Jewelry mount with safety catch

An interchangeable jewelry mounting system that allows for the attachment and detachment of gems from a jewelry setting. This system is provided with a gem mount that has a gem permanently secured to the mount. This mount contains an internal safety catch that, when engaged secures the gem mount to the jewelry setting. The jewelry setting is provided with latches that engage pins on the gem mount to ensure that the internal safety catch does not disengage prematurely.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates, in general, to jewelry accessories, and, in particular, to jewelry accessories which allow different gems to be mounted in a single setting and which have a safety catch.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

In the prior art various types of jewelry devices have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,467 to Postel discloses a mounting head for an article of jewelry containing interchangeable ornaments.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,227 to Ricci discloses an interchangeable spherical gem setting and a corresponding ring provided with the setting.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,598 to Postel discloses a mounting head for an article of jewelry containing interchangeable ornaments and means for disengaging the ornaments.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,766 to Schunk et al discloses a finger ring with an interchangeable stone.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,195 to Applebaum et al discloses an ornamental jewelry system in which the gem can be slid in and out of a groove in a ring.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,317 to Hendricks discloses a gem changer having two pivotal shanks.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,608 to Berkowitz discloses a multi-use jewelry piece where multiple gems can be interchangeably used in one piece of jewelry as opposed to using the same gem in different pieces of jewelry.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,434 to Wertheimer et al discloses a removable jewelry setting with a pivoting cover that retains a gem.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,537 to Takesian discloses a replaceable gem stone setting for a jewelry piece.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,490,886 to Steinhauer et al discloses an interchangeable ring which allows different gems to be used on the same ring.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,804 to Freedman et al discloses a secure display setting for a gemstone.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,779 to Dreger discloses a napkin ring with an interchangeable ornament which uses magnets to hold the ornament.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,715,315 to Hargrove discloses jewelry articles having magnetic elements and interchangeable settings.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,159 to Rose discloses an interchangeable jewelry system for holding different gems in a setting.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,907,753 to Lieberman discloses an interchangeable jewelry system for holding different gems in a setting.

German Patent No. DE 40 14 179 to Sauter discloses a setting for a gem.

Generally, a gem is fixed into a single piece of jewelry. The gem and the jewelry can only be used as a combined unit and only worn on one part of the body. While removable gems are known in the prior art, the means of attaching the gem to the setting has not been satisfactory. Many times the attaching means is difficult to engage and disengage especially in smaller sized jewelry such as women's rings. Another disadvantage is that the attaching means can be uncomfortable if it is adjacent the user's body, such as when used in a ring. Another disadvantage is the attaching means can be complicated and, therefore, costly. Also, the attaching means does not have a safety catch for doubly insuring the safety of the gem. The present invention is designed to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a gem mount with prongs attached to the mount that cooperate with clasps on a jewelry setting to secure different gems into the jewelry setting. A safety catch is provided that is insurance against loss of the gem.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved jewelry accessory.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved jewelry accessory which allows different gems to be secured within a setting.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved jewelry accessory which has a safety clasp to insure against loss of the gem.

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.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment herein described is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is chosen and described to best explain the invention so that others, skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, might utilize its teachings.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail,FIG. 1shows an exploded view of the jewelry mount system1of the present invention showing a gem mount6,9,15which holds a gem8. The gem8is secured to the gem mount by means of conventional prongs7. The gem mount6,9,15is shown beneath a pendant2in which the gem mount will be secured. The pendant2has an aperture3which will allow the gem mount6,9,15and the attached gem8to pass through the aperture3. The prongs7will stick out away from the gem8so they will engage the surface of the pendant surrounding the aperture3and prevent the gem mount6,9,15from passing completely through the aperture3. It should be noted that even though the invention is described as being used with a pendant it is not limited to just this use. The invention can be used with any type of jewelry such as, but not limited to, pins, rings, slides, ear rings, scarf clips, bracelets, men's tie tacks, stick pins, cuff links, etc. Also, the gem or stone8is shown as circular, however, other shapes could be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the pendant2(as seen inFIG. 1) has latches4pivotally secured at5to the surface of the pendant. Any conventional hinges can be used for this purpose. Also, the pendant has a central aperture for receiving the gem mount6,9,15and the attached gem8. There are slots19positioned around the inner circumference of the central aperture3for a reason to be explained below.

The prongs7are conventional jewelry prongs that will secure a gem8to the surface of the gem mount6,9,15. Since the prongs7are conventional no further description is necessary.

