US3678544A

US3678544A - End attachment for watch bands

Info

Publication number: US3678544A
Application number: US139000A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stephen F Bert
Original assignee: Textron Inc
Current assignee: Textron Inc
Priority date: 1971-04-30
Filing date: 1971-04-30
Publication date: 1972-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 1989-07-25
Also published as: AU4066072A; CA941631A; DE2219457A1; GB1320287A

Abstract

An end attachment for watch bands which permits use of a watch band with wrist watches having different spacings between their attachment lugs and which also may be quickly converted for use with watches which are either (i) rectangular when viewed from the top or (ii) round when viewed from the top. Also means for attaching an end attachment to a watch band which permits the end attachment to be quickly removed for repair or for substitution of another end attachment or for adjustment of the length of the watch band.

Description

O United States Patent [151 3,678,544 Bert 1 July 25, 1972 [541 END ATTACHMENT FOR WATCH 2,883,727 4/1959 Obst ..24/265 3 BANDS 3,039,162 6/1962 Meyerson ..24/265 8 3,477,107 11 1969 N d 4 6 [72] Inventor: Stephen F. Bert, West Warwick, RI. a can 2 l2 s B [73] Assignee: Textron, Inc., Providence, RI. Primary Examiner-Donald A. Griffin Filed: April l 971 Attorney-Robert L. Thompson [21] App1.No.: 139,000 [57] ABSTRACT An end attachment for watch bands which permits use of a U.S. Cl. B watch band with w i t t h h i g different p g [5 I] III- between their attachment lugs and which also may bg [58] Field of Search ..24/265 B; 224/4 D, 4 E; convened f use with watches which are either (i) rectangw 58/88 63/35 Iar when viewed from the top or (ii) round when viewed from the top. Also means for attaching an end attachment to a [56] References Cited watch band which permits the end attachment to be quickly UNITED STATES PATENTS removed for repair or for substitution of another end attachment or for adjustment of the length of the watch band. 1,713,533 5/1929 Jones ..24/265 B 2,713,445 7/ 1955 Speck 13 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIEU JUL25 m2 SHEET 1 0F 2 INVENT STEPHEN F.

PATENTEU JUL25 m2 SHEET 2 (IF 2 FIG5 8 G H 7 G H vFIGES END ATTACHMENT FOR WATCH BANDS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Wrist watch bands are often sold separate from the watch to which they are to be attached. One reason for this is that styles in watch bands change more rapidly than styles in watches and watch cases, and during the life of the watch, wearers therefore frequently use several different watch bands. Another reason is that the preference of the user for watch bands of different types, such as leather, plastic, metal, snake chain, buckle secured, or resiliently expansible, may change from season to season or at the whim of the person concerned.

One problem presented to the manufacturer of watch bands sold separately from watches is the fact that the watch case lugs between which the watch band end attachments are to be secured are not uniformly spaced in all watches. The watch band manufacturer has therefore been forced to make watch bands having a variety of widths of end attachments so as to fit various watch sizes or else the jeweler from whom the watch band is bought must perform a delicate and time consuming operation on the end attachment to make it fit a particular watch. This procedure is absolutely necessary only when the watch band end attachment is wider than the distance between the lugs on the customers watch case because when it is narrower, it can be fitted between the lugs. However, if it is much narrower, it will be loosely retained between the lugs so as to be slidable from one side to another on the spring bar of the watch. This is very undesirable, since it not only makes for an unsightly appearance, but also exposes the spring bar to damage, deterioration and accidental dislocation and is uncomfortable and s1oppy-feeling to the wearer.

In addition, some wrist watches are rectangular when viewed from the top and others are round when viewed from the top and it is customary for watch band manufacturers to manufacture and sell watch bands provided with straight" end attachments for use with rectangular watches and curved" end attachments for use with round watches.

it is very expensive both to the manufacturer and to the retailer to be required to carry inventories of watch bands with end attachments of different widths and also to carry inventories of such watch bands having both straight and curved end attachments.

There have been many proposed solutions of these problems.

