Patent Publication Number: US-4546888-A

Title: Jewelry chain holder and method of forming same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is well known in the art to provide wall racks of various designs for use in supporting necklaces and other forms of jewelry as well as wearing apparel such as neck ties, scarves and the like. 
     Various forms of such wall racks are disclosed for example in design patents as follows: 
     
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 52,485         168,850 236,567                                           
 59,456         168,927 243,055                                           
 96,745         174,257 247,761                                           
121,045         197,014 249,751                                           
127,295         213,115 257,807                                           
135,750         216,708 259,311                                           
136,900         221,236 259,314                                           
168,529         232,676                                                   
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     All of these designs are concerned with ornamental design or appearance rather than utility and it is understood in using these conventional jewelry racks difficulty may be experienced due to chain portions becoming tangled with one another and troublesome knotting may occur. 
     In the invention device an arrangement of parts is provided by which jewelry chains may be vertically suspended in suitably separated relationship so that knotting may be avoided. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an improved jewelry chain holder and to a method of forming the holder to provide a unique retaining hook arrangement. It is a chief object of the invention to provide an improved jewelry chain holder. Another object is to construct a jewelry chain holder from a unitary blank or sheet of material. 
     A further object of the invention is to devise in combination a holding body and right angularly disposed portions arranged in staggered relationship at both upper and lower edges of the holding body. 
     Still another object is to devise a unique method of forming a jewelry chain holder and to provide spaced apart portions which are reinforced by means of creases or indentations. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing the jewelry chain holder of the invention mounted against a wall surface and illustrating a plurality of jewelry chains suspended therefrom. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the jewelry chain holder removed from the wall surface. 
     FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the holder body. 
     FIG. 4 is an elevational view further showing the staggered arrangement of the hooks occurring in uniformly spaced apart relationship. 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is another elevational view of the holder body. 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 7--7 of FIG. 4. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-section taken on the line 8--8 of FIG. 5. 
     FIG. 9 illustrates a formed body produced by a first step in the invention method of making a jewelery chain holder. 
     FIG. 9A illustrates die means located above and below a blank sheet of material. 
     FIG. 9B illustrates the dies in a closed position to provide the structure of FIG. 9. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a further step in the forming of the holder body. 
     FIG. 10A illustrates die means for carrying out a second step in the invention method to provide creases or indentations in the hook means. 
     FIG. 10B shows the die members in a closed position. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the hooks turned out substantially at right angles. 
     FIG. 11A illustrates die means for further forming the blank. 
     FIG. 11B shows the die means of FIG. 11A in a closed position. 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the finally formed holder with ends of hooks turned upwardly. 
     FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B illustrate die means for producing the structure of FIG. 12. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring in more detail to the structure shown in the Figures, arrow 2 generally denotes an elongated, relatively thin sheet material which may consist of sheet metal, plastic or other desirable substance. The elongated body includes a body portion 4 having upper and lower scalloped edges 6 and 8, as shown in FIG. 2, and having means such as mounting holes 2A for supporting the body on a support surface. 
     Arranged in uniformly spaced relation between the upper scalloped portions 6 are hooks as 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 which are formed integrally with the body portion 2 and which extend angularly outwardly therefrom. Each of the hooks are formed with indentations or creases 10A, 12A, 14A, 16A and 18A. 
     Similarly, hook elements 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30 extend angularly outwardly, being formed integrally with the elongated body portions at points between the lower scalloped edge 8, as shown in FIG. 2. These hook elements at the lower scalloped edge 8 are also formed with indentations or creases 20A, 22A, 24A, 26A, 28A and 30A. 
     It is pointed out that outer tips of the hook elements of FIG. 2 are bent upwardly and the indentations or creases are arranged to provide for rounded bearing surfaces over which the jewelry chain may readily slide when placed thereon. 
     In FIG. 1 a plurality of chains as 32, 34, 36, 38 are shown suspended over the bearing surfaces of the hook elements and it will be observed that with the staggered arrangement of the scalloped parts and intervening hook elements all of the jewelry chains are firmly maintained in uniformly spaced apart relation to resist tangling or knotting and each chain is free to slide over the bearing surfaces, thus preventing any accidental tangling. 
     As one suitable method of forming the holder construction above-disclosed there may be employed the steps illustrated in FIGS. 9A, 9B, 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, 12A and 12B. As shown in FIG. 9A a blank 34 is supported between an upper die 36 and a lower die 38 and in FIG. 9B the dies are closed and there is produced the formed part shown in FIG. 9. 
     This formed part of FIG. 9 is then placed between forming dies as 38, 40 and 42 and when the dies are closed, as illustrated in FIG. 10B, there is produced the structure of FIG. 10. A further forming step is accomplished by dies 44 and 46 and when these dies are closed they form the structure shown in FIG. 11. A final forming step is achieved by dies 48 and 50 and when these dies are moved together the finally formed product if FIG. 12 is produced.