WO1997049527A1

WO1997049527A1 - Jeweller's work bench accessory

Info

Publication number: WO1997049527A1
Application number: PCT/AU1997/000406
Authority: WO
Inventors: David John Barrett; Michael Daniel Ariss
Original assignee: David John Barrett; Michael Daniel Ariss
Priority date: 1996-06-26
Filing date: 1997-06-26
Publication date: 1997-12-31
Also published as: AUPO069196A0

Abstract

A jeweller's work bench accessory (14) for use with work bench fitments having an elongate shank (64). The accessory comprises structure (16) affixable to a work bench (10) and having an opening for receiving the shank (64) of the fitment. Releasable locking means is provided for locking the shank to the structure (16) when the shank is so received. The releasable locking means comprises an apertured member mounted within the structure (16) for receiving portion of the shank (64) when extended through the opening in the structure (16). The apertured member is then moveable downwardly with respect to the shank (64) for gripping of the shank (64) between portions of the structure (16) and member which surround the opening and aperture respectively. Rotatable means (28) is provided for effecting the downward movement of the member.

Description

JEWELLER'S WORK BENCH ACCESSORY

This invention relates to a jeweller's work bench accessory.

In jewellery work, it is common to work at a work bench having various particular

facilities, such as having removable or fixed parts which present particularly formed work

surfaces or which are capable of receiving anvils, projecting components or the like.

Often these present portions which are configured so as to facilitate resting of jewellery

pieces against them while a jewellery piece is being worked, or to facilitate holding the

jewellery piece. They may also provide resting surfaces for components such as ring

anvils, clamps or the like. Over time, experienced jewellers might modify the work bench

or associated components in very particular ways so as to adapt their needs. Peculiarly

shaped anvils or the like may thus be acquired. Because of these peculiar adaptations, it

may be relatively inconvenient for a different jeweller to work at a work bench which has

been so modified for use by another jeweller. For example, a jeweller temporarily

working in place of another may not have available many specialised adaptations at his or her own work bench, which facilitate his or her work, and may find adaptations made by

the other jeweller unsatisfactory.

One object of the invention is to provide an accessory which is mountable to a jeweller's work bench and which is capable of receiving various fitments so that different

jewellers may carry their own fitments for use at any work bench equipped to receive

them. In one aspect, then, the invention provides a jeweller's work bench accessory for

use with work bench fitments having an elongate shank, said work bench accessory

comprising structure affixable to a work bench and having an opening for receiving the

shank of said fitment, and releasable locking means for locking the shank to said structure

when the shank is so received, wherein the releasable locking means comprises an

apertured member mounted within said structure for receiving portion of the shank when

extended through the opening in said structure, and being then moveable transversely with

respect to the shank for gripping of the shank between portions of the structure and

member defining the opening and aperture respectively, and rotatable means for effecting

said transverse movement of said member.

The structure may be elongate and may comprise a coaxially extending member

with said opening in a side tiiereof, and provided with means to in use mount the axially

extending member with one end depending from the work bench, said rotatable means

being rotatable about an axis extending lengthwise of the axially extending member. The

apertured member may have a threaded portion. The apertured member may be received

in said elongate member and be axially moveable with respect thereto. The rotatable

member may have a corresponding thread, threadedly engageable with the threaded

portion of the apertured member, the rotatable member being disposed such that on

rotation thereof with said shank extending through said opening and aperture the rotatable

member engages against said one end of the elongate member to draw the apertured

member towards the rotatable member. The apertured member may be generally

cylindrical and received in a cylindrical bore in the axially extending member. The aperture may be provided as a cylindrical bore extending transversely through the

apertured member. Preferably, means is provided for at least partially inhibiting

withdrawal of the apertured member from the bore in the elongate member. The last-

mentioned means may comprise an annular resilient member disposed between the bore

and the apertured member.

The invention is further described by way of example only with reference to the

accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a jeweller's work bench fitted with a jeweller's

work bench accessory formed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of a mandril fitment adapted for use in the invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an anvil fitment configured for use in the

invention;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the jeweller' s work bench accessory shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side view of the jeweller's work bench accessory of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a cross section on the line 7-7 in Figure 4, but showing also part of the

work bench of Figure 1 and anvil fitment of Figure 2, as used in conjunction with the

jeweller's work bench accessory; and

Figure 8 is a view like Figure 7, but illustrating a modified form of the invention;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a still further form of the invention; and

Figure 10 is a front view of the attachment shown in Figure 9, together with an

anvil top. In Figure 1, a jeweller's work bench 10 is shown as having a work bench top 12 to

which is fitted a jeweller's work bench accessory 14 constructed in accordance with the

invention.

