AN IMPROVED FASTENING FOR ALBUMS AND OTHER BOOKS, BAGS, RETICULES, AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John James Henry Gebhardt at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th March 1862.-A communication from abroad by Herr Kugler, 'of
Nuremberg, in Germany, Manufacturer.
I, JOHN JAMES HENRY GEBHARDT, of Lawrence Lane, in the City of
London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED FASTENING FOR ALBUMS AND OTHER BOOKS, BAGS, RETICULES, AND
OTHER ARTICLES," communicated to me from abroad by Herr Kugler, of
Nuremberg, in Germany, Manufacturer, to be as follows:-
On the inner side of a plate or piece attached at one side, edge, or part
of the article to be fastened is fitted another plate or piece prevented from
escaping wholly away from it, but free to slide or travel to and fro when
worked as herein described. In this sliding or travelling piece are spiral
springs fitted in grooves, recesses, or the like formed in this plate, and on the
inner surface of the outer plate are studs, stops, or abutments so placed that
the springs may abut against them at one end. To the travelling-piece is
attached a knob or other appliance, herein-after called finger-piece, presenting
itself on the outer side of the first-named plate through a slot or opening in
which it or its shank pin or connecting agent works. I prefer to bend the
edges of the outer plate inward to form guideways for the travelling-piece.
The travelling-piece carries or is formed with a hook, catch, or holding or
engaging part or piece, intended when the fastening is closed to catch or

page_text: engage an eye, wire, staple, recess, or equivalent forming the other part
or member of the fastening. When the fastening is to be opened, the finger-
piece is moved so as to draw the travelling-piece in such direction as to remove
or disengage it from the eye or equivalent, and compress the springs between
the stops or abutments at one extremity, and the end of their recesses or
receptacles at the other. On releasing the finger-piece the springs are
released and extend, forcing the travelling-piece to slide back again or return,
and (supposing the parts of the article in proper position) the travelling-piece
will catch the eye, wire, or staple, and fasten the article, the springs keeping
the fastening firm. The springs also allow the fastening to adjust or accom-
modate itself if the bulk of the article should be expanded by inserting objects
therein, or contracted by their removal therefrom; thus, supposing it applied
to an album, it will hold the edges firmly together, though the bulk of the
book be increased by introducing pictures in it, or reduced by withdrawing
them from it. The fastening may be somewhat modified by using a single
spring (and stop) instead of two or more, and also by having the travelling
plate outside instead of inside the other plate, and the stop on the travelling,
the spring on the other plate. The fastening is especially applicable to photo-
graphic albums, but is also applicable to pocket-books, note-books, and other
books, reticules, bags, work boxes, belts, cigar, blotting, and writing cases,
and other articles.