IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC BANDS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Cunnew, of the Triangle, Hackney, in the
County of Middlesex, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ELASTIC BANDS."
Sealed the 4th January 1860, and dated the 16th July 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Cunnew at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
July 1859.
I, HENRY CUNNEW, of the Triangle, Hackney, in the County of Middlesex,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC BANDS," to be as follows :-
My improvements in elastic bands relate to those bands used for holding
letters, memoranda, and other papers or like purposes, and principally to those
made of woven material, which is cut of suitable lengths, and the ends united
to form the endless band or elastic ring. These elastic bands are usually
united by a metal eyelet passed through and rivetted in the ordinary manner.
In order to perfect this junction, I apply a casing of stamped metal foil to

page_text: envelope it, such envelope being rendered more or less ornamental, and having
an inscription stamped or marked on it to indicate the nature, date, and other
particulars of the papers or other articles contained or held by the band. The
metal envelope is merely folded round the band at the junction, and is so
formed that lappet pieces double down and hold it in position, or it may be
otherwise secured. Instead of securing the ends of the material by an eyelet
or eyelets, it may be otherwise secured; and I find that simply lapping the
metal envelope round the ends, and passing a rivet or rivets through, answers
the purpose very well, especially for small bands. These metal-enveloping
pieces, with inscriptions as aforesaid, may be applied to all elastic bands for
like purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Cunnew in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th January 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JENRY
CUNNEW, of the Triangle, Hackney, in the County of Middlesex, Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry Cunnew, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Cunnew,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henry Cunnew, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ELASTIC BANDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Henry Cunnew, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, 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 immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Cunnew, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention of improvements in elastic bands relate to those bands or
rings made of elastic material cut to lengths and joined, which are used for
enclosing or placing round parcels, papers, and documents of all kinds, music,
mercantile correspondence, pocket books, surgical instruments, and tourist's
cases, & for counting house and other purposes, which improvements consist
in the application of a metal or other covering at the junction of such bands,
either simply as a covering for such junctions or to form a part thereof, and
which I denominate a union clasp fastening, as it combines all the efficacy
and security of the eyelet with the neatness and finish of a clasp. These
elastic bands are usually united by means of a needle and thread; but in
order the more effectually to secure the two ends of the web, without weakening
the rubber (which is invariably the case when the ends are sewn together, as
before named.) I apply the union clasp fastening or envelope in the following
manner I first cut the india-rubber web or braid into the required length;
I then bring the two ends together, allowing them to overlap about a quarter
of an inch, when by means of a sharp-pointed piercer or tool made for the
purpose, I divide the warp between the threads of rubber, and insert therein a
metallic eyelet, first having placed the eyelet through the circular aperture in
the casing, as shown in Fig. 4 (if it is to form part of the fastening,) which
clasp or casing may be made of metal, leather, or other material, and more or
less ornamental, or, if necessary, with an inscription stamped or otherwise
marked on it to indicate the nature, date, or other particulars of the papers or
other articles contained or held by the band. I then fold the clasp round the
junction, taking care to adjust the ends of the same so as to fit close to the neck
of the eyelet. I now place it under an eyelet machine, and rivet it in the usual
way, when it appears as at Fig. 5. This kind of clasp or casing can also be
made with the eyelet stamped up from the hole in the centre and out of the
solid metal, instead of inserting a separate eyelet, as before described.
In addition to the above mode of connecting the ends of the webbing, I
also unite them by a metallic eyelet passed through and united in the ordinary
manner; but in order to perfect this junction, apply a casing of stamped
metal foil or other material to envelope it, bearing, as in the above case,
suitable and fitting ornamentation or inscription, which metal envelope is

page_text: The annexed Drawing represents a variety of elastic bands appшed and
furnished, according to my Invention, with inscriptions on the metal plates
suited to the purpose for which they are required. Figs. 1 and 2 represent
the metal casing envelope separate from the band, Fig. 1 being the metal or
other envelope in the flat which is formed by pinching it out of a sheet of
metal of-suitable substance, in which form it is afterwards impressed-with
suitable ornament or inscription; while Fig. 2 represents it folded up, showing
also the side placed on the inner surface of the band. The several bands
represented are simply pieces of elastic webbing a, a, cut to a suitable length,
and the ends rivetted or otherwise fixed together to form the endless band,
the most suitable for large bands being the insertion of the metal eyelet, as
represented at Fig. 3. Having so fastened the ends of the webbing or elastic
material, I lap the metal piece b, b, Fig. 1, round the junction, and at same
time press the little tongue d into the eyelet. I then fold back the lug
pieces c, c, which retain it firmly in position, the metal cover being presses
close round the webbing at the junction, and the eyelet also prevents
the metal cover slipping. The junction so made appears as in the examples
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L.
Instead of first fastening the ends of the elastic webbing a, a, by the eyelet,
the metal or other envelope may be applied first, & then an eyelet passed
through the whole, as represented in the examples M, N, O. This is further
illustrated at Fig. 4, which represents the metal casing e in the flat, showing
the whole hole in the centre through which the eyelet passes, while the
notches 1, 1, receive the neck of the eyelet when the peice e, Fig. 4, is folded
round the band, the ends 2, 2, embracing the eyelet, which when rivetted
down, retains the ends 2, 2, and unites the clasp or casing e and webbing at
same time. Instead of the eyelet, it may be simply a rivet passed through
in same manner, and as shown at P, R.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, 1 declare that what I claim as my Invention, to be

page_text: protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is coverings of
metal or other material applied and fixed to the junctions of elastic bands by
means of an eyelet or other rivet, or they may be otherwise secured as and for
the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Cunnew, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
W. CLARK, Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
H. CUNNEW. (L.S.)