Improvements in Buckles, Clasps, and other Fastenings for Braces, Suspenders, and Dress Belts.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 17th July, 1890-Accepted, 23rd Aug., 1840
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buckles, Clasps, and other Fastenings for Braces,
Suspenders, and Dress Belts.
I, THOMAS WALKER, of Brook Street Works, St. Pauls Square, in the City of
Birmingham, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object, a lever buckle, clasp, or other like fastener,
provided with an adjustable grip, whereby brace, suspender, or belt materials, of
varying thicknesses, can be efficiently held."
Heretofore, the bars of the levers of said fastenings, have had to be made of
varying depths, from the edge to point, in order to hold thicker or thinner materials,
as may be desired.
By my invention, thicker or thinner materials may be held in common with the
same gripping lever, and this I accomplish, by jointing and carrying the said lever,
to and upon a slide, which moves longitudinally upon the carrying frame, whose
lower part is formed into a can-tab, or other loop, bow, or connection, according to
whether the fastener is to be applied for a brace, suspender, or belt.
The gripping of the material, is performed between the top side of the bar of the
lever, and the underside edge of a bar, or the top bar of a frame, so that on pressure
being exerted upon the said material, above the buckle or fastener, the bar of the
frame, is made to slide, and be drawn closer to the lever bar, whereby thick or thin
material admits of being gripped between the top and undersides of the bars as
aforesaid.
In carrying out my invention, I take an open or pierced frame, preferably with a
bar directed horizontally across its middle, thus making upper and lower rectangular
shaped piercings, extending nearly the whole breadth of the frame. By these
piercings, bars are formed, which in the present case are three in number, viz. :—
top, middle, and lower ones.
The edges of the frame, opposite the middle of the outer piercing, have stump
or square guide-stops, which take into, and work within upright slots or guides,
(of the same breadth) formed or pierced within the lever bracket-ears of a carrier-
slide, which slides and comes in front of the top piercing as aforesaid.
The bracket ears, which are turned rearwardly and at right angles to the front
part of the slide, carry and have jointed to them, the lever, with a bar directed
inwardly, (when lever is closed,) and coming within the piercing of the frame.
The edge of the upper side of the said lever bar, is presented to, and is at a short
distance from the lower edge of the top har of the frame, according to the position
of the carrier slide, upon which the jointed lever is mounted.
When the buckle or fastener is in use, the brace, suspender, or belt material, is
passed at the back of the frame, and under the gripping bar of the lever, which is
directly in front of, and passes inwardly into the piercing, below the gripping bar of
the frame, so that by closing down the lever, its bar is turned inwardly, and the
material is then forced into the space below the gripping bar of the frame, and on
pressure being applied to the said material above the buckle (as when in use,) the
frame is made to slide away from the lever, and so bring its gripping bar nearer
to the lever bar, and by such sliding and longitudinal movement, thick or thin
material admits of being effectually gripped, as the greater the pressure exerted, the
greater is the grin.

page_text: Although I have described that the gripping bar of the frame, is the top one, yet
any bar, shoulder, rib, or its equivalent, may be employed with like effect.
Dated this 24th day of October 1889.
THOMAS WALKER.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buckles, Clasps, and other Fastenings for Braces,
Suspenders, and Dress Belts.
I, THOMAS WALKER, of Brook Street Works, St. Pauls Square, in the City of
Birmingham, Manufacturer, 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 and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object, a buckle, clasp, or like fastener, which will grip
any thickness of material.
Heretofore, buckles, clasps, and like fastenings, are adapted only, to grip or hold
materials of certain or predetermined thicknesses.
By my invention, thin or thick materials, are held in common by the same buckle
or holding device, and this I accomplish, by making the joint of the lever, of a lever
buckle, slide as well as turn; and by which means, the bar is allowed to approach,
or recede from, a frame bar, or long shoulder of the buckle frame.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in front elevation, a variable-
grip brace buckle, of the lever type, constructed and arranged according to my
invention.
Figure 2 represents in elevation, an edge view of the said buckle, and webbing,
and with the gripping lever of the said buckle, shown closed.
Figure 3 represents a vertical section, of the upper part of the buckle, leaving the
lower part in elevation, and which said section, is shown upon the dotted lines A B
figure 1.
From this view, it will be seen, that the lever, which admits of a sliding move-
ment, follows up the material to be gripped, consequent upon the gripping bar of the
lever, being made to approach more or less, the gripping shoulder bar, of the
buckle frame.
Thus it is, that the grip acts in common for both thick and thin materials.
Figure 4 represents in front elevation, partly in section, upon dotted lines CD
figure 2, the said buckle, and webbing. The section is taken through the bar of
the lever, in order to show the position of the said bar, with respect to the gripping
shoulder of the frame bar, and how the pull of both web and buckle, causes the
lever bar, to approach the frame bar, and so nip the material, whatever thickness it
may be, between the presented edges of the said parts.
Figure 5 represents a liko section, and edge view, as figure 3, but with the
lever open.
Figure 6 represents a front, and edge view of the lever carrying slide.
Figure 7 is a front and edge view of the frame of the buckle.
Figure 8 is a plan, front elevation, and also an edge view of the lever, separately.
The same letters of reference, indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
a is an open or pierced buckle frame, with horizontally directed shoulder bar a²,
at the upper edge of a gap a³, disposed at the upper part of the said buckle frame.
The opposite edges of the upper part, of the said frame, (and nearly on a line with
the shoulder bar as aforesaid,) have square or flattened guide stumps or stops a¹,
which slide, and are disposed within, upright slots or guide gaps 62, formed within
the opposite ends 6₁, of a lever carrying slide b, and to which the lever c, with
bar c², is carried and jointed, by the joint ends e³, taking within the bearing holes 6³,
of the said lever carrying slide.

