US2235095A - Combination watchcase and picture holder - Google Patents

Description

March 18, 1941. w c M N 2,235,095

COMBINATION WATCZ'ICASE AND PICTURE HOLDER Filed Aug. 1, 1938 Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE William G. Barthman, New York, N. Y.

Application August 1, 1938, Serial No. 222,527

9 Claims.

This invention relates to the combination of a base, hollow case, or receptacle for containing a watch, vanity kit. or other desired object and an attachment, such as for example a cover, which 5 may be capable of holding some object such as a portrait or the like.

The invention particularly contemplates the provision of a device suitable for use by a sponsor of a radio program in advertising its products,

10 which device is sufficiently attractive, useful and desirable as to be readily appreciated and sought by the public.

The invention contemplates a device of the above character of modern, simple and novel ap- 15 pearance and which is an improvement over known devices.

Prior to my invention various covers for watches have been proposed including the familiar hunting case.

2 open-face watch construction more generally in use today, but a hinged cover for same, a spring for holding said spring cover in open position and a catch for counteracting the action of the spring when the cover was in closed position.

25 Such constructions have been relatively expensive to manufacture, comprising a multiplicity of small parts, requiring special operations in their manufacture.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel 30 cover in association with a base, hollow case or receptacle, which cover is capable of ready manipulation from one position to another in a desired manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an 35 attractive cover in association with a base capable of maintaining a predetermined position with respect to the said base when placed in that position.

Other objects and the nature and advantages 40 of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of the invention, with the cover in its closed position;

45 Fig. 2, a side elevation;

Fig. 3, an end elevation of the watch shown in Fi 1;

Fig. 4, a view similar to Fig. 3 with the cover in open position;

50 Fig. 5, a view similar to Fig. 2 with parts in section, illustrating the construction of the cover;

Fig. 6, a fragmentary elevation with parts in section and the cover in open position; and,

Fig. 7, a perspective of the combined picture 55 holder and spring for the cover.

Such watches included not only the,

Referring to the drawing, a watchcase 3!), of the type adapted to be held to the wearers wrist by the straps 3| and 32 respectively which are secured at their ends, not shown, by a conventional buckle or other suitable clasp, comprises lower 5 and upper portions 33 and 34, respectively. The case 30 houses the works of the watch which are adapted to be operatively wound up by the stem winder 35.

Superimposed upon the upper portion 34 of the case 38 is the cover 36 which is hingedly secured at one end 31 to the case 30 whereby the cover 36 may be raised from its closed position in contact with the upper portion 34 of the case 33 to the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

To facilitate the raising of the cover 36 a projection 33 is provided at that end of the cover which is remote from the hinged part, whereby the thumb nail may be engaged therewith and the cover 35 flipped to its opened position.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the cover 36 is formed with an opening conforming to the outlines of the watch case 30 or other shaped opening 39, and the picture holder 40 is adapted to be held within the said cover 35 as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. A picture P may be held between the picture holder 40 and the cover 33 in a manner whereby it may be clearly viewed through the opening 39. To facilitate arrangement of the picture while it is between the picture holder M! and the inner surface of the cover 33, the picture holder 43 is formed with the opening 4| which permits movement of the picture P by frictional engagement of the end of a finger imparting an adjusting movement to give the de- 35 sired effect. A thin transparent sheet of glass or other suitable protective substance G may be inserted between the picture and the inner surface of the cover 33.

The upper portion of the picture holder 46 is adapted to be held in position by the depending lug 42 in that end of the cover 36 which is adjacent the projection 38, see Figs. 4 and 5. The

'notch 53 formed in the upper portion of the picture holder is facilitates the disassembly of the 5 said holder from the cover 36 when installation or removal of the picture P is contemplated.

The upper portion 34 of the watchcase 30 is provided with a fixed portion 44 of the hinge 31 and the cover 33 is provided with rotatable portions 45. The center part 45 of the stationary part 44 is so formed as to have a flattened circular section as illustrated in Fig. 6. The lower portion 41 of the picture holder 43 is formed with a pair of slits t8 and 49 respectively whereby the body portion of the picture holder 40 is out of engagement with the sides of the protruding spring tongue 50. The center part or pintle 46 is formed with two flat surfaces and one curved surface. When the cover is in closed position, the leaf spring 50 engages one of the fiat surfaces and retains it in position. When the cover is opened, the spring 50 snaps over on to the other flat surface, retaining it in the open position. With the cover 36 and picture holder assembied with th watchcase, and the lid in open position, the tongue 50 will be bowed toward the center of the watch, as illustrated in Fig. 6, and the end 5| of the tongue 50 will extend beyond the lower portion of the center part 46 With the cover in closed position, the spring tongue to will engage the center part 46 as illustrated in Fig. 5. With the arrangement described, the necessity of the usual catch for holding the cover 36 in its closed position as illustrated in Fig. 5 is obviated, for the spring tongue 56 will effect the result desired. This spring, having a tendency to assume its normal contour as illustrated in Fig. 7, will tend to rotate the cover 36 in a clockwise direction, see Fig. 5, and hold the cover in its closed position.

When the cover has been flipped to its open position, and the end 5| of the spring 50 has engaged the side 52 of the center part 46, the spring will then also have a tendency to assume its normal position, but the part 46 will act as a fulcrum and cause the cover 36 to tend to rotate in a counterclockwise direction whereby the cover will 7 be held in its open position until the wearer closes same.

