US3345705A - Folding clasp for bracelets and the like - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 10, 1967 K GAUPP 3,345,705

FOLDING CLASP FOR BRACELETS AND THE LIKE Filed May 23, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l 80 m 4; /l/ r2/ 4 E fV`"` i H5 a' E H E il TDRNEYS Oct. l0, 1967 K. GAUPP 3,345,705

FOLDING CLASP FOR BRACELETS AND THE LIKE Filed May 23, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheetl 4 l ff 555 7520 5634 4H619 l @f7 /J/l/ q /M'Q/ United States Patent Office 3,345,705 FOLDING CLASP FR BRACELETS AND THE LIKE Kurt Gaupp, Short Hills, NJ., assignor to Jacoby-Bender, Inc., Woodside, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 23, 1966, Ser. No. 552,042 21 Claims. (Cl. 24-71) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A folding catch construction in which two of the catch sections are adapted to be folded and unfolded between open and closed positions, those sections carrying a projecting element Iand a recess respectively adapted to engage when the sections are folded so as to retain the sections in folded condition and adapted to be disengaged so as to permit the sections to ybe unfolded, the projecting element automatically engaging with the recess when the sections are folded, being manually manipulated to disengage therefrom when the sections Iare to be unfolded, and `being operatively manipulated by a part which forms a portion of and does not project from the catch proper, that part being movable laterally between operative positions against the action of la first resilient means and the projecting element being resiliently urged out from that part in a different direction.

The present invention relates to a folding clasp for bracelets and the like.

One type of clasp commonly in use with bracelets, and particularly watch bracelets, is a folding clasp, one which comprises a plurality of sections foldably related to one another and selectively positionable in an unfolded extended condition in which the circumference of the bracelet is maximized, thereby permitting the bracelet to be slipped freely over the hand of the wearer, and a folded overlying condition in which Vthe circumference of the bracelet is minimized, thereby causing it to remain more or less snugly on the wrist of the wearer. Since bracelets are worn on the wrist, only one hand is available to open and close a bracelet catch, and hence such catches must be designed in such a fashion as to permit one hand manipulation with a considerable degree of facility. Moreover, it is important that when the clasp is closed, the bracelet then being in operative position on the wrist, it will reliably remain closed, so that the clasp will not accidentally open and permit the bracelet to fall from the wearers wrist.

It is the prime object pf the present invention to devise a folding catching construction which will reliably remain closed when once placed in that condition, which will not open when stresses are exerted on the catch parts in a direction tending to move them to open position, which is retained in closed position positively, and not by frictional or spring detent action, and which will open only when a part thereof is manipulated in a fashion which is most unlikely to occur accidentally.

It is a further prime object of the present invention to devise a folding catch construction which can be closed and opened with far greater facility than has heretofore been deemed possible, and which adds to rather than detracts from the ornamental appearance of the catch when closed.

It is a further object of the present invention to devise a catch having the characteristics described above which can be formed easily and inexpensively from parts which may readily be manufactured in quantity production without requiring any high degree of dimensional accuracy.

To these ends, the bracelet of the present invention corn- 3,345,705 Patented Oct. 10, 1967 prises a plurality of foldably related sections which, when they are folded closed, carry first `and second parts which are moved into opposing positions. One of these parts is provided with an element which projects therefrom toward the other palt and preferably is resiliently urged in that direction. The other of the parts is provided with a recess having two communicating portions which are laterally disposed relative to one another, the projecting element carried by the first part being adapted to be received in one or the other of those recess portions. When the projecting element is received in the first recess portion, hereinafter termed the retention portion, the two parts, and consequently the bracelet sections, are retained in closed folded position. When the projecting element on the first part is received in the second recess section, hereinafter termed the escape portion, the projecting element `can freely pass therethrough and escape therefrom, and consequently the bracelet sections are free to fold or unfold. The first catch part which carries the projecting element is mounted on its associated bracelet section so as to be movable between first and second positions in which the projecting element registers respectively with the retention portion and the escape portion of the recess. Resilient means is active on said first part so as to urge it to its first position, said first part being accessible so as to be manually movable to its second position.

