Improvements in and relating to Strap Locks.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct., .1895-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Strap Locks.
We, HARDIN BEVERLY LITTLEPAGE, Clerk, and LEONIDAS WILLIAM
GRANT, Clerk, citizens of the United States of America, residing respectively at
2135 L Street North-west, and 1908 G Street North-west, in the City of
Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America, 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 :-
Our invention has relation to locks adapted to be applied to the straps of trunks,
boxes, mail bags, and other like strapped receptacles, whether such straps are
provided with the usual retaining or locking and adjusting buckle or not, and it
has for its object the provision of means whereby two parts of a strap may be
locked together against unauthorized undoing of such strap, by means of a two-part
key-operated lock, each part provided with a lock element adapted to interlock, one
or both said parts adapted to be shifted along the strap.
Our invention has for its further object the provision of means whereby one or
both elements of the strap-lock are now securely connected with this strap, by
providing the faces of one or both parts of the lock with teeth adapted to penetrate
into the strap sections.
As an illustration, we will describe our invention in its application to trunks
devoid of a lock, and known under the name of Telescopic Trunks.
It is well known that railroad officials will not check baggage for transmission
that is not securely locked, while there is a class of baggage, namely, telescopic
trunks, to which a lock cannot be applied, in view of the fact that the depth of
these trunks is adjustable, so that the ordinary trunk lock is not available.
Our invention has for its object the provision of means whereby the strap or
straps by means of which the telescopic sections of these trunks are usually strapped
together may be as securely locked against unauthorized removal, as is the case in
an ordinary trunk.
The invention consists essentially in the combination with an ordinary strap,
provided with the usual adjusting and fastening buckle, of a lock, comprising
two parts, one of which is or may be permanently secured to the strap at a suitable
point in rear of the buckle, while the other part is adjustable on, or adjustably
connected with the free end, or that portion of the strap extending or projecting
from its buckle, as will now be fully described, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 shows in elevation a telescopic trunk, the retaining straps of which are
locked in accordance with our invention;
.
Figures 2 and 3 show in perspective, two forms of stud plates adapted to be
applied to the body of a strap;
Figure 4 is a like view of the lock case adjustable on, or detachable from the
free end of the strap;
Figure 5 is a top view of the lock, showing the key-operated locking springs,
the key, in section, being shown inserted, and the springs spread, as in unlocking,
and
Figure 6 is a cross section of straps and locking devices.
In the above described figures of drawings S indicates the strap, B its buckle,

page_text: and P a stud plate Figure 2, provided with flanges p overlapping the edges of the
strap, to which said plate may be riveted or otherwise secured; or it may be
simply slipped onto the strap, hence made detachable therefrom, said plate being
provided with a stud pl extending through said strap and terminating in a conical
head p².
As shown; the stud plate P is applied to the strap near its buckle B, but it may
of course be applied at any suitable or required point distant from said buckle,
which, if the plate is detachable from the strap, will depend upon the length of the
free end of such strap, so that the latter may be held against the body of the strap,
as in the case of the ordinary retaining loop. It is obvious, however, that the stud
plate may consist simply of a stud or button, having a cylindrical or otherwise
shaped more or less flat base, from which the headed stud pl projects, as shown in
Figure 3.
The lock case C may or may not be provided with side flanges adapted to
overlap the edges of the free ends of the strap.
In a lock in which the locking bolt is cylindrical in order to prevent it from
turning on said bolt that the lock case should have lateral depending flanges c, as
shown, that overlap or overhang the edges of the free end of the strap, though we
preferably make the said flanges of a width practically equal to twice the thickness
of the strap, so that the Hauges will fit or lap over the edges of the body of the
strap as well as the sides of the stud plate P. The lock case C may also be
provided with inturned flanges similar to the flanges p on the stud plate, so that it
can be slipped on and off the strap, as will be readily understood.
In the lock case are arranged two springs ss, adapted to engage the shoulder
formed by the portion of greatest diameter of the head p³ of stud pl on plate P.
It is obvious that. if the stud p' is passed through a hole in the free end s¹ of
the strap S and then into the lock-case through a suitably located bolt hole,
the springs ss will spread and allow the enlarged head p' to pass between them,
and then snap under said head and lock the lock case and the two parts of the strap
together.
In its outer face the lock case is provided with a suitably located key hole for a
key K, Figure 5.
The lock constructed as set forth, and as shown in the drawings, is merely given
as an example, and we do not limit ourselves to the use thereof, as any other
lock, comprising two parts provided with key-operated interlocking devices, one
of said parts adapted for application to the body of the strap and the other to
the free end thereof, may be used.
In order to more firmly secure one or both elements of the lock to the strap S,
we form teeth t on that face of each of the lock elements in contact with the
strap S, as shown in Figures 2 and 6, adapted to penetrate into the leather when
the two parts of the lock are applied to the strap.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is:
1. The combination with a strap, of a key-operated lock composed of two parts
each provided with a lock element, one or both parts adapted to be shifted along
the strap, for the purposes set forth.
2. The combination with a strap provided with the usual retaining and adjusting
buckle, of a key-operated lock. composed of two parts each provided with a lock
element, one or both of said parts adapted to be shifted along the strap, for the
purpose set forth.
3. The combination with a strap, of a lock composed of two parts provided with
a lock element, said elements adapted to interlock, both said parts adapted to be
shilted along the strap, for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination with a strap, of a two-part lock, each part provided with a

page_text: lock element, one or both said parts adapted to be shifted along said strap, the
faces of the two parts of the lock in contact with the strap provided with.
projections or teeth, for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 1st day of October 1895.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.