IMPROVED LETTER CLIPS
Year: 1884

page_text: I HENRY BAWCOMBE of Number 2^ Victoria Road Holloway in the County of
Middlesex Clerk do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVED
LETTER CLIPS to be as follows:-
I make a flat plate of metal for the bottom plate of the Clip and of any
suitable shape as in ordinary Clips, I then cut a piece of sheet steel of the requisite
width and length to form the top spring. I bend one end thereof until it forins
rather more than a semicircle after it has been tempered I fasten it at the extreme
end of the bent portion to the bottom plate, it being necessary that there should be
considerable pressure exerted by its free end when in its normal position, upon the
bottom plate, I then attach a piece of metal to the said bo tom plate just beyond
the end of the curved portion of the spring, and in the middle thereof with regard
to its width, to form the fulcrumn of the lever hereafter described for actuating the
said Clip, I then cut a longitudinal slot in the curved portion of the Spring to
allow the longer arm of the actuating lever to pass through it, The lever I form
of a piece of metal bent at a right angle, one arin thereof longer than the other, as
before stated (by preference I use a small model of a human arm and hand) I put
a small roller at the end of the shorter arm of the said lever and pivot the lever on
the fulcrum by passing a wire through it and the elbow of the lever, the shorter
arm of the lever is rather longer than the greatest height of the spring from the
bottom plate and consequently when the longer arm of the lever is pressed by the
finger the roller of the shorter arm presses against the inner side of the spring and
raises it, by continuing the pressure until the shorter arm of the lever is in a line
with the compressive force of the spring it will then keep the Clip open by itself,
as long as desired, The said Clip may be made more cheaply by forming it of one
piece of steel with the exception of the actuating lever.
Dated this 4th day of January 1884
I HENRY BAWCOMBE of Number 2ª Victoria Road Holloway in the County of
Middlesex Clerk do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVED
LETTER CLIPS" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
I make a plate of metal which may be stamped with any ornamental device and
of any suitable shape to form the bottom plate of the Clip and which is shewn at A
in Figs 1 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings (Fig 1 shewing a top plan of the
..

page_text: Clip and Figs 2 and 3 a horizontal view of the same respectively closed, and open,
and Fig 4 shews the lever removed, the letters referring to the same parts in each
drawing) I cut a piece of sheet steel of the requisite width and length to form the
spring leaf B one end thereof is then bent up until it forms rather more than a
semicircle and after tempering I fasten it at the end of the bent portion to the
bottom plate by rivetting or other convenient mode. It is necessary that there
should be a considerable pre-sure exerted by the free end of the Spring leaf upon
the bottom plate when it is closed. I then make and attach a fulcrum B for the
actuating lever (hereafter described) to the bottom plate by rivetting or other
convenient means near to the end of the curved portion of the Spring leaf, and in
the centre with regard to its width. I cut a longitudinal slot in the curved portion
of the spring leaf to allow the longer arm of the lever C. D. to pass through it.
This lever I form of brass or other suitable material, the shorter arın C is bent at
right angles to the longer arm D, by preference I use a model of a human arm and
hand partially flexed for the lever. I put a small roller E at the end of the
shorter arm and pivot the lever on the fulcrum F by passing a wire through it and
the elbow of the lever, The shorter arm of the lever is rather longer than the
height of the spring leaf B from the bottom plate of the Clip when closed and
therefore when the longer arm is pressed down the roller of the shorter arm acts
against the inner side of the spring leaf B and raises it, by continuing the pressure
until the lever is in the position shewn in Fig 3 the clip will remain open as long
as desired, To close it a slight pressure is put upon the under side of the longer
arm of the lever, The Clip may be made more cheaply if desired by bending a
piece of sheet steel of sufficient length to form both the spring leaf and the bottom
plate. The fulcrum for the lever may be made by stamping a hole through the
bottom in the shape of the letter H and turning up the free ends of the portions
left, and drilling holes through them they form a convenient mode of making the
fulcrum for the lever. A purchase for the fingers in pressing down the lever may
be formed by saving a portion of the steel removed to form the slot for the longer
arm of the lever to pass through, and leaving it attached at the bottom end of the
slot, and bending it outwards, the actuating lever would have to be made separately
as in the Clip firstly described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The construction and arrangement of the lever C. D. with regard to the
Spring leaf B by means of which the Clip can be made to remain open as
long as desired,
2. The Construction of the Clip of one piece of sheet steel (with the exception of
the lever) as described.
HENRY BAWCOMBE.