IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF BELTS, BANDS, AND STRAPS FOR DRIVING MACHINERY AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Kneen at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 25th September 1879.
66
JOHN KNEEN, of Barrow-in-Furness, in the County of Lancaster, and of 15,
Water Street, Liverpool, also in the County of Lancaster. IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF BELTS, BANDS,
AND STRAPS FOR DRIVING MACHINERY AND OTHER PURPOSES."
My Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and manu-
facture of belts, bands, and straps for driving machinery and other purposes, such
as traces and other straps used in harness; and has for its object the strengthening
of such belts, bands, and straps by the addition or insertion of metal, such as steel,
iron, brass, copper, or other metal bands used in combination with leather or other
belts, bands, and straps, in such a manner that the metal band bears equally the
strain with the leather or other band with which it is combined.
I would mention that I am aware that the application of thin flexible metal
bands to leather or other driving belts has been practised prior to my Invention,
but such metal bands have heretofore been attached to the leather or other material
chiefly by rivets, otherwise by glue or adhesive matter. The result has been that
in practice that the leather has been torn away from the metal through unequal
stretching.
The methods of constructing belts, bands, or straps of leather or other material
in combination with metal bands according to my Invention consists,-
Firstly. In the use and application of a flat staple fastener which passes through
the leather or other material, embracing and attaching such metal band to the leather,
the ends of the staple being turned over on the other side of the leather. These
staple fasteners may be spaced at inch or other suitable distances along the com-
pound band or strap, and the metal bands may be in single, double, or more rows
on the band and parallel therewith.
Secondly. I place the metal bands between two plies of leather or other material,
the staples passing through the leather or other material and being bent round
the metal band, the staples being pitched alternately in either ply of the leather or
other material.

page_text: Thirdly. I plough a furrow through the leather band or strap, and in such
furrow I place the metal band. The edges of the furrow are then turned back and
stitched together, burying the metal band in the leather.
Fourthly. I bury the metal band between two plies of leather or other material,
the edges of the material being stitched together and the metal band free to
expand and stretch longitudinally within the leather, and the leather free to
stretch longitudinally outside the metal band.
The metal bands are turned over at their ends and coupled together by a spring.
The leather or other material is sewn or spliced together.
Bands, belts, harness, and other straps constructed according to my Invention
have great strength and do not stretch unequally, and are very durable, and can be
made any widths and lengths.