GB1587500A

GB1587500A - Articles of jewellery and their manufacture

Info

Publication number: GB1587500A
Application number: GB2275678A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Howard & Irving Jewellery Ltd
Current assignee: Howard & Irving Jewellery Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-25
Filing date: 1978-05-25
Publication date: 1981-04-08

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO ARTICLES OF JEWELLERY AND THEIR MANUFACTURE (71) We, HOWARD & IRVING JEWELLERY LIMITED, a British company of 18-20 Laystall Street, London E.C.l. do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to Articles of Jewellery, particularly but not exclusively to bracelets.

For many years past so called "gate" bracelets have been commercially available.

Such gate bracelets comprised elongate links disposed with the end portions of adjacent links overlapping one another laterally of the bracelet and inter-coupled via a hinge pin, each of the links being formed by cutting sections of uniform or constant width from flattened seamless tubing (the sections being often referred to as "rondells").

The range of designs that can be produced for such gate bracelets is substantially limited by the above-mentioned production technique for the links, and this invention is concerned with minimising such limitations.

According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a method of manufacturing an article ofjewellery having a plurality of main links and interconnecting links, said main and interconnecting links being angularly movable with respect to one another, said method comprising the steps of: (a) forming each main link by a procedure including stamping a metal strip to form elongate stampings of non-rectangular configuration (i.e. having a non-uniform width), bending each stamping to bring its ends towards one another, and bonding the ends of each stamping to one another (e.g.

by soldering or seam welding) to form an elongate seamed link; and (b) interconnecting links such that adjacent main and interconnecting links are angularly movable with respect to one another with the end portions of adjacent main and interconnecting links interdigitating with one another laterally (i.e. in the direction of the strip width).

Preferably one end portion of each link contains the seam or join between the ends of the elongate stamping forming that link.

Preferably each said elongate seamed link has two generally planar parallel stretches of identical, non-rectangular outline. Advantageously, one of said stretches has its outer surface engraved or otherwise relieved, e.g.

to provide a "bark" effect.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided an article of jewellery made by a method according to said one aspect of this invention.

By way of non-limiting example, embodiments of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: - Figures 1 to 6 are plan views of six forms of link bracelet according to this inven tion, Figures 1 A to 6A are enlarged views of the encircled portions A of Figures 1 to 6 respectively, and Figure 7 is a side view of each of the bracelets of Figures 1 to 6.

Each of the six bracelets 11 to 16 of Figures 1 to 6 comprises a plurality of links in alternating first and second sections 10 and 20. Each of the links is in the form of a closed flattened loop (see Figure 7) and there are three links in each section 10 and two links in each section 20 (see Figures 1 A to 6A). At the junction of each pair of sections 10, 20 the links interdigitate slightly with the adjacent link ends overlapping one another, a hinge pin (not shown) extending through the five loops at each junction and being soldered to the two outermost links so that adjacent sections 10,20 of the bracelet are angularly movable with respect to one another. The two links 18 of each second section 20 are so called "rondells" of conventional construction formed by cutting sections of uniform or constant width from flattened seamless tubing.These rondells may be optionally further processed to provide a twist in their upper and lower stretches (now shown). However the three links of each first section 10 are not all formed in this way but at least one of them is formed by the below-described exemplary method according to this invention Brace lets 11,12,13 and 16 of Figures 1,2,3 and 6 each have all three of their first-section links 21,22,23 and 25, 26 formed by the below-described method, whereas bracelets 14 and 15 of Figures 4 and 5 each have the middle first-section link 19 formed by the aforesaid conventional method and only have the outer two links 24, 25 of their firstsection links formed by the below-described method.

The Method A metal strip, e.g. of gold, silver or goldplated silver, is stamped to form elongate stampings that are each of a shaped nonrectangular configuration and having a non-uniform width. Each elongate stamping is bent to bring its ends towards one another and these ends are bonded to one another by a soldering or seam welding operation to form an elongate seamed link.

Instead of each bent and end-bonded stamping forming just one elongate seamed link, the stamping may be arranged to provide several laterally-interconnected links that are mutually separated after the unitary piece or stamping has been bent and endbonded.

Preferably each elongate stamping is bent so that the ends thereof, when joined, lie ill the vicinity of an end of the link whereby the join will be at or adjacent to a junction between neighbouring bracelet sections 10, 20.

By virtue of the bending operation, each link formed has two generally planar and parallel stretches with identical, nonrectangular outlines of non-uniform width.

These outlines are clearly shown in Figs. 1 A to 6A from which it will be seen that the links 21 are generally linear but provided with several, e.g. four, convex projections from each side edge, the links 22 are generally arcuate or crescent-shaped with several, e.g. five, convex and concave projections and recesses on each side edge, the links 23 are generally in the form of a double-lozenge, the links 24 are lozenge or diamond shaped, the links 25 are generally barrel shaped with several, e.g. five, convex projections from each side edge, and the links 26 are generally linear but provided with an arcuate recess at each side edge.

From a comparison of Figures 1A to 3A with Figures 4A to 6A (particularly Figure 6A) it will be seen that it is feasible for each first-section 10 to comprise links of different outlines and it is not essential for all the first-section links to be alike. Furthermore it will be appreciated that each of the sections 10 may have one, two or more shaped links, the number of links in each section 20 being respectively two, one or more, and interdigitating with the links of its adjacent section 10.

