US1836955A - Flexible bracelet - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 15, 1931. E G, CARLSQN 1,836,955

FLEXIBLE BRACELET Filed April 30, 1950 INVENTOR. j /7 /7 Mil/l' 6f/5v/J A TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 15, 1931 A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWIN G. CARLSON, OF RIVERSIDE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO SPEIDEL CHAIN CO., OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A FIRM COMPOSED OF FREDERIC SPEIDEL ANDI EUGEN SIPEIDEL FLEXIBLE BRACELET Application mea April so, 1930. serial No. 448,558.

folded and the plates being provided with openings to register with the openings in the links so as to render the plates inconspicuous when in folded position.

A further object of the invention is to form the extension plates with a groove to receive the under side of the loop links which connect together the frame links of the bracelet.

The invention further consists in the provision of a hook-shaped catch pivoted to' one end of one of the plates to engage the opposite end of the other plate when folded one upon the other, the hook of the catch being arranged to extend thru the opening in the adjacent frame link and this catch member being shaped to simulate connecting loop links of the bracelet.

The invention f'urther consists in the provision of a connector link in the bracelet hav- 0 ing one of its arms hinged to the body portion thereof, whereby this link may be readily separated for the purpose of removing or adding one or more links to adjust the working length of the bracelet.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a top view of my improved bracelet.

Fig. 2 is a top view showing the extension plates in extended position.

5 from each other.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the frame links.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the end frame links.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7 7 of Fig. l, thru one of the frame links and loop links, showing the under portion of the loop link as set into the channel in the extension plates.

Fig. 8 is a central section showing the under portions of the loop links as extending into the channel of the extension plates and showing the plates as folded one upon the other and held by the catch member.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the catch member as lifted to release the extension plates to swing from folded position.

Fig. l0 is a perspective view of the removable connector link.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view showing one of the end connector links and also one of the removable connector links.

It is found in the practical construction of bracelets which are formed with open links, that is where the links are made up of so-called frame-shaped links having central openings therethru, the same being connected by loop links that are folded about the cross bars of two adjacent ends of frame links, of advantage to insert into the bracelet a so-called extension member which permits the bracelet to be passed over the hand of the wearer without completely separating the bracelet, and in providing this extension member it is found of advantage to form the plates of this extension member with openings therethru, which openings register with those of the frame links so as to render the extension plates beneath the overlying bracelet portion inconspicuous and prevent these plates from being observed. Also, it is found of advantage to provide a Vsimple catch or latch on the end of one of these plates to engage the end of the other plate, the hook portion being of a length to eX- tend thru the opening in the adjacent frame link when folded and to so shape this latch that it will simulateA the connecting loop links of the bracelet; and the following is a detailed description of the present embodiment of my invention and showing one construction of bracelet by which these advanta eous results may be accomplished:

ithureference to the drawings, 15 designates one of the frame links which is referably formed from fiat or sheet stock aving flat side bars 16 connected at their op osite ends by rounded cross bars 17. These Frame links are connected together by folding a strip of metal about these cross bars 17 to form loop links 18, the ends of which abut below the plane of the-under side of the frame links, as many of these frame links may be connected together as is desired to form the chain or bracelet of the required length.

It is found of advantage in bracelets, particularly of the watch type, to connect the ends of the bracelet thru a so-called extension member 19. This extension ,member comprises essentially a pair of elongated f plates 20 hinged together at 21 to extend end to end, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and

` adapted to be folded one upon the other, as

illustrated in Fig. 8. The lower plate is I provided at one end with a latch or catch 22 which is hinged to the cross bar 23 of the end link connected thereto, the free end of this latch being of hook shape as at 24, to extend over the rolled-up end 25 of .the upper plate to which rolled-up end I connect the cross bar of the upper frame link 26. These two extension plates 2O are preferably grooved or channeled longitudinally as at 27, to receive the under portions of theloop links 18 and guide the overlying length of the bracelet laterally, also these extension plates are providedwith spaced openings 28 corresponding to the openings 29 thru the frame links that overlie Athese plates so as to render these plates inconspicuous thru the overlying bracelet portion; also these extension plates are preferably of a width narrower than the width of these frame links which again serve to render these expansion plates inconspicuous. The edges of these plates are flat and do not have the usual side walls by which construction the links may be of any desired width relative to the Width of these plates, the general desire being to cover these plates so that they will now show and to give the bracelet the appearance of being continuous throughout its length, while possessing the s advantage of having the extension plates for the purpose of enlargement to permit it to be passed over the hand of the wearer.

