4 1,S22,,894 ticle@ is more artistic in a;ppearance than s-iniiIaT, cl@evices of the prior art since@ its mechanical, structure is entirely- covere(,I, Ind hiclden from view. 5 It has been noted that the' forn-L, of the link-elements may be@ changecl without i-eference to the structure -,Lncl arrangenient of the connecL-in-members. Various niodificatioiis may also be inade in the f-,kra ai-id 10- construction of the connectiii:g-me-@:abers witholit departin,-- from the spir.it or s,:!,,)pe of the innention and, therefore, without limiting invself iii this respect,. I cl@Liiii: 1. In t @and, chain or linkao;e, tl-ie con-ibination, of i plurality of linlc-elements 1 means for coniie-,tin(y stid elemen'us in articuL@ lated relation. comprisino- bifurcated m. emzn bers inserted into adjoining: linl,-s in straddled relation with por'Llions thereof, said@ con20. nectin- mei-nbers each liavincr meaiis engao,ing with the iiext connectino--menlber in the seri6s, and meins for locl,:i:nf,r cei@tain of the connectilig-members in place whereby said members act onp, ao-ainst another to holcl the 25@ wliole series of said me,.iibers from witlid)rawal. 2 ' In a bincl, chain or link,,Lge, t'he combin,ition of tcljacent link-elements balvinhollow portioiis, -,iDd means for connecti@no,a pltirality of sai,-l eleinents in artictilated relation comprisiiig bifureatecl membe s r ad'apted@ for insertio-@i iiito tlle@ hollow portioi,is of two acljoining lin-k-s to straddle the opposite walls tl-iereof, said connecting-mem35' bers each havin (y @L portion adapted to en(ra(ye n zn Z!D with the next connecting-member in tlie, series Lnd means at the end of the linkage for locking 'Uhe last p,,i@r of conne etit-lgmembers in plale wher@by etch paii- of con40- necting-mei-nbers acts on the next pair, in the series to liolcl them from withdra-w,,tl. 3. In t band chai-n or li-nkage, the combination of a p I Itirality of link-elements@ arr,,tnued in sei-ies bifui@eatecl connectin--niein45 @n v' bers arrangec l@ in straddled relation witl-i respect to,portions of, adjoininu links to conliect them touether said bifilireated inembers interengaging orle -,vith another, and means f6r fastening 'ulie endmost connecting7mem_ -50' bers in position ivl-i,-reby said members act one a(y@tinst another to retain the whole series of s,,Lid members in place. I 4. An improved coi).striie@tio-,i of b,,tnd, cl4,,tin or linka-e comprising a I)ILirality of Iiiikarr,,tn!xed in s-ries -with portions t;l-iereof-in a(ljo@nin- relation, and a series of coniiectii, --m compli@mentarv embers of bifureated: forn@eacli stra(ldlln,- tl4e adjoining portions of t.'ivo 1-ink-elements to connect thein 60i together aiid arraip,,ed with one connectin(yinember internngacriii,-,,)7ith tl-te ne-.,ct membet of the series, all@i 'means for securino- the end member of the series in i)osition whi-eby said members act i)ne a(-ainst another@ to retain 05, all of the: connectiii,@,-me@-ibers in pl',,ice. 5. In a: bancl,. cliain, or linkage, the conibin-,ition@ of a@ pl-ural.ity of link-elemerits arranged in series,,bifureated connecting-members, arran(yed to straddle poitions of each two adjoining link-elements@ aD,-l int;eren-au- 70 ltn tn in- one with another, cl,,Lsping,- meansz at the eD.d of the@ li-iikage, and means on the clasp enga(ring opposite portions of the, endiiiost connecting-mciiibers to lock them totether whereby the@ severil menibers act one a-a,,inst 75 anothar to, retain all@ of said inen-ibers o the series in, pLqce@., 6. In. a, band,, chain or linkage, the combination of @L plurality of link-elements arran-(Yed in series, a. series of bifiireated wem-- 80 zn bers arraiiged to straddle portions of acljoining Iiiih-elements to co-LT-Ple thei-a togetlier ,tnd iiiterengaoing ot-le ivith- @Liiother thi-oughout Viie, -zeri-es and lockin,(,,7mea-iis engflLo,-iii- the Z-- ondmostp,@iir of conn-,ctii-iL,@-niembers to lioldl'@ 85 them in ])osition whereby said meiiibers tet one against. ,tiiother- to ret,,i@in all- of the members In place, stid lockii-ig-mea;ns: b-ling@ iiianttallv operable to,release the coiinectin,),-n-i-m@7, bers to Per_iiiit disconnect,ibn of the@ link,-ele-. 