Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~INGER RING AND INSERT THEREFOR
The saddle shaped inserts shown and described
herein do not require protuberances or slots in the ring
band to retain the saddled shaped insert~ This is a
significant advantage where one may want to use the ring
without the insert for example. Also, this configuration
for the ring band assures that no unsightly departures
from the conventional annular band will detract from the
ring's appearance whether or not an insert is used.
The present invention relates to improvements to
ring inserts, and deals more particularly with an insert
for a finger ring of conventional external appearance such
that the ring itself can be wore without the insert and no
protuberances or slots are required in the ring band to
secure the insert in place. The absence of such protuber-
ances or slots assures the aesthetic appearance of the
ring.
The insert itself is new, and is adapted to be
securely held in the ring band when used to size the ring
downwardly. An important feature o one embodiment of the
new insert is -the one piece construction of the saddle and
leaf spring portions. Instead of providing a subassembly
of saddle and spring with fastener means to join these two
portions a single resiliently deformable insert can be
mounted in the lower portion of the ring band to size
downwardly a ring of otherwise conventional external
appearance.
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In a two-piece embodiment, that is with a saddle
and separate spring me~ber comprising the insert for the
ring band, the spring has projections at its midpoint
received in slots of the saddle. Tabs may be provided at
the opposite ends of the spring to be received in cavities
opening only to the inner edge of the ring band, or the
saddle may be provided with projections which can be bent
around the outside edge of the ring band to secure the
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insert assembly to the ring.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a finger ring
and associated insert, both being shown in exploded
relationship relative to one another.
Fig. lA is a vertical sectional view through
the insert of Fig. 1 being taken on the line la-la of
Fig. 1.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1
showing a different insert and ring configuration.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lower
portion of the ring band illustrated in Fig. 2 with the
insert of Fig. 2 assembled therewith.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view similar to Figs. 1
and 2 illustrating a third embodiment of the present in-
vention.
Fig, 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustra-
ting the inset o Fig. 4 mounted to the ring band of Fig.4.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the saddle shaped
insert of Figs. 4 and 5 prior to shaping the insert and
resiliently deforming the same for assembly with the ring
band.
Fig. 7 is a view of the saddle shaped insert
depicted in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 illustrating in solid lines
the unstressed configuration of the resilient deformable
insert and in broken lines the resiliently deformed con-
figuration of the insert.
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Fig. ~ is an elevational view illustrating a
fourth embodiment of the invention and shows the insert
in a normal undefor~ed position in full lines and in the
two broken line positions the insert is depicted as it
would be deformed when placed upon the wearer's finger
(not shown).
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the lower
portion of the ring band with the insert in a deformed
position.
Fig. 10 is a plan view of the insert shown in
Figs. 8 and 9 prior to shaping the insert and assembling
it with the ring.
Turning next to a description of the ring and
insert illustrated in Figs. 1 and lA, a finger ring is
designated generally at 30, and the ring is of conven-
tional configuration having a generally circular bandportion and an enlarged head portion for receiving a gem
or the like. Prongs in the head portion are adapted to
form a seat for the gem or other decorative object. The
lower portion of the band has generally circular cavities
32, 32 formed in the inner edge of the band so as not to
be visible from the exterior when the ring is worn by a
person on his Einger. These generally circular cavities
or bores 32, 32 are spaced from one another and arranged
in at least one pair such that each pair provides a pre-
determined peripheral spacing along the interior edge ofthe ring band to receive a saddle shaped insert such as
shown at 40.
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The saddle shaped insert ~0 has a U-shape such
that a top wall 92 is formed to this same generally cir-
cular contour of the ring band lower portion, and side
walls 44, 44 which side walls are adapted to cooperate
with the opposed faces of the ring band lower portion
when the insert 40 is assembled with the ring 30 as sug-
gested in my prior art patent which is incorporated by
reference herein.
Still with reference to the unique insert 40
depicted in Figs. 1 and lA, a leaf spring 50 is provided
inside the U-shaped insert 40 and has a midportion defin-
ing at least laterally projecting tab 52, which tab isadapted to fit into a slot provided for this purpose in
the side portions oE the insert saddle 400 The saddle 40
may be crimped as shown at 53 in Fig. lA opposite this tab
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receiving slot so as to retain the leaf spring in the un-
stressed po~ition shown for it in Fig. l. Tabs 5~, 54 are
defined at the opposite end portions of the leaf spring 50
which tabs fit into one set of the cavities 32, 32 pro-
vided for this purpose in the ring band lower portion.
As so constructed and arranged the insert 40 is adapted
to be assembled with the ring 30 in much the same manner
as taught in my above mentioned prior art patent No.
3,483,718. However, it should be noted that the ring 30
and more particularly the band portion thereof does not
include any protuberances or slots which might be visible
when the ring 30 is worn without such an insert as that
depicted at 40 in Fig. la That is, the ring 30 can be
worn without the insert 40 and the inwardly open cavities
32, 32 are hidden from view when the ring is so worn.
Turning next to a detailed description of the
second embodiment illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, a ring 60
is shown generally similar to that describ~d above with
reference to the ring 30 of Fig. 1, however the lower band
portion of the ring 60 does not include any inwardly open
cavities or bores as described above with reference to the
numerals 32, 32. Instead~ the ring 60 is of entirely con-
ventional configuration but is adapted to be sized down-
wardly as a result of utilization of the insert 70 de-
picted inside the ring 60 in Fig. 2. The insert 70 is
generally similar to that described above with reference
to the insert 40 of Fig. l in that the insert 70 has top
and side portions 72 and 74 respectively which cooperate
to define a generally U-shaped insert saddle having at
least one slot 76, at the midpoint of a depending side
wall 74 so as to receive the projecting portion of a
leaf spring 78 similar to the midportions 52, of the
leaf spring 50 described above. The end portions of
leaf spring 78 are not provided with tabs but instead are
adapted to slidingly engage the inner edge of the ring 60
and more particularly the lower band portion thereof with-
out necessity for interlocking with the ring band 60 as
described above with reference to the embodiment of Fig.
1. The insert 70 of Fig. 2 is instead assembled with the
ring 60 by bendable tabs 80, 80 provided at opposite ends
of the depending side portions 74, 74 such that the insert
70 can be assembled with the ring 60 as shown in Fig. 3
and these tabs 80, 80 bent around the outer edge of the
ring band 60 to secure the insert 70 and the ring 60 in
assembled relationship with one anotherO
Turning next to the embodiment illustrated in
Figs. 4, 5~ 6 and 7, a ring 90 generally similar to the
ring 30 described above with reference to Eig. 1 is illus-
trated in Fig. 4 and includes cavities 92, 92 open to the
inner edge of the ring in it's lower portion for receiving
projecting tabs 94, 94 of a saddle shape insert lO0 to be
described. In the embodiment of Fig. ~ the insert lO0 is
itself formed of a resilient deformable material so that
there is no need for separate saddle and leaf spring
elements as decribed in my prior art patent and as shown
and described with reference to Figs. 1-3 herein.
The insert 100 is best shown in Fig. 6 in its
initial configuration (that is in a flat condition) prior
to being formed into th~ shape illustrated for it in solid
lines in Fig. 7. Fig. 7 illustrates the insert 100 in an
unstressed condition wherein the insert has a generally
U-shape configuration with depending portions 102, 102 and
with projecting end portions or tabs 94, 94 as described
previously with reference to Fig. 4. The solid line con-
figuration for the insert 100 in Fig. 7 is generally
similar to that illustrated for this insert 100 in Fig. 4O
Fig. 7 illustrates in broken lines the deformed condition
for the insert 100 where it is resiliently bent so that
the tabs 94, 94 are adapted to fit into the cavities 92,
92 provided for this purpose in the lower portion of the
ring band 90.
Finally, Fig. 5 illustrates the final configura-
tion for the resilient insert 100, wherein the projecting
leg portions 102, 102 are bent alongside the exterior
sides of the ring band 90 to secure the insert 100 to the
ring 90. ~his shape would be achieved for example when
the ring was being worn on a finger.
All inserts disclosed herein allow a degree of
movement for the insert after assembly with a ring in the
manner described above. That is, the ring wearer will be
able to quite easily move the ring past his knuckle be-
cause the insert will move radially outwardly with respect
to the band or shank in which it is mounted. Once the
ring is in position on the wearer's finger the resiliency
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of the insert will serve to hold the ring on his or her
finger much more securely than would he the case with a
conventional ring without such an insert. The insert is
biased by the spring or by its own resiliency to achieve
this holding function on the finger.
In the previously described embodiments the ring
band has at least one pair of openings to receive tabs
provided on the ends of the insert. In the ring band 120
of Figs. 8~10, however, no such tab openings are required.
Thus, the insert 140 (Fig. 10) is similar to the insert
100 (Fig. 6) except that the tabs 94, 94 of insert 100
have been omitted.
Another difference between insert 140 (Fig. 10)
and insert 100 (Fig. 6) is in the length of the insert
itself. As shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 7 the insert 100 is
made just long enough to fit into the tab openings 92, 92
of ring ban 90. The insert 140, on the other hand, has an
overall length that is related to the internal diameter
142 of the ring band 120 as shown in Fig. 10. This dimen-
sion 142 permits the insert 140 to be placed inside the
ring 120 at its midpoint as shown in Fig. 8.
Insert 140, like insert 100, has portions 144,
144 that are formed to the shape shown in the flat config-
uration of Fig. 10, and are permanently formed in their
depending configuration as suggested by lines 14~, 146 in
Fig. 10. As a result of being so formed the insert 140 is
adapted to be retained in the solid line position shown
for it in Fig. 8. Depending ear portion l4~, 144 project
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beyond the diametral dimension 142 anl serve to retain the
insert in this position.
As described above with reference to the insert
100 of Figs. 4-7 the material used in the insert 140 is
resiliently deformable once the desired shape has been
provided for it (as shown in solid lines in Fig. 8). How-
ever, the intermediate portion 148 of the insert 140 is a
flat strip and therefor readily bendable when pressure is
applied to it as suggested by the arrows 150, 152 and 154.
As a result of this geometry and of the resil-
iently deformable material used to form the insert 140,
when it is placed in the solid line position shown inside
a ring 120 (Fig. 8) one can insert one's finger between
the insert and the top of the ring itself to apply such
pressure 150 to the insert and thereby hold the otherwise
oversize ring securely on his finger. For best results,
the flat strip shaped intermediate portion 148 is at least
one-third the inside diameter 142 of the ring. The band
width 150 is approximately equal to the dimension 150 in
Fig. 10 for insert 140 so that ear portions 144 lie adja-
cent to the sides of the ring band as shown in Fig. 8.
These portions 144 project beyond the inside diameter of
the ring band so that the insert is held in place through
a range of possible positions (as suggested by the three
positions shown in Fig. 8). Furthermore, the end portions
of the insert not only form the said depending ears 144,
144 but also form a relieved area 154 between these ears.
As so formed by the hase of these U-shaped end portions
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these relieved areas 154, 154 cooperate with the generally
flat cross sectional shape of the intermediate portion 148
and the top wall of each U-shaped end portion to define an
overall length for this fla~ strip shaped central region
of insert 140 that is equal to the inside diameter 142 of
the ring band itself.
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