One proposed solution has been to provide an insert or inserts for the end member of the watch band end attachment in which the ends of the insert or inserts are urged outwardly by a spring so that by pressing them increase of to compress the spring, the retail dealer can place the insert or inserts between watch case lugs which are spaced varying distances apart. Such end attachments are expensive to manufacture and as semble and careful quality control is necessary by the manufacturer to insure that the spring will not deteriorate in use. Examples of this type of end attachment are found in U.S. Pats. No. 2,713,445 dated July 19, 1955 to Speck and No. 3,160,938 to Minutoli.

Another proposed solution is to provide a series of outer generally tubular members which are slid over the usual generally tubular end attachment members of the watch band and permanently secured to them. Each outer generally tubular member is considerably longer than the watch band end attachment tubular member and it is provided with two or more spaced score lines at each end so that segments may be removed by the retail dealer to cause it to fit between the lugs of the customers watch. An example of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,118,209 dated Jan. 21, 1964 to Vollet. Such end attachments are expensive to manufacture and assemble and they require more of the retail dealers time to install on the customer's watch than the above-mentioned spring pressed type.

Another proposed solution is for the manufacturer to provide the retail dealer with generally tubular sleeves of different lengths for assembly with the usual generally tubular end attachment members of the watch band by the retail dealer who slides sleeves of the desired length for the customers watch over the generally tubular parts of the end attachment members of the watch band. Instead of supplying the retail dealer with separate sleeves of different lengths, the retail dealer may stock bracelets having sleeves of different lengths. Such sleeves are expensive to manufacture because they must be impressed with the ornamental design of the links of the watch band with which they are to be used and they involve additional expense and trouble to the retail dealer who must either stock tubular sleeves of different lengths or complete watch bands having sleeves of different lengths attached to them.

One example of this type of end attachment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,883,727 dated Apr. 28, 1959 to Obst in which the generally tubular sleeve is attached to the generally tubular end attachment member of the watch band by a tab 28 which is bent inwardly into a slot 27 in the end attachment member. In use of this sleeve, it is difficult for the retail 2O jeweler to get at the tab 28 to bend it outwardly from the slot when it is necessary for him to replace a sleeve with one which is longer or shorter. Another example of this type of end attachment is disclosed in Rossman U.S. Pat. No. 1,836,772 dated Dec. 15, 1931 in which the sleeve is attached to the generally tubular end attachment member of the watch band by a detent 27 which springs into an opening 28 in the end attachment member. Such a sleeve either is likely to accidentally come off the end attachment member in use or is difficult to remove from it depending upon the resiliencies of the sleeve and of the end attachment member.

A still further proposed solution has been to provide insert members which are slidable into opposite ends of the end member of the watch band end attachment and which may be held in a series of adjusted positions by the interengagement of elements which protrude from the inserts with recesses, ribs, and the like on the end members. Such end attachments are expensive to manufacture and to assemble. Examples are shown in the following U.S. Pats.:

Patent No. Date lnventor 1,725,786 Aug. 27, 1929 Eklund 2,652,612 Sept. 22, 1953 Valcourt 2,653,369 Sept. 29, 1953 Rodriquez 2,953,833 Sept. 27, 1960 Boots 2,986,794 June 6, 1961 Boots 3,039,162 June 19, 1962 Meyerson Another proposed solution is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,713,533 dated May 21, 1929 to Jones in which a pair of tubular insert members are slid into a tubular end member of the watch band end attachment and are held in laterally adjusted positions by a spring finger which extends inwardly from the tubular end member and presses against: either the peripheries of, or flattened inner end portions of, the insert members. With all of the embodiments illustrated in this patent, except that in which the spring finger engages the flattened portions, the inserts are likely to fall out of the end member before or during attachment of the end attachment to the watch and all of them would be expensive to manufacture and to assemble compared to end attachments embodying the present inventron.

There has been a recognized long-felt need for an end attachment for watch bands for use in attaching a watch band between attachment lugs of wrist watch cases which is economical to manufacture and assemble, which does not require the retail dealer to stock either watch bands having end attachments of different widths or additional generally tubular members of different widths and which can be quickly and easily adapted by the retail dealer to fit between the lugs of watches which are spaced different distances apart.

There has also been a recognized long-felt need for such an end attachment which may be quickly converted for use with watches which are either (i) rectangular when viewed from the top or (ii) round when viewed from the top.

