IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SOLITAIRES AND STUDS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO SNAP FASTEN-
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Greaves, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Jeweller, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SOLITAIRES AND STUDS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO SNAP FASTEN-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Greaves at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd June 1875.
I, THOMAS GREAVES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Jeweller, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for “Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SOLITAIRES AND STUDS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO
SNAP FASTENINGS FOR BOOTS, GLOVES, AND OTHER DRESS PURPOSES," to be as
follows (that is to say):-
My improvements in solitaires have for their object the keeping the
means for actuating the detent (for connecting or disconnecting the
front and back parts) within the circular or other shaped box or recess
that usually receives the setting or front ornament, instead of placin

page_text: this part on the back thereof, and this I effect either with a rectangular
or circular shank or connecting part between the front and back disc,
modifying the said parts accordingly.
If a rectangular shank (in its transverse section) is used, I form the
shank (by preference) of thin metal bent into a rectangular form at the
two sides and one end, leaving the other side open to receive the detent,
which I secure, like the blade of a knife, by a rivet at the end of the
rectangular shank, the same being secured to the back of the front part.
The detent, working on the axis described extends at its free end to the
inside of the front case or hollow of the front setting, and is connected to
a plate that works against the inside of the metal disc forming the back
of the said front setting, which sliding part is actuated by a suitable
spring within the recess, which keeps the detent in extension, but which
may be compressed by an extending finger bit, which actuates the
detent at pleasure, and allows the front part to be disconnected from
the back part, from the said back part being fitted with a rectangular
hollow shank contracted at its extreme end, or the part of the hollow
shank that comes in contact with the back of the front shell, that
either way in which the said hollow shank is placed over the spring or
back shank the connection will be formed by the spring detent expanding
over the inner contraction of the said hollow shank.
.
But as an equivalent, or for studs where great compactness is desirable
with a double detent, such as in uniting the cuffs of gloves, or ladies'
boots, or applying the said studs to dress fronts as ornamental ap-
pendages, or otherwise, where stress is required or caused by the means
of connection, I divide the rectangular shank secured to the back disc
so as to receive a detent on each side, controlled or actuated by an
external projecting part at each side of the recess for receiving or
forming the front ornament, as before referred to, the space of the
rectangular shank between the detents being occupied by a square or
circular central pin or countershank attached to the back side of the
front or ornamental part, instead of having this shank of a rectangular
form, as required in the former example.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Greaves in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd December 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
GREAVES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Jeweller, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Thomas Greaves, Her special license that I, the
said Thomas Greaves, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Thomas Greaves, my executors, administrators,
and 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 Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF SOLITAIRES AND STUDS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO SNAP FASTENINGS FOR BOOTS,
GLOVES, AND OTHER DRESS PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Greaves, my executors, administrators, or
assigns, by an instrument in writing under my or their hands and
seals, 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 Thomas Greaves, 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 improvements in solitaires have for their object the keeping the
means for actuating the detent (for connecting or disconnecting the
front and back parts) within the circular or other shaped box or recess

page_text: that usually receives the setting or front ornament, instead of placing
this part on the back thereof, and this I effect either with a rectangular
or circular shank or connecting part between the front and back disc,
modifying the said parts accordingly.
If a rectangular shank in its transverse section is used, I form the
shank (by preference) of thin metal bent into a rectangular form at the
two sides and one end, leaving the other end open to receive the detent,
which I secure, like the blade of a knife, by a rivet at the end of the
rectangular shank, the same being secured to the back of the front part.
The detent, working on the axis described, extends at its free end to
the inside of the front case or hollow of the front setting, and is con-
nected to a plate that works against the inside of the metal disc forming
the back of the said front setting, which sliding part is actuated by a
suitable spring within the recess, which keeps the detent in extension,
but which may be compressed by an extending finger bit, which actuates
the detent at pleasure, and allows the front part to be disconnected from
the back part, from the said back part being fitted with a rectangular
hollow shank contracted at its extreme end, or the part of the hollow
shank that comes in contact with the back of the front shell, that either
way in which the said hollow shank is placed over the spring or back
shank the connection will be formed by the spring detent expanding
over the inner contraction of the said hollow shank.
But as an equivalent, or for studs where great compactness is desirable
with a double detent, such as in uniting the cuffs of gloves, or ladies'
boots, or applying the said studs to dress fronts as ornamental ap-
pendages, or otherwise, where stress is required or caused by the means
of connection, I divide the rectangular shank secured to the back disc
so as to receive a detent on each side, controlled or actuated by an
external projecting part at each side of the recess, for receiving or
forming the front ornament, as before referred to, the space of the
rectangular shank between the detents being occupied by a square or
circular central pin or countershank attached to the back of the front or
ornamental part, instead of having this shank of a rectangular form, as
required in the former example.
But in view of being more distinctly understood as to the nature and
character of my improvements in the manufacture of solitaires and
other stud fastenings, I will further illustrate the same by reference to
the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: b
Fig. 1 represents in sectional side view the front part of a solitaire or
stud connector, drawn to an enlarged scale for the purpose of better
definement. The combined shank a and b are united together by the
axis c, the part 6 being permanently attached to the back of the front
shell marked d, d. The part of the shank marked a projects within the
shell for the purpose of being expanded in relation to the part b (as
here represented) by a wire or other suitable spring, the force of which
is controlled by the sliding pusher or finger bit e, which being pressed
in places the shank a over b, and permits this shank to be passed in the
rectangular hole, shewn at Fig. 2, marked f. This part is simply an
inner or counterpart of the solitaire, as shown partly in a side view
section at Fig. 3, the opening for the combined shank to pass through
being marked as at Figure 2 with the letter f; and the cap in Figure 3,
marked 9, 9, in Figures 2 and 3, projects inward at the end, contracting
the orifice of the hollow rectangular shank f, and these projections
falling in the recesses in the shank h, h, firmly unite the parts together.
Fig. 4 is simply a top view of Figure 1, showing the hollow cavity of
the shiell d and the slide or pusher e, also the spring, which takes into a
small hole formed at the top of the part a that projects up into the shell,
passing through the slide e, as best seen at Figure 1.
Fig. 5 is, like Figure 1, a section of the front part of a solitaire,
and similar in construction, but has only the means of uniting with the
back part by one detent, as at i, in contradistinction to the two shewn
at h, h, in Figure 1.
Fig. 6 represents a side enlarged view of a solitaire with the front
and back parts united together, but instead of the axis, as at c, c,
Figures 1 and 2, passing through their united thickness. I prefer
to form the detent or connecting part on the side, as shewn at k,
Fig. 7. To effect this I secure the part to the back shell of the
front part marked m, m, and unite the part m to the part 7 by a pin
and joint, which permits the part n to be readily pushed in by the
pusher o for relieving the front from the back part, in which case the
parts and n would be in contact, as shown at Fig. 8, that is to say,
their inner surfaces would be brought together by the pressure of the
finger on the pusher o (shewn separately at Fig. 15), which pusher is.

