AN IMPROVED FASTENING FOR PURSES, POCKET BOOKS, BELTS, AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Hamlyn Williams, of Fenchurch Street, in
the City of London, Dressing and Writing Case Maker, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED FASTENING FOR PURSES, POCKET BOOKS, BELTS, AND OTHER
ARTICLES."
Sealed the 29th November 1864, and dated the 3rd June 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Hamlyn Williams
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd June 1864.
I, ALFRED HAMLYN WILLIAMS, of Fenchurch Street, in the City of
London, Dressing and Writing Case Maker, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED FASTENING FOR PURSES, POCKET BOOKS,
BELTS, AND OTHER ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of a fastening composed of two principal members,
one of which consists of a pin and a spring; the pin, which is free to work up
and down or to and fro, has a head at one end and a flange or rim at the
other, and it is also formed with a collar, shoulder, neck, or portion of less
diameter than the flange, but of greater diameter than the shank of the pin.
The spring abuts at one end against the head of the pin, and at the other
against a plate through which the pin works. The other member of the
fastening is a plate which I call catch plate, in which is an opening consisting
of a narrow portion leading at each end into a broader portion, one such
broader portion, which I call the "mouth," being larger than the other which
I call the "socket," and which fits the shoulder, collar, or neck of the pin.
The fastening is effected when the pin and catch plate are engaged; for this

page_text: purpose the pin is depressed, and its flange inserted through the mouth, and
its shank is drawn along the slot into the socket, and the spring allowed to
act and draw the pin upward, so as to bring the shoulder, collar, or neck into
the socket, thereby keeping the pin engaged until it be freed by again
depressing it and drawing it into the mouth. I sometimes. modify this
arrangement by dispensing with the socket, and forming a protuberance on
the under or inner side of the catch plate. The pia, which in this modification
requires no collar or shoulder, will be engaged or retained in the slot by the
protuberance until depressed and slidden over or beyond it into the "mouth."
I have described the pin as working vertically, but it may work in like
manner horizontally.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Hamlyn Williams, in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd December 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
HANLYN WILLIAMS, of Fenchurch Street, in the City of London, Dressing
and Writing Case Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alfred Hamlyn Williams, Her special licence that I, the said Alfred
Hamlyn Williams, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Alfred Hamyln Williams, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter 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 FASTENING FOR PURSES, POCKET BOOKS, BELTS, AND OTHER ARTICLES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I the said Alfred Hamlyn Williams,
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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Hamlyn Williams, 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 fol-
lowing statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of a fastening composed of two principal members,
one of which consists of a pin and a spring; the pin, which is free to work
up and down, has a head at one end and a flange or rim at the other, and it
is also formed with a collar, shoulder, neck, or portion of less diameter than
the flange, but of greater diameter than the shank of the pin. The spring
abuts at one end against the head of the pin, and at the other end against a
plate through which the pin works. The other member of the fastening is a
plate which I call "catch plate," in which is an opening consisting of a narrow
portion leading at each end into a broader portion, one such broader portion,
which I call the "mouth," being larger than the other which I call the
"socket," and which fits the shoulder, collar, or neck of the pin. The
fastening is effected when the pin and catch plate are engaged. For this
purpose the pin is depressed, and its flange inserted through the "mouth,”
and its shank is drawn along the slot into the "socket," and the spring is
allowed to net and draw the pin upward, so as to bring the shoulder, collar
or neck into the "socket" thereby keeping the pin engaged until it be freed
by again depressing it and drawing it into the "mouth."
I sometimes modify this arrangement by dispensing with the "socket," and
forming a protuberance on the under side of the catch plate. The pin, which
in this modification requires no collar or shoulder, will be engaged or retained
in the slot by the protuberance until depressed and slidden beyond it into the
"mouth."
I now proceed to describe, with reference to the Drawings, in what manner
my Invention may be carried into effect.
For convenience of description I purpose to describe and show the fastening
as applied to a purse, but it may be applied in like manner to other articles.
Figures 1 and 2 are plans of a purse A, with the fastening also in plan
applied thereto; Figure 1 shews the purse closed, and Figure 2 shows it open;
Figure 3 is a transverse section showing the fastening closed or engaged;
Figure 4 a transverse section shewing it open or disengaged; Figure 5 is a
plan of the top plate, and Figure 6 a plan of the under side thereof; Figure 7
is a plan, and Figure 8 longitudinal section of the catch plate; Fig. 8* plan
of under side thereof; Figure 9 is an elevation, and Figure 10 vertical section
of the pin; Figure 11, plan of plate f. Figures 3, 4, 7, 8, and 8x are on a

