US1667557A - Coupler - Google Patents

Description

April 24, 1928. 1,667,557

- H. LUFT COUPLER Filed OCT,- 28. 1927 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.,

19ans lfi.

Parental Apr. 24, 192s.

' UNITED-STATES HANS LUFT, 0F PROVIDENCE', RHODE IsLANn.

COUPLER.

- Application' med october 2s, 1927. serial No. 229.318..y

My catch hook or coupler 'is intended for detachably connecting the-bail of a watch with t-he end of a wrist band, bracelet,or other wrist embracing band.. Y

An object of my invention 1s' .to 'aiiordian' attaching member that will automatically adapt itself toa watch bail of any Width so that the'V wrist encircling member to which my device is attached may be sold independently of the watch. n. j

A. further object is .to lock my coupler upon the bail so securely as to prevent accidental escape from the latter. )f l VAn addedobject is4 to enable the 'Formaf tion ofthe coupler from metal blanks and without the use of solder. y -Further objects vare inexpensiveness of construction,strength, and simplicity.

y invention consists in such ,parts and in suolik combinations of parts as fallk within the scope of. the appended claims. D y

In the accon'ipanying drawings which form a part of this specification Figure 1 is a front elevation of my coupler embodiedL inl a watch bracelet, parts being shown broken away, U

Figures 2 and 3, reduced plan views of the blanksfrom which my device is formed,

Figure 4, a front perspective view of the coupler, f

` Figure 5, an end-view of the same,

Figure 6, a rear `elevation of the'coupler,

showing aportion of therearv wall broken away, y l y y Figure .7, al section `taken lon line.7.-f-f7 of Figure 4, f

' Figure 8, a section yon line 8-8 of Figure 7, and

Figure 9, a -detail perspective view` of one of the hook members. f

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views.

In thedrawings v1() represents a wrist watch provided with the usual end bails 11, one only of Which is herein shown. The bail comprises the bar 12and end arms 13.

The body of my coupler'is bent up into a box from a single blank of thin sheet metal of the form shown in Figure 2 whereinthe central portions 17 and 18 ultimately form the front and rear wall respectively of the body, While the lateral wings 19 are the ultimate side walls thereof. The spaced forwardly directedv extensions V20 upon the wings 19 when inwardlybent constitute the Jfront end wall of the body. The Webporportions 17 and 18- constitutes, ater'Abending, the rear lend wall of the body. The lateral lugs ,22 upon the wings 19 are ulti-v vtion 21 yofthe blank connecting the central i mately bent over therear wall 18 to lock the latter against thewall 20. The end wall 20 is shorter than the side walls consequently forming` adjacent the front end wall a marginal slot 24 communicating with longitudif` nal slots 25 extending partiallyinto Vthe side walls 19.l f. In this instance thel wall 21 has Y Y end openings 26, andthe walls 19 have neary their ends holes 27. The rfront and back walls are in this instance slightly inclined relatively to eachother.

Riveted or otherwise fixed .in an linterme- .V

diate portion of the side walls is` ak transversely disposed rod 28 upon which are mounted two attaching members represented generally by 30 of similar construction, each bent up fromthe blank shown in Figure 3. In detail, as shown in FigureV 9,:each memf bercomprises aflat armv 3l, integral with whose `upper forward edge. isv ahook com? prising a flat laterally,bentandvextended Aforwardly projecting broadA shank 32, ydissprin 40 surrounding the rod withy its ends Y abuttingv against` the arms.. Theportions 32 of the members 30 extend through theguide slots 25 and 24 which assist in maintaming the arms 31 at right angles to the pivot rod A 28 and thus prevent cramping or bending when the arms move thereover.

To engage myV coupler with a bail, the

members '30 are compressed by the opera-l tors thumb and finger sulici'ently to admit the beak portions thereof to pass loosely through the bail from frontto back, whereupon thespring 4() forces the outer edges of the beak portions v34:' against the legs 13 of the bail, and the beaks overlap theA rod 12. Thus the members 30 are certain to contact with `the legs 11, regardless of the dimension of the particular loop engaged. It

will be noted that wheny the members 30 are engaged as described, the tongues 36 underlie thel loop portions 13, and thus still further insure the members 30 against 4accidental disengagement from the bail. The casing, and attaching members being formed by merely bending the stamped blanksy shown in Figures 2 and 3 is inexpensive and avoids the use of solder.

My coupler may be secured to both ends of any type of bracelet band or chain, and in any convenient manner. As herein illus trated the band Aconsists of a series of connected box links 42 housing slidable yoke shaped links 44 whose legs 45 pass through openings 46 in the front end walls, and through openings 26 in the end Wall 2l' of the coupler and have lateral pins 48 on their ends pivoted in holes 27 in the adjacent link or coupler. The links are tensioned by spring O'within the links 42.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes` to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim v 1. In a coupler of the typeset forth, a casing provided with a slot in its end and sides, a. rod fixed .in thc sides of the casino', spaced attaching members comprising flat arms provided with perforations to loosely receive the rod, broad laterally extended forwardly projecting hooks in'teg1'al"with the armsextending through the slots, and a spring in the casing for distending the at*- taching members.

2. ln a coupler of the type set forth, a casingy provided with a slot, a guide rod mounted inV an intermediate portion of the casing, attaching members spaced from each other comprising arms slidably mounted on I the rod, and hooks upon thearms projecting through the slot, lateral tongues upon Athe ends of the hooks, and a spring inthe easing between the attaching members abutting against the arms.

8. In a coupler of the type set forth, a casing comprising a front, a back, a forwardr end provided with a slot, a rear end provided. with spaced, openings, sides provided wi'th holes adjacent the openings, link members extending'into the casing through the openings, pivot pins on the link members'in the holes, a rod fixed in the sides, attaching members spaced from Aeach other slidable upon the rod and extending through the slot, and a spring surrounding the` rod engaging the attaching members.

4. ln a coupler of the type set forth, a casing formed from ak single sheet metal blank comprising a front wall, a rear Wall connectedfby an end Wall, wings integral with the front: wall constituting side walls, extensions on the forward ends of the side walls inwardly folded constituting asecond end wallspaced from the first end, wall, and lateral locking lugs uponthe side walls embracing the rear wall, atransverse rod fixed in the side' walls, attaching members each formed` from a metal blank by bending comprising a llat arm portion provided with a perforation. in one end adapted to receive the rod, a laterally and forwardly broad* cned extending hook shaped portion disposed atright angles to the arm, andv a lateraltongue integral with the hook shaped portion and a. spring in the casing abutting against the arm portions of the attaching'v members.

5. ln a coupler ofthe type set: forth, the combination with a wrist bandv and a watch bail comprising a bar and arms, of a casing attached at one end to the strap and pro-` vided at its opposite end with a slot, a transverse rod fixed in the casing parallel with the slot, attaching members slidably mounted on therod projecting throughthe slot and loosely engaging the bar, and resilient means in the asing for laterally distending the attaching members into contact with the arms. f

In testimony whereof lI' have aliixedmy signature.

' HANS LUET..

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