IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF WRIST AND OTHER STUDS OR SOLITAIRES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Southgate, of Burton Crescent, in the County of
Middlesex, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF WRIST AND OTHER STUDS OR SOLITAIRES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Southgate at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th July 1879.
THOMAS SOUTHGATE, of Burton Cresent, in the County of Middlesex, Gun Maker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WRIST AND OTHER STUDS OR
SOLITAIRES."
This Invention relates to that class of studs or solitaires which is formed with a
detachable back for the purpose of facilitating the application of the stud to the
wristband, the object being to simplify the construction of the stud and to prevent
the parts from becoming accidentally detached.
In carrying out my Invention I make the front of the stud hollow, that is, with
a top plate and under plate fitted together so as to leave a space between them for
the reception of spring catches, which are to connect the front and back together.
Attached to the back plate is a hollow neck or tube to receive a divided stem
which stands up from the back of the stud. This divided stem is formed with
catches, which project laterally from the stem, and are slightly tapered to admit of
their entering the hollow neck before mentioned. When the divided stem is thrust
home the catches which have yielded to the pressure of the neck will spring
outwards and catch against the back plate.
To provide for the release of the back from the front a cap piece with a central
conical cavity is provided; this cap piece is situate in the centre of the top plate,
and is free to slide therein.
It will receive the central portion of the ornamental device with which the stud
is provided. The internal diameter of the conical part of the cap piece is such that
when pressed down it will force inwards the catches, and thereby disengage them
from the back plate. When this is effected the pieces composing the stud may be
drawn apart and disengaged from the wrist band,

page_text: As a modification I make the divided stem of the back from a bar formed with
a catch at its opposite ends, such catches projecting from opposite edges of the bar
When this bar is doubled on itself, and the catches are brought side by side, they
will be in the right position for catching onto the back plate, and they will present
to the hollow neck of the head a double incline for it to press on, but without any
space in the centre of the divided stem for the edge of the neck to enter as in the
first example. When the attachment of the stud is being hastily effected, instead
of using a conical cap piece for disengaging the catches from the back plate, I may
form the front of the stud of a shell, and fit therein a loose top plate, which carries
a hollow cone for acting on the catches; this will allow of the complete ornamental
device being formed in one piece instead of in two pieces as in the first described
arrangement, and will give the stud a more sightly appearance.
A further modification is to make the stem solid, and to undercut the end which
enters the hollow neck so as to form a shoulder for a spring catch to abut against.
This spring catch will lie within the shell of the stud, and it may be thrust out of
action by a conical projection of the inner face of the cap or loose top plate.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Southgate in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
January 1880.
THOMAS [SOUTHGATE, of Burton Crescent, in the County of Middlesex, Gun
Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WRIST AND OTHER STUDS OR
SOLITAIRES."
This Invention relates to that class of studs or solitaires which is formed with a
detachable back for the purpose of facilitating the application of the stud to the
wrist band, the object being to simplify the construction of the stud and to prevent
the parts from becoming accidentally detached. In the accompanying Drawing I
have shewn four forms of stud to illustrate the mode of carrying out my Invention.
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 shew on an enlarged scale a stud or solitaire constructed
according to the first part of my Invention.
In Figs. 1 A is the front portion, and B the back portion of the stud, the same
being drawn apart and standing in their proper relative position for attachment;.
Fig. 2 is a plan or front view; Fig. 3 is a cross section shewing the parts attached;
and Fig. 4 is a plan view, the centre or front portion being removed to shew the
mode of attachment of the parts A and B. The front A of the stud, it will be
seen, is made hollow, that is, with a top plate a and an under plate a' fitted
together so as to leave a space between them for the reception of spring catches,
which are to connect the front and back parts A and B together. Attached
centrally to the back plate a¹ is a hollow neck or tube as to receive a split stem b,
which stands up from the centre of the back B of the stud. This split stem is
formed with catches b', 6', which project literally from the stem, and are bevilled
to admit of their entering the hollow neck a². When the split stem is thrust home
the catches, which have yielded to the pressure of the neck, will spring outwards
and catch against the back plate, as shewn in Figures 3 and 4.
To provide for the release of the back from the front a cap piece a³, which fills
a central opening in the plate a, is provided with a tubular projection a* that over-
lies the stem b. This cap piece is free to slide in the plate a, and may receive the
central feature of the ornamental device with which the stud is provided. The
internal diameter of the tubular part of the cap piece is such that when pressed
down it will force inwards the catches b' of the split stem, and thereby disengage
them from the back plate. When this is effected the parts A and B composing the
stud may be drawn apart and disengaged from the wrist band.
An obvious modification of the foregoing arrangement is to make the front plate a
moveable like the cap piece a³, and to fit to its underside a tubular projection for
operating upon the spring catches. This arrangement is shewn in Figures 5, 6, 7,
and 8, where a is the loose front plate carrying the tubular projection a*. When
pressure is applied to the front plate a it will cause the tube at to press the
spring catches together, and thereby disengage them from contact with the back
plate a'.
As a further modification I make the divided stem of the back from a bar formed
with a catch at its opposite ends, such catches projecting from opposite edges of the
bar. When this bar is doubled on itself, and the catches are brought side by side,
they will be in the right position for catching on to the back plate, and they will
present to the hollow neck of the head a double incline for it to press on, but
without any space in the centre of the divided stem for the edge of the neck to
enter, as in the first example, when the attachment of the stud is being hastily
effected.
This part of my Invention is illustrated at Figures 9, 10, and 11, where Fig. 9
shews a straight bar b of metal formed with catches b' at its opposite ends, which
bar is to be doubled back upon itself, as shewn at Figures 10, and secured within a

page_text: tube to the back piece B by brazing or otherwise, as shewn at Fig. 11. The mode
of detaching the parts of this stud will be the same as that above explained.
Figures 12, 13, and 14 shew the adaptation of my Invention to a stud which is
provided with a solid stem, Fig. 12 being a vertical section of the stud with the
parts A and B attached; Fig. 13, a sectional plan of the same; and Fig. 14,
a vertical section shewing the parts A and B detached. b is a solid stem under
cut at its extremity so as to form a shoulder for a spring catch c to abut
against. This spring catch is placed within the shell of the stud, and it consists
of a coil formed of a strip of steel or metal with its ends turned inwards and
terminating each in two lateral extensions, which are bent inwards to meet the
stem b. The lower projections on the ends of this spring form catches which
underlie the shoulder of the stem when it is thrust into the shell A of the stud, and
they thus hold it fast, as shewn at Figures 12 and 13. For detaching the parts A
and B a central nipple a³ is formed on the underside of the plate a, and by pressing
down this plate, as at Fig. 14, the nipple will bear against the upper projections of
the spring c, and force back the catches or lower projections clear of the shoulder of
the stem b, and thereby detach the part B from the shell A.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Construction of Wrist and other Studs or Solitaires," and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in
part recited Letters Patent I claim the application to studs or solitaires, whether
provided with a split or solid detachable stem, of a central pressing piece for
releasing the catches by which the front and back parts of the stud are retained in
connection, as described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Southgate, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.