Furthermore, there has been a long-felt need for a means for attaching an end attachment to a watch band which permits the manufacturer or the retail dealer to quickly and easily remove the end attachment for repair or to substitute another end attachment for the one which is on the watch band, or to adjust the length of the linkage.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One object of this invention is to provide an end attachment for a watch band adapted to be mounted between lugs of wrist watch cases which are spaced different distances apart and which is economical to manufacture and assemble.

Another object is to provide such an end attachment which requires only two simple parts in addition to the customary ornamental end attachment of the watch band.

A further object is to provide such an end attachment which does not require the retail dealer to stock watch bands which have end attachments of different widths or additional generally tubular members of different widths for use with end attachment members of shorter widths.

A still further object is to provide such an end attachment in which the adjustable elements are held securely in place within the end attachment member but which may be removed quickly and easily by the retail dealer to permit the end attachment to be used between watch case lugs which are spaced apart smaller distances.

Still another object is to provide such an end attachment which does not require the use of springs.

Another object is to provide an end attachment which does not require the use of recesses, ribs, spring fingers or the like for retaining inserts within the ornamental end element of the end attachment.

A still further object is to provide an end attachment which can be quickly and easily adapted for use with either curved end or straight end watch bands.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In general the end attachment of this invention includes (i) a plate member provided at its outer end with a looped portion adapted to receive a spring bar of a wrist watch, (ii) an ornamental shell attached to theplate member and provided at its outer end with a looped portion which at least partially surrounds the looped portion of the plate member, and (iii) a pair of hollow insert members extending into the opposite ends of the looped portion of the ornamental shell but with their outer ends projecting outwardly from the outer ends of that looped portion. Each of the insert members is radially resilient and at least a portion of its wall is moved radially inwardly upon its insertion into the end of the looped portion of the shell so that it is detachably but securely held within the looped portion by the outward pressure of its wall against the looped portion.

ln one embodiment, each insert member is provided with a slot extending from end to end thereof and with an extension member at its inner end, the side of the extension member being provided with at least one cam surface which extends inwardly towards the end of the extension member. When the insert is moved into the looped portion of the ornamental shell this cam surface engages the end of the looped portion and aids in moving the wall of the insert radially inwardly so that after insertion, as stated above, the insert will be detachably but securely held within the looped portion by the outward pressure of its wall against the looped portion.

Each end of the looped portion of the plate member may also be provided with a recess in which the end of the extension member is received for preventing rotation of the insert member relative to the looped portion of the plate member.

In the embodiment for use with watches which are round when viewed from the top, each hollow insert member is wider at its outer end than at its inner end when viewed from the top and is generally oval in cross section. The outer ends of the ornamental shell are also wider and they are generally oval in cross section. Consequently, it is unnecessary to provide an extension member having a cam surface for the inserts of this embodiment nor is it necessary to provide recesses in the ends of the looped portions of the plate member.

In use of an end attachment embodying this invention, if the distance between the lugs of the watch case is less than the distance between the outer ends of the inserts, the inserts are withdrawn with a pair of pliers and thrown away. The looped portion of the ornamental shell then fits between the lugs of the watch.

The inserts are simple, cheap to manufacture and easy to assemble in the end attachment.

In the preferred embodiment of means for attaching the plate member-ornamental shell assembly to the end of a watch band, a slide member is provided which is slidable towards and away from the end of the watch band on the upper surface of the plate member. In this embodiment, the looped portion of the plate member is provided with a slot or gap intermediate its ends and the looped portion of the ornamental shell is also provided with a slot intermediate its ends and the latter slot registers with the former slot to form an opening through the walls of the looped portions. The outer end of the slide member is provided with a member which projects downwardly in registry with said opening. When the slide is moved as far as possible towards the looped portions, the projecting member is located in the looped portions and a space or gap is provided between the opposite end of the slide and the end of the ornamental shell. The end top link of the watch band is inserted in this space and the slide is then moved towards the end of the watch band so that it holds the end top link between its top surface and the bottom surface of the top shell. In this position, the outer face of the projecting member is engaged by the side of a spring bar of a watch when inserted in the looped portion of the plate member and consequently the spring bar prevents sliding movement of the slide member towards the axis of the looped portion of the plate member, and causes the opposite end of the slide member to retain the end link of the watch band between the bottom surface of the ornamental shell and the top surface of the slide member when the end attachment is in place on the watch and the watch and watch band are used.

