Ornamental jewelry catch

Details Ornamental jewelry catch Ornamental jewelry catch

1998-04-17

2001-03-20

Brittain, James R. (Department: 3626)

Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.

Separable-fastener or required component thereof

Including member having distinct formations and mating...

C024S599900

Reexamination Certificate

active

06202267

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an ornamental catch uniquely suited for use with jewelry such as pearls, and more particularly, to an ornamental jewelry catch for necklaces, bracelets and the like, adapted for reliable, easy and unassisted operation even after extend use or exposure to heat during the soldering process typically employed to attach a catch to a piece of jewelry.
2. Background Discussion
Necklaces and bracelets are popular jewelry items which comprise ornamental bands or chains, or strings of pearls or beads, worn respectively around the neck or wrist of a person. Although some bracelets are formed from various materials into the shape of a continuous band that is slid over a person's hand, most necklaces and bracelets have a releasable catch for connecting the two ends of the piece together to securely retain the jewelry around the person's neck or wrist. Known releasable jewelry catches include the claw catch, the box or barrel catch, the spring catch, as well as the toggle catch.
The typical spring catch configuration generally comprises a first interlocking member and a second releasable operable interlocking member which is spring biased, each of which is respectively attached to one of the opposing ends of the jewelry piece. A specific example of such a spring catch configuration for connecting opposing ends of a necklace or bracelet consists of a small continuous ringlet or loop and a releasably operated, spring biased hook or ring that interlocks with the ringlet to connect the two ends of the piece of jewelry together. A distinctive problem with such spring biased catches is that heat, applied during the soldering process used to attach the catch to the piece of jewelry, causes the inner spring to lose tension, thereby diminishing the operational reliability of the catch and increasing the difficulty of attaching such a spring biased jewelry catch to a piece of jewelry.
Another example of a typical catch configuration generally includes a receiving member having a cavity attached to one end of the jewelry piece and a mating member having a thin insertable projection or tongue which is received by and locked into the cavity. However, the thin tongue can lose tension when heat is applied during the soldering process typically used to attach these catches to jewelry. Tension loss causes the catch not to latch properly when being closed and increases the difficulty of attaching the catch to jewelry.
Other problems with known jewelry catches include the tendency for springs and tongues to wear out with prolonged usage (material from which the catches are made is usually not very strong). Unless the catch is consistently adjusted by a jeweler, this problem can cause the catch to accidentally and unexpectedly come apart thereby resulting in the inadvertent loss of the piece.
Another major problem with known jewelry catches, particularly with a bracelet having a releasable catch, is the effort required for a person to easily and quickly fasten the bracelet around his or her wrist. Manually fastening a bracelet around one's wrist without assistance requires an individual to exhibit great dexterity. First, the hand, adjoining the wrist on which the bracelet is to be worn, is often of no assistance in manipulating the catch. Therefore, a person has only the use of the other hand which must then hold the first interlocking member in place on their wrist while attempting to connect the second, usually releasable interlocking member.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ornamental jewelry catch which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art jewelry catches.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an ornamental jewelry catch which employs a simple mechanism which permits the wearer to snap the catch open and closed without assistance using only one hand and assures safety of closure along with durability of catch.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an ornamental jewelry catch which offers ease of attachment to pearls or jewelry.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an ornamental jewelry catch which is operationally unaffected by extended use or by the application of heat, such as during a typical soldering operation used to attach the catch to a piece of jewelry.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an ornamental jewelry catch which has a motif which is pleasing and particularly adapted for use with pearls.
Advantageous features of the unique and unobvious ornamental jewelry catch of the present invention, as differentiated from the claw catch, the box or barrel catch, the spring catch, toggle catch or other type catches, include the ease with which a jeweler or craftsperson can attach the catch to a piece of jewelry such as a string of pearls or jewelry thereby reducing solder time and the risk of lead poisoning to the jeweler.
Further, the catch of the present invention does not lose tension or break when heated during the soldering process because no springs or tongues are used and catch is made from high density metal components which do not heat up quickly.
Moreover, the catch is durable. Since the catch is preferably made of component parts die casted from metals such as platinum, white gold or yellow gold, the component parts of the catch are made of dense and long-wearing metal. In addition, because the ornamental jewelry catch has no springs or tongues to wear out over time and no screw-type device which can be stripped, there is no need to periodically have the catch adjusted or replaced by a jeweler.
Furthermore, most wearers of pearls or jewelry using the ornamental jewelry catch of the present invention can open and close the catch without assistance, using only one hand, particular when used in combination with a bracelet.
These and other objects and advantageous feature of the ornamental jewelry catch of the present invention are achieved with a simplity of components comprising: a solid receptor shell, a solid catch hook which is received by and held in the receptor shell in a snap-fit manner to form an openable link. A hinge pin pivotally connects the receptor shell to the catch hook at a pivot axis positioned to form a base at one side thereof which is provided with a pair of finger presses which are employed to snap open the catch in a simple and easy manner using only one hand. The base is also adapted for attachment to one end of a piece of jewelry. A solid jump ring, adapted for attachment to the other end of piece of jewelry, is provided for engaging the catch hook to connect the ends of the jewelry piece together.
In operation, the catch is snapped opened by pressing the finger presses to open the link. The solid jump ring is hooked around the catch hook and the link is closed by snapping the catch hook into the receptor shell. As a safety feature, the catch hook, around which the solid jump ring is placed, is preferably formed so the hook end is bent back toward itself to prevent snagging as well as to hold the jump ring more securely in place. Thus, the catch of the present invention is closed with one hand by pressing the receptor shell and catch hook together and is be opened with one hand merely by pressing finger presses at the base of the catch.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2594475 (1952-04-01), Meyer
patent: 2637089 (1953-05-01), Kuehn et al.
patent: 2874435 (1959-02-01), Nielsen
patent: 4315352 (1982-02-01), Wagner
patent: 4411050 (1983-10-01), Couture

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