US3706404A

US3706404A - Stretch fabric watchband

Info

Publication number: US3706404A
Application number: US75225A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerald W Gluckin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-09-24
Filing date: 1970-09-24
Publication date: 1972-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 1989-12-19

Abstract

The method and apparatus for efficiently cutting accurately sized panels in an unlimited combination of sizes and shapes from larger sheets. The sheets are automatically counted and stacked on a gauge table, the stack is clamped by jaws which establish a reference line relative to a cutting station, and the stack is advanced along the table for accurately dimensioned rip cuts. One or more of these cut stacks are then moved on a rip run-out unit to a cut-off infeed and gauge table where they are automatically aligned, clamped to establish a second reference line, and accurately advanced to a cut-off station where cross-cut sawing produces finished panels. The stacks are moved and gauged by either digital or analog hydraulic servo motors which accurately position the reference lines relative to the saw stations by controlled deceleration of the load to stop the stacks. At each saw station hold-downs prevent sheet displacement as the saw traverses. Each saw automatically senses cutting load and returns to its initial position immediately upon finishing a cut. Linear saw speed is controlled as a function of saw load. Means are provided to automatically remove trim and scrap.

Description

United States Patent Gluckin {54] STRETCH FABRIC WATCHBAND [76] Inventor: Gerald W. Gluckin, 180 Madison Ave., New York, NY. 10016 [22] Filed: Sept. 24, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 75,225

[52] U.S. Cl ..224/4 E, 24/74 R, 24/265 WS [51] Int. Cl ..A44c 5/22 [58] Field of Search..224/4 D, 4 E; 24/74 R, 265 WS [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1943 Westerfield ..24/74 R 8/1922 Kemgood 1 ..24/74 R 9/1930 Roy ..224/4 E FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 923,229 4/1963 Great Britain ..224/4E 61,502 10/1912 Switzerland ..224/4E Primary Examiner-Robert J. Spar Attorney-Bauer and Amer ABSTRACT A length of stretch fabric which is readily selectively engaged with a wristwatch and held, by a clip or the like, by its likewise free ends in a closed loop so as to effectively function as a watchband. The fabric is selected to coordinate with the wearers attire and the stretch thereof facilitates placement and removal of the band from about the wearers wrist.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED I973 3.706.404

INVENTOR. GE RA L D N. GLUCK IN ATTORNEYS A REPLACEABLE WATCHBAND ing decorative design. The popularity of stretch fabric as a watchband has not reached its ultimate potential, however, because it is not also readily replaceable so that the wearer has a range of selection in much the same way as with other items of apparel.

Broadly, it is an object to provide an improved stretch fabric watchband ov er c oming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically it is an object to provide a readily replaceable watchband and in so doing thus afford the wearer a greater choice of bands for the purpose of fashion coordinatigna. HQ

A replaceable watchband exemplifying the present invention includes a selected length of stretch fabric that after being engaged to afwristwatch is selectively held by a clip or the like in a closed loop so as to function as a watchband. The clip is opened only during replacement of the band since removal from th wearers wrist is achieved by stretching the band.

The above brief description, 3s Wll?sTfirth& objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, eteim -7 FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the replaceable watchband hereof;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating structural details of a holding member of the band.

Reference is now made to the drawings wherein there is shown a replaceable watchband, generally 45 ends20 and 22.

2 ment of the watch 14 to the band. Specifically, it is contemplated, in accordance with the present invention, that the stretch fabric band 10 will be provided in a selected length which terminates in opposite

free ends

20 and 22, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 3, and that one of these free ends will be threaded through the slots bounded by the

bars

16, 18. Cooperating to thereafter hold these

free ends

20 and 22 in a closed loop, such as is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, is holding means 24.

Holding means 24 includes a substantially flat body 26 which at opposite ends has a first and second rearwardly bent pair of

ears

28 and 30. Pivotally mounted, as at 32, in each of the ears are L-

shaped gripping members

34 and 36. As is clearly illustrated in FIG. 3, each of the gripping members, as exemplified by the gripping member 34, is adapted to be pivoted from a clearance position out of engagement with its cooperating band end 20 through closing movement 38 into engagementwith said band end. To contribute to establishing a firm engagement therebetween, the shorter leg 40 of each of the gripping

members

34, 36 has an interrupted gripping edge 42 which, when pressed into the body of the band 10, is effective in firmly engaging the same. Moreover, it will be understood that the band 10 will be under a slight tension in the opposite directions 44, as illustrated in FIG. 3, which is effective in holding the

gripping members

34 and 36 in their respective closed positions in engagement with the band free From the foregoing it should be readily appreciated that with the band

free ends

20 and 22 engaged within the holding means 20 that the band 10 forms a closed loop which permits the same to efficiently function as a watchband in that the user can slip her or his wrist through the opening bounded by the closed loop band 10. Naturally, the placement of band 10 upon the wearers wrist and also the removal thereof is facilitated by the stretch capacity of the band 10. That is, the band has a minimum size diameter, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, that will be understood to be related to the wearers wrist and is adapted, by stretching, to be increased from this minimum size to an appropriately increased size which readily permits removal of the band 10.

From the foregoing it should also be readily appreciated that simply by pivoting the gripping members consisting wholly or in part of elastomeric material, 34 and 3 through opening movement that holding such as is used in foundation garments.

In accordance with the present invention, the elongated stretch fabric band 10 has an outer visible surface 12 which will be understood to be approi riately decorated, as by beinfifint'ed or otherwise user from which she can make a selection depending upon her attire at the time. The foregoing thus necessitates that band "'10 b5 readily attafliabie and detachable from a conventional wristwatch 12 to permit the replacement thereof.

