IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING SOLITAIRES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF JEWELLERY WITH PRESSED GLASS, AND WHICH PURPOSES." SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER USEFUL
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas William Greaves, Jeweller, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING
SOLITAIRES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF JEWELLERY WITH PRESSED GLASS, AND
WHICH
PURPOSES."
SAID
IMPROVEMENTS
ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE FOR
OTHER
USEFUL
Sealed the 1st September 1876, and dated the 6th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas William Greaves at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th March 1876.
THOMAS WILLIAM GREAVES, Jeweller, of Birmingham, in County of Warwick.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING SOLITAIRES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF JEWELLERY
WITH PRESSED GLASS, AND WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR
OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."
My Invention applies entirely to the ornamentation of metals by perforating the
said metal in any particular device, and placing glass from the back to the front of
such perforated metal the exact counterpart of the perforation. For definement,
I will describe my Invention as applied to the front disc of a solitaire, button, or
other like article, the said disc being perforated in the centre with a Maltees cross
or other suitable device, surrounding which perforations may be made of the form
of trefoil or any other suitable device, and into a suitable mould I press glass of
any desired colour, allowing the part that is to fill up the perforations (before
mentioned) to stand in relief the thickness of the metal. These glass settings I
purpose holding in position from the back by any suitable cement, and the work
being polished on the front, the settings will have the appearance of enamel or inlaid
precious stones.
For pendant articles of jewellery, such as earrings, it may be desirable that both
sides should be finished with the same or other device, in which case the glass
setting may be so pinched as to have the desired ornament in relief on both sides,
Or the moulds for
the glass fitting up the cavity between the metal shelves.
moulding the glass can be so fashioned that instead of moulding separate bits for
each perforation the entire design may be so moulded, and the perforations in the
metal being the exact counterpart, it is evident that when the pressed glass is
placed in position from the back the ornament will be complete; and although
[Price fidi

page_text: I have described the application of my Invention to the ornamentation of jewellery,
nevertheless its cheap and inexpensive character permit of its use or extention to
many other purposes, whether the front of the finished work be kept plain or its
surface or raised in any suitable device by casting or stamping.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas William Greaves in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
September 1876.
THOMAS WILLIAM GREAVES, Jeweller, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick.
IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING SOLITAIRES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF JEWELLERY
WITH PRESSED GLASS, AND WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR
OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."
My Invention applies entirely to the ornamenting of metals by perforating the
suid metal in any particular device, and placing glass from the back to the front of
such perforated metal the exact counterpart of the perforation. For definement, I
will describe my Invention as applied to the front disc of a solitaire, button, or
other like article. The said disc being perforated in the centre with a Maltees cross
or other suitable device, surrounding which perforations may be made of the form
of trefoil or any other suitable device, and into a suitable mould I press glass of
any desired colour, allowing the part that is to fill up the perforations before
mentioned) to stand in relief the thickness of the metal. These glass settings I
purpose holding in position from the back by any suitable cement or otherwise,
and the work being polished on the front, the settings will have the appearance of
enamel or inlaid precious stones.
For pendant articles of jewellery, such as earrings, it may be desirable that both
ends should be finished with the same or other device, in which case the glass
settings may be so pinched as to have the desired ornament in relief on both sides,
the glass filling up the cavity between the metal shells, or the moulds for moulding
the glass can be fashioned that instead of moulding separate bits for each per-
foration the entire design may be so moulded, and the perforations in the metal
being the exact counterpart, it is evident that when the pressed glass is placed
in position from the back the ornament will be comple; and although I have
described the application of my Invention to the ornamentation of jewellery,
nevertheless its cheap and inexpensive character permits of its use or extension to
many other purposes, whether the front of the finished work bo kept plain or its
surface raised in any suitable device by casting or stamping. But by way of fully
explaining ny Invention, I will describe the same aided by the Drawing hereunto
annexed, which I will proceed describe, reference being had to the figures and
letters marked thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1 and 2 represent the front metal shells of a solitaire, button, or other
circular ornament, drawn, to an enlarged scale for better defining my Invention.
These shells are raised from thin sheet metal, that is to say, having a deflected
flange around them, as shown by the edge view at Fig. 3. The design on the
fronts may be enriched by engraving or by stamping. The parts marked a, a,
and a, a, as also the concentric circle b of Figure 1, are pierced holes through
the metal shell, the other lineal device and border lines represent engraving or other
Figs. 1 and 2 represent the front metal shells of a solitaire, button, or other
circular ornament, drawn, to an enlarged scale for better defining my Invention.
These shells are raised from thin sheet metal, that is to say, having a deflected
flange around them, as shown by the edge view at Fig. 3. The design on the
fronts may be enriched by engraving or by stamping. The parts marked a, a,
and a, a, as also the concentric circle b of Figure 1, are pierced holes through
the metal shell, the other lineal device and border lines represent engraving or other
impressed work; and the bordering or surrounding lines in Figure 2 are also
produced in the same way, while the parts marked d and concentric circle e are also
pierced holes for receiving coloured bits of pressed glass, as in the front and edge
view at f, f, and g, g, Figs. 4 and 5, in moulding which a relieved and defined shape
is given to the front part of the glass ornament, which raised ornament corresponds

page_text: with the pierced holes and thickness of the metal, just as the front and edge view
of the centre b, Figure 1, is shown separate at Figs. 6 and 7. These glass ornaments
when pushed through from the back rest on the inside of the metal surrounding the
perforations on the angular or enlarged parts of the back of the glass ornaments,
and may be held in position by a disc of metal corresponding with the inside
circumference of the metal shells, Figures 1 and 2, to be there secured by soldering
or otherwise, ready to receive the back proper and shank or other parts for a
solitaire, sleeve-link, button, or other like ornaments, which when finished and the
metal of the front polished the glass ornaments will have the appearance of enamel
or inlaid work.
This mode of ornamenting metal work may be applied to the ornamenting of
metalic cabinets or other like purposes, as at Fig. 8, but instead of the glass
that comes through the perforations being on a level with the front surface of
the metal, they may rise in relief from the front surface of the metal, as shown in
front and edge views at Fig. 9, in contradistinction to the flat enameled last described
appearance, and which I have represented in an edge view of the same part at
Fig. 10; but in order that these glass setting should be securely fixed, and not
readily yield to external pressure, I prefer flanging the edges of the metal, Figure $,
as exhibited in end view at Fig. 11. The perpendicular line m, m, represents the
backing or support for preventing the glass settings being pushed in from the front.
Fig. 12 represents a circular metal base or or stand, cast or stamped, with a raised
tongue to divide the ornamental glass parts marked h, h, &c., which are pieces of
pressed or moulded glass pushed through from the back, surrounded by a rabbit to
prevent the glass being pushed through, as before described. These glass settings
may be of one or various colours, and held in position by a thin metal shell of the
same shape or counterpart of the interior, and projecting on the bottom outward, as
shown in section, for clipping the angular part 1, , Fig. 13; but of course to
the artist of taste any other part of a metalic work may be thus ornamented, or the
pressed glass setting may be applied either flat to represent enamel, or in relief;
and if in relief, the projecting portion of the glass may represent the appearance of
being cut like precious stones, to effect which it is only to alter the front die in
whick the glass ornaments are formed or pinched to obtain this object.
But when applying glass ornaments to articles required to be ornamented on both
sides, such as carrings, lockets, and other like pendant ornaments, I purpose so
moulding the glass that the visible or finished portions of which shall pass through
the perforated metal shell of the article to be ornamented on each side, the two
shells being soldered or otherwise united to encompass the glass between them. An
earring thus constructed I have exhibited at Fig. 14. p represents the glass, which
is shown in a separate edge view at Fig. 15, the parts forming the ornament being
also marked p, p.
Fig. 16 represents in plan and side view an octagon neck moulding as forming
part of a metal standard, in which I have introduced glass ornaments on each of
the flat or plain divisions, the ornaments being moulded as herein-before described,
and put through the metal from the inside, and held in position by a corresponding
length of circular metal tube.
I do not think it necessary to describe the dies or the manner of softening and
pressing the glass forming the various settings for giving effect to my Invention, as
that is an art well understood and extensively practised by glass pinchers, care
being taken that the pierced holes through the metal be the exact same size as the
raised part of the glass ornaments to go through.
Having thus described my Invention, and the manner in which the same may be
carried into effect by skilled artisans so as to contribute to the economic ornamenta-
tion of fancy articles and work composed of metal, I desire to claim by these my
in part recited Letters Patent, the manner herein described and set forth, that is to
say, using and applying glass for the purpose of ornamenting metal work without
any regard to the size or extent to which my mode of ornamenting may be carried

page_text: into effect provided the ornaments are first formed in dies and applied from the
back or inside of the work or article so treated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas William Greaves, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six
Witness,
GEORGE F. A. GRIFFIN,
THOMAS WILLIAM GREAVES. (L.S.)
Clerk to Mr. J. S. Cockings,
17, Ann St., Birmingham.