BEADING TOOL

Abstract

A beading tool for working retaining arms of pieces of jewelry comprises a cylindrical shank and a head. In this case, the head comprises a cylindrical portion and a transition portion. The shank and the head are arranged along a shared central axis. In this case, the external diameter of the shank is greater than the external diameter of the cylindrical portion. Furthermore, the cylindrical portion is arranged on a first end of the beading tool, wherein the transition portion is arranged between the cylindrical portion and the shank. The head comprises an indentation on its front face on the first end.

Claims

1. Beading tool for working retaining arms of pieces of jewelry, comprising: a cylindrical shank and a head, which comprises a cylindrical portion and a transition portion, wherein the shank and the head are arranged along a shared central axis, wherein the external diameter of the shank is greater than the external diameter of the cylindrical portion, wherein the cylindrical portion is arranged on a first end of the beading tool, wherein the transition portion is arranged between the cylindrical portion and the shank, and wherein the head comprises an indentation on its front face on the first end.

2. Beading tool according to claim 1, wherein the transition portion comprises a concave lateral surface.

3. Beading tool according to claim 1, wherein the indentation is conical.

4. Beading tool according to claim 3, wherein a tip of the conical indentation is rounded.

5. Beading tool according to claim 3, wherein the opening angle of the conical indentation is between 100 and 130, in particular between 115 and 125, and the opening angle is approximately 120.

6. Beading tool according to claim 1, wherein the beading tool is configured to be clamped in a rotary tool.

7. Beading tool according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion has a length between 0.4 mm and 0.7 mm, in particular 0.5 mm.

8. Beading tool according to claim 1, wherein the head has a length between 3.2 mm and 6.7 mm.

9. Beading tool according to claim 1, wherein the beading tool has a length between 40 mm and 50 mm.

10. Beading tool according to claim 1, wherein the shank has an external diameter between 2 mm and 2.5 mm, in particular of 2.35 mm.

11. Beading tool according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of an external diameter of the cylindrical portion to the external diameter of the shank is between 0.16 and 0.6.

12. Beading tool according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the external diameter of the cylindrical portion to a diameter of the indentation is between 1.03 and 1.2.

13. Beading tool according to claim 1, wherein the beading tool is made of carbide metal.

14. Assembly for working retaining arms of pieces of jewelry, comprising: a beading tool according to claim 1, and a rotary tool, wherein a shank of the beading tool is arranged in a tool mount of the rotary tool.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Further details, advantages and features of the present disclosure will become clear from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a beading tool for working retaining arms according to the prior art,

[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a beading tool for working retaining arms according to a preferred embodiment,

[0023] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the beading tool according to the preferred embodiment, and

[0024] FIG. 4 is a schematic detailed side view of the tip of the beading tool according to the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a beading tool 1 according to the prior art, which is used to shape retaining arms 2 of a piece of jewelry 4. By shaping the retaining arms 2, stones 3 or other objects can be fixed in position on the piece of jewelry 4. FIG. 1 shows a detail of a piece of jewelry 4, which shows four cut gemstones 3 in a setting. Around each stone 3, four retaining arms 2 are arranged, which, in the initial state, allow the stones 3 to be inserted into the piece of jewelry 4. After being inserted, the retaining arms 2 can be shaped towards the stones 3 by means of the beading tool 1 in order to fix the stones 3 in position. The retaining arms 2 can, as in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, be in the shape of a polyhedron or can be wire-shaped, for example. The retaining arms preferably consist of the base material of the piece of jewelry 4, which is in particular a precious metal such as silver, gold or platinum. The diameter of the tip of the beading tool 1 is preferably adapted to the size and shape of the retaining arms 2. After the shaping process using the beading tool 1, the retaining arms 2 can be finished in a work step, e.g. rounded and polished.

[0026] The beading tool 1 according to the prior art comprises a conical head, which continuously widens from a tip to a shank. Because the tip immediately widens, it obscures the view of two retaining arms 2 in FIG. 1. Furthermore, when the tip of the beading tool 1 according to the prior art is worn, it is not possible to regrind the beading tool 1.

[0027] In the following, with reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, a beading tool 1 according to a preferred exemplary embodiment is described in detail.

[0028] FIG. 2 shows the piece of jewelry 4 from FIG. 1 with four stones 3, which are each surrounded by four retaining arms 2. Instead of the beading tool 1 according to the prior art, FIG. 2 shows a head 12 of the beading tool 1 according to the disclosure.