When the bracelet sections are moved to their folded closed position, a surface of the second part engages the projecting element on the first part. In the preferred form here disclosed, in which the projecting element is resiliently outwardly urged from the first part which carries it, cam means are provided which force the projecting element in a direction into the part which carries it as Y the bracelet sections are moved to closed position, the

projecting element thereafter, under the influence of the resilient means acting therein, snapping into the retention portion of the recess when the sections have been moved to fully closed position. The sections will then remain in closed position until the part which carries the projecting element is moved, against the Iaction of the resilient means active thereon, to a position in which the projecting element comes into registration with the escape portion of the recess, after which the bracelet sections may be uni folded to open position. It is preferred, and it is here specifically disclosed, that resilient means be active on the bracelet sections so as to urge them to open unfolded condition, so that all that need be done to open the bracelet is to move the aforementioned first part laterally to its second position, the bracelet thereafter springing to its open unfolded condition.

To the accomplishment of the above, and to such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to the construction of a folding catch arrangement for bracelets 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 side elevational View of a braclet including a catch of the present invention, the catch being shown in folded closed position;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the braacelet of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. l, but in which the catch is shown in broken lines in partially unfolded condition and in solid lines in fully unfolded condition;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan View on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4, showing that joint of the clasp which carries the resilient extension means;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale,

3 taken' along the line 6 6 of FIG. 4, and showing one of the catch parts in a first position;

FIG. 7 is a View similar to FIG. 6, but showing said catch part in a second position;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional View, on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 8 8 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the line 9 9 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 1() is a front elevational view of the end wall carried by one of the bracelet sections, showing the configuration of the recess which is adapted to receive the projecting element on the cooperating catch part.

As shown in FIG. 1, the invention is here disclosed as embodied in a watch bracelet having body sections generally designated 2 and 4 ends of which are secured in any appropriate manner to a watch generally designated 6. The other end of the body section 2 is secured to a section generally designated 6 and comprising a housing defined by a top wall 8 and side walls 10 provided -with registering pairs of apertures 12. The free end of the body section 2 is received between the side walls 10 and beneath the top wall 8, is held vertically in place by a bottom strip 14 forming a rigid part of the section 6, and is secured in telescopably adjusted position relative to the section 6 by means of a pin 16 carried by the end of the body section 2 and adjustably received in a desired pair of opposed apertures 12, thereby to provide for adjustment of the circumference of the bracelet in known fashion.

T-he section 6 terminates in an end wall 18, best shown in FIG. 10, an extension of which is bent back to define a bottom wall of abbreviated length. A recess in the form of a slot generally designated 22 is formed in the end wall 18 and the bottom wall 20, that slot 22 comprising a rst or retention portion 24 which is closed top and bottom and a second or escape portion 26 which is closed at its top but open at its bottom, the portions 24 and 26 being laterally spaced from and communicating with one another.

A bracelet section 28 is pivotally connected at one end, at 30, to the section 6 and is pivotally connected at its other end. at 32, to another bracelet section 34. The pivotal connection at 32 between the sections 28 and 34, as may best be seen from FIG. 5, is preferably of a hinge type with a spring 36 wound about the hinge pin and having fingers 38 and 40 active respectively on the sections 28 and 34 so as to tend to pivot them outwardly with respect to one another to unfolded extended condition.

The section 34 is pivotally connected in any conventional manner at its other end, at 42, to the free end of the body section 4.

Mounted on the section 34 adjacent the pivot point 42 is a housing generally designated 44, which comprises a top wall 46, end walls 48 and side walls `50 and 52 facing respectively toward and away from the bracelet body section 4. A support plate 54 is secured to the upper surface of the section 34 in any appropriate manner, as by means of the rivets 56, and is provided with a raised portion 58 of abbreviated length, from which a member 60 extends upwardly. The housing 44 is received over t-he raised portion 58 of the support plate 54 and receives that portion 58 and the member 60 within itself, the housing 44 being laterally slidably retained on the raised portion 58 of the support plate 54 by having iingers 62 extending from the end walls 48 thereof and bent so as to be received in the space between the section 34 and said raised portion 58. The end 64 of the support plate 54 may be bent to define a pintle constituting the means by which the free end of the body section 4 is, at 42, pivotally secured to the section 4.

The side wall 52 of the housing 44 is provided with an aperture 66. Received within the housing 44 is a plate 68 having a nose element 70 projecting therefrom, the

nose being passable through the aperture 66 in the housing wall 52 and the plate `68 being receivable against the inner surface of that housing wall 52. A leaf spring 72 is received within the housing 44 and is compressed between the plate 68 and the inner surface of the housing wall 50, thereby resiliently urging the plate 68 against the wall 52 and locating the nose 70 in a position projecting beyond the outer surface of the housing wall 52.

The free end 74 of one of the leaves of the spring 72 is bent laterally, as may best be seen in FIG. 8, and a coil spring 76 is compressed between it and the member 60 extending up from the raised portion 58 of the support plate 54. Since the other end of the leaf spring 72 abuts against t-he housing end wall 48, it will be seen that the spring 76 serves to urge the housing 44 to the right as viewed in FIGS. 6 8, the engagement between the member 60 and the corresponding housing end wall 48 limiting movement of the housing 44 in that springurged direction.

When the housing 44 is in its spring-urged position as illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 6 and 8, and when the articulately associated sections 6, 28 and 34 are moved to their folded closed position as is shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the nose 70 which extends out from the housing 44 is at least partially in registration with the retention portion 24 of the slot 22 in the wall 18 (see FIG. 8). The upper surface 78 of the projecting portion of the nose 70, that is to say, the surface thereof directed toward the wall 18 as the latter approaches the element 70 when the bracelet sections are folded to closed position, is inclined downwardly and outwardly, as may be seen from FIG. 9, thereby constituting a carn means cooperable with the lower edge of the wall 18I to force the nose element 7i) into the housing 44, against the action of the spring 72.

The housing 44 is preferably located substantially completely inside the vertical projection of that area of the bracelet where it is located, and in the form here specifically disclosed it is shown as being of the same width as that area of the bracelet, this relationship being advantageous with regard to facilitating manipulation of the catch as well as causing the bracelet to present an attractive appearance. When the clasp is closed the section 28 and the major portion of the section 34 are folded under and hidden from view by the section 6, while the top walls 8 and 46 of the section 6 and the housing 44 respectively are at substantially the same level, Athe height of the housing 44 being substantially the same `as the height of the end wall 18 of the section 6. In this way a very substantial and attractive appearance is presented, the exposed surfaces of the section 6 and the housing 44 may lbe ornamented in any desired manner, either to blend or contr-ast, while at the same time the housing 44 is rendered accessible from the exterior of the bracelet for manual manipulation.

When the bracelet is to be closed all that need be done is to fold the section 28 beneath the section 6 and to fold the section 34 beneath the section 28, against the action of the spring 36. When this is done the lower edge of the end wall 18 of the section 6 will be moved down to engage the surface 78 of the nose element 70, thus camming that element 70 inwardly against the action of the leaf spring 72 and permitting the folding and closing action to continue until the retention portion 24 of the slot 22 is brought into registration with the nose element 70. When this occurs the leaf spring 72 will cause the nose element 70 to snap into the slot retention portion 24 and the bracelet and catch will then be retained in fully folded `closed condition. The spring 36 will tend to unfold the catch, but this will be prevented by engagement 4between the projecting nose element 70 and the lower edge of the retention slot portion 24. Indeed, the action of the spring 36, in forcibly urging the nose element 70 against the closed lower end of the rentention slotr portion 24,- inhibits accidental opening of the bracelet by frictionally restraining the nose element 70 from accidentally moving laterally into registration with the open- -bottomed slot escape portion 26, such movement of the nose element 70 also being prevented by the action of the spring 76 which urges the housing 44 to the right as viewed in FIGS. 6-8.

