US1139107A - Watchcase, &c. - Google Patents

Description

C. L. DEPOLLIER.

WATCHCASE, 6w. APPLICATION FILED JAN.9, 191's.

Patented. May 11 1915.

ILJSQJQW CHARLES L. DEPOLLIER, OF NEWYORK, N. Y.

wa'rcncasn, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'May 11, 1915.

Application filed January 9, 1915. Serial No. 1,280.

To all whom it may concern in the borough of Brooklyn of the city of New York, in the county of Kings, in the State of" New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Watchcases, &c., of which the following is a speci fication, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof.-

Small watches, designed for use as bracelet watches, are often worn as sautoir watches and as chatelaine brooch watches, but wrist watches must be provided, at a point opposite the bow, with some means of attachment for the bracelet, and as bracelet watches have been made hitherto such means of attachment are permanently fixed outside of the watch case so that it becomes apparent at once that the wearer is using a bracelet watch as a chatelaine or sautoir watch. The result is that "many persons refuse to wear what is known as a convertible watch,

that is, a watch which can be used either as a bracelet watch or as'a chatelaine or sautoir watch.

The object of this invention is toprovide for a watch case a means of attachment, opposite the bow, for the bracelet, which instead of being permanently fixed on the out sideof the case may be made to disappear or at least to become not readily discernible and in accordance with the invention the watch case or brooch, or whatever similar article is to be worn like a Watch, is provided with a seat or opening in which is seated movably an attaching device by means-of which connection with the bracelet or chain may be efi'ected. It will be obvious device can be made a bracelet which has one end connected to the watch bow and the other to the attaching device. Fig. 2 is a view showing such a watch as that shown in Fig. 1 attached by l the bow to a chain, as a sautoir watch, with the opposite attaching device concealed.

equipped with one form of the attaching device. Fig. 4 is an edge view of the watch case shown in Fig. 3 with the attaching device seated in its concealing recess. Fig. 5 is an edge view of the watch case, seen from a point of view at right angles to that of Fig. 4, with the attaching device open. Fig. 6 is a view similar to'Fig. 4 but showing a slight modification. 'Figs. 7, 8' and 9 are views illustrating another embodiment of the invention in which the attaching eye is swiveled to the watch case center. Figs. 10 and 11. are views-showing still another embodiment of the invention, in which the attaching eye ispivoted and moved through a slot in the watch case center. Fig. 12 is a view showing still another modification in which the attaching eye is supported by av spring. Fig. 13 shows another embodiment of the invention in which a ball is used instead of an eye as a means of attachment.

The object of the invention being to provide for a watch or other similar article an attaching device, for attachment of a bracelet, chain, or the like, which, when not in use, can be closed into the case so as to be practically invisible, butcan be extended readily when desired, it will be understood that such disappearing attaching device or devices 'can be applied at one or at a plurality of points. In Fig. 1 of the drawing is shown a bracelet watch (1, having an ordinary bow b to which is attached one end of a bracelet c, the other end being attached to the watch, as at d, at a point diametrically opposite the bow b, by means of a disappearing attaching device, which is extended to permit it to be used for the attachment of the bracelet. In Fig. 2 the same watch a is shown as having a chain 0' attached to the bow 6, while the diametrically opposite attaching device, the location of which is indicated at d bythe usual case hinge, is not itself visible, having been closed into the case. A watch which is adapted to be used either as a bracelet Watch, as shown in Fig. 1, or as a chain-sautoir watch, as shown in Fig. 2, is commonly known in the trade as a convertible watch.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3, 4:, 5 and 6, it will be seen that the center 6 of the watch, having hinged thereto on one side the back 6", and having applied thereto on the other side, in the usual manner, the bezel 6. is

provided, adjacent to the c bx the back is connected to the center,-wi h a horseshoe shaped seat a which extends through c the hinge line. A horse-shoe shaped eye or disappearing attaching device is also hinged upon the same pintle e of the hinge e and is adapted to'be turned down into the recess 6*, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 41

and 5, when it is practically invisible, or to be extended, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, to serve as a means of attachment for a chain or bracelet. The eye or attaching device 7 may be provided with a small lug or projection f, for convenience in engagement by the finger nail or by a suitable tool, or the seat 6 may. be cut away, as shown at 6 in Fig. 6, to permit a pinpoint to be intro duced below the edge of the eye to permit it to be raised out of the seat and extended as shown in Fig. 5;.

lit will be obvious that the eye or attaching device might be secured to the watch case in many difierent' ways; Thus, in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, it is shown as secured Ito the watch case independently of the hinge and as swiveled. The eye f is shown as hinged, as i to a block f which is swiveled in the watch case center 6. The head i is located in a recess f formed in the Watch case center 6 and is of less diameter than such recess, thereby leaving an annular space into which the eye may be shut or "folded, when it is not desired for use, and therefore become practically invisible.

In Figs. 10 and 11 the watch case center e is shown as having a seat or opening 6', extending in a circumferential direction while the eye f", is hinged Within the center, as at 6 so as to be closed into the case, as shown in Fig. 10, or to be extended, as shown in Fig. 11, having projections f and f which prevent excessive movement of the eye in either direction and close the slot when the eye is in either extreme position.

In Fig. 12 the watch case center is also shown as slotted in longitudinal direction, as at a, While the eye f, fitting frictiontight in such opening, is carried by a spring f which is secured, by a rivet or solder, as at 7', to the center, the eye being provided with a projection f for convenience in extending the eye, such projection serving aiso to cover the-end of the when closed 'lhe attachingdevice need not necessarily have the form of an eye, as shown in the several' embodiments already described, but it might be formed as a knob f adapted to be engaged by a link f with alrey-hole slot 7, as shown in 13. Such lmob or headedattaching device might be carried by a spring 7'' and tit friction-tight in an opening in the watch case center, substantially asalready described with respect to Fig 12.

Many other" possible embodiments of the invention, both with respect to the character of the attaching device and to the means for supporting it movably with respect to the watch case, so'tliat it may be shut into the watch case and practically disappear or be extended when desired, will readily suggest themselves and the invention, therefore, is not restricted to any particular construction and arrangement shown and described herein.

I claim as my invention ll The coihbination with a watch case, of an attaching device movably secured to the watch case and adapted to be extended for use or to be closed in so as to become practically invisible, the watch case having a seat to receive the attaching device when it is closed in.

2. The combination with a watch case, of an attaching device hinged on the watch case and adapted tobe extended for use or to be closed in so as to become practically invisible, the watch case having a seat to receive the attaching device when it is closed in.

3. The combination with a watch case having a recess, of a swiveled head mounted in the recess and smaller than the recess so as to leave a space about it, and an eye hinged'to the swiveled block and adapted to be closed into said recess so as to become practically invisible.

This specification signed and witnessed this 8th day of January, A. D, 1915.

CHARLES lb. DEPQLLIER.

Signed in the presence oi ELLA J Knuann, i foirnriicrorr Czar/transit.

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