JOINTED UNIT COMPOSED OF ADJACENT ELEMENTS WHICH CAN ROTATE IN RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER

Abstract: Jointed unit (1) comprises several adjacent elements (2, 3) connected to one another by means of a pair of connecting members (5, 6) situated at their ends opposite to which they are connected so as to be able to rotate. Connected members (5, 6) comprising a pair by two consecutive elements (2, 3) are made integral with one another by fastening member (4) connected to them in a reversible manner. In one embodiment the connecting members are a pair of links (5, 6) each carrying two cylindrical holes (5c, 5d, 6c, 6d) into which studs (2c, 3c, 2d, 3d) protruding from the end of the elements (2, 3) to be connected, engage. Links (5, 6) that form a pair are made integral with one another by means of bar (4) connected to them by means of fastening screws (7).

Description: Jointed unit composed of adjacent elements which can rotat in relation to one another The invention concerns jointed units suitable fo forming, in the field of jewelry making, bracelets, bands, ear rings, etc, and, in the field of mechanics in the broa sense, members such as transmission chains, belts and simila devices. In the course of the present description a detaile explanation will be provided of a unit particularly suited t use in jewelry making, but its manner of use in a differen field will be able to be deduced in an obvious and immediat way by a technician skilled in each branch of application. To the applicant it does not seem that in prior art there are known units having characteristics analogous to those of the unit of the present invention. The same applicant has also filed Swiss patent application no. 3177/91-2 which described a jointed unit which, among other things, exhibited the advantage of not requiring soldering or other types of complex machining that also would be potentially harmful to the final technical and aesthetic result, but the invention according to the invention, besides conferring on the final product the same advantages as the above mentioned unit, has in relation to it the further technical advantage of offering equal resistance to mechanical stresses and to wear by using component parts of lesser weight, which, in the field of jewelry making, as well as in the dynamic uses of the unit, represents significant technical advance. The object of the invention is a jointed uni composed of several adjacent elements connected to on another by a pair of members called links, located at th opposite ends of the elements themselves, to which they ar connected in such a way that they can rotate, while th members of said links that are components of the pair ar made integral to one another by means of a fastening mean connected to them in a reversible manner. The detailed description of the invention will b made according to two preferred embodiments, with reference being made to the attached drawings which represent: - figure 1 represents an exploded view of the unit according to a preferred embodiment of the invention limited to two adjacent elements connected to one another; - figure 2 represents an exploded view of the unit according to another preferred embodiment; - figure 3 represents a plan view of the unit with the component parts assembled in both embodiments; In one preferred embodiment (see figure 1) the two adjacent elements 2, 3 exhibit on each end two protruding small studs. Small studs 2d, 3d and 2c, 3c of the homologous ends of two elements 2, 3 engage into the same number of cylindrical holes 6c, 6d and 5c, 5d preferably blind, made on two connecting members or links 5, 6 which form a pair, and situated on opposite parts in relation to elements 2, 3. The connection among the small studs and the corresponding holes must be such so as to allow the relative rotation of the parts among themselves without excessive play. Two links 5, 6 are then integral with one another by means of a fastening member, which in the present embodiment is made up of bar 4 connected to each one of them by fastening screw 7. Bar 4 is situated in an intermediate position between two adjacent elements 2, 3 in such a way that it is possible, by changing the shape of the elements themselves, to cover it in whole or in part, or to leave it completely visible. By making an appropriate choice of the material with which bars 4 are made, it is therefore possible to also obtain the desired chromatic play and the relief effect sought for each particular embodiment. (For this purpose see figure 3 in which bar 4 is completely hidden by adjacent elements 2, 3) . A second embodiment (see figure 2) provides for making small studs 6a, 6b and 5a, 5b integral with links 6, 5 and protruding from them and to make them engage, free to rotate, into holes 3b, 2b and 3a, 2a made this time on the ends of elements 2, 3 to be connected with a technical and aesthetic result identical to that of the first embodiment. It is obvious that the shape of the component parts, the system of fastening among the bars and the links and the sizing of the parts themselves can vary according to specific requirements, while remaining within the scope of what is expressed in the attached claims. Therefore no limiting or binding significance is to be associated with the embodiments described.

Claims: - - Claims 1. Jointed unit 1 composed of several adjacent elements (2, 3) connected to one another so as to be able rotate in relation to one another, characterized in that the connection between two adjacent elements (2, 3) is effected by means of a pair of members (5, 6) , called links, situated at the opposite ends of the elements themselves (2, 3) and which are connected in way so as to be able to rotate, while the members called links (5, 6) composing a pair are made integral with one another by means of fastening member (4) connected to them in a reversible manner. 2. Unit according to claim 1, wherein the connection between each link (5, 6) and the two adjacent elements (2, 3) to be connected is effected by means of connecting between two cylindrical holes (5c, 5d and 6c, 6d) made on each link (5, 6) and the same number of cylindrical studs (2c, 2d, 3c, 3d) , each protruding from one of the homologous ends of the two adjacent elements (2, 3). 3. Unit according to claim 1, wherein the connection between each link (5, 6) and two adjacent elements (2, 3) to be connected is effected by the coupling between two cylindrical studs (5a, 5b and 6a, 6b) protruding from each link (5, 6) and the same number of cylindrical holes (3a, 2a, 3b, 2b) each of which is made on one of the homologous ends of the two adjacent elements (2, 3). 4. Unit according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherei the two links (5, 6) that make up a pair are made integral with one another by means of bar (4) , situated in an intermediate position between the two adjacent elements (2, 3) to be connected, each end (4a, 4b) of which is connected in a reversible manner to one of the above mentioned links (5, 6). 5. Unit according to claim 4 in which the reversible connection between the ends (4a, 4b) of each bar 4 and the corresponding pair of links (5, 6) is obtained by means of fastening screws (7) which are screwed into connecting holes (8, 9) made on links (5, 6) and on bar (4) itself.

Inventors: BUTTI LUCIANO, BUTTI, LUCIANO
Applicants: BUTTI LUCIANO, VALCAMBI SA, BUTTI, LUCIANO, VALCAMBI S.A.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A44C5
IPC codes: A44C5