Improvements in Buckles.
Year: 1890

page_text: e of Application, 23rd Dec., 1890-Accepted, 28th Feb., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buckles.
We, JONAS PARKER and RICHARD WILLIAM WATTS, of Williamsport, in the
County of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Gentlemen, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed; to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:
In the accompanying drawing:
Fig. I is a front elevation of a portion of a suspender and tabs, showing a buckle
embodying our invention in connection therewith.
Fig. 2 is a section on the line a of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a detached' view of the buckle spread open..
Fig. 4 is a section of the buckle on the line y-y Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a modification of the buckle, wherein but a single bed-bar and a single
slot in the presser-plate are provided.
Figs. 6 and 7 are views of the draft-hook, showing modified forms of spring
locking-lug on the shank thereof, also the backward turn of draft-hook.
Figs. 8, 9, 10 and' 11'show various modifications of the projecting bed-bar.
Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.
Our present invention relates generally to the construction of buckles, but is
more especially intended to embody certain features of construction of particular
value in that class of buckles which combine a bed-bar, a presser-bar or slotted
pressure-plate pivoted on the buckle frame, and a tab-ring hook or draft-hook
pivoted on the slotted presser-plate; and it consists, first, in providing the draft-
hook with a lock adapted to engage the frame and lock or hold the draft-hook in
position and also hold the slotted presser-plate down on the frame and bed-bar;
second, in providing the buckle frame with keepers or projections connected with
the locking-bar of frame, not only serving to prevent the escape of the tab-ring
from the hook but also the wear or fraying of the garments by the nose of the
draft-hook.
There are other minor. features of invention all of which will hereinafter more
fully appear.
We will now proceed to describe our invention more specifically, so that others
skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the saine.
In the drawings, A. indicates a strap or the web of a suspender; B, B, the
usual suspender-tabs or any equivalent strap; C, a buckle embodying our
invention, and D, a tab-ring or equivalent means of connecting the strap or straps B
with the buckle.
The buckle C is composed of a frame 1, which may be of any suitable shape and
is preferably formed of wire, said frame constituting the support of one or more
bed-bars 2, attached to the frame at suitable distances from the top and bottom bars
of the frame 1.
The bed-bar 2 has a raised central' portion 2ª which may be formed by bending
the wire, if wire is used for the bed-bar, or by projecting shoulders in case a
longitudinally-folded sheet-metal bed-bar is used. Any number of such bed-bars
may be used, according to the width of the buckle, though one or two will
generally suffice. The raised central portion 2ª of the bed-bar is of a length
adapted to enter a corresponding slot in the presser-plate of the buckle.
The raised central portion 2 of the bed-bar 2 may be provided on its face with
or without teeth as indicated in Figs. 8 and 9 or it may have a long groove in the
centre caused by its being made of a longitudinally-folded strip of sheet-metal as
shown in Fig. 10. Such construction of the bed-bar will tend to spread the web

page_text: and cause it to choke the orifice between the shoulders of the bed-bar and the edges
of the slots of the slotted presser-plate.
Fig. 11 shows the wire bed-bar hereinbefore referred to.
Pivoted on the top bar 1 of the frame 1 is a slotted presser-plate 3
having a slot or slots 3ª corresponding in number with the projecting bed-bars 2.
5 indicates the draft-hook pivoted on the lower edge of the slotted presser-plate
and adapted to pass under the bottom bar 1 of the frame 1. The nose of
this hook projects backwards thus keeping it from causing damage to the
clothing.
The shank of the hook 5 is bent, folded or otherwise shaped, as at 5b to form a
spring locking-lug, which engages either with the bottom bar 1b of the frame 1, or
with an offset or swell 6 called the locking-bar formed on said bottom bar, as the
case may be, the latter construction being preferable as-the swell of the bottom
bar facilitates the passing of the pivoted draft-hook behind the bottom bar of
frame 1.
The locking-lug 5b may be given more or less spring by forming it as an open or
double bend, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and its hold on the bottom bar 1° may be
increased by concaving the locking-lug 5b on its interior, as shown in Fig. 6.
This locking-lug 5 on the shank of the hook 5 not only serves to secure the
hook, but also serves to draw down and hold the slotted presser-plate over the
bed-bar and prevent the accidental shiftings of the buckle C on the web A.
The construction of the buckle being of the general character hereinbefore
specified, it is applied to a strap or web as follows:-The buckle is spread open as
shown in Fig. 3. The web A. is then passed under the top bar 12, over the bed-bar
or bars 2, and under the bottom bar 1 after which the presser-plate 3 is brought
down on the web, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; the pivoted draft-hook 5 is passed
under the bottom-bar 1 so as to rest directly on the face of web A, and the
locking-lug 5 is sprung under the frame or the swell 6 thereof otherwise the
locking bar, so as to draw down and confine-the-slotted presser-plate.=
The point of the draft hook 5-is-then-completely closed-by-the-projecting-keepers
in connection with the locking-bar or swell 6, which will not only prevent the escape
of the tab-ring D but will also prevent the hook 5 from wearing or fraying the
garments.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in_what_manner_the_same_is_to_be_performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
_ 1. In a buckle, the combination with a buckle_frame having projecting keepers
on its lower frame bar and a locking-bar between the same, of a pivoted hook
having a locking recess in its shank adapted to engage the locking bar between said
keepers, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
2. In a buckle, the combination with a buckle frame having bed-bars, of a
slotted presser-plate pivoted on the buckle frame and a hook pivoted on the
presser-plate, said hook having its nose turned backward, substantially as and for
the purposes specified.
3. In a buckle, the combination with a buckle frame having a locking-bar for
engaging a recess in the shank of a pivoted hook, of a pivoted hook having its
-nose-turned-backward-and-provided-with-a-recess-in-its-shank.to.engage.the locking
bar of the frame, the swell caused by the recess in the hook-shank projecting over
the nose of the hook, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. In a buckle, the combination with a frame having a raised bed-bar, of a
slotted presser-plate having a rib or flange on its under surface at the edge of the
slot; substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. In a buckle, the combination with a slotted presser-plate, of a buckle frame
having longitudinally folded sheet-metal bed bars with raised faces, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
6. In a buckle, the combination with a buckle frame having a bed-bar, a presser-

page_text: plate pivoted on the buckle frame and provided with a slot or slots which fit down
and over said bed-bar of a pivoted hook adapted to pass through and under the
buckle frame, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.