US3529416A

US3529416A - Tile linkage for forming a bracelet

Info

Publication number: US3529416A
Application number: US730251A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roger M King
Original assignee: ROGER KING MILNER Ltd
Current assignee: ROGER KING MILNER Ltd
Priority date: 1967-05-26
Filing date: 1968-05-20
Publication date: 1970-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 1987-09-22
Also published as: GB1131995A

Description

- PRIOR ART R. M. KING 7 TILE LINKAGE FOR FORMING A BRACELET Q File d May 20, 1968 Sept. 22, 1970 7 lnvenlqr Ra -er" M/Lnerking PM, JWNZ, Pub 4am United States Patent 3,529,416 TILE LINKAGE FOR FORMING A BRACELET Roger M. King, Watford, England, assignor to Roger King Milner Limited, Hertfordshire, England, a British company Filed May 20, 1968, Ser. No. 730,251 Claims priority, application Great Britain, May 26, 1967, 24,568/ 67 Int. Cl. F16g 13/18 US. CI. 59-80 6 Claims ABSTRACT THE DISCLOSURE A flexible tile linkage for forming a bracelet is provided which comprises staggered rows of tile links interconnected by cross pins. The side walls of each tile are chamfered towards the bottom and significantly thinner than the walls forming the upper and lower surfaces thereof. The result is that many more tiles can be provided in a bracelet of a given length thus giving enhanced flexibility.

This invention relates to improvements in or relating to tile linkage for forming flexible articles of jewellery such as bracelets, watch bracelets and necklaces.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION One type of flexible bracelet comprises two or more (although most usually an odd number) overlapping rows of tiles joined together by cross-pins termed a tile bracelet or a brick bracelet. Such a bracelet can flex inwardly at the points between two tiles in a row to fit around the wrist of a wearer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of this invention to provide a tile linkage for forming a flexible bracelet or like article of jewellery which has enhanced flexibility.

The invention provides a tile bracelet or like article of jewellery formed from rows of tiles joined by cross-pins in which each tile has side walls and upper and lower walls and the side walls are significantly thinner than the upper and lower walls which form the upper and lower surfaces of the article of jewellery.

Because the side walls are thin, the length of the tile can be shorter than normal, thus enabling a bracelet or the like to be made from a larger number of tiles than for a conventional bracelet of the same length, thus of course allowing for greater flexibility. Preferably, the corners of each tile which are at either end of the wall which will form the lower surface of the article are rounded or otherwise chamfered (and the lower parts of the side walls also chamfered) to enable the article to flex easily, into the curved position, that is around the wrist or neck of a wearer and at the same time resisting curving in the opposed direction.

Even greater shortening of the tiles is possible (thus resulting in even greater flexibility) if the cross-sectional shape of the cross pins is made to have significantly less thickness in width as compared to the height thereof. The upper and/or side surfaces of the tiles can be left plain or decorated such as by embossing or covering with precious or semi-precious stones.

ice I BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be fully understood a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with refernce to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above of a section of a tile bracelet;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a conventional form of tile bracelet;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a tile bracelet according to the invention; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of a tile used in the bracelet of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The tile linkage for forming a bracelet as shown in FIG. 1 comprises tiles 1 arranged in three rows A, B, C and interconnected by cross-pins 2 (shown cross-hatched) which, as indicated, are square in cross-section at their ends but allow movement of centrally located tiles thereabout. The cross pins may be secured in place by any conventional means such as by cementing, by pinning through the material of the tiles and cross pins 2, or by indenting material of the tiles into the surface of the cross pins 2. 7

FIG. 2 shows a side elevation of two tiles in row A (of FIG. 1) of convential structure, the dashed line 3 indicating the joint between two tiles in row B therebehind.

F136. 3 shows the tiles 4 and pins 5 of this invention and it will be noted that the side walls of tiles 4 are narrower (e.g. about half the width) than those of tiles 1 and that the pins 5 are thinner than pins 2 thus enabling many more tiles 4 to be formed into a bracelet of a given length than would be found in a similar bracelet formed from tile 1. A tile 4 is shown enlarged in FIG. 4 and will be seen to have chamfered side walls at 6 (beginning at approximately the mid-point of tile 4) and curved lower corners 7.

With the added reduction in width of the cross-pins 5, to the reduction in side wall thickness of the tiles 4, it will be seen that a substantial reduction in tile length (thus resulting in greatly increased bracelet flexibility) is achieved.

The invention is not limited to the precise form shown in the drawings and may, of course, be modified in a manner which will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A tile linkage for a bracelet or like article of jewellery formed from rows of tiles joined by cross-pins in which each tile has side walls and upper and lower walls, and the side walls are significantly thinner than the upper and lower walls which form the upper and lower surfaces of the article of jewellery.

2. A tile linkage as claimed in claim 1 in which the corners of each tile which are at either end of the wall forming the lower surface of the article are rounded.

3. A tile linkage as claimed in claim 1 in which the corners of each tile which are at either end of the wall forming the lower surface of the article are chamfered.

4. A tile linkage as claimed in claim 1 in which the cross-pins joining the tiles are, in cross-section, significantly less thick in width than in height.

5. A tile linkage as claimed in claim 3 in which the cross-pins joining the tiles are, in cross-section, signifi- FOREIGN PATENTS cantly less thick in Width than in height. 2 I

6. A tile linkage as claimed in claim 1 in which the 47 10/1958 Swltzerland' upper surfaces of the tiles are decorated. CHARLES LANHAM, Primary Examiner References Cit d 5 G. P. CROSBY, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENTS CL 2,392,115 1/1946 Blumstein 5979 634 2,610,463 9/1952 Prestinari 59--8O