US2796708A - Multi-facet selector and stone holder - Google Patents

Description

June 25, 1957 G. ANGIOLINO ErAL 2,796,708

MuLTI-FACET SELEC'IORv AND STONE HOLDER I Filed April 27, 1956 2 Sheet's-Sheet 1 mm. mm,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ifm/HM June 25, 1957 G. ANGloLlNo Erm.

MULTI-FACET SELECTOR AND s'roNE HOLDER Filed April 27. 195e N .l A V/ @mwN e m m m M IG 0.... N) NY WAM mvYM mwfUUE. m w

United States MULTI-FACET SELECTOR AND STNE HOLDER Guy Angiolini), Brooklyn, and Emery Geibnian, Levittown, N. Y.

Application April 27, 1956, Serial No. 581,027

Claims. (Cl. 51-229) This invention pertains to new and useful improvements in devices for forming facets on precious stones, such as diamonds and the like. It is particularly concerned with a holding device which is of an improved and practical nature, whereby a precious stone may be held by the device in contact with the cutting surface of a rotating wheel in any of a multiple number of selectable angular positions with the result that the stone may be faced with a multiple number of facets and facet design formations.

In general the device embodying the invention includes a supporting member which is adapted at its rear to rest upon a stationary table, and which carries at its forward end means for holding a precious stone in contact with the cutting surface of a rotating wheel.

A feature of the holding means is that it is adjustable so as tof dispose any selected portion of the surface of the stone in any desired angular contacting relation with the cutting wheel. Y

Another feature of the invention is means for not only leveling but for also indicating the level condition of the device.

A further feature of the invention is novel structure V for retaining in the holding means the stone in its various selectable positions and for releasing the s-ame when desired. Y

A general object of the invention is, therefore, to provide a novel and improved device for holding precious stonesin contact with a cutting wheel for forming a multiple number of facets and designs thereof on the stones.

A further purpose of this invention is to provide an eilicient, economical andl practical device for the foregoing purposes, having a minimum number of parts and being of compact structure.y

The invention further lies in the particular construction and arrangement of its various parts as well as in their cooperative association ywith one another to effect the purposes intended.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of ythe invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings whe-rein an embodiment of the invention is illustrated. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and description, and are not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail of the hinged members of the holding means; 4

Fig. 3 is a detail of the upper block;

'v Figf4 is a plan detail of the lower block of the hinged members; Y

Fig. 5 is a detail in side elevation of the. linger block which is supported by the lowerblock;

titl

Q 2,796,708 A Y Patented `lune 25,1957

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, and is directed to the detent means;

Fig. 7 is a front or right end detail of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 9 is atop plan of the forward end of Fig. 1.

ln the drawings is shown a tool embodying the invention. lt includes an elongated supporting bar member 1 of narrow cross section which supports at the underside of its forward end holding means 2 for holding a workpiece which here would be a precious stone, such as a diamond 3. In the use of the device it is intended that a selected surface portion of the stone will be held in contact with the cutting surface of a conventional underlying continuously rotating cutting wheel 4. The holding means is characterized by its adjustable nature whereby any desired portion of the surface of the stone may be selected and brought into contact with the surface of the cutting Wheel. By this arrangement the stone may be faced with any desired number of facets and facet design formations. The rear end of the supporting bar 1 is provided with a leg arrangement 5 for resting this end of the device upon a stationary table surface or other fixed support 6 while the work end of the device engages the cutting wheel.

Intermediately of the ends of the supporting bar, and desirably near its rear, the supporting bar is laterally enlarged so as to providev a table surface 7. The latter serves to accommodate, when required, suitable weights S for pressurizing engagement of the stone with the cutting wheel so as to vary the cutting action of the wheel upon the stone.

