US135348A - Improvement in springs for watch-cases - Google Patents

Description

1. LAURENT & l. MENEGAY.

Springs for Watch-Cases.

NO. Patented1an.28.1873.

k- AM. PHom-L/THUGHAPHIG C0. Nx(aseo/?-Els- PROCESS.)

:urTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.'rAcQnEs LAURENT, or NEW YORK, AND JULEs MENEGAY, or BRooK- Lrn, N. v.

HWROVEMENT lN SPRINGS FOR WATCH-CASES.

Speeieation forming part of Letters Patent No. 135,348, dated January 2S, 1873.

To all whom 'it may concern.:

Be it known that we, JACQUES LAURENT, of the city, county, and State of New York, and JULES MENEGAY, ofthe city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State oi' New York, have invented an Improvement in Springs for latch-Cases, of which the following is a speeitication:

rllhis invention relates more particularly to the springs employed for throwing open the covers oi' watch-eases. Such springs are made ot' the form of an are or bow to lie between the watch movement and the case, and have commonly been fastened at one end only and had the tongue or lip which acts on the hinge ot the cover formed on the other end. Our improvement consists in the arrangement of the lip or tongue at or about the middle ofthe length of the spring which is secured within the case at both ends. In this way the spring becomes a double acting one, and it1 it should breal; on either side oi' the lip is still operative. rEhe improvement further consists in combining with such spring, in one and the saine piece, the spring and catch for securing the cover of the case when closed.

In the accompanyingdrawing, Figures 1, 2, and 3 illustrate the application of our improved spring in a form to serve the two purposes of opening-spring and cateh-sprin Fi g. l is a central section ot' a watch-case, having' the spring applied, taken through the cover and handle. Fig. 2 is asimilar section taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a facial section through the band or ring ot' said case. Fig. t is a plan view of a spring illustrating a inodilieation oi' our invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the four figures.

A is what is termed the band ot the ease. 'it is et' the usual form and is furnished with a handle, B. it has hinged to itin the ordinary manner a cover, D is the spring which constitutes my invention. lt consists oi' a thin strip otsteel, which may be either straight longitudinally or bent into a circular form of a greater radius than the interior of the watchcase. lt is applied within the band oi' thc wntehcase, as shown in the drawing, its ends lapping as therein represented. On one end of the spring, that which is outermost, there is formed a catch or fastening, a., ot' latch-like form, which, when the cover is closed, hooks over a ange therein, and so secures it. rihe middle portion of the spring is reduced in width, as shown atf, so that it is capable 0i yielding transversely. Opposite the middle of the hinge of the cover G there is formed on the adjacent edge of the spring D at the middle of its length a lip, c, which bears against the cover itself close to the hinge thereof, and by the elasticity of the spring forces it open. As the cover is closed the narrow or reduced portion fof the spring D is depressed, and at the same time is forced slightly inward. Vhe'n closed the cover is fastened by means of the hook a., projecting over its flange. As soon as the catch a is untastened by pressing on the head of the push-pin ordinarily furnished on a watch for the purpose, the elasticity of the depressed portion F of the spring causes it to recover its normal condition, and by means of the lip c the cover is opened.

When it is not desired to make the same spring serve as the openingspring and the catch-spring, we make our improved opening spring ofthe form shown in Fig. L -viz., that of a bow or are with the lip or tongue o in the middle ot its length. This spring has small iianges c c at its ends, and will be confined at both ends by being pla-ced between the watchmovement and the band A of the case, and will operate on the cover in the same way as the hoop-sprin g D. The breakage of either oi' these spr-in gs between the lip or tongue o and one end will not interfere with its action as an opening-spring, for, by reason of itsbeing secured at both ends, the unbroken portion between the said tongue or lip c and the other end will still constitute a spring which, though weaker than when the other halt' was unbroken, is yet operative.

Claims.

l. The spring for opening the cover of a watch-case, composed ot' an are or bow, or greater or less portion ot' a hoop of steel with the lip or tongue c, at or near the middle ot" its length, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with the band or hoopspring having the lip or tongue o at or near the middle ot' its length, of the catch c formed at one end of the said spring, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

JACQUES LAURENT. JULES MENEGAY.

Witnesses MicrrAEL RYAN, FRED. llAvrins.

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