US2453993A

US2453993A - Connector for bracelets, wrist watch straps, etc.

Info

Publication number: US2453993A
Application number: US583156A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kreisler Jacques
Original assignee: Jacques Kreisler Manufacturing Corp
Current assignee: Jacques Kreisler Manufacturing Corp
Priority date: 1945-03-16
Filing date: 1945-03-16
Publication date: 1948-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 1965-11-16

Description

9v., i948. Y v J. KRElsLER 2,453,993

, coNNEcToRFcR BRAcELETs, wRIsT WATCH STRAPS, E'rc.

Filed March 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. -7'4 favs: /Rs/ne e TTORN E Y.

Nov. 16, 1948. J. KRElsLER .2,453,993

CONNECTOR FOR BRACELETS, WRIST WATCH STRAPS, ETC.

Filed March 16. 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. .Tm-aufs Kes/use T TORN E Y.

Patented Nov. 16, 1948 CONNECTOR FOR BRACELETS, WRIST WATCH STRAPS, ETC.

Jacques Kreisler, New Rochelle, N. Y., assigner to Jacques Kreisler Manufacturing Corporation, North Bergen, N. J.

Application March 1.6, 1945, Serial No. 583,156

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a connector or lock for bracelets, wrist watch straps, etc., or for other articles of jewelry or personal wear. The invention relates also to end-connecting members for bracelets, wrist watch straps, etc.

One object of the present invention is to provide a connector or lock with a plurality of locking members constructed and arranged to improve the securement of the releasable attachable part of the bracelet or other article provided with the connector and to facilitate the intended attachment or detachment of the attachable part to and from the connector.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a connector or lock having one or more locking members held by spring means in either locking or releasing position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a connector or lock with inner and outer locking members which have such predetermined relative positions in the releasing or retracted positions thereof that the attachable part of the article provided with the connector or lock can be easily applied to and removed from the connector.

Another object is to provide end-connecting members of improved construction for bracelets, wrist watch straps, etc., particularly end-connecting members which provide for the resilient expansion of the bracelet or strap on the wearers wrist.

A yet further object of the invention is generally to provide a connector or lock of improved construction and operation, particularly with respect to the safety afforded by the connector or lock and with respect to facilitating the attachi ment and detachment of the attachable part to and from the connector by the wearer of the article provided with said connector or lock.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a connector embodying Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the connector, the locking members being in their retracted positions;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fie. 2;

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the several parts of the connector or lock embodying the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown in Fig. 1 a bracelet or wrist watch strap B provided with a connector or lock Iii embodying the present invention. The opposite ends of bracelet B are provided with the end-connecting members I2 and I4, respectively, which are of the same construction. One of these end-connecting members, here shown as member I2, is permanently secured to lock I while the other end-connecting member, here shown as member I4, is the attachable part which is releasably secured in the lock or connector I3.

Referring now more particularly to the construction of the connector or lock I0, the latter is formed of sheet metal or other suitable material and comprises a holding member I5 which is open at the top and has a bottom I S. Said bottom I8 is preferably curved longitudinally to conform to the wearers wrist, the outer surface of said bottom being concave and the inner surface thereof being convex. Holding member I6 is provided with an end portion 2li which is curved or bent around and thereby secured to the cross bar 22 of the end-connecting member I2. Small lateral projections 24 are provided on bottom I8 adjacent the securing end portion 20 thereof in position to engage end-connecting member I2 for limiting the relative pivotal movement between said end-connecting member and the holding member I6 of the lock. The opposite end of holder I6 is provided with integral upvstanding ears 26 having registering openings 28 for a pivot pin 3B which is secured therein. Inner and

outer locking members

32 and 34, respectively, are pivotally mounted on pin 35, said inner and outer locking members being provided with apertured ears 36 and 3B, respectively. Ears 36 of the inner locking member 32 are disposed at their inner sides of ears 26 of holding member I6, while ears 38 of the outer locking member are disposed at the outer sides of said ears 25. Outer locking member 34 is provided with a curved end or lip 40 which has a releasable snap engagevment with the end 20 of holding member I6 for positively securing said outer locking member 34 in its projected or locked position. The inner locking member 32 is held releasably inits projected or locked position by engagement at its side edges with the inwardly bent upper portions 42 of the lugs 44 which are integral with and in upstanding relation to the bottom I8 of holding member I6. Outer locking member 34 is provided with an integral struck-out finger piece 45, and inner locking member y32 is provided with an integral nger piece 47 projecting from the free edge thereof.

It will be noted that the inner and

outer locking members

32 and 34 are mounted for pivotal movement on a common pivot provided by the pivot pin and that said locking members lie closely adjacent each other in the projected or locking positions of said locking members (Fig. 3) and in the retracted or releasing position of said locking members (Fig. 4). Thus, when the inner and outer locking members are in their retracted or releasing positions, the attachable part or end-connecting member I4 can be easily attached to and removed from the lock. More particularly as shown the end-connecting member I4 has a cross bar 46 which is spaced from a companion .part 48 and denes therewith an opening 5! (Fig. 1) through which the inner and

outer locking members

32 and 34 are movable-for attaching and releasing the attachable part of end-connecting member I4 with respect to the lock. Cross bar 46 is positioned between ears 26 and lugs 44', as illustrated-in Fig. 3, when received in holder i6 of the lock. Accordingly when the inner and outer locking members are in their projected or locking positions, bar 46 Aof the attachable part of end-connecting kmember I4 is securely held against unintended disengagement from holder I5 of the lock.

In accordance with the present yinvention provision is made for holding the inner and outer locking members in predetermined relation in the retracted or releasing positions thereof, illustrated in Fig. 4, whereby to facilitate the attachment and detachment of the attachable -part of end-connecting member I4 with respect to .lock I0. For this purpose holder I6 of the ylock or connector is lprovided with spring means .here

shown -as -a flat spring 52 which .is positioned on the bottom I8 of holder I6 at the inner side thereof. Flat spring 52 is curved longitudinally and lies in holder I6 with the convex curvedsurface abutting the inner convex curved surface of bottom .58. Spring 52 Vis securedin this position and relation by the engagement Vof the inner edge 54 of end portion 20 of the holder with the end portion 56 of the spring. Spring 52 is provided with cut outs 58 (Fig. 6) in its opposite side edges, and lugs 24 are positioned in said cut outs, thus preventing movement of'spring 52 longitudinally and laterally of the holder I6. longitudinally extending slits 6E] disposed `.in laterally spaced relation are -providedin the -end .portion-of the spring which is positioned adjacent the pivot of the inner and outer locking members. These slits provide said vlast mentioned end .portion of the spring with -an intermediate flexible portion 62 and with lateral flexible portions 64 (Figs. 5 and 6).. The ears or end portions 3B of the inner locking member 32 project transversely of the aids of its pivot on pin 3e 'have camming edges 68 which are engaged by the adjacent lateral spring .portions 64:, and the outerlocking member 34 has a down turned end portion 68` which projects transversely of the axis ofpivot pin Si! .and is .provided with an edge .portion 'I0 of reduced width which `is f.resilient1y1engagedby intemiediatejspring portion 52 in .the ,lockedposition of outer locking member 34. In the retracted position of locking member 34 spring portion 62 engages the outer surface of portion 68.

Spring portions

64 and 62 thus hold the inner and outer locking members in their projected and also in their retracted positions. It will be understood that when the

locking mmbers

32 and 34 are in their retracted or releasing positions, spring portions 52 and E4 hold the .locking members against relative movement and in the adjacent relation illustrated in Fig. 4 so that the attachable part I4 can be easily applied to and removed from the lock or connector i0, while on the other hand, said spring portions oppose movement of the locking members from the closed or locking positions thereof to their unlocking positions and thus improve the safety characteristic of the lock. It will be noted that the outer locking member is movable to its retracted or unlocking position independently of the inner locking member and without impair- .ment of the action of spring 52 in holding the inner locking member resiliently and releasably .in its projected or locking position. On `the other hand, the inner and outer locking members can be moved as a unitfrom their retracted positions to their .locking or projected positions, that Vis from the positions illustrated in Fig. 4 to the positions illustrated in Fig. 3.

The end-connecting members I2 and I4 are preferably formed of sheet metal and are constructed to provide a desirable degree of expansion and contraction of the bracelet around the wearers wrist, ythis beingV va desirable feature, particularly when the bracelet B itself which ls provided with said end-connecting members is not elastic or expansible. Thus as here shown, the part 48 of the end-connecting member I4 is provided with a coiled compression spring 'I2 which is disposed within said part 4.8 andbears at one endthereof against the bent end 'I4 of .part 48 and Vat its opposite end against the cross bar Cross bars 46 and I6 are integral with side bars 'I8 and form a link 80. Part 48 is formed in .one piece with an end `portion 82 having apertured ears 84 which receive the ends of a pin 8B by which said part 82 is secured to `the adjacent end` of the Ybracelet B. VTheside bars T8 have integral guide portions 88 which project into the companion part through the open `sides thereof to provide forthe relative sliding of link and the companion part 48. It will be understood that theend-connecting member I2 is of the same construction as the end-connecting member I4, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the latter may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described and that in the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, certain changes in the details of construction and Ain the arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principles .of the invention within the scope' of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and, desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a lock of the class described comprising a holding memberadapted to have an attachable part removably connected therein, inner and outl er locking members `pivotally connected kto vsaid holding member adjacent the same end thereof and movable from locking positions in which they both over'le said attachable part 'to prevent disengagement thereof from said holding member, to retracted positions adjacent each other to permit engagement with or disengagement of said attachable part from said holding member, and spring means common to and simultaneously engageable with said locking members adjacent the pivots thereof for yieldingly holding said lock ing members in their locking and retracted positions, respectively.

2. In a lock of the class described comprising a holding member adapted to have an attachable part removably connected therein, inner and outer locking members pivotally connected to said holding member and co-axially turnable from locking positions in which they both overlie said attachable part to prevent disengagement thereof from said holding member, to retracted positions adjacent each other to permit engagement with or disengagement of said attachable part from said holding member, and spring means carried by said holding member and common to and simultaneously engageable with said locking members adjacent the pivots thereof for yieldingly holding said locking members in their locking and retracted positions, respectively.

3. In a lock of the class described comprising a holding member adapted to have an attachable part removably connected therein, inner and outer locking members pivotally connected to said holding member adjacent the same end thereof and turnable from locking positions in which they both overlie said attachable part to prevent disengagement thereo from said holding member to retracted positions adjacent each other to permit engagement with or disengagement of said attachable part from said holding member, said locking members having end portions adjacent the pivots of said locking members projecting transversely of the axis of said pivots, and spring means common to and simultaneously engaging said end portions for yieldingly holding said locking members independently of each other in their locking and projected positions, respectively.

4. In a lock of the class described comprising a holding member adapted to have an attachable part removably connected therein, inner and outer locking members pivotally connected to said holding member and turnable from locking positions in which they overlie said attachable part to prevent disengagement thereof from said holding member, to retracted positions to permit engagement with or disengagement of said attachable part from said holding member, said holding member having a bottom, and a flat spring member positioned on said bottom and secured to one end of said holding member, said hat spring member having an end portion movable toward and away from said bottom and directly engageable with said inner and outer locking members simultaneously adjacent the pivots thereof for yieldingly holding said locking members in their locking and retracted positions, respectively.

5. In a lock oi the class described comprising a holding member adapted to have an attachable part removably connected therein, inner and outer locking members pivotally connected to said holding member adjacent the same end thereof and turnable from locking positions in which they overlie said attachable part to prevent disengagement thereof from said holding member,

to retract-ed positons to permit engagement with or disengagement of said attachable part from said holding member, said holding member having a bottom, and a flat spring member positioned on said bottom and secured to one end of said holding member, said at spring member having an end portion movable toward and away from said bottom and directly engageable with said inner and outer locking members simultaneously adjacent the pivots thereof for yieldingly holding said locking members in their locking and retracted positons, respectively, said end portion of the spring member having slits therein providing an intermediate part and lateral parts independently flexible with respect to said intermediate par-t, said intermediate part engaging one of said locking members in said holding relation and said lateral parts engaging said other locking member in said holding relation.

6. In a lock of the class described comprising a holding member adapted to have an attachable part removably connected therein, innerand outer locking members pivotally connected to said holding member and turnable about a commo-n pivoted axis from locking positions in which they overlie said attachable part to prevent disengagement thereof from said holding member, to retracted positions to permit engagement with or disengagement of said attachable part from said holding member, said locking members having adjacent their pivots end portions projecting transversely of the aXis of said pivots, said holding member having a bottom, and a fiat spring member positioned on'said bottom and secured to one end of said holding member, said flat spring member having an end portion movable toward and away from said bottom, said end portion of the spring member having slits therein providing an intermediate part and lateral parts independently flexible with respect to said intermediate part, said intermediate and lateral parts of said spring member directly engaging said end portions, respectively, of said locking members for yieldingly holding said locking members, respectively, in either of said positions thereof.

JACQUES KREISLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 881,970 `Spiro Mar. 17, 1908 1,037,086 Tusten Aug. 27, 1912 1,677,849l Roberts July 17, 1928 1,722,317 Samuels July 30, 1929 1,754,959 Matushenko Apr. 15, 1930 2,041,354 Kestenman May 19, 1936 2,044,869 Alkin June 23, 1936 2,058,957 Dalo Oct. 27, 1936 2,186,438 Weiner Jan. 9, 1940 2,211,018 Levine Aug. 13, 1940 2,418,218 Bauer et al Apr. 1, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 698,192 France Nov. 17, 1930 788,580 France July 29, 1935