Jewelry made from small bicycle parts

Patent Abstract
This invention describes an article of manufacture fabricated from new and/or used bike parts broken down into their tiniest components. Disassembled bike parts are separated into groups of similar shapes and are regarded as beads which can be strung, woven and/or wrapped on wire or cord along with embellishments such as semi-precious stones, metal or glass beads, precious metal wire, handmade clasps and also including standard jewelers findings as needed. Some bike parts can be forged to create new shapes that dangle or hang from the main body of the jewelry piece. Some articles of jewelry can be backed with leather or cloth for comfort and protection of the skin.

2. use of new or used bike chain that has been disassembled into its tiniest four original parts by pressing the pin out of each link and thus individually utilizing the roller, roller link plate and pin link plate as beads that can then be connected with jump rings, strung, woven and/or wrapped in a piece of jewelry.

3. the process of forging spokes into spirals and spiral shapes, of consistent or varying lengths, that can be interchanged by unscrewing and rescrewing new shapes in the spoke nipples which are attached to the main body of jewelry.

4. the items of jewelry as claimed in claim 1, which necessary for means of comfort and protection of the skin, are backed with `cut to fit` scraps of various leathers and/or cloth following the contours of the edges of the piece of finished jewelry.

Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The embodiment of the invention is decorative by design and is used as human adornment. Each piece maintains a certain kind of assembly, which derives from prior disassembly of small bicycle parts and/or, in some instances, new pre-assembled parts. The invention has two aspects: collecting small bicycle parts and assembling them into creative wearable art.

[0002] Considered broadly, bicycles are a means of recreation and transport. After use, bicycles are discarded because of age or breakdown, thus creating a lot of bike `garbage`. It is this `garbage` that is used to fashion something desirable and reusable beyond the first generation of function. This claim is set to re-create and re-invent the unusable parts of a discarded bicycle into a desirable and profitable second generation art piece.

[0003] A preliminary patentability and novelty search has revealed the existence of the following supporting U.S. Pat. Nos.:

[0004] Malliet U.S. Pat. No. 735,891 shows various items of jewelry made from a U.S. coin. Claims made to the process as well as the finished artifact.

[0005] Gutierrez U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,112 shows decorative jewelry made from computer chips that have been extracted from a motherboard for use of ornament.

[0006] Di Vietri U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,802 shows the use of fishhooks as they are linked and bent together to form a chain for the manufacture of jewelry.

[0007] Masucci U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,297 demonstrates the use of discarded, recycled and new bottle caps for the purpose of manufacturing bottle cap jewelry.

[0008] Westmoland U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,070 shows jewelry made from an electrically activated light source.

[0009] Hinchey U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,161 shows dice and crap stick jewelry with the intention of manufacturing jewelry relating to a recognizable hobby.

[0010] As seen in these patents and their examples the `recycling` and/or altering of unusual objects changes their prior function for the manufacture of jewelry. So far as I know however, no one has attempted to make jewelry from small bicycle parts.

[0011] It is the object of the present invention to collect used and/or new small bicycle parts for the use of manufacturing jewelry. The invention contains other features and materials which are described in the following description and illustrations. The invention is not limited to the illustrations as drawn, since the processes described herein can be embodied in various forms within the scope of the written claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Accordingly, it is one of the important objects of the present invention to successfully process bicycle refuse, re-shaping and re-building the refuse into interesting adornments. It allows people to recognize that it is made of bicycle parts but that has been reincorporated into something wearable. When there is a deficit of parts to be found, use of pre-assembled new parts is an alternative. What is key to this claim is re-building with small bicycle parts, using them as `beads`-weaving with them, sewing through them, lacing and wrapping them. All bicycle parts come directly from a previously working bike or are pre-assembled parts intended to go on a bike. They are composed of composites and metals used in bicycle manufacture, primarily steel.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a portion of an assembled bicycle chain.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing how an arbor press punches out the pins

[0015] FIG. 2a is an exploded front view of a portion of chain in FIG. 2 showing the four parts of the chain: pin, roller link plate, pin link plate, and roller.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a side elevation showing spoke nipples sitting in the wheel rim.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a detail of FIG. 3 showing the extraction of the spoke nipples

[0018] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a wheel bearing with bearings

[0019] FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a sprocket cluster.

[0020] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a single separated sprocket ring.

[0021] FIG. 8 is a plan view of a headset nut

[0022] FIG. 9 is an alternate view of small bicycle parts showing holes used for stringing

[0023] FIG. 10 is a front elevation demonstrating how small bicycle parts and beads are strung on a cord

[0024] FIG. 11 is a front elevation demonstrating how small bicycle parts and beads are woven with wire or cord

[0025] FIG. 12 is a front elevation of hand wrapped precious metal clasps

[0026] FIG. 13 is a front elevation of a headset nut wrapped with wire

[0027] FIG. 14 is a front elevation of small dangling bicycle parts

[0028] FIG. 15 is a plan view showing how a heated spoke is looped and bent around a jig.

