US2636359A

US2636359A - Expansible bracelet

Info

Publication number: US2636359A
Application number: US229713A
Authority: US
Inventors: John F Sand
Original assignee: GEMEX CO
Current assignee: GEMEX CO
Priority date: 1951-06-04
Filing date: 1951-06-04
Publication date: 1953-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 1970-04-28

Description

April 28, 1953 J. F. SAND EXPANSIBLE BRACELET Filed June 4, 1951 FIG.I.

FIG.3.

Patented Apr. 28, 1953 EXPANSIBLE BRACELET John F. Sand, Newark, N. J., assignor to Gemex Company, Union, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 4, 1951, Serial No. 229,713

1 Claim.

This invention relates to expansible bracelets, and more particularly to an expansible bracelet adapted for attachment thereto of an ornament such as a charm or the like.

The object of the invention is the provision of an expansible bracelet, such as a wrist watch bracelet, of the type made up of pivotally connected links, to which an ornament such as a charm or the like may be conveniently attached. In general, this is accomplished by providing a member for attachment of an ornament such as a charm or the like to the bracelet, this member being attached at one end to the pivotal connection or two links of the bracelet, adapted to extend laterally outward beyond the side of the bracelet, and adapted for connection thereto at its outer end of an ornament such as a charm or the like. A more specific feature of the invention involves having the ornamentattaching member swingable to a concealed position, so that if the purchaser of a bracelet does not wish to attach an ornament thereto, the ornament-attaching member may be positioned out of sight. Other features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of which will be indicated in the following claim.

In the accompanying drawing, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,-

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of the length of an expansible bracelet embodying the invention, the bracelet being illustrated in its fully contracted position, with its ornament-attaching member shown in laterally extending position, with a showing in dotted lines of a charm attached thereto;

2 is an enlarged top plan view showing a portion of the length of the bracelet in an expanded condition;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 6-4 of Fig. 2; and,

Fig. is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the ornament-attaching member of the bracelet in its position of concealment.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Figs. 1-3 and 5 a portion of the length of an 2 expansible bracelet, which is generally designated i. The bracelet is shown in fully contracted condition in Figs. 1 and 5, and in an expanded condition in Figs. 2 and 3. As illustrated, the bracelet is of the lazy-tongs type, comprising a series of pairs of centrally pivoted crossed links, each pair being designated 3, and consisting oi'a toplink 5- and a bottom. link 7. Each pair of crossed links resembles an X. More particularly, each top link 5 comprises a top link element 9 stamped from sheet metal, for example, having an integral hollow boss or sleeve H at its center, and integral pins It at itsends. Each bottom link i comprises a bottom link element i5 stamped from sheet metal, for example, having a central aperture I1 and apertures 9 at its ends. As to each crossed pair 3 of links, the sleeve ll of the top link element ii extends through the central aperture H of the bottom link element i5, and has its end headed over as indicated at 2!, thereby to constitute a center pivot for the top and bottom links. The pins 13 of the top link element 9 of any given pair 3 extend through the apertures IQ of the bottom link elements It of the two adjacent pairs of crossed links 3, and the ends of the pins it are headed over as indicated at 23 thereby to constitute pivots for pivotally connecting the crossed pairs 3 in series. Each bottom link element it has an annular boss 25 around its central aperture ii engaging the respective top link elements 9 to space these elements apart.

As to each pair 3 of links, a coiled spring 27 is lodged axially in the sleeve I I. At its end, the spring has laterally extending

arms

29 and 3!. Arm 253 extends along the top surface of the top link element ii, and arm 2'! extends along the bottom surface of the bottom link element 15. Arm 25. engages a shell 33 fitted on the top link. Arm 36 engages one of a number of tabs 35 formed integrally on the bottom link element It extending in the direction away from the top link element. A bottom shell 3'! fits on the bottom link, concealing the spring, the headed ends of the pins l3, the headed end of the sleeve H,and the tabs 35. The springs act to bias the links to the fully contracted pQsition illustrated in Fig. 1.

In accordance with this invention, a link mem ber 39 for attaching an ornament such as a charm or the like to the bracelet is attached at This link member 39, as shown in Figs. 1-3, is adapted to extend laterally outward beyond the side of the bracelet, and is adapted for connection thereto at its outer end of an ornament such as the charm 0 indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. More particularly, the link member 39 consists of a, fiat link, stamped from sheet metal for example, having apertures 4| and 43 at its ends. As illustrated, the link is in the form of a figure 8. The end of the link 39 having aperture M is positioned flatwise between the meeting ends of the meeting top and bottom links 5 and 1, with the pin l3 which pivotally connects these links extending through the aperture 4|, thereby pivotally attaching the link 39 to the bracelet. spaced apart by the boss 25 a distance such as to provide space for reception of the link 39 between th top and bottom links.

As will now be seen, the link 39 may be swung around pivot pin is to the position illustrated in Figs. 1-3 of the drawing extending laterally outward beyond the side of the bracelet so that an ornament such as the charm C may be connected thereto at the outer end of the link, as for example by linking the ornament such as the charm to the link 39 by means of a ring link R received in the outer aperture 93.

The length of the link 39 as measured from the center of aperture 4| to the end of the link at aperture 43 preferably is less than the spacing of the pins [3 lengthwise of the fully contracted bracelet. This permits swinging of the link, when no ornament is attached thereto, to a position extending generally longitudinally of the bracelet wherein it is concealed between the top and bottom links. This is shown in Fig. 5. Thus, if the purchaser of the bracelet does not wish to use an ornament thereon, the link 39 may be swung in to conceal it. This makes it possible for the manufacturer to provide a bracelet which may be used by the purchaser as a charm bracelet, since it is a relatively simple matter to attach a charm to the link 39, or not to use the bracelet as a charm bracelet, if so desired, in L- which case the link 39 may be efiectively concealed.

It will be understood that the construction of the bracelet links and their pivotal connections may take forms other than those specifically 1 shown, and that it is within the scope of the invention that the form of the bracelet element be otherwise than that shown. For example, instead of having solid pins 13 connecting the links, tubular posts may be used.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the The top and bottom links are several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

The combination of an expansible wrist bracelet of the lazy-tongs type comprising a series of pairs of centrally pivoted crossed links, each pair consisting of a top and bottom link pivotally connected together at their centers, the top link of each pair being pivotally connected at its ends by pivot members to the bottom links of the two adjacent pairs, and a member for attachment of an ornament such as a charm or the like to the bracelet, said member consisting of a flat link having a first opening at one end receiving the pivot member which pivotally connects the top link of one pair and the bottom link of an adjacent pair and being located between said two links, and adapted to be swung on said pivot member between a position extending laterally outward beyond the side of the bracelet, and a position extending generally lengthwise of the bracelet concealed between the top and bottom links of the bracelet, said member having a second opening in its outer end for receiving means for attachment of an ornament, means spacing said top links and bottom links apart a distance not substantially greater than the thickness of said flat link, said fiat link having a length measured from said first opening to the opposite end of said flat link which does not exceed the distance between adjacent pivot members when said bracelet is in a contracted position whereby the bracelet may be fully contracted with said flat link in its generally lengthwise position to thereby conceal said fiat link.

JOHN F. SAND.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 709,533 Breitwieser Sept. 23, 1902 1,374,936 McGogy Apr. 19, 1921 1,439,243 Hughes Dec. 19, 1922 2,138,596 Fassnacht Nov. 29, 1938 2,344,455 Bertherman Mar. 14, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 130,081 France Apr. 9, 1879