US864467A - Dial. - Google Patents

Description

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Wit as mjinry I 5% J M PA ENT OFFICE- HENRY o. INGRAHAM, OF'MOODUS, OONNEGTIClIi.

DIAL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application 1116a larch 12, 1907. s'esn No. 381,956

To all ivhom it may concern: I Be it known that I, HENRY C. INGRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moodus, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dials, of which the following is a specification. 5

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in that-class of time-pieces in which rotary dials having time-characters are employed in associa- 10' tion with afixed narrow meridian or indicator which extends over the entire series of dials with which the time piece may be supplied,

The object of my invention is, primarily, to construct the dials of a watch or clock' of some thin metal or material of sutiicient lightness to allow it to be rotated with certainty and ease and without offering unusual resistance to the usual main spring and other components of the works of the time-piece. I

With these and other objects in view my invention consists, essentially, of the improved dial which I will hereinafter describe and claim,

In the accompanying drawing in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts inthe several views Figure 1 represents a face view of a watch embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is anenlarged view of one of the dials removed. Fig. 3 represents an enlarged view of a iragment of a dial showing the countersinking of the characters which represent the divisions of time.

watch that the results werenot altogether In carrying out my invention I may use my improved dial in association with any character of watch, clock, or like time-piece. For present illustrative purposes I show a watch the case of which is supposed to contain any desired and appropriate movement, and to be sup-- .minutes, and seconds, the graduations reading from right to-leit, as shown. v 1

Dials arranged in the manner thus far described are not broadly new andI do not claim the same as my in vention, but such -dials, as heretofore constructed, have generally been open totheobjection-thatltheir weight imposed such'a resistance to the main-spring of the satisfactory and the dials did not run' true.

In carrying out my invention I construct the dial of aluminium or other metal or great thinness, say about 5/1000 inch thick, more or less, thereby making it as light as possible and making it comparatively easy for the usual main-spring andtrain of gearing to impart rotation to it. k

. IatentedAugl27 190'7;

- A dial as thin as the one described has but little inherent rigidity and .to adapt-it for the purposes of my invention 1 stiffen or strengthen said-dial by corrugations d which, extend radially from the center of the dial to nearly, or quite, theinner line of the usual circle of characters formed around the dial near the outer edge thereof. 1 I

By having the corrugations at thecenter oi the dial,

which corrugations may be depressedtrom either or both sides of the dial, the central part. of the dial is made sufliciently rigid at the post, or shaft, to insure the dial running true, at the same time the danger of one dial interfering with another when dials aresuperimposed as shown in the present instance, is reduced to a minimum. p p v To further stiffen this thin light dial around its outer edge portions and to make-the figures or characters with which it is provided more plainlydiscernible, 1 stamp the figures or characters in the metal so as to slightly countersink them below the surface of the -dial, and I fill the depressed portions with some appropriate enamel, varnish, gold, silver, phosphorous or other substance which will make the characters very pronounced and insure their being plainly seen even under the most adverse conditions of light.

To enable the time to be quickly and accurately indicator D in the .form of a very narrow strip which extends over the dials and has one end fixed to the bezel of the watch, or an equivalent part on a clock, said indicator being so narrow that it will not-obstruct the figures or characters on the dials. By making the indi'cator long: enoughto extend over the three dials shown, I can quickly and with accuracy read the hour, minutes and seconds and thus determine the true time. v

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

is: i a i A time-piece comprising a plurality ofsuper-imposed dialsoft-hin material revoluble about a common center, said dial? being of different sizes and each being provided with a circle of time characters, and a narrow fixed indicator extending over all the dials and past which the dials rotate, each of. said dials haying radial corrugations formlng'stifiening ribs which extend from its center towards the circle of time characters, and cachet-said dial-s having the time characters pressed into the dial and the depressed portions supplied with material of a contrasting color.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' read, I use in connection with the'dials, a meridian or

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