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EP0233831B1 - Method for manufacturing jewellery comprising adjoining set gems - Google Patents

Method for manufacturing jewellery comprising adjoining set gems Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0233831B1
EP0233831B1 EP87430002A EP87430002A EP0233831B1 EP 0233831 B1 EP0233831 B1 EP 0233831B1 EP 87430002 A EP87430002 A EP 87430002A EP 87430002 A EP87430002 A EP 87430002A EP 0233831 B1 EP0233831 B1 EP 0233831B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
stones
diameter
studs
bore
support
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP87430002A
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German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0233831A1 (en
Inventor
Emile Magnien
Alain Plantureux
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Diamant Applications SA
Original Assignee
Diamant Applications SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Diamant Applications SA filed Critical Diamant Applications SA
Priority to AT87430002T priority Critical patent/ATE48221T1/en
Publication of EP0233831A1 publication Critical patent/EP0233831A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0233831B1 publication Critical patent/EP0233831B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A44—HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY
    • A44C—PERSONAL ADORNMENTS, e.g. JEWELLERY; COINS
    • A44C17/00—Gems or the like
    • A44C17/04—Setting gems in jewellery; Setting-tools
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T29/00—Metal working
    • Y10T29/23—Gem and jewel setting
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T29/00—Metal working
    • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
    • Y10T29/49588—Jewelry or locket making
    • Y10T29/4959—Human adornment device making

