IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MODE OR METHOD OF FASTENING BALES OF MERCHANDIZE
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Holden Lucas, of the City of Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
Sealed the 4th October 1867, and dated the 6th April 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Holden Lucas
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 6th April 1867.
I, THOMAS HOLDEN LUCAS, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MODE OR METHOD OF FASTENING BALES OF MERCHANDIZE," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in an improved mode of fastening together the ends
of lengths of metal hoops for forming bands for the purpose of fastening bales
of merchandize.
For each band we employ a metal box or clip having a longitudinal slot for
the ends of the band to pass through, and a transverse dome-shaped hole for a
metal pin to be passed through, the said pin being a little longer than the
width of the band. The bale to be fastaned is pressed in the packing press in the
usual manner, and the ends of the bands passed through the slots and the pins
placed in the transverse holes, and when the pressure is taken off the bale its
expansion causes each pin to roll to an end of the transverse hole and bind the
ends of each band firmly together.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Holden Lucas in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HOLDEN LUCAS, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Holden Lucas, Her special license that I, the said James
Holden Lucas, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said James Holden Lucas, 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 OR METHOD OF FASTENING BALES OF MERCHANDIZE,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Holden Lucas,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands 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 months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Holden Lucas, 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 following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Figures on the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon (that is
to say) :-
This Invention consists in an improved mode of fastening together the ends
of lengths of metal hoops or bands for the purpose of fastening bales of
merchandize.
For each band I employ a metal box or clip having a longitudinal slot for
the ends of the band to pass through, and a transverse arched or domed-shaped
chamber for a metal pin to be placed within it; the said pin being a little
shorter than the width of the band, and the chamber baving a hole at one or

page_text: both sides for the entrance of the pin. The bale to be fastened is pressed in
the packing press in the usual manner, then the ends of the several bands
passed through the longitudinal slots in the clips and the pins placed within
the arched chambers, and when the pressure of the press is taken off the
bale its expansion pulls the ends of the band and causes each pin to roll
towards an end of its arched chamber and bind the ends of the band firmly
together.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Fig. 1 is an end view, and Fig. 2
a longitudinal section of a metal box or clip having one hole opening into the
arched chamber; Fig. 3 a side view, Fig. 4 a plan, and Fig. 5 a transverse
section shewing the two ends of a band in the slot of the clip, Figs. 1 and 2,
and held by a pin; Fig. 6 a plan, and Fig. 7 an end elevation of the ends of
the band in a clip having a hole at each side of the arched chamber.
In the various Figures a represents the end of the metal band; b, the
longitudinal slot of the clip; c, the arched chamber transverse with the slot;
d, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, one opening into the chamber; e, e, Figs. 6 and 7, two
openings into the chamber, and f the pin, the two openings e, e, being for the
purpose of enabling the pin to be more easily removed for unpacking the bale
than when there is only one opening.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood
that I claim the improved mode or method of fastening bales of merchandize,
as all such improvements are herein described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Holden Lucas, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of October, in the year
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
THOMAS HOLDEN LUCAS. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Thomas Holden Lucas,
in the presence of
G. SEPTINUS HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.