Abstract:
Two plates, corresponding to the diameter of a length of riveting material being used, act as gauges and are placed separately on the top and bottom of at least one components to be made into a jewelry item. The length of material, such as a wire or tubing, is passed through holes in all the components, and the holes of the plates. This allows the jewelry maker to cut the length of material flush with the exposed surface of the plate on the top of the stack. This automatically measures the optimal length of material needed to span the combined thickness of all the components to be riveted together, while providing the desired length exposed at the top and bottom of the stacked pieces, to fashion a properly formed and secure flattened rivet head on each end of the length of material.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This original nonprovisional application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/840,066, filed Jun. 27, 2013, and U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/839,183, filed Jun. 25, 2013, each of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to jewelry fabrication. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of forming a rivet as part of the manufacturing of a jewelry item, either to connect a plurality of jewelry components together or to form a decorative rivet. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Rivets are one of the most secure cold connections used in jewelry fabrication, and may also be used for ornamental aspects of a jewelry item. Cutting the precisely desired length of riveting wire or tubing to use as a functional or decorative rivet is the most important component to successful riveting. 
     Jewelry makers currently estimate the length of riveting wire or tubing to use as a rivet. This often results in rivets that are too short to be secure or too long to be properly formed. 
     Until a jewelry maker has acquired near “expert” skills over many failed attempts over a long period of time, the estimation of the length of wire needed for a solid riveted connection is a haphazard process. The result is an increased number of failed connections when fabricating jewelry with rivets—specifically, rivets that are, for example, too short to form a solid connection, or too long to seat fully, resulting in a loose connection, with a “laid over” appearance, that potentially snags on clothing or skin. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention reduces the effort and skills needed to cut the precise desired length of riveting wire or tubing needed for a successful rivet connection when fabricating jewelry. The invention allows the jewelry maker to cut a rivet to the exact length required to allow the consistent formation and completion of a secure and properly formed cold connection when making jewelry. The reduced effort results in more successful jewelry connections, less repeated attempts to create a riveted connection, plus improved quality and appearance of the jewelry. 
     The methodology reduces the effort and skills needed to cut the precise length of riveting wire needed for a successful rivet connection when making jewelry. The reduced effort results in more successful jewelry connections, less repeated attempts to create a riveted connection, plus improved quality and appearance of the jewelry created. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1-6  show steps of one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 8  shows alternative embodiments of plates that may be used to implement the steps of the invention. 
         FIG. 9-14  shows steps of another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1-7  show one method of the present invention used to connect two jewelry components during the manufacture of a jewelry item. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the two components include a first component  20  and a second component  22 . In this instance, both components  20 ,  22  are cylindrical with a cylindrical surface defining a hole  20   h ,  22   h  through the respective component. The components  20 ,  22  are linearly aligned along an axis  28  with the centers of the holes  20   h ,  22   h  intersecting the axis. The shape of the components is not important to the invention. Moreover, while  FIGS. 1-7  show the holes  20   h ,  22   h  positioned in the center of the components  20 ,  22 , the holes  20   h ,  22   h  may be positioned anywhere within the components  20 ,  22 . 
     A first plate  24  and a second plate  26  are positioned on either side of the components  20 ,  22 . Each plate  24 ,  26  is identically shaped and generally square with rounded corners. Each plate  24 ,  26  has a cylindrical surface defining a hole  24   h ,  26   h  through the center of the respective plate. The size of each of the holes  24   h ,  26   h  is larger than the holes  20   h ,  22   h  in the components  20 ,  22 . The plates  24 ,  26  are linearly aligned along the axis  28 . In this embodiment, the plates  24 ,  26  have the same thickness, although other embodiments contemplate using plates of different thickness in cases where the thicknesses of the components  20 ,  22  are different. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-3 , after the holes  20   h ,  22   h ,  24   h ,  26   h  are linearly aligned as shown in  FIG. 1 , a wire  30  having a wire end  30   e  and a diameter corresponding to the holes  20   h ,  22   h  (i.e., sized to fit snugly within each hole) is passed through them as well as holes  24   h ,  26   h  to form a workpiece W. The workpiece W includes the first component  20 , the second component  22 , the first plate  24 , the second plate  26 , and the wire  30 . The workpiece W has a first outer surface  32  and a second outer surface  34 . The first component  20  and second component  22  are in the space between the first outer surface  32  and the second outer surface  34  and separate the first plate  24  from the second plate  26 . 
