US1926804A - Lock clasp for jewels and similar articles - Google Patents

Description

y Sept. 12, 1933. G. DEsoUcHEs LOCK CLASP FOR JEWELS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed May 3, 1932 /NVELNTOFQ Grard Deso l0/Zed 5 f y A TT??? Y Patented Sept. l12., 1933 'Look CLASP `'Fon JEWELS AND *ARTICLES SIMILAR Y ,A GerardM Desouclies, Faris, France, Vassignox to Cartier-,fv ySociete Anonyme, Paris, France, a

company of France` Applicatiunixmya 1932, serial No. 608,926, 'y e and in France'May `5,* 1931 v f 7 claims) (c1. .e4-201) the other branch and by forcing it between 'said balls whichare moved'apart. and thenbrought back into contact with each other bythe action of the spring, thus locking the branch that carries only one ball. In that closed position, the three balls are disposed at the apexes o'atriangle, and

are nfiaintained in Contact only by the `action Vof Y the spring. .-i

The object of thepresentinvention is tov provide an improved clasp of that type, in which the branch that carries onlyoneballis provided with a locking device, so that said. branchoannot -be released under the action of some shock'or stress, either `by overcoming the-elastiolpressure that maintains it in position, or because the tension of the spring is no longer sucient, or said spring is out of order. j

Said locking device consists of a Atail* provided under theV single ball' and which cooperates with asimple or double push piece, in such manner that the opening of the clasp necessitates the op# eration 'of said push piece. f i y My invention also includes' the fproyisionfof a spring plate, or any other elastic organwhich is e deformed by thetail ofthe single ball-when'the latter is brought into the position Vthat closes `:the clasp;-` Said spring automatically produces vthe release of said ball and the .opening of the clasp upon, or at`A least Fig. 5Vvshowsgthe clasp in the closedpositionV e partly in sectionfon the line 5,-5 of Fig. 3;V v Fig-6 `is aY front view corresponding to` Fig. 5

partly in section onthe linen-,l-A-G of Fig. 5;-A Y

Fig. 7 is a bottom view. of .the clasps corresponde ing to Fig-.5?" Y e Fig. 8 -is afront View corresponding to- Fig. 1 and showing, in a diagiamrnatical mannenthe mounting or" the movable balls. f e Fig. 9 shows the'pushpieces of Fig. 3 in detail. As shown in the drawing, the-clasp,fwhich is supposedinrthe example to be fitted to the ends of a bracelet a, comprises, in the known manner,

on the one hand a branch b1, carrying at'one end a ball c1 and pivotally mounted at the other end d ontheiastener'e through which said branch blis fixed to one endeof the bracelet. The other. part .of the clasp consists of a double branch b2, b3, which'oarries, through 'the medium of a cross member two balls c2, c3 pvotally mounted at z'` Y jin said cross member inthe known manner (Fig.

In order to preclude the inadvertent move-* S) mentor" said ballsV awayfrom each other, said balls are kept in contact with each other by the elastic pressure exerted by a spring g acting-on parts h integral with said balls (Fig. 8),. f

The double branch b2., b3 is mounted on afastener k iixed `to the other end ci bracelet a in any suitable manner. f

A tail Z provided with two opposite notches m,

kis iixed to orsoldered toor integral with the under face of, stationary ball c1, as shown in Fig, 2,-.said tail is adapted to engage a hole n provided in a cup shaped piece o xed to the fastener lc. Said cup-shaped piece 0 is adapted to receive the base p oiball c1. The cup-shapedpiece o is provided with a longitudinal slot oin which branch b1. engages. Under said cup-shaped piece, there is provided,l in fastener k, a double push piece q1,if12. the outer ends of which project laterally from the sides ofthe fastener lc, while the inner ends 11, T2 thereof project-under hole n, as .shown inFigs. 3 and 9. Under cup-shaped' piece o, there is `also provided inrfatener lc springs t1, t2 adapted to cooperate with saidk push piece. Under these conditions, when the clasp is to be closed',ybranch b1, together .with itsV ball o1, is brought over the two balls c3, c3, in the direction of arrow F, (Figs. l and 2) and said branch forced down between said balls, .so as to vniove them; apart, which is possibledue to their elastic mounting. .When balls `02,123 come back to their initial position, Vbranch'b1 is kept enclosedbe-v tween them, as shown` in dotted lines in Fig-,8. Moreover, the `tail l of ball c1 has'thus beenren gaged into hole 1LY (Fig. :3) so as to interlock with pushpiecesql, q?v the ends r1, 12fof which penetrate into vthezlateral notches 'in ofV said tail, Thus, ,ball c1 vis now locked in position and the clasp cannot open by itseli. v

Under tail Zvis disposed a spring plate ors'tripu, the ends of which are freely engaged in two housev ings U1(Fig. .7) provided in fastener `so that sov when tail Z is forced into `theclosed'position vits in a direction opposite to that of arrow F, so

as to open the clasp. Y

I can, of course, by giving spring u or any other similar elastic organ a suitable tension, I,

obtain, if desired, the automatic opening of the clasp, that is the removal of'branch b1 from between balls c2 and c3 by merely depressing pushpieces q1, q2, the opening being then by the action of spring u. Y A Y Obviously the balls have been shown in the preceding embodiment as a mere example of the ornamental mei Abers that serve to hold the branches of the clasp together. Other elements could be used for that purpose such as precious stones.

While I have disclosed what deem to be a preferred embodiment of my invention, it should be well understood that Ide not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing Vfrom the principleof my invention as comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A clasp of the type described, which comprises in combination, a branch for said clasp, twoV ornamental members elastically mounted on said branch so that `they are normally in con,- tact with each other but canbe forced apart, another branch for said clasp, an ornamental member rigidly secured to the last mentioned branch so that the last mentioned ornamental member can be brought into contact with the two first mentioned ornamental `members by forcing the second mentioned branch between the two first mentioned ornamental members, and locking means for fixing the last mentioned ornamental member to the first mentioned branch.

2. A clasp of the type described, which comprises in combination, a branch for said clasp, two balls elastically mounted on said branch so that they are normally in contact withy each other but can be forced apart, another branch for said clasp, a ball rigidly securedto the last mentioned branch, so that the last mentioned ball can be brought into contactwith thetwo yfirst mentioned ones by forcing the second mentioned branch between the two first mentioned balls, and locking means for fixing the last mentioned ball to the first mentioned branch when the parts are so engaged.

3. A clasp of the type described, which comprises in combination, ay branch rfor said clasp, two balls elastically mounted on said branch so that they are normally in contact with each other but can be forced apart, a cup shaped piece secured to said branch and provided with a hole, at least one push piece elastically mounted under said cup-shaped piece so that its inner end normally projects into said hole, but can be withdrawn therefrom, another branch for said clasp, a ball rigidly secured to the last mentioned branch, so that the last mentioned ball can be placed in contact with the two rst mentioned ones by forcing the second mentioned branch between the two first mentioned balls, and a tail on the under face of the last mentioned ball adapted to engage into said hole, said tail being provided with at least one notch adapted to receive the edge of said push piecer that projects into said hole.

4. A clasp of the type described, which comcompleted prises in combination, a branch for said clasp, a fastener for said branch, two balls elastically pivoted on said branch so that they are normally'in contact with each other but can be forced apart, a cup-shaped piece fixed to said fastener, said piece being provided with a hole and with a slot, two slidable push pieces elastically mounted in said fastener under said cup-shaped piece on either side'of said hole so that their inner edges the end of the last mentioned branch, the inner face of the last mentioned ball being adapted to fit in said cup-shaped piece, while the last mentioned branch is adapted to it in the slot provided in said piece, and a tail on the'under face yof the last mentioned ball adapted to engage into the hole provided in said cup-shaped piece, said tail being provided with two notches adapted to cooperate with the edges of said push pieces respectively for locking the parts in position.

5. A clasp according to claime further comprisinga spring plate mounted in the first nientioned fastener under said hole so as to be brought into Contact with said tail when the clasp is being closed, whereby said tail is subjected to an elastic pressure tending to push it outside from said hole.

6. A clasp of the type described, which comprises in combination, a branch for said clasp, two ornamental members mounted on said branch so that they can move with respect to each other, another branch for said clasp, an ornamental member rigidly secured to the last mentioned branch, elastic means onv the first mentioned branch for normally maintaining the two first mentioned ornamental members in contact with each other, means for limiting the displacement of said two first mentioned ornamental members away from each other so that the second mentioned branch cansbe forced between them but the third mentioned. ornamental member cannot be forced past them, and locking means for fixing the third ornamental member to the first mentioned branch, whereby the third mentioned ornamental member can be brought into contact with the two first mentioned ornamental members by forcing the second branch between the two first ornamental members, and the parts locked-in that position. Y

7. A clasp of the typedescribed, which comprises in combination, a branch for said clasp,

cannot be forced past them, and locking means for fixing the third mentioned ball to the first mentioned branch, whereby the thir mentioned ball can be brought into contact with the two first mentioned ballsy by forcing the second branch between the twofiirs't mentioned'balls, andthe parts locked in position.

' `r GERARD DESOUCHES.

`so that the second mentioned branch can beV forced between them but the third mentioned ball

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