IMPROVE- MENTS IN SLEEVE LINKS AND SOLITAIRES AND OTHER FASTENINGS .FOR JEWELLERY AND DRESS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Boultbee Brooks, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SLEEVE LINKS AND SOLITAIRES AND OTHER FASTENINGS .FOR
JEWELLERY AND DRESS."
Scaled the 29th December 1874, and dated the 11th July 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Boultbee Brooks
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 11th July 1874.
I, JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS, of Birmingham, in the County of.
Warwck, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEVE LINKS AND SOLITAIRES AND OTHER
FASTENINGS FOR JEWELLERY AND DRESS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in constructing and arranging the parts of
sleeve links and solitaires and other fastenings for jewellery and dress
in the manner herein-after explained.
I will describe my Invention as applied to a sleeve link:-On the
back of the plate forming the body or front part of the sleeve link and
near its edge two knuckles are made or attached, the said knuckles
being a short distance apart. On the other or back part of the sleeve

page_text: link a knuckle is made or attached near its edge, and the last-named
knuckle is inserted between the knuckles on the body of the sleeve link,
and by means of a joint pin is jointed thereto. On the same side but at
the opposite edge of the back plate a short pin or rod is made or
attached, the said pin or rod being of the same length as the joint
described, so that when the two parts of the sleeve link are pressed
together or shut upon one another the front and back parts are parallel
to one another.
I prefer to make the end of the pin or rod on the back part of the
sleeve link broad at its end, so that it may have a broad and firm
bearing on the back of the body of the sleeve link.
The end of the knuckle on the back part of the sleeve link is square,
and may be enlarged at its rear side so as to form a sort of heel or
projection thereon. To the body of the sleeve liuk a flat spring is fixed,
the free end of which is situated between the two knuckles on the said
part and presses forcibly against the base of the knuckle on the back
part.
The result of the arrangement of parts described is that when the two
parts of the sleeve link are opened out the spring maintains the parts in
their open position, and when the parts are brought near their closed
position the spring urges them in the direction proper to close them,
and causes them to close with considerable force, and holds them in
their closed position.
In using the sleeve link the two parts are opened upon their joint,
the short pin or rod on the back part being passed through the wrist-
band or parts of the sleeve to be fastened together. The two parts of
the fastening are then pressed towards their closed position, when the.
action of the spring causes them to close and keeps them firm in their
closed position.
The back part of the sleeve link described may be replaced by an arm
similar to that of an ordinary sleeve link, but the action of the parts is
the same.
The application of my Invention to solitaires and fastenings for dress
and jewellery, other than sleeve links, differs in no essential respect from
its application to sleeve links.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Boultbee Brooks in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BOULTBEE BROOKS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Boultbee Brooks, Her special
license that I, the said John Boultbee Brooks, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Boultbee
Brooks, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEVE LINKS AND SOLITAIRES AND OTHER
FASTENINGS FOR JEWELLERY AND DRESS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Boultbee Brooks, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, 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 immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Boultbee Brooks, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in constructing and arranging the parts of
sleeve links and solitaires and other fastenings for jewellery and dress
in the manner herein-after explained.
I will describe my Invention as applied to a sleeve link:-On the
back of the plate forming the body or front part of the sleeve link and

page_text: near its edge two knuckles are made or attached, the said knuckles
being a short distance apart. On the other or back part of the sleeve
link.a knuckle is made or attached near its edge, and the last-named
knuckle is inserted between the knuckles on the body of the sleeve link,
and by means of a joint pin is jointed thereto. On the same side but at
the opposite edge of the back plate a short pin or rod is made or
attached, the said pin or rod being of the same length as the joint
described, so that when the two parts of the sleeve link are pressed
together or shut upon one another the front and back parts are parallel
to one another..
I prefer to make the end of the pin or rod on the back part of the
sleeve link broad at its end, so that it may have a broad and firm
bearing on the back of the body of the sleeve link.
The end of the knuckle on the back part of the sleeve link is square,
and may be enlarged at its rear side so as to form a sort of heel or
projection thereon. To the body of the sleeve link a flat spring is fixed,
the free end of which is situated between the two knuckles on the said
part, and presses forcibly against the base of the knuckle on the back
part.
The result of the arrangement of parts described is that when the two
parts of the sleeve link are opened out the spring maintains the parts in
their open position, and when the parts are brought near their closed
position the spring urges them in the direction proper to close them,
and causes them to close with considerable force, and holds them in
their closed position.
In using the sleeve link the two parts are opened upon their joint,
the short pin or rod on the back part being passed through the wrist-
band or parts of the sleeve to be fastened together. The two parts of
the fastening are then pressed towards their closed position, when the
action of the spring causes them to close, and keeps them firm in their
closed position.
The back part of the sleeve link described may be replaced by an
arm similar to that of an ordinary sleeve link, but the action of the parts
is the same..
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to a
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the manner in
which the same is to be performed.

page_text: Figure 1 represents in end elevation, Figure 2 in side elevation, and
Figure 3 in longitudinal section, drawn double the full size, a sleeve link
constructed according to my Invention. Figure 4 represents in side
elevation the sleeve link open; Figures 5 and 6 represent parts of the
sleeve link; and Figures 7 and 8 represent a modification of the same.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several
Figures of the Drawing.
A is the front part of the sleeve link, and B is the back part. The
front part A consists of a metallic cup or shell b, to which the stone or
ornamental front is affixed. To the said front part A the back part B
is jointed, the said back part B consisting of a plate or bar having at
one end a knuckle c, and at the opposite end a pin or rod d having an
expanded top. On the inner face of the cup or shell two knuckles e, e,
are made or attached. Between these knuckles e, e, the knuckle c on
the back part B is inserted, and by means of a joint pin fpassed through
the engaged knuckles e, c, e, the two parts A, B, of the sleeve link are
jointed together. When the said parts A, B, so jointed together are
pressed or shut upon one another the said parts are parallel to one
another, the pin or rod d on the back part B. bearing against the inner
face of the front part A. The knuckle c of the part B is nearly square
in figure, and the part at c' beyond the joint pin f constitutes a pro-
jection or heel. In the shell or cup is a strong, nearly flat, spring g,
the free or acting curved end of which passes through a slot h situated
between the knuckles e, e, on the said shell or cup. The shell or cup b
with the spring g combined with it is represented in plan and section in
Figure 6. The free end of the spring presses forcibly against the heel.
part c² of the knuckle of the back part B, as represented in Figure 3,
and holds the said back part in its closed position upon the front
part A.
-
. By an examination of. Figure 3 it will be seen that in order to open
the back part B from the front part A, as in Figure 4, the heel c² of
the back part has. to compress the spring g, and the resistance thus
offered to the opening of the back part ensures the secure fastening of
the sleeve link.
When the back part B is opened out from the front part A the
spring bears on the side of the heel c³, and maintains the said back
part in its open position.
I

page_text: The base of the heel c² is tipped or covered with steel to increase its
wearing power.
In using the sleeve link the rod d of the back part B of the open
sleeve link, Figure 4, is passed through the holes in the sleeve or article
to be fastened, and the two parts A, B, are pressed together. The
spring is thereby compressed, and when the parts have been brought
near their closed position the said spring causes them to close with
considerable force, and when closed holds them firmly in their closed
position.
Instead of using a shell or cup, to which the stone or ornamental
front of the sleeve link is attached as described and illustrated, a disc or
plate may be employed. In this case a box or trough is connected to
or made in one piece with the disc or plate to contain the spring g, and
to carry the knuckles e, e. A disc or plate of this kind is represented
in end view and plan in Figure 7, and applied to a sleeve link in
Figure 8. is the disc or plate, to which the stone or ornamental front
is attached or connected; and k is the box or trough containing the
spring g, and having on its face the knuckles e, e, to which the back
part B of the sleeve link is jointed.
The arrangement of the parts represents in Figures 7 and 8 may
also be applied to sleeve links where the stone or ornamental front
requires to be attached by a shell or cup.
.
The cup of the front part A of the sleeve link is strengthened by an
inner cup or plate b² of iron (see Figures 3 and 6). Besides strengthening
the cup 6 the said inner cup 6² serves to raise the stone fixed or set in
the cup, the fixing of the stone being effected by the turning over or
burnishing of the upper edge of the outer cup upon the stone. By this
means the cup 6 may be made of thin metal, the requisite strength
being given to it by the inner cup or lining of iron 7³. This arrange-
ment for strengthening the thin cup may be applied to the box or
trough of the sleeve link, Figures 7 and 8, where a disc is used, and
also where a combined cup and box or trough is used.
Instead of making the two knuckles e, e, on the front part A of the
sleeve link, and the spring g in the cup or box of the part A, the said
knuckles e, e, and spring g may be carried by the back part B, the front
part A in this case being provided with a single knuckle and heel for
the spring to act against. This modification of my Invention is

page_text: illustrated in side and end elevation in Figure 9, where e, e, are the two
knuckles, and the spring on the back part B; and c, c², is the single
knuckle and heel on the front part A, against which the spring a bears.
The action of this modification is the same as that of the sleeve links
before described.
In place of the plate of the back part B of the sleeve link an arm or
bar may be used with the same effect.
The application of my Invention to solitaires and fastenings for dress
and jewellery, other than sleeve links, differs in no essential respect
from its application to sleeve links herein-before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawing.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do
not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated,
as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention, but I claim as my Invention, the improvements in sleeve
links and solitaires and other fastenings for jewellery and dress herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is
to say, constructing and combining or arranging the parts of the said
sleeve links and solitaires and fastenings substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Boultbee Brooks, have here.
unto set my hand and seal, this Second day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS. (L.S.)