IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR SOLITAIRES, SLEEVE LINKS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Elijah Atkins, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR
SOLITAIRES, SLEEVE LINKS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Elijah Atkins at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th February 1878.
"
IM-
ELIJAH ATKINS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick; Manufacturer.
PROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR SOLITAIRES, SLEEVE LINKS, AND OTHER LIKE
ARTICLES."
My Invention consists of the construction and arrangement of the parts, herein-
after described, of a fastening for connecting together and disconnecting the two
parts of solitaires, sleeve links, and other like articles.
I construct the front part of the solitaire to which the back part is to be con-
nected in the following manner-In the shell of the said front part I arrange two
gripping plates, each plate consisting of a semicircular or half disc, the straight
inner edges of the said half discs meeting at the middle of the shell.
In the middle of the straight meeting edge of each half disc is a semicircular
notch; these notches constitute the acting or gripping parts of the fastening. The
two half discs are pressed together, so as to bring their straight edges into close
contact by means of a broad ring of vulcanized india-rubber fastened to the under
sides of the two half discs. This india-rubber ring is fastened to the two half discs
at opposite points by means of tongues or ears on the said half discs, which are
closed upon the ring. These tongues are situated in a line with the pushers of
the fastening, leaving those parts of the ring which cross the flat meeting edges of
the half discs unconnected to the said half discs.

page_text: When the two half discs are separated from one another the india-rubber ring
is elongated, and by its elasticity tends to force the straight edges of the half discs
together. The separation of the two half discs is effected by pushers on them;
these pushers are not connected to the half discs, near which they are respectively
situated, but the pusher attached to one half disc crosses and works upon the other
half disc.
By this arrangement pressure in opposite directions upon the two pushers causes
the two half discs to separate. The outer ends of the pushers project from the edge
of the shell of the front part of the solitaire, and are acted upon to release the
fastening by pressure between the thumb and finger.
On the back plate of the shell is a guide tube situated concentric with the
circular hole at the middle of the gripping half discs.
The back part of the solitaire consists of a disc having a central stem, with the
head of which the gripping plates or half discs are made to engage.
In fastening together the two parts of the solitaire, or other like article, the stem
of the back part is introduced into the guide tube of the front part of the solitaire,
and pressed forward. The two half discs in the front part are thereby separated
by the head of the stem acting against the semicircular notches in the meeting
edges of the said half discs. After the head has passed through the said notches
they close or strap upon the neck of the head by the elasticity of the india-rubber
ring described, and effect the secure connection of the two parts of the solitaire.
By pressure upon the pushers the two half discs are separated, and the two
parts of the solitaire are released, and may be withdrawn from one another.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Elijah Atkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th August
1878.
ELIJAH ATKINS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR SOLITAIRES, SLEEVE LINKS, AND OTHER LIKE
ARTICLES."
My Invention consists of the construction and arrangement of the parts, herein-
after described, of a fastening for connecting together and disconnecting the two
parts of solitaires, sleeve links, and other like articles.
I construct the front part of the solitaire to which the back part is to be connected
in the following manner-In the shell of the said front part I arrange two gripping
plates, each plate consisting of a semicircular or half disc, the straight inner
edges of the said half discs meeting at the middle of the shell.
In the middle of the straight meeting edge of each half disc is a semicircular
notch; these notches constitute the acting or gripping parts of the fastening. The
two half discs are pressed together, so as to bring their straight edges into close
contact by means of a broad ring of vulcanized india-rubber fastened to the under
sides of the two half discs. This india-rubber ring is fastened to the two half discs
at opposite points by means of tongues or ears on the said half discs, which are
closed upon the ring. These tongues are situated in a line with the pushers of the
fastening, leaving those parts of the ring which cross the straight meeting edges of
the half discs unconnected to the said half discs.
When the two half discs are separated from one another the india-rubber ring
is elongated, and by its elasticity tends to force the straight edges of the half discs-
together. The separation of the two half discs is effected by pushers on thein;
these pushers are not connected to the half dises, near which they are respectively
situated, but the pusher attached to one half disc crosses and works upon the other
half disc.