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to mechanized methods of manufacturing jewelry comprising a plurality of small contiguous stones, embedded in a metal support and the jewelry obtained by this process.
  • the technical sector of the invention is that of the manufacture of jewelry.
  • stones of the same class generally have different heights from the table, that is to say from the external and visible face of a stone relative to the bearing face of the stone on its seat .
  • Mechanized manufacturing processes are already known for jewelry comprising a plurality of small contiguous stones embedded in a metal support according to which a plurality of juxtaposed equidistant housings are machined with very great precision, each comprising a seat on which a stone is supported and crimping claws located at the periphery of each housing (EP-A 0 197 871).
  • Processes of this type are also known in which the housings are machined so as to leave in each of them a very narrow annular seat which is deformable. A pusher is then applied to the external faces of the stones placed on their seat. This pusher rests on the highest stone tables and the thrust which is exerted on them deforms the narrow seat, so that at the end of the operation the tables of all the stones are in the same plane s 'It is a flat support or on the same curved surface parallel to the external face of the support when the latter is curved.
  • This known prior process requires complex machining operations in order to obtain with precision, at the periphery of housings having a diameter of the order of a millimeter, a narrow and deformable annular seat.
  • An objective of the present invention is to improve the method of machining the supports so as to eliminate the need to obtain a narrow annular seat by pressing the stones directly on the claws and by machining them, so that said points support stones are deformable, so that when a push is applied on the stone tables, the tallest stones push the metal from the support points and sink deeper than the shorter stones and finally we obtain jewels whose visible tables of all the stones are in the same plane or on the same curved surface despite the differences in height of the stones.
  • a method according to the invention of mechanized manufacture of jewelry comprising a plurality of small contiguous stones belonging to the same particle size class and having different heights, which are embedded in a metal support is of the known type, in which it is machined in said support juxtaposed and equidistant bores each comprising a deformable seat on which a stone is supported and crimping claws located at the periphery of each housing and common to several stones.
  • the object of the invention is achieved by means of a method according to which a plurality of frustoconical pillars are machined at the periphery of each bore which are arranged at the vertices of a polygon surrounding said bore and whose side walls converge towards the external face of said support by means of a conical tool which removes overlapping metal crowns.
  • a stone is placed in each bore which rests on the lateral faces of said pillars.
  • a pusher parallel to the external face of said support is applied to the tables of the highest stones and the said pusher is pressed, which has the effect of driving in the stones which repel the metal of said pillars until said pusher is in contact with the tables of all the stones which are then in the same plane or on the same surface parallel to the external face of said support and the stones are crimped by causing said pillars to flambé by means of a crimping tool.
  • the stones used belong to the same class of granulometry which is defined by the diameters of the meshes of two superimposed sieves having been used to classify them.
  • the diameter of the circle inscribed inside the bases of the pillars surrounding a bore is equal to the diameter of the meshes of the sieve on which the stones are retained and the diameter of the circle inscribed inside the tops of said pillars is equal to the diameter mesh of the next higher sieve.
  • a plurality of bores are machined in the support which are each extended by a blind counter-bore and each bore has a diameter greater than that of the circle inscribed inside. laughing at the bases of the pillars which surround it, so that each pillar has cylindrical notches which are cut in its side walls by said bores.
  • the invention results in new jewels comprising pavings of small contiguous precious stones which are produced mechanically on numerically controlled machine tools which make it possible to obtain reduced manufacturing costs and which also make it possible to machine with very great precision of the housings and crimping claws, hence the possibility of obtaining pavings of very small stones, for example pavements containing 80 stones per square centimeter.
  • the methods according to the invention allow the stones to be supported on the walls of four or six conical claws.
  • the bearing surface of a stone is very small at the start and if this stone is pressed, it exerts on the metal support points, sufficient pressure to deform it permanently by pushing it back, so that the stone can sink into its housing. Thanks to this permanent deformation of the metal, 1 is possible to make up for the height differences between the tables of the different stones of the same particle size class, so that the tables of all the stones of the same jewel are placed on the same surface parallel to the external face of the support. This gives a better aesthetic effect.
  • the methods according to the invention make it possible to achieve this result without requiring complex machining operations since the only machining operations consist of bores and cuts of frustoconical pillars by means of a rotary tool such as a strawberry, a drill bit or a forest capable of cutting metal crowns while leaving a central frustoconical pillar.
  • a rotary tool such as a strawberry, a drill bit or a forest capable of cutting metal crowns while leaving a central frustoconical pillar.
  • Figures 1 and 2 respectively show a partial top view and a vertical section of a jewel support 1 machined to receive small contiguous diamonds.
  • the support 1 is for example a flat gold plate intended to constitute a part of bracelet, or brooch, or earring. It can also be a support having a curved external face, for example a watch case.
  • the support 1 must be lined with small contiguous precious stones which are for example hand-cut diamonds, which have been calibrated by passing through a series of sieves whose meshes increase in steps of 0.05 mm. All the stones used are taken from the same particle size class, for example stones the diameter of which is between 1.10 mm and 1.15 mm, that is to say stones which are retained on the mesh screen. 1.10 mm after passing through a 1.15 mm mesh screen.
  • the machining of the support 1 is carried out on a numerically controlled machine which has been programmed to machine in the support of the bores 2 whose diameter is less than that of the stones, for example equidistant bores having a diameter of 1mm for stones comprised between 1.1 and 1.15 mm.
  • FIG. 1 represents a preferred embodiment in which the bores are arranged in staggered rows, which makes it possible to insert a greater number of stones per unit of surface.
  • the bores 1 can also be arranged in line as shown in Figure 3, or checkerboard.
  • the distance between the centers of two neighboring bores 2 is greater than twice the radius of the bores, so that they do not overlap.
  • the numerically controlled machine makes it possible to obtain a very high accuracy of the order of 0.01 mm in the layout and the diameter of the bores 2.
  • Another machining operation is carried out on the numerically controlled machine on which a rotary tool 3 is mounted in the form of a conical drill bit visible in FIG. 4, which removes a metal crown.
  • the drill bit 3 has two cutting edges 3a and 3b which are slightly inclined relative to the axis x x1 of the drill bit.
  • the internal edge 3b diverges with respect to the axis x x1 towards the end of the drill bit, so that after removal of the metal crown, there remains in the center of this a small metal pillar 4, of shape frustoconical, the apex 4a of which is situated on the external face of the support 1.
  • the external edge 3a of the drill bit converges towards the axis x x1 towards the end of the drill bit.
  • the angle formed by the edges 3a and 3b with the axis x x1 is for example 3 °.
  • the pillars 4 are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and in dotted lines in FIG. 1 the traces of the external edge of the trepan.
  • the radius of the external cutting edge is such that the crowns of removed metal overlap and that only the pillars 4 remain between the bores 2.
  • the pillars 4 act as crimping claws for the stones and at the same time, as will be seen, a deformable seat on which the stones are supported.
  • FIG. 1 represents a preferred exemplary embodiment in which the stones are arranged in staggered rows and each stone is held by six equidistant claws 4, the centers of which are arranged at the vertices of a hexagon which surrounds a bore 4.
  • Each claw 4 is common to three stones and the center of each claw 4, through which the axis x x1 of the drill bit passes during the operation of machining the pillars, is the center of the triangle formed by the vertical axes of the three bores which surround a pillar.
  • the centers of all the pillars located on the periphery of the same bore are located at the same distance from the center of this bore.
  • the height of the pillars 4 is of the order of half the height of the bore 2.
  • the dimensions and the conicity of the cutting edges of the drill bit are such that the circle C1 inscribed inside the tops of the pillars 4 has a diameter D1 which is slightly greater than the diameter of the stones and that the circle C2 inscribed inside the bases of the pillars 4 has a diameter D2 which is slightly less than that of the stones.
  • the diameter D2 is equal to the diameter of the mesh of the sieve on which the stones are retained and the diameter D1 is equal to the diameter of the mesh of the sieve immediately greater.
  • the diameters D2 and D1 are respectively equal to 1.10 mm ⁇ 0.02 and 1.15 mm ⁇ 0.02.
  • the machining operations of the bores 2 and the abutments 4 can be done in any order because the numerically controlled machine makes it possible to position with very great precision, the drilling tool for the bores 2 and the drill bit 3 independently l of each other.
  • Figures 3 and 4 respectively show a partial top view and a section of a second embodiment of a jewel according to the invention comprising a single row of stones.
  • each stone is held by four claws arranged at the vertices of a rectangle and each claw is common to two neighboring stones.
  • the machining operations include the machining of a row of bores 2, the radii of which are less than the diameter of the stones chosen and whose centers are equidistant and are placed at a distance greater than the diameter, so that the bores do not do not overlap.
  • the machining operations also include the machining of frustoconical pillars 4 by the removal of metal crowns by means of a rotary drill bit 3 shown in FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 5 represents two stones 5a and 5b each engaged in a housing 2a and 2b respectively.
  • This height represents the height Ha, Hb of the table 9 of each stone, that is to say the distance which separates the external and visible face 9 of the stone from the plane passing through the largest external contour of the stone that determines its diameter.
  • FIG. 5 represents two stones of very different height, the stone 5a having for example a height Ha equal to 0.16 mm and the stone 5b a height equal to 0.22 mm.
  • a stone 5 is placed in each housing, all the stones belonging to the same class of particle size comprised between two mesh diameters D1 and D2, that is to say ie stones with a diameter less than D1 and greater than D2.
  • the tables 9 of the stones are then placed at different levels as a result on the one hand, significant differences in height H of the stones and also slight differences in the external diameter of the stones within the same class of grain size.
  • a pusher 7 which has bosses 8 of the same height which freely penetrate between the pillars 4 and which are supported on the tables 9 of the stones.
  • bosses 8 of the same height which freely penetrate between the pillars 4 and which are supported on the tables 9 of the stones.
  • the tallest stones exert pressure against the generators of the six pillars 4 on which they are supported and this pressure is sufficient to deform the metal permanently by pushing down a thin metal tongue 6, which will widen and deepen as the stone descends. when the pusher descends, it meets the tables of the other stones.
  • the pusher When the pusher has progressed downwards by a height equal to the maximum difference in height between the different stones, which is of the order of 10% of the diameter of the stones, the pusher is in contact with the tables 9 of all the stones and these are placed rigorously in the same plane PP ' .
  • FIG. 5 represents an embodiment in which the support 1 has a flat external face and. the lower faces of the bosses 9 are arranged in the same plane parallel to said external face.
  • the lower faces of the bosses 8 are arranged on a surface parallel to said external face and, at the end of the operation, the tables 9 of all the stones are placed on the same surface parallel to the external face of the support 1.
  • the stones 2a, 2b are inserted into their housing, they are crimped by deforming the pillars by buckling by means of a crimping tool which is applied to the heads of the claws.
  • the crimping is carried out mechanically.
  • FIG. 5 represents an embodiment in which the pusher 7 comprises, on its underside, cells 10 which come to cap each pillar to cause it to flame.
  • Figures 6 to 12 show another embodiment of a method according to the invention.
  • Figures 6 and 7 show a first step during which is machined in a metal support 1, equidistant bores 11 which are arranged in staggered rows or rows or checkerboard. Each bore 11 is extended by a blind counterbore 12 of smaller diameter. These bores and counter bores are produced simultaneously by means of a forest mounted on a numerically controlled machine.
  • FIGS. 8 and 9 represent another step of the process during which the pillars 4, of frustoconical shape, are machined in the support 1, by means of a rotary drill bit which removes metal crowns 13.
  • the cutting edges of the drill bit are slightly inclined relative to the axis of the drill bit, so that the side walls of the pillars 4 diverge downwards with a taper angle of 1 order of 6 ° .
  • the pillars 4 are arranged at the vertices of a polygon which surrounds each bore 11 and equidistant from the center of the bore.
  • FIG. 8 represents an example in which each stone is held by six claws arranged at the tops of a hexagon.
  • Figures 8 and 9 show an example in which the pillars 4 are machined before drilling the bores 11 and 12. These two operations can be done in any order.
  • the positions of the bores 11 and 12 located at the center of the pillars 4 are shown in dotted lines in FIG. 8. It can be seen that the centers of the pillars 4 are located at a distance from the center of the bore 11 less than the sum of the radii of said bore and the base of the pillars.
  • the bore 11 has a diameter greater than the diameter of the circle inscribed inside the bases of the pillars 4 and less than the diameter of the circle inscribed inside the tops of the pillars 4.
  • Figures 10 and 11 show views respectively in plan and in section of a bore 12 surrounded by six pillars 4.
  • the height of the pillars 4 is slightly greater than the depth of the bore 11.
  • each pillar 4 comprises, on the lower part of its lateral faces, three cylindrical notches 11 whose generatrices are vertical which result from the fact that the bore 11 intersects the lateral walls of the pillars 4 and that it therefore penetrates into them.
  • the three cylindrical notches 11 of each pillar draw a curvilinear triangle and they are surmounted by a frustoconical part.
  • the diameter of the bore 11 is smaller than the diameter of the smallest stones, for example, it is equal to 1.05 mm ⁇ 0.02 for stones between 1.10 and 1.15 mm.
  • the diameter of the circle inscribed inside the tops of the pillars is slightly greater than or equal to the diameter of the largest stones.
  • Figure 12 shows, like Figure 5, a section through two housings of the same support, in which two stones of the same size class have been inserted having different table heights Ha and Hb.
  • the cylindrical notches 11 hollowed out in the lateral walls of the pillars 4 have the effect of eliminating the taper of the walls from the top of the notches and therefore of preventing the thickness of metal to be repelled from increasing too much as the stones descend .
  • the hatched areas 17 on the right-hand side of FIG. 12 represent the metal repelled by the stone 15b.
  • the pillars 4 are made to burn to deform them permanently by means of a crimping tool which is pressed on the heads of the pillars 4 which become crimping claws .
  • Figure 13 is a perspective view of a pillar 4 on which we see the three cylindrical notches arranged at 120 ° , which are cut in the side wall by the bore 11, whose diameter is greater than that of the circle inscribed in the inside of the bases of the pillars 4 arranged around the same bore 11.