The means 2 for holding the workpiece or stone 3 and adjusting its angular disposition relative to the cutting wheel includes a rectangular block 9 having broad front and rear faces and being of narrow thickness. This block pivots beneath the forward end of bar 1 on a vertical axis formed by a pivot pin 10. The latter is unitary with block 9 and extends vertically from the top center of the latter. Pin 10 is at right angles to bar 1 and projects through a pivot hole 11 and above the top surface of the bar. The block is rotatable on its axis by means of a knob 12 fastened to the projecting end of pin 10. The pivot. hole 11 is split through as at 13 to the outside of the front end of bar 1. A screw member 14 cooperates with the split ends 13 of the bar to reduce the diameter of the pivot hole as desired, whereby the degree of force required to turn the pivot pin and associated block 9 may be regulated to avoid undesirable loose movement of the latter. It is understood that the block 9 may be turned on its vertical axis to a desired degree, and may then be prevented from accidental further turning by tightening screw 14.

Hinged to the bottom of block 9 is a second rectangular block 16. In continuation of the length of the latter is a narrow elongated central tongue or extension 17. This extension is pivoted in a forked lug 18 formed centrally and in short continuation of the bottom end of the upper block 9. A hinge pin 19 extends through the forked member and extension 17 so as to provide a horizontal axis for pivoting of block 16 in a vertical plane relative to the upper block 9.

Spring means carried by the hinge pin constantly urges the lower block 16 to pivot upwardly in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 2). The spring means comprises a pair of coil springs 20 mounted on laterally extending end portions 21 (Fig. 4) of the hinge pin at opposite sides of lug 13. Each spring is coiled about its respective end of the hinge pin 19. One free end of each Yspring is anchored (Fig. 3) in a bore extending into block 9, while the other free end is anchored (Fig. 4) in a bore 23 extending into the lower block 16.

The lower block may be pivoted clockwise against the action of the spring elements by a screw member which cooperates with the extension 17. Screw 25 is threaded through block 9, a little above center and at a slight downward angle. It ,projects through the front face of block 9 and provides a rounded end 26 which engages in'va valley or trough 27 formed in the rear face of extension 17'.V A knob'28 facilitates manual turning of the screw. As the screw is threaded through the front face of block 9 its rounded end engages the Y'trough formation and forces block 16 to pivot clockwise (Fig. 2) against the action of the spring elements. The angle and disposition of the screw is such that it will at the start of its outward travel engage the trough in its mid area. As the screw travels outwardly, the bottom of the trough 27 rides downwardly over the rounded end 26 of the screw, causing the lower block to pivot until it is in a substantially Vhorizontal plane. In the latter conditionY the rounded end of the screw will be at the uppermost end of the trough. Rotating the 'screw in the reverse direction causes block 16 to restore under action of its coil springs to a substantially vertical position, as appears from the broken line 24 in Fig. 2.

Mounted to the outer face of the lower block 16 for rotation on an axis at right angles relative to block 16 is a relatively thick oblong block 29. To enable this rotation, block 29 carries fast in its top end a vertically disposed pivot pin 30. The latter passes through a hole 31 in the body of block 16. Hole 31 is of reduced diameter in its lower end, and is of relatively larger diameter in its upper portion. The larger diameter portion freely accommodates a worm wheel 33 (Figs. 2, 4) which sleeves pin 30. The worm wheel has a flanged lower piece 34 which bears upon a shoulder 35 of hole 31. A lower depending sleeve portion 32 of the worm wheel sleeves the lower end of pin 30 and bears against the top surface of block 29. Pivot pin 30 projects through the worm wheel and out of the opposite face of block 16. A set screw 37 in a collar 36 of the worm wheel secures the pivot pin and worm wheel fast to one another for rotation as a unit. Extending transversely through block 16 is an opening 38. A short peripheral portion of the worm wheel projects into this opening. Opening 3S accommodates a worm gear 39 which' engages the worm wheel 'and serves to drive the latter. Gear 39 is formed centrally of a shaft 40 the ends of which project through opposite ends of opening 38. Turn knobs 42 are carried by the projecting ends of shaft 4). These are manually actuable to rotate block 29 through the worm gearing in one direction or the other, as desired.

