US2787893A - Self-sizing bracelet section or the like with loosely mounted springs - Google Patents

Description

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April 9, 1957 w. P. cANNlNG 2,787,893

SELF-rSIZING BRACELET SECTION 0R THE LIKE WITH LOOSELY MOUNTED SPRINGS Filed Sept. 19, 1952 2 sheets-sheet 1 Minn" INVENToA MLU/w R c/l/vN//v April 9, 1957 w. P. cANNlNG 2,787,893

SELF-SIZING BRACELET SECTION OR THE LIKE WITH LOOSELY MOUNTED SPRINGS Filed Sept. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a l j" IN V EN TOR. W/L L/M E CAA/NIN@ Arme/vers SELF-SHZHNG BRCELETSE'CTION OR THE yLIKE WIT-H LOSELY MUNTED SPRINGS Wiliiarn P. Canning, Woodbury, Conn., assignor to Belarus Watch Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 19, 1952, Serial No. 310,423

4 Claims. (Cl. 63"9) The rpresent invention relates to an effective and easily assembled structure for a bracelet section or the like adapted to resilicntly engage the body member around which it is placed and to automatically size and 'shape itself thereto. The invention is particularly applicable for use as a bracelet attached to a watch and adapted to secure the watch to the wrist of the wearer, and it is here thus specifically disclosed, but the structure in question has more general applicability.

It is not uncommon to construct a bracelet in the form of a plurality of articulately connected links, said links being acted upon by one or more springs so as to 'cause them to conform to the size and contour of the 'body member around which they are placed. When but a single spring or other resilient member is employed 'to cause a series of links to engage the wrist, accurate conformation to the wrist contour is not achieved, since the single spring is not Well adapted to that end. The use of a plurality of springs to provide for vmore accurate conformity to the wrist shape has in the past imposed serious manufacturing problems. ln the first place, unless the bracelet is to be so massive as to limit its salability, the parts, and particularly the springs, 'must be quite small and hence are subject to breakage or distortion, thus limiting the effective life of 'the bracelet. In addition, assembly of the bracelet is generally quite ldifficult, requiring considerable time and the use of highly skilled personnel, thus making the bracelet comparatively costly. ln addition, the number of 'rejects has been found to increase as the bracelet structure becomes moreand more delicate, thus leading Vto a still greater rise in the cost of such bracelets.

In cases where, as here specifically disclosed, "the individual links of the bracelet sections 'are to be pivotally interconnected, such pivotal interconnection is usually achieved through `the use of pins which pass transversely through adjacent links. Not only doe'sthe us'e "of such pins add to the material cost of the bracelet vand increase the diiculty of assembly thereof, but the exposed 'ends of the pins detract greatly from 'the 'appearance of the bracelet.

The structure of the present invention avoids the above mentioned disadvantages. The individual compositelinks which make up the body `or-skeleton of 'the bracelet are pivotally interconnected by means of parts integrally formed thereon, and without the use of pins o'r 'the like. Moreover, the parts which providefor pivotal mounting are very readily Yinterengaged The links rproper are Yso constructed that when they are connected to one another they define housings for individual spring elements, ea'ch spring element being positioned between a :pair of adjacent links and being active on those links -so as to resiliently urge them into wrist-conforming .'condition. The springs are inserted in a simplemanner land Aare positively held in place lby the next adjacent link -a`s the bracelet 4is .built up. The functional `parts sof .the body of thefbracelet v'arehidden vfrom view by Vrneansvof tubular shells which slide over the link skeletons, Vthe shells being States Patent vin contracted condition;

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so constructed and arranged as to serve 'as p/o'sitivestop's shells at the ends of the bracelet section. Because of the specific nature of the bracelet body structure, `the parts of that structure, and particularly the springs, 'may be much stur-dier and stronger than has previously been feasible with bracelets of comparable size. The parts are so related that the bracelet section may be assembled in a progressive manner with great rapidity, the parts cooperatively engaging so as to ensure that when they are assembled they will cooperate and function as designed, thus practically eliminating the possibility'of rejects because of improper assembly.

To the accomplishment of the above and to 'such otherv objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to the structure of a self-sizing bracelet or the like as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a pair of bracelet sections made according to the present invention and attached to opposite ends of a Watch case so as to dene a watch bracelet, the bracelet sections being shown i'n contracted condition in solid lines and in expanded condition in broken lines.

