Abstract:
A self-adjusting finger ring size reducing mechanism has spring biased arms pivotally mounted in a slot in the lower shank portion of a ring. The arms are urged into the finger opening by the springs comprised in the slot by the arms and are retained in the slot by a bridge across the top of the slot intermediate its ends which engages the free ends of the arms to limit their movement out of the slot. The mechanism can be retrofitted to existing finger rings.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/666,649 filed Sep. 20, 2000 entitled Self-Adjusting Ring Size Reducer, now Abandoned. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is directed to the jewelry art, particularly the finger ring art, and specifically to an improvement in self-sizing rings for reducing the effective size of a ring finger opening to provide a better fit for the user. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A problem often encountered by jewelers concerns a client who has developed large knuckles due to aging, weight gain, arthritis, etc., compared to the digital portion of the ring finger. Therefore, when a ring is made or adjusted to fit over the enlarged knuckle, it is too large for the digital portion of the ring finger and will tend to turn on the finger. This can occur with new rings or with older rings that need to be retrofitted. 
     A somewhat similar problem confronts jewelers when a ring is passed from one owner to another with the owners having different sized fingers. Rings can only be stretched or cut down within small limits without weakening the structure or introducing imperfections into the metal. 
     There also is a need for a product which can be incorporated into new rings during their fabrication to provide a better fit for the ring on the finger of the user. A ring so constructed then has the capability of adjusting to changes in the finger size of the owner or of subsequent owners. 
     There have been numerous attempts to address these problems. These include devices which clamp onto the ring shank and generally are flexible to accommodate different sized fingers. Typical such devices are shown in Gesensway U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,842; Gesensway U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,507; Lodrini U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,211; Ellenbecker et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,256; Buontempo et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,491; Lodrini U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,447; Tucker U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,544; Doering U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,426; McKellar U.S. Pat. No. 1,481,297; Levin U.S. Pat. No.1,754,392; Sokolof U.S. Pat. No. 2,010,444; McLees, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,669; Bratman U.S. Pat. No. 2,532,354; Mayer U.S. Pat. No.3,483,717; Virtanen U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,109; Mroz U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,556; Kaplan U.S. Pat. No.4,471,634; Parks U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,430; and Rood U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,208. These all tend to add unsightly bulk to the ring, are very visible when the ring is worn, are uncomfortable, hard to install or not acceptable when installed in expensive custom made jewelry. 
     Other patents show devices which are completely or partially housed in the ring shank or in the ring setting and are movable into the space through which the finger is inserted. Such devices include Miller U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,531 which uses a lever arm, a set screw and an air cylinder in various embodiments to move a cradle into engagement with the digital portion of the user&#39;s finger. Erb U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,882 uses a movable bridge to adjust the size of the ring shank. Nesbit U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,664 attaches a magnetic disc to the ring beneath the setting. A shim, which is attracted to the magnetic disc is positioned inside the shank to reduce the size. Schechter et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,360,959 has a sector pivotally mounted in a slot in the ring band with an undulating upper surface that is engaged with the digital position of the user&#39;s finger after the ring has been slipped onto the finger with the sector in open position. A catch allows the sector to be locked in closed position. Sessa U.S. Pat. No. 2,055,315 has a tongue and groove insert for positioning inside the ring shank to reduce its size. 
