US3528240A - Watchcase with integral numerals - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 15, 1970 J. KUPCHICK I I WATGHCASE WITH INTEGRAL NUMERALS Filed June 7, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG./

INVENTOR. JULIUS KUPCHICK 1 'ATTORNEY Sept. 15, 1970 J. KUPCHICK 3,523,240

v WATGHCASE WITH INTEGRAL NUMERALS Q 4 Filed June 7, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 v g-fl5 'I 720 7/2 [/39 INVENTOR. /4/ 7 ULIUS KgPcHm;

ATTORNEY United States Patent 01 3,528,240 Patented Sept. 15., 1970 3,528,240 WATCHCASE WITH INTEGRAL NUMERALS Julius Kupchick, Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11238 Filed June 7, 1968, Ser. No. 735,310 w Int. Cl. G04b 39/00 US. C]. 58-91 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The crystal supporting bezel, ordinarily made as a separate structure in watchcases, according to the invention is stamped or cast integrally with the watchcase. The bezel-forming member is extended inwardly toward the center of the watchcase and shaped as integral hourdesignating indicia. The thickness of the bezel-forming member defines a space between its bezel or crystal-supporting surface and its lower surface resting against the dial face. The hour and minute hands are disposed to revolve between the dial face and the crystal, either above the integral indicia or in the space between the top and bottom of the novel spacer member, integral with the watchcase. One of the basic novel features of the invention is that the spacer member, forming an extension of the bezel, is formed into numerals or time-indicating indicia shapes around the periphery of the dial, between the dial face and the crystal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Mens and ladies watches are constructed, essentially, of a watchcase which holds the clockwork mechanism, and this watchcase has a top portion and a back or bot tom portion. The conventional watchcase top, of whatever shape, must have a crystal-supporting bezel, also called reflector, this supporting bezel being a relatively narrow metallic member which extends about .015 inch as a ring member, inwardly from the circumference of the watchcase and forms a seat on which the glass or crystal rests peripherally.

The watchcase back or bottom portion is formed to hold the movement mechanism, which is fixed to the bottom of the dial or watch face. Numerals or other time indicating indicia are conventionally applied to the top of the dial disc over which the hour and minute hands rotate. The top portion of the watchcase, including the crystal and the crystal-supporting bezel, snaps down, conventionally, over the watch face disc and bottom case portion to complete the assembled watch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A spacer member whose upper surface forms the crystal-supporting bezel, and whose lower surface rests on the watch face dial, extends inwardly to the center of the watchcase at defined locations around the periphery of the watchcase opening and forms numerals or other hourindicating forms and shapes. This spacer member has a lower surface which rests on the dial face, thus defining the distance between glass bezel supporting surface and the dial face. The hour and minute hands rotate beneath the watch crystal in a conventional manner, but above the numerals and indicia formed by the spacer member. This construction makes the watchcase more flexible in design and easier and cheaper to produce, because fewer operations are required in punching and forming, or casting the finished watchcase. Furthermore, less labor is required to assemble the watchcase and finished watch, because no numbers need be applied on the dial face itself, since they form an integral part of the upper portion of the watchcase.

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Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a case for time-keeping devices which will be cheaper and simpler to construct, requiring fewer operations in forming the case and in assembly thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a watchcase which permits greater flexibility in design, making possible unique ornamental and creative variations in design, without the usual limitations of numerals or time indicia on the dial face itself, since the time-indicating indica are integrally formed with the top portion of the novel watchcase.

