US2389295A - Earring clip - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 20, 1945. M. CHERNOW 2,389,295

EARRING CLIP Filed June 2, 1945 V II/111114 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 20, 1945 UNI TED STAT E S PAT ENT GFFI'CE.

EARRING CLIP Michael Chernow, New York, N. Y. Application June 2, 1943, Serial No. 489,327

2 Claims.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an earring clip of extraordinarily simple and inexpensive construction which dispenses with the need for screws or other adjustable parts, and which securely retains the earring in position upon the earlobe, yet without discomfort and, in fact, without the user even being aware of any pressure.

In the accompanying drawing, in which are shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a rear view of an earring bearing the clip,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clip,

Fig. 4 is a view in transverse cross-section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a, perspective view on a smaller scale showing the earring in place on the earlobe.

Referring now to the drawing, the earring clip comprises an integral stamping of suitable metal, desirably of an appropriate soft alloy. At the present time gold-plated silver alloy is being used for the purpose. The clip preferably comprises a rectangular strip I having a rounded hairpin turn II and having opposed bowl-shaped enlargements I2 and 13 at its opposite ends. Enlargement I2 is desirably a flat circular bowl, the convexity of which is at the inner surface. That bowl serves as the mount for the earring proper. In the case of a metal earring (not shown) the bowl would preferably be soldered in place thereon, the solder being contained in the bowl l2. For application to the non-metallic, plastic or ceramic earring, such as illustratively shown at I4 in the drawing, the bowl [2 preferably has an axial tongue l struck therefrom as at [6 and fitting into a corresponding depression I! in the earring, appropriate cement l8 being desirably interposed between the bowl and the earring.

The opposed enlargement l3 at the opposite end of the clip is preferably spoon-shaped, as shown. The forward part of the spoon-bowl is sharply tapered as at 19 but rounded at its extremity as at 20. The convexity of the spoon at the inner face thereof is preferably aligned in a continuous curve with the curvature of the strip 10 as best shown in Fig. 2. Desirably, the center points of the convex bowls at opposite ends of the clip are in alignment, as shown, for adequate clamping engagement with the earlobe as hereinafter set forth.

Preferably, the face of the strip has impressed therein as at 2| along a major part of its length,

suitable indicia such as the name of the manufacturer, or other information or, if desired, a suitable design may be so impressed along said strip. Such impression is effected desirably in the original blanking out of the clip and prior to imparting thereto the U-turn I l disclosed. The forceful impression into the face or surface of the strip results in stiffening the soft metal, so as to enhance the resiliency thereof and facilitate imparting the desired smooth round U-turn ll thereto in bending the strip into its final form.

Desirably the length of the strip after the same has been curved into its final position is given a sharp edgewise blow by a suitable mallet (not shown). Such blow, as best shown in Fig. 4, results in compressing the metal of the strip edgewise and in thereby forming the shoulders 22 on the shank ends of the respective bowls l2 and 13. As a result of such compression blow the strip is flattened at its edges to impart an I-beam crosssection thereto, as shown somewhat exaggerated at 23 in Fig. 4. The stiffness resulting from impression 2| is thus further enhanced and the strip has the requisite resiliency for the desired earlobe clamping action to be set forth.

The earring will ordinarily be sold with the bowl ends of the clips spaced by a distance suitable for practically all earlobes. The clip is applied to the earlobe by slipping the same on in a horizontal direction as shown in Fig. 5, immediately at the point 24 where the earlobe meets the face. .The outwardly bent end of the spoonshaped bowl serves as a lead-in to cause the free end of the clip readily to cam out slightly over the thickened rim of the earlobe. The earring is pushed on'until the U-turn end ll of the clip is arrested by the edge of the earlobe, as shown. At that time the bowl ends of the clip will re.- siliently engage th thin midsection of the lobe and will maintain the earring securely in position, for the resilient clip would have to be spread slightly before it could be passed over the thickened rim of the earlobe. Thus the earring is readily applied and maintained in position securely, without noticeable pressure upon the earlobe.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An earring clip comprising a unitary blank of soft metal having a strip with a rounded U- turn, said strip having opposed bowl-shaped enlargements at its opposite ends and serving for clamping an earlobe therebetween, substantially the entire length of said strip between said enlargements being of I-beam cross-section, thereby to impart resiliency and stifiness thereto.

2. An earring clip comprising a unitary blank of soft metal having a strip with a rounded U- turn, said strip having opposed bowl-shaped enlargements at its opposite ends and serving for clamping an earlobe therebetween, the length of said strip having indicia impressed therein, substantially the entire length of said strip between said enlargements being of I-beam cross-section, thereby to impart resiliency and stiffness thereto.

MICHAEL CHERNOW.

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