Improvements in the Method of Manufacturing Watch Cases, and in the Tools made use of therewith.
Year: 1889

page_text: ate of Application, 20th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 12th June, 1890-Accepted, 12th July, 1890
Improvements in the Method of Manufacturing Watch Cases, and in
the Tools made use of therewith.
I, FREDERIC ECAUBERT, of No. 485 Dean Street, Brooklyn, State of New York,
United States of America, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
:-
The object of the present invention is to manufacture watch cases in such a manner
that the parts of the same are interchangeable and the cost of manufacture greatly
lessened.
My improvements are available in the manufacture of watch cases that are entirely
of gold, silver, or other metal, and in my improvements. the case can be made stiffer
and stronger than the cases heretofore manufactured by hand. I am also enabled to
make use of sheet metal having a thin surface of gold on one or both sides, and a
body of brass or similar metal, and in my improvements the gold surface is brought to
all the exposed portions of the case and the gold itself is not cut away, or materially
reduced in thickness, so that all portions of the case are equally durable.
I will first describe the manner of making a lid for the watch case.
The sheet metal blank is stamped up by any suitable dies to a shape approximating
that of the finished lid. This blank is placed into a hollow die made of two principal
paris having an annular shoulder where the faces come together, so that the dies
remain in their proper position one to the other, and one of these parts is made with a
central opening to allow for the insertion of the rolls that roll out and spread the sheet
metal in the dies. It is to be understood that these two parts of the die, and also
other parts of the dies hereinafter described are to be held in a suitable clamping
chuck upon the arbor of a lathe so that they can be revolved thereby during the
operations that are performed upon the portion of the watch case that is being manu-
factured, and I make use of rollers of the proper shapes to roll the sheet metal blank
out into the die as the lid or other portion of the case is being formed, the arbor of
each roller being held by a suitable rest. Within one of the two parts of the hollow
die is a ring-shaped die and this ring die and the die it sets within and forms part of,
are to be exactly the size and shape internally as the exterior of the watch-case lid
when finished, and the surface of the ring die may be engraved or ornamented, the
ornaments being the counterpart of those that are to be produced upon the surface of
the case. The rolls that are made use of successively within the watch-case lid, roll
or extend the sheet metal of the blank against the interior surface of the die and such
sheet metal receives, from such die the exact shape required for the exterior of the
lid. Each roll is made with a shoulder and conical portion to act in forming the
flange of the lid, there being a flat surface and an inclined portion upon one part
of the die to aid in this operation.
It is to be understood that the interior surface of the die may be shaped to produce
a curved or flat lid and that the rolls made use of are varied in shape according to the
shape of the lid.
In making a watch-ring or bezel, the ring die is to be of the proper shape for such
ring or bezel, and the blank for the bezel is cut with a central hole and placed within
the ring die; then a roll is brought to bear against the blank which presses the metal
out into the interior of the ring die and commences the formation of the flange around
the edge of the bezel; a second roll is now used that turns the inner edge of the ring
towards the front piece of the die and finishes the flange; then a third roll is applied
that forms the annular recess for the edge of the glass and this latter roll is shaped
to form the conical surface or reflector of the bezel. There may be ornaments upon
he interior surface of the ring die so that the exterior surface of the bezel will be
ornamented by the pressure from the rolls in forming the bezel.
D
027

page_text: When the watch case centre, lid or bezel is to have a flat place adjacent to the
hinge, or a projection or thumb piece, the dies are shaped to produce such part by the
internal rolling action causing the metal to assume the exact shape of the internal die;
this is very useful when plated metal is employed, as a nearly uniform thickness of
precious metal is maintained upon the entire surface.
The dies are made in several pieces to facilitate the removal of the completed case,
and it is preferable to break the ring dies, after being hardened, at one or two places
so that they can be sprung open or taken apart to facilitate the removal of the watch
case centre and these parts can be easily put together when another blank is to be
introduced and operated upon as before described.
