US2482317A - Tight winding device for watches - Google Patents

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TIGHT WINDING DEVICE FOR WATCHES Filed May 23, 1945 Patented Sept. 20, 1949 TIGHT WINDING DEVICE FOR WATCHES Emile Borer, Bienne, Switzerland, assignor to Rolex Watch Co. Ltd., Geneva, Switzerland, a

Swiss firm Application May 23, 1945, Serial No'. 595,430 In Switzerland June 28, 1944 1 claim. (o1. aix-90) This invention relates to a tight winding device .t

for watches and more particularly to an improved construction of the kind which comprises a winding crown adapted to be temporarily screwed to the watch case and having in the inside of its axial tubular shank a coupling device with the 'winding stem arranged and conformed so as to .permit of winding-up of the movement and setting of the hands after the crown has been screwed off from the watch case.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved winding device of the above -mentioned kind which permits of reducing to a minimum of the diameter of the whole pendant assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a n'ov'el and simplified means for coupling the crown with the winding stem.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claim.

In the drawing: Fig.` 1 is an axial section of a first embodiment 77251.

of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an axial section of a second embodiment;

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line IV--IV of Fig. 3.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the figures of the drawing.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the case band I of a wrist watch has a threaded hole into which is screwed the pendant neck 2 whose outwardly threaded flange 2 protrudes from the outer face of the case band 3 designates the body of e, winding crown having an inwardly threaded circular recess 4 whereby the crown may be temporarily screwed home on the flange 2 of the pendant neck.

5 designates the axial tubular shank of the crown which is tightly adjusted in the pendant neck 2; according to an important feature of the invention, the tubular shank 5 is made of hard metal, for instance of steel, whereby its diameter may be reduced to a minimum extent, thus allowing of a corresponding reduction of the diameter of the crown itself. Another advantage of the tubular shank 5 being made of hard metal is that a tighter engagement with the pendant neck 2 may be realized; a still further advantage consists of the fact that one of the coupling elements may be made of a single piece integral 'with the tubular shank, thus simplifying the construction'thereof. The inner end of the tubular shank '5,is provided with an inner annular flange I5 in which are cut two diametrically opposite axial slots 'I (Fig. 2) which constitute the female element of the coupling device with the winding stem 8.

The winding stem -8 is provided with a terminal piece 9 screwed on itsthreaded outer end and adjusted in the annular flange 6 Aof the shank 5. This piece 9 is provided with two diametrically opposite radial lugsv lforming the male half of the coupling and adaptedfor engagement with the slots 'I of the iiange 6 in order to make the winding stem dependent in rotation on the crown. The outer end 9 of the terminal piece 9 is formed as a full shank of reduced diameter on which is engaged a sleeve vI I A having an annular flange II whose diameter is equal to the diameter of the circle in which are inscribed the lugs IIJ. The sleeve II is held home by a setting I2 of the end of the shank 9. The flange I I' is intended as an axial stop for the inner flange'k 6 of the tubular shank 5 when the lugs I3 are engaged with the slots I thereof. A coil spring I3 iS engaged on the sleeve II with its inner end resting on the flange II.

As the tubular shank 5 is fastened immovably to the crown body 3, obviously the members constituting the male element of the coupling, which means the terminal piece 9 carrying the flanged sleeve I I and the coil spring I3, have to be introduced into this shank 5 before this latter being fastened home. For this purpose the crown body 3 is provided with an axial aperture through which the shank 5 may be introduced from the upper face of the crown, together with the coupling elements 9, I I, I3. The tubular shank 5 is provided at its outer end with a toothed flange I8 whose toothing I8' engages a corresponding toothing of the wall of a circular recess cui'l in the outer face of the crown body 3. The metal of this toothed wall is then upset at I9 over the rim of the flange I8 and over the rim of a flanged plug 20 screwed in the inwardly threaded end 2I of the shank 5. The plug 20 has a flat outer face which lies level with the outer face of the crown body 3. A thin shell I 6 is pressed on the crown body so as to line all the outer surfaces of the crown and tightly seal the axial aperture thereof.

An annular packing I1 of resilient material is placed intermediate the bottom of the recess 4 of the crown and the front side of the flange 2' of pendant neck 2.

The operation of the winding device should be obvious from the foregoing. In Fig. 1, the winding device is shown in position of rest. The crown is screwed home on the threaded flange 2 of the pendant neck 2. The coil spring I3 is firmly pressed between the flange II of the sleeve I I and the plug 20. The crown is disengaged from the winding stem 8. For winding-up or hand setting, the crown is to be unscrewed; the spring I3 then pushes the crown outwardly and brings the lugs I into engagement with the slots V'I; from that moment the crown and the winding stem are coupled and the winding-up of the movement may be effected in the ordinary way by turning the crown. To set the hands, the crown is pulled outwardly, whereby the flange yB of the tubular shank 5 draws along the stem I by the flange I I of the sleeve II.

In the second embodiment shown in Fig. 3 the tubular shank 5 of hard metal is forced from the inside into a short hollow shalt 25 of the crown body 3. The shank 5 is provided with two diametrically opposite radial lugs 22 adapted for engagement with two corresponding slots 23 cut in the end of the hollow `shaft 2S. The lugs 22 protrude outwardly from an annular flange V24 whose lower edge N' is .chamfered By upsetting the metal of the shaft 25 against this chamfered edge 24', the shank Iy is made axially dependent upon the shaft .25, while the angular fastening is performed by the lugs 22 cci-.operating with the slots 23.

The bottom of the hole of the shaft 25 is covered by a steel washer I6 on which Vbears the outer end of the coil spring I3 kfor the purpose of avoiding damaging of the soft metal of the vcrown body by the spring.

It is to be understood that in this second embodiment too, the tubular shank 5 of hard metal is fixed home in the crown body after the terminal piece 8, 9' of the winding stem, its flanged sleeve Il, II' and the coil spring i8 have been introduced into the said shank.

What I claim is:

In a tight winding device for watches, the

combination with a watch case having a pendant neck threaded thereto, of a recessed crown made of soft metal adapted for temporary threaded engagement with said pendant neck, an axial tubular shank extending into said pendant neck, a winding-stem, a terminal piece adapted for threaded engagement with said stem and extending into said tubular shank, said terminal piece having an outer portion of reduced diameter and outwardly protruding members at the base of said portion forming the male half of a coupling, a coil spring encircling said portion of reduced diameter and resting with its one end on said protruding members and with its other end on a part dependent on said crown, said tubular shank being made of hard metal and having its inner end formed with an inner flange having slots forming the female half of said coupling, said tubular shank of hard metal being further provided at its middle portion with outwardly protruding members and said crown `having a short axial hollow shaft provided with slots, said protruding members of the 4tubular `shank "being 'adapted for engagement with vsaid slots, whereby said shank is made angularly dependent on the crown, and said shank being made axially dependent on said crown by upsetting of the soft metal of said crown yshaft over said protruding members of said shank of EMILE BORER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,309,428 Aegler Jan. 26, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 122,110 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1927 226,489 Switzerland .July 16, 1943 309,485 Great Britain Feb. 13, 1930

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