IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF BUCKLES AND KEEPERS AND IN THE MODE OF CONNECTING BUCKLES AND KEEPERS GENERALLY TO LEATHER STRAPS OR OTHER ARTICLES, ALSO IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAVELLERS' BELTS AND IN THE MODE OF UNITING LEATHER AND OTHER MATERIALS."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sidney Crowley, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF BUCKLES AND KEEPERS AND IN THE MODE OF CONNECTING
BUCKLES AND KEEPERS GENERALLY TO LEATHER STRAPS OR OTHER ARTICLES,
ALSO IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAVELLERS' BELTS AND IN THE MODE OF
UNITING LEATHER AND OTHER MATERIALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sidney Crowley at
"
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd December 1876.
JOHN SIDNEY CROWLEY, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUCKLES AND KEEPERS AND IN THE
MODE OF CONNECTING BUCKLES AND KEEPERS GENERALLY TO LEATHER STRAPS
OR OTHER ARTICLES, ALSO IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAVELLERS' BELTS AND
IN THE MODE OF UNITING LEATHER AND OTHER MATERIALS."
My improved buckle consists of a double loop with the cross bar in the centre;
the double loop is hinged to a plate from which project pins on one or both sides,
which are driven in the strap or straps, thereby connecting the buckle to the strap
or straps. The end of the strap after being secured by the tongue of the buckle at
one side of the loop is passed under the other side of the loop, thus dispensing with
the usual keeper. In buckles with a single loop, as now customary, the loop is
hinged to a plate from which project pins on one or both sides to connect the bucklo
to the strap or straps. When a keeper is required the plate is provided with a slot
to admit the keeper. If a keeper is required to be placed on a strap independent
of its being connected to the buckle, such keeper is provided with teeth for this
purpose.
My improved double buckle or keeper consists of a double loop with 3 bars,
2 being underneath and one above the loop, a tongue or tongues being placed on
each side of the bottom bars, also a double loop with three bars underneath, a tongue
or tongues being placed on the middle and end bars.

page_text: For the purpose of connecting the customary bucklesto a strap or straps I pro-
vide a plate with teeth and clips on one side the plate, having a slot in the centre
to receive the tongue of the buckle, the cross bar of which fits in a recess made in
the plate for this purpose, a second recess is made to receive a loose keeper, which
dispenses with the ordinary leather loop. Also a metal plate with teeth and clips on
one-side of the plate and with a slot to receive the tongue of the buckle, a recess
being provided in the plate to receive the cross bar of the buckle.
My, improvement in uniting leather or other material consists of a plate with
teeth or pins on both sides and with clips, which plate is placed between the leather
or other materials and the teeth or pins are embedded therein, thereby uniting the
parts.
In all cases rivets may be used instead of the teeth or pins above referred to.
My improved mode of connecting a clip to the end of a strap consists in casting
two plates with pins connected by a loop; this loop is bent to bring the pins into
the strap.
My improvement in the construction of travellers' belts consists in connecting an
additional buckle or buckles to such belts, so that when the belt is secured round
the rug or other articles an additional compartment or compartments may be left
for umbrellas or other articles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Sidney Crowley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
June 1877.
John Sidney CROWLEY, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUCKLES AND KEEPERS AND IN THE
MODE OF CONNECTING BUCKLES AND KEEPERS GENERALLY TO LEATHER STRAPS
OR OTHER ARTICLES, ALSO IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAVELLERS' BELTS AND
IN THE MODE OF UNITING LEATHER AND OTHER MATERIALS."
The nature of my Invention consists in economising labour (by dispensing with
stitching) in connecting buckles and keepers to leather straps or other articles, also
in increasing the strength and durability of the same, also in rendering travellers'
belts more convenient, and in certain improved modes of uniting leather and other
materials.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
My improved buckle, which is shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, consists of the double loop u,
with the cross bar b for the tongue c in the centre of the loop. This double loop is
hinged to the plate d, from which project pins on one side which are driven in the
strap or other article, thereby connecting the buckle to it in the same manner as the
ends of straps are united, as described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to William Randal Harris, on the 16th day of March, 1867, Number 760.
Fig. 3 represents a double buckle similar to that shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, but in
this instance the plate d is provided with pins on both sides by which it can be
secured to the ends of two straps.
Fig. 4 represents a double buckle with the cross bar b, the tongue c, and the plate
with pins d, either cast or otherwise fixed together; the double loop a is loose on
the cross bar b.
Figs. 5 and 6 represent a side view and plan of one of my improved buckles with
a single loop as now customary; the loop a is hinged to the plate d, from which
project pins on one side to connect the buckle to the strap; when a keeper is a
required the plate is provided with a slot to admit the keeper e.
Fig. 7 represents a buckle with a single loop a connected to a plate & having pins
on both sides by which it can be secured to the ends of two straps.

