AN IMPROVED FASTENER OR 'TIE' FOR METALLIC BANDS EMPLOYED IN SECURING BALES OR PACKAGES OF COTTON OR OTHER MATTERS PACKED UNDER PRESSURE
Year: 1870

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Edward Arthur O'Brien, of New Orleans, in the
United States of America, but now residing at No. 102, Jermyn
Street, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED FASTENER OR 'TIE' FOR METALLIC BANDS EMPLOYED IN SECURING
BALES OR PACKAGES OF COTTON OR OTHER MATTERS PACKED UNDER PRESSURE.”
-
-A communication from abroad by Edward Pugh Jones, of Sunflower
County, in the State of Mississippi, in the said United States of
America.
Sealed the 17th February 1871, and dated the 17th August 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Arthur O'Brien
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 17th August 1870.
I, EDWARD ARthur O'Brien, of New Orleans, in the United States
of America, but now residing at No. 102, Jermyn Street, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED FASTENER OR 'TIE' FOR METALLIC BANDS EMPLOYED IN SECURING
BALES OR PACKAGES OF COTTON OR OTHER MATTERS PACKED UNDER PRESSURE,"

page_text: communicated to me from abroad by Edward Pugh Jones, of Sunflower
County, in the State of Mississippi, in the said United States of America,
to be as follows:-
The object of the Invention is simplicity in use with security and
strength. For this purpose the fastener or "tie" is of a quadrangular
or such like form, with a cross bar extending from or near one angle to
or near the opposite thereof, thereby leaving two triangular spaces or
compartments. One of these triangular spaces or compartments may be
entire, and it is for the passage through and turning over of one end or
part of the metallic band, whilst the other space or compartment has a
narrow and angular opening in the limb of it opposite to that held by
one loop of the band, and this angular opening is in the direction of the
cross bar between the two spaces or compartments, and is for the ad-
mission of the loop at the other end or part of the metallic band. One
side of the closed triangular space or compartment may be slightly curved
or inclined to facilitate the working of one loop of the band in that space
or compartment. The object of the cross bar is to admit of the rocking
of the fastener or "tie" on one loop of the band during connection or
disconnection with the other loop of it through the angular opening to
that space or compartment.
In place of the angular cross bar extending from one to the opposite
angle it may extend only partially so, or there may be two of such cross
bars inclining the one to the other. In this case the sides of the opening
for the admission or removal of one loop of the band may be inclined
in opposite directions for the passage of that loop to or from either
side.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Arthur O'Brien in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th February 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
ARTHUR O'BRIEN, of New Orleans, in the United States of America,
but now residing at No. 102, Jermyn Street, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Edward Arthur O'Brien, Her special licence
that I, the said Edward Arthur O'Brien, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Arthur O'Brien, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
FASTENER OR 'TIE' FOR METALLIC BANDS EMPLOYED IN SECURING BALES OR
PACKAGES OF COTTON OR OTHER MATTERS PACKED UNDER PRESSURE," a com-
munication to me from abroad by Edward Pugh Jones, of Sunflower
County, in the State of Mississippi, in the said United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward
Arthur O'Brien, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
·
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Arthur O'Brien, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention belongs to that class of ties used in securing bales or
packages of cotton in which there is an opening for the introduction
of the last end of the band that is to be fastened thereto after the
band has been bent into the form of an oblate hook. The improved
fastener or tie is provided with two triangular slots, spaces, or compart-
ments in reverse position to each other to receive the two ends of the
band and fasten the same around the bale of cotton or other matter,
which slots, spaces, or compartments occupy such relation to each other
and to the band that after being secured to one end of the band they
allow the fastener or tie to be moved or turned as it were upon an
axis, sufficiently to receive the other end of the band after the same

page_text: has been bent into a hook form in the same or nearly the same line,
which will be maintained by the band after the fastening has been
fully effected, and the bale has been withdrawn from the compressing
machine, thus securing the taking up of all or nearly all slack of the
band. Morcover so soon as the bale has been released from compression
the fastener or tie will of itself and automatically adjust itself to the hook
of the band in the best position to throw the tension of the band upon it,
in such manner as to present the whole power of resistance which the
fastener or tie possesses against that tension, and to make therefore the
cutting away of a portion of the plate of which the fastener or tie is
constructed' outside one of the said slots to make the narrow opening
for the insertion of the last end of the band that is fastened as aforesaid
within the said slot a matter of little consequence as far at least as
the strength of the tie is concerned. The mode of making the slit
in question also differs from other plans hitherto suggested or practiced in
that it is cut at such an inclination to the lines of the external edges of
the tie that when the latter is turned to receive the last end of the band'
it will be at once a guide to take the said end properly within the slot
with which it communicates, and also be the means for causing the
same automatically to adjust itself in that position in the slot that will
prevent it from getting out without positive manipulation, so that no
shock nor concussion however violent to which the bale is subjected will
cause a detachment of that end from the buckle.
But that the Invention as communicated to me may be better
understood I will by the aid of the accompanying Drawing proceed to
describe means by which the same may be carried into effect.
Figure 1 shews an arrangement of the improved fastener or tie in
connection with the two ends of a band as when in actual use; Figure 2
and Figure 2 show the like fastener or tie when detached from the band;
Figure 3 represents the fastener or tie when turned obliquely to the
band to receive the last end of the same to be fastened thereto. In
each of the Figures the same letters are employed to indicate corre-
sponding parts.
A marks the fastener or tie as an entirety, and B is a triangular slot,
space, or compartment environed by an unbroken continuity of metal.
This slot is designed to receive the first end of the band that is fastened
to the fastener or tie, which said end is passed through this slot and
folded over on the side next to the bale in hook form as shown at

