Abstract:
The locking ring anvil has a frame assembly and a means for mounting the frame assembly, a pivot assembly is mounted on the frame assembly. A barrel and arbor assembly is mounted on the pivot assembly. The pivot assembly includes means for retaining the barrel and arbor assembly in a fixed position and for rotating the barrel and arbor assembly about a semicircle. The barrel and arbor assembly also include a tapered arbor and a barrel and a means for mounting the barrel about the tapered arbor. The barrel may be rotated about the arbor and moves back and forth on the tapered arbor.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit under Title 35, United States Code, section 119(e) of United States Provisional Application, Serial No. 60/124,874 filed Mar. 17, 1999. Such Provisional Specification Serial No. 60/124,874 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Application. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention pertains to a locking ring anvil for producing and repairing rings and more particularly to a locking ring anvil for readily securing a ring in a wide variety of positions so as effectively to permit the performance of a wide variety of procedures. 
     As an example, when setting a stone, such as a diamond, the prongs used to hold the diamond are not equally accessible from any one position. When work is being performed, it is also essential that the ring be secure and not move as a result of the work being performed. Although jewelry work is best described as light, it is required at times to hammer and a hard resistant surface is required along with stability. 
     2. Prior Art and Objects 
     The equipment that is currently available for holding a ring during construction and repair fails to provide the rigidness, security, flexibility and accessibility to all points of procedure that is needed. 
     Devices have been provided for the enlargement of rings. Two categories of devices for ring enlargement have been produced, namely, those that stretch a solid or continuous band and those that enlarge a ring with a setting. 
     In the latter situation where there is a setting expanding about the circumference of the ring, expansion will cause the ring to break at the fusion joints connecting the band to the setting. Therefore, it is necessary to roll back and forth only on that portion of the band opposite from the setting. Examples of such devices can be found in the Blois Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 1,662,631 and in the Coleman Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,647. These devices have no relationship to this invention. 
     Where a continuous band is stretched, as for example, the stretching of wedding band having no setting, it is known to stretch the ring using an expanding barrel to force outwardly within the interior circumference of the ring to enlarge it. Examples of such ring expanders that use an expanding barrel can be found in the following U.S. patents: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 PATENTEE 
                 U.S. Pat. No. 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Mazer 
                 1,830,235 
               
               
                   
                 Rathburn 
                 2,022,737 
               
               
                   
                 Pratt 
                 2,285,459 
               
               
                   