With the arrangement described, the cover 36 will be normally held closed by the spring tongue 56 until the cover is flipped open by the wearer of the watch. The cover will be friotionally held in static equilibrium between the angles of approximately 45 to 85 with respect to the cover. At angles greater than 85 the cover will snap to fully open position as illustrated in Fig. 6; and at angles less than 45 the cover will snap to fully closed position as illustrated in Fig. 5.

In accordance with the invention, not only may thecover 36 be associated with a wrist watch as illustrated in the drawing, but it may be used as a cover for a pocket watch of any shape or size. Further, not only may the cover be used to hold a picture, as illustrated, but it may be opaque and have engraved on its outside an insignia, for example, or the initials of the wearer. While the cover has been depicted as being arranged for operation by a finger nail, yet within the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that, mechanical means may be utilized to efie'ct this operation.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in this device without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a Watchcase having a cam portion, a cover hingedly secured to said watchcase, said cover being formed with a cut-out portion, a picture holding element engaged by said cover and constructed to support apicture between the said lement and the inner surface of said cover whereby the said picture may be viewed from the outside of said cover through the opening therein, spring means integral with said element and cooperating with the cam portion of said case to hold said cover in its open position and prevent its closing when said cover is at an angle of 90 or more to the case and to prevent said cover from accidental opening when said cover is in its closed position.

2. In a device of the class described, a watchcase having a cam portion, a cover hingedly secured to said watchcase, said cover being formed with a cut-out portion, a picture holding element engaged by said cover and constructed to support a picture between the said element and the inner surface of said cover whereby the said picture 'may be viewed from the outside of said cover through the openings formed therein, said element being formed with an opening whereby a picture may be adjust-ably arranged within the margins of the cut-out portion formed in the cover, spring means formed integral with said element and cooperating with the cam portion of said case to hold said cover in its open position and prevent its closing when said cover is at an angle of 90 or more to the case and to prevent said cover from accidental opening .when said cover is in its closed position.

3. In a device of the class described, a watchcase having a cam portion, a cover hingedly secured to said watchcase, said cover being formed with a cut-out portion, a picture holding element engaged by said cover and constructed to support a picture, a transparent sheet between the said element and the inner surface of said cover whereby the said picture may be viewed from the outside of said cover through the opening formed therein and the transparent sheet, spring means formed integral with said element and cooperating with the cam portion of said case to hold said cover in its open position and prevent its closing when said cover is at a predetermined angle to the case and to prevent said cover from accidental opening when said cover is in its closed position.

4. In a device of the class described, a Watchcase, a cover for said watchcase, a hinge for pivotally securing said cover to said watchcase, said hinge comprising a stationary portion secured to said watchcase and a rotatable portion secured to said cover, a cam portion on said stationary portion, spring means on said cover adapted to engage said cam portion and to hold said cover in its open position and to prevent its closing when said cover is at more than a predetermined angle to the case and to prevent said cover from accidental opening when said cover is in its closed position.

5. In a device of the class described, a watchcase, a cover for said watchcase, a hinge having a stationary part secured to said watchcase, said stationary part having a cam portion and a rotatable part secured to said cover, spring means comprising a flat sheet-like element and an integrally formed projection therefrom at one end, said end being slit at at least two places and the projection deformed to lie in a plane at variance with the plane of the sheet-like element, said spring means engaging said cover and the cam portion of said stationary part to hold said cover in its open position and prevent its closing when said cover is at more than a predetermined angle to the case and to prevent said cover from accidental opening when said cover is in its closed position.

6. In a device of the class described, a base, a cover for said base, a hinge having a stationary part secured to said base, said stationary part having a cam portion and a rotatable part secured to said cover, spring means comprisin a flat sheet-like element and an integrally formed projection therefrom at one end, said end being slit at at least two places and the projection deformed to lie in a plane at variance with the plane of the sheet-like element, said spring means engaging said cover and the cam portion of said stationary part to hold said cover in its open position and prevent its closing when said cover is at more than a predetermined angle to the case and to prevent said cover from accidental opening when said cover is in its closed position.

7. In a device of the class described, a watchcase, a cover for said watchcase, a hinge having a stationary part secured to said watchcase, said stationary part having a cam portion and a rotatable part secured to said cover, sprin means comprising a flat sheet-like element and an integrally formed projection therefrom at one end, said end being slit at at least one place and the projection deformed to lie in a plane at variance with the plane of the sheet-like element, said spring means engaging said cover and the cam portion of said stationary part to hold said cover in its open position and prevent its closing when said cover is at more than a predetermined angle to the case and to prevent said cover from accidental opening when said cover is in its closed position.

8. In a device of the class described, a base, a cover for said base, a hinge having a stationary part secured to said base, said stationary part having a cam portion and a rotatable part secured to said cover, spring means comprising a flat sheet-like element and an integrally formed projection therefrom at one end, said end being slit at at least one place and the projection deformed to lie in a plane at variance with the plane of the sheet-like element, said spring means engaging said cover and the cam portion of said stationary part to hold said cover in its open position and prevent its closing when said cover is at more than a predetermined angle to the base and to prevent said cover from accidental opening when said cover is in its closed position.

9. In a device of the class described, a base ,having a cam portion, a cover hingedly secured to said base, said cover being formed with a cutout portion, a picture holding element engaged by said cover and constructed to support a picture between the said element and the inner surface of said cover whereby the said picture may be viewed from the outside of said cover through the opening therein, spring means integral with said element and cooperating with the cam portion of said base to hold said cover in its open position and prevent its closing when said cover is at an angle of 90 or more to the base and to prevent said cover from accidental opening when said cover is in its closed position.

WILLIAM C. BARTHMAN.

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