Abstract:
A special housing comprising a holding structure and binding means allows a pocket watch to be transformed in an extremely simple and reliable way into a wristwatch. The pocket watch is seated inside the housing and kept in position by the binding means, which are conceived in such a way as to not affect negatively the watch final aesthetic appearance. In a way equally simple, the case can be disengaged in order to be used again as a pocket watch or as a neck pendant by adding a simple chain.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a wristwatch having a removable case, so as to be used as a pocket watch. 
         [0002]    The invention relates also to a housing containing the case of a pocket watch, particularly useful to adapt a pocket watch for use as a wristwatch. 
       Description of the Prior Art 
       [0003]    A wristwatch is commonly formed by a case that contains the face and the whole underlying mechanical and/or electronic part, and has protrusions, called lugs, that allow to fix the watch strap to the case, usually by means of spring cylinders. 
         [0004]    Otherwise, the pocket watch case has no lugs, but it is provided with a cover hinged on one side to protect the face and its glass, and with a ring in correspondence to the adjusting crown, through which a chain passes. 
         [0005]    This last type of watch has suffered a considerable drop of popularity, caused by the advent of wristwatches, so much that the related market has been reduced substantially to the collecting one. 
         [0006]    However, it is to be added that the market of pocket watches is finding a breath of fresh air by virtue of their use as real jewels, addressed specifically to women, using them as neck pendants. 
         [0007]    From this point of view, recently, there have been developed new models of pocket watches, having special aesthetic quality, particularly suitable for the above mentioned use. 
         [0008]    However, in order to make the most of this type of objects, that represent real jewels, there is the need to allow them to be used as pocket watches as well as pendant watches o wristwatches, a possibility not being allowed by the pocket watches or wristwatches of the prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The object of the present invention is to propose a watch that can be used without any distinction and with the same comfort as a pocket watch, as well as a wristwatch or suspended around the neck as a pendant with a chain. 
         [0010]    Another object of the present invention is to propose a housing aimed at containing the case of a pocket watch adapting it for use as a wristwatch. 
         [0011]    A further object of the present invention is to propose a housing, like the above specified one, capable of allowing secure fastening of a wristwatch case, wherein the technical solutions aimed at allowing such fastening do not jeopardize, but on the contrary enhance the watch aesthetic value. 
         [0012]    The above mentioned objects are obtained by means of a housing comprising a holding structure of a watch case aimed at coupling with at least a portion of the side surface of said case, binding means for securing said case acting upon the side surface of the case, and connecting means for a watch strap. A pocket watch can become a wristwatch by means of a housing according to the invention in an extremely simple way. 
         [0013]    Advantageously, the holding structure is provided with an internal aperture shaped like the shape of said case, as see in a top view, being as high as the thickness of the case, and said watch strap connecting means are two lugs integral to said holding structure and placed at opposite sides of the external side surface. 
         [0014]    Still advantageously, the holding structure is provided with a radial through groove of a size matching the size of a protrusion of said case located in correspondence to an adjusting crown. 
         [0015]    The binding means comprise at least one elastic member housed in a specific cavity made in the internal surface of said holding structure and aimed at interfering with the side surface of said case. 
         [0016]    Advantageously, the binding means comprise at least one screw pin housed in a threaded hole made in said holding structure and at least a further member protruding from the internal surface of said holding structure placed at a substantially opposite side with respect to said screw pin. 
         [0017]    Preferably, there are two screw pins which are situated at the sides of said radial through groove and operated by means of crowns, while said further protruding member is an elastic pin placed diametrically opposite to said radial through groove. 
         [0018]    The above mentioned objects are obtained also by a wristwatch comprising a housing like the one outlined above and a pocket watch placed in said housing and kept joined therewith by said binding means. 
         [0019]    Advantageously, the side surface of the case of said pocket watch is provided with cavities, with which said binding means engage, said cavities being preferably formed by a single annular groove. 
         [0020]    Finally, still advantageously, the protrusion of said case in correspondence to the adjusting crown and the housing are shaped in such a way that when said pocket watch is placed in said housing, the upper surface of said protrusion is coplanar with the upper surface of said holding structure. 
         [0021]    The conformation of the housing and binding means being provided are such as to ensure an extremely stable coupling of the case to its housing obtaining a wristwatch that shows aesthetic characteristics quite similar to a conventional type wristwatch. 
         [0022]    At the same time, it is extremely easy to detach the case to use again the case as a pocket watch or to wear it around the neck by means of a simple chain. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0023]    These and other characteristics of the invention will become more easily comprehensible from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, given as not limiting examples, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which: 
           [0024]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a housing according to the invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a different perspective view of the housing of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the housing of  FIG. 1  without binding means; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the housing of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is another side view of the housing of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a pocket watch that can be introduced in the housing of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 7  shows the watch of  FIG. 6  while it is introduced into the housing of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a watch according to the invention comprising the case of a pocket watch seated in a housing according to the invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the watch of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 10  is a section view taken along the section plane X-X of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a different embodiment of a housing according to the invention; 
           [0035]      FIG. 12  is a top view of binding means that can be associated to the housing of  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 13  shows the case of a pocket watch that can be seated in the housing of  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0037]      FIGS. 14 to 17  are top views of different embodiments of the watch according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0038]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , reference numeral  10  indicates a housing, as a whole, for seating a case of a pocket watch aimed at making a pocket watch adapt for use as a wristwatch. The housing includes a holding structure  11 , having shape substantially of a collar with circular section, as high as the thickness of the case  31  of a pocket watch  30 , shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0039]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 to 10 , the holding structure  11  has an internal aperture, defined by the internal surface  12 , having a diameter slightly greater than the maximum diameter of the case  31 , so as to allow its easy introduction, but with not too big clearance. An edge  13 , protruding internally, is made at the lower end of the holding structure  11 . Connecting means  15  of a watch strap are made in the external surface  14 , in diametrically opposite positions, said connecting means including lugs provided with a hole  16  for introduction of a spring cylinder, not shown as such connecting means belong to a widely known technique. A radial through groove  18 , whose lateral walls  19  are aimed at defining an angular reference for the introduction of the watch  30 , is provided in the holding structure  11 , at 90° from the connecting means  15 . 
         [0040]    Seats for binding means  20  of the watch  30  are made in the holding structure  11 . Specifically, in a position diametrically opposite to the groove  18 , there is located a seat  21  for an elastic pin  22 , while two threaded through holes  23  are provided on the two sides of the groove  18 , for screwing two screw pins  24 , having crowns  25  at their ends, so as to facilitate screwing thereof. The crowns  25  have shape and size identical with the watches normal adjusting crowns, thus allowing to hide the binding means and contributing to the watch general aesthetic aspect. In this aspect, it is to be noted that also the upper surface  26  of the holding structure  11  can be made in such a way as to house a rotating ring, or other decorative elements usually provided in similar position in the conventional wristwatches. 
         [0041]    The pocket watch  30  shown in  FIG. 6  includes, according to the known technique, a case  31  that houses the face and all the internal mechanical and/or electronic members and a hinged cover  32 , protecting the glass  33 . At the three o&#39;clock position, there is a protrusion  34 , from which an adjusting crown  35  comes out, and to which a ring  36  is fastened for a chain that can pass therethrough, so that the watch can be worn around the neck or tied to a pocket. The width of the protrusion  34  corresponds to the width of the groove  18  of the housing  10 , so that the watch  30  can be referred angularly to the housing  10 . Cavities  38  are made in the side surface  37  of the case  31 , in correspondence to the binding means  20 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 7  shows the watch  30 , with the cover  32  closed, during the introduction into the housing  10 . The watch is introduced initially from the side of the pin  22 , which is resilient and thus it is pressed in its seat by the case  31 , and then it is rotated until the protrusion  34  is completely introduced in the groove  18 . 
         [0043]      FIGS. 8 ,  9  and  10  show a wristwatch  40 , constituted by the pocket watch  30  placed in the housing  10 . 
         [0044]    In the sectional view of  FIG. 10 , it is possible to observe how the lower edge  13  of the holding structure  11  acts as a further support of the case  31 , forming an abutment surface for the bottom  39 , preventing the case  31  from coming out of the housing  10  from the bottom, even if the binding means  20  are not operated. The pins  24  are screwed until they engage with the respective cavities  38 , in this way preventing the pocket watch  30  from uncoupling by accident from the housing  10 . 
         [0045]    It is possible to see in the  FIGS. 8 and 9  how the upper surface of the protrusion  34  is aligned with the upper surface  26  of the holding structure  11 , thus obtaining a continuity, which allows decorative elements to be obtained 360° around the watch face. 
         [0046]    As it appears from the previous description, the housing  10  allows a normal pocket watch  30  to become a wristwatch  40  in an extremely simple and reliable way. 
         [0047]    The conformations of the holding structure  11  and binding means  20  are such that the wristwatch  40  shows all the aesthetic characteristics of a normal wristwatch, since the pocket watch  30  is perfectly integrated and it is not possible to notice, at least at first sight, that there are two independent bodies assembled together. The overall dimensions of the watch  40  are quite similar to those of a normal wristwatch and the pins  24  constitute an extremely secure fastening mode against unintentional uncoupling. The lower edge  13  allows a further support of the case  31 , prevents the case  31  from coming out from the bottom and at the same time, leaves a wide lower opening to allow the pins  24 , once disengaged, to exert pressure on the bottom  39  so as to uncouple it from the housing  10 . 
         [0048]    Certainly, the advantages related to the above described housing  10  and wristwatch  40  remain unchanged also in presence of modifications or with different embodiments that can be provided without departing from the inventive concept of the present invention. 
         [0049]    In fact, as it is easy to guess, the above described configuration of the binding means is particularly effective and reliable from the technical point of view and, at the same time, it is particularly advantageous from the aesthetic point of view, however, other solutions can be adopted within the carrying out of the inventive concept of the invention. 
         [0050]    For example, in an embodiment of the housing  10 ′, shown in  FIG. 11 , the cavities  21  and  23  are substituted by an annular groove  21 ′, made in the internal surface  12 ′ of the holding structure  11 ′. Such a groove is aimed at housing an elastic member  20 ′, shown in  FIG. 12 , that forms the binding means of the pocket watch  30 ′, shown in  FIG. 13 , and is provided with a corresponding annular groove  38 ′. In this embodiment, the introduction and the removal of the watch  30 ′ from the housing  10 ′ are carried out entirely by pressure. 
         [0051]    Still with reference to the binding means, the elastic pin  22  could be substituted by a rigid element, protruding from the internal surface of the housing and having a rounded and angularly elongated shape, or there could be even more elastic pins located in different angular positions. In the side surface  37  of the case  31  there could be a single annular groove  38 ′ instead of single cavities  38 , aimed at housing various pins. Elastic means of different types, such as a leaf spring, made of harmonic steel, or many others, could be used as binding means. 
         [0052]    Other versions can be surely provided as far as the binding means are concerned, in order to obtain a stable lock of the case  31  in a way as simple as possible and without influence on the watch overall aesthetic aspect. 
         [0053]    Finally, embodiments of the wristwatch of the invention are shown in  FIGS. 14 to 17  to show how the configuration of the housing  10  can be even very different from the described one, to adapt to cases of different shapes or even only to give particular aesthetic characteristics to the watch. 
         [0054]    In the watch  40 ′, represented in  FIG. 14 , the pocket watch  30 ′ is substantially rectangular, with two slightly rounded sides, and the housing  10 ′ is shaped accordingly, so as to have constant height of the upper surface  26 ′ and the internal aperture corresponding to the shape and dimensions of the case of the watch  30 ′. An analogous situation is shown in  FIG. 15 , in which however, both the pocket watch  30 ″ and the housing  10 ″ have an elliptical shape. 
         [0055]    In the wristwatch  40 ′″, the housed pocket watch  30 ′″ has a circular shape and similarly, the internal aperture of the housing  10 ′″ has a circular shape, while externally the housing has a rectangular shape with two rounded sides. As apparent from the Figure, in this case, the height of the upper surface  26 ′″ of the housing is not constant. 
         [0056]    The watch  40   IV  of  FIG. 17  proposes a further embodiment of the invention, in which the housed pocket watch  30   IV  has a circular shape, while the housing  10   IV  is elliptical externally and presents the elliptical internal aperture. In the last version, the side surface of the case mates with the internal aperture of the housing  10   IV  only in proximity of the opposite ends, located at the three o&#39;clock and nine o&#39;clock positions, since the elastic pin  22  is present at the nine o&#39;clock position, not seen in the Figure, whereas the screw pins  24  adjusted by means of the crowns  25  are present above and below the three o&#39;clock position. The lower edge  13 , instead of extending along the whole periphery of the internal aperture, is provided only in two sections, at the three o&#39;clock and nine o&#39;clock positions, since it supports the bottom only in proximity of these areas. 
         [0057]    These and other versions or modifications could be applied to the housing and wristwatch according to the invention, still remaining within the protective scope defined by the following claims.