90- iiients.. 7. In a device of the type specified, the comI)ination of i, plurality of link-- elements: ari-,inged iii series, bifurclted n-iembers@ enga,(,Yiii,-, opposite portions of adjoiiiintc., Iiiik-ele-- 95 ments to couple 'hem together aiid ,tri,a:iiged u in interengtgement one member Nvith other@, an end-Tnember at the@ end of the ba@lid, iiieans on saict e-nd-member engaging the@ endmost p,,tir of connectin--members.@ +,o lock'@ 100 t) them in . position -w-hereby said@ members act one against another to ret,,tin tll of the coiia-@members- in place- saicl- means nectil , adapted- to, be moved to release the connecting@memberg ta permit discoiip-ection of the; 105 parts@ and y@eldable detentmeans for holdi- ng the locking-meatis- in pla,@e., S. A flexible inetal str,.tp compris@i:no, t series of relatively -wide slioi-t links, seri'es of connecting elements inserted' into said 1-inks 11 froni either-si'de thereof,-each eleinent being provided witli@ a projecting@tooth, adaptecl to enter a.Ti adjacent link, said. element beiiig retaiiied: in its linlr by the tooth of the eltment in the idj acent linl- and@ rneans for re-" I 1 taining the, last element in place. In testimony lvl-lereof I hereunto, aEx@ my s,ignature. -V CHA.RLES H., KEST-EiNi -AN., 120 125 i-30

Patented Sept. 15, 1931 118222894 UNITED STATES PATEN,'T OFFICE CHARLES H. HESTFNXAN, 0-F :PROVIDENCE, RHC)DE ISLA.ND, .1@.SSTGNOR TO RESTEN@ . MAN BROS. L@IFG. CO., OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND FLEXIBLE BAND, C--QAIN OR LINKAGE Application :dled Febr-Liary 15, 1929. Serial No. 340,227. This iiiveiitioii relates to improveiiients in tl-ie constr,,,ictioii atid iiianu'Lacture of flexible bands, chaiiis or linl@ages for use as articles of jewelry such is bracelets, Nvrist-watch ,5 straps, neeli:l@ces, girdles or the lil-e. Oiie object of the invention is to provide a baiid, chaiii or IiiAkafre coinprising I series of artieul,,tted link-eleiiients joined together iii flexible relation to adapt the article to'ecii10 f orii-i to the coiitotir of the surface on which it is wor-.i. Aiiother object of the invention is to provide ,i co@.istructiop of the type specified ),vhereiii the artictilated link-elements are flex15 i.blv coiit-iected by means enclosed tl-ierein so tli,@. the itiechanictl structiire is concealed from view ancl protected from disorganization. Another object of the invention is to pro10 - vide q coiistriietion of the type specified havi .iio@ the articulatecl li k-elements flexibly n joined touetlier without tli.e -Lise of pins, rivets, t-I screws or t-he lik,-, and without requiring solderin(v at the joints 2 An'other object of'the invention is to provicle an article of the type specified which niay be constructed from sheet-r-,ietal parts struck up iii dies atid capable of being rapidly asseiiabled withotit particular skill or expertness on the p,,trt of the workman and -r@itbout the ilse of tools. @@k.iiother object of the invention is to provide ,t co-nstriietion of the type specified in 25 ivliieh the link-elements tre assembled in ,II-ti ciil,,tted rel,,itioii by simply inserting the coiinectiiig means therein, a@d - wherein the coii-nectiitg-members are autoinatic,,tlly inter@ind interlocli:ecl to pernianellily hold t]-ie parts in coiipled relation by means at the eii(-Is of the baiid, chain or linkage. ATiother object of the invention is to provicle a co--qstriiction of the t- .ype specified in ,vN,Iiieh tb.e connectino,@members are adapted flo be iinlockecl to digeonnect the linl@:s to proi,i(l,- for alteriii- the I.eingth of the bracelet. t7' Aiiother object of the invention is to pro-,TiOte, ,iTi trticle of the type specified adapted for ee,-)-Tiomical mantifactiire and having a @o -,troll:u-,er Ind more durable structure. F@,,,rther objects of the improvement are set forth iii the follolviiig specification wliieh describes several preferi-ed embodiments of the iiivention as illustrated by the accompanying dra-",ings. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the 55 improved constrliction as embodied in a flexible btiid, chain or linkage adapted for use as a wrist-watch strap or bracelet; Fi(r. 2 is ,t bottom I)Iaii view of a portion O.f the band or Iiiikige showing certain of th6' '60 link-elements in section t6 illustrate the arrangement of the interengaging connectingmeiiibers ancl the end element for locldng them in place; Fig. 3 's a similar view showing the method "63 of inserting the connecting-members into the hollow linl@-elements , Fig. 4 is an edge view of a section of the band, chain or linli:age shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a loiigitudinal sectional vi'ew@of-@@70 o nkage, the ei-id portion of the band, chain r li taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fio-. 6 is a perspective view of one of the connectin -members; 9 Fig. 7 is a persp6etive view of the end-'-@75 member or clasp - employed for connecting the band to the balls 'of a wrist--watch or the like; Fig. 8 is a plan view similar to Fig. 2@. shov;ing ,t modified f orn-1 of construction of @80 the article; Fiv 9 is a sectional plan view showi-ng a modified form of the lockin(y means for holdn ing the series of connecting-membe@s in place".. nks; ancl in t-Tie li 85 Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional -view 6f the same taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 9. The present invention consists in general in providing a novel and improved construction of connecting-n-ieans for joining the go link-elements of flexible bands, chains aild linkages without the use of pins) rivets screivs or other mechlilical parts of a like natiir@e. In the present embodiinent, the fini.shed article consists in a flexible b,,tnd, chain '95 or linli:a-Ye adapted for use as a w@- ist-watch strap or bracelet in accordance with a, prevailing style, and also capable of being used for other ptirposes, for instance, as a neeli:lace, arm-bana, anli:let, girdle, watch-guard loo

2 1,822,894 or siiiiilar article of jewelry ancl aclorninent. As herein shown, the bancl or linl@age is of the flat strap type con-iprising a series of relatively narro-w hollow link-el,-ments 2 extending transverseiv of the banci and closely coupled too;ether to i)erinit flexure of the article as @L - whole. In otlier cases, howevei-, the link-elemepts 2 may be of different outline ancl conto-Lir, for instance, of cyliiidrical 10 sliape ins+.ead of rectangular iii cross-sectioi-i. For producing ,t rel,-,itively flat strap or baiid the link-elemelits 2 are cut from lenaths of tubular stocli such as commoiily used in jewelry i-iianufaettire; alid as illustrated in the 15 present drawii-igs the linl@@s are iii the form of reletively narrow open-e@,ided boxes each ha,ving ,t flat top 3, a corres-,oondiiiy botlc)i-ii 4, anci n,,,,rrower fla I t sides 5. - @m The connect ing-me,,Lns J'or the Iii-ik-elle20 ments 2 ire constructecl in the fori-ii o-.1 relalu-ivelv flat bifureatecl iiiembers 6 of substa-.itially hairp--In shape. The members 6 lilay be puiiehed out in dies from suit,@ible sheeime,tal stock and a piir of meiiii@,ers are em26 plo3,ecl for each connection, 6ne member being reversed iii positio@i -with relation to the .Otl-ier -when they are inserted int,) the I;lal@elements.2. Each of the ineiiib-,rs 6 is formed -w,ith a pair of o-oposite legs 8 and 9, con30 nected by ,in er)-cl-piece 7, and adapted to stradclle . tl-ic sicles of two ,Ldjacent Iiiik-elements 2 -when they are inserted into the opposite ends thereof as shown in Fics. 2 and 3. Oncleg9@ofthemeiiiber6isi-nad@slio;htly 35 longer tb,,tn the other leg 8 and is ,)rovided at its end with ,i laterall,y projectin(,, lug or abutment 10 idapted to iliterlock with the r,liorter le- 8 of the next coniiecl.-i@igmei-iiber in the series. That is to say, as 'uhe mem.4( bers 6 are inserted in'Lo the opposite eii:cls of, the link-elements 2 in the m,,inner qs shoiin in Fig. 2 their later-.ti edges will abut and the lug 10 on the longer leg 9 o'L the first element will extend across and interlock wi-th tl,;e end .45 of the sliort leg 8 on the next connectin-member in the series. When the connectin(,members 6 are inser'Led ;-II place in the linkelen-ients 2 i-n this mapner their end-pieces 7 will alide in close relation along the i-iiar@50 ginal edges of the band or linli:age as sho-wn most cle,,trly in Filg. 1. In other instances, however, the end-pie-,es 7 may be let into lu-he ends of the link-eleiiien'Ls 2 so that their edges will be flush -with the i-tiarcyin-,il eclges of the @55 bancl as showii in Fi(r. 8 and hereinafter morepartielilarly clescribed. In assembling the parts to, form the band, 'hain or linl;:a(re tiie t-ebi-il,).r link-elemetits 2 @60 - c, t-I - I are a,.-ranged side by s,.de in series and the, @oh necting-members @6 insei-tecl i7-ito tlieir ends wfth the abu'Ll-iients or lugs 10 o-n their longer '@egs 9 both on the same side aiid in oppos@d relatio-Ti at the center. In this ivay, t (rap is left bet-ween the ends of the short L-1 65 legs 8 @of the members- 6 -,ind the lugs on the lon(y le(,s 9 of the pair previoiisly inserted LI 2n project iiito this gap ancl interlock ivith the short le-s of the iiext succeedii-ig pair of iiieiiibei-s 6 iii t@'le sei-ies. it will tl-ierefore be observed that -,is the lin-'11.--eleiiients 2 al-e coniiect.-d in asseinblecl i-elatioii, starting at tle left as vie,,vecl in Fig. 2, eacli pair of eopnectiiig-r-,iembers 6 inserted -Nvi'Ll interlock ivith the previously iiiserted pair of meiiibers to liol.d theiii iii place. Wheii the parts of :75 the baiid, chaiit or link,,t(ye have bee@n assemblecl in this manner to obtaiii the i,equired @engtli, means -are applied to lock tlle last appli-ecl or endmost members 6 in place, whereby alli of the interlocl@ing connectin(Y-illembers 0 t, be held against withdraival f roin the eiids of the link-elements 2. Any suitable meaiis inay be provided for j)eriniiiently secl-Lring the e,-idmost pair of coiii,,ectii-ig-members 6 iii place and two dif- 8,5 -,'erep@t foriiis of constrtiction are illustrated iT-i the pi-eseiit draii-ings. As shown i-n Fi(ys. I to 5 incliisive, the two opposite coniiectin-- iiiemk)(@rs 6 of tL-e encbuost pair are held III I)Iace bv a loop-lil@e str,-.p or bind 12 coii- i)o si.-riiel@-ed of relatively th,,,i sheet-iliet,,il and iiormalli,'@,-eld iTi I)osition ciiclosing a portioji of the -iid-clasp or coniiector 15. 'ihe e-ndor cojii-iector 15 illay be of any suitable colist'll-liction ,,s tisually employed for attaching the ends 0.@ tho strap 'Lo the bails of the i-@,7ri-st-watel-L, or it may be ;.n tl-ie form of t catch or clasp for fastenin- the free ends of t'iie bracelet toget4her- t, As sliovvn in Fio,,s. 5 and 7, tl-ie end-niein-bei- iou @or clasp 15 is provided ivith t b-,x-like portioli 16 simil.?,r ir. form -t-o the tubtll,-,r linli:- .2. Pr,--fera;bly, the lenrth of the 1)o-I or more properly, the iiicith of the meiiiber 15,- corresponds to tile wholle width of lh(,, strap or band, and its sije wall 17 is -cut aw@,,y -,Lt the encls to pr6iicle notches or openj@nos j.8 for recei-@-in(- the en(I-pieces 7 of the conne&.i4o,@-memb.ers 6, see Fi('. 7. Tl-ie oppotsite s-Lde of the box may be left o.pen and the iiietil f i-om the tol) strip 19 extendecl iii ,t ho,-k 20 ol' stibstanfi@dly cylilicli-ical shape iii c,--oss s,.TtioD. Tho Ilook 20 may be u@sed as ,t clal-"p, or in otlier cases it -u-iay receive, tlle ef,-indr;cql barrel .21 of a cross-@-,-ne-mber havir@g pins or pii-itles 22 at its en(Is which s-,ial@) into holes i-Ti the liigs or projections on tiae sides of the )vatch as is a usual prictice. The barrel 21 of the cross-member contains a sprin- 23 whicili bea-rs ao-ainst the et-ilarged ends of the pintles 22, thereby teiidiii- to -force tl-iem out-w-arclly froiii the sides of -the clasp as shown in Fig.:2. In attacliin(r the n elicl7in--mber 15 to the ivatch tl-ie pintles ai,e pressecl inN,7ardly througli the iise o" ,,, knife- ,25 blade or some other -harp instruiiiept to telescore them -.within the bqrrel 21 wl-ie--,-eby 'uli,@y niay be snapped into the holes in tlle luozn oii the -vvrist-w,,itch,. The narrow s,trap oT band 12 previously i3u

1,822 894 3 referred to, fits ai.-ound the hollow boxI)ortion 16 of the clasp or end-i-nember 15 with its ciids abutting the ciids of the tvvo last coiinecting-mei-nbers 6 of the, series as illustrated iiiost clearly in Figs. I and 2. Preferably, 'Uhe eiids of the strap iiieiilber 10@ are ptinched or indeiited to forin rouiid protiiberances 24 on the inside, these protuberarices beiiig adapted to en-age over the sides 10 of the tavo endmost coiii-ioctin(Y-me,.iibers 6 tn as EIiowii iii Fi(y. 2, thereby holdlll,-; the strap iii place against the shoulders 25 at the ei-ids " tl . ID o-- -ie hool@ 0.0, see Fio-s " aiid 7. As an additionalpi-ec@itition, one side of the strtip 15 l@2 may also be piiiiehed or indented to form a protuberince '-)6 which silaps into a, hole 27 oii tl-ie top strip 19 of the box portioii 16 of the coiinector 15. The locking-elemelit or -L'asl@-ening-iiieans 20 for the coiiiiectili(r-meiiibers as above cle'n scribed may be employed as a iii,,tii-Lially-adjustable device for releasing the c6iinectiiigmembers 6 when it is desired to d;lspsseiiible the parts of 'uhe band for the purpose of ilter25 ing its leiigth. TI-iit is to say, this foriii of coiistrlictioii prov; des for uiicotipliiig the e,idinei-nbers from the strap, baiil or li,.ikage whereby one or iiiore of the llpkeleiiierts iliay be taken otit to sho.-teii the bracelet or 30 others added to increase its leiigth. To pi-ovide f6r this adjustment in the leiigth of the bracelet the locking-elemeiit 12 is sli-d back iiito the position as illustrated in Fig. 3 so that the last pair of connecting-n-iembers:6 35 maybewithdraNviifromtheeTidl-'-@nii:2. After the eiacl-iiiember 15 hts been disconiiected ,tclditioia,-,l Iiiik-elements 2 may be i-iiserted and the enclmost oiie again connected to the clasp, or iii otber instaiiees the lockin---element 12 t@ 40 may be slid back far eno-Li(yh to i@einove oiie n or more, of t]-ie lipk-elements 2. It iiill be understood that ivhen the elemejit 12 is slid b,,Lcli: on the band its prottlberaiices 24 will spring up over the ends of the connect3-ng15 members 6 and its other project7on 26 ivill be released from the hole 9-7; a@d - ,vheii the locking-element 12 is slid back into pl,,ice ap@@iin to encompass tl-ie hollow poi-tioii of tlie @lasp 15 the prottiberarces 24 aiicl @ 26 will ,ig,,iiii 50 snap into 1:)osition to act as detents to hold the connecting-members 6 in place. Fig' 8 of the drawings illiistrates ,t modifie.d form of coiistriietion in whicli the ttibiilar link-elements 'O are of oreater length to 55 provide a -wider strap, band or bracelet, -,i'ld ivherein the edds of the connectingiiiembers 6 are arranged flush with the ends of the li nli:s. To provicle f or this the side walls 31 of the lilik-eleiiients 30 ,tre cut i-way ,it tlieir ends C)O to aciapt them to receive the end-pieces 7 of the connecting,,-meiiibers 6. It ivill also ba noted from this view tli,,it the oppos-teconnecting-members 6 do not m,-et at the cei-iter. That is to sty, they are shorter in proportioii 65 to the length of the tublilar link-elemer@ts E')O, but nevertheless one element interlocl@s ivith the next one in the series iii the same maniier as where the eiids of the long legs 9 of the coiinectiiig-rneiiibers 6 abut as sholvvn in F-Lg. 2. The same foriii of lockiiig-el@ement fol. 70 the connecting-meinbei,s 6 n-lay Le einployed with this type of construction@ Figs. 9 aiid 10 of the clrawings illuitrate t modified form of con,-tructioil of the lockingmeans for holdiilg the connec'u;,iig-membeps 7,5 6 iii place. -TLn this modifieatioii the endmember or connector 32 lias its sides eut away 'I e to fornl @trips of met, 1 33 whiel-i ar bent around to enclose and hold together the ].,Itei-al ILios 10 on the last pair of connect;i)(Y-@ 80 nlenibers 6 in the series. In this manner, the connecting-menibers 6 of the el-ldmost pair are locked or anchorecl iii posiuion wliereby they, in turii, ii7ill aet against tiie Itigs 10 in the iiext adjacent pair of coniiecting-lileill- 85 bers, and so on tbi-oiiglio-Lit the series -,o thpt all of the connectin(Y-members are held iii place by the anchorino, of the eiidmost pa,.r. It will be observed from the foi@e(yoiiig that the present invention pi@ovides a "novel 90 and ino @eiiious co-nstruetioii for flexibly connecting the I.iiili:s of a strap, bind, b@acelet or the like. N6 pins, rivets, screws oi- other like mechaiiical elemei-its ai@e eiiipl-oyed in the structure, the cojinecting-lileans be-'Ing 95 siinply flat pieces of sheet-metal ivhich may be sta'mped o-Lit at very economic,,tl cost. The link-elemeiits theinselv6s are simple ill form aDd stt--ucture and may be mantifletured from tubular stock with ii.o foriiiing or other t@-ol' 100 operations reqliired. In assembling the pai-ts of the band, chaiii or linkage it is oiily necess,,try to brinr the tubular oi- hollow links into close association tnd then insert the coiinectillg-lnem- 105 bers iiato their ends to cause them to interengage whereby the last pair of coiiiiectingi-@iel-nbers hold the prei,iolisly ir,,sei-ted ones in place. -The interen-ao,ino- leo@s of the connecting-ineii-ibers hold the links ii-i close@ 110 association while adapting them to rock or cant, one witli espect to another, to provide for flexure of 'tlie, artictilated strtiettire, ancl the parts n-i@,oy,,,be pei-manent@y joiiied togetlier by a ing oi- anchoriiio, means at@ 115 the end. It will thus be observ'@e'd that no solderin- is necessary and no skillful handwork is required, such as bendino- or forminu the parts with pliers or othernto6ls. By employin(y a single means to anchor tlie' 120 end connectin--iileliibei-s Nvl-iereby all of these elem.ents ire held in place, the manual disconnecti on of the linl@s is illade niore convenient so that the novice may,clisconnect the parts to shorten the bracelet or to, iiisert 125 additional links to increase its lenath. 1, The - improved struleture is partici-ilarly strong and diirable in use, witli the interengaginconiiectin&-menlbers tending one to reinforce anotlie'r, and the finished ar-' 130