Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 10th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 17th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1888
I, CHARLES JAMES HATHAWAY, of 114 Lichfield Street, Walsall in the County of
Stafford, bridle cutter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object improved means whereby a strap may be readily
released from the tongue of a buckle so that it may be drawn through the frame
thereof to loosen it or remove it therefrom and the difficulty be thereby obviated
which is frequently experienced in unfastening a strap, more especially when it is
tightly strained.
According to this invention, the ordinary frame of the buckle is open for a sufficient
width at the front to allow of the outer end of the tongue being passed readily through
the opening from back to front of the frame and vice versa. A supplementary frame
is hinged to an extension on the outer end of the ordinary frame so as to be capable
of being opened out therefrom and closed thereagainst, and has a part thereof which
when the supplementary frame is closed in bridges across the open part at the front
of the ordinary frame and prevents the tongue from passing therethrough from front
to back, and has also an arm or arms which passes or pass along one or both sides of
the ordinary frame and form a lever capable of being lifted up or moved outwards
and by the aid of which the supplementary frame may be turned up on its hinge to
open it out. When the supplementary frame is closed in the buckle is used in the
ordinary way, the outer end of the tongue being pressed by the pull of the strap
upon the bridge of the supplementary frame; but when it is desired to release the strap
this may be effected by opening out the supplementary frame, by which means the outer
end of the tongue is slightly raised until the bridge of the supplementary frame passes
up out of contact therewith, whereupon the pull of the strap draws the outer end of
the tongue through the open part at the front of the ordinary frame and thus allows
the strap to pass from off the tongue and be readily drawn through the ordinary frame
of the halla

page_text: The extension on the outer end of the ordinary frame may be formed as a bar
standing out therefrom but connected by short extensions from the sides of the
ordinary frame, and preferably by distance pieces from the sides of the opening in
the front of the ordinary frame; and it is preferred that the extended part of the
ordinary frame be sunk or rebated down from the outer face of the buckle so that the
supplementary frame may not project when closed in; and it is preferred also to
rebate the outer edges of one or both sides of the ordinary frame to receive the arm
or arms, aforesaid, or a portion or portions thereof.
The invention is of course applicable, with such modifications as will be obvious, to
buckles which have two or more tongues.

page_text: I, CHARLES JAMES HATHAWAY, of 114 Lichfield Street, Walsall in the County or
Stafford, bridle cutter, 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 improved means whereby a strap may be readily
released from the tongue of a buckle, so that it may be drawn through the frame
thereof to loosen it or remove it therefrom, and the difficulty be thereby obviated
which is frequently experienced in unfastening a strap, more especially when it is
tightly strained.
;
A buckle constructed according to this invention is illustrated by the drawings
herewith, of which figure 1 is a plan shewing the parts in position due to the strap
being fastened, but with the outer end of the strap (that is the part which passes
through the buckle) omitted so as to clearly shew the buckle itself; figure 2 is a
plan of the buckle with the supplementary frame, hereinafter described, omitted
figure 3 is a detached view of the underside of the supplementary frame; figure 4 is
a. side elevation of figure 1; figure 5 is a side elevation of the buckle, with the
supplementary frame raised up as in unfastening the strap; and figure 6 is a plan
of figure 5. The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout
the views.
b
The ordinary frame. A (hereinafter termed for distinction the "main" frame) of the
buckle has an opening a at the front of sufficient width to allow of the outer end of
the tongue 6 being passed readily through the opening from back to front of the main
frame, and vice versa. A supplementary frame B having a transverse bar e and side
bars or arms d d preferably joined together towards their rear ends by a bar e is
hinged to parts ff at the front of the main frame so as to be capable of being opened
out therefrom, as shown by figures 5 and 6, and closed thereagainst, as shewn by
figures 1 and 4. When the supplementary frame is closed down against the main frame a
part g of the bar c of the supplementary frame bridges across the opening a in the
main frame and prevents the tongue b from passing therethrough from front to back.
The bars d d of the supplementary frame pass, when the supplementary frame is closed
down, along the sides of the main frame and form levers (or a double-sided lever) by
the aid of either or both of which the supplementary frame may be turned up on its
hinge to open it out from the inain frame A, and be afterwards turned back again.
The inner end C of the strap is fastened to a bar h of the main frame in the usual
manner.
When the supplementary frame is closed in, as shewn by figures 1 and 4, the buckle
is used in the manner of an ordinary buckle, the outer end of the tongue b being
pressed by the pull of the strap upon the bridge g of the supplementary frame, and
the supplementary frame is thus maintained in its closed-in position; but when it is
desired to release the strap, this may be effected by opening out the supplementary

page_text: frame, by means of one or both of the bars d d, and thus turning up the bridge g
with the effect of slightly raising the outer end of the tongue 6 and allowing the
bridge to pass up out of contact therewith, immediately upon which taking place the
pull of the strap draws the outer end of the tongue through the opening a and thus
allows the strap to pass from off the tongue and be readily drawn through the main
frame of the buckle.
The main frame A is formed, preferably, with an upward rim or fillet i ii along
its inner edge at the front and sides, with which the upper face of the supplementary
frame lies flush when closed down; and openings jj are formed in such rim for the
passage of the bar e. The sides of the main frame are hollowed in at k k to allow of
the finger being readily inserted below the bars d d in opening up the supplementary
frame. Loops 11 are formed on the underside of the supplementary frame by which
to hinge it to the main frame, and such loops are first formed as projecting tongues
and are hinged to the parts ff of the main frame by being bent therearound. It is
preferred to form a lug m as a projection at the front of the main frame to form a
stop to the supplementary frame when open and prevent its being opened out to an
inconvenient extent.
The outer end of the strap passes over the bar e and thus the strap is drawn up.
somewhat in raising the supplementary frame, and it is preferred in the case of large
buckles, especially those employed for heavy work, to surround the bar with a roller
so as to reduce the friction against the underside of the strap as the supplementary
frame is being raised.
One bar d only may be employed with the supplementary frame, but it is preferred
to form such frame with two bars.
The invention is of course applicable, with such modifications as will be obvious, to
buckles which have two or more tongues.
A recess n, of the usual character to receive the nose of the tongue, may be formed
in the outer face of the bridge g.
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 :-
1. In a buckle, the combination of a main frame having provision for the passage
of the outer end of the tongue from front to back through such frame and vice versa,
with a supplementary frame hinged at the front of the main frame and having a part
which comes into position, when the supplementary frame is closed in, to prevent the
passage of the outer end of the tongue from front to back through the main frame,
and a backwardly projecting part by which it may be opened out and closed in,
substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
2. A buckle consisting of a main frame A having an opening a formed therein, of
a supplementary frame B hinged to the main frame and having a bridge g and back-
ward arms d d preferably joined together by a bar e (or one only of such arms),
substantially as described and shewn, for the purpose set forth.
3. The improved buckle substantially as described and shewn, for the purpose set
forth.
101
1
1000