US2565396A - Waterproof quadrilateral watchcase - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 21, 1951 w, SCHMITZ WATERPROOF QUADRILATERAL WATCHCASE Filed Oct. 27, 1945 'III v I I N .Il

,lid s Agg y,"3 fo 11- Patented Aug. 21, 1951 WATERPROOF QUADR-ILATERAL wATcHcAsE i Werner Schmitz, Grenchen, (Switzerland t Appneanon october 27, 1945, serial N6. 625,041 l I In Switzerland September 16, 1944 V'Section 1,. Public Law 690, lAugust v8, 1946-V Patentexpires September 16, 1964 Itis extremelyV diicult'as a ruleto make square or rectangular watches, i. e. quadrilateral watches in general, dustproof, specially in the case of the glass being inlet. On leaving the factory such Watches are comparatively speaking highly dustproof. But after having been through the hands of a repairer this is no longer the case. The latter is insuiiiciently equipped to touch up a glass, the dimensions of which are not quite exact. It is moreover ridiculous to pretend to know to what degree a watch is dustproof after its having the glass replaced.

The present invention relates to a method of overcoming this diiilculty. Its object is a watch casein which a special glass can be mounted in a corresponding sized movement. The case may have diverse shapes but must always have the same sized rim-aperture. Any small tolerance will never have the same effects as in the case of inlet glasses. Repairers may thus keep standard sized Watch glasses in stock and consequently replacement will be an easy matter incurring no special touching up.

The attached drawing represents, by way of example, several embodiments of watch cases according to the invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective drawing, partly in section, of an embodiment of the Watch case.

Fig. 2 is a view in section, in the perpendicular plane to one side, on a larger scale, oi Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section, of a second embodiment.

Each of Figs. 4, and 6 relates to a special embodiment, represented partly in like section as in the preceding figures.

With respect to Figs. l and 2, I denotes the bottom of the Watch-case with a collar 2 soldered to it which forms with the supporting collar for the movement, the middle part of the watch.

Into the rim 4 is fitted grease friction tight the collar 2, the upper part of which bears against the shoulder 5 of the ledge 6 of the glass 1, the latter being shaped in this way on making, i. e. in the shape of a ange which can be worked upon.

In the present case the glass is in the shape of a spherical cap and is moulded hot.

The outside face of the glass ledge E is machined exactly according to dimensions. The circumference of the glass is thus cut according to given dimensions and the glasses are therefore interchangeable. Any watch glass prepared in this manner can be introduced grease friction tight into the shoulder, limited on the one hand by the upper lateral face of the collar 2 and on the other hand by theupper face ofthe supporting collarof the movement, The rim, which can be kept. in its proper place by known means, bears on the ledge of' the glass.

One of the sides of a ring 9 of angle profile bears on the dial III, whereas the other is held by a Y shoulder provided on the inside of the glass. The pressure of the glass on to the slightly springy and thin ring 9 keeps the movement in place on a ledge of the supporting collar. Moreover the said ring hides the joint between the glass and the dial. In the embodiment according to Fig. 3, the same parts are used as denoted in Figs. 1 and 2 and have the same reference numbers. However, the ledge I2 of the glass is wider and reaches over the edge of the movement.

This construction can be used for certain watches in which the movement and the dial have special dimensions.

In the embodiment represented in Fig. 4, the parts are the same as in the watch case already described. The ring I3 however has a different prole. It is also an angle piece, but having one of its sides longer than the other and which slips in between the supporting-collar of the movement and the movement itself. Moreover this ring fits tightly on to the movement so that on taking out the movement, the ring comes with it.

The embodiment represented in Fig. 5 does not comprise a supporting collar for the movement. The ring 2 which is soldered, in the present case, to the bottom has a shoulder on the outside Ill and on the inside I5. The movement II rests on the latter. The machined inside face of the ledge of the glass I6 lies on the outside machined face oi the said shoulder I4. The same arrangement is made in the case of Fig. 6 in which the movement I I bears on the top face oi the collar 2 having its outside surface Z6 machined and adapted to take the glass fitting over it at the inside face 2l of the ledge I'l. The latter is comparatively long and lies on a part of the case-bottom I8.

In the embodiment represented in Figs. 5 and 6 the movement is also kept in place by means of a ring bearing down on the dial under the pressure of the rim and the glass.

In the above descriptions reference to square or quadrilateral Watch cases is intended to mean any case having four plane or curved sides.

The phrase plane of the movement means any plane parallel to the flange 22 of the movement II in Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6 or parallel to the edge 23 of the movement II in Fig. 3.

What I claim is:

1. In a Watch, a movement, a dial placed on said fitting surface perpendicular to the plane of said 5 movement and forming a shoulder together with said supporting member, a holding frame supported on said dial, an unbreakable crystal pressing said holding frame upon said dial to hold said movement in place, said crystal comprising a radially extending outer ange resting in said shoulder and including an upper face and an outer peripheral finished surface, the internaldimensions of the wall member and the external dimensions of the crystal at the finished surfaces thereof accurately corresponding so that the peripheral iinished surface of the crystal will snugly fit within the iinished surface of the wall member and a bezel in cooperation with said upper face for holding said crystal in place,

2. In a Watch according to claim 1, said holding frame having an angle-shaped cross section.

" WERNER SCHMITZ.

15 Number" "1'.

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

UNITED STATES PATENT Number l i 2,060,118

fName Date Putnam Nov. 10, 1936 Morf Nov. 26, 1940 A Morf Nov. 17, 1942 Marti Jan. 12, 1943 Schmitz May '7, 1946 Morf Aug. 10, 1948 l FOREIGN PATENTS "1' Country Date Switzerland July 15, 1939 Switzerland June 1, 1942 Switzerland Apr. 30, 1943 Switzerland Oct. 31, 1945 Switzerland Nov. 30, 1945 Great Britain June 2, 1932

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