Opening 38 is relatively larger than the worm gear so as to permit withdrawal of the gear when necessary. Collars formed unitary with knobs 42 are of slightlyV greater diameter than the opening 38, and bear against opposite sides of block 16 so as to prevent endwise play in the worm gear. Lateral play in the worm gear in the oversize opening 38, or which might be caused by wearing of the worm gearing is taken up by a pair of spring loaded pins 43'. TheseV bear at their inner ends in peripheral grooves 44 formed in the worm gear shaft (Fig. 4). Springs 45 loaded against the pins 43 serve to maintain the worm gear free of play and properly engaged with the worm wheel.

Rotatable in a bore 46 opening through the bottom end of block 29 near the rear edge of the latter is a workpiece or stone holder 47. The latter comprises a cylindrical shank 4S slidably fitted endwise in bore 46. A collar at the bottom end of the shank limits the extent to which the shank may extend up into bore 46. An endpiece 49 retained in a counterbore of shank 46 by a set screw 50 projects below the collar 51 and provides a shallow end cavity 51 which is adapted to accommodate the workpiece or stone 3. The shank 43 is prevented from dropping out of its bore by means of a retaining head 52. The latter is closely accommodated in a slot 53 that opens out ofthe rear of block 29. A reduced upper end of shank 48 extends into this slot and is press fitted in the retaining head 52. The retaining head is of suiicient diameter so as to project out of the slot, and it may be rotated so as to cause the shank 48 to rotate. Endwise play of shank 4S is prevented by the close lit of the retaining head in its slot.

Shank 48 may be rotated to any one of four positions, ninety degrees apart. Detent means 53' is provided to latch the shank in its selected rotated position. The detent means (Figs. 5, 6) comprises a bridge piece 54 to the ends of which are fixed at right angles a pair of parallel pins 55, 56, the latter of which is relatively shorter than the other. Pin 56 works in a hole 57 of block 29, with which hole any of the four detent holes 58 formed in shank 48 is registrable. The longer pin 55 has a reduced diameter portion 59 which is connected at its end to the bridge piece 54 and projects through a complementary holefof block 29 into a relatively larger diameter bore 6i) which opens out the opposite face of block 29. The opposite end portion of the longer pin is of larger diameter and projects in 'part out of bore 60. A button 61 is formed onthe projecting end 62 of pin 55, and is adapted when depressed to retract pin 56 suiciently from a detent hole 58 of the workpiece shank 48. While the button is held depressed, shank 48 may be rotated by its head element 52 so as to bring a selected detent hole into register with the smaller detent pin 56, whereupon the button is released and the detent pin 56 is drawn into the registered hole by means of a coil spring 63 carried on the reduced portion 59 of pin 55.

The workpiece or stone 3 is retained in the end cavity of the workpiece holder 49 by means of a nger element 64. The latter is mounted transversely of the lower end of a shaft 65 which is eXtensible out of the bottom end of a bore 66 in block 29. Bore 66 opens through opposite ends of block 29. Shaft 65 is threaded in its upper portion 67. This threaded portion is free of the sur-l rounding wall of bore -66 and projects through a cross slot 68 into a relatively reduced portion 69 of bore 66. Closely fitting in this cross slot is a turn nut 70 which threadedly engages the threaded portion of shaft 65. By this arrangement turning nut 70 in one direction draws shaft 65 into the block and carries the free end 71 of the finger into 'abutment with the workpiece 3 so as to retain the latter in the cavity of its holder. Turning the nut in the opposite direction releases the finger from the workpiece, permitting the latter to drop out of the cavity of the holder. A pin 72 on shaft 65 rides in a guide slot 73 of block 29 so as to limit the shaft to vertical movement and to prevent rotation thereof. The turn nut 70 has a close fit in its slot so as to avoid undesirable endwise play of the finger relative 4to the workpiece. The pressure of the finger 64 against the workpiece 3 retains the latter in its holder, yet does not interfere with rotation of the workpiece holder 49 when it is desired to rotate the latter to another detent position.