     There also are patents that utilize springs or other resilient means to reduce the size of the ring shank. Leone U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,598 utilizes a spring-biased detent to hold a size reducing element in closed position and permits it to be pivoted to an open position to allow the finger to be inserted into the ring shank. Martinez U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,541 provides a slot inside the shank and an opening in the bottom of the slot opposite the setting. Serrations are provided at the upper ends of the slot and a U-shaped band with resilient ends adapted to engage the serrations is located in the slot and provided with a tab which resides in the bottom slot opening. The band is moved upwardly and downwardly to adjust the size of the shank opening. Graftstein U.S. Pat. No. 2,745,265 attaches a frame beneath the setting and has pivotally mounted mobile elements spring biased into the shank area to reduce the ring size and movable into the setting area to increase the ring size. Axel U.S. Pat. No. 2,615,314 provides a spring-loaded movable sheet metal member positioned beneath the ring setting and normally reducing the size of the finger-receiving opening in the band. When it is moved into the ring setting area against the action of the springs, the opening is increased. Miller U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,334 shows a ring shank having a slot on the lower inside portion with a cradle adapted to move from the slot into finger engaging position by means of articulated hinges at each end and a leaf spring positioned in the slot which urges the cradle into finger engaging position. The hinges have slots and hinge pins movable in the slots to open and close the cradle. Many of these devices are difficult to produce and even more difficult to retrofit to existing rings. 
     To be practical when used with rings costing many thousands of dollars, ring size reducing devices need to be invisible to the user and those viewing the ring on the hand of the user, have a comfortable feel, and be able to be retrofitted to existing rings by competent jewelers. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In my co-pending Ser. No. 09/666,649, I have disclosed a first finger ring size opening reducing device which comprises a ring shank which has a cavity in the lower portion which extends into the sides of the shank. Inside the shank cavity are a pair of ring size reducing members which are pivotally connected to the shank at their upper ends and have a notch in their free ends which allows limited movement into the finger opening while preventing total exodus from the cavity. Resilient means urge the size reducing members into the shank finger opening, while allowing the size reducing members to be to be moved completely into the cavity to let the ring move over an enlarged knuckle. 
     In the first embodiment of the invention shown in Ser. No. 09/666,649, two leaf springs are utilized, one beneath each size reducing member. A second embodiment shown in Ser. No. 09/666,649 has a single leaf spring with two arms, each of which engages and urges a size reducing member into the finger opening. 
     In this application are disclosed in detail several other embodiments of the invention, some of which were described briefly but not shown in the drawings of Ser. No. 09/666,649. 
     In particular, in one embodiment the present application discloses a ring shank having a slot in the lowermost portion with a size reducing member located in the slot and biased into the finger opening by a single leaf spring fixed in the slot and positioned beneath the size reducing member. 
     Another embodiment of this application discloses a ring shank having a slot in the lowermost portion with a single size reducing member pivoted at one end of the slot and biased into the finger opening by a single leaf spring located in the slot beneath the size reducing member. 
     Still another embodiment of this application has a ring with a slot in the lower shank portion and a novel coil spring having coils at each end and a coil in the center positioned in the slot beneath pivoted arms at each end of the slot to bias the arms into the finger opening. 
     Another embodiment disclosed in this application involves a self-contained size reducing unit which is inserted into a slot cut into the lower shank of a ring and anchored therein. The unit has an element or elements which are urged into the finger opening. 
     As noted in Ser. No. 09/666,649, the invention is applicable to a conventional ring shank of uniform thickness and to a counterweighted ring shank having extra thickness at its lower portion. As shown, the invention can utilize leaf springs and other resilient compressible elements, such as, coil springs, resilient polymeric material and the like. 
     Also as shown, a single size reducing member pivoted at one end in a slot on the ring shank and restrained on the shank at its free end also can be used. 
     It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a self-adjusting ring size reducer which allows passage of a ring over a user&#39;s knuckle (often enlarged) while still providing a comfortable and satisfactory fit on the digital portion of the user&#39;s finger. A further object is to provide a ring size adjustment mechanism which fits unobtrusively into the ring shank and which can be retrofitted to existing rings. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a ring size reducer which does not impair the ring setting site, does not protrude on the side edges of the ring, and is virtually unnoticeable when the ring is on the finger of the user. 
     These and other objects and advantages will become apparent in connection with the following detailed description and drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, wherein like numerals and letters refer to like parts wherever they occur. 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the invention, applied to a ring shank with a portion of the shank shown in solid lines and the remainder of the setting shown in broken lines; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3, but showing a modification of the spring; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3, but showing a modification of the ring shank; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the pin holding the finger engaging arms recessed in the side wall of the ring shank; 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the ring size reducing elements depressed into the ring shank cavity as the ring passes over the knuckle of the user; 
     FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the ring on the digital part of the user&#39;s finger; 
     FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic flow chart showing the steps of applying the present invention to an existing ring; 
     FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view showing another modification of the invention; 
     FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view showing another modification of the invention; 
     FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of another modification of the invention; 
     FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along line  14 — 14  of FIG. 13; 
     FIG. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view of another modification of the invention; and 
     FIG. 16 is a fragmentary sectional view of another modification of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     A first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-5 applied to a finger ring is having a shank portion  11  and a setting  12  (shown in broken lines in FIG.  1 ). The setting  12  forms no part of this invention except that it is not encumbered in any way by the ring shank size adjusting mechanism. 
     The ring shank  11  defines a finger receiving opening  13  whose nominal size is defined by the distance “d” shown in FIG.  1 . Positioned in the lower portion of the shank  11  opposite the setting  12  is a ring shank size reducing mechanism  15 . The size reducing mechanism  15  is housed in a recess  16  formed in the lower portion of the ring shank  11 . The recess  16  has end walls  17 , side walls  18  and a bottom wall  19 . 
     The ring shank  11  itself has an outer edge surface  23 , an inner edge surface  24 , and outer side surfaces  25 . 
     The ring shank reducing mechanism  15  comprises a pair of opposed arms  30 , each having an arcuate finger engaging inner surface  31 , and a shoulder  32  pivotally attached in the shank recess  16  adjacent to the end walls  17  by a pivot pin  33 . 
     Each of the arms  30  is provided with an internal recess  35  defined by a base  36  opposite the finger engaging surface  31 , end walls  37  and side walls  38 . The recesses  35  defined by the surfaces  36 , 37 , 38  have an open top which is opposite to the bottom wall  19  of the shank recess  16 . 
     Trapped between the surfaces  19  and  36  and retained in the recesses  33  are leaf springs  43  which are compressed between the surfaces  19  and  36  and urge the arms  30  away from the shank  11  into the finger receiving opening  13 . 
     A bridge  45  connects the recess side walls  18  adjacent to the bottom of the shank  11 . The purpose of the bridge  45  is to limit the movement of the arms  30  into the finger receiving opening  13 . To this end, the free ends of the arms  30  are defined by angularly intersecting surfaces  46 , 47 . The lower surfaces  47 , i.e., the surfaces closer to the shank recess bottom wall  19 , are inclined toward each other and are positioned beneath the bridge  45 . Thus, they engage the bridge  45  and hold the arms  30  in the recesses  16 .when the springs  43  move the arms  30  into the shank opening  13 . 
     The upper inclined surfaces  46  also slope toward each other, but are so angled to allow the arms  30  to be moved into the shank recess  16  to maximize the size of the finger receiving opening  13 . 
     To provide a finished appearance to the shank outside surfaces  25 , the pins  33  are recessed in the shank  11 . As shown in detail in FIG. 7, a countersink opening  50  is provided in the shank side surface  25  and the head of the pin  33  is flared at  51  to retain the pin  33  in the countersink  50 . Then the remainder of the countersink  50  is filled with gold, platinum or silver  52 , depending on the shank material, and polished so no trace of the pinhead remains. 
     FIG. 6 shows the invention applied to a modified shank  55  which does not have a counterweight area at the bottom portion. The remainder of the invention is the same as hereinbefore described. 
     FIG. 8 shows still another modification of the invention. The form of the invention shown in FIG. 5 utilizes a continuous leaf spring  58  which has a continuous base portion  59  and two opposed legs  60  which are housed in the arm recesses  35 . The base portion  59  is located in the shank recess  16 . This form of the invention functions as hereinbefore described with respect to FIGS. 1-4. 