page_text: If a keeper be required to be placed on a strap, independent of its being con-
nocted to a buckle, such a keeper is provided with pins for driving.into the strap as
shewn in front and end view in Fig. 8.
Fig. 9 is a side view, and Fig. 10 a plan of a single buckle constructed according
to a modification of my Invention. In this case the loop a and the cross bar-b-aro
cast or fixed together, and the end of the tongue c is flattened and bent around the
cross bar, the plate & with pins to securo the buckle to the strap is also bent around
the fixed cross bar.
My improved double buckle and keeper is shewn in Figs. 11 and 12; it consists
of the double loop a with two cross bars b, b, underneath, and one above, forming the
loop or keeper c, a tongue or tongues e being placed on each of the cross bars. The
dotted lines shew the mode of connecting the strap to this double buckle.
Fig. 13 represents a double loop a with three bars b beneath the loop, a tongue
or tongues c being placed on the middle end bars. The dotted lines shew the mode
of connecting the strap to the buckle. The buckles shewn in Figs. 11 and 13 aro
particularly applicable for harness.
In Figs. 14 and 15 I have shewn a mode of connecting an ordinary buckle to a
strap or other article; this is effected by the plate & with teeth on one side; this
plate has a cross groove with a slot in the centre to receive the tongue c of the
buckle, the cross bar b of which fits in the groove; a second groove is made to
receive a loose keeper e which dispenses with the ordinary leather loop.
Fig. 16 represents a metal plate with teeth on one side to secure it to a strap
or other article, and with a slot to receive the cross bar of an ordinary double
buckle.
Fig. 17 represents a toothed plate for securing an ordinary keeper to any con-
venient part of a strap.
In all the cases above referred to rivets may bo used instead of the teeth to secure
the buckles or keepers to the straps or other articles.
My improvements in uniting leather or other materials are illustrated in Figs
18 to 21.
Fig. 18 represents the ends of a driving belt which are united by a metal
plate with teeth or pins on both sides; these teeth or pins on one side of the
plate are driven into the ends of the belt, and those on the other side are driven
into a piece of leather or other material, forming a shield. I prefer to make the
plate rather narrower than the belt to be united, so that the edges of the belt may
overlap the ends and sides of the plate.
Fig. 19 represents a modification of this part of my Invention. In this case the
ends of the belt are tapered off and a metal plate with teeth or pins on both sides
is placed between the leather or other material, and when the teeth or pins are
embedded therein the parts become united.
Figs. 20 and 21 represent a plan and section of another modification of this part
of my Invention. In making shoes and boots it is sometimes customary to use a
metal heel plate with a groove filled with leather; these metal heel plates are first
nailed to the heel and then the leather is secured by pegs in the groove; and in
other cases metal heel plates have been secured to the heel of the boot or shoe by
pegs, spikes, or teeth cast or formed with the plate and driven into the leather form-
ing the heel. Now my Invention consists in casting teeth or pins on both sides of
the heel plate, which teeth or pins at the inside of the plate when driven into the
leather forming the foundation of the heel secure it to the boot or shoe, and at the
same time the teeth or pins at the outside secure the leather in the groove and in
the space inside the groove.
Figs. 22 and 23 represent ny improved mode of connecting a clip to the end of a
trace, or for other purposes. In this case the two plates ff, are connected by
a loop; teeth or pins project from one or both plates and fit in corresponding holes
in the other plate, when the end of the trace is placed between the plates
the teeth or pins are forced through it and then rivetted into their respective
holes.

page_text: Fig. 24 represents a travellers' belt constructed according to my improvements,
which consist in connecting an additional buckle or buckles to such belts, so that
when the belt is secured round the rug or other articles an additional compartment
or compartments may be left for umbrellas or other articles.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention and given various illustrations
of the mode of carrying it into operation, I wish it to be distinctly understood that
I do not intend to limit myself to the details given nor to the particular purposes
referred to, as the same may be varied and modified to a considerable extent
without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention, and I claim,-
First. Connecting buckles and keepers to straps and other materials by means of 1
teeth or pins projecting from plates on one or both sides or by means of rivets, as
shewn and described.
•
Secondly. Making grooves or recesses in the plates for the reception of keepers
and buckles, as shewn and described in reference to Figs. 5, 14, 16, and 17.
Thirdly. The improved buckles, shewn and described in reference to Figs. 11, 12, 1
and 13.
Fourthly. The improved mode of uniting leather and other materials by means
of teeth or pins projecting from both sides of a metal plate, as shewn and described
in reference to Figs. 18 to 21, and for all other purposes to which the same is
applicable.
Fifthly. The improved construction of clips with solid teeth or pins projecting
from one or both sides, as shewn and described in reference to Figs. 22 and 23.
And, Lastly. The improved construction of travellers' belts, as shewn and
described in reference to Fig. 24.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sidney Crowley, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Twentieth day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-seven.
J. S. CROWLEY. (L.S.)