From the foregoing it will be evident thint the watch case center, lid or bezel
receives a positive and perfect exterior shape by the interior rolling action spreading
the metal outwardly into the rigid internal dies and that whether these dies are
ornamented or plain. the articles will be perfect and uniform in shape.
I have found difficulty in applying the ornaments to the interior surface of the dies
or to the exterior surface of the lids, centres, or bezels after being otherwise
formed.
Where a knurl is ornamented in imitation of hand engraving, the article to which
it is applied cannot be continuously rotated while the knurling tool is held in contact
because the knurl is of a different diameter from the article to which it is applied and
the patterns do not match; I therefore give to the article to be ornamented or to the
ornamenting wheel or knurl, a rotary or partially rotary motion, first in one direction
and then in the other.
To accomplish this I apply an adjustable crank pin to a revolving shaft, and this
crank pin is connected to a bar that has rack teeth meshing with a pinion upon the
arbor or shaft of the chuck that holds the watch case centre or other article to be
operated upon, so that such article receives a motion first in one direction and then in
the other, and either a complete revolution or a partial rotation according to the
number of degrees within which the ornament is to be applied.
If the watch case is flat on its edge the knurl may also be flat and it is pressed
firmly into contact with the article until the pattern is transferred from the knurl to
the article that is being ornamented.
If the edge of the watch case centre or similar article is convex, the ornamented
knurl is preferably convex and it is rocked laterally as the knurling operation
progresses until the ornament is applied to the desired portion of the watch case
centre or similar article or the knurl may be slightly conoidal in order that the
surfaces in contact may travel at nearly the same speed during the different portions
of the ornamenting operation. The ornament can be applied to the interior surface of
a die by a knurl in the same way, the knurl with the ornament being pressed firmly
into contact with the interior of the die while such die receives a reciprocating motion
first in one direction and then in the other direction, and the whole or a portion of
the interior surface of the die can be ornamented, but care must be exercised to hoid
the knurling tool in contact until the ornament is completely transferred from the
knurl to the article that is being ornamented and then there will be no risk of injury
to the ornamentation by one part slipping on the other.
After a die made as aforesaid has been hardened it may be made use of in trans-
ferring to a soft roll or other article the ornamentation or pattern that has been
produced upon the inside of such die, said soft roll or article being pressed against the
interior of the die. The different modes in which the present improvements are made
available in the manufacture of watch cases, locket cases, or similar articles, will be
apparent, and I find it advantageous to mount the knurling tool in a stock and to
press the same towards the article, that is being operated upon, by a hand lever, there
being a fixed handle upon a slide rest so that the operator can grasp the two bandles
and exert the proper force to press the knurl against the article that is being knurled,
and it is also advantageous to have the stock of the knurl pivotted so that it may
swing slightly upon said pivot during the knurling operation, and I provide a rack
the teeth of which are in contact with, a stationary pinion so that as the stock of the

page_text: knurling tool is swung around upon a quadrant the stationary pinion will hold the
rack and knurling tool in the proper position in relation to the article against which
the knurling tool is pressed and thereby the knurling tool is prevented from slipping
upon the article that is being ornamented.
Dated this 20th day of September 1889.
ERNEST DE PASS,
68, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Manufacturing Watch Cases, and
in the Tools made use of therewith.
I, FREDERIC ECAUBERT, of No. 485 Dean Street, Brooklyn, State of New York,
United States of America, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention:
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that it to say-
-
The object of the present invention is to manufacturo watch-cases in such a manner
that the parts of the same are interchangeable and the cost of manufacture greatly
lessened.
My improvements are available in the manufacture of watch cases that are entirely
of gold or silver, or other metal, and in my improvements the case can be made
stiffer and stronger than the cases heretofore manufactured by hand. I am also
enabled to make use of sheet metal having a thin surface of gold on one or both sides
and a body of brass or similar metal, and in my improvements the gold surface is
brought to all the exposed portions of the case and the gold itself is not cut away or
materially reduced in thickness, so that all portions of the case are equally durable.
