IMPROVEMENT IN SAFETY PINS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Purches Miles, of the City of Brooklyn, in the County
of Kings, and State of New York, United States of America, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENT IN SAFETY PINS."
Sealed the 28th May 1878, and dated the 28th November 1877.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Purches Miles at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th November 1877.
PURCHES MILES, of the City of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings, and State
of New York, United States of America. "IMPROVEMENT IN SAFETY PINS."
Shield pins have been made of wire with a coil or volute at one end into which
the point of the pin is received, and metal shields have been put around the end of
the wire so as to inclose the wire.
My Invention consists in a shield pin made with a sheet metal guard hook, intro-
duced inside of the coil of wire at the end, so that the wire itself forms a neat sur-
rounding for the guard book, and the said hook is provided with a convex pro-
jection, behind which the point of the hook passes, so that the edges of the sheet
metal cannot injure the clothing or the fingers of the person using the same.
In the Drawing Fig. 1 is a side view of the shield pin complete; Fig. 2 is a cross
section at the line x, x; and Fig. 3, represents the sheet-metal blank for the guard
or shield.
The wire of which the pin is composed is bent into a spring coil a, near the
middle, between the body b and pin c, and the end of the wire opposite the point is
bent to form the coil d, within which the sheet metal of the guard hook is inserted,
so that the wire surrounds the same and presents a smooth edge to prevent injury
to the person or the clothing. This sheet-metal guard is within the bend or coil of
the wire. I have shown the two convex shells o, r, connected together by the
strip 8, and there is a clip t at one side. This sheet-metal guard is applied to the
coil at the end of the wire within the outer coil, so that the wire comes outside the
guard, and the clip t is passed around the inner coil of the wire and the strip s

page_text: between the inner and outer coils. One of the shells is hence secured firmly to the
wire of the coil, and the other shell o projects sufficiently from the coil to allow the
point of the pin to be passed at the back thereof, so that this shell o forms a guard
to the pin point; and said point rests upon the strip s.
The shells o and by preference are convex, so that the edges stand toward the
wire of the pin and are not liable to come into contact with the clothing or the
fingers of the person using the same.
The shell o forms a hook for the point of the pin to pass behind. I prefer that
the same be made circular, but I do not limit myself as to the shape so long as the
sheet metal of the guard for the point is. held within the coil or bow at the end of
the wire forming the pin.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as new and desire to protect by
Letters Patent,-
Firstly. The shield pin made with a sheet metal guard hook introduced inside of
the bent wire, and secured by the metal being bent around the wire, substantially
as set forth.
Secondly. The guard for the shield pin, made of convex sheet metal, with the
edges contiguous to the wire, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Purches Miles, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this First day of November, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-seven.
PURCHES MILES. (L.s)