The finger element 64 is adjustably retained in a transverse opening through the lower end of shaft 65, so that it may be adjusted to 4cover more or less of the surface lof the workpiece so as to securely retain the latter in its cavity. A set screw 74 serves to lock the adjusted position of the finger.

Since a part of the exposed portion of the workpiece v3 is intended to angularly contact the cutting wheel, the end portion 71 Iof the finger element has an elongated taper on its underside that avoids contact of the finger with the cutting wheel.

By the foregoing structure itis clear that a stone 3 carried in the workpiece holder may be caused to contact the cutting wheel 4 at any desired angle so as to produce any desired facet formation or number of facets on the surface of the stone. These various angular positions are obtainable by rotating one or more of the pivotable members of the device.

The entire holding means 2 may be rotated on a vertical axis to the degree desired by turning the top knob 12. A goose neck 76 in the supporting bar 1 overhangs the adjusting screw so as to avoid interference of the latter with the supporting bar, thereby enabling the holding means to be rotated l3 60 degrees. The workpiece or stone 3 may be elevated angularly in a vertical plane relative to the cutting wheel by adjustment of the screw member 25 relative to the extension 17 of the lower block 16. When a particular angular position of the stone 3 has been obtained relative to the cutting wheel, the lsame angle may be maintained for all four quadrants of the stone by means of the turn knob on shank 48 and by the detent means 53. The block 29 may be further rotated on the axis of the worm wheel 33 so as to obtain a still further angular relation of the stone 3 to the cutting wheel.

A protractor 77 xed by a tail piece 78 toa side of the lower block 16, and having its center point 79 coaxial with the hinge pin 19 pivots as a unit with block 16. The protractor serves by reference to a reading mark 80 on the upper block 9 to yindicate the -angular position -in a vertical plane of the stone relative to the cutting wheel.

As earlier mentioned, the rear end of the device provides a leg arrangement 5 for resting this end upon a stationary table 6. This leg arrangement comprises a cross bar 81 (Figs. 1, 8) having a forwardly extending center arm 82 which is forked at its forward end. Arm 82 pivots by a cross pin 83 on a depending member 84 that is received at its lower end in the fork of arm 82. Member 84 depends from the underside of bar 1. A coil spring 85 anchored at its upper end 86 in the underside of the bar 1, and at its other end 87 in arm member 82, constantly draws the cross piece 81 upward. A screw member 88, fixed in the underside of the supporting bar rearwardly of the spring element 85 extends downwardly freely through a hole, not shown, centrally of the cross piece 81. Threaded upon the screw 8S is a thickened nut 89 against the underside of which the cross piece 81 is constantly limited by the upward pull of coil spring 85. By this arrangement, when the nut 89 is threaded downward, the forward end of the supporting bar 1 is caused to tilt relative to the cutting wheel to eiect a further desired angular relation of the workpiece 3 with the latter.

Means is also provided for leveling the supporting bar 1 relative to the cutting wheel, and for determining the level condition thereof. This means comprises a pair of vertically disposed bolts 90 which are threaded through complementary holes in the ends of the cross piece 81. A rounded bottom end of each bolt is adapted to rest upon the stationary table 6. lt is plain that a level condition of the supporting bar 1 may be obtained by threading the bolt members 90 in or -out of the cross piece `81 as required. The holes 91 accommodating bolts 90 are split through to the outside of the ends of the cross piece, as at 92. This provides a clamp that can be tightened by a screw 93 for locking the adjusted position of each bolt 90. A pair of levels 94, 95 are mounted at right angles to one another atop the knob lf2. Level 94 serves to indicate the level condition of the bar on its longitudinal axis, and level 95 serves to indicate the level condition of the bar on its horizontal axis.