In the drawings I have represented the dies and rolls that are adapted to making
the watch case lids, and the bezel for receiving the glass, and I have also shewn the
tools made use of for applying the ornaments to the interior surfaces of the dies
within which the watch case contre lid or bezel is formed up, and the tools made use
of for applying to the exterior of the watch case centre, lid or bezel, surface ornaments
in imitation of hand engraving.
I will first describe the manner of making a lid for the watch case. The sheet
metal blank is stamped up by any suitable dies to a shape approximating that of the
finished lid. This is illustrated in Fig. 1. This blank is placed into a hollow die
similar to that shewn in Fig. 2. This die is made of two principal parts A and E
having an annular shoulder where the faces come together so that the dies remain
in their proper position one to the other, and it is to be understood that these
parts A and E, and also the other principal parts of the dies hereinafter described, are
to be held in a suitable clamping chuck upon the arbor of a lathe so that they can
be revolved thereby during the operations that are performed upon the portion of the
watch case that is being manufactured; and 1 make use of rollers of the shapes and
characters hereinafter mentioned, the arbor upon which the roller is supported being
held by a suitable rest so that it may be moved up to position and act to roll the
sheet metal blank out into the die as the lid or other portion of the case is being
formed.
In Fig. 2 there is a ring-shaped die B set into a recess in the face of the die A,
and this die A and the ring die B are to be exactly the size and shape internally as
the exterior of the watch case lid when finished, and the surface of this die B may be
engraved, or otherwise ornamented, the ornaments being the counterparts of those
that are to be produced upon the surface of the case.
In Figs. 3, 4, and 5 I have shewn sections of the rolls that are to be made use of
successively within the watch case lid, to roll or extend the sheet metal which is
tightly pressed against the interior surface of the dies A, B, and receives from such
dies the exact shape required for the exterior of the lid, and it will be noticed that

page_text: the shoulder 4 upon the rolls G acts to give the proper interior shape to the flange 2
of the lid, and the surface 3 of the die E being flat makes a perfect flat face to
the lid and the inclined surface 10 of the die E acting against the conical portion 11
of the roll G causes the convex side of such roll G to press the metal tightly back
against the surface of the annular die B and complete the lid.
In Fig. 6 the same parts are shewn as in Fig. 2, but the lid has a cove or annular
recess at the junction of the die B and the die A, Fig. 7, illustrates the shape that
may be given to the lid by the action of the rolls, such shape being more nearly
flat at the back of the lid..
Fig. 8 is a section of the die made use of in forming the ring or bezel for the glass.
In this case the blank is cut out with a central hole and placed within the die shown
in Fig. 8, and the roll G, Fig. 9, is first brought to bear against the same and it
presses the metal out into the interior of the annular die B, and it commences the
formation of the flange 2 around the edge of the bezel, the roller G Fig. 10 is then
made use of and it turns the inner edge of the ring partially towards the face 3 of the
die E and aids in finishing the flange 2 of the bezel and then the roll G which is
shewn in Fig. 8, is applied and this finishes the manufacture of the bezel, the edge 6
of the roll G forming the annular recess for the edge of the glass, and the bezel is
kept accurately in its proper position between the face 3 of the die E and the face 14
of the die B, and it is to be understood that the inclined portion 7 of the roll G
forins the conical surface or reflector of tlie bezel. In this manner the bezel is:
properly shaped, and if there be ornaments upon the interior surface of the annular
die B the exterior surface of the bezel receives the same ornamentation in consequence
of the internal pressure from the respective rolls G. When the watch case lid,
centre, or bezel is to have a flat place adjacent to the hinge or a projection or
thumb piece, the dies are shaped to produce such part by the internal rolling action
causing the metal to assume the exact shape of the internal die. This is very useful
when plated metal is employed as a nearly uniform thickness of precious metal is
maintained upon the entire surface.
