US2989838A - Shaped wrist-watch - Google Patents

Description

June 27, 1961 w, GGG ETAL SHAPED WRIST-WATCH Filed May 12, 1960 INU NL i

UnitedStates Patent O 2,989,838 SHAPED WRIST-WATCH Willi Gggi, Douanne, and Roger Tui-berg, Bienne, Switzerland, assignors to A. C. Miserez SA., Saignelegier, Switzerland, a joint-stock company Filed May 12, 1960, Ser. No. 28,639 8 Claims. (Cl. 58-90) This invention relates to shaped wrist-watches, in particular to the `cases of such watches, and even more particularly to shaped wrist-watch cases comprising a separate bezel and in which the dial received in said cases, the glass and the bezel have almost the same shape as 'the case band itself.

In most of the shaped wrist-watch cases of that type, which are already known in the art, a circular opening is provided in the case band to receive a circular watch movement carrying a shaped dial. With these watches it is however not easy to set the watch movement together with the -dial into the watch case. T-wo solutions therefore have been proposed as yet but each has some drawbacks.

According to the first one of these solutions the watch movement is set into the case band from the bottom side thereof and a separate bottom is removably fixed to said case band. This bottom often has a circular shape so as to enable its screwing into the case band while a watertight gasket is interposed lbetween said bottom and said case band. Since the dial has a form similar to the outer s-hape of the watch and since this dial has consequently its corners extending beyond the outer periphery of the watch movement, it can obviously not be fixed to the latter in the usual manner, i.e. before the movement has been set into the watch case, because this dial could not be passed through the circular opening of the case band provided for the watch movement and closed by said bottom. In some instances this difiiculty has been overcome by using a removable bezel and by setting the dial in place into the watch case from the bezel or upper side thereof. This proposal involves however resorting to an unusual sequence of assembling operations of the watch parts, in particular as regards the hands, which must be set in place after the movement has itself been set into the watch case.

With a watertight watch case this first proposal has moreover the drawback that an additional gap is formed between the bezel and the case band and it is not easy to locate a tightening gasket in said gap to ensure its watertight closure, in particular when the bezel is snap fitted on to the case band. It has, however, already been proposed to overcome said diitiiculty by using a two-piece dial consisting of an outer peripheral piece secured to the case band by the glass and an inner central piece extending within the limits of the watch movement and being fixed thereto as a usual one-piece dial. With a two-piece dial of this type, the hands can be mounted on the movement before the latter is set into the watch case. This second proposal within the outlines of the first solution has, however, also two important drawbacks. The watch movement can only be introduced into the watch case while the hands are in a very particular position and these two-piece dials do not produce a satisfactory esthetic effect because of the gap always appearing between the two pieces of the dial.

The second solution mentioned above to set a circular watch movement carrying a dial extending beyond the outline of this movement into a shaped watch case consists in introducing said movement together with the dial into the watch case from the glass side thereof. The watc-h cases commonly used to carry out this second solution comprise a shaped lower unit forming the watch case bottom and a watch movement lodging surrounded by a wall made in one piece with said bottom. Said Watch cases 2,989,838 Patented June 27, 1961 ICC also comprise an outer upper unit forming the bezel and the case band. This `outer unit is arranged so that it can be Set over the lower unit once the watch movement and the dial have been set into this unit. In the watches of this type known in the art, the winding and hand setting stem can however not be fixed to the incased watch move` ment in the usual manner, i.e. by means of a setting lever screw, since such a screw could no longer be approached once the movement together with the dial have been set in place into the lower watch case unit.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a shaped wrist-watch case in which a watch movement carrying a dial extending lbeyond the movement can be set in place after the dial and the hands have been fixed thereto.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a shaped wrist-watch case with a lower unit adapted for receiving a watch movement `capable of rotary motions therewithin, a covering unit comprising a bezel and a glass, and bayonet jointing means provided on both case units for removably fixing said units to one another.

Another object of this invention consists in fixing the dial and the watch movement to said covering watch case unit for rotary motions.

Still further objects of this invention will become apparent in the course of the following description.

One embodiment of the watch according to the inven tion is represented by way of example in the drawings annexed to this specification.

In the drawings:

PIG. 1 is a plan view of this embodiment;

FIG. 2. is a crossasectio-n thereof on a greater scale;

FIG. 3 is a part sectional view on greater scale and along line III-III of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a plan view similar to that of FIG. 1 the bezel being partly removed from the case band.

The watch represented comprises a circular movement 1 of usual design. A square dial 2 is fixed on to the movement 1 in a usual manner by means of a pair of positioning pins 3. The corners of this dial 2 extend beyond the periphery of the movement 1. This movement 1 and the dial 2 are located in a watch case comprising a lower unit vformed by a case band 4 and a removable ybottom 5, and a covering unit formed by a bezel 6 and a glass 7. FIG. 1 shows that the dial 2, the glass 7 and the bezel 6 have shapes similar to the outer shape of the case band 4. The latter is carrying four lugs 8 at its corners to enable attaching both ends of a Wristband to the watch case. The case band 4 is also provided with a central circular opening 9 which serves as lodging for the watch movement 1 fitting said opening so that it can rotate freely therewithin with respect to the case band 4. With the only exception of the lugs 8 the upper face 10 of the case band forms a planar surface portion as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The lugs 8 extend above the plan upper surface portion 10i. A tapped lodging 11 coaxial to opening 9 is provided in the lower portion of case band 4 to receive a corresponding screw threaded sleeve portion 12 of the circular bottom 5.

