IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENING DEVICES FOR GLOVES AND OTHER ARTICLES A
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
"
& Co Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings London for an invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENING DEVICES FOR GLOVES AND OTHER ARTICLES
A communication from abroad by William Streeter Richardson and Philip
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th May 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENING DEVICES FOR
GLOVES AND OTHER ARTICLES" [A communication from abroad by William
Streeter Richardson and Philip Kearney Dumarsq, both of Newton, Masachussetts,
United States of America]
This invention relates to fasteners for gloves or other articles.
According to one part of the said invention I make a fastener of two members
or parts, one being a spring-catch or clasp of novel construction, adapted to be
secured to the article with or upon which it is used in any desirable manner, and
the other a latch or tongue which also is secured in place upon the material in any
desirable manner, and which cooperates with the catch or clasp in fastening
together the parts or pieces of material to which they are respectively united.
The catch or clasp is formed from wire or metal rod, or is struck up from flat
metal, and its essential element is a spring-jaw which is made by bending, curving,
or striking up the metal wire or blank to form two sections or parts, each of which
has a curved yielding side. The jaw is between these yielding sides, and
entrance thereto between the upper parts and the rounded sides is wide or flaring,
it then narrows upon the approach of the two sides to each other, and again widens
as the sides recede from each other, the narrow portion or neck of the jaw being
adapted to be spread apart, or bent to receive the tongue or bar of the other
member of the fastening device. When the jaw is made from one piece of metal

page_text: the parts of the jaw are united by a section or bar while extensions or arms
extending backward from the lower part of the sides are utilized as a means by
which the jaw is fastened to the material by a rivet, eyelet, or other fastening
device, to which the ends of the arms are soldered, or otherwise secured, and act as
springs for assisting in maintaining the sides of the jaw in position; or in other
words, the catch or clasp, when thus made, will have two springs for operating
each section of the jaw, one of which arises from the shape of each of two sections
of the jaw, and the manner of connecting them by the cross-piece or bar, and the
other of which arises from the long arms which are used in securing the jaw or two
sections to the rivet, eyelet or other device for fastening the member to the
material. In lieu of fastening these ends to the material by an independent
fastening device, the ends may be made sufficiently long to be bent downwardly to
form fastening prongs, which, in the act of fastening, are inserted through the
material and clinched upon the other side thereof. When fastened to the material
whatever the construction may be, the jaw portion of the catch or clasp must
extend outwardly or upwardly from its upper surface, and also be somewhat
inclined, so that its lower portion shall be in advance of its upper part and form a
lock, and the sides of the jaw must be adapted to open and return to their original
position automatically.
The essential elements of the latch or tongue are a bar and a cross-piece at its
end. This cross-piece may be in one piece with a cap; these may be formed in
any desirable way, and may be united to the material in any suitable manner.
The cap may be struck up from sheet metal, then the tongue bent across the cavity
and the tongue and cap united to the material by prongs. Another manner of
fastening is by clamping the material between an extension and tongue by bending
the extension about the tongue. Whatever construction is used, and whatever
manner of fastening the tongue and cross-bar (with or without the cap) is
employed, it should be so secured in a position as to be pressed inward between
the yielding sides of the catch or clasp in fastening the parts and material
together.
The jaw bar or tongue must be so proportioned that the bar or tongue can be
pressed easily between the narrow parts of the jaw into the enlarged space below,
and the yielding sides of the jaw return over the same, thereby locking it securely
in place, and the cross-piece prevents the two members of the fastening from being
drawn apart. The bar and the jaw are so shaped in relation to each other that
the bar rides down the inclined face of the jaw to the angle, and the greater the
pulling-apart strain on a straight line the more securely the two members are
locked together.
If desired, the cross-piece may have on either side of the bar a short projection,
which may slip or hook into the eyes of the sections as an additional fastening
element.
An ornamental cap, escutcheon, metallic piece or figure may be used for fastening
the two members to the material.