As is perhaps best seen in FIG. 2, the wristwatch 14 includes band-

retaining bars

16 and 18 for thread ably receiving the band 10 and completing the engagefeatures.

means 24 is readily detached from the band

free ends

20 and 22. Once this is achieved, the band 10 is itself readily detached from its threaded engagement with the wrist'vVich l tlThe useFcan then simply rethread another replaceable watchband, similar to the band 10 but with perhaps another design or color embodied therein, about the

bars

16 and 18, thereby engaging the watch 14 intermediate the free ends of this new band. These free ends are then engaged, in the manner already described, so as to form the band 10 into a closed loop which permits the use thereof as a watchband.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

I claim:

l. A replaceable watchband comprising, in combination, a wristwatch having bar means respectively bounding watchband-receiving loops at opposite sides thereof, a watchband formed of an elongated length of stretch fabric of substantially uniform thickness having a medial length portion terminating in opposite free ends, ,said watchband being operatively arranged with said medial length portion thereof replaceably threaded through said loops in underlying relation to said wristwatch and withsaid free ends in a remote position from said loops and in unattached relation thereto, and a holding means operatively efiective to receive said band free ends from opposite directions so as to form a closed loop of said band with said holding means located in opposing relation to said wristwatch, said holding means including a substantially flat body and a pair of L- shaped gripping members relatively spaced from each other on and pivotally mounted to said body, each said gripping member having a short leg including gripping means thereon and a long leg for finger pivotal movement of said short leg, and a bandreceiving passage between each said short leg and flat body to receive a cooperating one of said band free ends therein so as to be engaged by the pivoting of said short leg to secure the same to said holding means to thereby form said watchband closed loop, whereby said wristwatch is removable from the users wrist by expansion of said band, and said band is readily detachable from said holding means jiiPWQEYFP la m at t fi i I i l

Claims

1. A gauge unit for gauging one or more sheets of material in a stack along a gauge axis for cutting the stack into sections transversely of said axis at a cutting station, the resulting sections having accurately dimensioned and squared dimensions, including the combination of: a gauge table for supporting the stack; gauge clamping means for clamping the stack to prevent relative displacement of the sheets and establish a reference line fixed relative to the stack; means for raising and lowering the clamping means into and out of the plane of the gauge table so that the stack may be moved over the full length of the table; and, means to transverse the clamped stack and clamping means along the gauge table to accurately index the stack and reference line relative to the cutting station for said transverse cuts.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the traversing means includes a gauge carriage mounted for traversing movement along said axis with said clamping means mounted for movement with the carriage, and further including power means to traverse the carriage to and from the cutting station with said reference line of the stack being moved sequentially to predetermined locations relative to the cutting station.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein the power means comprises servo motor means operating responsive to control signals to move the carriage a distance which is a function of the signals; and, control means to direct a predetermined number of signals to the motor means according to the desired location for accurately stopping the stack relative to the cutting station.

4. The invention of claim 2 wherein the power means comprises servo motor means operating responsive to control signals to move the carriage gradually to a stop; and, control means to direct signals to the motor means in an amount so that the driving energy of the motor means decreases at a level which is a predetermined amount greater than the kinetic energy of the load, including the stack, clamp means, and carriage, during a freely sliding stop thereof to eliminate overshoot of the stack.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein the clamping means includes: a plurality of clamps laterally spaced across the gauge axis, each clamp including first jaw means adapted to grip one side of the stack and second jaw means movable with respect to the first jaw means into clamping relationship with the opposite side of the stack; and, means supporting the clamps for said traversing movement to a saw station while clamping the stack, and from the saw station for return to an initial position prior to clamping a subsequent stack.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein the clamping means further includes: actuating means to retract the first and second jaw means below the gauge table while they traverse from the saw station so that the stack can be pushed on the gauge table to clear the forward edge of the jaw means, and to extend one of the jaw means to vertically clear the stack in the clamp initial position prior to clamping; and, means to move the clamps forward so that the forward edges of the jaw means overlap the stack rearward edge a predetermined amount with said one jaw means raised; said first actuating means further operating to retract said one jaw means for clamping the stack and establishing said reference line.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein the traversing means includes support means movable to selected positions along the gauge axis, and mounting means to resiliently mount the clamp means for floating vertical support with respect to the support means, and for longitudinal movement along the axis with the support means.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein the mounting means includes means slidably mounting the clamping means for vertical movement with respect to the support means, and means to resiliently bias the clamping means upwardly with respect to the support means to carry a portion of the weight of the clamping means with the remaining weight being carried by the stack.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein the support means comprises movable carriage means, and the clamping means comprises first jaw means having a rear extension mounted for vertical sliding movement with respect to the carriage means, second jaw means having a rear extension mounted for vertical sliding movement with respect to the first jaw means extension, actuator means for moving the second jaw means between extended and retracted positions with respect to the first jaw means, and said resilient means is connected between the carriage means and second jaw means extension.

10. The invention of claim 9 wherein the actuator means comprises a pair of double-acting actuators connected end-to-end, and control means to actuate one of said actuators for moving the first jaw means to an intermediate position, to move the first jaw means forward in its intermediate position to nudge adjacent stack sections for alignment, to actuate the second actuator for moving the first jaw means to its extended position, to move the jaw means forward to overlap the sections, and to operate at least one actuator to retract the first jaw means for clamping.