IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEVE LINKS, SOLITAIRES, AND OTHER Like Fastenings FOR ARTICLES OF DRESS AND JEWELLERY
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Rickett, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manager of Works, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEVE
LINKS, SOLITAIRES, AND OTHER Like Fastenings FOR ARTICLES OF DRESS
AND JEWELLERY."
Sealed the 8th August 1876, and dated the 21st February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Rickett at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st February 1876.
THOMAS RICKETT, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manager of Works.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEVE LINKS, SOLITAIRES, AND OTHER LIKE FASTENINGS
FOR ARTICLES OF DRESS AND JEWELLERY."
My said Invention consists of the construction and arrangement herein-after
described of the parts of sleeve links, solitaires, and other like fastenings for
articles of dress and jewellery.
I will describe my Invention as applied to a sleeve link. The sleeve link con-
sists essentially of two disc-like parts capable of being readily connected to and
disconnected from one another by means of a central stem on one part of the
fastening and a central tube on the other. The central tube is fixed on the inner
side of the disc which constitutes the front of the sleeve link. Both the central
tube and the central stem described are made elliptical in cross section or other figure
which will prevent the rotation of the stem in the tube. The front disc is hollow
and contains within it the mechanism for securing it and the other part together.
This mechanism consists essentially of the following parts:-A circular spring of
steel or other elastic metal. is connected at opposite points with two small metallic
studs or bars, the ends of which pass through holes in the edge of the disc and
project a short distance from the said edge. The said studs constitute pushers by
means of which the unfastening of the one part from the other is effected. To the
circular spring described two sliding bolts are connected in a line at right angles
to that in which the pushers are situated. When the spring is in its normal
position it is nearly circular in figure, the pushers project a short distance from the
edge of the disc, and the inner or opposed ends of the sliding bolts nearly touch
each other. The stem on the back disc of the sleeve link is taper at its end so that
when inserted in the tube of the front part and nearly pushed home its wedge-
shaped end is introduced between the ends of the sliding bolts and separates them.
When, however, the stem has been pushed quite home notches or recesses on opposite

page_text: sides of the stem are brought into the same plane as that in which the sliding bolts
are situated and the said bolts are made to suap and engage in the said notches by
the action of the spring. The two parts of the fastening are now connected
together.
In order to unfasten the sleeve link or to separate the two parts it is only
necessary to press with the thumb and forefinger the pushers on the opposite sides
of the edge of the front disc. By this pressure the circular spring is compressed in
the direction of the pressure and elongated in a direction at right angles thereto,
that is, the spring by the pressure on the pushers becomes elliptical, the shorter axis
of the ellipse being in the line of the pushers and the longer axis in the line of the
sliding bolts. By this change of figure in the spring the sliding bolts are with-
drawn from the notches in the stem and the two parts of the fastening can be
separated from one another.
In place of notches on the stem a collar or shoulder may be employed with the
same effect.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Rickett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th August
1876.
"
THOMAS RICKETT, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manager of Works.
IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEVE LINKS, SOLITAIRES, AND OTHER LIKE FASTENINGS FOR
ARTICLES OF DRESS AND JEWELLERY."
My said Invention consists of the construction and arrangement herein after
described of the parts of sleeve links, solitaires, and other like fastenings for
articles of dress and jewellery.
I will describe my Invention as applied to a sleeve link. The sleeve link con-
sists essentially of two disc-like parts capable of being readily connected to and
disconnected from one another by means of a central stem on one part of the
fastening and a central tube on the other. The central tube is fixed on the inner
side of the disc which constitutes the front of the sleeve link. Both the central
tube and the central stem described are made elliptical or of other figure in cross
section. The front disc is hollow and contains within it the mechanisin for securing
it and the other part together.
This mechanism consists essentially of the following parts -A circular spring of
steel or other elastic metal is connected with two small metallic studs or bars, the
ends of which pass through holes in the edge of the disc and project a short dis-
tance from the said edge. The said studs constitute pushers by means of which the
unfastening of the one part from the other is effected. To the circular spring des-
cribed two sliding bolts are connected in a line at right angles to that in which the
pushers are situated. It is preferred to make the bolts in one piece with the spring.
When the spring is in its normal position it is nearly circular in figure, the pushers
project a short distance from the edge of the disc and the inner or opposed ends of
the sliding bolts nearly touch each other. The stem on the back disc of the sleeve
link is taper at its end so that when inserted in the tube of the front part and
nearly pushed home its wedge-shaped end is introduced between the ends of the
sliding bolts and separates them. When however the stem has been pushed quite
home notches or recesses on opposite sides of the stem are brought into the same
plane as that in which the sliding bolts are situated, and the said bolts are made to
snap and engage in the said notches by the action of the spring. The two parts of
the fastening are now connected together.
In order to unfasten this sleeve link or to separate the two parts it is only
necessary to press with the thumb and forefinger the pushers on the opposite sides
of the edge of the front disc. By this pressure the circular spring is compressed in
the direction of the pressure and elongated in a direction at right angles thereto;

