Locking mechanism for jewelry

Abstract

An openable jewellery item arranged to be worn about a portion of a body of a person comprises two arcuate sections pivotally interconnected at one end for permitting pivotal movement of the sections between opened and closed positions, a locking surface disposed on each arcuate section at a second end, each locking surface cooperating with the facing locking surface of the other arcuate section for releasably retaining the arcuate sections in a closed position; the two locking surfaces each having oppositely facing hook contours; one locking surface has a weakened length to provide springiness. A pivotal section connects between the two arcuate sections to tension the sections towards the opened position, and in variations to tension the hooks to engage. A release is pressed to disengage the hooks. A variation has catches at both sides to allow complete separation of the sections.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An openable jewellery item arranged to be worn about a portion of a body of a person, said item comprising:
 first and second arcuate sections interconnected at first ends of said sections for permitting movement of said arcuate sections between opened and closed positions, said arcuate sections also having a second end opposite the pivotal interconnection;   a locking surface disposed on each arcuate section at said second end, each said locking surface provided for cooperating with a locking surface of the other arcuate section for releasably retaining the arcuate sections in a closed position;   said locking surface on said first arcuate section comprising an internally facing radially externally located hook contour;   said locking surface on said second arcuate section comprising a weakened length to provide springiness and an externally facing internally located hook contour;   said item in its closed position comprising a locking engagement of said hook contours of said locking surfaces;   a pivotal section connected between said first and second arcuate sections to tension said arcuate sections towards said open position;   a release disposed on said locking surface on said second arcuate section, said release being pressable from said closed position to a disengaging position wherein said externally facing internally located hook contour is disengaged from said internal facing externally located hook contour.   
     
     
         2 . The item of  claim 1 , wherein said pivotal section is connected via two hinges to said second arcuate section and by one hinge to said first arcuate section. 
     
     
         3 . The item of  claim 1 , wherein said second arcuate section has a thickness, said weakened length being about 40% of said thickness. 
     
     
         4 . The item of  claim 1 , wherein said release comprises a button mounted on said weakened length. 
     
     
         5 . The item of  claim 1 , wherein said pivotal section is movable between a first stable position in which said arcuate sections are held open and a second stable position in which said arcuate sections are held closed. 
     
     
         6 . The item of  claim 1 , wherein said interconnection comprises a hinge. 
     
     
         7 . The item of  claim 1 , wherein said interconnection comprises oppositely facing hooked contours. 
     
     
         8 . The item of  claim 7 , wherein said pivotal section is pivotally connected at either side thereof to respective locking surfaces at either end of said second arcuate section to tension respective hooked contours radially outwardly against corresponding hooked contours of said first arcuate section. 
     
     
         9 . The item of  claim 1 , comprising one member of the group consisting of a bracelet, a bangle, a ring, an earring, a finger ring, and a watch. 
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacture of an openable jewelry item for wearing about a portion of a body of a person, the method comprising:
 providing first and second arcuate sections;   interconnecting said first and second arcuate sections at first ends respectively of said sections for permitting movement of said arcuate sections between opened and closed positions, said arcuate sections also having a second end opposite the pivotal interconnection;   disposing a locking surface on each arcuate section at said second end, each said locking surface being arranged to cooperate with a locking surface of the other arcuate section for releasably retaining the arcuate sections in a closed position;   providing said locking surface on said first arcuate section with an internally facing radially externally located hook contour;   providing said locking surface on said second arcuate section with a weakened length to provide springiness and an externally facing internally located hook contour;   arranging said item with a closed position in which said hook contours of said locking surfaces are in locking engagement;   providing a pivotal section connected between said first and second arcuate sections to tension said arcuate sections towards said open position;   disposing a release on said locking surface on said second arcuate section, said release being pressable from said closed position to a disengaging position wherein said externally facing internally located hook contour is disengaged from said internal facing externally located hook contour.   
     
     
         11 . The method of manufacture of  claim 10 , comprising providing said pivotal section to be connected via two hinges to said second arcuate section and by one hinge to said first arcuate section. 
     
     
         12 . The method of manufacture of  claim 10 , comprising providing said second arcuate section with a thickness, said weakened length being about 40% of said thickness. 
     
     
         13 . The method of manufacture of  claim 10 , comprising providing said release with a button mounted on said weakened length. 
     
     
         14 . The method of manufacture of  claim 10 , comprising making said pivotal section to be movable between a first stable position in which said arcuate sections are held open and a second stable position in which said arcuate sections are held closed. 
     
     
         15 . The method of manufacture of  claim 10 , comprising providing a hinge to form said interconnection. 
     
     
         16 . The method of manufacture of  claim 10 , comprising providing oppositely facing hooked contours to form said interconnection. 
     
     
         17 . The method of manufacture of  claim 16 , comprising arranging said pivotal section to be pivotally connected at either side thereof to respective locking surfaces at either end of said second arcuate section to tension respective hooked contours radially outwardly against corresponding hooked contours of said first arcuate section. 
     
     
         18 . The method of manufacture of  claim 10 , wherein the openable jewelry item is one member of the group consisting of a bracelet, a bangle, a ring, an earring, a finger ring, and a watch.