1) including a plate (3) provided with a first series of peripheral teeth (4) and a second series of teeth (5) arranged at right angles to the plate is manufactured in a strip of steel suitable for stamping and by means of a progressive forging die. In order to form the second series of teeth (5), a die perforated with a plurality of openings arranged in a circle is applied onto one face of the strip, and the flat face of a cylinder is pressed onto the other face of the strip to cause the steel to flow inside the openings of the die. The clockwork wheel is used as a setting wheel in a time or date setting mechanism.

Abstract: In an electronic watch including a so-called automatic winding dynamo, structures of parts themselves and layout of the parts are improved to achieve a reduction in thickness of the electronic watch. Bearing portions for a rotational shaft (211) of a dynamo rotor (21) are made up of hole jewels (212, 214) and ring-shaped caps (213, 215). The cap (215) covers, from the outer side, one end surface (216) of the hole jewel (214) which locates on the side facing a dynamo rotor (21), and defines a lubricant holding annular slot (G3) between the cap and an outer circumferential surface of the rotational shaft (211). Accordingly, even with the dynamo rotor (21) rotating at a high speed, a lubricant is prevented from scattering to the surroundings from the annular slot (G3). Spacings between adjacent parts can be narrowed and the thickness of the electronic watch can be reduced.

Abstract: A rotational transmission reducer having plane waving gear mechanism comprises at least a reducer unit of an input member, an output member, and a plane flexible member which lays between the input member and the output member. The reducer unit may be coaxially piled to be a multistage reducer. A typical example is a transmission of a clock or a watch, which can simplify a conventional mechanism and lower the manufacturing cost. The reducer unit functions by some salient portions on the input member pushing the flexible member, to engage a part of a ring gear furnished on the flexible member with another ring gear furnished on the output member. The output member is rotated by differential pitches of aforesaid two ring gears. For a clock or watch transmission, the ring gear on the output member is an independent member joined frictionally with a substance of the output member so that they can be slid relatively for time adjustment.

Abstract: A mechanical interval timer and method of manufacturing same including an adjustable bearing permitting adjustment of the space between the escape wheel and the escape lever disc to obtain an accurate timing rate through precalibration of one sample made from a selected group of parts for the timer.

Abstract: In a drive gear structure for an electronically controller watch which includes a stepping motor having a drive pinion in engagement with an intermediate gear disc and a center gear in engagement with an intermediate gear pinion associated with the intermediate gear disc, a reducing gear structure is provided which has a reducing gear disc which is also in engagement with the same center gear disc and a reducing gear pinion which is in engagement with the minute gear of the watch. The single center gear disc is somewhat larger in width than the corresponding second gear disc of a corresponding watch with second hand indicator but not as wide as a second gear disc and second gear pinion used for a corresponding watch with second hand. The intermediate gear pinion and the reducing gear disc which are both in engagement with the second gear disc have the same pitch.

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: A thin movement for a stepping motor watch employs a single frame member a peripheral front frame portion surrounding and connected to a back frame portion and stepping motor stator, affixed to the frame member, pins fixed in the back frame portion and stepping motor stator, gear members including the stepping motor rotor and gear train driving the watch hands rotatably mounted on said pins, a dial for the timepiece supported on the front frame portion, the dial serving to control axial movement of the gear members on the pins. Only two layers of gear members are required in the space between the back frame portion and the dial.

Abstract: A watch pierced bearing jewel forms the end of a sheathed optical fiber termination. The jewel is located on axis of a ferrule. The fiber is threaded through the jewel aperture and cemented in position. The jewel and ferrule may be held concentric in a resilient molded jig during assembly of the fiber thereto.

Abstract: A metal chalcogenide coating, in particular of molybdenum sulphide, is deposited on a substrate by high speed cathode sputtering. This coating is turbostratic and has an unusually high resistance to wear produced by frictional forces.

Abstract: A method of making a bushing and a bushing made thereby for use as the bearing of a timepiece or the like, in which a sheet of metal is stamped to form a cambered disc, a central passageway is formed in the cambered disc by stamping in a direction from the concave to the convex surface of the disc so that any burr formed will be on the convex surface, and tumbling the cambered disc in a polishing drum to remove the burr. The disc so made is adapted to accept in the central passageway and in a direction from the concave to the convex surface a rotating shaft to be journalled therein so that any burr remaining at the convex surface is folded away from the central passageway when the shaft is engaged therein.