US2385234A - Watchcase - Google Patents

Description

Patented Sept. 18, 1945 UNITED WATCHCASE Werner Schmitz, Grenchen, Switzerland Application July 28, 1942, Serial No. 452,629 In Switzerland March 31, 1942 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to watch cases.

In watch cases the crown usually projects beyond the case or bezel, thus causing many inconveniences. The crown, when caught in the clothing, runs the risk of being pulled on and lost.

The present invention remedies these disadvantages in a very simple manner and also improves the sealing of the stem where it passes through the wall of the case or bezel.

The watch case according to the invention is characterised in that the crown is concealed at least partially under a case cover which also compresses a packing ring where the stem traverses the case. Being thus hidden, it does not spoil the appearance of the watch and any catching is prevented.

The accompanying drawing illustrates, by way of example, one embodiment of the watch case according to the invention.

Fig. 1 is a side view.

Fig. 2 is a side view turned by 90 with regard to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, partly in section.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with the bezel opened.

The watch case shown in the drawing is in two parts hinged together, one part herein designated as the bezel l containing the movement, and the other part 8 forming an open faced cover for the watch case. The crystal 2 is placed with its rim 3 on the thinned rim of the bezel I. The crystal is held in place by a ring 4. A stem 5 carrying a crown 6 traverses the bezel and between these two pieces an elastic packing l of compressible material is provided. The case cover 8 with integral bracelet lugs I0 is rotatable around a hinge 9 and has an interior recess for the crown and, when closed, partially covers the crown and the bezel, but the ring 4 holds the crystal alone.

The cover 8 exerts a pressure on the crown and in this way on the packing I between the crown 6 and the bezel, thus guaranteeing tightness. In order to avoid this pressure being transmitted to the mechanism'for setting the hands the stem has some axial play.

The bottom may be fixed to the bezel by a notch-closing or by threads.

The cover described canbe used in any watch case, tight or not. The watch case may be a fancy case or not.

The crown can no longer be pulled off, nevertheless it is easily accessible. After having lifted the cover 8, the crown can be handled in the same way as in other watches.

What I claim is:

In a watch, a stem, a crown, and a watch case comprising a bezel traversed by said stem, a crystal in said bezel, packing engaged by said crown and sealing the passage of said stem through said bezel, an annular case cover hinged to said case and normally surrounding said crystal said case cover having an externally uniform rim portion, and a pocket between said rim portion and said bezel wherein said crown is substantially enclosed, the width of said pocket being such that a wall thereof presses axially on said crown to squeeze said packing.

WERNER SCHMITZ.

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