IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR BRACELETS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hirst of Arlington Street in the County of
Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR BRACELETS,
LETTERS PATENT to James Hirst of Arlington Street in the County of
Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR BRACELETS,
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hirst at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd March 1883.
JAMES HIRST of Arlington Street in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN FASTENINGS FOR BRACELETS PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE
TO OTHER PURPOSES
"
•
This Invention relates more particularly to fastenings for bracelets and has for
its object to combine convenience and comfort with perfect security
My first improvement consists in mounting a coiled spring upon the pin which
connects the joint plates of a bracelet together in such a manner that the two ends
of the spring are left free and exercise pressure upon the under surface of such
joint plates
The operation of this part of my invention is as follows:-So long as the
bracelet is held open such coiled spring is compressed but immediately upon the
bracelet being released the spring expands and the free ends of the spring, owing
to the natural tendency of such spring to have a resiliency in the line of its own
axis, press against the under surfaces of the joint plates and so close the bracelet
Supposing therefore that the snap or other fastening to the bracelet should work
loose, either from wear or otherwise; it is absolutely impossible that the bracelet
should open sufficiently wide to allow of its falling off the arm and thereby becoming
damaged or lost
My second improvement relates to obviating the insecurity arising from the
liability of a bracelet snap to become loose and unsafe owing to the friction
'

page_text: This I effect by forming a shoulder or projection upon the tongue of the snap so
that supposing the snap has become so loose as to open of itself either through the
movement of the wearer's arm or otherwise the opposite edge of the bracelet is
caught by and lodges against such shoulder or projection and is there held securely
until the snap is depressed by the finger before it can be released and by this
means the bracelet is effectually prevented from working so loose as to be in danger
of falling off
I would here remark that this second improvement is also applicable to snaps
for necklets and girdles or belts and any other article whereto a snap may be
required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Hirst in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd September
1883.
JAMES HIRST of Arlington Street in the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FASTENINGS FOR BRACELETS PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE
TO OTHER PURPOSES
"
This Invention relates more particularly to fastenings for bracelets and has for
its object to combine convenience and comfort with perfect security
And in order that my said invention may be better understood and readily
carried into effect I will now, with the aid of the accompanying Drawings whereon
similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts proceed more particularly to
describe and ascertain the same
My first improvement consists in mounting a coiled spring a upon the joint pin b
which connects the joint plates c of a bracelet together in such a manner that the
two ends of the spring are left free and so exercise pressure upon the under surfaces
of such joint plates and so render the bracelet self closing
The operation of this part of my invention is as follows:-So long as the bracelet
is held open such coiled spring is compressed by the force employed to keep the
bracelet open but immediately such force is withdrawn the spring expands while
the two ends thereof owing to the natural tendency of the spring to have a
resiliency in the line of its own axis press against the under surfaces of the joint
plates and so automatically close the bracelet-Supposing therefore that the snap
or other fastening of the bracelet should work loose: either from wear or otherwise
it is absolutely impossible that the bracelet when fitted with such coiled spring
should open sufficiently wide to allow of its falling off the arm and thereby -
becoming damaged or lost. Fig 1 of the accompanying drawings is a view of a
portion of a bracelet shewing the coiled spring a mounted upon the joint pin. The
dotted lines indicate the two free ends of the spring which work against the under- •
surfaces of the joint plates as herein before described
My second improvement relates to obviating the insecurity arising from the
liability of a bracelet snap to become loose and unsafe owing to the friction
occasioned by frequent use. This I effect by means of an improved snap fastening
of which the following is a description-The tongue of the snap is slotted or
hollowed out so as to allow of the necessary play of the spring-The lower arm or
base d of such tongue is formed straight or nearly so but on the outer edge of the
upper arm e thereof I make two notches or recesses f-g, (which second notch or
recess I term "the safety ") while springing from the back of such upper arm is a
small vertical lever arm / terminating in a knob i or other suitable equivalent
whereby when the snap is fitted in the bracelet-such vertical lever arm can be
depressed so as to deflect the spring of the snap and unclose the bracelet
The operation of this part of my invention is as follows-Supposing that either
through the movement of the wearer or otherwise the catch of the bracelet has
escaped from the first notch or recess f as shewn in Fig 2 of the accompanying
drawings instead of sliding over the edge of the tongue as now frequently occurs
and so allowing the bracelet to fall off such catch intercepted in its backward
travel by the second notch or safety g wherein it lodges and from which it cannot
be released until the knob i on the lever arm h is depressed by the finger By
this means the bracelet is effectually prevented from working so loose as to be in
danger of falling off
.

page_text: Fig 3 of the accompanying drawings shews a detail view of such improved
safety snap fastening with the catch or socket into which it takes and Fig 4 shews
a complete view of a bracelet as it appears when fitted with my improvements
I would here observe that my improved safety snap is also applicable to
necklets, girdles, belts and other articles
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner of carrying the same into operation I would have it
understood that what I claim as novel and of my invention and desire to secure by
the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is
Firstly The fitting, a bracelet with a coiled spring mounted upon the joint.pin
so as to render the bracelet capable of closing, automatically substantially in the
manner hereinbefore described and illustrated
Secondly-The improved construction of safety snap consisting of a slotted
tongue having two notches or recesses formed in the upper edge thereof the
second of which notches or recesses forms a safety catch as herein before described
and provided with a lever arm and knob or other suitable equivalent substantially
in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated
In Witness whereof I the said James Hirst have hereunto set my hand and
seal this third day of September in the Year of Our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three
Witness
ELT & Co
Agents
33 Southampton Buildings
Holborn
London
JAMES HIRST (L.S.)