US3224058A

US3224058A - Cuff links

Info

Publication number: US3224058A
Application number: US324067A
Authority: US
Inventors: Blumstein Abraham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-11-15
Filing date: 1963-11-15
Publication date: 1965-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 1982-12-21

Description

Dec. 21, 1965 A. BLUMSTEIN 3,224,058

CUFF LINKS Filed NOV. 15, 1963 INVENTOR BY qmmmm 'BLUMSTEAN United States Patent 3,224,058 CUFF LINKS Abraham Blumstein, 9803 69th Ave, Forest Hills, N.Y. Filed Nov. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 324,067 7 Claims. (Cl. 24-97) This invention relates generally to cuff links and more particularly to cuff links of the pivoted toggle variety.

One object of this invention is to provide a toggle type cuff link assembly having a toggle finding for a jewel which is simple in construction, and which may be manufactored in large quantities at a relatively low cost.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toggle cuff link assembly which may easily and quickly be assembled.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a hollow shell having a peripheral wall and an open top. The peripheral wall includes opposed longitudinally extending side walls having respective rectangular slots extending to the bottom edge of the peripheral wall.

As an important feature of the present invention, the upper inner surface of the peripheral wall is partially cut away thereby defining a shelf spaced from the top edge of the peripheral wall and extending inwardly, circumferentially, about the inner surface thereof. The shelf is adapted to receive the bottom surface of a jewel in abutting relation thereto. A longitudinally extending flexible and resilient blade spring is received Within the shell below the shelf and the top of the respective slots and has an integral tab at each end thereof extending through respective slots in the bottom of the shell. The tabs are bent under the bottom of the shell to secure the blade spring in place.

The present invention also comprises a yoke having a pair of spac d legs connected by a crossbar at one end. This crossbar is positioned within the slots. A longitudinally extending head is fixed to the other end of the yoke. Preferably, the crossbar is square in cross-section. A bottom closure strip, made of thin brass or the like, underlies the crossbar and closes the bottom of the shell; said strip being fixed at its ends to the shell. Thus, the crossbar is clamped frictionally between the closure strip and the blade spring. Hence, by the application of appropriate force, the shell may be turned between a position in which it is aligned with the yoke (for insertion into a cuff) and a position in which it is perpendicular to the yoke (to hold the cuff link in place on the cuff). The blade spring and, to a lesser extent, the closure strip serve as yieldable members to permit this action of the shell.

The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings i which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toggle bar cuff link made in accordance with the present invention in which the position of the parts of the cuff link, when in a cuff, is illustrated by the solid lines and the position of the yoke, when the cuff link is to be inserted into a cuff, is shown by the dashed lines;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the toggle bar operating assembly of the cuff link shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the toggle bar operating assembly made in accordance with the present invention includes a shell 14 having a peripheral wall 11 comprising the opposing, longitudinally extending arcuate sides 11a and 11b, and an arcuate bottom wall 13, and an open top. The outer surfaces of sides 11a and 111: are preferably convex and the inner surfaces concave while the upper surface of bottom wall 13 is concave and the lower surface is convex. Each of side walls 11a and 11!; has a respective rectangular slot which is located approximately in the center of the side wall. Thus, wall 11a contains slot 14 therei and wall 11b contains slot 15 therein. In the preferred embodiment the slots are in alignment and the slots extend to the bottom edge of the respective side wall 11a and 11b.

The upper inner surface of peripheral wall 11 is partially cut away to thereby define an inwardly projecting shelf 16. Shelf 16 is spaced between the top of slots 14, 15 and the top edge of wall 11 and extends circumferentially about the inner surface of wall 11. Shelf 16 forms a seat for the bottom surface of a jewel which is received through the open top, as described below.

The central portion and portions adjacent the ends of wall 13 are cut away leaving the transverse strips 13a and 131') which are respectively connected to the bottom edges of side walls 11a and 1112. A projection 17 and a coplanar projection 19, spaced from the bottom edge of peripheral wall 11, extend longitudinally from the respective ends of shell 10 and are connected to side walls 11a and 11b along their respective longitudinal edges. Projection 17 terminates before the right edge of strip 13a, as taken in FIG. 4, to thereby define a slot 18 between the end of the projection 17 and the right edge of strip 13a. Similarly, projection 19 terminates before the left edge of strip 13b (as taken in FIG. 4) to thereby define a slot 20 between the end of projection 19 and the left edge of strip 13b. Optionally

slots

18 and 20 will be spaced the same distance from the center of the shell.

Shell 10 is preferably formed from a unitary blank of metal which is optionally brass.

A toggle 21 is in the form of a U-shaped yoke having an elongated shank portion 22 and a pair of

spaced legs

23, 24. Shank 22 is provided with the

notches

25 and 26, extending to the bottom edge of shank 22, for receiving a longitudinally extending fixed head 27 thereon, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. A crossbar 28, which is optionally of square cross-section, extends between and is spaced from the ends of

legs

23 and 24. The spacing between the legs is such that the ends of the legs straddle shell 10, when the cross-bar is seated within slots 14, 15 of the respective shell side Walls 11a, 11b.

A flexible closure strip 29, having the laterally extending

projections

30 and 31 extending from approximately the middle of the respective longitudinal edges of closure strip 29, underlies crossbar 28. Closure strip 29 also includes the perpendicularly upwardly extending

tabs

32 and 33 at the respective ends thereof Closure strip 29 is secured in place with

tabs

32 and 33 respectively bent over strips 13a and 13b.

Projections

30 and 31 underlie the respective slots 14 and 15 to add additional support and strength to the connection of the yoke and the shell. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the lower surface of strip 29 will be flush (i.e., coplanar) with respect to the lower surface of strips 13a and 13b with strip 29 extended across the central opening in wall 13.

A blade spring 34, having the downwardly projecting

tabs

35 and 36 at the respective ends thereof, is seated witthin shell 10 with

tabs

35 and 36 passing through

respective slots

20 and 18 and being bent under the

respective projections

19 and 17. In the preferred embodiment the

projections

17 and 19 are spaced from bottom wall 13 a distance equal to the thickness of the tabs so when the tabs are bent under the respective projections the bottom surface of the tabs will be coplanar 3 with bottom wall 13. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the upper surface of blade spring 34 lies well below shelf 16 and the lower surface of blade spring 34 lies below the top of slots 14 and 15 and abuts crossbar 28. Optionally, blade spring 34 will abut the inner surfaces of peripheral wall 11.

Slots 14, 15, the adjacent portion of closure strip 29,

projections

30 and 31, and the adjacent portion of blade spring 34 thus define a trunnion portion in which the crossbar 28 of the yoke is rotatably supported.

Closure strip 29 and blade spring 34 are optionally made of brass, However, blade spring 34 may be constructed to flex much more than the closure strip when the unit is rotated.

A jewel 37, having a fiat lower face and convexly shaped upper face is sized and shaped to be received within the open top of shell with the lower edges abutting wall 11 and the lower face seated upon shelf 16. Thus, the portion of peripheral wall 11 above seat 16 may be crimped over the surface of the jewel to maintain the jewel in place. Additionally, jewel 37 may be secured in place by any means well known in the art.

The assembly of blades spring 34- and closure strip 29 to the shell is such that the engagement of the blade spring with crossbar 28 places the blade spring under an initial bending stress. The engagement of

tabs

35 and 36 with

respective projections

19 and 17 maintain the parts in pre-stressed assembled relationship.

Sufficient clearance is provided between crossbar 28 and the walls of the respective slots 14 and to permit the relative rotational movement therebetween. The opening between

legs

23 and 24, crossbar 28 and the shank of the yoke is of sufficient size to permit the passage of the ends of the shell therethrough during the rotation of the yoke (or shell) about the aforementioned trunnion support. The action of blade spring 34 and closure strip 29 against the edges of the crossbar resiliently and frictionally resists any movement of the shell out of those positions in which the shell is parallel to or perpendicular to the yoke.

When in the proper assembled position with the cuif of a shirt-sleeve the parts are disposed in a position shown by the solid lines of FIG. 1, with the cuff interposed between the movable head comprising shell 10 and fixed head, 27. When it is desired to remove the cufi link shell 10 is rotated to a position relative to the yoke as indicated by the solid lines of shell 10 and the dashed lines of yoke 21 and fixed head 27 of FIG. 1. In this position the shell 10 may easily pass through the openings in the shirt sleeves whereupon it may be rotated back to a position normal to the yoke.

Having described the preferred embodiment of my invention it will become obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a toggle finding for a jewel, a shell having an open top, and a peripheral wall having top and bottom edges and being sized and shaped to receive said jewel therein through said open top and having inward seat means for reception of the bottom of said jewel, said peripheral wall having opposing longitudinally extending sides having respective slots extending to one out of the top and bottom edges of said peripheral wall, a bottom closure for said peripheral wall having a central opening and having longitudinally spaced bottom closure slots with said side slots longitudinally between said bottom slots, a longitudinally extending blade spring within said shell below said seat and extending between said bottom slots and having tabs respectively extended through said bottom slots and bent under said bottom closure, a longitudinally extending closure stripin said central opening, and a yoke having legs on each side of said shell and a crossbar extending between said legs, said bar substantially square in cross-section, said bar. extending through said side slots and between and in turnable and resiliently clamped relationship with said spring and said bottom closure.

2. In a toggle finding for a jewel, a shell having an open top, and a peripheral wall sized and shaped to receive said jewel therein through said open top and having inwardly projecting seat means spaced from the top edge of said peripheral wall for reception of the bottom of said jewel, said peripheral wall having opposing longitudinally extending sides having respective slots extending to the bottom edge of said peripheral wall, the top of said slots being spaced a predetermined distance below said seat means, a bottom closure for said peripheral wall having a central opening and having, longitudinally spaced bottom closure slots with said side slots centered longitudinally between said bottom slots, a longitudinally extending blade spring within said shell below the top of said side slots and extending between said bottom slots and having tabs respectively extended through said bottom slots and bent under said bottom closure, a relatively flexible, longitudinally extending closure strip in said central opening, a yoke having legs on each side of said shell and a crossbar extending between said legs, said crossbar being non-circular in cross-section, said bar extending through said side slots and between and in turnable and resiliently clamped relationship with said blade spring and said bottom closure.

3. In a toggle finding for a jewel, a shell having an open top, and a peripheral wall sized and shaped to receive said jewel therein through said open top and having inwardly projecting seat means spaced from the top edge of said peripheral wall for reception of the bottom of said jewel, said peripheral wall having opposing longitudinally extending sides having respective slots therein, the top edge of said slots being spaced substantially below said seat means and the sides of said slots extending to the bottom edge of said peripheral wall, a bottom closure for said peripheral wall having a central opening and having longitudinally spaced closure slots with said side slots longitudinally between said bottom slots, a longitudinally extending blade spring within said shell spaced below the top of said side slots and extending between said bottom slots and having tabs respectively extended through said bottom slots and bent under said bottom closure, a relatively flexible longitudinally extending closure strip in said central opening and having a bottom surface coplanar with the bottom surface of said bottom closure and having tabs respectively extended through said opening and bent over said bottom closure, and a yoke having legs on each side of said shell and a crossbar extending between said legs, said bar substantially square in crosssection, said bar extending through said side slots and between and in tu-rnable and resiliently clamped relationship with said blade spring and said closure strip.

4. In a toggle finding for a jewel, a shell having an open top, and a peripheral wall sized and shaped to receive said jewel therein through said open top and having inwardly projecting seat means spaced from the top edge of said shell for reception of the bottom of said jewel in abutting relation thereto, said peripheral wall having opposing longitudinally extending sides having respective aligned slots extending to the bottom edge of said peripheral wall, a bottom closure for said peripheral wall having a central opening extending longitudinally past said side slots and respective end openings, a pair of longitudinally extending projections projecting from the respective ends of said shell and connected to the peripheral wall of said shell and spaced below said seat means and above said bottom closure to partially close said end openings to thereby define longitudinally spaced closure slots in said bottom closure, a longitudinally extending flexible closure strip in said central opening having tabs extending into said shell and bent over said bottom closure, a longitudinally extending blade spring within said shell below said seat means and extending between said bottom slots and having tabs respectively extended through said bottom slots and bent under the respective projections so the bottom surface of said tabs are coplanar with the bottom surface of said bottom closure, and a yoke having legs on each side of said shell and a crossbar extending between said legs, said bar substantially square in cross-section, said bar extending through said side slots and between and in turnable and resiliently clamped relationship with said spring and said flexible closure strip.