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Abstract

Process for the mechanized production of jewelry comprising a plurality of small contiguous precious stones set in a metal support consisting in machining in said support, bores that are aligned, and in machining on the periphery of said bores, truncated studs of which the walls converge upwardly and the diameter of the circle inscribed inside the top parts of the studs is greater than the diameter of the largest stones, whereas the diameter of the circle inscribed inside the bases of the studs is smaller than the diameter of the largest stones.

Description

La présente invention a pour objet des procédés de fabrication mécanisée de bijoux comportant une pluralité de petites pierres jointives, enchâssées dans un support en métal et les bijoux obtenus par ce procédé.The present invention relates to mechanized methods of manufacturing jewelry comprising a plurality of small contiguous stones, embedded in a metal support and the jewelry obtained by this process.

Le secteur technique de l'invention est celui de la fabrication des bijoux.The technical sector of the invention is that of the manufacture of jewelry.

L'apparition de machines-outils à commande numérique, notamment de machines-outils dites à cinq axes ayant cinq degrés de liberté de déplacement de l'outil, permet d'usiner dans des supports en métal précieux, des logements très rapprochés destinés à recevoir de petites pierres précieuses jointives avec une très grande précision d'usinage, de l'ordre de 0,01 mm. Elle permet également d'enlever du métal à la périphérie de chaque logement pour ne laisser subsister que quelques griffes qui sont ensuite déformées pour sertir les pierres.The appearance of numerically controlled machine tools, in particular so-called five-axis machine tools having five degrees of freedom of movement of the tool, makes it possible to machine, in precious metal supports, closely spaced housings intended to receive small contiguous precious stones with very high machining precision, of the order of 0.01 mm. It also removes metal from the periphery of each housing to leave only a few claws which are then deformed to crimp the stones.

Les petites pierres précieuses, généralement des diamants, utilisées pour confectionner de tels bijoux sont taillées manuellement. On sait calibrer avec précision ces pierres au moyen de séries de tamis, dont les mailles varient de 0,05 mm ou même de 0,02 mm d'un tamis à l'autre.Small precious stones, usually diamonds, used to make such jewelry are cut manually. We know how to precisely calibrate these stones using series of sieves, the mesh of which varies by 0.05 mm or even by 0.02 mm from one sieve to another.

Par contre, les pierres d'une même classe présentent généralement des hauteurs différentes de la table, c'est-à-dire de la face externe et visible d'une pierre par rapport à la face d'appui de la pierre sur son siège.On the other hand, stones of the same class generally have different heights from the table, that is to say from the external and visible face of a stone relative to the bearing face of the stone on its seat .

Ces différences peuvent atteindre 0,1 mm pour des pierres ayant un millimètre de diamètre.These differences can reach 0.1 mm for stones having a millimeter in diameter.

Comme les sièges destinés à recevoir les pierres sont usinés en série et sont tous au même niveau, il en résulte que les tables des différentes pierres d'un pavage se trouvent à des niveaux différents, ce qui confère aux bijoux un aspect peu esthétique.As the seats intended to receive the stones are machined in series and are all at the same level, it follows that the tables of the different stones of a paving are at different levels, which gives the jewelry an unattractive appearance.

De plus, si l'on fait du sertissage mécanique en déformant les griffes au moyen d un outil monté sur une machine, le déplacement de l'outil de sertissage est forcément le même pour toutes les griffes et les pierres les plus hautes se trouvent comprimées et risquent d'être écrasées.In addition, if mechanical crimping is done by deforming the prongs using a tool mounted on a machine, the displacement of the crimping tool is necessarily the same for all the prongs and the tallest stones are compressed and risk being overwritten.

On connaît déjà des procédés de fabrication mécanisée de bijoux comportant une pluralité de petites pierres jointives enchâssées dans un support en métal selon lesquels on usine avec une très grande précision dans ledit support une pluralité de logements juxtaposés équidistants, comportant chacun un siège sur lequel une pierre prend appui et des griffes de sertissage situées à la périphérie de chaque logement (EP-A 0 197 871).Mechanized manufacturing processes are already known for jewelry comprising a plurality of small contiguous stones embedded in a metal support according to which a plurality of juxtaposed equidistant housings are machined with very great precision, each comprising a seat on which a stone is supported and crimping claws located at the periphery of each housing (EP-A 0 197 871).

On connaît également des procédés de ce type dans lesquels on usine les logements de façon à laisser subsister dans chacun d'eux un siège annulaire très étroit qui est déformable. On applique ensuite un poussoir sur les faces externes des pierres posées sur leur siège. Ce poussoir prend appui sur les tables des pierres les plus hautes et la poussée qui est exercée sur celles-ci déforme le siège étroit, de sorte qu'à la fin de l'opération les tables de toutes les pierres sont dans un même plan s'il s'agit d'un support plan ou sur une même surface courbe parallèle à la face externe du support lorsque celui-ci est courbe.Processes of this type are also known in which the housings are machined so as to leave in each of them a very narrow annular seat which is deformable. A pusher is then applied to the external faces of the stones placed on their seat. This pusher rests on the highest stone tables and the thrust which is exerted on them deforms the narrow seat, so that at the end of the operation the tables of all the stones are in the same plane s 'It is a flat support or on the same curved surface parallel to the external face of the support when the latter is curved.

Ce procédé antérieur connu nécessite des opérations d'usinage complexes pour arriver à obtenir avec précision, à la périphérie de logements ayant un diamètre de l'ordre du millimètre, un siège annulaire étroit et déformable.This known prior process requires complex machining operations in order to obtain with precision, at the periphery of housings having a diameter of the order of a millimeter, a narrow and deformable annular seat.

Un objectif de la présente invention est de perfectionner le procédé d'usinage des supports de façon à supprimer la nécessité d'obtenir un siège annulaire étroit en appuyant les pierres directement sur les griffes et en usinant celles-ci, de telle sorte que lesdits points d'appui des pierres soient déformables, de telle sorte que lorsqu'on applique un poussoir sur les tables des pierres, les pierres les plus hautes repoussent le métal des points d'appui et s'enfoncent plus profondément que les pierres moins hautes et que finalement on obtient des bijoux dont les tables visibles de toutes les pierres sont dans un même plan ou sur une même surface courbe malgré les différences de hauteur des pierres.An objective of the present invention is to improve the method of machining the supports so as to eliminate the need to obtain a narrow annular seat by pressing the stones directly on the claws and by machining them, so that said points support stones are deformable, so that when a push is applied on the stone tables, the tallest stones push the metal from the support points and sink deeper than the shorter stones and finally we obtain jewels whose visible tables of all the stones are in the same plane or on the same curved surface despite the differences in height of the stones.

Un procédé selon l'invention de fabrication mécanisée de bijoux comportant une pluralité de petites pierres jointives appartenant à une même classe granulométrique et ayant des hauteurs différentes, qui sont enchâssées dans un support en métal est du type connu, dans lequel on usine dans ledit support des alésages juxtaposés et équidistants comportant chacun un siège déformable sur lequel une pierre est appuyée et des griffes de sertissage situées à la périphérie de chaque logement et communes à plusieurs pierres.A method according to the invention of mechanized manufacture of jewelry comprising a plurality of small contiguous stones belonging to the same particle size class and having different heights, which are embedded in a metal support is of the known type, in which it is machined in said support juxtaposed and equidistant bores each comprising a deformable seat on which a stone is supported and crimping claws located at the periphery of each housing and common to several stones.

L' objectif de l'invention est atteint au moyen d'un procédé selon lequel on usine à la périphérie de chaque alésage une pluralité de piliers tronconiques qui sont disposés aux sommets d'un polygone entourant ledit alésage et dont les parois latérales convergent vers la face externe dudit support au moyen d'un outil conique qui enlève des couronnes de métal qui se recoupent. On place dans chaque alésage une pierre qui s'appuie sur les faces latérales desdits piliers. On applique sur les tables des pierres les plus hautes un poussoir parallèle à la face externe dudit support et on appuie sur ledit poussoir, ce qui a pour effet d'enfoncer les pierres qui repoussent le métal desdits piliers jusqu'à ce que ledit poussoir soit en contact avec les tables de toutes les pierres qui se trouvent alors dans un même plan ou sur une même surface parallèle à la face externe dudit support et on sertit les pierres en faisant flamber lesdits piliers au moyen d'un outil de sertissage. "AThe object of the invention is achieved by means of a method according to which a plurality of frustoconical pillars are machined at the periphery of each bore which are arranged at the vertices of a polygon surrounding said bore and whose side walls converge towards the external face of said support by means of a conical tool which removes overlapping metal crowns. A stone is placed in each bore which rests on the lateral faces of said pillars. A pusher parallel to the external face of said support is applied to the tables of the highest stones and the said pusher is pressed, which has the effect of driving in the stones which repel the metal of said pillars until said pusher is in contact with the tables of all the stones which are then in the same plane or on the same surface parallel to the external face of said support and the stones are crimped by causing said pillars to flambé by means of a crimping tool. " A

Généralement les pierres utilisées appartiennent à une même classe de granulométrie qui est définie par les diamètres des mailles de deux tamis superposés ayant servi à les classer.Generally the stones used belong to the same class of granulometry which is defined by the diameters of the meshes of two superimposed sieves having been used to classify them.

Avantageusement, le diamètre du cercle inscrit à l'intérieur des bases des piliers entourant un alésage est égal au diamètre des mailles du tamis sur lequel les pierres sont retenues et le diamètre du cercle inscrit à l'intérieur des sommets desdits piliers est égal au diamètre des mailles du tamis immédiatement supérieur.Advantageously, the diameter of the circle inscribed inside the bases of the pillars surrounding a bore is equal to the diameter of the meshes of the sieve on which the stones are retained and the diameter of the circle inscribed inside the tops of said pillars is equal to the diameter mesh of the next higher sieve.

Selon une variante, on usine dans le support une pluralité d'alésages qui sont prolongés chacun par un contre-alésage borgne et chaque alésage a un diamètre supérieur à celui du cercle inscrit à l'intérieur des bases des piliers qui l'entourent, de sorte que chaque pilier comporte des encoches cylindriques qui sont découpées dans ses parois latérales par lesdits alésages.According to a variant, a plurality of bores are machined in the support which are each extended by a blind counter-bore and each bore has a diameter greater than that of the circle inscribed inside. laughing at the bases of the pillars which surround it, so that each pillar has cylindrical notches which are cut in its side walls by said bores.

L'invention a pour résultat de nouveaux bijoux comportant des pavages de petites pierres précieuses jointives qui sont fabriqués mécaniquement sur des machines-outils à commande numérique qui permettent d'obtenir des coûts de fabrication réduits et qui permettent également d'usiner avec une très grande précision des logements et des griffes de sertissage d'où la possibilité d'obtenir des pavages de toutes petites pierres par exemple des pavages contenant 80 pierres au centimètre carré.The invention results in new jewels comprising pavings of small contiguous precious stones which are produced mechanically on numerically controlled machine tools which make it possible to obtain reduced manufacturing costs and which also make it possible to machine with very great precision of the housings and crimping claws, hence the possibility of obtaining pavings of very small stones, for example pavements containing 80 stones per square centimeter.

Les procédés selon l'invention permettent d'appuyer les pierres sur les parois de quatre ou six griffes coniques. Il en résulte que la surface d'appui d'une pierre est très faible au départ et si l'on appuie sur cette pierre, elle exerce sur le métal des points d'appui, une pression suffisante pour déformer celui-ci de façon permanente en le refoulant, de sorte que la pierre peut s'enfoncer dans son logement. Grâce à cette déformation permanente du métal, 1 est possible de rattraper les différences de hauteur entre les tables des différentes pierres d'une même classe granulométrique, de sorte que les tables de toutes les pierres d'un même bijou se trouvent placées sur une même surface parallèle à la face externe du support. On obtient ainsi un meilleur effet esthétique. De plus, il est possible de sertir mécaniquement les pierres au moyen d'un plateau de presse qui appuie sur les têtes des griffes pour les faire flamber car, du fait que les tables de toutes les pierres sont dans un même plan, on ne risque pas d'écraser certaines pierres plus hautes pendant l'opération de sertissage mécanique, ce qui permet de réduire le coût du sertissage.The methods according to the invention allow the stones to be supported on the walls of four or six conical claws. As a result, the bearing surface of a stone is very small at the start and if this stone is pressed, it exerts on the metal support points, sufficient pressure to deform it permanently by pushing it back, so that the stone can sink into its housing. Thanks to this permanent deformation of the metal, 1 is possible to make up for the height differences between the tables of the different stones of the same particle size class, so that the tables of all the stones of the same jewel are placed on the same surface parallel to the external face of the support. This gives a better aesthetic effect. In addition, it is possible to mechanically crimp the stones by means of a press plate which presses on the heads of the claws to make them flame because, since the tables of all the stones are in the same plane, there is no risk no crushing of higher stones during the mechanical crimping operation, which reduces the cost of crimping.

Les procédés selon l'invention permettent d'arriver à ce résultat sans nécessiter des opérations d'usinage complexes puisque les seules opérations d'usinage sont constituées par des alésages et des découpes de piliers tronconiques au moyen d'un outil rotatif tel qu'une fraise, un trépan ou un forêt capable de découper des couronnes de métal en laissant subister un pilier central tronconique.The methods according to the invention make it possible to achieve this result without requiring complex machining operations since the only machining operations consist of bores and cuts of frustoconical pillars by means of a rotary tool such as a strawberry, a drill bit or a forest capable of cutting metal crowns while leaving a central frustoconical pillar.

La description suivante se réfère aux dessins annexés qui représentent, sans aucun caractère limitatif, des modes de réalisation de l'invention.

  • -, La figure 1 est une vue de dessus d'une étape de sinage d'un support métallique destiné à recevoir un pavage de pierres jointives en quinconce.
  • La figure 2 est une coupe selon 11-11 de la figure 1.
  • La figure 3 est une vue de dessus d une étape de l'usinage d'un support métallique destiné à recevoir une rangée de pierres juxtaposées.
  • La figure 4 est une coupe selon IV-IV de la figure 3.
  • La figure 5 est une coupe verticale représentant deux pierres de même diamètre et de hauteur différente enchâssées dans leur logement et non encore serties.
  • Les figures 6 et 7 représentent respectivement une vue de dessus et une coupe d'une première opération d'usinage dans une variante.
  • Les figures 8 et 9 représentent respectivement une vue de dessus et une coupe d'un support au cours d'une autre opération d'usinage dans cette variante.
  • Les figures 10 et 11 représentent respectivement une vue de dessus et une coupe verticale du support après les deux opérations d'usinage selon les figures 6 à 9.
  • La figure 12 est une coupe verticale représentant deux pierres de hauteur différente engagées dans deux alésages.
  • La figure 13 est une vue en perspective d'un pilier dans la variante selon les figures 6 à 12.
The following description refers to the appended drawings which represent, without any limiting character, embodiments of the invention.
  • -, Figure 1 is a top view of a step of sinage a metal support for receiving a paving of contiguous stones in staggered rows.
  • Figure 2 is a section on 11-11 of Figure 1.
  • Figure 3 is a top view of a step in the machining of a metal support intended to receive a row of juxtaposed stones.
  • Figure 4 is a section on IV-IV of Figure 3.
  • Figure 5 is a vertical section showing two stones of the same diameter and different height embedded in their housing and not yet set.
  • Figures 6 and 7 respectively represent a top view and a section of a first machining operation in a variant.
  • Figures 8 and 9 respectively show a top view and a section of a support during another machining operation in this variant.
  • FIGS. 10 and 11 respectively represent a top view and a vertical section of the support after the two machining operations according to FIGS. 6 to 9.
  • Figure 12 is a vertical section showing two stones of different height engaged in two bores.
  • FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a pillar in the variant according to FIGS. 6 to 12.