An elongated tail piece 96 is threaded into the end 97 of the supporting bar 1. it is adapted to be disposed between a pair of uprights 98 xed in the table y6, and serves to prevent the tool structure from being carried along with the directional rotation of the cutting wheel.

While an embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly under stood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes may be made in the `design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art; and it is our intent, therefore, to claim the invention not only in the form shown and described, but also in all such forms and modications thereof as may reasonably be construed Vto be -wi the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim: l. A device of the character described for holding a precious stone in a plurality of selectable angular positions relative to the cutting surface of a rotating wheel,

comprising an elongated supporting bar adapted at its rear to rest upon a stationary table and having means at its forward end for holding the stone in a desired angular position relative to the cutting surface of the wheel; the holding means being characterized by a first block member supported by the bar for rotation on a vertical axis, a lower block hinged to ythe bottom end of the irst block and rotatable on a horizontal axis, and a third block rotatable on an axis supported lby the lower block at right angles to the wis of the latter, the ythird block having means for holding the stone for contact with the cutting surface of the wheel, wherein spring means is carried on the horizontal axis of the hinged blocks and continuously urges the lower block in an upward direction on its axis.

2. A device las in claim 1, wherein a screw element is threadable through a face of the first block and is engageable with an extension of the lower block to effect pivoting of the latter in a downward direction against the urging of the spring means.

3.. A device of the character described for holding a precious stone in a plurality of selectable angular positions relative to the cutting surface of a rotating wheel, comprising an elongated supporting bar adapted at its rear to rest upon a stationary table and having means at its forward end for holding the stone in a desired angular position relative to the cutting surface of the wheel; the

' holding means being characterized by a irst Iblock member supported by the bar for rotation on a vertical axis, a lower Ablock hinged to the bottom end of the first block and rotatable on a horizontal axis, and a third block rotatable on an axis supported by the lower block at right angles to the axis of the latter, the third block having means for holding the stone for contact with the cutting surface of the wheel, wherein the pivot axis of the third block is characterized by a worm Wheel member disposed in an opening in the lower block, and the latter yblock includes an opening transverse to the latter opening and supporting a shaft carrying a worm gear engaging the worm wheel for eiecting pivoting of the third block on its axis, and wherein :the transverse opening is of greater diameter than the worm gear to permit transverse removal of the latter, and the lower block includes spring loaded pins engaging the shaft of the worm gear and constantly pressing it into engagement with the worm wheel Whereby lateral play is avoided in the engagement of the worm gear with the worm wheel.

4. A device as in claim 3, wherein the shaft of the worm gear projects out of the sides of the lower block and carries turn knobs on the projecting ends having collars bearing lightly against the adjacent sides of the lower block whereby transverse play in the worm gear is prevented.

5. In a devi-ce of the character described including a supporting bar, a rst block member supported `by an end of the -bar for rotation on a vertical axis, and a lower block hinged to the bottom end of the first block and rotatable on a horizontal axis; a third block rotatable on an axis supported by the lower block at right angles to the axis of the latter and having means for holding a precious stone for contact with the cut-ting surface of a wheel, wherein the latter means is characterized by a first shank member p-rojecting `from the bottom of the third block and having an end cavity for receiving the stone, a second shank member having `a threaded end and carrying at its opposite end finger means for engagement with the outer surface of a stone received in the said cavity so as to retain the stone therein, the second shank being slid able endwse in a bore openingl out through the bottom of the third block, a nut disposed in a -slot Yof the third block engaging thel threaded -end of the seeondshankmember whereby rotation of the nut eiects endwise movement of the latter shank, and pin means in the second shank rideable lin a guide slot of the third block for preventing rotation of the said second shank member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Soetens -.L July 14, 1914 Ries s .w May 9, 1.922( Donaldson May 1.1, 1926 Burness et al. Nov. 21, 1950

Images