In use the tongue or bar is brought in position over the jaw and is then pressed
downwardly until it has passed beyond the need of the jaw which opens to allow
it to pass and springs back over it to hold it from being removed by an upward
movement from the material. The cross piece or bar prevents the two parts of the
fastening from being separated by a drawing apart movement.
To unfasten the two members of the device it is simply necessary to press their
ends inwardly. This will cause the tongue to find a fulcrum on the bar a, and by
continued pressure the cross-bar is forced inward and the tongue upward through
the neck until released.
According to another part of the said invention I provide a socket from one of
two blanks, the only difference between the two being that the one has holes which
in the complete construction are adapted to receive a fastening, rivet or eyelet,
while the other has a portion which in the complete part projects through a hole
and serves as a prong by which the part is fastened in position. Aside from these

page_text: distinctions each blank has a section from which the centre has been removed,
leaving a section which is circular, excepting at two points, and which is struck up
to form the socket, and the section, which forms the scat of the device.
The sequence of the various manipulations necessary in forming the part from
the metal plate from which the blank is punched is susceptible of a number of
variations, such for instance, as the forming up of the portion which afterward
makes the socket and cup parts before the blank is punched from the metal plate
and then removing the cap of the portion that made the socket to form the
entrance, or the removal of this part first, before striking up the remainder to form
the wall of the socket.
The blank having been submitted to the action of suitable forming and shaping
devices whereby one section is struck up to form the socket and a slit or opening
extending from the circular opening of the socket to the hole, and another section
provided if desired with a cup-shaped depression, the last named section is bent
under the other section bringing the said holes or a prong, and another hole in
line, and the cup-shaped depression beneath the socket.
The complete device will therefore have the socket, the opening to which is
circular and which has a spring, or yielding sides which are adapted, on account of
their being elevated above the lower edge of the part to have a limited amount of
spring or movement in relation to said edge, the said edge being as it were, the
centre of fulcrum of the movement, and also to have a further extent of spring
because of the opening or slit, connecting the circular spring of the socket with
the hole, and making each arm of the part serve as a spring-arin which permit the
sides to be opened. The front portion of the shell forming the socket is cut away,
preferably, in the blank to form a recess into which the tongue of the other
member of the fastening enters.
The other member of this fastening device consists of a ball fastened to the end
of a tongue, or bar, which is adapted to be secured to the material by a rivet; or
the device may be struck up from a blank so that the central portion of the blank
is formed into a ball and the blank is bent so that a projection may be used as a
prong in fastening the part to the material, by being bent down and passed through
the material and a hole, and turned, bent, or clinched upon the under side.
When this construction is employed I prefer to form upon the lower section of
the blank a projection which shall come beneath an opening and which serves two
purposes, first to lift the material to which the device is fastened to a level, or
very nearly to a level with its upper surface and second to provide a recess upon
the underside in which the end of the fastening prong may be bent or clinched; it
is immaterial for the principal purpose of this invention how the ball and tongue
are fastened in place. The socket part may also have a projection.
A. hole or slit is formed in the material for the reception of the lower section of
the device which is slipped through the slit and the material is thus embraced
between the outer ends of the lower and upper sections, while the socket is entirely
upon the outside of the material.
It is desirable that the tongue and the centre of the socket be as nearly in a
line as possible in order that the principal line of draft of the tongue which is
substantially a straight line, may be against the front portion of the socket, and
for that reason, principally, I form a recess for the reception of the tongue, to
bring it to the desired level in relation to the centre of the socket.
This ball and socket construction of fastening is of very great advantage
because, in the first instance, the two parts of the fastening can readily be engaged
with each other by touch. The under surface of the ball being smaller than the
circular opening, it acts, in connection with the edge thereof, as a guide in locating
and directing the bringing together of the parts. The parts being thus brought
together the ball is pressed into the socket against the edge of the opening
separating the sides thereof sufficiently to allow the larger part of the ball to pass
below the edge of the opening, and the sides automatically closing, then grasp the
ball above the line of its greatest diameter; and have an almost continuous bearing

page_text: upon its surface, in effect forming a ball and socket joint, and securely holding the
ball in whatever position the tongue may stand in relation to the socket.
