IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STRAPS OR BELTS FOR DRIVING MACHINERY, AND IN A NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF JOINT OR COUPLING FOR THE ENDS OF SUCH AND OTHER LIKE BELTS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wilby, of the City and County of Dublin,
in Ireland, Leather Belt Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STRAPS OR BELTS FOR DRIVING MACHINERY,
AND IN A NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF JOINT OR COUPLING FOR THE
ENDS OF SUCH AND OTHER LIKE BELTS."
Sealed the 25th June 1867, and dated the 29th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wilby at the.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th
December 1866.
I, WILLIAM WILBY, of the City and County of Dublin, in Ireland, Leather
Belt Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STRAPS OR BELTS FOR DRIVING.
MACHINERY, AND IN A NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF JOINT OR COUPLING
FOR THE ENDS OF SUCH AND OTHER LIKE BELTS," to be as follows, that is to-
say:
These improvements under the said Invention consist, firstly, in forming or
constructing straps or belts for driving machinery of strips of leather in two
thicknesses, firmly cemented together by "marine glue," gutta percha, or-

page_text: "india rubber solution," or other good adhesive cement or substance at
present used for the cementing or adhesion of leather and other substances,
and with or having by preference the harder inside surfaces of the leather
placed together, and the softer and smooth sides outwards. The contiguous
ends of the strips of leather forming the joints of the upper and lower layers
or thicknesses are scarfed and cemented over each other, and having each
joint of the lower layer "breaking bond" with each joint of the upper layer,
that is, having the joints of the one layer as near the central part of the
other layer as possible, both layers being further secured to each other by a
longitudinal row of wooden pegs or pins firmly driven through them near each
edge of the belt with one or two rows also driven through them across near
the two ends of each joint, to prevent the ends of the scarf from becoming
loose. Two or more wires of copper, iron, or steel are placed or cemented
between the two layers of leather, so as to impart much additional tentional
strength to the straps or belts when so constructed, or otherwise, instead of
the simple round wires, one or more strips or lengths of very thin rolled flat
copper, iron, or steel (or in some cases of wire cloth) may be used and cemented
between the layers of leather forming the belt, for the like purpose of giving
much additional tensional strength to the belts so constructed. In completing
an endless strap or belt in this improved manner the two free ends are by
one arrangement simply scarfed and overlapped for a considerable distance
and cemented and fixed by driving a few longitudinal and transverse rows of
wooden pegs through them, or otherwise the ends of the scarf may be fixed
in any of the usual manners heretofore in use for the purpose by being laced,
sewed, or buckled, and when fixed in any of these ways the ends of the long
wires are twisted together, or they are twisted or otherwise attached to the
buckles or their screws or other fastenings so as to complete the circuit and
tentional power of the wire throughout the belt; or when the thin strips or
bands of metal are used, instead of the wire, their ends are overlapped
along with and between the thickness of leather forming the ends of the
scarfs with or having the usual copper or iron rivets with large beads passed
through them and the leather, and riveted over washers on the outside of the
belt in the usual manner, or instead of rivets the screw pins with large heads
and nuts sometimes used for jointing the ends of driving straps may be
used and passed through the holes in the end of the leather and long thin
straps, but when the wires are used their ends are twisted round the stems
of the screws before finally screwing them up tight.
Another improvement under this Invention consists of a new mode of
attaching or jointing the two free ends of these improved belts or any of

