IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC METAL BANDS TO BE USED AS BRACELETS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Berkeley William Fase of Oxford Street in the County
of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF ELASTIC METAL BANDS TO BE USED AS BRACELETS AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Berkeley William Fase at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th December 1881.
BERKELEY WILLIAM FASE of Oxford Street in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC METAL BANDS TO BE USED
AS BRACELETS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
The object of this Invention is to produce elastic metal bands to be used as
bracelets, necklets and similar articles for personal adornment, in such a manner
that the use of snap, or other fastenings will be unnecessary, the cost of manu-
facture will be greatly reduced, and the durability of the article considerably
increased.
The metals I chiefly use are gold, silver, and gilding metal of the weight usually
employed in the manufacture of articles of personal adornment.
The metal is formed into sheets by rolling or otherwise, of a thickness
approximating to the thickness required for the article to be made. From this
sheet a strip is cut of the desired size and shape. This strip is then hammered
chiefly along the centre of its length until it assumes a slightly concave form in
cross section. The action of hammering will at the same time cause the ends to
curl up so that the band will form a circle convex in cross section externally. By
giving to the band of metal this form in cross section I obtain great elasticity and
strength in the article.
The ends of the circular band are 'soldered together to retain the circular form
while the article is heated to a dull red heat, and is then slightly flattened, to an

page_text: oval shape, or that most convenient for wear. The article is now ready to be
cleaned in acid in the usual way, and colored or polished: the soldered ends being
first parted.
If the band is to be chased or otherwise ornamented it is sent to the chasers
before being cleaned and colored.
After chasing it is again heated to a dull red heat and is then cleaned. It is
necessary that care should be taken during this operation not to heat to too high a
point as this would render the metal soft,-and destroy the elasticity of the band.
To restore the hardness it would require rehammering and thus the cost of the
chasing would be lost.
The spring retained in the article thus formed will cause it to clasp the arm or
body of the wearer without the necessity for any fastening. For necklets it is
desirable to give the article a taper form that it may fit more easily the neck of the
wearer.
The Invention may be also applied to the construction of napkin rings, and for
other purposes to which a similar elastic metal band is applicable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Berkeley William Fase in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th June 1882.
BERKELEY WILLIAM FASE of Oxford Street in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC METAL BANDS TO BE USED
AS BRACELETS OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
The chief object of this Invention is to produce broad elastic metal bands to be
used as bracelets necklets, and similar articles for personal adornment, in such a
manner that the use of snap or other fastenings will be unnecessary, the cost of
manufacture will be greatly reduced, and the durability of the article considerably
increased.
The metals I propose chiefly to use are gold silver and gilding metal of the
qualities usually employed in the manufacture of bracelets, armlets, and waist
belts.
The metal is formed into sheets of a thickness approximating to the thickness
required for the article to be made.
From this sheet of metal, say gold, a strip is cut of the desired length width and
shape.
This strip is then hammered principally at its middle from end to end which
causes it to assume a slightly concave form in cross section. The hammering
action will at the same time cause the strip to curl and form a circle more or less
convex in cross section externally.
By giving to the strip of metal this form in cross section I obtain an article of
great elasticity and strength, which if a bracelet will cling to the arm of the wearer
with great tenacity without undue pressure, and which requires no snap or other
fastening to secure it in place.
The ends of the circular gold band are then soldered together so that the article,
say a bracelet, shall maintain its circular form while being heated to a dull red
beat previous to its being flattened to an oval or other shape most convenient for
wear. When so flattened the bracelet is ready to be cleaned in acid in the usual
way, and colored polished or otherwise finished for sale, the soldered ends being first
parted.
If the bracelet is to be chased or otherwise ornamented this must be effected
before it is cleaned and colored.
After chasing, the bracelet is again heated to a dull red heat, and is then cleaned
as before mentioned previous to finishing.
It is necessary that during this last heating operation care should be taken not
to heat the article too highly as this would render the metal soft and destroy the
elasticity of the band. To restore the proper degree of hardness it would be
necessary to rehammer, and thus the labour of chasing would be lost.
In order that the article whether a bracelet or necklet may fit easily the arm or
neck of the wearer I prefer to give to the article a more or less conical form.
This is effected during the first heating as will be hereafter more particularly
described.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shown a bracelet in various stages of its
manufacture and also the tools which I have devised with a view to more readily
carrying out my Invention, Figures 1 represent a plan and edge view of a strip
of metal as cut from the sheet and ready for hammering, Fig: 2 represents an
end view and Fig 3 a side view of a hammer head with the bracelet curled by the
hammering process. Fig: 4 is an edge view and Fig: 5 a plan view of the

page_text: bracelet completed. Fig: 6 is a detached view of the hammer head, and Fig: 7 is
an isometrical view of a hollow elastic metal core used in the heating process,
and Fig: 8 a similar view of the core with the article on it ready for heating.
The strip of metal a is hammered principally along its middle from end to end
until it assumes the form seen at Figures 2 and 3, the ends of the strip entering &
slot formed in the hammer head b. The hammer head b is rounded as seen in the
end view Fig: 2, to permit of the strip assuming the circular form, and it is also
rounded as seen in the side view Fig: 3 to give the necessary concave form in
cross section to the strip. The slot in the hammer head b allows of the article
being shifted round so that it may receive the requisite amount of hammering at
all points
The hammering takes place preferably on a bed of lead. When sufficiently
hammered to secure the requisite amount of elasticity, the article is then ready for
receiving the requisite "set."
For this purpose the ends of the strip are soldered together and the ring thus
formed is placed on an elastic metal core c of oval or other form, required and it is
firmly bound on the core c by binding wire as seen in Fig: 8, the core c having
been closed by pressure to receive the article to be operated upon. On the
removal of pressure the tendency of the core will be to spring open and hold the
bracelet firmly.
On subjecting the bracelet to a dull red heat the elastic core will give the bracelet
-the proper set which on cooling, it will retain after its ends have been freed from
the binding action of the solder.
If it is desired to enrich the bracelet I may solder gold wire along the edges.
Although I have described the Invention as applied to gold articles those
made in silver or gilding metal will be treated in the same manner so far as
it is applicable.
It will also be understood that elastic metal bands to be used for enclosing
articles, such for instance as napkin rings may be manufactured according to my
Invention from silver or the baser metals to be afterwards plated.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and explained the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I claim:-The manufacture of elastic metal
bands from hammered strips of metal in the manner and for the purpose above set
forth.
In witness whereof I the said Berkeley William Fase have hereunto set my
hand and seal the Nineteenth day of June in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
BERKELEY W. FASE (L.S.)