US3365154A

US3365154A - Instrument holder and base therefor

Info

Publication number: US3365154A
Application number: US490242A
Authority: US
Inventors: Victor E Hofmann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-09-27
Filing date: 1965-09-27
Publication date: 1968-01-23
Anticipated expiration: 1985-01-23

Description

Jan. 23, 1968 v. E. HOFMANN $365,154

INSTRUMENT HOLDER AND BASE THEREFOR Filed Sept. 27, 1965 INVENTOR: V10 rm 5 Ham/1mm 1 ATTys.

United States Patent F 3,365,154 INSTRUMENT HOLDER AND BASE THEREFOR Victor E. Hofmann, 608 Winthrop St., Toledo, Ohio 43620 Filed Sept. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 490,242

11 Claims. (Cl. 248-116) ABSTRACT (3F THE DISCLGSURE A holder and a base member to support a watch, or similar instrument, the holder having resilient arms to embrace the watch, a pair of rearwardly extended finger loops formed integrally with the arms, and a link slidable along the loops to modify the resilience of the holder. The base member embodies means with which the loops may be separably engaged for supporting the watch thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in instrument holders of the type described in my United States Letters Patent No. 2,600,771.

In that patent there are described holders for instruments such as time pieces, which holders comprise generally a plurality of arms diverging from a common central region, the arms being provided with pre-shaped extremities adapted to embrace a portion of the periphery of an instrument such as a timepiece or more particularly a stop-watch. The holder also includes rearwardly extending loops or loop portions adapted to be engaged by a users finger to facilitate the support of the instrument in the users hand.

The present invention comprises a mounting element or platform for such a holder adapted to support the instrument and its holder in a predetermined or predefined operating position on a supporting surface; in addition, the invention comprises a modified form of holder and base therefor having new and novel engaging means for engaging an instrument, and furthermore comprises means for regulating the degree of resiliency or holding pressure to be exerted by the holder on the instrument.

The mounting element or platform comprises a base portion and an upwardly extending projection thereon having notches oppositely disposed therein to receive loop portions of the holder and thereby support both the holder and the instrument held thereby in a convenient, stable generally erect, partially tilt-back position on a supporting surface such as a table, shelf or the like, in a manner to present a full face view of the instrument to a user and facilitate the operation thereof. A stop-watch supported in this manner may be operated through the customary start-stop steps by a more or less rapid manipulation of the operating buttons on the watch with a minimum of effort by the user as compared to ones physically and manually holding a watch in operating position for such manipulation. The face of the watch will be visible from its nominally erect position when held in the holder of this invention, and manipulation of the mechanisms of the watch will be simple and free.

The holder may be quickly and readily attached to or removed from the base by the interaction of the notches in the projection element with the lower edges of the loop portions of the holder, by a simple rotative movement of one part with respect to the other. When it is desired that the watch be carried in the users hand it is necessary only to turn or rotate the base portion a quarter turn with respect to the holder, and the holder will be set free from the base. A finger of the user may then be passed through the loops at the rear of the holder in a manner that the watch may be held firmly in the palm of the hand. It may then be operated in a facile manner with the fingers of either hand; furthermore, the watch 3,365,154 Patented Jan. 23, 1968 may be seen and read clearly without the nuisance or interference of fingers being in the way as when they at least partially overlap the face of the watch if a holder such as described is not used.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide a new, novel and economic instrument holder and removable base therefor adapted for supporting an instrument in a predetermined position.

Another object of this invention is to provide an instrument holder having novel means for holding captive a portion of an instrument being held thereby.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for resiliently holding an instrument and having associated therewith means for regulating the degree of resiliency by which said instrument is held.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a base element for engaging an instrument holder having means for facilitating the engagement or disengagement of said holder from said base.

To this end there is provided an instrument holder and base therefor which together are adapted for mutual cooperation for supporting an instrument in a desired position on a suitable supporting surface; the base comprising a generally broad and essentially flat main element having an upwardly extending relatively short cylindrical mound shaped projection at or near the central region thereof, the projection having a pair of opposed notches near the bottom thereof adapted to receive cooperating portions of the instrument holder, so that the holder may be engaged with or disengaged from the base with a minimum of time or effort.

The invention also includes means adjustably mounted on the holder for regulating the tension by which the holder may grip the instrument being supported thereby.