Upon reference to the drawings before named it will be evident that the watch case
lid or bezel receives a positive and perfect exterior shape by the interior rolling
action spreading the metal outwardly into the rigid internal dies, and that whether
these dies be ornamented or plain the articles made within them will be perfect and
uniform in shape.
I have discovered difficulty in applying the ornaments to the interior surface of
the dies or to the exterior surface of the lids, centres or bezels after being otherwise
formed.
Knurling tools have heretofore been made of small steel cylinders with various
patterns around the periphery. Where a knurl is ornamented in imitation of hand
engraving, the article to which it is applied cannot be continuously rotated while the
knurling tool is held in contact, because the knurl is of a different diameter from the
article to which it is applied and the patterns do not match, I therefore give to the
article to be ornamented, or to the ornamenting wheel or knurl, a rotary or partially
rotary motion, first in one direction and then in the other. I have shewn a means
for accomplishing this in Fig. 11 in which G represents a continuously revolving
shaft with an adjustable crank pin F to give a reciprocating motion to a toothed
rack E' that is in contact with a pinion D upon an arbor or mandrel.C, so that the
chuck A holding the watch case centre A, or other article to be operated upon,
receives a motion first in one direction and then in the other; anil either a complete
rotation or a partial rotation according to the number of degrees within which the
ornament is to be applied, and H represents the knurling tool, the periphery of
which is ornamented or engraved in any desired manner, and it is held in a stock or
handle upon a suitable rest.
If the watch case centre A2, Fig. 12, is flat on its edge, the knurl H. may also be
flat and it is pressed firmly into contact until the pattern is transferred from the knurl
to the article that is being ornamented. If the edge of the watch case centre or
similar article be convex, as shewn in Fig. 13, the ornamented knurl H is preferable

page_text: convex as shown, and it is rocked laterally as the knurling operation progresses until
the ornament is applied to the desired portion of the watch case centre or similar.
article and in ornamenting the edge of the lid or bezel as shewn in Fig. 14 the
knurl H is to be slightly conoidal in order that the surfaces in contact may travel at
nearly the same speed during the different portions of the ornamenting operation.
The ornament can be applied to the surface of the ring D Fig. 15 by a knurl in
the same way as I have last described. In that case the knurl H with the ornament
upon its periphery is pressed firmly into contact with the interior of the die D Fig. 15,
while such die D receives a reciprocating motion first in one direction and then in the
other direction and either the whole of the interior surface of the die D can bo
ornamented, or any desired portion thereof, and care must be exercised to hold the
knurling tool in contact until the ornament is completely transferred from the knurl
to the article that is being ornamented and then there will be no risk of injury to
the ornamentation by the one part slipping on the other.
In Fig. 17 I have shewn by a section in enlarged size a portion of the interior of
the die D, and of the knurl H for ornamenting the same, and Fig. 16 is a similar
section illustrating how the knurl H can be rocked to bring its surface into contact
with all the portions of the die 1) that are to be ornamented.
After the internal die 1 has been hardened it may be made use of in transferring
to a soft roll H, or other article, the ornamentation or pattern that has been produced
upon the inside of the die D, such soft roll or article H being pressed against the
interior of the die D.
The different modes in which the present improvements are made available in the
manufacture of watch cases, locket-cases, or similar articles, will be apparent, and I
find it advantageous to mount the knurling tool H in a stock L, Fig. 18, and to
press the same up towards the article that is being operated upon by the hand-lever Q,
there being a fixed handle Q upon the slide rest M so that the operator can grasp the
two handles and exert the proper force to press the knurl H against the article that
is being knurled, and it is also advantageous to have the stock K of the knurl pivotted
at 14 so that it may swing slightly upon its pivot 14 during the knurling operation,
and there is a rack N the teeth of which are in contact with the stationary pinion Si
so that as the stock L of the knurling tool is swung around upon the quadrant Othe
stationary pinion S' will hold the rack N and knurling tool H in the proper position
in relation to the article against which the knurling tool is pressed and thereby the
knurling tool is prevented from slipping upon the article that is being ornamented.
Fig. 19 is a section of the stock, knurling tool and quadrant shown in Fig. 18.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim:
-
1. The method herein specified of making watch case lids or bezels by pressing the
sheet metal blank outwardly by rolls into the interior of the die which corresponds in
size and shape to the article to be produced, substantially as set forth.
2. The method herein specified of ornamenting the surface of a watch case center,
lid, or bezel, or the surface of the internal die within which the article is formed,
consisting in pressing an ornamented knurl into contact with the surface to be
ornamented and giving to the respective parts a rotary or partially rotary movement,
first in one direction and then in the other, substantially as set forth.
3. The dies having an internal size and shape corresponding to the external shape
and size of the watch case lid, bezel, or similar article, in combination with rolls acting
within the sheet metal blank to extend and press the same outwardly into contact
with the internal dies, substantially as set forth.
4. The holder herein described for the knurling tool acted upon by lever handles
to press it into contact with the article to be knurled, a rack connected with the
holder for the knurl, and a stationary pinion in combination with a quadrant or
support for the dies for holding the knurling tool as the stock is swung laterally and
the knurling tool rocked upon the surface that is being ornamented, substantially as
set forth.

page_text: 5. The herein described improvement in rollers for use in the manufacture of
watch case lids and similar articles by a rolling operation within a die corresponding
to the exterior of such article, the same consisting in a convex side to the roller to
act within the concavity of the lid to press the metal into the concave portion of the
die, substantially as specified.
6. The herein described improvement in tools for making lids for watch cases and
similar articles, the same consisting in a die having a flat face 3 against the flat face
of the flange 2 of the lid, and a roll having a peripheral offset at 4 to act upon the
edge and inner side of the flange, substantially as specified.
73111
1511
1000
ERNEST DE PASS,
78, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Watch-case Lids,
Centres, and Bezels.
I, FREDERIC ECAUBERT, of No. 185 Dean Street, Brooklyn, in the State of New
York, United States of America, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Heretofore it has been usual to connect the lid of the watch case, or the ring or
bezel for the glass to the watch case center by springing the rim round an annular
projection upon the watch case centre, and efforts have been made to connect the
bezel and the lid with the watch-case centre by means of screw threads, but difficulties
have arisen in forming these threads, because the sheet metal made use of usually has
a thin gold surface upon a plate of brass or similar material, hence if the screw thread
is cut or chased by a tool the gold is cut through and removed to a considerable
extent, and with gold cases the metal usually is too thin for the screw thread to be
cut in it, and besides this great difficulty arises in forming a perfect thread up to the
flange or shoulder for the lid or bezel because in a perfectly made screw thread the
inclination at the end of the thread dies out gradually and it is nearly impossible to
cut this part of the thread perfectly by a tool.
By my present invention I am able to form the screw thread upon the watch case
centre, lid, or bezel so that it will be perfect, and at the same time I complete, or
nearly so, the watch case centre, lid or bezel before removing it from the die in which
said screw thread is formed.
The die made use of by me in manufacturing watch case lids, bezels or centers is
composed of two principal parts, and these may have annular shoulders and off-sets
where their faces come together so that the two parts of the die will be in the proper
position one to the other when brought together: this two part die is to be clamped
in a suitable chuck or holder upon the arbor of a lathe so that it can be revolved
while the blank within the die is being operated upon by suitable tools to press the
metal of said blank into the hollow interior of the die and form the watch case lid,
centre or bezel and the screw thread thereon.
The interior of the two part die is the exact shape that is to be given to the exterior
of the lid, bezel, or centre of the watch case, and in the screw forming part of the die
there is a central opening for the passage of the rolls that press the metal of the
blank into the die.
The interior of the screw forming part of the die is screw-threaded and into this
thread is screwed a ring, but sufficient of the screw thread is left exposed to form the
screw thread upon the flange of the lid, center, or bezel when the metal of the blank
is pressed against said exposed portion of the screw thread by the roll, or rolls,
employed, and the inner face of the screw ring determines the width of the screw
thread upon the flange of the lid bezel or centre.
The screw thread upon the aforesaid ring may be left of sufficient width to form the
thread upon the flange of the lid bezel or centre and the balance of the thread may be
turned off so that the ring will set within a circular recess in the front piece of the
die, and the inner face of said front piece forms the stop against which the edge of

page_text: the flange of the lid centre or bezel is formed when pressing the metal of the blank
into the screw thread of the ring.
In making a watch case lid a blank of metal approximating in shape the article that
is to be made is first placed within the die: the die is then clamped in the chuck of a
lathe and revolved, and rolls suitably shaped are successively introduced within the
die, which rolls press the metal of the blank forcibly against the interior of the die
and give to the watch case lid the exact shape required both upon its interior and
exterior surfaces and at the same time the metal of the blank is forced into the screw
thread of the die and a perfect, thread formed upon the exterior flange of the lid. In
making a bezel the interior of the two part die is of the proper shape and provided
with the interior screw thread and ring, and after a blank has been placed in the die,
a roll is introduced that forces the metal of the blank into the screw thread of the die
and forms the screw thread of the bezel at the same time this roll spreads the metal
of the blank outwardly and forms the rounded portion of the bezel then another
roll is used that bends the inner edge of the blank and forms the conical reflecting
surface and a final roll is used that forms a seat for the edge of the glass. In making
a watch case centre it is preferable to introduce a ring die between the two main parts
of the die, and also to employ a ring die set into the rear die of the two part die; said
ring die having offsets that form the snaps upon the centre.
Rolls are used for forcing the metal of the blank into the various parts of the die
to form the centre, and the screw thread is pressed into a flango upon the center
while said center is being formed in the die, and said flange is formed by a roll, or
rolls, that bend and turn over the sheet metal upon itself to form a double thickness
of metal.
The interior of the dies for the lid centre or bezel may be more or less ornamented
so that ornamentation will be made upon the exterior surface of the lid, centre, or
bezel by the act of forming said parts in the dies.
The ring die that is between the two main parts of the die is made in sections so as
to allow for removal of the completed center, and in all of the forms of die described
herein the lid, bezel, or center must be unscrewed from the die after the two parts of
the die have been separated.
The ring die that forms the snaps upon the centre may also be in sections to allow
for the removal of the centre.
Dated the 20th.
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Watch-case Lids,
Centres, and Bezels.
I, FREDERIO EOAUBERT, of 485 Dean Street, Brooklyn, in the State of New York,
United States of America, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
Heretofore it has been usual to connect the lid of the watch case, or the ring or
bezel for the glass, to the watch case centre by springing the rim around an annular
projection upon the watch case centre, and efforts have also been made to connect the
bezel and the lid with the watch case centre by means of screw threads; but
difficulties have arisen in forming these threads, because the sheet metal made use
of usually has a thin gold surface upon a plate of brass or similar material; hence if
the screw thread is cut or chased by a tool, the gold is cut through and removed to a
considerable extent, and with gold cases, the metal usually is too thin for the screw
thread to be cut in it, and besides this, great difficulty arises in forming a perfect
thread up to the flange or shoulder for the lid or bezel, because in a perfectly made

page_text: screw thread the inclination at the end of the thread dies out gradually and it is
nearly impossible to cut this part of the thread perfectly by a tool.
In my present invention I am able to make tools for forming the screw thread in
such a manner that the screw thread itself upon the watch case centre, lid, or bezel
will be perfect, and at the same time the center, lid, or bezel is completed, or nearly
so, in the die before being removed therefrom.
In the drawings, Fig. I is a section in larger size of the dies made use of by me in
making the watch case centre. Fig. 14 a section representing approximately the
blank made use of in making a watch case center. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are sections
of the rolls made use of successively in spinning up or forming the watch case centro
within the die. Fig. 7 is a section of the dio made use of in spinning up the bezel.
