IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESS FASTENINGS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nehemiah Brough, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESS
FASTENINGS."
Sealed the 17th April 1857, and dated the 23rd October 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nehemiah Brough at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd October 1856.
I, NEHEMIAH BROUGH, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DRESS FASTENINGS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of a fastening to be used in place of a buckle
for lengthening and shortening braces, and for other such like purposes. It
consists of a rectangular frame, at the back and near the middle of which a
bar is jointed. The said bar carries two or more teeth, and a semicircular
loop attached to, the said bar and nearly in the same plane as the teeth
connects the said bar with one part of the article of dress to be fastened.
The other part of the brace, band, or other article passes, first, under one side
of the first-described frame, then over the bar carrying the teeth, and, lastly,
under the lower side of the frame. By pulling the two parts of the brace
or other article of dress the teeth engage in and fix that part passing over
the bar.. By bringing one part of the fastening into a plane different from
that in which the other part is situated, the brace or other article of dress
becomes unfastened.
My Invention further consists of an improvement in belt or band fastenings.
In my improved fastening the eye consists of a circular or other shaped
ornamental ring, having two ears or projections on its under side, the said

page_text: ears or projections being situated on the same side of the eye and at a short
distance apart. The hook consists of an ornamental circular disc, or a six
or eight-sided disc, or of a disc of some other ornamental figure. In fastening
the two parts together the hook may be passed through the eye, as in the
ordinary belt fastening; but I prefer to effect the fastening in the following
manner-I slide the hook at the back of, the eye until the disc of the said
hook has passed the ears or projections on the eye; by then pressing the
eye upon the hook, and giving a contrary motion to the said eye, the said
ears or projections are made to engage under the said eye, pressing it against
the back of the hook and holding it at its neck or contracted part.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Nehemiah Brough in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th April 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, NEHEMIAHI
BROUGH, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Iler reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Nehemiah Brough, Her special licence that I, the said Nehemiah Brough, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Nehemiah
Brough, 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
DRESS FASTENINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Nehemiah Brough, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Nehemiah Brough, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the fastening, herein-after particularly
described, and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawing,
to be used in place of a buckle for lengthening, shortening, and fixing braces
and bands, and for other such like purposes.
:
Figure 1 represents the said fastening in front elevation; and Figure 2
represents the same in vertical section. It consists of two parts, marked
respectively a and b, in Figures 1 and 2. The part a consists of a frame,
having ends c, c, bent at right angles to the plane in which the part a is
situated. The part 6 consists of a series of teeth, formed on a bar somewhat
b
similar to the teeth and bar of an ordinary buckle. The lower portion of
the part 6 is formed into a nearly semicircular figure, as shewn at d in
Figure 1. The part b is jointed to the part a at c, c. One part of the brace
or bande is connected with the part b, as represented, and the other part
of the brace or band f passes, first, at the back of the upper bar of the frame
a, then in front of the teeth on b, and then at the back of the lower bar of
the part a, as will be understood by reference to Figure 2. When the parts.
e, f, are pulled asunder the teeth on bengage in the brace f, as shewn in
Figure 2. When, however, the lower part f¹ of the brace f is raised the
part a turns upon the joint at c, and assumes só nearly a horizontal position"
that the brace disengages itself from the teeth on b; the said brace f may
then be lengthened or shortened, and when properly adjusted the end f¹ is
loosed, the tension of the brace f immediately brings the part a into the
position represented in the Drawing, when the teeth on b again engage in
the brace f and secure it at the length to which it has been adjusted.
This part of my Invention, although particularly applicable to braces, may
also be used for garters and for various articles of dress.
My Invention consists, secondly, of the improved belt or band fastening,
herein-after particularly described, and illustrated in Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7,
of the accompanying Drawing.
Figure 3 represents, in plan, the two parts of which the fastening is
composed, separate; Figure 4 represents them in section, as they are being
engaged with one another; and Figure 5 represents them in section after
they have been engaged together. One part of the fastening consists of a
circular, elliptical, or other shaped ornamental ring 9, having two ears or
projections h, i, on its under side, in the positions represented in Figure 3.
The other part of the fastening or hook k consists of an ornamental disc, of
a figure nearly corresponding to that of the opening in the part 9. In

page_text: fastening the two parts together, the hook k is placed at the back of the part
9, as illustrated in Figure 4, and carried so far past the position at which it
would fill the eye 7 that the ears h, i, may engage underneath the hook k
by a contrary motion being given to the said hook k. On giving the said
contráry motion the ears h, i, engage behind the hook
and the said part bears against the back of the
opening ..
at the points k¹, k¹¹,
eye g, filling up the
Figure 5 represents, in section, the positions of the several parts when the
fastening is complete; Figure 6 represents, in plan, the two parts separate
of a fastening constructed according to my Invention; and Figure 7 repre-
sents, in plan, the said two parts engaged together. The fastening, Figures
6 and 7, resembles the fastening Figures 3, 4, and 5, excepting that the
hook and the eye, at the back of which the said hook engages, are circular
instead of elliptical.
.
*. In belt or band fastenings, constructed according to my Invention, the look
cannot rise out of the plane in which the eye is situated, so as to produce
the effect called." gaping," which occurs in the ordinary belt fastenings.
Having now described the nature of my said 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 said Invention ;
but I claim as my Invention,
Firstly, a buckle or a substitute for a buckle, constructed in the manner
herein-before described, and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
Drawing.
Secondly, the new or improved belt or band fastening, constructed in the
manner herein-before described, and illustrated in Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7,
of the accompanying Drawing, that is to say, a belt or band fastening in
which the book engages with two ears or projections at the back of the eye
without being passed through the said eye, the engaging of the hook with
the eye being effected at the back of the said eye.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nehemiah Brough, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.