IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION " OF BELTS, BANDS, STRAPS, HARNESS, AND ANALOGOUS ARTICLES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jabez Oldfield, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
"
OF BELTS, BANDS, STRAPS, HARNESS, AND ANALOGOUS ARTICLES, AND IN THE
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Sealed the 18th May 1877, and dated the 23rd November 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jabez Oldfield at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd November 1876.
"IM-
JABEZ OLDFIELD, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BELTS, BANDS, STRAPS, HARNESS, AND
ANALOGOUS ARTICLES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THERE-
FOR."
This Iuvention, which relates to improvements in the construction of belts, bands
straps, harness, and other articles, consists as follows:-
The belta or bands may be for such purposes as the driving of machinery, for
raising or lowering weights, for elevating and transporting substances, combing
leathers used in the drawing or preparing of wool, in combing and preparing
machinery. The parts of harness to which the improved belts or straps are more
especially applicable are those known as traces and shaft loops.
The improved belts or straps are constructed of short links of leather, gutta
percha, millboard, or analogous substances, which are united together in rows or sets
(alternating with one another) by pins passed through holes in the ends of each,
thus forming a continuous length or width.
In place of using pins for holding the links of leather together laces may be
substituted.
The essential feature of the mechanism employed in the construction of the
improved belting or straps consists in the punch by which the leather or other
material is cut into the shapes required, these shapes being varied according to the
purpose for which the belts or straps are to be used.
The punch is of a compound construction; that is to say, it consists of an outer
member of the size and profile of the leather or other material which has to be cut;
it also has two inner member or punches, which form the holes through which the

page_text: pins or laces pass. This compound punch is also provided with a doffer, which
expels the cut leather or other inaterial from the interior of the punch.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Jabez Oldfield in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd May
1877.
JABEZ OLDFIELD, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BELTS, BANDS, STRAPS, HARNESS, AND
ANALOGOUS ARTICLES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THERE-
FOR."
My said Invention, which relates to improvements in the construction of belts,
bands, straps, harness, and other articles, consists as follows:-
-
The belts or bands to which my said Invention applies may be such as are used
for the driving of machinery, for raising or lowering weights, for elevating and
transporting substances, and for combing and preparing leathers used in machinery
for the drawing or preparing of wool, or for analogous purposes. The parts of
harness to which the improved belts or straps are more specially applicable are those
known as traces and shaft loops.
The improved belts, bands, or straps, are constructed of short links of leather,
gutta percha, millboard, or analogous substances, which are united together in rows
or sets (alternating with one another) by pins passed through holes in the ends of
each, thus forming a continuous length or width.
In place of using pins for holding the links of leather together laces may be
substituted.
The essential feature of the mechanism employed in the construction of the
improved belts, bands, or straps, consists in the punch or cutter by which the leather
or other material is cut into the shapes required, these shapes being varied according
to the purpose for which the belts, bands, or straps, are to be used.
The punch is of a compound construction; that is to say, it consists of an outer
member of the size and profile of the leather or other material which has to be cut ;
it also has two inner members or punches, which form the holes through which the
pins or laces pass. This compound punch is also provided with a doffer, which
expels the cut leather or other material from the interior of the punch.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to the
annexed Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say,
Figure 1 is a side or edge elevation of a portion of a belt or driving band
constructed in accordance with my said Invention, Figure 2 being a plan thereof
corresponding to Figure 1.
As will be seen by these Figures my improved belts or bands consist of a series
of links A, in each end of which a hole is formed for the passage therethrough of
rivets or pins B, shown in dotted lines at Figure 2; by means of these rivets or
pins the several links A constituting the belt are held together. As will be seen by
Figures 1 and 2 each link is formed with rounded, that is to say, semicircular ends.
This form however has the disadvantage of leaving hollow spaces in the otherwise
flat surface of the belt, namely, the surface which bears upon the pullies. This
disadvantage is obviated by forming the links with the ends, having only just a
sufficiency of curvature to allow the belts or bands to bend over the pullies on which
they run.
A belt so constructed, that is to say, with the ends very slightly curved, is shown
in side or edge elevation at Figure 3, and in the plan at Figure 4. At Figure 4ª a

page_text: modified form of the links A is shown; that is to say, each link is curved on its
longitudinal edge, thus enabling longer links to be used, whilst also fitting closer to
the pullies than straight links.
The punch or combined cutters by which the leather, millboard, or other material
of which the improved belts are composed, is cut up into the requisite links is shown
in transverse section at Figure 5, in end elevation at Figure 6, and in horizontal
section on the line a, b, Figure 5, at Figure 7.
The punch or combined cutting instrument consists of an outer cutter A whose
cutting edge a is of the shape and size of the exterior of each link. Within the
body of the cutter A is a holder B for carrying two tubular punches C; these
punches C cut the holes through which the rivets pass. Within the body of the
punch is the doffer D, so made as to slide freely therein.
The punch or cutting instrument is by preference carried in a press or machine
capable of imparting to it an upward and downward movement, so that on being so
reciprocated it alternately cuts down into and rises out of a piece of leather or other
material placed on a table or carrier underneath it, cutting out a piece of leather or
other material of the shape of the external cutting edge of the punch, and with the
requisite holes for the rivets also punched therein. Each link so cut out is lifted
up by or with the punch on its ascending stroke until the head of the doffer D
comes in contact with the stop E, which as the punch or cutter continues to rise has
the effect of preventing the doffer to rise further, and therefore forces out the piece
of leather or other material contained within the cutting instrument.
The puuch or cutting instrument may also be used by the hand, in which case it
is acted upon by a mallet or hammer after the ordinary method of using a punch.
The holder B is fastened within the body of the punch by set screws F at each side,
the object of the set screws being to enable the position of the holder to be lowered
and fixed from time to time as required, as the punches C wear.
The holder B in place of being held by set screws E might be attached to vertical
set screws, one in each side of the outer punch or cutter A, with a head projecting
up through the sides at x, Figures 5 & 6.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically 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,―
First. The belts, bands, combing and preparing leathers, and parts of harness
constructed of short links of leather or analogous material, and held together by
rivets, pins, or laces, substantially as herein described and shown on the annexed
Drawings.
Second. The combined punch and doffer for cutting the links of leather or
analogous material, and for expelling them from the punch, substantially as herein-
before described and shown on the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jabez Oldfield, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
aight hundred and seventy-cavan
JABEZ OLDFIELD. (LS.)

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