US832887A - Gem-setting for jewelry. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

G. T. WITTSTEIN.

GEM SETTING FOR JEWELRY.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.. 29 1905.

WITNESSES INVENTO/i 6) mm 6% Q2 Gama M m WASHINGTON, nc.

UNITED STATES PA ENT OFFICE.

GEM-SETTING FOR JEWELRY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1906.

Application filed November 29, 1905. Serial No- 289,594.

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES T.W1TTsTnIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at 79 Lincoln Park, Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Gem-Setting for Jewelry, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to settings such as are used for stones or gems of any kind upon rings, pins, or other jewelry; and the objects of the invention are to secure a firmer and closer engagement of the holding-arms of the setting with the stone or gem, to enable said arms to be readily and quickly brought into their holding position, to accurately predetermine the point of bending of such arms, to secure an improved appearance of the setting, and thus of the entire jewel, to eliminate recesses and projections upon the setting which tend to receive dirt or catch upon clothing, to save time and labor in setting a gem, and to obtain other advantages and re sults, as may be brought out in the following description.

The invention consists in the improved gem-setting for jewelry, substantially as will be hereinafter described, and finally set forth in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures, Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a finger-ring having a setting of my improved construction. Flg. 2 is an lnner face view of one of the arms of such a setting. Fig. 3 is an edge view of said arm. Figs. 4 and 5"are an inner face view and an edge view, re'spec tively, of a two-piece construction of the holding-arm. Fig. 6 is a view, partly in section, showing a gem and the engagement of a holding-arm therewith, and Fig. 7 is aside view of another form of holding-arms embodying my improved construction, all said views being enlarged to illustrate the invention more clearly.

In said drawings, 2 indicates the setting proper, which is formed from sheet metal by stamping and pressing in any suitable manner and may be of any ordinary form providing holding-arms for a gem 1, although I have shown in Figs. 16, inclusive, arms 3, which are unitedat their adjacent edges to a point near their tops and each arm being centrally open or apertured, as at 4. Obviously any other style of holding-arm could, however, be employed equally well, and it will be understood that the setting proper, 2, is

united to the ring-band 5 or any other support in any manner common to the art.

Each arm 3 is near its top and at its inner face transversely grooved or recessed, as at 6, so that the lower wall of said groove forms a shoulder or bearing for the gem, and thus determines its position. Above the said groove 6 that portion of the inner face of the arm forming the upper wall of the groove is centrally cupped or recessed, as at 9, such cupping being preferably done in stamping out the setting and providing a sunken or depressed portion entirely surrounded b marginal undisturbed portions of the face of the arm. It will be understood that this upper portion 8 of the arm above the groove 7 is adapted to be bent over the girdle of the gem and lie flat upon the upper face of the gem. When this is done, by reason of the cupped or recessed face of said holding portion the edges of the same are sure to fit tightly against'the surface of the stone. The result of this is not only a very neat and perfect appearance, but, furthermore, there is no opportunity for anything to catch under the edges of the holding arms, such as the threads of clothing, or for dirt to accumulate there. A perfect contact of the holding-arm with the stone is thus by the construction described quickly and easily secured by simplyfbending over the ends of the said holding-arms. Furthermore, the pressure with which the holding-arms are closed over upon the gem virtually seals the cavity or chamber 9, and by reason of the intimate contact of the edges of the cavity with the smooth surface of the gem and the natural resiliency of the metal a vacuum of suction is created when the setting-tool is removed which tends to a more firm and secure holding of the gem.

The outer side or face of each arm 3, at

ing at the same time as the inner face of the arms, and all in one operation where the entire setting is 111 a single lntegral piece. Some times, however, the tips of the holding-arms which overlap the girdle of the stone are made of platinum, particularly in settings for diamonds, so as to be more inconspicuous against the white stone and to wear better and longer. In these cases I employ the construction shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, where 11 indicates an individual holding-arm of the body portion of the setting, and 12 a platinum tip connected to said body portion, the connection preferably being by recessing the end of the arm, as at 13, and seating the tip therein and soldering it. The opposite faces of said tip are then formed as has been above described, the inner face having the transverse groove 14, lower seat 15 for the gem 16, and upper portion 17, cupped, as at 18, and adapted to be bent over the girdle of the gem. The outer face of the tip is rounded, as at 19, so that when the tip is bent into its final position it presents an outwardly-globular effect, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6.

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated the application of my invention to a setting 21, having another form of arms 22, the extremities of said arms grasping the gem 23, as above described, and'being outwardly convex, as at 24. Obviously therefore my invention is not limited to any particular form of arm. By the construction thus described not only is a very firm and secure holding of the gem obtained and at the same time a pleasingappearance, but, furthermore, a seat or bearing for the gem is provided which is finished and ready as it comes from the factory into the jewelers hands to receive the gem and which thus accurately predetermines the position of the stone in the setting, preventing detraotion from the beauty of the jewel through lack of experience or skill on the part of the jeweler. Moreover, the transverse groove or recess 6 (or 14) fixes the point at which the tips of the arms will bend in closing them over upon the gem and insures a uniform and pleasing appearance of the said tips or extremities when closed over.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is 1. A gem-setting having a holding-arm, having near its upper end and at its inner face a shoulder or bearing for the stone, and

having above said bearing an end portion cupped at its inner face and adapted to be bent over upon the stone.

2. A gem-setting provided with a holdingarm having a transverse reduction of thickness to predetermine the point of bending and above said .reduction having an inner face with a central cupping or depression surrounded by marginal undisturbed portions of the face, such upper portion of the arm being thus adapted when bent over upon the stone to engage the same at the said margins around said cupping or depression.

3. A gem-setting provided with a holdingarm having at its inner face and near its extremity a transverse groove the lower wall of which forms a seat for the stone and the up per wall of which has a plane inner face with a central cupping or depression surrounded by marginal undisturbed portions of the said plane face, the part of the arm above said groove being thus adapted to be bent over upon the stone to engage the same at the said marginal portions of its face.

4. A gem-setting provided with a holdingarm having at its inner face and near its extremity a transverse reduction of thickness forming a seat for the stone, said reduced end of the arm above said seat having a central portion displaced outwardly out of the plane of the arm and forming an outer swelling and an inner cupping or depression, the said upper portion of the arm being adapted to be bent over upon the stone. I

5. A gemsetting having a holding-arm comprising a body portion recessed at its outer extremity, and a tip permanently seated in said recess, cupped at its inner face and adapted to be bent over upon the stone.

6. A gem-setting having a holding-arm comprising a body portion recessed at its outer end, and atip permanently seated in said recess, said tip forming at the lower part of its inner face a bearing for the stone and being cupped or hollowed at the upper part.

7. A gem-setting having a holoing arm comprising a body portion recessed at its outer end, and a tip permanently seated in said recess, said tip forming at the lower part of its inner face a bearing for the stone and being cupped or hollowed at the upper part, the outer face of the tip being convexly rounded.

8. A gem-setting having a holding-arm comprising a body portion recessed at its end, and a tip permanently seated in saidrecess and transversely grooved, the lower wall of said groove forming a bearing for the stone and the upper wall'being-cupped or hollowed and adapted to be bent over upon the stone.

9. A gem-setting having a hold ing-arm comprising a body portion recessed'at its end, and a tip permanently seated in said recess and transversely grooved, the lower wall of said roove forming a bearing for the stone and the upper wall being cupped or hollowed and adapted to be bent over upon the stone, the outer surface of said tip being convexly rounded.

CHAS. T. WITTSTEIN. Witnesses:

RUSSELL M. EVERETT, ETHEL B. REED.

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