IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND PACKING OF BELT-LACING
Year: 1878

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LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND PACKING OF BELT-LACING." A
communication from abroad by Marshall Jewell, of Hartford, Connecticut,
United States of America, Gentleman.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th August 1878.
.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND
PACKING OF BELT-LACING." A communication from abroad by Marshall Jewell,
of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America, Gentleman.
Manufacturers who employ machine belting are accustomed to cut their lacing
as wanted from a side of leather kept for that purpose. This leather from its
necessarily greasy character soils all it comes in contact with, and itself becomes
soiled and much deteriorated by exposure to dust and atmospheric influences, the
said dust acting to absorb the grease and destroy the nature of the leather.
Moreover, a great loss of time is entailed when a belt parts, by the necessity of
waiting until another lace can be prepared, or a fresh side procured.
A side of leather remains so long on hand with small manufacturers as to
greatly aggravate the above evils, then also the laces being prepared rudely by
hand are of such unequal widths as to waste about one-fourth of the leather, and
to require larger holes than are necessary in the belting, and occasion unequal
strain on the different parts thereof.
According to this Invention I cut each side of leather into a number of thongs
of assorted but definite lengths and widths, one or both ends of which being
pointed and stiffened in a manner herein-after explained to facilitate its insertion
and passage through the holes of the belt. Sometimes one end of the thong is

page_text: provided with an eye or slit for the purpose of joining the ends, and to enable the
lace to be securely looped to one of the ends of the belt preliminary to lacing.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of my
improved belt laces in coil form for packing.
Figure 2 represents a modification of the tip of the same.
Figure 3 shows the method of packing my improved lacing in assorted sizes.
In practising the said Invention I take a side of lace leather and convert the
said side into lacing of divers sizes and definite width suitable for every description
of belting. Having properly reduced the width of the thin end of each lace A, I
bring the said end to a sharp and stiff point, either by heat and pressure, as at B,
Figure 1, or by enveloping the same in a metallic tip, as at B¹, Figure 2. The
tip B or B' is formed taper, so as to facilitate its insertion through the eyelets,
and to serve as a guide to avoid twisting in the act of lacing. In the thick end of
each lace near its extremity I make a slit C, through which to pass the pointed
end B to enable the said lace to be securely looped to one of the ends of the belt
preliminary to lacing. When both ends of the lace are pointed this slit can be
omitted, and the said lace is wound up from the middle of its length, so that both
of the points come at the outer end of the coil, the middle where the thong is
doubled forming the centre of the coil, and the two layers lying next each other to
the outside.
D is a tag or clip, having its back marked with the length of the lace, and
having claws d, d', which being clinched around the lace serve to hold it in its
coiled form.
The following are among the advantages of my improved belt-lacing, namely:-
Economy of material, as they are cut true and straight; great saving of time to
consumers, as they are always ready for immediate use when a belt breaks; each
lacing is cut the right width and length for a specified width of belting; they are
cut true, and will draw into a small punch hole; each hole of the belt contains the
same bulk and substance; the strain is equally divided; the lacing is not liable to
cut or tear out of the holes; the pointed and stiffened tip greatly facilitates the
operation of lacing, and obviates the necessity for a belt awl.
My object in coiling each lace separately is to have the same convenient to use
and ready when wanted; they occupy but a small space, one coil being packed
above another; they can be shipped to and used in any climate, and the atmosphere
is less liable to affect them than the original sides.
The fastening device holds, the ends securely, and is easily detached. It also
serves for a tag for making the length of the lace.
Leather thus converted into lacings occupies less than half the bulk of the
original hide, and can be put up in larger or smaller packings to suit purchasers.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. Belt-lacings formed or provided with a hardened or metallic tip or point,
as and for the purpose specified.
Second. The method of packing the belt thongs, as and for the purpose specified.
Third. The combination of the tag or clip with the coiled belt thong for the
purpose of retaining the coil in place, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.