CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LADIES CLASPS, AND WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR CONNECTING OR HOLDING WAISTBANDS, BELTS, AND OTHER ARTICLES OF DRESS." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Bent, of, Newhall Street, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Military Ornament Manufacturer, and Joseph
Luckock, of Harborne, in the County of Stafford, Articled Workman
in the employ of the said Joseph Bent, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN LADIES CLASPS, AND WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE FOR CONNECTING OR HOLDING WAISTBANDS, BELTS, AND OTHER
ARTICLES OF DRESS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Bent and Joseph
Luckock, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 16th October 1860.
We, JOSEPH BENT, of Newhall Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Military Ornament Manufacturer, and JOSEPH LUCKOCк, of
Harborne, in the County of Stafford, Articled Workman in the employ of the
said Joseph Bent, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LADIES CLASPS, AND WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE

page_text: ALSO APPLICABLE FOR CONNECTING OR HOLDING WAISTBANDS, BELTS, AND OTHER
ARTICLES OF DRESS," to be as follows (that is to say):-
:-
Our improvements consist in so constructing clasps or connectors for holding
bands, belts, and other articles of dress, that they may be connected and dis-
connected without being sewed or otherwise secured to the band or belt or
other part of dress desired to be held. And this permits of their being so
constructed that when used as a ladies' band clasp it may be held down to the
termination of the dress front, and permit the ends of the band to hang free,
and yet capable of being adjusted to the size of the waist, as required. And
we effect this in various ways according to the position required for use, and
the breadth of the band or ribbon to be'used with it. For instance, ladies'
belt-clasps or holders we purpose constructing with a vertical spring working
through a vertical slot with a detent at one end, so that by freeing the spring
or clip it may be removed altogether from the waist and from the band, but
in use the ends of the band are passed under the spring or bar, and when
drawn sufficiently tight it is secured by the detent, thus holding the band
between the bar and the open slot, the bar or spring or front ornament
terminating with a hook for hooking to the stomacher of the dress to bold the
clasp in the desired position; the vertical bar may be formed with the front
of the clasp, or be rivetted to it, or secured with a hinge joint, as required.
For broad belts we prefer retaining the material of the belt in the desired
position under the vertical bar by a pin which passes through the principal
plate of the clasp, and is acted on by a spring and lever, which being pressed
pulls the pin out of the hole of the belt, thereby permitting its removal or
adjustment; and this same result we obtain by two vertical loops with a
slotted spring working over one or both of them, so that by passing 'the
material of the belt or band through the loops the spring will exert its force
outward, and confine the material of the band or belt between the exposed
surface of the spring and the inner sides of the bar or bars of the loops, so that
by pressing the spring the belt or band becomes free, and may be adjusted or
removed as desired.
Another improvement in band or belt fastenings consists in so forming the
clasp that two metal shanks are formed from the same, which, passing through
holes in the belt or band, and the shank: being.. bent down, secures the clasp
to the band without sewing, and the other end is adjusted by a tongue working
on or in ears formed in the other part, and the end of the band being pushed
between the ears the tongue will hold in the regulating holes commonly formed
in belts, such as are used for boys' waists, in the same way in which buckles

page_text: work or retain the parts together. to which they are applied, but. to free
the tongue from the band a lever is formed, the fulcrum or axis of which forms
the axis of, the tongue before described, so that by pressing. the lever the tongue
will be, withdrawn and the belt freed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Bent and Joseph Luckock in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th April 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
BENT, of Newhall Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Military
Ornament Manufacturer, and JOSEPH LUCкOCK, of Harborne, in the County
of. Stafford, Articled Workman in the employ of the said Joseph Bent,.send
greeting.
'
1.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth. year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto: us, the said
Joseph Bent. and Joseph Luckock, Her special license that we, the said
Joseph Bent and Joseph. Luckock, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Joseph Bent and.Joseph Luckock, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with and no others, from
time, to time and at all times thereafter 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LADIES CLASPS, AND WHICH
SAID. IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR. CONNECTING OR HOLDING WAISTBANDS,
BELTS, AND OTHER ARTICLES OF DRESS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Joseph Bent and Joseph Luckock, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, 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 .immė-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW. KNOW YE; that I, the said Joseph, Bent, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be. per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
Our improvements in clasps, whether.used for connecting ornamental, fabric,
or other materials for ladies' bracelets, or for connecting and holding down
ladies' waistbands, or other articles or parts of dress, consists in so constructing
the clasp or connector that they may be connected and disconnected without
being sewn or otherwise secured to the belt or other articles or part of dress
desired to be held, and this permits of their being so constructed that when
used as a ladies'. belt clasp it may be held down to the termination of the body
or corset of the dress in front, and allow the ends to hang gracefully free, and
yet capable of being adjusted in the most agreeable manner to the size of the
waist, as required, by the wearer. And we effect this wholly or partly in
various ways, according to the purpose or position of dress required, and the
width of the bands (whether composed of velvet, ribbon, leather, web, or other
material).to be used with it, for instance, ladies' belt clasps we purpose making
(with an ornamental front of any shape or design that good taste may.suggest,)
with a vertical spring, whether made from hard sheet metal, steel, or wire
applied at the back or otherwise of the ornamental front, and which spring
works through a corresponding vertical slot with a spring detent at the lower
end, so that in use the material for the band intended to be used is held in the
vertical slot by the spring pressing tightly on it, so that by freeing the spring
the clasp may be removed from the wáist of the wearer and from the band
itself. In using this clasp the ends of the band' or belt are passed between
the spring and vertical slot before referred to, and when drawn sufficiently
tight by pulling equally each end of the band, the spring at the back may be
pulled forward and secured by a spring detent when the band will be firmly
held. The lower end of the spring or ornamental front may terminate with a
hook, which permits (when the band or belt is drawn sufficiently tight) of the
clasp and band being pulled down in front and hooked in position at the termi-
nation of the stomacher or bodice of the dress. This same result may be
obtained by.a vertical bar instead of a spring formed with or in connection
with the front ornament, or be rivetted to it, or secured with an. hinge joint,
as required. For broad belts or bands suitable for children and youths we
prefer retaining the material of the band or belt in the desired position
between the front and a back vertical plate by a pin attached to a spring
passing through the back plate and through the material of the belt or band,
such pin being further connected or secured with a chain and pin in front, if
preferred, so that by removing the same. (when used) and pressing the spring

page_text: the pin will be pulled back and the belt liberated, thereby permitting its
removal or adjustment.
And in constructing this description of clasps the hook before referred to
for holding the belt or band and clasps down in position may be omitted or
used as preferred.. And this result generally may be further obtained by the
use of one, two, or more vertical loops with a suitable bar or spring working
over or between one or more of them, so that by passing the material for the
band, belt, or other purpose through the loops the spring or back bar may be
exerted outwards or inward, as may be desired, the material of the belt being
held between the inner and outward surface of the loop or loops, and. the out-
side or inside of the spring or bar as it may be arranged, so that by pressing
on or freeing the spring or bar the belt and clasp will be free for readjustment
or removal, as may be desired.
And, lastly, our improvements for common belt clasps suitable for boys'
belts consists in forming a metal plate with two or more shanks for fastening
or rivetting the same to the material of the belt without sewing; the other.end
of the belt is adjusted by a lever tongue, worked on axis formed of the same,
passing through metallic ears formed on the other part, and the end of the
belt or band being pushed between the ears and front plate and lever tongue
the sanie may be tightened up and regulated by the tongue passing through
the desired hole of the band, in the same way in which buckles work or retain
the parts together to which they are applied; to free the tongue from the band
the lever must be slightly pressed on, when the tongue will be elevated and the
end of the belt will be free; but as our Invention will be best understood by
referring to the Drawings hereunto annexed I will now proceed to describe
the same, reference being made to the numerous figures and letters marked
thereon.
Figure 1 represents in a front view one of our improved clasps, with as
much of the waistband necessary for illustrating our improvements; the parts
a,. a, is intended to continue around the waist of the wearer; and b, b,.repre-
sents the ends of the same fabric, which is secured and held by a spring at
the back of the ornament A, where the material is crossed one on the other,
and held and compressed in a vertical slot by a corresponding spring, which
spring is exhibited in a back and edge view at Figures 2 and 3; the tongue
or bar c being free, but when together the part d is held in a corresponding
slot at e, and in this position the spring is represented in edge view, Figure 4;