Les figures 1 et 2 représentent respectivement une vue de dessus partielle et une coupe verticale d'un support de bijou 1 usiné pour recevoir des petits diamants jointifs.Figures 1 and 2 respectively show a partial top view and a vertical section of a jewel support 1 machined to receive small contiguous diamonds.

Le support 1 est par exemple une plaque plane en or destinée à constituer une partie de bracelet, ou de broche, ou de boucle d'oreille. Ce peut être également un support ayant une face externe courbe par exemple un boîtier de montre. Le support 1 doit être garni de petites pierres précieuses jointives qui sont par exemple des diamants taillés à la main, qui ont été calibrés par passage dans des séries de tamis dont les mailles croissent par pas de 0,05 mm. Toutes les pierres utilisées sont prises dans une même classe de granulométrie par exemple des pierres dont le diamètre est compris entre 1,10 mm et 1,15 mm, c'est-à-dire des pierres qui sont retenues sur le tamis à mailles de 1,10 mm après être passées à travers un tamis à mailles de 1,15 mm.The support 1 is for example a flat gold plate intended to constitute a part of bracelet, or brooch, or earring. It can also be a support having a curved external face, for example a watch case. The support 1 must be lined with small contiguous precious stones which are for example hand-cut diamonds, which have been calibrated by passing through a series of sieves whose meshes increase in steps of 0.05 mm. All the stones used are taken from the same particle size class, for example stones the diameter of which is between 1.10 mm and 1.15 mm, that is to say stones which are retained on the mesh screen. 1.10 mm after passing through a 1.15 mm mesh screen.

L'usinage du support 1 est réalisé sur une machine à commande numérique qui a été programmée pour usiner dans le support des alésages 2 dont le diamètre est inférieur à celui des pierres par exemple des alésages équidistants ayant un diamètre de 1mm pour des pierres comprises entre 1,1 et 1,15 mm.The machining of the support 1 is carried out on a numerically controlled machine which has been programmed to machine in the support of the bores 2 whose diameter is less than that of the stones, for example equidistant bores having a diameter of 1mm for stones comprised between 1.1 and 1.15 mm.

La figure 1 représente un mode de réalisation préférentiel dans lequel les alésages sont disposés en quinconce, ce qui permet d'insérer un plus grand nombre de pierres par unité de surface. Les alésages 1 peuvent être également disposés en ligne comme le montre la figure 3, ou en damier.FIG. 1 represents a preferred embodiment in which the bores are arranged in staggered rows, which makes it possible to insert a greater number of stones per unit of surface. The bores 1 can also be arranged in line as shown in Figure 3, or checkerboard.

La distance entre les centres de deux alésages voisins 2 est supérieure à deux fois le rayon des alésages, de sorte que ceux-ci ne se recoupent pas.The distance between the centers of two neighboring bores 2 is greater than twice the radius of the bores, so that they do not overlap.

La machine à commande numérique permet d'obtenir une très grande précision de l'ordre de 0,01 mm dans l'implantation et le diamètre des alésages 2.The numerically controlled machine makes it possible to obtain a very high accuracy of the order of 0.01 mm in the layout and the diameter of the bores 2.

Une autre opération d'usinage est réalisée sur la machine à commande numérique sur laquelle on monte un outil rotatif 3 en forme de trépan conique visible sur la figure 4, qui enlève une couronne de métal.Another machining operation is carried out on the numerically controlled machine on which a rotary tool 3 is mounted in the form of a conical drill bit visible in FIG. 4, which removes a metal crown.

Le trépan 3 comporte deux arêtes coupantes 3a et 3b qui sont légèrement inclinées par rapport à l'axe x x1 du trépan. L'arête interne 3b diverge par rapport à l'axe x x1 vers l'extrémité du trépan, de sorte qu'après enlèvement de la couronne de métal, il subsiste au centre de celle-ci un petit pilier de métal 4, de forme tronconique, dont le sommet 4a est situé sur la face externe du support 1.The drill bit 3 has two cutting edges 3a and 3b which are slightly inclined relative to the axis x x1 of the drill bit. The internal edge 3b diverges with respect to the axis x x1 towards the end of the drill bit, so that after removal of the metal crown, there remains in the center of this a small metal pillar 4, of shape frustoconical, the apex 4a of which is situated on the external face of the support 1.

L'arête externe 3a du trépan converge vers l'axe x x1 en allant vers l'extrémité du trépan. L'angle formé par les arêtes 3a et 3b avec l'axe x x1 est par exemple de 3°.The external edge 3a of the drill bit converges towards the axis x x1 towards the end of the drill bit. The angle formed by the edges 3a and 3b with the axis x x1 is for example 3 °.

On a représenté sur les figures 1 et 2 les piliers 4 et en pointillés sur la figure 1 les traces de l'arête externe du trepan.The pillars 4 are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and in dotted lines in FIG. 1 the traces of the external edge of the trepan.

Le rayon de l'arête de coupe externe est tel que les couronnes de métal enlevé se recoupent et qu'il ne reste donc que les piliers 4 entre les alésages 2.The radius of the external cutting edge is such that the crowns of removed metal overlap and that only the pillars 4 remain between the bores 2.

Les piliers 4 font fonction de griffes de sertissage des pierres et en même temps, comme on va le voir, de siège déformable sur lequel les pierres sont appuyées.The pillars 4 act as crimping claws for the stones and at the same time, as will be seen, a deformable seat on which the stones are supported.

La figure 1 représente un exemple de réalisation préférentiel dans lequel les pierres sont disposées en quinconce et chaque pierre est tenue par six griffes équidistantes 4, dont les centres sont disposés aux sommets d'un hexagone qui entoure un alésage 4.FIG. 1 represents a preferred exemplary embodiment in which the stones are arranged in staggered rows and each stone is held by six equidistant claws 4, the centers of which are arranged at the vertices of a hexagon which surrounds a bore 4.

Chaque griffe 4 est commune à trois pierres et le centre de chaque griffe 4, par lequel passe l'axe x x1 du trépan pendant l'opération d'usinage des piliers, est le centre du triangle formé par les axes verticaux des trois alésages qui entourent un pilier.Each claw 4 is common to three stones and the center of each claw 4, through which the axis x x1 of the drill bit passes during the operation of machining the pillars, is the center of the triangle formed by the vertical axes of the three bores which surround a pillar.

Les centres de tous les piliers situés à la périphérie d'un même asésage sont situés à la même distance du centre de cet alésage.The centers of all the pillars located on the periphery of the same bore are located at the same distance from the center of this bore.