The glass 7 comprises an axially extending wall portion 13 forming a square central portruding portion. rThis glass portion is freely engaged in the square opening of the bezel 6 which serves as lodging therefor so that glass 7 and bezel '6 are fixed to one another for rotary motions. A peripheral flange 14 of glass 7 extends outward from the lower edge of wall portion 13 and the lower face of this glass flange 14 is provided with an annular groove 15 which serves as lodging for a watertight gasket 16. The bezel 6 is formed with a rim 17 extending inward above the glass flange 14 so as to press the gasket 16 tightly on to the upper plan surface portion 10` of the case band 4.

The covering watch case unit comprising the bezel 6 and the glass 7 can be fixed on to the lower watch case unit comprising the case band 4 and the bottom 5 by bayonet jointing means provided at the four corners of said watch case units. These bayonet jointing means are constituted by four radially outward extending projections 18 of the bezel 6 (FIG. 3) and by four corresponding inward projecting shoulders 19 of the case band 4. As shown in the drawings the projections 1S can be formed by milling the lower portion of the four bezel corners the upper portions of which entirely cover the case band corners. As regards shoulders 19 they can be formed by milling grooves 20 in the bottom portion of lthe inner faces of the lug parts extending above the upper plan surface portion of case band 4, said grooves 20 having a width almost corresponding to the thickness of bezel projections 18 in order to retain said bezel without play on the case band 4 in a well determined position with respect to the symmetry axis of the Watch.

The plan views of FiGS. 1 and 4 show that said bezel projections and said lug shoulders are equidistant from the axis of symmetry of the watch case and are arranged therearound so that the bezel 6` can rotate coaxially to the watch case with respect to the case band 4 from the position represented in FIG. l to that of FIG. 4 and vice versa, thus ensuring a simultaneous engagement of bezel projections 18 under lug shoulders 19 or a simultaneous disengagement of said projections from said shoulders.

FIGS. 2. and 3 also show that the axial wall 13 of glass 7 forms a shaped central glass opening capable of receiving the square dial 2. The movement 1 and the dial 2 carried thereby are `thus fixed to the covering watchcase unit for rotary motions.

To assemble the watch described the dial 2 is first fixed on to the movement 1 and the hands 21, 22 and 23 are set in place in the usual manner. The unit thus formed is then introduced without the winding stern into the case band 4 in the angular position represented in FIG. 4. The glass 7 together with the tightening gasket 16 are set on the case band 4 so that the dial 2 enters the central glass opening formed by wall 13. The bezel 6 is also set around the protruding glass portion so that the wall 13 of the latter fits the bezel opening. The bezel is then rotated coaxially to the watch case until it comes in the position of FIG. l in which the bezel projections 18 engage the grooves 20. During this rotary motion of the bezel 6, the glass 7, the dial 2 and the watch movement 1 are also rotating until they come in their definite position with respect to the case band 4. At that moment the lodging (not shown) of the movement provided for the winding and hand setting stem is opposite an opening (not shown) provided across the case band 4 Ifor said stem. The latter can thus be set in place and fixed to the watch movement 1 in the usual manner by means of the setting lever screw. Setting the winding stem in place simultaneously loc-ks the watch movement 1 within the case band 4 with respect to rotary motions. The movement 1 and the dial 2 are however not the only watch parts which are xed to the case band in the manner described by said stem. The glass 7 and the bezel 6 are also locked with respect to case band 4 in the position of FIG. 1, since these two elements of the watch case covering unit are xed for rotary motions to the dial 2 and consequently to the movement 1. This locking of movement 1 by means of the winding and hand setting stern is suicient to hold said covering unit in closed position under normal circumstances, but it leaves, however, said stem to dangerous shearing actions which can occur every time the bezel 6 is caught for instance at a corner by any foreign obstacle like a cloth.

To prevent the winding and hand setting stem from the transmission of such an occasional stress, the movement 1 is provided with xing screws 24 of a type well known in the art. Said screws constitute strong locking means for `this movement 1 with respect to the case band 4.

After the winding and hand setting stem has been set in place and the screws 24 have been screwed down, the bottom 5 can be fixed to the case band 4. A tightening gasket 25 is interposed between a peripheral rim of the bottom and a lower case band surface portion.

To take the movement 1 out of the case, the bottom 5 must first be removed and the screws 24 as well as the setting lever screw unserewed. The stem has then to be removed and the bezel 6 must be rotated into the position of FIG. 4.

Instead of providing grooves 20 and projections 18 with the same cross section in every plane passing through the watch axis and one point of said grooves and said projections, a camming surface could also be provided on either one of said group of bayonet jointing means to render the introduction of projections 18 into grooves 20` more easy when rotating the bezel 6.

Bayonet jointing means analogous to those described above could obviously also be provided on a bezel and a case band having another shape than that represented in the drawings, for instance, a rectangular or oblong shape. The radial projections disclosed have then only to be provided at Athe places of the bezel which are farthest remote from the watch axis and the case band has to be provided with corresponding shoulders oriented in such a manner that the bezel can rotate coaxially to the watch when said projections are located under said shoulders.

The watch described has both advantages that it can be assembled in the usual manner and that it comprises a casing which can be manufactured easily. It will be observed that the case band described can indeed be manufactured without subjecting it to expensive stamping operations. After a first cut-out operation the case band described need obviously only be subjected to milling r operations.

With respect to shaped Watch cases in which a lower unit comprising a bottom formed with a side wall portion to receive the watch movement is covered by a unit forming the bezel and the case band, the casing disclosed has the advantage that its outer shape can be slendered to a great extent toward the periphery so as to give the impression of a very flat watch.

Various changes in the shape, sizes and arrangement of parts will appear obvious to those skilled in the art within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

We claim:

1. In a shaped wrist-watch, in combination, a shaped case having va central axis of symmetry, a circular movement located in said case coaxially thereto, and a dial having a shape similar to that of said case and being fixed on to said movement so as to be carried thereby, said case comprising: a glass having ra shape similar to that of the case; a bezel having also a shape similar to that of the case and being operatively connected to said dial and to said movement for rotary motions therewith, coaxially thereto and to said case, said bezel being provided with radial projections equidistant from the axes both of said movement and of said case, said projections being arranged in a predetermined manner around said axes; and a shaped case band having an outer face forming also the outer face of said case, said case band being provided with `a circular opening for locating said movement therein free for rotary motions coaxially with respect thereto, and said case band being formed with shoulders equidistant from the axis thereof and arranged therearound in the same manner as said projections, the latter further being arranged with respect to said shoulders for a simultaneous engagement thereunder and a simultaneous disengagement therefrom upon reciprocate rotary motions of said bezel together with said dial and said movement.

2. 'In a shaped wrist-watch case, a lower unit adapted for receiving a watch movement capable of rotary motions therewithin, a covering unit comprising a bezel and a glass, said covering unit comprising a shaped lodging adapted for receiving a shaped dial fixed to a watch movement, and bayonet jointing means provided both on said lower unit and on said covering unit for removably fixing said both units to one another.

3. In a shaped wrist-watch case, a lower unit adapted for receiving a watch movement capable of rotary motions therewithin, a covering unit comprising a bezel and a glass fixed to one another at least for rotary motions, said covering unit comprising a shaped lodging adapted for receiving a shaped dial fixed to a watch movement, and bayonet jointing means provided both on said lower unit and on said covering unit for removably fixed said both units to one another upon a rotary motion with respect to each other, whereby the watch movement and the dial fixed thereto are rotating together with said covering unit and relative to said lower unit.

4. In a shaped wrist-watch, in combination, a case comprising a watch movement receiving unit having an upper surface portion, an independent bezel extending above said upper surface portion and having a glass receiving shaped lodgi-ng, a glass having a shaped protruding central portion engaged in said bezel lodging to fix said glass and said bezel to one another as regards rotary motions; `a dial receiving shaped central opening, and a peripheral ange extending between said bezel and said upper surface portion of the watch movement receiving case unit, a watertight gasket inserted between said peripheral glass flange and said upper surface portion of the watch movement receiving case unit, and bayonet jointing means provided both on said watch movement receiving case unit and on said bezel for removably connecting said bezel and said case unit to each other upon a rotary motion thereof relative to one another, whereby said bezel tightly presses said glass fiange and said gasket on said upper surface portion of the watch movement receiving case unit; a watch movement 1oated in said case unit and adapted for rotary motions .ill 6 therewithin, and a shaped dial xed onto said watch movement and extending into said dial opening of the glass for rotating together with said watch movement, said glass and said bezel upon assembling or disassembling said bayonet jointing means.

5. The combination of claim 4, in which said upper surface portion of the watch movement receiving case unit is a plan surface portion.

6. In the combination of claim 4, said Watch movement receiving case unit having a square shape and being provided at its corners with wrist-band attaching lugs having a portion extending above its upper surface portion, said bezel having the same shape as said case unit, and said bayonet jointing means being provided on said lug portions and at the corners of said bezel.

7. In the combination of claim 6, said bayonet jointing means consisting of shoulders projecting inward from said lugs above said case unit upper face, and of outward projections of said bezel extending under the corners thereof and arranged for engagement under said lug shoulders upon a. rotary motion of said bezel relat-ive to said case unit, said bezel corners extending -above said lug shoulders.

8. In the combination of claim 4, said watch movement receiving case unit comprising a case band, a separate bottom removably fixed to said case band, and means on the bottom side of said case band to fix said watch movement rigidly therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 280,394 `Mueller July 3, 1883 1,940,568 Thurmond Dec. 19, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS 208,781 Switzerland May 16, 1940 220,531 Switzerland July 1, 1942 256,595 Switzerland Mar. 1, 1949

Images