page_text: the part .marked f, f, represents the ornamental portion in section, and which
part is marked A in Figure 1; Figure 5 represents a back view of the. metal
ornament. with the spring and slot, as exhibited at Figures 2 and 3, secured to
the same by rivets or pins; as at 9, 9; this spring and slot is exhibited in an
edge and flat view at Figures 6 and 7; the part taken through the dotted
lines h, h, is slightly rounded for the purpose of stiffening this part, as well as
contracting it, for lying in the slot i, i;, the action of the spring or bar is con-
fined to the part marked j, as seen best at Figure 3; the ears k; k, are bent
at right angles, as at Figures 3 and 4, for. the purpose of supporting the
hook 1, that when pressing down with the fabric between the bar and the slot
that this hook should not be strained, and which hook, as before.stated, is
held in position, as exhibited in a side view at Figure 4; but is easily freed and
restored to the position exhibited at Figure 3 by slightly pressing. on the part
marked m, the angle of which is placed at the termination of the slot i,
Figure 6, and thereby form a detent for holding the bar in position when in
use. Instead of making the slot and bar of sheet steel or hard metal, as before
described, the same may be formed of wire bent into a suitable shape, as exhi-
bited at Figure 8, and again bent up at the part marked n,.n, that the part
marked o may fall into the opening or slot marked p, p; this wire spring and
bar may be attached to the front ornamental part by pins going through the
circular openings marked q, q, and 9, 9; and in some cases, instead of the part
marked r, which is an equivalent to the part marked m in Figures 3, 4, and 5,
may be made as exhibited at Figure 11, and united by being soldered.
Figures 12 and 13 represent a front and back view of another clasp differing
from Figures 1 and 5 only in the shape of the parts, the spring and back plate
being exhibited in a separate back and edge view at Figures 14 and 15, and
in an edge view (bent into form) at Figure 16, so that the part marked S,,S,
is intended to cover over the hollow or convex part of the ornamental front
shell, and secured thereto by rivets or pins going through the holes here exhi-
bited, or otherwise.
:.
Figures 17, 18, and 19, represent a front, back, and edge view of a clasp
possessing all the qualities before described; but in this instance we hold the
fabric of the belt in' possession by passing it under wire loops marked t, t, and
t, t, and a fabric or band is held in its desired place by the spring bar. B, which
is bevilled on each edge for the double purpose, namely, to produce rigidity at
this part, and to present the edges of the metal to press the fabric of the band
against the front or plate of the clasp.. The hook marked.u, like the hook in
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 16, is for holding the clasp and band down to the termina-

page_text: tion of the dress body of the wearer, and this hook and bar is held in position by
the catch v clipping the front plate as at w, at Figure 17, and which may be readily
removed or freed by a gentle pressure on the apex of the hook w. But when
this description of clasp is required for other purposes then adjusting and
holding waistbands this hook will not be required, and when it may be
desirable to make clasps with less metal exhibited in the front' we prefer
making them as exhibited in a front, edge, and back view at Figure 20; and
this construction admits of the front C, back D, and back spring. E being
made of one piece of metal, the fastening being effected by the fabric intended'
to be held being passed between the front and back plate, and held by a pin
secured in the centre of the back spring passing freely through a hole in the
back; plate, which pin may be pulled back, thereby freeing the fabric by
placing the spring E in the edge view in the position shown in dotted lines, so
that this contrivance admits of the clasp or metallic connector being used, as
at Figure 1, or to be suitably fastened at one end of the belt or band, as pre-
ferred. And in like manner the end of the back spring E. may terminate in
a hook, if preferred.
Figure 21 represents a front, back, and end view of a metallic connector
for bands, belts, or such like purposes intended to be fastened by sewing,
rivetting, or otherwise, to the material of the belt. In the front view F the
side is laid open for the purpose of shewing that it is intended to be bent
over in order that the holes y, y, and y, y, shall be directly opposite each other,
so as to hold the leather or other material between the metal clips to be secured
as before described; the part z forms a lever tongue terminating with small axes
at the ends, which works through ears formed in the same plate of metal as
at a', a', in the end view marked G; and we will imagine this clasp to be
secured, and the other end brought around and placed beneath the tongue and
lever z, and when properly adjusted the point of the tongue will pass into a
hole in the leather of the belt, and hold it in the same manner in which
buckles are used; but when desired to be freed the slightest pressure pressure
on the lever b', and elevate the tongue and free the belt.
Having now described our Invention, and the manner in which the same may
be efficiently and simply carried into effect, I wish it understood that we do
not purpose confining ourselves to the shape, character, or description of orna-
ment that such kind of clasp are capable of receiving, or to the shape or form
of the various parts, provided the object and spirit of our Invention be retained;
but what we claim and wish protected by these our in part recited Letters
Patent is.

page_text: The mode of construction exhibited in Figures 1, 5, 12, 13, 17, and 18,
whereby the material of the band or belt permits of being pulled and adjusted
by the ends, which ends may, if desired, and free.
Secondly, we claim the means here shewn for holding such clasps down to
the stomacher of the dress when in use.
Lastly, we claim the construction of clasps as exhibited at Figures 20
and 21.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Bent, on behalf of myself and
the said Joseph Lucock, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
WILLIAM LOACH,
Clerk to James S. Cockings,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
JOSEPH BENT. (LS.)