IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR PURSES POUCHES AND THE LIKE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark of the firm of, A: M and
W. Clark of 53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS
FOR PURSES POUCHES AND THE LIKE communicated to him from abroad by
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th July 1883.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M and W. Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR PURSES, POUCHES, AND THE LIKE" [Com-
municated to him from abroad by Alexandre and Company, of Paris, France]
This Invention consists essentially in utilising the elasticity of the purse or
pouch frame itself without the assistance of any external device to close the purse
or pouch and keep it closed. This fastening consequently presents the utmost
simplicity, being devoid of any adjunct for closing or locking it whilst it possesses
the same advantages as those now in use.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I have represented
in the annexed drawing two modes in which the elasticity of the frame may be
utilised for the above mentioned purpose as examples of the divers ways in which
this end may be accomplished. Figures 1. 2 and 3 represent respectively a face
view, an edge view, and a section of an arrangement in which the bows a of the
frame are not provided with any projecting catch, being perfectly plain except that
their flattened ends are stamped up at 6 near the joint pivot so as to form rounded
projections on the ends of the one bow and corresponding cavities (or holes) on
those of the other bow. These projections and cavities are upon. the adjacent
surfaces of the flattened ends which overlap and are secured together by rivets
which form the joint pins so that when the bows are closed together, the pro-
jections of the one fit into the cavities of the other as shown, thus forming locking
devices to hold the bows together. In opening the purse there is no projecting
Price 8d 1

page_text: part to act on it being only necessary to separate the bows by the exertion of a
certain amount of force to cause the projections to leave the cavities which they
can only do by springing the one or other bow and altering its curvature (as
represented to an exaggerated degree by the dotted lines.) In closing, the elasticity.
of the bows causes them to resume their primitive form when the projections
again fall into the cavities.
Other means may be adopted to bring the elasticity of the bows into play for
the same purpose. For instance instead of stamping up the metal, the necessary
projections may be united to the bows. The projections and cavities constituting
the locking device may also be placed more or less distant from the joints and may
even be limited to a single central locking device of this kind as shown in
Figures 4. 5 and 6 which respectively show top views open and closed and a section
on a larger scale on 1-2 figure 4.
a are the bows of angular or L section instead of rounded as before. b is the
projection or male part of the locking device stamped up in a tongue c fixed to or
formed on the one bow, said tongue riding upon the other bow and the projection b
entering a hole d in said other bow. Or the hole may be made in the tongue c
which in that case may spring under the other bow, but the first arrangement is
preferable. The form of the projection b and hole d may be varied e.g. round, oval,
square, oblong, pear shaped, &c. Thus the joint pin is represented as being a
rivet, but it is evident that the joint may be made by fitting the ends of the one
bow in the other in the manner of a ball and socket, or otherwise.
•

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Patent Office on the 14th January
1884.
"
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M. and W. Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR PURSES, POUCHES AND THE LIKE" A com-
munication to me from abroad by Alexandre and Company of Paris, France,
This Invention consists essentially in utilising the elasticity of the purse or
pouch frame itself without the assistance of any external device to close the purse
or pouch and keep it closed. This fastening consequently presents the utmost
simplicity, being devoid of any adjunct for closing or locking it, whilst it possesses
the same advantages as those now in use.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I have represented
in the annexed drawing two modes in which the elasticity of the frame may be
utilised for the above mentioned purpose as examples of the divers ways in which
this end may be accomplished. Figures 1, 2 and 3 represent respectively a face
view, an edge view, and a section of an arrangement in which the bows a of the
frame are not provided with any projecting catch, being perfectly plain except that
their flattened ends are stamped up at b near the joint pivot so as to form rounded
projections on the ends of the one bow and corresponding cavities (or holes) on
those of the other bow. These projections and cavities, are, upon the adjacent
surfaces of the flattened ends which overlap and are secured together by rivets
which form the joint pins so that when the bows are closed together the projections
of the one fit into the cavities of the other as shown, thus forming locking devices
to hold the bows together. In opening the purse there is no projecting part to act
on, it being only necessary to separate the bows by the exertion of a certain
amount of force to, cause the projections to leave the cavities which they can only
do by springing the one or other bow and altering its curvature (as represented to
an exaggerated degree by the dotted lines). In closing, the elasticity of the bows
causes them to resume their primitive form when the projections again fall into the
cavities.
Other means may be adopted to bring the elasticity of the bows into play for
the same purpose. For instance instead of stamping up the metal, the necessary.
projections may be united to the bows. The projections and cavities constituting
the locking device may also be placed more or less distant from the joints and
may even be limited to a single central locking device of this kind as shown in
figures 45 and 6 which respectively show top views open and closed and a section
on a larger scale on 1-2 figure 4.
a are the bows of angular or L section instead of rounded as before. b is the
projection or male part of the locking device stamped up in a tongue c fixed to or
formed on the one bow, said tongue riding upon the other bow and the projection b
entering a hole din said other bow. Or the hole may be made in the tongue c
which in that case may spring under the other bow; but the first. arrangement is
preferable. The form of the projection band hole d may be varied e.g. round, oval,
square, oblong, pear shaped &°. Thus the joint pin is represented as being a rivet,
but it is evident that the joint may be made by fitting the ends of the one bow in
the other in the manner of a ball and socket or otherwise.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is:
1 The improved purse or pouch fastening consisting essentially in bosses or

page_text: projections b on the one bow received in corresponding cavities in the other bow
and situated more or less near the joint pivot, whereby the said bows are locked
by their own elasticity substantially as shown and described with reference to
figures 1, 2 and 3.
•
2nd A purse or pouch frame provided with a locking device constructed
substantially as described and shown in figures 4, 5 and 6..
In witness whereof I the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this fourteenth day of January A.D. 1884.
AM CLARK' (L's)