US3242540A - Bracelet attaching device - Google Patents

Description

March 29, 1966 R. .1. MITCHELL 3,242,540

BRACELET ATTAGHING DEVICE Filed Jan. 30, 1964 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent Ofifice 3,242,546 Patented Mar. 29, 1966 3,242,540 BRACELET ATTACK-TING DEVICE Robert J. Mitchell, 116 W. Lincoln St., Findlay, Ohio Filed Jan. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 341,335 1 Claim. (Cl. 24-3) This invention relates to a device for attaching a jewelry item such as a bracelet around the wrist and, in particular, relates to such a device comprised of a single piece of flexible material such as wire which is slipped over a finger of the bracelet-wearing hand and extends across the hand and has a bracelet catch in the wrist area to assist in attaching the bracelet with the other hand.

There is often a great deal of difficulty in attaching a bracelet or other jewelry items which must be wrapped around the wrist of the wearer and attached by a clip or other means. Bracelets of the loose-link, flexible type are often extremely difficult for the wearer to attach to the wrist of one arm since the loose ends must be held together with one hand and attached at the same time. Frequently, the wearer of the jewelry must depend upon the assistance of others to attach such jewelry, particularly where the clasp is difiioult to operate with the one free hand and particularly where the bracelet is long and has a number of depending charms or bangles which may interfere with the attachment of the clasp.

Another common practice is for the wearer to clasp one end of the bracelet between the wrist and the body or stomach, freeing the other hand to manipulate the opposite end into engagement. However, this method of attachment is disadvantageous particularly if the bracelet being attached contains charms or other decorations which have sharp or barbed projections and which may cling to or attach to loose clothing being worn by the user, such as a sweater, etc.

One proposed solution to this problem is disclosed in United States Patent 3,016,589, issued January 16, 196-2. The device of this patent comprises a fiat band conforming to the cross section of the wrist which is placed over the wrist and which provides an upwardly extending hook for one end of the bracelet. Due to the fact that this band is secured by clam-ping upon the wrist, the band must be made of a relatively heavy and expensive strap. The present invention is an improvement over the prior art, since due to its unique cooperation with a finger of the hand of the bracelet arm, it can be fabricated from relatively inexpensive and lightweight material, such as a wire, thereby making its production and sale as a novelty item commercially feasible.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved device to aid in securing a bracelet or other jewelry item around the wrist.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive device which may be quickly and easily utilized as an aid to attaching a bracelet or other device to the wrist.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive device to aid in attaching a bracelet or jewelry to the wrist wherein such device is small in size and weight and may be carried in a purse or placed in a jewelry box, etc.

Other objects, advantages and features of this invention will be apparent from the following description which is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of the bracelet attaching device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective showing the attaching ring of a bracelet placed upon the hook of the device;

FIG. 4 is a partial view in perspective showing an alternate method of placing the bracelet end upon the book of the device;

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective showing the device of this invention being held in place by a finger of the bracelet hand of the user, showing one end of a bracelet attached to the device and illustrating the manner in which the user may attach the other end of the bracelet to the first end;

FIG. 6 is a partial view in perspective showing a pre liminary step which may be used in securing the bracelet; and

FIG. 7 is a view in elevation of another embodiment of this invention which includes an indentation to aid in positioning the fingertip of the user.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, the device of the instant invention comprises an elongate body portion 10 having a finger band 11 on one end. A hook 152 on the opposite end of the body portion 10 includes a downwardly extending member 13 and a return arm 14-. It is to be understood that the finger band 11 may be any convenient shape which may be slipped over or around a finger of the user. The hook 12 may be of any configuration convenient for removably attaching one or both ends of the bracelet, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 6. The entire device may be made from any material which is sufiiciently rigid so that it will keep the hook 12 in a substantially fixed position on the wrist when the finger band 1 1 is secured to the users finger and the body portion 10 is pressed between the fingertip and the palm, as illustrated in FIGURE 5. Preferably the material is malleable to a degree so that it can be bent as needed to fit a particular person. The entire device may be fabricated from a single piece of wire, as shown, and the finger band 11 is preferably circular, as shown, to conveniently slip over the wearers finger.

