Abstract:
A jewelry rope chain formed of embossed solid or hollow links. A link wire is passed through dice to create a flattened wire having the large surfaces which are embossed. The wire is wrapped on a mandrel so that the small faces contact the mandril, creating a spiral that cut into individual links. When the links are interassembled, the embossed surfaces are in contact and juxtaposed to one another with only their top portions visible, creating a unique effect and appearance.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to rope chain jewelry and, more specifically, to rope chains made of rope chain links with an embossed, textured surface.  
           [0002]    A rope chain is a chain in the form of a rope constituted by an intricate series of open rings or links that are linked with one another to define a configuration similar to continuous double-stranded rope. Rope chains made of solid rings or links are simply known as rope chains, while those made of hollow rings or links are known as “hollow rope chains.” 
           [0003]    Methods for fabricating rope chains and machines therefor are known in the prior art as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 515,959, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. A thorough discussion of a conventional rope chain known as “diamond cut rope chains” is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,225, the contents of which are similarly incorporated by reference herein.  
           [0004]    Further descriptions of various types of rope chains and a variety of different rings or links of which rope chains are made is provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,285,625; 4,651,517; and Des. 343,806. The contents of the aforementioned patents are also incorporated by reference herein.  
           [0005]    The basic construction and components of prior art rope chains is shown in prior art FIGS. 1-3,  4   a - 4   g ,  5   a - 5   b  and  6   a - 6   b . Prior art FIG. 1 illustrates a pre-assembled rope chain  10  constituted by an intricate series of open rings or links  12  in which adjacent rings are interlinked to define a configuration similar to a continuous double-stranded rope. More specifically, the completed chain is comprised of a first, continuous strand of links  14  intertwisted with a second continuous strand  16 , as shown in FIG. 2. The rope chain  10  is pre-assembled, either manually or automatically, by forming, feeding and interlinking the rings  12  and maintaining the shape thereof by reinforcing wires (not shown) which are threaded through it. Thereafter, the open rings are soldered to one another and the reinforcing wires are removed, enabling the chain  10  to hold its characteristic rope chain shape shown in FIG. 2.  
           [0006]    As shown in prior art FIG. 3, each of the links  12  in the rope chain of FIG. 2 is constructed of a round wire of a particular length that is bent into a circle, leaving a small gap  15 . It is through the gap  15  that the links can be intertwined with one another.  
           [0007]    In accordance with the known “diamond cutting” technique, cuts  36  can be made on one side or both sides of the link  12  (relative to the gap  15 ), so that in the completed chain  10  these cut surfaces present highly reflective surfaces that add sparkle and luster to the completed chain  10 .  
           [0008]    [0008]FIG. 4 a  shows the cross-section of the wire  13  of which the link  12  is made, showing it to have a circular, solid shape  13   a . However, the wire of the link  12  can have other cross-sectional shapes, for example, square  13   b  (FIG. 4 b ); rectangular  13   c  (FIG. 4 c ); hexagonal  13   d  (FIG. 4 d ); horseshoe  13   e  (FIG. 4 e ); circular hollow  13   f  (FIG. 4 f ); and solid circular with an offset hollow channel  13   g  (FIG. 4 g ). See also FIGS. 4 h ,  4   i  and  4   j.    
           [0009]    Prior art FIG. 5 a  shows a link  12   a  made of a wire having a stretched version of the rectangular cross-section shape  13   c  shown in FIG. 4 c.    
           [0010]    The link  12   a  made of the rectangular wire has a larger sized front surface  17   a , a large rear surface  17   b  (see FIG. 5 d ), a narrow top surface  17   c , and a narrow inner, bottom surface  17   d . The links  12   a  are partially interassembled to begin constructing a rope chain as shown in FIG. 5 b . This figure illustrates four links  12   a , identified as links A 1 , A 2 , A 3  and A 4 , showing the successive links have their gaps  15  oriented in opposite directions.  
           [0011]    The prior art is also knowledgeable of the expedient of constructing the individual links  12  to have non-circular shapes such as a rectangular shape as illustrated in FIG. 6 a  or a rectangular shape as illustrated in FIG. 6 b.    
           [0012]    Rope chains are manufactured using a multiplicity of techniques depending on the type of rope chain being manufactured. Heavier, and thus more expensive, rope chains are manufactured using solid links as illustrated, for example, in prior art FIGS. 4 a - 4   d . On the other hand, lighter, i.e., less expensive, rope chains are manufactured using links having hollow centers as shown, for example, in FIG. 4 f.    
           [0013]    Methods for producing hollow link rope chains are known in the art. Two main styles of rope chain links are those having a smooth outer surface, and those having an embossed texture on the outer surfaces of the links, for examples, at the locations of the diamond cuts  36  shown with respect to the link of FIG. 3, and/or all around the link. Embossment add distinctive luster to the finished rope chain depending on the embossment pattern selected by the rope chain designer.  
           [0014]    Rope chains are manufactured to a standard set of gauge sizes, for example, 9,12,14,15,18,23,25,30 and 40 gauge chains. In order the have the completed rope chains comply with a particular gauge size, a standard set of manufacturing set of tools and dies are used to fabricate the rope chain links.  
           [0015]    To manufacture rope chain links made of gold tube filled with metal and/or hollow wire, e.g., similar to the cross-sectional wire shown in FIG. 4e, a flat, sheet-like and thin wire made of gold or silver typically of fourteen-carat gold, is pulled, along with a round metal wire positioned longitudinally along the center of the flat sheet-like wire, through a round die such that the flat metallic wire is wrapped around the internal metal wire, forming a cylindrical core of metal which is wrapped with the gold or silver sheet along the length of the cylindrical metal wire. The composite wire is transformed into links that are assembled into a rope chain. The completed chain is immersed in a chemical bath that dissolves the metal core, leaving only the gold, thus obtaining a rope chain made of hollow links.  
           [0016]    Both hollow and solid rope chains can have their link surfaces embossed with various designs. However, when the embossments are imparted to the wire, they are invariably imparted and provided at the most visible outermost surfaces of the link wire. Nevertheless, there is a constant quest to evolve rope chain designs that have distinctive feel, character, look and artistic signature.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0017]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel rope chain that is imbued with a luster and appearance that is different from those of known rope chains.  
           [0018]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel rope chain having embossed surfaces that are unique in style and appearance.  
           [0019]    It is yet another object of the invention to provide a novel rope chain with embossed or textured surfaces that is amenable to manufacture by using substantially standard processes and manufacturing equipment.  
           [0020]    The foregoing objects of the invention are realized by a rope chain having textured surfaces. The rope chain is fabricated of a plurality of rope chain links, each of which is constructed of predefined length of a wire that has a given cross-sectional shape and first and second terminal ends which are bent towards one another, leaving a link gap. The plurality of links are interassembled to create a two-stranded rope chain with pairs of adjacent links joined, e.g., soldered, to one another to prevent disassembling of the links. The cross-sectional shape of the wire defines for each link, first and second large faces that extend parallel to one another and first and second small faces that extend generally transversely to the long faces. At least one of the large faces of each link (of a substantial number of the links) is textured and the links are so formed that each link has an interior perimeter defined by one of the small faces and an outer perimeter defined by the second of the small faces.  
           [0021]    The interior periphery of the links can be either circular or non-circular. In a known manner, the interior periphery has a diameter that is less than three times the size of the height dimension of the large faces of the link. The rope chain of the invention can be fabricated in a large variety of gauge sizes, including sizes 9 and up.  
           [0022]    The invention is also directed to the method of fabricating the above-described rope chain from either solid or hollow links, starting with a cross-sectional link wire shape that can be circular, square, rectangular, and a large number of other wire cross-sectional shapes.  
           [0023]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]    [0024]FIG. 1 shows a partially assembled rope chain in accordance with the prior art.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 2 shows a fully assembled rope chain in accordance with the prior art.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3 shows one of the links of the rope chain of FIG. 2.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIGS. 4 a - 4   j  show the cross-sectional shapes of known link wires of which prior art links have been made.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 5 a  shows a prior art link made of highly rectangular wire.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 5 b  perspectively shows a partially-assembled rope chain made of the link of prior art FIG. 5 a.    
