AN IMPROVED STRAP FASTENER OR BUCKLE
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM HAMILTON HALL, of No 72, Denmark Villas, West Brighton, in the
county of Sussex, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
AN IMPROVED STRAP FASTENER OR BUCKLE" to be as follows:-
A metal plate of dimensions proportionate to the size of the strap forms the basis
of the construction of the buckle. A sufficient length of one end of the plate is
provided with holes for the purpose of rivetting, stitching, or otherwise fixing to the
plate one end of the strap. Side portions of the plate are bent upwards perpendi-
cularly allowing a space between, corresponding to the width of the strap. An
oblong aperture of suitable width for receiving a deflection of the loose end or end
to be fastened of the strap as hereinafter mentioned is cut across the floor of the
plate from side to side beyond the position of the fixed end of the strap. Imme-
diately above the said aperture is a bar extending across the said plate between the
said side portions thereof and fitting loosely into holes or bearings in the said side
portions. Fixed along one side of the said bar is a rigid tongue or wedge of suitable
depth for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. The said bar and the said tongue or
wedge may be in one solid piece. The said bar being turned with the said tongue or
wedge uppermost the loose end of the strap is inserted between the said plate
floor and the bar and the said bar being turned with the said tongue or wedge
downwards the said strap is by the pressure of the said tongue or wedge forcibly
deflected into the aforesaid aperture in the plate floor and firmly held. To afford
a means for actuating the said bar and the tongue or wedge fixed thereto as
aforesaid and making the buckle effective in other respects, continuations of the
said bar after passing through the said holes or bearings in the side portions of the
plate, are bent round and the two ends joined so as to form a loop of suitable and
convenient size and so that the said loop bears upon the loose end of the strap
when it is fastened as aforesaid. The said bar, tongue or wedge and loop may be
formed and adjusted so as to make a combined whole substantially as aforesaid in
such manner other than that herein before mentioned as may be found most suitable
and convenient. The said loop is also used as a hold for the fingers of one hand
whilst the loose end of the strap is drawn to the position required for fastening with
the other. For the purpose of increasing the effectiveness of the said buckle the
edges of the said aperture in the plate floor between which the strap is when"
fastened deflected as aforesaid may be bent slightly upwards the said plate floor
.

page_text: being if necessary cut a little at the sides to allow of the same, and the edge which
is furthermost from the fixed end of the strap may be also serrated. And the end
of the buckle opposite to that to which the strap is fixed as aforesaid may have
a bar or covering at the top-sufficient space being allowed between the same and
the said plate floor to admit the entrance of the loose end of the strap. In using
this buckle no holes are required in the strap, which can be fastened at any point
of its length desired, and with the leverage afforded by the said loop the strap is
fastened and unfastened with great ease and celerity.
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page_text: I WILLIAM HAMILTON HALL, of N° 72 Denmark Villas, West Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention
for "AN IMPROVED STRAP FASTENER OR BUCKLE" and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
A metal plate of dimensions proportionate to the size of the strap forms the
basis of the construction of the buckle-A sufficient length of one end of the
plate is provided with holes for the purpose of rivetting, stitching or otherwise
fixing to the plate one end of the strap. Side portions of the plate are bent
upwards perpendicularly allowing a space between, corresponding to the width of
the strap. An oblong aperture of suitable width for receiving a deflection of the
loose end or end to be fastened of the strap as hereinafter mentioned is cut across
the floor of the plate from side to side beyond the position of the fixed end of tho
strap. Immediately above the said aperture is a bar extending across the said
plate between the said side portions thereof and fitting loosely into holes or
bearings in the said side portions.
