US2657827A - Bezel retaining means for instrument cases - Google Patents

Description

N 1953 J. J. JANKOT 2,657,827

' BBZEL RETAINING MEANS FOR INSTRUMENT CASES Filed Feb. 23. 1951 2 M Q u @o 4' r4 aw 4 I M m N INVENTOR.

. W XM BY WVW or impossible.

Patented' Nov. 3, 1953 BEZEL RETAINING MEANS FOR INSTRUMENT CASES Joseph J. Jankot, Milford, Conn., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Acragage Corporation, Milford, Conn., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 23, 1951, Serial No. 212,285 4 Claims. (01. 220-82) Thi invention relates to instrument cases for various types of instruments and is more particularly concerned with new and improved means for holding the bezel and cover glass to theface of the housing of such a case.

Heretofore instrument cases have usually been assembled by providing a threaded joint between the bezel, or cover glass retaining ring, and the housing of the instrument. Such a construction is expensive and is subject to corrosion in service. making subsequent removal of the bezel difficult Furthermore, separate and distinct retaining means have been necessary, one for holding the glass in the bezel and the other for holding the bezel to the housing.

The present invention has for its object the elimination of the foregoing difliculties by substituting for the above described retaining means a series of spring retaining clips arranged around the periphery of the bezel and circumference of the rim of the housing, each clip being formed in such a way as at one end to cooperate with portions of the bezel for holding the cover glass in place, and simultaneously at other portions 'to clasp the bezel to the housing by the engagement of portions of the clips with cooperating portions of the bezel and housing. Sealing gaskets are preferably provided between the several parts.

Thus the new and improved construction, according to the invention, provides in a simple, economically manufactured assembly, a single improved means for firmly locking the bezel to the housing while simultaneously holding the cover glass in place and further providing a dust proof and readily assembled and disassembled organization of parts.

With the foregoing and other objects, features and advantages in view, the invention consists in the novel formation and arrangement of parts. as will more clearly appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts in the several views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a pressure gauge case embodying the construction of the invention. having portions broken away to disclose the configuration of one of the novel spring clips;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view of one of the clips in locked engagement with the bezel and housing.

Referring now to the drawings, there is disclosed a pressure gauge housing In from which, for purposes of clarity, the gauge mechanism has 2 j been omitted. The housing has a front opening l2 and a back cover H. The bezel I6 is arranged in telescopic fashion over the rim of the housing l0 and seats against a gasket I8 of rubber or other suitable material which forms a fume and dust tight seal. The bezel I6 is formed to retain a cover glass (or similar member) 20 surrounded about its edge with another sealing gasket22 having a channel-like cross section. The gasket 22 serves the double purpose of sealing the edge of the glass to the bezel flange and protecting the former against direct engagement with the spring clips hereinafter described.

' As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the cover glass 2!) is held in the bezel l6 and the latter is locked to the rimof the housing ID by four spring clips 24 of special configuration. The forward end of each clip 24 is formed with an axially directed and rearwardly offset projection 26, which is shaped to engage and retain a portion of the gasket 22, resiliently to press the edge of the cover glassagainst the glass retaining flange 28 of the bezel I6. Each clip, intermediate its length, is ofl'set to form a rearwardly facing locking shoulder 30 which cooperates with acorresponding projection 32 which may be an annular lug formed within therearwardly extending cylindrical flange 34 of the bezel 16. In addition, each of the clips 24 terminates at its rear extremity in an offset car 36 which fits a corresponding recess 38, which may be an external annular groove formed in the rim of the housing In.

It will be observed that the cover glass 20 is firmly locked in place by the forward portion of each clip 24 which is held against rearward movement by the mutual engagement of the shoulders 30 and 32 of the clip and bezel flange respectively. With the cover glass installed in the bezel the two are then pressed into position against the front of the housing I 0. Each of the resilient ears 36 snaps into locked engagement with portions of the groove 38. The bezel is then held in place because each clip 24 is locked against rearward movement by the locking shoulders 30 and 32 and against forward movement by the engagement of the car 36 with the groove 38. The parts are dimensioned in such a way that the ear 3-6 of the clip 24 rides slightly toward the forward outer edge of the annular groove 38 so that it is, in effect, always seeking the bottom of the groove. This construction provides continuous tensioning of the bezel against the gasket is located between the inner edge of the bezel flange 34 and the housing, thus providing an effective seal.

The whole assembly is, of course, in equilibrium because the force with which each clip presses against the shoulder 32 balances the forces exerted on the cover glass 20, the groove 38 and the gasket It.

It will be understood that there has been here disclosed and described only one embodiment of the invention as applied to a pressure gauge case. It is evident that the constructionaccordingto the invention is adaptable to a variety of other instrument cases or like devices wherein it is desired to hold a loose cover glass orsimilar member in a bezel against a housing; and'furthermore that more or less than four spring clips may be employed as locking means. These. and other adaptations and rearrangements of the parts will occur to those skilled in the art, within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an instrument case the combination comprising a housing having a front opening, a bezel fitting said opening for holding a cover member thereover and at least one spring retaining clip fitting within said bezel, said clip having an intermediate rearwardly facing bezel retaining surface and an inwardly and forwardly facing housin gripping surface generally at its rear end and being turned rearwardly and inwardly at its frontend to form an angle bracket to the rear of said bezel, said bezel having an inwardly and forwardly facing locking surface, and a forward portion of'said housing having an outwardly and rearwardly facing surface, said angle bracket being seated against the rear radial corner of said cover member, said gripping surface of said clip yieldably grippin said outwardly and rearwardly facing surface of said housing, said bezel retaining surface of said clip being locked in front of said locking surface of said bezel, and a portion of the outer surface of said clip resting generally against the internal surface of said bezel, whereby said cover member is retained in said bezel and said bezel is simultaneously held to said housing, said clip maintaining the locked engagement of said several surfaces.

2. In an instrument case the combination including a housing having a front opening and a peripheral external groove near said opening, a bezel fitting said opening and having a rearwardly extending flange with an internal peripheral shoulder therein, a cover glass resting against the back' surfaceaof-fsaid bezel,- and a series of mutually spaced spring retaining clips between said flange and said housing, each of said clips having an inwardly offset rearwardly and inwardly-extending angle bracket portion at its front end, an inwardly extending gripping ear at its rear end, and an intermediately offset inwardly'extending clipshoulder, said angle bracket portion being seated around the radial back corner of said cover glass, said gripping ear extendingyieldablyinto said groove, said clip shoulder being in contact with said peripheral shoulder of said bezel, and the front portion of the outer surfaces of said clips resting against the internal surface of said bezel flange, whereby said cover glass is retained in said bezel, and said bezel is simultaneously held against said hous- 3. The combination in accordance with. claim 2 includingsealing: gaskets between the'rear end of said flange and adiacent portion of said housing and betweenrthe edge' of' said cover glass and the adjacent portions ofrsaid clip and said bezel.

4. The combination according to claim 2 in which said gripping ear extends only partly down the front surface of 'said groove sothatin tending to reach. the bottom; of said groove said clip will. hold said bezel and housing together more tightly.

JOSEPH J; JANKOT.

References Cited in, the file Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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