Timepiece

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What I claim is: 1.
A timepiece having at least one element intended for manual operation, said timepiece comprising, a rotatable control stem movable between at least two axial positions, a pinion having two axial faces and being loosely mounted on said stem, a coil spring positioned upon the stem and engaged between one axial face of the pinion and the frame of the timepiece, said spring being operable upon the opinion to urge the same for axial movement in one direction on the stem, said pinion having a frusto-conical recess (on the axial face) thereof opposite said one axial face, said stem having a shoulder of frusto-conical configuration adapted for mating engagement with said recess on the pinion, whereby when the stem is moved to one axial position thereof the shoulder engages the frusto-conical recess of the pinion to render the stem and pinion angularly rigid with respect to each other and the pinion is moved into meshed engagement with said element, the engagement between the stem and pinion being a friction coupling operable as a torque limitator.




Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a timepiece comprising a rotatable control stem capable of occupying at least two axial positions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The said timepiece is characterized by the fact that its control stem carries a pinion loosely mounted thereon, the pinion being submitted to the action of a resilient device which urges it to move in one direction axially on the said stem, a coupling device is arranged in such a way that the said stem and the said pinion are angularly rigid with respect to each other in at least one of the axial positions of the stem, said one position being such that the said pinion is in meshed engagement, at least indirectly, with an element of the timepiece which it is desired to be operated manually.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The drawing shows, by way of example, one embodiment constructed in accordance with the invention