A NEW OR IMPROVED SLIP BUCKLE OR LINK
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Clayton, of 52, South Lambeth Road,
Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED SLIP
BUCKLE OR LINK."-A communication from abroad by Alexander
Graham Owen, Captain, 19th Bengal Lancers, Lucknow,
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Sealed the 11th December 1874, and dated the 5th September 1874.

page_text: have made solemn Declaration that the same is not in use by any owner
person or persons to the best of my knowledge and belief.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederick Clayton, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
scal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement :-
The object of this Invention is to provide a connecting link or buckle
for the purpose of instantaneously joining and disconnecting the attach-
ment of straps, ropes, chains, or any other gearing whatever in which
any pulling and resisting forces act in contrary or antagonistic directions,
as in harness, lifting apparatus, and so forth. For this purpose, I use a
square, oblong, or variously shaped buckle frame or skeleton of any
approved pattern, such as the "swage" or flat rectangular section, the
Queen's or circular section, or any of the varieties of shapes usually
adopted for terrets, trace buckles, bridle buckles, breeching buckles, and
the like. To this frame I attach on proper pivots a tongue which does
not as usual enter into the hole provided for the ordinary tongues in
straps or other buckles, but which is retained in its position or released,
as the case may be, by a moveable slide or slider embracing the said
frame, and held in its position by a strap or its equivalent, which latter
maintains the slide in its locked or normal position either by direct
opposition or by antagonistic traction, so as to hold the tongue confined
by the pulling strain or effort between the two ends of the drawing
implements or appliances, such as ropes, straps, chains, and so forth
which are joined by this slip buckle or link. The characteristic feature
of this part of the Invention is that the slide by the arrangement is
made entirely independent of or neutral to any tractive strain in the
gearing, and thereby the tonguc can be immediately either locked or
released, whatever the tension may be in the system or gear.
The
connection between this gear and the slip buckle is made at each end by
suitable links, rings, or shackles, one of these being passed over the
tongue, and by the traction transmitted to the ship buckle, causing a
certain pressure between them, which with the curvilinear shape of the
tongue effectually tends to hold the slide in its locking position until it
be disengaged by hand for disconnecting the gear.
The annexed Sheet of Drawings illustrates the manner in which the
Invention, as described, may be carried into practical effect.

page_text: attachment, Figs. 1 and 4. It will be seen by this arrangement that
with the exception of the slight lateral pressure no direct strain is
exerted on the slide, which can be unlocked or locked with ease whenever
required.
:
In the leather attachment, Fig. 2, in order to join the connecting
link c to its buckle, slightly raise the tongue 6, pass the connecting
link e over it, dropping the upper end into its curved part, close the
tongue, and push the slide fover it; lastely, insert the head of the draw
strap g in the keeper and pocket i, k.
In order to release the connecting link from its buckle with the
forefinger and thumb, withdraw the head of the draw strap g¹ (sce Fig. 1)
from the keeper and draw it until the slides f is stopped by the bar n
above the tongue b, when the latter will instantly fly back and release
the link e.
' For chain attachments, as exemplified in Fig. 1, the operation is
performed in the same manner, except that the draw strap g¹ is turned
back and fastened over the stud h (Fig. 1) at the base of the frame a.
The connecting link e is released by unbuttoning the draw strap, then
seizing it again above the connecting link and drawing it until the
slide uncovers and releases the tongue, when the latter will instantly
fly back and release the link e.
The applications for military and civil purposes of this slip buckle or
link are very numerous, as it may be usefully applied to the instan-
taneous release of artillery draught horses or other cattle when at any
time fallen or when shot in action, or whenever such release is required;
for the raising and sudden releasing, when such is required, of war and
other stores; for all draught purposes both with leather and chain
attachments, as giving greater safety than any other plan hitherto
adopted, and obviating the necessity of cutting and destroying harness
and traces in cases of accidents; for the lowering and instantaneous
release of boats from the sides of ships and steamers; for the instan-
taneous disengagement of any horizontal strain; for building and
engineering purposes, and so forth.
I claim, the slip buckle or link as above described, and in particular
the moveable tongue 6 confined by an independent slide fon a frame a
free from any direct strain, and also the draw straps 9, 9', as applied to

page_text: maintaining the slide f in its position when locked, for the purposes
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Clayton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this First day of September, A.D.
1874.