IMPROVEMENTS IN LINKS OR COUPLINGS FOR HARNESS AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LINKS OR COUPLINGS FOR HARNESS AND OTHER
PURPOSES."-A communication from abroad by George Smith Fisher,
of Buffalo, New York, United States of America, Gentleman.
Sealed the 15th January 1869, and dated the 16th July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th July 1868.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LINKS OR COUPLINGS FOR HARNESS AND
OTHER PURPOSES," a communication, to be as follows:-
The said Invention consists partly in the peculiar mode of constructing
links or rings with a split or opening which allow such links or rings

page_text: to be conveniently connected or disconnected with other links or
couplings, but will not allow them to become accidentally detached or
removed from the same.
The said Invention also consists partly in the combination of a split
or divided link or ring with a tongue or catch to form a buckle for
securing the link upon the reins or other parts of horses' harness, or to
straps and bands for other purposes. The links or couplings are formed
of wire which is bent and twisted into the required shape. The two
ends of the wire are flattened and lapped over each other, the split or
division being between them. The said split or division is widened at
the exterior of the link to facilitate the insertion therein of any article
to which the link is to be united. When intended to serve as a buckle
an additional loop or eye is found by bending the wire, and the
moveable tongue or catch is fitted to the same in the usual manner.
Brass, iron, or other wire may be used in the construction of my
improved links or couplings, the size of the wire being adapted to the
various purposes for which the couplings may be required. The ends
of the wire are flattened at the sides which are fitted evenly together,
the said ends overlapping each other for such a distance as will give
the required strength and security to the link and yet will permit the
same to open easily at the split or division to allow a ring or other
connection to be easily introduced or removed. The split or division is
widened at the exterior of the link by chamferring or bevelling away
a portion of the contiguous surfaces of the overlapping ends, thereby
forming a V-shaped mouth or aperture. The link is placed with this
mouth or aperture upon the ring or other coupling to which it is to
be united and by a slight pressure may be opened and pushed over
the same. When properly connected any attempt to pull the link
away from the said ring or other coupling will only cause the split
portions of the link to close more securely. When the link is com-
bined with the tongue or catch to serve as a buckle or fastening for
any purpose the wire is bent or twisted to form a loop or eye of the
proper form and size to receive the strap or band to which it is to be
secured. This loop or eye may be conveniently produced by crossing
the wire at a convenient distance from the eye of the split link, the
sides being flattened to cause them to fit more compactly together.
This crossed portion of the wire forms the bar for carrying the tongue
or catch of the buckle which is fitted to turn upon the said bar and

page_text: filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of July,,in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LINKS OR COUPLINGS FOR HARNESS AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 William Robert Lake, 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, reference. being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings forming a part of this Specification :-
The said Invention consists partly in the peculiar mode of constructing

page_text: links or rings with a split or opening which allows such links or rings
to be conveniently connected or disconnected with other links or
couplings, but will not allow them to become accidentally detached or
removed from the same.
The said Invention also consists partly in the combination of a split
or divided link or ring with a tongue or catch to form a buckle for
securing the link upon the reins or other parts of horses' harness, or to
straps and bands for other purposes. The links or couplings are formed
of wire which is bent and twisted into the required shape. The two ends
of the wire are flattened and lapped over each other, the split or division
being between them. The said split or division is widened at the
exterior of the link to facilitate the insertion therein of any article to
which the link is to be united. When intended to serve as a buckle an
additional loop or eye is formed by bending the wire, and the movable
tongue or catch is fitted to the same in the usual manner.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 are views of different sides of one of my improved
split links or couplings; Figure 3 is a front view of my improved
combined link and buckle, showing the same attached to part of a snaffle
for a horses' harness; Figure 4 is an edge view of the same. Like
letters indicate the same parts in each Figure.
Brass, iron, or other wire may be used in the construction of my
improved links or couplings, the size of the wire being adapted to the
various purposes for which the couplings may be required. The eye
or loop a of the link or coupling A is made of any convenient form and
size. The ends 6 of the wire forming this eye are flattened at the inner
sides which are fitted evenly together, the said ends overlapping cach
other from c to d or for such other distance as will give the required
strength and security to the link and yet will permit the same to open
easily at the split or division between the two ends b to allow a ring
or other connection to be easily introduced into the eye a or removed
from the same. The split or division is widened at the exterior of the
link by chamfering or bevelling away a portion of the contiguous
surfaces of the overlapping ends b, thereby forming a V-shaped mouth
or aperture a. When the link is placed with this mouth or aperture
upon the ring or other coupling to which it is to be united it may when
in this position be opened by a slight pressure of the hand and forced

page_text: over the side of such ring or coupling into the eye of the same. Any
attempt then made to pull the link A away from the ring or other
coupling to which it is attached will only cause the split portions 6 of
the said link to close more securely. The strap or other article to
which the link is attached is secured in the eye or aperture f. When
the link is provided with the tongue or catch e, as shewn in Figures 3
and 4, to serve as a buckle or fastening for any purpose the loop or
eye is made of the proper form and size to receive conveniently the
end of the strap or band g to which the link is to be secured. This loop
or eye may be produced by crossing the wire at a convenient distance
from the eye the sides f being flattened to cause them to fit more com-
pactly together. This crossed portion f of the wire forms the bar for
carrying the tongue or catch e of the buckle which is fitted to turn
upon the said bar and allows the strap or band g to be secured or
released in the ordinary manner.
My improved links or couplings may be plated or coated with silver or
other metals commonly used for such purposes to preserve them from
oxidation and to improve their appearance.
Having thus described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I wish it understood that I claim,-.
First. Constructing split or divided links or rings by bending wire
into the required form, substantially as set forth.
Second. The combination with such links or rings of a tongue or
catch, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-