Preferably the projecting member is connected to the plate member by a tongue member which is narrower than the width of the opening and this tongue member passes through the aforesaid opening when the slide is moved from one position to another.

Preferably the slide member also includes at least one member extending upwardly from its surface towards the ornamental shell and this member acts as a stop means by engaging the ornamental shell to arrest excessive movement of the slide member in a direction too far towards the axis of the looped portion of the plate member when the end link of the watch band is to be inserted in the end attachment.

in the preferred embodiment, the slide member is slidably retained in face-to-face relationship with the plate member by a pair of spaced tabs which extend upwardly, inwardly and downwardly from opposite sides of the plate member.

This means for attaching the plate member-ornamental shell assembly to the end of a watch band permits both the manufacturer and the retail dealer to reduce their inventories of watch bands. For example, when a manufacturer does not have a large enough inventory of watch bands with curved end attachments to fill an order, the straight end attachments for watch bands of the design which is ordered can be removed from the finished watch bands and curved end attachments substituted for them quickly and easily by use of the slide members of the end attachments. The retail dealer can follow the same procedure.

It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that this invention has solved the recognized long-felt need for an end attachment for watch bands for use in attaching a watch band between attachment lugs of wrist watch cases which is economical to manufacture and assemble, which does not require the retail dealer to stock either watch bands having end attachments of different widths or additional generally tubular members of different widths and which can be quickly and easily adapted by the retail dealer to fit between the lugs of watch bands which are spaced different distances apart.

It will also be apparent to persons skilled in the an that this invention has solved the recognized long-felt need for an end attachment which can be quickly and easily removed from the watch band either for repair or to substitute a curved end attachment for a straight end attachment or vice versa or for adjustment of the length of the watch band.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wrist watch having straight ends, an end attachment embodying the present invention and one end of a watch band;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the spring bar of a wrist watch and showing the parts of the end attachment of FIG. 1 and a watch band in partially disassembled relationship, with parts broken away, and two of the link connecting members of the watch band shown in dot dash;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view showing the parts of the end attachment of FIG. 1 partially in positions for assembly;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view looking at the bottom of the end attachment of FIG. 1 with the spring bar in position, one bottom link and two top links of the watch band, with parts broken away;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. I;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged end elevational view of one of the inserts for the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5, the full line position of its wall being the position it assumes when the insert is assembled in the end attachment and the dot dash position of its wall being the position it assumes before the insert is assembled in the end attachment;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view looking at the bottom of an insert for an end attachment for a watch band having curved ends for use with a wrist watch which is round when viewed from the top; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross section on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The end attachment for watch bands embodying this invention is adapted to be connected to any conventional wrist watch having two pairs of laterally spaced lugs.

Referring to FIG. 1, l0 designates an expansion watch band secured between the spaced lugs 12 of the watch 13 by the end attachment 14.

While the end attachment is adapted to be used with any conventional watch band, it is shown attached to an expansion watch band of the type shown in US. Pat. No. 3,307,348 to Vanover, although the watch band shown in the present application is wider and utilizes only one leaf spring in each link. The watch band comprises a row of top links 15 and a row of bottom links 16, each link extending in a direction generally transverse to the length of the linkage. There is a leaf spring 17 located in each link and the links are held together by U- shaped connecting members 18 having their legs positioned between the ends of the springs and the outer walls of the top and bottom links respectively, thus to provide an expansible linkage. The watch band is completed by securing ornamental top shells 19 to the top links.

The end attachment 14 of this invention comprises a plate member 20 which may be made of stainless steel. It is provided at its outer end with a bifurcated looped portion 21 and a pair of members 22 which extend upwardly, inwardly and downwardly from the opposite sides of the plate member. Each of the looped portions 21 is provided with a recess 23 at its outer end. There is a slot or gap 23a between the adjacent ends of the two looped portions.

The slide member 24 may be made of stainless steel and it is supported for sliding movement between the ends of the members 22 and the upper surface of the plate member 20 as best shown in FIG. 5.

The outer end of the slide member is provided with a downwardly projecting member 25 intermediate its sides and with a pair of upwardly projecting stop members 26. The other end is provided with an upwardly curved member 28.

The end top link 15 of the watch band is positioned between the top surface of the slide member 24 and the bottom surface of the ornamental top shell 30 when the end attachment is as sembled to the watch band as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5.

