US1798619A - Watch-bracelet connecter - Google Patents

Description

March 31, 1931. c, A, MEALY 1,798,619

WATCH BRACELET CONNECTER Filed March 1, 1950 I I l I I I L jazz 67 "6Z0 7 6 7za7Za9 am @WQQAUM Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES A. MEALY, OF WEST BARRINGTON, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOB TO THE HADLEY COMPANY, INC., OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND WATCH-BRACELET CONNECTER Application filed March 1,

This invention relates to bracelet connecters and pertains more particularly to improved means for separably connecting a bracelet end to a watch case or the like.

'5 The principal object of the invention is to provide a detachable connecter which may be inserted and anchored behind a constricted opening at the side of the watch case with a portion of the connecter projecting through the opening for attachment to a bracelet end. The anchored portion of the connecter may thus be concealed by the watch case within a pocket or recess which is accessible by removing a portion of the case or which may have an open bottom permitting the connecter to be applied without separating the watch case.

The connecter herein described is particularly adapted for use with an open link bracelet of the type disclosed in a copending application Serial No. 426,304, filed February 6, 1930, by myself and another joint inventor; and the link connecting elements covered in said application are employed in the recommended embodiment of the present invention, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, for attaching the projecting portion of the removable connecter to the end link of the bracelet after the bracelet length has been properly adjusted by adding or removing links. It will be understood however that my improvement may be employed with other forms of bracelet without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a link bracelet attached to a watch case by my improved connecting means;

Fig. 2 is a section 011 line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating one mode of removing the connecter from the watch case after removing the back of the case and the watch movement;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the manner of separably attaching the projecting end of the connecter to the end link of the illustrated bracelet, and also illustrating a modification in the Watch case; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the con necter.

1930. Serial No. 432,391.

As more fully described in said copending application, the bracelet shown in the drawings comprises a plurality of open links 6 separably interlocked by connecting elements including a member 7 straddling the side bars 8 of adjacent links and a locking piece 9 removably interfitting in channels 10 of said member. The locking piece slides endwise into the base of the member 7 and is held in position by friction or by supplementaryfastening means, thereby to enclose the side bars of the links within the connecting member. The bracelet shown in said application is provided with an end hook which is fastened upon a projecting bail or loop of a watch case; and the principal purpose of the present invention is to avoid a visible connection of the former type by concealing the anchored portion of the connector within a pocket or recess constituting a part of or an adjunct to the watch case.

Accordingly, the watch case 11 herein illustrated is provided with a normally closed pocket 12 which is accessible after removing the back of the case and which has a constricted opening or slot 13 leading therefrom through the side 14 of the case. The back 15 of the watch case may be pivotally or detachably mounted upon the body portion 11 thereof in any usual. manner, and

the front or bezel of the case may be integral with said body portion or separable therefrom, all in accordance with common practices.

The connecter 16 preferably comprises a piece of sheet metal having a transverse slot 17 adjacent one end and an anchoring portion 18 which may be formed by rolling the metal stock into a tube, at its opposite end.

The slot 17 may be conveniently provided by striking a tongue 19 from the metal blank and folding the tongue backwardly upon the outer margin of the connecter. When applied to the watch case, the slotted end of the connecter projects outwardly through slot 13, while the enlarged anchoring portion 18 is retained within the pocket 12 behind the constricted opening, the diameter of the tube being greater than the width of the slot. The projecting end may be attached to the end link of the bracelet by the separable connecting elements 7 and 9 in the same manner as the elements are applied to adjacent links of the bracelet. For eX- ample, member 7 may be passed through the opening 17 in the connecter (Fig. 4) and over the side bar 8 of the end link 6, and the locking piece 9 may then be slid endwise into the guide channels of member 7 to close the bottomof said member (Fig. Accordingly the connecter 16 afiords a'secure but readily separable attachment for connecting.

to this invention, provided that the case has a constricted slot orv opening through which a portionof'the connecter may project outwardly. and 'thatthe innerend'of the removable connecterisanchored behind said opening within arecess or pocket of the case which is accessible from the back of the case to permit insertion or removal 'of'the connecter. Thewatch cases shown in the drawings areaccordingly merely illustrative of this invention, and their structure may be modified as desired without sacrifice of-the efiiciency of theimproved connections The case. ofFig s. 1, 2 and'3 is provided with a detachable back 15 which encloses and entirelyconceals the anchoring portion within the case; whereas in Fig, 4 the hack 2O 01" case 21 terminates short ofthe wall 14 leaving the bottom of the pocket 21 open.

In order to insert orremove the connecter from the case of to 3, it is necessary to detach the back 11 and, in some cases, also to remove the watch movement as in.- dicated' in Fig. 3;.but' in the structure of Fig. i, the connecter may be appliedor, removed through the open bottom oi the f ocket with out separating the watch case. In either instance the connecter l6 removably an'- chored within the watch case and only a relatively small portion is visible after the hracelet'is attached to its projecting end. As above described,fsaid projecting end preterably has a slot or opening to receive a separable attachment for connecting the bracelet end thereto, but any common form of attachment may be employed, as desired.

It is thusapparent that the vprincipal feature of this invention is the provision of a con-necter whichmay be removably applied to a watch case with its outer end projecting through an openingin the, side of the case for separable attachment toa bracelet end and its inner end anchored behind said recessand concealedwithin the case, at least when the Watch is applied'to the wrist. A connecter of the type described is ofsimple construction and furnishes an attachment of pleasing and distinctive appearance which is durable in use and efiicient in operation, and which may be applied or removed with ease.

I. claim 1. A watch case or the like provided with an interior recess and a constricted 7 opening leading outwardly therefrom, a removabl'e connecter having its outer endproj ecting through said opening and its inner end anchored insaid recess, and a bracelet separably attached to the projecting end of the co-nnecter.

2. A watch case or the like provided with an interior recess and a constricted opening leading outwardly therefrom, a connecter having an enlarged portion anchored behind the opening within said recess and an end portion projecting outwardly through said openin the anchored portion being concealed by the front of the watch case and being removable from the case by withdrawing its portion inwardly through the opening, and a bracelet separably attached to the projecting end of the connecter.

3. A watch case or the like provided with an interior recess and'a constricted opening leading outwardly therefrom through the side of the case, a connecter having an end portion smaller than the opening projecting outwardly through said opening and having an enlarged inner end anchored in the recess behind the opening, the connecter being v removably i'nsertrble through the interior of' the watch case, a bracelet, and means for separably attaching the bracelet end to the projecting portion oft-he connector.

4. A watch case or the like providedwith an interior recess and a slot leading outwardly therefromthrough the side of" the case, the recess being accessible from the interior of the case, a removable connecter-iormed of ios sheet metal and having aflat end portion projecting outwardly through said slot; and a rolled portion at its opposite end, the diameter of the rolled portion bcinggrea-ter than the width ofth-e slot to anchor the in- -ner end of theconnecter within the recess,

and the flat outer end of the con-n'ecter having an opening tl'ierethro-ugh, a bracelet, and means passing through said opening for separably attaching the bracelet end to the connecter.

Signed by me at Providence, Rhode Island. this 19th day'of February, 1930. r I

CHARLES A; MEALY.

Images