IMPROVED METALLIC FASTENERS FOR FASTENING, BINDING, OR SECURING TOGETHER CLOTHS, SILKS, LINENS, COTTONS, WOOLLENS, PAPERS, LEATHER, OR THE LIKE, AND IN SECURING TO SUCH MATERIAL PRICE OR SIZE TICKETS, TAGS, OR LABELS, AND SUCH LIKE
Year: 1881

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to William Frederick Lotz, of No. 20, Barbican, in the
City of London, Merchant, for an Invention of IMPROVED METALLIC
FASTENERS FOR FASTENING, BINDING, OR SECURING TOGETHER CLOTHS,
SILKS, LINENS, COTTONS, WOOLLENS, PAPERS, LEATHER, OR THE LIKE, AND
IN SECURING TO SUCH MATERIAL PRICE OR SIZE TICKETS, TAGS, OR LABELS,
AND SUCH LIKE." A communication from abroad by George Washington
McGill, of 49, Chambers Street, New York, U.S.A.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Frederick Lotz at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th November 1881.
WILLIAM FREDERICK LOTZ, of No. 20, Barbican, in the City of London,
Merchant. "IMPROVED METALLIC FASTENERS FOR FASTENING, BINDING, OR
SECURING TOGETHER CLOTHS, SILKS, LINENS, COTTONS, WOOLLENS, PAPERS,
LEATHER, OR THE LIKE, AND IN SECURING TO SUCH MATERIAL PRICE OR SIZE
TICKETS, TAGS, OR LABELS AND SUCH LIKE." A communication from abroad by
George Washington McGill, of 49, Chambers Street, New York, U.S.A.
The Invention relates to improvements in metallic fasteners for fastening or
binding together cloths, silks, linens, cottons, or the like, and in securing to such
material price or size tickets, tags, or labels and such like.
The object of this Invention is to provide an efficient and simple means whereby
silks, linens, cottons, laces, woollens, and such like fibrous substances may be
expeditionsly and firmly bound or fa-tened together, ticketed, labeled, or tagged,
and without the fibre of the material bound or ticketed being cut or injured by the
operation.
The Invention consists in a fastener having two pointed penetrating shanks
made of pin-wire, and held together in separate parallel position by a top-piece,
adapting the shanks to be forced simultaneously through the material to be bound
or ticketed, each shank forcing a separate opening in the material for itself, and by
reason of its pin-wire form forcing aside the fibres of the material in its entrance
without cutting, tearing, or otherwise injuring the same,

page_text: A piece of wire of suitable thickness, length, and flexibility is pointed at both
ends, and bent into the form of a staple, with its top at a right angle from its
shanks. The top of the staple so formed may be struck flat or bent into an
Sshape. The staple so formed is inserted in a struck or dished washer, the shanks
of the staple entering holes in the washer, and the head of the staple occupying the
sunken centre of the washer. The washer is then closed in a metal cap of corre-
sponding size and shape by means of an ordinary button capping machine, and in
the usual manner, which completes the device. The object of flattening or binding
the head of the staple is to prevent its shanks from vibrating when its head and
washer are closed in the metal cap. Instead of running the shanks of the device
through holes in a sunken or dished washer, they may be run through holes pierced
in the reversed metal cap, and covered with a struck up cover or crown of a certain
form, and the edges of the cap closed in over the edges of the same.
In making
the device, as last herein described, the crown piece may be of a substance differing
in nature or color from that in the cap, which will add to the ornamental
appearance of the device. The device may be made without a washer or crown
piece by bending the centre portion of the wire forming its shanks into a round or
oblong ring, and closing the bent portion of the wire in a metal cap, which may be
nicked on its lower opposite sides, so as to enable it to surround and not displace
the wire shanks when closed in around the circular bent head, and the cap may be
made with an open centre, so that when closed on the circular shaped head of the
wire shanks it will form an annular tube or ring enclosing the same, and open in
the centre to enable tags and other objects to be readily tied to the head of the
device. The centre portion of the wire forming the shanks of the device may be
twisted into any form that will enable it to be clamped or closed firmly in the
metal cap of the device, and the washer_or_the.crown-piece-may-be-left unstruck,
or omitted altogether, and the fastener shanks may be made separate, and have
their upper ends shaped and arranged together without evading this part of the
Invention, which in this particular consists in a fastener having two wire shanks
pointed at their one end, and the other end closed in a metal cap to hold them
securely in position, and present a suitable surface-lead or thumb-piece, to enable
the operator to force the shanks through the article to be bound or ticketed.
Various forms may be given to the metal cap of the fastener, such as round,
oblong, elliptical, square, triangular, &c.
That part of said Invent on constructed particularly with regard to attaching
price and size tickets, labels, or tags, to silks, woollens, linens, or such like tibrous
substances, consists of a piece of flexible wire pointed at both ends, and bent into
the form of a staple with a straight top, and this top is encased in a metal tube to
give it rigidity and additional thickness. A price and size ticket or tag is provided
with two holes. The slanks of the fastener are run through these holes and
through the articles to be ticketed, and are bent apart on the other side of tho
same, thereby fastening the ticket to the articles. The head of the fastener may be
extended and bent so as to form a loop on one side to enable the tags to be tied in
said loop. In making the device in this form the blank from which the head
tube is formed is provided with a centre hole. The wire portion of the fastener
has its points brought together and the loop formed in its centre, and bent over at
a right angle fr m its ends, which are then run through the hole in the washer and
separated on its other side, and lent into staple form, and the tube closed around
their head, the neck of the loop occupying the centre hole in the tube; or the wire
may be first bent and the tube blank formed with side slots, and closed around the
head of the shanks so that the neck of the loop will oc upy the slots; and the
head may be struck flat and closed in a flat tube, or the tube-blank may be made
longer than the distance between the shanks, and provided with holes to receive
the same.
The shanks of the device being run through these holes the tube is
closed around their top and its projecting ens pinched, so that the tubed head of
the fastener will cover the holes made by its shanks in the material it enters.
To attach the price tickets or tags to the fastener so that they may be packed

page_text: and sold together ready for use, it is proposed sometimes to curve or loop the
upper portion or shoulders of the faster shanks, so that on the shanks being run
through the holes in the ticket, the latter will spring into and occupy the loops in
the shanks, and be held there by reason of said loops or curves; or the tickets may
be held on the shanks by setting the latter a little flaring, so that after being
passed through the holes in the ticket they will flare out a little on the other side
of the same. The metal forming the tube of the staple head may be extended on
one side, and shaped to form a sheet metal staple or clip.
The object of this latter construction of the device is to enable the ticket or tag
to be attached or hinged to the supplemental staple, to enable both sides of the
ticket or tag to be used for making or priceing, &c. This is done by running the
legs of the supplemental staple through the holes of the ticket, and clinching them
on the other side of the same, the device proper being attached to the material
being tagged by its wire shanks, as before described. When the Invention is
constructed out of one single piece of suitable wire having its centre portion bent
or coiled to form a suitable head for the fastener, and its ends pointed and bent
down at right angles from its head to form its penetrating shanks. A piece of
flexible wire of suitable suitable length and pointed at both ends is provided. It
has its central or body portion formed into helical coils of an S shape, and its ends
beut down at right angles from the centre of such coils.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Frederick Lotz in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th May 1882.
WILLIAM FREDERICK LOTZ, of 20, Barbican, in the City of London, Merchant.
"IMPROVED METALLIC FASTENERS FOR FASTENING, BINDING, OR SECURING
TOGETHER CLOTHS, SILKS, LINENS, COTTONS, WOOLLENS, PAPERS, LEATHER, OR
THE LIKE, AND SECURING TO SUCH MATERIAL PRICE OR SIZE TICKETS, TAGS, OR
LABELS AND SUCH LIKE." A communication from abroad by George Washington
McGill, of 49, Chambers Street, New York, U.S.A.
The accom-
The Invention relates to improvements in metallic fasteners for fastening or
binding together cloths, silks, linens, cottons, or the like, and in securing to such
materials price or size tickets, tags, or labels and such like. The object of the
Invention is to provide an efficient and simple means whereby silks, linens, cottons,
laces, woollens, and such like fibrous substances may be expeditiously and firmly
bound or fastened together, ticketed, labelled, or tagged, and without the fibre of
the material. bound or ticketed being cut or injured by the operation. The
Invention consists of a fastener, having two pin-pointed penetrating shanks made
of flexible wire, and held together in separate parallel position by a top piece
adapting the shanks to be forced simultaneously through the material to be bound
or ticketed, each shank forcing a separate opening in the material for itself, and by
reason of its pointed and pin-wire form forcing aside the fibres of the material in
its entrance without cutting, tearing, or otherwise injuring the same.
panying Drawings show various equivalent ways of constructing the device. In
Figures 1 to 8 inclusive of the Drawings, the fastener is shewn constructed as
follows: A piece of-wire-of-anitable thickness; length, and flexibility is pin-pointed
at both ends, and bent into the form of a staple having its shanks a, a, at right
angles from its head a¹. The head of the staple so formed may be struck Bat, as
shewn in Figure 1, or bent into a S shape, as shewn in Figure 2, and its shanks
inserted in a metal washer B pierced and concaved, as shewn in Figure 3, their
insertion being made in the manner shewn in Figure 4, with the head of the staple
occupying the sunken or concaved centre of the washer, and its shanks the holes b, b.
The washer is then closed in a correspondingly shaped metal cap c, which locks the
washer in the cap, the head of the staple between them with its shanks projecting
through the washer. This may be done by means of an ordinary button-capping
machine. Figure 5 is a vertical cross section of the metal cap c, and Figure 6 is an
under view in perspective, showing the cap closed upon the washer, as described,
completing the device; Figure 7 is a vertical section of the fastener thus made,
and Figure 8 represents the fastener binding together several pieces of material in
the manner intended, the bound material being shewn in section. The object in
flattening the head of the staple or giving it an S shape is to prevent its shanks
from vibrating when capped as described. In Figures 9 to 15 inclusive the
fastener is shewn constructed as follows:-Instead of running the shanks a, a,
through holes in a washer, the cap C is reversed and provided with shank holes
b, b, as shewn in the perspective, Figure 9, and the staple is inserted therein, as
shewn in Figure 10, which is a top view of the staple so inserted. A crown
piece B of convex form, as shewn in Figure 11, is placed in the cap over the
staple head, and the Bange of the cap closed in over the periphery of the same, as
shewn in Figure 12, which locks the crown piece in the cap and the staple-head
between them with its shanks projecting through the shank-holes in the cap.
Figure 13 is a cross-section of the crown-piece B' taken on the line x, x, of
Figure 11; Figure 14 is a vertical section of the complete fastener taken on line
y, y, of Figure 12, and Figure 15 is bottom view in perspective of the saine.
making the device as last herein described the crown-piece B' may be of a
substance differing in nature or colour from that in the cap C which will add to
the ornamental appearance of the device. The vertical sectional Figures 16 and 17
respectively show the fastener constructed in both the forms above mentioned,
In

page_text: excepting that its shanks, instead of being of a staple-form, consist of two round
wire-pins pointed and headed in the ordinary manner. Figure 16 represents the
pins inserted in the washer, the holes b, b, therein being made flaring on their
upper sides so as to receive and hold the correspondingly Haring head of the pins.
These holes may be pierced so as to produce the drawn sleeves b', b', to assist in
holding the pins stealy in vertical position. Figure 17 represents the pins inserted
in similar holes in the reversed cap, and covered by a crown piece B', over the
periphery of which the flange of the cap is closed, as before described.
In Figures 18 to 29 inclusive the fastener is shewn constructed without a washer
or crown-piece. The wires forming the shanks of this form of fastener are fashioned
with integral projecting clamping-surfaces, upon which a metal cap is closed direct.
In Figure 18 the clamping surface d is formed by giving the staple-head a circular
or ring form, and bending its shanks down from the inner periphery of the ring.
In Figure 19 the shanks are formed of separate wines, their capping ends being so
fashioned that they form a clamping or heading ring for the cap when placed
together in the position shown in said Figure. Figure 20 shows the shanks of a
staple-form, the head of the staple being arched and bent over on one side at right
angles from the shanks to produce a clamping-surface adapted to be held in one
half of the closed flange of the metal cap, and Figure 21 represents a similar
construction, having its shanks provided with inwardly projecting shoulders;
Figure 22 represents in perspective a reverse view of the metal cap which is closed
upon these clamping surfaces. This cap may be provided with the nicks or slots
c, c, so as to enable its flange to surround and not displace the shanks when it is
closed upon their clamping surfaces, as shewn in Figure 23, which is a bottom view
of the fastener so made. In Figure 24 the clamping surface is formed by bending
the shanks a little way in under the head before bending them down at right
angles therefrom so as to produce the projecting clamping shoulders d', d'. In
Figure 25 the same end is accomplished by bending the shanks a little way along.