The ornamental top shell 30 which maybe made of goldfilled or nickel stock or any other suitable material such as stainless steel, is provided with a downwardly extending end flange 31 and side flanges 32. The end flange 31 engages the adjacent side of the end top link as shown in FIG. 5 and the side flanges 32 are adjacent to the ends of the end top link as shown in FIG. 4.

When the top shell is assembled to the plate member-slide assembly 20-24, its outer end is rolled over the looped portion 23 of the plate member 20 to form a looped portion 33 of the top shell which surrounds the looped portion of the plate member and the tabs 34 are bent inwardly below the plate member 20.

The hollow, generally tubular inserts 40 may be made of any suitable inherently resilient material such as gold filled on nickel stock or stainless steel stock. Each insert is provided with a longitudinal slot 41 and an extension member 42 which extends partially across one end of the slot. The tip 43 of the extension member is curved and is positioned in a recess 23 of the looped portion of the plate member when the insert is fully inserted in the looped portion 33 of the top shell 30. This prevents rotation of the insert member relative to the looped portion.

The outside diameter of each insert 40 is greater than the inside diameter of the looped portion of'the top shell prior to insertion of the insert into the looped portion as shown by the dot dash positions of the wall of the insert in FIG. 6.

Due to the slot 41 and the inherently resilient material of which the insert is made, the insert 40 is radially resilient and when it is inserted in the axial passage of the looped portion of the top shell, one side of the curved tip 43 of the insert engages the end of the looped portion 33 of the top shell and acts as a cam surface and causes the wall of the insert to be moved radially inwardly from the dot dash position of FIG. 6 to the full line position and thereafter the insert is detachably held in said looped portion by the outward pressure of its wall against the inner surface of the looped portion. However, the inserts can be easily removed by gripping them with a pair of pliers when it is desired to use the end attachment with a watch wherein the distance between the lugs 12 is less than the distance between the outer ends of the inserts.

The assembly of the end attachment of FIGS. 1 to 6 to a watch band will now be explained. Referring to FIG. 5, the slide member 24 is slid outwardly from the position in which it is shown towards the axis of the looped portions of the plate member and of the ornamental shell until the ends of the stop members 26 engage the ornamental shell 30. During this movement, the extension 27 of the slide extends through the slot or gap 23a between the inner ends of the bifurcated looped portion 23 of the plate member. In the embodiment illustrated, this leaves a space of about 0.060 inch between the other end of the slide and the flange 31 of the ornamental shell. The end link of the watch band shown in the drawings is about 0.078 inch wide and to insert it in the end attachment, it is tilted at an angle of about 45 to the surface of the slide member and slipped into the space between the end of the slide and the flange 31 of the top shell so that at this point it is held in by engagement with about 0.018 inch of the slide. The slide is then moved towards the watch band and the plate member assumes the position shown in. FIG. 5 where its right hand end holds the end link securely in the end attachment member since accidental displacement of the plate member is prevented by the engagement of the upwardly curved member 28 with the correspondingly curved corner of the end top link 15. When the spring bar 60 is inserted in the inserts and the looped portion 23 of the plate member, a portion of its side engages the outer face of the extension member 25 as shown in FIG. and so it positively prevents the end top link from becoming dislodged from the end attachment member during use of the watch and watch band. The U-shaped connecting members 18 in the end top link of the watch band connect this link to the adjacent bottom link as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

To remove the end attachment member for repair or replacement, the spring bar is withdrawn and the attachment is removed from the watch, the slide is moved from right to left (looking at FIG. 5) by the point of a tool and then the end link can be removed by tilting it at an angle of about 45 to the slide.

Referring to FIG. 3, one end of the looped portion 33 of the top shell is provided with a slot 36 extending inwardly therefrom and this slot at least partially registers with the wider portion of the slot 41 of the insert when the insert is in place within the looped portion 33 thus providing an opening which extends inwardly to the spring bar for use in removing the spring bar from the lugs of the watch.

With the inserts in place, the watch band illustrated is ready for use with a watch in which the lugs are spaced about threefourths inch apart. To adjust the end attachment for use with a watch in which the lugs are spaced a shorter distance apart, for example eleven-sixteenths inch, the retail dealer merely successively grips the protruding ends of the inserts with a pair of pliers, withdraws them from the loop 33 and discards them. Then the watch band can be used with a watch having an 11/ l 6-inch spacing between the lugs because the distance between the ends of the looped portion 33 of the top shell is slightly less than eIeven-sixteenths inch.

To shorten the watch band, with the spring bar removed, the slide 24 is moved towards the looped

portions

23 and 33 of the plate member and the end attachment top shell respectively, and the end top link 15 is removed from the end attachment. The end tabs of the ornamental shell 19 of the top link which is adjacent to the end top link 15 and the end tabs of the end bottom link 16 are deflected outwardly and the legs of the two end connecting members 18 which extend into the opposite ends of the end bottom link and of the top link which is adjacent to the end top link are withdrawn. This frees the assembly of the end top link and the end bottom link from the remainder of the watch band so it can be removed and then the watch band has been shortened by the width of one top link. The end of the watch band is then re-assembled with the end attachment by removing the ornamental top shell from the end top link of the shortened watch band, inserting the end top link between the end of the slide 24 and the top shell 30 and moving the end of the slide beneath the end top link to its closed position of FIG. 5.

If it is desired to lengthen the watch band, an assembly of a top and bottom link are added to the end of the watch band by inserting the legs of the U-shaped connecting members located at the end of the newly added end bottom link between the ends of the spring 17 and the outer wall of the end top link 15 which was formerly positioned in the end attachment and adding an ornamental shell to said top link. The newly added end top link is then inserted between the end of the slide and the top shell of the end attachment and the slide returned to its closed position of FIG. 5.

THE EMBODIMENTS OF FIGS. 7 AND 8 The watch band can be provided with an end attachment for use with watches which are round rather than rectangular when viewed from the top by providing hollow inserts 50 of the construction shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, each of which tapers from its inner end to its outer end 51. In this case also the insert is radially resilient due to the slot 54 and to the inherently unnecessary to provide the end of the extension member 53 with a cam surface nor for its end to extend into a recess such as 23in the looped portion of the plate member.

In this embodiment, the end of the looped portion of the top shell (not shown) is made concave when viewed from the top so that it conforms with the adjacent arcuate portion of the watch. The outer end portions of the looped portion of the top shell are generally oval in cross section so that they correspond to the cross section of the insert 50 as shown in FIG. 8

When an insert 50 is slid into the end of such a looped portion of the top shell, at least the inner end portion of its wall is moved radially inwardly due to the engagement between the tapering inner end of the wall with the corresponding tapering outer end of the looped portion of the top shell and the insert is held within the looped portion by the outward pressure of its wall against the inner surface of said looped portion. The inserts are prevented from rotating relative to the looped portion of the top shell by their respective cross sectional shapes.

Except for the configurations of the inserts and of the end of the looped portion of the top shell, the other parts of the end attachment of this embodiment may be the same as corresponding parts of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 6.

To substitute a curved end attachment for a straight end attachment on a watch band the slide 24 is moved to the left looking at FIG. 5, the end top link 15 is removed from the assembly and inserted in a curved end attachment and then the slide moved to the right looking at FIG. 5. This may be done very quickly either by the manufacturer or the retailer.

This invention provides an end attachment for watch bands for use in attaching a watch band between attachment lugs of wrist watch cases which is economical to manufacture and assemble, which does not require the retail dealer to stack either watch bands having end attachments of different widths or additional generally tubular members of different widths and which can be quickly and easily adapted by the retail dealer to fit between the lugs of watch bands which are spaced different distances apart.

This invention also provides an end attachment for watch bands which can be quickly and easily removed from the watch band either for repair or to substitute a curved end attachment for a straight end attachment or vice versa or to increase or decrease the length of the watch band.

While two desirable embodiments of the invention have been shown in the drawings, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and various changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those shown and described herein may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An end attachment for watch bands adapted to be mounted between spaced lugs of a wrist watch comprising a plate member provided at its outer end with a looped portion adapted to receive a spring bar of a wrist watch,

an ornamental shell attached to said plate member and provided at its outer end with a looped portion which at least partially surrounds said looped portion of the plate member,

a pair of hollow insert members extending into the opposite ends of said looped portion of said ornamental shell but with their outer ends projecting outwardly from the outer ends of said looped portion, each of said insert members being radially resilient and at least a portion of its wall being moved radially inwardly upon its insertion in the end of said looped portion, whereby the insert is detachably held within said looped portion by the outward pressure of its wall against said looped portion, and

means for attaching the plate member-ornamental shell assembly to the end of a watch band.

