US1852462A - Clasp - Google Patents

Description

April 5, 1932- s. A. JOHNSON 1,852,462

CLASP Filed Nov. 7, 1931 rl l l A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 5, 1932 `UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE SYLVESTER. ..J'OHNBOIBL OFNOBTH PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO .ALBERT E. B; SEEIDEL, F EDGEWOOD, RHODE. ISLAND CLASP Application led November 7, 1931. Serial No. 573,597.

This, invention relates to a clasp for use as a socal1ed center catch located intermediate the ends of the Watch bracelet, and has for one of its objects to provide a construction which will be elastically eXtendible to snugly fit the Wrist, While at the same time being detachable from one of the ends of the bracelet.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a construction which may be passed through one of the ends of an open bracelet link with its free end or tip so formed as to temporarily support the link prior to folding ot' the cover to closed retaining posi tion.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a construction which will be readily accessible for the operator to manipulate.

A still further object of this invention is the provisionof a construction Which will be relatively simple of construction, and one which will receive one end of the bracelet thereinto so that regardless of the elastic en` pending of the device substantially the same appearance will be `presented to the u ser.

Vith these and other objects in view, the

invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as Will be more fully described,

' claims.

In the accompanying drawings with racelet links secured. thereto.

Fig. Qis a view similar to Fig'. 1 with the cover of the outer section openec Fig. 3' is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the inner section as moved to extended position against the action of the spring.

Fig; 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 With thev braceletends omitted and with the cover or one member of the inner section as moved to open position for release of the bracelet end 1': with the link at the left hand end of the bracelet omitted.

Fig. 6 isa view similar to Fig. 5 with the sections moved to extended position.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the inner slide member alone with thecover omitted.

and particularly pointed out in the appended Fig. 8 is a central sectional view through the device, taken on substantially line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig.11.

Fig. 10 is a central sectional View with" the covers ot' both the inner and outer sections moved to open position, showing in dotted lines the retaining of a link in position.

Fig. 11 is a section on line 11--11 of looking in the direction of the arrows.

It is further desirable in the use of Watch bracelets to provide a center clasp that the ends may be detached for removing the Wrist Watch from the arm. It is also desirable that some resilient action be obtained in the use of bracelet links which do not have elastically extendible parts, and in order that this may be accomplished I have provided an elastic Figf8 extension in the center clasp'by providing two H that the Watch when being released will not Fi 1 is a top plan vievv7 of my center clasp be dropped, and which also serves as a` tem poraiy hold for this end link prior to moving the parts to holding position ;a1id the following is a detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished.

lVith referenceto the drawings, 10 designates generally the outer section which consists of a body member 11 provided with a bottom Wall 1Q and side walls 13 from whichV there extends inwardly flanges 14. At one end of the body a cover member 15 is hinged by pivot pin 16 passing through eyes 17 on the body member and openings in the side Walls 18 of the cover.

This cover is held in closed position by means of detente 19 extending into openings 20 in the side Walls 13 of the body section.

The inner section consists of a slide member 21 which slides along the bottom wall 12 of the body section and extends beneath the flanges 14 thereof. The slide member 21 is provided with bottom wall 42 having a folded portion 22 at one end beneath said flanges to engage the abutment 23 extending` downwardly from one end of the flanges to limit the movement of this member relative to the body member orthe outer section. The slide member 21 is folded at one end upon itself to provide a top wall 43 which terminates in a flange 24 spacing it from the bottom wall 42 of the member 21. A spring is located beneath this top wall 43 in a slot 25 cut in the wall 42 of this member to receive an abutment finger 26, bent upwardly from the bottom wall 12 of the outer section to be engaged by the spring 27 acting between thel folded wall 28 `and the abutment finger 26 to move i the slide member to contracted position.

A hinge eye 29 is rolled from one end of the wall 42 and a cover 30 is pivoted to this hinge eye by means of a pintle pin 31. The cover is of a'width to be passed through the end link 32 and is provided with a hookV portion 33 to temporarily retain this link in position,

Vafter which the same may be engaged to swing the-cover to clasp over the fold 28 of the slide member, and retain the same in position to be released only by lifting the same by the finger piece -34 from this position, while the cover section 15 may be folded over the cover 30 to lock the same against removal.

The inner section is thus free to slide outwardly from the outer section by pulling on the end link 32, while the other end link 35` of the chain may be secured by means of a band shaped connector 36, or the like, to the pintle pin 16 as illustrated in Fig. 3, thus securing it to the outer section of the clasp.

In order that the bottom wall of the outer section will not cut or abraid the wrist, I have bent the same as illustrated at 38 in K Figs. 5 and 10 to direct its edge upwardly.

The foregoing description is directed sole` ly towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the Vmechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

. 1. i A clasp comprising a pair of slidably related sections, one section having a body to receive a bracelet link with a retaining member hinged thereto, the other section having a member hinged to swing in the opposite direction to the hinging of the first said member and to a position to lock said retaining member in retaining position.

2. A clasp comprising a pair of sections, one slidable within the other, the inner section receiving a bracelet link and provided with a movable member to releasably retain tion to lock the free ends of said members in retaining position and swingable from such locking position to permit release thereof. c p i 4. A clasp comprising two relatively slid-4 able sections, one conta-ined within the other, resilient means for moving said sect-ionsto contracted position, means on the outer section to secure one bracelet end thereto,and t means on the inner sectionl to detachably secure another bracelet end thereto, each Section comprising hinged` members, the members of said inner section swinging apart to permit detachment of one bracelet end and the members of the outer-sections swinging apart'to permit movement of the members of the inner section, and means for'lretaining the members of each section in closed position.

5. A clasp comprising ,an outer section having a body member, and a cover member hinged thereto, means for securing one bracelet end to the hinged end of said section, an inner section within and slidably. related to said outer section and having a pair of hinged members separableat their free ends to receive a bracelet end, the free ends of the members beingl frictionally kheld together to retain the bracelet end in position and the free end of one member of the inner section being locked inY position by said cover member of the outer section. j

6. A clasp comprising an outer section having a body member, and a cover member hinged thereto, means for securing one bracelet end to the hinged end of said section, an inner section within and slidably related to said outer section and having a pair of hinged members separable at theirfree ends to receive a bracelet end, the free ends of the members being frictionally held together to retain the bracelet end in position and the free end of said memberof the inner section being locked in position by said cover member ofthe outer section, and resilient means acting between said sections to move said sections to contracted position, one withinthe other and permitsliding extending m'ovement 7. A clasp comprising an outer section having a body member and a cover member hinged thereto, flanges extending inwardly, from the edges of said body member, an inner section having a slide member with aportion beneath said flanges and a slot therein, a finger on said body member extending through said slot, a spring acting between said finger and sli de member to move the same 5 to contracted position, said slide member having a. portion to receive the end link of a chain, and a member hinged to said slide member to retain the link in attached position, said cover member closing over said m hinged member to lock the same in retaining position.

8. A clasp comprising an outer section having a body member and a cover member hinged thereto, flanges extending inwardly L, from the edges of said body member, an inner section having a slide member With a portion beneath said flanges and a slot therein, a finger on said body member extending through said slot, a spring acting between said iinger and slide member to move the same to contracted position, said slide memher having a portion to receive the end link of a chain, and a member hinged to said slide member to retain the link in attached position, said cover member closing over said hinged member to lock Jthe same in retaining position, and means on said flanges to engage said slide member to limit the relative movement of said sections.

3o In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

SYLVESTER A. JOHNSON.

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