AN IMPROVED BUCKLE OR METALLIC ADJUSTER FOR ADJUSTING
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Perks Dadley, of New Hall Street, Bir-
mingham, in the County of Warwick, Gilt Toy and Clasp Manufacturer,
and Nehemiah Brough, also of Birmingham aforesaid, Machinist, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED BUCKLE OR METALLIC ADJUSTER FOR ADJUSTING
Sealed the 20th July 1858, and dated the 1st April 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Perk Dadley and
Nehemiah Brough at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 1st April 1858.
We, ARTHUR PERKS DADLEY, of New Hall Street, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Gilt Toy and Clasp Manufacturer, and NEHEMIAH
BROUGH, also of Birmingham aforesaid, Machinist, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention for "AN IMPROVED BUCKLE OR METALLIC ADJUSTER
FOR ADJUSTING BRACES, BELTS, GARTERS, AND SUCH LIKE ARTIOLES OF DRESS," to bo
as follows (that is to say):-
Our Invention consists in making metallic adjusters or buckles in the
following way-The front part or frame we purpose cutting out of sheet
metal of any shape or size desired, sometimes forming a piece at each
end, to be bent down for receiving the axis of the tongue, but as the front in
all cases will be pierced out, a part of this may be bent down at each end for

page_text: the same purpose. Instead of piercing out the middle with straight and
regular edges we prefer the one on the opposite side to the pull of the tongue.
to be cerated, vandyke, or any other irregular shape, the use of which is
that in forming the tongue (which may also be made of sheet metal), the part
between the axis is bent up, so as to bear against or to press the strap or web
(or other material) when in use against it; or that part of the tongue that
presses against the cerated or other shaped edge of the frame may be per-
forated in such a way that such perforations shall come opposite the projections
of which it has to be brought in contact. By this plan we are enabled to
make such adjusters light, elegant, and to hold very secure the parts to which
they may be applied, whether for braces, belts, garters, vest backs, or other
such like purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Arthur Perks Dadley and Nehemiah Brough in the Great
Scal Patent Office on the 30th September 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ARTHUR
PERKS DADLEY, of New Hall Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gilt Toy and Clasp Manufacturer, and NEHEMIAH BROUGH, also of Bir-
mingham aforesaid, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Arthur Perks Dadley and Nehemiah Brough, Her special license
that we, the said Arthur Perks Dadley and Nehemiah Brough, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Arthur Perks
Dadley and Nehemiah Brough, our executors, administrators, or 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 "AN
IMPROVED BUCKLE OR METALLIC ADJUSTER FOR ADJUSTING BRACES, BELTS, GARTERS,
AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES OF DRESS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Arthur Perks Dadley and Nehemiah Brough by an instrument
in writing, under our hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: 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 we, the said Arthur Perks Dadley and Nehemiah
Brough, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement (that is to say):-
The object of our Invention, or improvements in the construction of buckles
or metallic adjusters, is to so make them that their mechanical tendency shall
be to securely grip or hold the fabric or band (which they may be required to
adjust) between the parts rather than to puncture the band or fabric, a defect
which is common to the use of buckles constructed with pointed chapes;
with this advantage we combine lightness, simplicity of construction, and
application, with elegance of appearance and form, which is capable of great
diversity of shape and style, from which circumstance we entitle them "the
Protean buckle;" but as our Invention will be best understood by referring to.
the Drawings hereunto annexed, we will proceed to describe the same, first
observing that while our principle of construction enables us to hold the fabric,
band, or strap without injury, it does not prevent us forming the tongue or.
chape or parts in contact with the material so held with pointed projections,
which may be better suited than continuous pressure for certain articles.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents a front and part sectional view of a buckle or metallic
adjuster, suitable for adjusting the front of a brace constructed according to
our improvements. The front part of the buckle, marked A in both views,
may be cut out of sheet metal of the proper guage with the usual kind of
press tools and a common fly press (appliances well known and understood
by ordinary workmen accustomed to form similar kinds of articles from sheet
metal), and in forming the frame A ears are left on, as exhibited in dotted
lines marked b, b, which ears are pierced and bent down at right angles with
the front. The pierce holes are for the purpose of receiving the axis of the
lever strap marked B, which after being cut out by the same description of
tools as before described is bent into the form shewn in the edge view, also
marked B; this part is pierced out, leaving a bar extending from c to c, over
which an open bit of tube is placed and closed up, to form a seat for the lower
strap or band to ride on. This adjuster may be applied to the main strap of
the brace two ways, but the proper way is for the web or leather of the brace
to pass down behind the top bar of the frame A, and come out underneath

page_text: the three projecting parts marked e, e, e, under which it will pass freely until
placed in the desired position, when it may be held by that part of the.lever
strap B marked f, f, being pressed against it, and as the surface of the lip or
part marked f, f, is so close to the axis or fulcrum on which the strap works,
it is evident the slightest pull on the part g, g, will be sufficient to hold the
web thoroughly secure, in fact, the stronger the pull the more tenacious will
be the grip on the material held. The dotted line k, k, merely indicates
the centre of connection or axis on which the lever B works in relation to the
frame A.
Fig. 2 represents a front view of a buckle similarly constructed (to Figure 1),
also a part sectional end view and a flat seperate view of the lever strap, the.
finished buckle being merely altered in form to adapt it to the purpose of a
garter, vest back, or other fastening; instead of the main bar C of the buckle
frame having three projections, as at e, e, e, Figure 1, this is serrated from end.
to end, and that part of the lever which comes in contact with it is perforated,
so that cach projection of the serrated edge will fall into the corresponding hole
of the perforated lip, which lip with the strap or lever is shown in a distinct
flat view at D, before the lip is bent into the form, which form is shown in the
part sectional end view at m, D, while the frame is marked C, C. The lever
is supported in the frame by ears marked h, h, as at Figure 1, and the pro-
jections shown at i, i, on the strap or lever represent the axis on which it
works.
Figure 3 is a front and part sectional view of a buckle or connector suitable
for a brace, and differs from Figure 1 simply in the form of the parts but not
in the action or the means of holding or gripping the web. The bar E is
united to the lever F by small projections formed on this part passing through
ears formed at the ends of the bar E, which projections are shown in dotted
lines marked f,f; the eyeletted hole is for a gut to pass through, of which
material the front strap may be composed, or a piece of leather may be
placed around a piece of gut, and held by the eyelet in the usual way.
Figure 4 represents a front and part sectional view of another form of
adjuster for braces made identically in the same way as Figure 3, with the
exception that the under edge of the bar G is straight, while the top edge of
the lever strap H is serrated or pointed for holding or retaining the web or
leather; and Figure 5 also represents a front and part sectional end view of
an adjuster the same as Figure 4, with the exception that the axis formed on
the part I is longer, and the joint is formed from straps formed on the part J,
which straps are shown in dotted lines marked n, n, and being bent around the
axis in the manner here shown, form the hinge joint.

page_text: Figure 6 represents a front and sectional side view of a buckle or metallic
adjuster, also arranged as suitable for a brace front, the chape being formed
from the same piece of metal. The web is intended to pass down behind the
top bar K, and brought out over the top edge of the chape L, which may be
plain or slightly serrated or vandyked as here shown, the spring or action of
the chape will be across its narrowest part as indicated by the dotted line
extending from p to p, which are simple perforations terminating the cuts that
divide the chape from the sides or frame o, 0; %, 9, is a slot, over the lower
bar of which an open tube is placed and closed to form a bearing for the strap
of brace to ride on; but if gut may be preferred, this part may be made like
the lower part of Figures 3, 4 or 5, marked severally F, H, and I. For the
purpose of lightening this description of buckle which may be designated a
spring chape buckle, a piece of metal is represented pierced out or taken away
from the middle and each end of the chape. The action of this description of
buckle is very similar in its effect to that described and exhibited at Figure 2,
for the stronger the pull on the web, or the material which may be placed
between the bar K and the top edge of the chape, the more secure will
it be held between them.
Figure 7 is identical with Figure 6, with the exception, instead of cutting or
forming the spring chape out of the same piece of metal, the chape may be
formed of polished steel (as here intended to be represented, partly broken off,)
or of any suitable sheet metal or metallic alloys, such as German silver, &c.,
secured to the frame by rivets, the action as in Figure 6 being through its
narrowest part as indicated by the dotted line marked r. The lower part of
this Figure may be formed as described at Figure 6 when gut connectors are
preferred.
Figure 8 represents a front finished view, and edge sectional view, and a flat
view of the same before bent into form; by this means a greater amount of
spring or elasticity is given to the chape, and by bending the chape over it,
affords the opportunity for the loop s, s, to be introduced. The web or other
material to which this connector may be applied should be passed down behind
the bar M, and out over the chape N, when the slightest strain will thoroughly
secure it. The sectional edge view is taken through the vertical dotted line
marked t, t. The double dotted lines u, u, represents the course or position of
the web in its relation to the fastener.
Figure 9 represents the same description of buckle or metallic adjuster as
applied for or used as a substitute for a belt clasp, in a front and longitudinal
sectional view. The part marked O, P, and O, P, represents the frame or rim
on which the loop Q is also formed, to which one end of the web, leather, or

