IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS, CONNECTORS, AND COUPLINGS, AND IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John George Taylor, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS,
CONNECTORS, AND COUPLINGS, AND IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF."
Sealed the 27th February 1857, and dated the 23rd September 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John George Taylor at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd September 1856.
I, JOHN GEORGE TAYLOR, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FASTENINGS, CONNECTORS. AND COUPLINGS, AND IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF," to be
as follows, viz. :-
I use spring fastenings made of one or more pieces of metal, as shewn in
Figures 6 and 7,increasing the size thereof according to the strength required.
They may be constructed of any hard metal or mixture thereof. When made
small I use them for securing portable articles usually carried aboutthe person,
such as pocketbooks, purses, porte monnaies, &c., to be attached to any of
these articles, as shewn in Figures 3 and 4. In Figure 1 the end of the purse
is pierced with one or more o'eillett holes; Figure 2 shews a chain of wire,
cord, or gut, with spring at Band B, B; at the end of B, B, is a metal ring,
Price S.1

page_text: which is sewed or fixed into the pocket. The spring B is attached at A, A,
in Figure 1, or as at H, A, in Figure 3, and the parse or other article is
secure in the pocket, but can be removed at pleasure; or I rivet, screw, or
attach an eye or ring of metal or other material to the leather for the same
purpose. In Figure 3, I shew the spring attached by wire, silk worm gut,
catgut, indian grass, hair, elastic, silk, or other such material, which in many
cases I prefer for lightness, not being bulky in the pocket, and being econo-
mical; or, for greater economy, I dispense with the metal spring or springs,
and use one of any of the above-mentioned substances, fastening it with a slip
knot, as at H, in Figure 3, to purse, book, &c., and with a similar slip knot to
the ring or loop, as at G, in Figure 4. Where there is a metal frame, as at
Figure 4, I pierce the same, and rivet, screws,or attach a metal bow, to which
I attach the ring or fastening. These modes apply also to long silk and
mounted purses of all sorts, tablets, note books, chatelaines, &c.; also for
fastening garters and garments. They may be used to attach chain purses or
purses with chains to the buttonhole of the glove,and instead of swivells for
watch guards, neck chains, fob chains, Alberts, and brequets in silk and hair,
and also in all the known metals, either alone, mixed, coated, or plated; also
for a hat guard to attach to the button or buttonhole of the coat, or as a pro-
tector for a watch, to be worn with or without a chain, and attach the gut or
similar material to the watch by a spring fastening at the other end, and sew
the ring to which the fastening or gut is attached to the top of the pocket. By
this arrangement the watch is not liable to be scratched or the glass broken.as
it might if the spring catch were attached to the watch by a chain and to the
pocket by a book; or I dispense with the fastening, and use the gut, silk, or
hair, &c. with the ring sewn at top, as aforesaid. In larger sizes I use the
aforesaidspring fasteners or connectors for coupling andfastening dogs, horses,
and other animals; for parts of harness, and attaching or coupling railway
carriages, tenders, and waggons; for attaching chains or lines of communica-
tion along railway carriages or trains for any purpose; for fastening boats,
parts of rigging, and such like purposes, where hooks and knots have been
hither to used; and where such fastenings are exposed to the weather or action
of sea water, I propose galvanizing them, or coating them with aluminium.
When the fastenings are of a large size, I reduce the substance of the part
J,J,in Figure 6, thereby causing it to admit the coupling easily; or I take the
part K, K, in Figure 7, of a separate piece of metal, screwed or rivetted at L,
with a slot at M to receive the stud at N. The fitting at Lallows the piece
at M to come only in the direction of the dotted lines, and s receives the

page_text: article it is to be connected to. When pushed back it becomes secure by the
stud at N entering at the slot M. This arrangement is useful where
the fastening is of a massive character, but equally applicable to the smaller
sizes.
As it may be of consequence to explain the application of this fastening to
cords, chains, or lines on railways, I will proceed to point out how, with the use
of this fastening or coupling of one piece, as Figure 6, a communication may
be made by passengers in a train in motion to the engine driver.
Along the top of each carriage I would attach a length of cord or chain, to
one end of which I affix a continuation of india-rubber cord galvanized, then
to the end of the rubber I attach a spring coupling or fastening, and also a
similar fastening to the other end of the like, repeating the same on each
carriage. By this means the lines may be attached to a number of carriages,
including the engine, in a few seconds. I would fasten the end at the engine
to a gong or bell near the engine driver, and fasten a cord in two convenient
places, either inside or outside each carriage, so that in case of danger the
passengers may pull the cord and apprise the driver; he then by two or more
concerted whistles would alarm the guard, who could be signalled day or night
by the passengers putting a handkerchief outside the carriage where any acci-
dent has occurred or necessity arisen for stoppage. When out of gearing, the
lin-s to each carriage can be attached to a ring at the front and back of the
carriage; and thus be out of the way, and yet always ready for instant con-
nection. The old spring swivell may be used for this particular purpose, but
it is more complicated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John George Taylor in the Great Seal Patent Office ou
the 21st March 1857.
10 ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GEORGE TAYLOR, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of September, in the year
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John George Taylor, Her special licence that I, the said John
George Taylor, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as

page_text: I, the said John George Taylor. 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FASTENINGS, CONNECTORS, AND COUPLINGS. AND IN THE APPLICATION
THEREOF," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John George
Taylor, my executors or administrators, by an instrument 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 immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John George Taylor, 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:—
My improvements consist in the application of springs, hooks, &c., as shewn
at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10, which said springs, hooks, &c., are composed of
one or more pieces of metal, and are used in conjunction with rings, cords,
chains, o'eillett holes, and other arrangements, as hereafter described.
Fig. 1 is a spring composed of two pieces of metal. It is arched at A, open
at B and C is a small steel or metal spring rivetted at C, B, and which is
calculated to keep the aperture at B firmly closed.
This spring can be made of various sizes. I make it in small sizes of gold,
silver gilt, steel, German silver, and all known metals, and apply it to watch
orneck guards of all sorts to secure or attach watches, eye glasses, &c.; also for
Albert, fob, and brequet chains, to chatelaines, and also as clasps for garters
of all sorts, and as a watch protector, using a ring, as at S, in Fig. 9, which
ring is sewed into the pocket. A short piece of cord or hair guard is attached
to the watch and the spring, which latter enables the watch to be fastened or
unfastened with great ease. In Fig. 6 I shew the application to flexible purses.
At H, in Fig. 6, are one or more o'eillett holes; Jis a cord or other material,
which is fastened at H, to which at the other end is attached the spring K;
Lis a ring, which is to be sewn into the pocket, and to which the spring can
be attached with the greatest facility.
Fig. 2 shews the spring, made of one piece of metal, bent for a button
fastening,

page_text: Fig. 3 shews a blunt hook. 1) is a loose ring, which works in the swivel
top of hook E, and when placed over the end of hook makes it fast. I use
this very small to attach watches to chains, Alberts, &c., &c., instead of the
old swivel or the spring, Fig. 1; or I use it in conjunction with Fig. 1,
spring at one end, hook at the other, for Alberts, purses, &c.; or I use two
hooks, as shewn at Figure 7, either as Alberts or purse chains, of metal,
silk, hair, or other material.
Fig. 4 and 5 shew a method of fastening brooch tongues. In Fig. 5, F
is a bead or other piece of metal perforated, through which the tongue, as
Fig. 4; is thrust, then bent down, as at G, Fig. 5; this bending fastens the
tongue and gives the requisite spring.
Fig. 6 shews a flexible purse for fastening in the pocket,as before described,
but the same application can be applied to porte monnaies and all other purses.
Fig. 7 shews a porte monnaie. M is a steel frame, having a bow of wire
inserted at N (or any other part would do as well, to which is attached a
ring; O, O, and two blunt hooks as before described, the one at 0, 0, being
very small, the other large, to hook in the vest buttonhole, or the waist-
band of a lady's dress or any aperture made for the purpose. These chains
can be made of any known metals or other suitable material and attached
to every description of purse.
Fig. 8 shews a miniature view of a line or cord coupled together by larger
springs, and which are intended to be annexed to railway carriages, either
outside or partially outside each carriage, which can be continued the length
of the train, so that the passengers in each carriage may have it in their
power to pull the line, and thereby cause a bell to ring or gong to sound
upon the tender, so that the driver may be instantly apprised of any axle
breaking, &c. &c.; or instead of springs the blunt hooks can be used. P is
the spring or hook; R is a ring to which the cord is fastened. Hooks, rings,
springs for exposed work can be plated with or mixed with aluminium to
prevent corrosion. The springs and hooks can also used for fastening the
handles of ladies' bags, reticules, and for gentlemen's stocks, neck ties, &c.
Fig. 9 is a watch protector, which is worn as before described, and can
also be made as the chain in Fig. 7, but much more shorter, the hook O
fastening into a buttonhole to be made at the top of the vest pocket, or a
similar arrangement at a lady's watch pocket.
Fig. 10 shews a piece of chain which can be used for purses, and all other
purposes chains are commonly used for. The links are fastened together by
double-headed pieces of metal, as at T, the other parts U being hollow, and

page_text: made of one or more pieces of metal; the said metal parts can be made of
various forms, and may be made perforated, plain, engraved,chased, &c., and
when of gold and silver can be highly ornamented.
I claim the use of such springs, hooks, rings, and o'eillet holes and fast-
enings as described for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said John George Taylor, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
JOHN GEORGE TAYLOR. (L.s.)