US2242544A - Finger ring - Google Patents

Description

May .20, 1941. PORTER 2,242,544

FINGER RING Filed June 20, 1940 HOWARD WPORTER /NVENTOR PER Patented May 20, 1941 FINGER RING Howard W. Porter, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 20, 1940, Serial No. 341,519

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in finger rings and has, for one of its principal objects, the provision of a self sizing ring which, on account of its unique construction shall be immediately and readily adaptable for practically any size of finger upon which it may be worn.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide a ring which may be expanded or contracted to fit any finger either that of a man, woman or child, and which will, at the same time, retain all of its ornamental features and desired shape and without in any way detracting from the usual possibilities of such finger adornments.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide a ring which may be expanded to surmount the wearers knuckle and may then be contracted so as to more closely fit the third joint and which, when in position, will not unduly bind the wearer or cause any discomfort.

Another and still further important object of the invention is to provide, in a finger ring, a combination of ornamental and size adjusting elements which will, in cooperation, produce a practically unlimited variety of sizes which, when adjusted, will remain fixed and will guard against loss of the ring while, at the same time, the ornamental possibilities are in no way neglected.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawing and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is shown in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved self sizing ring of this invention, showing the same as adapted for a medium sized finger.

Figure 2 illustrates the same ring but enlarged for a larger finger such as, for example, when a man wears the same.

Figure 3 is an illustration of the same ring when adjusted to fit a small finger such as a smaller womans finger or even that of a child.

Figure 4 is a side view of the ring of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a similar side view of a ring as shown in the position of Figure 2 and illustrating the slight variation in the relation of the encircling band to the adjusting and ornamental balls.

Figure 6 is an end view of the ring in the position of Figure 3 showing the relationship of the component parts.

Figure 7 illustrates the ring of Figures 1 and 4 in position on a finger such as a womans finger.

Figure 8 shows the ring of Figures 2 and 5 on a finger, and a mans finger is illustrated.

Figure 9 shows the ring of Figures 3 and 6 on a smaller finger which may be even a childs finger.

As shown in the drawing:

The reference numeral I0 indicates generally the encircling band of the improved ring of this invention, the same being preferably composed of spring metal, this being in the usual course of procedure ordinarily cut from a coil of spring wire of approximately the desired helical diameter.

The balls l2 are soldered or otherwise affixed to the ends of the annular element, the dimensions of the spring wire section and the size of the balls being such that the tension on the wire will at all times cause the balls to exert pressure on one another when the device is completed. This pressure is sufiicient to hold the diameter of the ring at any desired point up to and including the position wherein the ring is no longer laterally distorted, and this also holds good for the position where the ring is laterally distorted to its full extent such as the illustrations in Figures 3, 6 and 9. A complete lateral distortion is not shown, but this is approximated in Figures 2, 5 and 8, and it is obvious that this distortion can be carried somewhat beyond the point shown in these figures if desired or necessary.

In the course of manufacture, the coil spring wire is cut in any suitable manner, the balls are then securely fastened to the severed ends, and while it is a fact that this method will produce an originally distorted shape in the individual rings due to the fact that the ring portion was originally cut from a spiral or helix, this, as will be noted, is quite immaterial because the completed ring, on account of the resilient nature of the annular element, can be twisted either one way or the other with equal facility. The balls will be forced against each other at any point of adjustment with suflicient force'so that the desired adjustment will remain.

The balls I2 may obviously be replaced by other shapes such as oblate spheroids, the main essential being that the line of contact between the ball-like elements should be approximate circular arcs although the polyhedral shapes will also operate satisfactorily provided the facets are sufficiently small.

It will be evident that herein is provided a self sizin finger ring which can be immediately sold to practically any customer without the usual and sometimes expensive size adjustments and which, furthermore, when adjusted to the customers or wearers finger will remain in such adjusted position for an indefinite time. The ring makes an ideal gift because it is often practically impossible to preliminarily ascertain the finger size of the proposed recipient of such a gift, and it, therefore, immediately becomes incumbent upon the donee or, perhaps, the donor to return with the ring after the gift has been consummated to the original place of purchase to have it refitted or, otherwise, some additional work is necessary by another jeweler or similar shop.

Obviously also the ring may be made in either relatively cheap designs or even the most expensive with a full range of prices in between as the balls are admirably adapted for jewel setting and similar ornamentation, and even the rin portion itself may be so ornamented if desired. The spring metal may be coated or plated with various precious or semi-precious metals without in any way affecting its normal operation so far as the adjustment and maintenance of desired size is concerned.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A self sizing finger ring, comprising an annular portion, said annular portion including a severed band of spring metal and spherical elements on the ends of the severed band, said spherical elements adapted for a pressure contact with each other.

2. A self sizing finger ring, comprising an annular portion, said annular portion including a severed band of spring metal and spherical elements on the ends of the severed band, said spherical elements adapted for a pressure contact with each other in such a manner that an adjusted position is normally retained.

3. An adjustable finger ring comprising a band element composed of a length of spring steel wire of normally circular form and having abutting ends, and means on the ends to retain the band portion in an adjusted size relationship, said means comprising a pair of spheres.

HOWARD W. PORTER.

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