US2044228A - Automatically opening tubular watchcase - Google Patents

Description

June 16, 1936. H SCHLACHT 2,044,228

AUTOMATICALLY OPEN'I'NG TUBULAR WATCHCASE I Filed June 15, 1935 V A FIG..1.

n 18 I s I 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 16, 1936 UNITED STATES AUTOMATICALLY OPENING TUBULAR WATCHCASE Herman Schlacht, Woodhaven, N. Y.

Application June 15, 1935, Serial No. 26,737

7 Claims.

My invention relates to the class of watch cases described in my copending application Serial No. 721,418. As described therein, in order to expose the face of the movement both hands are required.

My present invention has for its principal object to provide a tubular construction for the case which will possess all the advantages of that type of construction but which will be provided with automatically operating means whereby axial pressure exerted on the ends of the case will cause the face of the movement to be exposed.

A further object is to provide anti-friction bearings for the actuating mechanism so that the required pressure will be minimized to the fullest extent.

My means of accomplishing the foregoing objects may be more readily understood by having reference to the accompanying drawing, which is hereunto annexed and is a part of this specification, in which- Fig. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a tubular watch case embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the case closed;

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the case opened; and

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the face of the movement.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the entire description.

As shown in the drawing, the case is formed of a tubular portion I which has one side cut away. A cap 2 is slidably but non-rotatably mounted on one end of the tubular portion. The cap 2 is held against rotation by means of a screw 21 which is fitted to a slot 28 formed in the tubular portion l adjacent one end. A disc 3 is fixedly secured in the tubular portion I. This disc 3 has a central opening in which is fixedly mounted a pin 4. Threads 5 are formed on the exterior of the pin 4, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained. One end 6 of the pin 4 is mounted in a sleeve 20 having a socket therein. The other end I of the pin 4 is located in a socket formed in a plate 8 which is fixedly secured to one end 9 of a rotatable cylinder III which is located inside of the tubular portion l and has the movement II mounted therein, a portion of the rotatable cylinder being cut-away to expose the face of said movement. This end I of the pin 4 furnishes a bearing for the upper end of the cylinder ID, to hold same on its center.

The other end [2 of the movement containing cylinder to has a plate I3 fixedly secured thereto. This plate 13 has a central stud l4 extending outwardly therefrom. The stud is fitted to and rotates in a socket 15 formed in a central hub formed on the inside of a cap I! which closes the end iii of the tubular portion I. This construction serves to hold the other end of the movement containing portion on center. The cap I! is fixedly secured to the tubular portion l by means of a screw 19 or in any desired manner. The pin 4, as pointed out, is mounted inside of a cylindrical sleeve or socket member 20 which is secured in the center on the inside of the cap 2. 0n opposite sides of this sleeve 20 are formed recesses in which are mounted anti-friction members. As shown in the drawing ball bearings 2| are employed for this purpose. These anti-friction members 2| are located intermediate the pin 4 and the sleeve 20. take the place of an internal thread and greatly decrease the effort required to bring about the rotation of the movement containing tube l0. An arm 22 extends outwardly from the sleeve 20 and passes through an arcuate slot 23, formed in the disc 3, and into a socket formed in the plate 8. This socket should be close to the periphery of the plate 8 as to increase the leverage of the sleeve 20 and correspondingly decrease the effort required to rotate the cylinder I0.

A coil spring 24 is mounted between the sleeve 20 and the disc 3 and serves to hold the parts normally in the position shown in Fig. 1. It may, in some cases, be found desirable to place a small cylindrical bushing around the sleeve 20 between it and the coil spring, as clearly seen in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

The operation of the case is as follows: The user of the watch desiring to see the time exerts an axial pressure between the thum and finger, upon the caps 2 and I1 with the result that since they are non-rotatable the sleeve 20, through the medium of the threads and balls as heretofore described will be rotated. This movement obviously will swing the arm 22 in the arcuate slot 23 and carry with it the movement containing cylinder IE1 at the same time compressing spring 24. Upon releasing the pressure the spring 24 will expand and thus restore the parts to their normal position as shown in Fig. 1. Since the slot 23 extends only degrees it follows that the cylinder Iii will only be rotated to the position shown in Fig. 5. Notches 25 and 26 are cut out of the edges of the cut away portion of the tubular portion I and receive the winding stem which carries These balls the winding crown 21. It will be apparent from the foregoing that the case can be easily opened with one hand when desired.

Having described my invention what I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sectional tubular case for watches, a tubular portion, a cap slidably secured to one end thereof, a cap fixedly secured to the other end, a movement containing cylinder rotatably mounted in said tubular portion, said cylinder having a cut-away portion to expose the face of the movement, and mechanism in said slidable cap which engages said movement containing cylinder and said slidable cap to rotate said cylinder on movement of said cap whereby pressure exerted axially of the caps will rotate said rotatable cylinder.

2. In a sectional tubular case for watches, a tubular portion, a cap slidably secured to one end thereof, a cap fixedly secured to the other end, a movement containing cylinder rotatably mounted in said tubular portion, there being a cut away portion in said cylinder to expose the face of the movement, means mounted on the inside of the slidable cap which engage said rotatable cylinder said means being arranged to cause rotation of said rotatable cylinder upon sliding movement of said slidable cap whereby pressure exerted axially of the caps will rotate said rotatable cylinder, and automatically operating means to return said rotatable cylinder to its normal position.

3. In a sectional tubular casing for watches, a tubular portion, a cap slidably secured to one. end thereof, there being a socket in said cap, a cap fixedly secured to the other end, a movement containing cylinder rotatably mounted in said tubular portion, said cylinder having a cut-away portion to expose the face of the movement, a disc secured in one end of said tubular portion, there being an arcuate slot in said disc, a pin secured to said disc, a plate secured to one end of the rotatable cylinder, one end of said pin being mounted in said plate, the other end thereof being adapted to enter the socket in the slidable cap, threads on said pin, a cylindrical sleeve surrounding said pin threads, balls mounted intermediate said pin and sleeve which engage the threads in the pin, and an arm on the sleeve which extends through said slot in said disc, said plate having an aperture into which said arm extends whereby pressure exerted axially on the. caps will rotate said rotatable cylinder.

4. In a sectional tubular casing for watches, a tubular portion, a cap slidably secured to one end thereof, there being a socket in said cap, a cap fixedly secured to the other end, a movement containing cylinder rotatably mounted in said tubular portion, said cylinder having a cut-away portion to expose the face of the movement, a disc secured in one end of said tubular portion, there being an arcuate slot in said disc, a pin secured to said disc, a plate secured to one end of the rotatable cylinder, one end of said pin being mounted in said plate, the other end thereof being adapted to enter the socket in the slidable cap, threads on said pin, a cylindrical sleeve surrounding said pin threads, balls mounted intermediate said pin and sleeve which engage, the threads in the pin, and an arm on the sleeve which extends through said slot in said disc, said plate having an aperture into which said arm extends whereby pressure exerted axially on the capswill rotate said rotatable cylinder, and a spring to return said parts to their normal position.

5. In a sectional tubular casing for watches, a tubular portion, a cap slidably secured to one end thereof, there being a socket in said cap, a cap fixedly secured to the other end, a movement containing cylinder rotatably mounted in said tubular portion, said cylinder having a cut-away portion to expose the face of the movement, a disc secured in one end of said tubular portion, there being an arcuate slot in said disc, 2. pin secured to said disc, a plate secured to one end of the rotatable cylinder, one end of said pin being mounted in said plate, the other end thereof being adapted to enter the socket in the slidable cap, threads on said pin, a cylindrical sleeve sursounding said pin threads, balls mounted intermediate said pin and sleeve which engage the threads in the pin, an arm on the sleeve which extends through said slot in said disc, said plate having an aperture into which said arm extends whereby pressure exerted axially on the caps will rotate said rotatable cylinder, an inwardly extending hub on the fixed cap having a central socket therein, a plate at the other end of said rotatable cylinder, and a central pin thereon fitted to and rotatable in said socket.

6. In a sectional tubular casing for watches, a

tubular portion, a cap slidably secured to one end thereof, there being a socket in said cap, a cap fixedly secured to the other end, a movement containing cylinder rotatably mounted in said tubular portion, said cylinder having a cut-away portion to expose the face of the movement, a disc secured in one end of said tubular portion, there being an arcuate slot in said disc, a pin secured to said disc, a plate secured to one end of the rotatable cylinder, one end of said pin being mounted in said plate, the other end thereof being adapted to enter the socket in the slidable cap, threads on said pin, a cylindrical sleeve, means mounted therein fitted to said pin threads, and an arm on the sleeve which extends through said arcuate slot, said plate having an aperture into which said arm extends whereby pressure exerted axially on the caps will rotate said rotatable cylinder.

7. In a sectional tubular casing for watches, a tubular portion, a cap slidably secured to one end thereof, there being a socket in said cap, a cap fixedly secured to the other end, a movement containing cylinder rotatably mounted in said tubular portion, said cylinder having a cut-away portion to expose the face of the. movement, a disc secured in one end of said tubular portion, there being an arcuate slot in said disc, a pin secured to said disc, a plate secured to one end of the rotatable cylinder, one end of said pin being mounted in said plate, the other end thereof being adapted to enter the socket in the slidable cap, threads on said pin, a. cylindrical sleeve, means mounted therein fitted to said pin threads, an arm on the sleeve which extends through said arcuate slot, said plate having an aperture into which said arm extends whereby pressure exerted axially on the caps will rotate said rotatable cylinder, and a spring to return said rotatable cylinder to its normal position.

HERMAN SCHLACHT.

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