IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR JOINING OR UNITING THE ENDS OF DRIVING BELTS OR BANDS, AND FOR JOINING OR UNITING OTHER BELTS OR BANDS
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Pearce at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
September 1875.
I, THOMAS PEARCE, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Press Tool Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR JOINING OR UNITING THE
ENDS OF DRIVING BELTS OR BANDS, AND FOR JOINING OR UNITING OTHER BELTS OR
BANDS," to be as follows:-
-My Invention consists of the improvements herein after described in
fastenings for joining or uniting the ends of driving belts or bands, and
for joining or uniting other belts or bands.
By the use of fastenings constructed according to my Invention the
ends of a driving. belt or band are united without the necessity for their
edges overlapping, and hence a very flat junction is produced,..the
junction being at the same time very secure.
In constructing a fastening according to my Invention I cut from
sheet metal, by preference from sheet brass, a blank consisting of a
central bar or plate having at each end a pair of parallel arms. By a
E

page_text: The
raising process effected by press tools worked in a press the two pairs of
parallel arms are raised at right angles to the middle bar or connecting
plate, and constitute the shanks or prongs of the fastening.
fastening is now ready for use. In preparing the ends of the band to
be united holes are pierced near each end of the band and parallel to the
edges to be united, the piercings being of a size proper to receive the
shanks or prongs of the fastening. I effect the piercing of the ends of
the band by means of a two-pronged taper piercing punch. In using
the fastening the edges of the ends of the band are made to abut against
one another, and the respective pairs of shanks or prongs of the
fastening are passed from the front of the band through the piercings in
the two ends of the said band, the said shanks or prongs projecting a
short distance above the back face of the band. By means of a hammer
the projecting parts of the shanks of the fastening are clinched or
doubled upon the band, the said shanks being bent towards one another
so that their ends meet or nearly meet at the junction of the two ends
of the band. A firm, strong, and flat junction of the ends of the band
is thereby effected, the said ends of the band being supported both at
front and back by the metallic fastening described. Two or other
number of these fastenings are used, according to the width of the band
to be fastened.
Instead of making the fastenings with a pair of shanks or prongs at
each end of the connecting bar or plate as described, three or other
number of shanks or prongs may be made at each end of the connecting
bar or plate, a corresponding number of piercings being made in the
ends of the band to receive the said shanks or prongs.
Although I prefer to make my improved fastenings from sheet brass,
yet they may be made from sheet iron or other strong and ductile metal
or metallic alloy.
My improved fastenings may be used for fastening bands or straps of