WO2006123353A1

WO2006123353A1 - A metal punch used in the manufacture of artificial stones, the method and apparatus for making such punch

Info

Publication number: WO2006123353A1
Application number: PCT/IN2005/000236
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ajay Jariwala Kantilal
Original assignee: Ajay Jariwala Kantilal
Priority date: 2005-05-20
Filing date: 2005-07-07
Publication date: 2006-11-23

Abstract

The present invention provides a carbide punch having complex facets resembling a real diamond, a process allows the worker to make a punch holding it in a clamp (4) and polishing the said punch in a way similar to a real diamond. The clamp (4) in the said invention is completely hand held so there is no limitation as to its movement. The apparatus is a modified polishing wheel made of stone with a layer of epoxy resin and diamond powder (7) and has been mounted horizontally on the polishing table as is being used for polishing of real diamonds. The surface of the modified polishing wheel (1) causes less abarations as it is softer than that used to polish the diamonds and gives greater control to the worker to polish the carbide rod. Thus a worker is free to polish any edge of the punch as desired.

Description

A METAL PUNCH USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL STONES, THE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SUCH PUNCH

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to improvements in the manufacture of artificial stones employed in jewelery, particularly to a punch and the method of making the said punch used for this purpose and more particularly to an apparatus for making such punch. The object of the invention is to impart on such stones a scintillation resembling as nearly as that of a real diamond.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Artificial stones are manufactured by using a die made with a metal punch. This punch has the facets, which will finally appear on the stone. This punch is made by using tool and cutter grinder. As the punch is made of steel it is very difficult to impart on it the facets found on the real diamond. The punch to be made if held in a clamp and is grinded on a polishing stone which usually rotates vertically. Moreover the clamp holding the punch is movable along a fixed axis and direction, due to this limitation it is not possible to impart on the punch the complex and dimensional facets usually found on a real diamond. Often two or more punches have to be employed to create a die of desired quality. This often leads to creation of the die of irregular facets on the stones, which do not reflect the light in the desired way to imitate the real diamond. The grinder used is made of stone so the steel punch can not be polished like a diamond on the said grinder as the rotating stone causes the temprature of steel punch to rise quickly and also grinds it instantaneously unlike a real diamond which has the capacity to withstand very high abrasive forces.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a metal punch having complex facets resembling a real diamond for use in the manufacture of artificial stones. It is also an object of the invention to develop a method of making such punch.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus to carry out the method of making the punch. It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus which has a modified polishing wheel similar to the one used in the diamond polishing industry but having an additional layer of coating on the surface, such layer consisting of diamond powder coated on epoxy resin.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus, which has a modified polishing wheel for making the punch without generating sparks.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus having a modified polishing wheel similar to the one used in the diamond polishing industry, which does not cause excessive abrasions on the carbide rod.

It is further object of the invention to produce artificial stones using the metal punch made by the process carried out by the apparatus here in defined.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the above objectives and others, the present invention provides a carbide punch having complex facets resembling a real diamond, a process allows the worker to make a punch holding it in a clamp and polishing the said punch in a way similar to a real diamond. The clamp in the said invention is completely hand held so there is no limitation as to its movement. The apparatus is a modified polishing wheel made of stone with a layer of epoxy resin and diamond powder and has been mounted horizontally on the polishing table as is being used for polishing of real diamonds. The surface of the modified polishing wheel causes less abarations as it is softer than that used to polish the diamonds and gives greater control to the worker to polish the carbide rod. Thus a worker is free to polish any edge of the punch as desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described with respect to the non-limiting figures in the accompanying drawings, in which - Figure I shows the modified polishing table. Figure II shows the hand held clamp.

Figure III shows the cross section of the modified polishing wheel.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To make a punch, the carbide rods are processed in common machines such as tool and cutter grinder, spark erosion machine and wire cut machine. In tool and cutter grinder the carbide rod is cut into shapes like Triangle, Circle, Semi Circle, Oval, Eye Shape etc. by grinding on the abrasive wheel. For irregular shapes like Hearth, Butterfly, Flowers etc. wire cut machine and sparking erosion machine are employed. In Wire Cut Machine, the required cavities are created on Copper Block. Then the said Copper Block are sparked on the Carbide Rod by using Sparking Machine which create the requisite shapes on the Carbide Rod.

The carbide rods thus shaped are polished on a modified polishing wheel similar to the one used in the diamond polishing industry but having an additional layer of coating on the surface, such layer 7 consisting of diamond powder in epoxy resin as shown in Figure 3. The present polishing wheel does not cause excessive abrasions on the carbide rod allowing greater control in polishing it. The facets are created on the carbide rods by holding the rods in a clamp and polishing as is done in the diamond industry.

Accordingly with reference to Figure I the appatatus consists of the polishing table having the table top 1 on which is mounted the polishing stone 2 horizontally. The motor 3 rotates the stone 2 around its axis keeping the flat plate of the stone horizontal. The worker holds the damp 4 having the holder 6 and the punch is clasped in the teeth 5 of the clamp as shown in Figure II.

The horizontal grinding stone 2 allows the worker to polish the punch held with the help of the clamp 4 in a way similar to the process of polishing of real diamonds. The clamp is completely hand held allowing a full freedom of motion of hand enabling the polishing of any edge of the punch to create the facets on it. The punch created as above is affixed in a hydraulic press to make die and the die is used in plastic molding machine to make the artificial stones.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein for purposes of illustration, the protection afforded by any patent which may issue upon this application is not strictly limited to the disclosed embodiments; but rather extends to all structures and arrangements which fall fairly within the scope of the claims which are appended hereto.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. A metal punch used in the manufacture of artificial stones comprising a metal carbide rod being cut and shaped using a tool and cutter grinder; one end of which further being shaped using wire cut machine and spark erosion machine and subsequently polished to create the required facets on a polishing wheel consisting of a polishing stone covered with a layer of epoxy resin and diamond powder.

2. A metal punch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal carbide rod is tungsten carbide,or other hard materials such as titanium carbide, zirconium carbide, vanadium carbide or other transition metal carbides.

3. A method of making a metal punch used in the manufacture of artificial stones comprising the steps of - a. cutting and shaping a metal carbide rod using a tool and cutter grinder; b. further shaping the said carbide rod using wire cut machine and spark erosion machine; c. polishing the said rod to create the required facets on a polishing wheel consisting of a polishing stone covered with a layer of epoxy resin and diamond powder.

4. An apparatus for making metal punch used in the manufacture of artificial stones comprising of a table affixed with polishing wheel consisting of a polishing stone having its upper surface covered with a layer of epoxy resin and diamond powder, the said polishing stone rotating abut its axis keeping the flat surface of the stone horizontal; thus facilitating the polishing of the punch affixed in a hand held clamp for polishing any desired edge.

5. A method of manufacturing artificial stones using the metal punch of claim 1 made by the apparatus of claim 4.

6. An apparatus for making metal punch used in the manufacture of artificial stones substantially as described here in with reference to the figures I to III of the accompanying drawings.