Referring now specifically to Figures 4 to 7, the accessory 14 is particularly shown

as having mounting structure 16 comprising an upper rectangular anvil 18 and, at a

forward portion thereof, an attached downwardly depending axially extending elongate member 20. Member 20 has a cylindrical bore 20b therewithin, which bore is open at the

lower end 20a of the member 20. A cylindrical apertured member 22 is axially slidably received within the bore 20b. This has a body portion 24 which is of diameter only

slightly less than the diameter of the bore 22 so as to be freely rotatable and slidable within the bore 20b without substantial side to side slack. At the lower end of apertured

member 22 there is provided a downwardly depending threaded portion 26.

A rotatable member 28 has an annular portion 30 which has an internal bore 32.

Bore 32 is threaded and of complimentary form to the thread on portion 26 of apertured

member 22 and, by interengagement of these complementary threads, the rotatable member is threadedly received on the portion 26. The diameter of portion 30 of rotatable

member 28 is somewhat greater than the diameter of bore 20b, and portion 30 is disposed

immediately below and adjacent lower end 20a of the axially extending elongate member

20.

Rotatable member 28 also includes an outwardly extending handle portion 36 which is attached to and extends radially outwardly from and somewhat downwardly from portion 30.

An aperture 38 in the form of a transverse bore extends diametrically through member 22 and, in use, this is aligned with diametrically opposed openings 46, 48

through the side wall of the member 20.

The underside of anvil 18 is provided with two threaded openings 40, by means of which the accessory 14 is secured to the work bench top 12, particularly in the manner shown in Figure 7 by use of screws 44 which extend upwardly through openings in the

work bench top 12 and into the openings 40. In this position, as shown, the anvil 14 is

disposed on the work bench top so as to extend forwardly of the forward edge thereof, the

member 20 then extending downwardly, also at the forward part of the work bench top

12. In this case, as shown, the opening 46 is disposed to the front of the work bench top.

The accessory described is useful with various fitments, such as the fitment 60

shown in Figures 1 and 3. Fitment 60 is in the form of a wedge shaped anvil member 62

having a rearwardly extending cylindrical shank 64 of diameter only slightly less than the

diameter of openings 46, 48 and aperture 38. When the accessory 14 is fixed in position as shown in Figure 1 , the fitment 60 may be fitted thereto by inserting the shank 64

thereof into the elongate member 20, by passing it through opening 46, through the

aligned aperture 38, and thence into opening 48. By then rotating member 28, by use of

handle portion 36, the upper surface of portion 30 of member 28 is moved to engage with the lower end 20a of member 20 and, by screw threaded interaction between portion 30

and threaded portion 26 on member 22, the member 22 is drawn downwardly in bore 20b

so that the upper side portion of the aperture 38 pulls downwardly against an upper surface

part of the shank 64, where the shank is received in the aperture 38, and pushes lower

parts of the surface of shank 64 firmly against the lower portions of the apertures 46, 48,

so as to securely grip the shank within the accessory 14. Release is effected by oppositely directed rotation of the rotatable member 28 such that frictional forces so applied to the

shank 64 are removed and the shank may be readily withdrawn.

Various fitments may be employed in this fashion. For example Figure 2 shows a

cylindrical mandril 68 having a tapered frustoconical portion 72 and a shank 70 of the

same form as shank 64. Of course many other forms of fitment may be employed.

It will observed that, with the shank 64 or 70 removed from the accessory 14, it is

possible to withdraw the member 22 from the bore 20b simply by downward withdrawal

through the open end 20a of the member 20. This may be effected together with the

rotatable member 28. It is desirable to so be able to remove the member 22, such as for cleaning or the like. However, unless precautions are taken, it will be seen that the

member 22 may fall under gravity from the bore 20b. In order to prevent this, a resilient

O-ring 78 is provided in a peripheral groove 80 in member 22, so as to resiliently engage

the bore 20b and the periphery of the member 22. It has been found that the resistance to

frictional movement as between members 22 and 20 so provided is sufficient to prevent

the member 22 from falling from the bore 20, when there is no shank received by the accessory 14.

