AN IMPROVED MODE OF FASTENING GAITERS, LEGGINGS, AND OTHER ARTICLES, AND IN THE FASTENINGS EMPLOYED THEREPOR
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Luff Anderson, of the Firm of Anderson,
Abbott, and Anderson, of Limehouse, in the County of Middlesex,
India-rubber Manufacturers, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF FASTENING GAITERS, LEGGINGS, AND OTHER ARTICLES, AND IN THE
FASTENINGS EMPLOYED THEREPOR."
Sealed the 10th September 1872, and dated the 12th March 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Luff Anderson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 12th March 1872.
I, WILLIAM LUFF ANDERSON, of the Firm of Anderson, Abbott, and
Anderson, of Limehouse, in the County of Middlesex, India-rubber
Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED MODE OF FASTENING GAITERS, LEGGINGS, AND OTHER ARTICLES,
AND IN THE FASTENINGS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved combination of fastenings, and
also to an improved construction of fastening applicable more par-
ticularly to spring gaiters or leggings, by the use of which the operation

page_text: of fastening is greatly facilitated, the wear and tear of the springs is
diminished, and a more secure and effective means of fastening is
obtained.
In applying this Invention to a spring legging, two or more (by
preference three) rotatory metal buttons and slots are employed, disposed,
when using three fastenings, respectively at the upper and lower ends,
and in the centre of the springs one spring having three slots made
therein surrounded by metal facing peices, and the other being fitted
with three corresponding rotatory metal buttons or catches which pass
freely through the slots, and can then be partially rotated so as to lock
them therein.
In order to prevent any longitudinal displacement of the springs or
derangement of the legging, one of the slots, by preference the upper
slot, is made transversely or across the spring, whilst the other two
slots are made in the direction of the length of the spring.
In fastening a legging according to this Invention it is simply
requisite to bring the two, three, or more slots 'over their respective
buttons, and after the buttons have passed through their slots to lock
them therein by turning them more or less. I thus obviate all bending
of the spring or any longitudinal adjustment or sliding motion thereof
which has hitherto been rendered necessary, and which not only com-
plicates the operation of fastening, but frequently leads to the fracture
of the spring or to an unsightly permanent bend or set in the spring.
The buttons employed in the above combination of fastenings may be
free to turn entirely round, but in all cases I prefer to employ an
improved metal button, the revolution of which is checked by a stop
pin, notch, or other equivalent device, which only allows the said button
to make say one quarter of a revolution. By this means the button
can instantly and without looking at it be brought to the precise.position
necessary for permitting it to pass freely into or out of the slot.
Although I have described this Invention as being more especially
applicable to spring gaiters or leggings, it is obvious that the same
combination and construction of fastenings is applicable to bags,
reticules, and a variety of articles susceptible of being fastened by
means of metal buttons and slots.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Luff Anderson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th September 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
LUFF ANDERSON, of the Firm of Anderson, Abbott, and Anderson, of
Limehouse, in the County of Middlesex, India-rubber Manufacturers,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Luff Anderson,
Her special license that I, the said William Luff Anderson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Luff Anderson, 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 therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Işle
of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF FASTENING GAITERS,
LEGGINGS, AND OTHER ARTICLES, AND IN THE FASTENINGS EMPLOYED THEREFOR,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Luff
Anderson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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 Luff Anderson, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
My said Invention relates to an improved combination or arrange-

page_text: ment of fastenings, and also to an improved construction of fastening
applicable more particularly to gaiters or leggings, by the use of which
the operation of fastening is greatly facilitated, the wear and tear of the
springs or plates is diminished, and a more secure and effective means of
fastening is obtained.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings représents a side elevation of a spring
legging fitted with my improved arrangement of fastenings; Figures 2
and 3 represent respectively a detail back elevation and corresponding
vertical section (full size) of my construction of fastening applied
to an ordinary spring. Figures 4 and 5 represent respectively a detail.
front elevation and vertical section (full size) of a portion of the
fellow spring, shewing the mode of securing the metal facing pieces
which surround the slots; and Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of
the metal facing pieces detached.
A is the legging, one of the springs or plates B (Figure 2) of which
is provided with two or more (by preference three) rotatory metal
buttons a, a, a, whilst the fellow spring or plate B' (Figure 4) has a
corresponding number of slots b, b, b¹, made therein and disposed when
using three fastenings, as shewn in Figure 1, respectively at the upper
and lower ends, and in the centre of the springs or plates, each slot
being surrounded by a metal facing piece c, as shewn clearly in
Figures 1, 4, 5, and 6. On bringing the spring or plate B' with its
slots over the buttons in the spring or plate B the buttons pass freely
through the slots, and can then be partially rotated so as to lock them.
therein, as shewn in Figure 1.
In order to prevent any longitudinal displacement of the springs or
plates or derangement of the legging, one of the slots, by preference
the upper slot b³, is made transversely or across the spring or plate,
whilst the other two slots are made in the direction of the length of the
spring or plate, see Figure 1.
By my method of fastening I obviate the necessity for using the
plates as springs, and thus dispense with all bending of the plates, or any

page_text: longitudinal adjustment or sliding motion thereof, which has hitherto
been rendered necessary when using a "box" or socket at one or both
ends of one of the springs, into which the end or ends of the fellow
spring is sprung, which not only complicates the operation of fastening'
but frequently leads to the fracture of the spring or to an unsightly*
permanent bend or set therein.
The buttons a employed in the above combination of fastenings may
be free to turn entirely round, as in the ordinary button, but in all cases
I prefer to employ an improved metal button (herein-after described),
the revolution of which is checked by a stop pin, notch, or other
equivalent device, which only allows the said button to make say one
quarter of a revolution, as shewn in Figures 2 and 3, where d is a
notched disc secured to the shank of the button at the back of the
spring so as to turn with the button, whilst e is a stop pin fixed in the
spring, which only allows the button to make a quarter of a turn. By
this means the button can be instantly and without looking at it brought
to the precise position necessary for permitting it to pass freely into or
out of the slot.
The face pieces c which surround each slot are made with two
tongues ff, cut out of the slot or opening formed therein, and bent
back as shewn in the perspective view, Figure 6, of one of the said face
pieces. These tongues are passed through the slot in the outer leather,
and through the slot in the spring, and are then bent or hammered down
over the back of the spring, as shewn in Figures 4 and 5, which
effectually secures each face piece in its place. The said tongues are
concealed by the inner lining of leather which covers the back of the
spring or plate.
Although I have described my Invention as being more especially
applicable to gaiters or leggings, it is obvious that the same combination
and construction of fastenings is applicable to bags, reticules, and a
variety of articles susceptible of being fastened by means of metal
buttons and slots.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-

page_text: First. The combination of two or more buttons and slots when one or
more of such slots is or are disposed at or about a right angle to the
other slot or slots for the purpose of fastening gaiters, leggings, and
other articles susceptible of being so fastened without the use of a
"box" or socket for the reception of either end of a spring, substan-
tially as herein-before described.
Second. The so constructing the rotatory buttons employed in con-
junction with slots for fastening gaiters, leggings, and similar articles as
that the said buttons shall only be permitted to make a portion of a
revolution, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Luff Anderson, have
to this my Specification set my hand and seal, the Twelfth day
of September, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.