Improvement in Strap Fasteners and Tighteners.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Strap Fasteners and Tighteners.
I CHARLES SPARKS of 1922 I Street Sacramento in the County of Sacramento
and State of California United States of America Inventor do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This my invention relates to an improvement in Strap Fasteners and Tighteners ;
and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear and exact description of the
same.
My invention relates to the class of fasteners especially adapted for securing and
tightening up the ends of straps for trunks, boxes, etc., and other straps, bands, and
clamps for various purposes; and my invention consists, essentially, in a bar to
which the opposing ends of the strap or band are secured, said bar being adapted
to be rotated axially, whereby it rolls up the ends of the strap or band.
My invention consists, further, in connection with said bar for securing and
tightening the strap or band, of a key for holding the bar in the position to which it
is adjusted, and also, in cases where found desirable, of a bracket forming a bearing
for the axially rotary bar all of which together with details of construction and
arrangement, I shall hereinafter fully describe.
The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective fastening and
tightener for bands and straps of all kinds. It is especially applicable for securing
and tightening the straps of trunks or boxes especially of metal straps and bands
though it is also applicable to tightening and holding clamping-bands which secure the
metal couplings in the adjacent ends of hose.
Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of the
same, Figure 1 is a view of my device applied to a box or case. Fig. 2 is a
modification of my device. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the axially rotary bar C
showing the engagement of the strap ends therewith. Fig. 4 is a view of the bar C
and its key. Fig. 5 is a view of a modified bar.
A is a strap or band which may be made of any suitable material-as, for example,
iron. This band encircles a box, case, or trunk B. C is a bar having made through
its central portion a slot or opening c. The ends of the bar are provided with holes c¹
which terminate in the keyways c². In using this fastener one end of the band or
strap A is put through the slot or aperture c of the bar (), and its end is slightly
bent into a hook shape, so as to engage the edge of said slot or aperture. The other
end of the strap or band A is put through the same slot or aperture from the opposite
direction and as far as possible. A spanner such as is shown is Fig. 1, and repre-
sented by D is now fitted to the end holes of the bar C and said bar is rotated
axially thereby winding up the ends of the bar or strap upon itself and tightening
it. This rotary movement of the bar is carried on until the strap or band is as
tight as is desired, and when this point has been reached the key E is fitted to the
keyways of the bar. This key is of the form of a bail or staple and while its legs
are fitted to the keyways its body extends across the band or strap, thereby preventing
the bar from unrolling.

page_text: The keyholes c are so arranged with relation to the holes c¹, which receive the legs
of the spanner as to enable the key to be placed in position while the spanner is still
in its seat thereby locking the bar and allowing the spanner to be removed and placed
in a fresh position so as to give the bar another partial revolution whereupon the key
is taken out and placed in a fresh seat and the operation continues thus until the strap
or band has been sufficiently tightened and the key is then left in place so that the
fastening is held securely.
I do not confine myself to this particular form of key shown as I may use a
modification of the bar and another key as I shall now explain by reference to
Fig. 2.
The bar C is here shown as provided on one end with a squared portion c³ to
receive an ordinary wrench. It has also a number of grooves ct in its ends forming
keyways. The bar is mounted in the sides of the flat bottomed bracket F the sides
of which are provided with grooves f forming keyways which correspond with the
grooved keyways ct of the bar. A pin G is passed through the keyways f of the
bracket and through the key grooves ct of the bar and thus holds the bar in the position
to which it is turned.
In some cases as I show in Fig. 5, I may adapt the bar for use either as shown in
Fig. 1 or as shown in Fig. 2 by simply providing it with both forms of keyways-
that is to say the grooves c¹ and the holes ca in its ends-so that by this construc-.
tion I can use it either in connection with the bracket and the straight pin which
forms the key or without the bracket and in connection with the bail-shaped key of
Fig. 1.
Although I have here shown a case or box or trunk as the article to which the
application of the band or strap is made I do not confine myself to this use of the
fastening, as I have found it very useful in cases of fastening the clamping bands by
which the metal couplings of hose are secured in the ends of the hose. Tho bands in
this case are made of strips of metal, and the fastening may be constructed and
applied to them in precisely the same manner as heretofore described.
Having thus described my invention what I claim as new, and desire to secure by
Letters Patent, is-
1. In a strap fastener and tightener an axially rotary bar with which the adjacent
ends of the strap engage, whereby as said bar is rotated the ends of the strap are
wound upon it in combination with a removable key engaging the bar and holding it
in the position to which it is moved substantially as described.
2. In a strap fastener and tightener the combination of an axially rotary bar having
a longitudinal slot through which the adjacent ends of the strap pass from opposite
directions whereby as said bar is rotated the ends of the strap are wound upon it
and a key engaging the bar for holding it in the position to which it is moved
substantially as described.
3. In a strap fastener and tightener the combination of an axially rotary bar with
which the adjacent ends of the strap engage, whereby as said bar is rotated the ends
of the strap are wound thereon and a bail-shaped key, the ends of which are adapted
to enter keyways in the ends of the bar and the body of which passes over the
strap, thereby holding the bar in the position to which it is mounted, substantially as
described.
4. In a strap fastener and tightener the combination of an axially rotary bar having
a slot or aperture in its body and keyways in its ends said slot or aperture receiving
the adjacent ends of the strap from opposite directions whereby as said bar is
rotated, the strap is wound thereon and the bail-shaped key, the ends of which fit the
keyways in the ends of the bar and the body of which passes across the strap
whereby the bar is held in the position to which it is moved substantially as
described.
5. In a strap fastener and tightener, the combination of an axially rotary bar
having its ends perforated and adapted to receive a wrench or spanner by which it
may be rotated, keyways in its ends and a slot or aperture in its body for receiving

page_text: the ends of the strap from opposite directions, whereby as said bar is rotated the
strap is wound thereon and a key for fitting the keyways and holding the bar in
the position to which it is moved substantially as described.
6. In a strap fastener and tightener the combination of the bracket having key-
ways, the axially rotary bar mounted in the bracket and having keyways in its ends
and a slot or aperture in its body for receiving the ends of the strap and a key
fitting the keyways of the bracket and the bar whereby the bar is held in the
position to which it is adjusted, substantially as described.
7. The axially rotary bar of a strap fastener and tightener, having a slot in its
body, grooves in its ends forming keyways, and holes thereon, also forming keyways,
substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of September 1889.
HORN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.