US3382666A - Multiple time zone timepiece - Google Patents

Description

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MULTIPLE TIME ZONE TIMEPIECE Filed July 24, 1967 15 !Zw 7 9 V I 10 w I i-6.2.. Q 8 1 2 2/ 4 United States Patent '0 Martin ABSTRACT on THE DISCLOSURE.

' A means for utilizing an existing timepiece movement so as to enable a variety of plural number of time zones to be simultaneously viewed is embodied in a simple rotatable bezel assembly in conjunction with a timepiece case. Special considerations given to the bezel structure makes possible an integrated bezel and window assembly in combination with the timepiece case.

Objectives and advantages A major objective is to create a bezel which will act as a means for holding a watch crystal and at the same time form a simple means of sealing the dial or upper portion of the watch movement assembly; A further objective is to make the bezel rotatable so that if it is engraved with hour numerals there-on anytwo time zones can be observed simultaneously by comparison of the numerals on the bezel with those on the timepiece movement dial.'Still a further advantage is to have the bezel seal the watch crystal and act as a complete assembly. Further advantages are realized in providing twelve depressions thirty degrees apart so that the bezel may be set exactly at any hour interval with respect to the timepiece movement dial if the hour hand of the timepiece movement is used as an indicator, or increments of five minute intervals can be read if the minute hand is used as a reference line. Still further advantages are realized in the overall better sealing against humidity and oxidation and in providing a more reliable and versatile timepiece product. I

Drawings A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained by a study of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a wrist watch partially in cross-section taken in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 showing a first bezel, window, and timepiece case configuration;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 and shows a second bezel, window, and timepiece case configuration; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1 and shows a third bezel, window, and timepiece ease configuration.

First configuration Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, timepiece case assembly 1 comprises upper portion 2 and lower portion 3 which is threaded into the upper portion 2 to form a seal against humidity and oxidation at the bottom face. Upper portion has an aperture on one side for injection of winding or time setting means 4 which cooperates with the mechanism of the timepiece assembly 11 for setting the hour and the minute hand and the day and date; Upper portion 2 also has extension 7 which forms an annular groove 8 the outer vertical wall of said groove 8 having twelve depressions spaced 30 degrees apart. Bezel 13 has an annular slot 17 therein for admitting a beveled edge of transparent window 12a. Bezel 13 has ball bearings retained in its vertical wall spaced every 90 degrees which are snap fittable in depressions 9. Ball bearings 10 may if desired be spaced in any multiples of 30 degrees not to exceed a total of 12 such ball bearings The edge of window 12a is mechanically sealed in annular slot-1-7 thereby causing the formation of an assembly of bezel 13 and window 12a. The bezel may be in-the form of an annular ring. The surfaces of bezel 13 which are seated in annular groove 8 have applied thereto a lubricating film for ease of assembly of bezelwindow assembly with upper portion 2 of case 1, and for preventing dust, humidity, and air from entering internal case .1 in space 16 which accommodates mechanism 11. When bezel-window assembly is seated in annular groove 8, the vertical wall of extension 7 is made short enough so that there is no cooperation between the inner surface of window 12a and said vertical portion of extension 7. This is necessary due to the fact that when bezel 13 is manually rotated, window 12a will rotate simultaneously therewith. Bezel 13 has numbers or other indicators representing the twelve hours of the day engraved therein so that when said bezel-window combination is rotated manually by applying pressure with two fingers thereon and a torque motion thereto, the

, bezel will stop at any of the desired twelve points, hence twelve click-s representing ball bearings 10 cooperating with any of the twelve depressions 9 will constitute a 360 degree rotation of said bezel-window combination. It is obvious therefore that if the hands of timepiece mechanism 11 were set let us say to 10 oclock and the bezel point opposite this hand were at 1 oclock that two time zones of three hours diiference were represented simultaneously, for example 10 am. on the West Coast of the United States and 1 pm. on the East Coast of the United States. It should also be noted that window 12 in FIGURE 1 is represented as window 12a in the configuration of FIGURE 2, as window 12b in the configuration of FIGURE 3, and as window 12a in the configuration of FIGURE 4.