5. A cuif link comprising a longitudinally extending shell having side walls, an open bottom and an open top, a pair of strips extending transversely across said bottom and connecting said side walls and being equally spaced from the mid point of said shell, a pair of coplanar projections within said shell extending longitudinally from each end of said shell with the longitudinal edges of said projections connected to said side wall and defining a slot between the lateral edge of each of said projections and one edge of the respective strips, each side wall having a rectangular slot extending from the bottom edge of said wall, a longitudinally extending flexible strip having tabs at the ends thereof in said shell with said tabs bent outwardly under a respective projection to secure said flexible strip in said shell, a closure strip for the open bottom of said shell, said closure strip having tabs at the end thereof which are bent over a respective strip to secure said closure strip in place, inwardly projecting seat means within said shell spaced from the top edge thereof and above the flexible strip for receiving the bottom of a jewel through the open top of said shell, and a yoke having legs on each side of the shell and a laterally extending crossbar between said legs of substantially square cross-section, said bar being received in said rectangular slots and in turnable and resiliently clamped relationship with said flexible strip and said closure strip.

6. In a toggle finding for a jewel, a shell having an open top, and a peripheral wall having top and bottom edges and being sized and shaped to receive a jewel therein through said open top and having inward seat means for reception of the bottom of a jewel, said peripheral wall having opposing longitudinally extending sides having respective slots extending to one out of said top and bottom edges of the peripheral wall, a bottom closure for said peripheral wall having longitudinally spaced bottom closure slots with said side slots longitudinally between said bottom slots, a longitudinally extending blade spring within said shell below said seat and extending between said bottom slots, complementary fastening elements between the ends of said blade spring and said bottom closure for fastening said blade spring to said bottom closure, and a yoke having legs on each side of said shell and a cross bar extending between said legs, said bar being substantially square in cross-section, said bar extending through said side slots and between and in turnable and resiliently clamped relationship with said blade spring and said bottom closure.

7. In a toggle finding for a jewel, a shell having an open top, and a peripheral wall having top and bottom edges and being sized and shaped to receive a jewel therein through said open top and having inward seat means for reception of the bottom of a jewel, said peripheral wall having opposing longitudinally extending sides having respective slots extending to one out of said top and bottom edges of the peripheral wall, a bottom clo sure for said peripheral wall having longitudinally spaced bottom closure slots with said side slots longitudinally between said bottom slots, a longitudinally extending blade spring within said shell below said seat and extending between said bottom slots, cooperating means connecting the ends of said blade spring and said bottom closure for fastening said blade spring to said bottom closure, and a yoke having legs on each side of said shell and a cross bar extending between said legs, said bar being substantially square in cross-section, said bar extending through said slots and in turnable and resiliently clamped relationship with said blade spring and said bottom closure.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 281,404 7/1883 Searle 24-97 359,648 3/1887 Tillighast a- 24-99 2,472,958 6/1949 Oldak 24-97 FOREIGN PATENTS 534,820 1/ 1922 France.

1,146,352 5/1957 France.

15,167 1899 Great Britain. 8,334 2/ 1923 Netherlands.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Examiner.

D. GRIFFIN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

7. IN A TOGGLE FINDING FOR A JEWEL, A SHELL HAVING AN OPEN TOP, AND A PERIPHERAL WALL HAVING TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES AND BEING SIZED AND SHAPED TO RECEIVE A JEWEL THEREIN THROUGH SAID OPEN TOP AND HAVING INWARD SEAT MEANS FOR RECEPTION OF THE BOTTOM OF A JEWEL, SAID PERIPHERAL WALL HAVING OPPOSING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SIDES HAVING RESPECTIVE SLOTS EXTENDING TO ONE OUT OF SAID TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES OF THE PERIPHERAL WALL, A BOTTOM CLOSURE FOR SAID PERIPHERAL WALL HAVING LONGITUDINALLY SPACED BOTTOM CLOSURE SLOTS WITH SAID SIDE SLOTS LONGITUDINALLY BEWEEN SAID BOTTOM SLOTS, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING BLADE SPRING WITHIN SAID SHELL BELOW SAID SEAT AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID BOTTOM SLOTS, COOPERATING MEANS CONNECTING THE ENDS OF SAID BLADE SPRING AND SAID BOTTOM CLOSURE FOR FASTENING SAID BLADE SPRING TO SAID BOTTOM CLOSURE, AND A YOKE HAVING LEGS ON EACH SIDE OF SAID SHELL AND A CROSS BAR EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID LEGS, SAID BAR BEING SUBSTANTIALLY SQUARE IN CROSS-SECTION, SAID BAR EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOTS AND IN TURNTABLE AND RESILIENTLY CLAMPED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID BLADE SPRING AND SAID BOTTOM CLOSURE.