[0029] FIG. 16 is a front elevation showing how the spiraled spoke is hammered to remain flat

[0030] FIG. 17 is a front elevation demonstrating how cloth or leather is sewn onto the back of a piece of jewelry to achieve comfort and protection

[0031] FIG. 18 is a front elevation of a choker necklace using roller link plates, pin link plates, rollers and standard jewelers jump rings in a circular pattern

[0032] FIG. 19 is a front elevation showing how forged spokes are strung with beads on jewelers wire to form a spoke spiral necklace

[0033] FIG. 20 is a front elevation of a necklace using roller link plates, pin link plates, rollers and standard jewelers jump rings in a circular and linear pattern

[0034] FIG. 21 is a front elevation of a necklace using pin link plates, spoke nipples, beads and a caged wheel bearing as a centerpiece

[0035] FIG. 22 is a front elevation of a choker using spoke nipples, beads and a sprocket ring as a centerpiece

[0036] FIG. 23 is a front elevation of a bracelet using roller link plates, pin link plates, spoke nipples, beads and a caged wheel bearing as a centerpiece

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] Used bicycle parts are acquired, cleaned and disassembled into their tiniest components. Commonly used for purposes described herein is the bicycle chain FIG. 1. Using an arbor press, FIG. 2, each pin 4 that links together a bicycle chain is pressed free. The pin is then discarded and three additional chain components (roller link plate 1, pin link plate 2, and roller 3) are dismantled from the chain FIG. 2a. The entire chain is dismantled this way until every link is broken apart. In addition, spoke nipples 5 and spokes 6 are unscrewed FIG. 4 from the wheel rim 7 after the tire 8 and tube 9 has been removed FIG. 3. Other mechanical components are used which include but are not limited to caged wheel bearings FIG. 5 (with or without the bearings 10 in them), sprocket rings FIG. 7 (which has been separated from the sprocket cluster FIG. 6) and headset nuts FIG. 8.

[0038] The parts are then sorted into groups of similar shapes and throughout the rest of the process they are regarded as beads. They can be strung together FIG. 10 as each has an opening FIG. 9, or woven together into a decorative, repeated pattern FIG. 11. The occasional use of semi-precious stones and glass or metal beads 11 provides color and interest and is used as spacers between the small bicycle parts 12, FIG. 11. Precious metal wire, jewelers' wire or braided wire, as well as handmade closures FIG. 12 and standard jewelers' findings are used for structural integrity of the piece. Precious metal wire 13 is used to connect some parts to display it as a centerpiece 14 or pendant FIG. 13. Some parts may dangle FIG. 14 and some may be woven with precious metal wire FIG. 13. When working with spokes, a forge is used to heat spokes until they glow red. Using a jig 18, they are spiraled FIG. 15 and hammered FIG. 16. The shape of the jig determines the shape of the spiral 17. If a piece has been built and needs to be backed for comfort, it will be traced onto leather 15. A duplicate cut of leather will then be sewn on the back of the piece 16, FIG. 17.

[0039] One embodiment of the present invention is to use roller link plates, pin link plates, and rollers along with standard jewelers jump rings to create a pattern which can be repeated into circular designs, FIG. 18, semi-circular designs, or linear designs, FIG. 20. The number of links and repeated patterns determines the design and length of the finished piece.

[0040] Another embodiment of the present invention demonstrates how forged spokes are strung along with beads to create the spoke spiral necklace. An indeterminate amount of spokes and beads can be utilized in order to create different size necklaces. In FIG. 19, spokes are forged in varying lengths to form a teardrop design. Spokes can be forged at varying or consistent shapes and/or lengths.

[0041] Another embodiment of the present invention is to string roller link plates, pin link plates and spoke nipples on jewelers wire. A centerpiece, which utilizes a caged wheel bearing casing, is centered on the necklace for interest. The steel bearings have been replaced with either semi-precious stones or fresh water pearls. FIG. 21 shows a necklace with caged wheel bearing casing as a centerpiece. FIG. 23 shows a bracelet with caged wheel bearing casing as a centerpiece.

[0042] Still another embodiment of the present invention incorporates spoke nipples that are woven with beads and jewelers wire to form a choker necklace. As a centerpiece a sprocket ring is wrapped for interest as seen in FIG. 22

[0043] After the jewelry pieces are completed, they are intended for sale. After sold, the owner should use the item purely as a unique and novel article of jewelry or clothing. Note that some metal components contain nickel and other base metals which some people may be sensitive to upon contact. Also to note, the break strength of the materials used is very high and the jewelry made withal is not intended for children or pets.

[0044] Having thus described the invention, what is believed to be new and novel and sought to be protected by a United States Patent is as follows: