GORINI, Michele (30 Loc. Ponte Alla Piera, Anghiari - AR, Anghiari - AR, I-52031, IT)
GORINI, Manuel (30 Loc. Ponte Alla Piera, Anghiari - AR, Anghiari - AR, I-52031, IT)
GORINI, Michele (30 Loc. Ponte Alla Piera, Anghiari - AR, Anghiari - AR, I-52031, IT)
| CLAIMS 1. Invention procedure for the production of a metal tubular chain characterized by an elastic and diamond effect with much lower weight than tubular chains made with traditional processes, with an increase in its resistance to breakage, with the removal of the steel core during the processing stage without the use of chemical treatments, with a closed mesh visual effect, with the possibility of inserting a spring in the finished chain, to be applied in the field of: jewelry, costume jewelry, bracelets, other personal accessories. The invention procedure consists of the following steps: I. BRAIDING of wires in order to obtain an initial chain without the aid of an internal metal core. II. POLISHING of the chain obtained by brushing with the special machinery of OMEGA ART S.r.l. before the chain goes in the compaction phase. III. INSERTION of an internal core of steel or other metal into the chain during the initial compaction process, which is done in a new machine invented by OMEGA ART S.R.L. IV. EXPANSION of the chain meshes during the compaction process, by virtue of the introduction of an internal core of steel or other metal, which increases its volume with the weight remaining the same. V. DEFORMATION of the meshes of the chain during the compaction process with rollers that compress the meshes of the chain against the internal core of steel or other metal. Vl. TIGHTENING of the meshes of the chain, during the compaction stage, which prevents the naked eye from seeing its inside. VII. RESISTANCE to breakage increased in the mesh of the chain by virtue of the tightening done during the compaction process VIII. ELASTICITY given by the compressing of the chain meshes during the compaction process. IX. FLEXIBILITY given by the compaction of the meshes of the chain, which goes from having one surface to having many surfaces. X. DIAMOND EFFECT of the chain due to deformation of the flat wire during the compaction process, which produces a surface that is no longer flat but variegated, with multiple surfaces that become many points of light. Xl. HARDENING of the chain through a special heat treatment that gives the precious metal a certain consistency and also allows it to memorize the shape given to it by the metal core. XII. REMOVAL OF THE CORE OF STEEL, or other metal, from the chain without the use of chemical emptying treatment because it is loose inside the chain. XIII. FINISHED CHAIN with a closed mesh visual effect (solid chain effect) and empty inside, or FINISHED CHAIN with a closed mesh visual effect (solid chain effect) and filled inside with a spring in precious or non-precious metal or any other elastic material. |
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention regards a special procedure for the production of a metal tubular chain with an elastic and diamond effect with much lower weight than tubular 10 chains made with traditional processes, to be applied in the field of jewelry, costume jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, other personal accessories. This procedure allows the chain to:
- obtain an external tubular chain that is elastic, compact, with a diamond effect;
- manually remove the metal core in steel or other metal inside the tubular 15 chain, without the use of the chemical products that are used in the traditional technique, which considerably diminish the shininess.
- invisibility of a possible internal core (in precious or other metal or another material with elastic characteristics) thanks to the compactness of the tubular chain.
20
BACKGROUND ART
The previous state of the art stops with the simple production of a chain 25 consisting of the insertion of a flat wire into an unpatented braiding machine, equipped with several spools of said flat wire, which braids the wires in such a manner as to obtain a braid with a round section.
BRAIDING: The braiding process is done interlacing together several wires around a metal core with a round section equal to the final internal diameter of 30 the elastic tubular chain that is to be obtained. This metal core remains trapped inside the chain and it can be glimpsed because the chain obtained with this previous process allows the internal core to be seen with the naked eye. HARDENING: At this point the length of the bundle is subjected to a heat hardening treatment that makes it possible to give the precious metal a certain 35 consistency and to make it memorize the shape that it was given around the metal core.
EMPTYING: During this process the bundle of gold braided around the metal core is subjected to a chemical treatment for dissolving the core made from copper or a non-precious metal, which inevitably tends to tarnish the precious metal of the chain.
FINAL RESULT: Once the treatment is completed we have a very light empty chain that has a certain degree of elasticity. The chain that we have obtained is not very shiny due to the chemical emptying; in addition, the type of braided mesh can be recognized by the naked eye, as it is loosely braided enough to make it possible to see the empty inside of the chain.
The same process indicated in this point may also be done without the use of the metal core, but this reduces the elasticity of the chain up to a maximum of 5% of its length, and furthermore one loses the effect of the memorizing of the shape, given by the internal core, obtained during the hardening process.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The new process consist of the initial production of a chain without the use of a core made of copper or other metal.
The chain obtained then undergoes a brushing stage and the subsequent inserting of the same (X) into a new compacting machine (FIG. 1) upon which the chain advances and into which is inserted a core of steel (Y) (FIG. 2), or another metal, which allows it to be expanded (FIG. 3), which increases its volume while its weight remains the same.
During the compaction stage (FIG. 1 - F, G, H. I) each individual wire of the chain obtains a deformation which allows it to have a surface that is no longer flat but variegated into multiple surfaces that become many points of light, creating a diamond effect (FIG. 9). The compaction process gives to the chain:
1 - A tightening of the mesh, which prevents the naked eye from seeing its empty inside.
2 - Increased resistance to breakage of the chain due to the tightening of the mesh.
3 - Elasticity due to the compressing of the meshes.
4 - Flexibility of the chain due to the increase from one to several surfaces, which makes it easier to bend. The procedure also allows the internal core to be pulled out easily (FIG. 8), after the heat hardening treatment, without the use of chemical procedures that alter the shininess of the chain.
The advantage given by the invisibility to the naked eye of the empty inside makes it possible to give the finished chain a core consisting of a spring in metal (precious or other) or another elastic material.
INNOVATIONS IN THE CHAIN GIVEN BY THE NEW PROCEDURE
COMPARED TO THE PRECEDING TECHNIQUE.
The new chain has a very brilliant diamond effect, whereas that produced using the preceding method does not have the diamond effect and, moreover, it is not very brilliant or sometimes it is dull.
Furthermore, unlike the preceding chain which is emptied of its internal core by means of a chemical process, the new chain retains its initial shininess, which is emphasized even more during the polishing stage and amplified in the compaction process thanks to the creation of multiple surfaces which become many points of light.
The new chain is formed by a closed mesh that does not allow the empty inside to be seen by the naked eye, thus giving a "solid" effect and thus a greater value, considering that it is made using precious metal alloys (as they contain gold and/or platinum and/or silver), whereas the chain produced with the preceding method, i.e. with a semi-closed mesh, allows the empty inside to be visible and thus its value is lessened compared to the new method. The new chain resulting from the new process may also be produced, however, using non-precious metals.
The new chain has a lower specific gravity compared to the preceding method, as it is expanded by the insertion of a core of steel, or different metal, during the compaction process (Fig. 3). The compact structure given to the new closed mesh chain makes it more resistant to crushing than the preceding semi-closed mesh chain.
The compact structure given to the new closed mesh chain makes it firmer to the touch than the preceding semi-closed mesh chain.
The new chain, unlike the preceding chain, which leaves the internal core visible, can be given a metal (precious or other) or nonmetal core consisting of a spring that thanks to the new process remains invisible to the naked eye as long as the chain does not undergo stretching.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1: illustrates the machinery overall in which the chain (X), entering from point A, undergoes the insertion of the metal core and the compacting of its meshes until exiting in the direction toward L.
FIG. 2: illustrates detail of the machinery in which one can see the metal core
(Y), which will enter inside the chain. FIG. 3: illustrates detail of the machinery in which the metal core (Y) enters the chain (X). FIG. 4: illustrates detail of the machinery in which the metal core (Y) expands the chain (X). FIG. 5 : illustrates detail of the machinery where the metal core (Y) is still visible inside the chain (X).
FIG. 6: illustrates the final part of the machinery where the chain is compacted around the metal core.
FIG. 7: illustrates the chain exiting from the machinery totally compacted.
FIG. 8: illustrates the manual removal of the metal core from the compacted chain.
FIG. 9: illustrates a portion of compacted chain where the individual meshes are closed and pushed together so as to produce the diamond effect.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The invention process is best carried out in the following steps:
[0001]
BRAIDING: The flat wire is worked using the same known technique, i.e. by means of a braiding machine that braids the wires so as to obtain a braid with a round or other than round section, of several meters length proportional to the length of the individual wires. Varying the section (width or thickness) of the wires and the braiding pitch will vary the size of the new chain that is obtained with this new process.
At this stage the chain is definitely inelastic and has little brilliancy. [0002] POLISHING: brushing of the chain obtained by braiding to obtain great shininess before the chain goes into the compaction stage.
[0003]
COMPACTION: Inserting of the chain into a special new machine (FIG. 1) invented by OMEGA ART S.R.L. equipped with pinch rollers and compactors that carry the chain (X) from point (A) to point (L) of the machinery; as the chain goes through the machinery, it becomes (X+Y) as it is given an internal core (Y) between the rollers indicated with letters (B) and (C); it then continues between rollers (D) (E) and (F) (G), leaving the steel or other metal core still visible; next (X + Y) passing between rollers (F) (G) (H) (I) it undergoes compaction, which we indicated again with (X) in the drawing because the internal core (Y) is no longer visible.
The compaction stage is done in the following steps: a - Insertion: the machine sends the chain between the rollers indicated as (B) and (C) in Fig. 1 toward the internal core, consisting of pointed steel wire (FIG. 2) (Y) having a size greater than the internal thickness of the chain, b - Expansion: the steel wire, entering easily with its pointed tip, tends to expand the chain with its greater thickness (FIG. 3), thus it increases its volume while its weight remains the same. At this stage the meshes of the chain with the core inserted are still loose and minimally compacted, such that the internal steel core can be seen (FIG. 4) (Y) inside the path of the rollers (Fig. 1 letters C, D, E) and shown in (FIG. 5).
Next the chain with the steel core (X+Y) passes through the other series of rollers (FIG. 1 letters F, G, H, I ), which compact the chain around the steel core (FIG. 6) and which exits in its final stage at point (L) with only the chain visible (X) with the relative diamond effect (FIG. 7).
The compaction stage causes each individual flat wire making up the chain to undergo a compression which produces: c - Deformation: a deformation of the flat wire of the chain, giving it a surface that is no longer flat but variegated into multiple surfaces that become many points of light, creating a diamond effect; thus there is an increase in the number of reflective surfaces of the wire making up the chain, which goes from a single reflecting dimension to a larger number that is indefinable and that may vary depending on: - the thickness of the wire core of steel, or other metal, inside the chain and/or
- the degree of pressure by the compacting rollers on the chain with the core of steel, or other metal, and/or
- the thickness of the wire making up the chain. d - Tightening of the mesh: the compaction process allows an inevitable exclusive tightening of the meshes of the chain, which prevents the naked eye from seeing its inside in the subsequent presence or absence of an internal core in the final product, e - Strength: the tightening of the meshes considerably increases the strength of the chain. f - Elasticity: the compressing of the meshes of the chain, done by the compacting machine, gives greater elasticity to the chain without an internal core. g - Flexibility: the compaction of the of the meshes of the chain, which goes from having one surface to having many surfaces, allows greater bending of the chain, making it more flexible compared to the traditional method.
[0004]
HARDENING: After the compacting stage the bundle of chain in precious metal with a core of steel, or other metal, is subjected to a heat hardening treatment that makes it possible to give the precious metal a certain consistency and to make it memorize the shape that it was given of great compactness and the closing of the individual meshes.
[0005]
REMOVAL OF THE INTERNAL CORE: the steel (or other metal) core that is inserted in the chain during the compaction process is extracted manually (FIG. 8), but the extraction can also be automated without the use of the chemical emptying treatment, as the steel core is loose inside the chain. Thanks to this the chain entirely retains its shininess, enhanced by the diamond effect (FIG. 9).
[0006] PROVIDING THE CHAIN WITH A CORE OF METAL, PRECIOUS OR NON- PRECIOUS, OR OF ANOTHER ELASTIC MATERIAL: the finished chain can be provided with an internal core (invisible to the naked eye) consisting of a spring in precious metal which gives it greater strength and real value, or by an internal core consisting of a non-precious metal spring that gives it greater strength and virtual value, or by any other material with elastic characteristics.
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