Transport element for transporting stones with a round cut and method for such a stone in such a transport element

Abstract

The invention concerns a transport element (1) for stones (4) with a round cut, comprising a holder (2) with a pavilion recess (11) for each stone (4), with a contact part (12) with a taper which deviates by maximum 10° from the taper of the pavilion (8), for supporting thereon a contact zone of the pavilion (8) between the girdle (7) and the culet (9), so that the girdle (7) remains outside the contact part (12), and wherein the pavilion recess (11) is formed such that the stone (4) in the pavilion recess (11) touches only this contact part (12). The invention also concerns a method for placing a stone (4) in a specific embodiment of such a transport element (1).

1 . Transport element ( 1 ) for transporting stones ( 4 ) with a round cut with a table ( 5 ), crown ( 6 ), girdle ( 7 ), pavilion ( 8 ) and culet ( 9 ), such as precious stones, semi-precious stones or non-precious stones, comprising a holder ( 2 ) on which the stones ( 4 ) can be placed for transport, characterized in that the holder ( 2 ) has a top surface ( 10 ) in which a pavilion recess ( 11 ) is made for each stone ( 4 ) for accommodating the culet ( 9 ) and at least part of the pavilion ( 8 ) of the corresponding stone ( 4 ), wherein this pavilion recess ( 11 ) has at least one contact part ( 12 ) which is formed tapering away from the top surface ( 10 ) with a taper which deviates by maximum 10° from the corresponding taper of the pavilion ( 8 ), for supporting thereon a contact zone of the pavilion ( 8 ) between the girdle ( 7 ) and the culet ( 9 ) so that the girdle ( 7 ) remains outside the contact part ( 12 ), and wherein the pavilion recess ( 11 ) is formed such that after being placed in the pavilion recess ( 11 ), said stone ( 4 ) touches only and exclusively this contact part ( 12 ). 
     
     
         2 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the taper of the contact part ( 12 ) is greater than the taper of the pavilion ( 8 ). 
     
     
         3 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that the transport element ( 1 ) has a cover ( 3 ) wherein the cover ( 3 ) has a top surface ( 15 ) in which a corresponding crown recess ( 16 ) is made for each stone ( 4 ), for accommodating the table ( 5 ) and at least part of the crown ( 6 ) of the stone ( 4 ), wherein the crown recess ( 16 ) has a smallest dimension (D k ) at the level of the girdle ( 7 ) which is smaller than the sum of the smallest diameter (D p ) of the contact part ( 12 ) and the diameter (D r ) of the girdle ( 7 ), and which is greater than the greatest diameter (D a ) of the contact part ( 12 ), wherein when the top surfaces ( 10 ,  15 ) of the cover ( 3 ) and holder ( 2 ) are brought against each other, the pavilion recess ( 11 ) and the crown recess ( 16 ) for a said stone ( 4 ) extend above each other and together form an accommodation space ( 11 ,  16 ) for the stone ( 4 ), and wherein the pavilion recess ( 11 ) and the crown recess ( 16 ) are formed such that said stone ( 4 ) touches only and exclusively this contact part ( 12 ) when it is placed in the accommodation space ( 11 ,  16 ) with its contact zone resting against the contact part ( 12 ). 
     
     
         4 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , characterized in that each crown recess ( 16 ) has a depth (H k ) which is smaller than the height (H s ) of the corresponding stone ( 4 ). 
     
     
         5 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to  claim 4 , characterized in that each crown recess ( 16 ) has a depth (H k ) which corresponds approximately to 0.47 times the diameter (D r ) of the girdle ( 7 ) less minimum 0.03 mm and maximum 0.07 mm. 
     
     
         6 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to one of  claims 3  to  5 , characterized in that each crown recess ( 16 ) is formed largely cylindrical. 
     
     
         7 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to any of  claims 3  to  6 , characterized in that the accommodation space ( 11 ,  16 ) is designed symmetrical relative to an axis (A), which coincides approximately with the axis (B) of the stone ( 4 ) when the corresponding stone ( 4 ) is placed on the contact part ( 12 ). 
     
     
         8 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact part ( 12 ) of each pavilion recess ( 11 ) is formed conical at an angle (α a ) which is more obtuse than the angle (α s ) of the pavilion ( 8 ). 
     
     
         9 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the angle (α a ) of the contact part ( 12 ) of each pavilion recess ( 11 ) is approximately 100°. 
     
     
         10 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact part ( 12 ) of each pavilion recess ( 11 ) borders the top surface ( 10 ) of the holder ( 2 ). 
     
     
         11 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that each pavilion recess ( 11 ) comprises a cylindrical part ( 13 ) which connects to the contact part ( 12 ) away from the top surface ( 10 ). 
     
     
         12 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that each pavilion recess ( 11 ) has a base ( 14 ) which is formed conical. 
     
     
         13 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that each pavilion recess ( 11 ) has a base ( 14 ), wherein the distance between the base ( 14 ) and the contact part ( 12 ) is greater than the distance between the contact part ( 12 ) of the corresponding stone ( 4 ) and the culet ( 9 ). 
     
     
         14 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport element ( 1 ) is made largely of steel. 
     
     
         15 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to any of the preceding claims and  claim 3 , characterized in that the transport element ( 1 ) has locking means ( 17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  20 ,  21 ,  22 ) for locking the cover ( 3 ) to the holder ( 2 ). 
     
     
         16 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the holder ( 2 ) is provided with at least two locking pins ( 17 ), each of which is provided with a gripping groove ( 18 ) on the periphery, that the cover ( 3 ) is provided with two corresponding guide openings ( 19 ) in which these locking pins ( 17 ) can be placed, and with two corresponding locking elements ( 20 ) which are placed at the guide openings ( 19 ) and are moveable between a first position, in which these are intended to open the guide openings ( 19 ) so the corresponding locking pins ( 22 ) can move freely in and out of the guide openings ( 19 ), and a second position, in which these locking elements ( 20 ) are intended to engage in the corresponding gripping grooves ( 18 ) of the corresponding locking pins ( 17 ) when these are placed in the guide openings ( 19 ), and that the said locking pins ( 17 ), guide openings ( 19 ) and locking elements ( 20 ) form part of said locking means ( 17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  20 ,  21 ,  22 ). 
     
     
         17 . Transport element ( 1 ) according to  claim 16 , characterized in that next to each guide opening ( 19 ), the cover ( 3 ) comprises a release opening ( 21 ) with a diameter which is greater than the diameter of the guide opening ( 19 ), wherein a release pin ( 22 ) with a corresponding diameter can be placed in each release opening ( 21 ), and that each locking element ( 20 ) is configured as a spring element ( 20 ) which is largely positioned around the corresponding guide opening ( 19 ) and corresponding release opening ( 21 ), so that when a release pin ( 22 ) is placed in the release opening ( 21 ), the spring element deflects and moves to its first position, and when the release pin ( 22 ) is removed from the release opening ( 21 ), the spring opening element ( 20 ) is brought into its second position under its spring force. 
     
     
         18 . Method for placing a stone ( 4 ) in a transport element ( 1 ) according to any of the preceding claims and  claim 3 , characterized in that the cover ( 3 ) is positioned with the crown recesses ( 16 ) upward, the stone ( 4 ) is laid on its table ( 5 ) in the crown recess ( 16 ), the holder ( 2 ) with the pavilion recesses ( 11 ) downward is placed onto the cover ( 3 ), the transport element ( 1 ) is inverted so that the holder ( 2 ) is below the cover ( 3 ). 
     
     
         19 . Method according to  claim 18 ) for placing a stone ( 4 ) in a transport element according to any of  claims 15  to  17 , characterized in that before inversion of the transport element ( 1 ), first the cover ( 3 ) is locked to the holder ( 2 ).