La hauteur des piliers 4 est de l'ordre de la moitié de la hauteur de l'alésage 2. Les dimensions et la conicité des arêtes coupantes du trépan sont telles que le cercle C1 inscrit à l'intérieur des sommets des piliers 4 a un diamètre D1 qui est légèrement supérieur au diamètre des pierres et que le cercle C2 inscrit à l'intérieur des bases des piliers 4 a un diamètre D2 qui est légèrement inférieur à celui des pierres. Avantageusement, le diamètre D2 est égal au diamètre des mailles du tamis sur lequel les pierres sont retenues et le diamètre D1 est égal au diamètre des mailles du tamis immédiatement supérieur. Par exemple, dans le cas de pierres de la classe granulométrique 1,10 mm à 1,15 mm, les diamètres D2 et D1 sont respectivement égaux à 1,10 mm ± 0,02 et à 1,15 mm ± 0,02.The height of the pillars 4 is of the order of half the height of the bore 2. The dimensions and the conicity of the cutting edges of the drill bit are such that the circle C1 inscribed inside the tops of the pillars 4 has a diameter D1 which is slightly greater than the diameter of the stones and that the circle C2 inscribed inside the bases of the pillars 4 has a diameter D2 which is slightly less than that of the stones. Advantageously, the diameter D2 is equal to the diameter of the mesh of the sieve on which the stones are retained and the diameter D1 is equal to the diameter of the mesh of the sieve immediately greater. For example, in the case of stones of the particle size class 1.10 mm to 1.15 mm, the diameters D2 and D1 are respectively equal to 1.10 mm ± 0.02 and 1.15 mm ± 0.02.

Les opérations d'usinage des alésages 2 et des piliers 4 peuvent être faites dans n'importe quel ordre car la machine à commande numérique permet de positionner avec une très grande précision, l'outil de perçage des alésages 2 et le trépan 3 indépendamment l'un de l'autre.The machining operations of the bores 2 and the abutments 4 can be done in any order because the numerically controlled machine makes it possible to position with very great precision, the drilling tool for the bores 2 and the drill bit 3 independently l of each other.

Les figures 3 et 4 représentent respectivement une vue de dessus partielle et une coupe d'un deuxième mode de réalisation d'un bijou selon l'invention comportant une seule rangée de pierres. Dans ce cas, chaque pierre est tenue par quatre griffes disposées aux sommets d'un rectangle et chaque griffe est commune à deux pierres voisines. Les opérations d'usinage comportent l'usinage d'une rangée d'alésages 2, dont les rayons sont inférieurs au diamètre des pierres choisies et dont les centres sont équidistants et sont placés à une distance supérieure au diamètre, de sorte que les alésages ne se recoupent pas.Figures 3 and 4 respectively show a partial top view and a section of a second embodiment of a jewel according to the invention comprising a single row of stones. In this case, each stone is held by four claws arranged at the vertices of a rectangle and each claw is common to two neighboring stones. The machining operations include the machining of a row of bores 2, the radii of which are less than the diameter of the stones chosen and whose centers are equidistant and are placed at a distance greater than the diameter, so that the bores do not do not overlap.

Les opérations d'usinage comportent également l'usinage de piliers tronconiques 4 par l'enlèvement de couronnes de métal au moyen d'un trépan rotatif 3 représenté sur la figure 2.The machining operations also include the machining of frustoconical pillars 4 by the removal of metal crowns by means of a rotary drill bit 3 shown in FIG. 2.

On a représenté sur ces figures le cercle C2 de diamètre D2 qui est tangent aux bases des piliers 4. Le diamètre D2 est légèrement supérieur au diamètre de l'alésage 2 et égal au diamètre des plus petites pierres. De même, on a représenté le cercle C1 de diamètre D1 qui est tangent aux sommets des piliers 4. Le diamètre D1 est égal au diamètre des plus grosses pierres.These figures show the circle C2 of diameter D2 which is tangent to the bases of the pillars 4. The diameter D2 is slightly greater than the diameter of the bore 2 and equal to the diameter of the smallest stones. Similarly, the circle C1 of diameter D1 has been shown which is tangent to the tops of the pillars 4. The diameter D1 is equal to the diameter of the largest stones.

La figure 5 représente deux pierres 5a et 5b engagées chacune dans un logement respectivement 2a et 2b. On a représenté sur cette figure la hauteur Ha, Hb de la table 9 de chaque pierre, c'est-à-dire la distance qui sépare la face externe et visible 9 de la pierre du plan passant par le plus grand contour externe de la pierre qu détermine le diamètre de celle-ci.FIG. 5 represents two stones 5a and 5b each engaged in a housing 2a and 2b respectively. This height represents the height Ha, Hb of the table 9 of each stone, that is to say the distance which separates the external and visible face 9 of the stone from the plane passing through the largest external contour of the stone that determines its diameter.

La figure 5 représente deux pierres de hauteur très différente, la pierre 5a ayant par exemple une hauteur Ha égale à 0,16 mm et la pierre 5b une hauteur égale à 0,22 mm.FIG. 5 represents two stones of very different height, the stone 5a having for example a height Ha equal to 0.16 mm and the stone 5b a height equal to 0.22 mm.

Après avoir usiné les alésages 2a, 2b et les piliers tronconiques 4 qui les entourent, on pose dans chaque logement une pierre 5, toutes les pierres appartenant à une même classe de granulométrie comprise entre deux diamètres de maille D1 et D2, c'est-à-dire des pierres de diamètre inférieur à D1 et supérieur à D2.After having machined the bores 2a, 2b and the frustoconical pillars 4 which surround them, a stone 5 is placed in each housing, all the stones belonging to the same class of particle size comprised between two mesh diameters D1 and D2, that is to say ie stones with a diameter less than D1 and greater than D2.

Toutes les pierres s'engagent librement à l'intérieur des piliers puisque le diamètre D1 du cercle inscrit à l'intérieur des sommets des piliers est égal à la limite supérieure D1 de la classe de granulométrie choisie et les pierres viennent s'appuyer contre six génératrices des parois latérales coniques des piliers 4 puisque le diamètre D2 du cercle inscrit à l'intérieur des bases des piliers est égal à la limite inférieure de la classe de granulométrie choisie.All the stones freely engage inside the pillars since the diameter D1 of the circle inscribed inside the tops of the pillars is equal to the upper limit D1 of the class of grain size chosen and the stones come to rest against six generating the conical side walls of the pillars 4 since the diameter D2 of the circle inscribed inside the bases of the pillars is equal to the lower limit of the chosen particle size class.

Les tables 9 des pierres se trouvent alors placées à des niveaux différents par suite d'une part, des différences importantes de hauteur H des pierres et également des légères différences de diamètre externe des pierres à l'intérieur d'une même classe de granulométrie.The tables 9 of the stones are then placed at different levels as a result on the one hand, significant differences in height H of the stones and also slight differences in the external diameter of the stones within the same class of grain size.

On applique ensuite sur les tables 9 des pierres un poussoir 7 qui comporte des bossages 8 de même hauteur qui pénètrent librement entre les piliers 4 et qui s'appuient sur les tables 9 des pierres. Au début de l'opération, seuls quelques bossages prennent appui sur les pierres dont les tables sont les plus'" hautes. Lorsqu'on appuie sur le poussoir, les pierres les plus hautes exercent une pression contre les génératrices des six piliers 4 sur lesquelles elles s'appuient et cette pression est suffisante pour déformer le métal de façon permanente en repoussant vers le bas une mince languette de métal 6, qui va en s'élargissant et en s'approfondissant à mesure que la pierre descend. A mesure que le poussoir descend, il rencontre les tables des autres pierres. Lorsque le poussoir a progressé vers le bas d'une hauteur égale à l'écart maxima de hauteur entre les différentes pierres, lequel est de l'ordre de 10% du diamètre des pierres, le poussoir est en contact avec les tables 9 de toutes les pierres et celles-ci se trouvent placées rigoureusement dans un même plan PP'.Then applied to the tables 9 of the stones a pusher 7 which has bosses 8 of the same height which freely penetrate between the pillars 4 and which are supported on the tables 9 of the stones. At the start of the operation, only a few bosses are supported on the stones with the tallest tables. When the pusher is pressed, the tallest stones exert pressure against the generators of the six pillars 4 on which they are supported and this pressure is sufficient to deform the metal permanently by pushing down a thin metal tongue 6, which will widen and deepen as the stone descends. when the pusher descends, it meets the tables of the other stones. When the pusher has progressed downwards by a height equal to the maximum difference in height between the different stones, which is of the order of 10% of the diameter of the stones, the pusher is in contact with the tables 9 of all the stones and these are placed rigorously in the same plane PP ' .

La figure 5 représente un mode de réalisation dans lequel le support 1 a une face externe plane et . les faces inférieures des bossages 9 sont disposées dans un même plan parallèles à ladite face externe.FIG. 5 represents an embodiment in which the support 1 has a flat external face and. the lower faces of the bosses 9 are arranged in the same plane parallel to said external face.

Dans le cas où le support 1 a une face externe courbe, les faces inférieures des bossages 8 sont disposées sur une surface parallèle à ladite face externe et, en fin d'opération, les tables 9 de toutes les pierres se trouvent placées sur une même surface parallèle à la face externe du support 1.In the case where the support 1 has a curved external face, the lower faces of the bosses 8 are arranged on a surface parallel to said external face and, at the end of the operation, the tables 9 of all the stones are placed on the same surface parallel to the external face of the support 1.

Une fois les pierres 2a, 2b enfoncées dans leur logement, on les sertit en déformant les piliers par flambage au moyen d'un outil de sertissage qui est appliqué sur les têtes des griffes. Avantageusement, le sertissage est effectué mécaniquement.Once the stones 2a, 2b are inserted into their housing, they are crimped by deforming the pillars by buckling by means of a crimping tool which is applied to the heads of the claws. Advantageously, the crimping is carried out mechanically.

La figure 5 représente un mode de réalisation dans lequel le poussoir 7 comporte, sur sa face inférieure, des alvéoles 10 qui viennent coiffer chaque pilier pour le faire flamber.FIG. 5 represents an embodiment in which the pusher 7 comprises, on its underside, cells 10 which come to cap each pillar to cause it to flame.

Les figures 6 à 12 représentent un autre mode de réalisation d'un procédé selon l'invention.Figures 6 to 12 show another embodiment of a method according to the invention.

Les figures 6 et 7 représentent une première étape au cours de laquelle on usine dans un support en métal 1, des alésages équidistants 11 qui sont disposés en quinconce, en rangées ou en damier. Chaque alésage 11 est prolongé par un contre-alésage borgne 12 de plus petit diamètre. Ces alésages et contre-alésages sont réalisés simultanément au moyen d'un forêt monté sur une machine à commande numérique.Figures 6 and 7 show a first step during which is machined in a metal support 1, equidistant bores 11 which are arranged in staggered rows or rows or checkerboard. Each bore 11 is extended by a blind counterbore 12 of smaller diameter. These bores and counter bores are produced simultaneously by means of a forest mounted on a numerically controlled machine.

Les figures 8 et 9 représentent une autre étape du procédé au cours de laquelle on usine dans le support 1 des piliers 4, de forme tronconique, au moyen d'un trépan rotatif qui enlève des couronnes de métal 13.FIGS. 8 and 9 represent another step of the process during which the pillars 4, of frustoconical shape, are machined in the support 1, by means of a rotary drill bit which removes metal crowns 13.

Comme dans l'exemple précédent, les arêtes coupantes du trépan sont légèrement inclinées par rapport à l'axe du trépan, de sorte que les parois latérales des piliers 4 divergent vers le bas avec un angle de conicité de 1 ordre de 6°.As in the previous example, the cutting edges of the drill bit are slightly inclined relative to the axis of the drill bit, so that the side walls of the pillars 4 diverge downwards with a taper angle of 1 order of 6 ° .

Les piliers 4 sont disposés aux sommets d'un polygone qui entoure chaque alésage 11 et à égale distance du centre de l'alésage.The pillars 4 are arranged at the vertices of a polygon which surrounds each bore 11 and equidistant from the center of the bore.

La figure 8 représente un exemple dans lequel chaque pierre est maintenue par six griffes disposées aux sommets d'un hexagone.FIG. 8 represents an example in which each stone is held by six claws arranged at the tops of a hexagon.

Les figures 8 et 9 représentent un exemple dans lequel on usine les piliers 4 avant de percer les alésages 11 et 12. Ces deux opérations peuvent être faites dans n'importe quel ordre. Pour plus de clarté, on a représenté en pointillés sur la figure 8 les positions des alésages 11 et 12 situés au centre des piliers 4. On voit que les centres des piliers 4 sont implantés à une distance du centre de l'alésage 11 inférieure à la somme des rayons dudit alésage et de la base des piliers.Figures 8 and 9 show an example in which the pillars 4 are machined before drilling the bores 11 and 12. These two operations can be done in any order. For the sake of clarity, the positions of the bores 11 and 12 located at the center of the pillars 4 are shown in dotted lines in FIG. 8. It can be seen that the centers of the pillars 4 are located at a distance from the center of the bore 11 less than the sum of the radii of said bore and the base of the pillars.

L'alésage 11 a un diamètre supérieur au diamètre du cercle inscrit à l'intérieur des bases des piliers 4 et inférieur au diamètre du cercle inscrit à l'intérieur des sommets des piliers 4.The bore 11 has a diameter greater than the diameter of the circle inscribed inside the bases of the pillars 4 and less than the diameter of the circle inscribed inside the tops of the pillars 4.

Les figures 10 et 11 représentent des vues respectivement en plan et en coupe d'un alésage 12 entouré de six piliers 4. La hauteur des piliers 4 est légèrement supérieure à la profondeur de l'alésage 11. On voit sur ces figures que chaque pilier 4 comporte, sur la partie inférieure de ses faces latérales, trois encoches cylindriques 11 dont les génératrices sont verticales qui résultent du fait que l'alésage 11 recoupe les parois latérales des piliers 4 et qu il pénètre donc dans ceux-ci. Les trois encoches cylindriques 11 de chaque pilier dessinent un triangle curviligne et elles sont surmontées d'une partie tronconique.Figures 10 and 11 show views respectively in plan and in section of a bore 12 surrounded by six pillars 4. The height of the pillars 4 is slightly greater than the depth of the bore 11. We see in these figures that each pillar 4 comprises, on the lower part of its lateral faces, three cylindrical notches 11 whose generatrices are vertical which result from the fact that the bore 11 intersects the lateral walls of the pillars 4 and that it therefore penetrates into them. The three cylindrical notches 11 of each pillar draw a curvilinear triangle and they are surmounted by a frustoconical part.

Le diamètre de l'alésage 11 est plus petit que le diamètre des plus petites pierres, par exemple, il est égal à 1,05 mm ± 0,02 pour des pierres comprises entre 1,10 et 1,15 mm.The diameter of the bore 11 is smaller than the diameter of the smallest stones, for example, it is equal to 1.05 mm ± 0.02 for stones between 1.10 and 1.15 mm.

Le diamètre du cercle inscrit à l'intérieur des sommets des piliers est légèrement supérieur ou égal au diamètre des plus grandes pierres.The diameter of the circle inscribed inside the tops of the pillars is slightly greater than or equal to the diameter of the largest stones.

La figure 12 représente, comme la figure 5, une coupe à travers deux logements d'un même support, dans lesquels on a inséré deux pierres d'une même classe de granulométrie ayant des hauteurs de table Ha et Hb différentes.Figure 12 shows, like Figure 5, a section through two housings of the same support, in which two stones of the same size class have been inserted having different table heights Ha and Hb.

On voit sur ces figures que la périphérie des pierres pénètre dans les piliers 4 en repoussant le métal. La profondeur de pénétration diffère d'une pierre à l'autre et en fin d'operation, les tables 16 de toutes les pierres sont rigoureusement dans un même plan PP'.We see in these figures that the periphery of the stones enters the pillars 4 by pushing the metal. The penetration depth differs from one stone to another and at the end of the operation, the tables 16 of all the stones are strictly in the same plane PP '.

Les encoches cylindriques 11 creusées dans les parois latérales des piliers 4 ont pour effet de supprimer la conicité des parois à partir du sommet des encoches et donc d'éviter que l'épaisseur de métal à repousser n'augmente trop à mesure que les pierres descendent.The cylindrical notches 11 hollowed out in the lateral walls of the pillars 4 have the effect of eliminating the taper of the walls from the top of the notches and therefore of preventing the thickness of metal to be repelled from increasing too much as the stones descend .

Les zones hâchurées 17 sur la partie droite de la figure 12 représentent le métal repoussé par la pierre 15b.The hatched areas 17 on the right-hand side of FIG. 12 represent the metal repelled by the stone 15b.

Une fois les pierres 15a, 15b enfoncées dans leurs logements, on fait flamber les piliers 4 pour les déformer de façon permanente au moyen d'un un outil de sertissage que l'on appuie sur les têtes des piliers 4 qui deviennent des griffes de sertissage.Once the stones 15a, 15b are inserted into their housings, the pillars 4 are made to burn to deform them permanently by means of a crimping tool which is pressed on the heads of the pillars 4 which become crimping claws .

La figure 13 est une vue en perspective d'un pilier 4 sur laquelle on voit les trois encoches cylindriques disposées à 120°, qui sont découpées dans la paroi latérale par l'alésage 11, dont le diamètre est supérieur à celui du cercle inscrit à l'intérieur des bases des piliers 4 disposés autour d'un même alésage 11.Figure 13 is a perspective view of a pillar 4 on which we see the three cylindrical notches arranged at 120 ° , which are cut in the side wall by the bore 11, whose diameter is greater than that of the circle inscribed in the inside of the bases of the pillars 4 arranged around the same bore 11.

Claims (8)

1. A process for the mechanized production of jewellery comprising a plurality of small adjoining stones of similar size grading but different height, which stones are set in a metal support (1), of the type consisting in machining in said support, contiguous and equidistant bores each one of which comprises a deformable seating on which rests a stone, and setting claws situated on the periphery of each housing and common to several stones, comprising the following sequence of operations:
- machining on the periphery of each bore, a plurality of truncated studs (4) situated at the api- ces of a polygon surrounding said bore, the wall of which studs converge towards the external face of the support, using a conical tool (3) to remove rings of metal which intersect one another;
- placing in each bore one of said stones (5a, 5b) which rests on the side faces of said studs (4);
- placing a push member (7) over the upper faces (9) of the highest stones, in parallel to the external face of said support, and applying pressure thereon, thus pressing down the stones which push back the metal of said studs until said push member comes in contact with the upper faces of all the stones which are then all in the same plane (PP') or on the same surface parallel to the external face of said support;
- and finally setting in the stones by causing the deformation of the studs (4) with a setting tool.
2. Process according to claim 2, characterized in that the circle inscribed inside the top parts (4a) of the studs (4) surrounding one bore (2, 11), has a diameter (D1) greater than or equal to the diameter of the largest stones and the circle inscribed inside the bases of said studs has a diameter (D2) smaller than the diameter of the smallest stones.
3. Process according to claim 2 for the production of jewellery comprising a plurality of stones of size grading determined by the diameters of the meshes of two superposed screens used for grading said stones, characterized in that the diameter (D2) of the circle inscribed inside the bases of the studs around one bore is equal to the diameter of the meshes of the screen on which the stones are held, and the diameter (D1) of the circle inscribed inside the top parts of said studs is equal to the diameter of the meshes of the screen immediately above.
4. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of bores (11) are machined in said support which bores are extended by blind reversed bores (12) each bore (11) having a diameter greater than that of the circle inscribed in the bases of the studs (4) around it, so that each stud comprises cylindrical notches which are cut into its side walls by said bores (11).
5. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that the diameter of said bores is smaller than the diameter of the smallest stones.
6. Jewellery of the type comprising a plurality of small contiguous stones, which are set in a metal support (1), each stone being engaged in a bore (2) provided in said support and being held in position by setting claws (4) which are provided on the periphery of said bore, at equal distance from the center thereof, said claws being truncated studs (4) which are cut through the mass of said support and of which the top parts (4a) are situated on the external face of said support, and the circle inscribed inside the bases of the studs (4) surrounding one bore (2, 11) has a smaller diameter than the largest stones, so that each stone (5a, 5b) rests against the side walls of said studs of which they push back the metal, and that the upper faces (9) of all the stones of one piece of jewellery are situated on the same surface parallel to the external face of the support.
7. Jewellery according to claim 6, in which said stones have the same size grading defined by the diameters of the meshes of two superposed screens, characterized in that the circle tangential to the bases of said studs has a diameter equal to the diameter of the mesh of the lower screen and the circle tangential to the top parts of said studs has a diameter equal to the diameter of the mesh of the lower screen.
8. Jewellery according to claim 6, characterized in that the studs provided on the periphery of one bore (11) are situated at a distance from the center of said bore which is less than the sum of the radius of said bore and of the radius of the base of said studs, so that each stud comprises cylindrical notches cut into its side wall by said bore (11).
EP87430002A 1986-01-17 1987-01-16 Method for manufacturing jewellery comprising adjoining set gems Expired EP0233831B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT87430002T ATE48221T1 (en) 1986-01-17 1987-01-16 PROCESS OF MAKING JEWELRY WITH ADJUSTABLE SET GEMS.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8600735 1986-01-17
FR8600735A FR2593039B1 (en) 1986-01-17 1986-01-17 METHODS FOR THE MECHANIZED MANUFACTURE OF JEWELRY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SMALL JOINTING STONES WRAPPED IN A METAL SUPPORT AND JEWELRY OBTAINED BY THIS PROCESS.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0233831A1 EP0233831A1 (en) 1987-08-26
EP0233831B1 true EP0233831B1 (en) 1989-11-29

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EP87430002A Expired EP0233831B1 (en) 1986-01-17 1987-01-16 Method for manufacturing jewellery comprising adjoining set gems

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US (1) US4761865A (en)
EP (1) EP0233831B1 (en)
JP (1) JPH0728765B2 (en)
AT (1) ATE48221T1 (en)
AU (1) AU586556B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1307404C (en)
DE (1) DE3761033D1 (en)
ES (1) ES2011820B3 (en)
FR (1) FR2593039B1 (en)
GR (1) GR3000357T3 (en)

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US5636421A (en) * 1994-11-18 1997-06-10 Brams; Peter Method of manufacturing an article of jewelry having faux pave look
US5632164A (en) * 1996-01-24 1997-05-27 Sandberg & Sikorski Diamond Corp. Jewelry pendant assembly
US7069108B2 (en) 2002-12-10 2006-06-27 Jostens, Inc. Automated engraving of a customized jewelry item
US7707722B1 (en) * 2005-09-01 2010-05-04 Fine Jewellery (India) Ltd. Technique for setting precious stones such as diamonds by a combination of prongs and a groove in a peripheral wall
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2593039A1 (en) 1987-07-24
FR2593039B1 (en) 1988-04-29
GR3000357T3 (en) 1991-06-07
JPS62192102A (en) 1987-08-22
ATE48221T1 (en) 1989-12-15
ES2011820B3 (en) 1990-02-16
US4761865A (en) 1988-08-09
JPH0728765B2 (en) 1995-04-05
DE3761033D1 (en) 1990-01-04
CA1307404C (en) 1992-09-15
AU586556B2 (en) 1989-07-13
AU7196787A (en) 1988-10-27
EP0233831A1 (en) 1987-08-26

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