The invention may be practised in ways other than that described. For example,

Figures 8 to 10 show modified arrangements. These operate on the same principle as 5 above described, and like reference numerals denote like components as between Figures 1

to 7 and Figures 8 to 10. The following description is confined to differences as between

the construction of Figure 8 as well as that of Figures 9 and 10, as compared with that of

Figures 1 to 7. Thus, in the embodiment of Figure 8, the anvil 18 is not provided, only the members 20, 22 and 28. Here, the upper end of the member 20 is provided with 10 screw threaded apertures 90 and the member 20 can be affixed directly underneath the

work bench top 12 by downwardly extending screws 100 which extend through openings

through the work bench 12 and into the apertures 90.

In the arrangements of Figures 9 and 10, member 22 is movable in bore 20b which

15 is in this case formed partly in an upper rectangular element 120, and partly in a lower tubular element 122 which is provided with the openings 46,48. The lower end of

member 22 projects below element 120 and into part of bore 20b in tubular element 122. The lower end of member 22 is connected to rotatable member 28 in the same way as

previously described. The element 120 is mountable for example in a front edge recess 20 125 of the work bench top by screws 126,128 which can pass through front to rear

extending openings in element 120. In this case, the upper surface of the element 120

may be flush with the work bench top. It may in these cases be necessary or advisable to

provide a bore 127 in the front of the bench top of the same or greater diameter than openings 46, 48, and coaxially arranged with these, so as to accommodate any rearwardly

projecting end of a shank 64 or the like.

In Figure 10, the arrangement is the same as in Figure 9, except that an anvil top

5 140 is provided so as to enable the accessory to be used in the same way as the accessory

shown in Figures 1 to 7. The anvil top 140 is secured, as by welding, to the top of element 120.

The described constructions have been found to be particularly satisfactory in use. 0 The gripping as between the shank of the fitment and the accessory 14, as provided by the

described locking arrangements, is particularly effective and has been found not to cause

significant damage to the surface of the shank even after prolonged use. Furthermore, the

locking mechanism readily permits axial rotation of the fitment as may be desired for

working. 5

The described constructions permit that a jeweller may carry a range of his own

fitments adapted to his specific needs and may simply transport these from site to site if required to work at different locations. The invention thus provides considerable

advantages in terms of flexibility of working conditions for jewellers. 0

The described arrangement has been advanced merely by way of explanation and

many modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of

the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS :-

1. A jeweller's work bench accessory for use with work bench fitments having an

elongate shank, said work bench accessory comprising structure affixable to a work bench

and having an opening for receiving the shank of said fitment, and releasable locking

means for locking the shank to said structure when the shank is so received, wherein the

releasable locking means comprises an apertured member mounted within said structure

for receiving portion of the shank when extended through the opening in said structure,

and being then moveable transversely with respect to the shank for gripping of the shank between portions of the structure and member defining the opening and aperture

respectively, and rotatable means for effecting said transverse movement of said apertured

member.

2. A jeweller's work bench accessory as claimed in claim 1 wherein the structure

comprises an axially extending member with said opening being in a side thereof, the

axially extending member being provided with means to in use mount the axially

extending member in depending relationship from the work bench, said rotatable means being rotatable about an axis extending lengthwise of the axially extending member.

3. A jeweller's work bench accessory as claimed in claim 2 wherein the apertured member has a threaded portion, and the rotatable member has a thread, threadedly

engageable with the threaded portion of the apertured member, the rotatable member

being disposed such that on rotation thereof with said shank extending through said opening and aperture the rotatable member engages against said one end of the axially

extending member to draw the apertured member towards the rotatable member.

4. A jeweller's work bench accessory according to claim 3 wherein the apertured

member is generally cylindrical and received in a cylindrical bore in the axially extending member.

5. A jeweller's work bench accessory according to claim 4 wherein said aperture is

provided as a cylindrical bore extending transversely through the apertured member.

6. A jeweller's work bench accessory according to claim 5 wherein means is provided

for at least partially inhibiting withdrawal of the apertured member from the bore in the

axially extending member.

7. A jeweller's work bench accessory according to claim 6, wherein said means for at least partially inhibiting withdrawal comprises an annular resilient member disposed

between the bore and the apertured member.

8. A jeweller's work bench accessory as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said

structure is elongate.