US74041A - bingham - Google Patents

Description

B. D.. BINGHAM, OF BOSTGN', MASSACHUSETTS.

Lettere Patent No. 74,041, dated February 4, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATCHES.

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TO ALL WIIOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, 13.1). BINGHAM, of Boston, in` 'the county of Suffolk, and State of ,Massaehusett`s have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Watches; and I -do hereby declare thatthe following, taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification, is-a description Vof my invention sntlicient to enable those skilled in th art to practise it.

In the construction of many watches it is customary to surround the two plates bctw'een'nnd to whichl the works are fixed, by a peripheral ring which 4closes the opening between the plates, and lexcludes dust and dirt which enter through the hinges of the watch-case and otherwise, and injure the movement. These rings have always extended between the inner surface ofthe plate nearest the'watch-dial to the outer surface of the back plate, and have been confined in placeby small screws in the back plate, having half heads, which,'upon being turned outwardly, project over the edge of the ring, and hold it flown in contact with the plate nearest-the 'd-ial. The use of these screws is objectionable, in that they soon get loose, and are apt to-be lost, or to fall into the works; and to sc'construct andsecurely apply the ring as to dispense-with the screws, is one of the objects of my invention, while the other is to enable me to n'se a. peripheral -ring for .the purpose specified, with watches now in themarket, whiehI am enabled to do, by making it narrow, and so that it will adjoin the outer corner,

made by-the edge `and under surface of the back plate, instead of covering the edge of the back plate, therebeing room in wot-chfcascs as now made to receive such a narrow ring, but not a ring broad enough to cover the edge of the back plate, or any considerable portion thereof. i v

To carry out my invention, I place or make upon the inner surface of the ring, arid at opposite sides thereof, spurs or projections, one of which may have a flat surface to project under the back plate on one side, while the opposite one has an upper surface slightly inclined, so that while itslips under the'back plate, and serves to hold the ring down, it yields as the ring` is pressed up, and allows the ring to be removed.

It is in suche provision for holding the ring in place without screws or similar fastcniugs, that my invention consists.

The drawing represents, at A and B, the two plates of a watch, surrounded by a ring, applied in accordance with my invention- A showing'an edge view of the same, and

B a cross-section ou an enlarged -scale.

C represents the ring in plan.

The mechanism o r Watch-movement isnot shown at all, as it has no direct connection with the invention.

a denotes the cuter or back plate, and b the plate nearest the dial of an ordinary watch-movement, connected and held in position by pillars in the usual manner. cis the encompassing-ring, extending from one plate to the other, at the pcrimeters thereof. Upon opposite sides of this ring:T are two spurs or projections, d d', preferably made by striking the metal of the ring inwards, as seen at B, though they may be formed by attaching pieces to the inner surface of the ring. One of these spurs has a square shoulder or upper surface, as seen at d', which shoulder, when it is slipped under thc plate a, as seen at B, will prevent the ring from rising. The other spur may be inclined on its upper surface, as seen at d, so`that when the ring is in place, as seen at B, it may be sprung up from the lower plate, by pressingthc ring directly upwards at this point,whieh pressure muy be elfected by inserting the point of a knife-blade o1* similar instrument into a slot, e, and prying the ring up. Without such direct upward pressure, however, the surface of the shoulder is suiiciently fiat to hold the ring firmly in place.

In applying the ring it is first carried down over the plate a, on one side, until the spur d slips under the plate, and then the opposite side is pressed down around the upper plate, until the spur passes below the plate, when it will spring into place, and the ring is fixed, no other fastening being required. The ring may be held by one spur only, but the employment of two is preferred.

It will be obvious that while no jar or accident can remore thc 1'ing,it may be instantly detached from the plates when desirable, there being no screws or other fasteniugs to remove.

I claim, in combination with peripheral rings of watches, spurs -or projections for holding them in place, substantially as described.

Also, making such rings of a width equal to or but slightly exceeding the space between the inner sur faces ofthe two main plates of a watch, and so as not to cover the larger portion of the thickness of the back plate, for the reason set forth. l I

-B. D. BINGHAM.

Witnesses:

J. B. CROSBY, FRANCIS Gouw.

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