To remove the ball from the socket the front portion of the socket part forming
the under side of the recess in which the tongue rests when in its normal position,
is used as a fulcrum, and by pressing the outer ends of each portion of the fastening
downwardly and causing the tongue to bear on the fulcrum, the ball is lifted from
its holding socket.
It is obvious that this invention can be compared to a ball and socket joint, the
distinction being that the socket has spring or yielding sides which allow the ball
to be inserted and removed at will, and which hold the ball when in place. Also
to a button hole and button, the distinction in this comparison being that the
button hole or socket is metal, and has spring or yielding sides, being in substance
a metallic button-hole, while the ball is used very much like the ordinary button.
The position of these parts of the fastening in relation to each other may be
reversed in relation to the glove or other article with which they may be used
without departing from the spirit of this invention and the spring or yielding part
of the device, instead of being in the sides of the socket may be in the ball, the
ball being constructed to have sides which yield automatically in relation to each
other to diminish its diameter upon being inserted into the socket and springing
out again to the original shape when the pressure upon the sides is released.
The projection entering the aperture above it nips or pinches the material
against the upper arm so that the fastening is held more firmly in place
I may provide a blank in which the opening does not extend to the rivet-hole
but to a slit which partially surrounds the hole, and the seat portion is unprovided
with any projection for receiving a rivet or other fastening, I strike up from the
blank two hemispherical projections or cups which, upon the bending of the blank,
brings them in reverse position and forms a ball.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th November 1882.
.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENING DEVICES FOR
GLOVES AND OTHER ARTICLES A communication from abroad by William
Streeter Richardson and Philip Kearney Dumarsq both of Newton, Massachusetts,
United States of America
This invention relates to improvements in fastening devices for gloves and other
articles
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a part of a glove having a fastening constructed
according to this invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the said fastening when locked
Figure 3 is an underside view of the two parts of the fastening separated.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate modifications of construction
Figure 6 is a plan of a blank from which the socket part of the fastening device
adapted to be secured to the material by an independent or separate eyelet or rivet
is formed
Figure 7 is a plan of a blank for the socket part which is adapted to be secured
in place by a prong integral therewith
Figure is a plan of a blank from which is formed the ball part of the
fastening
Figures 9 and 10 are plans of portions of gloves representing the two parts of
the fastenings engaged.
Figures 11, 12 and 13 are detail views in vertical section
Figure 14 is a perspective view of the two parts of the fastening detached from
the material and from each other
Figure 15 is a plan of a blank of modified form
Figure 16 is a side elevation thereof
Figure 17 is a side elevation of the complete fastening
Figures 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 illustrate slight modifications in construction.
According to one form of construction shewn in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, one of
the two parts of the fastening is a spring catch or clasp adapted to be secured to
the article with or upon which it is used in any desirable manner, and the other is
a latch or tongue which also is secured in place upon the material in any desirable
manner and which cooperates with the said catch or clasp in fastening together the
parts or pieces of material to which they are respectively united.
The catch or clasp is formed from wire or metal rod, or is stamped from flat
metal. Its essential element is the spring jaw a which is formed by shaping the
metal wire or blank to form two sections or parts a¹, a² each of which has the curved
yielding sides a³. The spring-jaw thus formed between these yielding sides is, at
the upper parts, wide or flaring, it then narrows and again widens near the bottom,
the narrow portion or neck of the jaw being adapted to spread or bend to receive
the tongue or bar of the other part of the fastening device as hereinafter described.
