IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENING CRAVATS NECKTIES AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Robert Baker of Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Engineer for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENING
CRAVATS NECKTIES AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Robert Baker at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd September 1883.
FRANCIS ROBERT BAKER of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Engineer→
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENING CRAVATS NECKTIES AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES
"
My Invention consists principally of a fastening constructed arranged and
combined with cravats neckties and such like articles: for the purpose of fastening
the bands of the said articles; but my said Invention is also applicable to the
fastening of bands for various purposes.
I will describe my invention as applied to a cravat
The Shield like piece of cardboard usually employed at the back of the cravat is
made movable or hingelike; and when unfastened is open at its bottom for the
free passage of the band to and from the fastening; instead of its lower end being
fixed permanently or attached to the back of the cravat as heretobefore
The fastening consists essentially of three plates, that is to say; a hinged top
binding plate, a base or attachment plate, and an under spring holding and
releasing plate,
The top binding plate, which is connected to the movable back described is
hinged at its upper end to the base plate; while the base plate, and under spring
plate are riveted or connected together at their upper or top ends, near the hinge
of the top binding plate; the bottoms or releasing ends of the under spring plate
being free.
The base plate consists of a suitably shaped flat plate, preferably somewhat of
the figure of the letter with a broad top the said plate has a vertical longitudinal
slot or opening running down the middle of the plate nearly from top to bottom
thereof also two side depressions running parallel therewith and near the two side
edges of the said plate

page_text: The binding plate consists of a plate of thin sheet metal properly ribbed for
strengthening, and somewhat of the figure of the base plate, with raised or gripping
ribs, (raised on the underside from the metal of the plate) coincedent with, or
coming opposite the slot or depressions in the base plate; while the end of the
said plate is slightly hooked or turned up for its attachment to the lower or
fastening plate. The under-spring detaining and releasing plate, extends beyond
the lower edge of the base plate; the extended part being arched or raised cross-
wise, while its extreme end is flat, forming a presser end for releasing the fastening.
The inside edge of the raised or arched part, is pierced with a suitably shaped hole,
for the hooked end of the binding plate to engage in.
The fastening is attached to the cravat by sewing and rivetting; and is placed
between the back of the cravat, and the shield like piece of cardboard, which is
only connected to the cravat by its upper end, leaving its lower end perfectly open
for the band of the cravat to freely pass thereunder.
The fastening of the cravat is effected as follows.
The band is passed under the open back of the cravat, and between the raised
binding plate, and the base plate, either crossing the slot or slots diagonally or
straight; and by pressing down the open back of the cravat, and the top binding
plate described, the gripping bars or knife edges press the band thereunder, and
force the material at the various points of contact into the slot and depressions in
the base plate; while its turned up free end takes and snaps into the hole or
piercing in the extended end of the detaining or under plate described, and so
locks or fastens the upper to the lower plate. The cravat is also thereby firmly
held between the top pressure plate, and the base plate as before described.
The band of the cravat is released by applying downward pressure to the free
end of the underplate, when by the elasticity or yielding of the metal, the hole or
piercing is removed from off the hooked end or catch of the pressure plate; when
the band is released by the springing open of the binding plate and cardboard
back attached thereto; leaving the back of the cravat perfectly open at its bottom,
through which the band falls when relieved from the fastening.
Stops on the base plate situated near the knuckles of the hinge, limit the
upward movement of the binding plate; they also serve for abutment points or
stops against which teits, on the binding plate bear, which throws open the said
binding plate when released.
A stop or projection is formed on the body of the binding plate, so that when
shut down into a hole in the base plate, it steadys, and always preserves the perfect
and sure action of the snap.
Instead of the binding and base plates being made in two parts, and connected
together by hinge joints; the said plates may be formed out of one piece of metal,
and folded upon one another; constituting the top binding plate and the middle
or base plate, the other parts are essentially the same. Or the top and bottom
plates may be made in parts and rivetted together.

