AN IMPROVED STUD OR BUTTON FOR FASTENING THE ENDS OF METAL BALE BANDS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Powley Alexander, of 14, Southampton
Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED STUD OR BUTTON FOR FASTENING THE
ENDS OF METAL BALE BANDS."-A communication from abroad by
Richard Benwell and George Humphreys, both of Alexandria,
Egypt. Engineers.
Sealed the 19th March 1875, and dated the 19th January 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Powley Alexander
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 19th January 1875.
I, EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in
5 the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED STUD OR BUTTON FOR
FASTENING THE ENDS OF METAL BALE BANDS," a communication to me from
abroad by Richard Benwell and George Humphreys, both of Alexandria,
Egypt, Engineers, to be as follows:-
0
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction of loose metal stud
1

page_text: r
bands employed in baling cotton, wool, rags, or manufactured goods,
which stud or button possesses the advantages of being simple in form,
effective in action, easily applied, and not liable to be accidentally caught
and torn out of place when once adjusted; moreover by the use of this
improved button shorter hoops or bands may be employed, as no slack is
required for admitting the hand behind the hoop as heretofore to fix the
button in its place, and thus a saving of time and material is effected,
whilst the risk of damaging the machinery is reduced.
The improved stud or button may be used either singly or in pairs (or
in greater number) as found requisite. It consists of a shank of square 1
or other section, and of a length rather greater than the combined thick-
nesses of the two overlapping ends of the bale band through holes in
which the loose stud or button is inserted. The shank of the button is
disposed eccentrically to the upper and lower heads, the main portions of
which project or overhang respectively to the right and left of the shank, 1
or vice versa, a very small lip or projection being left on the sides of the
shank opposite to the main projecting portions of tho heads. The length
of the holes into which these buttons are inserted is very slightly in
excess of the thickness of the shank; hence there is little or no slack or
back lash when the button has been inserted.
In inserting the button into the bale band either of its main projections
or overhanging points is pushed in the direction of the end of the loop
or band that is outside into the holes in the band, which holes are made
to coincide, and when adjusted the straining of the band tends to hold
the button more securely in its place.
The holes for the buttons may be either rectangular or oblong, square
or oval, and the sides of the shank should by preference be perfectly
flush with the sides of the upper and lower excentric projecting
portions.
2
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 3
filed by the said Edwin Powley Alexander in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th July 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
3

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
5cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, Her
special license that I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edwin Powley
Alexander, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any timo
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
> after 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
"AN IMPROVED STUD OR BUTTON FOR FASTENING THE ENDS OF METAL BALE BANDS,"
a communication to me from abroad by Richard Benwell and George
5 Humphreys, both of Alexandria, Egypt, Engineers, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, 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.
९
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, 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 thereof, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say :—
The said Invention relates to a peculiar construction of loose metal
stud or button for fastening or holding together the ends of the metal
bale bands employed in baling cotton, wool, rags, or other goods, which
stud or button possesses the advantages of being simple in form, effective
in action, easily applied, and not liable to be accidentally caught and
torn out of place when once adjusted. Moreover by the use of this
5 improved button shorter hoops or bands may be employed, as no slack
is required for admitting the hand behind the hoop, as heretofore, to
fix the button in its place, and thus a saving of time and material is
effected, whilst the risk of damaging the machinery is reduced,

page_text: And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding
parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents an isometrical
perspective view detached of the improved button or stud for metallic
bale bands or hoops drawn to a scale of about twice the real size.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the two overlapping ends of a
bale band secured by the aid of two of the said improved buttons; 1
Figure 3 is a plan corresponding to Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a sectional
view showing the mode of inserting the button.
The button itself may be made of wrought iron, malleable cast iron,
steel, brass, or any other metal or substance adapted for its several
uses.
1
The shank A of the button and the holes for its reception may be of.
any convenient form, such as oblong or oval, but it is preferred to make
them rectangular, as shown in the Drawings. The length of this shank
will depend on the thickness of metal composing the bale band, as
shown at B. In practice its length may be very slightly in excess of 2
the combined thickness of the two overlapping ends of the band. This
shank A, as will be seen at Figures 1 and 2, is situate eccentrically to
the two heads C and D, that is to say, the one head C is made to project
or overhang considerably to the left of the shank, whilst the opposite
head D projects to a corresponding extent to the right of the shank, or 2
vice versa, both heads being rounded off so as to present no obstruction.
Slight projecting lips a and b are formed on the sides of the shank A
opposite to the main overhanging parts of the heads C and D, whereby
the button is more securely retained in its place.
Although two buttons in a bale band are shown in the Drawings a 3
single button will in many cases suffice, whilst in others two or more
buttons may be employed.
It will be observed on referring to Fig. 2 that the size of the holes
for the reception of the button shanks is very slightly in excess of the
cross section of the shank itself; hence very little extra strain or pressure 3
will be required for the purpose of causing the holes to coincide before.

page_text: inserting the button; consequently there is little or no appreciable back
lash or slackening of the band after the button has been introduced, as
the shank nearly fills up the entire area of the holes.
In Figure 4 the button is shown in the act of being inserted, one of
its long overhanging heads or projections being pushed by the thumb
and finger into the coinciding holes in the band, care being taken that.
the entering point of the button shall always face the end of the hoop
or band which is outside the other, as shown clearly in Figure 4.
It will be seen from the Drawings that the two sides of the shank A
are flush with the sides of the eccentric heads or projections C and D,
but this is not absolutely essential.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the peculiar
construction or formation of button or stud for fastening or holding
together the overlapping ends of bale bands, as herein-before described
and illustrated by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.