IMPROVEMENTS IN CLASPS TO BE USED FOR POCKET Books, PURSES, AND THE LIKE ARTICLES
Year: 1878

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company,
Patent Solicitors, at Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany, for the
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN CLASPS TO BE USED FOR POCKET Books,
PURSES, AND THE LIKE ARTICLES." A communication from David Löwenthal
and Moritz Löwenthal, trading under the Firm of D. and M. Löwenthal, at
Frankfort on the Maine, in the Empire of Germanv.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th November 1878.
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FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany. IMPROVEMENTS IN CLASPS
TO BE USED FOR POCKET BOOKS, PURSES, AND THE LIKE ARTICLES." A communica-
tion from David Löwenthal and Moritz Löwenthal, trading under the Firm of
D. and M. Löwenthal, of Frankfort on the Maine, in the Empire of Germany.
The Invention consists of a double armed lever working on a pivot at the top
angle of the arm. The top part of the arm or lever can be made any shape or form
thought necessary for appearance and convenience, and serves to disengage or open
the clasp, the locking or catching of the same being automatic; that is to say, upon
the clasp being closed it remains so until the opening is effected by lifting the top
arm of the lever aforsaid. The lower part of the lever or arm is bent up, so as to
catch when pushed into the half of the clasp opposite, and is always held in this
position by a spring attached to a projection at its back situated within the clasp
case, the top arm of the lever being situated on the top of the same, and the lower
arm of the said lever projecting from the front. It is preferred to make these clasps
double, that is to say, one double lever arm in its case as described attached to each
half of the article, opposite to each other, when the lower lever arm points to the
left, the other to the right, and each catches into the case of the other.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th May
1879.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, of
Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLASPS
TO BE USED FOR POCKET BOOKS, PURSES, AND THE LIKE ARTICLES." A communica-
tion from David Löwenthal and Moritz Löwenthal, trading under the Firm of
D. and M. Löwenthal, of Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany.
The Invention consists of a double-armed lever working on a pivot attached to
one side of the clasp. The top arm of the said lever can be made any shape thought
necessary for appearance and convenience, and serves to disengage or open the clasp,
the locking or catching of the same being automatic; that is to say, upon the clasp
being closed it remains so until the opening is effected by lifting the top arm of the
said lever. The lower arm of the lever is bent up, so as to catch when pushed into
the opposite half of the clasp, and is always held in this position by a spring, which
may be attached to a projection at its back, and is situated within the clasp case,
the top arm of the lever being situated on the top of the same, and the lower arm
of the said lever projecting from the front. It is preferred to make these clasps
double, that is to say, to attach one double-armed lever in the described manner to
each half of the article, the two levers being opposite each other, so that when the
lower arm of one lever points to the right, the lower arm of the other lever points
to the left, and each catches into the case of the other. The accompanying Drawing
shows how a double clasp may be constructed, Figure 1 being a longitudinal section
showing the springs and the position of the levers when the clasp is closed; Figure 2,
cross section through the centre, showing the front of the left-hand spring-
casing Figure 3, a side view of the clasp; Figure 4, the position of the two levers
when the clasp is being opened; Figure 5 and 6 are side views of the two levers.
A is the upper, and a the lower arm of the left-hand lever; A¹ the upper, and a¹ the
lower arm of the right-hand lever; B and B are the two pins; C and C¹ the springs
enclosed in the casings D and D¹; and E is the body of the clasp. Claim.-The
combination of a single or multiple double-armed catch lever with one or more
springs acting as described and illustrated, and for the purpose set forth.
a
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Tenth day of May, A.D. 1879.