Fig. 2 is a side cross sectional view of a plurality of links forming the body of the bracelet section and showing those links in partially expanded condition;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the links Fig. 4 is a viev/ similar to Fig. 2 but showing the links in fully expanded condition;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of one of the springs employed between adjacent links, said spring being active to cause -lthose springs to pivot to contracted condition; U

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the spring of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an end cross sectional view of a link, taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a top plan View showing the manner in which the initial link of a bracelet section is secured in place within a shell; n

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 9-9 vof Fig. 8 the left hand end of Fig. 9 being a cross sectional View taken along the same line and showing the o manner in which the tip link is constructed;

Fig. l0 is a top plan view of one of the links with the shell removed; and n Fig. 1l is a side elevational view of the link of Fig. lll.

As here disclosed, the bracelet construction of the present invention is formed into two separate sections or claws A and B each attached to and extending from opposite ends of a watch casing C by being secured within shell housings D at the ends of the casing C. The bracelet sections A and B are formed of a plurality of cornposite links generally designated 2, the links being artculately connected and resiliently urged to wrist-surrounding and conforming position but being spreadable against the action of the resilient means so that the watch-bracelet combination may be readily removed yfrom or attached Yto the wrist.

Each of the composite links 2*, is defined by a shell 4 and a body member or skeleton o. The skeleton 6, as

therefrom and adapted to seat within the notches `14' in the I` ears 12 of the next adjacent link, thus pivotally connecting the two link skeletons 6 together. The skeleton 6 has a downturned abutment 20 positioned between the ears 12 and inwardly with respect to the notches 14, and another downturned abutment 22 in the opposite end thereof, `positioned between the arms 16 and inwardly of the lugs 18. When the link skeletons 6 are pivotally interconnected through the engagement of the lugs 18 of one skeleton 6 in the notches i4 in the next adjacent element 6, the opposed abutments 20 and 22 on adjacent links are spaced from one another, and the individual springs generally designated 24 which serve to resiliently urge the links to pivot to a retracted condition are received in that space.

Figs. and 6 illustrate one form which the springs 24 may take. They are there disclosed as made of a single continuous piece of resilient wire or the like, the wire being formed into a pair of coils 26, each coil having a free end28 extending in one direction therefrom and having ends 3i) extending in the other direction therefrom and connected by means of loop 32. When the springs 24 are in unstressed condition, as shown in Fig. 6, the loop 32and the ends 28 are angularly related. When the spring coils 26 are received within the space between opposed abutments and 22 of adjacent pivotally interconnected link skeletons 6, the ends 28 extend into one link and the loop 32 extends into the other link.

The shells 4 are tubular in shape and adapted to snugly slide over the skeleton 6. The upper surface 34 of the shells 4 may be appropriately ornamented. The internal dimensions of the shells 4 are such as to fairly snugly receive the link skeletons 6 therewithin, the spring ends 2S and loops 32 engaging the lower surface 36' of the shells 4, the shells causing the spring ends 28 and loops 32 to assume a substantially in-line` relationship, thus stressing the coils 26 of the springs 24 and causing those springs 24 to act to pivot the composite links 2 with respect to one another to a wrist-grasping or contracted position. The length of the shells 4 is slightly less than the distance between the center of the lugs 18 and the center of the notches 14 on the link skeleton 6 which the shell 4 encompasses. Hence a small gap 38 is defined between adjacent shells 4, as may be seen from Figs. 2, 3 and 4. When the springs 24 pivot the links 2 to wrist-engaging or contracted position, as shown in Fig. 3, the ends of the lower surfaces 36 of the shells 4- will engage one another and will thus positivelylimit the degree of pivotal movement of the links 2 in that direc tion. When the bracelet section is expanded, thus causing the links 2 to pivot against the action of the springs 24 to a wrist-releasing position, as shown in Fig. 4, the ends of the upper surfaces 34 of the shells 4 will engage, thus positively limiting the degree to which the bracelet section may be expanded. ln this way the springs 24 are always retained under tension and the degree of stress thereof is limited so that they cannot be distorted or damaged during use.

