Improvements in Fasteners for Gloves, Shoes, Wearing Apparel, and. other Articles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1895-4ccepted, 2nd Feb., 1895
Improvements in Fasteners for Gloves, Shoes, Wearing Apparel, and.
other Articles.
I WILLIAM HENRY RUTTY Glove Merchant of, No. 508 West 157th Street
in the City and County of New York State of New York United States of
America 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 fand
by the following statement :--
7 1
1
This invention relates to fastening devices such as are employed in gloves,
shoes and other wearing apparel, purses,, umbrella cases and innumerable other
articles, in which it is desirable to have a secure fastening and one that may be
readily opened or unfastened and closed or fastened as desired. One of the objects
of this invention is to provide a fastening device which shall be positively locked
against longitudinal strain so that the flaps or parts held together by my improved
fastening device cannot be sprung apart under the usual longitudinal strains to
which these parts are subjected; and my invention also has for its object to attain
this advantageous feature of a locked fastener in a structure having no protuberant
levers and having no, other exposed part when the fastener is closed than a cap,
which may be made to represent a button or may be ornamented or otherwise
given a comely and acceptable appearance. The improved fastener or clasp
embodying my invention is made up of two members adapted to be secured to the
parts or flaps of the glove or other article that are to be held together, one member
toicach part or flap, and these two members are adapted to fit one over the other
when the fastener is closed. The lower or inner member is provided with 'a
Bwinging or pivoted lever and is so constructed and combined with other parts,
that when the two members of the fastener are engaged together, with the lever.
in closed position, the members will be locked against longitudinal or working
strains but will be yieldingly held by spring pressure against separation by moving
one member away from the other in directions about at right angles to the longi-"
tudinal or working strains, so that the members of the fastener will not be separated
by any of the usual strains to which, they are subjected, but may be readily and
The upper or outer
quickly separated by the intentional act of the wearer.
member of my fastener is adapted to fit over a protruding part of the lower or
inner member, said protruding part of the lower member including the pivoted
lever, and a guide surface is provided in the outer member, which guide surface
acts to swing the lever .to. closed position when the members are thus moved
together, and the parts are so constructed that the lever moves into engaging
position in relation to the other member of the fastener whatever may be its
position when the two members of the fastener are moved together. The outer:
member of the improved fastener embodying my invention is provided with a cap
on the outer surface of the outer flap or part of the garment and this cap is the
only 'exposed part of the fastener when the fastener is closed or locked, and may,
be made to resemble a button or may be ornamented in any desired manner.
The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of my invention.
..
4111
Figure 1 is a vertical central section showing the members of the fastener in
closed or locked position.
T
11
Figure 2 is a similar view, but; with the inner member of the fastener in elevation,
showing the positions of the parts when the outer member has been placed over the
inner member, and the lever of the inner member is in closed position. Į,
.il.
"

page_text: Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles to, Figure 1, showing
the outer member in central section and the inner member.in elevation.
Figure 4 is an underneath plan view of the outer member.
Figure 5 is a separate vertical central section of the inner member with the
pivoted lever in open position.
Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 illustrate a modified construction.
Figure 6 is a central sectional view showing the members of the fastener in open
position but so arranged that the fastener may be closed by simply swinging down
the outer member.
Figure 7 is a side elevation with the members in the same position as in
Figure 1.
Figure 8 is a vertical central section showing the fastener closed and the members
locked together.
Figure 9 is a section taken at right angles to Figures 6 and 8 of the upper
member of the fastener.
The inner member of the fastener as shown in the drawings comprises a base
plate eccured to the flap or part g of the garment or article by means of prongs
passing through the material of the garment or article from a lower plate i and
clinched upon the base plate h, and this base plate h is provided with upwardly
extending lugs suitably shaped to lock the engaging part of the other member of
the fastener, and, in these lugs; is pivoted a swinging lever d, and a spring or spring
tongue e struck up from the base plate h works against the lever. It is of course
evident that the construction of this inner member of the fastener may be varied
and other means may be employed for securing it to the garment or article without
departing from this invention. In the construction shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5.
the lever is permitted to swing from its lower or closed position, shown in Figures 1
and 2, to its open position, shown in Figure 5, and is prevented from further open
or backward movement by stops jj, which stops may be bent laterally from the
lugs, and the lever is provided with a suitable surface against which the
spring e directly presses so that said lever is held with a yielding pressure of
considerable force in its closed position and may also be likewise held though
preferably with less force in its open position. In the construction shown in
Figures 6, 7 and 8 the lever is permitted to swing backward for a considerable
distance and no other stop is provided than is formed by the spring e. For
the attainment of all the advantageous features of this invention the lever should
be so shaped that whether in open or closed position it will, upon placing the
outer member over the inner member, be capable of attaining its locked position
in relation to the outer member of the fastener without direct manipulation,
and such a construction is shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5 as will be hereinafter
explained.
The outer member of the fastener comprises the guide plate c which is shown
as concave or dish shaped, and has a cross-bar a which forms the engaging part
of the upper member. In the construction shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive,
a flat plate of somewhat annular shape is secured to or may be formed upou
the guide plate c and the cross-bar a is integral with this flat plate c', whereas
in the construction shown in Figures 6 to 9 inclusive the guide plate c has a
flange thereon and the cross-bara is a separate piece which may be soldered or
riveted or otherwise secured to the guide plate c, and it is of course evident that
various other modifications may be made in the construction of these parts within
the purview of this invention. The guide plate is held in place by fastening prongs b
shown as extending from the cap through the outer flap or part of the fabric or
material and this cap b is placed upon the outer surface of the outer part or flap
of the garment or article and is shown as having a flange turned over along its
edge so that it has a rounded bearing surface upon the material around its edges,
and the material is held between the cap 6 and the guide plate c, and is only
perforated at the points where the prongs 6' 6' extend through the material, and
the material is arched or bulged upward and very tightly clamped between these

page_text: two parts of the outer member of the fastener. Within the purview of this inven-
tion the construction and manner of holding together these parts may be modified,
as is evident, but it is to be noted that the cap may be made to imitate the
appearance of a button or may be ornamented in any desired manner and that no
part of the fastening device protrudes through this cap.
It will be observed that by reason of the concave shape of the plate or piece c
the outer member is adapted to fit over the inner member, and in the construction
illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive the opening shown in Figures 1 and 2 at the
left of the cross-bar a is sufficiently large to permit the entry of the protruding
parts of the inner member, said protruding parts comprising the lever d and lugs jj,
whenever the outer member is placed over the inner member. The concave plate
will act as a guide in swinging the lever into closed position if said lever is not in
closed position when the members are placed together.
is
In the use of my fastoner the lever & will be left in open position by an opening
movement of the fastener and therefore the lever will usually be in open position
when the fastener is closed or locked. In the construction shown in Figures 6 to 9
inclusive it is necessary that the lever should be in such open position before per-
forming the operation of closing the fastener, and the length of the lever
preferably so adjusted relatively to the cross-bar a that when the parts are brought
together in the manner shown in Figure 6 preparatory to closing the fastener, the
lever d will just clear the lower portion of the cross-bar a. The upper member is
then swung downward upon the fower meinber and the lever d will enter the upper
member and strike the guide surface of the concave plate c and will be guided by
that surface and turned over until it reaches such position that the spring e will act
to throw it into locked position, and then the parts will be carried into the position
shown in Figure 8 with the cross-bar a held against the locking faces of the lugsjj,
and the members of the fastener will be securely and positively locked together.
It is, however, sometimes highly desirable in fasteners of this character that no
special skill or knowledge shall be required of the user and that the members may
be locked together whatever may be the position of the parts when the members
are placed one over the other. This is attained in the construction shown in
Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, and in this construction it is only necessary for the user
to so adjust the members that the protruding parts of the inner member will enter
the opening of the outer member, and after this has been done, whatever may be
the position of the lever d, the longitudinal working strain will throw the members
into locked position. If the lever d is in closed position when the members are
brought together, the lever and its lugs will enter the opening of the outer member
and the parts will then assume the position shown in Figure 2.
