US1881613A - Watchcase - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 11,1932. D. s. INGRAHAM WATCHCASE Filed April 28. 19150 Patented Oct. 11, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DUDLEY S. INGRAHAM, F BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE E. INGRAHAM COMPANY, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION WATGHOASE Application filed April 28,

This invention relates to an improvement in watchcases and particularly to the crystalretaining feature thereof.

The main object of this invention is to produce, at a low cost for manufacture, a watchcase in which the crystal may be securely held in place.

A further object of this invention is to produce a watchcase in which the crystal may 112' be readily and conveniently installed and removed.

With the above and other objects in View as will appear from the following, my invention consists in a watchcase having certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a'face view of a watchcase embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view thereof on an enlarged scale, partly in side elevation and partly in transverse section;

Fig. 4. is a detached underside view of the case-shell;

Fig. 5 is a view thereof partly in side elevation and partly in transverse section;

Fig. 6 is a top or plan view of the crystal- 3 retaining ring; and

Fig. 7 is a view thereof partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section.

In the embodiment herein chosen for the illustration of my invention, I employ a cup- 35 shaped sheet-metal case-shell 10 of substantially rectangular form and having a similarly-shaped sight-opening 11 in its front face through which the dial and hands of the watch (not shown) may be viewed in the usual manner of timepieces.

The case-shell above referred to consists of a vertical skirt 12, an upwardly-and-inwardly-beveled reach 13, an upstanding collar-like portion 14 and an inturned crystal-retaining l5 flange 15.

Attached to the skirt-portion 12 of the caseshell at the opposite ends thereof respectively are strap-receiving loops 16 and 17. Inserted from the open bottom of the case-shell 10 into the interior of the collar 14 and 1930. Serial No. 447,933.

against the crystal-retaining flange 15 is a bowed crystal 18.

For the purpose of retaining the crystal 18 in place within the collar 14 and snugly against the crystal-retaining flange 15, I employ a retaining-ring 19 formed with a depending ski'rt 20 snugly fitting the interior surface. of the skirt 12 of the case-shell so as to frictionally grip the same. Extending inward and upward from the skirt 20 of the retaining-ring 19 is an integral beveled reach 21 terminating in an inwardly-turned crystalretaining flange 22 coextensive with the flange 15'of the case-shell and complementing the same to form a crystal-receiving recess.

In assembling the parts, the crystal is first entered through the open rear face of the case-shell l0 and moved forward therein until it is positioned within the collar 14 and the edge of, its outer face seated against the crystal-retaining flange 15. The crystal-retaining ring 19 is nowalso entered from the open rear end of the case-shell until the upper face of its beveled reach seats against the underface of the beveled reach 18 of the caseshell, at which time the crystal-retaining flange 22 will be in position to restrain the crystal 18 against inward displacement, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. With the crystal-retaining ring thus installed not only is the crystal firmly secured in place but the case-shell 10 is reinforced and stiffened to a degree sufficient to prevent distortion in normal use.

After the movement (not shown) has been installed in the case-shell, a sheet-metal cupshaped case-back 23 is inserted into the rear end of the said case-shell and preferably has its upstanding flange 24. seated against the under-edge of the crystal-retaining ring 19 so that when the watch is strapped upon a users wrist, the crystal and crystal-retaining ring are prevented from inward displacement, owing to the fact that the case-back 23 is held in engagement with the wearers wrist.

By proportioning the crystal-retaining ring 19 so that it will frictionally engage the interior of the case-shell 10, it will be seen that the crystal may be installed within the said case-shell prior to the introduction of the movement thereinto and will be held sufficiently to prevent displacement while other necessary assembling operations are being carried on. Furthermore, by providing the complementary crystal-retaining flanges 15 and 22, which are separable one from the other, I am; enabled to provide a deep groove for the reception of the edge of the crystal so that, notwithstanding the shinking and warping of the crystal, which is especially likely to occur when the same is made of celluloid or other so-called unbreakable-. materials, the said crystal is effectively precluded'from escaping from-its seat and a substantially dust-and-moisture-tightjoint issecured.

It will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that my invention may assume varied physical forms without departing from my inventive concept and I, therefore, do not limit myself to the specific embodiment herein chosen for illustration, but only as indicated in the appended claim.

I claim:

As a new article of manufacture, a watchcase including a sheet-metal case-shell open at its front and rear faces and formed at its. front face with an upstanding collar, the interior surface of which forms a crystalseat, and which terminates in an inwardlyturned crystal-retaining flange, the said collar being smaller size than the size of the case-shell from which it outwardly projects; a crystal installed in the upstanding collar of: the said case-shell, with its peripheral edge seated against the inner surface thereof and-having that portion of its outer surface adjacent said peripheral edge seated against the inwardly-turned crystal-retainingfiangeofthe said case-shell; and acrystal-retaining ring installed within thesaid case-shell and provided with an inwardlyprojecting crystal-retaining flange positioned to engage the inner surface of the said crystal adjacent the peripheral edge thereof and complementing the flange upon the said case-shell to form a two-part" crystal-retaining groove, the major portion of which lies within the upwardly-offset collar of the said case-shell.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

DUDLEY S. INGRAHAM.

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