page_text: spring or elastic force is obtained for keeping the said pusher in
extension unless compressed by the finger; but instead of adopting this
kind of spring the pusher may be cut out with an extended arm for
receiving an hellical spring, as at y, which will afford an expanding
force not only enduring, but which may be easily adjusted by the size
of the wire of which the spring is made.
The internal shank, marked a', is rectangular, and of the form (in its
transverse section) as represented by the dark orifice at Fig. 18,
marked b'. This Figure exhibits in plan the back connecting part,
which is shown in a part sectional view at Fig. 19, which again repre-
sents the orifice 6, into which a¹ passes. The shank c¹ c¹, has two
lateral cuts d¹³, d', into either of which, according to the manner in
which the two parts are put together, the pusher x enters, or rather the
part of the pusher marked e', which is held in the slot d' of the shank,
Fig. 19, by the force of the spring or springs that may be used to keep
the pusher in this direction.
But for studs that may be required for fastening gloves, or in the
place of buttons for ladics' boots, in which case such studs would be
subjected to much stress, and to meet such a requirement I prefer
making studs for such purposes with strong double detents, in the
manner exhibited in the combined section at Fig. 20, but which parts
are shewn disconnected at Figs. 21 and 22.
A shank is formed on the inner or back part, marked ƒ¹, ƒ¹, into which
a strong steel spring is placed, shown separate in a flat and edge view at
Figure 23, marked g¹, and which spring is held in position by a wire
pin passed through the shank marked h¹. The catch parts of the spring
are always in position that when applied to the front part the inner ends
of the slides k¹, k¹, will be expanded to allow their inner ends to snap
under the inclines of the spring, and thus make the connection very
secure. The internal shank, marked a¹, at the back of the front part,
as shown at Figures 20 and 21, enters the hollow shank of the lower
part, marked f¹, between the spring catch marked g¹.
Fig. 24 is simply a top view of the parts shewn at Figure 21, in which
it will be seen that the pushers k¹, k¹, are held in position by two pins,
which work in slots formed through the pushers, and are thereby
regulated in their action, while their expanded condition is determined
by the springs m³, m³, and n¹, n. The rectangular part p' simply forms

page_text: a cap to cover over the opening for the extreme end of the shank f¹
to enter when the parts are united, and to this rectangular part p¹ the
internal shank an is secured by rivetting, soldering, or otherwise.
Fig. 25 simply represents a top view of Figure 22, shewing the
bevelled angles of the spring g', 9¹.
In unfastening a stud so connected the pushers are pressed in against
a small angle part beyond the inclined catches of the spring, as shewn
in the section at Figure 20. This pressure sufficiently closes the springs
as to allow the bevelled part to pass through a contracted opening
formed in the back of the front shell, defined at 1, 1, Figure 21.
Having thus fully described the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same may be carried into effect, I wish it under-
stood that I do not limit myself to the size or form of any of the parts
or details herein described and exhibited, as the Drawings are made
much out of proportion and size for ordinary use, but I have done so for
better exhibiting and defining the parts and mode of putting them
together in combination for illustrating my Invention in the manu-
facture and construction of solitaires and studs for various uses and
appliances, as herein-before set forth, and of which improvements I
claim to be the first and true Inventor, and desire to protect under these
my in part recited Letters Patent.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Greaves, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS,
THOMAS GREAVES. (L.S.)
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.