The latches4are pivoted so they can be moved from a first position shown in solid lines inFIG. 2to a second position shown in dotted lines inFIG. 2. It should be known that only one of the latches4is shown rotated into the second position for clarity. In actual use both of the latches4will be rotated into the second position in order to secure the gem mount6,9,15to the pendant2. Also, it should be noted that the two latches4are merely shown for illustrational purposes. At least one latch could be used or more than two latches could be used without departing from the scope of the invention. The latches4have a constricted area14for a purpose to be explained below.

FIG. 3shows the first of three components that make up the gem mount of the present invention. The first component6is generally oval or elliptical in shape. The second component9is generally circular in shape and is shown inFIG. 4, and the third component15is similar in shape to component6, and is shown inFIG. 5. The first component6has a first channel18and a second channel20which will receive the catches12formed on the sides of the second component9when the second component is placed on the first component6, as shown inFIG. 7. The second component9has at least one pin10with an enlarged head11that protrudes up from the surface of component9. The third component15(shown inFIG. 5) has a slot16for each headed pin10. The slots16allow the pins10to rotate when the second component9is rotated with respect to the first component, as will be explained in more detail below. The third component15has pegs17(shown inFIG. 6). The pegs17engage the notches13in the first component6which will secure the third component15to the first component6. Since the second component9is sandwiched between the first and third components (as shown inFIG. 6) the pegs17and notches13will secure all three components together. The first and third component can be secured together in any conventional manner such as, but not limited to, friction, soldering, welding and adhesives. The specific manner chosen is not critical as long as component9is allowed to rotate with respect to component6with the pins protruding through the slots in component15.

The dimension of the head11on pin10is larger than the constricted area14on the pivotable latches4. However, since the latch is made from a slightly resilient material, the enlarged portion will be able to expand enough to snap over the head11. Once the latch passes over the head11it will snap back beneath the head11and secure the latch4(and the gem mount6and the gem8) to the pendant2.

In order to use the present invention, a user would place the gem mount with the gem8attached beneath the pendant2as shown inFIG. 1. At this point in time the latches4will be in the first position shown inFIG. 1and in the solid line position inFIG. 2, and the catches12will be in the solid line position shown inFIG. 7. The gem mount6,9,15would then be moved up and into the central aperture3of the pendant2. When the prongs7engage the surface of the pendant, thereby preventing further upward movement of the gem mount6,9,15, the user would slide the headed pins10thereby rotating component9with respect to components6,15. This would move the catches12from the concealed or first position, shown in solid lines inFIG. 7, to the second or protruding position shown by dotted lines inFIG. 7.

Since components6,15is oval and component9is circular, the rotation of9with respect to6,15will move the catches from a concealed position (when the catches are adjacent the largest dimension of the oval shape of6) to an protruding position (when the catches are adjacent the smallest dimension of the oval shape of6,15). This rotation of component9will allow the catches to enter the slots19on the inner circumference of aperture3in the pendant2. When the catches enter the slots, the gem mount6,9,15will be secured to the pendant.

In order to make certain that component9can not accidentally rotate with respect to components6,15, thereby separating the gem mount from the pendant2, the latches4are rotated from the first position, shown in solid lines inFIG. 2, to the second position, shown in dotted lines inFIG. 2. When the latches4reach the second position, the constricted portion14will be aligned with the enlarged heads11on the pins10. By pushing down on the latches4the constricted portion14will expand, due to the relatively resilient material the latch is made from, and the latch4will snap over and be held in place by the enlarged head11. This will ensure against accidental loss of the gem8.

If the user wants a different gem in the pendant, she merely has to unsnap the latches4from the pins10and rotate the pins10from the second position to the first position and remove the first gem mount6,9,15. Then, a new mount with a different gem will be secured to the ring by inserting the new gem mount into aperture3, rotating the pins10from the first position to the second position, and securing the latches4.

By using the mounting system of the present invention, it is not necessary to have a large number of pendants, but rather one pendant can be fitted with different gems and appear to be a number of different pendants. Another use is to provide other articles of jewelry with the mounting system and then a single gem can be transferred from a pendant, for example, to a ring or other piece of jewelry. In this manner a single gem can be used in a variety of jewelry.

Although the Jewelry Mount with Safety Catch and the method of using the same according to the present invention has been described in the foregoing specification with considerable details, it is to be understood that modifications may be made to the invention which do not exceed the scope of the appended claims and modified forms of the present invention done by others skilled in the art to which the invention pertains will be considered infringements of this invention when those modified forms fall within the claimed scope of this invention.