AN IMPROVED FASTENING FOR METALLIC HOOPS OR BANDS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED FASTENING FOR METALLIC HOOPS OR BANDS."-A com-
munication from abroad by Ewan Christian, of Alexandria, Egypt,
Merchant.
Sealed the 15th February 1870, and dated the 10th September 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 10th September 1869.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED FASTENING FOR METALLIC HOOPS OR BANDS," a
communication to me from abroad by Ewan Christian, of Alexandria,
Egypt, Merchant, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a simple and effective fastening, which the
Inventor proposes to call "the Siamese twin button tie," for securing the

page_text: ends of metallic hoops or bands employed for confining bales of cotton
and other goods when packed by pressure.
The improved fastening consists of a plate, by preference of malleable
cast iron, on which are cast or otherwise secured two buttons or studs;
the two ends of the metallic bands have oblong openings or slots made
in them, with a round hole or enlargement at the inner end of each slot.
The two ends of the band are brought together round the bale, and the
buttons or studs on the plate are inserted into the enlarged ends of the
slots; on relaxing the pressure slightly the two ends of the band will
separate a little, thereby engaging the narrow ends of the two slots with
the shanks of the buttons or studs, the heads on which prevent their
displacement until the bale is again compressed slightly so as to bring
the heads over the enlarged ends of the slots, when the band can be
readily unfastened.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th March 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middle-
sex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that
I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my exc-
cutors, administrators, or 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 "AN IMPROVED
FASTENING FOR METALLIC HOOPS OR BANDS," a communication to me from
abroad by Ewan Christian, of Alexandria, Egypt, Merchant, upon the

page_text: condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, 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 months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:-
The said Invention relates to a simple and effective fastening, which
the Inventor proposes to call "the Siamese twin button tie," for securing
the ends of metallic hoops or bands employed for confining bales of
cotton and other goods when packed by pressure.
The improved fastening consists of a separate loose plate by preference
of malleable cast iron, on which are cast or otherwise secured two
buttons or studs; the two ends of the metallic bands have oblong
openings or slots made in them with a round hole or enlargement at
the inner end of each slot. The two ends of the band are brought
together round the bale, and caused to overlap each other so as to bring
the holes on one end of the band opposite to those on the other end, and
the studs on the plate are then inserted into the enlarged ends of the
slots; on releasing the pressure slightly the two ends of the band will
recede a little, thereby engaging the narrow ends of the two slots with
the shanks of the buttons or studs, the heads of which prevent their
displacement until the bale is again compressed slightly so as to bring
the enlarged ends of the slots to the heads, when the band can be readily
unfastened.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.

page_text: Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a full-sized front elevation of the
two ends of a metallic band fastened together according to this Inven-
tion; Figure 2 is a corresponding sectional elevation of the same looking
at right angles to Figure 1; Figure 8 shews the two ends of the bands
unfastened, and the shape of the holes made therein; Figure 4 is a
detached front view of the separate loose plate or "Siamese twin button
tie fastening;" Figure 5 is a corresponding side elevation or edge view
thereof; Figure 6 is an end elevation corresponding to Figure 5; and
Figure 7 represents on a small scale a bale with its metal bands fastened
according to this Invention.
A, A, are the two ends of the metal bands, in each of which are made
two oblong holes with enlarged ends a, a. When the ends of the band
are brought over each other by compressing the bale so as to cause the
holes in one end of the band to correspond to those of the other end of
the band, the studs b, b, on the plate B are passed through the enlarged
ends of the holes, and on releasing the pressure slightly the bands by
receding a little draw the narrow portions of the holes underneath the
heads of the studs, and thereby effectually secure the two ends of the
band together, and at the same time prevent the accidental disengage-
ment of the studs, the heads of which are too large to pass through the
contracted portions of the slots or holes. When the bale is to be
unfastened a sufficient pressure is applied thereto to bring the enlarged
ends of the holes in the outer portion of the band under the heads of the
studs b, b, thereby leaving the studs free to be detached from the said
holes and the bands to be removed. Although it is preferred to use two
studs on the metal plate B it is obvious that one stud on such plate and
one hole in each end of the band only might be employed, but this will
not be so strong as when two or more of such studs and corresponding
holes are used.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the a
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the use of a
separate plate containing one, two, or more studs with enlarged heads in
combination with corresponding oblong holes or slots enlarged at one
extremity made in both the ends of the metal bands employed for

page_text: securing bales of goods, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before
described and illustrated by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the Tenth day of March
One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)