US3727905A

US3727905A - Shank and head mounting fixture

Info

Publication number: US3727905A
Application number: US00205030A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Haven
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: BITTMAN ENTERPRISES INC A CORPOF NEW YORK
Priority date: 1971-12-06
Filing date: 1971-12-06
Publication date: 1973-04-17
Anticipated expiration: 1990-04-17

Abstract

A clamping fixture especially suited for holding the shank and head portions of a ring or the like, during manufacture or repair of jewelry, particularly engagement rings, or related style solitaires. The ring shank, or annular portion, is externally engaged by two members, one on each side of a stud which internally engages the ring shank. The portion to be attached, i.e., the ring head, is held in engagement therewith by a movable anvil. Convenient handles and locking means are provided for moving the work engaging members to, and holding them in, a desired position. Adjusting means are also provided for maintaining the various elements in desired respective positions and orientations.

Description

United States Patent 1 Haven Apr. 17, 1973 SHANK AND HEAD MOUNTING FIXTURE [76] Inventor: Robert F. Haven, R.D. No. 1 Stock Road, Hannibal, NY. 13074 [22] Filed: Dec. 6, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 205,030

[52] US. Cl ..269/224, 29/ 10 [51] int. Cl. ..B25b 1/06, B25b 1/16, 1323p 5/00 [58] Field of Search ..81/7, 8; 29/10;

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,009,895 12/191 1 Clow Q. ..29/10 1,519,040 12/ l 924 Nedland 2,316,073 4/1943 Kellogg ..269/224 X Primary Examiner0thell M. Simpson Attorney-F. P. Keiper et a1.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A clamping fixture especially suited for holding the shank and head portions of a ring or the like, during manufacture or repair of jewelry, particularly engagement rings, or related style solitaires. The ring shank,

or annular portion, is externally engaged by two mem bers, one on each side of a stud which internally engages the ring shank. The portion to be attached, i.e., the ring head, is held in engagementtherewith by a movable anvil. Convenient handles and locking means are provided for moving the work engaging members to, and holding them in, a desired position. Adjusting means are also provided for maintaining the various elements in desired respective positions and orientations.

13 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED APR 1 71m SHEET 1 BF 2 Mai J. 7 fi B? QXAMSW ATTORNFY PATENTEDAPRIYIW v 3.727. 905

sum 2 [IF 2 FIG. 5

INVEN TOR.

BY gwpxug v ATTORNEY SHANK AND HEAD MOUNTING FIXTURE The present invention relates to work holders especiallyuseful in the manufacture and repair of jewelry, such as rings, and the like.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a novel'and improved vise which will hold in firmly engaged relation, a ring-like portion of a piece of jewelry and another element to be mounted thereon or attached thereto. 1

Another object is, to provide a holding fixture for an annular-member and a smaller element to be attached thereto, wherein the elements are firmly clamped in a desired relative position while allowing maximum accessibility to the work area and movement of the clamped elements to any desired orientation.

A further object is to provide a jewelers vise having improve handle and locking means for moving the work-holding members between engaged and disengaged positions withrespect to the workpieces and for releasably retaining them in such positions.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

FIG. I is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing the work-holding elements in the open, or disengaged position;

FIG. 2 is also a front elevational view showing the elements in the closed position with work pieces held thereby;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view, as seen from the line 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. I.

The apparatus of the invention is shown in FIG. I mounted on the edge of a shelf or table by means of a conventional clamp 12 having rod 14 extending therefrom. An opening is provided through rod 14 near the end opposite the clamp for accommodating arm 16 j of the vise. Wing bolt 18 is threaded into the end of rod I4 to clamp arm 16 with the vise in the desired rotational orientation about the axis of arm 16. Base 20 of the vise is of generally C-shaped configuration, and is retained in a desired rotational orientation about the axis of wing bolt 22 (FIG. '3) by tightening the bolt to hold base 20 and arm 16 in frictional engagement.

