IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STRAPS AND DRIVING BANDS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William McGrath Compton, of Russell Street, Bermondsey,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STRAPS AND
DRIVING BANDS." A communication from abroad by Arthur Mickelthwate,
Hamburg, Germany.
Sealed the 30th April 1880, and dated the 4th November 1879.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William McGrath Compton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th November 1879.
WILLIAM MCGRATH COMPTON, of Russell Street, Bermondsey. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STRAPS AND DRIVING BANDS." A communication from
abroad by Arthur Mickelthwate, Hamburg, Germany.
I take a strip of metal, preferably of steel, of the length I require my band to be,
and of such width as will enable me to use one or more strips according to the
width I require my band, and in order that I may have the pliability necessary in
a strap or driving band when I use steel I use it in a soft state (by doing this. I
avoid the possibility of my band in the event of its flying off or breaking doing
damage to life or property) which previous to its being cut to the required length I
have corrugated the whole or a portion of its length transversely to its length by
passing it through grooved rollers or any other approved method. I do this to give
my band the necessary amount of elasticity, so that in the event of any sudden
strain being put upon it it will not break, or if it prove stronger than the fixings
of the machinery it drives or is driven by, it will not do damage to either.
.
I then take two strips of leather or any other substance suitable for the coverings
or outsides of bands (or I weave a cover of cotton or other suitable fibrous substance,
or I cover with india rubber and canvas). In the case of using leather or any
substance that can be used in a similar way, before proceeding to cover the steel or
metal with it I have previously made the strips the length and width I require my
band to be by joining strips or lengths together with a suitable glue or cement in
the usual manner, having previously passed each length through a shaving or splitting
machine, thereby making the strips of one uniform substance, in order that my
band when finished may be of one uniform substance, and I place one above and one
below my strip or strips of steel or metal, and by means of marine glue, gutta percha
solution, or any other suitable cement or glue I stick the leather or other substance
Paving 971

page_text: on to the steel or metal. I do this, firstly, to make my band solid; and, secondly,
to prevent damp reaching the steel or metal and corroding it. I either perform
this operation, viz., the joining of the leather or other covering substance to the
steel or metal by passing the strips properly placed in position between rollers after
the adhesive substance (marine glue, gutta percha solution, or cement, or glue) has
been applied or while it is being applied, or by an ordinary press of proper power,
or by hand rollers, or by other manual pressure. After this I sew the edges of the
leather or other covering substance together in the ordinary way by machine or
hand sewing, with waxed or plain threads, or by lace sewing, or by wire sewing (or
I perforate and sew through the steel or other metal if I place my strips of metal
on the extreme edges of the band) the whole length of the band, or certain portions
of its length, as I may think necessary.
If the width of the bands or straps require more than one strip of metal, I sew
between each strip of metal with either or all of the above named methods, or
through each strip of metal the whole length of the bands or such certain portions
of its length as I may think necessary:
After this I place rivets at suitable and requisite distances through the steel or
metal and its coverings to make the union of the steel or metal and the coverings
more perfect.
Having thus described and particularly ascertained the nature of the Invention
and the manner in which the same is or may be executed and applied, I wish to
add that I do not intend to restrict or restrain myself to the precise details of the
Invention here above described, as many variations may be made therefrom without
departing from the principle or main features of the Invention; but what I consider
to be new and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is, the manufacture of straps and
driving bands, substantially as herein described, or any mere variations or
modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William McGrath Compton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
W. MCGRATH COMPTON. (L.S.)