Liquid filled sealed glass ornament and method

• US 4,142,383 A
• Filed: 08/17/1977
• Issued: 03/06/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eberhart Glass Blowing Limited
• Original Assignee: Eberhart Glass Blowing Limited
• Inventors: Eberhart, Wolfgang R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shay, F. Barry
• Application Number:
  US05/825,294
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 63/31, 63/32, 63/1, 63/2, 63/23, 428/13, 428/14, 428/28, 428/35, 156/145
• US Class Current: 63/23
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 15/00 Other forms of jewellery
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 25/002 forming a container, e.g. for pictures
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 27/00 Making jewellery or other personal adornments

Abstract

A method for the production of decorative objects by providing a viscous liquid and a particulate metal and/or mineral through an opening in a hollow transparent glass envelope and then bonding a cap over the opening with a resin impervious to said liquid is described. The refractive index of the viscous liquid and glass are approximately equal visually. The viscous liquid is preferably glycerine admixed with clear miscible solvents which reduce the viscosity depending upon the metal or mineral used. The liquid is provided through the opening in the hollow glass envelope without wetting the sides of the opening in a manner which leaves a gas (air) pocket inside the envelope adjacent the opening and above the liquid and then a cap is bonded over the opening adjacent the gas pocket. The decorative object is preferably in the form of jewelry, such as earrings or pendants.

Claims

1. The method for the fabrication of a decorative object which comprises:

(a) providing a hollow clear glass envelope having a decorative portion and having a truncated conical portion with an opening remote from the decorative portion;

(b) grinding the conical portion of the envelope outside of the opening with a conically shaped rotatable grinder which fits over the conical portion in order to provide a ground surface around the opening;

(c) injecting a liquid comprising glycerine and clear miscible solvents for glycerine with visible particles therein inside the envelope through the opening without wetting the opening in an amount which leaves only a small gas pocket in the envelope adjacent the opening and above the liquid wherein the index of refraction of the liquid visually approximates that of the glass and wherein the particles appear to float upon agitation in the liquid; and

(d) bonding a cap over the opening on the ground surface with a resin which is impervious to the liquid with the gas pocket adjacent the opening in order to seal the liquid in the decorative object.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the envelope is formed by blowing a closed heated glass tube to form a tear shaped envelope with a rounded decorative portion and wherein the conical portion with the opening is formed by cutting the tube from the tear shaped envelope.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid is a mixture of glycerine, water and ethyl alcohol.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the decorative object is jewelry and wherein the cap over the opening has a jewelry attachment means.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the cap is bonded over the opening on the ground surface with an epoxy resin.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the decorative object is a pendant or an earring.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a flaked mineral is provided in the liquid.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the flaked mineral is selected from gold, silver or mixtures thereof.

9. The decorative object which comprises:

(a) a hollow transparent glass envelope with a decorative portion and having an opening with a roughened surface outside of and surrounding the opening remote from the decorative portion;

(b) a viscous liquid provided inside the envelope in an amount which leaves a small gas pocket in the envelope with visible particles contained in said liquid, wherein the particles appear to float upon agitation; and

(c) a cap sealed over and bonded to the roughened surface surrounding the opening with a resin which is impervious to the liquid, thereby sealing said liquid in said decorative object.

10. The decorative object of claim 9 wherein the envelope is tear shaped and smooth with a rounded portion of the tear as the decorative portion opposite the opening.

11. The decorative object of claim 10 as jewelry with an attachment means on the cap over the opening.

12. The decorative object of claim 9 wherein a flaked mineral is provided inside the envelope in the liquid.

13. The decorative object of claim 10 wherein the flaked mineral is selected from gold, silver or mixtures thereof.

14. The decorative object of claim 9 as jewelry with an attachment means on the cap and wherein a flaked metal is provided inside the envelope in the liquid.

15. The decorative object of claim 14 wherein the envelope is tear shaped with a rounded end opposite the opening as the decorative portion and is a pendant or an earring.

16. The decorative object of claim 14 wherein the liquid comprises glycerine or glycerine and a liquid which is miscible with glycerine.

17. The method for the fabrication of a decorative object which comprises:

(a) providing a hollow transparent glass envelope having a decorative portion and an opening, said envelope having an external wall with a roughened surface thereon surrounding the opening remote from the decorative portion;

(b) providing a viscous liquid with visible particles and placing said liquid inside the envelope through the opening without wetting the opening in an amount which leaves only a small gas pocket in the envelope adjacent the opening and above the liquid wherein the particles appear to float upon agitation in the liquid; and

(c) bonding a cap over the opening on the roughened surface with the gas pocket adjacent the opening with a resin which is impervious to the liquid, thereby sealing said liquid within the decorative object.