                 Rothenberg 
                 2,558,271 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Each of these four patents uses an expanding barrel having slots but with variations as to the arrangement of the slots. In all of these devices, the barrel is secured against rotation and an arbor is forced into the barrel to expand the barrel. The Rathburn patent teaches a hand held device where an arbor is hammered into the barrel from the small diameter end toward the larger diameter end. The other patents, which describe bench top mounted devices, an arbor is forced into the barrel from the larger end of the barrel. In some of the patents listed above, springs are used to contract the barrel when the arbor is withdrawn. In these devices, a ring is placed on the barrel to obtain a snug but accessible fit and the arbor is then forced into the barrel, causing the barrel to expand and thereby expanding the ring. 
     The ring expanders using a barrel provide an apparatus that, just before expansion occurs, will grip a ring, but such devices offer nothing to move a ring to an optimum position for work. The expanders are also designed for force and therefore could easily damage a ring being held by the barrel. A device which is used for repairing rings must be capable of holding more than continuous bands, and most importantly rings with settings, and must be capable of securing the ring in a wide variety of positions without harm to the ring. 
     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a locking ring anvil to secure a ring for the purpose of readily and efficiently working on the ring and while being sufficiently sturdy to withstand operations such as hammering. 
     Another object is to provide a locking ring anvil that can position a ring in a wide variety of positions. 
     Still another object is to provide a locking ring anvil that can be mounted for optimum accessibility by a jeweler. 
     A further object is to provide a locking ring anvil which is economical to manufacture, durable, easily utilized and which can be installed at a work station when needed and then be removed and stored when not in use. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The locking ring anvil of the present invention includes a frame, a pivoting assembly and barrel and arbor assembly. The frame includes a means for being mounted at a work station. The pivot assembly is mounted on the frame and includes a pivoting section and a clamping hub which holds the pivot member in various selected positions. The barrel and arbor assembly includes an arbor shaft and a barrel slotted to permit expansion and contraction of the barrel. The arbor shaft includes a mounting shank which is secured to the pivot member and the arbor shaft further includes a tapered arbor and an arbor thread located between the tapered arbor and the mounting shank. An adjustment nut is mounted on the arbor thread and the barrel is mounted on the adjustment nut so as to rotate in relationship to the adjustment nut. Turning of the adjustment nut moves the barrel back and forth over the tapered arbor. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the locking ring anvil showing the barrel, the pivoting assembly and the frame. 
     FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of the arbor shaft mounted in the pivoting assembly. 
     FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of the barrel and arbor shaft mounted in the pivoting section and showing the barrel in phantom in a variety of positions. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along the longitudinal axis of the end portions of the arbor shaft and the barrel showing with a ring about the barrel but with the barrel pulled back onto the tapered arbor. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the longitudinal axis similar to FIG. 4 but with the barrel pulled back onto the tapered arbor. 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the locking ring anvil with the barrel mounted on the adjustment nut and with the adjustment nut mounted on the arbor shaft and also showing the pivot assembly. 
     FIG. 7 is a pictorial view of frame showing the back surface of the back plate with the support lugs in place and with the bench plate removed from the back plate. 
     FIG. 8 is a plan view of an intermediate plate which provides an alternate mounting means showing the mounting lugs in place and showing a series of threaded stud holes. 
     FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the frame on the intermediate plate showing a mounting lug mounted on the intermediate plate of the frame and showing the frame assembly mounted on the intermediate plate. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, the locking ring anvil is seen which includes three main assemblies, namely a frame assembly  11 , a pivot assembly  13  and a barrel and arbor assembly  15 . 
     The frame assembly  11  includes a back plate  17  and a support plate  19  which extends at a right angle from the back plate  17 . The back plate  17  is preferably a rectangular member and has a front surface  21  and a back surface  23 . The back plate  17  has two side edges  25  and a bottom edge  27  and a top edge  31 . The support plate  19  extends from the front surface  21  along the bottom edge  27  of the back plate  17  and is located generally midway between the two side edges  25  and generally at right angles to the back plate  17 . A hole  33  is located in the support plate  19 . 
     A bench plate  35 , best seen in FIG. 6, FIG.  7  and FIG. 9, is secured to a vertical surface at a work station by multiple screws or bolts  37 . Holes are provided for the screws or bolts  37  and the heads of the screws or bolts  37  are recessed. The bench plate  35  has chisel edges  39  along both side edges. 
     As best seen in FIG. 7, a pair of mounting lugs  41  are affixed to the back surface  23  of the back plate  17 . The mounting lugs  41  are affixed by stud bolts  43  screwed into openings  45  in the front surface  21  of the back plate  17  that engage threaded openings  47  in the mounting lugs  41  on the back surface  23 . The mounting lugs  41  have sloping edges  48  that generally oppose one another and slope toward the back surface  23  of the back plate  17 . The chisel edges  39  of the bench plate  35  engage the sloping edges  48 . The bench plate  35  has, besides the two chisel edges, both a top edge  49  and a bottom edge  50 . The chisel edges  39  of the bench plate  35  also slope inwardly from the top to bottom resulting in the top edge  49  of the bench plate  35  being shorter than the bottom edge  50 . The mounting lugs  41  are tilted to engage the chisel edges  39  resulting in the bench plate  35  locking between the mounting lugs  41  when the mounting lugs  41  are slid over the bench plate  35 . 
     In an alternate embodiment, shown in FIG.  8  and FIG. 9, to permit placement of the locking ring anvil at an angle to the horizontal, an intermediate plate  51  may be used between the bench plate  35  and the back plate  17 . A circle of holes  52 , that are threaded, are located about the intermediate plate  51 . Stud bolts  53 , placed through openings  54  in the back plate  17  engage the holes  52  in the intermediate plate  51  and may be placed in any pair of holes  52  depending upon the angular orientation desired for the locking ring anvil. The mounting lugs  41  are placed on the intermediate plate  51  using the stud bolts  43  to engage the threaded openings  47  in the mounting lugs using openings  45   a  in the intermediate plate  51 . 
     The pivot assembly  13 , as is best seen in FIG.  3  and FIG. 6, includes a clamping hub  55  with a handle  57  mounted at its inner end in the clamping hub  55  at an acute angle to the horizontal. A knob  59  is mounted on the outer end of the handle  57 . The clamping hub  55  has an opening  61  that is threaded. The handle  57 , both ends of which are threaded, is secured to the clamping hub  55  by means of a handle opening  63  which is threaded to engage the inner end of the handle  57 . 
     The pivoting assembly  13  further includes a pivot member  67  which is generally cylindrical and which has an opening  69  extending longitudinally through it. The opening  61  is generally located along the center line of the clamping hub  55  and the opening  69  is generally located along the center line of the pivot member  67 . 
     A pivot stud  71  extends through the opening  69  in the pivot member  67 . The pivot stud  71  is a shaft which is threaded at both ends. One end  73  of the pivot stud  71  has a section that has a reduced diameter and is threaded. The end  73 , having a reduced diameter, extends though the hole  33  in the support plate  19 . The pivot stud  71 , except for the end  73  having a reduced diameter, does not fit through the hole  33  in the support plate  19 . A thread  75  at the upper end of the pivot stud  71  engages the thread in the opening  61  located in the clamping hub  55 . The pivot member  67  is mounted on the pivot stud between the support member and the clamping hub with the pivot stud  71  in the opening  69 . 
     A nut  77  and a locking ring washer  79  are mounted on the end  73  of the pivot stud  71  so as to hold the pivot stud  71  securely on the support plate  19 . 
     By turning the clamping hub  55 , the thread in the concentric opening  61  of the clamping hub  55  turns down thereby pressing the pivot member  67  between the clamping hub  55  and the support plate  19 . In this way, the pivot member  67  is held in place and cannot rotate on the pivot stud  71 . When, however, the clamping hub  55  is turned back, the pivot member  67  is released and the pivot member  67  may be rotated about the pivot stud  71 . 
     The pivot member  67  has a mounting opening  81  in it generally at right angles to the opening  69  in the pivot member  67  and generally midway along the longitudinal axis of the pivot member  67 . 
     A locking opening  83  which is threaded is located generally parallel to the opening  69  in the pivot member  67  and which extends to the mounting opening  81 . A set screw  85  is threaded into the locking opening  83 . 
     An arbor shaft  87 , best seen in FIG.  2  and FIG. 6 includes an arbor shank  89 , a threaded section  91  and a tapered arbor  93 . The arbor shank  89  is mounted in the mounting opening  81  and is rigidly secured by the set screw  85 . The threaded section  91  is slightly larger that the arbor shank  89 . The tapered arbor  93 , which extends for the major portion of the arbor shaft  87 , is generally conical, the largest diameter being adjacent the threaded section  91 . The tapered arbor  93  reduces in diameter from the threaded section  91  to an outside end  95 , which is blunt. 
     An adjustment nut  97 , which is preferably knurled on its outside circumference  98 , is threaded onto the threaded section  91 . The adjustment nut  97  has a generally concentric opening  99  through it which is threaded so as to be compatible to the threaded section  91 . The adjustment nut  97 , which is cylindrical, has a back surface  101  and a front surface  103 . The front surface  103  that faces the tapered arbor  93  is cut out forming a stepped cylindrical recess  105 . A deeper recess  107  is located about the concentric opening  99  and a lesser recess  109  extends toward the outside circumference  98 . A series of threaded stud openings  111  are formed in the front surface  103  in the lesser recess  109 . 
     A barrel  113 , having an outer surface  115  and an inner surface  117 , is mounted over the tapered arbor  93 . The barrel  113  has a circular cross section and, like the tapered arbor  93 , has a circular cross section which, as to the inner surface  117 , continuously diminishes to an outer end  118 . The outer surface  115  has steps but also diminishes in diameter. The inside end  119  of the barrel  113 , has the larger diameter and at the inside end  119  there is a flange  121 . The flange  121  fits into the deeper recess  107  of the adjustment nut  97 . 
     A collar  123 , which is a flat ring, fits over the flange  121  and into the lesser recess  109  and is held in place by a series of stud bolts  125  which are threaded into the threaded stud openings  111 . The flange  121  is thereby held in place but the flange  121 , and thus the barrel  113 , can rotate in relationship to the adjustment nut  97  unless engaged by the tapered arbor  93 . 
     The barrel  113 , in order to be able to expand, is slotted. The slots  127  alternate from a slot  127  extending from the outside end  118  to near the inside end  119  to a slot  127  extending from the inner end  119  to near the outside end  118 . 
     A nylon plug  129  is located in an opening  131  extending from the outside circumference  98  to the concentric opening  99 . A set screw  133  is used to press the nylon plug  129  against the threaded section  91  to provide limited turning resistance. 
     In operation, a ring  135  is placed on the barrel  113  at the largest step that will accommodate the ring  135 . As best seen in FIG. 4, this is done with the barrel  113  moved outwardly off the tapered barrel  93  thus reducing the diameter of the barrel  113 . The adjustment nut  97  is turned to draw the barrel  113  back over the tapered arbor  93 . This is best seen in FIG. 5 showing the barrel  113  expanded. The barrel  113  can be rotated on the tapered arbor  93  until the tapered arbor  93  engages the barrel  113  and the barrel  113  is forced outwardly until the outwardly movement of the barrel  113  is restricted by the ring. Then the ring tightens on the barrel  113  and neither the barrel  113  nor the ring can be moved until the adjustment nut is loosened. However, should there be a desire to alter the position of the ring on the barrel  113 , a loosening of the adjustment nut  97  will permit the desired movement and then by again tightening the adjustment nut  97 , the ring  135  will again be held in its desired position on the barrel  113 . It is also possible to tighten the barrel  113  against the ring  135  sufficiently to hold the ring  135  secure but so that the barrel  113  can be turned by hand on the tapered arbor  93 . 
     As best seen in FIG. 3, by loosening the clamping hub  55  by use of the handle  57  and knob  59 , the pivot member  67  can rotate thereby permitting the barrel  113  to be swung to any desired position in a semicircle  137 . If the intermediate plate  51  is being utilized, the entire locking ring anvil may be rotated, as has been previously explained, and then the plane of rotation of the semicircle is also rotated. In this way, it is even possible to rotate the barrel  113  in a vertical plane. 
     The adjustment nut  97  is designed for finger sensitivity to avoid damaging a ring. However, if wrench or other means for creating leverage is placed on the adjustment nut  97 , the locking ring anvil may be used for expanding a ring but this is not a prime purpose of the locking ring anvil. 
     Thus, while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.