When the catch is to be opened, all that one need do is exert lateral force on the housing 44, as indicated by the arrow 80 in FIG. 7, moving it laterally against the action of the spring 76, thereto to bring the projecting nose element 70 completely into registration with the open-bottomed slot escape portion 26. When this has been done the spring 36 will be free to pivot the sections 32 and 34 to their unfolded open position, after which, if desired, the section 6 can be pivoted to its unfolded open position relative to the section 28.

From the above it will be apparent that the functioning of the clasp to close or open the bracelet may be accomplished in an extremely facile manner which can easily be carried out by one hand; that when the catch is closed it is positively held in closed position, as distinguished from being held therein frictionally or by a sp-ring detent; and that the manipulation required to open the catchlateral movement of the housing 44 against the action of the spring '7G-is a movement to which it is unlikely that the catch will be accidentally subjected while in use.

The parts can easily be made of sheet material in accordance with known quantity production procedures and with available automatic machinery. The parts need not be made to any particularly high degree of mechanical tolerance, and they can be readily assembled.

While but a single embodiment of the present invention has been here specifically disclosed, it will be apparent that many variations may be made therein. Purely by Way of example, the camming action which automatically occurs when the bracelet sections are moved toward their folded closed condition could be effective to move the housing 44 against the action of the coil spring 76, thereby to bring the nose 70 into registration with the open bottom of the escape portion 26 of the slot 22, the nose 70 moving with the housing 44 so as to enter the slot retention portion 24 once a fully folded closed condition is attained, thereafter retaining the clasp in folded closed condition until the housing 44 is manually moved laterally so as to reverse the process. These and other changes will all be seen to be within the scope of the instant invention as defined in t-he following claims.

I claim:

1. In a bracelet comprising a plurality of sections some of which are foldably related to adjacent sections and are adapted to be folded and unfolded between open and closed positions respectively, said bracelet including means for releasably retaining said sections in folded closed position; the improvement which comprises said lretaining means comprising first and second parts operatively connected to first and second bracelet sections Irespectively and brought int-o opposition when said sections are in folded closed position, one of said parts having a projecting element and the other of said parts having a recess into which said element is received when said sections are folded closed, said recess including a retention portion and an escape portion in laterally spaced relationship, said one of said parts being movable relative to the bracelet section on which it is mounted between first and second positions in which said element is in registration with said retention and escape recess portions respectively, and resilient means urging said one of said parts to its first position, said one of said parts being accessible from the exterior of said bracelet for manual movement to said second position, said bracelet being retained in closed position when said element is received in said retention recess portion and said bracelet being movable between closed and open positions when said element is in said escape recess portion, said element ybeing articulately mounted on said. one of sai-d parts, and additional resilient means active on said element to urge it outwardly relative to said one of said parts, said element having cam means thereon engageable by the other of said parts as said sections :are folded to closed condition and effective to move said element inwardly relative to said one of said parts against the action of said additional resilient means.

2. The bracelet of claim l, in which said one of said parts, when in its first position, is located substantially completely inside a vertical projection of that area of said bracelet where it is located.

3. The bracelet of claim 1, in which said 'one of said parts is located on one of said bracelet sections, another of said bracelet sections having a top wall beneath which said foldably related panels are received when in folded condition and having an end wall in which said recess is formed, said end wall comprising said other of said parts.

4. The bracelet of claim 1, in which said y'one of said parts is located on one of said bracelet sections, another of said bracelet sections having a top wall beneath which said foldably related panels are received when in folded condition and having an end Wall in which said recess is formed, said end wall comprising said other of said parts, said one of said parts, when in its first position, being substantially completely inside a vertical projection of that area of said bracelet where it is located,

5. The bracelet of claim 1, in which said one of Said parts is located on one of said bracelet sections, another of said bracelet sections having a top wall beneath which said foldably related panels are received when in folded condition and having an end Wall in which said recess is formed, said end Wall comprising said other of said parts, said one of said parts, when in its first position, being substantially completely inside a vertical projection of that area of said bracelet where it is located and having a height substantially equal to that of said end wall of said other of said sections.