page_text: the usual forms or constructions of leather driving belts or straps together,
so as to form them into looped or endless belts, by abutting the two ends
together, or when the belts are made in two layers, in some cases by abutting
the two ends of each layer together with a scarf or overlap, by preference of a
length equal to nearly twice the width of the belt between the abutting joints,
and connecting these ends in either case at the abutting ends by one or two
short strips of thin broad steel, in the form of a tempered spring or springs
inserted into recesses formed or cut in the centre of the thickness of the
leather at the ends or between the layers (according as the belt is formed of
one or two thicknesses) by a long sharp pointed knife or piercer for the
purpose, two or more holes being pierced in each end of the thin spring
joint pieces, and each end of the abutting or overlapping ends of the belt
through which heles, rivets, or screw pins are inserted, and round which pins
the ends of the tentional strengthening wires are looped and. twisted or
otherwise secured before being riveted or firmly screwed up respectively
according as rivets or screw pins are employed. And when thin. metal strips
are used instead of the wires they can be overlapped with each other or with
the short spring pieces and the same screw pins passed through both, or
separate pins may be used for each as desired to complete the joint. Instead
of attaching the two ends of the hoops or bands made of wire or other flat
metal to each other or the pins or blades of steel forming the main joint of
the straps or belts as herein-before described, they may be attached to the
two ends of the leather straps by interlacing them through the leather either
with or without the addition of rivets at the lacings, or they may be attached
thereto by rivets only when flat hoops of metal are used, the rivets passing
through both the hoops and the leather, and the new or improved joint formed
with the spring pieces as herein-before described without reference to the
mode of fixing the metal hoops at the joints.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,. filed
by the said William Wilby, in the Great Seal Patent Office on. the
28th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WILBY, of the City and County of Dublin, in Ireland, Leather Belt
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent; bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of December, in the year of our

page_text: Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Wilby, Her special licence that I, the said William Wilby,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Wilby, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF STRAPS OR BELTS FOR DRIVING MACHINERY, AND IN
NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF JOINT OR COUPLING FOR THE ENDS OF SUCH
AND OTHER LIKE BELTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Wilby, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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.
A
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Wilby, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the saine is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings and to the several illustrative figures, letters, and numerals marked
thereon; the same reference letters and numerals indicating the same or
corresponding parts in all the Figures, and which I have hereunto appended
for the purpose of showing the best modifications and means I am at
present aware of for practically performing or putting my said Invention
into practice, that is to say :-
The improvements contained in or constituting my said Invention consists
under one modification, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, in the sectional edge
view, transverse section, and plan respectively of a part of a driving strap or
belt.
In forming or constructing straps or belts A for driving machinery of strips
of leather in two thicknesses, a and a', firmly cemented together by "marine
glue," gutta percha, or "india-rubber solution," or other good adhesive
cement or substance at present used for the cementing or adhesion of leather
and other substances, and with, or having by preference, the harder inside
surfaces of the hide or leather placed together, and the softer and outside
su.ooth skin or sides left to form the outsides of the belts. The contiguous

page_text: ends of the strips a and a¹ of leather forming the joints of the upper and lower
layer of the straps, A, and scarfed and cemented over each other, and have all
the joints a of the lower layers a "breaking bond" with those a² of the
upper layer a, that is, having each scarfed joint a of the one layer a placed
as near the centre as possible between the joints a¹ of the other layer a¹ ;
both the layers a and a¹ being further secured together by the longitudinal
row of wood, pegs or pins 6 firmly driven through them near each edge of the
belt A with one or two rows b' also driven through them across near the two
ends of the joints to prevent the ends of the scarfs from becoming loose. Two
round wires of steel or fine strong hard-drawn iron wire c, or, if preferred, of
copper or other strong metal, are placed or cemented between the two thick-
nesses a and a¹ of the leather belt A so as to impart much additional tensional
strength to the straps or belts so constructed over those heretofore made with
a similar amount and quality of leather, together with the advantages of being
lighter and cheaper than leather belts of equal mechanical strength or trans-
mitting power made in any of the usual manners.
Figures 4 and 5 are a sectional edge view and horizontal face view, both
partially in section respectively, of a driving belt constructed in essentially the
same manner as that described in reference to Figures 1 to 3, except that I
use or put a broad strip of wire cloth c between the layers a and a¹ of the.
belt A, instead of the simple wires c, either cemented or pinned, or both if
desired, and for the same purposes as described in reference to the said Figures
and first modification.
Figures 6 to 13 show various modifications of the application and use of
long thin flat rolled strips or bands of steel or hard tough iron all in accordance
with my said Invention, in lieu of the wires and wire cloth described in
reference to Figures 1 to 5, and which modifications of flat metal bands I
consider better than the wires. Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a sectional
edge view and horizontal face view of a modification of driving belt with one
such thin band of steel C passing right round as a hoop between the two
layers a and a' of leather jointed, cemented, and pinned essentially as described
in reference to Figures 1 to 3, but having in addition broad-headed rivets d
inserted from the inside surface of the leather at intervals, and passing through
the two thicknesses of the leather and the band of steel between them to the
outside, where they are rivetted over metal washers so as to unite the whole
layers of leather and steel into a combined and very strong, tensionally,
driving belt.
Figures 8 and 9 show a sectional edge view and horizontal face view
respectively of a modification of driving belt, essentially the same as described:

page_text: and shown in reference to Figures 6 and 7, except that two flat steel bands
or hoops C are placed between the two layers a and a² of the leather instead
of one band as described in reference to the datter Figures.
Figures 10 and 11 are an edge view and horizontal face view respectively
of a slightly modified form of the arrangement or construction of driving belts
described in reference to Figures 6 to 9, in which only one layer of leather a
is used, scarfed and cemented as herein-before described in reference to
Figures 1, 2, and 3, but either with or without the lateral rows of wood-pegs,
so as to "run" next the belt pulleys and give the necessary frictioned adhesion,
while one long thin flat band of steel or hard tough rolled iron C is rivetted
at intervals on the outside surface of the duplex belt or strap C, a, so formed,
and particularly at the searfs with an extra number of flat-headed rivets and
washers outside according to the width of the belt being made, but so as to
give the extra or complete tensional and binding strength through the whole
eircuit of the driving belt or band.
Figures 12 and 13 show a sectional edge view and face view respectively
of an arrangement or construction of driving belt essentially the same
in all respects as that shown and described in reference to Figures 10 and 11,
except that two steel or iron flat bands C are shown attached towards the
outer edges of the outer surface of the leather strap a in this case instead of
one in the centre.
Although I have only thought it necessary to show and describe one and
two wires and flat bands of steel or iron as applied in these several modi-
fications of my said Invention, yet still when the driving belts are required
to be broader and stronger than those shown, and also when they are required
to work in damp or other places where the iron or steel bands would be
liable to corrosion I also make them with three or four metal bands, and the
bands of wire, wire cloth, and broad flat strip or strips may when desired be
made of copper, brass, or other strong and suitable less corrosive, simple, or
compound metal; or otherwise the iron or steel bands when used in such
circumstances may be electro-plated or coated with zinc, tin, or other metal
or substance, varnish, or solution usually employed for preventing the corrosion
of metal.
In completing an endless driving belt or band out of a length of any of
these various modifications of the new or improved strap A constructed as
herein described in accordance with my said Invention the two ends of the
straps of a sufficient length to form the required belt are jointed or coupled
together in any of the several following manners suitable for or to the particular
modification, form, or construction of strap to be coupled or completed, that is

page_text: to say:-Referring to the construction of straps shown in Figures 1, 2, and
3, the two ends of the strap A are by one arrangement coupled to form a
complete driving belt, as shown in Figures 1A and SA in sectional edge
view and face view respectively, and corresponding to Figures 1 and 3 by a
long plain scarf joint shown at a having the two inner faces of the scarf
firmly cemented and pinned as described in relation to the other scarfs a³, a";
(Figures 1, 2, and 3); or otherwise the two ends of the upper layer and the
two ends of the under layer may be scarfed together separately, the scarf
joint of each layer being made to "break bond" the one with the other, as
shown at a in the sectional edge view Figure 1B. In either of these cases
of forming the joint the two ends of each wire care first, before cementing
the scarfs, well twisted together and imbedded in the centre of the joint or
scarf, as shown at c, so as to complete the circuit and tensional strength of
each wire as a hoop or band throughout the driving belt. When the
joints a³ or a are desired to be easily unfastened and refastened the ends of
the scarf, instead of being cemented and pinned, may be coupled in any of the
usual manners heretofore in use for the like purpose by longitudinal or
transverse rows of thong lacing, sewing, or by metal buckles or cross clasp
plates with small screw pins, and when so coupled the two ends of each wire
are twisted together, as shown at c, or the two adjacent ends of both wires
may be twisted together or interlaced and firmly attached to each end of the
strap at the joint or scarf, or to the metal part of the buckle, or to the screw
pins of the clasps by tyeing or twisting them to or round the pins so as to
complete the tensional strength and circuit of the wires and straps at the
same time through either of these simple joints and the mere act of coupling
them.
Referring to the construction of belts described in reference to Figures 6
and 7, the circuit of the belt or strap A is completed by coupling its two free
ends A', as shown closed and completed in Figures 6 and 7A in both sectional
edge and side views corresponding to Figures 6 and 7, by inserting the two
projecting ends C¹ of the thin metal bands C within the joints of the two
layers or thicknesses a and a¹ of the leather so as to overlap each other until
the two "square cut" ends A¹ of the leather part a and a of the strap A abut
against each other, and so that the two holes d¹ formed in each end C³ of the
metal band C will coincide with the two holes passed through each opposite
end respectively of the compound part of the band within the ends A¹ of the
leather to allow of the two flat headed copper or other metal rivets d to be
inserted from the inside right through the double thickness of leather and
metal straps a, a, and C, and be rivetted over washers on the outside.