page_text: Figure 1 in the ordinary manner. The slot, space, or compartment B'
is also of triangular conformation, but differing slightly, it will be seen
in its outlines from the slot B. Instead of being enveloped by an
unbroken rim of metal like the slot B, it communicates with the space
outside of the end of the tie, next to which it is cut by means of a
diagonal or inclined cleft, opening, or slit, C, C', which although just
wide enough to receive the band edgewise at the point C at which it
communicates with the slot B', gradually widens as shown towards the
external end of, it C¹. Between the slots B, B¹, is a diagonal.or oblique
bar or brace D, which greatly reinforces and strengthens the part E
at the point where strength is most needed to resist the strain thereon.
The conformation of the slot B, while effectually preventing any endwise
movement of the band at the end therein fastened because of the
impingement of the bar D as shewn at a against said end, provides an
axis on which the tie may be turned into an oblique position with
respect to the band. When thus turned the effect will be to bring the
cleft C, C, at right angles or nearly so to the line of the band when
in proper position on the bale, so that it will be perceived the band can
be inserted through the same into the slot B¹, without being moved
laterally more than its width outside or away from its true line round
the bale. This being so it is self evident that all or nearly all the
slack can be taken up before the insertion is made or the end bent into
hook form. Furthermore it will be seen that the moment the band
enters the slot B₁ the relation of the parts as well as the configuration
5 of the slot will have the inevitable effect of throwing the last edge
of the end of the band towards the end 6 of the slot, or into the position
as shown at G, Figure 1, which establishes a uniform bearing for the
band from one of its edges to the other. When in its proper position
as shewn at G this end of the band as in the case of the other is main-
Otained securely in place by the contact of the bar or brace D upon its
edge at the point of its fold, as clearly shewn at Figure 1, so that there
can be no withdrawal of this end except by positive manipulation and
the turning of the tie back into the oblique relation to the band which
it occupied at the time of the insertion of the band into this slot.
5 Hence no shock or concussion can by possibility have the effect of
unlocking the fastening at this end any more than at the other. On
the two sides of the slots which establish the bearings for the two ends
of the bands the length is just sufficiently greater than the width of
the band to permit the latter readily to come into position, as shewn

page_text: at Figure 1. This necessarily brings into action the ends d, d', of the
slots to compel the bands to take the position as shewn at said Figure
by positive pressure the moment the bale is withdrawn from the com-
pressing machine, and its expansion developes tension upon the bands.
In fact in order that this pressure may be continually present in the
Drawing the side d' of the slot B is shewn in the form of an arc of
a circle, but if preferred it may be straight like the corresponding line
in slot B¹.
The great advantages of this improvement will readily suggest
themselves to those acquainted with the practical working of the
fasteners or ties now in use. Owing to the fact that the slot B is formed
with straight sides so meeting as to produce a sharp corner or positive
angle, the band secured therein, when the tie is rocked to bring the cleft
C, C', in proper position to receive the other end of the band as shewn
in Figure 3, works in the said corner as it were on a pivot, thus rendering
it impossible for the tie to become disengaged from the band by its
dropping out of the loop in which it is secured.
Another great advantage of this fastener or tie, and which constitutes
the cheif feature of the Invention, is the converging slanting cleft C, C'.
This is so formed as not only to act as a positive guide for the loop G
of the band, but owing to the fact that its narrowest point is at C, which
is immediately at the entrance of the slot B' the utmost possible bearing
surface for the band when in position round the bale as shewn by
Figure 1 is afforded.
By reference to the Drawing it will be observed that this cleft C, C',
is gradually tapering in form, its outward point of opening C₁ being
sufficiently wide to allow of the band being easily and quickly inserted,
while its inward point of opening C is only of such width as to permit
the free passage of the band. This arrangement of cleft affords the
loop G of the band an almost unbroken bearing surface, notwithstanding
the fact that the looped end G of the band when secured in the slot B¹
entirely encircles the cleft. This nearly uniform bearing surface for
the loop G is a great advantage, and is owing to the fact that the cleft
C is so formed that at C, its point of entrance into the slot B', its width
is scarcely more than the thickness of the band, and is consequently so
narrow as to leave but a slight opening on the face of the slot which
retains the loop..

page_text: This device may be made in the ordinary manner by a die and from
the ordinary plate iron used in making cotton bale ties. It is also in
its external dimensions about the usual size of cotton bale ties. Figures
4 and 5 show slight variations in the shape or configuration of the tie
shown by the previous Figures.
Having thus described the Invention as communicated to me, and
means for carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,-
First. The employment in a fastener or tie for the purpose set forth
of the converging slanting cleft C, C', when the same is so formed that
its narrowest point of entrance shall be at its inner end, substantially as
shown and described.
Secondly. I claim the improved fastener or tie herein shewn and
described, consisting of the rectangular metallic plate A provided with
triangular openings B, B', placed in reverse position as shewn, the
diagonal brace D and the inwardly converging and slanting cleft C, C¹,
when constructed, combined, and arranged for operation in the manner
substantially specified and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Arthur O'Brien, have herc-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
בנדנדת
EDWARD ARTHUR O'BRIEN. (L.S.)