Initial wrist-watch case

May 6, 1941.

2,240,993

B. LAZRUS

INITIAL WRIST-WATCH CASE

Filed Aug. 4, 1939

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Patented May 6, 1941

2,240,993

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,240,993

INITIAL WRIST-WATCH CASE

Benjamin Lazrus, Lawrence, N. Y., assignor to Bennis Watch Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York

Application August 4, 1939, Serial No. 288,283

JI. 58—88) elevation and plan toward comparatively small end walls which are provided with bails S3 for attachment of a suitable wrist strap or cord. The bails !8 are secured to the ends of bezel !4 and 5 are free of. the lower part 12 of the case.

In accordance with the present invention, the case is provided with means generally designated 20 for detachably and interchangeably receiving initials, here exemplified by the initials “W” and 10 “N.” The means 28 are disposed on the downwardly sloping walls 22 of the case, and at least partially overlie the bails 18, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The initials therefore do not add to the over-all size of the wrist-watch case, 15 and do not detract from the dainty tapered appearance of the same.

The means 28 for carrying the initial preferably comprises a suitable seat at the bottom and a suitable cover at the top for enclosing and 20 framing the initial and for holding the same in position on the seat. The cover is openable relative to the seat so that the desired initial may be added according to the requirements of the purchaser. In the present case the cover is pivoted 25 on the seat and opens by swinging outwardly, as is best shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the seat is generally designated 24. It comprises a channellike bottom portion 26 (Fig. 4) which is dimen30 sioned to be received in an opening or slot 28 cut through the sloping wall 22 of the bezel, as is best shown in Fig. 6. The seat is turned outwardly at 30 and is again stepped at 32 to form side walls confining the initial against sideward 35 movement. At the inner end the material of seat 24 is turned upwardly and shaped to form a detent 34 (Figs. 3 and 5). At the outer end the material of. the seat is extended and curled to form a hinge bearing 36.

The cover 38 is made of a single piece of sheet metal provided with an opening 40 to expose the initial or letter. The material around the opening 40 acts to frame and set off the initial, particularly when, as is usually the case, the 45 initial is made of metal of one color, say silver or chromium, while the case is made of a metal of another color, say yellow gold. The cover is drawn to provide a peripheral flange or side wall 42 extending around three sides of the cover. The 50 side wall at the inner end is deformed slightly, as is indicated at 44, to provide means mating with detent 34 to hold the cover in closed position. At the outer end, of the cover the material is curled around to form hinge bearings 46 (Fig. 3). These are closed at the outside by continuations of the

Claims.

This invention relates to watchcases, and more particularly to wrist-watch cases arranged to receive interchangeable initials.

Wrist-watch cases provided with means on the front face outside the crystal, for receiving cutout initials, numerals or other indicia, have proved to be popular because the watches are personalized with bold metal characters of seeming solidity and permanence, although in fact these characters are added by the watch dealer from a supply of characters at the time the watch is sold. The primary object of my invention is to generally improve wrist-watch cases of this character. A more particular object is to provide openable means to enclose and frame the initials in such a manner as to give the watch a smoothly finished appearance. Still another object is to devise mounting means particularly applicable to ladies’ wrist watches, which are small in dimension and which taper to small ears or bails at the ends. In accordance with a feature and object of the present invention, the initials are so disposed and mounted in position that they do· not increase the apparent over-all size of the watch, the initials overlying the bails and carrying out the desired tapered configuration of the watchcase.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the watchcase and initial elements and their relation one to the other, as hereinafter are more particularly described in the specification and sought to be defined in the claims. The specification is accompanied by a drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a lady’s wrist-watch case embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one end of the case drawn to enlarged scale with the cover for the initials shown in open position;

Fig. 4 is a section taken in the plane of the line 4—4 of Fig. 3, with the cover closed;

Fig. 5 is a section taken in the plane of the line B—5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is explanatory of a detail; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the initials.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the wrist-watch case comprises a lower half i 2 and an upper half or bezel i 4. The bezel is telescopically received over the upper edge or flange of the portion i 2 in conventional fashion. The bezel 14 is provided with a main opening receiving a suitable crystal ίδ. Outside the crystal opening the case converges both in

2,240,993 side walls or flanges 42. A suitable hinge pin 43 (Fig. 5) passes through the hinge bearings 43 and is confined against axial movement by the side walls 42. The cover may be hinged to the seat either before or after the seat is soldered or brazed to the watchcase. In either case, the seat is preferably secured not only to the sloping wall 22 of the bezel, but also the bail i 8, as is indicated at 50 in Fig. 5. The bail 1S in turn is thereby strengthened, for it is secured at two points, first to the end wall of, the bezel, as is indicated at 52 (Fig. 5), and second, to the seat 24.

The initials are preferably cut out of metal of substantial thickness, so that they have considerable depth and may even project through the opening in the frame or cover 38. In fact, the depth is preferably made greater than the thickness of the initials, thus giving the same an attractive, moderne, and expensive appearance. The initials may be provided with shallow retaining portions at the top and bottom, these portions being received in seat 24 and beneath cover 83, thus preventing upward movement or escape of the initials. The construction of the initials will be evident from inspection of Fig. 7, in which the letter “N” is shown at 54, it being provided with retaining extensions 53. These extensions help locate the letter properly, but that is not essential, because the letter is located by its accurate fit through the cover 38, the letters projecting above the cover, as is indicated at 54 in Figs. 2 and 4. The extensions serve the main purpose of holding the initials against upward movement, the extensions being confined beneath the frame 33. When seat 24 is soldered into the bezel it completely seals the opening 23, thereby maintaining the closed dust-proof character of the watchcase for proper protection of the movement.

It is believed that the construction and method of use, as well as the many advantages of my improved wrist-watch case, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description thereof. The jeweler selling this type of watch is provided with a supply of initials in order to meet the requirements of different purchasers. When a watch is purchased, the jeweler simply opens the covers 33 and inserts the appropriate initials, whereupon the covers are snapped closed. It will also be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the following claims. In the claims, the expression “wrist strap” is intended to include a band, or chain, or cord, etc. The term “initial” is intended to include numerals or other indicia, such as fraternal emblems, as well as letters.