When the spring-jaw is made from one piece of metal the sides a³, a are united by
the section or bar a while extensions or arms a³, a extending backward from the
lower part of the sides a³ are utilized as a means by which the said jaw is fastened,
to the material by a rivet, eyelet, or other suitable fastening to which the ends of
the arms are soldered or otherwise secured. The said arms act as springs for
assisting in maintaining the sides a³ of the jaw in position. The catch or clasp,

page_text: when thus formed, will have two springs for operating each section of the jaw one
of which arises from the shape of each of the two sections a¹, a² and the manner
of connecting them by the cross piece or bar, and the other from the long arms
which are used in securing the jaw or two sections a¹, a² to the rivet, eyelet or
other device for fastening to the material. In lieu of fastening these ends to the
material by an independent fastening device the said ends may be made sufficiently
long to be bent downwards to form fastening prongs, which, in the act of securing
are inserted through the material and clinched upon the other side thereof. When
fastened to the material, whatever the construction of the catch or clasp may be,
the jaw portion must extend outwardly or upwardly from its upper surface, and
also be somewhat inclined, so that its lower portion shall be in advance of its upper
part represented in the drawing, and form a lock and the sides of the jaw must be
adapted to open and return to their original position automatically.
The essential elements of the latch or tongue are the bar b and the cross piece b'
at its end. This cross-piece in the drawing is shown integral with the cap b² but
it may be formed and united to the material in any suitable manner. In the
drawing two methods of doing this are shown, one of which consists in striking up
or stamping the cap from sheet metal to form the cavity b³, then bending the
tongue across the cavity and uniting the said tongue and cap to the material by
prongs b; the other method is by clamping the material between the extension 65
and the tongue by bending the extension about the said tongue substantially as
shewn in Figure 4. Whatever construction is used, and whatever means for
fastening the tongue and cross-bar with or without the cap are employed, the said
tongue should be secured in a position to be pressed inwards between the yielding
sides of the catch or clasp in fastening the parts and material together. The jaw-
bar or tongue of the fastening device must be so proportioned that it can be
pressed easily between the narrow parts of the spring-jaw into the enlarged space
below and the yielding sides of the jaw return over the same thereby locking it
securely in place, the cross-piece 6¹ preventing the two parts of the fastening from
being drawn apart. The said bar and the jaw are so shaped in relation to each
other, that the bar rides down the inclined face of the jaw to the angle and the
greater the pulling strain in a straight line the more securely the two parts are
locked together If desired, the cross-piece b¹ may have on either side of the jaw-
bar, a short projection which may slip or hook into the eyes of the sections a¹, a² a-
an additional security.
An ornamental cap escutcheon, metallic piece, or figure may be used for fastening
the two parts of the clasp to the material
In operation the tongue or bar is brought in position over the jaw and is then
pressed downwardly until it has passed beyond the neck of the said jaw which
opens to allow it to enter and springs back over it to hold it from being removed
by an upward movement from the material. The cross-piece or bar prevents the
two parts of the fastening from being separated by a drawing movement.
To disengage the two parts or the device it is simply necessary to press their
ends inwardly. This will cause the tongue to find a fulcrum on the bar a, and by
continued pressure the cross-bar is forced inward and the tongue upward through
the neck until released
Another form of construction, and the one which is deemed preferable, is shown
in Figures 6 to 21 inclusive. The socket part of the device or fastening is preferably
formed from either of the blanks A, A', Figures 6 and 7, the only difference
between the two being that the former has the holes c which in the complete
construction are adapted to receive the fastening rivet or eyelet c¹ as represented
in Figures 11 and 12, while the latter has a portion c², which, in the complete part,
projects through the hole c³ and serves as a prong by which the part is fastened
in position. Apart from these distinctions each blank has the section c* from
which the centre has been removed leaving a section which is circular excepting at
two points, and which is struck up or stamped to form the socket, and the section co
which forms the body of the device.