The composite links 2' which deline the free tips of the bracelet sections A and B are similar to the links 2 except that their shells 4 have a closed end wall 40, their link skeletons 6 constitute only the right hand portion of the skeletons 6, and the depending flanges l0' thereof are apertured in line with corresponding apertures in the side walls of the shell 4 so that a pin 42 may be passed therethrough in order to secure the shell 4 and skeleton 6 together. This Vpin 42 may, if desired, be in the form of a conventional spring retainer pin, but it is usually preferred that be a simple pin.

The first composite link 2 of the bracelet is secured to the watch case C by being received within the hollow housings D secured to the watch case C. To this end itsA shell '4 and-the depending anges 10 of its link skeleton 6 are provided with registering apertures adapted to register with corresponding apertures or recesses in the watch housings D, and a pin 44 (see Fig. 8), prefer- M averses j ably of the spring pin type, is passed therethrough, the outwardly spring-urged tips 46 of the pin 44 extending beyond the side walls of the shell 4 so as to be engageable with the housings D when the bracelet section is to be attached to the watch case C. The body portion 8 of the skeleton 6 of the first composite link 2 may be provided with a lateral slot 48 to facilitate insertion of the pin 44 from above before the shell 4 is slid over the skeleton 6.

Thus it is apparent that each bracelet section A and B may be individually constructed and assembled and may readily be attached to or detached from a watch casing C or the like in conventional manner. The pin 44 not only serves to secure the shell 4 to the skeleton 6 of the first composite link 2, but also serves as a readily familiar instrumentality for securing the bracelet section to any desired object. It is preferred, and it is here so specifically disclosed, that the link skeleton 6 of the first link 2 be slightly shortened, preferably by eliminating the abutment 20 and the ears 12, but this is not essential provided that proper clearance is allowed within the housings D.

The actual functioning elements of the bracelet sections may be made of strong, inexpensive and unornamented materials, since they are hidden from view by the shells 4. Only the shells 4 need be ornamented, and only the shells 4 need have a finished outer surface. This is an important feature by reason of which expensive materials and expensive plating and finishing operations need not be incorporated into all of the parts of the bracelet.

Assembly of the bracelet section is exceedingly simple. Starting with the first link 2, the skeleton 6 thereof is telescoped in the shell 4 and held in place by means of the pin 44, that pin being inserted either via the slot 48 before the shell 4 is slid into place or between the depending flanges i8 of the coil 6 from the open right hand end of the shell 4 as viewed in Fig. 8 after the shell is slid into place. A spring 24 is inserted, the loop 32 thereof entering the first link 2 between the lower surface 36 of the shell 4 and the body 8 of the skeleton 6, the coils 26 being moved up to and against the abutment 6. The next link skeleton is moved into place, its ears 12 being slid inside the shell 4 of the first link 2 until thev lugs i8 on the skeleton 6 of said first link engage within the notches E4 on the ears 12 of the skeleton 6 of the second link. This locks the spring 24 in place, since the abutment 20 on the second skeleton 6 is A thus moved up to and practically against the coils 26 of the spring 24. Thereafter a shell 4 is telescoped over the second skeleton 6, the arms 28 of the spring 24 being moved upwardly so as to pass within the shell 4 as it slides into place. It will be noted that the spacing between the arms 16 to either side of the abutment 22 is substantially equal to the distance between the outer ends of the spring coils 26. Thus the spring 24 is accurately held in place, lateral movement thereof being prevented by the arms 16, longitudinal movement thereof being prevented by the abutments 20 and 22, and vertical movement thereof being prevented in one direction by the abutments 20 and 22 and in the other direction by the lower walls 36 of adjacent shells 4.

This sequence of assembly operations is continued until a bracelet section of desired length has been produced. Then the skeleton 6 of the tip composite link 2' is pivotally engaged with the skeleton 6 of the last regular composite link 2 in a manner similar to that set forth above. The shell 4' is then telescoped over the skeleton 6 and the pin 42 is passed through the registering apertures in the side walls of the shell 4 and the depending flanges 10 of the skeleton 6'.

The completed bracelet section, when used either as a complete bracelet or as a claw attached to a wrist watch `casing C or the like, is normally urged by the springs into contracted or wrist-grasping condition shown in Fig. 3 and in solid lines in Fig. l. When it is desired to attach the bracelet to a wrist, the bracelet is expanded to the position shown in Fig. 4 and in broken lines in Fig. 1, the composite links 2 and 2 pivoting with respect to one another until the ends of the upper surfaces 34 of the shells 4 and 4' engage. The bracelet is then placed around a Wrist and released, and the springs 34 will cause the composite links 2 and 2 to pivot back to Wrist-engaging position. Because there is individual resilient pivoting action at each joint in the bracelet section, the section will conform accurately to the size and configuration of the body member which it surrounds and grasps.

