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Patent Abstract
A method and apparatus for making jewelry is provided. The apparatus
includes a curved form attached to a handle and a grip head attached
to a grip head handle. A pivot connection joins both handles, with
the grip head being positioned in proximity to the curved form.
In order to form a cuff style bracelet, first and second ends of
a work piece are sequentially inserted, held in position by the
grip head against the form, and then bent around the form.
Patent Claims
1. An apparatus for making jewelry comprising:a curved form attached
to a handle;a grip head attached to a grip head handle; anda pivot
connection joining both handles, with the grip head being positioned
in proximity to the curved form.
2. The jewelry making apparatus of claim 1, wherein the curved
form comprises material formed into an elliptical loop with a stop
located in proximity to a first end of the loop and a second end
of the loop is attached to the handle.
3. The jewelry making apparatus of claim 2, wherein the elliptical
loop is a curve that is at least 180 degrees.
4. The jewelry making apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second
end of the loop is integrally attached to the handle.
5. The jewelry making apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pivot connection
comprises a pair of pivot blocks located on the handle and a pivot
pin extending through the pivot blocks and the grip head handle.
6. The jewelry making apparatus of claim 4, wherein the handle
includes a slot through which the grip head handle extends; the
pivot blocks are mounted parallel to each other on opposite sides
of the slot in the handle; the pivot pin is inserted through a pivot
hole in the grip head handle; and one end of the pivot pin is fixed
to one of the pivot blocks and an opposite end of the pivot pin
is fixed to the opposite pivot block.
7. The jewelry making apparatus of claim 1, wherein the grip head
is moveable from a first position, spaced apart from the curved
form to a second position, where the grip head rests against the
curved form.
8. The jewelry making apparatus of claim 1, wherein the curved
form is removably attached to the handle.
9. The jewelry making apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one
of the handle and grip head handle have an ergonomically shaped
form.
10. The jewelry making apparatus of claim 1, wherein the grip head
is comprised of a grip head body with a grip head face, and the
grip head body is removable from the grip head handle.
11. A method of bending bracelets comprising:providing an apparatus
having a curved form attached to a handle, a grip head attached
to a grip head handle, and a pivot connection joining both handles;placing
a first end of an un-formed work piece against the curved form;holding
the first end of the un-formed work piece against the curved form
with the grip head by moving the handle and the grip head handle
toward one another;bending the work piece over the curved form to
create a partially formed work piece;releasing the partially formed
work piece by moving the handle and the grip head handle in opposite
directions; andremoving the partially formed work piece.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:placing a second
end of the partially formed work piece against the curved form;holding
the second end of the partially formed work piece against the curved
form with the grip head by moving the handle and the grip head handle
toward one another;bending the partially formed work piece over
the curved form to create a completed work piece;freeing the completed
work piece by releasing the grip head handle; andremoving the completed
work piece.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the completed work piece is
symmetrical.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein a stop is located on the curved
form, and the method further comprises placing the first end of
the un-formed work piece against the stop prior to moving the handle
and the grip head handle toward one another to grip the un-formed
work piece.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:placing a second
end of the partially formed work piece against the stop on the curved
form;holding the second end of the partially formed work piece against
the curved form with the grip head by moving the handle and the
grip head handle toward one another;bending the partially formed
work piece over the curved form to create a completed work piece;freeing
the completed work piece by releasing the grip head handle; andremoving
the completed work piece.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the completed work piece is
symmetrical.
Patent Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application
60/779,175, filed Mar. 3, 2006, which is incorporated by reference
herein as if fully set forth.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002]This invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlled
bending of items, and in particular for making jewelry.
BACKGROUND
[0003]Producing custom jewelry is a highly skilled art that takes
years of practice to develop. In particular, it is difficult to
produce a cuff style bracelet which has two symmetrical curved sides
with a uniform shape and size. Presently, such bracelets are produced
by shaping a work piece against a conical or elliptical curved form
using various silver-smithing techniques which require significant
skills to perform because it is difficult to hold and shape the
work piece simultaneously, as well as manipulate tools, such as
a mallet used for forming the bracelet. While other forming tools
exist, none of them perform adequately for holding the work piece
against the desired form or creating a symmetric shape.
SUMMARY
[0004]In one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus
for making jewelry that includes a curved form attached to a handle.
