US3241308A

US3241308A - Flight watch adapter

Info

Publication number: US3241308A
Application number: US389699A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bill E Forney
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-08-14
Filing date: 1964-08-14
Publication date: 1966-03-22
Anticipated expiration: 1983-03-22

Description

March 22, 1966 l B. E. FORNEY 3,241,308

FLIGHT WATCH ADAPTER Filed Aug.l 14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. BILL E. FORNEY ATTORNEY March 22, 1966 3E, FORNEY 3,241,308

FLIGHT WATCH ADAPTER Filed Aug. 14, 1964 4 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. B/LL EA FO NEY ATTORNEY United States Patent() 3,241,308 FLIGHT WATCH ADAPTER Bill E. Forney, P.0. Drawer 1710, Tulsa, Okla. Filed Aug. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 389,699 6 Claims. (Cl. 58-152) The present invention `is related to devices for automatically computing problems involving distance, time and speed. More specifically, the invention relates to a .combination of a wrist watch and movable scales used 1n an airplane to indicate ground speed, changes in ground speed and time of arrival over known positions on the ground.

A pilot makes many ment-al calculations while his aircraft is in flight. He keeps many instruments under constant surveillance lin order to guide his craft safely and efficiently from its point of departure to its destination. The pilot must be able to deterrriine his dlstance from selected check points at all times. This is usually accomplished by time consuming and tedious in-fligh-t calculations by the pilot who must concurrently ffy the airplane and monitor all engine and flight instruments.

The pilot has need for a simple, inexpensive means, which can be carried on his person, to tell him, at a glance, ground speed, changes in ground speed, distance from a known point on the ground, and time of arrival at lknown positions on lthe ground which will minimize the tlme he spends in calculations and provide .him more time for actual flying duties, radio operation and watching for other traic.

An object of this invention is to provide continuous position information to a pilot by the use of a watch worn on the wrist.

Another object `is to utilize the time keeping mechanism of a wrist watch to automatically calculate speed.

A third object is to enable a pilot wearing a wristwatch t-o predict and record his times of arrival at, or over, selected points on his iiight path.

The invention contemplates utilizing a common wrist watch and a structure joined to the watch for supporting scales adjacent to the watch hands. The scales are calibrated and adjustable so that the position of the wearer of the watch, relative to a known point on the ground, is continuously indicated on the scales. Further, the scales can be so adjusted, in accordance with the known dist-ance between points on the ground, that ground speed can be read directly from the scales by use of the watch hands. Adjustable indicators on the scales, when used with .the watch hands, record times of arrival over ground points Iand the moving watch hands continuously record chan-ging amounts of lapsed time between current positions and recorded points.

Other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become more apparent to one skilled in the art upon consideration of the written specification, appended clai-ms and the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric of a wrist watch and the components of structure embodying t-he present invention as oriented with respect to the watch;

FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned elevation of the watch as mounted on a wrist of the -user with the various components of the novel structure assembled in operative relation to each other; and

FIG. 3 is a legended plan View of the scales and watch face illustrating how the information provided by the i-nvention is interpreted.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows all the various components of the structure which embody the present invention. FIG. 2 shows these components assembled for 3,241,308- Patented Mar. 22, 1966 ice use, strapped to the wrist of the user. Taken together, the construction and arrangement of these parts can be understood.

In FIG. 1 a regular, common watch 1 is shown with

strap lengths

2 and 2A which mount the watch on the wrist inthe usual manner. The hands of this watch 1 4are viewed in correlation with the structure of the remainder of the embodiment of the invention to carry out the function of the invention.

Basically, a scale member is held adjacent the watch hands to carry out the function of the invention. To hold this scale properly, a fiat plate 3 is placed beneath the. watch 1 back and the Wrist with scale-supporting structure mounted on this base. Extensions 4 and 5 are mounted, on fiat plate 3, and on each side of the watch 1. rI'he scale support structure is attached to these extensions.

When stating that the watch 1 is placed over plate 3, it should be pointed out that the watch 1 may specifically rest on a pad 6 of resilient material. Pad 6 may be of sponge rubber and glued to the center of plate 3. This resilient body will then urge the watch bodyl gently upward, into firm engagement with the scale-supporting structure.

Extensions 4 and 5 may be given various forms. However they are for-med, they `are to be engaged with Afixture 7 so as to both support this fixture and carry the fixtureI into engagement with watch 1.

The fixture 7 is removably attached to extensions 4 and 5. Threaded engagement is preferred so that the fixture can be manually rotated in use. The fixture isscrewed down on extensions 4 and 5, pressing watch 1 into pad 6 to hold these parts in fixed relationship on the wrist. A knurled ridge 8 is provided to make the manual m-anipulation of the fixture easy.

A central hole 9 is provided through the fixture 7. This hole is sized -t-o permit the viewing of watch faces within a fairly large range of sizes an-d their hands oriented with the scales carried on the face 10 of fixture 7. Ridge 8 is extended above the face 10 surface and shaped to hold a circular scale firmly by the inside lip of the ridge, yet so the' Scale can be removed readily as desired. Fixture 7 can be removed from extensions 4 and 5 and a pencil inf serted in hole 11 or 12 to push the scale out of engagement with ridge 8.

