CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR ARTICLES OF DRESS
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
READING, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, send
greeting..
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Third day of June, in the eighth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
Reading, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that
I, the said John Reading, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Reading, my exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of " CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR ARTICLES
OF DRESS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the
said John Reading, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be

page_text: inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited
Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, doth
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said!
John Reading, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to
the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
articles of dress generally; also an improved fastening to be used as a substi-
tute for a hook and eye.
Thirdly, of an improved fastening for braces, which fastening may also be
used as a substitute for buckles in fastening articles of dress.
Figure 1 represents in front view my improved fastening for stocks, and
Figure 2 represents a back view of the same. Figure 3 represents a detached
portion of the same. a, Figures 1 and 2, is a rack to be attached by sewing
or otherwise to one end of the stock; 6 is a plate of metal to be attached by
sewing or otherwise to the other end of the said stock. The rack a slides in
the guides c, c¹, formed on the plate 6 by portions of the said plate being
raised. d is a bolt of the form shewn separately in Figure 3. This bolt slides
on the plate 6 in the following manner, that is to say:-The part e of the said
bolt slides in front of the plate b, as seen in Figure 1; the part of of the
said bolt slides at the back of the plate b, as seen in Figure 2; and the part g
slides in an opening or slot in the plate b. The lower part of the bolt e. is
prevented from falling from the said opening or slot by the guide plate h
fastened to the back of the plate 6. On the lower end of the sliding bolt d
is a tooth d¹ (shewn in Figure 1 in dotted lines, and marked d¹ in the
separate view of the bolt in Figure 3). This tooth engages in the teeth of
the rack a by the spring i pressing upon the bolt d to which the said tooth is
attached. The action of my improved stock fastening is as follows:-In order
to fasten the two ends of a stock together (as when the stock is put on the
neck, the part a being supposed to be disengaged from the part 6), the rack a
is introduced into the guides c, c³, and is pressed along the said guides until
the said stock is sufficiently tight. The teeth of the rack a slide over the
tooth of the bolt d, owing to the inclined edges of the teeth of the rack

page_text: depressing the said tooth; but the said tooth d' prevents the return or with-
drawal of the said rack, owing to the straight or vertical edges of the teeth of the
rack being presented to the vertical edge of the tooth d'. When an attempt is
made to withdraw the rack a, the pressure of the vertical edges of the teeth of
the said rack has no tendency to raise the tooth d', without the raising of which
the rack a obviously cannot be withdrawn. The stock is therefore firmly
secured, and with any required degree of tightness, by simply introducing the
rack a into the guides c, c', and pushing the said rack along the said guides
until the ends of the stock are brought sufficiently near to each other. In
order to release the tooth d¹ from the said rack a so as to permit of the said
rack being wholly or partially withdrawn from the guides c, c', as in slackening
or unloosing the stock to which the fastening is applied, it is only necessary to
press the bolt d downwards by applying pressure against the upper end of the
same, the tooth d' is thereby disengaged from the rack a, and the said rack
may be withdrawn wholly or to the required degree. In the latter case, when
the pressure is removed from the bolt d, the spring i raises the said bolt, and
causes the tooth d' again to engage in the rack a, and thereby fasten the
stock.
Figures 4 and 5 represent my improved fastening to be used as a substitute
for a clasp, and for a fastening for articles of dress generally. Figure 4
represents a front view of the two parts of the said fastening, and Figure 5
represents a side or edge view of the same. This fastening consists of a
flat metal platej having a rectangular opening at k. A spring attached to
the said plate at presses against the said plate immediately opposite to the
opening k. This plate is attached to one of the two sides or parts of the
garment to be fastened together, and to the other side or part of the said
garment is attached the piece of metal m. This plate of metal has a perfora-
tion at n, and that part of the said plate m marked o is raised above the plane
of the other portions thereof to a height somewhat greater than the thickness
of the sheet of metal of which the fastening is made. In using this fastening
the raised part o of the plate mis introduced under the spring 7 of the plate j,
and pushed thereunder until the raised part o of the part m is opposite the
opening of the plate j. The pressure of the spring 7 causes the said raised
part o to enter the opening k, and the two parts of the fastening are thus secured
together. Pressure applied in the direction of the arrows, Figure 4, causes
the raised piece o of the part m to bear against the side of the opening k, but
has no tendency to withdraw the said raised piece from the said opening.k.
In order to detach the two parts of this fastening from one another, the part

page_text: m must be depressed so as to form an angle with the part ; about equal to
that represented by the said part j and the dotted line j¹, Figure 5. When
the parts and m are thus inclined to each other, the edge of the raised portion
o of the part m is depressed below the edge of the opening k of the part j,
and the said part m may be withdrawn from the said part j.
Figure 6 represents the fastening last described applied to a trowser strap,
the two parts of the said fastening being represented in the positions which
they occupy when fastened together. The same letters of reference denote the
same parts in Figure 6 as in Figures 4 and 5.
Figure 7 represents a modification of my last-described Invention; that is
to say, of my improved fastening to be used as a substitute for a clasp and as
a fastening for articles of dress generally. In this modification, instead of
forming the spring which retains the raised part o in its place when the parts
m and j are connected together of a separate piece of metal, and attaching it.
to the platej by rivetting or otherwise, I cut out or form the plate j of sheet
metal in such a way that a portion k of the said plate ; acts as a spring.
The end of the said spring k is slightly depressed or curved downwards so as
to allow of the introduction of the plate o, as herein-before described in
reference to the first-described modification of this fastening.
Figure 8 represents in front view, and Figure 9 in side view, another modi-
fication of my improved fastening to be used as a substitute for a clasp, and as
a fastening for articles of dress generally. p is a plate of metal shaped as
shown in the Drawing; that is to say, the portion p³, Figures 8 and 9, is bent
at right angles to the remaining portion of the said plate, and forms a staple
or loop. Another portion 9 of the plate p is cut so as to form a spring.
r, Figures 8 and 9, is a piece of wire bent in a manner nearly resembling
that in which the hook of an ordinary hook and eye is bent; the part r³, how-
ever, is pressed into close contact with the part r, so as to constitute a
projection from the said part r. When it is desired to connect the two parts
of this fastening together, the part r¹ is passed in the direction of the arrow,
Figure 8, through the staple or loop p³, and in its passage it depresses the
portion of the plate p, which acts as a spring. As soon as the projection or
bent part of the wire r has passed through the staple or loop p¹, the spring
9 presses the part r¹ into contact with the top portion of the staple or loop q,
and on attempting to withdraw the part r from the part p by applying
pressure in a direction contrary to that of the arrow, Figure 8, the projection
coming in contact with the upper part of the loop 9 prevents such with-
drawal. In order to disconnect the two portions of this fastening, pressure

