WO2007006081A1

WO2007006081A1 - Ring engraving apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2007006081A1
Application number: PCT/AU2006/000955
Authority: WO
Inventors: Filomena Garcia
Original assignee: Filomena Garcia
Priority date: 2005-07-11
Filing date: 2006-07-06
Publication date: 2007-01-18

Abstract

A ring mounting tool (10) is provided for engraving the outside surface of a ring (16) with the use of an engraving machine (100). The tool (10) has a ring adaptor member (12) having a stepped hollow body (18) with two cylindrical holding portions (20,22) for concentrically holding a ring of corresponding inner diameter thereon, and an adaptor gripping member (14) having an elongated body (36) with a tapered receiving portion (15) for concentrically receiving the ring adaptor member (12) thereon. The tool (10) also has nut means (80) for urging the ring adaptor member (12) against the tapered receiving portion (15) of the adaptor gripping member (14). The arrangement is such that, in use, the ring (16) is mounted on a holding portion (20) of the ring adaptor member (12), and the ring adaptor member (12) is concentrically received on the tapered receiving portion (15) of the adaptor gripping member (14). By screwing the nut means (80) along a cylindrical threaded portion (38) of the adaptor gripping member (14), the nut means (80) presses against the ring adaptor member (12) which, in turn, is urged against the increasing diameter surface of the tapered receiving portion (15), thereby causing the outer diameter of the ring adaptor member (12) to increase and so enable the ring (16) to be gripped with a sufficiently strong force to prevent relative movement of the ring (16) with the tool (10) during the engraving of its outside surface.

Description

RING ENGRAVING APPARATUS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to ring engraving apparatus and, in particular, to a variable diameter tool for mounting a jewelry ring thereon for the purpose of engraving its outside surface with the use of a computer controlled engraving machine. The present invention also relates to an engraving machine.

In this specification and claims, the term "ring" is intended to include reference to a jewelry ring adapted for wearing on a finger, from an ear, or from another part of the body, to a wrist bangle or the like ornament, or to any other ring structure for which it is desirable to engrave its outside surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Machines for engraving the inside surface or inner periphery of finger rings are known. For instance, US Patent Nos. 4,146,966; 3,718,072; 5,203,088; and 4,166,319 disclose various forms of engraving machines, but none of these are suited for engraving the outside surface of a ring. Generally, these engraving machines have the ring gripped in an engraving position by locking pins that apply force radially inwardly against the ring outside surface, and an engraving needle is locatable in the bore of the ring and presses against the inside surface with a required force during the programmed engraving operation.

Engraving the outside surface of finger rings has been problematic. Mandrels used for externally mounting (and sizing) such rings are tapered and, on their own, are ill suited to use with known engraving machines. Furthermore, in seeking to engrave the outside surface of rings, considerable difficulties arise in determining how to reliably immobilize the ring during the engraving operation so that undesirable movement between the ring and the engraving needle is avoided. The ring must be gripped against its inside surface with a strong force maintained radially outwardly during the engraving operation, but which must be withdrawn after the engraving operation to release the ring. Mechanically movable locking pins or the like operating in the very limited space defined within the inside surface of the ring may not have the desired precision and strength to reliably immobilize the ring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least substantially ameliorate, the shortcomings of the aforementioned prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ring mounting tool for engraving the outside surface of a ring with the use of an engraving machine, the tool comprising:

(a) a ring adaptor member having a hollow body with at least one cylindrical holding portion for concentrically holding a ring of corresponding inner diameter thereon,

(b) an adaptor gripping member having an elongated body with a tapered receiving portion for concentrically receiving the ring adaptor member thereon, and

(c) means for urging the ring adaptor member against the tapered receiving portion of the adaptor gripping member, the arrangement being such that, in use, a ring is mounted on a holding portion of the ring adaptor member, and the ring adaptor member is concentrically received on the tapered receiving portion of the adaptor gripping member, so that by urging the ring adaptor member against the tapered receiving portion of the adaptor gripping member, the ring is gripped with a sufficiently strong force to prevent relative movement of the ring with the tool during the engraving of its outside surface.

