Improvements in Brace and like Buckles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 21st Oct., 1891-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brace and like Buckles.
I, PATRICK ALPHONSUS MARTIN of the firm of Martin and Martins of Great
Charles Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates in the first part, to improvements in the construction of
buckles. In the second part, to yielding connections of the same. In the third
part, to the employment of clips or returned ears, in substitution for bars, for the
keeping of the web or length ends in their places.
In carrying out the first part of my invention, 1 make the buckle frame, or the
upper part of it, hollow, and of a circular, or of an elliptical figure, and with the
opposite parts of the frame below the diameter, pierced or laid open, and where-
through the middle of a continuous tab cord, whose terminals are formed into tab
ends, pass.
Thus the middle part of a tab cord of a pair of tab end, passes around as it were
the upper portion of the frame, in the same manner as a cord would pass over a
pulley, and allows the said cord to run or pull see-saw fashion, as the position of a
person wearing the brace, changes.
The passing of the cord over or through the frame, is perfectly smooth in its
action, whilst the said cord within the buckle, is concealed from view, although if
necessary the said frame may be made open, alike unto a sheave pulley.
Or the running cord instead of passing through holes in the two opposite sides of
the hollow frame of the buckle, the same may pass through eyes at the entrances
to the open top.
Although the cord may have tabs or loops at its ends, yet the said cord may if
necessary be a suspending cord, connected to other accessory parts in connection
with tabs or loops.
The buckle frame has a prong bar crossing it in the direction of a diameter; and
with the tongues or prongs resting upon the outside of the frame, as is usual.
If a rectangular-shaped frame is employed, then a part of it, or the upper part
of it, is provided with a semi-circular shaped tube or hollow part, wherethrough the
running cord passes.
Instead of the buckle frame being entirely enclosed, the same may be made open,
or in the form of a half-hoop, or three quarter hollow ring, through the interior of
which, the running cord passes.
The buckle frame may be made as it were in the form of a double pulley, with
the upper and lower parts of it in dissimilar planes, and wherethrough running
cords of the tabs and connections of the brace pass, so that the connection cords of
the brace or suspender, have a free and easy movement on the change of posture of
a person.
'
Instead of the tabs being carried by the runner cord, they may be attached to
the buckle, and the runner cord connected to the brace.
In carrying out the second part of another form of my invention, the running
cord passes through holes or eyes of a lever or other buckle, and with the middle
part of it, above the said holes or eyes, encircled by a coiled spring, which yields
in obedience to the pressure put upon the cords, or the tab ends, as the case
may be.
Thus the buckle frame, which is preferably of the lever type, and is connected to
the web of a brace or suspender, has its extreme opposite ends, formed into eyes
and bearing ends, upon which the ends of a coiled spring in the form of a half-hoop,
or three-quarter circle, comes, and through which, the middle of. the running cord

page_text: of the tab ends, is threaded and passes, after taking through the eyes; so that the
cord is capable of running through the spring, and at the same time, yielding by
the compression of the spring in obedience to pressure or force exerted.
This arrangement may be employed as a connection for the brace length or weh,
as well as for the running cord of the tabs or loops.
In carrying out the third part of my invention, I substitute for a complete cross
bar, returned tongue shaped pieces, in the form of loops or inwardly directed hooks,
which are directed from opposite sides of the buckle frame, and are disposed
crosswise thereto, so that instead of the end, or loose end of the webbing being
lengthwise passed under a complete bar, the same can be tucked or passed laterally
under the clips or semi-bars, arranged as aforesaid.
The terminals of these semi-bars or tongue extensions, are preferably ball or
hemispherical ended.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1891.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brace and like Buckles.
I, PATRICK ALPHONSUS MARTIN, of the firm of Martin and Martins of Great
Charles Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer, 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 relates in the first part, to improvements in the construction of
brace or suspender buckles or connections. In the second part, to yielding con-
nections of the same. In the third part, to the employment of semi bars or
inwardly returned projecting parts, with a gap between them, in substitution for
complete bars for the keeping of the web or length ends of the braces in position.
In carrying out the first part of my invention, the buckle frame, or the upper
part of it, is made hollow or tubular and of a circular, or of an elliptical figure,
wherethrough the running cord, of the tabs pass, and work.
Thus the middle part of a running tab cord, passes and works through a curved
and hollow portion of the frame, alike in manner to a cord working over a pulley,
in a to and fro fashion as the posture of the wearer changes.
Or the running cord instead of passing through the open ends of the two opposite
sides of the hollow frame of the buckle, the same may pass around an open frame,
and through eyes at the ends of it.
.In another form of my invention, the running cord passes through holes or eyes
made within a bar of a lever, or other buckle, and with the middle part of the said
running cord, passing through the convolutions of a coiled spring, curved in the
figure of a bow or horse shoe, and arranged, that the pressure of the said cord,
compresses the same, hence a yielding connection.
In the third part of my invention, semi bars, or inwardly directed arms, with
intervening gaps between the adjacent ends of them, in lieu of complete cross bars,
crossing from end to end, of the lower part of the frame, thus admitting of the loose
ends of the brace being tucked in by a side action.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents a brace or suspender buckle
or fitting, provided with improvements made according to my said invention.
The upper part of the same, has a tubular half-hoop runner guide, open at its
ends, and constituting the buckle frame, and through which tubular guide, which
bridges, as it were, the prong bar, the middle part of the running. tab cord, passes,
and moves in a see-saw manner, on the change of posture of the wearer.
Figure 2 is a part, vertical section, and part elevation of the said Figure 1,