the side of the wire in the staple-head before turning them down, so as to have
only one thickness of wire in the clamping shoulders. In Figure 26 the clamping
surfaces are shewn formed by bending the wire along the staple head on reverse
sides to better enable them to occupy a correct position in the metal cap when the
same is closed thereon, as shewn in the sectional Figure 27. Figure 28 is a top
view in perspective of the cap made with an open centre, and Figure 29 shews the cap
80 constructed closed upon the clamping or capping surfaces of the shanks when
the same are formed, as shewn in either of the Figures 18 to 21 inclusive, so as to
produce a fastener having an open or ring shaped head to enable tags and other
objects to be readily tied to the head of the device. Various forms may be given
to the metal cap of the fastener, such as round, oblong, elliptical, &c.
That part
of the Invention illustrated in Figures 30 to 54 inclusive of the Drawings
represents the device constructed, more particularly with regard to attaching price
and size tickets, labels, or tags to silks, woollens, linens, and such like fibrous
substances. A piece of flexible wire, pointed at both ends, such as shown in
Figure 30, is bent into the form of a staple with a flat top, and this top is encased
in a metal tube e, in the manner shewn in Figure 31, to give it rigidity
and additional thickness. Figure 32 represents a price and size ticket or tag D
provided with two holes z, z. The shanks of the fastener are inserted in these
holes and through the articles to be ticketed, as shewn in Figure 33, and are bent
apart on the other side of the same, thereby fastening the ticket to the articles.
Figure 34 represents a sectional view of Figure 33 taken on the line x, x, of that
Figure. The head of the wire staple of the fastener may be extended and fashioned
so as to form a loop 3 on one side of the same, as shown in Figure 35, to enable
tags to be tied thereto, as shown in Figure 36. In making the fastener in this
form, the blank from which the head tube is formed is provided with a centre
hole, as shewn in Figure 37. The wire portion of the fastener has it points
brought together, and the loop 3 formed in its centre and bent over at a right
angle from its points, which are then run through the hole e' in the tube blank

page_text: and separated on the other side of the same. The tube blank
is then
folded around the centre of the wire, and the projecting ends of the wire bent
down at ight angles from the same, as shewn in Figure 36, or the wire may
be first fashioned, as shown in Figure 35, and the tube blank formed, as shown
in Figure 38, with the side slots e², e², and the blank closed around the head of the
wire staple so that the neck of its loop will occupy these slots. The head of this
wire st ple may be struck flat, as in Figure 1, and closed in a flat tube, as shown in
Figure 39. The tube blank may be made longer than the distance between the
staple shanks and provided with holes e³, e. to receive the shanks, as shewn in
Figure 40.
The shanks of the staple being run through these holes, the tube is
closed around its top, and the projecting ends of the tube pinched or closed that, as
shewn in Figure 41, so that the tubed head of the fastener will cover the holes
made by the shanks in the material they bind. To attach price tickets or tags to
the fasteners so that they may be packed and sold together ready for use, I
propose sometimes to loop the upper portion or shoulders of the fastener shanks in
the manner shewn at a, a, Figure 42, so that on the shanks being run through
the holes in the ticket the latter will spring into and occupy the loops a², a², and be
held therein by reason of the same, or the ticket may be held on the shanks by
setting the latter a little flaring, so that after being entered in the holes in the
ticket they will flare out a little on the other side of the same. In Figures 43
to 51 inclusive, the fastener is shown provided with prongs to attach it to cards as
follows: Figure 43 represents the metal forming the tube e of the fastener head
extended on one side, and shaped to form a sheet metal clip E. The object of this
latter construction of the device is to enable the ticket or tag to be attached or
hinged to the clip E to enable both sides of the tag to be used for marking or
piercing, &c. This is_done_by_running-the-prongs e, e, of the clip through the
tag and folding them down on the other side of the same, as shown in Figure 44,
the device proper being attached to the material being tagged by its wire
shanks a, a, as herein before described. In Figure 45 the clip E is shown in blank,
having a longitudinal concavity es extending through its body part, and provided
with end holes c³, es. The s'aple shanks a, a, are inserted in these holes, its head
occupying the concavity c³, and the flap e folded down over the same to secure it
thereon. The prongs e, e, are now turned up at right angles from the body, and
the device assumes the form shewn in the perspective, Figure 46, and is attached
to a tag by forcing its prongs through the same and folding them down on the
opposite side, as shown in the sectional Figure 47. Figures 48, 49, and 50,
represent a similar construction of the device without the flap e, the tag serving
the office of holding the staple in position in the clip, as shown in Figure 50.
