Brunnian link making device and method

Abstract

A Brunnian link is a link formed from a closed loop doubled over itself to capture another closed loop to form a chain. The example kit provides for the successful creation of unique wearable articles using Brunnian link assembly techniques and includes several pin bars that are supported in a desired special orientation by at least one base. The desired special orientation is dependent on the desired linked configuration of the completed article. The base and pin bars may be assembled in various combination and orientations to provide endless variation of completed link orientations. Additional bases and pin bars can be to further expand possible completed article creation.

Having thus described the invention, we claim: 
     
         1 . A jewelry and craft making bar for creating a linked item, the device comprising:
 a bar having a top surface, a bottom surface and two opposing sides;   a plurality of pins mounted in a predetermined spacing apart from each other on the top surface of the bar, each pin including a top flared portion for holding a link in a desired orientation and an vertical opening of a predetermined radius from the top surface of the bar to the top flared portion of each pin;   a plurality of openings spaced apart a predetermined distance from each other along one side of the bar; and   a plurality of protrusion spaced apart a predetermined distance from each other along the opposing side of the bar.   
     
     
         2 . The jewelry and craft making bar for creating a linked item of  claim 1 , wherein the openings on the one side of the bar and the protrusions on the opposing side of the base including corresponding mating features for securing in an interference fit at least two or more bars together to form a loom. 
     
     
         3 . The jewelry and craft making bar for creating a linked item of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pins are integrally attached to the top surface of the bar. 
     
     
         4 . The jewelry and craft making bar for creating a linked item of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of openings on the one side of the bar are configured in a circle. 
     
     
         5 . The jewelry and craft making bar for creating a linked item of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions are configured in a cylindrical shape corresponding to the circumference of the plurality of circular openings on the one side of the bar. 
     
     
         6 . The jewelry and craft making bar for creating a linked item of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of circular openings includes an annular recess therein. 
     
     
         7 . The jewelry and craft making bar for creating a linked item of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of cylindrical protrusions include an annular ring corresponding to the annular recess of the circular openings for mating the annular recess to the annular ring for a snapped together interference fit between adjacent bars pushed together to form a loom 
     
     
         8 . The jewelry and craft making bar for creating a linked item of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pins includes a bottom flared portion adjacent the top surface of the bar spaced apart from the top flared portion to form a mid-portion for holding a Brunnian link. 
     
     
         9 . The jewelry and craft making bar for creating a linked item of  claim 2 , wherein two or more bars with the plurality of pins are mated together in a desired orientation for forming the series of Brunnian links in a desired pattern for the jewelry. 
     
     
         10 . The jewelry and craft making bar for creating a linked item of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical opening on each pin is connected to a vertical recess in each pin. 
     
     
         11 . The jewelry and craft making bar for creating a linked item of  claim 10 , further including a tool adapted to extend into the vertical recess fur capturing one end of a link. 
     
     
         12 . The jewelry and craft making bar for creating a linked item of  claim 2 , including a fastener for securing ends of the linked item together. 
     
     
         13 . The jewelry and craft making bar for creating a linked item of  claim 1 , wherein the linked item comprises a series of elastic bands links. 
     
     
         14 . The jewelry and craft making bar for creating a linked item of  claim 13 , wherein the series of elastic band links is a series of Brunnian links to form the jewelry. 
     
     
         15 . A method of creating a linked item for jewelry comprising the steps of:
 aligning at least one bar including a plurality of pins attached to a top surface of the bar to define a predetermined spatial relationship between at least two adjacent pins;   assembling at least two elastic bands across adjacent pins;   capturing one end of an elastic band and pulling the end over and onto an adjacent pin while engaged with another elastic band; and   capturing and pulling subsequent ends over until a desired link length and configuration is obtained.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a second of the at least two elastic hands is placed atop one end of the first of the at least two elastic bands on a common pin. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein capturing one end of the elastic band includes using a tool reaching into a vertical recess of the pin to extend below the top most elastic band and grasp a bottom elastic band with the tool to capture and pull over the next adjacent pin. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further including the steps of assembling a plurality of bars closely adjacent to one another to provide parallel rows of pins. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further including the steps of assembling the plurality of pin bars closely adjacent to one another to define a desired pattern of pins for forming the jewelry. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further including the steps of pressing two or more adjacent bars together with corresponding mating male and female members on opposing sides of each bar to define a desired pattern of rows of pins to form the jewelry. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the male member is a cylindrical protrusion and the female member is a circular opening on opposing sides of each bar to join the bars together in an interference fit. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further including assembling a plurality elastic bands in a desired pattern to the plurality of bars jointed together including at least one elastic band that extends between pins of another pin bar. 
     
     
         23 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , including the step of inserting ends of the elastic bands linked together into a fastener to form the linked item.