US1933576A - Manufacture of bracelets - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 7, 1933. E. L. WEED 1,933,576

MANUFACTURE OF BRACELETS Filed April 24, 1953 I7 40 INVENTOR Edwarcili. TVeed',

B: ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 7, 1933 MANUFACTURE OF BRACELETS Edward L. Weed, Prov ide'nce, R. 1., assignor to J. J. White Manfg. Company, Providence, It. I.,

a company of Rhode Application April 24, 1933.

12 Claims.

The invention relates to the manufacture of jewelry, and aims to present a method particularly applicable to the manufacture of one-piece filigree bracelets. An important purpose is also to present an improved product produced by this method.

It is an important attainment of the invention that extremely delicate filigree work may be quickly assembled in a durable bracelet of excellent workmanship at an extremely low cost. It is also an important object to enable the formation of a one-piece bracelet and fastening in a novel way.

In the jewelry trade a stockfiligree strip known as pierced stock is familiar, one well known form is made in short strips, two of which end to end may be utilized as a continuous ornamental feature of a bracelet of any kind. Such strips are used in two-piece bracelets, and also in onepiece spring bracelets. Customarily this pierced metal is soldered to a support or body part, carring the necessary hinges and catches, and in some cases a band is formed of the pierced stock with overlapping ends, adapted to spring into closed bracelet form with ends slightly overlapped, and maintained in closed form by its inherent resiliency, by which it opposes movement from closed position with the ends overlapped.

It is an important purpose of my invention to enable the utilization of this stock strip in a novel way, minimizing labor operations, and enabling the production of a bracelet of substantial appearance utilizing the thin pierced metal strip as its embellishment. It is also an aim to form a novel means for closing such a bracelet without requiring assembly of separate fastenings or parts such as tongues and sockets, spring catches, latches or the like.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the methods of manipulation and sequence of steps as hereinafter recited, and in the nature of the product as more particularly set forth hereinafter and shown in the accompany drawing, wherein, p

Figure 1 is an actual-size plan view of a fragment of body channel stock for use as material for producing a bracelet in the practice of my invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section thereof, greatly enlarged.

Figure 3 is an actual size elevation of a section of pierced metal stock.

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 1, showing the channel stock blanked.

Island Serial No. 667,727

Figure 5 is a similar fragmentary view showing initial engagement of the pierced stock in the channel piece.

Figure 6 is a view of the completed bracelet body, fiat.

Figure 7 is a cross section on the line 7'7 of Figure 6, greatly enlarged.

Figure 8 is a view of the completed bracelet showing the catch.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section at the catch.

Figure 10 is an inner side view of the ornamental hinged catch piece.

V Figure 11 is a plan view of a modification ofthe body stock and pierced metal assembled.

Figure 12 is a back view of the modification. 1

Figure 13 is a cross section thereof.

Figure 14 is a similar view of another modification.

' In forming a bracelet by my method, I first produce a stock channel form 10 shown in Figures l and 2,. which operation is preferably carried out by machine into which simple, fiat ductile metal ribbon stock is fed, the edges of which are thereby turned in, as at 11. This is next cut to the form shown in Figure 4 although it would preferably be blanked in suitable dies whereby a frame 12 is formed having two gallery bars 13 at the sides connected by intermediate fiat cross bars 14 and two end cross bars 15, at the back side. The bars 18 are each substantially U- shaped in cross section, having flanges 16 and 17 at bottom and top, respectively, of the channel stock, but the back flange 16 is somewhat broader than the top one 17, in order to gain some strength in the piece Without creating a too heavy appearance in the channel body, as will appear, and also to afford a broad, smooth wrist-engaging surface on the finished piece.

In the blanking, three transversely spaced hinge ears 18 are formed projecting longitudinally at one end of the body, a somewhat broader central longitudinal tongue 19 with rounded end being formed at the other end, and two finishing cars 20' at respective sides of this tongue, on the edge of the blank. The ears and tongue spring from the outer sides of the bars 15. These ears 2% serve as channel closers or retainers for the inserted pierced work, as will appear. The ears 18 also serve a similar purpose at the opposite end of the piece. Two of the cars 18 have their outer lateral sides flush with the external surface of the respective bars 18, and all are turned in cylindrically on the same side of the channel with the flange 17 so as to form hinge knuckles lying snugly against the ends of these flanges and flush with the top faces thereof.