As will be seen,
the extreme end of the lever will be slightly higher than the adjacent edge of the
cross-bar a and upon the slight longitudinal movement of the two members
relatively to one another, the end of the lever d will ride over the cross-bar a and
the parts will assume the fully locked position shown in Figure 1. As these
fasteners are usually subjected to longitudinal strains at all times, this slight
longitudinal movement will usually be effected by such strains without any further
manipulation. If the lever d is in open position when the parts are brought
together the concave plate o will act as a guide to swing the lever into closed position
about in the manner described in relation to Figures 6 to 9 inclusive, except that
the swinging movement of the upper member will not be necessary in this con-
struction, but the members may be moved directly toward each other as the lever
even if in extreme open position will nevertheless be closed by vertical pressure.
When the parts are in locked position the undercut edges of the lugs jj are in
engagement with the cross-bar a and cannot be disengaged by longitudinal strains,
and can only be separated under longitudinal strains by a sufficient force to break
the fastener. This feature is of great importance, as for instance, in gloves,, where
the movements of the wrists of the wearer frequently throw a very heavy longi-
tudinal strain upon the fastener, so that fasteners which depend upon spring action

page_text: to resist longitudinal strains are frequently sprung open. The lever d'bears down
upon the cross-bar a with a spring pressure and thus yieldingly holds the members
together against vertical movement, but when it is desired to unlock or open the
fastener it is only necessary to positively move upward the end of the outer member
and this movement will cause the lever to swing into open position and will cause
the members to be separated or unlocked..
It is, of course, evident that the amount of swinging movement of the lever may
be less than is shown in the drawings and that in some constructions the spring may
be so adjusted as to normally hold the lever in closed position. It is also evident
that various other modifications may be made in the structure above described
within the purview of my invention. I do not, therefore, limit my invention to the
specific constructions shown and above particularly described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A fastener containing a pivoted lever and so constructed that said lever when
in locked position is concealed by the outer flap or outer surface of the outer
member of the fastener; and containing engaging parts with which said lever co-
operates, whereby the members of the fastener will be locked together positively
against working strains but may be readily separated by movement of one member
away from the other, substantially as set forth.
2. A fastener comprising two members, the outer member containing an engaging
part, and the inner member containing a pivoted lever and engaging part, and said
lever and engaging part of the inner member being constructed so as to enter the
outer member and to be engaged therein, substantially as set forth.
3. A fastener comprising two members, the outer member containing a guide
surface within the same and an engaging part below said guide surface, and the
inner member containing a pivoted lever adapted to be closed by said' guide surface
of the outer member when the members are brought together, and the inner
member also containing a counterpart against which the engaging part of the outer
member is held when the fastener is closed, whereby the two members are locked
together, substantially.as set forth..
4. A fastener comprising two members, the outer member having an opening
therein and an engaging part and the inner member having a pivoted spring lever
and lugs with which suid engaging part of the outer member is engaged when the
fastener is closed, said lever and lugs being constructed so as to enter the opening
of the outer member and to be engaged by relative longitudinal movement of the
members of the fastener, substantially as set forth.
5. A fastener comprising two members, the outer member having a concave
guide upon the lower surface of the outer part or flap of the article and a cross-bar
below said guide surface and a convex cap upon the upper surface of said outer
flap, and the inner member having a 'lever pivoted in lugs extending upward from
a base plate, and a spring for actuating said lever, the lever and lugs being adapted
to enter the outer member in all positions of said lever, whereby the lever, if open,
is thrown by said guide into closed position, or if closed rides over said cross-bar
upon relative longitudinal movement of the members of the fastener, substantially
as set forth.
6. A fastener comprising two members, the outer member having the cap.b, the
concave guide piece c and cross-bar a, said parts being secured together by prongs
passing through the material, and the inner member having locking lugs j, the
lever.d pivoted in said lugs, and the spring e for said lever, substantially as set
forth.
7. A fastener comprising two members, the outer member having a cap, concave
guide piece and cross-bar, and the inner member having locking lugs and a lever
pivoted in said lugs and a spring for said lever, and a stop to the upward movement

page_text: of said lever, said lever and lugs being constructed so as to enter said.outer member
in all positions of said lever, and said lever and cross-bar being constructed so that
the lever when in closed position will ride over said cross-bar upon relative longi-
tudinal movement of the members of the fastener, substantially as set forth.
Dated the 1st day of January 1895.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Chartered Patent Agent, London.
For the Applicant.