Omega type ornamental chain and process for making the chain
There is provided an ornamental chain of the “Omega” type used for the production of necklaces, bracelets and other articles of jewelry. This chain has two faces having different colors and/or different workmanship corresponding to the two faces. The chain may be worn showing one or the other face. The disclosure also covers the process of production of the chain.
This is a Continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/988,904 filed Mar. 28, 2000.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an “Omega” type ornamental chain and a process for making the chain.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIt is known that in the goldsmith's field an “Omega” chain is defined as a strip of a fabric having threads over which small rings are inserted. The threads are usually made of gold or other precious material. The small rings which are inserted on the strip of the fabric have a closed profile and a thin thickness, in more detail each ring is composed of a first lamina, usually in the shape of a “C”, which is welded to a second lamina which is flat and has the function of forming the closed section of the small ring. The small rings are formed by sawing a cylinder or a tube in order to obtain a plurality of identical elements.
The process to obtain the “Omega” product always provides a final pressing operation to which the chain is subjected, an operation which always defines a single surface of the product which is aesthetically satisfactory and offers along the entire extension always the same aesthetic properties. Specifically the surface aesthetically satisfactory which eventually may also be worked to achieve particular effects of style, is constituted by the entire surface which is turned towards the exterior while the concave surface is not visible and will be deposited on the skin of the woman who wears the jewel.
On the basis of what has been described it is easy to conclude that the “Omega” chains presently in commerce are characterized by a single and very precise aesthetic appearance so that, for instance, a woman in order to have the possibility of choice or combination with different types of clothing, must buy different types of jewels, for instance necklaces and bracelets.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn object of the present invention is to provide a particular conformation and/or configuration of the “Omega” chain described hereinabove capable of conferring characteristics of greater utility of the chain for the user.
This object is achieved by providing an “Omega” chain of the type with small rings, in which each one of the rings is constituted by two arcuate portions, with an angular opening less than 180.degree., identified in the following description with the generic term semi-small rings, the small rings being obtained by using two materials of different quality or composition, so that they may show surfaces of difference in color, brilliance and tonality.
A further object of the invention is to provide a process for the achievement of the chain of the invention, of the type which utilizes small rings made from a tube or a cylinder, which process utilizes such particular working phases that the process is novel with respect to the known processes and also suitable for the production of “Omega” chains which have qualities of compactness, flexibility and aesthetics substantially superior with respect to the similar known products.
In actual operation, the small rings are obtained starting with two lamina of material having different composition, which lamina are placed side by side one with respect to the other, according to their longitudinal direction and being made integral one with respect to the other, by means of a process of welding so as to constitute a bilamina which then is shaped so as to form a tubular or cylindrical product.
The tube is divided with radial cuts so as to form a plurality of small rings, which, being made with two different materials, may be defined “bicolors”.
The small rings are then inserted onto a center piece or core of fabric of precious material and the manufactured flexible product so obtained is subjected to a final pressing action to confer to the product some degree of rigidity and compactness while remaining flexible in order to allow the jewel to be shaped and to maintain the shape.
After the pressing operation one obtains a product suitable to make the necklaces called “double face”, that is the necklaces which have two surfaces with symmetrically counterposed faces and which have aesthetic characteristics different one from the other.
In addition, operations such as glazing, beating, incision, diamond edging, or similar operations may be carried out on one or both surfaces of the chain in order to improve more substantially the aesthetic appearance of the final product.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe invention will be more clear by reference to the accompanying drawings which are provided as non-limiting example, of which:
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the “Omega” chain of this invention constituted by a plurality of small rings (10), each one is constituted by two semi-small rings (10.1) and (10.2) with arcuate profiles, having an angular opening less than 180.degree., disposed symmetrically with respect to each other and integral along the two lateral borders (10.3).
All the small rings (10) are inserted and pressed on the internal center piece or core (20) which is a fabric of precious material.
The small rings (10) in addition are characterized by the fact that the two semi-small rings (10.1) and (10.2) are made of different material and/or offer their external surfaces (10.A) and (10.B) worked in a manner that they exhibit aesthetic properties which are different one from the other.
Consequently also the chain (1) when the small rings are inserted on the center piece of fabric (20) offer two faces aesthetically satisfactory but different one from the other and in this manner achieving the chains called “double face”.
By way of example, the possibility of achieving chains “Omega double face” is mentioned, with the combination white gold/yellow gold, simply utilizing rings (10) constituted by two integral small rings (10.1) and (10.2), one of them made from lamina of yellow gold and the other made from lamina of white gold (see
For the purpose of clarifying to a greater extent the difference between the chain “Omega double face” of this invention and the prior art “Omega” chain, there are described, in succession, the two different processes, that is the prior art process (
As shown in
With a successive operation of compression, not shown, the final chain (3) of
As shown in
Consequently, lamina (7) is subjected to a rolling action which transforms the bilamina into a tubular or cylindrical element (8) (
As shown in
As seen in
As shown in
As shown in
Subsequently the process of the present invention provides for the extraction of the central piece (110) from the calibrated tubular element (12), for instance, by resting the tubular element against plate (15) which has a hole (see
Still subsequently, as shown in
Finally as shown by comparing
Subsequently, as shown in
The semiworked product thus obtained is subjected to a final pressing action as shown in
Obviously a great number of combinations may be carried out by utilizing different dispositions and a number of two or more of approached lamina. In particular, rings of different color on the same face may also be used and on the same face glazed areas alternate with smooth areas may be used.
On the basis of the description and figures shown hereinabove the advantage to the user resulting from the utilization of the chain of this invention is evident because the user may utilize two ornamental elements which may have aesthetic conformations totally different while facing the expense of acquiring a single object.
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. A method for making a reversible omega chain comprising the steps of:
- providing a first strip of a first material;
- providing a second strip of a second material;
- joining the first strip and the second strip together at one lengthwise side;
- rolling the joined strips to form a hollow tube;
- drawing the tube over a substantially oval shaping element to form a substantially oval tube;
- cutting the substantially oval tube radially at specific increments to provide a plurality of rings;
- inserting the rings onto a core;
- pressing the rings on the core to provide an omega chain.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein the first material is yellow gold and the second material is white gold.
9. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of drawing the tube over a solid tubular element to remove a protruding cordon.
10. The method of claim 6 wherein the solid tubular element is calibrated steel.
11. The method of claim 5 wherein the joining step further comprises welding.
12. The method of claim 5 wherein the core is a semi-precious metal fabric.
13. The method of claim 5 wherein the omega chain cross-section is concave.
14. The method of claim 5 wherein the inserting step further comprises inserting rings of alternating appearance so that every other ring has the same design.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the design is a glazed face.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein the design is a smooth face.
17. (canceled)
18. The omega chain of claim 17 wherein the first side is made of a first material and the second side is made of a second material, the first and second materials being different.
19. (canceled)
20. (canceled )
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 13, 2004
Publication Date: May 19, 2005
Inventor: Pietro Rancan (Trissino)
Application Number: 11/011,281