Preferably, the ring adaptor member includes a cut seam line extending longitudinally from a front region to a rear region of the hollow body to thereby define opposed first and second edges across the cut seam line for enabling the ring adaptor member to resiliency expand and contract sufficiently to accommodate the outer diameter of the tapered receiving portion of the adaptor gripping member against which the ring adaptor member is urged. In a preferred form, the ring adaptor member has two cylindrical holding portions and a cylindrical base portion of progressively larger outer diameters from a front end to a rear end.

It is preferred that the ring adaptor member is made of a plastic material, such as TEFLON (TM).

Preferably, the elongated body of the adaptor gripping member has a cylindrical threaded portion, the tapered receiving portion, a cylindrical spacer portion, and a cylindrical base portion of progressively larger diameters from a front end to a rear end thereof.

It is preferred that the means for urging the ring adaptor member against the tapered receiving portion of the adaptor gripping member includes nut means having an internally threaded bore adapted for screwably engaging the cylindrical threaded portion, whereby screwing of the nut means thereon causes the nut means to press against the cylindrical base portion of the ring adaptor member.

Preferably, the nut means comprises a double nut having first and second hexagonal nuts interconnected by a tubular portion, the internally threaded bore extending along the, first hexagonal nut, the tubular portion, and a part of the second hexagonal nut, whereby the second hexagonal nut has a bore in which a leading part thereof is unthreaded, the leading part being, in use, adapted to concentrically overlap a part of the tapered receiving portion adjacent the cylindrical threaded portion.

It is preferred that the front end of the cylindrical threaded portion has a central recess.

In a preferred form, the central recess is adapted to receive therein a pointed end of a tapered insertion member which may be part of a clamping means of an engraving machine.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an engraving machine when used with the above described ring mounting tool, the engraving operation of the machine being controlled by instructions from a computer, the machine comprising: (a) a frame means,

(b) an engraving head movably supported on the frame means,

(c) a track means secured to the frame means,

(d) clamping means slidably supported on the track means and comprising first and second clamp devices slidable to positions where they clampingly receive the ring mounting tool in an operative position therebetween,

(e) means connected to the clamping means for moving the ring mounting tool with respect to the engraving head when it is in the operative position,

(f) means connected to the frame means for moving the engraving head with respect to the ring mounting tool when it is in the operative position to allow the engraving head to engrave the outside surface of a ring mounted thereon whilst the ring mounting tool is being moved, and

(g) a computer for instructing the movement of the engraving head and the ring mounting tool.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a key means is provided to urge the ring adaptor member away from the tapered receiving portion, so that the ring may be released from the tool. The key means may also be used as part of the means for urging the ring adaptor member against the tapered receiving portion, if greater tightening is required.

SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a side view of a ring mounting tool according to a preferred embodiment of a first aspect of the present invention with a ring mounted thereon,

Fig. 2 is a side view of a ring adaptor member used in the tool of Fig. 1, and a ring to be held thereon,

Fig. 3 is a side view of an adaptor gripping member used in the tool of Fig. 1 , and a nut means used in urging the ring adaptor member against a tapered receiving portion of the adaptor gripping member,

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of a preferred engraving machine according to a second aspect of the present invention, and Fig. 5 is an isometric view of track means and clamping means of the machine of Fig. 4, and the ring mounting tool of Fig. 1 about to be clampingly received by the clamping means and held in an operative position for engraving the outside surface of the ring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The ring mounting tool 10 shown in Fig. 1 comprises a ring adaptor member 12 (also shown as isolated in Fig. 2), an adaptor gripping member 14 (also shown as isolated in Fig. 3), and means for urging the ring adaptor member against a tapered receiving portion 15 of the adaptor gripping member 14. The ring mounting tool 10 is adapted for use with an engraving machine 100 shown in Figs. 4 and 5 for engraving the outside surface of a ring 16 mounted on the tool 10.

