IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR HARNESS AND OTHER STRAPS TO BE USED IN PLACE OF BUCKLES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Adams Peirce, of Woolstone, in the County of
Hants, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR HARNESS
AND OTHER STRAPS TO BE USED IN PLACE OF BUCKLES."
Sealed the 8th August 1876, and dated the 11th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Adams Peirce at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th May 1876.
WILLIAM ADAMS PEIRCE, of Woolstone, in the County of Hants. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FASTENINGS FOR HARNESS AND OTHER STRAPS TO BE USED IN PLACE OF
BUCKLES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in fastenings for harness and
other straps to be used in place of buckles.
In order to connect the ends of a strap or straps in place of using a buckle or
similar fastening requiring to be sewn on to one of the ends I employ a metal
plate of the same width as the strap and having fixed to it at its two ends eyes or
loops through which the ends of the straps may be passed. The ends of the straps
are perforated with holes at convenient distances, and they lie one over the other
upon the plate, which has a short pin or stud fixed into it in the middle, and this
pin or stud entering holes in the straps holds them securely and prevents them
sliding through the loops. In place of fixing the pin to the plate it may be
moveable. Or in place of having both the loops fixed to the plate one only may be
fixed, and the other may be able to slide along the plate or along the straps so as
to permit of the straps being more readily removed from the retaining pin or stud.
In some cases also I connect the plate to one of the loops by a hinge joint.
In connecting a trace to the clip which attaches it to the hames of the collar I
form the clip with a broad plate or stem of the width of the trace, or nearly so. I
fix the pin or stud on to this plate or stem, and to the end thereof I fix a loop,
through which the trace is passed. The trace near the end is perforated as usual
with holes at convenient distances, and into one of these the stud or pin enters, and
n slide or loop moveable along the plate or stem of the clip holds the trace end, and
prevents it escaping from the stud or pin. In some cases I fix a pin within
the moveable loop above referred to in order to prevent the loop moving after it
has been set in its place. The plate or stem of the clip is perforated in different
places to receive the pin. The pin is shorter than the thickness of the plate, so that
[Price Gd]

page_text: after the loop has been placed the end of the trace can be inserted through it, and
then the loop is immoveable. A similar arrangement is applicable to loops which
hold two straps the one to the other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Adains Peirce in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
November 1876.
2
WILLIAM ADAMS PEIRCE, of Woolstone, in the County of Hants. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR HARNESS AND OTHER STRAPS TO BE USED IN PLACE OF
BUCKLES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in fastenings for harness and other
straps to be used in place of buckles.
In order to connect the ends of a strap or straps in place of using a buckle or
similar fastening requiring to be sewn on to one of the ends I employ a metal plate
of the same width as the strap and having fixed to it at its two ends eyes or loops
through which the ends of the straps may be passed. The ends of the straps are
perforated with holes at convenient distances, and they lie one over the other upon
the plate, which has a short pin or stud fixed into it in the middle, and this pin or
stud entering holes in the straps holds them securely and prevents them sliding
through the loops. Or in place of having both the loops fixed to the plate one only
may be fixed, and the other may be able to slide along the plate or along the straps
so as to permit of the straps being more readily removed from the retaining pin or
stud.
In connecting a trace to the clip which attaches it to the hames of the collar I
form the clip with a broad plate or stem of the width of the trace, or nearly so. I fix
the pin or stud on to this plate or stem, and to the end thereof I fix a loop, through
which the trace is passed. The trace near the end is perforated as usual with holes at
convenient distances, and into one of these the stud or pin enters, and a slide or loop
moveable along the plate or stem of the clip holds the trace end and prevents it
escaping from the stud or pin. In some cases I fix a pin within the moveable loop
above referred to in order to prevent the loop moving after it has been set in its
place. The plate or stem of the clip is perforated in different places to receive the
pin. The pin is shorter than the thickness of the plate so that after the loop has
been placed the end of the trace can be inserted through it, and then the loop is
immoveable. A similar arrangement is applicable to loops which hold two straps
the one to the other.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Figure 2 is a side elevation of tho shaft tug of
a single harness in which a fastening constructed according to my Invention is en-
ployed. Figure 3 is a side view, and Figure 4 is a back view of my novel fastening,
which is employed in place of a buckle. In Figures 1 and 2, a is the strap which
passes over the saddle, and b is the girth strap, c is my novel fastening which is here
employed to secure the end of the strap a when it has been doubled on itself, making
the shaft tug or loop through which the shaft of the carriage is passed. The fasten-
ing c, as will be seen, consists of a plate c', which may conveniently be of the same
width as the strap (or it may be wider or narrower if desired), and on this plate two
eyes or loops care formed, also in the middle of the plate between the eyes or loops
there is the pin c. The strap a is perforated with one hole near its extreme end,
and with a series of holes a some distance along it. The fastening c is passed over
the end of the strap a, and the pin is inserted into one or other of the holes a',
according to the position in which the loop or shaft tug is required, then the end of

