Improvements in Buckles, Clasps, and like Fittings for Waist-belts, Braces, Garters, and such like Articles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1894-4ccepted, 24th Nov., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buckles, Clasps, and like Fittings for Waist-belts,
Braces, Garters, and such like Articles.
I, HERBERT BROOKES, of 16 Stamford Road, Handsworth, near Birmingham
in the County of Stafford, Toolmaker, 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 consists of an improvement in buckles, clasps, & like fittings for
waist-belts, braces & garters & such like articles, whereby the necessity of sewing
on the band to the fittings is dispensed with, and whereby an easier & quicker
adjustment of the length of band is obtained; the usual slide arrangement, as in
the case of waist-belts, being no longer needed for the purpose of adjustment.
I will now proceed to describe, with reference to accompanying drawings, the
manner in which my invention may be applied.
Figure 1. represents a suitable length of metal (its length depending upon the
width of band used with it) of a section either oblong, square, round, half-round, or
otherwise, turned up at one end to about three-fourths of a circle, as shewn at a',
forming an open loop, joint, or hinge-part, ready for closing on to eye, side-loop,
buckle or clasp bar.
This hinged length of metal (Fig. 1) I call the tongue.
This said tongue from the loop end to other end may be plain, corrugated, or
notched, or otherwise slightly varied for the purpose of obtaining strength of grip
or hold.
This said tongue I close over on to the one end of either eye, side loop, buckle
or clasp bar, hinge-like, in such a fashion as to be suspended down the entire length
of said eye, side-loop, buckle or clasp bar, nearly filling up the parallel space
between the sides of loop, or eye, or sides of bar & clasp. The other end of
tongue is left free and curving towards, and slightly projecting beyond, the limit
of eye, side-loop, buckle or clasp bar, for the purpose of providing a suitable means
of raising the tongue at a convenient angle, for the introduction of the band in
attaching the same, or in adjusting to desired length.
In Figure 2 is shewn, in front view, the tongue A hinged on to one end of clasp
eye B.
Figure 3 is a side, or end view, of Fig. 2.
Figure is a view shewing the hinged tongue A at an angle convenient for the
free introduction of band through the inside parallel space of eye.
In Fig. 5 is shewn, in connection with clasp and bar, the method of inserting the
band C through the space between clasp D and bar E, the tongue A being pulled
at an angle away from bar E, allowing of the free admission of band C through
space between bar & clasp, the said band C being continued round tongue A and
brought back through the same space between bar & clasp, prior to its being drawn
tight, together with said tongue, to a position alongside the bar as in Fig. 6.
The alteration of length of band is obtained by pulling the tongue A away from
bar at about an angle of 35°, when the band may be slipped to the length required,
& again drawn tight, with the tongue A alongside the bar.
Fig. 7 is a side view shewing the tongue suspended, hinge-like, on to bar, which
is united to clasp, buckle, or any belt-fitting, as the case may be.
Fig. 8 shows the band attached to a similar eye as in Fig. 2.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1st. The application of a binged, looped, or jointed tongue to bars of clasps or
buckles, to clasp eyes, and side-loops of belt-fittings in general, for the purpose of
dispensing with the usual method of sewing or rivetting, or eyeletting on the band
to said fittings.
2nd. Its application to said fittings for the purpose of lengthening or shortening
the band, and thus dispensing with the usual slide arrangement.
3rd. Its application to belt-fittings in general, braces, garters, and any appliance
where bands are used in connection with metal or other fittings.
Dated this 16th day of October 1894.
HERBERT BROOKES.