The entire structure is made up of a small number of uniformly designed parts which may readily be assembled and which, by reason of the interrelationship between the parts, cannot well be improperly assembled. lf a given skeleton 6 and shell 4 are not properly aligned, the next adjacent skeleton 6 cannot be pivotally interconnected therewith. If a spring 24 is not properly seated, the same result will obtain. Adjacent shells 4 can only be put in position if the spring arms 28 and loops 32 are properly positioned. The only error in assembly which might occur is the actual omission of a spring 24, a very unlikely occurrence, since that omission will advertise itself to the operator when the next shell 4 is telescoped over its skeleton 6. Of the structural element only the skeleton 6 has a complex shape, and it need not be made of any expensive materials. The only ornamented and finished element, to wit, the shell 4, is of extremely simple construction, being merely tubular in shape, thus minimizing the possibility of loss through rejects in the formation thereof. Thus the structure in question lends itself most admirably -to quantity production at extremely low cost, and produces a bracelet section or the like which is not only accurately selfsizing but is also sturdy and dependable.

While but a single embodiment of the present invention has been here disclosed, many variations may be made in the details thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A self-sizing bracelet section or the like comprising a series of links each comprising an inner piece and a shell fitted thereover, said inner piece having a first element projecting out from one end thereof beyond its shell and into the shell adjacent said one end, a second element on the other end of said inner piece and within said shell, said second element having a part interlitting and interlocking with the first element of the link inner piece adjacent said other end when said links are assembled so as to prevent separation of said links but permit relative pivotal movement thereof, said interlock defining the sole joint between said links, and coil springs between the inner pieces of adjacent links and inside the shells of adjacent links, said springs having arms entering said adjacent links and active thereon to cause them to pivot toward one another, the adjacent ends of each pair of inner pieces having abutments spaced from one another by a distance substantially equal to the width of the coil of said springs, the coil of said springs being received between said abutments.

2. The bracelet section of claim 1, in which one of said elements is provided with an open-topped recess having a substantially vertical wall at the end thereof toward said adjacent shell, and in which the other of said elements has a projection receivable and pivotable in said recess, said projection being removable from said recess only by lifting above said vertical recess wall.

3. A self-sizing bra-celet section or the like comprising a series of links each comprising an inner piece and a shell litted thereover, said inner piece having a first element projecting out from one end thereof beyond its shell and into the shell adjacent said one end, a second element on the other end of said inner piece and within said shell, said second element having a part interitting and interlocking with the rst element of the link inner piece adjacent said other end when said links are assembled so as to prevent separation of said links but permit relative pivotal movement thereof, said interlock defining the sole joint between said links, the adjacent ends of said shells being spaced from one another at the top surface of said bracelet when said elements are interlocked so as to permit pivotal movement of said shells relative to one another and being engageable as said links are pivoted in a bracelet-expanding direction so as to define positive stops limiting the degree of relative pivoting or said links, and coil springs between the inner pieces of adjacent links and inside the shells of adjacent links, said springs having arms entering said adjacent links and active thereon to cause them to pivot toward one another, the adjacent ends of each pair of inner pieces having abutments spaced from one another by a distance substantially equal to the Width of the coil of said springs, the coil of said springs being received between said abutments.

4. The bracelet section of claim 3, in which one of said elements is provided with an open-topped recess having a substantially vertical wall at the end thereof toward said adjacent shell and in which the other of said elements has a projection receivable and pivotable in said recess, said projection being removable from said recess only by lifting it above said vertical recess Wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 18,141 Speidel Q.-- July 28, 1931 265,044 Engelmann Sept. 26, 1882 283,128 Masters Aug. 14, 1883 1,215,498 Dietz Feb. 13, 1917 1,554,095 Hultman Sept. 15, 1925 1,669,710 Jones May 15, 1928 2,120,308 Bezault June 14, 1938 2,120,348 Bezault June 14, 1938 2,518,163 Megar Aug. 8, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,571 Great Britain Apr. 12, 1902 641,885 France Aug. 13, 1928 823,814 Germany Oct. 31, 1951

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