The above mentioned objects and other features of the invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention will be best understood by reference to the following specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the device of the invention showing an instrument as it may be held in a desired position thereby;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 1 showing the parts in operating position;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device which illustrates a procedure for engaging or disengaging the holder element and the base element;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the base element illustrating the relative position of the notches therein;

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2, illustrating the manner in which the tension of the holder may be regulated, and also showing the holder being supported on the base element;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional fragmentary view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4, showing parts of the invention in disengaged position;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view illustrating the path of movement of a means for adjusting the holding tension of the device;

FIG. 8 is a detail perspective view of an adjustment device in blank form before being attached to the holder;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional fragmentary view of a modified form of base having hook elements associated therewith; and,

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a further modified form of holding means wherein the planar surface of the base element is provided with slots having otpposed ear portions formed therein adapted to engage the holder.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a base element 10 has a generally flat top surface 12 upon which an instrument w such as a stop-watch 14 and an instrument holder 16 may be mutually supported. Near the central region of the surface 12 an upwardly extending projection 18 of generally circular form is provided, the projection having a pair of notches 20 formed therein to receive a pair of ring-like loops or appendages 22 formed on the holder 16. This construction provides means for maintaining a predetermined and generally erect position of the instrument .14 and permits the manipulation or operation of the instrument without being held or carried by the user. An abutment element 23 is provided on the base 12 for the purpose of providing a rest against which the watch 14 may be urged during nominal flexure of the parts as the stem 28 is depressed during use. The loops may be of a size and shape to generally fit a finger of a users hand and when the instrument and its holder are removed from the base the loops 22 in encircling the finger will securely fix the watch in operating position in the users hand.

The instrument holder 16 may be formed of a single length of resilient material such as in the range of .060" to .080" diameter spring wire and comprises a bail portion 26 (FIG. 3) adapted for engagement with a stem 28 of the instrument 14. The bail portion 26 is shaped to fit the stem 28 and to generally encircle it in a manner to prevent ordinary detachment therefrom. In fact extraordinary attention is required to attach or detach the bail portion of the holder from the watch; the particular method for attachment, however, will be more fully described hereinafter.

A tensioner bar or clip 34 may be located on the loops 22 for the purpose of regulating the degree of holding power of the side arms 30 against the instrument 32. The degree of holding power may be a maximum when the clip is moved to the full line position 34, as viewed in FIG. 7, and may be a minimum when in the dotted line position 34a.

When it is desired to attach the instrument 14 and the holder 16 to the base 10 it is only necessary to guide the lower parts of the loops 22 over the projection 18 of the base and then rotate the base relative to the holder until the loops 22 snap into the notches 20. The tensioner clip 34 may be moved on the loops 22 to a position where the best holding power is attained. In order to remove the holder from the base it may be rotated approximately 90 degrees as seen in FIG. 3, whereby the loops will be caused to spread sufficiently to be set free of the notches 20 and permit removal of the holder therefrom.

In operation, the holder 16 may be attached to the watch 14 in the following manner. The stem 28 may be directed to a position 28a between the loops 22 (FIG. 7), then passed upwardly with a curved movement turning the watch to a vertical position whereby the stem 28 will be caused to slip into engaged position within the bail and held at least partially captive therein. The extremities 30 of the holder 16 may then be snapped outwardly into place over the lower portion of the watch. A reversal of the above procedure may be used when detachment of the parts is desired. After the holder 16 has been attached to the Watch 14, the tensioner element 34 may be moved to a position on the loops 22 where a suitable regulation of the holding pressure of the holder on the watch is attained, and the holder 16 may then be attached to the base 12 as heretofore described.

This invention therefore provides a very simple, economic and expeditious manner of mounting a stop-watch in an operating position on a table, the user being free to manipulate the watch in the usual way. The watch and holder may be readily detached from the base and may be carried in the palm of the hand safe against dislodgement merely by slipping a finger through the loops of the holder. This is an important feature when timing a sports event, or conducting time studies in factories and so on, because the watch may be carried unobtrusively and may be manipulated freely without the aid of straps or other encumbrances, the watch always remaining in proper operating position in the users hand. With the watch held in this manner the loops 22 remain snugly on the finger and the watch may be easily and quickly operated in the usual manner without the danger of slipping or flipping out of the desired position. The fingers remain relatively relaxed and the watch is protected against sudden jolts or forces which might otherwise dislodge the watch from the users hand.

When it is desired to attach the instrument 14 and its holder 16 to the base 10, it is only necessary to guide the lower parts of the loops 22 over the projection 18 of the base and then rotate the base relative to the holder until the loops 22 snap into the notches 20. The tensioner clip 34 maybe moved on the loops 22 to a position where the best holding power is attained. In order to remove the holder from the base it may be rotated approximately degrees as seen in FIG. 3, whereby the loops will be spread sufficiently to be set free of the notches 20 and permit removal of the holder therefrom.

A modified form of the invention is shown in FIG. 9 and comprises a base element 10a having a pair of upstanding hook members 36 formed thereon adapted to engage the loops 22 of the holder. A simple rotative movement of the holder may be used in this form also to engage or disengage the holder from the base.

A further modified form of the invention is shown in FIG. 10 and comprises a base element 10b having oppositely arranged slots 38 formed therein adapted to receive the loops 22 of the holder, the slots being provided with ears 40 adapted to engage the lower portions of the loops 22 of the holder and to securely hold the loops therein. The slots may be shaped with a predetermined curved contour adapted to guide or cam the loops 22 away and out of engagement with the ears 40 when the base is rotated, to facilitate removal of the loops and thence the holder from the base.

While there is described above the principles of this invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A holder for a timepiece, said holder comprising 1) arms adapted to embrace and retain a timepiece, said arms extending generally vertically relative to and having terminal portions engageable with; a timepiece retained thereby, (2) a pair of rearwardly extending, laterally spaced and generally vertically oriented finger loops structurally integral with said arm and located generally centrally thereof, the lowermost segments of said loops lying at a level close to but below the level of the lowermost portions of said arms and forming therewith a supporting easel for a timepiece retained thereby, said loops also being resistant to lateral displacement relative to each other, and (3) a base comprising (a) a generally horizontal platform and (b) means on the upper surface of said platform for separable engagement with the lower segments of said loops for restraining said loops against disengagement while providing for relative movement of said means and said loops circumferentially of said loops.

2. A holder according to claim 1 in which the arms and loops are integrally formed of a single length of resilient wire that is adapted to be looped around the front of the stern of the timepiece and that has two lower, outwardly directed arms for embracing the edge of the timepiece.

3. A holder according to claim 1 and means engaged with the loops for restraining said loops against lateral displacement.

4. A holder according to claim 1 in which the loops are resilient and the means on the platform consists of an upwardly extending projection having a major lateral dimension greater than the lateral distance between the lowermost segments of said loops and undercuts on up. posite sides thereof that are engageable by said loops.

5. In a support for an instrument having a periphery, the combination of a platform, a holder of resilient wire adapted for engagement with said instrument comprising a plurality of divergent arms, hook-shaped terminal portions on said arms adapted to embrace the periphery of the instrument to be supported, a pair of loops extending rearwardly from said arms in spaced apart relation with each other, said platform comprising a base portion and a projection thereon having contrapositioned notches therein in engagement with said loops, said notches being spaced farther apart than said loops when said loops are in their relaxed state, said loops being in their unrelaxed state when held in said notches.

6. A support for an instrument of generally circular form, said support comprising a holder formed of a single length of wire, a pair of arms on the holder having arcuate terminal portions adapted to engage lower portions of the instrument, an intermediate bail portion of the wire extending upwardly from the arms adapted to engage an upwardly extending stem of the instrument, loop portions formed in said wire between said bail portion and said arms, and a base comprising means to engage lower portions of said loops.

7. In a timepiece holder formed of resilient wire and comprising a frame, the combination of at least three laterally divergent arms two of which comprise generally arcuately shaped terminal portions adapted to embrace the periphery of a timepiece, the third of which arms comprises a bail portion adapted to embrace a stern portion of the timepiece, loops associated with said frame extending rearwardly therefrom in spaced apart relation with each other, and regulating means slidable along said loops to regulate the spacing of said loops and the resilience of said arms.

8. A holder for a timepiece, said holder comprising (1) arms adapted to embrace and retain a timepiece t-herebetween, said arms extending generally vertically relative to and having terminal portions engageable with a timepiece retained thereby, (2) a pair of rearwardly extending, laterally spaced and generally vertically oriented finger loops structurally integral with said arms and locatable generally centrally of a timepiece retained by said arms, the lowermost portions of said loops lying at a level close to but below the level of the lowermost portions of said arms and forming therewith a supporting easel for a timepiece retained thereby, and (3) adjustment means associated with said loops to regulate the retention force 5 of the holder.

9. A holder formed of resilient wire for a timepiece, said holder comprising (1) arms adapted to embrace and retain a timepiece therebetween, (2) a pair of rearwardly extending generally parallel and laterally spaced finger loops formed integrally with said arms, and (3) adjustment means associated with said loops to vary the lateral spacing thereof and the retention force of said arms.

10. A base for an instrument supporting means, said means having a pair of laterally spaced, generally vertically oriented loops that extend generally rearwardly of an instrument supported thereby, said base having (1) a generally centrally located portion defining a pair of generally fore and aft extending slots therein that are laterally spaced equally from opposite sides of a vertical central plane and that are of opposite hand, and (2) projections extending horizontally and transversely relative to such central plane and overlying the lowermost portions of said loops when said loops are engaged in said slots, whereby rotation of said instrument supporting means relative to said base on a generally vertical axis lying in said central plane disengages said loops from beneath said projections.

11. A base element according to claim It in which the centrally located portion of said base consists of an upwardly extending protrusion and the slots are defined by undercuts in opposed sides of said protrusion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS JOHN PETO, Primary Examiner.