6. In a bracelet comprising a plurality of sections some of which are foldably related to adjacent sections and are adapted to be folded and unfolded between open and closed positions respectively, said bracelet including means for releasably retaining said sections .in folded closed position; the improvement which comprises said retaining means comprising rst and second parts -operatively connected to first and second bracelet sections respectively and brought into opposition when said sections are in folded closed position, one of said parts having a projecting element and the other of said parts having a recess into which said element is received when said sections are folded closed, said recess including a retention portion and an escape portion in laterally spaced relationship, said one of said parts being movable relative tothe bracelet section on which it is mounted between first and second positions in which said element is in registration with said retention and escape recess portions respectively, and resilient means urging said one of said parts to its first position, said one of said parts being accessible from the eX- terior of said bracelet for manual movement to said second position, said bracelet being retained in closed position when said element is received in said retention recess portion and said bracelet being movable between closed and open positions when said element is in said escape recess portion, said one of said parts, when in its first position, being-located substantially completely inside a vertical projection of that area of said bracelet where it is located.

7. In a bracelet comprising `a plurality of sections some of which are foldably related to adjacent sections and are adapted to be folded and unfolded between open and closed positions respectively, said bracelet including means for releasably retaining said sections in folded closed position; the improvement which comprises said retaining means comprising first and second parts operatively connected to first and second bracelet sections respectively and brought into opposition when said sections are in folded closed position, one of said parts having a projecting element and the other of said parts having a recess into which said element is received when said sections are folded closed, said recess including a retention portion and an escape portion in laterally spaced relationship, said one of said parts being movable relative to the bracelet section on which it is mounted between first and second positions in which said element is in registration with said retention and escape recess portions respectively, and resilient means urging said one of said parts to its first position, said one of said parts being accessible from the exterior of said bracelet for manual movement to said second position, said bracelet being retained in closed position when said element is received in said retention recess portion and said bracelet being movable between closed and open positions when said element is in said escape recess portion, said one of said parts being located on one of said bracelet sections, another of-said bracelet sections having a top wall beneath which said foldably related panels are received when in folded condition and having an end wall in which said recess is formed, said end wall comprising said other of said parts.

8. The bracelet of claim 7, in which said one of said parts, when in its first position, is substantially completely inside a vertical projection of that area of said bracelet Where it is located.

9. The bracelet of claim 7, in which said one of said parts, when in its first position, is substantially completely inside a vertical projection of that area of said bracelet where it is located, and has a height substantially equal to that of said end wall of said other of said sections.

10. In a bracelet comprising a plurality of sections some of which are foldably related to adjacent sections and are adapted to be folded and unfolded between open and closed positions respectively, said bracelet including means for releasably retaining said sections in folded closed position; the improvement which comprises said retaining means comprising first and second parts operatively connected to first and second bracelet sections respectively and brought into opposition when said sections are in folded closed position, one of said parts having a projecting element and the other of said parts having a recess into which said element is received when said sections are folded closed, said recess including a retention portion and an escape portion in laterally spaced relationship, said one of said parts being movable relative to the bracelet section on which it is mounted between first and second positions in which said element is in registration with said retention and escape recess portions respectively, and resilient means urging said one of said parts to its first position, said one of said parts being accessible from the exterior of said bracelet for manual movement to said second position, said bracelet being retained in closed position when said element is received in said retention recess portion and said bracelet being movable between closed and open positions when said element is in said eS- cape recess portion, said one of said parts comprising a housing mounted on said bracelet for lateral movement, said bracelet having a member extending up into said housing, said resilient means comprising a spring operative between said housing and said member.

11. The bracelet of claim 10, in which said housing has a wall facing the other of said parts when said sections are folded closed, said wall having an opening therein, said projecting element having a part extending through said opening from the interior of said housing and having a part in said housing and engaging said housing to limit the degree to which said element extends beyond said housing, and additional resilient means active on said element to urge it outwardly from said housing.