     Following assembly of the workpiece W, the second plate  26  is placed on a hard, flat surface S so that the end  30   e  of the wire  30  is flush with the second outer surface  34  and in contact with the surface S. The second outer surface  34  is also in contact with the surface S. The second component  22  is in contact with the second plate  26 . The first component  20  is in contact with the second component  22 . The first plate  24  is in contact with the first component  20 . The wire  30  occupies the holes  20   h ,  22   h ,  24   h ,  26   h  of the components  20 ,  22  and the plates  24 ,  26 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , flush cutters C are used to cut the wire  30  flush with the first outer surface  32 . After cutting, the length of the wire  30  of the workpiece W equals the distance between the first outer surface  32  and the surface S, which is also the distance between the first outer surface  32  and the second outer surface  34 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the first plate  24  is removed from the workpiece W, leaving a second wire end  30   e ′ extending past the first component  20  by a length equal to the thickness of the first plate  24 . The wire end  30   e ′ is then tapped with a riveting hammer to flatten it against the first component  20 , thereby forming a first rivet  33 . Notably, this will also flatten the opposing wire end that is in contact with the surface S to a lesser degree and caused increased frictional engagement against the cylindrical surface defining the hole  26   h  of the second plate  26 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the workpiece W is then inverted and placed on the surface S. The second plate  26  is removed, leaving a length of the wire  30  extending past the second component  22  by a length equal to the thickness of the second plate  26 . Notably, the second plate  26  is removable around the end  30   e  because the hole  26   h  is larger than this end  30   e  of the wire when minimally flattened as described with reference to  FIG. 5 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , this end  30   e  of the wire  30  is then tapped with a riveting hammer to flatten it against the second component  22  to form a second rivet  35 . After this step, the first component  20  and second component  22  are mechanically connected. 
     In alternative embodiments, tubing can be used instead of the solid wire  30  described with reference to  FIGS. 1-7 . In such embodiments, however, instead of cutting the tubing with flush cutters C as described with reference to  FIG. 4  (which would crush the tubing), the tubing is marked (e.g., with a marker) at a position flush with the outer surface  24 . The tubing is then sawed to produce a small length of tubing. The small length of tubing is placed through the holes, with one end resting on the surface S. The first plate  24  is removed and the exposed end of the tubing is flattened. The workpiece W is then flipped over and the second plate removed so that the opposing end of the tubing can be flattened. 
       FIG. 8  shows other embodiments of plates  40 ,  42  that may be used in the method of the present invention. The plates can be made in many sizes and shapes and with many configurations of holes to allow for adaptation to diverse jewelry-fabrication scenarios. For example, each of the plates  40 ,  42  is generally X-shaped, with concave side surfaces  41  interposed between convex side surfaces  43 . The plates are preferably made of a durable material (e.g., metal) to support the jewelry components being riveted together. 
     The thicknesses of the plates selected correspond to the various diameters of riveting wire used in making jewelry. Preferably, the thickness of each plate is one-half the size of the diameter of the wire to be used. One or more holes are drilled in each plate. A legend may be stamped on each plate to identify its thickness (e.g., “14,” “16,” or “18” to represent fourteen-gauge, sixteen-gauge or eighteen-gauge wire, respectively). The plates may be packaged in a non-rigid container, such as a bag, and sold as part of a kit to jewelry fabrication hobbyists. 
       FIGS. 9-11  show another embodiment of the invention wherein a first component  20  with a hole  20   h  is secured to a non-planar second component, such a bezel cup  50  with a center hole  50   h  and defining a recess  50   r . Referring to  FIG. 9 , the hole  20   h  is linearly aligned with the hole  24   h  of the first plate  24  and the hole  26   h  of the second plate  26 . In this embodiment, the thickness of the first plate  24  is greater than the thickness of the second plate  26 . The thickness of the bottom of the bezel cup  50  is less than the thickness of the first plate  24 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10-11 , a wire  30  having an end  30   e  is inserted through the holes  20   h ,  24   h ,  26   h  to form a workpiece W′ comprising the first component  20 , the first plate  24 , and the second plate  26 . The workpiece W′ is then placed on a hard surface S so that the second plate  26  and the end  30   e  of the wire  30  are in contact with the surface S. As discussed previously, flush cutters are then used to cut the wire  30  flush with the first plate  24 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , the first plate  24  is removed from the workpiece W′, leaving a length of the wire  30  equal to the thickness of the first plate  24  and terminating in a wire end  30   e′.    
     Referring to  FIG. 13 , the bezel cup  50  is then added to the workpiece W′ by threading the wire end  30   e  through the cup hole  50   h . Because the thickness of the first plate  24  is greater than the thickness of the bottom of the bezel cup  50 , a portion of the wire  30  extends past the bottom and occupies the cup recess  50   r . A rivet setter  52  having a working end  54  is positioned in the bezel cup  50  so it contacts the wire end  30   e ′. The rivet setter  52  is struck with hammer—typically several times—which flares the wire end  30   e ′ inside the recessed area and flattens the wire end  30 ′ into a rivet head occupying the recess  50   r.    
     Referring to  FIG. 14 , to flatten the other end  30   e  of the wire  30 , the rivet setter  52  is placed in a vise V with the working end pointed up. The workpiece W′ is now inverted so that the recessed area of the bezel cup  50  is sitting on the rivet setter. At this point, the wire end  30   e  is flattened with a hammer, with the rivet setter  52  acting as a surface supporting the previously-flattened end of the wire  30 . Alternatively, if a hammer cannot access the wire, a second rivet setter could be used. 
     The present disclosure discloses illustrative embodiments in which a specific embodiment of the method is described. Alternative embodiments of such a method may be used in carrying out the invention as claimed and such alternative embodiments are intended to be limited only by the claims themselves.