page_text: The webbing d, passes at the back of the upper part of the frame, and between the
bar of the lever, and the shoulder bar a², of the said frame, and then passes out-
wardly through the piercing as, adjacent to the can-tab loop a.
To adjust and secure the buckle to a webbing, or brace length, till the lever, as in
figure 5, then adjust the buckle upon the webbing to the position required, when an
attached connection is made, by the closing down of the lever, as in figures 1, 2, and 3.
By now pulling or applying longitudinal pressure to the webbing and buckle, the
latter through the intervention of the can tab or tabs, e, the lever carrying slide, and
frame, are moved in opposite directions, thereby tipping inwards the acting end of
the gripping bar of the lever, which is made to approach the shoulder bar a², of the
framing, whereby the material is nipped between the said lever bar of the one part,
and frame bar of the other part, as aforesaid.
Thus, it will be seen, that by mounting or carrying the lever upon a shifting
slide, however thick or thin the material (consistent with the amount of travel of
the slide) may be, it is followed up by the coming together or approachment of
the bar, consequent upon the movement of the parts carried by the bar, in opposite
directions.
Figure 9 represents my invention, applied to a dress belt, and figure 10 is a
section of the same.
In these said last named views, it is seen that one end of the band of the belt, is
attachedly connected to a loop of the framing, and the other end passed at the back of
the bar of the lever, and which said last named end, is adjustable, and affixed in its
adjusted position, by means as hereinbefore described with respect to a brace.
As an alternative arrangement, I may mount the lever, and make its joint ends
turn and slide within longitudinal gaps or slots, formed within the opposite sides or
ears, of the buckle frame, and to prevent the joint ends from being displaced within
the slots or gaps, they may turn within blocks or parts, sliding within the grooves, so
as to admit of the lever turning outwardly or inwardly, and at the same time, capable
of sliding to or fro, in a limited manner, towards a bar of the framing.
I wish it to be understood, that the nip of the material of a brace or band,
may come between the gripping lever, and the longitudinal rih or ribs, or a part
or parts standing out from the face of the frame, instead of between the said
gripping lever, and a bar or shoulder, as aforesaid; and further, that the reciprocal
movements of both buckle and frame, may be allowed for, by guide stops, of the
lever slide part, taking through guide and stop gaps, directed through the middle of
the body of the buckle framing.
It may also be observed, that the greater the pull of brace or band material and
buckle, the greater the grip.
The application of my invention to clasps, differs in no essential respect, from its
application to that of a brace, as 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.
First: A lever buckle, having, or consisting of, a turning and sliding lever, and
sliding frame, which act conjointly, and nip the material of the brace or band,
between the gripping bars of them, on the material as aforesaid, and buckle frame,
being pulled, or being drawn asunder, whereby thin or thick material is gripped
and held, by the approach of the said gripping bars, substantially as described and
set forth.
Secondly-A lever buckle, making the lever turn and slide, whereby its gripping
bar is made to approach or recede from, a bar or rib of the buckle framing,
substantially as, and for the purpose, as described and set forth.
Lastly-A lever-buckle, consisting of a lever, turning within bearings of a slide,
whose opposite ends are gapped or slotted, and wherein stump, or guide-like stops,
apon the opposite sides of a buckle-frame, provided with a longitudinal gripping bar

page_text: or rib, take, so that the reciprocal action of the moving parts, created by pull, put
upon buckle frame, and material of brace or band, causes the gripping bars of lever
and frame to approach each other, and so nip the thick or thin brace or band material
run between them, substantially as described and set forth.
71- 101
บ
T
1000
σαι τον
THOMAS WALKER.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.