Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 14th May, 1896-Accepted, 4th July, 1896
I, DANIEL EDWARD HIPWELL of 14 Upper Bedford Place, Russell Square,
London, Middlesex, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :-
The object of my invention is to make a buckle that shall be more easily
fastened and unfastened than those at present in use, and at the same time shall
be equally secure.
My buckle differs from the ordinary one in the following particulars.
The tongue is hinged, not to the ordinary cross piece at the bottom of the
buckle but to a short arm projecting therefrom or to the head of a crank made in
the cross piece.
To the cross piece is also attached a lever or rod or two levers or rods parallel or
about parallel to the arm or crank above mentioned.
In some cases the arm and lever are all in one piece that is, the tongue is hinged
part way up the arm, which thus serves the double purpose of attachment for the
tongue and lever for the purpose of lifting it.
Across the middle of the buckle is a bar or band to prevent the tongue from
dropping through too far when retracted.
The lever or levers may be made to clip either the sides of the buckle or
a projection from the bar across the middle. The two levers can be joined across
the buckle over the tongue if desired.
If the lever or levers be lifted up, the tip of the tongue will be retracted from
the lip of the buckle, and the strap will at once be released. If the strap be
pulled so that the hole shall be just opposite the tip of the retracted tougue and the
lever or levers pushed down, the tongue will advance and passing through the hole
in the strap will engage the lip of the buckle.
The pressure of the strap will keep the tongue in place, and for further security
the lever or levers may be made to clip the sides or the cross bar as above
mentioned.
Dated the Seventeenth day of July 1895.
DANIEL EDWARD HIPWELL.
I, DANIEL EDWARD HIPWELL of 14 Upper Bedford Place Russell Square
London Middlesex Merchant 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in buckles the object being to provide
means for more easily and tightly securing a belt or strap and for readily
unfastening the same whilst so constructing the buckle that it shall always remain
securely locked and appearing as an ordinary buckle until its special mechanism
is intentionally operated,

page_text: Bociany
useful type and yet makes its unintentional opening practically impossible.
The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following
drawings in which like letters and numbers refer to like parts in the various
figures.
Fig. 1. is a plan view of a buckle with a centre and side levers.
Fig. 2. is a side elevation of Fig. 1. in use as an ordinary buckle.
Fig. 3. is a longitudinal section of the same, shewing the alternative method of
opening it.
Fig. 4 is a cross section of same shewing the method of locking it.
Fig. 5 is a modification of Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7. is a cross section of Fig. 5.
The leading principle of my invention will be understood by reference to Figs. 1
2 3 and 4 in which it will be seen that the buckle consists of the frame (A) having
three cross bars, one at the back (3) to which the strap or belt is permanently
attached, one in the front (2) under which passes the loose strap to be fastened,
and a centre or guiding bar (1) in addition to the ordinary front and back bars.
In this form of my buckle the back bar (3) is passed through holes or bearings g.
in the sides of the frame A and is free to revolve. The tongue B instead of
hinging on the back bar (3) as in most buckles, is attached by the joint g to the
lever or short arm C, which again is rigidly attached by its other end to the back
bar (3).
On the outer ends of the bar (3) I securely attach preferably two side
levers H-H. So long as these levers H-H are left pressed down as in Fig. 2
the tongue operates in the ordinary way, it hinging on the joint J. This is clearly
shewn in Fig. 2.
The side bars act as retaining clips pressing against and springing into recesses
or undercuts in the frame. This is shewn in Fig. 4. which is a cross section of
Fig. 1 on the line X-X.
But when it is desired to get instaut release the two side bars are grasped by the
finger and thumb and pulled upwards.
Sufficient purchase can be got to overcome the resistance of the clipping and as
the levers are drawn upwards the back bar (3) to which is attached the lever C
will be also partially revolved and the tongue B consequently withdrawn from the
bar (2), leaving a clear way for the passage of the strap. As shewn in Fig. 3 to
obtain release there is no need to previously draw the strap out of the loop F
usually placed on the strap near the buckle.
If the buckle were not provided with the centre bar (1) the tongue would fall
down causing inconvenience and it would be difficult to manipulate. But bar (1)
forms a support and guide, and the tongue B being made to the proper curve,
enters the hole in the strap when the side bars are once more depressed and can be
made to push further through than is possible with ordinary buckles and thus give
greater security. The lever C the tongue B and the centre bar (1) are of such
proportions and so arranged that the tip of the tongue can never be retracted
beyond the back edge of bar (1). The buckle is therefore never out of gear.
Figs. 5, 6, and 7, shew a modification of Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4. It will be seen

page_text: that the side levers H-H, which in this case can be hinged on the back bar (3)
are joined together by the cross bar K which takes the place of the pin g in the
lever C in Fig. 1. leaving the bar (3) which in this case can be a fixed part of the
frame A, free for the attachment of the strap, or belt, and are provided with clip
wings L-L engaging with recesses or undercuts in the inner sides of the
frame A.
This permits a stronger and still more secure clip action, for in order to release
the strap under pressure the two side bars must be squeezed towards one another
at M-M, to help to release the clip, and the whole movement of simultaneously
squeezing and lifting both members, though easy enough could hardly be the result
of accident.
It will be seen from the drawings that the proportions of the lever C and
tongue B the curve of the tongue B, the forms and positions of the cross bars,
have to be duly adjusted to one another, an alteration of one part would necessitate
a modification of another, I therefore do not confine myself to the exact proportions
and shapes shewn.
I am aware that many forms of buckles have previously been patented, some of
them with similar objects in view.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention what I claim is :-
Improvements in the construction of buckles substantially as and for the
purposes herein shown and described.
Dated this 14th day of May 1896.
DANIEL EDWARD HIPWELL.