Improvements in Clasps.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1899-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clasps.
I, BYRON GEORGE CLARK, of 74, Chauncy Street, Boston, in the County of
Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, 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:-
This invention relates to clasps used with suspending straps more particularly
adapted for use in connection with hose or other garments, although as will
hereinafter appear, my invention is not restricted thereto.
One of the objects of my present invention is to provide a clasp of novel con-
struction, which will when closed upon the object firmly clamp the same without
any tendency to tear or slip.
Another object of my invention is to simplify and cheapen the construction of
the clasp, and to provide effective locking means for holding the clasp closed when
desired.
Other objects of my invention will be hereinafter described in the following
specification and particularly pointed out in the claims.
The invention is carried out as follows, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings-where-
Fig. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a clasp embodying my invention and
represented as closed or clamped upon a garment.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the clasp shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a like view with the co-operating clamping members open.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the clamping members.
Fig. 5 is a like view of the co-operating member, and
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the locking lever.
I have herein shown the clasp as comprising two co-operating members a and b,
the former having two upturned ears a¹ at its sides, and transverse slots a² at
its rear end, said slots receiving therein two slightly bent prongs 62 at the end
of the member b.
These members are preferably stamped or struck up from this sheet metal, and
by the construction described are pivotally connected at their inner ends, their
separable outer ends forming clamping jaws to engage the garments or other
object to be held. The under or inner member a is upturned or flanged at its
outer end at a³, and long transverse slots a', a³, are made in the member adjacent
its ends.
A strap A of elastic or other fabric is passed through the slot a along the
under or outer face of the member a, and up over the flange or lip a, thence
down through the slot a³, the end of the strap being held between the plate a
and the portion of the strap A along its under side.
The strap thus passing around the jaw portion of the member a forms a
yielding surface or grip, and by its somewhat roughened surface prevents slipping
of the object between the jaws, and it also reduces the tendency of the jaws to
tear the garment.

page_text: The upper member is shown as bent in the direction of its length, with its
convex side out, and it has a lip at its outer end, which engages the garment
back of the lip a when the jaws are closed, as in Fig. 2, to further guard against
slipping.
In making the member b, it is longitudinally slotted in two parallel lines to
leave an intermediate portion 6, which is oppositely curved to the main body of
the member, to form a bearing, for a purpose to be described.
Referring to Fig. 1 the plate or member a is cut out interiorly to leave a spring
tongue a, extending longitudinally of the member and having its free end
upturned, as at a, between the ears a and the pivotal point of connection
between the members a and b, the upturned end of the tongue normally acting
upon the convex face of the bearing portion to lift the member b, and thereby
maintain the jaws open, as shown in Fig. 3, for the entrance or removal of the
garment.
A locking lever d, shown separately in Fig. 6, has laterally extended portions d
provided with pintles which have bearings in the ears a² of the member a,
the main part of the lever d passing up through the opening in the member b
left by bending the bearing portion b
Below the pintles the lever is bent rearwardly to form a lug d³ which travels
over the concave surface of the bearing b¹, and when the jaws are open, as in
Fig. 3, the action of the spring a upon the bearing retains the main lever
arm & outturned.
Now, when it is desired to lock the jaws together the lever d is swung rear-
wardly in the direction of arrow 10 Fig. 3, into the position shown in Fig. 2,
the lug as it moves over the bearing depressing it and the member o against
the action of the spring a*, and when the lever is in locking position the spring
and lug will be on opposite sides of the fulcrum of the lever, see Fig. 2, the free
end of the lever resting upon the strap A beyond the member a.
When the locking lever is in this position, the pressure of the spring acting
upon its lug through direct engagement with the bearing prevents accidental
turning of the lever into the position Fig. 3, to open the clamping jaws.
In Figs. 2 and 3, a portion of the strap or web A beneath the spring is shown
in section, in order to more clearly illustrate the position of the spring.
From the foregoing description and the drawings it will be obvious that the
suspending strap A has no other function than to suspend the clasp and to
protect or cushion the jaw portion of one of the clamping members.
As soon as the locking lever is moved past its dead center from the position
shown in Fig. 2 the spring acts to maintain the jaws open ready to receive
the garment or other fabric, and this open position of the jaws is maintained
entirely irrespective or independent of the nature, construction or arrangement
of the suspending strap.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A clasp comprising two opposing clamping members pivotally connected
at one end, a lever mounted on one member to act upon the other member and
lock them in closed position, and a spring integral with one member and indepen-
dent of the pivotal connection of the clamping members, to normally maintain
them open, the spring acting in opposition to the lever and also maintaining
the latter in locked position.
2. A clasp comprising two opposed clamping members pivotally connected at
one end one of said members having a longitudinally curved bearing portion,
and the other member having a spring to act directly upon the adjacent surface
of said bearing portion and normally separate the members, and a locking lever
to engage the opposite surface of the bearing portion and lock said members
together, said lever being pivotally mounted on the spring carrying member.

page_text: 3. A clasp comprising two opposed clamping members pivotally connected at
one end, one of which has an integral, inturned spring tongue, an inwardly
curved longitudinal bearing on the other member, and a lever pivotally mounted
on the tongue carrying member and provided with a locking lug to act upon
the concave face of the bearing and force it against the spring tongue, to hold the
clamping members locked together in opposition to the tension of the spring
tongue.
4. A clasp comprising two clamping members pivotally connected at one end,
means, including a longitudinally curved bearing portion on one member and a
co-operating lever on the other member, to lock said members together, a spring
to directly engage the bearing portion on the side opposite the lever, and normally
hold said clamping members open, and a supporting strap attached to one member
and extended along its outer face around its free end.
5. A clasp comprising two clamping members, one of which has a prong at one
end to enter a slot in the other member, to pivotally connect them, an integral
inturned spring tongue on one member, a lever transversely fulcrumed on said
member and provided with a locking lug, and an inwardly curved longitudinal
bearing portion on the other member interposed between the spring tongue and
the inner end of the lever, to prevent disconnection of the clamping members, the
locking lug acting upon the concave face of the bearing portion to hold the said
clamping members locked together in opposition to the stress of the spring tongue.
6. A clasp comprising two clamping members pivotally connected at one end,
an integral, inturned spring tongue on one member, and a lever transversely
mounted on said member, and having a locking lug, the other clamping member
being convexed longitudinally and provided with an inwardly curved longitudinal
bearing portion, the fulcrum of the lever passing between the said bearing portion
and the member of which it forms a part, the locking lug acting upon said bearing
portion to hold the clamping members locked together in opposition to the stress
of the spring tongue.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C.