US2746785A

US2746785A - Bezel holding ring

Info

Publication number: US2746785A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfred H Emery
Original assignee: LS Starrett Co
Current assignee: LS Starrett Co
Priority date: 1953-10-29
Filing date: 1953-10-29
Publication date: 1956-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 1973-05-22

Description

)mmM/M ATTORNEYS INVENTOR. ALFRED H. EMERY BY K T y 22, 1956 A. H. EMERY BEZEL HOLDING RING Filed Oct. 29, 1955 United States PatentO BEZEL HOLDING RING Alfred H. Emery, Athol, Mass., assignor to The L. S. Starrett Company, Athol, Mass., a corporation of Man sachusetts Application October 29, 1953, Serial No. 389,135

3 Claims. (Cl. 292--256.6)

This invention relates to a novel bezel holding ring adapted to lock a bezel ring in place on a housing. I am aware that spring rings have heretofore been employed for this purpose, but such rings have commonly been permanent locks that do not permit removal of the bezels from the housings. The primary object of my invention resides in the production of an improved locking ring that permits easy and convenient removal and replacement of the bezel ring.

My improved locking ring embodies a substantially annular piece of spring wire adapted to rest within an annular and outwardly facing groove in a housing and provided with diametrically opposed and outwardly extending portions for engaging within an inwardly facing groove of a bezel ring to lock the bezel ring to the housing. The bezel ring is provided with a hole therethrough to its groove and through which a tool can be inserted to engage and force one of the locking portions of the ring inwardly to a position permitting removal of the bezel ring. The locking ring furthermore preferably includes inwardly directed ends securing the ring against rotary movement on the housing. The production of a spring locking ring of this nature and for the purpose described comprises a further object of the invention.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing in which-- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a gauge employing my improved locking ring to secure its bezel ring on the housing, portions of the housing being illustrated as broken away,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 1, partially in section on line 3--3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a rear View of the gauge on a reduced scale and with the rear closure plate partially broken away,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a locking ring portion illustrated in Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a like view illustrating the ring releasing operation, and

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the locking ring.

in the drawing Iii) indicates the annular housing of a gauge including a front plate 12 secured by screws 14. A back closure plate 15 is secured to the housing by screws 16. A bezel ring 18 is mounted on and over the front plate of the housing and carries a crystal 20. My invention herein more particularly includes a locking ring 22 for securing the bezel ring 18 to the housing.

The face plate 12 is provided with an annular flange 24 which cooperates with the annulus to provide an annular and outwardly facing groove 26 in the housing. The bezel ring 18 is adapted to fit over the front plate of the housing as illustrated in Fig. 2 and is provided with an inwardly facing annular groove 28 therein opposed to the groove 26. The locking ring 22 is adapted to rest 2,746,785 Patented May 22, 1956 "ice within the groove 26 and preferably, as illustrated in the drawing, it is provided with two inwardly directed ends 30 extending into holes 32 in the face plate 12 to secure the ring against rotation in the groove. Thus securing the ends of the ring prevents movement and possible binding of the ring in the groove 26 when the bezel ring is rotated. The locking ring has an outwardly bowed portion 34 disposed diametrically opposite to the ends 30 and two like outwardly bowed portions 36 respectively adjacent to the ends 30. When the parts are in the position illustrated in Figs. 1-3 the

portions

34 and 36 extend outwardly into the groove 28 and secure the bezel ring to the housing.

The bezel ring is freely rotatable on the housing and is provided with a hole 38 therethrough for receiving a releasing tool 40. When the ring is turned to the position of Fig. 1 wherein the hole 38 registers with the locking portion 34 of the locking ring, the tool can be inserted and depress the portion 34 to the position illustrated in Fig. 6 and wherein it is free from the groove 28. The bezel ring can then be tilted outwardly from the face plate and removed.

Any suitable means can be provided for locating the hole 38 over the locking portion 34 of the locking ring. In Fig. 4 I have illustrated an arrow 42 on the inner frame 44 which is fixed to the face plate. Thus when the closure plate 15 is removed the bezel ring can be rotated to register the hole 38 with the arrow. In Fig. 5 I have illustrated the locking portion 34 as marked at 46 which marking is visible through the hole and can be employed to register the hole with the portion 34 when it is desired to remove the bezel ring. It will be apparent however that since the locking ring is secured at 3032 the releasable portion 34 is always in the same position and it is therefore easy to dispose the releasing hole 38 thereover.

It will now be apparent that I have produced a rela tively simple and inexpensive locking ring for securing bezel rings to various instruments or housings and that the invention permits free rotation of the bezel, securing of the bezel at triangularly arranged points thereabout, and quick and convenient removal and replacement of the bezel rings whenever occasion requires.

Having thus disclosed my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An instrument including an annular housing having a substantially annular and radially outwardly facing groove therein, an annular bezel ring on and coaxial with the housing and having an inwardly facing annular groove therein opposed to the first named groove, a substantially annular and resilient wire locking ring disposed within the first named groove, means for securing the locking ring against annular movement on the housing, and substantially diametrically opposed and outwardly directed locking portions carried by the locking ring and extending into the second named groove, the bezel ring having a hole therethrough to the second named groove through which an instrument can be engaged with and force one of said locking portions of the ring inwardly to a position freeing the bezel ring therefrom.

2. The instrument defined in claim 1 in which said locking portions of the locking ring comprise an outwardly bowed portion at one side of the locking ring and two relatively adjacent locking portions at the diametrically opposite sides thereof.

3. The instrument defined in claim 1 in which said means for securing the locking ring against annular movement comprises two inwardly extending end portions on the locking ring engaging within holes in the housing,

said locking portions of the locking ring comprising an outwardly bowed locking portion diametrically opposite to said end portions and an outwardly bowed locking portion adjacent to each end portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Meurling June 17, 1930 Widmer June 8, 1943