Figs. 8, 9 and 10) are sections of the rolls made use of in forming or pressing up such
bezels. Fig. 11 is a section of the die for applying the screw to the edge of the
watch case lid, and Figs. 12 and 13 are sections of the rolls employed with such die.
The two principal parts E and G Fig. 1 in my improved tool are to be received
into a chuck or holder mounted upon the spindle of a lathe of any suitable character,
and revolved, and the dies are introduced and clamped by such chuck or holder. The
dies are ring shaped as shewn, and one of the special novel features in the present
invention relates to the screw forming die A. This annular die A is adapted to be
received into a holder, and the interior of this die A is screw threaded; lience, this
screw thread can be made within the open interior portion of such ring-die with the
greatest accuracy, and the portion of the screw thread which is exposed and made use
of in forming the screw portion of the watch case is determined by the surface 2 of
the die G, and the surface 3 of the ring-die A, and this ring die A can be screwed
upon the portion G of the die, as shewn in Figs. 7 and 11, or the scrow thread can be
turned off, and the die G recessed, so as to receive a portion of the ring die A, as
seen in Fig. 1. In either instance the exposed portion of the screw thread is perfect
and complete, and any screw thread that is formed thereby, in consequence of the
sheet metal being pressed against the same, will have a perfect screw thread from
end to end, and the width of the screw threaded surface of the article is usually
determined by the face 2 of the part G, and the face 3, of the ring dio A, and
this feature of my invention will be found in all the dies represented herein; but
the shapes of the dies employed will necessarily vary to suit the particular article.
In consequence of the metal being pressed outwardly into a perfectly rigid die,
every portion of the screw thread becomes of exactly the right size, thus avoiding
the inaccuracies in cutting screw threads with tools that are liable to become worn
and imperfect.
When using my tools for spinning up watch-case centres, the ring die D is made
use of between the portions or dies G and E, and also the annular die E', which is
received into a recess in the chuck or die E, and the parts are accurately fitted so that
when clamped they assume exactly the same relative positions after the completion
and removal of each successive watch-case centre formed within such annular die.
The interior of the annular die D, Fig. 1, may be more or less ornamented, so that
the exterior of the watch case centre is formed thereby with the desired character of
ornamentation, and this annular die D is to be made in sections so as to be capable of
being removed from around the exterior of the watch case centre after the latter has
been formed therein.
In Fig. 1 the annular dies represented are adapted to making the watch case centre
with a screw thread at one side for receiving the bezel of the watch glass, and with
ribs 5 and 6 at the other side of the watch case centre over which the lids are to be
snapped.
In making the watch case centres, a ring or blank similar to that shewn in Fig. 14,
that is stamped up by dies, is to be placed within the annular dies, and a roller, such
as the roller F, Fig. 2, is first made use of to press the watch case centre outwardly
and expand the same against the annular die D and, at the same time, the sheet metal
is pressed against the screw threads of the annular die A. A roller approximating
that shewn at G³, Fig. 3, is next made use of to compress the inner edges of the sheet

page_text: metal and thicken them, and to press them into the grooves for forming the ribs 5
and 6 and against the screw-thread, and then such rollers as H, I and K, Figs. 4,
5 and 6, are employed in succession to force the metal, firmly into the grooves for
completing the ribs 5 and 6 and to fold over and double the sheet metal at 8 to form
the seat for the watch-works, and during all these operations the sheet metal is
pressed outwardly, and there is no tendency to injure the screw-thread within the
die A, but on the contrary to cause the metal to entirely fill the thread of the die.
It is to be understood that the rolls referred to are cach upon an arbor held in a
suitable rest so that the rolls may be moved up to position and set to roll the sheet
metal blank out into the die.
In order to remove the watch case centre from the die, the parts E and G, Fig. 1,
are separated, the sections of the die D lifted off, and the die E' removed, and I
remark that this die E will also be made in sections if the grooves 5 and 6 are under-
cut or it may be broken at one or more places after being hardened, so as to be
opened or taken apart. The watch case contre L is now to be removed from the die A
by unscrewing the same, and the watch case center is complete and ready for
polishing, or otherwise finishing, and the dies are put together and the operation
repeated. In some kinds of watch case centres the metal that is adjacent to the face 2
of the die G may be turned off to a greater or less extent.
