US2431392A - Wrist watch band - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 2 5, 1947. FQRSTNER 2,431,392

' wRIsT WATCH BAND Firled June 5, 1943 Patented Nov. 25, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRIST WATCH BAND New Jersey Application June 5, 1943, Serial No. 489,850

(Cl. (i3-4) 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to the jewelry art, and has particular reference to length adjustable bands for wrist watches.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a novel Wrist watch band construction which permits instant adjustment of the band length to fit the wrist of the wearer, and which is easily and quickly opened to allow removal of the wrist watch and band.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and easily manipulated catch arrangement that is particularly suitable for link bands of the length adjustable type.

Still another object is to provide a compact catch arrangement consisting of a small number of readily manufactured and assembled parts.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, the invention consists of a novel construction and arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and more specifically dened in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a link type wrist watch band equipped with the novel catch arrangement, one end of the band being shown in overlapping relation to the other end.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the catch arrangement, the lock plate being in open position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View of the rear of the catch arrangement, part of the inner band en being broken away;

Fdig. 4 is a perspective view of the catch parts; an FFig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5--5 of The invention pertains to Wrist watch bands of the length adjustable type, in which one end of the band has an open end link through which the other end of the ban-d passes, this other end being extended in overlapping arrangement to the first end and movable to extend or to shorten the length of the band, a catch being mounted on this other end for 'separable locking to the contiguous portion of the first end in order to retain the band at the desired length. With this construction the ends of the band are never completely separated, and the wrist watch and its band can never fall off the wrist of the wearer.

The heretofore used catch arrangements for this type of wrist watch band have included a detachable lock device which is in two parts, one part being a latch element which is adjustably positioned on one portion of the band and the other part being a catch element positioned on the overlapping portion of the band for detachable connection to the latch element. In accordance with the present invention, the band itself is constructed to serve as the latch element and cooperateswth a novel catch mounted on the overlapping portion of the band to obtain the desired band length.

Referring to the drawings, the wrist watch band I0 is preferably made up of a number of links II having transverse slots I2 and secured together by connectors I3 which are rolled over the sides I4 of the links and thus provide a flexible construction for the bracelet or band. One end I5 of the band has an open link I6 at its end through which the other end I'I of the band passes, a plate element I8 of a novel catch I9 being secured to the end I'I and being of a size to prevent withdrawal of the band end through the link I6.

As shown in Fig. 4, the plate element I8 has two downwardly extending hook teeth 2B which are adapted to be set over the side of a particular connector I3 of the overlapped band portion, see Fig. 3, and also has a central recess or depression 2l and a lock plate 22 which is pivotally mounted on the other end of the plate element I8 and is adapted to seat in the recess 2|. The pivotal mounting is obtained by rolling the plate end 23 over a transverse rod 24 of the plate element I8. The forward end of the plate 22 has a depending resilient finger 25 which has a roll end 26 and is adapted to snap over the forward edge 2l of the plate element I8 and the rear edge of the next contiguous connector I3 to seat in a transverse slot I2, thus providing a releasable locking of the end of the overlying band portion to the contiguous portion of the underlying band portion. The preferred material for the band and the catch is metal, as the parts may be readily stamped out and assembled, but any suitable material may be used.

Although the band described and illustrated is made of a plurality of links hingedly or pivotally connected together, any other construction 0f band which is exible and which has openings spaced along the length thereof may be utilized for detachably receiving the catch, which has one part for hooking over the rear edge of a selected opening and a second part for snapping past the forward edge of the opening to seat within the opening.

While I have describe-d one specific embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that changes in the size, shape and material of the parts may be made to suit the requirements for different Wrist watch band and bracelet designs, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a wrist watch band comprising two portions in overlapping arrangement, one portion having a plurality of spaced openings, an end catch arrangement on the other portion comprising a hook element adapted to engage one side of a selected opening and a resilient element independent of the hook element and movable 'to snap over the opposite side of the opening.

2. In a wrist watch band comprising two portions in overlapping arrangement, one portion having a plurality of spaced openings, an end catch arrangement on the other portion comprising a plate member having a hook element adapted to engage one side of a selected opening and a resilient element independent of the hook element and pivotally mounted on the .plate m'ember and adapted to snap over the opposite side of the opening. n f

v3. In a wrist watch band comprising two portions in overlapping arrangement, one vportion having a plurality of hingedly connected links, said links having transverse openings, an en'd catch arrangement on the otherv .portion comprising a hook element adaptedto engage one side of a selected transverse opening and a resilient element independent of the hook element and pivoted to the catch arrangement and adapted to snap over the opposite sideof the selected transverse opening.

4. In a Wrist watchband comprising twopor.- tions in overlapping arrangement, one portion having a plurality of links having transverse slots and hinge connectors connecting said links, the sides of said connectors dening transverse openings, an end catch arrangement on the other portion comprising a plate member having a hook element adapted to engage the side of a selected opening and a plate element hinged to the plate member and having a resilient element adapted to snap over the other side of the selected opening.

5. A catch for a Wrist watch band comprising a plate member having a hook element at one end, and a plate element hinged to the other end of the plate member and adapted to extend over the hook element end of the plate member, said plate element having a resilient finger at the free end thereof.

'6. A catch for 'a wrist watch band comprising a 4plate 'member having spaced hooks at one end,

and a central recessed portion, and a plate element hinged to the other end of the plate member and adapted to seat in said recess, said plate element having a resilient nger at the free end thereof adapted to extend over the hook end of the plate member and between the spaced hooks.

WILLIAM FORSTNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,738,579 Heugas Dec. 1'0, 1920 1,735,384 Fielding Novl 12, 1929 1,779,068 Krementz Oct 21, 1930

Images