page_text: Screw pins d with nuts on the outside may also be used instead of the rivets
and washers, and in some cases short flat elastic "clips" or plates D' may be
placed over the points of the rivets d or screw pins d on the outside in addition
to the washers d², as shown in the sectional, edge and side views 6 and 7B
representing the joint of the driving belt A as closed and completed in this
manner corresponding to the modifications shown at Figures 6 and 7
respectively. When these metal straps C are required to be broad, whether
in the case of one or two straps being employed in the width, as shown in
Figures 7 and 9 respectively, one or two rows of holes may be pierced in
them for the rivets or screw pins d or d" when desired, either fixed over
washers or clips D' on the outside, as just described in reference to
Figures 6, 7B. Figures 6, 7B, also represent the edge and broad face view
of a joint formed by the two free ends of the belt A analogous to that shown
and described in reference to Figures 6 and 7A, except that the abutting ends
or joints of the two thicknesses a and a¹ of leather are made to "break bond"
instead of simply abutting and both forming one cross joint at the same
position.
Figures 8 and 9 A represent a driving belt A of the same construction as
that shown and described in reference to Figures 8 and 9, with two metal
straps C shown with the two free ends A¹ as coupled with three rows of holes
and screw pins screwed over clip plates D', on the outside in addition to the
overlapping of the ends C of the straps between the joints of the two
thicknesses of leather a and a', which in this case are made to overlap also
as described in reference to Figures 6, 7 B, and "break bond" instead of
abutting, as is the case in the square ends A', in Figures 7 and 9, when
put together and coupled as shown in Figures 6, 7 A. The closing joints of
the free ends A¹ of the modifications of straps shown and described in
reference to Figures 10, 11, 12, and 13, 14, are formed as indicated in an
open position in Figure 10, and in a closed position in the other Figures by
scarfing the two ends A¹ of the leather, and overlapping them and the ends C',
of the metal bands C either with the leather placed so as to separate the
overlapping ends of the metal bands C, as shown in Figure 11, or with the
overlapped ends of the metal bands and leather straps laying close together
as shown in Figure 13, and then fixing the whole four thicknesses by flat
headed screw pins ", or rivets d with washers on the outside (Figures 11, 12,
and 13, 14, respectively) or by longitudinal or transverse thin broad metal
plates D (instead of the washers d²) either on the inside or outside of the
belt, as indicated by dotted lines in Figures 12 and 14, respectively, and
when desired the scarfed ends of the leather strap a may be cemented, in