Fixed along one side of the said bar is a rigid tongue or wedge of suitable depth
for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. The said bar and the said tongue or wedge
may be in one solid piece. The said bar being turned with the edge of the said
tongue or wedge uppermost the loose end of the strap is inserted between the said
plate floor and the bar and the said bar being turned with the edge of the said
tongue or wedge downwards the said strap is by the pressure of the said tongue or
wedge forcibly deflected into the aforesaid aperture in the plate floor and firmly
held. To afford a means for actuating the said bar and the tongue or wedge fixed
thereto as aforesaid and making the buckle effective in other respects continuations
of the said bar after passing through the said holes or bearings in the side portions
of the plate are bent round and the two ends joined so as to form a loop of suitable
and convenient size and so that the said loop bears upon the loose end of the strap
when it is fastened as aforesaid. The said bar, tongue or wedge and loop may be
formed and adjusted so as to make a combined whole substantially as aforesaid in
such manner other than that herein before mentioned as may be found most suitable
and convenient. The said loop is also used as a hold for the fingers of one hand
whilst the loose end of the strap is drawn to the position required for fastening
with the other.
The said holes or bearings in the side portions of the plate may be slotted so as
to allow the said bar fitting therein a convenient amount of space or play on either
side thereof to further facilitate and effectuate the operation of the said tongue or
wedge. And in order to decrease any liability of the said loop to accidentally
lift, the said tongue or wedge may be at a slightly obtuse angle in relation to the
loop and the said slotted bearings may be slightly curved or otherwise suitably
formed or the said side portions of the plate beyond the position of the said
bearings may be curved or bent (outwards or inwards, as suitable to the case)
SO 08 to meet the side portions of the loop as it descends and overlap the
same when the buckle is fastened thus forming spring catches to hold the said
loop.
For the purpose of increasing the effectiveness of the said buckle the edges
of the said aperture in the plate floor between which the strap is when fastened
deflected as aforesaid may be bent slightly upwards the said plate floor being if

page_text: necessary cut a little at the sides to allow of the same, and the edge which is
furthermost from the fixed end of the strap may be also serrated. And the end
of the buckle opposite to that to which the strap is fixed as aforesaid may have
a bar or covering at the top-sufficient space being allowed between the same and
the said plate floor to admit the entrance of the loose end of the strap.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying drawings in which figure 1 sheet 1
represents a longitudinal elevation of a strap provided with a buckle or fastener
constructed according to my invention and in which the holes or bearings in the
sides of the plate are slotted or elongated and of a slightly curved formn the buckle
being shewn unfastened or in its open position; figure 2 sheet 1 is a similar view
to figure 1 but shewing the buckle fastened; figure 3 sheet 1 is a plan of figure 2,
and figure 4 sheet 1 is a plan of the metal plate or blank from which the floor and
sides of the buckle are formed. Figure 5 sheet 2 is a longitudinal elevation and
figure 6 sheet 2 is a plan of a strap provided with a buckle in which the edges of
the aperture in the floor of the plate are bent slightly upwards the buckle also
having a bar or covering at the end which receives the loose end of the strap the
buckle being shewn fastened; figure 7 sheet 2 is a plan of the plate, or blank from
which the floor and sides, of the buckle are formed. Fgures 8, 9 and 10 sheet 2
are similar views to figures 5, 6 and 7 but shewing a buckle in which the side
portions of the plate are curved or bent to form spring catches, one of the edges
of the aperture in the floor of the plate being serrated; figure 11 sheet 2 is a cross
section on the line A B of figure 8. Similar letters in all the figures represent
similar parts.
I will first describe my invention by reference to figures 1 to 4.