12. The bracelet of claim 10, in which said housing has a wall facing the other of said parts when said sections are folded closed, said wall having an opening therein, said projecting element having a part extending through said opening from the interior of said housing and having a part in said housing and engaging said housing to limit the degree to which said element extends beyond said housing, and additional resilient means active on said element to urge it outwardly from said housing, said element having cam means thereon engageable by said other of said parts as said sections are folded to closed condition and effective to move said element inwardly relative to said one of said parts against the action of said additional resilient means.

13. The bracelet of claim 10, in which said one of said parts is located :on one of said bracelet sections, another of said bracelet sections having a top wall beneath which said foldably related panels are received when in folded condition and having an end wall in which said recess is formed, said end wall comprising said other of said parts.

14. The bracelet of claim 10, in which said housing has a wall facing the other of said parts when said sections are folded closed, said wall having an opening therein, said projecting element having a part extending through said opening from the interior of said housing and having a part in said housing and engaging said housing to limit the degree to which said element extends beyond said housing, and additional resilient means active on said element to urge it outwardly from said housing, said element having cam means thereon engageable by said other of said parts as said sections are folded to closed condition and effective to move said element inwardly relative to said one of said parts against the action of said additional resilient means, another of said bracelet sections having a top wall beneath which said foldably related panels are received when in folded condition and having an end wall in which said recess is formed, said end wall comprising said other of said parts, said one of said parts, when in itS first position, being substantially completely inside a vertical projection of that area of said bracelet where it is l0- cated.

15. The bracelet lof claim 10, in which said resilient means is effective to urge said housing against said member, said member thus acting as a positive stop for said housing in said first position thereof.

16. The bracelet of claim 15, in which said housing has a wall facing the other of said parts when said sections are folded closed, said wall having an opening therein, said projecting element having a part extending through said opening from the interior of said housing and having a part in said housing and engaging said housing to limit the degree to which said element extends beyond said housing, and additional resilient means active on said element to urge it outwardly from said housing.

17. The bracelet of claim 15, in which said housing has a wall facing the other of said parts when said sections are folded closed, said wall having an opening therein, said projecting element having a part extending through said opening from the interior of said housing and having a part in said housing and engaging said housing to limit the degree to which said element extends beyond said housing, and additional resilient means active on said element to urge it outwardly from said housing, said element having cam means thereon engageable by said other of said parts as said Sections are folded to closed condition and effective to move said element inwardly relative to said one of said parts against the action of said additional resilient means.

18. The bracelet of claim 15, in which said one of said parts is located on one of said bracelet sections, another of said bracelet sections having a top wall beneath which said foldably related panels are received when in folded condition and having an end wall in which said recess is formed.

19. The bracelet of claim 15, in which said housing has a wall facing the other of said parts when said sections are folded closed, said wall having an opening therein, said projecting element having a part extending through said opening from the interior of said housing and having a part in said housing and engaging said housing to limit the degree to which said element extends beyond said housing, and additional resilient means active on said element to urge it outwardly from said housing, said element having cam means thereon eng-ageable by said other of said parts as said sections are folded to closed condition and eiective to move said element inwardly relative to said one of said parts against the action of said additional resilient means, another of said bracelet sections having a top wall beneath which said foldably related panels are received when in folded condition and having an end wall in which said recess is formed, said end wall comprising said other of said parts, said one of said parts, when in its rst position, being substantially completely inside a vertical projection of that area of said bracelet where it is located and having a height substantially equal to that of said end wall of said other ot said sections.