Arms

24 and 26 are pivotally mounted by means of

screws

28 and 30, respectively, to extend adjacent to the opposite sides of base 20. Locking screw 32 extends through elongated opening 34 in arm 24 and is threaded into base 20. Likewise, locking screw 36 extends through elongated opening 38 in arm 26 and is threaded into the base. Thus, both

arms

24 and 26 may be moved about their respective pivotal mountings to an extent limited by the length of

openings

34 and 38 when locking screws 32-and 36 are loosened. The rotational positions of the arms are fixed with respect to base 20 by tightening the locking screws.

A pair of work-engaging

members

46 and 42 extend from the end of arm 24 opposite the pivotal mounting thereof. As shown in FIG. 4, a V-shaped notch is formed in the edges of

members

40 and 42 which face the inner part of the base. Stud 44 extends fixedly from base 20 between

members

40 and 42. Handle 46 is pivotally mounted by means of screw 48 on base 20. End portion 50 of handle 46 extends around the inner edge of base 20 and engages an edge of arm 24. The shape of end portion 50 and mounting of handle 46 is such that rotation of the handle about its pivotal mounting serves to rotate arm 24 about its pivotal mounting, within the limits established by slot 34, when locking screw 32 is loosened. That is, end portion 50 acts as a cam in moving arm 24 as handle 46 is rotated. Spring-52 is connected between pin 54 on base 20 and pin 56 on arm 24 to bias the arm toward counterclockwise rotation about its pivotal mounting, rotation of handle 46 serving to rotate the arm clockwise against the biasing force.

Mounted on the end of the side of base'20 adjacent arm 26 is L-shaped bracket 58. Screw 60 extends through slot 62 in the bracket and is threaded into base 20, thereby allowing adjustment of the lateral position of the bracket along the length of the slot. Cylindrical guide 64 is affixed to plate 66 which is adjustably engaged with bracket 58 by screw 68, extending through slot 70 in the plate. Post 72 is slidable in guide 64 and may be reciprocally moved by rotation of handle 74 on the end of arm 26 which extends across a slot in the post. Anvil 76 is carried on the end of post 72 facing the inner part of base 20 and provides the other workpiece engaging member. As best seen in FIG. 2, annular workpiece 75, which normally will comprise a ring shank or other ring-like portion of a piece of jewelry, is held firmly by'being engaged between stud 44 on the inside and

members

40 and 42 on the outside. Workpiece 75 is placed in this position by loosening locking screw 32, rotating handle 46 to cause rotation of arm 24 against the bias of spring 52 to the position of FIG. I, placing the workpiece over stud 44, counter-rotating handle 46 to allow rotation of arm 24 by spring 52 until

members

40 and 42 engage the workpiece, and tightening locking screw 32. This may be accomplished in seconds, and does not require careful manual holding or positioning of the annular workpiece since the notches in

members

40 and 42 serve to position it automatically.

The other workpiece 77, such as a ring head, or the like, is placed on anvil 76 and handle 74 is rotated to bring the two workpieces into firm contact. The workpieces are, of course, two initially separate elements; in rings of the type shown the ring shank is normally split and the head is forced within the split portion, as shown, to achieve a force fitted contact. Locking screw 36 is then tightened and the workpieces are held firmly in position, thus freeing both of the operators hands for work on the jewelry without holding the parts thereof. Arm 78 extends fixedly from guide 64 and is provided as a leverage member for manual movement of handle 74. That is, for movement of anvil 76 to bring workpiece 77 into firm contact with workpiece 75, the operator manually engages both handle 74 and arm 78 and presses them toward one another. Only handle 74 will move, of course, being on the end of rotatable arm 26, but the force applied to the handle is balanced by the force applied to arm 78. Thus, undesirable forces tending to dislodge the vise from its position are eliminated.

Also preferably provided on the face of anvil 76 is centering hole 80, shown in FIG. 5. This is a relatively small,shallow depression in the face of the anvil which may be used as a visual aid in centering items on, or with respect to, the face of the anvil.

