An Improved Fastener for Bags, Mail Bags, and other Receptacles Applicable also for Use as a Bracelet.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1897-Accepted, 24th July, 1897
An Improved Fastener for Bags, Mail Bags, and other Receptacles
Applicable also for Use as a Bracelet.
We, GEORGE WILLIAM SHAILER, Settler, and MAURICE COHEN, Merchant, both of
54 Lambton Quay, in the City of Wellington, in the Colony of New Zealand, do
hereby declare 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:-
This invention has reference to fasteners used for closing the mouths of bags,
securing the lids of receptacles and for similar purposes, and is more especially
advantageous for use upon mail bags or receptacles which are sealed after being
closed as a security against their contents being tampered with, and the object of the
invention is to provide a durable, secure, inexpensive, and handy fastener which may
be readily, rapidly, and easily adjusted upon or removed from a bag or other receptacle
and one which may be adjusted to fit articles of different sizes.
To the present time it has been the custom to fasten mail bags with a string or
cord and affix the seal upon the string and bag, with the result that it was necessary
to renew the string each time the bag was reclosed. A loss of tine and expenditure
of labour was thus entailed which are overcome by my invention. Further the seal
was frequently broken owing to its being affixed to a flexible material which is
subjected to considerable rough usage in transit from place to place.
In carrying out the object of the invention, I make a band preferably of band steel,
or of hardened brass where it is desired to resist the effect of moisture. A piece of
strong clock spring is admirably suitable for the band one end of which has a joint
to receive a lever and near the other end a loop or loops is or are provided to receive
a hook formed upon the said lever.
In securing a bag the band is passed around the mouth in the same position as
the string at present in use, and a loop is slipped within the hook of the lever, which
is then brought over to draw the parts close around the bag. Teeth upon the lever
then engage with a catch on or in the band, and around or near this catch is provided
a boss or pad of material to which sealing wax will adhere, and such substances as
vulcanite fibre, wood, and the like will be found suitable for the purpose, or it may
be made of metal perforated with tapering holes into which the wax may be run from
the back so that the wax of the seal will adhere to the wax in the perforations. This
said boss or pad is so shaped that it will protect the edges of the seal and will act as
the capsule ordinarily used to protect the seal, and may be made of any suitable
material such as cast metal or stamped out of sheet metal.
The hand may be adjusted by hooking the lever into any one of the loops upon the
band and engaging the hook upon the catch as required.
The fastener is applicable for use upon bags other than mail bags and is intended
to replace string or cord wherever used for tying up the mouths of bags, the lids of
hampers, and the like. It may further be made in precious metals and ornamented
for wear as a securely fastening bracelet.

page_text: :
In order that the invention may be most easily understood a descriptioN WITH HOW
be given whilst making reference to the accompanying drawings, whereon similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Figure 1 is a view of the fastener clasped upon and closing the mouth of a
mail bag.
Figure 2 is a view of the fastener opened out ready to be placed around a bag or
upon a receptacle.
Figure 3 is a view shewing the first operation when closing the fastener.
Figure 4 is a view of the fastener when closed.
Figure 5 is a side view of a lever and cam for releasing the fastener.
Figure 6 is a plan of the same.
Figure 7 is a view of the loops or bars for adjusting the size of the fastener.
Figure 8 is a section of the catch and pad to which the scal is affixed.
In describing the invention as applied to a mail bag, the fastener is opened as
shewn on Figure 2, where the spring band (a) is extended to receive the mouth of
the bag (b) Figure 1, which said band is then allowed to close around the bag or is
made to do so by the operator. The hook (c) is then made to engage upon one of
the loops or bars (d) as shewn on Figure 3. The lever (f) which is jointed to the
elbow (g) is then carried round until it reaches the position shewn on Figure 4 where
one of the teeth (1) of the lever engages upon the lug (¹) of the catch (h), and 2
where the sizes of the space enclosed by the band (a) has been considerably reduced
to close upon the bag. The lever (f) is held within the catch (h) by the elasticity
of the spring band (a). A seal may now be affixed upon the pad or boss (h) which is
grooved to admit the end of lever (f) and recessed as shown in the section
Figure 8. When made of metal this said pad or boss is preferably perforated with 2
tapering holes (1) which being filled with wax from the back will provide surfaces
of wax upon the front to which the wax used for the seal will adhere. The
lever may be released by passing a pointed wire into the holes (2) Figure 1 beneath
the same and prizing the lever upwards until it is free.
When used for bags which are not to be sealed, a lever (f) Figures 5 and 6 may 3
be employed to release the catch, said lever being fulcrumed to lever (f) and its cam
shaped portion (3) taking upon the checks (j) on each side of the groove which
receives the end of the lever (ƒ).
When used as a bracelet the hook (c) is closed so that the lever is permanently jointed
upon a loop or bar (), one only of which is necessary; so that when the bracelet is 3
open it will appear as shewn on Figure 3, where the space formed by the band (a)
is sufficiently large to admit the hand of the wearer. The bracelet is then secured
by closing the same as shewn on Figure 4 and as previously described herein. In
this case the extension (a²) of band (a) may be dispensed with, such extension being
provided in other cases to prevent a soft material, such as that of which bags are
made, from being caught within the elbow (g) when the lever (a) is being closed.
When used upon a hamper employed for carrying game and the like the band (a)
is slipped around the bar forming the edge of the lid and around the bar forming the
top of the border of the hamper, when the fastener may be closed and sealed as
hereinbefore described.
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-
A
4
1. A spring having a hooked lever jointed thereto, and provided with a loop or
loops to take with the hook of the lever and a catch to engage with teeth formed on 5
the end of the lever, substantially as and for the purposes set forth herein.
2. A spring band having a hooked lever jointed thereto and provided with a loop
or loops to take with the hook of the lever and a catch to engage with teeth formed
on the end of the lever and a pad or boss to which seal of wax may be affixed
substantially as and for the purposes set forth herein.
3. A spring band having a hooked lever jointed thereto and provided with a loop
5

page_text: or loops to take with the hook of the lever and a catch to engage with teeth formed
on the end of the lever and a pad or boss perforated with tapering holes whereby a
seal of wax may be affixed and protected substantially as and for the purposes set
forth herein.
4. A spring band having a hooked lever jointed thereto and provided with a loop
or loops to take with the hook of the lever and a catch to engage with teeth formed
on the end of the lever and a pad or boss having a recess to protect the edges of the
seal and perforated with tapering holes whereby a seal of wax may be affixed
and protected substantially as and for the purposes set forth herein.
5. A spring band having a hooked lever jointed thereto and provided with a loop
or loops to take with the hook of the lever and a catch to engage with teeth formed
on the end of the lever and a pad or boss to which a seal of wax may be affixed said
spring band being provided with holes for releasing the lever from the fastener,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth herein.
6. A spring band having a hooked lever jointed thereto and provided with a loop
or loops to take with the hook of the lever and a catch to engage with teeth formed
on the end of the lever and a releasing lever jointed to the hooked lever substantially
as and for the purposes set forth herein.
7. A fastener having a spring band which is forced around the article to be clasped
by a lever jointed to one end of such band which lever is then made to engage upon
a catch and secured by the elasticity of the spring band, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth herein.
8. An improved fastener for bags, mail bags, and other receptacles consisting of
parts constructed arranged and operating, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth herein.
D