page_text: other material of which the belt may be composed is to be secured, as here
shown marked R. The centre spring chape or middle part marked S, we
prefer being of polished steel, or otherwise, but any other suitable metal or
metallic alloys rolled into a thin sheet may be used, and which part we secure
to the frame by the rivets marked v, v, &c. or in any other suitable way; by
this means it forms a spring, as the chape before described; on the centre of
this part any suitable ornament or device may be applied, and, in fact, where
economy is an object, the whole may be formed from the same piece of metal,
and stamped and ornamented at the same time, the centre part being freed on
three sides to form the desired spring or catch. T, T, is a loop attached to
the other part of the belt, which may be adjusted with a slide in the usual way,
as here shown. On the front part of the loop T, T, raised dots are shown
simply for the purpose of somewhat corresponding with the dots or rivets on
the opposite side, by which means the spring or chape (as before described),
is attached to the frame; this part of the loop T is bent inward in an
angular form, as shown at w, w, in the section. The action or mode of con-
necting these parts will be thus understood, the bent part of the loop T being
pressed down on the end of the plate S, and that part of the loop T, T, that is
connected to the belt being kept a little elevated, the spring S will yield a
little inward, allowing the angular part of the loop to pass in, when the slightest
strain on the parts will make them thoroughly fast, bringing the front plate S
back to its position.
Figure 10 is a buckle very similar to the clasp, Figure 9 (last described),
the chape being formed from the same piece of inetal, across the face of which
the metal is cut and sunk in forming a bar or loop, as shown at x, x, which is
a section taken through y, y; the use of this loop is that applying this
description of buckle to the bands of hats that one end of the band shall be
fastened to this loop, and carried back under the chape U and bar Z, and
around the hat, and the other end of the band must be passed under the front
bar a', a¹, and out over the chape, and by pulling the band tight it will be
securely held, the attachment of the first end of the band to the loop tending
much to ensure this object; the second end may now be doubled up in the
ordinary way, and passed over the chape U and under the bar Z.
Figure 11 is identical with Figure 10, with the exception that, instead of
forming a loop on the back of the chape, as in that case we propose applying a
seperate loop, which is here shown in a seperate view at 6, there being a small
bit cut out of the chape over which the loop can be passed and held, as at c¹, c',
or a small wire staple may be formed, as at d', d', the ends of which may be
passed through the holes in the plate marked e', c¹, and rivetted, or a bar may

page_text: be formed across the chape by two suitable slots, the space between the slots
forming the bar.
Figure 12 is a metallic connector for the backs of braces; the parts V, V,
represented in dotted lines are intended to represent pieces of leather passing
around the metal bars W, W, and secured to the web or other material of
which the braces may be composed. The part X is a piece of leather simply
applied in the ordinary way, either at the back of the metal plate A', or that
part of the plate A¹ may lay between the leather, the eyelet B¹ passing through
and rivetting them together.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be carried into effect, we wish it understood that we do
not purpose limiting ourselves to the shape, form, or proportion of any of the
fastenings or buckles herein described and exhibited, or to any particular
metal or alloys of metal to be used in their production, as the whole may be
considerably diversified without departing from the spirit or character of our
Invention; but what we do claim and wish protected by these our in part
recited Letters Patent is, the manner or its equivalent of constructing or
forming buckles or metallic adjusters in the way or of the principle herein
described, the same to be used for adjusting articles of dress.
In witness whereof, we, the said Arthur Perks Dadley and Nehemiah
Brough, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-ninth day
of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-eight.
Witness,
ARTHUR PERKS DADLEY. (L.S.)
NEHEMIAH BROUGH.
(L.S.)
JAMES S. COCKINGS, Patent Agent,
Birmingham.