page_text: It is practically immaterial so far as concerns the steps in the process of forming
the metal into the complete socket part of the device whether the blank be thus
prepared, or whether it be first shaped as shown in Figures 15 and 16, the sequence
of the various manipulations necessary in forming the part from the metal plate
from which the blank is punched, being susceptible of a number of variations, such,
for instance, as the forming of the portion which afterward makes the socket and
cup parts before the blank is punched from the metal plate and then removing the
cap of the portion that made the socket to form the entrance, or the removal of this
part first before striking up or stamping the remainder to form the wall of the
socket
The blank having been submitted to the action of suitable forming and shaping
devices whereby the section c is struck up or stamped to form the socket B, and a
slit or opening e extending from the circular opening C of the socket to the hole c,
cut as represented in Figures 6 and 7 and the section c³ provided, if desired, with
the cup-shaped depression e¹ as represented in Figures 11, 12 and 13, the section co
is bent under the section c* as shown in the said Figures and in Figure 14 bringing
the holes c or the prong c² and the hole in line and the cup-shaped depression
beneath the socket.
The complete device will therefore have the socket B the opening to which is
circular and which has the spring or yielding sides d; the said sides are adapted,
on account of their being elevated above the lower edge d¹ of the part, to have a
limited amount of spring or movement in relation to the said edge, the said edge
being, as it were, the centre or fulcrum of the movement, and also to have a further
extent of spring because of the opening or slit e connecting the circular spring of
the socket C with the hole c, and making each arm d³ of the part serve as a
spring-arm, which permit the sides or portions d to be opened. The front portion
of the shell forming the socket is cut away, preferably in the blank, to form the
recess d³ into which the tongue of the other part of the fastening enters, as
hereinafter explained. The other part of this fastening device consists of a ball E
fastened to the end of a tongue or bar f which is adapted to be secured to the
material by a rivet f' as shown in Figure 11; or the device may be struck up or
stamped from the blank shewn in Figure 8, in which case the central portion f² of
the said blank is formed into the ball fs shown in Figures 13 and 14, and the
blank is bent so that the projection f may be used as a prong in fastening the
part to the material, by being bent down and passed through the said material
and hole f, and turned, bent, or clinched upon the under side, as shown in
Figure 13.
When this construction is employed I prefer to form upon the lower section of
the blank, a projection 6 shown in Figure 13 which shall come beneath the
opening f¹ and which serves the double purpose of lifting the material to which
the device is fastened to a level, or very nearly to a level, with its upper surface as
shown in Figure 13; and of providing a recess upon the under side in which the
end of the fastening prong may be bent or clinched. It is immaterial for the
principal purpose of the invention how the ball and tongue are fastened in place.
The socket part may also have a projection like the projection f and for the same
purposes. A hole or slit is formed in the material for the reception of the lower
section of the device which is slipped through the slit as shown in Figures 12
and 13, and the material is thus embraced between the outer ends of the lower
and upper sections, while the socket is entirely upon the outside of the said
material.
It is desirable that the tongue and the centre of the socket be as nearly in a line
as possible, in order that the principal line of draft of the tongue which is
substantially a straight line may be against the front portion of the socket, and
for that reason principally, the recess d³ is formed for the reception of the
tongue to bring it to the desired level in relation to the centre of the socket.
This ball and socket construction of fastening is of very great advantage,
because, in the first instance, the two parts of the fastening can readily be engaged

page_text: with each other by a touch. The under surface of the ball being smaller than the
circular opening it acts in connection with the edge thereof, as a guide in locating
and directing the bringing together of the parts. The parts being thus brought
together the ball is pressed into the socket against the edge of the opening
separating the sides thereof sufficiently to allow the larger part of the ball to pass
below the edge of the said opening, and the sides automatically closing then grasp
the ball above the line of its greatest diameter, and have an almost continuous
bearing upon its surface, in effect forming a ball and socket joint and securely
holding the ball in whatever position the tongue may stand in relation to the socket
To remove the ball from the socket the front portion of the socket part forming
the under side of the recess d³ in which the tongue rests when in its normal
position is used as a fulcrum, and by pressing the outer ends of each portion of the
fastening downwards, and causing the tongue to bear on the fulcrum, the ball is
forced from its holding socket.