page_text: "
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Francis Robert Baker in the Patent Office on the 21st March 1884.
FRANCIS ROBERT BAKER of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer
IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENING CRAVATS, NECKTIES, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES
"
My invention consists principally of a fastening constructed arranged and
combined with Cravats, neckties and such like articles, for the purpose of fastening
the bands of the said articles, but my said invention is also applicable to the
fastening of bands for various purposes
I will describe my invention as applied to a Cravat
The shield like piece of cardboard usually employed at the back of the cravat
is made movable or hinge like, and when unfastened is open at its bottom for the
free passage to and from the fastening, instead of its lower end being fixed
permanently or attached to the back of the cravat as heretofore
The fastening consists essentially of three plates; that is to say, a hinged top
binding plate, a base or attachment plate, and an under spring holding and
releasing plate.
The top binding plate which is connected to the movable back described, is
hinged at its upper end to the base plate, while the base plate and under-spring
plate are rivetted or connected together at their upper or top ends near the binge
of the top binding plate, the bottom or releasing end of the under spring plate
being free.
The base plate consists of a suitably shaped flat plate, preferably somewhat of
the figure of a letter T with a broad top. The said plate has a vertical longitudinal
slot or opening running down the middle of the plate nearly from top to bottom,
thereof also two side depressions running parallel therewith, and near the two
side edges of the said plate.
The binding plate consists of a plate of thin sheet properly rubbed for
strengthening, and somewhat of the figure of the base plate, with raised or
gripping ribs (raised on the underside from the metal of the plate) coincident with
or coming opposite the slot or depressions in the base plate, while the end of the
said plate is slightly hooked or turned up for its attachment to the lower or
fastening plate. The under-spring detaining and releasing plate extends beyond
the lower edge of the base plate, the extended part being arched or raised crosswise,
while its extreme end is flat, forming a presser end for releasing the fastening.
The inside edge of the raised or arched part is pierced with a suitably shaped hole,
for the hooked end of the binding plate to engage in
The fastening is attached to the cravat by sewing and rivetting and is placed
between the back of the cravat and the shield-like piece of cardboard which is
only connected to the cravat by its upper end, leaving its lower end perfectly open
for the band of the cravat to freely pass thereunder.
The fastening of the Cravat is effected as follows.
The band is passed under the open back of the cravat and between the raised
binding plate and the base plate, either crossing the slots diagonally or straight;
and by pressing down the open back of the cravat and the top binding plate
described, the gripping bars or knife edges press the band thereunder and force the
material at the various points of contact into the slot and depressions in the base
plate, while its turned up free end takes and snaps into the hole or piercing in the
extended end of the detaining or under plate described, and so locks or fastens the

page_text: upper to the lower plate. The Cravat is also thereby firmly held between the top
pressure plate and the base plate as before described.
The band of the Cravat is released by applying downward pressure to the free end
of the under plate when by the elasticity or yielding of the metal the hole or
piercing is removed from off the hooked end or catch of the pressure plate, when
the band is released by the springing open of the binding plate and cardboard
back attached thereto; leaving the back of the cravat perfectly open at its bottom
through which the band falls, when relieved from the fastening
Stops on the base plate situated near the knuckles of the hinge, limit the
upward movement of the binding plate; they also serve for abutment points or
stops, against which teits on the binding plate bear, which throws open the said
binding plate when released.
A stop or projection is formed on the body of the binding plate, so that when
shut down into a hole in the base plate, it steadys, and always preserves the
perfect and sure action of the snap.
Instead of the binding and base plates being made in two parts and connected
together by hinge joints, the said plates may be formed out of one piece of metal
and fold upon one another, constituting the top binding plate and the middle or
base plate, the other parts are essentially the same, or they may be made in parts
and rivetted together.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing,
the manner in which my invention is to be performed
Figure 1 represents in back elevation a cravat, with the front portion of the
shield like back removed, in order to better exhibit the parts of the fastening,
constructed arranged and combined with the said Cravat, and which also exhibits
the band of the cravat gripped and held firmly in the position which it takes when
in use; Figure 2 shows the same in longitudinal vertical section. Figure 3 shows
the Cravat unfastened with the band liberated, the shield like back and the gripping
plate of the fastening turned at right angles to the base plate. Figure 4 represents
a longitudinal vertical section of Figure 3 with the band of the cravat in the act
of falling, after being liberated from the fastening, Figure 5. is an entire view of
the back of the cravat,, with the fastening attached, and the band secured between
the Cravat and shield like back. Figure 6 is a back view of the fastening
detached, and Figure 7 shows a longitudinal vertical section of the fastening on a
larger scale; the dotted lines represent the position taken by the spring holding
and releasing plate, when liberating the top binding plate. Figures 8, 9 and 10
show the parts of the fastening separately, while Figure 11 represents the Cravat,
and Figure 11 shows a separate or detached shield like back attached only to the
gripping hinged plate of the fastening.
The same letters indicate the same parts in the several figures of the Drawing
a is the spring binding plate of the fastening made preferably from sheet steel,
and forms the gripping or holding plate which fastens or secures the band of the
cravat. The said binding plate is hinged at 62 at its upper end, to the base or
attachment plate b, while the base plate b and under-spring plate care connected
together by rivets c³ c² at their upper or top ends, leaving the bottom or releasing
end of the under-spring plate free. The binding plate a which is cut from
sheet steel has a gripping or holding knife edge a³, raised on the under-side of the
gripping plate which is formed from the metal thereof, the said knife edged
"band" gripper is coincident with the longitudinal slots 6' 64, pierced from the
base plate b, and the under plate c, through which the band of the cravat is
partially pressed by the knife edge a³, on the closing or fastening of the binding
plate The binding plate has also side gripping edges as as at right angles to the
body of the plate, which said gripping edges force the band of the cravat into
coincident depressions b b in the base plate b, so that it matters not in what
direction the band of the Cravat crosses the base plate of the fastening, it is firmly
and securely gripped, on the closing down of the binding plate. The fastening of

page_text: the binding plate is effected by its turned-up end at taking into the opening c³ of
the under plate c and so connecting the binding to the under-plate. Stops 6° 6°
limit the upward movement of the binding plate.
The base plate b with its under plate c, is attached by sewing or rivetting to the
body of the Cravat d, while the binding plate a is attached to the underside of
the shield like piece of cardboard e, which is made movable or hinge like es at its
top, and when unfastened is open at its bottom for the free passage of the band of
the Cravat to and from the fastening
The fastening of the Cravat is effected as follows.
The band fis passed under the open back of the Cravat and between the raised
binding plate a attached to the shield like back e. The band crosses the base
plate b diagonally as represented at Figure 3, or the said band may cross the plate
in a straight or in a horizontal direction. By now pressing down the open back
of the Cravat and the binding plate a attached thereto the gripping part a³, a³ a³
press the band thereunder into the respective slots or channels bb, the band is
also bound between the flat contact surfaces of the base and binding plate, while
the turned up free end at of the binding plate a takes and snaps into the hole or
piercing ; that is, the end a first impinges upon the bridge cs of the back plate c,
and by the yielding or flattening out of the metal, the turned up end a* snaps into
the hole or piercing in the extended end of the detaining or under plate c; and
so locks or fastens the binding plate a with the shield like back e, to the under-
plate c, the band of the cravat is thereby firmly held and gripped between the
fastening plates described, as represented in Figures 1, 2 and 5.
The band of the Cravat is released by applying downward pressure to the free
end c of the plate c, when by the elasticity or yielding of the metal, the hole or
piercing is forced from off the hooked end or catch a of the binding plate a,
when the band is released by the springing open of the said plate a and back e
attached thereto, as represented in Figure 4, leaving the back of the Cravat open
at its bottom, through which the band f falls, when relieved from the fastening.
Or the shield like back of the Cravat marked e may be made to open at the side or
at the top instead of at the bottom as represented.
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 as my
invention
First. The improvements in fastening Cravats, neckties and other like articles
herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
and 11ª of the accompanying Drawing; that is to say, a fastening consisting
essentially of a base plate b, and an under fastening or releasing plate c
attached to the back of a Cravat, necktie or other like article, with a
binding or gripping plate a hinged or connected to the base plate b, which
said plate a is attached to the movable hinged shield like back e, constructed,
combined and working substantially in the way and for the purpose, as
described and illustrated,
Secondly. The general arrangement or combination of the parts of the fastening
used or combined with a Cravat or other like article, for the purpose and
working substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawing
Thirdly. The construction and combination of the fastening a, b and c for the
purpose and substantially as described and illustrated, whether the said
fastening be used with a cravat having an open or a closed back
marked e
Lastly. Constructing, arranging or making Cravats with movable or hinge like
backs marked e, so that when unfastened, the back opens at bottom, top
or at one of the sides thereof; that is to say, the back partially separates
itself on several of its sides from the cravat, for the free passage of the
band to and from the fastening disposed between the said back and

page_text: Cravat, as described and set forth, also making the shield like back
separate from the cravat, which is attached to a hinged part of the
fastening, as set forth in Figure 11 of the Drawing
In Witness whereof, I, the said Francis Robert Baker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord, one thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
Witness
HENRY SKERRETT
Patent Agent
6 Livery Street
Biriningham
FRANCIS ROBERT BAKER (L.S.)