It will also be appreciated that bracelets according to this invention may have differently-shaped links in different sections, and that the rectangular-outline links 18 and/or 19 can also be produced by a method akin to that described above for the links 21-26. Advantageously, some or all of the links (of either section) may be engraved or otherwise relieved on one said stretch thereof, e.g. to provide a "bark" effect, whereby the bracelet can be optionally worn with the engraved stretch outwards and visible or with the engraved stretch in wrist contact so as to be hidden from view.

Moreover it will be appreciated that this invention is not limited to bracelets but may be applied to other articles of jewellery (e.g. necklaces) javing a plurality of mutually articulated links.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of manufacturing an article of jewellery having a plurality of main links and interconnecting links, said main and interconnecting links being angularly movable with respect to one another, said method comprising the steps of (a) forming each main link by a procedure including stamping a metal strip to form elongate stampings of non-rectangular configuration (i.e.having a non-uniform width), bending each stamping to bring its ends towards one another, and bonding the end of each stamping to one another to form an elongate seamed link; and (b) interconnecting the main links thus formed via said interconnecting links such that adjacent and interconnecting links are angularly movable with respect to one another with the end portions of adjacent main and interconnecting links interdigitating with one another laterally (i.e. in the direction of the strip width).

2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein said interconnecting links are each formed by a procedure as defined in sub-paragraph (a) of Claim 1 save that said elongate stampings are of rectangular configuration (i.e. having a uniform width).

3. A method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the ends of each stamping are bonded to one another by a soldering operation.

4. A method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the ends of each stamping are bonded to one another by seam welding.

5. A method according to any preceding Claim wherein one end portion of each seamed link contains the seam or join between the ends of the elongate stamping forming that link.

6. A method according to any preceding Claim wherein each said elongate seamed link has two generally planar parallel stretches of identical, non-rectangular outline .

7. A method according to Claim 6 wherein one of said stretches has its outer surface engraved or otherwise relieved.

8. A method according to Claim 7

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. below-described method, whereas bracelets 14 and 15 of Figures 4 and 5 each have the middle first-section link 19 formed by the aforesaid conventional method and only have the outer two links 24, 25 of their firstsection links formed by the below-described method. The Method A metal strip, e.g. of gold, silver or goldplated silver, is stamped to form elongate stampings that are each of a shaped nonrectangular configuration and having a non-uniform width. Each elongate stamping is bent to bring its ends towards one another and these ends are bonded to one another by a soldering or seam welding operation to form an elongate seamed link. Instead of each bent and end-bonded stamping forming just one elongate seamed link, the stamping may be arranged to provide several laterally-interconnected links that are mutually separated after the unitary piece or stamping has been bent and endbonded. Preferably each elongate stamping is bent so that the ends thereof, when joined, lie ill the vicinity of an end of the link whereby the join will be at or adjacent to a junction between neighbouring bracelet sections 10, 20. By virtue of the bending operation, each link formed has two generally planar and parallel stretches with identical, nonrectangular outlines of non-uniform width. These outlines are clearly shown in Figs. 1 A to 6A from which it will be seen that the links 21 are generally linear but provided with several, e.g. four, convex projections from each side edge, the links 22 are generally arcuate or crescent-shaped with several, e.g. five, convex and concave projections and recesses on each side edge, the links 23 are generally in the form of a double-lozenge, the links 24 are lozenge or diamond shaped, the links 25 are generally barrel shaped with several, e.g. five, convex projections from each side edge, and the links 26 are generally linear but provided with an arcuate recess at each side edge. From a comparison of Figures 1A to 3A with Figures 4A to 6A (particularly Figure 6A) it will be seen that it is feasible for each first-section 10 to comprise links of different outlines and it is not essential for all the first-section links to be alike. Furthermore it will be appreciated that each of the sections 10 may have one, two or more shaped links, the number of links in each section 20 being respectively two, one or more, and interdigitating with the links of its adjacent section 10. It will also be appreciated that bracelets according to this invention may have differently-shaped links in different sections, and that the rectangular-outline links 18 and/or 19 can also be produced by a method akin to that described above for the links 21-26. Advantageously, some or all of the links (of either section) may be engraved or otherwise relieved on one said stretch thereof, e.g. to provide a "bark" effect, whereby the bracelet can be optionally worn with the engraved stretch outwards and visible or with the engraved stretch in wrist contact so as to be hidden from view. Moreover it will be appreciated that this invention is not limited to bracelets but may be applied to other articles of jewellery (e.g. necklaces) javing a plurality of mutually articulated links. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A method of manufacturing an article of jewellery having a plurality of main links and interconnecting links, said main and interconnecting links being angularly movable with respect to one another, said method comprising the steps of (a) forming each main link by a procedure including stamping a metal strip to form elongate stampings of non-rectangular configuration (i.e.having a non-uniform width), bending each stamping to bring its ends towards one another, and bonding the end of each stamping to one another to form an elongate seamed link; and (b) interconnecting the main links thus formed via said interconnecting links such that adjacent and interconnecting links are angularly movable with respect to one another with the end portions of adjacent main and interconnecting links interdigitating with one another laterally (i.e. in the direction of the strip width).

8. A method according to Claim 7

wherein said outer surface is engraved or otherwise relieved to provide a bark effect.

9. A method according to Claim 1 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. An article ofjewellery made by a method according to any preceding Claim.

11. An article of jewellery substantially as herein described with reference to and/ or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings -