EP0005855A2

EP0005855A2 - Closure for jewelry

Info

Publication number: EP0005855A2
Application number: EP79101744A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Vittorio Redi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-06-02
Filing date: 1979-06-01
Publication date: 1979-12-12
Also published as: ES250043Y; ES252333U; ES252333Y; EP0005855A3; IT1104031B; JPS54159077A; IT7801222A0; IL57163A0; ES250043U

Abstract

The invention concerns a closure adapted to connect two parts or ends of a chain, bracelet or the like. It consists of two identical elements, each having a resilient portion provided with a longitudinal slot and an aperture adapted to receive the resilient portion and to lock the same by enlargements provided at the resilient portion and engaging the rim of the aperture.

Description

The invention relates to a closure especially suited for jewelry, silverware and trinkets in general. It consists of two identical pieces made preferably by punching and successive bending, and which is easy to make and low in cost since it does not require any manual operations. In addition, since the two pieces which make up the closure are identical, they are manufactured with only one punching-bending machine, and their sale does not require the combination of an equal number of male and female parts, since, in the worst case, one would have remaining only one closure piece. Likewise, its application to the ends of chains, bracelets and the like does not require particular care or attention in using the pieces; this, on the whole, provides no small advantages.
Of those on the market, closures formed by two identical elements either go together in a rigid fashion and therefore require constant traction to remain closed, or have an elastic part where, however, the stresses are transverse, so that the metal parts tend to bend inwards if not of the right size. In the latter type, in addition, if the stresses are axial, the closure tends to open, in contrast to the closure described herein in which stresses tend to keep it closed.
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the attached drawing permit one to understand the functioning of the closure object of the present patent without, however, limiting in any way the shape, which can vary widely to adapt the visual appearance of the closure - of no small importance given the field of use - to different types of chains, bracelets or the like to which it is generally applied, while the principle of functioning remains the same.
Fig. 1 is a view of a closure piece in which one can note the first portion 7, in the form of a ring, to which one end of the chain is attached, followed by a rectangular portion 8, whose length is slightly greater than that of flanges 9 and whose height is such to permit the passage of the flanges of the second closure piece when joined to the first. The rectangular portion 8 is followed by an enlargement 10, in whose central portion there is a hole 11 from which originates the slot 12 which permits the deflection of the closure portion following enlargement 10. Said enlargement is followed by a rectangular portion 13 whose length is still greater than that of the flanges 9 and whose height is greater than the distance between flanges themselves so as to prevent the second closure piece from moving transversely to the first and breaking the closure between the two pieces making up the latch.
Rectangular portion 13 terminates with an enlargement on which the flanges 9 press when the two closure pieces are pulled in opposite direction (Fig. 3) and from which the locking flanges 9 protrude at about the half-way point.
Fig. 2 shows the two latch pieces at the start of closure, while Fig. 3 shows the completed closure after locking.
Slot 12 permits the elastic spreading of the flanges 9 to allow the flanges to pass the enlargement 10 until they are positioned on the rectangular portion 13. Analogously, to open the closure, said slot must widen to permit the flanges 9 to pass the enlargement-10 in the opposite direction and thus move to the rectangular portion 8 where the two pieces making up the closure can be separated. The closure thus functions by interlocking, with a point of safety pressure created by the enlargement 10 and by the elastic widening of the flanges afforded by the longitudinal slot 12.
The closure object of the present patent can not only vary in shape, but also in the means of latching, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, while the concept remains the same: the latching of two identical pieces which interlock by means of their elastic deformation which comes about by a longitudinal slot 14 whose narrowing or widening permits each sliding, interlocking part to pass a suitable enlargement 15 present on the other piece, thereby causing the reciprocal latch positioning. The stresses to which the closure is subject tend to make the coupling between the two pieces rigid, and the metal from which they are made is subjected to traction and not bending, so that the closure in question can also be made in the smallest dimensions, as required by the field for which it is especially intended, with no loss in functionality.

Claims

1. A closure characterized by two identical pieces, preferably made by punching and bending and which interlock passing with pressure a slight enlargement by means of a longitudinal slot which givesthe terminal portion of each piece the necessary elastic flexibility.

2. A closure as set forth in claim 1, characterized by relatively large surfaces which can be cut, preferably during the punching and bending operations, so as to bear any text required, while the shape of the two identical pieces can be varied for adaptation to different applications.

3. A closure as set forth in claims 1 and 2, in which the two closure pieces are subjected to pressure in the direction parallel to the central slot, which affords the elasticity, and in the direction opposite to that by which the separation of the two pieces occurs, without, therefore, causing deflections which would alter the functionality of same and prevent its creation in very small sizes.

4.. A closure as set forth in the above claims, in which the flexible portion of each piece can interlock and slide on the outside portion or on an inside cavity of the second piece, the inspirational concept remaining unchanged, it being the flexibility of said sliding piece which is coupled by means of a longitudinal slot which affords the elastic flexibility required to pass a suitable enlargement which keeps the coupling stable so that knocking or incidental movement does not cause bending or sliding which coule reopen the closure, whereas the direction of the stresses tends to keep it closed.