By this arrangement pressure in opposite directions upon the two pushers causes
the two half discs to separate. The outer ends of the pushers project from the edge
of the shell of the front part of the solitaire, and are acted upon to release the
fastening by pressure between the thumb and finger.
The back part of the solitaire consists of a disc having a central stem, with the
head of which the gripping plates or half discs are made to engage.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in side elevation the two
parts of a solitaire, sleeve link, or other like article disconnected from each other,
the fastening of the said solitaire or article being made according to my Invention,
and Figure 2 represents a section of the same connected together.
Figures 3 and 4 represent the mechanism of the front part of the solitaire, the
back plate being removed, Figure 3 shewing the two gripping plates closed upon
one another, and Figure 4 the same opened from one another for releasing the back
part of the solitaire.
Figure 5 represents in back elevation and section the two gripping plates, their
pushers, and the india-rubber ring of the same.
Figure 6 represents the india-rubber ring separately, and Figure 7 represents the
two gripping plates and their pushers separately.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawing.
a is the shell of the front part of the solitaire or like article containing the two
gripping plates b, c; b², c², are the pushers of the said gripping plates connected to
or made in one piece with the said plates respectively. Each gripping plate consists
of a semicircular or half disc, in the straight edge of which is a semicircular notch,
the two notches of the gripping plates closing upon and gripping the head of the
back part of the solitaire, as herein-after described. The two half discs or gripping
plates b, c, are pressed together, so as to bring their straight edges into close contact
by means of the broad ring d of vulcanized india-rubber fastened to the under side

page_text: of the said gripping plates by the tongues or ears e, e, on the said half discs or
plates being closed upon the ring d, as seen in Figure 5.
It will be seen by an examination of the said Figure 5 that the fixing tongues
or ears e, e, of the ring d are situated in a line passing through the middle of the
pushers b, c, of the two gripping plates b, c, leaving those parts of the said ring d
which cross the straight meeting edges of the gripping plates unconnected with the
said gripping plates. By separating the straight edges of the two gripping plates
b, c, by pressure upon their pushers the india-rubber ring d is elongated, and its
elasticity tends to force their straight edges together.
By an examination of the Drawing it will be seen that the pushers b³, c², by
which the two gripping plates b, c, are separated for releasing the fastening are not
connected to the gripping plates near which they are respectively situated, but the
pusher 62 of the gripping plate b crosses and works upon the gripping plate c, and
similarly the pusher c² of the gripping plate c crosses and works upon the gripping
plate b. By thus arranging the pushers; pressure in opposite directions upon the
external ends of the said pushers causes the two half discs or gripping plates to
separate, as represented in Figure 4.
A ring supports the fastening parts at the proper height in the shell a. On
the back plate of the shell a is a guide tube g for the stem of the back part to pass
into the said guide tube, having a collar h at front.
The back part of the solitaire is represented in Figures 1 and 2; it consists of a
disc having a central stem i with a head at its outer end, with which head the
notched middle parts of the gripping plates b, c, engage. On the said stem i, and
near the disc, is a collar k. The collar h on the front part of the solitaire and the
collar on the back part of the solitaire are for the purpose of preventing the
detachment of the said parts of the solitaire from the cuff or sleeve when the solitaire
is unfastened, as is well understood.
In fastening together the two parts of the solitaire, or other like article, the
stem of the back part is introduced into the guide tube g of the front part of the
solitaire, and pressed forward. The two half discs or gripping plates b, c, in the
front part are thereby separated by the head of the stem i acting against the
semicircular notches in the meeting edges of the said half discs. After the head
has passed through the said notches they close or snap upon the neck of the said
head by the elasticity of the india-rubber ring d, and effect the secure connection of
the two parts of the solitaire, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.
By pressure upon the pushers 62, c², by the thumb and finger the two half discs
or gripping plates b, c, are separated, as illustrated in Figure 4, and the two parts
of the solitaire are unfastened, and may be withdrawn from one another.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,
the improvements in fastenings for solitaires, sleeve links, and other like articles
herein-before described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is to
say, the combination or arrangement of the half discs or gripping plates b, c, their
pushers b², c², and india-rubber or elastic ring a constituting the fastening of the
front part of the solitaire, sleeve link, and other like article, substantially as
described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Elijah Atkins, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and career