NEW OR IMPROVED BELT FASTENERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaac Blue Harris, of Castle. Mills, Fountain-
bridge, Edinburgh, for the Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED BELT
FASTENERS."
Sealed the 4th January 1876, and dated the 25th August 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isaac Blue Harris
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 25th August 1875.
I, ISAAC BLUE HARRIS, of Castle Mills, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "NEW OR IMPROVED
BELT FASTENERS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to avoid the necessity of using laces
for jointing the ends of belts; the piercing of the belts for the purpose
of passing the laces through is also avoided.
In carrying out the Invention the two ends of the belt are brought
nearly close together, and the joint is covered by two transverse plates,
one being placed under and the other above the belt, so as to enclose the

page_text: joint between them.
The upper plate is by preference made concave on
its under side, and has studs or teeth formed-thereon. The-under-plate
is made slightly convex at its upper surface, and is also provided with
studs or teeth, so that when the two plates are drawn together by means
of screws, rivets, or bolts (which are passed through them) the studs or
teeth on the plates will be forced into the faces of the belt, which will
thereby be tightly nipped and securely held between the two plates. In
this fastening the tightening screws or bolts do not pass through the
belt, but between the two ends;, the belt therefore is not pierced in any
way, and there is only one row of tightening screws.
As a modification of the above the two ends of the belt may bo
connected or fastened together by means of a single concave plate, which
covers the joint and extends across the whole width of the belt; it is
provided on its under side with projecting studs or teeth, as in the
former instance, and is brought into close contact with the belt by
means of short screw bolts, which_pass through holes made in the belt,
and through corresponding holes made in the plate..
The heads of the bolts instead of being made round or square are
elongated (by preference of an oval form), and are provided on their
under side with projecting teeth or studs, so that when the bolts arc
placed in situ and screwed up by means of nuts the belt will be nipped
tightly, and firmly held between the upper or covering plate and the
elongated heads of the bolts, which being arranged in two lines one on
each side of the joint will form an almost continuous holding surface.
An important advantage of these belt fasteners is that the tension on
the belt serves to bind the fastener and make it grip the tighter; the
evils resulting from the ordinary mode of piercing. the belt for laces or
rivets are also avoided.

page_text: Fig. 2 is a plan view of the outer side of the fastening, and Fig. 3 is a
plan view of the inner side of-the-fastening:-The transverse edges of
the curved plate 6 are bent over to form ridges or elongated teeth,
which as the plates are screwed together will indent the belt when the
same is at tension. The grip of the fastening upon the belt ends it
will be understood is due to the curve of the plate 6 having a shorter
radius than the pulleys on which the belt is used. This is clearly
illustrated at Fig. 1, in which the dotted are y, y, represents the curve
of the plate, and the dotted arc z, z, the circumference of the driving
pulley:
b
If desired ribs may be formed on the inner face of the plate c to
increase the grip of the fastening.
"
As a modification of the above-described fastening the ends of the
belt may be coupled up by means of a single concave plate. This
modification is shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6, where Fig. 4 is an edge
view, Fig. 5 a top view, and Fig. 6 an under side view of the fastening.
e is the curved plate, provided at its transverse edges with elongated
teeth or lips e*. This plate e is secured to the belt ends by means of
screw bolts f, which pass through holes made in the belt, and through
corresponding holes made in the plate.
The heads of these bolts instead of being made round or square are by
preference of an oval form, and carry on their under side teeth. or
projections, as shown in the detached view, Fig. 6*.
In applying these bolts to the band these oval heads will be brought
into line, as shown at Fig. 6, in order to cover as far as may be the
belt transversely, and when screwed up by means of the nuts the belt
will be nipped, and tightly and firmly held against the plate e.
I would remark that instead of the oval headed bolts f with nuts
ordinary screws may be used, the same entering tapped holes in the
curved plate. This is illustrated in edge and plan view at Figures 7
and 8.
When ordinary screws are used their number must be such as to
secure a holding surface equivalent to that provided by a less number of
bolts with oval heads.
In the case of wide belts two or more arched or curved plates set end

page_text: Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "New or
Improved Belt Fasteners," and explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part
recited Letters Patent I do not claim as of my Invention connecting
belt ends together by means of metal clamps however constructed;
but what I claim is, the use of metal fastenings consisting of curved
or arched plates so constructed and applied as to bite on the belt ends
with a force proportionate to the tension put upon the belts.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaac Blue Harris, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-first day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.