GB2298565A - Method of manufacturing hollow jewellery - Google Patents

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO JEWELLERY This invention is concerned with improvements in and relating to jewellery, particularly but not exclusively, of the type formed by joining complementary halves together.

Many types and forms of jewellery are produced by joining together two separate halves of complementary outline. The two halves are frequently produced by stamping sheet material to form profiled shells which are mirror images of each other. These are then positioned relative to one another as accurately as possible, within a jig for example, and solder applied to the join to permanently fix them together.

The major problem with such a technique is ensuring that the positioning of the completely separate components is accurate and remains so through the soldering and cooling stage. Any movement results in a misaligned product which is less attractive.

The present invention attempts to solve this problem by aiding accurate positioning.

The invention provides, in one of its aspects, a method of forming a hollow body, in the manufacture of jewellery, which comprises two hollow elements which are joined together along opposing edges of complementary outline, the method comprising procuring the two elements in the form of interconnected portions of a unitary construction and manipulating the interconnected portions to bring the two elements together in formation of the hollow body.

A bridging portion providing the interconnection between the elements not only aids in retaining the elements in the desired position relative to one another accurately but also it allows the manipulation stage to be performed more quickly.

Preferably, the interconnected elements are formed together from sheet material by shaping the sheet between opposing dies, an integral bridging portion between the elements so being created.

The method can comprise bonding the elements to one another by applying a bonding material, such as solder, along the opposing edges. The bridging portion aids in this stage as the two elements are held accurately relative to one another throughout.

Preferably the bridging portion forms a hinge about which the manipulation occurs. This provides a highly reproducible result for this stage.

The material may be gold sheet or other precious metals or plated metal as desired.

The method may be applied to the manufacture of an earring.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a prior art assembly; Figure 2 shows a stamp and die; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the die; Figure 4 shows a stamped preform; and Figure 5 shows an assembled body.

In the manufacture of jewellery, the stamping out of corresponding hollow elements 1,2 which can then be joined to form a hollow body is known. The two elements are usually mirror images of one another but the prime requirement is that they have complementary outlines.

Having stamped the two elements they are brought together and moved relative to one another to obtain the correct alignment. They are then soldered or otherwise joined together permanently along opposing edges of complementary outline. Unfortunately, as illustrated in Figure 1, the two halves 1,2 may be incorrectly aligned or knocked out of alignment during soldering. The resulting offset 3,4 (Figure 1) of the halves 1,2 is undesirable and unsightly.

The technique of the present invention uses a stamp 10 and die 11 to form two such elements which are joined together. The two cavities 12,13 of the die are conventional in shape but are positioned so as to be joined to one another by portions 14.

The stamp 10 is of complementary shape.

When sheet metal material is placed on the die 11 and the stamp 10 brought down the sheet is compressed into the mould cavities 12,13 and takes on the corresponding shape. Excess material is removed. By arranging for a slight depression 16 to be present at the join 14 the two elements remain joined after stamping by bridging portions 17, as shown in Figure 4. The two elements 1,2 are thus joined at an axis of symmetry X-X.

To assemble the two elements to their finished position it is merely necessary to manipulate them by folding one half relative to the other through 1800.

This results in the product illustrated in Figure 5 where the halves 1,2 are accurately aligned due to the consistency of the fold location and are maintained in that position by the portions 17 joining the two halves.

To secure the halves, solder 20 or other means can be employed, as in the prior art.

Claims (7)

1. In the manufacture of jewellery, a method of forming a hollow body which comprises two hollow elements which are joined together along opposing edges of complementary outline, the method comprising procuring the two elements in the form of interconnected portions of a unitary construction and manipulating the interconnected portions to bring the two elements together in formation of the hollow body.

2. A method according to claim 1 comprising forming the interconnected elements from a sheet of material by shaping the sheet between opposing dies.

3. A method according to claim 2 in which the material is metal.

4. A method according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 in which material joining the two interconnected portions forms a hinge between the portions about which they are relatively rotated in formation of the hollow body.

5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 comprising bonding the interconnected portions along their opposing edges in formation of the hollow body.

6. A hollow body formed by a method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A method of forming a hollow body in the manufacture of jewellery substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.