US3562878A

US3562878A - Jewelry bracelet catch

Info

Publication number: US3562878A
Application number: US806086A
Authority: US
Inventors: Boris Shteinshleifer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-03-11
Filing date: 1969-03-11
Publication date: 1971-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-16

Abstract

A JEWELRY BRACELET CATCH INCLUDING A FIRST AND SECOND MUTUALLY ENGAGEABLE MEMBERS, ONE OF SAID MEMBERS DEFINING A RECESS INTO WHICH A LEAST A PORITION OF THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS MAY BE POSITIONED FOR NON-ROTATIONAL ENGAGEMENT, AND SAID SLIDING LOCKING MEANS MOUNTED ON ONE OF

SAID ELEMENTS AND SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE WITH AT LEAST ONE RECESS ON THE OTHER OF SAID ELEMENTS.

Description

Feb. 16, 1971 B. sHTElNsHLEu-'ER JEWELRY BRACELET CATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March l1, 1969 Feb- 16, 1971 B. sHTElNsHLElF-ER 3,562,873

. JEWELRY BRACELET CATCH Filed March ll, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F98 Fg@ 112913 UnitedStates Patent O 3,562,878 JEWELRY BRACELET CATCH Boris Shteinshleifer, 245 E. 11th St., New York, N.Y. 10063 Filed Mal'. 11, 1969, Ser. No. 806,086 Int. Cl. A44c 5/18 U.S. Cl. 24-265 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A jewelry bracelet catch including first and second mutually engageable members, one of said members defining a recess into which at least a portion of the other of said members may be positioned for non-rotational engagement, and said sliding locking means mounted on one of said elements and selectively engageable with at least one recess on the other of said elements.

This invention relates generally to the field of jewelry findings, and more particularly to an improved jewelry bracelet catch which in use may be substantially concealed from view, so that the ends of a band with which the catch is associated may be substantially abutted to provide an attractive appearance.

Particularly in the case of womens jewelry, such as watch bands, and bracelets, it is desirable to conceal as much as possible of the catch means from view, so as not to detract from the overall appearance of the article of jewelry with which it is used. While in the case of bracelets of relatively thick cross section, it is already known in the art to conceal interlocking catch members within the hollow portions of the cross section, many jewelry bands are not of hollow configuration, so that this incidental advantage is not available.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved jewelry bracelet catch having first and second mutually engageable members, in which the major portions of the same are adapted to underlie the undersurface of a bracelet band, leaving only a minimum portion of the same exposed to view.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved jewelry bracelet catch possessed of the above advantage which can be readily manipulated using the fingers of only a single hand of the user.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved je-welry catch which cannot be readily unintentionally opened from a locked condition.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of a jewelry bracelet clamp which may be conveniently fabricated from metallic stampings, thereby simplifying manufacturing operations.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved catch possessed of the above advantages, in which the total cost of fabrication, using precious metals, may be relatively low, and directly comparable with existing prior art devices, thereby permitting consequent wide sale, distribution and use.

These objects, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will more fully appear in the progress of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been ernployed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view, corresponding to 3,562,878 Patented Feb. 16, 1971 ICE that seen in FIG. 1, and showing certain of the component parts in altered relative position.

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view thereof.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal central sectional view thereof, as seen from the plane 5-5 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective thereof, with the component parts in the position shown in FIG. l.

FIG. 7 is a view in perspective of the latch plate in disengaged relation with respect to the other parts of the device.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan of the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged top plan view, corresponding to that seen in FIG. 8, and showing certain of the component parts in altered relative position.

FIG. ll is an end elevational view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal central sectional view of the second embodiment as seen from the plane 12-12 in FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is an exploded end elevational view showing certain of the component parts in separated condition.

FIG. 14 is a view in perspective of the second embodiment, with the component parts in the position shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. l5 is a View in perspective of the latch plate in disengaged relation with respect to other parts of the device.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10, is shown in FIG. 5 in interconnected relation, as by soldering with a band 11 forming part of an article of jewelry, the band 11 having first and

second ends

12 and 13, which are selectively abut- F table when the band is worn about the arm of a wearer.

The

ends

12 and 13 are connected to first and second mutually engageable elements 14 and 15, respectively, the first element 14 mounting a pivotally mounted locking means 16 in the form of a latch plate.

The first element 14, as has been mentioned, is preferably formed entirely from stamped parts, and includes a lower or base wall 18, first and second end walls 19 and 20, respectively, and first and second side walls 21 and 22, respectively.

The base wall 18 includes a raised generally centrally located area 23 penetrated by a rivet 24 which pivotally mounts the locking means 16, and is bounded by side edges 25 and 26 which are interconnected to the side walls 21 and 22.

The first end wall 19 is bounded by a fold line 27,

side edges

28 and 29 and an upper edge 30. The second end wall 20 is bounded by fold line 31,

side edges

32 and 33 and an upper edge 34 which is positioned above the upper edge 30 a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the band 11, as best seen in FIG. 5. An outer surface 36 thereof is soldered, or otherwise suitably interconnected to the end surface of the end 13 of the band 11 such that the upper surface of the band lies in the plane of the edge 34.

