AN IMPROVED MODE OF MANUFACTURING JOINTS AND CATCHES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Antill and William Wilkinson, both of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Jewellers, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF MANUFACTURING JOINTS AND CATCHES FOR
Sealed the 3rd June 1864, and dated the 7th December 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Antill and William
Wilkinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 7th December 1863.
We, ALFRED ANTILL and WILLIAM WILKINSON, both of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Jewellers, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF MANUFACTURING JOINTS AND CATCHES
POR BROOCHES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF JEWELLERY," to be as follows (that is
to say) :-
It has been customary hitherto in making joints and catches for brooches
and other articles of jewellery, for the same to be made up of several different
parts, a tube of metal (through which the pin afterwards passes) being pro-
vided; the other various parts have been each separately pressed from sheet
metal, the whole component parts being then either soldered or pressed
together. This process involves much labour, besides which it is found very
difficult to place the various component parts exactly in their true positions,
and it is also found that in wear the tubes frequently burst from the pressure
brought to bear upon them. Now by our Invention, instead of making the

page_text: joints to consist of several different parts, which are afterwards soldered or
pressed together, we propose to make each joint solid, which we do either by
casting the whole of each joint in one piece, then planishing the same by
means of a die, or we propose by means of a suitable draw plate to draw
metal to the thickness and pattern of the joint required, then to "gap" or cut
out from the front side of the joint a sufficient portion of the metal to allow
space for the tongue joint, and also to "gap" or cut out from the back part of
the joint so much of the metal as will leave the remainder to form either a
plate or pegs, as may be required. What has been said hitherto refers to
those joints which have plates or pegs, and which are used for wood, jet,
rubber, papier machè, or other like descriptions of brooches where the joint
is required to be inlaid in the brooch; but with respect to joints which are
used for other kind of brooches, and which are required to be soldered on to a
metal surface (and which joints consequently have no plates or pegs), we
propose either to cast them in one piece, as before described, or to raise them
from the solid metal by means of suitable dies, or else by means of a suitable
draw plate to draw metal to the thickness and pattern of the joint required,
and afterwards to "gap" or cut out from the front side of the joint a sufficient
portion of the metal to allow space for the tongue joint, as previously described.
We propose to cast the tongue joint in one piece, a hole is then drilled in the
same in a horizontal direction, and afterwards tapped, and the tongue being
furnished with a corresponding worm is screwed securely therein, thus avoiding
the necessity for soldering, which has the effect of softening the tongue. The
tongue joint being now placed in its proper position upon its fellow joint, a
hole is drilled in a vertical direction through both, and the pin which goes
through the joints, and which is to form the axis upon which the hinge works,
is inserted and properly fastened therein. In constructing the catch, instead
of taking several component parts, we propose to make the same of one solid
piece of metal, which we do either by first casting the catch in one piece, then
planishing it by means of a die, or by the employment of hand labour in the
usual manner; or we propose by means of a suitably shaped draw plate to
draw metal to the thickness and pattern of the catch required, finishing the
back part of the catch (when it is needful to furnish it with plates or pegs)
by a similar process of "gapping" as applied to the joints, the front part of
the catch being properly finished by means of a press provided with a cutting
tool of the requisite size and shape. When the catches are not required to be
furnished with either plates or pegs, but instead thereof have a flat surface,
we prefer sometimes to raise them from the solid metal by means of suitable
dies, finishing the front part of the catch by a press furnished with a suitably

page_text: shaped cutting tool, as just described. We propose to apply our Invention to
all kinds of brooches, whether metal, wood, jet, papier machè, or any other
descriptions which may be made, and also to other articles of jewellery where
nioint or catch may be used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Antill and William Wilkinson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 4th June 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ALFRED
ANTILL and WILLIAM WILKINSON, both of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Jewellers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Alfred Antill and William Wilkinson, Her special licence that we,
the said Alfred Antill and William Wilkinson, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Alfred Antill and William
Wilkinson, our 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 "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF MANUFACTURING JOINTS AND CATCHES FOR BROOCHES AND OTHER ARTICLES
OF JEWELLERY," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Alfred
Antill and William Wilkinson, our executors or administrators,
an instru-
ment in writing under our, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Alfred Antill and William Wilkinson,
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) :-
It has been customary hitherto in making joints and catches for brooches
and other articles of jewellery, for the same to be made up of several different

