Wireworking – Article making or forming – Forms and frames
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-28
2001-07-03
Echols, P. W. (Department: 3726)
Wireworking
Article making or forming
Forms and frames
C029S896400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253798
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates, in general, to jigs, and, in particular, to jigs for bending jewelry wire in a specific pattern.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
In the prior art various types of wire bending jigs have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,042,112 to Hartman discloses a wire bending tool having a base with a plurality of apertures in one face, and a plurality of pegs secured in selected apertures. In addition, a tool is shown which will assist the user in bending wire about the pegs.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,114,384 to Prime discloses a wire bending tool having a base with a plurality of apertures in one face, and a plurality of pegs secured in the apertures. In addition, a pattern is marked or scratched in the top surface of the base to assist the user in bending wire into a selected pattern.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,373 to Tarbox discloses a wiring harness jig with a plurality of pins about which wires will be bent, and a pattern sheet which is held in place by two wire frames, and pins are punched through the pattern sheet and into the base to assist the user in bending wire into a desired pattern.
French patent No. 369,637 to Vache discloses a wire bending jig having a base with a plurality of holes placed thereon and a plurality of pegs in different sizes which can be secured to the base to assist the user in bending wire into a desired pattern.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,194,279 to Brown discloses a wire harness jig having a base and a plurality of pins extending through a transparent base and extending a distance on the bottom of the base. Guide wires are wrapped around the ends of the pins on the bottom of the base to guide a user in forming a similar pattern of wires on the top of the base.
While the Brown patent is similar to the present invention, there are critical differences between the two inventions. The pins of Brown, since they extend through the base is not as stable as a applicant's base which does not have pins extending through the bottom. In addition, since the pins extend through the base of Brown, the amount of space available for a design is limited. Since applicant's base does not have pins extending through the bottom the entire area of the top and bottom of the base is available for a pattern (on the bottom) and the actual design (on the top).
Also, the absence of pins through the bottom increases the types of patterns that can be used with the device. For example, Brown's device is basically limited to using a three dimensional pattern on the bottom of his base. However, since applicant's design utilizes a flat, unencumbered bottom, any pattern, including a two dimensional drawing, photograph, or copy from a magazine or book can be used with applicant's invention. This makes applicant's invention more versatile and easier to use then the device of Brown.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,411 to Mosher discloses a harness assembly board which has a plurality of bases with apertures and pins which extend through the bases to interconnect the plurality of bases.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,086 to Helwig discloses a jewelry wire bender which has a non-transparent base and pins which are attached to the base and around which wire can be bent in order to form pieces of jewelry. Some of the pegs are of different sizes to produce different designs in the finished jewelry product.
While the other prior art patents work for their intended purposes, they all have drawbacks. The most serious drawback is being able to use the jigs to bend wire into an accurate pattern. Prime (U.S. Pat. No. 1,114,384) has solved this problem by placing a mark or scratch onto the surface of the jig which will guide the user in bending the wire into the desired pattern. However, this method of permanently marking the jig reduces the jig to a one time or one pattern use. In the area of jewelry making, different patterns must be used in order to constantly offer customers something different. Therefore, using the jig of Prime would require the use of a large number of jigs to satisfy the demand for different shaped jewelry pieces.
Tarbox (U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,373) has solved this problem by placing a pattern sheet on top of the jig and holding the pattern sheet in place using wire frames. The use of the wire frames makes the jig more expensive and time consuming if and when the user wants to change patterns. In addition, by placing the pattern sheet on the top of the jig, where the wire is being wrapped, the pattern sheet is susceptible to damage from the wire.
What is need is a jig in which the patterns can be easily changed in order to make different shapes of jewelry pieces, and one in which the pattern will be protected during the wire bending process so the pattern can be used over and over.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a wire bending jig which has a plurality of apertures extending into the top face of the jig but stopping short of the opposite or bottom face. A plurality of pegs are placed into selected apertures to define a pattern for bending wire around the pegs into a specific shape. A pattern of the specific shape is attached to the bottom face of the jig, and the jig is transparent so the pattern can be seen from the top face, and so the pattern will be protected during the wire bending process.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved jewelry wire bending jig which has a pattern to guide the user in bending the wire into a specific shape.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved jewelry wire bending jig which allows the pattern to be replaced with a new pattern easily.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved jewelry wire bending jig which protects the pattern during the wire bending process.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the annexed drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1042112 (1912-10-01), Hartman
patent: 1114384 (1914-10-01), Prime
patent: 3194279 (1965-07-01), Brown
patent: 3653411 (1972-04-01), Mosher et al.
patent: 4483373 (1984-11-01), Tarbox
patent: 5632086 (1997-05-01), Helwig
patent: 369637 (1906-11-01), None
Echols P. W.
McGlynn Joseph H.
Patent & Trademark Services
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