METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING JEWELLERY

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing jewellery and a machine implementing the said method. Golden jewellery is manufactured either by hand or by machine as a mass production product. The machine made jewellery is usually chains or an endless variety of hollow bodies of different shapes and designs to be used as earrings or pendants. The machine according to the invention comprises means for securing two parts of the jewel in accurate position relative to each other and a welding generator which includes a transformer and capacitors to perform the actual connection between the two parts.

Description: METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING JEWELLERY FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing jewellery and a machine implementing the said method There are known a very large variety of jewels of all kinds, however the present invention refers mainly but not exclusively to golden hollow jewellery Golden jewellery is manufactured either by hand or by machine as a mass production product The machine made jewellery is usually chains or an endless variety of hollow bodies of different shapes and designs to be used as earrings or pendants Such bodies are manufactured of very thin gold sheet which is reliefed according to a mould Two such identical parts are welded together forming a hollow body There are known two methods for welding said two parts to each other Both methods are time consuming processes The invention provides a machine and method for the welding of the two parts to each other in a more economic and more rapid way SUMMARY OF INVENTION The machine according to the invention comprises means for securing both parts in accurate position relative to each other and a welding generator which includes a transformer and capacitors to perform the actual connection between the two parts The method of producing and connecting the two parts of a piece of jewellery comprises the steps of a obtaining a thin gold sheet, b reliefing or stempmg the sheet, c cutting off the edges of the relief, d placing the one part in a recess adopted therefore in the machine, e placing a second part thereon, . lowering the welder to establish contact with the upper part of the piece of jewellery, g activating the welding generator, h release of welded jewel DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described with reference to the annexed drawings in which Fig 1 is a perspective schematic illustration of the machine SU8STITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) Fig 2 is a perspective illustration of the fastening means Fig 3 is a top view of the part shown in Fig 2 Fig 4 is an underneath view of a part of the machine Fig 5 illustrates the electronic circuit of the machine DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Turning first to Fig 1 a structure having a base 1 on which are mounted two uprights 3 being interconnected at their upper free end by a bridge member 5 A pneumatic piston 7 is mounted on said bridge 5 and connected to a plate like member 8 by means of rod 9 Said plate like member 8 is provided with bearings 12 to enable smooth linear movement of said plate along uprights 3 The up and down movement of said plate 8 is adjusted by means of set screw 13 Underneath plate 8 there is provided an insulated member 14 having an opening 15 and a plurality of pneumatic pistons 17 at the free end of which there is provided a brush contact 18 Said pistons 17 are mounted on an adjustable supports 26 and electrically insulated from the machine The pressure of said pistons could be adjusted The pistons are electrically connected to the welder and to a compressed air source At the lower part of the machine there is placed an assembly 10 adapted for holding the pieces of jewellery to be connected The assembly comprises a plate 20 on top of which is mounted a copper or graphite cylindrical body 21 at the upper surface of which there is a recess 22 which corresponds to the shape of the parts to be connected This recess is being made by means of the same dye which makes the parts of the jewel, or by an E D M machine It is within the scope of the invention to provide a universal seat for the jewel instead of the recess 22 Such seat could be an electric conductive "carpet" on which the jewel will be laid and held in position by the bristles At the bottom of said recess are provided small apertures 28 which are connected to a vacuum source (not seen) Round said cylinder are mounted on top of adjustable supports 24, quartz fingers 25 which are in contact with the parts to be connected The welding generator comprises a transformer T, a full wave rectifier and a capacitor C The energy stored in the capacitor vaπes-according to the mains voltage supplied by the transformer The capacitor is discharged through the jewel to be welded and is controlled by a Tπac or SCR 30 MODE OF OPERATION Within the recess 22 provided in cylinder 21 , one part of the jewel is placed, its open side directed upward On top of said part the second part is place, directed downward The lower part is secured to its position by the vacuum created thereunder Both parts are held in position by means of Quartz fingers 24 which are adjusted in accordance with the shape and size of the jewel When the machine is activated, plate 8 will be lowered along with plate 14 causing brushes 18 to be in contact with the upper part of the jewellery The discharge of the capacitors will cause immediate welding along the connecting line of the two parts of the piece of jewellery

Claims: CLAIMS 1 A method of producing and connecting the two parts of a piece of jewellery comprises the steps a obtaining a thin gold sheet, b rehefing or stemping the sheet, c cutting off the edges of the relief, d placing the one part in a recess adopted therefore in the machine, e placing a second part thereon, f . lowering the welder to establish contact with the upper part of the piece of jewellery, g activating the welding generator, h release of welded jewellery 2 A machine for manufacturing of jewellery comprising electric conductive means for securing one part of the jewel in position and electric conductive means for securing the second part of the jewel on top of the said first part of the jewel and an electric welding generator to perform the welding 3 The machine as claimed in claim 1 where said first securing means comprises a seat for the jewel and a plurality of adjustable conductive contacts adopted to center said jewel 4 The machine as claimed in claim 1 where said second securing means comprises a plurality of adjustable pneumatic pistons provided with brush contacts at their free ends 5 A machine as claimed in claim 1 where said welding generator comprises in combination a transformer, a full wave rectifier and capacitors the energy stored in said capacitors is discharged by a Tπac or SCR.

Inventors: RAPAPORT ERICH I, YELLIN DOV, RAPAPORT, ERICH, I., YELLIN, DOV
Applicants: RAPAPORT ERICH I, YELLIN DOV, RAPAPORT, ERICH, I., YELLIN, DOV
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A44C27
IPC codes: A44C27, B23K9, B23K37