Another object of the invention is to eliminate the requirement of special Watch dials and to make possible a greater flexibility in design of watches and clockwork cases wherein use of a plain watch face disc or plate is possible. For example, novel designs of watchcases are conventionally limited to being able to obtain from dial makers, dial faces which fit a particular shaped opening which the designer would like to use, and often this entails waiting until special parts and special dial openings become available. According to the present invention these disadvantages are eliminated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of typical embodiments of the invention, considered together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an assembled watch, with the crystal partially cut away, illustrating one design using the basic concept of the watchcase according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial section taken in the direction of the arrows 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a different design from FIGS. 1-3 but still using the basic concept of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross section taken in the direction of arrows 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a partial cross section taken in the direction of the arrows 6-6 of FIG. 4.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the watchcase, indicated generally at 10, comprises a watchcase top portion 12 and a watchcase bottom portion 14 adapted to engage and mate with the top portion 12 in a con ventional manner along the line 32. A conventional glass or crystal 16 is provided as a see-through dust cover. A conventional winding stem 18 is provided to operate the driving mechanism and for setting the hands 22, 24. A dial face 20 having a central opening 26 for the shaft for manual rotation of the hands can be a simple flat plate or disc, as shown, without requiring the conventional indicia or numerals painted or applied on the upper surface of the dial face. An opening 30 in the side of the upper case portion 12 provides access for the shaft of the winding stem 18. The upper case portion 12 joins with the lower case portion 14 along line 32 and may be separated by pressing apart the thumb projections 34, 36 on the respective upper and lower case portions.

The glass or plastic crystal 16 rests on a bezel or reflector surface 38, which is formed by the peripheral spacer member 40. Member 40 serves as a spacer between its lower surface 41, resting against the upper surface of dial face 20 and the lower supporting edge of crystal 16 where the latter rests on the bezel surface 38.

It is important to note that the spacer member 40 is integrally formed as part of the upper case portion 12. In addition to forming the bezel surface 38 and lower surface 41, the peripheral member 40 includes portions formed as extensions of the peripheral spacer member 40, said extensions defining indicator forms, numerals or other indicia, as shown at 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, instead of the usual conventional numerals painted or otherwise applied on the upper surface of the dial face 20.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 there is shown a design of a ladies type wrist watchcase where the case is of circular design, as compared to the square design of a case for a mens watch as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, described above.

In the following description, reference numerals are increased by 100, as compared to those with similar functions described in connection with FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

The watchcase of FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, indicated generally at 110, has an upper portion 112 and a lower portion 114, the two portions joining each other along the line 132 and being separable by manually pushing apart the projections 134 and 136, mounted on the outside of the respective watchcase portions 112 and 114 in a conventional manner. The glass or plastic crystal 116 is adapted to rest on the bezel surface 138. The upper portion 112 of the watchcase 110 is integrally formed so that the projection 140 thereof has a bezel portion 138 forming the crystal-supporting bezel surface, and has a lower surface 141 which engages the upper surface of the dial face 120. The projection 140, integrally formed with the upper case portion 112, as mentioned, is designed to form various hour-indicating shapes 144, 148, 150, 146, etc., spaced around the periphery of the watchcase opening formed above the dial face 120'. The upper rim 152 of the upper watchcase portion 112 serves to form a lateral retaining wall at 154 for the watchcase crystal 116-.

I claim:

1. In a case for a timepiece having an upper case portion and a lower case portion adapted to engage each other, said lower portion forming a receptacle for receiving a movement mechanism, the improvement which comprises spacer means integral with said upper case portion and forming a bezel surface, said spacer means having radially inward projecting shaped integral portions spaced around the inner periphery of said upper case portion and forming time indicating elements.

2. A timepiece case according to claim 1 in which the inward projecting shaped integral portions are in the form of indicia for telling time. i

3. A timepiece case according toclaim 2 in which there is a dial face subjacent said spacer means with a control opening for a shaft having hour and minute hands rotated thereby.

4. A timepiece case according to claim 2 in which the upper case portion is of inverted U-shape of which an annular inner fiat surface forms the bezel.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 1,300,651 6/1962 France.

1,393,892 2/1965 France.

1,523,814 3/1968 France.

311,295 11/1955 Switzerland. 316,830 10/1956 Switzerland. 347,143 6/ 1960 Switzerland.

RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner G. H. MILLER, 1a., Assistant Examiner

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