20. In a bracelet comprising a plurality of sections some of which are foldably related to adjacent sections and are adapted to be folded and unfolded between open and closed positions respectively, said bracelet including means for releasably retaining said sections in folded closed position; the improvement which comprises said retaining means comprising first and second parts operatively connected to rst and second bracelet sections respectively and brought into opposition when said sections are in folded closed position, one of said parts having a projecting element and the other of said parts hav- .ing a recess into which said element is received when said sections are folded closed, said recess including a retention portion and an escape portion in laterally spaced relationship, said one of said parts being movable relative to the bracelet section on which it is mounted between iirst and second positions in which said element is in registration with said retention and escape recess portion respectively, and resilient means urging said one of said parts to its first position, said one of said parts being accessible from the exterior of said bracelet for manual movement to said second position, said bracelet being retained in closed position when said element is received in said retention recess portion and said bracelet being movable between closed and open positions when said element is in said escape recess portion, cam means on said one and said other of said parts respectively, said cam means being engageable when said sections are folded toward closed condition and being eifective to move said element out of the way of said other of said parts until said sections are substantially in folded closed position, thereafter releasing said element for movement into said retention portion of said recess, said one of said parts comprising a housing mounted on said bracelet for lateral movement, said bracelet having a member extending up into said housing, said resilient means comprising a spring operative between said housing and said member.

21. The bracelet of claim 20, in which said spring is effective to urge said housing against said member, said member thus acting as a positive stop for said housing in said iirst position thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,042,154 5/1936 Johnson 24-71 2,268,255 12/ 1941 Kasther 24--71 2,532,840 12/1950 Gaun 2A--71 2,549,016 4/1951 Rounds 24-71 2,613,415 10/1952 Ritter 24--71 MILTON S. MEHR, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A BRACELET COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SECTIONS SOME OF WHICH ARE FOLDABLY RELATED TO ADJACENT SECTIONS AND ARE ADAPTED TO BE FOLDED AND UNFOLDED BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS RESPECTIVELY, SAID BRACELET INCLUDING MEANS FOR RELEASABLY RETAINING SAID SECTIONS IN FOLDED CLOSED POSITION; THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES SAID RETAINING MEANS COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND PARTS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO FIRST AND SECOND PARTS OPRESPECTIVELY AND BROUGHT INTO OPPOSITION WHEN SAID SECTIONS ARE IN FOLDED CLOSED POSITION, ONE OF SAID PARTS HAVING A PROJECTING ELEMENT AND THE OTHER OF SAID PARTS HAVING A RECESS INTO WHICH SAID ELEMENT IS RECEIVED WHEN SAID SECTIONS ARE FOLDED CLOSED, SAID RECESS INCLUDING A RETENTION PORTION AND AN ESCAPE PORTION IN LATERALLY SPACED RELATIONSHIP, SAID ONE OF SAID PARTS BEING MOVABLE RELATIVE TO THE BRACELET SECTION ON WHICH IT IS MOUNTED BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS IN WHICH SAID ELEMENT IS IN REGISTRATION WITH SAID RETENTION AND ESCAPE RECESS PORTIONS RESPECTIVELY, AND RESILIENT MEANS URGING SAID ONE OF SAID PARTS TO ITS FIRST POSITION, SAID ONE OF SAID PARTS BEING ACCESSIBLE FROM THE EXTERIOR OF SAID BRACELET FOR MANUAL MOVEMENT TO SAID SECOND POSITION, SAID BRACELET BEING RETAINED IN CLOSED POSITION WHEN SAID ELEMENT IS RECEIVED IN SAID RETENTION RECESS PORTION AND SAID BRACELET BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN CLOSED AND OPEN POSITIONS WHEN SAID ELEMENT IS IN SAID ESCAPE RECESS PORTION, SAID ELEMENT BEING ARTICULATELY MOUNTED ON SAID ONE OF SAID PARTS, AND ADDITIONAL RESILIENT MEANS ACTIVE ON SAID ELEMENT TO URGE IT OUTWARDLY RELATIVE TO SAID ONE OF SAID PARTS, SAID ELEMENT HAVING CAM MEANS THEREON ENGAGEABLE BY THE OTHER OF SAID PARTS AS SAID SECTIONS ARE FOLDED TO CLOSED CONDITION AND EFFECTIVE TO MOVE SAID ELEMENT INWARDLY RELATIVE TO SAID ONE OF SAID PARTS AGAINST THE ACTION OF SAID ADDITIONAL RESILIENT MEANS.

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