US3603014A

US3603014A - Process of highlighting the indicia on a watchband calendar

Info

Publication number: US3603014A
Application number: US2453A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter A Schomburg
Original assignee: CHICAGO ETCHING CORP
Current assignee: CHICAGO ETCHING CORP
Priority date: 1970-01-12
Filing date: 1970-01-12
Publication date: 1971-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 1988-09-07

Abstract

A watchband calendar has the indicia thereof highlighted by spin-finishing the viewing surface to create sector patterns of reflected light by orienting the viewing surface to reflect light.

Description

United States Patent Inventor Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee Walter A. Schomburg Park Ridge, 111.

Jan. 12, 1970 Sept. 7, 197 1 Chicago Etching Corporation Chicago, Ill.

Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 659,782, July 31, 1967.

PROCESS OF HIGHLIGHTING THE INDICIA ON A WATCHIIAND CALENDAR 2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 40/107, 40/21,40/137 [51] lnt.Ci G09d3/00 [50] Field of Search 40/107, 21, 137; 63/3; 58/127-128; 72/82; 29/173, 160.6; 283/1 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,347,173 7/1920 Mathes 283/1 3,340,630 9/1967 Becker 40/21 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant ExaminerJ. H. Wolff AttorneyAlter, Weiss & Whitesel ABSTRACT: A watchband calendar has the indicia thereof highlighted by spin-finishing the viewing surface to create sector patterns of reflected light by orienting the viewing surface to reflect light.

PATENTEBSEP Han 3603.014

FIG. I

FIG. 2

INVENTOR: WALTER A. SCHOMBURG ATT'YS PROCESS OF HIGHLIGIITING THE INDIClA ON A WATCHBAND CALENDAR This is a continuation-in-part from a previously filed and copending application entitled WATCHBAND CALENDAR, Ser. No. 659,782 and filed July 3 l I967.

The invention is concerned with a quick reference calendar which is removably mounted upon the users wristwatch band, as by folding sidewardly extending tangs into clinching relationship with the band. Such a device is necessarily small and oftentimes the calendar figures are difficult to discern.

Through the use of a spin-finishing technique on the viewing surface, as well as orienting the viewing surface, not only is the surface esthetically enhanced but further, the viewability is improved significantly. The finishing of a device of this character, as well as orienting the same for purposes of highlighting the indicia, constitutes an important object of the invention.

The invention is described in conjunction with an illustrated embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged elevational view of the device prior to its installation on a watchband; and I FIG. 2 is a somewhat reduced scale perspective view of the inventive device as installed on a watchband, the watchband and associated watch being shown in fragmentary form.

In the illustration given, the numeral designates generally the inventive device which is seen to be platelike body having a central portion 11 of generally rectangular configuration and integral sidewardly extending tangs or wings as at 12 and 13 which are adapted to be folded on themselves and undemeath the watchband 14 (see FIG. 2) to form the configurations designated 12' and 13'.

The central portion is equipped with calendar indicia generally designated 15 which is seen to be the calendar for the month of Aug. 1967. It is contemplated that such devices will be available for each month throughout a given year and worn during that month. Devices of this general nature; i.e., central panels having the calendar indicia with laterally projecting foldable wings have been known.

The inventive contribution resides in providing the viewing surface of the device 10 with a spin-finish prior to imprinting and thereafter orienting the same with respect to light. The

spin-finish is designated in the drawing by the numeral 16 and is seen to include a plurality of circular grooves concentrically related to the center 17 of the central panel 11. Also shown on the two views, are highlighted sectors as at l8, 19, and 21, which create areas of increased discemibility, depending upon the position of the d device 10 relative to incident light. In other words, by changing the location of the essentially planar viewing surface from that depicted in FIG. 1 to that seen in FIG. 2, the highlighted sectors are shifted from those designated 18 and 19 in FIG. 1 to those designated 20 and 21 in FIG. 2. Thus, the user merely by twisting the wrist slightly can highlight a given sector of the device for more readily ascertaining the date he is interested in.

In the production of the device, the platelike body is advantageously developed from bright aluminum sheet of the order of about 0.010 inches thick. Bright aluminum is a commercially available product and has at least one side burnished to a high sheen. It will be appreciated that the initial blank may provide more than one of the inventive devices depending upon the manufacturing procedures utilized. The major dimension of the device is of the order of 1-1/2 inches and thus the blank should accommodate at least one such device and possibly a plurality. The blank is spin-finished, say with the diameter of the outermost concentric circle being about 1- l/2 inches and this is achieved by rotating a resilient ended spinning shaft on the surface of the blank with the blank being lubricated by a grit material suspendedin kerosene or oil. Once the spinning has been completed, the spun surface is cleaned and then lithograph imprinted with the appropriate indicia. The ink is dried by baking and thereafter the imprinted side may be coated with a tinted, transparent lacquer or enamel which is also baked on. It will also be appreciated that the concentncity of the vanous grooves making up the spin-finished surface yield slight depressions in the areas 22 and 23 which are in line generally with the folding lines employed to convert the planar wings or

tangs

12 and 13 to the folded configurations 12 and 13', respectively, seen in FIG. 2.

While in the foregoing specification a detailed description of the invention has been set down for the purpose of illustration, many variations of the details herein given may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A wristwatch calendar product made by the process of:

a. forming a spin finish on a thin sheet of bright metal by abrading said bright metal by rotating a resiliently ended spinning shaft against the surface of said metal while a grit material is positioned between the end of said shaft and said surface, whereby said abrasion forms a plurality of generally concentric score lines with a center point of scoring substantially coinciding with the axis of said spinning shaft,

. forming said spin-finished sheet metal into a central panel with said center point of said score lines positioned at approximately the center of said panel, at least one tab being integrally formed on said central panel and dimensioned to at least partially wrap around a wristwatch band, and c. imprinting a calendar on said panel with the center of said calendar being located at approximately said center point of said score lines,

whereby, when said watch calendar is mounted on a watch strap, the normal wrist motion causes a variation in highlighting different areas of said panel and calendar.

2. The product made by the process of claim 1 and the added step of:

d. forming a transparent protective coating over the surface of said panel, score lines, and calendar.

Claims

1. A wristwatch calendar product made by the process of: a. forming a spin finish on a thin sheet of bright metal by abrading said bright metal by rotating a resiliently ended spinning shaft against the surface of said metal while a grit material is positioned between the end of said shaft and said surface, whereby said abrasion forms a plurality of generally concentric score lines with a center point of scoring substantially coinciding with the axis of said spinning shaft, b. forming said spin-finished sheet metal into a central panel with said center point of said score lines positioned at approximately the center of said panel, at least one tab being integrally formed on said central panel and dimensioned to at least partially wrap around a wristwatch band, and c. imprinting a calendar on said panel with the center of said calendar being located at approximately said center point of said score lines, whereby, when said watch calendar is mounted on a watch strap, the normal wrist motion causes a variation in highlighting different areas of said panel and calendar.

2. The product made by the process of claim 1 and the added step of: d. forming a transparent protective coating over the surface of said panel, score lines, and calendar.