AN IMPROVED BELT HOOK OR FASTENER FOR PIECING DRIVING AND OTHER BELTS OR BANDS
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Randal Harris
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th March 1867.
I, WILLIAM RANDAL HARRIS, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED BELT HOOK OR FASTENER FOR PIECING DRIVING AND OTHER BELTS
OR BANDS," being a communication to me from abroad by Frederick Green-
leaf Wilson, of Lowell, Massachusetts, United States of America, to be hs
follows:-
This Invention consists of an improved hook or fastener for firmly joining
together the extremities of strips of leather or other material for forming
endless belts or bands. For this purpose I cast or form flat plates of metal,
each having in the inside two sets of teeth or projections in one, two, or more
rows, the width of the plate being sufficient for allowing the sets of teeth to
be beyond the ends of the strips, and the plates are afterwards curved to turn-
the teeth inwards.

page_text: For putting the fastener on the ends of the strips lay it on something
solid with the teeth upwards; then lay one end of the strip on one set of
teeth and force or hammer it firmly on them, the teeth making the holes for
their reception; now place the ends of the strips together for forming the
endless belt or band, and force or hammer the unfinished end on to the other
set of teeth, and thus the formation of the belt or band is completed, and as
the fastener takes hold of the belt in as many places as there are teeth it is
evident the belt will last much longer than with any fastener where the holes
are punched and cut out of the material. Care should be taken not to strike
over both sets of teeth at the same time, as that would destroy the curve by
flattening the plate, and as the curve is what gives the pitch to the teeth,
and also keeps the belt from working off the fastener when it goes over the
pulley, it is important to maintain the curve intact. I prefer that the plates
should not be wider than about three inches, and therefore for fastening
wide belts or bands two or more plates must be used placed end to end. To
take up a loose belt or band pull one end off its set of teeth and cut as much
off the band as required, and then drive it again on the teeth.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Randal Harris in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th September 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, WILLIAM
RANDAL HARRIS, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reigu, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Randal Harris, Her special license that I, the said William
Randal Harris, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Randal Harris, 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 BELT HOOK OR FASTENER FOR PIECING DRIVING AND OTHER BELTS
OR BANDS," being a communication to me from abroad by Frederick Greenleaf

page_text: Wilson, of Lowell, Massachusetts, United States of America, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Randa! Harris, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said William Randal Harris, 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 following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Figures on the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon (that is to
say):
This Invention consists of an improved hook or fastener for firmly joining
together the extremities of strips of leather or other material for forming
endless belts or bands. For this purpose I. cast or form flat plates of metal,
each having in the inside two sets of teeth or projections in one, two, or more
rows. The plate is made of sufficient width to allow the sets of teeth to be
beyond the ends of the strip, and the plates are afterwards curved to turn the
teeth inwards.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Fig. 1 is an end view, and Fig. 2
a bottom view of one of my improved hooks or fasteners in its flat or primary
condition; Figs. 3 and 4 are end and side views of the same after it has been
curved; and Figs. 5 and 6 are bottom and end views of a fastener adapted for
narrower belts.
For putting the fastener on the ends of the strip lay it on something solid
with the teeth upwards; then lay one end of the strip on one set of teeth and
force or hammer it firmly on them, the teeth making the holes for their
reception; now place the ends of the strip together for forming the endless belt
or band, and force or hammer the unfinished end on to the other set of teeth,
and thus the belt or band is completed, and as the fastener takes hold of the belt
in as many places as there are teeth it is evident that the belt will last
much longer than with any fastener where the holes are punched and cut out
the material. Care should be taken not to strike over both sets of teeth at
the same time as that would destroy the curve by flattening the plate, and
as the curve is what gives the pitch to the teeth, and also keeps the belt from
working off the fastener when it goes over the pulley, it is important to
maintain the curve intact.

page_text: The plates are made of any required width, but I prefer that they should
not be wider than about three inches, and therefore for fastening wide belts or
bands two or more plates must be used placed end to end. To take up a
loose belt or band, pull one end off its set of teeth and cut as much off the
band as required, and then drive it again on the teeth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Randal Harris, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM RANDAL HARRIS. (L.S.)