Adjustable earring post

An earring construction for pierced ears includes a main body or frame for supporting a post to project through the pierced ear lobe. Vertically spaced receptors, each capable of receiving and retaining the post, are provided or formed in the back side of the frame whereby in fitting an earring to an individual user, with the earring display side or ornament at least partially overlying the ear lobe, the post may be moved relatively upwardly or downwardly in order to have the earring hang at the optimum position and desired angle in reference to the vertical plane of the ear lobe.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an improved earring construction, and more 
particularly to a new and improved earring for pierced ears having a 
vertically adjustable inwardly extending post to project through a pierced 
ear lobe to permit upward or downward mounting of the earring relative to 
a user's ear lobe. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELEVANT ART 
Conventional earrings for mounting to pierced ears consist basically of a 
frame to which is rigidly and immovably mounted an inwardly projecting 
post to project through the pierced lobe in conjunction with a suitable 
locking device for mounting on the inner end of the post after it is 
projected through the pierced lobe. The locking device functions to 
prevent the post from slipping or falling out of the lobe during ordinary 
wear. 
According to conventional design, the post is fixed in one location to the 
back of the main body or frame of the earring. From this fixed location, 
the post projects generally perpendicularly inwardly for projection 
through the pierced ear lobe. Because of both the fixed location of the 
post, and its fixed perpendicular angularity in reference to the vertical 
plane of the body or frame of the earring, the same earring may properly 
fit or "hang" from one person's ear lobe but not from another's. The 
reason for this is that all ear lobes are not only of different shapes, 
sizes and dimensions, but some people's lobes depend downwardly from the 
ear at different angles of vertical inclination. 
For example, one individual's lobe may, from an appearance standpoint, 
angle inwardly toward the user's neck, whereas another individual may have 
lobes that do in fact, or at least appear to, angle downwardly outwardly 
from the user's neck. 
In order to fit and properly a pair of earrings having any flattened 
surfaces or frames should normally give the appearance of being disposed 
substantially parallel to each other in a substantially vertical plane, as 
distinguished from the appearance of looking skewed in reference to each 
other, or tilted from vertical when the user's head and face are upright 
and looking straight ahead. Of equal importance is that the earring should 
not hang too high or too low on the ear lobe--a matter of both aesthetic 
judgment as well as wearer's comfort. 
Objects and Advantages of Present Invention 
A principal object and advantage of the present invention is to provide an 
earring for pierced ears of a type in which the display side or ornamment 
overlies or partially overlies the user's ear lobe and in which means are 
provided for adjustably mounting the post of the earring in any one of a 
selected plurality of vertically spaced positions to permit positioning of 
the earring relatively upwardly or downwardly in reference to the user's 
pierced ear lobe; and whereby the position and vertical plane of the 
earring can be varied to most attractively fit the earring to a particular 
user's ear lobe. 
A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved earring 
construction of the type presenting a more or less flattened surface body 
or main frame, the inner side of which is provided with a plurality of 
receptors or connectors into any one of which the post of the earring can 
be mounted so as to best accommodate and fit the particular ear lobe of an 
individual user. 
Other objects and advantages are that the invention may be adapted to, or 
incorporated in, virtually any type of earring construction or design and 
that the same may be manufacture of the article without visually 
detracting from the design of the display portion of the earring itself. 
Further, the manufacturer can be accomplished expeditiously and 
inexpensively by conventional means and equipment known to persons skilled 
in the art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring more particularly to the drawing, FIG. 1 discloses by way of 
example a ring type main body 10 which is provided with a diametrically 
oriented post-supporting frame member 11. The frame member 11, in actual 
wear, will define the vertical access of the earring. 
The frame member 11 is shown as provided with three vertically spaced 
female receptors 12a, 12b and 12c into any one of which may be mounted a 
conventional post 13. 
FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional fragmentary view of the frame member 11 
which shows how the member at that portion of its length where the 
receptors are to be located may be reinforced with a back-up plate 11a 
that is shown soldered or otherwise rigidly attached to the main frame 
member 11. 
FIG. 2 also specifically discloses that the receptors may be formed as 
three female threaded holes adapted to threadedly engaged the male 
threaded end 13a of the post 13. 
FIG. 3 discloses a vertical side elevational view of an entire earring 
construction which includes on the display side of the body 10 and frame 
11 a gem stone 14 mounted thereto in conventional fashion and further 
showing the post 13 mounted into the center threaded female receptor 12b. 
In actual use, and particularly in the initial fitting of the earring to an 
individual user, the post 13 would be engaged with one of the three 
receptors 12a, 12b and 12c and projected through the pierced ear lobe. The 
jeweler or person fitting the earring to the individual would then 
determine how far upward or downward the earring hangs relative to the ear 
lobe, as well as to adjust the earring so as not to unattractively tilt 
angularly inwardly or outwardly from desired vertical alignment. 
Depending, of course, on the particular structure and angularity of the 
user's ear lobe, the post 13 can be adjustably positioned in any one of 
the three or more receptors 12a, 12b and 12c until the optimum "fit" or 
alignment is observed. At that point, the post can be securely attached in 
fixed non-axially-slidable engagement with its associated receptor merely 
by screwing the post in firmly, and the earring then mounted to the user's 
ear lobe by attaching the usual spring loaded slip-on type lock washer 16 
or by some other retaining means to keep the post from slipping out of the 
ear lobe during normal use. 
Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of 
illustration and example, it is understood that the scope of the invention 
and different and various embodiments thereof are limited only by the 
scope of the following claims. Without limitation, the post which, in its 
presently preferred form is specifically shown and described as being 
threadedly attached to the inner side of the ornament support could also 
be alternatively mounted in alternate spaced positions by other means of 
attachment, such as by press-fitting the post end into tapered holes, 
providing a bayonet type attachment, gluing the post in a suitably-sized 
receptor, soldering, or the like.