page_text: must be exerted on the part r in a direction proper to depress the spring 9,
and consequently in a direction at right angles to that of the arrow, Figure 8,
that is to say, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the Drawing.
When the spring 9 is depressed the part 2 may be withdrawn..
Figure 10 represents in front view, and Figure 1-1, in side view, another of
my improved fastenings to be used as a substitute for a hook and eye.
Figure 12 is a side view of a portion of the same. s is a piece of wire or
metal shaped or bent into the form represented, every part of the said bent
wire or piece of metal being situated in the same plane'as seen in the side
view, Figure 11. The part s¹ of the said wire act as a spring. t is a piece
of wire, shewn separately in Figure 12, bent as represented, that is to say,"
in such manner as to form a loop u at one end of the said piece. When it
is desired to connect the two parts s and t of this fastening together, the loop.
u is pressed against the under side of the spring s¹ so as to raise the said.
spring, and when in this position the part is inclined in the position indicated
by the dotted line, Figure 11; the upper edge of the loop'u thereby passes
the end of the spring s³, and on bringing the parts and t again into: the
same plane the two parts are fastened securely together. By pressing on the
part t the springs is depressed, and the upper edge of the loop u passing -
the end of the spring s¹ the two parts s and t are separated.
Figures 13, 14, and 15 represent my new or improved fastening to be used
as a substitute for a buckle. The said fastening is represented in the Drawing
applied to a brace. Figures 18 and 14 represent the parts of the fastening,
and Figure 15 represents a section of the fastening through the dotted line
Figure 13, the parts of the same having the positions they..occupy when
fastened together. v, Figure 18, is a piece of metal of the form shewn: This
piece of metal is attached to the brace,v., w, Figure 13, is a leather strap,
perforated with holes, as shown in the Drawing a. Shown separately in
Figure 14 is a flat plate of metal of the form represented, and of such a size
that it slides in the guides v, vl, of the piece v. .It is evident, however, that.
the piece a can only be made to slide in the piece until the shoulders a³¹ of
the said piece come 'in contact with the shoulders of the guides v, vl, of
the piece v. The further. progress of the piece a is then prevented.. y, Y,.
Figure 14, are two pegs or studs. on the plate a, of such a size and at such a
distance from each other that they correspond to and fit in the pairs of holes
in the leather strap w. The plate a is attached to the web or band z, which
web'or band is of a length equal to the range of lengthening to be given to
the brace; and one end of the web or band z is connected with the brace vi

page_text: at such a part of the said brace that when both the said brace v' and web or
bandz are stretched tightly, the part x is immediately over the part v. The
part is removed in the Drawing from its proper position, in order that the
form of the part v may be seen. In order to use this fastening, the pegs y, y,
of the plate a, are introduced into two of the holes of the leather strap w.
The said plate x and strap w are then placed on the plate v, and the
plate is introduced into the guides 1, 1, of the plate v, and pressed
therein until the shoulders a¹ of the plate a coming in contact with the
shoulders of the guide v", ", of the plate v, prevent the farther progress of
the plate. The brace is now fastened, and pressure in the direction
indicated by the arrows, Fig. 13, has no tendency to unfasten the same.
In order to detach the parts of the fastening, the plate x must be withdrawn
from the guides v, vl, of the plate v, and the leather strap or end of the brace
w may then be removed from the pegs y, y, and either wholly detached, or by
passing the pegs y, y, through other holes of the strap w, lengthened or
shortened. In the section, Figure 15, the same letters of reference indicate
the same parts as in Figures 13 and 14.
'
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim
exclusive right to,―
Firstly, the method of constructing a stock fastener, herein-before described,
and represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3, of the accompanying Drawings, that is
to say, by the introduction of a rack, for the purpose of lengthening,
shortening, and fastening the stock to which the said rack may be applied.
Secondly, the method of constructing a fastening to be used as a substitute
for a clasp, and the modifications of the same, herein-before described,
and represented in Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, of the accompanying
Drawing.
.
Thirdly, the method of constructing a fastening to be used as a substitute
for a hook and eye, herein-before described, and represented in Figures 10, 11,
and 12, of the accompanying Drawing.
Fourthly, the method of constructing a fastening to be used as a substitute.
for a buckle in fastening articles of dress, herein-before described, and repre-
sented in Figures 13, 14, and 15, of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Reading, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-five.
JOHN
(L.S.) READING.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-eighth day of November,
in the year of our Lord 1845, the aforesaid John Reading came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Third day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-five.