page_text: the strap is brought round and also is inserted through the loops c², c², of the fastening,
the pin passing through the end hole in the strap. The girth strap b is fixed to a
loop or runner which slides freely on the strap a. This arrangement in addition to
being very neat and simple admits of the shaft tug being undone without difficulty
whenever it may be required.
Figuro 5 is a front elevation, and Figure 6 is a side elevation of a portion of the
fore end of a crupper strap. My fastening is employed in connection with it. a is
the crupper strap perforated with a series of holes, as in the former case; c is the
fastening placed upon it so as to bring the loop in the strap at the front end to the
position required to make the crupper the right length; d is a metal loop placed
on the strap to hold the two parts of it together to within a short distance of
the point at which the strap is doubled over to form the loop in the leather.
The loop is shown separately at Figures 7, it has a pin d within it, which
entering a hole in the strap renders the metal loop immoveable on one portion of the
strap whilst the other portion of the strap is able to slide freely through it. These
fastenings can be used in a great many different parts of harness in place of buckles,
for example, in the head gear, stirrup leathers, traces, and so forth, in short in most, if
not in all, cases in which it is required to connect two straps together or to connect two
parts of the same strap. In cases where two straps cross each other at right angles
I also connect them by similar means. Figures 8 represent a harness rosette which
is to be applied in such a position. It is like the fastening c already described,
except that it is provided with two pairs of eyes c in place of but one pair, and
these eyes are so placed as to receive the crossed straps, as shown. Sometimes
as already mentioned I make fastenings with only one loop or eye c² fixed to
it, the second loop or eye being arranged so as to be moveable and to slide on the
strup.
Figure 9 is a front elevation of a trace end fastened by such means. Figure 10 is
a side elevation of the same. Figure 11 shows an under side view of the fastening
separately, e is a portion of the trace, f is the fastening with its loop or eye, and pin
and is a moveable loop or runner of leather which holds the end of the strap on
to the pin In Figure 9 the runner is shown drawn back.
I
Figures 12 show a similar arrangement in connection with a rosette forming part
of the head gear of a cart harness. Sometimes I connect the plate of these fastenings
to the eye by a hinge joint where special flexibility is required, and for very strong
work I have a plate on both sides of the strap, one of them is hinged to the eye and
has a hole in it for the end of the pin, which it serves to support, so as to prevent it
being bent by a heavy strain. The runner holds the hinged plate down in its place.
Sometimes I make the moveable ring to pass over the metal plate of the fastening
and enter a recess formed in it, which serves to keep it in its place. Figure 13 is a
side view of such a fastening suitable for use in connection with a shaft tug, as in
Figures 1 and 2. Figures 14 show the two parts of the fastening separated the one
from the other and without the strap.
Figure 15 is a front elevation, and Figure 16 is a side elevation showing the
method in which I connect a trace with the clip which attaches it to the hames of the
collar, is the clip, it is made with a broad plate or stem gl, which is covered with
leather is a pin, and g³ is a loop fixed to the stem g'; is the trace perforated
as usual; is a moveable ring, similar to that shown in Figure 7. The stem g' is
perforated with a series of holes, at any one of which the ring d may be placed; i is
a leather runner. The trace is fastened to the clip by passing its end through the
loop and causing the pin g to enter a hole in the trace at the length required.
The point of the trace is then secured by passing it through the leather runner i,
and its extreme end is kept close by the moveable ring d. Sometimes in place of
fixing the pin g, and the loop to the stem g', I employ a separate fastening
similar to that shown at Figures 3 and 4, and the pin of this fastening passes through a
hole at the end of the stem g¹ and also enters the perforation in the trace. Such
arrangement is shown in front elevation at Figure 17 and in side elevation at
Figure 18.

page_text: The use of the fastenings above described will be found to offer many advantages,
among which are that work in which they are employed is neater in appearance than
work made with buckles, there is also less hand work required and an economy in
the manufacture results. The work will also wear longer than ordinary work, the
pull on the straps being more direct than when the buckles are used. The harness is
also more readily taken to pieces or undone in cases of accident or the fastenings
can be changed if desired without any difficulty.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I claim the construction of fasten-
ings for harness and other straps substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Adams Peirce, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
W. A. PEIRCE. (L.S.)