The ring adaptor member 12 has a stepped, hollow body 18 with two cylindrical holding portions 20,22 and a cylindrical base portion 26 which are coaxial and of progressively larger outer diameters from a front region 28 to a rear region 30. Each of the cylindrical holding portions 20,22 are adapted to concentrically hold a ring of corresponding inner diameter thereon. The ring adaptor member 12 is, in this instance, made of TEFLON (TM), but may be made of any suitable plastic material, the desired characteristics of which will become apparent in light of the following description of its use as part of the ring mounting tool 10.

The ring adaptor member 12 also has a cut seam line 32 extending longitudinally from the front region 28 to the rear region 30 of the hollow body 18. The seam line 32 defines opposed first and second edges thereacross for enabling the ring adaptor member to resiliency expand and contract sufficiently to accommodate the outer diameter of the tapered receiving portion 15 of the adaptor gripping member 14 in the manner to be described hereinafter.

The adaptor gripping member 14 has a stepped, elongated body 36 with a cylindrical threaded portion 38, the tapered receiving portion 15, a cylindrical spacer portion 44, and a cylindrical base portion 46 which are coaxial and of progressively larger outer diameters from a front end 48 to a rear end 50. The tapered receiving portion 15 is adapted to concentrically receive a ring adaptor member of corresponding inner diameter thereon. The ring adaptor member 12 is adapted to be concentrically received, its front end first, on the tapered receiving portion 15. The adaptor gripping member 14 is, in this instance, made of stainless steel, but may be made of any suitable metal or metal-like material, the desired characteristics of which will become apparent in light of the following description of its use as part of the ring mounting tool 10.

Means are provided for urging the ring adaptor member 12 against the tapered receiving portion 15 of the adaptor gripping member 14. This includes nut means 80 having an internally threaded bore 82 adapted for screwably engaging the cylindrical threaded portion 38. Screwing of the nut means 80 on the portion 38 causes the nut means 80 to press against the cylindrical base portion 26 of the ring adaptor member 12. This is achieved by the nut means 80 being a double nut having first and second hexagonal nuts 83,84 interconnected by a tubular portion 85, the internally threaded bore 82 extending along the second nut 84, the tubular portion 85, and part of the first nut 83. The nut 83 has a bore in which a leading part thereof is unthreaded, the leading part being, in use, adapted to concentrically overlap a part of the tapered receiving portion 15 adjacent the cylindrical threaded portion 38.

The front end of the cylindrical threaded portion 38 has a central recess 86 which is adapted to receive therein a pointed end 64 of a tapered insertion member 62 which is part of a clamping means of the engraving machine 100.

In use, the ring 16 is mounted on the cylindrical holding portion 20 of the ring adaptor member 12 (and abuts the adjoining step to the cylindrical holding portion 22), and the ring adaptor member 12 is then concentrically received on the tapered receiving portion 15 of the adaptor gripping member 14.

The ring adaptor member 12 is then urged against the tapered receiving portion 15 by screwing the double nut 80 along the cylindrical threaded portion 38 so that it presses against the cylindrical base portion 26 of the ring adaptor member 12.

During the time when the ring adaptor member 12 is being urged against the increasing diameter surface of the tapered receiving portion 15, the outer diameter of the holding portion 20 of the ring adaptor member 12 is also slightly increasing by virtue of its resilient expansion across the cut seam line 32, but only to an extent allowable by the rigid structure of the ring 16 mounted thereon. As a result, the ring 16 is gripped with a sufficiently strong force to prevent relative movement of the ring 16 with the tool 10 during the subsequent engraving of its outside surface by the engraving machine 100.

The ring 16 can, when required, be released from the tool 10 by utilizing key means 88 to urge the ring adaptor member 12 away from the tapered receiving portion 15 of the adaptor gripping member 14.

In order for the engraving machine 100 to engrave the outside surface of the ring 16 when mounted on the tool 10, the cylindrical base portion 46 of the adaptor gripping member 14 is clampingly received by a first clamp device 102 of a clamping means of the machine 100, and the front end 48 of the adaptor gripping member 14 is received by a second clamp device 104 thereof which includes the tapered insertion member 62. The insertion of the pointed end 64 of the tapered insertion member 62 in the recess 86 at the front end 48 of the adaptor gripping member 14 enables the front end 48 to be clampingly received by the second clamp device 104.

The first and second clamp devices 102,104 are slidably supported on track means 106 secured to frame means 108 of the machine 100, and are slidable to positions where they clampingly receive the ring mounting tool 10 in an operative, horizontally orientated, position therebetween. Ring mounting tools of various lengths may be accommodated by slidably adjusting the positions of the clamp devices 102,104 along the track means 106. The second clamp device 104 is also able to independently slide along the track means 106 for minor adjustment of its position with respect to the first clamping device 102 by operation of a rotating handle 109, such as would be required for insertion of the pointed end 64 of the tapered insertion member 62 in the recess 86.

The machine 100 also includes an engraving head 110 movably supported on the frame means 108, and means connected to the frame means 108 for moving the engraving head 110 with respect to the ring mounting tool 10 when it is in the operative position to allow the engraving head 110 to engrave the outside surface of the ring 16 mounted thereon. There are means connected to the clamping means for moving the tool 10 with respect to the engraving head 110 when it is in the operative position, such as the rotatable clamp head 112 which grips the base portion 46.

The engraving operation of the machine 100 is controlled by instructions from a computer which receives and processes input instructions from a user operating a keyboard for the computer.

The engraving head 110 is thus caused to move in various directions, such as sideways, up, down, and rotatably. Via the clamping means, the ring mounting tool 10 is caused to move, such as by rotation about its longitudinal axis. The overall effect of these movements is to enable the engraving head to engrave the outside surface of the ring 16.

It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in details of design and construction of the above described ring mounting tool and engraving machine for use with that tool without departing from the scope or ambit of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A ring mounting tool for engraving the outside surface of a ring with the use of an engraving machine, the tool comprising:

2. The ring mounting tool of claim 1 wherein the ring adaptor member includes a cut seam line extending longitudinally from a front region to a rear region of the hollow body to thereby define opposed first and second edges across the cut seam line for enabling the ring adaptor member to resiliently expand and contract sufficiently to accommodate the outer diameter of the tapered receiving portion of the adaptor gripping member against which the ring adaptor member is urged.

3. The ring mounting tool of claim 2 wherein the ring adaptor member has two cylindrical holding portions and a cylindrical base portion of progressively larger outer diameters from a front end to a rear end.

4. The ring mounting tool of claim 3 wherein the elongated body of the adaptor gripping member has a cylindrical threaded portion, the tapered receiving portion, a cylindrical spacer portion, and a cylindrical base portion of progressively larger diameters from a front end to a rear end thereof.

5. The ring mounting tool of claim 4 wherein the means for urging the ring adaptor member against the tapered receiving portion of the adaptor gripping member includes nut means having an internally threaded bore adapted for screwably engaging the cylindrical threaded portion, whereby screwing of the nut means thereon causes the nut means to press against the cylindrical base portion of the ring adaptor member.

6. The ring mounting tool of claim 5 wherein the nut means comprises a double nut having first and second hexagonal nuts interconnected by a tubular portion, the internally threaded bore extending along the first hexagonal nut, the tubular portion, and a part of the second hexagonal nut, whereby the second hexagonal nut has a bore in which a leading part thereof is unthreaded, the leading part being, in use, adapted to concentrically overlap a part of the tapered receiving portion adjacent the cylindrical threaded portion.

7. The ring mounting tool of claim 6 wherein the front end of the cylindrical threaded portion has a central recess.

8. The ring mounting tool of claim 7 wherein the central recess is adapted to receive therein a pointed end of a tapered insertion member which is part of a clamping means of an engraving machine.

9. An engraving machine when used with the ring mounting tool of claim I₅ the engraving operation of the machine being controlled by instructions from a computer, the machine comprising:

(a) a frame means,

(b) an engraving head movably supported on the frame means,

(c) a track means secured to the frame means,

(f) means connected to the frame means for moving the engraving head with respect to the ring mounting tool when it is in the operative position to allow the engraving head to engrave the outside surface of a ring mounted thereon whilst the ring mounting tool is being moved, and (g) a computer for instructing the movement of the engraving head and the ring mounting tool.