EP0102276A2 - Method of setting a group of gems, for example on a wedding-ring - Google Patents

Abstract

The method consists in securing the stones in their seating by means of a continuous metal wire (3e) which runs along a portion of the periphery of the said stones which are arranged on alternate sides of the wire (3e) and which is secured periodically to the mounting, while forming setting loops for the stones whose periphery it runs along, complementary setting means (3d, 3f) being provided on one or more opposing portions of this periphery. Manufacture of jewellery. <IMAGE>

Description

The subject of the present invention is a method of setting gemstones together, for example on a wedding band, a bracelet, an earmold, etc. which consists in immobilizing the stones in their base by means of a continuous metal wire running along a portion of the periphery of said stones arranged alternately on one side and the other of the wire, complementary crimping means being provided on one or more opposite portions of this periphery.

A process of this type is described in French Patent No. 2,384,468.

According to this prior patent (Figures 2 to 6), the wire (11, 13, 12) is secured to the frame only at its ends 11 and 12. It follows that, when one proceeds to crimping by bending the wire 11, 13, 12, on the one hand, towards the center of the stones and, on the other hand, tangentially with respect to the stones, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 5 of this patent, the wire must penetrate widely into the laminated area of the stone so that the setting has some effectiveness, which affects the appearance of the jewel obtained.

Furthermore, this known method cannot be applied to the setting of more than two stones by the same wire.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks, which goal is achieved in that, according to the invention, the wire is secured from place to place to the frame by forming at least as many crimp handles as stones which it runs along the periphery.

In this way, it is not necessary that the wire comes to fold widely on the laminate to immobilize the stones: the setting is obtained by inserting the stones between the handles and exerting, on the latter, a pressure in the direction of the stones .

Depending on the shape of the stones and their relative arrangement, the wire can thus describe a more or less stretched or tightened sinusoid, a succession of slots, a zig-zag line, etc.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the complementary crimping means consist of one or more claws of any shape.

In a second embodiment, they consist of parts of wire belonging to a second and to a third continuous metal wire which run along a portion of the periphery of stones belonging to a second and to a third group, the stones of these second and third groups being arranged alternately on one side and the other, respectively, of the second and third wires, and the wires being joined to the bases only between the crimping zones.

In this form of execution, called "staggered" or "honeycomb", no use is made of claws. It follows that the jewel obtained, although it is lined with stones, has no part of the setting means capable of scratching or pulling threads in a garment.

It is clear that this staggered configuration could not be obtained by implementing the method known from French patent No. 2,384,468 mentioned above since this method does not allow to set more than two stones with the same wire.

• - les figures la et 1b sont des reproductions, à des fins de comparaison, des figures 3 et 5 du brevet français n° 2 384 468, où l'on a conservé les références numériques utilisées dans ce brevet, en les accompagnant de la lettre A,
• - la figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'une portion d'alliance dont les pierres sont serties selon l'invention,
• - la figure 3 est une représentation schématique de la portion d'alliance de la figure 2, vue du dessus,
• - la figure 4 est une représentation schématique d'un autre groupement de pierres appartenant, par exemple, à un collier,
• - la figure 5 est une représentation schématique d'encore un autre groupement de pierres appartenant, par exemple, à une bague,
• - la figure 6 montre une coupe prise selon la ligne 6-6 de la figure 5 avant le sertissage des pierres, et
• - les figures 7a à 7h montrent l'application du procédé selon l'invention à diverses formes et dispositions de pierres.

The possibilities offered by the invention will emerge more clearly from the following description made with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• - Figures la and 1b are reproductions, for comparison purposes, of figures 3 and 5 of French patent n ° 2 384 468, where the numerical references used in this patent have been kept, accompanied by the letter AT,
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the alliance, the stones of which are set according to the invention,
• FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the alliance portion of FIG. 2, seen from above,
• - Figure 4 is a schematic representation of another group of stones belonging, for example, to a necklace,
• FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of yet another grouping of stones belonging, for example, to a ring,
• - Figure 6 shows a section taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5 before the setting of the stones, and
• - Figures 7a to 7h show the application of the method according to the invention to various shapes and arrangements of stones.

