Improvements in Clasps for Waist Belts and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clasps for Waist Belts and the like.
WILLIAM PEARCE, Jeweller, 52, Hylton Street, Birmingham, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
The invention consists of a clasp especially designed for a lady's waist belt. The
improvements over other clasps used for a similar purpose are that the ends of the
material used for the belt can be instantaneously attached to the clasp and without
sewing or like method. The invention also obviates an objection found in ordinary
clasps namely, that the free end of the band which has been drawn tight round the
waist hangs down in front in an unsightly manner. My invention removes this and
allows the end of the belt to be fixed between the waist and the belt itself.
The invention consists of a combination of three parts viz. a back or base
plate, a front plate hinged to the base plate at one end and a plate made as small as
possible hinged to the opposite end of the base plate and shutting down between
the base plate and the front plate.
The base plate is simply an oblong, square, or other conveniently shaped piece of
metal with its sides turned up. The ends of the latter are perforated to admit
pivots of hinged fronts.
From the centre of the base plate is removed a piece of metal the entire width
of the plate. The front plate is simply a plate of metal or other suitable material
covering the base plate when shut down upon it by means of pivots at the end of
the plate engaging into the holes in the end of the base plate.
The second hinged plate referred to is constructed in the same way as the front
plate but extends only a short distance to the centre when closed.
The method of working the clasp is as follows:-
Take a piece of material the width of the clasp raise the second or short hinged
plate to a right angle with the base plate, and slip the end of the material between
the edge of the plate and the base plate. Shut this hinge down, when the edge of
the hinge being turned up, presses upon the material and that upon the base plate.
It is prevented slipping by having a groove across the back plate for the raised
edge to rest in.
The front plate is raised in a similar way and the other end of the band inserted
as aforementioned. The band is drawn to the required tightness round the waist
the free end is then passed through the hole in the base plate and the front plate
being now shut down secures the belt in position. No free end is visible, no sewing
is required, and the entire article is firm and neat.
Dated this 12th day of June 1895.
WILLIAM PEARCE, Jeweller, 52, Hylton Street, Birmingham, do hereby declare
O the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The invention consists of a clasp especially designed for a lady's waist belt. The
[Price 8d.1

page_text: improvements over other clasps used for a similar purpose are, that the ends of the
material used for the belts can be instantaneously attached to the clasp, and without
sewing or like methods. The invention also obviates an objection found in ordinary
clasps, viz., that the free end of the band which has been drawn tight round the
waist hangs down in front in an unsightly manner. My invention removes this and 5
allows the end of the belt to be fixed between the waist and the belt itself. The
invention consists of a combination of three parts viz.
A back or base plate,
A front plate hinged to the base plate at one end and a plate made as small as
possible hinged to the opposite end of the base plate, and shutting down between
the base plate and the front plate.
The base plate is simply an oblong, square or other conveniently shaped piece of
metal with its sides turned up. The ends of the latter are perforated to admit
pivots of binged fronts.
From the centre of the base plate is removed a piece of metal the entire width
of the plate.
The front plate is simply a plate of metal or other suitable material covering the
base plate when shut down upon it by means of pivots at the end of the plate,
engaging into the holes in the ends of the base plate.
The second hinged plate referred to is constructed in the same way as the front
plate but extends only a short distance to the centre when closed.
The method of working the clasp is as follows:-
Take a piece of material the width of the clasp, raise the second or short hinged
plate to a right angle with the base plate and clip the end of 'the material between
the edge of the plate and the base plate.
Shut this hinge down when the edge of the hinge being turned up presses upon
the material and that upon the base plate, it is prevented slipping by having a
groove across the back plate for the raised edge to rest in.
The front plate is raised in a similar way and the other end of the band inserted
as aforementioned. The band is drawn to the required tightness round the waist.
The free end is then passed through the hole in the base plate and the front plate
being now shut down secures the belt in position.
No free end is visible, no sewing is required, and the entire article is firm
and neat.
The invention consists of various pieces of metal as shewn in drawings 1. 2. 3. 4.
5. 6. & 7. forming when in combination a lady's belt clasp as described in my
Provisional Specification.
Fig. 6. is an illustration of the back or base plate referred to upon which
Figs. 1. 3. & 5. are hinged.
Fig. 1. of which Fig. 2. is a section is an illustration of the front plate A which
is hinged to the base plate Fig. 6. at F.
Figs. 3. & 5. of which Fig. 4. is a section are different views of the second front
plate also hinged to Fig. 6. & 8 at G.
Fig. 6. shews the central space cut away at E for the purpose named.
Fig. 7 is an illustration of the edge of Fig. 6. shewing the grooves wherein the
turned edges of the two front plates Figs. 1. & 3. rest when in use.
The band forming the waist belt is affixed to the clasp as follows:-
Fig. 5. is shewn in Fig. 8. at rest. Fig. 5 is turned upon its pivots until the
turned up edge D. is raised from its groove and in the position shewn by Fig. 5
A space is now seen between the base plate and the plate C. and in this space the
material is placed. Fig. 5. is now turned back again when the band is held securely
down between the two plates. One end of the waist band is now in position. The
other end after being passed round the waist is inserted in a similar way under the
larger plate A Fig. 1. With an ordinary clasp the surplus band must either b
cut off or allowed to hang down in an unsightly manner. With this invention afte
the band has been inserted under the edge of A. the free end is threaded throug
the hole E. and while the plate A is still raised the belt is adjusted to the figure

page_text: A is then turned down into its place upon the material and the belt will be held'
securely in its place.
The free end by this operation lies under the other end of the belt and against.
the body out of sight.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is:
An improved waist belt or other clasp of metal constructed and arranged.
substantially as herein described and illustrated upon the drawings, 1. 2. 3. 4..
5. 6. 7. 8.
The drawings 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. illustrate the component parts and Fig. 8. the.
entire article.
The features claimed are,
1. A method of attaching the material of waist belts to the clasp or fastener.
without sewing rivetting or other similar way.
2. The disposal of the unused end of a waist band by cutting away the back of
the clasp giving greater neatness and comfort to the wearer.
Dated this 11th day of March 1896.
DO
WILLIAM PEARCE