Body member encircling jewelry with exchangeable ornament setting

Abstract

In a preferred embodiment, a ring providing for an exchangeable decorative ornament includes two nearly annular shanks, a base where opposing sides correspond to the shank gaps, two hinge pins, and a gem setting with opposing male plug. Each shank has a throughhole intersecting the faces of its annulus at the gap. The base has two corresponding parallel throughholes for hinge pins to attach the shank to the base, and a gem setting receiving hole skewed midpoint to these throughholes. The holes are situated such that the diameter of the gem setting receiving hole partly intersects the diameter of each pinhole, and each pin has a scalloped recess through that side of its diameter corresponding to the interference pattern of the intersection. Each pin pivots within the base but is made integral with its corresponding shank. Hence, depending upon the rotation of the shanks, either or both pins may present an interference pattern to the diameter of the gem setting receiving hole. The gem setting plug is of a size and shape corresponding to the gem setting receiving hole except for a toroidal recess around the plug corresponding to the interference pattern of the pins when the plug is situated within the receiving hole. The portion of the gem setting plug that discontinues the toroidal recess operates as a flange. The flange is provided an exit or entrance path past the pin diameters dependant upon the pivoted alignment of the recess on each pin. Properly aligned and integrated with the shanks, this functional lock is closed when the shanks are coaxial, and open when the shanks are swung sufficiently axially parallel or beyond.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A jewelry piece having exchangeable ornament settings, comprising: 
 a base;    one or more base through holes;    one or more shanks having shank through holes;    an exchangeable ornament setting;    a receiving hole associated with the base for receiving the exchangeable ornament setting; and    at least one recessed hinge pin inserted into the base through holes and the shank through holes in order to couple the base to the one or more shanks and secure the exchangeable ornament setting into the receiving hole when the one or more shanks are rotated perpendicularly to the base.