A NEW CONSTRUCTED BUCKLE OR BUCKLES WITH NEW INVENTED JOINT AND SPRING CHAPE FASTENINGS
Year: 1784

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ELEY, of Clerkenwell Green, in the Parish of Saint John, Clerkenwell, in the
County of Middlesex, Buckle Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS I, the said William Eley, did, by my Petition, humbly represent
to His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, that I had,
by much study and application, invented "A NEW CONSTRUCTED BUCKLE OR
BUCKLES WITH NEW INVENTED JOINT AND SPRING CHAPE FASTENINGS;" which said
Invention was entirely new and of my own contrivance, and was not known
to any person or persons, except those to whom I did communicate the same
for their approbation as to its utility, and was not made by any other person
or persons; that in regard I apprehended the said Invention would be of
great use and benefit to His said Majesty's subjects, and as I was the first
and true Inventor thereof, I therefore most humbly prayed His said Majesty
that he would be pleased to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, His Royal Letters Patent for the sole use and benefit of my said
Invention within that part of His said Majestic's Kingdom of Great Britain
called England, the Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
for the term of fourteen years, pursuant to the Statute in that case made and
provided; His said Majesty, being willing and desirous to give encourage-
ment to all arts and inventions which might be for the publick good, was
graciously pleased to condescend to my request; and, therefore, by His Royal
Letters Patent under His Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Seventeenth day of April, in the twenty-fourth year of His reign,

page_text: of His especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, for Himself, His
heirs and successors, did give and grant unto me, the said William Eley,
my executors, adiñors, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole pri-
viledge and authority, that I, the said William, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, and every of them, by myself and themselves, and by
mine or their deputy or deputys, servants or agents, or such other as I, the
said William Eley, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, my said Invention within that part of His said Majesty's
Kingdom of Great Britain called England, His Dominion of Wales, and
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to me, the said William
Eley, my executors, admors, and assigns, or any of us, should in our
discretions scem meet, and that I, the said William Eley, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should and lawfully might have and enjoy the
whole profit, benefit, and advantage from time to time coming, growing,
accrewing, and arising by reason of the said Invention, for and during the
term of years therein mentioned, to have, hold, exercise, and enjoy the said
licence, power, priviledges, and advantages therein-before granted unto me,
the said William Eley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, for and
during and unto the full end and term of fourteen years from the date of the
said Letters, according to the Statute in such case made and provided; in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that if I, the said William
Eley, did not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said In-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under ny hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within four calendar months next after
the date of the said Letters Patent, then the said Letters Patent, and all
libertys and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, shall utterly cease,
determine, and become void, anything therein-before contained to the contrary
thereof in anywise notwithstanding, as in and by the said Letters Patent,
relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Eley, in compliance with the
said provisoe, do hereby describe and ascertain the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and declare that the said new buckle so invented and made by me is
made in the manner as by me herein-after specified, expressed, or described,
that is to say
A jointed double chape and tongue, or under buckle, for men's or women's
shoes, after mentioned, witli a bar or bars made of iron or any other kind of

page_text: metal, which extends, or nearly extends, from side to side between the
bridges of the upper rim belonging to the buckle, wbich upper rim of the
buckle for men's or women's shoes may be made of any kind of mettal, shape,
or fashion. At the end of the bar next the instep is one or more nib or nibs,
catch or catches, hook or hooks, for the purpose of locking or fastening the
said upper rim and under buckle, and holding or confining the same together;
and a joint at the other end of the said bar is fixed or fastened to the bridge
of the upper rim of the buckle next the toe, for the purpose of turning over
or throwing back the upper rim of the buckle to buckle or unbuckle the
shoe, and to assist in holding the upper rim and under buckle together. To
the sides of the said bar are fixed a jointed double chape and tongue, for
buckling or fastening the shoe with the straps, which is called a double chape,
under, or false buckle. In the bridge of the said upper rim, next the instep,
are made two or more cavitys for the purpose after mentioned. To which
bridge or bridges are fixed two small springs; one end of each spring is fix'd
or fastened to the inside of the same bridge or bridges, the other end of one
of the said springs projects over one of the said cavitys, and the other across
the other cavity of the said bridge or bridges. To each of the said bridge
springs is fixed a small nob, which passes through or underneath the bridge
next the instep. The use of one of the said cavitys is to admit therein the
said nib or nibs, catch or catches, hook or hooks, of the bar of the under
buckle, which is received by one of the said springs that locks or fastens the
rim and under buckle together, and the other cavity is to admit therein the
nib or nibs, catch or catches, hook or hooks, of the strap spring after men-
tioned. The use of one of the said nobs by pressing will unlock or unfasten
the upper rim and under buckle, the other nob by pressing will unlock or
unfasten the strap spring after mentioned. The said strap spring is a piece
of iron, steel, or metal, which extends, or nearly extends, the width of the
buckle between the bridges; on which strap spring is fixed a small spring, for
the purpose of throwing up the under buckle, which relieved by the bridge
spring. A small nob is fixed about the middle at one end of the said strap
spring, and at or near one corner of the other end thereof is fixed one or
more nib or nibs, catch or catches, hook or hooks, which shuts into one of
the said cavitys of the bridge or bridges, and is received by one of the said
bridge springs which locks or fastens the same. The said strap spring is for
the purpose of confineing or keeping fast between the upper rim and under
buckle, a false strap of leather, or anything the shoe is made of. One end
of this strap spring goes under a flat piece of iron, steel, or metal, belonging
to the joint next the toe, which projects out for that purpose, with a notch

page_text: therein to receive the said nob on the said strap spring; the said nob also
serves as a direction to fix or fasten the said strap spring.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Eley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of August, in the twenty-fourth
year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord Georg the Third, by the
grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender
of the Faith, and so forth, and in the year of our Lord One thousand
seven hundred and eighty-four.