AN IMPROVED COMBINED HARNESS BUCKLE AND LOOP
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Henry Taylor at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th February 1869.
I, WILLIAM HENRY TAYLOR, of Baldwinsville, New York, United
States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED COMBINED HARNESS BUCKLE AND LOOP,"
to be as follows:-
The said Invention relates to a method of constructing harness buckles
whereby the frame of the buckle is made to serve also as the loop in
the place of the ordinary leather loop hitherto used, such leather loops
when of good quality being produced by hand labor and being therefore
very costly.
By my improved method of construction a metal loop is formed which
always retains its form, gives to the buckle a neat and finished appear.
ance, is capable of being ornamented in any desired manner, and
whereby a great saving of leather is effected. The side of my improved
buckle frame, which forms the outer face, is made soparate from the

page_text: body of the said frame and is hinged thereto at one end, the other end
of the frame being provided with a swivelling catch whereby the hinged
side of the frame is readily secured and released. The said hinged side
carries on its inner face a stud, which serves as the tongue of the buckle
to hold the strap in the frame or loop; one or more of these studs may
be used as desired. Opposite to each stud is a cross bar or plate, in which
is formed a hole to receive the tongue or stud when the buckle is closed.
The frame is also provided with a cross bar or plate to hold the hame's
tug or strap, the same being rivetted or otherwise firmly secured to the
said bar or plate. The frame may also be provided with a breeching
loop and with side loops for the back and belly straps. I prefer to
construct my improved buckle and loop of malleable cast iron. The
hinged cover of the frame may be ornamented by having a design or
figure cast thereon, and may be japanned to represent leather, or plated
with silver or other metal. This ornamental part of the frame may also
be produced by striking up or stamping the figure or design in thin
metal, and securing it upon the frame by rivetting or otherwise; in this
case the ornament can be silver plated or otherwise finished before being
affixed to the cover. The buckle frame is made in the form of the
ordinary leather loops, and of suitable size to receive the straps of the
harness. I prefer to hinge the cover to the sides of the frame by means
of pins fixed on the cover fitted into holes in the sides. The other end of
the cover is provided with a projecting piece, over which the swivelling
catch is turned when the cover is secured. The said catch, which is also
hinged or pivotted to the sides of the frame, extends across the end of the
same, forming when closed a continuation of the cover. The said catch
is preferably made slightly elastic so as to hold the cover more securely.
This catch forms a very convenient means of locking the cover, but if
desired.other devices may be employed for that purpose.