It is obvious that this device can be compared to a ball and socket joint the
distinction being that the socket has spring or yielding sides which allow the ball
to be inserted and removed at will and which hold the ball when in place. Also
to a button hole and button, the distinction in this comparison being that the
button hole or socket is metal, and has spring or yielding sides being in substance
a metallic button hole while the ball is used very much like the ordinary button.
The position of the parts of the fastening may be reversed in relation to the glove
or other article with which they may be used without departing from the spirit of
this invention and the spring or yielding part of the device, instead of being in the
sides of the socket may be in the ball the said ball being constructed to have slides
which yield automatically in relation to each other to diminish its diameter upon
being inserted into the socket and springing out again to the original shape when
the pressure upon the sides is released.
The projection f entering the aperture above it nips or pinches the material
against the upper arm so that the fastening is held more firmly in place
In Figure 18 a blank is shown in which the opening e does not extend to the
rivet-hole c but to a slit which partially surrounds the said hole and the seat
portion c is unprovided with any projection for receiving a rivet or other fastening
as shown in Figures 6 and 7 its construction is shewn in Figures 21 and 22. A
blank from which the ball and its tongue may be struck up or stamped is shown
in plan in Figure 19 and in section in Figure 20 it will be observed that two hemi-
spherical projections or cups are struck up or stamped from the blank which upon
bending the said blank at the point brings them in reverse position and forms a
ball. The arm ¹ may or may not be as long as the arm x².
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim-
First. In a fastening device for gloves and other articles, the combination of the
spring catch or clasp consisting of the yielding sections a¹, a² connecting bar a*,
and spring arms a, a, with the tongue b and its cross-bar b', the said catch and
tongue being adapted to be fastened to the material and used, substantially as
specified.
Second The spring catch or clasp consisting of the yielding sections a¹, a²,
connecting-bar a', and spring arins a, a, all substantially as described.
Third. The improved fastening for gloves and other articles consisting of two
parts, one of which is provided with a socket B having the spring yielding sides
about the circular opening of the socket, and adapted to be fastened to the material,
and the other of which consists of a ball and tongue also adapted to be fastened to
the material, the said ball being adapted to enter the socket of the other part of
the fastening device and be held therein all as set forth
Fourth. A part of a fastening device containing the socket B having an opening C
and the yielding sides & adapted to receive a metallic ball or other device all
substantially, as and for the purposes described.

page_text: Fifth. A part of a fastening device having a socket B, the yielding sides d, and
the recess ³, and means for securing the said part to the material, all substantially
as specified
Sixth. A part of a fastening device having yielding sides about a circular
opening and socket, and two arms extending back wardly therefrom, by which the
device is adapted to be secured in position, all substantially as specified.
Seventh. A part of a fastening device having yielding sides about a circular
opening and socket, and having two arms extending backwardly therefrom by
which the device is adapted to be secured in position, one of which arins also
furnishes springs for, and extensions of, the yielding sides all substantially as
specified.
Eighth A part of a fastening device struck up or stamped from sheet metal, and
having the yielding side d enclosing a socket B, having an opening and a cup-
shaped depression or seat e and recess d³, and means for securing the device to the
material, all substantially as, and for the purposes, described.
Ninth, As a part of a fastening device a ball E, its tongue, and means for
securing the same to the material struck up or stamped from a sheet metal blank,
substantially as specified.
Tenth, In a part of a fastening device, as a means of securing it to the material
a prong or projection integral with the device, and upon one arm thereof adapted
to be passed through a hole in the other arm, and to be clinched upon the under
surface thereof, all substantially as specified.
Eleventh. In a fastening device, as a means of bringing the material to which
the device is secured upon a level, or very nearly upon a level, with the upper
surface of the device through a hole or aperture therein, the projection upon the
under arm of the device and beneath the said hole or aperture all, substantially as,
and for the purposes, described.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Eleventh day of November in the year of Our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
W. ROBT. LAKE (L.S.)