     As will be described hereinafter the leaf springs  43 , 58  can be replaced by coil springs and the like. As also is described hereinafter, the scope of the invention includes combining the arms  30  into a unitary member pivoted at one end in the shank recess and restrained in the recess at its free end. 
     FIG. 8 shows the arms  30  in depressed condition and shows in broken lines the enlarged knuckle of a user passing through the ring finger receiving opening. 
     FIG. 9 shows the digital portion of the user&#39;s finger with the arm engaging surface  31  engaging the digital portion of the user&#39;s finger. 
     Another important aspect of this invention is its applicability to retrofitting of an owner&#39;s ring. This is shown schematically in FIG.  10 . In this form of the invention, the existing ring is divided to separate the shank and the setting areas. The setting area is set aside, while the shank portion is retrofitted. 
     To retrofit the shank portion, a recess  16  is formed in the shank portion. The bridge  45  is applied across the open side of the recess. At this time, the arms  30  are attached using the pins  33 . 
     An important application is to reweld or resolder the shank to the setting before inserting the springs  43 ,  58 . Since the springs are tempered, excessive heat from the welding operation could cause loss of temper and obviate the effectiveness of the spring. 
     The next step is to insert the springs  43 , 58  into the recesses  16 , 35 . 
     The final step in the assembly process is to apply a gold, silver, or platinum covering  52  to the pinhead  50  and polish the shank outer side walls to eliminate any evidence of the presence of the pins. 
     FIG. 11 shows a modification of the invention in which the leaf springs  19  are replaced by coil springs  65 . The coil springs  65  are positioned in a well  66  located in the shank  16  and a well  67  located in the arm inner surface  36 , respectively. In lieu of the coil springs  65 , resilient polymeric members can be placed in the wells  66  and  67 . 
     FIG. 12 shows a presently preferred modification of the invention in which the leaf springs  19  are replaced by different kinds of springs, namely, a pair of combination leaf and coil springs  69 . Each of the springs  69  has leg members  70  and  71  which engage the recess base  36  in the arms  30  and the ring shank recess  16 , respectively. Connecting the legs  70 , 71  are spring coils  72  in which are positioned the pivot pins  33  which anchor the arms  30  to the shank  11 . The spring legs  70 , 71  urge the shank size reducing arms  33  into the finger area of the ring shank. 
     FIGS. 13 and 14 show another modification of the invention in which only a single spring and a single shank size reducing member is used. In this embodiment the ring shank  75  is provided with a shaped slot  76  through the lowermost portion. 
     The slot  76  is stepped and at its upper end has opposed lip stops  77 , and at its lower end opposed spring retainer tabs  78 . A size reducing member  79  is positioned in the slot  76  and has outwardly extending arms  80  adapted to engage the lip stops  77  to restrict movement of the member  79  into the shank finger opening. 
     The size reducing member  79  preferably has an arcuate finger engaging surface  81  of the same contour as the ring shank inner surface. A spring retainer slot  82  is formed in the opposite lower surface of the member  79  and accepts an arcuate leaf spring  83 . The spring  83  is retained in the slot  76  by the spring retainer areas  78 . The spring  83  urges the size reducing member  79  into the shank finger opening. 
     The arms  80  and the space between the tabs  78  are sized to allow the arms  80  to pass the tabs  78  when the size reducing member  79  is inserted into the slot  7 . The spring  83  also is inserted between the tabs  78  to assemble the unit. If desired, the area between the tabs  78  can be filled and polished. 
     FIG. 15 shows another modification of the invention which is closely related to the forms of FIGS. 5 and 12 except that a different type of spring is used. In the embodiment of FIG. 15, two size reducing arms  30  are used. The spring  85  is a combination form of leaf and coil spring. It is a continuous spring and has arm engaging coils  86  at each end and a center coil  87 . The end coils  86  urge the pivoted arms  30  into the finger area of the ring shank. 
     FIG. 16 shows still another modification of the invention involving only a single size reducing arm which is pivoted at one end. The arm  90  is designed to fit in a slot  91  in the lowermost portion of a ring shank  92 . The arm  90  is pivoted at one end  93  to the ring shank  92  and the other free end  94  is retained in the slot  91  by a lip  95 . A spring  96  is retained in the slot  91  by opposed spring retainers  97  and engages the underside of the arm  90  to urge it into the shank finger opening. 
     Thus, it is apparent that the present invention achieves all of the objects and advantages sought therefor. 
     This invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     Thomas Bruce Roemer Parts List 
     Self-Adjusting Ring Size Reducer Roem 7844US 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 “d”nominal size of ring shank opening 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 10. 
                 ring 
               
