IMPROVE- MENTS IN BELT OR STRAP FASTENERS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Greene at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th July 1883.
HENRY GREENE of Upper Thames Street in the City of London "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BELT OR STRAP FASTENERS,"
According to this invention I unite driving and other belts or straps without
overlapping by means of fasteners provided with pins, teeth points, or tongues,
which after insertion through the strap end are bent over and thus secure the
ends together I generally make the fastener of the width of the strap (or for very
wide straps I may use two or more fasteners) and in two parts which are hinged
together, the hinge coming at the butt end of the strap; and I prefer to make the
hinge pin, detachable so as to be able to undo the fastening by removing the pin.
To form the pins, teeth points or tongues, which may be with plain or jagged
sides, I may either stamp out threo cornered or other tongues or pieces in the
body of sheet steel or other suitable metal; or I may form the teeth along the two
opposite sides of the fastener, or I may fix pins or points in the required places by
casting them in; or I may cast the pins or points on; the pins inay start from the
same line, or be at varying distancos from the strap ends. For a double strap I
use a fastener with points on both sides, and insert the fastener between the two
straps at their butt ends the points being then passed through the material and
bent over.
Sometimes I make the fastener of doubled over sheet steel, having the points
or teeth of one part passing through holes formed in the other.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Greene in the Patent Office on the 26th January 1884.
HENRY GREENE of Upper Thames Street in the City of London "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BELT OR STRAP FASTENERS
33
According to this invention I unite driving and other belts or straps without
overlapping by means of fasteners which while so constructed as to unite firmly
with the strap ends, shall also possess sufficient flexibility at the place of junction
of the two straps or otherwise possess sufficient strength to resist the strain at that
place. In order to accomplish the first object I make the fasteners of wrought
iron or steel or other sufficiently tough and strong metal and provide them with
pins, teeth, points or tongues, which after insertion through the strap ends are
bent over and thus secure the ends firmly together. In order to accomplish the
second object 1 generally make the fastener of nearly the width of the strap (or
for very wide straps I may use two or more fasteners) and in two parts which are
hinged together the hinge coming at the butt ends of the strap and I prefer to
make the hinge pin detachable so as to be able to undo the fastening by removing
the pin. Or I inay especially for straps passing over pulleys of large diameter,
construct the fasteners without hinges but of such a form as to possess the needed
strength at the place of junction of the straps.
To form the pins, teeth points, or tongues (which may be with plain or jagged
sides) I may either stamp out three cornered or other tongues or pieces in the
body of the sheet iron or steel or other suitable metal or I may form the teeth
-along the two opposite sides of-the-fastener or I may fix pins or points in the
required places by inserting then through holes formed in the sheet iron or steel
which construction is particularly suitable when I make the fastener without a
hinge. The pins may start from the same line or be at varying distances from
the strap ends. For a double strap I use a fastener with points on both sides
and insert the fastener between the two straps at their butt ends, the points
being then passed through the material and bent over. Sometimes I make the
fastener of doubled over sheet steel or iron having the points or teeth of one part
passing through holes formed in the other.
In order that my improvements may be more fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will now describe them with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view and Figure 1ª sectional side elevation of one
form of fastener which is made of two pieces A of tough strong and flexible
material such as sheet wrought iron or steel. These pieces are joined by bingo
with split hinge pin B for secure and ready connection and disconnection. The
hinge comes between the two butt ends of the strap or belt. The fastener is
fastened to the latter by means of teeth or tongues A which are cut or stamped
out of the body of the sheet metal driven through the strap and then clenched as
shown in the inverted view Figure 1B the clenched portion of the teeth being
imbedded in the strap
Figure 2 shows another form of hinged fastener made of doubled over sheet
steel or iron and in which two of the teeth or tongues A¹ start froin the edge cut
out of the body of the sheet metal while the third tooth A2 passes through a holo
in the other thickness or part thus serving both to hold the two parts of sheet
metal together and when clenched to fix the fastener to the strap.
In Figure 3 the tongues A' start at equal distances from the edge and in Figure 4
at varying distances from the edge.
Figure 5 shows another form of fastener in which the teeth A' are passed

page_text: through slits cut in the body A of the fastener, thus formning strengthening ribs
across the same, while themselves forming strong teeth which after insertion aro
clenched as shown in Figures 5ª and 5º.
Figure 6 shows in plan another form in which the fastener is made of sheet
metal of a ribbed section such as shown at Figure 7 Before the tongues are
formed the plate is as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 6 by removing the
intermediate parts and pointing the romaining rib parts A' these latter form the
teeth which are then bent off at right angles as shown in the perspective view
Figure 8 and after insertion through the strap clenched.
Figure 9 is plan and Figure 94 cross section of a fastener as cut out from a
rib plate the tongues being formed between the ribs and then bent, inserted
and clenched. This form of fastener is easily adapted for insertion between the
two layers of a double strap.
Figure 10 is a perspective view and Figure 11 a sectional view of a hinged
fastener adapted for placing between the two layers of a double strap the teeth
being inserted through each and then clenched.
I am aware that it is not new to make hinged belt fasteners of malleable cast
iron having short pins which enter the strap but are not clenched but these hinge
fasteners though convenient for connecting and disconnecting are expensive and
not suitable for old straps or for straps of textile material. Nor is it new to
make fasteners of thin sheet metal with many small short teeth cut out of the
body of the material and entering the latter without being clenched, but these
fasteners are not strong being liable to break in the middle nor are they strongly
joined to the strap. Nor is it new to make belt fasteners of sheet metal with teeth
cut out along two opposite edges which teeth after insertion through the strap are
clenched; but such fasteners as heretofore made were also liable to break. It will
also be noticed that all the fasteners shown in the accompanying drawings have
their teeth so formed as to present a flat or rounded face in the direction of the
strain to which the strap is exposed thus avoiding the tearing action which takes
place in other strap fasteners where the points or teeth present an edge which
tends to cut through the material in the direction of the strain. My fasteners are
therefore specially suitable to belting mado of textile materials, and for all purposes
they form a strong and firm means for connecting strap ends.
Having now described the nature of tho said invention and in what manner the
sano is to be performed I declare that I claim
First: The hinged fasteners substantially as described with reference to
Figures 1, 14, 1B, 2, 3, 4, 10 and 11 made of sheet steel or other strong tough and
flexible material and provided with cut out or stamped out teeth which are inserted
through the strap and then clenched.
Second-The fasteners substantially as described with reference to Figures 5,
54, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and 9 formed or provided with strengthening ribs and
having teeth which are inserted in the straps and then clenched.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Greene have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Twenty fourth day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.
ARNAWA
HENRY GREENE.
MEENE. (L.S.)