US2643801A - Watch oiler - Google Patents

Description

June 3o, 1953 H. R. KOLLMEYER 2,643,801

WATCH OILER Filed Dec. 22. 1948 INVENTOR. NM\I Herman R Konme er 26 g Z @w ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 30, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE This invention relates to improvements in watch oilers, particularly for oiling watch pivots and jewels. Every watchmaker knows the importance of getting fresh clean oil into a watch especially in the jewels. It is also of prime importance that the correct amount of oil be applied to each jewel. An oiler which picks up dirt when it is placed aside or which dispenses the same size drop of oil at each application is of course useless to gain these ends.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an oiler which will retain the advantages and overcome diiculties and disadvantages experienced with conventional methods of oiling watch parts. In one of these methods it has been the practice to place the oil needed for a days work in a small cup, about the size of a dime, made of glass and mounted in a wood base with a cover to protect the oil from contamination by dust. The oiler itself is la wire set in a metal or plastic handle with a specially shaped tip usually gold plated. It also is ltted with a cover member to prevent dust from collecting on it. In use the watchmaker begins the Vday by throwing out any leit over cil, then cleaning the cup and supplying it with fresh oil from a bottle. This must be done if fresh oil is to be had for the days work. The oil does not stay fresh in the cup even with a cover on. To oil a watch the user must rst remove the cover protecting the oiler, then the cover from the cup. Then he dips the oiler in the cup and touches it to the watch pivot. -A small drop of oil is then placed in the watch jewel. On large pivots a larger oiler is used or the small one is dipped several times. This method consumes time and wastes oil. It also is not entirely satisfactory because the oil is not protected at all times from dust in the air since the cover is on the cup during the few minutes it takes to oil a watch.

A further method is a fountain oiler consisting of a capillary tube (usually metal) xed in a glass tube four inches long and about one-eighth to one-quarter inch in diameter. The watchmaker draws a supply of oil directly from the bottle (soda straw style) and it is held in the oiler by capillary attraction. When oil is desired the part to be oiled is touched with the end of the metal tube. The disadvantage here is that the amount of oil deposited at each touching cannot be controlled and as a consequence over oiling is very often the result. They are very unsatisfactory on small ladies watches since la tube small enough for these pivots is too fragl to be practical.

vIn the oiler, made according to my invention, the oil is protected from contamination by dust up to the moment of its application to the pivot y it can in the wire type of oilers, and even with greater precision. Therefore, the advantage in using an oiler made in accordance with my invention is that the watchmaker can ll anyy size jewel quickly and with a controlled quantity of oil. The size of the drop of oil on the tip of the oiler is controlled by the speed with which it is forced out of the tube, the oiling being accomplished, not directly from the tube but from an oiler tip on a ne wire which carries the oil to be applied to the parts well beyond the end of the tube. A fast ejection causes a large drop to form, a slower ejection causes a smaller drop to form. Also if the drop is found tobe too large it can be reduced in size by drawing the oiler tip back just to the mouth of the tube, capillary` action will draw some of the oil from the tip onto the tube. Thus the exact amount of oil required can be controlled with precision by the watchmaker experienced in such work with a saving of time and protection of the oil against contamination by dust, as well as a saving of the watch lubricating oil as will appear more fully hereinafter.

Further objects, advantages and details of my invention will appear in the following specication supplemented by the accompanying draw-l ings forming a part thereof and illustrating a highly satisfactory `embodiment of an oiler in accordance with my invention.

Inl the drawings: v

Fig. 1 is an elevation view of an oiler and Ysuitable cover in Iaccordance with my invention, the cover member being illustrated in longitudinal section.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the oiler on a larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a greatly magnified fragmentary side elevation view of the oiler tip.

Fig. 5 is la fragmentary sectional View of the lower portion of the oiler illustrating on a greatly magnified scale and showing by dotted lines the operation of iling a jewel and cap.

Fig. 6 is a greatly magnified cross sectional view of a properly oiled jewel and cap.

Referring to theV drawings in general the oiler, in accordance with my invention, includes a main casing I0 with a closure cap Il at the upper end, and a plug l2 at the lower end carrying a capillary tube I3. A guide rod Iii, extending through an axial aperature 30 in the cap II and into the casing I0, free of the interior Wall thereof, carries an oiler wire I5 coaxial with and extending from the inner end of the rod. The free end of the oiler wire is provided with an oiler tip I6 normally disposed, when the oiler is not in use, in the capillary tube I3. An operating nger piece I1 is provided on the outer end of rod I4 and a dust cap I8l may be providedfor the oiler, When not in use.