[0029] By contrast with the beading tool 1 according to the prior art, which comprises a conical head 12, the claimed head 12 of the beading tool comprises a cylindrical portion 13 and a transition portion 14. Therefore, the head 12 of the beading tool 1 can be configured to be narrower in the region of a first end 15, meaning that the view of the piece of jewelry 4 to be worked is improved. The cylindrical portion 13 allows the beading tool 1 to be reground when it is blunt.

[0030] The lateral surface of the transition portion 14 is curved in a concave manner towards a central axis X-X. In this case, the lateral surface of the transition portion 14 tangentially abuts the lateral surface of the cylindrical portion 13 such that the cylindrical portion 13 fluidly transitions into the transition portion 14.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the entire beading tool 1 according to the preferred embodiment. A cylindrical shank 11 adjoins the head 12 of the beading tool 1. The shank 11 and the head 12 are arranged along a shared central axis X-X. In this case, the shank 11 of the beading tool 1 is shown in FIG. 3 as being shortened.

[0032] An external diameter 13a of the cylindrical portion 13 is preferably 0.1 to 0.6 times smaller than an external diameter 11a of the shank 11. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the length 13b of the cylindrical portion is 0.5 mm. In this case, the shank 11 of the beading tool 1 is preferably configured as a 104-HP shank having an external diameter 11a of 2.35 mm, such that the beading tool 1 can be clamped into a rotary tool. The shank is preferably rotated and has an average surface roughness Rz of 4 m.

[0033] Clamping the beading tool 1 into a rotary tool allows the beading tool 1 to be used regularly for shaping the retaining arms 2 using the rotary tool as a handpiece. In addition, the claimed shape of the beading tool 1 makes it possible to later round and/or polish the retaining arms 2 by the beading tool 1 being set into a rotating movement about its central axis X-X by means of the rotary tool. With a rotating beading tool, this is possible with a reduced application of force.

[0034] The beading tool 1 is preferably made of a tool steel for cold working, such as the material DIN/EN-1.2516, which is characterized by high wear resistance and hardness. The tool steel is preferably hardened and annealed, and has a Vickers hardness of 810+30 HV. Alternatively, the beading tool 1 can be made of carbide metal.

[0035] The beading tool 1 preferably has a length 1b of 40 mm to 50 mm. Owing to this comparatively short length 1b, the distance which the jeweler has to cover with their wrist when working the retaining arms 2 can be minimized, resulting in the beading tool being able to be handled in a more comfortable manner that is gentle on the joints.

[0036] The head 12 of the beading tool 1 preferably has a length 12b between 3.2 mm and 6.7 mm and is preferably dependent on the external diameter 13a of the cylindrical portion 13. The smaller the external diameter 13a of the cylindrical portion 13, the longer the length 12b of the head 12.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged sectional view of the beading tool 1 from FIG. 3 in the region of the first end 15. In this case, an indentation 16 is made in the cylindrical portion 13 on its front face on the first end 15.

[0038] The indentation 16 is conical, with a tip 18 of the conical indentation 16 being rounded. The tip 18 of the indentation 16 is preferably arranged on the central line X-X. The tip 18 transitions continuously into the conical indentation 16.

[0039] The opening angle 16c between the opposite regions of the conical indentation 16 is preferably 120.

[0040] There is preferably a narrow annular edge region 17 between a maximum diameter 16a of the indentation 16 and the external diameter 13a of the cylindrical portion 13. The width of the edge region 17 is defined by the ratio between the diameter 16a of the indentation 16 and the external diameter 13a of the cylindrical portion 13. In this case, the external diameter 13a of the cylindrical portion 13 is preferably 1.03 to 0.2 times greater than the maximum diameter 16a of the indentation 16, such that the resulting narrow edge region 17 allows for precise working of the retaining arms 2 without slipping off.

[0041] In addition to the above written description, in order to provide supplementary disclosure reference is hereby explicitly made to the drawings in the figures.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0042] 1 Beading tool [0043] 1b Length of the beading tool [0044] 2 Retaining arm [0045] 3 Stone [0046] 4 Piece of jewelry [0047] 11 Cylindrical shank [0048] 11a External diameter of the shank [0049] 12 Head [0050] 12b Length of the head [0051] 13 Cylindrical portion [0052] 13a External diameter of the cylindrical portion [0053] 13b Length of the cylindrical portion [0054] 14 Transition portion [0055] 15 First end [0056] 16 Indentation [0057] 16a Diameter of the indentation [0058] 16c Opening angle [0059] 17 Edge region [0060] 18 Tip of an indentation [0061] X-X Central axis