Figure 4 shews the metal plate or blank of dimensions proportionate to the size
of the strap to which it is to be applied; a, a, are the holes provided in one end of
the said plate for the purpose of rivetting, stitching or otherwise fixing one end
of the strap to the plate; b, b, are the side portions of the plate which are bent
upwards perpendicularly, (the dotted lines shewing where they should be so bent)
allowing a space between, corresponding to the width of the strap; c, is the oblong
aperture in the plate for receiving the deflection in the loose end of the strap;
d, d are the holes or bearings in the side portions b, of the plate and e, figures
1, 2, and 3, is the bar extending across the plate between the side portions b, b and
fitting loosely in the holes or bearings d, which are slotted or elongated and slightly
curved as shown; f is the rigid tongue or wedge fixed along one side of the bar e,
(or the tongue or wedge f and bar e, may be formed in one solid piece); g, is the
continuation of the bar e, which continuation forms a loop as shewn in figure 3 for
actuating the bar c, and tongue or wedge f and which bears upon the loose end h of
the strap when the buckle is fastened; the tongue or wedge f, forms an obtuse
angle with the loop g, as shown in figures 1 and 2.
To fasten or secure a strap by means of a buckle of this construction the end i,
of the strap having been sewn or otherwise secured to the plate through the holes a
therein, the loop g is turned so as to bring the edge of the tongue or wedge f
upwards as shown in figure 1 and the loose: end h of the strap is then inserted
between the floor of the plate and the bar e; the loop g is then held by the fingers
of one hand whilst the said end of the strap is drawn with the other hand into
the position in which it is required to fasten the strap the wedge being thereby.
drawn back in the slots; the loop g is then turned into the position shewn in
figure 2, so as to bring the edge of the tongue or wedge f, downwards when the
strap will by the pressure of the tongue or wedge f, be forcibly deflected into the
aperture c, in the floor of the plate and be firmly held in that position.
The wedge being at an angle with the loop and the slotted bearings being curved
serve to lessen the risk of the loop accidentally becoming lifted.
In the buckle shewn in figures 5, 6 and 7 which is substantially the same as that
herein before described by reference to figures 1 to 4 the holes or bearings d for the
bar e, are shewn circular in shape and the loop g is of such a form that it does not

page_text: project beyond the side portions 6 of the plate; the edges of the aperture c are as
shewn in dotted lines in figure 5 bent slightly upwards so as, if required, to more
effectually grip the deflected portion of the strap, the plate floor being slightly cut
at the sides as shewn at h, k, to allow of the same; further the end of the plate
opposite to that to which the strap is sewn or otherwise secured is provided with a
bar or covering j, at the top sufficient space being allowed between the bar or
covering and the plate to admit the loose end h of the strap the said bar serving
to keep the strap in proper position.
In the buckle shewn in figures S to 11, the aperture c in the plate is shewn
forned with serrations upon the edge furthest from the end to which the strap is
sewn or otherwise secured which serrations serve to grip the strap which is pressed
thereon by the wedge when the buckle is fastened; the blank or plate as shewn in
figure 10 is cut with inclined sides so as to allow of the top edges of a portion of
the sides being curved or bent outwards as shewn at 1, 1, in figures 8, 9, and 11
(or inwards if required) so as to meet the side portions of the loop g, as it is
pressed down and overlap the same when the buckle is fastened thereby forming
spring catches for holding down the loop g.
In using buckles constructed as herein before described no holes are required in
the strap, which can be fastened at any point of its length desired, and with the
leverage afforded by the said loop the strap can be fastened and unfastened with
great ease and celerity.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
(1.) In a strap fastener or buckle a plate adapted to be fixed to the end of a
strap and formed with a transverse aperture in combination with a tongue or wedge
having its bearings in holes in the vertical sides of the said plate the said tongue or
wedge being operated by means of a loop (acting as a lever) in such a manner as
to deflect or depress the free end of the said strap in the said aperture substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described the said loop serving also as a hold
for the fingers of one hand whilst the loose end of the strap is drawn into position
with the other hand.
(2.) The improved strap fastener or buckle herein before described and illustrated
in figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
(3.) The improved strap fastener or buckle herein before described and illustrated
in figures 5, 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
(4.) The arrangement of strap fastener or buckle illustrated in figures 8 to 11 of
the drawings in which the top edges of a portion of the sides of the plate are
curved so as to form spring catches substantially as and for the purposo described.
Dated the 22nd day of December 1884.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.