Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ackground and Summary of the Invention
A typical watch case comprises a housing with an
interior cavity and a cover of the same shape as the interior
cavity to provide simple closure of the housing. In those few
instances where it is desired that the opening to the interior
cavity be smaller than, and possibly of a different shape from,
the opening of the interior cavity, a cover is typically affixed
to thc housin(3 l~y mcalls of macl-inc scrcws. Thcse covcrs ofte
define a circular hole therethrough to provide access to the
interior of the case. This circular access hole is then provided
with an easily installed circular cover to provide complete closure.
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In accordance with one aspect of this invention
there is provided an assembly comprising: an integral housing
having fixed sides and a non-cylindrical polygonal cavity
having at least three sides and a bottom, the cavity opening
through one side of the housing with at least one recess in
the interior sides of the cavity; cover means for closing the
cavity opening of the housing, the cover means having a thread-
ed opening therethrough; and a split annular connector means
being insertable into the cavity through the open side of the
housing and having an externally threaded portion, a flanged
portion, and a receptor portion, the externally threaded
portion being disposed for engaging the threaded opening of
the cover means, the flanged portion being thinner than, and
disposed to be freely rotatable within the at least one
recess within the cavity of the housing following the inser-
tion of the flanged portion by deforming the connector means
into a single loop spiral and screwing the flanged portion
o7~ /co~ f ~r c reccss
.P into the re~c~ within the cavity of the housing, and the
receptor portion being disposed to facilitate turning of the
annular connector into the threaded opening of the cover
means for providing intimate closure of the cover means upon
the housing from without the upper surface of the cover
means~
In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, the
present invention provides a watch case comprising a housing,
a connecting ring and a cover with a threaded hole therethrough.
The housing has a non-cylindrical interior cavity with a semi-
circular recess in each wall of the cavity located just below
the open surface of the housing. The connecting ring has a
flange on the outer surface at one end for mating with, and
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is not as thick as, the semicircular recesses of the housing
and a threaded portion on the other end of sufficient length
to extend above the open surface of the housing for screwing
into the cover.
Additionally, the connecting ring is split to facil-
itate insertion of the connecting ring flange into the
interior recesses of the housing by mildly deforming the
connecting ring and twisting it into place. With the flange
end of the connecting ring inserted into the housing, the
cover is placed over the housing and the connecting ring is
screwed into the cover by means of an appropriate tool. When
the case is fully assembled, the flange of the connecting
ring is drawn up against the shoulders formed by the recesses
in the housing interior, and the screw threads of the cover
and the connecting ring become wedged together to provide a
high strength closure of the watch case assembly. A
circular cover can then be provided for the remaining circular
opening in the assembled case.
Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective representation of a prior
art case assembly having a housing with a non-cylindrical
interior cavity with a cover defining a round hole for access
to the interior of the assembly removably screwed thereto.
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Figure 2 is a perspective representation of a case
of the preferred embodiment having a housing with a non-
cylindrical interior cavity, a split connecting ring, and
a cover defining a round hole for access to the interior of
the assembly.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the case of
Figure 2 when assembled.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
With reference to Figure 1, there is shown a prior
art housing having a non-cylindrical interi'or cavity 12 and
four cylindrical tapped blind holes 14 located in the corners-
of housing 10 and opening to the same surface of housing 10
as cavity 12. Also shown is a cover 16 which has there-
through a large, centrally located circular hole 17 and four
smaller holes 19 located in the corners of cover 16 with all
five holes opening to the same surfaces of cover 16. Cover
16 is attached to housing 10 by means of four screws 18
being extended through holes 19 of cover 16 and screwed into
holes 14. I'his assembly is representative of a typical means
for restricting the larger opening of housing 10 to the smaller
circular opening of cover 16.
Figure 2 illustrates the assembly of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention showing a housing 20, a
connecting ring 26, and a cover 36. Housing 20, machined from
a steel block or another suitable material, has a non-cylindrical,
interior cavity 22. Formed into each of the interior side walls
of cavity 22 or housing 20 is a semicircular recess 24 centered
and located just below the surface of housing 20 onto which
cavity 22 opens. The shoulders 42 of each recess 24
closest to the surface of housinq 20 is parallel thereto
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and in a common plane with each other shoulder of the other
recesses 24.
Connecting ring 26, formed from spring steel or another
suitable material, has an externally threaded portion 28 and
an outer flange 30 that is thinner than recesses 24 are high.
Additionally, connecting ring 26 is shown as being split at
32 for insertion into housing 20 and inCQrporating notches 34
adjacent to threaded portion 28 for tightening connecting ring
26 in the final assembly. Cover 36 has a large, centrally-
located, threaded, circular hole 38.
The assembly of the case of the preferred embodiment
is shown in Figures 2 and 3. Connecting ring 26 is initially
inserted into housing 20. This is accomplished by placing
flange 30 of connecting ring 26 in contact with the surface of
housing 20 to which cavity 22 opens. Next, one end of connecting
ring 26 adjacent to split 32 is depressed into cavity 22, deform-
ing connecting ring 26 into a single loop spiral. While maintain-
ing the spiral shape, connecting ring 26 is twisted to cause the
end of flange 30 depressed into cavity 22 to enter a first recess
24. Connecting ring 26 is maintained in the slightly deformed
configuration as the twisting of connecting ring 26 is continued
until flange 30 engages all four of recesses 24.
Cover 36 is then placed over housing 20 w th hole 3
being aligned with threaded portion 28 of connecting ring 26j
which extends above the open surface of housing 20. An appropriate
tool is then insexted into slots 34 of connecting ring 26 and the
assembly is completed by turning connecting ring 26 to engage
threads 40 of cover 36 with threads 28 of connecting ring 26.
As connecting ring 26 is screwed into cover 36, flange 30 of
connecting ring 26 contacts shoulders 42 and split 32 closes as
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connecting ring 26 becomes compressed, thus creating a:high-
strength closure of the assembly with a smooth exterior
surface.
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