IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF SECURING OR FASTENING THE ENDS OF METAL
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hopkinson, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF SECURING OR FASTENING THE ENDS OF METAL
Sealed the 8th December 1863, and dated the 13th June 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hopkinson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th June 1863.
I, JOHN HOPKINSON, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF SECURING OR FASTENING THE
ENDS OF METAL BANDS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING THE SAME," to be as
follows:-
The object of these improvements is to obtain the entire strength of the band
at the joint by a mode of fastening that necessitates nd cutting or
the metal.
piercing of
These improvements consist in corrugating the two ends or extremities of
the band, so that when they are brought together one above the other, the
corrugations in one enter and fit in the corrugations of the other, and in this
position a hoop or clip is drawn over the two ends to clasp them closely

page_text: together; any strain in the direction of the length of the band is thus distributed
over the shoulders formed by the corrugations.
The machinery for preparing or corrugating the bands consists of a hand
lever of the first kind turning upon a pivot which is the fulcrum, the shorter
end forming a segment of a circle, the centre of which is that of the pivot, the
segment having its periphery toothed to the shape of the corrugations required,
and working into a similar segment also moving on its own centre; by passing
the band between these toothed segments, and pulling the lever to one side, the
corrugations are made.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent; filed
by the said John Hopkinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th December 1863.
TO. ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HOPKINSON, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Mecha-
nical Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Hopkinson, Her special licence that I, the said
John Hopkinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Hopkinson, 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 MODE OF SECURING OR
FASTENING THE ENDS OF METAL BANDS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Hopkinson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their bands and seals, should particularly
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 mouths next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Hopkinson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be.
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say "—
66
The object of these improvements is to obtain the entire strength of the band
at the joint by a mode of fastening that necessitates no cutting or piercing of
the metal forming the same.
These improvements consist in corrugating the two ends or extremities of
the band, so that when they are brought together one above the other, the
corrugations in one enter and fit in the corrugations of the other. When in
this position a hoop or clip is drawn over the two ends to clasp them closely
together. Any strain in the direction of the length of the band is thus
distributed over the shoulders formed by the corrugations.
The machinery for preparing or corrugating the bands consists of a lever
of the first kind, turning upon a pivot which is the fulcrum, the shorter
end forming the segment of a circle, the centre of which is that of the
pivot, the segment having its periphery toothed to the shape of the corru-
gations required, and working into a similar segment also moving on its own
centre. On passing the band between these toothed segments and pulling the
lever to one side, the teeth on the segments bend the band and form corru-
gations thereon.
In order that the Invention may be fully understood, and to shew the
mode of carrying the same into practical effect, I will proceed to describe
the Drawings hereunto annexed and forming part of this Specification.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent perspective views of three different modes of
holding the corrugations together; Figure 4 shews in plan and elevation one
kind of clip; Figure 5 shews in plan and elevation another kind of clip;
Figures 6 and 7 are plans and elevations of corrugated clips; Figure 8 is a
view in plan of a bale or package with a band having corrugated ends; ·
Figure 9 is an elevation of the apparatus used for corrugating the ends of
metal bands. In each of the above Figures the same letters of reference
indicate like parts.
In Figure 1 the two ends or extremities of the metal band are indicated by
the letters A and B); the corrugations in each are exactly alike, and when
put together, as shewn in the Drawing, fit close; the clip C, which in this
case is a soldered or welded clip, is then drawn over the two ends thus
placed together, and the ends are fastened, that is, the band at the joint

page_text: will bear any strain less than that which would be required to straighten the
corrugations.
In Figure 2 the clip is not soldered or welded, the ends being left free.
I thus obtain a spring clip, which is easier to draw backwards and forwards as
required.
In Figure 3 the clip is corrugated as well as the ends of the band; therefore
for this joint to give way not only the band ends must straighten, but the cor-
rugations of the clip; it will therefore be seen that this form is most suitable
for heavy strains. If the clip were made sufficiently strong, the joint would be
as strong as the band itself.
Figure 4 represents a plan and elevation of the spring clip used in
Figure 2.
Figure 5 represents a plan and elevation of a soldered or welded clip as
used in Figure 1.
Figures 6 and 7 are two varieties of corrugated clips, Figure 6 being a
spring corrugated clip, and Figure 7 an open corrugated clip, as shewn in
Figure 3. When it is required to unloose the ends of a band held by a
clip of the latter description, the clip must be drawn entirely away from the
band.
Figure 8 shews a bale of goods with a metal band surrounding it the ends
being fastened according to my Invention at P; it will be seen that the bursting
force or pressure exerted by the bale has a tendency to strengthen and assist
the action of the clip.
Figure 9 represents the machinery or tool that I use to corrugate the ends
of metal bands. D and E are two segments of toothed wheels or two
toothed sectors; to the upper one is fixed the hand lever H; both handle
and top segment turn upon the centre F; the lower segment upon the
centre or pivot K made in the framing L. The upper segment D can be
raised or lowered so as to vary the depth of the corrugations by means
of a set screw G, which is attached to the step or bearing N of the pivot R,
upon which the sector turns. When adjusted to the proper depth, the band
indicated by the letter R is placed between the toothed sectors or segments,
and on pulling at the handle H it is drawn between the segments and is cor-
rugated or wrinkled to the shape of the teeth.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not con-
fine myself to any particular form or shape of corrugations, nor to the
precise mode of holding the ends together by means of clips of the exact

page_text: description herein delineated and described, but what I claim as my Inven-
tion, is,―
First, fastening the ends of metal bands by means of corrugations formed
on the same, substantially in manner herein-before described.
Second, the employment of machinery for forming corrugations upon metal
bands, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hopkinson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
THOMAS HOLT.
(L.S.) JOHN HOPKINSON.