page_text: parts, a tube of metal (through which the pin afterwards passes) being
provided; the other various parts have been each separately pressed from
sheet metal, the whole component parts being then either soldered or pressed-
together. This process involves much labour, besides which it is found very
difficult to place the various component parts exactly in their true positions, and
it is also found that in wear the tubes frequently burst from the pressure brought
to bear upon them. Now by our Invention, instead of making the joints to
consist of several different parts, which are afterwards soldered or pressed
together, we propose to make each joint solid, which we do either by casting
the whole of each joint in one piece, then planishing the same by means of a
die; or we propose by means of a suitable draw plate to draw metal to the
thickness and pattern of the joint required, then to "gap
front side of the joint a sufficient portion of the metal to
"
"
or cut out from the
allow space for the
tongue joint, and also to "gap or cut out from the back part of the joint so
much of the metal as will leave the remainder to form either a plate or pegs,
as may be required. What has been said hitherto refers to those joints which
have plates or pegs, and which are used for wood, jet, rubber, papier mache,
or other like description of brooches where the joint is required to be inlaid
in the brooch, and which are required to be soldered on to a metal surface
(and which joints consequently have no plates or pegs); we propose either to
cast them in one piece, as before described, or to raise them from the solid
metal by means of suitable dies; or else by means of a suitable draw plate to
draw metal to the thickness and pattern of the joint required, and afterwards
to "gap" or cut out from the front side of the joint a sufficient portion of the
metal to allow space for the tongue joint, as previously described. We
propose to cast the tongue joint in one piece; a hole is then drilled in the
same in a horizontal direction, and afterwards tapped, and the tongue being
furnished with a corresponding worm is screwed securely therein, thus avoiding
the necessity for soldering, which has the effect of softening the tongue. The
tongue joint being now placed in its proper position upon its fellow joint, a
hole is drilled in a vertical direction through both, and the pin which goes
through the joints, and which is to form the axis upon which the hinge works,
is inserted and properly fastened thereiu. Or in some cases we prefer to cast
the tongue in the tongue joint, and then (the tongue joint being previously
fitted with a suitable pin or axis) to cast this into its fellow joint, by which
process we avoid the necessity for drilling. In constructing the catch, instead
of taking several component parts, we propose to make the same of one solid
piece of metal, which we do either by first casting the catch in one piece, then
planishing it by means of a die, or by the employment of hand labour in the

page_text: usual manner, or we propose by means of a suitably shaped draw plate to
draw metal to the thickness and pattern of the catch required, finishing the
back part of the catch (when it is needful to furnish it with plates or pegs) by
a similar process of "gapping" as applied to the joints, the front part of the
catch being properly finished by means of a press provided with a cutting
tool of the requisite size and shape. When the catches are not required to be
furnished with either plates or pegs, but instead thereof have a flat surface,
we prefer sometimes to raise them from the solid metal by means of suitable
dies, finishing the front part of the catch by a press furnished with a suitably
shaped cutting tool, as just described. We propose to apply our Invention to
all kinds of brooches, whether metal, wood, jet, papier mache, or any other
descriptions which may be made, and also to other articles of jewellery where
a joint or catch may be used.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be carried into effect, we desire it to be understood
that we do not limit ourselves to the precise means or appliances herein-before
described, as these may be varied or modified without departing from the
nature of our said Invention; but what we claim as the Invention to be pro-
tected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the mode or
manner of making joints and catches,-
First, by casting.
Second, by employing suitable draw plates to draw metal to the necessary
size and pattern.
Third, by raising them from the solid metal by means of suitable dies,
substantially as herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Alfred Antill and William Wilkinson,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Third day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
ALFRED ANTILL.
(L.B.)
WILLIAM WILKINSON. (L.B.)