GB2337687A

GB2337687A - Rotating two-part jewellery ring

Info

Publication number: GB2337687A
Application number: GB9811640A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frank Crossley
Original assignee: RENOIR JEWELS Ltd
Current assignee: RENOIR JEWELS Ltd
Priority date: 1998-05-29
Filing date: 1998-05-29
Publication date: 1999-12-01
Also published as: GB9811640D0

Abstract

A two-part jewellery ring comprises an outer ring 2 concentrically mounted to rotate freely on an inner ring 1 by way of an engaging raised portion 3 and groove 6. The outer ring is at least as wide as and may have edges 9 which overlap the inner ring. The two rings are assembled by expanding the inner ring into engagement with the outer. The rings may alternatively have annular grooves in their facing surfaces into which a third ring or ball bearings fits to provide the engagement.

Description

1 2337687 JEWELLERY RING

Technical field

The present invention relates to jewellery rings and their manufacture.

Background of the invention

It is a curious habit that many people "fiddle" with their jewellery rings and rotate them about their fingers. In doing so, the rings can be worn down over many years and any inscription engraved on the inside of the rings can sometimes be rubbed away or at least rendered illegible.

In France, two-part rings have been produced which allow the wearer to rotate a moveable band set in the outer surface of the dng. However, such drigs are visibly "two-part" and are often not (at least in the U.K.) the preferred form of ring exchanged during a wedding service - such rings are traditionally a simple band of metal, usually gold.

Thus, the present invention provides a two-part ring which essentially appears to be a single outer ring capable of free rotation about the wearer's finger, wherein the outer ring is, at least for the most part, not in direct contact with the wearer's finger. The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing such a two-part drig.

Summary of the invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a jewellery ring comprising an inner ring which is of such a diameter as to fit onto a finger 2 and an outer ring, the inner and outer rings being capable of free rotation about each other, wherein the outer ring is at least as wide as the inner ring.

Preferably, engagement means are provided to prevent disengagement. More preferably, the engagement means comprise an annular groove in one ring and a raised portion on the other ring.

According to a particular embodiment of the present invention there is provided a ring as described above, wherein the raised portion is of such a size as to be able to fit within the groove to prevent displacement of one ring from the other, but wherein free rotation of the two rings about each other is not affected.

Preferably, the outer ring contains the groove and the inner ring defines the raised portion. Although the raised portion is preferably a complete annulus, a series of upstands around the ring could alternatively be used.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a ring as described above, wherein the engagement means comprise an annular groove in each ring, the grooves being linked together by a third ring which fits within the two grooves and is diamethcally larger than the inner ring but diametrically smaller than the outer ring.

Preferably, the width of the third dng is not larger than the width of the grooves. In theory, the third ring could comprise a ring of ball bearings or other bearing device.

The outer ring is preferably wider than the inner ring. More preferably, the outer ring defines a skirt which hides, at least in part, the inner ring.

The ring as described above can be made of any suitable material but metal, preferably gold, silver or platinum, is preferred.

3 According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a jewellery ring, comprising:

(a) manufacturing a first ring; (b) manufacturing a second ring comprising an annular groove which runs around the ring; and (c) expanding one of the first and second rings to engage the other 10 ring, such that there is free rotation of one ring about the other.

Preferably, the method provides that the rings are prevented from disengagement.

The final diameter of the inner surface of the inner ring after step (c) is preferably the required finger size for the two-part ring.

The means for expanding used in step (c) may be a driven expanding means, preferably hydraulic. The expanding means may drive a rod having a coneshaped tip and a diameter equal to the final finger diameter desired for the twopart ring through (i) the inner ring of the two rings, said rings being secured over a hole on a support, and (ii) the support hole underneath, so that the inner surface of the inner ring engages with the cone of the rod and is expanded outwards as the rod is driven through the ring, thereby increasing the diameter of the inner ring, such that the two rings engage.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention will be described with reference to the following Figures.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a jewellery ring according to the present invention.

4 Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the ring of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a side view of the ring of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the ring of Fig. 1 along line 4-4 as shown in Fig. 2 with the chain lines indicating a possible skirt (overlap) defined by the outer ring.

As will be evident from the Figures, one embodiment of the present invention is a two-part ring wherein two rings are engaged via an engagement means. The inner ring (1) comprises a raised annular portion (3) on its outer surface (5), which engages within a groove (6) in the inner surface (7) of the outer ring (2). Of course, such an assembly may be easily reversed, whereby the inner ring (1) would comprise a groove in its outer surface (5) and the outer ring (2) would comprise a raised portion on its inner surface (7).

The two-part ring is designed such that the outer ring (2) is at least as wide as the inner ring (1). By having the outer ring (2) wider than the inner ring (1), the inner ring (1) is essentially hidden from view when placed on a finger, thereby giving the appearance that there is only one ring. This illusion can be further enhanced by manufacturing the outer ring (2) such that its edges (8) define a skirt (9) which overlaps the inner ring (1) as shown in Fig. 4 (chain lines).

The terms "width" and "wide" as used herein refer to the ring's measurement in a direction which is essentially parallel to a wearer's finger, namely in the axial direction of the ring (see, for example, label (10) in Fig. 3).

In one embodiment of its method of manufacture, the two-part ring of the 30 present invention utilises a conventional method of ring expansion, namely the use of a driven rod having a cone-shaped tip. The rod is driven through the centre of the two rings (which are held in place by a holding means, e.g. a jig), thereby engaging the inner surface (11) of the inner ring (1) and expanding the same to the size of the rod's diameter. Such rods are made to be of different sizes depending on the final finger size (12) of ring required. Alternatively, it is possible to use a single rod capable of adjustment to different sizes. As the inner ring (1) is expanded by the rod, so it engages with the outer ring (2) to form the desired two-part ring of desired finger size (12).

Prior to expansion of the inner ring (1) to engage the outer ring (2), the inner ring (1) is of such a diameter as to be able to fit inside the outer ring (2). In practice, the outer ring (2) will be manufactured a few ring sizes larger than the desired final ring size (12) of the two-part ring as it will form the outer, viewed surface of the ring, which will be away from the wearer's finger. Conversely, the inner ring (1) will be manufactured a few ring sizes smaller than the desired final ring size (12), thereby enabling the inner ring (1) to fit into the outer ring (2) prior to the expansion process. Thus, the outer and the inner rings (2, 1) will be manufactured to such diameters whereby, once the inner ring (1) is expanded, the two- part ring is of the desired finger size (12) and the outer and inner rings (2, 1) engage and are free to rotate about each other.

In an aitemative embodiment, the twopart ring is formed with a third "ring" 20 sandwiched between the inner and outer rings (1, 2). This third ring engages with both the inner and outer rings (1, 2) by means of annular grooves running around the outer surface (5) of the inner ring (1) and the inner surface (7) of the outer ring (2).

It will, of course, be understood that the present invention has been described above by way of example only, and that modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

6

Claims

1. A jewellery ring comprising an inner ring which is of such a diameter as to fit onto a finger and an outer ring, the inner and outer rings being capable of free rotation about each other, wherein the outer ring is at least as wide as the inner ring.

2. A ring according to claim 1, wherein engagement means are provided to prevent disengagement.

3. A ring according to claim 2, wherein the engagement means comprise an annular groove in one ring and a raised portion on the other ring.

4. A ring according to claim 3, wherein the raised portion is of such a size as to be able to fit within the groove to prevent displacement of one ring from the other, but wherein free rotation of the two rings about each other is not affected.

5. A ring according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the outer ring contains the groove and the inner ring defines the raised portion.

6. A ring according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the raised portion is an annulus.

7. A ring according to claim 2, wherein the engagement means comprise an annular groove in each ring, the grooves being linked together by a third ring which fits within the two grooves and is diametrically larger than the inner ring but diametrically smaller than the outer ring.

8. A ring according to claim 7, wherein the width of the third ring is not larger than the width of the grooves.

7

9. A ring according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the third ring comprises a ring of ball bearings.

10. A ring according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the outer ring is 5 wider than the inner ring.

11. A ring according to claim 10, wherein the edges of the outer ring overlap the inner ring.

12. A ring according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the ring is made of metal, preferably gold, silver or platinum.

13. A method of manufacturing a jewellery ring, comprising:

(a) manufacturing a first ring; (b) manufacturing a second ring comprising an annular groove which runs around the ring; and (c) expanding one of the first and second rings to engage the other ring, such that there is free rotation of one ring about the other.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the rings are prevented from disengagement.

15. A method according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the final diameter of the inner surface of the inner ring after step (c) is the required finger size for the two-part jewellery ring.

16. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the expanding means used in step (c) is a driven expanding means, preferably hydrauk, which drives a rod having a cone-shaped tip and a diameter equal to the final finger diameter desired for the two-part ring through (i) the inner ring of 8 the two rings, said rings being secured over a hole on a support, and (5) the support hole underneath, so that the inner surface of the inner ring engages with the cone of the rod and is expanded outwards as the rod is driven through the ring, thereby increasing the diameter of the inner ring, such that the two 5 rings engage.

17. A jewellery ring substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.