In greater detail the method in question is intended for the production of articles of jewellery which are made of precious metal, such as gold and silver, or precious metal alloys. However, it may also be envisaged using other metals such as copper, titanium, aluminium or steel. The articles obtained will be able to be used in particular as filiform basic components for the manufacture of various jewellery products with an empty or solid core, such as for example chains, bracelets, earrings and similar articles which are intended for the market of goldware products having a gold content generally less than that of traditional jewellery products.

Background art During the last few years the market for articles of jewellery with a low gold content has expanded considerably and is now comparable, in particular in certain countries, to that of traditional articles of jewellery made of solid gold. The expansion of this new market is associated essentially with the fact that these products, although they are marketed at a selling price

corresponding to the smaller quantity of gold necessary for their manufacture, cannot be distinguished.-except in terms of their weight-from the traditional solid gold articles. The techniques and degree of finishing applied during the production of goldware are in fact such that products with the same form, but different gold content, are essentially indistinguishable from each other from an aesthetic point of view.

Many products have been proposed in order to respond to the demand of this new market and numerous production techniques have been adopted in order to reduce the quantity of precious metal used without necessarily altering the final aesthetic appearance of the said articles.

A known production technique has resulted in the marketing of products which are hollow or have an"empty structure", i. e. are formed only by a thin layer of gold alloy.

The main drawbacks of this type of product lie mainly in the poor mechanical strength properties of these empty structures which are in fact very fragile and sometimes likely to collapse already during the processing operations envisaged.

The production of these"empty structure"products involves the use of filiform cores, such as cords or

threads of copper, aluminium, iron or plastic, which mechanically support the external gold lining during the processing steps, which cores are then eliminated at the end of the processing by means of dissolving in acid or caustic baths. The use of this technique involving filiform cores of non-precious material has made it possible to obtain hollow thin-walled gold products as required.

More recently, as is known, a notable degree of commercial success has been enjoyed by articles, in particular chains and bracelets, which are made by combining portions of gold and portions of other less precious metals, such as silver and copper, with the aim of obtaining special and sought-after aesthetic effects resulting from the combination of the different tones of the metals used.

In this connection, US 5,425, 228 in the name of Hillel describes an article of goldware which is obtained by processing a cord composed of several coaxial tubular layers which are made of different metals. The innermost tubular layers are rendered visible by means of a deep diamond-machining process which cuts into the cord until the surfaces portions thereof are removed.

The technique which has allowed the marketing of jewellery articles with layers made of metals which are

common or in any case less costly than gold has in fact resulted in the possibility of being able to manufacture goldware articles with a gold content even lower than that of articles with an"empty structure". The use of gold has, generally been limited to the surface lining layers, while the internal structural part of the articles has normally been envisaged as being made of less costly materials such as, for example, silver, copper, aluminium and steel.

Owing to the mechanical support provided by the internal structure, the structural limitations of"empty structure"articles have been essentially overcome. In fact the gold lining layer no longer has structural functions and may be made with the desired thickness owing to the high malleability of gold, by drawing through normal die holes.

With reference to this type of goldware articles, the patent US 6,381, 942 in the name of Grosz teaches how to manufacture filiform articles with a core made of metal which is less precious than gold and with a gold lining having a thickness varying between 0.0001 inch, 0. 0025 mm) and 0.002 inch (-0. 05 mm).

According to a first embodiment claimed by Grosz the filiform article is made from a thin sheet of gold of predefined length and width, which is initially shaped in

the form of a U-shaped channel. A tubular core, for example made of silver, is then inserted inside this channel, following which the free edges of the gold sheet are closed so as to envelop the core inside a gold lining. The assembly composed of the silver core and the gold lining are then drawn in order to reduce the overall thickness thereof and ensure its maximum cohesion. The edges of the external layer may if necessary be welded together. The join between the core and the gold lining is obtained by means of compression of the latter onto the core.

The main drawback of this first embodiment of Grosz is essentially associated with the fact that the gold lining is not firmly attached to the inner core, being associated therewith only by means of mechanical compression. When the filiform assembly is subjected to steps involving mechanical deformation, modelling, cutting or diamond-machining, separation of the core and lining with consequent relative slipping frequently occurs, with all the production-related drawbacks resulting therefrom. This drawback limits considerably the processing operations which may be performed on the assemblies thus obtained.

According to a second embodiment claimed by Grosz, the, filiform article is made from a multiple-layer or

sandwich sheet-like element which is composed of a thin sheet of gold and a thin sheet of silver with the arrangement of a layer of solder in between. The multiple-layer element is then pressed between steel plates and conveyed into an oven where melting of the layer of solder occurs. At this point the multiple-layer element is rolled until it reaches its desired thickness, with intermediate annealing operations. Once cut to the desired dimensions, the multiple-layer element is processed until a tubular form is achieved by means of the action of a succession of pressing rollers. After this processing operation the tubular shaped multiple- layer element may undergo welding along its connecting edges.

In order to form a solid filiform element from a multiple-layer tubular element of the type illustrated above, Grosz again, envisages insertion therein of a solid core, for example made of silver, which is then attached to the tubular body again by means of mechanical compression.

The reduction in the thickness of the outermost layer of gold may be performed in both embodiments by means of drawing until the desired values are reached.

The drawback of this second embodiment is similar to that encountered in the first embodiment. An article of

jewellery formed by means of insertion of the core inside the multiple-layer tubular body is in fact subject to relative sliding of these two parts, in particular when it undergoes the most common mechanical machining operations involving deformation or diamond-machining.

In fact, the inner core, which may be solid or empty, is not firmly associated with the multiple-layer tubular body, but is again attached thereto only by means of mechanical compression. Moreover, during transformation of the multiple-layer sheet-like element from the flat form into the tubular form, tension is created between the different layers, in particular owing to the different radii of curvature which are disadvantageous for the subsequent processing steps.

Disclosure of the invention In this situation, therefore, the object of the present invention is that of eliminating the drawbacks of the known art mentioned above, by providing a method for manufacturing articles of jewellery, which allows the articles thus obtained to undergo any subsequent processing step without being subject to damage or the drawbacks in particular associated with the separation of several layers.

A further object of the present invention is that of providing a method for manufacturing articles of

jewellery which is simulaneously inexpensive, versatile and easy to implement.

Brief description of the drawings The characteristic features of the invention, in accordance with the abovementioned objects, may be clearly understood from the contents of the claims indicated below and the advantages thereof will emerge more clearly during the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which show a purely exemplary and non-limiting embodiment thereof and in which: - Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a roller machine suitable for use in the method according to the present invention; - Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an article of jewellery made using the method according to the present invention, having an empty core or with a-continuous layer of solder; - Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the article of jewellery according to Figure 1 along the plane indicated by III-III in Figure 2; - Figure 4 shows a perspective view of an article of jewellery similar to that of Figure 2 but with a solid core; Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the

article according to Figure 4 along the plane indicated by V-V in Figure 4; - Figure 6 shows a perspective view of an article of jewellery similar to that of Figure 2, but with a discontinuous layer of solder formed with strip-like portions; - Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the article according to Figure 6 along the plane indicated by VII- VII in Figure 6; - Figure 8 is a perspective view of an article of jewellery similar to that of Figure 6, but with a solid core; Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the article according to Figure 8 along the plane indicated by IX-IX in Figure 8; - Figure 10 is a perspective view of an article of jewellery similar to that of Figure 6, but with a discontinuous layer of solder formed with filiform portions; - Figure 11 is cross-sectional view of the article according to Figure 10 along the plane indicated by XI-XI in Figure 10; - Figure 12 is a perspective view of an article of jewellery similar to that of Figure 10, but with a solid core;

- Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the article according to Figure 12 along the plane indicated by XIII- XIII in Figure 12.

Detailed description With reference to the accompanying figures, 1 denotes in its entirety an article of jewellery with filiform portions which can be obtained with the method forming the subject of the present invention.

With the method in question it is possible to produce any type of article of jewellery (Fig. 2) with filiform portions, which comprises a first hollow tubular element 2 made of precious metal and intended to act as an external lining, a second tubular element 3 made of metal and inserted inside the first element 2 and intended to act as an inner core, and a layer of solder 4 arranged by way of connection between the two tubular elements 2,3.

The article of jewellery 1 may have equally well a solid core which, is formed with a solid tubular element 3, as illustrated in Figures 4,8 and 12, or may have a hollow core, as illustrated in Figures 2,6 and 10.

The method according to the present invention comprises a first step involving manufacture of the first hollow element 2 in tubular form. As will be illustrated more clearly below, the first element 2 may be produced

directly in tubular form or may be shaped into tubular form by means of mechanical deformation from a sheet-like strip, the width and thickness of which has been determined beforehand depending on the final dimensions of the article 1 to be produced.

This first element 2 forms, as mentioned, the superficial lining part of the article of jewellery 1 and therefore preferably consists of a precious metal such as gold, silver, platinum or an alloy thereof.

A second step of the method envisages the preparation of the second tubular element 3 which is produced for example by means of extrusion and is intended to act, as mentioned, as a core for the first hollow tubular element 2. The second tubular element 3 may be solid or hollow and consists preferably of silver.

Alternatively, it may be also be made of gold or non- precious metals, optionally an alloy, such as for example copper and aluminium. Steel may also be usefully used.

The second tubular element 3 may be made visible in some portions of the article of jewellery 1 by means of diamond-machining processes which allow superficial incision with removal of parts of the first tubular lining element 2. In this way, the article 1 may be embellished by chromatic effects resulting from juxtaposition of the different colours of the surface

layer 2 and the metal of the underlying layer 3.

A third step of the method envisages coaxial joining together of the first element 2 and the second element 3 in a single tubular assembly-or multiple-layer element - which forms the basis of the article of jewellery 1. A layer of solder is provided between the two elements 2,3 and allows the two parts to be firmly joined together, overcoming the said drawbacks of the known art.

The possible mixtures of metals and other compounds to be used for the layer of solder 4 are well-known to a person skilled in the goldware manufacturing sector.

According to the principles of the brazing technique, these mixtures must have melting temperatures which are lower than those of the two elements 2,3 which form the parts to be fixed together.

After the coaxial joining step, the layer of solder 4 does not yet perform its function of connecting together the first element 2 and the second element 3.

The layer of solder 4 is provided on at least one joining surface of the two elements, which is then interfaced with those of the other element once joining has been performed. Therefore, after the joining step, the first element 2 and the second element 3 are still simply arranged next to each other.

After the coaxial joining step, the method envisages

a step involving preliminary drawing of the tubular assembly. This step has the function of compressing the first tubular element 2 onto the second tubular element 3 so that they are tightly joined together with the layer of solder 4 arranged in between. During this step both the first element 2 and the second element 3 may be subject to a partial reduction in the thickness produced by the pressure to which they are subject.

After the first drawing step, the method envisages subjecting the tubular assembly to a brazing step with the aim of melting the intermediate layer of solder 4 and rigidly fastening together the two tubular elements 2,3.

During this step, the tubular assembly is conveyed to an oven where temperatures not exceeding the melting temperature of the two tubular elements 2,3 to be assembled together are maintained, said temperature by way of example being equivalent to 850°C and preferably ranging between 500°C and 800°C depending on the composition of the layer of solder 4 and the material from which the two tubular elements 2,3 are formed.

The brazing step is followed by a second drawing step which has the function of reducing the overall cross-section of the brazed tubular-assembly to the desired values. In particular, during this drawing step, it is possible to thin the thickness of the external

lining 2 of precious metal as required.

Obviously, the final thickness of the external lining 2 depends on the value of the initial thickness of the assembly, on the ratio between the thicknesses of the two elements 2,3 and on the final cross-sectional dimension of the article which is to be obtained. The high malleability of gold and silver as well as the good elongation properties of these two metals allows extremely thin lining layers 2 to be obtained by means subsequent drawing steps. For commercial reasons it may be decided, for example, to choose preferably values for the external lining which range between 50 and 70 pm.

The drawing step may envisage intermediate annealing steps which allow a reduction in the tensions generated by the cold mechanical machining operation of drawing and thus keep the elongation values of the materials used within operationally acceptable values during the whole of this processing operation.

Advantageously, according to a first embodiment of the method in question, the step of joining together the two tubular elements 2,3 is performed during the step of manufacture of the first element 2 in tubular form.

During the manufacturing step it is envisaged performing a step involving forming of the first element 2 so that, from a sheet-like strip, it is deformed into

an open channel with a substantially U-shaped cross- section. The joining step is performed after the abovementioned forming step and essentially consists in a step involving insertion of the second tubular element 3 inside the U-shaped channel.

The step of manufacturing the first element 1 in tubular form is completed by a step involving closing of the U-shaped channel, during which the edges of the U- shaped channel are arranged next to each other so as to envelop inside them the second tubular element 3.

These steps of manufacture of the first element 2 and joining together with the second element 3 may be performed for example with the aid of the roller machine denoted by A in Figure 1, said machine being equipped with a plurality of pairs of pressure rollers R which are intended to produce the mechanical deformation and modelling of the first element 1. The machine A is advantageously also equipped with means for the continuous welding of the tubular assembly, denoted by S in Figure 1.

In greater detail, the step of forming the first element into a U-shaped channel is performed by the two pairs of pressure rollers indicated by R1, while the step of closing the edges of the U-shaped channel is performed by the two successive pairs of pressure rollers indicated

by R2. The second tubular element 3 is inserted inside the U-shaped channel between the pairs of pressure rollers R1 and R2 and by means of a guide element not shown in detail in Figure 1. The welding means S allow the continuous welding of the edges of the first element 2 immediately after completion of the step involving closing of the U-shaped channel.

With reference to the solutions of the methods indicated above, preferably the tubular assembly is drawn before being sent to the oven, being forced to pass through holes of a die with an increasingly smaller diameter.

Upon leaving the roller machine A the tubular assembly may be conveyed directly to the brazing oven, since, during the closing step, the two pairs of pressure rollers R2 have essentially also performed the first drawing step. Alternatively, the tubular assembly may be drawn upon leaving the machine A by means of two pairs of rollers R3 before being conveyed to the oven or by passing through special dies.

Upon leaving the brazing oven, the tubular assembly undergoes the second drawing step which allows the desired thicknesses of the tubular assembly and the external lining to be obtained.

In accordance with a second embodiment of the method

in question, the step of joining together the two elements 2, 3 is performed only after completion of the step of manufacturing the first element 2 in tubular form.

Advantageously, in this case, the first tubular element 2 is formed by means of continuous extrusion casting. In this way, ^ a high degree of homogeneity as regards structure and mechanical behaviour is ensured over the while extension of the tubular element 2.

Alternatively, the first element 2 is shaped in tubular form, again from a sheet-like strip passing through a pair of pressure rollers R1 and R2 of the machine A and welded by the welding means S. The insertion of the second tubular element 2 inside the first element 2 is performed only after complete manufacture of the latter and therefore no longer by means of the roller machine A.

In both cases, the joining step consists in coaxial insertion of the second tubular element 3 inside the first element 2 already formed into a tube. In this case, the layer of solder is deposited beforehand, preferably onto the surface of the second tubular element 3.

As can be seen from Figures 1 to 4, the layer of solder 4 may be provided in continuous form so as to

occupy the whole of the annular cavity existing between the two tubular elements 2,3, connecting them together over the whole of their interfacing surfaces.

Alternatively, the layer of solder 4 may be formed with one or more strip-like portions which cover only partially the interfacing surface and extend continuously in the axial direction of extension of the tubular assembly and in a discontinuous manner along the circumference of the interfacing surfaces. These portions may be strip-like, as indicated by 4a and as can be seen in Figures 6 to 9 or may be filiform as indicated by 4b and as shown instead in Figures 10 to 13.