A grip head is attached to a grip head handle, and a pivot connection
joins both handles. This allows a workpiece to be gripped and held
against the curved form in a secure manner in order to allow a user
to form the workpiece into a cuff-type bracelet.
[0005]The invention also provides a process of creating an open
bracelet that is significantly easier than the prior known processes.
The forming tool with a grip head is used to grip the work piece
during the forming process. A user then bends the workpiece over
the curved form attached to the tool handle, allowing easier and
symmetric forming of the bracelet.
[0006]The invention also allows the formation of jewelry using
a variety of materials which heretofore could not be easily and
accurately worked by anyone other than a highly skilled artisan.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)
[0007]For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown
in the drawings a preferred embodiment of the invention. However,
those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not
limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
[0008]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the jewelry making apparatus
according to the invention.
[0009]FIG. 2 is a left-side view of the jewelry making apparatus
of FIG. 1.
[0010]FIG. 3 is a plan view of the jewelry making apparatus of
FIG. 1.
[0011]FIG. 4 is a section view of the pivot connection used in
the preferred embodiment of the invention.
[0012]FIG. 5 is a left-side view of the jewelry making apparatus
of FIG. 1 with the work piece in the first position.
[0013]FIG. 6 is a plan view of the completed jewelry produced by
the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0014]Referring to FIG. 1, a jewelry making apparatus or tool 10
according to the present invention shown. The tool 10 includes a
curved form 20, a handle 30, and a grip head handle 72 connected
to the handle 30 using a pivot connection 45.
[0015]Referring now to FIG. 2, the curved form 20 in a preferred
embodiment is formed with an elliptical loop 26 which is bent from
a straight piece of metal stock material through an arc of approximately
270 degrees. The stock material preferably has a rectangular cross-section;
however, other cross-sections could be utilized. One end 22 of the
elliptical loop 26 is preferably extended to form the handle 30.
The other end 23 terminates at a predetermined distance from the
handle 30. A stop 21 is placed in proximity to the other end 23
of the elliptical loop 26 to establish a consistent starting point
for the jewelry work piece 80, shown in FIG. 5.
[0016]Those skilled in the art will recognize that the curved form
20 can be created from metal, plastic, wood, a composite or any
other stock material that has sufficient hardness and durability
to resist surface deformation during the jewelry making process.
The curved form 20 can be produced through any one, or a combination,
of fabrication techniques including, but not limited to, molding,
casting, machining, extruding, or any other suitable means. The
curved form 20 can be open or closed and the elliptical loop 26
can be produced using different x-axis 25 or y-axis 24 dimensions
so jewelry of different sizes can be produced. The stop 21 can be
integral to the curved form 20 or the stop 21 can be a separate
device that is mechanically fastened to the curved form 20. Additionally,
the elliptical loop 26 can be a separate part that is mechanically
fastened to the handle 30 such that the elliptical loop 26 is removable.
[0017]Referring again to FIG. 1, the handle 30 in the preferred
embodiment is formed from the same straight piece of stock material
with a rectangular cross-section as the curved form 20. One end
32 of the handle 30 is attached to the curved form 20 and the free
end 33 is curved slightly to provide a more ergonomic grip for the
jewelry making apparatus 10. While a rectangular shape is preferred,
the cross-section of the handle 30 can be formed from any shape
including, but not limited to, round, oval, or square. The stock
material can be any suitable material including, but not limited
to, metal, wood, plastic or a composite that is sufficiently durable
to resist the bending force created by the jewelry forming process.
Furthermore, the curved form handle 30 can be straight, curved or
an ergonomically shaped form. An ergonomically shaped form is any
shape, form, contour or pattern that is intended to minimize the
fatigue or discomfort of the operator of the apparatus. A slot 31
is located in proximity to the end of the handle 30 nearest the
curved form 20.
[0018]Still with reference to FIG. 1, the pivot connection 45 in
the preferred embodiment is comprised of a left pivot block 40,
a right pivot block 50, and a pivot pin 60. Both pivot block elements
40, 50 are attached to or formed integrally with the handle 30 parallel
to one another and straddling the slot 31. Referring to FIG. 3,
the pivot pin 60 is inserted through a pivot hole 73 in the grip
head handle 72, best seen in FIG. 4, creating an axis around which
the grip head handle can rotate. Preferably, one end of the pivot
pin 60 is fixed to one pivot block 40, the grip head handle 72 is
extended through the slot 31 in the handle 30 and the opposite end
of the pivot pin 60 is fixed to the opposite pivot block 50. Although
in the preferred embodiment, the grip head handle 72 pivots or rotates
around the stationary pivot pin 60, any configuration where the
grip head handle 72 rotates about an axis perpendicular to the pivot
blocks 40, 50 is useable for this invention. In the preferred embodiment,
the pivot pin 60 is a roll pin.
