US3517501A - Watch crown in narrow recess - Google Patents

Description

June 30, 1970' H. u. KLINGENBERG ,5

WATCH CROWN IN NARROW RECESS Filed March 4, 1968 rzwwo/e Imp/S ukU/VGEWB Em United States Patent WATCH CROWN IN NARROW RECESS Hans Ulrich Klingenberg, St. Niklaus, near Merzligen, Bern, Switzerland Filed Mar. 4, 1968, Ser. No. 710,154 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Mar. 6, 1967,

3,223/67 Int. Cl. G04b 37/10 US. Cl. 58-88 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A watch crown and the combination of a crown with a watchcase wherein the crown is arranged to be shielded by adjacent portions of the watchcase and to transmit shocks and stresses to said case rather than to the movement stem, said crown being of elongated narrow form so as to lend itself more readily to such shielding and also so as to present surfaces adapted to deflect any blows imposed against said crown.

This invention relates to an improved form of crown for the winding stem of a watch movement and to an improved arrangement of said crown relative to the watchcase.

Specifically, the invention involves a novel elongated shape for the winding stern crown in contrast to conventional circular shaped crowns, and also involves a novel seating arrangement of the crown on the watchcase.

It is well known that in small watches, such as wrist and pocket watches, the winding and setting stem extends radially outward from the movement to a gripping crown which is located along the external periphery of the watchcase. The exposed crown, therefore, is susceptible to shocks and stresses from without which are in turn transmitted to the winding stem, and in the case of watertight watches, such shocks and stresses can detrimentally affect the watertightness of the sealing means which is provided to ensure watertightness around the stem. As a precaution, therefore, good watertight watches are provided with proper stem sealing means which are sufficiently sturdy and commensurately bulky and which, consequently, restrict the extent to which the watchcase can conform to aesthetic requirements.

Aesthetic features are of major commercial importance in the modern day world, especially with regard to wrist watches and it is an object of this invention to provide a novel form and arrangement of stem crown which per se is aesthetically desirable and which, in the case of watertight watches, further enhances the aesthetic features of the watchcase by virtue of its being less exposed to shocks and stresses and thereby requiring a less sturdy and less bulky watertight sealing means for the stem than in conventional watertight watches.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a crown and watchcase arrangement wherein the crown is protectively seated between projecting portions of the watchcase and does not significantly project beyond adjacent portions of said watchcase.

The foregoing and other objects are realized by giving the crown an elongate form in contrast to the conven- "ice tional cylindrical or even square form, and by arranging the long dimension of the crown to normally extend along the circumferential periphery of the watchcase and between diametrically opposite radial shoulders on the watchcase, and by arranging the short dimension of the crown to project to a minimum extent transversely outwardly beyond said shoulders.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment of realization which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial vertical sectional view taken along a plane which passes through the axis of the stem of a watch according to the invention; and,

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the watch of FIG. 1 and is taken in a plane perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1.

A watchcase according to the invention comprises a generally annular rim 1 whose inner wall 2 defines a chamber within which a watch movement may be housed. The movement may be of either the hand-winding or self-winding type. Rim 1 is radially traversed by an opening .3 within which is fitted a tubular bushing 4. The outer periphery of rim 1 includes a radially inwardly recessed portion defined by a flat bottom wall 5 and diametrically opposite shoulders 6 which, as seen in plan view in FIG. 2, are circularly arcuate about the stem axis which coincides with the axis of tube 4. In fact, as is evident in FIG. 2, shoulders 6 actually constitute the respective spaced apart ends of a radially raised coller 7 which extends circumferentially along rim 1 from opposite sides of opening 3.

A not shown winding stem will extent from the not shown Watch movement radially through tube 4 and coaxially therewith and be connected to the crown 8 in a known manner. A suitable watertight sealing means (not shown) can be interposed in a known manner either between tube 4 and crown 8 or between the not shown stem and tube 4. Such sealing means may be in the form of an O-ring or a ring having a semi-spherical cross section. If the sealing means is mounted between the not shown stem and tube 4, said sealing means can be of the type whose outer surface slides against the inner surface of tube 4 pursuant to rotation and/or axial displacement of said stem.

Crown 8 defines a central bore 10 which closely fits around the portion of tube 4 which extends above surface 5, said crown thereby serving as a cap for the outer open end of tube 4. The not shown stem can be secured to crown 8 by being threaded into a tapped hole in the bottom of bore 10, that is, in the top wall of crown -8 as referred to FIG. 1. Such a threaded hole would of course be coaxial with the stem and tube 4. Crown 8 includes a flat lower surface 9 which normally seats against flat surface 5.

As is shown in FIG. 2, crown 8 includes a central circular portion 19 which defines the sidewall of bore 10, and a pair of diametrically oppositely extending wings 11 whose sides 20 taper from the width of portion 19 down to the width of collar 7. The outer ends 13 of wings 11 are circularly arcuate in conformity with the curvature of shoulders 6 so that crown -8 can rotate freely without interference from shoulders 6.

As seen in FIG. 1, the top walls 12 of wings 11 slope downwardly from the height of portion 19 to approximately the height of shoulders '6.

It is evident from the two drawing figures that crown 8 lends itself to being streamlined and blended into the lines of the watchcase 1 so as to result in a very neat, unobtrusive crown and watchcase arrangement. It is important to note, however, that in addition to purely aesthetic features, the disclosed arrangement provides considerable functional advantages, such as the following.

First, referring to FIG. 1, it is seen that crown 8 is buttressed at its opposite ends 13 by solid shoulders 6 in the watchcase. Any shock or stress, therefore, imposed upon crown 8 either from the left or from the right in FIG. 1 is not transmitted in its entirety to the not shown stem or to the tube 4; instead, it is to a large extent absorbed by the shoulder 6 which is opposite to the direction of the applied shock or stress.

Second, and again with reference to FIG. 1, it is seen that the slope of walls 12 acts to deflect any blows against the crown 8.

Third, and again with reference to FIG. 1, it is seen that vertical blows against crown 8 are absorbed by fiat wall with perhaps no transmittal of the blow to the stem.

Fourth, with reference to FIG. 2, it is seen that the crown 8 at its widest point, namely: along the vertical central axis in FIG. 2, is only slightly wider than collar 7 so that it is obvious that collar 7 protects crown 8 to a large extent from receiving any blows from either side along the circumferential direction of the watchcase. Further, the slope of sides 20 tends to deflect any such blows.

Fifth, with reference to FIG. 2, any blows directed either up or down, that is: generally parallel to the axis of the watch dial hands, would simply tend to rotate crown 8 unless the blow were received in the immediate vicinity of the central axis of the crown.

One of wings 11 includes a longitudinally extending hole 17 which opens at end 13 in alignment with a V- shaped recess 18 in one of the shoulders 6. A sleeve 16 is fitted in hole 17 and has its outer end crirnped inwardly to retain ball 15 within said sleeve, said ball being urged outwardly by coil spring 14. It is evident that, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the crown 8 is resiliently held in place by yieldable locking means 14-18 but that said crown can easily be gripped between a persons fingers and oscillated back and forth in the usual manner for winding of the movement. Alternatively, the crown 8 can be pulled axially (radially relative to the movement axis) outward and rotated in either direction in order to set the dial hands. In fact, the relatively large size of crown 8 along one radial axis thereof permits the achievement of a finer or more precise setting of the hands than normally is possible with conventional circular or other shaped crowns which are of limited radial extent.

After setting the hands, the crown 8 is pressed axially inward until bottom 9 seats against wall 5, and then it is rotated to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This latter movement should be performed by turning the crown in the direction opposite to that of winding to put the gears of the automatic winding device in a suitable position. Of course, it will be easier to set the watch by removing it from the wrist rather than leaving it in place thereon, and by doing this, the dangers of asymmetrical stress on the winding stern are avoided.

