IMPROVEMENTS IN HARNESS BUCKLES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN HARNESS BUCKLES." A communication from abroad by James Alexander
Gavitt and William Wesley Gardner, both of Dayton, in the County of
Columbia, Territory of Washington, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th June 1880.
"
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesox, Patent Agent. IMPROVEMENTS IN HARNESS BUCKLES." [A communi-
cation from abroad by James Alexander Gavitt and William Wesley Gardner,
both of Dayton, in the County of Columbia, Territory of Washington, United
States of America.]
This Invention relates to an improved form of buckle for connecting different
parts or straps of a harness, more especially for connecting the traces or tugs to the
hame tugs or collar straps of the same. The tongue of the buckle is not merely a
straight or slightly curved round bar according to the usual construction, but is
provided at its free end with a prong or finger which is placed at right angles or
nearly so with the body of the tongue, to adapt it to enter the holes in the trace or
tug. The Invention relates particularly to the means for securing the free end of
the tongue to the frame of the buckle, so that it may not become accidentally
detached from, and thus release the trace or tug. The Invention relates to the
inclination of the prong or finger of the tongue, and to other features as hereinafter
described.
The tongue is a straight flat bar, from whoso free end a prong projects downward,
and it is hinged to an intermediate crossbar of the frame of the buckle. The prong
is slightly curved or inclined backward to prevent any tendency of the prong to
be forced out of the hole in the trace or tug, when the samo is subjected to draft
strain. The-tug passes between an upper and under cross bar of the frame of the
buckle, and the prong of the tongue passes through holes in all three, and the free
end of the tongue enters a horizontal recess or notch in the upper cross bar, and is

page_text: thus prevented from lateral movement. The tongue is held closed by means of a
spring catch attached to the underside of the tongue which is recessed to receivo it.
In this instance the catch is formed of a wire which is coiled about a stud, and
provided with lateral bends that project through notches in the sides of the tongue,
while the ends of the wire pass through holes in the end of the tongue, and enter
(when the tongue is closed) lateral notches in the sides of the recess in the upper
cross bar in which the end of the tongue is received. In such position of the catch
it holds the tongue closed, so that it cannot open accidentally. In order to releaso
it, pressure is applied by means of thumb and fore finger to the projecting bends of
the spring, thus pushing the arms of the latter inward, and freeing their ends from
the notches, and allowing the tongue to be raised. The arrangement of the spring
in the recess of the tongue protects it from contact with the tug and other objects.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th December 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HARNESS BUCKLES." A communi-
cation from abroad by James Alexander Gavitt and William Wesley Gardner,
both of Dayton, in the County of Columbia, Territory of Washington, United
States of America.
The Invention relates to an improved form of buckle for connecting different
parts or straps of a harness, more especially for connecting the traces or tugs to the
hame tugs or collar straps of the same. The tongue of the buckle is not merely a
straight or slightly curved round bar according to the usual construction, but is
provided at its free end with a prong or finger which is placed at right angles or
nearly so with the body of the tongue, to adapt it to enter holes in the trace or
tug. The Invention relates particularly to the means for securing the free end of
the tongue to the frame of the buckle, so that it may not become accidentally
detached from and thus release the trace or tug. The Invention relates to the
inclination of the prong or finger of the tongue, and to other features as hereinafter
described.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the buckle, the
tongue being shown raised or thrown back. Figure 2 is a central longitudinal
section of the same. Figure 3 is a plan view, part being broken out. Similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
The metal frame of the buckle is cast in one piece, and consists mainly of the
side bars a, the end portions or bars b, 61, 63, and intermediate cross bar c, to which
latter the tongue d is hinged. Harness straps will in practice be attached to the
end bar b and loop e, and to sido loops f, as will be readily understood without
further description. The form or construction of the buckle frame may however be
varied considerably, without departing from the essential features of the Invention.
The tongue d is a straight flat bar from whose free end the prong g projects
downward. The latter is slightly curved or inclined backward to adapt it (when
the tongue is closed) to fit snugly against the front side of the holes h in cross bars
b', bs, and to prevent any tendency of the prong to be forced out of the hole in the
trace or tug when the same is subjected to draft strain. The tug passes between
the front cross bars b', b³, and over the rear bar b. The free end of the tongue
enters a horizontal recess or notch in the bar b', and is thus prevented from
lateral movement. The tongue is held closed, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, by
means of a spring catch attached to the underside of the tongue, which is recessed
to receive it. In this instance the catch is formed of a wiro which is coiled about
a stud l, and provided with lateral bends m that project through notches in the
sidos of the tongue d, while the ends of the wire pass through holes in the end of
the tongue, and enter (when the tongue is closed) lateral notches n in the sides of
the recess i in cross bar b¹. In such position of the catch it holds the tongue closed,
so that it cannot open accidentally. In order to release it, pressure is applied by
means of thumb and forefinger to the projecting bends m of the spring, thus
pushing the arms of the latter inward, and freeing their ends from the notches n,
and allowing the tongue to be raised. The arrangement of the spring in the recess
of the tonguo protects it from contact with the tug and other objects.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. A harness buckle having a hinged tongue provided with a prong and with a.
spring catch or device for holding it closed, as shown and described.

page_text: 2nd. The harness buckle consisting of a frame, whose front cross bar is provided
with a recess and lateral notches n, and the hinged tongue, whose free end is
adapted to enter such recess, and having a spring locking device, whose free ends
enter said notches, as shown and described.
3rd. The recessed buckle tongue, the wire spring catch having lateral bends, and
arranged with its free ends projecting beyond the end of said tongue, in combination
with the buckle frame, whose front cross bar has a recess and notches to receive the
ends of the tongue and spring, as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of December, A.D. 1880.
A MCLARK (1.0)