U.S. patent number 3,908,356 [Application Number 05/520,264] was granted by the patent office on 1975-09-30 for watch case and band.
Invention is credited to William J. Williams.
United States Patent |
3,908,356 |
Williams |
September 30, 1975 |
Watch case and band
Abstract
A watch case and band manufactured of a copper or copper-alloy
material with there being no gaps between the connection of the
band to the case such that a continuous solid loop of copper mass
is placed in direct contact with an individual's skin when wearing
the watch to make use of the purported capability of copper to
alleviate the pain and suffering of arthritic ailments.
Inventors: |
Williams; William J. (Ashland,
KY) |
Family
ID: |
24071849 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/520,264 |
Filed: |
November 4, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
368/280; 368/282;
968/360 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44C
5/0023 (20130101); G04B 37/1493 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A44C
5/00 (20060101); G04B 37/14 (20060101); G04B
037/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;58/88W,88E,88WS
;63/11 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Miller, Jr.; George H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Gordon; Marden S.
Claims
I claim:
1. A watch case and band intended to be worn about a wrist of an
individual, the watch case and band comprising, in combination:
a flat elongated expansion band having an interior surface and an
exterior surface and opposed identical terminal ends, the band
formed of a multitude of pivotally interconnected links to provide
for the expansion and contraction of the band along the length of
the band;
an elongated cylindrical bore extending transversely through each
terminal end of the band between opposite side edges thereof;
the band being manufactured of copper material;
a rigid watch case of a rectangular box-like configuration having a
solid flat horizontal bottom surface, a flat horizontal top
surface, a pair of opposed vertical flat end wall surfaces, and a
pair of opposed vertical flat side wall surfaces;
an open topped compartment defined interiorally of the watch case
and opening out of the top surface of the watch case centrally
thereof, the compartment adapted to receive therein a time keeping
watch mechanism;
the watch case being manufactured of copper;
a pair of rectangularly shaped sockets each of an identical
configuration, each socket defined in one of the end wall surfaces
of the watch case and opening out of the end wall surface, the
sockets being disposed in longitudinal alignment with each
other;
each of the sockets being identical and being of a width and height
slightly greater than the width and thickness respectively of the
terminal ends of the watch band to receive the terminal ends
therein;
each socket being of a sufficient depth to completely receive the
terminal ends of the watch band completely therein, leaving no
gaps, air spaces, and the like between the watch band and the watch
case in a manner providing a continuous uninterrupted interior
surface of copper material in contact with the skin of the
individual when wearing the watch band about the individual's
wrist;
a pair of axially aligned apertures extending longitudinally
through the width of each of the sockets through opposite side
walls thereof, the apertures extending completely through the side
walls and opening out of the exterior surfaces of the side walls
placing the socket in communication with the exterior of the side
walls;
a pair of elongated hollow open ended cylindrical tubes, each tube
passing axially through an associated one of the cylindrical bores
in the terminal ends of the band;
a concentrically coiled spring disposed centrally in each of the
cylindrical tubes and having its ends spaced inwardly of the
cylindrical tubes;
a pair of pin members associated with each of the cylindrical
tubes, each pin member being of a diameter less than the diameter
of the interior of the cylindrical tubes and being telescopically
received through opposite open ends of the cylindrical tubes with
one end of each pin member engaging an adjacent end of the
associated coil spring and with the opposite end of each pin member
projecting outwardly of the cylindrical tube, the spring
resiliently biasing the pins in a direction outwardly of the
cylindrical tube;
the pin members being placed in axial registration with associated
ones of the side wall apertures when the terminal end of the band
is completely received in the socket with the pins engaging the
side wall apertures and pivotally retaining the band to the watch
case; and
the combination of the band and watch case providing a continuous
uninterrupted interior surface of copper material completely
surrounding an individual's wrist when wearing the band and watch
case, and with the watch case providing a mass of copper in direct
contact with the skin of the individual wearing the band and watch
case.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the provision of a watch case and band
manufactured of copper-alloy material so as to be worn in a normal
manner by an individual while placing a continuous band of copper
about the individual's skin for its purported capability of
alleviation of pain and suffering caused by arthritic ailments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Throughout the ages the wearing of a copper article about an
individual's body, such as a bracelet, copper band, and the like
have long been thought to provide relief from pain caused by
arthritic ailments. This age-old belief has, in recent years, been
subjected to intensive medical investigation which now tends to
indicate that there is scientific fact involved with the wearing of
a copper band about an individual's wrist, the copper having the
capability of alleviation of pain and suffering from arthritic
ailments even though the reason therefor is not fully medically
known but, rather, is medically acknowledged.
