IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SWIVELS, HOOKS, AND RINGS FOR ATTACHING AND SE- CURING WATCHES, CHAINS, OR JEWELLERY, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO KEY-RINGS, EARRINGS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Josiah Lees, of Birmingham, in the County of War-
wick, Gold Chain Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF SWIVELS, HOOKS, AND RINGS FOR ATTACHING AND SE-
CURING WATCHES, CHAINS, OR JEWELLERY, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO KEY-RINGS, EARRINGS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Josiah Lees at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
May 1860.
I, JOSIAH LEES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gold Chain
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SWIVELS, HOOKS AND RINGS FOR ATTACHING AND
SECURING WATCHES, CHAINS, OR JEWELLERY, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO KEY-RINGS, EARRINGS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in making swivels and rings with a lock or bolt
fastening actuated by a coiled wire or other suitable spring. The swivel or
ring is formed of tubular metal, the circuit of the bow part not being complete,
and to fill up this void a small solid bolt is provided with a spring at its back,
driving the bolt into the opposite part of the bow or ring; a knib or stud upon
the heel of the bolt works in a slot above the spring, and furnishes the means
of opening the swivel or ring. When used as earrings the end of the bow or
[Price 8d.]

page_text: ring must be provided with plates or pads to ease the pressure. A modification
of the above may be formed by working the small bolt by means of a slot and
bayonet catch or by a screw, or the end of the bolt upon which the spring
presses may be attached to a rod or slender wire passing through the centre of
the spring upwards through the neck of the swivel and into the loop, where it
is secured by being riveted over. A collar on the inside of the tube, through
which collar the rod or slender wire passes, provides for the proper retention
of the spring in an upward direction. This arrangement dispenses with the
slot and knib for working the bolt, the bolt being worked as a piston by
means of the rivet head on the top of the rod.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Josiah Lees in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th November 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSIAH
LEES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gold Chain Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Josiah Lees, Her special license that I, the said Josiah Lecs,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Josiah Lees, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SWIVELS, HOOKS, AND RINGS FOR ATTACHING
AND SECURING WATCHES. CHAINS, OR JEWELLERY, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE APPLICABLE TO KEY-BINGS, EARRINGS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Josiah Lees, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describo and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same
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 YB, that I, the said Josiah Lees, do hereby declaro
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in making swivels and rings with a lock or bolt
fastening, actuated by a coiled wire or other suitable spring. The swivel or ring
is formed of tubular metal, the circuit of the bow part not being complete,
and to fill up this void a small solid bolt is provided with a spring at its back,
driving the bolt into the opposite part of the bow or ring. A knib or stud
upon the heel of the bolt works in a slot above the spring, and furnishes the
means of opening the swivel or ring. When used as earrings the end of the
bow or ring must be provided with plates or pads to case the pressure. A
modification of the above may be formed by working the small bolt by means of
a slot and bayonet catch or by a screw, or the end of the bolt upon which
the spring presses may be attached to a rod or slender wire passing through
the centre of the spring upwards through the neck of the swivel and into the
loop, where it is secured by being riveted over. A collar on the inside of the
tube, through which collar the rod or slender wire passes, provides for the
proper retention of the spring in an upward direction. This arrangement
dispenses with the slot and knib for working the bolt, the bolt being worked as
a piston by means of the rivet head on the top of the rod.
The Invention, with its several modifications, will be better understood by
reference to the accompanying Drawings, which for the purpose of more
clearly exhibiting the details I have made to an uniform scale of twice the
natural size.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 & 2 represent views of a simple swivel or hook, in form such as
commonly used for connecting a chain to the loop of a watch; this swivel is
formed of tubular metal, an opening being left or made in the bow at the part
marked (a). The bolt (b) kept to its work by a small coiled spring (c) at its
back closes the opening (a), and completes the circuit of the bow. The nib
or stud (a) secured to the bolt (b), and working through the slot (E), is for the
purpose of withdrawing the bolt by compression of the spring into the upper
part of the swivel for the purpose of attaching the watch, this done and the
spring released, the bolt snaps home into the hollow end () of the bow of the
swivel, and secures the watch from any chance of accidentally working itself
off the swivel; a butt or collar is provided above the upper end of the spring

page_text: to act as a stop to the spring in an upward direction. Figure 3 represents
the same form of swivel, the bolt being worked without a spring. and secured,
when down, by the nib or stud (d) being slightly turned round to engage in
the cross slot (g) after the manner of a bayonet lock. Figures 4 and 5
represent a ring such as may be commonly used for all the purposes of a split
ring. It is used in the same manner as the swivel, Figures 1 & 2, having a
similar bolt and spring. Figures 4 and 5 shew the same form of ring, but
in which the nib, instead of being fixed upon the heel of the bolt, and working
in a slot in the ring, is attached to the front of the bolt, and snaps home into
a slot on the end of the ring. Either of the forms of ring shewn may be used
as a key ring.
Figure 6 shews the application to a ring of the bayonet lock fastening
already described. Figures 7 and 8 represent a swivel working upon the
same plan as Figures 1 and 2. but with a watch key attached to the bow of
the swivel and Fig. 9 shews the same article furnished with the bayonet
lock fastening. Figures 10 & 11 represent the key at the opposite end of
the swivel, the loop being double jointed to allow of its being turned down out
of the way when the key is used; and Figure 12, the same form of swivel
with the bayonet fastening.
I would remark that Figures 7 to 12 inclusive are given merely as
representing some of the various forms of swivel or hook to which my
Invention may be applied. and not as involving any novelty in their form or
in the arrangement of the key or any of these parts other than as regards
their fastening.
.
Figures 13 & 14 show an earring with a connecting ring of the description
exhibited at Figures 4 & 5, but as the end of the bolt and the meeting end
of the ring would be too harsh to be borne by the car, the ends of each of those
parts is softened or rounded off into pad or cushion. and these by the action
of the spring pressing the lobe of the ear, have sufficient power to sustain the
weight of the suspended jewel, avoiding the necessity of piercing the ears.
Figures 15 & 16 represent a swivel, the bow of which is completed by a
tubular bolt tapped with a female screw and working over a male screw upon
the upper part of the swivel, which mode of closing the opening may also be
used to the ring as well as to the swivel by making a small portion of the ring
and the part used for the bolt straight instead of on the curve, to allow of the
action of the screw.
Figures 17 and 18 shew also a swivel in which the bolt (a) is attached to a
rod or pin of slender wire which passes through the coiled spring and through a
collar or stop which retains the spring in its position at (b) upwards through the

page_text: joint of the loop and the rivet head (c), and terminates in a second rivet head
() within the loop. In this form of swivel the bolt is withdrawn by the
insertion of the thumb nail between the two rivet heads (c and d).
Figures 19 and 20 represent another form of swivel in which the bolt (a)
recedes into a small tube within the case or shield (b). The tube into which
the bolt recedes is fitted with a collar, seen enlarged at (*), the nib upon which
collar fitting the groove upon the bolt prevents any lateral motion of the bolt.
In this form of swivel the stud is upon the front instead of the heel of the bolt,
as in the ring, Figures 4" and 5".
Ilaving thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to these precise details herein set forth, but that which I claim
and desire to have secured to me by the herein-before in part fecited Letters
Patent is, the several improvements in the manufacture of swivels, hooks, and
rings for attaching and securing watches, chains. or jewellery, and also in
earrings, key-rings. and other similar articles, substantially as herein more
fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I. the said Josiah Lees, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
JOSIAH LEES.
(L.S.)