2. An end attachment according to claim 1, wherein each insert member is provided with a slot extending from end to resilient material of which the insert is made. In this case, it is end thereof.

3. An end attachment according to claim 2, wherein each insert comprises an extension member at its inner end and the side of the extension member is provided with at least one cam surface which extends inwardly towards the end of the extension member.

4. An end attachment according to claim 1, wherein each end of the looped portion of the plate member is provided with a recess and the inner end of each insert member is provided with an extension member at least the end of which is received by said recess for preventing rotation of the insert member relative to the looped portion of the plate member.

5. An end attachment according to claim 4, wherein each insert member is provided with a longitudinal slot tending from end to end thereof and said extension member projects partially across the inner end of said slot.

6. An end attachment according to claim 1, wherein each insert member is generally tubular in cross section.

7. An end attachment according to claim 1, wherein each insert member is wider at its outer end than at its inner end when viewed from the top.

8. An end attachment according to claim 1, wherein the looped portion of the plate member also comprises a slot intermediate its ends and that looped portion of the ornamental shell also comprises a slot intennediate its ends which registers with the slot of the looped portion of the plate member to form an opening through the walls of said looped portions and wherein the means for attaching the plate member-omamental shell assembly to the end of a watch band comprises a slide member, said slide member having at one end a member which projects downwardly in registry with said opening, said projecting member being engagable by the side of a spring bar of a watch when inserted in the looped portion of the plate member to prevent sliding movement of the slide member towards the axis of the looped portion of the plate member, thereby to cause the opposite end of said slide member to hold the end link of a watch band between the bottom surface of the ornamental shell and the top surface of said opposite end of said slide member.

9. An end attachment according to claim 8, wherein said projecting member is connected to the plate member by a tongue member the width of which is less than the width of said opening.

10. An end attachment according to claim 8, wherein said slide member also comprises stop means for engaging the ornamental shell to arrest movement of said slide member in a direction towards the axis of the looped portion of the plate member.

II. An end attachment according to claim 10, wherein said stop means comprises at least one: member extending up wardly from the slide member towards the ornamental shell.

12. An end attachment according to claim 8, wherein said plate member also comprises means for slidably retaining said slide member in face-to-face relationship with said plate member.

13. An end attachment according to claim 12, wherein said retaining means comprises a pair of tabs, each tab extending upwardly, inwardly, and downwardly from a side of said plate member.

Claims

1. An end attachment for watch bands adapted to be mounted between spaced lugs of a wrist watch comprising a plate member provided at its outer end with a looped portion adapted to receive a spring bar of a wrist watch, an ornamental shell attached to said plate member and provided at its outer end with a looped portion which at least partially surrounds said looped portion of the plate member, a pair of hollow insert members extending into the opposite ends of said looped portion of said ornamental shell but with their outer ends projecting outwardly from the outer ends of said looped portion, each of said insert members being radially resilient and at least a portion of its wall being moved radially inwardly upon its insertion in the end of said looped portion, whereby the insert is detachably held within said looped portion by the outward pressure of its wall against said looped portion, and means for attaching the plate member-ornamental shell assembly to the end of a watch band.

2. An end attachment according to claim 1, wherein each insert member is provided with a slot extending from end to end thereof.

8. An end attachment according to claim 1, wherein the looped portion of the plate member also comprises a slot intermediate its ends and that looped portion of the ornamental shell also comprises a slot intermediate its ends which registers with the slot of the looped portion of the plate member to form an opening through the walls of said looped portions and wherein the means for attaching the plate member-ornamental shell assembly to the end of a watch band comprises a slide member, said slide member having at one end a member which projects downwardly in registry with said opening, said projecting member being engagable by the side of a spring bar of a watch when inserted in the looped portion of the plate member to prevent sliding movement of the slide member towards the axis of the looped portion of the Plate member, thereby to cause the opposite end of said slide member to hold the end link of a watch band between the bottom surface of the ornamental shell and the top surface of said opposite end of said slide member.

11. An end attachment according to claim 10, wherein said stop means comprises at least one member extending upwardly from the slide member towards the ornamental shell.