According to the previously known technique, a wire 13A is welded to the frame 10A by its ends 11A and 12A (FIG. 1a). The stones 1A are crimped (FIG. 1b) by exerting a thrust according to the arrows 8A and 9A on the ends 11A and 12A of the wire which flattens the part of wire 13A on the stones, largely inside the laminate. This process can obviously not be used to set more than two stones with the same wire.

As is apparent from Figures 2 to 7, according to the invention, on the contrary, the crimping means do not abnormally encroach on the laminated stones.

If we refer to Figures 2 and 3, we see a group of stones la, 1b, le and ld set in a base 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d, for example, in gold. The crimping is obtained by means of a continuous round metallic wire 3, for example also in gold, welded on the junction zone between the bases 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d, so that between its junction zones, the wire 3 forms handles in the concavity 4 of which the stones are housed 1. Unlike the sinusoidal wire 3, the stones 1 are crimped by a claw 5. It is understood that one could provide two claws 5 or more by stone, as a means of additional setting.

Instead of being welded, the wire 3 could be made integral with the bases 2 in any other suitable manner.

FIG. 4 shows another possibility of applying the method. This time, pairs of stones are juxtaposed, and each couple is set with a wire sinusoidal 3a, 3b and 3c. A pair of claws 5 is provided, on the opposite, on each stone.

Figure 5 shows a crimp using only 3d, 3e, 3f and 3g sinusoidal wires. In this case, each stone is set between the concavity of the handle 4 of one wire and the convexity of the handle 6 of the next wire.

As can be seen from FIG. 6, before crimping, the wires 3d, 3e, 3f and 3g are only joined to the base 2 between the crimping zones, which makes it possible to insert the stones between these wires. Crimping is obtained by exerting pressure on the handle or "free" zone of the wires, in the direction of the stones.

Figures 7a to 7h show the application of the method according to the invention to different forms of stones: shuttles (Figures 7a and 7g), oval (Figures 7b and 7h), square (Figures 7c and 7f), rods (Figures 7d and 7e), arranged in height (Figures 7a, 7b and 7d), diagonally (Figure 7c), in width (Figures 7e, 7g and 7h).

Depending on the shape and arrangement of the stones, the wire 3 describes a sinusoid (Figures 7a, 7b, 7g and 7h), a zig-zag (Figure 7c) and slots (Figures 7d, 7e and 7f).

Different forms of claws 5 are used: hat (Figures 7a and 7c), half-round (Figure 7b), rounded flat (Figures 7g and 7h), straight round wire (Figures 7d, 7e and ^7f ).

It is understood that one or more round claws could also be used, for example one to three per stone.

It goes without saying that other variants of use of the method according to the invention are possible and that they fall within the scope of the latter. In particular, the invention is not limited to jewelry, it can just as easily be applied to the manufacture of costume jewelry.

Claims (7)

1- Method of crimping grouped precious stones which consists in immobilizing them in their base (2) by means of a continuous metal wire (3) which runs along a portion of the periphery of said stones (1) arranged alternately on one side and on the other side of the wire (3), complementary crimping means (5) being provided on one or more opposite portions of this periphery, characterized in that said metal wire (3) is secured from place to place to the frame, by forming at least as many crimping handles (3g) as stones which it runs along the periphery. 2- Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the wire (3) describes a sinusoid. 3- Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the wire (3) forms a succession of slots. 4- A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the wire (3) forms a zigzag line. 5- Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the complementary crimping means (5) consist of claws of any shape. 6- A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the complementary crimping means are constituted by parts of wire belonging to a second and to a third metallic wire (3d, 3f) continuous which run along a portion of the periphery of stone belonging to a second and a third group, the stones of these second and third groups being arranged alternately on one side and on the other, respectively, of the second and third wires (3d, 3f), and the wires (3d, 3e, 3f) being joined to the bases (2) only between the crimping zones. 7- Jewel or part of a jewel garnished with stones set by implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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