IMPROVEMENTS IN BELT FASTENERS AND IN APPARATUS FOR PREPARING THE BELT FOR RECEIVING THE SAME.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Fairbank and Alfred Hollings, both of
Leeds, in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BELT FASTENERS AND IN APPARATUS FOR PREPARING THE BELT FOR
RECEIVING THE SAME.
"
Scaled the 8th February 1876, and dated the 11th August 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Fairbank and
Alfred Hollings at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 11th August 1875.
We, JOIN FAIRBANK and ALFRED HOLLINGS, both of Leeds, in the
County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BELT FASTENERS AND IN APPARATUS FOR PREPARING THE
BELT FOR RECEIVING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
The object of our Invention is to provide a simple and safe belt
fastener for securing the ends or parts forming the belt together, also a
convenient arrangement of apparatus to prepare the belt for receiving
the same.

page_text: We cut flat wire of suitable thickness to any desired length, the ends
of which are bent up and slightly inclined towards each other, after
which they are ready for use. We by preference make the wire of best
charcoal iron.
The holes are prepared in the ends of the parts forming the belt by
means of a belt punch, but in order to punch the holes the required
distance from the edge we provide an adjustable guage behind the punch
which is set in any required distance from the punch and guages the
distance the holes is to be punched from the end.
The holes having been punched in accordance with the size of
fastener required the ends of the belt are put close together, the bent up
parts pressed through the holes and knocked inwards until they are
perfectly flat, and by preference we hammer them into the belt.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Fairbank and Alfred Hollings in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 11th February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
FAIRBANK and ALFRED HOLLINGS, both of Leeds, in the County of
York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said John Fairbank and Alfred Hollings,
Her special licence that we, the said John Fairbank and Alfred
Hollings, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said John Fairbank and Alfred Hollings, our 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 ** IMPROVEMENTS IN
BELT FASTENERS AND IN APPARATUS FOR PREPARING THE BELT FOR RECEIVING THE
SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John

page_text: Fairbank and Alfred Hollings, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, 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 we, the said John Fairbank and Alfred
Hollings, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked
thereon, that is to say :-
The object of our Invention is to provide a simple and safe belt
fastener for securing the ends or parts forming the belt together, also a
convenient arrangement of apparatus to prepare the belt for receiving
the same.
We cut flat wire of suitable thickness to any desired length, the ends
of which are bent up and slightly inclined towards each other, after
which they are ready for use. We by preference make the wire of best
charcoal iron.
The holes are prepared in the ends of the parts forming the belt by
means of a belt punch, but in order to punch the holes the required
distance from the edge we provide an adjustable gauge behind the punch
which is set in any required distance from the punch and gauges the
distance the holes are to be punched from the end.
The holes having been punched in accordance with the size of
fastener required the ends of the belt are put close together, the bent
up parts pressed through the holes and knocked inwards until they are
perfectly flat, and by preference we hammer them into the belt.
And in order that our Invention may be more completely understood
reference is given to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings and to the
letters and marks thereon.

page_text: Figure 5 is a slide elevation of punch; Figures 6 and 7 are plans of
the same, shewing an arrangement for punching one or two holes at the
same time.
We cut by preference flat wire (though not necessarily so) of a
suitable thickness to any desired length, which of course varies with the
size of the belt fastener. The ends a are bent up and slightly inclined
to each other as shewn; we also make the upper end of the turned up
parts pointed, as shewn at b, for the purpose of more readily passing
through the belt. We by preference make the fastener of best charcoal
iron.
The belt is prepared for receiving the fasteners by means of a punch,
which may be of ordinary construction, but in order to punch the holes
at a required distance from the edge we provide an adjustable gauge c
behind the punch d. The gauge c may be adjusted to any required
distance from the punch d, whereby all the holes may be punched
exactly the same distance from the end of the belt with the greatest
facility and correctness.
Figures 6 and 7 are plans of the punching apparatus, shewing how,
by a slight alteration of the head e and gauge c, the instrument may be
used for punching more than one hole at the same time.
The holes having been punched in accordance with the size of the
fastener required the ends of the material to form the belt are put close
together, as shewn at f, Figure 3, the bent up parts pressed through the
holes into the position, as shewn at g; afterwards they are knocked
inwards until perfectly flat, as shown at h. By preference we hammer
the parts into the belt.
By having the bent up ends inclined inwards, as herein-before
described they may be more readily knocked inwards and in a more
regular manner.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and shewn by
Drawings how the same may be carried into practice, we would have it
understood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact details or con-
figuration of the parts we have expressed and shewn, but what we do
claim and desire to be secured to us by Letters Patent is,-
First. The arrangement, construction, and application of belt
fasteners, substantially as herein set forth.

page_text: Second. The arrangement, construction, and application of gauge c in
combination with the belt punch, substantially as and for purposes
herein set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Fairbank and Alfred
Hollings, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Tenth day
of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-six.