Figure 51 is a cross section of Figure 49 showing a cross section of the
concavity et. In Figures 52 to 54 inclusive the device is shown made of a single
piece of suitable wire having its centre portion waved and coiled to form a suitable
broad head for the fastener, and its ends, which are pin-pointed, bent down at
right angles from its head to form its penetrating shanks. Figure 52 represents
the head of the fastener formed by waiving the centre portion of the wire, and
turning its ends down at right angles therefrom to form its penetrating shanks.
These shanks are provided with looped shoulders a, a, to hold the ticket, as
hereinbefore described, in reference to Figure 42. In Figure 53 the head is formed
by waiving the wire in its centre, and coiling it at its ends and bending the
shanks down from the inside of the coil, so that the head of the fastener will
project beyond the shanks and thereby cover the holes made by the same in the
articles in which they may be inserted, as herein before described. Figure 54 is a
reversed view of the fastener 50 constructed. The wire in the head of the fastener
after being waived and coiled should be struck to give its folds a firm sit.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
said correspondent, and the manner in which the same may be put into effect, I
wish it understood that I do not claim as any part of the same, a button provided
with penetrating prongs, by means of which the button may be attached to

page_text: wearing apparel or such like instead of sewing it thereto; nor do I claim a tack or
nail provided with two or more rigid penetrating prongs adapted to be used for the
ordinary purposes for which tacks and nails are used. What I do claim as the
Invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,―
wire shanks of suitable
closed in a metal cap to
First. A metallic fastener having two round flexible
length pin-pointed at their one end, and their other en
hold the shanks securely in separated parallel position and at right angles from the
same, and present a suitable surface or head to enable the operator to force the
shanks simultaneously through the articles to be bound or ticketed, substantially
as above set forth and for the purposes specified.
Second. A metallic flat topped fastener having two flexible and pin-pointed
round wire penetrating-prongs passing through a metallic washer in two separate
boles projecting parallel to each other, and covered and secured in position by a
metal cap, substantially as and for the purposes herein shown and described.
Third. A metallic flat topped fastener having two flexible and pin-pointed round
wire penetrating-prongs passing through a reversed metal cap in two separate
holes projecting parallel to each other, and covered and secured in position by a
crown-piece B', over the periphery of which the flange of the cap is closed,
substantially as and for the purposes herein shown and described.
Fourth. A metallic fastener in which the penetrating prongs consist of two
flexible wire pins of ordinary construction held in separate parallel position, and
secure in a m-tal cap as herein shown and described with reference to Figures 16
and 17 of the Drawings for the purposes specified.
Fifth. A metallic fastener having two Hexible and pin-pointed round wire
penetrating prongs, provided with integral clamping surfaces or shoulders d,d',
in combination with a metal cap closed upon the same, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
Sixth. A double-pronged fastener made of a single piece of flexible wire-pin-
pointed at both ends, having its centre portion enclosed in a metal tube e, and its
ends bent down at right angles from its covered centre, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
Seventh. A double pronged fastener made of a single piece of flexible wire pin-
pointed at both ends, having its centre portion provided with the loop 3 and
enclosed in a metal tube, and its ends bent down at right angles from its tubed
centre, as herein shown and described with reference to Figure 36 of the Drawings
for the purposes specified.
Eighth. A metallic fastener for price tickets and tags, consisting of a piece of
flexible wire of suitable size pin-pointed at both ends, and of a staple formn in
combination with a sheet metal clip E, having ticket holding prongs c³, e³,
connected and arranged as herein set forth and described, and adapted to be
attached to a ticket or tag, and to operate substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Frederick Lotz, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty-two.
WILLIAM FREDERICK LOTZ. (L.S.)
Signed and sealed in presence of
P. O'HALLORAN,
High Court Chambers,
28, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane.