Patent Application
20080034588
As illustrated in
Finally,
Unlike mounted drilling and hole priming device, the instant device allows the user to alter the angle of contact. Further, no need to remove material through drilling, thus getting a custom fit as the stone can be placed for testing and removed and further boring of the piece can be executed until a perfect fit can be achieved.
Moreover pleasantly contrary to prior hand held devices, the instant device bestows upon the user the ability to maintain a constant force coefficient while priming the work piece, preparing the prongs or setting the prongs with the jewel in place since every stroke of the reciprocating mechanism possesses a constant displacement. The work piece can now be hand held or mounted in any position with no constraints.
In one embodiment, the jewelry manufacture apparatus may comprise a rotary generation mechanism in communication with a remote operating apparatus and also in communication with a power transmission or conversion device, which converts rotary to reciprocating motion. Additionally, the remote operating apparatus may include as a foot pedal or other hand held or non-hand held triggering mechanism utilized to actuate the motor. Further the power transmission device is in communication with a reciprocating tool, which is encased within a cylindrical housing.
The power transmission device may comprise a set of gears in communication with a cam and a follower in communication with a pin. The pin is thus in communication with a reach rod which communicates with the reciprocating tool to induce reciprocating motion in the tool. The reach rod may comprise an encased wire rope comprising individual wrapped wire strands. The reciprocating tool, which acts as a hammer, may be spring loaded and should include an opposing force member to regulate the magnitude of the force imparted upon the work piece. Thus, the distance traveled by the reciprocating tool and the magnitude of the force generated by each stroke of said reciprocating tool should be identical. Additionally the jewelry manufacture apparatus may be of a portable, hand held design or of a table mounted design.
In a further embodiment, a stone setting device may comprising a motor, a motor actuation mechanism, which may be remote, a mechanism for transferring rotary power, a power conversion mechanism, a mechanism for transferring reciprocating power, and piston mechanism including an opposing force to regulate said piston. The opposing force may comprise a spring or other such mechanism.
In a further embodiment, a method for manufacturing jewelry may be utilized comprising priming a work piece stone receiving area with a reciprocating tool, spreading the prongs for receipt of the jewel, positioning the jewel and setting the prongs around said jewel with a constant force, reciprocating device.
In sum, the instant device allows the craftsman to perform functions of drilling, carving, engraving, bead raising, bright cutting, bezel/prongs closing, stone setting, and texturing with maximum accuracy and precision. The hand piece or handle has the built in spring mechanism, which eliminates the shaking and vibration while allowing an even, constant adjustable striking force each and every time.
Further, the device is compact (can fit in a lunch or tote bag), portable, does not require an air compressor, does not require changing of hand piece handles for a different tool each time, and finally accommodates most hand piece attachments available on the market.
