The instant invention relates to ornamental jewelry and more particularly to a brooch assembly comprising a pair of earrings which can be readily disassembled from the brooch assembly for use as conventional earrings.
While a wide variety of different types of ornamental jewelry items have been heretofore available, the vast majority of heretofore available jewelry items have been single purpose items, such as earrings, brooches, or pendants, which have not been adapted for alternative uses. Nevertheless, a limited number of heretofore available jewelry items have been adapted for multipurpose use. For example, the patent to BANGS et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,863,306, which represents the closest prior art to the subject invention to which the applicant is aware, discloses a brooch which is adapted for alternative use as a single earring. Other types of brooches comprising several jewelry clip elements have also been heretofore available. However, the clip elements of these devices have not been adapted to be alternatively worn as earrings.
The instant invention provides an effective convertible brooch comprising a pair of earrings. More specifically, the convertible brooch of the instant invention comprises first and second earring elements, each of which includes an ornament portion and attaching means on the rear side of the ornament portion thereof for releasably securing the ornament portion to an ear lobe of a wearer. The convertible brooch further comprises a retaining or connecting member receivable on the attaching means of the earring elements for securing the earring elements together so that the ornament portions thereof are positioned in side-by-side relation, and support means for supporting the brooch assembly on a wearer. The support means preferably comprises a pin assembly which is securable to a garment of a wearer, and the attaching means of the earring elements preferably comprise pressure clip-type attaching means for attaching the ornament portions of the earring elements to the ear lobes of a wearer. Each of the ornament elements preferably has a mating edge portion, and the ornament elements are preferably constructed so that the mating edge portions thereof are receivable in mating engagement. Further, the connecting means is preferably operative for connecting the earring elements so that the mating edge portions thereof are received in mating engagement in a manner wherein the decorative portions of the earring elements cooperate to define an enlarged ornament portion of a brooch. The pressure clip attaching means of each of the earring elements preferably includes a pivotable clip arm, a stationery clip pad and means resiliently biasing the clip arm thereof toward the clip pad thereof. The connecting means preferably includes a connecting plate having a pair of spaced apertures therein which are adapted for receiving the clip arms in snug engagement with the clip pads for positioning the earring elements relative to the connecting plate. Further, the connecting means preferably includes a pair of rearwardly extending flanges at opposite ends thereof which are engageable with the terminal ends of the clip arms for retaining the connecting plate in a locked position wherein the connecting plate is operative for rigidly connecting the earring elements together in side-by-side relation. Further, each of the pressure clip attaching means preferably includes a base portion having a reduced forward notch portion which is located adjacent the respective ornament portion thereof, and the apertures in the connecting plate preferably include enlarged outer main portions which are dimensioned for receiving the clip arms and the main portions of their respective base portions and reduced inner end portions which are dimensioned for receiving the forward notch portions of the base portions, but not the main portions thereof. Accordingly, by assembling the clip arms and the base portions of the pressure clip attaching means through the apertures in the connecting plate so that the connecting plate is aligned with the forward notch portions of the base portions and then moving the earring elements together into mating engagement, the notch portions of the base portions can be passed into the reduced portions of the apertures to further secure the connecting plate onto the base portions of the clip attaching means. By thereafter pivoting the clip arms to closed positions so that they engage the rearwardly extending flanges on the connecting plate, the earrings can be locked in assembled relation with the connecting plate.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective convertible brooch which is adapted to be disassembled to provide a pair of earrings.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a convertible brooch comprising a pair of pressure clip earrings, a connecting plate for securing the earrings together so that they cooperate to form an enlarged ornament, and a pin assembly for securing the connecting plate and the earring elements to a garment of a wearer.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.