US2799135A - Expansible bracelet with recessed connecting links - Google Patents

Description

'July 1957 c. H. DOLANSKY 2,799,135

EXPANSIBLE BRACELET WITH RECESSED CONNECTING LINKS Filed Jan. 18, 1956 II a l INVENTOR a 171F455 MaaM/vw,

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United States Patent-O v I I 2,799,135 .rx xssmimmenmrwrm R ECESS EDI 1 CONNECTING LINKS Charles H. Dolansky, Montreal, Canada Application January 18, 1956, Serial No. 559,843

3 Claims. (CI. 59-79) The invention relates to expansible bracelets, and more particularly to those of the type intended to be used as watch bracelets.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a bracelet of simple and inexpensive construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracelet having smooth edges.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bracelet having a substantially continuous front face, but having the elements of the rear face slightly spaced apart when in the retracted condition, so that the hairs on the wearers wrist will not be caught in the bracelet which causes substantial discomfort to many users of such bracelets.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in top plan view a part of a bracelet embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view on a smaller scale;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 with the bracelet in retracted condition;

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the bracelet in expanded condition;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section through one of the front units on the line 5-5 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 6 is a rear view of the central part of one of the front units; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-section on the line 7-7 of Fig. l.

The bracelet is formed of two rows of units, staggered with respect to each other, the front units 2 and the rear units 4, the rear units being intended to lie against the skin. Each unit includes a sheet metal shell 6 of rectangular cross-section and having open ends, these shells being alike in both rows.

Each shell of one row is connected to two shells of the other row by connecting members formed of strip metal. The connecting members have legs 8, 10 extending into the open ends of shells of the front and rear rows respectively and a connecting part having portions 12, 14 of different heights, the portion 12 of lower height being on the same side as leg 8 which extends into the open end of the front shell.

Within each shell are bowed leaf springs each having a central portion 16 which rests against the inner wall of the shell and end portions 18 which rest against the legs 8, 10, pressing them against the outer shell walls.

The front shells are provided with cover plates, which may be suitably ornamented if desired. These plates each include a portion 20 overlying the outer wall of front shell 6, and extensions 22 at each end which are bent over, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7, to overlie portions 12 of the connecting members. Along the sides of the plates are flanges 24 which are bent around the side walls of front shells 6 so as to lie between successive shells. The plates are secured to the shells in any suitable fashion, for example by tabs 26 (Figs. 5 and 6) which are bent into a slot 28 provided in the inner wall of the front shell 6.

The material of the plate is of the same thickness as the difference in height between portions 12 and 14 so that, as seen in Fig. 7, the edge of the bracelet presents a substantially smooth surface. Bent parts 22 serve to hold the connecting members in the shells, and thus prevent the bracelet from coming apart.

When the parts are moved from the retracted position of Fig. 3 to the expanded position of Fig. 4, legs 8, 10 are twisted and bend the leaf springs, which resiliently resist this movement and thus restore the bracelet to retracted position when the pull on it is released.

The flanges 24 cause the shells of the front row to be spaced apart by twice the flange thickness. Thus a similar space 30 is left between the units of the rear row even when the bracelet is contracted. By reason of this space, the hairs on the wearers wrist will not be caught between these rear units.

While I have described herein one embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit-myself thereby except within the scope of the claims hereto or hereinafter appended.

I claim:

1. An expansible bracelet comprising two parallel rows of elongated shells extending parallel to one another and open at their ends, the longitudinal axes of the shells being located in parallel planes and being perpendicular to the axis of the row, the shells in one row being staggered with respect to the shells in the other row, and means connecting each shell of one row to two shells of the other row, each such connecting means comprising at each end of the shells members having legs and a cross piece, one leg of each connecting member extending into an open end of a shell in one row and the other leg extending into an open end of a shell in the other row, spring means in each shell resisting turning of the legs, said members being of equal cross-section and bent substantially centrally of the cross piece to provide oifset portions of different height, and a part. carried by each shell of that row on the side on which the portion of the cross piece of lower height is arranged extending beyond the end of the shell and bent over to overlie the portion of less height and having the outer face of the bent over portion substantially flush with the portion of greater height.

2. A bracelet as claimed in claim 1 in which said members are formed of flat spring metal.

3. An expansible bracelet comprising inner and outer parallel rows of elongated shells extending parallel to one another and open at their ends, the longitudinal axes of the shells being located in parallel planes and being perpendicular to the axis of the row, the shells in one row being staggered with respect to the shells in the other row, and means connecting each shell of one row to two shells of the other row, each such connecting means comprising at each end of the shells members having legs and a cross piece, one leg of each connecting member extending into an open end of a shell in one row and the other leg extending into an-open end of a shell in the other row, spring means in each shell resisting turning of the legs, said members being of equal cross-section and bent substantially centrally of the cross piece to provide offset portions of different height, the part of less height being adjacent the shell of the outer row, and a part carried by each shell of the outer row extending beyond the end of the shell and bent over to overlie the portion of less height and having the outer face of the bent over portion substantially flush with the portion of greater height, said part comprising a plate secured to and covering the outer face of the shell having its edges parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shell bent around the sides of the shell to lie between successive shells in the outer row, the shells Patented July 16, 1957 of one IQW being of the same cross-section in a plane References Cited in the file of this patent transverse to said longitudinal axes of the shells as those UNITED STATES PATENTS of the other row, the thickness of the bent edges of the 886 121 A 28 190 plate in the outer raw causing the shells, in the inner row 1 8092 7 lguere F 1 to be normally spaced slightly apart so as to prevent the 5 83 1 $5 333? gg g 3 t h' l I I a 1 1 a. 1 of m na be w n he sh lls 2,528,568 Wllhams f Nov. 7, 1950 2,689,450 Stiegele Sept. 21, 1954 2,713,766 Saccone July 26, 1955

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