AN IMPROVED FASTENER OR PROTECTOR FOR ALBERT GUARDS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS, PATENT to William Wiggins Godfrey, of 52, Whiskin Street,
Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex, Gold Chain Manufacturer and
Goldsmith, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED FASTENER OR PROTECTOR
FOR ALBERT GUARDS."
Sealed the 11th June 1862, and dated the 12th December 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wiggins Godfrey.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th December 1861.
I, WILLIAM WIGGINS GODFREY, of 52, Whiskin Street, Clerkenwell, in the
County of Middlesex, Gold Chain Manufacturer and Goldsmith, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED FASTENER OR
PROTECTOR FOR ALBERT GUARDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a shield, protector, or stud to be attached to those
chains called "Alberts." This shield is firmly secured to a bar or stud or
other holder, or fixed to the bar by a screw. The shield can be so made that
by a simple arrangement the bar or holder, on being slightly turned, will fit or
catch in a click or lock made on or in the shield, though the bar or holder
can be made quite fast without this click ; still I consider this locking or
catching an important feature in my Invention, as it is certainly more con-
venient and secure. The bar or holder is intended to be worn within the
waistcoat while the shield will be exposed outside, forming a tasteful finish to
the chain as well as being perfectly-secure and much more ornamental than
the hook or plain bar now generally used: This shield can be made round,

page_text: oval, square, heart, diamond, anchor, and in any other shape or device. I do
not confine myself to any shape in particular, nor do I confine myself to the
material, as it is obvious that any material or substance, such as stones, metals,
cameos, or the like, can be used, or a combination thereof. What I claim as
my Invention is the protector, shield, or stud, of any device, and bar in com-
bination therewith, and with or without the click, substantially as herein-before
described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Wiggins Godfrey in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th June 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WIGGINS GODFREY, of 52, Whiskin Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of
Middlesex, Gold Chain Manufacturer and Goldsmith, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Wiggins Godfrey, Her special licence that I, the said William
Wiggins Godfrey, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Wiggins Godfrey, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED FASTENER OR PROTECTOR FOR ALBERT GUARDS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Wiggins Godfrey,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months-next-and-immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Wiggins Godfrey, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in, and by the
following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:
This Invention of an improved fastener or protector consists of a shield or

page_text: such other device that may be thought suitable, which, being combined with a
bar or stud, is particularly suited and especially intended to be adapted and
attached to those chains or guards called "Alberts," whether made of gold,
silver, steel, or any other material, and can be also applied to ladies' Albert
guards, and may be easily attached to any Albert guard now in wear..
.
This fastener, whether made in the form or shape of a shield, as shewn on
Drawing, Fig. 1, or any other contrivance, is firmly secured to a bar, shewn
detached, Fig. 3, or to a stud or other holder, or can be fixed to the bar, stud,
or other holder by a screw. This fastener, made in any form, as aforesaid,
can be so formed that by 'a simple arrangement the bar, stud, or other holder,
on being slightly turned, will fit or catch in a click or lock made on or in the
shield or other device; and in some cases, where desirable, à spring can be
applied. The bar or other holder can be made to fit quite fast without either
the click or spring; and though in my Provisional Specification I considered
this locking or catching an important feature in my Invention, I have found
in practice that it is too expensive and complicated, and will be but seldom
used and not generally adopted; the same observation applies to the use of a
fly spring.
I make a stout bar of metal, the upper part tapering from the centre
piece, leaving the lower part straight, as will be seen on reference to Fig. 3;
from the centre a piece joins the shield or other device, as shewn Fig. 2,
which piece is made quite fast to the shield or other device, so that this bar
being put horizontally through the button-hole of the waistcoat and then
turned upright, will be tightly held to the waistcoat, so that it will be quite
impossible to escape without the knowledge of the wearer, thus forming the
protector, as herein-after claimed.
In cases where I apply a spring the bar, when placed inside the button-hole,
will fly and tightly fix itself to the waistcoat or other garment; this spring bar
will be more applicable to ladies' Alberts, so as to tightly hold to the garment
however slight the texture of the garment may be.. I do not confine myself
to any shape bar in particular, or stud, as they may be varied to suit certain
devices; and in some instances, where lightness and cheapness is considered,
the bar or holder may be made hollow of wire. It is obvious that the bar or
other holder is intended to be worn within the waistcoat or other garment,
while the shield or any other ornamental device will be exposed outside, as
shewn on Drawing, Fig. 1, forming a tasteful finish to the chain as well as
being perfectly secure and much more ornamental than the hook or plain bar
now generally used.
This fastener can be made to resemble a shield, of which there are many
.

page_text: varieties, and can also be made round, oval, square, heart, diamond, anchor,
and any other device, shape, or configuration which fancy may dictate. I do
not confine myself to any shape in particular, nor do I confine or limit myself
to the material to be used in the manufacture thereof, because any material,
such as gold, silver, precious or other stones, metals, cameos, or enamel of any
color, minerals, and in fact.any material can be used, or a combination thereof.
On the surface or face of the shield can be engraved crests, as shewn, Fig. 1,
or initials (to be used as signets), or any other device; and in some cases a
locket may be adapted, or a small photograph or minature, and numerous
other tasteful designs, to suit the taste of the wearer. A key pipe for winding
a watch can be affixed to the bar if required. Though in the Drawing the
design of the exposed portion of the fastener is a shield, still it is obvious, as
before mentioned, any other shape or configuration can be made applicable,
'therefore I consider this shews sufficiently the principle of my Invention.
Having thus described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect,
I wish it to be understood that what I claim and desire to be secured by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the novel, ornamental, and
useful fastener or protector for Albert guards, as herein set forth, and the
general arrangement and combination of parts, as herein-before described,
whether made of any material or a combination thereof, or in any shape or
configuration.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wiggins Godfrey, have hereunto
set my hand and seal this Eleventh day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
WILLIAM WIGGINS GODFREY. (L.S.)