FR2478230A1 - Jewellery clasp for bracelet - has spring loaded sliding closure tube on open link end - Google Patents

Abstract

The clasp consists of a link (1) open between the ends (5,6). Prior to the final forming of the link a tubular closure (2) is introduced over the open end (5). The closure is a slide fit on the link and its outer end (7) is blanked off. A helical spring (4) is fitted in the cavity between the end of the link and the blank (7) on the end of the closure. Once the final formation of the link is complete, the end (6) of the link is brought into line with the end (7) of the closure and the latter is captive in the link. The link may be opened by compressing the closure.

Description

The present invention relates to articles or systems having as main use the closing of a link or of a fixed or articulated form. The System is united or mobile, in relation to the link. This link is made of precious or common metal, mineral or vegetable. This link has absolutely any shape: bracelet, necklace or any other similar item. This link will be found around any part of the human body: neck, arms, ankle, trunk, etc ... or any material.

The present invention also relates to articles or systems having their own purpose. It can other as well a pendant, a System for ear, for nose, ... or any other object serving any function.

the present invention will be in precious or common metal, in metalloid, or made from materials extracted from mineral or vegetable. This System may also also be made up of several materials taken from the list above, or from any material.

Current closing systems essentially consist of a mobile part pushed by a spring and circulating inside the fixed part. The disadvantage of these systems lies in the fact that the fixing of the stop on the movable part, to actuate this movable part is extremely difficult to achieve. In particular, it cannot be welded because the spring would be annealed, and the System would no longer work.

We can
- or place this stop by screwed, stamped, glued pliers or any other means of fixing. The manufacturing of this thumb clamp, and its female imprint in the movable part are working storytellers, and the final assembly is delicate.

- Either execute this stop in the mobile part and mount this single part made up of the mobile part with its thumb part, in the fixed part, which is difficult in all cases
Current locking systems also consist of a movable part, articulated on a pivot, to clear the opening. They can also be constituted around an axis, of two movable parts, which by separating one from the other release the opening. There are also cases where the movable part, to save the opening, moves by hard spring movement, on the fixed part, or along a thread between mobile part and fixed part.

All these processes require a very great skill of realization.

The invention makes it possible to avoid these drawbacks. It is in fact based in principle, that the movable part circulates outside the fixed part. This immediately resolves the problem of the stop enabling the mobile part to be maneuvered.

This invention can be associated with the mobile part, before mounting, on the fixed part. It may not even exist, the movable part being made accessible by its shape.

This stopper will have any shape. It will have any means of fixing (welded, crimped, tapped, glued, etc ...). It will have any location on the moving part. And it may, as indicated above, be part of the movable part, by a form given at the start, to the movable form, or even without any prior form.

The movable part in the invention will be brought into the closed position by a spring having any shape, as regards its section and its volume. This Spring will be made from any material: metal, metallora, mineral or vegetable base.

This Spring will be outside the fixed part, or may propagate inside the fixed part, if it is, for example, hollow.

The Spring or the part acting as a spring will have a stop on the fixed part, and on the mobile part a stop. These stops will be of all shapes, incorporated or added shapes.

The device of the appended drawing presented a solid fixed part, a round wire spring turned in a cylindrical helix, operating at the end of the fixed part serving as a stop, and a mobile part with a welded thumb piece (round wire around the mobile part ) and a welded internal stop (round wire inside the movable part) serving as a second spring stop.

Figure 1 represents the part seen from ctfS, and Figure 2 the part seen from above. Figures t and 2 give 2 overall views of the System, with the; fixed part i in round, solid wire, of rounded rectangle shape; the hollow cylindrical movable part 2; the thumb piece 3 is a circular ring of round wire (open or closed annesu) welded externally and in the middle of the movable part 2.

Figure 3 shows a sectional view from dimension in "open" position with) a spring 4 in wire of round section, turned in a cylindrical helix, in abutment at one end on the end of the fixed part 1 in 5 and in abutment at its other end on the suret 7 of the movable part 2 (tensioned spring). The thumb piece 3 is as described above in Figures 1 and 2. The piece 8 is the end of a bracelet, a necklace or any other link.

FIG. 4 represents a section seen from the side in the "closed" position with the spring 4 in wire of round section, turned in a cylindrical helix, in abutment at one end on the end of the fixed part i in 5, and in stop at its other end on the stop 7 of the movable part (relaxed spring).

The thumb piece 3 is as described above in Figures 1 and 2. The piece 8 is the end of a link (bracelet for example) previously threaded, and the piece 9 is the other end of this link.

In the closed position, the arm 7 of the movable part 2 is in abutment at the end 6 of the fixed part 1. In the case of the drawing, the movable part 2 of hollow cylindrical shape, owing to a slightly greater internal diameter to the outer diameter of the fixed part 1, is placed over a short distance around the end 6 of the fixed part 1. But this is by no means exclusive, the mobile part 2 being able to be in the closed position, quite simply in abutment on the end 6 of the fixed part 1, or have any other possible mode of contact.

When part 1 is made fixed, by holding it, or in solidarity with any other material, the mobile part 2 can be set in motion, by pressing on the 3 - inch stop piece. The spring 4 is compressed between the end 5 of the fixed part i and the stop 7 of the movable part 2, and the opening AB appears.

By keeping the pressure on the thumb piece 3 constant, it is possible to thread through the opening AB, the piece 8 of the link (necklace, bracelet or similar item) and then piece 9 of the same link. The pressure on the thumb piece 3 is liché, the movable part 2 pushed by the spring 4 which brings the stop 7 into abutment with the end 6 of the fixed part 1 and thus closes the opening AS, traps the 2 parts 8 and 9 of the link, and thus makes the link firm.

Figure 5 shows part 8 of the end of the link, made fixed by welding on the fixed part 1 of the System. This is another possibility.

Of course, in order not to damage the spring 4, the welding will be carried out before the final assembly of the spring 4 and of the mobile part 2. It can also be done that the system of the present invention permanently comprises a welded or mobile part on the fixek part and that, through this part, the connection with the link is made, always by threading, welding, gluing or any other process.

The operation being unchanged, and remaining as described above, the movable part 2 is moved using its thumb piece 3, the spring 4 is compressed, and by the opening thus released, another end is threaded of the link. By no longer exerting pressure on the thumb piece 3, the spring 4 is released, the movable part 2 abuts on the end of the fixed part i and closes the System.

The present invention can also also be a System or an article intended for another purpose in itself, that is to say, the object alone (pendant on chain, earring, etc.).

In this case, by making part 1 fixed, and by actuating the mobile part 2, by its thumb piece 3, the spring 4 being compressed, we will pass through the opening ÂE, the object or the part of the body, on which must staccro dear or circulate this System. The pressure on the thumb piece 3 is released, the spring 4 relaxes, the movable part 2 abuts against the end of the fixed part 1, and thus makes the system integral (fixed or mobile) with the part on which it was placed.

The System of the present Invention may also not be considered individually:
- i.e. carry out a closing using several Systems placed one inside the other
- that is to say to be a part of 11 object - the object being made up of several Systems also threaded one in the other -.

Ultimately, this succession of our System can alone give a complete closed link, that is to say that by assembling a fairly large number of our System, we can make a bracelet, necklace or similar item surrounding an object , or itself being a closed set, serving for example as a pendant on any object. To open this closed link, we can obviously act on any of our Systems constituting this link.

The most interesting application of the article of the present invention will be to ensure easy closure, compared to existing articles. The fact that the mobile part is external to the fixed part - basis of the present invention - makes it possible to have a larger stop on this mobile part. This stop can have all the possible forms, and thus always better adapt to an extremely easy operation.

It should moreover be understood that the preceding description has only been given by way of example, and that it in no way limits the field of the invention from which one would not depart by replacing the execution details described. by any other equivalent.

Claims (10)

R E V E 1u D I C A T I 0 N S 1. Closing system consisting of a mobile part 2 circulating outside the fixed part 1. The mobile part 2 pushed by a spring 4 comes, in the closed position, to abut against the fixed part 2. Closure system according to claim 1, in that the fixed part 1 is of any shape and section, in a plane or in space. 3. Closure system according to claim 1, in that the fixed part 1 is solid or hollow, the inner section not necessarily having the shape of the outer section. 4. Closure system according to claim 1, characterized with regard to the movable part 2, in that it is of any shape and section, in a plane or in space, and that its interior section is similar or different from its outer section. 5. Closure system according to claim 4, in that the movable part 2 circulates in a continuous or discontinuous manner (notches) on the fixed part 1, and that it has or does not have a thumb piece. 3 to operate. 6. Closure system according to claim 5, in that the thumb piece 3 is part of the movable part 2, - or is attached to the movable part 2, outside or 8 inside, and has all the possible shapes in plan or in space. 7. Closure system according to claim 4, it is that the movable part 2 is pushed, or is not pushed by a spring 4, and that the spring 4 is either outside or inside the movable part 2, or outside and inside the moving part 2. 8. Closure system according to claim 7, in that the spring 4 has all possible sections, and in space all possible shapes. 9. A closure system according to claim 7, in that the spring 4 has an external or internal stop at the fixed part i, and has an external or internal stop at the mobile part 2. 10. A closure system according to claim 7, in that the spring 4 has its stops (one, two, or not at all) forming part of the fixed part i and of the mobile part 2, or attached to the fixed part 1 and to the mobile part 2, and that its stops have all the possible shapes in plan or in space.