The construction resembles in some Ways the fountain type of oilers which have numeroue disadvantages; they usually hold too much oil4 that takes weeks, even months, of use to reduce .to the point of recleaning and relling. They are often left on the bench exposed to'dist and grimew'it'h both ends open and oily, and likelihood of the oil becoming rancid or' polluted. Oil left' for any length .of time iii fountain oilers is. exposed to iight arie air, meer; is detrimental, and in prac-V ticjeu is found that tnt-'obtainable sizeof noie or' ehape-of the tip of fountain'type oilers is not soiiofo'otori meer oil oiiine Conditions and pariioiliarly for'iewois' and pivots arid 'other'parts in small watches where precise quantities of oil must be used and placed exactly in the'proper places. Y

` However the. oilor in aooordanoe with the presont' invention iS not of the fountain syringe ivre as might'appear from the arrangement of parts as above generally set forth. The casing I containsl but a small quantity of oil which extends into capillary tube I3 to be dispensed therefrom in' only `small drops on the oiler tipl at the end of wire I. The action of capillary tube I3 is to retain the oil and a vent passage I9 in the end of closure cap I is provided so that action of rod Iii will not operate to eject oil from tube I3.

In detail, casing I0 isl prefer-ably a glass tubing, andmay be lmade of amber, brown or other colored glass so .as to'protect the oil from light. Closure cap II is preferably of flexible metal having a contracted upper end 28 provided with an axial aperture'lii) for slidably receiving the rod 'it the voiit message i9. oxiondirie laterally from the aperture through which rod lli extends y unless the aperture is of such asize as to. permit airfto` flow freely therethrough without the'forinetiooo the .ohaiiiiolod' vent passage i9.

Closure capz Il has a rather tight sliding fit on casing I il the lower. end being provided with a kerf 2I so that it can be made to grip'the casing and only yield to a 'positive movement thereof for changing the longitudinal position of the cap on'thefCSilg. vRod Iii is provided with ai ollar 272 and between it and the end of casing II) a compression spring 23 is positioned for normally holding the rodin its upper normal or first position with the'collar sealing the air vent passage through the end 2 0 of the cap and retracting the o'iler'tip IG into capillary tube I3 except when the rod I i is rst manually depressed to a Second position, whereupon 4the vent passage is immediately opened to. communicate with the interior `of the casing. 'The provision of the sliding fit of' closure cap II. on casing. I0 affords a means for a' slight adjustment of the overall lengthl of the oiler, the adjustment of the stroke of the rod and spring pressure in accordance with the desires of the operator of the oiler in order to obtain the proper touch in delicate operations thereby facilitating thev control in the amount of oil dispensed; andthe cooperation of the c ap I I with' thev casing also affords means for adjust- 4 ment of the extent the oiler tips I6 may be projected from capillary tube I3, to a third position shown by dash lines in Fig. 5. Also closure cap II may be entirely removed along with rod I4 and its associated parts, when the casing is to be supplied with lubricating oil and when it is desired to thoroughly clean the oiler as is necessary on occasions. For filling, oil may be drawn into casing by suction o n the casing with the capillary tube I 3 immersed in the supply oil.

Plug I2 has the capillary tube I3 secured therein and the upper end of the tube is preferably flared outwardly as shown at 24 so as to guide iler tip I6 on wire I5 into capillary tube I3 when it is placed therein or replaced after filling or cleaning "the oiler.

.As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the lower end of oiler wire I5 is attened out into a miniature spoon shape to provide the oiler tip I6 which eidciently carries a controlled drop or amount of lubricating oil in accordance with the slow or fast operationof rod Id as referred to hereinbefore.

in Fg- 5 the moet .Bent .manner of .operation of Vthe oiler 4is illustrated on a magnified scale, with the end of the capillary tube I3 at a considerable distance from a jewel bearing element 25 and 'cap 25, In lig. 5 the element 25 is shown as receiving a proper amount of oil 2l from the projected oiler tip It illustrated. projected in broken lines. With such proper amount of oil dispensed to the elements, lov Capillary aoiioo vof the jewel and cap eiements, the moves to .the position shown in Fig. 6 illustrating the jewel and cap as boing properly oiled. without having the oil come into engagement with the metallic elements 28 Ain which they are mounted.

When not in use the oiler may have its lower end incased in a dust cover I8 which is provided with a spring retainer 2,9 as illustrated in Fig. l. During periods or use however this dust cover is removed' and the oil remains fresh and clean and except when the rod is depressed in an oilng operation, the Vent opening in upper closure ycap II is sealed by collar rIvhe lower or capillary tube It contains the oil in the tube relatively protected from dirt, since the tube end is small. should 'me tube piel; up dirt it will be noticed that,y as the Arod isdepressed, the oil in the bottom of the tube is forced out by the oiler wire I and forms a drop outside the tube leaving only fresh oil on the oiler tipV I6, previously gathered farther back in the Sullo.

I t will be seen from the foregoing that the 911er is particularly adapted for operating on the smaller sizes of watches requiring most delicate touch and precision in oiling operations. In actual use I have found a capillary tube of .020" bore and oiler wire or" .0055" diameter with a tip flattened to spoon-like' shape of .0015. thickness, both o f stainless steelvmaterialjto be highly practical. However it is not desired toA limit the invention to. such sizes or materials as` various changes may be made within the scope of my invention as. set forth` in the following claims.

I claim: u

1. A watch oiler comprisingk a tubular main casing, a capillary tube in communication therewith and extending longitudinally from one end thereof, a closure cap. carried by the other end of said casing and; extending longitudinally therefrom. said closure cap having an axial aperture and an air vent Piazssage open` to they interior of said casing adjacent to said aperture, a'rod extending through said aperture and into. said casing, a collar on said rod Within said cap normally engaging said cap and closing said vent passage, a spring operating on said collar to yieldably main tain the rod at the outer end of its stroke :against the inner portion of the cap so as to seal said vent passage in the cap, and an oiler wire secured to and extending from vthe inner end of the rod through said casing and normally disposed with its free end in said capillary tube and adapted to be projected through and beyond the end of the capillary tube by depressing the rod against the action o1 said spring,

2. A watch oile'r comprising a tubular main casing, a capillary tube in communication thereF with and extending rlongitudinally from one end thereof, a closure cap telescopically carried by the other end of said casing and extending lon-- gitudinally therefrom, a rod extending through the outer end of said cap and into said casing, a collar on said rod 'within said cap limiting the outward stroke of the rod, and an oiler wire secured to and extending from the inner end or" the rod through said casing and normally disposed with its free end in said capillary tube and adapted to be projected through the capiln lary tube by an inward movement oi the rod, said closure cap having a irictional holding engagement on the main casing whereby it may be longitudinally adjusted thereon and thereby vary the overall length of the o iler and the exe tent to which the oiler Wire may be projected in or beyond the end of the capillary tube.

3. A watch oiler comprising a tubular main casing, a capillary tube in communication there- With and extending longitudinally from one end thereof, a closure cap teleseopically carried` by the other end of said casing and extending longitudinally therefrom, a rod extending through the outer end of said cap and into said easing, a collar on said rod within said cap limiting the outward stroke oi the rod, a compression spring between the collar on the rod and the end of the main casing yieldingly maintaining the rod at the outer limit of its strolfze, and an oiler wire secured to and extending from theinner end of the rod through said casing and normally disposed with its free end in said capillary tube and adapted to be projected through the capillary tube by an inward movement of the rod, said closure cap having a irictional holding engagement on the main casing whereby it may be longitudinally adjusted thereon and thereby vary the overall length of the oiler and the extent to which the oiler wire may be projected beyond the end of the capillary tube, and to vary the eiect of the compression spring on the rod.

4. A watch oiler comprising a tubular main casing adapted to receive a quantity of oil, a capillary tube in lcommunication with the inE terior of said casing and` extending from one end of the casing in coaxial relationship therewith, a cap at the other end of said casing provided with an air vent passage communicating with the interior of said casing, a rod extending through saidcap and into said casing free of the inner wall thereof, means carried by said rod normally closing said vent passage when the rod is in a first position, and immediately opening said vent passage when the rod is depressed to second position, and an oiler wiresecured to and extending from the inner end of said rod, and disposed with its free end in said capillary tube when said rod is in said first and second positions and to be extended from said capillary tube when the rod is further depressed to a third position.

5. A watch oiler comprising a tubular main casing adapted to receive a quantity of oil, a capillary tube in Ycornnninicaticn with the in terior of said casing and extending from one end of the casing in coaxial relationship therewith, a cap at the other end of said casing provided with an air vent passage communicating with the interior of said casing, a rod extending through said cap and into said casing free of the inner wall thereof, means carried by said rod normally closing said vent passage when the rod is in a rst position, and immediately opening said vent passage when the rod is depressed to second position, and an oiler wire secured to and extending from the inner end of said rod, provided with a attened spoon shaped tip at its free endportion, disposed in said capillary tube when said rod is in said first and second positions and to be extended from said capillary tube when the rod is further depressed to a third position to carry the oil from the cap illary tube to a point beyond the end thereof.

HERMAN R. KOLLMEYER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 696,384 Wall et al. Mar. 25, 1902 1,071,063 Lee Aug. 26, 1913 1,941,751 Lupo Jan. 2, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 210,119 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1940 247,047 Switzerland Nov. 1, 1947

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