IM. PROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS OR COUPLINGS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IM.
PROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS OR COUPLINGS."-A communication from abroad,
..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th November 1866.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of. 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do bereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS OR COUPLINGS," a communication to me from
abroad by Emile Elie Thiercelin, of Paris, in the Empire of France, to be
as follows:
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction of fastening or coupling
applicable in all cases where a ready means of coupling or connecting, and
uncoupling or disconnecting two parts, whether such parts are intended to
be fixed when connected together, or one of such parts is required to be
capable of swivelling or rotating in the other:
The essential feature of this peculiar fastening or coupling
stem and a socket combined with a locking and releasing pin.
consists of a
The stem is
1.

page_text: provided with a curved notch on one side if intended to remain fixed when
coupled, or with an annular curved groove, all round it if intended to be
capable of rotating or swivelling when coupled. The interior of the socket
piece corresponds to the shape of the stem, and through one side of it there
is passed transversly the locking and releasing pin, which in all cases is of a
circular section; this pin has a notch made on one side of it of a corresponding
section to the stem to be coupled, the radius of the pin being the same as the
radius of the curved notch-or-curved annular groove-in the stem. In coupling
or fastening the two parts together the locking pin in the socket is first turned
so as to cause its notch to coincide with the interior of such socket. A free
ingress is thus afforded to the stem, which is now inserted, and when home it
is secured in the socket by simply turning the locking pin so as to bring its
solid portion into the transverse notch or annular groove in the stem. To
release or uncouple the parts the locking pin is turned back again so as to
bring its notch opposite the stem, when the latter will be free to be with-
drawn from the socket.
This construction of fastening or coupling is obviously susceptible of
numerous applications, such, for example, as the coupling of railway wagons
or carriages, fastenings and attachments for stables and harness, pole chains,
and splinter bars of vehicles, carriage and other lamp connections, the
securing of moveable "bits" or other tools into braces or handles, fancy
articles of various kinds, such as portmonnaies, cigar cases, snaps for
fastening the ends of necklets, chains, and bracelets, and other articles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN-
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters:
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the

page_text: said Jolin Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FASTENINGS OR COUPLINGS," a communication to me from abroad by Emile
Elie Thiercelin, of Paris, in the Empire of France, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to a peculiar construction of fastening or coupling
applicable in all cases where a ready means is required of coupling or con-
necting, and uncoupling or disconnecting two parts, whether such parts are
intended to be fixed when connected together, or one of such parts is required to
be capable of swivelling or rotating in the other. The essential feature of this
peculiar fastening or coupling consists of a stem and a socket combined with a
locking and releasing pin. The stem is provided with a curved notch on one
side, it intended to remain fixed when coupled, or with an annular curved
groove all round it if intended to be capable of rotating or swivelling when
coupled. The interior of the socket piece corresponds to the shape of the
stem and through one side of it there is passed transversely the locking and
releasing pin, which in all cases is of a circular section. This pin has a notch
made on one side of it of a corresponding section to the stem to be coupled,
the radius of the pin being the same as the radius of the curved notch or
curved annular groove in the stem.
In coupling or fastening the two parts
together the locking pin in the socket is first turned so as to cause its notch
to coincide with the interior of such socket; a free ingress is thus afforded to
the stem which is now inserted, and when home it is secured in the socket
by simply turning the locking pin, so as to bring its solid portion into the
transverse notch or annular groove in the stem. "To release or uncouple the
parts the locking pin is turned back again, so as to bring its-notch opposite

page_text: the stem, when the latter will be free to be withdrawn from the socket. This
construction of fastening or coupling is obviously susceptible of numerous
applications, such for example as the coupling of railway wagons or carriages,
fastenings and attachments for stables and harness, pole chains and splinter
bars of vehicles, carriage and other lamp connections, the securing of move-
able "bits" cr other tools into braces or handles, fancy articles of various
kinds, such as portemonnaies, cigar cases, snaps for fastening the ends of
necklets, chains and bracelets, and other articles.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
The Drawing referred to illustrates a few of the various applications of which
the improved fastening or coupling is susceptible.
Figures 1 and 2 represent a wagon or carriage coupling for railway and
other rolling stock. It consists simply of a cylindrical stem a entering the
socket b, the exterior shape of which may vary, but which should be of a
cylindrical form internally. The stem a has a notch formed transversely upon
one side of its surface, such notch being of the form of an arc of a circle.
Within this notch the pin c is free to rotate, and to this pin is attached the
weighted lever d. The pin c is also provided with a curvilinear notch, the
radius of which is equal to that of the bore of the socket b. If the weighted
lever be brought into the position shown by the black lines the cylindrical
surface of the pin c will engage into the notch in the stem a, and will thus
lock together the parts a and 6; but if the weighted lever be elevated to the
position shown by the blue lines, the notch in the pin will coincide with the
interior surface of the part b, and the stem a may be readily withdrawn.
Figure 3 represents the application of the improved fastening to and
attachment for rack chains for stables. In this application a slight modifica-
tion is introduced in the form of the notch in the stem a; this notch in lieu
of being made only across one side of the stem is continued all round in the
form of an annular groove, whereby the stem is enabled to turn freely or
swivel inside the socket b, even when the locking pin c is engaged in the
notch. The weiglited lever d before referred to is replaced in this case by a
handle d', which when moved over to the position shewn in blue lines releases
the two parts a and b. A similar arrangement when constructed on a much
smaller scale is applicable to swivels and similar fastenings for articles of
jewellery, saddlery, and other purposes.
Figures 4 and 5 represent the application of the improved fastening to a

page_text: lamp holder for vehicles. In this application the support i of the lamp
terminates in the stem a, which enters a hollow socket in the part k, upon
which is screwed the lamp. The pin c, constructed as in the previous
examples, is provided with a slotted head, which admits of its being easily
turned in either direction for the purpose of fixing or removing the lamp. A
lateral notch or projection is formed on the end of the pin e, which comes in
contact with a fixed stop and thereby limits the movement of the pin.
Figure 6 represents the application of this fastening to tools provided with
moveable "bits." The pin is in this case formed with a flat head for the
facility of turning the same, and it fits into a notch in the side of the tool or
moveable "bit." It is obvious that this fastening may be applied to various
purposes, but in all cases the engagement and disengagement of the two parts
to be united is effected in the manner herein-before described.
Having now .described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
coupling,
First, the peculiar construction and arrangement of fastening or
and its various applications, substantially as herein-before described.
Second, the peculiar construction of fastening or coupling, wherein one of
the two united parts is free to revolve within the other, as herein-before
described and illustrated by Figure 3 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of May,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)