While several forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A mounting fixture for holding two initially separate workpieces in contact as operations are performed thereon, one of said workpieces being of annular configuration, said fixture comprising:

a. a base;

b. a first work-engaging member projecting outwardly with respect to one side of said base for engagement with the interior of an annular workpiece;

c. a second work-engaging member having two portions projecting outwardly with respect to said one side of said base and on opposite sides of said first member for engagement with the exterior of an annular workpiece;

. means for effecting relative movement of said first and second members between a position wherein an annular workpiece is firmly engaged between said first and second members and a position wherein an annular workpiece may be removed from or placed between said first and second members;

e. a third work-engaging member having an end portion disposed for supporting a second workpiece;

f. means for effecting movement of said third member with respect to said base, and to said first and second members, to move said second workpiece into engagement with an annular workpiece held by said first and second work-engaging members; and

g. means for releasably locking the relative positions of said first and second members, and for releasably locking the position of said third member with respect to said base.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said first member extends fixedly from an anchored position on said base and said second member is movable with respect thereto.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said second member is mounted on a first arm pivotally attached to said base at a point to one side of said first and second portions of said second member.

4. The invention according to claim 3 and further including biasing means urging said first arm toward pivotal movement in a direction wherein said second member is moved into engagement with an annular workpiece positioned on said first member.

5. The invention according to claim 4 and further including a handle pivotally1 mounted on said base adacent said first arm, and avmg a portion engageable with said first arm to effect'movement thereof in a direction wherein said second member is moved away from engagement with an annular workpiece positioned on said first member.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said means for releasably locking the relative positions of said first and second members comprise a screw extending through a slot in said first arm and threaded into said base, said first arm being frictionally engaged between said base and a portion of said screw when the latter is tightened.

7. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said third member is reciprocally movable in a straight line and said end portion thereof includes an essentially flat surface in a plane normal to said line.

8. The invention according to claim 7 wherein said third member is mounted on guide means which define said path.

9. The invention according to claim 8 wherein the position of said guide means is adjustably mounted upon said base.

10. The invention according to claim 7 and further including a second arm pivotally attached to said base and having a portion engaged with said third member to effect linear movement thereofin response to pivotal movement of said second arm.

11. The invention according to claim 10 wherein said means for releasably locking the position of said third member with respect to said base comprise a screw extending through a slot in said second arm and threaded into said base, said second arm being frictionally between said base and a portion of said screw when the latter is tightened.

12. The invention according to claim 10 and further including a handle extending fixedly from said base adjacent an end portion of said second arm and so disposed with respect thereto that manual engagement of both said handle and said second arm end portion, and moving the two relatively toward one another effects movement of said third member toward said first and second members.

13. The invention according to claim 12 wherein said base includes two opposing extremities with a space therebetween, and said first and second members are mounted adjacent one of said extremities and said third member is mounted adjacent the other.

Claims

1. A mounting fixture for holding two initially separate workpieces in contact as operations are performed thereon, one of said workpieces being of annular configuration, said fixture comprising: a. a base; b. a first work-engaging member projecting outwardly with respect to one side of said base for engagement with the interior of an annular workpiece; c. a second work-engaging member having two portions projecting outwardly with respect to said one side of said base and on opposite sides of said first member for engagement with the exterior of an annular workpiece; d. means for effecting relative movement of said first and second members between a position wherein an annular workpiece is firmly engaged between said first and second members and a position wherein an annular workpiece may be removed from or placed between said first and second members; e. a third work-engaging member having an end portion disposed for supporting a second workpiece; f. means for effecting movement of said third member with respect to said base, and to said first and second members, to move said second workpiece into engagement with an annular workpiece held by said first and second work-engaging members; and g. means for releasably locking the relative positions of said first and second members, and for releasably locking the position of said third member with respect to said base.

5. The invention according to claim 4 and further including a handle pivotally mounted on said base adjacent said first arm, and having a portion engageable with said first arm to effect movement thereof in a direction wherein said second member is moved away from engagement with an annular workpiece positioned on said first member.

10. The invention according to claim 7 and further including a second arm pivotally attached to said base and having a portion engaged with said third member to effect linear movement thereof in response to pivotal movement oF said second arm.