IMPROVEMENTS IN SWIVELS OR FASTENINGS FOR CONNECTING WATCHES TO WATCH CHAINS, FOR FASTENING AND FOR ATTIED TTED PURPOSES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Reading, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SWIVELS
OR FASTENINGS FOR CONNECTING WATCHES TO WATCH CHAINS, FOR FASTENING
AND FOR ATTIED TTED PURPOSES"
Sealed the 9th July 1861, and dated the 16th January 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Reading at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th January 1861.
I, JOHN READING, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufac-
turer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SWIVELS OR FASTENINGS FOR CONNECTING WATCHES TO WATCH CHAINS, FOR
FASTENING ARTICLES OF JEWELLERY, AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in constructing swivels in the following
manner: I make the body of the swivel without a joint, and divide the said
body on one side. The upper part of the divided side is hollow or tubular,
and a bolt which slides in the said tubular part by advancing from the said
tubular part closes the divided side of the body, and by retiring into the said
tubular part opens the said divided side. A coiled spring in the said tubular
part presses the said bolt in the direction proper to close the swivel. On the

page_text: outer or free end of the bolt is a rim or flange, by pressing against which the
bolt may be forced back into the tubular part, and the pendant of a watch or
other article hooked to the swivel. As soon as the pendant of the watch, or
that portion of any other article which is to be connected to the swivel, has
passed the end of the spring bolt, the said bolt assumes its normal position
and the fastening is completed. In order to disconnect the article from
the swivel it is only necessary to press back the spring bolt in a similar
manner.
The lower end of each part
brought together they con-
My Invention consists, secondly, in constructing swivels in the following
manner I make the body of the swivel of two parts, which turn upon one
another in a manner similar to a pair of scissors.
or blade is bow-shaped, and when the two are
stitute the body of the swivel. The two parts of the swivel are held together
by a sliding collar on the shank of the swivel; by sliding the said collar in
one or other direction the body of the swivel may be firmly closed or permitted
to open. A spring holds the said collar in its place, and the said collar may
be made self-acting, that is, when the body of the swivel is closed the said
collar may be made to spring into the position in which it fixes the body of
the swivel in its closed state.
My Invention consists, thirdly, in constructing swivels in the following
manner I make the body of the swivel in the shape of a hook, and upon
the shank or unbent portion is a collar which slides backwards and forwards
thereon. A spring forces the said collar towards the end of the hook, and
when the said collar is pressed upon the end of the hook by its spring, the
swivel is closed and the article attached to it is securely held. By pressing
back the said collar, the article held by the swivel can be removed.
That part of my Invention herein first described is a modification of or an
improvement on a fastening described and represented in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to me, and bearing date the First day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Reading in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
July 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
READING. of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Reading, Her special licence that I, tho said John Reading, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Reading, 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 SWIVELS OB
FASTENINGS FOR CONNECTING WATCHES TO WATCH CHAINS, POR FASTENING ARTICLES
OF JEWELLERY, AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Reading, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Reading, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in constructing swivels or fastenings for
connecting watches to watch chains, for fastening articles of jewellery, and
for other like purposes, in the manner herein-after described and represented
in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying Drawing.
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a swivel or fastening made according
to this part of my Invention, the said swivel or fastening being closed;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, and Figure 3 is a front elevation of
the swivel or fastening open.
The body of the swivel consists of two parts a and b, turning upon one
another on a centre or axis c, in a manner similar to a pair of scissors. The
end of each part or blade a, b, is bow-shaped, and when the two are brought
together, as seen in Figure 1, they constitute the body of the swivel. The
two parts or blades of the swivel are held together, when in the position
represented in Figures 1 and 2, by a sliding collar d on the shank 6 of the
swivel, the said shauk e being made in one piece with the part or blade a;
the said sliding collar d is hollow, and has inside a spring of the form shown

page_text: separately at g. Figure 8; the upper end of the blade is bevilled, as seen
in Figure 3, and when it is turned upon the other blade a, so as to close the
swivel, the said end of the blade engages with the bevilled shoulder * on the
bottom of the shank e When the blades are in the position represented in
Figure 3, the watch or other article to be fastened to the swivel is placed
between the blades and the said blades closed. By sliding the collar d upon
the shank until covers the upper contracted part 6 of the blade b, the
spring in the said collar d engages in the depression or groove in the con-
tracted end b, and in the shank c, and keeps the said collar in its place. The
two blades a, b, are thus firmly held together, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, and
the watch or other article fastened thereto. By moving the collar d until it
uncovers the part of the blade b, the spring in the said collar is lifted from
out of the depression or groove in the ends of the blades a, b, and the said
blades may be opened, as seen in Figure 3, and the watch or other article
can be removed from the swivel. The collar d, by which the blades are held
together, may be made self-acting by means of a spring pressing it towards the
said blades of the swivel, that is to say, when the two blades forming the body
are closed, the said collar d may be made to spring upon the contracted end b
of the blade b, and thereby fix the body of the swivel in its closed state.
this purpose a coiled spring surrounding the shank e is all that is necessary.
Instead of employing a sliding collar for fixing the blades, the closed blades
may be fixed by a screw collar or nut working in a screw cut on the shank e
and the part 6 of the blade b. By screwing the collar or nut into the position
represented in Figures 1 and 2, the parts of the swivel are fixed, and by
unscrewing the said collar or nut until it takes the position represented in
Figure 3, the parts of the swivel may be opened.
For
My Invention consists, secondly, in constructing swivels or fastenings for
connecting watches to watch chains, for fastening articles of jewellery, and
for other similar purposes, in the manner berein-after described and represented
in Figures 4, 5, and 6 of the accompanying Drawing.
Figure 4 represents a side elevation of a swivel or fastening closed, made
according to this part of my Invention; Figure 5 represents a vertical section
of the same, and Figure 6 is a side elevation of the swivel or fastening open.
The body h of the swivel is made in the shape of a hook, and upon the shank
or unbent portion h³ of the said swivel a collar or tube i slides, the said collar
or tube sliding backwards and forwards thereon. A coiled spring k, bearing
at one end against the under side of the top of the shank, and at the other end
against the lower closed end of the collar or tube i, forces the said collar towards
the end of the book or body h, and closes the swivel, as seen in Figures 4 and 5.

page_text: By pressing back the collar or tube i by its flange, the swivel is opened, as
seen in Figure 6, and when the parts are in this position any article can be
hooked to or removed from the swivel. The swivels or fastenings, Figures 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, have rings l, m, respectively on their shanks, similar to the
rings on ordinary swivels.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described and represented, as the same
may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention; but I
claim as my Invention,―
Firstly, constructing swivels or fastenings for connecting watches to watch
chains, for fastening articles of jewellery, and for other like purposes, essentially
in the manner herein-before described and represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3
of the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly, constructing swivels or fastenings for connecting watches to
watch chains, for fastening articles of jewellery, and for other like purposes,
essentially in the manner herein-before described and represented in Figures 4,
5, and 6 of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Reading, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
JOHN READING. (LS.)