page_text: without the webbing, and with the prongs, broken off, in order to admit of the
hollow of the guide being shown in section.
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of Figure 2, in order to more clearly show the joint
connections of the prong bar, and part constituting the lower bar, with the hollow
frame.
Figure 4 is an end elevation of the enlarged view Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section on the dotted lines A B Figure 3.
of
In Figures 1 to 5, a is a hollow half-hoop shaped frame, with open and slightly
mouthed ends and entrances a², and constituting a guide for the middle part b³,
the running cord b, which is terminated by tab ends 6.
c is a curved prong bar, jointedly connected to the hollow frame and running
cord guide a, by pivots c², directed at the outside ends of the said bar, and-taking
and working within bearings a³, formed at the inside lower terminal parts of the
said frame.
The prong bar c, carries prongs c³, which, when in use, rest upon the hollow
frame a, as a bar, while the terminal lower ends, terminate in inwardly directed
arms d, which approach to within a short distance of each other, forming as it were,
a gap bar, through the gap of which, the end of the, brace or webbing is laterally
passed, in placing the same in position after adjustment.
I
Thus, the prong bar and the gapped bar, are made, as it were, a supplementary.
framing of the buckle, and within the enclosure comprehended by them, the edge
of the end of a brace is passed in a lateral manner, through the gap, instead of
passing the extreme end over a continuous bar, as in the ordinary way.
Figure 6 represents a modified form of the said buckle or fitting, but instead of
the guide being closed, the same is partially opened, and with the running.tab
cord, running within a hollow troughed shaped frame, with eyes or mouth entrances,
and with a middle eye at its crown.
a is a trough and semi-circular shaped frame, having eyes or mouth entrances a³,
and crown eye a³, and through which parts a², a³, and along and over the open
trough a, the part, of the running tab cord b, passes, in a to and fro manner, as
aforesaid: c is a prong bar, with pivots &², prongs ³, and brace end semi-bars d;
with a gap 2, between them.
:
Figure 7 represents another form of my invention, in which the runner guide
constitutes the upper part of a fixed frame, with an independent prong bar, directed
horizontally across its middle.
a is the runner guide, with open and mouth ends a², carried by a rigid and
complete frame a', which is horizontally crossed by, and has jointed to.it, a prong
bar c, c, c
Figure 8 represents another form of my invention, with the semi-bars, having a
greater space between them, than in Figure 1, and carried by the frame or tubular
guide part, instead of by the prong bar.
Figure 9 represents a further form of the semi-bars, applied to an ordinary buckle
frame.
a is a buckle frame, c is a prong bar, and d are inwardly directed projection arms,
clips, tongues or the like, which constitute loops, and whereunder the opposite edges
of the end of a brace are passed, as représented.
Figure 10 represents my improvements. applied to a back brace fitting or
buckle.
a is a tubular runner guide, with mouth entrances a³, and wherethrough the
niddle part &, of the tab cords b, pass, and move to and fro, as the posture of the
vearer changes.
dis an attachment; "carrying buckles or other like connections e, by means of
which the said back fitting is connected to the back ends of the webs or lengths of
brace.
Figure 11 represents another form of my invention, in connection with a back
race fitting.

page_text: This arrangement of fitting has a double guide, wherethrough running cords of
tabs and brace ends, pass.
bare
a are runner guides, connected together by a frame or attachment d;
running tab cords, and fare brace cords, connected to the back web ends, by buckle
or like connections e.
Figure 12 represents in front elevation, another form of brace or suspender buckle
or fitting.
Figure 13 is an edge view of the same.
In this arrangement, the runner guide, is made in the form of a coiled spring,
with the ends resting upon the cross bar or framing of a buckle or like connection,
and with the running tab cord passing interiorly through the said coils as a guide.
a is a coiled wire runner guide, with ends a², resting upon the cross bar, of a
lever buckle or other connection d, and with the middle part 62, of the running tab
cord b, passing interiorly through the coils constituting the said guide, which yields
and expands, in obedience to the combined downward pressure, put upon the said
running tab cord...
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
:-
First In buckle frames or brace fittings, providing or fitting the same with a
tubular semi-circular half hoop shaped or curved runner guide, wherethrough a
running tab cord, or its equivalent, passes and works, substantially as, and for the
purpose as set forth.
1.
Secondly-In buckle frames, or brace fittings, providing or fitting the same
with an open and curved guide, as set forth in Figure 6.
Thirdly-In buckles or brace fittings, providing or fitting the same with
inwardly directed semi bars, tongues, clips or the like, having a space or gap,
disposed between their adjacent inner ends, wherethrough the brace web or end, is
edgewise laterally passed, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 1, 2,
3, 6, 8 and 9.
•
Fourthly In a brace buckle, having a running tab cord guide, prong bar with
prongs, and gap bar, with gap between the adjacent ends of the latter, substantially
as described and set forth in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
:-
Fifthly The general construction and arrangement of brace buckles, as
described and set forth in Figures 7 and 8.
Sixthly In buckle frames for the back connections of braces or suspenders;
providing the said back attachments with single or double runner guides, where-
through running cords pass and work, substantially as described and set forth in
Figures 10.
Seventhly In a yielding connection for brace ends or buckle connections,
passing the running tab cords of braces and the like, through an erect runner
guide, composed of coiled wire, and which yields in obedience to pressure put upon
it, hence a yielding connection or buckle fitting as set forth in Figure 12 and 13.
Dated this 17th day of October 1891.
PATRICK ALPHONSUS MARTIN.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.