[0019]Referring again to FIG. 1, the grip head handle 72, in the
preferred embodiment, is formed from a length of straight stock
material with a circular cross-section. In the preferred embodiment,
the grip head handle 72 is curved in at least two places 74, 75.
This curvature allows the grip head face 71 to engage the curved
form 20 when a length of the grip head handle 72, that is adjacent
to the grip head 70, is parallel to the handle 30. The free end
76 of the grip head handle 72 is slightly curved to improve the
operator's grip on the jewelry making apparatus 10. While a circular
cross-section is preferred, the cross-section of the grip head handle
72 can be formed from any shape including, but not limited to, rectangular,
oval, or square. The stock material can be any suitable material
including, but not limited to, metal, wood, plastic or some composite
that is sufficiently durable to resist the bending force created
by the jewelry forming process. Furthermore, the length of the grip
head handle 72 between the lower curve 75 and the free end 76 can
be straight, curved or any ergonomically shaped form.
[0020]Referring now to FIG. 2, a grip head 70 is attached to a
second end 77 of the grip head handle 72. When the handle 30 and
the grip head handle 72 are squeezed together, the grip head handle
72 rotates toward the curved form 20 until the grip head face 71
touches the surface of the curved form. In the preferred embodiment,
the grip head 70 is made of the same material as the grip head handle
72; however, according to the invention, the grip head 70 can be
made of any material that is sufficiently durable to securely hold
the work piece 80, shown in FIG. 5, without permanent deformation.
According to the invention, the grip head 70 can also be removable
so that grip heads 70 of various sizes, shapes and hardness can
be used. Similarly, according to the invention the grip head face
71 can be covered with a material that changes the surface hardness
or improve the ability of the grip head 70 to grip the work piece
80, shown in FIG. 5.
[0021]Referring now to FIG. 5, to create a piece of jewelry, one
end 82 of a work piece 80 is placed against the stop 21 and between
the elliptical loop 26 and the grip head face 71. A user squeezes
the grip head handle and the handle together simultaneously. The
work piece 80 is formed around the elliptical loop 26 by the user
to form a bend that is approximately 180 degrees in the work piece
80 while taking care to maintain contact between the work piece
80 and the surface of the elliptical loop 26. This step forms one-half
of the piece of jewelry, shown in FIG. 6. The work piece 80 is then
released when the user loosens the grip on the grip head handle
72 and the handle 30. The second end 81 of the work piece 80 is
then placed against the stop 21 and between the curved form 20 and
the grip head face 71. The user squeezes the grip head handle 72
and the handle 30 together simultaneously. The user forms the work
piece 80 around the elliptical loop 26 to create a second bend in
the work piece 80 that is approximately 180 degrees while taking
care to maintain contact between the work piece 80 and the surface
of the elliptical loop 26. The user releases the work piece 80 by
loosening the grip on the grip head handle 72 and the handle 30.
The user finishes both a first end 81 and a second end 82 of the
work piece 80 to remove any burrs, imperfections or sharp edges
that might be present in the stock material. This can be done prior
to forming, if desired. This completes the piece of jewelry 90,
shown in FIG. 6.
[0022]Referring to FIG. 6, the jewelry 90 is a bracelet in the
preferred embodiment. Different size pieces of jewelry 90 can be
formed by varying the `X` dimension of the work piece 80 and by
changing the shape and size of the curved form 20, shown in FIGS.
1, 2, and 3.
[0023]The invention represents a significant improvement over the
tools presently used to create open bracelets because a novice user
can quickly and easily produce symmetrical designs: a result that
previously required advanced skills. The invention accommodates
different shapes, sizes and thickness of work pieces without increasing
the level of skill needed to produce a satisfactory result. Unlike
other tools used to produce open bracelets, this invention can be
used in a jewelry store, craft store, craft show, educational or
other type environment to allow a customer, hobbyist, or professional
to form their own piece of custom jewelry with very little oversight
or supervision because it allows custom pieces to be quickly and
efficiently produced.
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