The Design Patents

->>  click here to see all the design patents that I have found so far <<-

I have been able to confirm that the patents were actually Richelieu patents having found the items in a couple of ads.  I recently acquired this 1942 ad where most of the items match the patents.  The ad is also marked at the bottom as "design patent pending", which also matches the dates correctly with the patents.

click the ad for a larger view

and here I've matched up the patents with the item in the ad

March 2009:  Here are the trademarks that I have found so far

Aris - first used January 1941

Iris - first used 1938

Le Cultra - first used March 15 1949

Ovelles - trademarked to Victoria Creations - first used January 1959 

Phoenix - first used 1938

Richelieu - first used April 15, 1911

Richelieu - trademarked to Victoria Creations - first used April 15, 1911

Ro-May - first used 'about" March 1950 

Satinore - first used May 1939

Satinore - first used May 3939

Suspense - trademarked to Lisner-Richelieu - first used July 27, 1977

Virgo - first used 1938

XXX - first used Oct 1905

Making Lucite Beads - the Patent

The patent described in the NY Times article mentioned above that was issued May 6, 1941 to Maximilian C Meyer is patent #2241365.     

The introduction to the patent states that it is a method of "forming objects...from plastics containing oriented faceted light reflecting particles....It is an object of my invention to obtain ornamental objects...which under light have a cat's eye effect"

Further into the patent it says "..the novel effects or orienting faceted light reflecting media such as pearl essence in a plastic body  in order to obtain a lustrous sheen effect ..is set forth in (other patents)"

It mentions that the process that he is patenting can be used with a number of different plastics, and that they need to be at least translucent, meaning translucent or transparent.   Then as a specific example, Lucite is described as giving extremely desirable results. 

Getting into the nitty gritty details, he describes that he prefers to use Pearl essence derived from fish scales as the light reflecting particles inside the plastic, but that other things may be used such as metallic faceted particles, faceted pigments or light reflecting media with faceted surfaces generally.   Generally they are in the form of flat plates, crystals and the like. 

He describes that color may be added by any suitable method, but he prefers to employ a dye, since a dye does not impair the light transmitting properties of the plastic. 

My understanding of the basic process is that the pearl essence is added to the liquid plastic in the form of paste, to distribute it, then it is put in a mold in the shape of a cylinder.  The long thin particles, line up lengthwise in the rod of plastic that is made.  Then a machine is used to grind away parts of the rod until  you have spheres.   It also says that it is critical that the outermost layer be comletely removed, otherwise the result is inferior. 

Here is a drawing from the patent showing how the beads are "cut" from the rod by slowly grinding away the shape. It also shows how the little light reflecting pieces line up and then how the light effects result once the items are cut.