In some instances, it is found of advantage to provide means whereby one or more links in the chain or bracelet may be added or removed to regulate its operating length and to accomplish this in a simple and effective way, I have provided a removable or master link 29a, see Fig. 10, in which one of the arms 3() of this link is hinged, as at 31, whereby this arm 30 may be swung back to permit this master link to be removed from the bracelet and by opening up one of the other connecting links 18 a rame link 15'may be removed andthe end link 32 connected again to the next adjacent frame link by the use of this master link, or the end link 32 may be disconnected and another frame link 18 inserted by the use of the master link, to lengthen the bracelet when desired. This end link 32 is herein shown as being provided with a bendable connector link 33 which may be permanently attached to the bail of a watch when desired.

My improved form of bracelet is very simple and practical in construction, is hand- `,some and attractive in appearance, may be readily extended to be passed over the hand of the wearer and at the same time by piercing the extension plates in the extension member, this extension is inconspicuous, and by its special construction this bracelet chain presents the appearance of being one continuous chain throughout its length when the extension member is folded.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a flexible bracelet, a plurality of connected links having openings therethru, a pair of extension plates hinged together end to end, means connecting opposite end portions of said bracelet to the free ends of said plates to cause one end portion of the bracelet to overile said plates when these are folded one upon the other, and said plates being provided with openings arranged to register with those in the links overlying the same.

2. In a flexible bracelet, a plurality of connected links having openings therethru, a pair of extension plates hinged together end to end, means connecting opposite end portions of said bracelet to the free ends of said plates to cause one end portion of the bracelet to overlie said plates when these are folded one upon the other, said plates being provided with openings arranged to register with those in the links overlying the same, and means for locking the parts in folded position.

3. In a iiexible bracelet, a plurality of frame-shaped links, each having an opening thru its center portion, extension plates hingedtogether with their free ends connected to the ends of the bracelet to cause one end portion of thebracelet to overlie said plates when folded one upon the other, said plates being also provided with openings arranged assente upon the other, means connecting the free ends of said plates to the ends of said bracelet so that one of said bracelet end portions `will overlie said plates when folded, said plates being provided with openings arranged to register With the openings in the overlying fas lili

frame links, and a. hook shaped clasp inember pivoted to one end of one plate to engage the opposite end of the other plate when folded and shaped to entend thru the opening in the adjacent frame link lying on said other plate when folded to releasably retain them in folded position.

5. ln a exible bracelet, a plurality of frame-shaped links connected by loop links, extension plates hinged end to end to be entended and folded to lie one upon the other, means connecting the free ends of said plates to the ends of said bracelet so that one of said bracelet end portions will overlie said plates when folded, said plates being provided with openings arranged to register with the openings in the overlying frame links, and a hookl shaped clasp member pivoted to one end of one plate to engage the opposite end of the other plate when folded and extend thru the opening in the adjacent frame link lying on said other plate when folded to releasably retain them in folded position, the topI portion of said clasp being shaped to simulate said connecting loop links.

6. lin a Hexible bracelet, a plurality of frame-shaped links, loop links connecting said frame links and having under portions extending below the plane of said frame links, an extension member to which the ends of the bracelet are connected comprising a pair of plates hinged end to end to be folded one upon the other and cause Aone part of the bracelet chain to overlie said plates, one of said plates being grooved to receive the under portions of said loop links when said links overlie said plates.

7 In a flexible bracelet, a plurality of frame-shaped links each having a central opening therethru, loop links connecting said frame links, an extension member comprising tvvo plates hinged end to end to be folded one upon the other, means connecting the ends of the plates to the ends of the bracelet links so that one of the bracelet end portions `vvill overlie said plates when folded, said plates being 0f a Width less than that of said frame links, and being provided with s aced openings to register with those of said rame i links to render the plate inconspicuous when in operating position, and means for releasably lookin said plates in folded position.

8. In a Yllexible bracelet, a plurality of frame-shaped links connected by loop links, extension plates hinged end to end to be extended and folded to lie one upon the other, means connecting the free ends of said plates to the ends of said bracelet so that one of said bracelet end portions will overlie said plates when w l vided with o Les:

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