Patent Application
20230030006
This invention relates generally to pin clutches or clasps, and particularly to a safety clasp for use with post earrings, and the like.
The jewelry art commonly employs a device usually referred to as a pin clasp and employed to retain tie tacks, hat pins, post earrings, and the like, in proper position on a wearer or the wearer's clothing. U.S. Pat. Nos. 857,614, issued Jun. 25, 1907, to W. Gaskell, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 1,081,888, issued Dec. 13, 1913, to B. V. Chapman, disclose hat pin clasps wherein spring biased catches selectively engage in a groove or grooves provided on an associated shaft of the hat pin. In particular, the Chapman hat pin guard employs a plunger-like device acting against the bias of a coiled spring in order to normally engage an annular groove provided near the pointed end of a hat pin. Further, U.S. Pat. Nos. 989,372, issued Apr. 11, 1911, to P. Lauermann, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,328,954, issued Jan. 27, 1920, to J. S. Graham, disclose hat pin clutches which are simultaneously, like the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,081,888, point guards or protectors for the hat pins. U.S. Patent No. 989,372 uses a coiled spring to bias a clutch pin against the shank of the associated hat pin.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,319,340, issued Oct. 21, 1919, to A. Hurwitz, discloses a scarf pin clutch having a clutch-eye rotatable in a slide mounting which is biased in one direction by a spring, and the clutch-eye having an arm cooperating with a fulcrum so that longitudinal movement of the slide is accompanied by slight turning movement of the eye.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,278 describes a retaining mechanism for use with a pierced earring having an ornament having a stem. The retaining mechanism has a base with an opening therein through which the stem of the earring passes, a cylindrical tube extending from the base with threads on an external surface. An inner wall of the tube tapers from its open end toward the base. A cap is provided that has a closed end with an opening therein through which the stem of the earring passes. The cap has threads formed on an inner surface that mate with the threads on the external surface of the cylindrical tube. A tapered member extends from the closed end of the cap and is tapered along its exterior wall. The external taper of the tapered member substantially matches the internal taper of the cylindrical tube. The tapered member has a slot formed in its wall. A compressible member is secured in the tapered member and has an opening therethrough that is aligned with the openings in the base and the cap, and has a slot that is aligned with the slot in the tapered member. The tapered member may have one or more circumferential projections, with the tapered inner surface of the cylindrical tube having a mating groove, or vice-versa. The projection and groove engage each other when the cap and base are screwed together so that they do not inadvertently disengage.
Another pierced earring clasp is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,220. In this patent, a security clasp for a jewelry post with a circumferential groove includes a housing with a post receiving aperture extending therethrough and two access ports through a side wall. A pair of interlocking C-shaped lock members each include an inner free end that carries a lug anchor and an outer free end that serves as a trigger. The lug anchors are spring-biased by a spring toward one another to thereby urge the triggers outward through their respective access ports. The inner free ends are also urged toward one another by the forces of the spring to slidably reside in the post receiving aperture of the housing into locking engagement with the circumferential groove of the jewelry post residing in the post receiving aperture. The spring is serpentine in configuration and is routed from the lug anchor of one lock member to a first side of the inner wall of the housing to an opposite side of the inner wall of the housing back to the first side of the housing and then into communication with the lug of the other lock member. The serpentine configuration of the spring in communication with the inner wall of the housing enables the spring to be precisely centered in the housing thereby providing a precision and smooth operating security clutch for a jewelry post.
A basic disadvantage of the aforementioned earring pin clasps, however, is that they generally permit the (sometimes) pointed sharp free end of the pin/post to penetrate beyond the clasp, which can prick the finger(s) of the wearer during donning of the earrings. Also, it allows pushing the post too far through the clap, losing engagement with the groove in the post. Some clasps include a closed cap over the free sharp edge of the pin, but providing such a closed cap adds gold material and cost, makes it more difficult to hold the cap and limits the reduction in size that can be provided.
The present invention preserves the advantages of prior art security clasps/clutches for jewelry posts. In addition, the security clutch for jewelry posts provides new advantages not found in currently known devices and overcomes many disadvantages of such currently available devices.
The invention is generally directed to the novel and unique security clasp for jewelry posts, such as grooved posts. The novel security clasp for a jewelry post includes a housing that defines a post receiving aperture that extends through the housing, with at least one locking member that is configured to snap into the groove in the earring post, to secure it against undesired disengagement from the housing during normal wear, allowing disengagement only upon the wearer pressing in the locking member. Since the pointed, sharp free end of the post penetrates beyond the housing, the invention also provides a generally “C” shaped wire, the free ends of which are attached (soldered to or cast with) the clasp housing. The center of the “C” shaped wire has a round or somewhat square shape, is positioned to face the sharp tip of the post. Thereby, when donning the earring, he wearer is able to place the clasp over the post and press the post to clasp forcefully, without fear or concern of being pricked by the post, or the post penetrating too deep for the locking member to engage with the groove in the post.
In a preferred embodiment, the jewelry piece, typically an earring or pendant, has an ornament such as a shaped gold body, sometimes including precious stones, with an extending post connected at a first end thereof to the ornament and with an opposed second end that is configured to pass through a safety clasp, enabling it to be passed through a pierced ear lobe and held in place. A guard is affixed to the body of the safety clasp and is configured to limit the extent of travel of the second end of the post beyond the safety clasp. The guard has a general “C” or “U” shape, with a central enlarged portion located to meet the second end of the post.
In further embodiments, the second end of the post has a needle end, the guard is cast with the body of the safety clasp and the guard has at least one groove formed therein to receive a locking element of the safety clasp. The safety clasp has at least one push-in button configured to release a holding force exerted by the safety clasp on the post.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that can be easily installed and removed.
Still further, an object of the instant invention is to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that securely locks to a grooved jewelry post.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that can be locked quickly by freely pressing the earring into the clutch, without concern of being pricked or inserting the free end of the post too far beyond the clutch housing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that is simple and easy to manufacture and assemble.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that has a positive lock.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that can accommodate single and multiple grooved posts.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that has a low profile.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description in which the preferred embodiments have been set forth in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In the prior art
The safety clasp or clutch 5 has a disc shaped body with a central, through-going opening 8, for the passage of the post 3 therethrough. The safety clasp 5 has an internal catch (not shown) that is designed to snap into the groove 3c, assuring that the post 3 and the ornament 2 attached to it, do not slip out of the clasp 5 and then lost by sliding out of the ear. To release the hold on post 3, the push-in buttons 6 are pressed in, which withdraws the catch, allowing removal of the post from the ear.
The differently shaped, prior art safety clasp 1a of
In accordance with the present invention and as in
Most importantly, the thickened portion 17a has no opening therethrough, and even if there is a small opening it is of a diameter too small to allow the tip 3b of the post to pass through. The purpose here is to serve as a blocking component that limits the travel range of the post 3 through the clasp portion 15. Also, it provides improved, easier holding between the wearer's fingers while donning the earring. Further, it allows donning the earring by lightly pushing the post 3 into the clasp 15 and then pressing between the thumb and a finger across the earlobe. The post movement stops exactly where needed for the internal catch to snap into the groove 3c.
The wire protector 17 can be affixed to many other styles of safety clasps, including to the one depicted in
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.