               
                   
                 11. 
                 shank 
               
               
                   
                 12. 
                 setting 
               
               
                   
                 13. 
                 finger receiving opening 
               
               
                   
                 14. 
               
               
                   
                 15. 
                 ring shank reducing mechanism 
               
               
                   
                 16. 
                 recess in ring shank reducing 
               
               
                   
                   
                 mechanism 
               
               
                   
                 17. 
                 end walls 
               
               
                   
                 18. 
                 side walls 
               
               
                   
                 19. 
                 bottom wall 
               
               
                   
                 20. 
               
               
                   
                 21. 
               
               
                   
                 22. 
               
               
                   
                 23. 
                 outer edge of shank 
               
               
                   
                 24. 
                 inner edge of shank 
               
               
                   
                 25. 
                 side surfaces of shank 
               
               
                   
                 26. 
               
               
                   
                 27. 
               
               
                   
                 28. 
               
               
                   
                 29. 
               
               
                   
                 30. 
                 arms of 15 
               
               
                   
                 31. 
                 arm finger engaging surface 
               
               
                   
                 32. 
                 shoulder 
               
               
                   
                 33. 
                 pivot pin 
               
               
                   
                 34. 
               
               
                   
                 35. 
                 internal recess in 30 
               
               
                   
                 36. 
                 base of 35 
               
               
                   
                 37. 
                 end walls of 35 
               
               
                   
                 38. 
                 side walls of 35 
               
               
                   
                 39. 
               
               
                   
                 40. 
               
               
                   
                 41. 
               
               
                   
                 42. 
               
               
                   
                 43. 
                 leaf-springs 
               
               
                   
                 44. 
               
               
                   
                 45. 
                 bridge 
               
               
                   
                 46. 
                 surface on arm end 
               
               
                   
                 47. 
                 surface on arm end 
               
               
                   
                 48. 
               
               
                   
                 49. 
               
               
                   
                 50. 
                 counter-sink opening 
               
               
                   
                 51. 
                 flair of pin 
               
               
                   
                 52. 
                 filler 
               
               
                   
                 53. 
               
               
                   
                 54. 
               
               
                   
                 55. 
                 shank 
               
               
                   
                 56. 
               
               
                   
                 57. 
               
               
                   
                 58. 
                 continuous leaf-spring 
               
               
                   
                 60. 
                 arms of 59 
               
               
                   
                 61. 
               
               
                   
                 62. 
               
               
                   
                 63. 
               
               
                   
                 64. 
               
               
                   
                 65. 
                 coil springs 
               
               
                   
                 66. 
                 wells in 16 
               
               
                   
                 67. 
                 wells in 36 
               
               
                   
                 68. 
               
               
                   
                 69. 
                 combination coil and leaf spring 
               
               
                   
                 70. 
                 leg 
               
               
                   
                 71. 
                 leg 
               
               
                   
                 72. 
                 coil spring 
               
               
                   
                 73. 
               
               
                   
                 74. 
               
               
                   
                 75. 
                 ring shank 
               
               
                   
                 76. 
                 slot 
               
               
                   
                 77. 
                 lip stop of 76 
               
               
                   
                 78. 
                 spring retainer tabs 
               
               
                   
                 79. 
                 size reducing member 
               
               
                   
                 80. 
                 arms on 79 
               
               
                   
                 81. 
                 finger engaging surface of 79 
               
               
                   
                 82. 
                 spring retainer slot of 79 
               
               
                   
                 83. 
                 leaf spring 
               
               
                   
                 84. 
               
               
                   
                 85. 
                 spring 
               
               
                   
                 86. 
                 end coils of 85 
               
               
                   
                 87. 
                 center coil of 85 
               
               
                   
                 88. 
               
               
                   
                 89. 
               
               
                   
                 90. 
                 arm 
               
               
                   
                 91. 
                 slot 
               
               
                   
                 92. 
                 ring shank 
               
               
                   
                 93. 
                 pivot 
               
               
                   
                 94. 
                 free end 
               
               
                   
                 95. 
                 lip 
               
               
                   
                 96. 
                 spring 
               
               
                   
                 97. 
                 spring retainers 
               
               
                   
                 98. 
               
               
                   
                 99. 
               
               
                   
                 100. 
               
               
                   
                 101. 
               
               
                   
                 102. 
               
               
                   
                 103. 
               
               
                   
                 104. 
               
               
                   
                 105. 
               
               
                   
                 106. 
               
               
                   
                 108. 
               
               
                   
                 109. 
               
               
                   
                 110. 
               
               
                   
                 111. 
               
               
                   
                 112. 
               
               
                   
                 113.