The side walls 21 and 22 are substantially identical, and may be formed from a single stamping. Each is bounded by upper and

lower edges

36 and 37, respectively (FIG. 4), as well as circular end edges 38 and 39. An elongated slot 40 commences at a first terminal 41 located substantially medially between the end edges 38 and 39, and extends toward the end edge 38 to a second terminal 42 having a notch 43 extending transversely therefrom.

The second element 15 may be formed from a single stamping, and includes first and second vertical walls 46 and 47, respectively, each interconnected to a base wall 48. The base wall 48 includes a rectangular opening 49,

3 the forming of the same providing material from which to form the wall 47, the wall 48 being bounded by

side edges

50 and 51 and

end fold lines

52 and 53.

The first vertical wall 46 is provided with an open ended slot 54, and the second vertical wall 47 is provided with a diagonally opposite correspondingly located open ended slot 55. A third vertical wall S6 extends upwardly from a fold line 60, and includes a first surface57 soldered to the first end 12 of the band 11 and a second surface 58 adapted to abut the surface 59 of the second end wall 20 of the first element 14 upon mutual engagement of the elements 14 and 15, as best seen in FIGS, 5 and 6.

The locking means 16 is best seen in FIGS. 3 and 7, and is most suitably made as a single stamping from planar material. It is bounded by

side edges

61 and 62, and

end edges

63 and 64, from which projecting

tabs

66 and 67 extend. A central opening 68 is engaged by rivet 24, whereby the means 16 may be pivotally moved from the position shown in FIG. 3 to that shown in FIGS. l and 4.

The device is engaged by placing the second element within the recess formed by the first element 14, such that the second end wall of the former abuts the wall 56 of the latter. This will position the open

ended slots

54 and 55 in coplanar relation with respect to the means 16, and the

tabs

66 and 67 may then be manually engaged to pivot the means 16 whereby portions of the

side edges

61 and 62 extend into the

slots

54 and 55. Since the configuration of the elements 14 and 15 is such that the positioning of one within the other prevents relative rotational movement, the locking action of the means 16 prevents all relative movement. As seen in FIG. 5, the

ends

12 and 13 of the band 11 will be separated only by the thickness of the abutted walls, so that the effect created upon a viewer is substantially that of a continuous band. The device is separated by moving the means 16 to the position shown in FIG. 1, permitting the second element 15 to be lifted from engagement with the element 14.

Turning now to the second embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIGS. 8 through l5, inclusive, certain of the component parts corresponding to those of the first embodiment have been designated by similar reference characters with the additional prefix 1.

The second embodiment of the invention differs from the first embodiment in being adapted to be used in those situations `where the extension of the interlocking portions of the device below the band 111 is considered objectionable. Thus, the second end wall 120 is considerably shortened in height, to that corresponding to the thickness of the end 113 of the band 111, and the wall 157 is downwardly turned rather than upwardly turned, and located at the opposite end of the second element 115. Engagement of the locking means 116 is with a slot 70 in the element 115 as Well as the slot 155. A pair of aligned transversely extending slots 71 permit engagement of the

elements

115 and 114 in the manner shown at the left 4 hand portion of FIG. 12. The rivet 24 of the lirst embodiment is replaced by a headed over punched out portion 72, thereby simplifying manufacture.

I wish it to be understood that I do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

I claim:

1. A jewelry bracelet catch for use with an elongated band, comprising: first and second selectively mutually engageable elements, said first element including a base wall, and a plurality of side walls defining a recess, said second element being of configuration at least partially corresponding to that of said recess so as to be nonrotatable with respect to said first element when positioned therein; said second element having at least one opening therein, the principal axis of which is substantially parallel to the plane of said base wall when said first and second elements are in mutually engaged condi tion; and locking means mounted on said first element for relative movement therewith, and engaging in one relative position said last mentioned opening, said locking means being of planar configuration and pivotally mounted on said base wall.

2. Structure in accordance with claim 1, there being a pair of diagonally opposed slots having parallel axes in said second element, movement of said locking means serving to simultaneously engage both slots.

3. Structure in accordance with claim 2, each of said first and second elements including an end Wall extending substantially perpendicular to the principal plane of each respective element, said end walls being placed in abutted relation upon engagement of said first and second elements.

4. Structure in accordance with claim 2, each of said rst and second elements including an end wall extending substantially perpendicular to the principal plane of each respective element, said end Walls being oppositely disposed, and having opposed outer surfaces interconnectible with an elongated band at the free ends thereof.

5. Structure in accordance with claim 4, said locking means on said first element engaging openings in said second elements disposed in both side and ends Wall of the latter.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,467,465 9/1923 Wiedmann 24-201.4

2,629,156 2/1953 Kamens et al. 24-230SLX FOREIGN PATENTS 667,804 6/1929 France 24-`201BN 309,279 11/ 1955 Switzerland 24-201SL DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner