AND RELATIVE METHOD

This invention relates to a machine and a method for making jewellery.

More particularly, the invention relates to a machine for making bracelets, necklaces and, more generally, chains.

The peculiarity of the machine and of the method according to the invention is that of being able to set inserts, for example made of ceramic, polymeric, or natural stone material inside the individual rings that make up a chain by means of an exclusively mechanical locking, in a simple and fast way. and without the aid of welding.

This advantageously allows both the reduction of the production times of the jewellery and the improvement of their appearance.

In fact, the exclusively mechanical locking of the inserts inside each link of the chain of a jewellery item gives a cleaner and more elegant line to the appearance of the chain itself, as opposed to the products and processes according to the prior art, in which the inserts are set by closing each link by means of more or less evident welding points or by means of perforated inserts with a pin.

Such known solutions have some specific drawbacks.

The first drawback is represented by the various extremely variable shapes of the inserts, from polyhedral with facets, or more rounded, for example spheres, or more irregular.

If a link is normally welded around the insert, this is able to perform a very effective locking regardless of its shape and size.

Currently, it is not possible to obtain an equally effective locking of inserts not having plane or linear symmetry with non-welded links, since the structures of the closed and deformed links do not possess sufficient tenacity.

Furthermore, any inserts of larger dimensions or not perfectly symmetrical cannot be blocked inside the non-welded links effectively or without compromising the aesthetic appearance of the chain, making it in fact not marketable.

Another drawback derives from the manufacturing process of jewellery items equipped with inserts, which must necessarily start from a metal wire having a section of a predetermined thickness, which is cut and bent so as to accommodate the desired type of inserts. The operations necessary to reach the finished product are carried out by different machines, which have a drawback due to the transfer of intermediate semi-finished products between one machine and another.

A further problem to be found also derives from the fact that the types of inserts that can be set in the same chain can vary in shape and size, as already mentioned above.

Continuous adjustments would therefore be required during production to the parameters of the machines currently used in order to accommodate inserts that differ from time to time; currently, such machines lack the versatility to handle the morphological variations of the inserts.

In addition, machines for the production of chains with small crosspieces (“traversini”) and regular shape, with flat or linear symmetry, for example plates or bars, are known.

The crosspieces are coupled by deforming the links and locking the crosspieces inside them, or by subsequent welding procedures; examples of this type are the chains of the “valentino” or rolo type.

Examples of such prior art machines are described in documents KR20130044424A, KR20040060094A.

These machines for the production of chains with lamina or bar-shaped crosspieces are easy to implement, since they deform a link by applying forces contained in the plane of the link itself and aligned along the same straight line, given the particular symmetry and shape of the inserts.

Using these machines, it is not possible to block inserts inside the links that are not contained in the plane of the links themselves.

Further, the document ITVI20100328A describes a machine in which more voluminous inserts are inserted in a link.

However, the inserts have recesses that function as seats for inserting complementary feet made in each link, which requires an increase in costs to manufacture suitable links and inserts.

For this reason, it is possible to lock the inserts only if these are arranged, at the moment of deformation of the links, with a certain orientation coinciding with the orientation of the feet of the links.

Moreover, it is possible that the feet remain visible after the link is tightened, ruining the appearance of the finished product. Consequently, currently known machines are not convenient from an economic point of view, as they are unable to produce adequate quantities of product in a reasonable time and with reasonable costs.

The main aims of the machine and method according to the invention are to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, allowing the production of jewellery items having inserts of any shape and/or symmetry and/or size inside the links of a jewellery chain without the need for welding points.

An aim of the invention to provide a machine and a method for the production of jewellery, including chains with inserts, which is economically advantageous, simple to construct and easy to use.

Furthermore, the aim of the machine and of the method according to the invention is to produce jewellery items equipped with inserts of variable and/or irregular shape in each link which remain firmly locked with exclusively mechanical procedures.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a machine and a method for the production of jewellery items that is versatile to use, especially with reference to the dimensions and shapes of the inserts that can be set inside the links of a chain.

These and other aims are achieved by a machine for the production of jewellery according to the attached claim 1 , and by a method according to the attached claim 9; further details and technical characteristics of the invention are reported in the dependent claims.

The invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example according to some of its preferred embodiments, with the aid of the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1A is a front view of an inserting and clamping unit of the machine for the production of jewellery according to the invention;

Figure 1 B is a side view of the unit of Figure 1 ;

Figures 2A and 2B are views of a hammering unit of the machine according to the invention;

Figures 3A-3C are a front, side and plan view of a detail of a first embodiment of a device for distributing inserts of the machine of Figure 1 ;

Figures 4A-4C are a front, side and plan view of a detail of a second embodiment of a device for distributing inserts of the machine of Figure 1 ;

Figures 5A-5C are a front, side and plan view of a detail of a third embodiment of a device for distributing inserts of the machine of Figure 1 ; Figures 6A-6C are a front, side and plan view of a detail of a fourth embodiment of a device for distributing inserts of the machine of Figure 1 ;

Figure 7A is a plan view of a detail of a clamping device for the chain of the machine of Figure 1 ;

Figure 7B is a front view of a detail of a clamping device for the chain of Figure 7A;

Figure 7C is a plan view of a detail of a clamping device for the chain of Figure 7B;

Figures 8A-8D are examples of jewellery relating to different production stages of the machine according to the invention.

Figures 1 A and 1 B show a portion of the machine relating to a station for inserting inserts of various shapes and materials into an item of jewellery.

In particular, the embodiment illustrated here is used for the insertion of such inserts inside links of a chain.

The chains that the machine can process can be of various types, both of the usual “gourmette" type and of an alternate type.

Advantageously, the inserts that can be positioned can be of any shape and/or size and/or symmetry, according to the different sizes of the links present in a same chain.

The inserts can also vary within the same chain, in order to create aesthetically improved jewellery and of greater commercial value, in an extremely reduced time.

In the same station of the machine, each link containing the insert is tightened after it is positioned.

The insertion and clamping stations can be positioned in a production line, after a station used for the production of a semi-finished product inside which the inserts will be housed.

Preferably, in the case of chains and the like, this station corresponds to a hammering unit 1 of the links of the chain, shown in Figures 2A and 2B.

This hammering unit 1 generally comprises a first vise 10, a chain guideplate 30 and a chain-guiding device 20, positioned upstream of the vise 10, and a handling lever 16, positioned downstream of the vise 10.

The movement lever 16 is movable around a pin 160, and is fixed in turn to a runner 23 and to a runner-holder 14, sliding on a slide 1 17. The chain 100 is engaged by the lever 16, which operates with a snap movement that can be adjusted according to the pitch of the chain 100, that is, according to the size of the links 110.

The runner 23 and the runner-holder 14 usefully allow variation of the distance of the lever 16 from the vise 10 according to the chain to be processed.

The chain 100, which initially is not completely deformed and the links of which do not have a shape such as to be able to house an insert, is dragged by the rotation of the lever 16 and conducted through two jaws 101 , opposite to each other and included in the vise 10.

The chain 100 is guided and supported before entering the vise 10 by a chain-guide plate 30; the plate 30 has one or more pins 301 which support the chain 100 itself.

T o ensure perfect orientation of the chain 100 in the plane between the jaws 101 , the chain 100 itself is guided through an opening 211 of the device 20.

Inside, it is oriented in such a way that it can be subsequently grasped and deformed effectively by the vise 10.

A tooth 102 is fixed to each jaw 101 , each in a mutually offset position with respect to the other.

When the vise 10 is operated, the teeth 102 approach and deform each first link 110 of the non-deformed chain 100.

In order produce the deformed chain 200, a substantially flexural-torsional and symmetrical deformation with respect to the link 110 itself is impressed on each second link 210 by the teeth 102.

The torsion of the links preferably takes place around an axis substantially coinciding with the direction of longitudinal extension of the chain, which can also be the axis to which the ends 202 belong.

In the central area of each second link 210, a central seat 201 is created between two ends 202 as a result of the deformation caused by the vise 10.

Figures 1 A and 1 B show a station for inserting and locking the inserts in the central seat 201 of each link 210.

The various components of the station are housed inside a frame 19, which acts as a protection and support for them; identical references in the various embodiments are used for equivalent components.

The frame 19 houses: - a distribution unit 2 and a clamping unit 3, used respectively for inserting the inserts inside the central seat 201 of the links 210, and for carrying out the final deformation of the links 210 to lock the insert inside it;

- a motor 40, connected to a first pulley 17;

- a shaft 7, on which a cylindrical cam 14 and an oval cam 15 are keyed, used to move the levers 12 connected in turn to the clamping unit 3;

- a second pulley 18, connected by means of suitable belts or chains 180 to the first pulley 17, for rotating the shaft 7.

Preferably, a chain guide-plate 30 is installed upstream of the distribution unit 2, in a manner similar to what has already been described previously.

Moreover, it is possible to provide a guide plate 31 positioned immediately downstream of the clamping unit 3, to direct and support the finished product equipped with inserts towards further destinations, for example a collection or packaging station.

Figures 8A and 8B show the appearance of a possible type of jewellery item that can be obtained at the exit of the hammering station; the difference between the non-deformed chain 100 and the deformed chain 200 is clearly visible, especially in relation to the presence of the central seat 201 in which the insert will be inserted.

In order to characterise the deformation imparted by the teeth 102 in more detail, each link 1 10 can be considered as having the shape of a circumference.

Furthermore, two semicircles are identified by dividing the link by means of a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chain (or to the straight line joining the ends of the link).

Each end of a same semicircle is deformed along a direction perpendicular to the surface of the link itself.

The direction of displacement of the first end of the semicircle is opposite to the direction of displacement of the second end.

Considering, on the other hand, the second semicircle, the displacements of each of the two ends are symmetrical with respect to the displacements of the ends of the first semicircle.

This is a direct consequence of the flexural-torsional stress exerted by the teeth 102 from the jaws 101 of the first vise 10. Considering both semicircles, one can imagine joining the corresponding ends of each semicircle by means of a link segment that crosses the surface of the link itself.

The positioning of the inserts is carried out, in particular, by the distribution unit 2, which is represented according to various embodiments in Figures 3A-6C.

The distribution unit 2 is installed on supports 203, which are fixed in turn to the frame 19 in the vicinity of the clamping unit 3 by means of fixing means 213, of conventional type, for example screws.

Mounted on the top of the supports 203 is a support platform 205 for actuators 315 (shown for simplicity only in Figures 3C, 4C, 5C, 6C), for example of the magnetic, pneumatic or hydraulic type, equipped with a piston 250.

On the end of each piston 250 there is a distribution plate 209, so that, when the piston 250 is fully extended, the plate 209 approaches a hole 240 made in the platform 205 and deposits an insert therein (not shown).

The distribution plate 209 comprises a central housing for an insert.

The extension of the piston 250 is adjustable by means of a guide pin 211 .

A first end 241 of a hollow distributor tube or channel 204 is connected below the hole 240, the second end of which ends close to a link 210 of the chain 200, exiting the hammering unit 1.

The length of the channel 204 is such that an insert, falling by gravity into the channel 204 itself, is positioned exactly inside a seat 201 .

The insert is therefore held from its sides by the link 210 itself.

Since the link 210 is not yet totally deformed, in order to avoid further falling of the insert, the chain 200 is made to slide inside a guide rail, which is part of the unit described below.

By suitably modifying the actuation times of the actuators 215 with the sliding speed of the chain 200, an insert is subsequently positioned in each link.

Figures 7A-7C show a detail of the clamping unit 3 already partially shown in Figures 1 A and 1 B.

The clamping unit 3 also provides for the presence of a lever 316, sliding on a slide 317 by means of a runner 323 and a runner-holder 314, similarly to what has been described above.

The function is to move the chain 200 and drag it along a rail 308. The rail 308 has the task of maintaining the chain 200 along a rectilinear direction, suitable for the empty links to be positioned under the channel 204 of the distribution unit 2, so as to receive the insert inside the central seat 201 .

The fixing means 213 for fixing the distribution unit 2 above the rail 308 can be installed in suitable seats 330.

A second vise 304 is positioned along the extension of the rail 308, downstream of the distribution unit 2, the jaws 334, 335 of which are next to and face directly on opposite sides of the rail 308.

The rotation of the lever 316 successively transports the link with the insert inside between the two jaws 334, 335.

A guide plate 303 ensures the correct alignment of the links 210 with the jaws 334, 335 of the vise 304.

The vise 304 is operated by means of the levers 12 contained in the frame 19; the jaws 334, 335 must not close completely during the sliding of the chain inside them, because they would ruin the product.

Once the deformation has been applied by the vise 304, the insert is firmly locked inside each link 210, obtaining the finished product.

Figures 8C and 8D show two views of a possible type of finished jewellery item obtainable at the exit from the clamping station.

As can be seen, the deformation imparted by the vise 304 is sufficient to clamp the segment which joins the corresponding ends of each semicircle around the insert.

The segment is deformed in such a way as to adhere to the insert to hold it in position, without the use of welding points or pins obtained in the links or additional elements.

The different extent of the deformation applied to the deformed links 220, which bear the insert 280 locked inside the central seat 201 between the two ends 202 of the link, is visible.

It is clear from the present description how, by means of the machine and the method according to the invention, it is possible to quickly produce jewellery items with a high aesthetic and commercial value, in a simple and, therefore, economically advantageous way.

A peculiarity of the jewellery items produced is to have a locking of the inserts inside the links of a chain, which is part of the jewellery items themselves, of an exclusively mechanical type and free of protrusions or elements that could adversely affect the aesthetics of the finished product.

It is clear that the invention has been described by way of example only, without limiting the scope of application, according to its preferred embodiments, but it shall be understood that variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention by experts in the field, without thereby departing from the relative scope of protection of the accompanying claims.