page_text: that is, the spring by the pressure on the pushers becomes elliptical the shorter axis
of the ellipse being in the line of the pushers and the longer axis in the line of
the sliding bolts. By this change of figure in the spring the sliding bolts are with-
drawn from the notches in the stem and the two parts of the fastening can be
separated from one another.
In place of notches on the stem a collar or shoulder may be employed with the
same effect.
I will now describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the manner in
which my Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation and Figures 2 and 3 cross sections taken at
right angles to one another, of a sleeve link the parts of which are constructed and
arranged according to my Invention.
Figure 4 represents in side clevation, and Figure 5 in plan of under side, the front
part of the sleeve link detached, and Figure 6 represents in cross section and Figure
7 in plan of upper side the back part of the sleeve link detached.
Figure 8 represents in plan and Figure 9 in elevation the circular spring, sliding
bolts, and pushers of the front part, the said spring, bolts and pushers being in their
normal positions, and Figure 10 represents the same after the circular spring has
been compressed by acting upon the pushers to release the fastening.
Figure 11 represents detached the inner cupped disc by which the spring is fixed
in its place and the sliding bolts guided.
The said Figures are drawn double the full size.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawing.
The front part of the sleeve link is marked A and the back part is marked B.
On the fixed face of the front part A is a central elliptical tube c, and in the hollow
body or shell f of the said front part is a circular spring (shown detached in
Figures 8, 9 and 10) having at opposite points small bars or pushers e, e, which pass
through holes in the edge of the shell f and project a short distance from the said
edge, as seen in Figures 1 and 2; g, g, are the sliding bolts fixed to or made in one
piece with the circular spring d, the said bolts being situated at right angles to the
pushers e, e, as represented. The circular spring d and parts connected to it are
held in their places in the shell by the cupped disc h, and by the covering disc i
the edge of the latter disc being turned over the edge of the hollow shell of the
part A of the sleeve link (see Figures 2 and 3). On the under side of the disc h
are studs or projections 1, l, within which the sliding bolts g, g, work, the said studs
constituting guides for the said sliding bolts. The other part B of the sleeve link
consists of a disc having a central stein m fixed within the central or guiding tube n.
The said stem is elliptical or has a flattened or other figure in cross section to fit in
the elliptical tube c of the front part A. The end of the stem m is wedge shaped
and near the said end and on opposite sides thereof, are notches or recesses P, P, as
best seen in Figure 6.
In connecting together the two parts A and B of the sleeve link the stem m of
the back part B is introduced into the central tube c of the front part A. When
the stem m has been nearly pushed home its wedge shaped end passes between the
sliding bolts g,g, on the spring d and separates the said bolts. The further advance
of the stem brings its notches p, p, opposite or into the same plane as the sliding
bolts g, g, when the said bolts g, g, snap by the action of the spring d into the
notches p, p, and thereby connect the two parts A and B of the sleeve link
together as is seen in Figures 1, 2, and 3. To unfasten the two parts of the sleeve
link the pushers c, c, at the opposite sides of the part a are pressed inwards by the
thumb and finger. By this pressure the circular spring d is made to take the
elliptical form represented in Figure 10. The acting or inner ends of the sliding
bolts g, g, are thereby separated and withdrawn from the notches p, p, in the stem
m, and the two parts of the sleeve link are unfastened, as seen in Figures 4, 5, 6,
and 7.
I apply my Invention to solitaires and other like fastenings for articles of dress

page_text: and ornament, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated with respect
to a sleeve link.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the precise details herein-described and illustrated as the same may be varied with-
out departing from the nature of my Invention. But I claim as my Invention, tho
improvements in sleeve links, solitaires, and other like fastenings for articles of dress
and jewellery herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing,
that is to say, the combined circular spring d, pushers e, e, and sliding bolts g, g, for
connecting one part of the fastening to and disconnecting it from the other part of
the fastening; the said circular spring pushers and sliding bolts being used in
combination with the back or other part of the fastening substantially as described
and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Rickett, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
THOMAS RICKETT. (L.S.)