IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENERS FOR GLOVES, BOOTS, STAYS, AND OTHER ARTICLES."
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William Pritchett of London Road, Clapton in
the County of Middlesex, for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENERS
FOR GLOVES, BOOTS, STAYS, AND OTHER ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John William Pritchett
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th March 1882.
JOHN WILLIAM PRITCHETT of London Road Clapton in the County of
Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENERS FOR GLOVES, BOOTS, STAYS, AND
OTHER ARTICLES
"
My invention relates partly to fasteners of that kind or class in which there is
a pivoted or hinged lever secured to a plate on one side of the wrist opening (when
applied to a glove) so arranged that it will enter an eyelet or aperture on the
other side of the said opening and may be caused to draw the edges of the glove
together and hold them in a closed position.
Fastenings of this kind as heretofore made, although of considerable practical
utility, possesses several disadvantages which render them to some extent
inconvenient and my invention is partly designed to provide means whereby these
disadvantages may be entirely obviated.
My invention also relates to a device to be used in place of the ordinary eyelet
or aperture employed with gloves and other articles and is designed to provide
means whereby a stud, button, lever, or any similar fastener may be more readily
and conveniently released when it is desired to open the glove or other article than
is the case with the means ordinarily in use.
In carrying my invention into practice I make a fastener in the following
manner that is to say I provide a plate of brass or other metal which may be oval
or otherwise shaped and at or near one end thereof I pivot or hinge one end of a
curved arm or lever the other end of which extends over the face of the plate to,
or beyond, the opposite end thereof. The said arm or lever may be pivoted or
hinged in any suitable manner to lugs formed by turning up the metal of the
[Price 6d1

page_text: plate, or to a piece or pieces soldered or otherwise attached to the said plate.
Upon the face of the plate (at the end thereof opposite to that at which the lever
is pivotted) I provide a pin or stud which projects upward to a slight distance.
The upper end of the stud is enlarged to a trifling extent and rounded and the
lever, at, or near, its free end is provided with an aperture into which the said stu 1
fits when the said lever is in its lowest position. The stud and the aperture are
made of such relative dimensions that when the lever is brought down upon the
stud a very slight amount of force will be required to cause the stud to enter the
aperture so that the frictional contact will be sufficient to hold the said lever with
sufficient tightness to protect the same from accidental displacement. When it is
desired to lift the lever, only a very slight degree of force is required to separate
the same from the stud. If desired the stud may be on the lever and the aperture
in the plate.
According to another arrangement I provide for keeping the lever in its closed
position by employing a small spiral or other spring in the following manner, that
is to say, instead of the flat plate I provide a small case or receptacle upon the
upper part of which the lever pivoted as above described, and this case may be
oval or of any other suitable form. Within this receptacle I arrange the said
spring in such a manner that it will tend to keep a small boit or catch pressed
outwards at that end of the receptacle with which the free extremity of the lever
comes in contact. This bolt or catch works through an opening at the end of the case
and is turned up and over the top of the same and on its upper face there is an
upwardly projecting stud designed to enter an aperture in the free end of the
lever. The sides of this aperture on the lower face are inclined so that when the
lever is pressed downward it engages with the stud and draws the catch inward
and the stud enters the aperture and holds the lever securely. The stud is curved
so as to slightly overlap the metal of the lever on one side of the aperture and thus
retain the same firmly, against displacement. The end of the catch projects
slightly outside the case or receptacle into a convenient position to be pushed
inward by the finger when it is desired to release the lever for unfastening the
glove or other article. If desired the stud may be, on the lever and the aperture
in the catch.
1
The plate or case to which the lever is pivotted is provided with holes to enable
the same to be sewn to the glove or other article, or it may be furnished with
clamping pieces or other means for this purpose. The plate or case is ordinarily
secured to the outer surface of the glove or other article and I then provide a
second plate designed to fit inside the same and immediately underneath the other one.
This lower or inner plate is made longer than the upper one so that the material
may not be injuriously strained in operating the lever. A piece is cut out of the
lower plate at the end which extends beyond the upper one so as to leave an
aperture within which the material will yield when the finger is applied to detach
the lever and thus prevent the inconvenience which would be caused if the finger
encountered an unyielding substance. In some cases I may place the plate or case
to which the lever is pivotted entirely at the back or inner side of the glove and
provide openings for the lever and parts for fastening the same. In this case no
second plate will be required. It will be understood that on the opposite side of
the glove opening to that on which the lever is secured an eyelet or aperture will
be provided in the usual manner.
In place of the ordinary eyelet or opening usually employed to receive and
hold a stud, button, or the like in gloves and similar articles I provide a device
made as follows that is to say, I provide a plate having within it a slot or opening
so made that the two parts thereof extend at right angles to each other, and over
this plate I provide a second plate having one straight slot therein which exactly
corresponds with one of the parts of the slot in the lower plate. The upper plate
is so connected to the lower or inner one that the former may have a slight lateral
movement over the latter. Therefore when this upper plate is in one position

page_text: there will be aperture right through the two plates suitable for the insertion of the
stud button or other device on the other side of the glove or other article but when
it is desired to unfasten the same the upper plate is moved in such a manner that
the said stud button or other device is free to pass completely out of contact with the
two plates and thus the glove or other article is opened by simply sliding the
plate as above explained. The upper plate may be curved over the lower one on
the underside thereof so as to enclose or partly enclose the same. As a modification
of this device I may provide one plate only, this plate having a curved or angular
slot so as to form an opening for the reception of the stud, button, or other device,
the unfastening being effected by bringing the stud into proper position and
allowing it to slide out of the open slot.
My improved fastening devices may be advantageously applied to gloves, boots,
gaiters, stays or corsets and any similar articles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John William Pritchett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th September 1882.
JOHN WILLIAM PRITCHETT, of London Road, Clapton, in the County of
Middlesex, "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENERS FOR GLOVES, BOOTS, STAYS, AND
OTHER ARTICLES
"
My Invention relates partly to fasteners of that kind or class in which there is
a lever pivotted or hinged to a plate secured to one edge of the article to be fastened,
and so arranged that it will enter an eyelet or aperture in the opposite edge of the
said article, and may be caused to draw the said edges together and secure the
same.
Fasteners of this kind have been heretofore constructed either with a spring
acting upon the lever at, or near its pivotted end, or without a spring, in the latter
case the lever being constructed at that end so that the eyelet, when engaged with
the lever, will bear upon the same and retain it in its closed position. These
fasteners although of considerable practical utility, possess several disadvantages
which render them to some extent inconvenient, one great inconvenience arising
from the fact that the eyelet is liable to engage with the pivotted end of the lever
in the operation of unfastening the glove or other article and renders such operation
difficult; and my invention is partly designed to provide means whereby these
disadvantages may be entirely obviated.
My invention also relates to a device to be used in place of the ordinary eyelets
or apertures employed with gloves and other articles, and is further designed to
provide means whereby a stud, button, lever or similar device may be more readily
and conveniently released, when it is desired to unfasten the glove or other article,
than is the case with the means ordinarily in use.
My invention is partially illustrated in Figures 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawing,
in which Figures 1 to represent various forms or modifications of my improved
lever fastener applicable to gloves, and similar articles, and
Figures 7 and show two forms or modifications of a fastener for braces
constructed according to my said invention.
In these Figures A represents a plan or top view and B a side elevation of the
fastener.
The remaining figures of the drawing are hereinafter referred to.
In Figures 1 to 6, a is a plate of brass or other metal which may be oval or
otherwise shaped; at the point b thereof I pivot or hinge one end of the curved arm
or lever c, the other end of which, when it is closed, extends over the face of the
plate a to or beyond the opposite end thereof, The said arm or lever may be
pivotted or hinged in any suitable manner, for example, to lugs formed by turning
up the metal of the plate as shown in Figures 2, 5, and 6, or to a piece or pieces
soldered or otherwise attached to the said plate. In the fastener shown in Figure 1,
upon the face of the plate a I provide the pin or stud d which projects upward
from the said plate; the upper end of the stud d is enlarged to a trifling extent and
rounded, and the lever c, at or near one end, is provided with the aperture e, as
shown into which the stud d fits when the said lever is in its closed position, By
this construction the pivotted end of the lever cannot be engaged by the eyelet in
the operation of unfastening the glove or other article. The stud d and the
aperture e are made of such relative dimensions that, when the lever c is brought
down upon the stud d, a very slight amount of force will be required to cause the
stud to enter the aperture, so that the frictional contact will hold the said lever

page_text: with sufficient tightness to prevent the same from accidental displacement; when
it is desired to lift the lever, only a very slight degree of force is required to separate
the same from the stud. If desired the stud may be on the lever and the aperture
in the plate.
Instead of providing a stud upon the plate a I sometimes forin a small projec-
tion upon the said plate and bend the same at a right angle to the plate, as
shown in Figure 2,
In the fasteners shown in Figure 3, the lever c is pivotted to the plate a at one
end and bent at the other end so that it can be pressed down and held by friction
against the end of the plate a, or the said lever is made slightly elastic so that its
end will engage with a projection on the said plate.
Two modifications of this fastener are shown in Figures 4 and 40 in which a curved
spring d² is adapted to engage with the lever when the latter is in its closed
position. According to another arrangement, shewn in Figures 5 and 6, I provide
for keeping the lever c in its closed position by employing a small spiral spring in
the following manner that is to say, upon the plate a, I provide the small case or
receptacle a'; at one end of the plate a the lever c is pivotted as above described.
The case a¹ may be oval or of other suitable form, and within this case I arrange
the spring fin such a manner that it will tend to keep the small bolt or catch h
pressed outwards at that end of the case with which the free extremity of the lever
comes in contact. This bolt or catch h works through an opening i at the end
of the case and is turned up and over the top of the same, and on its upper
face is the upwardly projecting stud d designed to enter the aperture e in the end
of the lever c. When the lever c is pressed towards the plate a it engages with
the stud d and forces the catch inwards so that the stud enters the aperture e and
holds the lever securely. The stud is curved so as to slightly overlap the metal of
the lever on one side of the aperture and thus retain the same firmly against
displacement. The end of the catch h projects slightly outside the case a¹ into a
convenient position to be pushed inwards by the finger when it is desired to release
the lever for unfastening the glove or other article. If desired the stud may be on
the lever and the aperture in the catch, and it is obvious that the spring may be so
arranged as to press the catch inwards instead of outwards, the stud d being
curved in the opposite direction, and suitable means being provided for drawing
the catch outwards to release the lever.
The plate a to which the lever is pivotted, is provided with holes to enable the
same to be sewn to the glove or other article, or it may be furnished with clainping
pieces or other means for this purpose. The plate a is ordinarily secured to the
outer surface of the glove or other article, and I then provide a second plate
designed to fit inside the same and immediately underneath the plate a. This
lower or inner plate is made longer than the upper one so that the material will
not be injuriously strained in operating the lever. A piece is cut out of the lower
plate at the end which extends beyond the upper one so as to leave an aperture
within which the material will yield when the finger is applied to detach the lever,
and thus prevent the inconvenience which would be caused if the finger encountered
an unyielding substance. In some cases I place the plate to which the lever is
pivotted entirely at the back or inner side of the glove and provide openings for
the lever and parts for fastening the same. In this case no second plate will be
required. It will be understood that on the opposite side of the glove opening to
that. on which the lever is secured an eyelet or aperture is provided in the usual
manner, this eyelet is represented at in Figure 6 with the lever passed through
the same.
.
Figure 7 shows a fastener adapted to be used for braces, the lever c is pivotted
at b to the buckle m and is provided with an aperture to fit on to the stud d upon
which the said lever is retained by friction.
Figure 8. shows a spring fastener adapted to be used for braces and constructed
in a similar manner to that described with reference to Figures 5 and 6, with the
exception that the lever c is pivotted to the buckle m.

page_text: In all the fasteners above described the closing is effected by simply pressing the
lever c towards the plate a.
Another part of my invention is illustrated in Figures 9 to 14, which represent
various, modifications of an improved fastener, applicable, to gloves and other
articles to be used in place of the ordinary eyelet or opening usually employed to
receive and hold a stud, button, or the like.
In Figure 9, n is a plate having within it a slot or opening n' so made that the
two parts thereof extend at right angles to each other, upon the plate n is pivotted
a second plate o having a slot o¹ therein. When the plate o is in the position
shown in the drawing there is an aperture right through the two plates suitable
for the insertion of the stud, button or other device secured to the opposite edge of
the glove or other article, but, when it is desired to release the stud, button or the
like, the upper plate is moved in such a manner that the slots n¹ and o¹ coincide
and the said stud, button or other device is free to pass completely out of the same,
and thus the glove or other article is unfastened by simply moving the plate as
above explained. A spring of any suitable description is sometimes employed to
bring the plate o back to its original position. A modification of this fastener is
shown in Figures 10 and 11 in which I employ a circular platen having a slot n',
and a second circular plate o provided with a slot o' and with a piece o² for
manipulating it. The central holes of the two plates coincide so that, when the
fastener is in the position shown in Figure 10 the stud, button or the like can be
inserted and retained therein. When it is desired to release the same it is only
necessary to turn the plate o round until the slot o' coincides with the slot n¹.
The plate o is retained upon the platen by the ends of the piece of which are bent
down and under the plate n, and, if desired, a suitable spring can be fitted between
the said plates to retain the upper one in the position shown in Figure 10,
In Figure 12 is shown another modification in which a circular tube p is secured
to the plate n and has an opening corresponding to the slot n³. Within this tube is
fitted a curved pin or bolt q with a projection passing through a slot in the
tube p, and a spring is also provided in the said tube to press the said pin or bolt
outwards; The stud, button or the like is inserted through the centre of the ring
formed by the tube and is retained therein by the said pin or bolt. To release the
said stud the pin or bolt is withdrawn by pressing upon the projection r; a
projections being provided upon the tube p. to facilitate this operation.
In another modification shown in Figure 13 the stud, button or the like is
retained in the plate n by means of a pivotted lever tacted upon by a spring u
and having a projection t' to engage with the said stud as shown. The said stud
is released by raising the free end of the lever t.
Figure 14 shows another modification in which a pin or bolt 7 acted upon by a
spring retains the stud or button in the slotted plate n.
A further modification of this fastener consists in providing one plate only, this
plate having a curved or angular slot so as to form an opening for the reception of
the stud, button or other device, the unfastening being effected by bringing the
stud into proper position and allowing it to slide out of the open slot.
By these means I provide for releasing the stud or button without requiring to
lift the fastening device.
My improved fastening devices may be advantageously applied to gloves, boots,
gaiters. and similar articles.
Having thus described my invention and shown how the same may be con-
veniently and advantageously carried into practice, I wish it understood that I do
not claim broadly or generally a fastener in which a lever is pivotted to a plate
secured to one edge of the article to be fastened and is adapted to be passed through
an eyelet secured to the opposite edge of the said article. to draw the said edges
together and fasten the same, as I am aware that fasteners of this class have been
constructed, in which the lever is retained in its closed position by the pressure of

page_text: the eyelet, or of a spring, upon the said lever at the pivotted end thereof, but I
claim, in, and forming part of, a fastener for gloves or other articles :-
First. The device to be attached to one side of the glove or other article in
combination with an eyelet or aperture on the other side thereof, which device is
provided with a lever pivotted at one end to a plate and combined with a stud or
projection attached to the said plate (with or without a spirial or other spring) at
or near its other end in such a manner that the closing is effected by simply
pressing the lever towards the plate to which it is pivotted, and the said lever is
retained in its closed position by friction or by the spring, substantially as described
with reference to any of the forms or modifications shown in Figures 1 to 8 of the
drawing.
Second. A device adapted to be secured to one edge of the article to be fastened
and to be placed over a stud, button or similar device secured to the opposite edge
of the said article, and constructed with a slot or aperture and a movable part so
arranged that it can be adjusted to close the said aperture to fasten the glove or
other article, or to open the said aperture to release the said stud, button, or other
device, substantially as above described, and as shewn in Figures 9 to 14 of the
drawing.
In witness whereof I the said John William Pritchett have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Twenty eighth day of September in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
JOHN WILLIAM PRITCHETT. (L.S.)