Scale 13 is circular and sized to be pressed into retaining engagement with ridge 8. The scale has a hole 14 which aligns with hole 9 in fixture 7 to permit viewing the hands of watch 1. This scale bears concentric ranges of ground speed to cooperate with the hands of watch 1 in carrying out the basic function of the structure.

Finally, structure-wise, a movable index 15 is provided to rotate over the scale 13 and in relation to watch 1. A line 16 is carried on this index 1S, radiating outward from the center of the watch, aligning with the -hands of the watch and overlying the ranges of the scale 13. The body of this index is preferably transparent, or at least translucent enough to discern the figures on the ranges of the scale and the relation of the line 16 to them. Therefore, the structure provides a scale movable with respect to the watch and an index movable with respect to both the watch and scale.

FIG. 3 has been established to illustrate use of the invention in providing the various pieces of information which :are the objects of the invention. Scale 13 is shown as rotated to a specific relationship with the face of watch 1. Around the scale and face, suitable legends have been placed to illustrate how the specific relationship is interpreted by the wearer of the device.

A scale 13 has been selected which has middle markings 20 based on the as-sumed, approximate, normal ground speed of the aircraft used by the pilot.` In the illustrated example -of FIG. 3, 130 miles per `hour is the ground speed.

On each side of the markings 20 are placed additional ground speed markings. These markings correspond to ground speeds of mile per hour variations from the 130 unile `per hour markings 20. Therefore, scale 13 provides =a4 reasonable range of variation from the normal ground speed to compensate for head and t-ail wind effects on the aircraft. y

In FIG. 3 it is assumed that the airplane left a check point 21 at 2:53 by the watch. This check point 21 could be the airport from which the flight originated or some known point on the ground which was own over at that time.

The Ipresent position of the plane is indicated by the schematic representation of a plane at 22, at the time indicated, 3:00. The minute hand at 3:00 also indicates on scale markings that l5 miles have been traveled in the 7 minutes of elapsed time from the check point 21.

A second known check point 23 is scheduled to be passed over at 3:04', should the ground speed be maintained constant. If the known check point 23 is actually passed at a different time than indicated on scale markings 2 0, the additional markings on either side of the 130 milesv per hour markings will give the change in ground speed caused by the change in head or tail wind.

.Assumingthe ight is proceeding normally, the estimated, time of arrival will remain valid. Hairline 16 has been rotated to the position on scale markings 20 which indicates the miles to destination Z4. The destination 24 is 50 miles from origin 21 and the time of arrival is simultaneously indicated as 3:16.

From the foregoingl it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.

I t will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed Without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The present invention having been described, what is claimed is: v

1. A calculator attachment for a wrist watch, including,

a watch adapted to be worn on the wrist,

a retaining member connected to the watch in a manner to hold the watch on the wrist,

a at plate positioned between the wrist and back of the watch,

a pad of resilient material positioned between the plate and the back of the watch,

extensions on the at plate extending away from the wrist and on each side of the watch,

a fixture for supporting scales removably attached to the extensions to capture the watch on the pad as the pad urges the watch into stable viewing position toward an aperture through which a watch face within a range of sizes can be viewed,

and a scale mounted on the fixture about the aperture for correlation with the hands of the watch.

2. The attachment of claim 1 in which,

the fixture for supporting the scales is removably attached to the extensions on the flat plate by threaded engagement.

3. The attachment of claim 1 in which,

the scale is mounted on the xture about the aperture so as to rotate on the xture with respect to the face of the watch Viewed through the aperture.

4. The attachment of claim 1 in which,

an index is mounted on the fixture so as to be movable with respect to the scale mounted on the fixture and the watch face.

5. The scale of claim 3 is removably retained.

6. The index of claim 4 is removably retained.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,704,230 3 /1929 Walker 5 8-152- 1,986,328 l/1935 Dreyfus 58-105 2,909,893 10/ 1959 Fiechter 58-90 FOREIGN PATENTS 81,638 7/ 1919 Switzerland. 3 08,601 10/ 195 5 Switzerland.

LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner.

LEO SMILOW, Examiner.

G. F. BAKER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A CALCULATOR ATTACHMENT FOR A WRIST WATCH, INCLUDING, A WATCH ADAPTED TO BE WORN ON THE WRIST, A RETAINING MEMBER CONNECTED TO THE WATCH IN A MANNER TO HOLD THE WATCH ON THE WRIST, A FLAT PLATE POSITIONED BETWEEN THE WRIST AND BACK OF THE WATCH, A PAD OF RESILIENT MATERIAL POSITIONED BETWEEN THE PLATE AND THE BACK OF THE WATCH, EXTENSIONS ON THE FLAT PLATE EXTENDING AWAY FROM THE WRIST AND ON EACH SIDE OF THE WATCH, A FIXTURE FOR SUPPORTING SCALES REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO THE EXTENSIONS TO CAPTURE THE WATCH ON THE PAD AS THE PAD URGES THE WATCH INTO STABLE VIEWING POSITION TOWARD AND APERTURE THROUGH WHICH A WATCH FACE WITHING A RANGE OF SIZES CAN BE VIEWED, AND A SCALE MOUNTED ON THE FIXTURE ABOUT THE APERTURE FOR CORRELATION WITH THE HANDS OF THE WATCH.