I also form separately by familiar practice the pierced metal or other ornamental insert strip 21, which may be made of any desired length, but commonly, in order to save expense in making dies and forms, it is made in half lengths, so that two will equal the maximum circumferential measurement of an ordinary bracelet body. It is of a thickness slightly less than the space between the flanges 16 and 17, and of a width to slide easily into the channel under the flanges 17 by manual insertion. In the body blank as shown there are three intermediate cross bars 14 equally spaced from each other and similarly spaced from the end cross bars 15. Before insertion, the two insert strips are trimmed equally to aggregate the length of the piece, so that their meeting ends will lie over the central cross bar 14, and one is notched at 22, on the end to afford a clearance under the tongue 19. The inserts are now inserted, and the cars 20 turned upward and inward over the insert end. These ears are each formed with a short part 23 next the respective bars 13 and longer parts 24 at their inner sides, the short parts when turned up lying flush with the tops of the flanges 1'7 and the longer parts being turned in over the end of the insert so as to form short end flanges 25 with the appearance of a mitered continuation of the flanges 17. The ears 26 are spaced slightly from the tongue 19, and the latter is turned upward and recurved inward over the outer face of the insert to form a hook 26, the recurved part projecting slightly from the end of the piece. The bill 27 of the hook is slightly curved upward.

The assembly now comprises the main piece or body of the bracelet. It is in a form to be conveniently plated if not of solid precious metal, and such plating is carried out in accordance with familiar practices, serving to make the junction of the two inserts continuous in appearance. The piece may be buffed by automatic machines on an automatic feeding work holder while in the fiat form as assembled, contributing further to economy in manufacture. After bufiing, the piece is bent to the desired shape and size to receive the wrist of a wearer, forming a G-spring with a substantial opening between its ends. For closing the bracelet and connecting the ends of the piece formed as above described, an ornament fastener 30 is provided which may be one of a multiplicity of different designs, all however, having hinge knuckles 31 at one side to be set between the knuckles formed of the cars 13 and secured by a hinge pin 32 engaged through all. The ornament includes a frame piece 37 having the knuckles 31 thereon, and having also adjacent the opposite side of the frame from the knuckles a bar 33 looped or otherwise formed properly to pass under the hook 26 when the bracelet is compressed to less than normal size and allowed to spring open again. As the fastenor 30 does not require a very great extent of movement, the knuckles thereon may be well under the ornament, but preferably slightly offset below the fastener. The bar '53 is also preferably located underneath the ornament so as to not only be concealed, but so as to hold the ornament over and conceal a substantial part of the hook 26.

The sizeof the bracelet may be governed by the width of the ornament, or by forming the blanks of the body in various lengths. The 0rnament 30 preferably is of a form to completely cover both ends of the main piece.

The ends of the inserts may be soldered together if desired to add to the strength of the article and improve its spring action, although the location of the central cross bar 14 is thought to obviate need for this.

In another method a body strip of plain flat stock 40 is formed with the necessary hinge cars '41 at one end, while at the other there are formed the tongue 42 and edging ears 43; and a roll edge 44 is formed along the entire length at each side, the space between these roll edges being the same as the width of the pierced stock. The ears 43 are plain and are turned in as a transverse continuation of the roll edge. The pierced stock is then trimmed at the ends to fit snugly upon the outer face of the stock 40 between the rolls 44 and end knuckles and rolls 43, being soldered in place after the knuckles are formed. The piece is then formed to the necessary C-spring shape and the fastening ornament 30 attached as before.

The openings in the base stock may be varied for ornamental and other effects, and may be omitted.

A plain fiat base stock strip 45 may be used without the roll edge at the sides, but having the hinge ears and tongue only, at the ends, and the pierced stock soldered to the outer face thereof, the forming and assembly otherwise being as before described (see Fig. 14).

The gallery edged stock may be used to form an ordinary one-piece spring bracelet, without fastening, if desired.

I claim:-

1. In a method of forming a bracelet or the like, the steps consisting in forming a body stock strip having upstanding edges, cutting from this individual bracelet blanks having integral finishing parts at the ends as longitudinal projections alined with the body stock, fitting an ornamental plate between the said edges and ends, shaping the ends as connector elements and retainers, and bending the assembly to the form desired.

2. The method of claim 1 including the shaping of the longitudinal projections as knuckles on one end of the blank and as an integral connecting element on the other end of the blank, and hinging to the knuckles a member having a coacting connecting element complementary to that on the blank.

3. In a method of forming a bracelet or the like, the steps consisting in forming a continuous sheet metal stock strip having gallery edges, forming stock ornament strip of a width to fit snugly and slidably between and in the gallery edges, cutting from the stock a body piece having integral longitudinally projecting finishing parts at the ends lying in the plane of the body of the stock below the gallery edges, inserting the ornament strip slidably fromfthe end in the gallery edges of the body piece to form an ornamental work thereover, bending the longitudinally projecting parts at the end outwardly and inwardly as retaining members and bending the assembly to the desired form.

4. In a method of forming a bracelet or the like the steps consisting in forming a stock strip having gallery edges, forming stock ornament strip of a width to fit snugly between and in the gallery edges, blanking the body stock to form a body piece having integral hinge ears at one end, and an integral connecting and retainer element at the other end, forming the ears into knuckles,

inserting ornament stock slidably in the gallery 150 edges of the body to form an ornamental work over the body; bending the connecting and retainer element, shaping the assembly and hinging a connector to the knuckles having a connecting element complementary to that of the body connecting element.

5. In a method of forming a bracelet or the like, the steps consisting in forming a stock strip having gallery edges, forming stock ornament strip of a width to fit snugly between and in the gallery edges, blanking the body stock to form a body piece having integral hinge ears at one end, and an integral connecting element at the other end, forming the ears into knuckles, inserting the ornament strip slidably in the gallery edges of the body to form an ornamental work over the body; shaping the connecting element, into a hook having a bill at the outer side of the piece turned rearwardly from the end, bending the assembly to form a C-spring bracelet body with the ends separated a material distance normally, and hinging a connector to the knuckles having a transverse bar positioned to engage under the hook when the ends of the piece are forced toward each other a distance in opposition to the inherent resilience of the assembly.

6. The method of forming a jewelry article of the character described comprising forming a thin pierced metal open work stock strip, forming a channel stock consisting of a continuous flat body plate having integral inturned continuous flat-faced gallery edges, blanking this stock to form opposed gallery bars having narrow flatfaced top and bottom flanges and cross bars connecting the bottom flanges at exceedingly long intervals, inserting the pierced stock longitudinally in the gallery bars, and shaping the assembly.

'7. The method of forming a jewelry article of the character described comprising forming a thin pierced metal open work stock strip, forming a channel stock consisting of a continuous body plate having integral inturned continuous gallery edges, blanking this stock to form opposed gallery bars having narrow top and bottom flanges and cross bars connecting the bottom flange at long intervals, said blanking including also the formation of end cross bars connecting the gallery bars and having integral longitudinal ears, inserting the pierced stock longitudinally into the gallery bars, forming the ears in retaining relation to the pierced stock, and shaping the assembly as a whole.

8. A bracelet article consisting of a body strip of thin metal open-work and having along the edges thereof gallery bars of continuous sheet metal U-shaped in cross section, each having continuous narrow fiat parallel bottom and top flanges, the extreme edge portions only of said strip being engaged in close flat fitting contact with and between the said flanges of the gallery bars, the assembly being bent to form a C- spring bracelet, whereby an extremely thin openwork bracelet with unobstructed openings throughout its major area is formed but having edges of substantial thickness and strength and adapted to retain its symmetricalform incident to normal use.

'9. The structure of claim 8 in which connecting cross bars are formed integrally with the bottom flanges of opposed gallery bars, whereby the bars are held against separation from the body strip.

10. The structure of claim 8 in which connecting cross bars are formed integrally with the bottom flanges of opposed gallery bars, two connecting bars being formed at the ends of the gall ry bars and having projections extended longitudinally with respect to the gallery bars, and formed in retaining relation to the body strip.

11. In the manufacture of bracelets, forming a thin metal openwork stock strip, forming continuous gallery bars of sheet metal U-shaped in cross section, each having flat continuous bottom and top flanges spaced to receive snugly. therebetween the said openwork stock in a close lit with said flanges flat'against the bottom and top faces of the strip, applying said bars to the longitudinal edges of the openwork stock strip so that said flanges respectively lie parallel to and flat against the bottom and top faces of the strip and projecting a short distance only over the extreme longitudinal edge portions of the openwork stock strip, and bending the assembly to form a C-spring bracelet.

12. In the manufacture of C-spring type bracelets, forming a thin weak pierced metal stock strip, forming from continuous sheet metal stock gallery bars each comprising a flat continuous bottom flange and an integral flat-faced continuous top flange bent into parallel relation to the bottom flange spaced therefrom to receive snugly between the flanges the extreme lateral edge portions only of the pierced metal stock strip, applying the gallery bars to the longitudinal edges of the pierced metal stock strip so that the said flanges lie parallel to and flat against the bottom and top faces respectively of the pierced metal stock strip, and bending the assembly to form a C-spring bracelet.

EDWARD L. WEED.

Images