US857516A - Dial-rim. - Google Patents

Description

No. 857,516- 1 PATENTED JUNE 18, 1907. F. R. CUNNINGHAM. DIAL RIM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-14. 190s.

5 with the front surface of rim, shown on the line 3,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MASSACHUSETTS.

DIAL-RIM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1907.

Application filed February 14,1906. Serial No. 301,059.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK R. CUNNING- HAM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Medford, in the county of MiddleseX and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dial-Rims, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to methods of attaching dials to watch movements wherein a rim surrounding the dial is used; and is in the nature of an improvement on the rim shown in my application filed December 2nd, 1905, Serial N 0. 290,005, method of attaching dials to watch-movements, where I have shown a rim capable of yielding in a direction toward the edge of the dial, but which required attachment to the dial by soldering or similar means. y

In the present case the rim holds the dial by spring pressure, yet provision is made for the rim to yield toward the edge of the dial to so great a degree that very close fitting to the movement plate is entirely obviated.

My invention has for its object to obviate the necessity of soldering, or similarly attaching the rim to the dial, and thus to further the production of a cheap, simple and perfect dial fastening.

lVith this end in view, my invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction, as hereinafter described. and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an enlarged vertical section of the edge of a dial, movement plate and my improved dial 3, of Fig. 1. Fig. 2 1s a similar view showing a modification. Fig. 3 is a plan view (enlarged) showing my improved dial rim of the polygonal form. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of a dial and movement plate, showing the dial held by my improved rim.

In Fig. 1 of the said drawings, B represents in section a portion of a dial in which 10 is the enamel of the front of the dial, 11 is the cop per, and 12 is the enamel of the back of the dial.

A represents in vertical section a portion of the movement plate, in which 20 is the front surface against which the back of the dial B rests.

8 is a wall surrounding the movement plate, the top of this wall 8 being about level the dial.

13 shows the rim which surrounds the dial.

' This rim is made of spring brass, or other suitable material, and may be rolled, pressed, spun or drawn up from thin flat stock, no turning or expensive operations being necessary. The rim when off the dial should be, at the point 13, somewhat smaller than the dial. Then when it is applied to the dial, it grasps the dials edge with yielding pressure. As will be seen, the rim touches the dial only on its flat back surface and at the chamfer between the front surface and the edge. Therefore, after the rim is applied to the dial, pressure toward the edge of the dial will cause the flat portion of the rim which touches the back of the dial, to slide toward the center of the dial, and the rim. being made of resilient material, it will return to its normal position upon removal of the pressure, as is obvious.

The inner surface of the wall 8 is sloped or undercutan angle of 5 being found suitable. The normal diameter of the rim 13 after it is applied to the dial should be somewhat greater than the inner diameter of the wall 8. Then, when the dial B with its rim 13 is pressed within the wall 8, the rim 13 by virtue of its elasticity acting against the illcline of wall 8, holds the dial safely against the surface 20 of the movement plate A. 9 is an annular groove below the level of surface 20 to provide room for the flat portion of rim 13.

It is evident that the form of the rim may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention. One variation being shown in Fig. 2 which is a vertical section of the same portion of a dial, movement plate and rim as shown in F ig. 1.

As will be seen, the construction shown in Fig. 1 provides a rim capable of yielding toward the edge of the dial to so great a degree that very close fitting of the various parts is unnecessary. However, should a still further degree of adjustability be desired. the rims may be made in polygonal form as shown in. Fig. 3. In using this plan the rims may be normally, before applying to the dial, a loose fit at 13, then if bent to the form shown in Fig. 3 and applied to the dial it holds the dial securely, the rounded corners 1 1, 15, 16, etc. standing slightly away from the edge of the dial. Then, when the dial with this rim is pressed within the wall 8, the visible portion of the rim approximates a true circle, more or less closely, according to the fit of the several parts.

Among other advantages secured by my ITO construction are economy in manufacture, ease and quickness in applying and removing the dial, certainty that the dial cannot become accidentally loosened, and its dustproof character. WVhen the resilient ring is made perfectly circular, its dust-proof nature is apparent, inasmuch as it is evident that the grip of the rings concave face upon the edge of the dial, and the pressure of its con vex face against the wall 8 will absolutely interfere with the access of dust past the dialedge of the interior of the watch. This is not at first sight so clear when the polygonal ring is considered; but when it is noted that the straight sides of the ring as shown in the drawings do not in reality require to be more than slightly less convex than the remainder in order to produce alternate internal or centripetal pressure, and external or centrifugal pressure, and, further, that when the parts are put together even this wavering character of the ring is corrected and the ring made circular by the two confining surfaces of dial and wall, then the above described dustproof character of the same comes into action. In addition, the pressure of the ringedge upon the upper edge or corner of the dial acts to force the latter down upon its seat on the movement plate, and so cause a dust-tight seal between the under surface of the dial and upper surface of said plate.

Although I speak of the part 8 as a wall, I do not wish to restrict myself to its being an absolutely unbroken or uninterrupted struc ture, but I use the term as designating any peripheral projection or projections rising from the movement plate for confining the ring in place.

Having thus claim 1. The combination with a movement plate having a wall thereon, of a dial substantially less in diameter than said wall, and a ring composed of a flexibly resilient material located between the edge of said dial and said wall said ring being thinner in cross-section than the space between said dial and wall, and held by bending stress in engagement with both dial and wall.

2. The combination with a movement plate having a wall thereon, of a dicl substantially described my invention, I

less in diameter than said wall, and a flexibly resilient ring located between said dial-cdge and wall and curved to grip the dial edge with its top and bottom edges, and to engage said wall with its outer convex face; said ring being thinner in cross-section than the space between said dial and wall.

3. The combination with a movement plate having a wall thereon, of a dial substantially less in diameter than said wall, and a flexibly resilient rim located between said dial edge and wall and curved to grip the dial edge, one of the inner edges of said rim serving to center said dial, and the other edge contacting the flat surface of said dial to allow a centripetal yielding of said rim under pressure on its outer surface, said outer surface being adapted to engage the wall on the movement plate.

4. The combination with a movement plate having a wall thereon, and a groove at the foot of said wall, of a dial less in diameter than said wall, and a ring thinner in cross section than the space between said wall and dial, and having one edge located in said groove and resiliently engaging both said dial-edge and wall.

5. The combination with a movement plate having a peripheral wall, of a dial substantially less in diameter than said wall, and a resilient ring located between said dial and wall and engaging both; said ring norn'ially deviating slightly from the circular form.

6. The combination with a movement plate having an overhung peripheral wall, of a dial substantially less in diameter than said wall, and a resilient ring located between said dial and wall; said ring being polygonal in outline.

7. The combination with a movement plate having an overhung peripheral wall, of a dial substantially less in diameter than said wall, and a resilient ring located between said dial and wall; said ring being concave-convex in cross section and polygonal in outline.

In testimony whereof I have afl'ixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK R. CUNNINGHAM.

Witnesses CARRIE S. SLEEPER, LEVINA NELLSON.

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