page_text: larger scale than the other Figures. In a purse of the description shown the
pin may be conveniently fitted to the flap, and the catch plate to the body of
the purse immediately under the flap.
a, b, c, d, is a pin or stud composed of a shank a, a head b, a flange c, and
a collar d, that is to say, the pin or stud terminates at its upper end in a
head b, and at its opposite end in a flange or rim c, of less diameter than the
head b, but of greater diameter than the shank a. The part of the shank
immediately above the flange c forms a collar or shoulder d, of greater
diameter than the rest of the shank, but of less diameter than the flange c;
e is a metal plate attached on the upper or outer side of the flap. This plate,
which is shown detached in Figures 5 and 6, is dished or recessed on the under
side, and is formed with a central hole e¹ to receive the head 6 of the pin; fis
a metal plate attached on the under side of the flap, and having a central
hole g for the lower end of the pin to work through. Part of the material of
the flap is cut away between the plates e, f, to allow the pin to pass; h is a
spiral spring which abuts at one end against the under side of the head b,
which is recessed or dished as shown to receive it, and the opposite end of the
spring abuts against the plate f. The pin is fitted in the plates e, f, and is
free to be worked up and down in them, that is to say, it is depressed by
pressing on its head b, and when relieved from such pressure the spring h
will act and force it up again; i is a metal plate, which I call the catch plate,
it is rivetted to the body of the purse, and it is shewn detached in Figures 7
and 8. In this plate is an opening j, k, l, the portion or hole j, which I term
the "mouth," is of greater diameter than the portion or hole l, and is sufficiently
broad for the flange c to pass freely through it; the portion 1, which I call the
socket, is not so large as to admit the flange c, but is of just sufficient size to
admit the shoulder d, which fits it truly; the intervening portion or slot k,
which forms a communication between the holes ; and 7, is narrower than
either, and is only broad enough to admit the shank a and allow it to pass
along it; m is a rim or flange formed on the under side of the plate i, the
material of the purse being cut away around it, so that space is afforded for
the end c to work in when engaged in the catch plate. In order to fasten the
purse the flap is closed down over the catch plate, and the end c, d, of the
pin or stud is inserted through the opening, and by moving the flap the pin
is slidden along the slot k to the hole 1, the slot allowing the shank a to pass,
(while the pin is being pressed down the spring h will be compressed.) The
pin is then relieved from the downward pressure exerted on it, and thereupon
the spring h, being released and free to act, will force the pin in an upward
direction, so as to bring the shoulder d into the socket 7, and as the shoulder

page_text: fits this socket the pin will remain engaged in the plate i until it is again
depressed, so as to free the shoulder from the socket or opening 1, and allow
of the pin being slidden along the slot k, and brought into the hole j, through
which the end c can then be drawn upward, and the members of the fastening
will thus be disengaged.
Figure 12 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 13 a plan of a modification
in which the catch plate i has an opening j, k, without a portion 1, and the
pin or stud (shewn in Fig. 14) has no shoulder; d, n, n, are inclined pro-
tuberances formed on the under side of the plate i, one on each side of the
opening k, as shewn in Fig. 13, which is a plan of the under side of this
plate i. To close the fastening the flange c is passed through the orifice j,
and the pin having been pressed down sufficiently for the flange c to clear or
pass behind, the protuberances n is slidden into the slot k. Pressure is then
removed from the pin, and the spring allowed to act and force the pin in an
upward direction, so as to keep the same engaged by its shank a; in the slot k
the protuberances n assist in preventing the pin from slipping back, as the
flange c cannot pass under them until again depressed sufficiently to clear
them, when the pin may be slidden back into the hole j, and drawn through
it. In other respects than as above described, this fastening is fitted, arranged,
and worked like the fastening shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim
any of the herein-before described mechanical parts considered separately and
apart from the arrangement and combination thereof in manner herein
described, and I declare that what I claim as constituting my said Invention is,
a fastening in which a pin and spring, and a catch plate are constructed,
arranged, and combined, substantially as herein described, the spring acting on
or working the pin in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Hamlyn Williams, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
S. E. A. NEWSOME.
A. H. WILLIAMS. (L.s.)