While the locking device of the crown described is shown in the form of a ball pressed by a spring and held in place by a sleeve, the ball could also be replaced by an element in the form of a bushing engaged in sleeve 16 and held in place behind the latter by means similar to those of spring bars.

Of course, the not shown stem that has been described can be a stem in one piece or a stern element in one piece or a divided stem element or an element for connecting and supporting the fluid-tight fittings intended to be joined to the stem. The head of the crown can be made of plated brass or machined directly in the mass. It could also, if necessary, be made of a metallic or non-homogeneous non-metallic material, for example, a fritted material. If necessary, to avoid machining operations, the means of fixing the crown head to the stem could consist of an opening provided in the bottom of bore 10 and a screw attached to the end of the stem and going through said opening. The outside end of the opening provided in the bottom of the crown head could be enlarged so that the screw head would not be apparent.

The crown that has been described could be equipped with powerful fluid-tight means, assuring constant conditions inside the case itself even in case the pressure difference between the inside and outside ambient is considerable, and without any risk of deformation or deterioration as a result of shocks on the crown, this latter remaining able to perform perfectly the functions assigned to it.

The herein described details of a preferred embodiment are not necessarily limitative of the applicability of the disclosed invention, it being intended that such details be illustrative rather than limitative of the invention. The applicability of the disclosed invention is intended to apply to all modifications, substitutions, and equivalent structure which are obvious or well within the purview of one skilled in the art. Thus the crown could be provided with only one wing 11 instead of being provided with two wings as shown in the drawing. The axis about which the crown rotates would then not be a central axis of the crown.

What is claimed is:

1. A wrist watchcase and crown combination comprising a watchcase having an annular rim which circumferentially encloses a cavity for housing a watch movement, a radially extending through opening in said rim, a radially inwardly directed recess defined by two shoulders which are circumferentially spaced apart along the outer periphery of said rim, on both sides of said opening, a tube rigidly secured in said opening and radially protruding into said recess, a movement stem extending through said tube, a rotatable crown rigidly secured to the outer end of said stem, said crown partially extending into said recess and around said tube protruding portion, said crown further being conformed to fit within said recess with respective diametrically opposite ends thereof aligned along the circumferential axis of said shoulders and said ends extending into said recess, said shoulders and said crown ends being of substantially the same width in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction of said recess.

2. A stern crown for a watch, comprising an axis about which the crown is adapted to be secured to the winding stern of a watch movement, said crown being elongated in a direction perpendicular to said axis, and including a locking member protruding from one end of the long side of said crown, a resilient means in said crown urging said member in a radial direction relative to said axis, rneans limiting the radial extent to which said member can protrude from said crown.

3. A watchcase and crown combination, comprising a watchcase having an annular rim which circumferentially encloses a cavity for housing a watch movement, a radially extending through opening in said rim for a movement stern to pass therethrough, a radially inwardly directed recess defined by two shoulders which are circumferentially spaced apart along the outer periphery of said rim, a rotatable crown for attachment to a movement stem and being conformed to fit within said recess with respective diametrically opposite ends thereof aligned along the circumferential axis of said shoulders and said ends extending into said recess, said shoulders and said crown ends being of substantially the same width in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction of said recess, including a resiliently biased locking means arranged to coact between said rim and said crown to yield- References Cited ingly secure said crown relative to said rim. UNITED STATES PATENTS 4. The combination of claim 3, said locklng means being arranged to coact between one of said crown ends 1,146,351 7/1915 Schlesinger 58 88 and the adjacent shoulder in said rim. 1,610,276 12/1926 Foster 5 8 95 5. The combination of claim 4, said locking means 5 2,352,839 7/1944 Drescher 5895 comprisintg ta hole which ertends radially relfattige ;0 the FOREIGN PATENTS crown re a mom axis an opens a one 0 e aclng surfaces formed by said crown one end and the adjacent 13897 2/1897 Swltzerland rim shoulder, a notch in the other of said facing surfaces, and a resilient means urging said member outwardly of 10 RICHARD WILKINSON Pnmary Exammer said hole to engage in said notch. G. H. MILLER, 1a., Assistant Examiner

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