US2282336A - Spring-wire earring, ring, and the like - Google Patents

Description

May 12, 1942. I E ER 2,282,336

SPRING'WIRE-EARRING, RING, AND THEjLIKE Filed May 10, 1940 I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNE Y5 MrM Patented May 12, 1942 SPRHIG-WIRE EARRING, RING, AND THE LIKE Maximilian C. Meyer, Brooklyn,N. Y.

Application May 10, 1940, SerialNo. 334,322

6 Claims.

My invention relates to a novel earring and the method of making the same, and more particularly my invention relates to a simulated pearl spring earring having two pearls fixed at the extremities of the earring by a novel locking construction and my invention further relates to the method of obtaining such locking construction.

I have found it extremely desirable in earrings that the construction be such that the ear is grasped by the smooth ornamental object rather than by a metal utilitarian gripping surface. In the case of pearl earrings, I have found great difiiculty in securing pearls to spring wire in such a manner that a permanent and fixed joint between the pearls and the wire is obtained without impairing the properties of the pearl or of the wire. The spring wire must have sufficient resilience to firmly grip the ear through the pearls fixed on the ends thereof. If it were attempted to solder or fix the pearls to the wire by a heat treatment the spring and the resilience of the wire would be diminished or lost. There is no practical cement for effecting a suitable permanent joint between the polished wire surface and the pearl. The nature of the spring wire is such that a screw threaded surface cannot be imparted thereto to screw the pearls into engagement therewith.

I have devised a novel construction and method by means of which I can securely and permanently fix ornamental objects such as pearls onto and over a spring wire. By pearl in the pressent invention, I mean simulated pearls which are built up from suitable core material such as glass and which are subsequently coated with a pearl essence solution to give the desired simulated pearl appearance.

The method of forming the locking construction will be more specifically set forth hereinafter but generally it can be described as providing an opening having divergent side walls in the pearl into which is inserted the extremity of a spring wire which has been bent into the form of a hook. This hook engages the divergent opening and is firmly locked therein against subsequent separation. By means of this locking construction I am able to provide a novel earring which comprises a spring wire which acts both as a carrier for the pearls and also as a means for imparting pressure to the pearls mounted on the ends thereof for grasping the lobe of the car.

My novel earring comprises a plurality of pearls mounted on a wire that has been curled into the form of a circle with the two extremities of the wire firmly mechanically locked into engagement with the pearls mounted thereon. The earring is secured to the ear by pulling apart the spring wire and then releasing it so that the pearls locked in the extremities thereof contact the ear lobe in pressure contact.

It is the object of my invention to provide a novel earring comprising ornamental objects mounted on spring Wire.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a novel earring in which the ear is gripped by smooth ornamental objects mounted on a spring wire adapted to cause the objects to grip the ear firmly.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a new construction for locking a pearl or similar object on to a spring wire.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a new method for forming a pearl with a divergent opening adapted to be engaged or secured permanently on to a hooked wire.

These and other objects of my invention Will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawing.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the earrings of my invention in position on the ear.

Figure 2 is a perspective showing a pipe with one end pinched to provide a divergent shaped core member.

Figure 3 shows the pinched divergent core member with a bead or simulated pearl base formed thereon.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic representation showing the insertion of the core member with the bead formed thereon into an acid tank adapted to eat away or dissolve the core member.

Figure 5 is a cross section of the simulated pearl base after the core has been dissolved out.

Figure 6 is a cross section taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an elevation of the spring wire base curled into loop form with a hook at one end prior to the placing of the pearls thereon.

Figure 8 is a side elevational showing of the spring Wire with the pearls mounted thereon, certain of the pearls being shown in partial crosssection to show the locking engagement.

Figure 9 is an enlarged cross section showing in detail the specific engagement of the spring wire hook in the divergent opening of the pearl.

Figure 10 is a side elevational View of the earring of my invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, Figure 1 shows the earring of my invention in its proper position on the ear of a wearer. It will be noted that the earring engages the ear directly by means of the smooth ornamental pearls located at the two extremities of the circular spring wire. The spring wire, although extremely light, exerts sufficient tension through the pearls fixed on the ends thereof to hold the earring properly in position upon the ear.

In Figure 2 I show a core member H which comprises a metal tube of relatively small diameter which metal tube is pinched at one end. as by a pair of pliers to form the pinched end l2 with the divergent sides l3 and I4. I prefer to employ a tubular member as this core member since a pinching readily effects the collapse and spreading of the end of the tube to form a core member of the desired divergent shape. The upper and lower surfaces of this pinched end are substantially flat.

The next step in the process is the formation of the base bead upon the core member and this may be effected by melting glass or similar material to a fluid condition and causing said fluid glass to assume the spherical form It on the pinched end |2 of the core member H.

After the proper shape is imparted to the base material I6 and this shape may be imparted for example by rotation of the core member H, the base material is allowed to harden to a permanent set with the core l2 embedded as shownin the base material, such as glass, I6.

I next subject the bead IS with the core |2 embedded therein to the action of a dissolving medium which in the instance shown may be an acid or an acid mix ll. This acid acts to eat away or dissolve the metal core material II and this dissolving is indicated by the showing of the core in'solid line in the first instance and in dotted line in the cross sectional view since the core is. dissolved by the acid ll. For the sake of clarity I have shown the full core member II in the acid bath, but it will be understood that in practice, it is ordinarily more desirable to cut off the core member II at about the point l8 where the core member enters the bead Hi.

After the core member I is out off at the point it, its end is again pinched to form the shape shown at l2 in Figure 2 and this core member is used for the formation of another bead with a similar opening.

In Figure I show an enlarged cross sectional view of the bead I6 with the opening 20 having the divergent side walls 2| and 22, which opening results when the pinched end core member- I2 is dissolved out from the bead by means of the dissolving acid mix l7.

Figure 6 is a cross section taken along the line 66 of Figure 5 and specifically shows the general contour of the upper and lower walls of the divergent opening.

It will be noted that these upper walls, namely 23 and 2d are spaced a lesser distance from one another than are the walls 2| and 22. Although these walls are shown as substantially parallel, it is not necessary that they be parallel, but merely that they be such as to prevent the hook subsequently inserted therein from rotating.

In Figure '7 I show a spring wire 26 which may be of spring tension steel which has been formed into substantially circular shape asshown. Atone end, the wire has been bent into the hoo form 21. i

As shown in Figure 8, this hook 21 is inserted in the bead H5 in such a manner that the hook,

' tempted rotation of the bead by a user.

which is compressed upon entering the opening 20, spreads in conformity with the divergent walls 2| and 22 of the opening to securely and permanently lock the bead I6 in its indicated position on the hook.

The pearls 29 and 30, etc. are then strung on the spring wire 26 and when the full number of pearls has been strung thereon, the opposite extremity of the spring wire, which is in the position 3|, shown in full line, while the pearls are being strung on the wire, is then curved to the hook position 32 shown in dotted line, whereupon a bead with a divergent opening similar to the opening in the bead I6 is locked in position on the hook to complete the earring.

It is to be understood that the bead |6'is the base of the pearl or simulated pearl, and that subsequent to the time when the core is eaten out of the opening, but before the bead is strung on the earring, a coating of a light reflecting material such as pearl essence is given the base I6 so that the simulated pearl is obtained.

Because the bead has been weakened by the formation of the opening with the divergent walls therein, it is desirable to relieve or reduce any strains thereon which might be induced by at- Accordingly, I effect a rigid joint between the bead I6 having the opening therein and the next adjacent head 29, by means of a suitable cement 33. This cement effects a solid and rigid joint between two adjacent beads, and because the wire 26 passes through these beads in a circular path, an attempt to rotate the bead It meets with a braking action by reason of the curved wire 26 being pressed against the opening in the bead 29. Accordingly, the stress or strain resulting from an attempted rotation is absorbed by the stronger bead 29. and this materially reduces the likelihood of fracture of the weaker extremity bead It.

In Figure 9, I show in detail the engagement of the hook 2'! with the divergent side walls 2| and 22 of the opening 26 in the head Hi. It will be noted that the hook 21 spreads after insertion and engages one of the divergent side walls such as 2|, while bearing against the other side wall 22, so that it is secure against withdrawal. Because of the fact that the other two surfaces 23 and 24 (see Fig. 6) of the opening 20 are closely spaced, the hook 27 cannot rotate in the opening 22.

The walls of the opening 2| and 22 are shown as rough in this figure and this roughness further acts to prevent the retraction of the hook 21 from the opening. Although it is not absolutely essential that the Walls be roughened as shown in this figure it has been found that a more secure grip results therefrom. This rough wall effect is obtained either by imparting a rough surface to the core portion |2 of the core member II, or by the effect of acid I] when eating out the core member i2. I have found that even when the walls of the core I2 are apparently smooth, the effect of the acid I? in the action shownin Figure 4 eating out the core member from the bead,

is such that a rough orv slightly irregular surface is imparted to the side walls 2| and 22.

In Figure 10 I show the completed earring comprising the, two finished pearls 34 and 35 which are located on the extremities of the spring wire, which pearls 34 and 35 have openings similar to the opening 20, and described in Figures 5, 6, and 8, and which pearls are securely located in permanent position by means of hooks such as 21 and 32. The pearls or other ornamental objects are strung on the spring wire intermediate these two end pearls 34 and 35. The pearls 34 and 35 located on the extremities of the earring are shown as separated from one another as in the wearing position and it is to be understood that the spring wire on which they are positioned exerts a tension so that the pearl 34 is pressed in contact with the pearl 35. The spring wire on which the pearls are strung is an extremely light base and hence is not objectionable from the standpoint of weight, which is an important factor in an earring. Also, the spring wire permanently retains its ability to impart the grasping pressure.

For the purposes specifically described above, namely to reduce the danger of fracture of the end pearls 34 and 35, and I may rigidly bind such pearls 34 and 35 to the next adjacent pearls by means of a suitable cement 36.

I have given a specific form of carrying out a method for the formation of the earring of my invention but it is to be understood that there are many modifications which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the core H may be a solid wire which is soft in nature instead of being a tube, and it is necessary only that one end thereof be capable of being shaped to the divergent form shown at l2. Further such core members may be preformed to the desired shape.

It is also within the purview of my invention that the core member be formed of other materials, as for example of plastics, which can be dissolved out from the base l6 by the use of suitable solvents. If thermoplastic materials be used for this core, then the base material iii of the ornamental objects must be such that no high heat is required for its formation. Further the divergent walls 2i and 22 of the opening need not be of the shape shown, but may be modified considerably. If it is desired that the hook or engaging portion of the base wire be allowed to rotate, then the surfaces 23 and 24 may be spaced accordingly.

Further, although I have described my invention with regard to the formation of an earring carrying pearls, it is to be understood that other ornamental objects may be employed thereon. I intend, therefore, to be limited not by the specific foregoing description of my invention, but only by the appended claims.

Although I have described my invention with particular reference to the manufacture of an earring, it is to be clearly understood that the locking construction and method of obtaining the same may be employed for making other devices in which it is desired to look a similar ornamental object on to the end of a wire or similar base. Specifically, for example, I may form an ornamental finger ring or a bracelet by locking ornamental objects, such as pearls, at the extremities of a base carrying member such as a wire. Such other objects, as a ring or a bracelet, would employ the same locking construction in order to firmly and permanently secure the ornamental objects on to the end thereof.

By spring wire in the present application I mean any elongated metallic member of relatively small diameter which is suitable for the purpose set forth, and specifically in the formation of an earring, I have found piano wire to be suitable.

I claim:

1. An earring comprising a spring wire, at least one extremity of said spring wire being formed into a hook, a pearl-like ornamental object mounted on said hook, a divergent opening in said pearl-like ornamental object, said hook being locked in said divergent opening.

2. An earring comprising a spring wire, at least one extremity of said spring wire being formed into a hook, a pearl-like ornamental object mounted on said hook, a divergent opening in said pearl-like ornamental object, said hook being locked in said divergent opening, said divergent opening being of such shape as to prevent rotation of said pearl-like ornamental object thereon.

3. An earring comprising a spring wire, ornamental objects mounted on said spring Wire, the ear contacting portions of said earring consisting of two ornamental objects adapted to press against and engage an ear lobe, openings in said two ornamental objects, said openings having at least one divergent wall, the extremities of said spring wire being formed into hook shape, said openings in said ornamental objects being positively engaged by said hook shape extremities of said spring wire.

4. A ring comprising a curved elongated member at least one end of said elongated member being formed into a hook and an ornamental object locked on at least one extremity of said elongated member, said ornamental object having a divergent opening, said hook being locked in said divergent opening.

5. A bracelet comprising a curved elongated member at least one end of said elongated member being formed into a hook and an ornamental object locked on at least one extremity of said elongated member, said ornamental object having a divergent opening, said hook being locked in said divergent opening.

, 6. An article of decorative nature comprising a curved elongated base member and a plurality of ornamental objects mounted thereon, an ornamental object mounted on at least one extremity of said elongated base member, said last named ornamental object having an opening located therein adapted to engage the extremity of said elongated base member in locked relation, said last named ornamental object being rigidly joined to the next adjacent ornamental object.

MAXIMILIAN C. MEYER.

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