An electric timepiece having an electro-mechanical transducer for driving a mechanical time display arrangement intermittently in response to a pulse signal applied to the transducer from an electric driving circuit. A regulating device is provided having an externally and coordinately operated mechanical control member and reset switch adapted to apply a pulse of a polarity suitable to energize the transducer one second after the reset switch is returned to its normal position from its resetting position. Improved driving of mechanical gears is provided by having the gear train mounted to the same bridge member as a gear which imparts one-way motion thereto.
An electronic timepiece having a stepping motor and a drive circuit responsive to a control signal for applying electrical drive pulses having polarities determined by the control signal for rotating the rotor of the stepping motor. The control circuit normally operates in a mode for applying a control signal to the drive circuit effective to control the drive circuit to apply alternate polarity electrical drive pulses to rotate the stepping motor rotor in a normal direction. Resetting circuitry is operable for correcting the time kept by the timepiece. A detecting circuit detects whether the stepping motor rotor is in a position to be rotated by a forthcoming drive pulse after resetting. If the stepping motor rotor is not in a position for rotation a detection circuit signal is applied to the control circuit so that the control signal controls the drive circuit to apply an electrical pulse effective to rotate the stepping motor rotor after resetting. Consequently, after resetting the immediately forthcoming drive pulse will have a polarity effective to rotate the stepping motor rotor and no time will be lost.
A setting device for a timepiece comprising a second-indicating element (1) and at least one other time-indicating element comprises a first manual control element (2) that can occupy a neutral position and a position for setting the other time-indicating element or elements, and a mechanism (3) for resetting the second-indicating element (1) to zero, connected to the first manual control element (2). The reset mechanism (3) comprises a second manual control element (6) and is configured so that actuating the second manual control element (6) resets the second-indicating element (1) to zero when the first manual control element (2) is in the position for setting the other time-indicating element or elements and has no effect on the second-indicating element (1) when the first manual control element (2) is in the neutral position.
An electronic timepiece havng an integrated electronic circuit including a quartz crystal oscillator, connected to a multi-stage divider, which divider supplies various outputs of various frequencies to corrector circuits, a logic circuit and a motor control circuit. The motor control circuit includes a switch to allow the timepiece to be stopped by resetting at least one stage of the divider. One of the terminals of the motor is connected to one of the stages of the divider to allow the control of the frequency of the signal issued from this stage, and, therefore, the frequency of the quartz oscillator.
