CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SLEEVE LINKS, SOLITAIRES, AND OTHER T " PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Edkins, Button Manufacturer, Thomas
Greaves, Jeweller, and James Newman, Jeweller, all of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, for the Invention of " CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SLEEVE LINKS, SOLITAIRES, AND OTHER
T
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Edkins, Thomas
Greaves, and James Newman at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 12th November 1873.
We, CHARLES EDKINS, Button Manufacturer, THOMAS GREAVES,
Jeweller, and JAMES NEWMAN, Jeweller, all of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention
for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SLEEVE LINKS, SOLITAIRES,
AND OTHER LOOPING OR CONNECTING ARTICLES OF JEWELLERY," to be as follows
(that is to say) :-
We will describe our Invention as arranged for a sleeve link or
solitaire. In the direction of the bar or link we place within the back

page_text: shell a thin steel spring or its equivalent, secured by preference in the
middle, that it may yield an elastic force each end, one end of which
operates on the detent for engaging the free end of the loop, whilst the
other end of the spring operates on the hinged part of the bar by a pro-
jection which bears against the spring when the bar is closed and is t
thereby retained in position, and when the bar is elevated for its dis-
engagement from use, the same projection on the knuckle or hinged part
of the bar having passed the centre of the hinged joint, the bar in like
manner will be held open by the force of the spring.
In some instances instead of the detent being actuated by the spring 1
herein-before described a neck may be formed and the end of the bar
bent, forming a spring in itself similar to the snap joint for connecting
necklaces; and this same mechanism we purpose apportioning and
adapting for other like or similar purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Edkins, Thomas Greaves, and James
Newman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES
EDKINS, Button Manufacturer, THOMAS GREAVES, Jeweller, and James
NEWMAN, Jeweller, all of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said Charles Edkins, Thomas
Greaves, and James Newman, Her special licence that we, the said
Charles Edkins, Thomas Greaves, and James Newman, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Charles
Edkins, Thomas Greaves, and James Newman, our executors, admini-
strators, 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

page_text: Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SLEEVE LINKS, SOLITAIRES, AND OTHER LOOPING OR CON-
NECTING ARTICLES OF JEWELLERY," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Charles Edkins, Thomas Greaves, and James Newman, by
an instrument in writing under our hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is 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 we, the said Charles Edkins, Thomas Greaves,
and James Newman, 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 (that is to
say) :-
We will describe our Invention as arranged for a sleeve link or
solitaire. In the direction of the bar or link we place within the back
shell a thin steel spring or its equivalent, secured by preference in the
middle, that it may yield an elastic force each end, one end of which
operates on the detent for engaging the free end of the loop, whilst the
other end of the spring operates on the hinged part of the bar by a pro-
jection which bears against the spring like the action of a knife blade
when the bar is closed and is thereby retained in position, and when the
bar is elevated for its disengagement from use the same projection on
the knuckle or hinged part of the bar having passed the centre of the
hinged joint the bar in like manner will be held open by the force of the
spring.
In some instances instead of the detent being actuated by the spring
herein-before described a neck may be formed and the end of the bar
bent, forming a spring in itself similar to the snap joint for connecting
necklaces; and this same mechanism we purpose apportioning and
adapting for other like or similar purposes.
But as our Invention will be best understood, aided by a reference to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, we will proceed to describe the same,
reference being made to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is
say) :-
:-
Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 represent a sleeve link or cuff connector in four

page_text: axis c, whilst the detent d works on the axis e hereafter to be referred
to. B, Figure 2, is the reverse side of the shell A, Figure 1, shewing a
thin spring free at the ends as at f by being held with the centre loop g;
Figure 3 is a section of Figure 1 shewing the bar b, axes c and and
detent d, and in this view we are able to shew that by an eccentric or
projection on the knuckle of the bar through which the axis c passes,
and such projection working freely through the back shell A, the said
eccentric will take a bearing on the free end of the spring marked f¹,
the force of which will act on the bar b like the spring of a knife either
to keep the bar open or to keep it closed, and the same action applies to
the detent d working on the axis e; by this simple combined force of
the free ends of the spring f¹ and fa secure and pleasant snap action is
produced, as illustrated in Figure 4, which is simply a repeat of Figure 3
with the connecting bar open, but which by being slightly pressed will
snap-to like the closing of a knife, forcing back the detent d on its axis e
until the bar is down in its place and the engaging part of the detent a
snaps forward over the angle of the catch h.
Fig. 5 represents an edge view of the bar 6 and detent d separate in a
detached form.
Fig. 6 is simply a slight modification of Figure 1, the parts k and
being raised from the back shell that the axes may be formed of one
piece of metal, as represented detached at Figure 7 and shewn in position
at Figure 8 which is the reverse of Figure 6, the spring being held by two
bits of metal partly freed from the plate m and bent over so as to firmly
clip the spring n.
Fig. 9 is a sectional view through the axes of Figure 7, shewing two
projections marked o, o, which pass through the back plate and are
pressed down, as shewn, by which means the connection is made of this
inner spring plate with the outer back shell without any soldering
whatever, the back shell being simply pierced to allow the pro-
jections o, o, to pass through before closing down; this mode of pro-
duction will be not only neat and strong but may be produced at
comparative small cost.
Fig. 10 is a sectional edge or side view of Figures 6 and 8, the action
of the free ends of the spring in connection with the joint end of the
bar, and the joint end of the detent is the same as described at Figures 3
and 4. In these several views we have omitted to represent any front

page_text: plate or setting, as the same does not in any way interfere with the
mechanism constituting our Invention.
It is not altogether essential that we should use the detent e, as herein
described and exhibited, as sleeve links or solitaires may be made as
exhibited in a flat edge and sectional view at Figs. 11, 12, and 13, the
spring being made stronger and the eccentric on the knuckle or joint of
the bar being increased for acting on the free end of a thin inner spring,
as herein-before described, may be found to afford sufficient security.
When apparently double links are preferred, that is, two ovals or two
circles may be formed of one piece of metal, as exhibited in a back view
at Fig. 14, of which Fig. 15 is the reverse side, shewing that instead of
one spring being used held in the middle, which may be objectionable,
we have in this case exhibited two springs, and the action of the
eccentric of the knuckle of the bar on the spring is reversed from that
shewn and described at Figures 3 and 4, as by liberating the detent p,
Fig. 16, the bar may be made to fly up, which is simply effected by
placing the eccentric of the knuckle towards the centre of the loop
instead of on the outside.
-
In applying our Invention to studs we proceed in the following way:
We apply a spring on the back concave side of the shank, as exhibited
in a back view at Fig. 17, and with a detent, as at r, Fig. 18, which is a
section of a stud and shank, and by putting a concentric circular socket
in the front of the back part, and by fixing a concentric shank on the
back side of the front stud a connection is made by a groove in the stud,
as exhibited in the section, Fig. 19, snapping over a corresponding
part of the detent, shewn in Figure 18, the eccentric of its knuckle action
bearing on the spring, as at 8, Figure 17, makes this a secure fastening; but
by pressing on the outer arm of the detent the parts may be disengaged.
In applying our Invention for the further security to the pins of
brooches, we simply repeat what we have before described, vizt., a thin
spring within the back plate of the brooch, as at t, Fig. 20, and an
eccentric on the knuckle of the joint of the pin, so that as before stated
like a knife action the pin will stand at right angles with the plate when
open, or be forced down in a line with the plate where we prefer its

page_text: catching in a loop further protected by a detent, as described at
Figures 3, 4, and 10, thus effecting complete security, as the brooch
cannot be removed until the pin is freed from the loop by the pulling
back of the detent, as exhibited in a sectional view, Fig. 22, the detent
being marked ; and this same plan with the mere modification of
shape and proportion may be applied to what may be truly called safety
breast pins, for by connecting the pin at the back of the ornamental
portion, in the manner described and exhibited at Fig. 21, and by
passing the pin through the fabric so that the same may be made to
engage a portion of the pin close to the joint, then pressing the pin
slightly under a loop and the detent brought into play the pin evidently
cannot be removed from the fabric unless purposely done by the first
removal of the detent, as we have exhibited in an edge, back, and front
view at Figs. 23, 24, and 25, which last view shews the springs within
the back shell marked D, which like the sleeve links may be further
finished by an ornamental front plate or setting, which may be varied
as good taste or material may require.
Having given a general description of our Invention, and the manner
in which the same may be practically carried into effect, nevertheless
we wish to observe that the mode that may be pursued according to the
skill, taste, or appliances of the artisan engaged in their production, the
same may be extensively varied according to their individual caprice
without effecting the character of our Invention, which in this description
we have sought rather to simplify than to elaborate, as for instance, as
we have exhibited in Fig. 26, the spring as shewn in the edge view may
amount of elastic force, and
be bent up so as to afford a greater or less
so also with the external form or device, variation may be pursued
without in any way affecting our Invention, which consists essentially
of the use of the spring or springs herein described and exhibited, and so
attached that the temper of the said springs shall not be affected by ;
soldering or otherwise; the force of such springs being exerted by the
eccentric joints of loops, pins, or connectors, in connection with articles
of dress, as also in the eccentric action of the detents in connection with
the same to promote the security of the fastening which may be
variously applied; and further, we claim the making of sleeve links, as g
described and exhibited at Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10, that is to say, more
particularly producing the parts in detail, and uniting them together
without the use of solder, and which improvements, as herein described

page_text: nd exhibited constitute our Invention, and which we claim to protect
y these our in part recited Letters Patent.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles Edkins, Thomas Greaves,
and James Newman, have hereunto set our hands and seals,
day of May, in the year of our Lord One
this
thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
CHARLES EDKINS.
(L.S.)
THOMAS GREAVES. (L.S.)
(L.8.)
) Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
JAMES NEWMAN.