US2530432A

US2530432A - Detachable setting

Info

Publication number: US2530432A
Application number: US753306A
Authority: US
Inventors: Imowicz Maurice
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-06-29
Filing date: 1947-06-07
Publication date: 1950-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 1967-11-21

Description

Nov. 21, 1950 M. mowlcz DETACHABLE SETTING Filed June '7, 1947 Patented Nov. 21, 1950 DETACHABLE SETTING Maurice Imowicz, laris, France Application June 7, 1947, Serial No. 753,306 In France .l une 29, 1946 2 Claims.

Usually, signet rings are adorned with a scutcheon on which initials, emblems, arms and the like are engraved. In order to satisfy the customer immediately and to relieve him from the necessity of waiting until the initials or like desired ornament are engraved in the ring of the desired size it has already been proposed to i-lt such rings with removable scutcheons; the desired ready-made scutcheon was slipped forthwith between the dovetailed sides of its housing and secured to the ring with the aid of a short grub-screw inserted from the inside of the ring; this method however involved serious inconveniences; effectively, it happened frequently that the scutcheon was lost due to an unobserved loosening of the screw, to which was added the danger of scratching ones linger by putting on the ring or by taking it 01T..

This invention has for its object an arrangement whereby a scutcheon or the like can be detachably secured to a ring in such manner as to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages. In accordance with the invention, the scutcheon is provided with novel locking means including an M -shaped spring disposed between the scutcheon and a plate secured in spaced relation to the back of the scutcheon. The iree ends of the outer legs of the spring carry outwardly projecting locking snaps ac'apted to snap into recesses in a guideway provided onthe ring to receive the scutcheon. The spring is also provided with detent portions releasably interlocking with projections on the plate to hold the spring in position between the plate and scutcheon. Means are also provided between the inner legs of the spring and the free end of each outer leg to limit the deiiection of the outer spring legs toward each other within the elastic limit of the spring.

The construction in accordance with the present invention has the advantage that it avoids any soldering, threading or other similar operation on the spring element. Moreover, a spring can be removed and replaced without any soldering, riveting, threading or the like. The spring is locked in place between the plate and the scutcheon, even when the scutcheon is removed from the and is protected against deformation beyond the elastic limits of the material.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which show, by way of eX- ample, a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the scutcheon-locking member.

Fig. 2 shows the same member assembled with the plate. f

Fig. 3 is a front view of the slide into which the assembled scutcheon and plate are inserted.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the slide.

Fig. 5 isa front View of the scutcheon with the spring shown in dotted lines beneath it.

Fig. 6 is an end View of a ring with a scutcheon mounted thereon7 portions being broken away to show the scutcheon and associated parts in section taken approximately on the line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

The signet ringA l is provided at the front thereof with a housing 2 having a guideway 3i! adapted to receive the scutcheon 34 which is locked therein by means of the device. illustrated in Figs. l and 2. The locking device comprises a plate 2l' which is slidably received in the guideway 3! and is secured to the under side of the scutcheon with a space between the scutcheon and the plate.. A resilient locking means comprising an M-shaped spring 2l is disposed in the space between the plate 2l and the scutcheon.

Carried at the ends of the outer legs 22 of the M-shaped locking member 2! are snags 23 designed to snap into recesses 3l provided as shown in Fig. 8 in the side ecges 32 of the slide-like member et rigid with the ring.

The inner legs 25 are formed with notches E adapted to interlock with catches 25 carried by the plate 2l.

Moreover, stops 28 projecting from the inner edges of the legs 22 are effective to limit the delection of the IVI-shaped spring and to preclude its being overstrained.

Carried by the plate 2l are a further pair of stops 29 intended to guide and maintain the lower edges of the inner legs 2li, in order that once the scutcheon and the plate are soldered to each other and the M-shaped spring is slipped. in between in the direction shown by the arrow F, the notches 25 shall present themselves, correctly to the catches 26 with which they are to interlock.

By soldering the catches 2S and 29 on the plate to the back side of the scutcheon 3d and inserting the M -shaped spring into the space thus provided between the plate and the scutcheon a structure is obtained which in turn is slipped into the slide the locking of the scutcheon 3! in its position on the ring being obtained by the engagement of the snags 23 in the recesses 3l in the slide.

When it is desired to remove and exchange the scutcheon, it is only necessary, with the aid of special pliers having noses that are inserted in imperceptible holes i3 drilled in the ring body, to force the snags 23 out of their recesses so as to release the scutcheon which can then be slipped out of the guideway 3Q. When the soutcheon is in position on the ring, it forms a cover for the guideway and for the locking device. The front edge portion of the scutcheon 34 is preferably made wider and thicker, as indicated at 35 in Fig. 5, in order to cover the corresponding portion of the locking device and the guideway. The sides of the guideway are undercut or bevelled in known manner to receive the scutcheon.

Preferably, the guideway 353 is formed as a separate part which can be accurately shaped and dimensioned and is then soldered in the housing provided therefor in the body of the ring.

The construction shown and described is particularly advantageous in that it avoids all soldering, threading, tapping, drilling, or other operations, on the spring member. The spring can be readily assembled with the scutcheon and plate 2l merely by slipping it into the space between the scutcheon and plate in the direction indicated by the arrow F in Fig. 2. When the spring has been snapped into place, it is held iirmly by engagement of the recesses 25 with the projections 26 (Fig. 2) and by engagement of the projections 28 on the spring with projections 2% on the plate 2l. While the spring is thus locked firmly in assembled relation with the scutcheon and plate, it can be readily removed by pressing inwardly on the upper portions of the spring so as to disengage the recesses 25 from the projections 26. The projections 29 on the plate and the projections 23 on the outer legs 22 of the spring protect the spring from being deflected beyond its elastic limit so as to be permanently deformed.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and illusrated and that many subordinate constructional modifications may be made therein. For example, the stops 23 may be formed on the inner legs and the positions of the various projections and interengaging parts may be varied, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Of course, the invention is applicable Whenever it is desired to secure any ornament detachably on articles of jewelry, such as brooches, bracelets and the like.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

1. An article of jewelry comprising a base portion formed in its outer face with a guideway provided with recesses in two opposite sides thereof, a plate slidably received in said guideway, an ornament secured to the outer side of said plate in spaced relation thereto, resilient locking means comprising an IVI-shaped spring diS- posed between the plate and the ornament, outwardly projecting locking snags carried by the free ends of the outer legs of said spring and adapted to snap into the recesses in the base portion, projections on the inner face of said plate arranged to keep said spring in position and means between the inner legs and the free end of each outer leg of the spring to limit the deflection of the outer spring legs toward each other within the elastic limit of the spring, the inner legs of said spring being spaced apart and formed with notches releasably interlocking with the projections.

2. An article of jewlery comprising a base portion formed in its outer face with a guideway provided with recesses in two opposite sides thereof, a plate slidably received in said guideway, an ornament secured to the outer side of said plate in spaced relation thereto, resilient locking means comprising an D11-shaped spring disposed between the plate and the ornament,

outwardly projecting locking snags carried by the free ends of the outer legs of said Spring and adapted to snap into the recesses in the base portion, projections on the inner face of said plate disposed between the inner and outer legs of the spring, spaced detent portions on said spring releasably interlocking with the projections to hold the spring releasably in position, the projections providing an abutment spaced inwardly from the the free end of each outer leg of the spring to limit the deflection of the outer spring legs toward each other within the elastic limit of the spring.

MAURICE IMOWICZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the l'lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 238,368 Dolloi Mar. 1, 1881 1,707,211 Baum Mar. 26, 1929