Second configuration Referring to FIGURES 1 and 3, this configuration differs from the first configuration only in the structure of the window, means of holding said window and hence the extension means of the upper portion of case 1 and in the bezel itself. All structural relationships which are identical with that of the first configuration will therefore not be recited again. Therefore, upper portion 6 has extension 14 on which is seated window 12b. Twelve depressions 9 spaced 30 degrees apart about the inner periphery 'of member 6 cooperate with ball bearings 10 press fitted every degrees about the outer periphery of bezel 15 to cooperate with depressions 9 in identical manner as described in connection with the first configuration. A thin film of sealer-lubricant is applied at the outer periphery and the lower surface of bezel 15 so as to enable ease of rotation of bezel 15 when manually torqued as hereinabove described in connection with the first configuration. In this configuration window 12b is stationary at all times.

Third configuration Referring to FIGURES l and 4, this configuration differs from the first configuration only in the shape of the bezel 19, the shape and the annular seat 18 in the upper portion of the case 20, and means of seating and retaining bezel 19. All other parts are the same as those of the first configuration. Bezel 19 retaining window in the identical manner as in the first configuration, has an are shaped outer periphery into which is embedded ball bearings 10 for discrete seating in several of the 12 depressions 9 in the upper portion of case 20. Bezel 19, otherwise identical to bezel 13 also seats on'an'uular seat 18 located at the inner periphery of upper case portion 20 after the combination bezel 19-window 12a is snapped into place in said case portion 20. Window 12a is mechanically held in annular slot 17 of bezel 19. Lower case portion 3 screws into bottom of upper case portion 20 to provide a sealed case and a space 16 for housing time mechanism assembly 11. The are shaped portion and the portion that seats in annular seat 18 of bezel 19 has a film coating of lubricant sealer which assures an air and water tight seal at the upper'portion 20 of case 1. The assembly of the combination bezel 19-, ball bearings 10, and window 12a with the upper portion 20 occurs by simply snap pressing this combination into place so that ball bearings 10 cooperate with depressions 9 and bezel 19 sits on annular seat 18. Upon assembly, as in the first configuration, the combination bezel' 19 and window 12a is manually rotatable in a circle of twelve discrete steps des-cribable by a circle joining each of the twelve depressions 9 about the inner periphery of upper portion 20 of case 1.

I claim:

1. In a timepiece assembly, the combination of a case having a means for retaining anannular ring,

said means for retaining an annular ring having a plural number of depressions about its inner periphery spaced apart from each other at equal intervals, and

said annular ring having numerals on its outer surface,

and having a plural number of bearing means integral therewith and spaced apart at equal intervals about its outer periphery in rotational cooperation with said plural number of depressions.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1, where the said means for retaining an annular ring is an annular groove, M

said annular ring is a bezel seated in said annular groove and having an annular slot at its inner perip y,

said annular slot retaining the outer periphery of a window in sealed cooperation with said annular slot, and

the combination of said benzel and said window being in discrete step rotational relationship to said annular groove.

3. The apparatus as in claim 1, where the said means for retaining an annular ring is the 7 I 4 inner periphery of the said case and an extension of sa'l'dcase supporting a window,

said annular ring is a bezel in cooperative relationship with said window, thereby retaining said window in said case, and said bezel being in discrete step rotational relationship With respect to said case.

4. The apparatus as in claim 1, where the said means for retaining an annular ring is an aunular seat, said annular ring is a bezel seated on said annular seat and having an annular slot at its inner periphery, said annular slot retaining the outer periphery of a window in sealed cooperation with said annular slot, and the combination of said bezel and said window being in discrete step rotation relationship to said annular seat. 7 5. The apparatus as in claim 1,

having a means for establishing the time in a first time zone and simultaneously establishing the time in any second time zone.

6. The apparatus as in claim 2,

having a means for establishing the time in a first time 'zone' and simultaneously establishing the time in any second time zone.

7. The apparatus as in claim 3,

having a means for establishing the time in the first time I zone and .simultaneously establishing the time in any second time zone.

8. The apparatus as in claim 4,

having a means for establishing the time in a first time zone and simultaneously establishing the time in any second time zone.

9. The apparatus as in claim 4, wherein the vertical portion of the said outer periphery of the bezel being in cooperative angular relationship with the said inner periphery of said case.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,271,945 9/1966 Anderson 58-43 o RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

B. C. SIMMONS, Assistant Examiner.

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