If a screw thread is to be placed at each side of the watch case centre, the part E
will be similar to the part. G and receive a screw-thread ring die like the die A, and
the rollers employed will be properly shaped to act upon the center.
In making use of the dies Figs. 7 and 11 for making screw-threads upon the lid and
the bezel, the operations heretofore described are repeated, except that in making the
lid by the die Fig. 11, a stamped up blank lid may be made use of and the roller M,
Fig. 12, is pressed against the blank lid to enlarge the rim and press the same firmly
into the screw thread of the annular die A between the faces 2 and 3, and after this
operation has been performed the roller M; Fig. 13, is made use of to form a flange
beyond the screw thread and against the face 3 of the die A, and it is usual to apply
ornamental knurling or figures at the portion 9 of the die E, so that the roller M
presses the metal of the lil against the ornaments at 9 to produce upon the lid the
desired ornamentation, and, at the same time to form the flange or rim of the lid
against the surface 3 of the die A.
In the manufacture of the ring or bezel for the glass by the tools represented in
Fig. 7 a flanged ring is inserted within the annular die A, and the roller Q, Fig. 8, is
pressed against the same to force the metal into the screw threads of the die A
hetween the faces 2 and 3, and at the same time to spread the metal outwardly to
form a rim against the surface 3 of the die A, and in this instance the die E is usually
ornamented with knurling or designs at 9, and the metal is pressed against that
knurling by the roller Q, Fig. 8. After this has been done, the roller R (Fig. 9) is
made use of to bend the inner edge of the ring or bezel to form the conical reflecting
surface at the interior of such bezel, as seen at 12, and after this the roller S,
Fig. 10, is made use of, which serves the twofold purpose of forming a seat for the
edge of the glass or crystal and of further pressing the metal into the knurling or
ornamentation at 9, so that the ring, when it is removed, is complete and ready for
polishing or otherwise finishing.
A disc may be introduced within the watch case lid as shewn by dotted lines at. L',
Fig. 11, to prevent the interior of the lid being injured by the rolls when forming
the screw upon the watch case lid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The annular die A having upon its interior surface a screw-thread, in combination
with the die G, having a face 2, adjacent to the screw thread of the die A, and a
suitable roller for. pressing the sheet metal of the watch case contre lid or bezel
against the screw threaded portion of the die A and forming a screw thread thereon
between the face 3 of the die A and the face 2 of the die G, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 2. The annular die A having a screw thread upon its interior portion and a face
at 3, in combination with the die G, having a face 2, adjacent to the screw thread, the
ring die D for forming the ornament or pattern upon the outer surface of the watch
case centre, and rolls for pressing the sheet metal of the watch case centre into
contact with the surface of the annular dies A and D, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination, with the annular die A, having a screw-thread upon its interior
face, and the die G, of the annular die D, the die E, having annular grooves, die E
and the series of rolls applied successively as described for pressing the metal of the
watch case centre into the annular dies and thickening and folding over such metal,
substantially as set forth.
4. The combination, with the die having a screw threaded interior surface, of a roll
acting against the inner surface of the sheet metal of the watch case lid or other
article, to force such metal outwardly into the screw thread to produce an external
screw thread without a corresponding internal indentation, substantially as set
forth.
5. A die of the shape of the exterior of the watch case centre or other article, and
containing a screw threaded interior surface, in combination with the roll having a
plain portion to act against the metal to force it into the screw thread, and peripheral
ribs to press the metal into the other portions of the die, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination with an annular die having a screw threaded interior surface,
of a roller to act within the sheet metal article and press the same outwardly into the
screw thread of the die to produce an external screw thread on the article without
corresponding internal indentations, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of Je 1900
ERNEST DE PASS,
78, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the Applicant.