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 6 a - 6   b  show non-circular prior art links.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 7 shows a method of fabricating a rectangular cross-sectional link wire that bears textured or embossed designs in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 7 a  shows a stamping device for creating the textured or embossed designs.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 8 shows a link wire resulting from the process illustrated in FIG. 7.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 9 shows a prior art mandrel that is used in the fabrication of rope chain links.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 10 shows the wire of FIG. 8 wound up on the mandrel of FIG. 9 to create the novel links of the present invention.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 11 a  shows a link bearing the surface embossments in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 11 b  shows a partially-assembled rope chain made of the embossed links of the present invention.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 11 c  shows a link bearing the surface embossments in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 12 a  depicts the prior art cross-sectional shape of a hollow wire used for fabricating links.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 12 b  shows the link of  12   a  with the core removed and the wire reshaped to obtain the surface textures shown in FIG. 8.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 13 is a perspective of a rope chain constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0042]    With reference to FIG. 7, in accordance with the method of the present invention, an ordinary link wire  13  made of solid gold or of silver and having a circular cross-section is processed by stamping dies  3   a  and  3   b  and/or between a pair of dies including a left hand die  4   a  and a right hand die  4   b  which are separated from one another by the requirement for a particular link thickness, while the dies rotate in opposite directions. That is, the left hand die is rotated counterclockwise while the right hand die is rotated clockwise to pull therebetween the originally round wire  13 . Since the outer peripheral surface of the dies  4   a  and  4   b  are jagged and shaped to impart to the surface of the link a complementary embossment shape  8 , the resulting wire emerges out substantially rectangular as indicated in FIG. 8 with the two larger surfaces  17   a  and  17   b  bearing the embossments. The narrow surfaces  17   c  and  17   d  remain unembossed, as shown in FIG. 8. The wire  13  is thus formed as a very long wire  19  that has a thickness which is defined by the narrow surfaces  17   c  and  17   d . The final, shaped wire  19  need not be perfectly rectangular and, indeed, the emphasis is that it has a height dimension which is substantially greater than a width dimension. Therefore, it can also be, for example, in the shape shown in FIG. 4 h ,  4   i  and  4   j  (albeit, with embossment or surface texturing formed thereon).  
         [0043]    One of the additional benefits of the invention ensues from the fact that, as the wire  13  is pressed by the stamps  3   a ,  3   b  or by the dies  4   a  and  4   b , both the thickness of the resulting wire  19  (FIG. 8), as well as height, are increased. This increase in the thickness of the wire can be appreciated from FIG. 7 which shows (in the plane of the paper) a wire that is thicker as it emerges from the dies  4   a  and  4   b.    
         [0044]    As a result, one can obtain a rope chain of a greater gauge, saving substantial amounts of precious metal, for example, gold. For example, a rope chain gauge  30  (4 millimeter diameter) which is obtained through this process of a certain gauge provided by a competitor weighs 1.158 grams pear one inch (this is the lightest one available in the market today), whereas a rope chain of the same gauge made by the process of the present invention weighs only 0.91 grams for an equal length of chain. This advantage is quite important.  
         [0045]    That resulting wire  19  is wrapped on the mandrel  16 , as shown in FIG. 9, with the narrow surfaces  17   c  is in contact with the outer surface of the mandrel  16 . This results in the spiral that is shown in FIG. 10 wrapped on the mandrel  16 . In FIG. 10, none of the embossed surfaces  17   a  and  17   b  are seen. The exposed outer surface  17   c  remains flat and unembossed.  
         [0046]    In a known manner, the process is then continued by creating a slot in the spiral along the line  21  shown in FIG. 10. If the wrapped wire  19  is thereafter pushed off the mandrel, individual links are obtained, each of which has been formed into a link with the ends  15   a ,  15   b  (FIG. 11 a ), which face across the gap  15  not quite juxtaposed. However, in well known manner, when that link is placed against a flat surface and hammered, a link  12   a  (FIG. 11 a ) is produced which carries the embossments  8  imparted by the dies  4   a  and  4   b . When a rope chain is assembled of the links  12   a  having the surface type shown in FIG. 1 l a , a rope chain with the links shown in FIG. 11 b  is obtained.  
         [0047]    It is well known in the art that although the surface texture of the links  12   a  would not be visible when the links lie tightly against one another, the pair of links are separated from one another making the surface texture visible and creating a new type of luster and sparkle which is not familiar or known in the prior art, as shown in FIG. 13.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 12 a  shows a starting wire that is hollow but is in the form of a sheet of gold that is wrapped on an internal metal core  25 . Once that wire is passed through the dies  4   a  and  4   b  of the present invention, the resulting wire shown in FIG. 12 b  assumes a substantially thin, sheet-like quality which allows it to be assembled as the links as shown in FIG. 1 I a except that the interior of the link is hollow, after the internal core is removed, saving substantial amounts of precious gold.  
         [0049]    While both dies  4   a  and  4   b  are shown in FIG. 7 to have the embossing texture  6 , the invention also comprises providing the embossing feature only one of the dies and leaving the other one flat so that the embossed design appears only on one side for example side  17   a  of the individual links.  
         [0050]    The invention also extends to the expedient of not only embossing or texturing the surface of the wire, but also applying to it a surface texture by other means, e.g., via a coating such as an enamel coating and the like. It is further noted that while the invention has been described so that the surface texturing is formed while the wire is formed in dies or in stamping presses, it is also possible to first form the desired wire shape and then impart texturing after the actual link is formed.  
         [0051]    Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.