page_text: .
addition to the said fixing at the joint when laid next each other as shown in
Figure 13.
Figures 15 to 22 are edge and side views of various modifications of my
new or improved form of joint or coupling constructed in accordance
with my said Invention, for attaching the two free ends of straps or belts, so
as to form them into loose or complete driving belts, applicable either to
belts as heretofore constructed of leather, gutta percha, and of compounds of
india-rubber and canvass or cloth, or for belts constructed in accordance with
the first part of this my said Invention, in which the tensional strength of the
belts is completed throughout by the simple act of coupling any of the simple
couplings herein shown and described in reference to Figures 1 to 5.
Referring to Figures 15 and 16, which represent an edge and side view of
an ordinary single ply leather strap A, showing or having one modification of
my said coupling applied to its two free ends A¹, shown open and unattached
all ready for being jointed or put together as shown coupled and completely
attached as ready for use in Figure 17. The two ends A¹ are joined by
either one or two short strips of thin broad elastic steel or hard rolled tough
iron E, (Figures 16 or 19) inserted when the belt is formed in one thickness a,
as in Figures 15 to 17, into recesses cut into the free ends of the straps, by
the insertion of the two edged hand knife or broad pointed piercer, such as
shown at F, in side and edge views Figures 23 and 24; otherwise, when the
strap or belt is formed in two thicknesses a and a', as shown in Figures 18
to 22, attached to each other in any of the usual manners by lacing, sewing,
rivetting, or pegging heretofore adopted, the elastic coupling pieces or strips E
are inserted into the joint between the two thicknesses a and a', and in either
case they are fixed to the two thicknesses of leather on each side of them
within both ends A¹, of the belt by one or more rows of flat headed rivets or
screw pins and nuts, rivetted or fixed over washers, or flat, longitudinal, or
transverse thin metal plates, as described in reference to Figures 6, 7 B,
or 12 and 14. The two ends A¹ of the leather being simply abutted against
each other, in these Figures 15 to 20, formed of the single or double thickness
of leather.
Figures 21 and 22 are an edge view, and a face or side view respectively
of a joint or coupling of a slightly modified form from those shown and
described in reference to Figures 15 to 20, in which the joints formed by the
abutting ends a of each layer of leather a and a', are made to "break bond"
and have the extra thin metal strip, clip, or link D¹ outside, instead of the
washers d, and which extra link or links may be applied to the modifications
of the joint described and shown in reference to Figures 15 to 20, and

page_text: instead of the joints formed by the ends A¹ and a³ of the belts in these
several Figures 15 to 22 simply abutting they may be scarfed and over-
lapped when desired, and when applied to straps with tensional strength-
ening wires, as shown in Figures I to 3, the ends of the wires may be looped,
twisted, or otherwise tied or secured to the rivets or screw pins d, du, before
the joint is firmly rivetted or screwed up respectively according as rivets or
screw pins are used for fixing or securing the joint. Although the metal straps
or bands C have been described as being made in one length for each belt, yet
still when thought necessary (from their great length or other cause) they
may be made in two or more lengths, and coupled or jointed by overlapping
and rivetting them together at their ends so as to make a sufficient length to
make the complete driving belt required.
By these improvements in the construction of driving belts with metal
strips or bands an important saving would result in the use of a very much
lighter and cheaper class of leather, gutta percha, india-rubber compound, and
other materials usually employed in the manufacture of driving belts.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise
details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe, delineate,
and refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without departing
from the main or essential features of my said Invention, neither do I claim the
forms or forming of many of the parts, especially by themselves, which I have
had occasion to describe or refer to for the purpose of making my Invention
understood, as many of these have heretofore been used in other constructions
and arrangements of the parts of driving belts, except in combination with
and forming part of the essential features of my said Invention; but what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, the general form and construction of straps or belts for driving
machinery, and also the new or improved form and construction of joint or
coupling for securing the ends of such and other like straps or belts, all
substantially in the new or improved manner herein described, and shown in
the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Second, the construction of straps or belts for driving machinery by the
use of bands of leather in layers, combined with bands of wire, wire cloth,
or with thin flat strips or bands of metal, all in the substantially new or
improved manner berein described and shown in the accompanying Drawings,
or any mere modification thereof.

page_text: Third, the form or construction of joint or coupling for connecting or
coupling the ends of such and other like straps or belts, all substantially in
the new or improved manner herein described and shown in the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wilby, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
W. R. M. THOMPSON,
Patent Agent,
20, Buchanan Street,
Glasgow.
WILLIAM WILBY. (L.S.)