A disadvantage in the wearing of such copper band and the like is
that the same is apparent to other individuals who then know the
individual wearing such band is subject to arthritic ailments, this
proving embarrassing and generally not desired by the individual
wearing the band who normally wishes to keep such ailments private
and secret from other individuals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention recognizes an individual's desired for
secrecy of arthritic ailments while also recognizing the capability
of a copper band to provide alleviation of arthritic ailments, and
accordingly the present invention provides a novel solution thereto
in the form of a novel watch case and watch band which are
manufactured of copper material and wherein the watch band is
joined to the watch case in a manner to provide for a continuous
uninterrupted loop of copper completely surrounding an individual's
wrist, with such being worn by the individual in a manner appearing
to be a normal watch such that it is unobtrusive and unnoticeable
to other individuals who are thus unaware of the wearing
individual's arthritic ailment.
The provision of a watch case and band manufactured of copper and
providing a continuous copper loop therebetween, such as briefly
outlined above, and possessing the stated advantages, constitutes
the principal feature of the present invention. The provision of a
copper watch case and band which is relatively simple in its
construction and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture due
to its simplicity of construction; one which is possessed of few
parts and which therefore is unlikely to get out of order; one
which is of a rugged and durable construction and which therefore
may be guaranteed by the manufacturer to withstand many years of
intended usage; one which is aesthetically pleasing and refined in
appearance; one which is easy to use and maintain; and one which,
otherwise, is well adapted to perform the services required of it,
are further desirable features which have been borne in mind in the
production and development of the present invention.
Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent
during the course of the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,
and in which like reference characters are employed to designate
like parts throughout the same:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the watch case and band of the
present invention illustrated as worn on the wrist of an
individual;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the watch case and band of the present
invention having a watch mechanism mounted in the watch case;
and
FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of
FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings in detail there is illustrated a
preferred form of a watch case and band constructed in accordance
with the principles of the present invention and designated
generally in their entirety by reference numeral 10 and which is
comprised of two component parts, namely a flexible watch band 11
and a rigid watch case 12.
The watch band 11 and watch case 12 are manufactured of copper
material and are of a structure and assembled together, as will be
later described, so as to provide a continuous and uninterrupted
loop of a mass of copper about an individual's wrist, such as
generally illustrated in FIG. 1 as being worn on the individual's
wrist of hand 15.
The band 11 is of an expansion band flexible construction formed of
a series of interconnected links 21 disposed in generally
side-by-side relationship and interconnected together by pivot
joints (not shown) in a conventional manner to provide for the
stretching and contraction of the band. The band 11 is of a flat
configuration having opposed identical ends 22 and 23 with each end
provided with a cylindrical bore 24 extending transversely
completely therethrough and adapted to receive therein a
cylindrical tube 25 containing a spring 26 therein and having pins
27 and 28 telescopically received in opposite ends of the tube 25
and biased outwardly of the tube by means of the spring 26.
The case 12 is of a solid rigid mass of copper having a flat bottom
surface 31, opposed ends 32 and 33, opposed sides 34 and 35, and a
flat top surface 36 provided with a circular recess 37 opening
thereoutof and extending into the case and adapted to receive a
watch mechanism 38 therein.
Disposed in each of the ends 32 and 33 is a recess of a rectangular
cross-sectional configuration designated generally by the reference
numeral 41 with the recess extending inwardly of the case 12 and
being of a height and width to receive therein an associated one of
the ends 22, 23 of the band 11. Disposed in opposite side walls 42
and 43 of the interior of recess 41 are axially aligned apertures
44 and 45 which extend completely therethrough and open out of
sides 33 and 34 respectively, each of the apertures being of a
diameter to telescopically receive therein an associated one of the
pins 27, 28.
In operation, the ends 22, 23 of band 11 are inserted into
associated ones of the recesses 41 in opposite ends 32, 33 of the
case 12 where they are secured in position by the associated tubes
25 and pins 27, 28, the pins being brought into axial registration
with associated ones of the apertures 44 and 45 to engage the same
and retain the end of the band 11 secured to the case 12. By this
manner of securement the complete interior surface 51 of the band
11 along with the complete mass of copper of watch case 12, by
means of bottom surface 31, is placed in direct uninterrupted
contact with an individual's skin to provide the continuous band of
copper about the individual's skin, this continuous band purported
to have capabilities of alleviating the pain and suffering caused
by arthritic ailments.
A watch band and case is thus provided by the present invention for
use by individuals suffering from arthritic ailments and providing
that the individual wear the same in an unobtrusive and unobvious
manner so as to not be apparent to other persons about the
individual that the individual suffers from arthritic ailments.
It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith
shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the
same, and that this invention is not to be limited to the exact
arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or
described in this specification as various changes in the details
of the construction as to shape, size, and arrangement of parts may
be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention,
the scope of the novel concepts thereof, or the scope of the
sub-joined claims.
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