IMPROVEMENTS IN BUCKLES USED FOR CONNECTING LEATHER STRAPS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Pratt, of Southsea, in the County of Hants, for the
.
⚫ Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUCKLES USED FOR CONNECTING LEATHER
STRAPS"
Scaled the 28th October 1876, and dated the 1st May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Georgo Pratt at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st May 1876.
GEORGE PRATT, of Southsea, in the County of Hants.
BUCKLES USED FOR CONNECTING LEATHER STRAPS."
"
IMPROVEMENTS IN
My improvements consist in the construction of a new form of buckle for
connecting leather straps, the use of which will render unnecessary nearly all
sewing in the manufacture of harness and saddlery, will reduce the quantity of
leather used, and consequently the expense of manufacture and the weight to be
carried by the horse, will enable harness to be put together and taken apart with
greater facility and rapidity, especially for the purpose of cleaning, and will also
provide a convenient fastening for driving bands used with machinery.
I construct a double buckle of which the tongue or tongues at one end point in an
opposite direction to the tongue or tongues at the other end for the purpose of receiv-
ing two straps or the two ends of the same strap. The shape of this double buckle is
such that one half of the buckle is by means of a shoulder or bend raised and forms a
loop through which one end of the strap passes.
Above or in or partially above or in the shoulder or bend I fix a metal loop for
the other end of the strap, or for another strap to pass through, and when necessary
this loop is made so as to turn upon an hinge.
The buckle is made with one or moro tongues at each end, and with or without
sheaths or rollers on the bars under which the straps pass, and with or without a metal
loop or loops at either or both edges of the buckle for attachment to the harness or to a
vehicle, said loop or loops being made angular or curved to receive a strap or ring.
When intended for fastening driving bands the buckle is made flexible by means
of a joint or hinge at the shoulder.
According to a modification of my Invention I make the buckle with two loops,
one turned up and the other down, and one at each end for the strap or straps to
pass through, so that, when the buckle is looked at edgewise the two loops form
two parallel sides connected at opposite extremities by a curved diagonal, and when
Price 6d.

page_text: there is but one tongue at each end I make one or both of the tongues bent,
or one of them with a split or jaw for the insertion of the other, or the bar to which
the tongues are fixed is made with a curved or angular opening at the centre to
allow of the two tongues being opposite each other.
Great economy is effected in using these buckles by the avoidance of all or nearly
all the sewing necessary to secure the buckles now used, and by less leather being
required, as the position of a strap can be altered at both ends, rendering a long
piece of spare leather unnecessary, and thus bringing the wear on all parts of the
strap alike instead of on a certain part, as for instance, in stirrup leathers.
Another advantage is that if a strap should break one of the buckles can be applied
to the broken ends to rejoin them, and also in case of accident to a horse wearing
harness secured by these buckles the straps can be loosened at either or both
ends and the horse be quickly freed without damage to the harness.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Pratt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st November
1876.
GEORGE PRATT, of Southsea in the County of Hants.
BUCKLES USED FOR CONNECTING LEATHER STRAPS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My improvements consist in the construction of a new form of buckle for con-
necting leather straps, the use of which will render unnecessary nearly all sewing
in the manufacture of harness and saddlery, will reduce the quantity of leather used,
and consequently the expense of manufacture and the weight to be carried by the
horse, will enable harness to be put together and taken apart with greater facility
and rapidity, especially for the purpose of cleaning, and will also provide a con-
venient fastening for driving-bands used with machinery.
I construct a double buckle of which the tongue or tongues at one end point in
an opposite direction to the tongue or tongues at the other end for the purpose of
receiving two straps or the two ends of the same strap. The shape of this double
buckle is such that one half of the buckle is by means of a shoulder or bend rnised
and forms a loop through which one end of the strap passes.
Above or in or partially above or in the shoulder or bend I fix a metal loop for
the other end of the strap or for another strap to pass through, and when necessary
this loop is made so as to turn upon a hinge.
The buckle is made with one or more tongues at each end, and with or with-
out sheaths or rollers on the bars under which the straps pass, and with or without
a metal loop or loops at either or both edges of the buckle for attachment to the
harness or to a vehicle, said loop or loops being made angular or curved to receive
a strap or ring. When intended for fastening driving bands the buckle is made
flexible by means of a joint or hinge at the shoulder.
According to a modification of my Invention I make the buckle with two loops,
one turned up and the other down, and at each end for the strap or straps to
pass through, so that when the buckle is looked at edgewise the two loops or
two parallel sides connected at opposite extremities by a curved diagonal, and when
there is but one tongue at each end I make one or both of the tongues bent, or
one of them with a split or jaw for the insertion of the other, or the bar to which
the tongues are fixed is made with a curved or angular opening at the centre to
allow of the two tongues being opposite each other.
Great economy is effected in using these buckles by the avoidance of all or
nearly all the sewing necessary to secure the buckles now used, and by less leather
being required, as the position of a strap can be altered at both ends, rendering a
long piece of spare leather unnecessary and thus bringing the wear on all parts of
the strap alike instead of on a certain part, as, for instance, in stirrup leathers.

page_text: Another advantage is that if a strap should break ono of the buckles can be
applied to the broken ends to rejoin them, and also in case of accident to a horse
wearing harness secured by these buckles the straps can be loosened at either or
both ends and the horse bo quickly freed without damage to the harness. .
In order that my Invention may be well understood I have hereunto annexed a
Sheet of Drawings, and have referred thereto in the following particular description
by figures and letters of reference.
Fig. 1 is a plan or top view and Fig. 2 a side view of a double buckle constructed
according to this Invention.
A is the frame, B tongue at one end pointing in an opposite direction to the
tongues B' at the other end; and the frame of the buckle is formed with an upward
bend or shoulder A¹ so as to form a loop through which the end of the strap may
be passed. Above the shoulder A' is arranged a metal loop C to receive the end of
the strap at the other end of the buckle, and when necessary this loop is made
to turn ou a hinge, as shown in dotted lines C, Fig. 2, or the buckle may be made
with a hinge or joint at the bend A'; D and E are loops respectively curved and
angular on the edge of the buckle for securing a strap or ring or otherwise attaching
the buckle.
In Figs. 3 and 4 is shown a plan and side view respectively of a modification of
my Invention, according to which I make the bucklo with two loops C, one turned
up and the other down, and one at each end for the strap or straps to pass through;
the frame A of the buckle being bent or curved so that when looked at edgewise,
as in Fig. 4, the side of the said frame forms a curved diagonal connecting opposite
extremities of two perpendiculars.
In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are shown various arrangements of the tongues on the bars F
for double buckles, so as to allow of the points of the tongues being in the same
longitudinal line.
In Fig. 8 the bar F is shown with an opening FL at the centre, upon the sides of
which opening and opposite to each other the tongues are mounted, and in each
arrangement of these double buckles the bent or "shoulder form " A' of the
frame A of the buckle is preserved in a greater or less degree, and the resultant
advantage of the buckle lying flatter with the strap than in buckle fastenings of
the ordinary kind is secured.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, I claim
the improvements in buckles used for connecting leather straps substantially as set
forth and shown by the Drawings.
.
In witness wherof, I, the said George Pratt, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord Ono
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
GEORGE PRATT. (L.S.)