FIGURE 7 shows a second embodiment of this invention which includes an arcuate depression or indentation 15 located in the body portion 10 between the hook 12 and the finger band 11. As will be explained in more detail below, the indentation or the depression 15 provides a convenient gripping place for the tip of the finger when the device is being used.

When attaching a bracelet or other jewelry, the device of the present invention is used as follows. As shown in FIGURE 5, the finger band 11 is slipped over one of the fingers on the hand upon which the bracelet is to be fastened, preferably the middle finger. The open end of the hook 14 is away from the wrist of the user. As shown in FIGURE 5, the finger over which the finger band 11 has been slipped is flexed and its fingertip presses the body portion 10 against the palm of the user so that the device is rigidly held again-st the palm and wrist. Thus the book 12 is held immovable on the wrist since the device is secured at two points, between the fingertip and the palm and around the finger. As previously explained, the embodiment of this device shown in FIGURE 7, which includes a depression or indentation 15, is preferred since the depression or indentation :15 provides a notch or grip for the fingertip and it also provides a downwardldy extending projection which helps to prevent the body portion 12 from sliding or moving across the palm of the user.

The user next slips one end of the bracelet over the return arm 14 of the hook 112 as shown in FIGURE 3. In bracelets of the type shown in FIGURE 3, which include on one end a ring and on the other end a spring clip, it is preferable to slip the ring over the return arm 14 and leave the spring clip end free to be manipulated by the other hand.

An alternate method of attachment of the ring end of the bracelet to the clip 12 is illustrated in FIGURE 4.

This method may be advantageous for use with bracelets having relatively small attachment rings, as illustrated in FIGURE 4 Where the ring is partially blocked by engagement thereof over the hook 14.

As shown in FIGURE 5, the unattached end of the bracelet with the spring clip is then taken by the users free hand and brought upwardly around the wrist and thence attached to the ring on the other end of the bracelet while it is still secured to the hook 12. This may be easily done by the user with one hand since the ring on hook 12 is relatively immobile and therefore the users free hand is free to manipulate the spring clip. By attaching the spring clip to the bracelet ring, while it is still on the hook 12, there is no chance of dropping either end of the bracelet.

FIGURE 6 shows a second method of attachment of the free end having a spring clip. In this method, the spring clip is also slipped over the hook 12 and then attached to the ring on the pposite end of the bracelet. This method may be advantageous for certain bracelets where the spring clip is hard to operate and the user 'finds it necessary to change her grip to open the spring clip. By slipping the spring clip over the hook 12, the user no longer needs to hold it in place and can freely adjust her grip without fear of dropping either end of the bracelet.

After the bracelet has been secured on the users wrist, the device is easily removed by withdrawing the finger from the band 11 and withdrawing the hook 12 from the bracelet.

It will be apparent that various changes and modifications can be made in the specific details discussed above 4 and described in the examples without departing from the spirit of the attached claim.

I claim:

A device for applying a jewelry item around the wrist consisting of an elongate, straight member extending from the jewelry area of the wrist to the area of a first phalange when a finger is flexed, a circular band rigidly secured to one end of said member, an arm on the other end of said member extending downwardly, normal to said memher and normal to and below the plane of said band, and a return portion secured to the end of said arm and extending upwardly parallel to said arm and terminating above the plane of said band and spaced apart from the other end of said elongate, straight member, and a finger socket formed by a depression in said straight member intermediate its ends, said depression extending below the plane of said band to form a generally arcuate socket extending below said elongate member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 28,918 6/ 1898 Mulherin 24--40 120,240 11/1871 B-uhle 2942 5 X 584,133 6/1887 McIntine 29426 2,482,314 9/1949 Beclcwell 29426 2,663,588 12/1953 Scheldor-fer. 3,016,589 1/1962 Collins 24-3 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, G. F. ABRAHAM, Examiners.

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