IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS AND COUPLINGS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Frederick Redfern at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th April 1883. A com-
munication from William Cotter Wilson, a person resident at Brooklyn, in the
county of Kings, state of New York, United States of America
"
SE
GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the General Patent Office, 4, South Street,
Finsbury in the county of Middlesex, Patent Agent IMPROVEMENTS IN
FASTENINGS AND COUPLINGS [A communication from William Cotter Wilson, a
person resident at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, state of New York, United
States of America]
The invention communicated to me relates to a new and improved mode of
coupling and fastening together by an easy adjustable contrivance, articles of
wearing apparel such as belts, corsets, suspenders, gaiters, leggings, boots and shoes,
in all cases and positions where buckles, pins, buttons or latchets have hitherto
been used, also in lockets, bracelets, necklets, earrings and all articles of personal
ornament, where couplings or other adjustable fastenings are needed to secure same
in position, also for the adjustable portions of harness for horses where buckles,
hooks, pins and other means of adjustment have hitherto been used, such as
the attaching or fastening of traces to vehicles, hames to horse collars, straps,
belts, bridles, saddles and belly-bands in lieu of buckles as hitherto used, the same
contrivances in a modified form being applicable to the coupling of railway and
other carriages, also the coupling or connecting together of ropes, lines, ships'-
sheets, telegraph wires and the like.
In carrying out the invention a hollow cylinder box or case of any suitable
conformation or design is employed which may be designated the female section.
The male portion of the coupling consists of two plates of tempered steel or other
suitable metal or other material attached by soldering, riveting or other convenient
mode;
when extra strength of spring is necessary small spiral or other suitable
springs may be employed in addition. The upper plate has its ends turned over
which forms a button or catch but a solid button may be rivetted or attached in
lieu of turning the metal on itself; the effect of this contrivance is as follows; by
pressing the ends by the thumb and finger it can be introduced into the hereinbefore
described hollow boxes and thus by pressure forward towards either end the buttons
will force themselves through either opening and by the spring action thus formed,

page_text: the length of attachment is regulated; it will thus be understood that a telescopic
motion with the arrangement will have the effect of lengthening or shortening
instantly a belt, brace or other article to which it may be attached. For such web
as is used for braces, suspenders and other purposes, the attachment is made by
passing eyelets through projecting flanges but other portions may be fastened by
any other convenient method it is not at all times necessary that a double female
portion should be used inasmuch that the male portion may be affixed permanently
ou web or other material to which the attachments are made the difference being
that the means of lengthening shall be from one end only instead of from two;
instead of using the male attachment constructed as hereinbefore described this
portion may be made as follows; a piece of steel is employed, the ends of the plate
being turned on itself, two of these plates are fastened together by rivets, screws
or otherwise along the length of shaft so far as the plates run parallel the ends are
then curved to form a cuneiform figure the bent ends of the plates when hardened
form a spring of high tension so that in passing such ends telescopically into the
case or cylinder, the buttons are passed through the circular opening next which
it first presents itself and can be released only by pressure from the surface of the
coupling; in some instances there may be two sets of holes on either face of the
case forming the female portion of the coupling this applies most particularly
where the coupling is used for traces of harness and vehicle couplings as in such
positions the female portion is unattached on the side in many instances and
therefore the spring catches may be manipulated by pressure from either side; the
methods by which the couplings are used may be varied in their attachments
according to the exigencies of the case for the purpose of more easily liberating
the male from the female portion of the cylinder of the coupling a spiral or
other suitable spring is inserted in the end inside such cylinder so that when the
button or catch is pressed from without the male portion of coupling is driven
forward.
.
The arrangement for buttons and other fasteners will be understood without
further description and other forms of springs than those described may be
employed