IMPROVEMENTS IN CLASPS AND SNAPS OR OTHER SIMILAR FASTENINGS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alice Isabel Lucan Gordon, of Prince's Gate, Hyde
Park, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS
IN CLASPS AND SNAPS OR OTHER SIMILAR FASTENINGS."
Sealed the 28th March 1865, and dated the 21st January 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alice Isabel Lucan
Gordon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition,
on the 21st January 1865.
1, ALICE ISABEL LUCAN GORDON, of Prince's Gate, Hyde Park, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CLASPS AND SNAPS OR OTHER SIMILAR FASTENINGS," to be as
follows:-
These improvements are applicable to claspsandsnaps forsecuring bracelets,
necklets, brooches, orother articles of jewellery or dress, and also to fastenings
for books, portfolios, portmonnaies, travelling bags, and other similar or
analogous articles.
The first part of my Invention relates to a variety of clasp or snap used for
jewellery and other purposes where the body or fixed part of the clasp is in
the form of a box, into an opening in which the tongue or moveable part of
the clasp fits. In one modification of this part of my Invention the part of
the tongue which enters the box has a notch cut in the upper edge thereof,
and a catch or tooth upon a lever (mounted on a pivot or pin in the upper
part of the box) falls into the said notch, a spiral spring maintaining the lever
[Poine 1]

page_text: in this position until released by pressing on a projection at the other end of
the lever, so as to raise the tooth out of the notch. In another modification
of this arrangement the tooth or catch instead of being on a lever is formed
on a slide.
And in a third modification the notch is formed in the side of the
tongue, and catches against a bar in the interior of the box, being forced
against the bar by a spring and released therefrom by pressing on a hinged
piece which is flush with the exterior of the box.
The second part of my Invention relates to that kind of clasp which is
formed of two plates, which are placed one over the other and locked together
by a button or catch. One which I will call the back plate has a hole through
it of the form of a double key-hole, or of any other suitable shape. The other
or front plate has a circular hole through it at or near the centre, in which
fits a short pin so as to be capable of revolving. This pin carries at the back of
the plate a key or catch which fits the key-hole and projects so far from the
plate that it can pass through the key-hole. At the front of the front plate the
pin has a rosette attached to it, so that upon placing the two plates together
the key or catch in the front plate passes through the key-hole in the back
plate, and. upou turning the key partially round by means of the rosette the
plates will be firmly locked together. Instead of a rosette a star, cross, initial
letter, crest, monogram, or other device may be employed. This clasp is
suitable for jewellery, and for books, purses, and other similar uses. Another
form of clasp applicable for the same purposes is made somewhat in the form
of a door hinge, consisting of two leaves or plates, to the edge of one of which
is attached (or formed of one piece with it) a hollow cylinder; a section or
..portion of this cylinder at the centre thereof is cut away or removed, and this
section (or a piece of similar form) is attached to the edge of the other leaf or
plate, so that upon the two plates being placed together the cylinder is made
perfect. In order to lock the movable section of the cylinder when thus
placed a bolt which slides in the other part of the cylinder is forced forwards
by a spiral spring; on the other hand, when it is desired to release the two
parts of the clasp this bolt is forced back by pressing against a pin or stud,
which projects through the end of the cylinder.
The third part of my Invention applies to what are known as barrel snaps,
and are used principally for necklaces. The simplest modification of this part
of my Invention consists of two cylinders capable of sliding one within the
other, one cylinder being fastened to each end of the necklace by a small ring.
The larger or outer cylinder has a short pin or projection on the inside, and
the smaller or inner cylinder is provided with a corresponding slot or opening
in the form of a bayonet slot, so that upon placing one within the other and

page_text: turning one of them partially round the two become firmly locked together.
Another modification of this kind of suap has a piece in the form of a double-
bitted key instead of the inner cylinder. The end of the outer cylinder is
closed by a plate having a corresponding key-hole, and at the back of this
plate is cut a notch of the same form, but at right angles to the key-hole. At
the back of this plate is a loose plate fitting the inside of the cylinder, and
behind this is a spiral spring. The key is passed through the key-hole so as
to press back the loose plate; it is then turned one quarter round, when the
pressure of the spiral spring upon the loose plate will force the bits into the
notch, and the key will be held firm. To remove the key from the barrel it
must be first pressed back and then turned one quarter round.
The fourth part of my Invention relates to fastenings for brooches and
other articles of ornament wherein a pin hinged to the brooch or other article
at one end is secured at the other by being passed into a hook or catch. This
part of the Invention consists, firstly, in making such hook or catch in the
forin of a self-closing spring, so that the pin cannot be withdrawn there-
from without considerable pressure; and, secondly, in closing the opening of
such hook or catch by means of a tongue, either sliding or turning on a pivot,
so that a simultaneous movement of the tongue and the pin is requisite to
remove the latter from the hook or catch.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alice Isabel Lucan Gordon in the Great. Seal Patent
Office on the 21st July 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALICE ISABEL
LUCAN GORDON, of Prince's Gate, Hyde l'ark, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Alice Isabel Lucan Gordon, Her special licence that I, the
said Alice Isabel Lucan Gordon, my executors, administrators, and assigns,"
or such others as I; the said Alice Isabel Lucan Gordon, 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'

page_text: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLASPS AND SNAPS OR OTHER
SIMILAR FASTENINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alice
Isabel Lucan Gordon, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par.
ticularly 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 Alice Isabel Lucan Gordon, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement in writing, and on reference to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, that is to say :-
Theseimprovements are applicable to clasps and snaps for securing bracelets,
necklets, brooches, or other articles of jewelleryor dress,and also to fastenings
for books, portfolios, portmonnaies, travelling bags, and other similar or
analogous articles.
The first part of my Invention relates to a variety of clasp or snap used for
jewellery and other purposes, where the body or fixed part of the clasp is in
the form of a box into an opening in which the tongue or moveable part of the
clasp fits. In one modification of this part of my Invention the part of the
tongue which enters the box has a notch cut in the upper edge thereof, and a
catch or tooth upon a lever (mounted on a pivot or pin in the upper part of
the box) falls into the said notch, a spiral spring maintaining the lever in this
position until released bypressing on a projection at the other end of the lever,
so as to raise the tooth out of the notch. In another modification of this
arrangement the tooth or catch instead of being on a lever is formed on a
slide.
. The second part of my Invention relates to that kind of clasp which is
formed of two plates, which are placed one over the other,andlocked together
by a button or catch. One of these plates, which I will call the back plate,
has a hole through it of the form of a double key-hole, or of any other suitable
shape. The other or front plate has a circular hole through it at or near the
centre, in which fits a short pin, so as to be capable of revolving. This pin
carries at the back of the plate a key or catch, which fits the key-hole and
projects so far from the plate that it can pass through the key-hole. At the
front of the front plate the pin has a rosette attached to it, so that upon
placing the two plates together the key or catch in the front plate passes

page_text: through the key-hole in the back plate, and upon turning the key partially
round by means of the rosette the plates will be firmly locked together.
Instead of a rosette a star, cross, initial letter, crest, monogram, or other device,
may be employed. This clasp is suitable for jewellery, and for books, purses,
and other similar uses. Another form of clasp. applicable for the same
purposes is made somewhat in form of a door hinge, consisting of two leaves
or plates, to the edge of one of which is attached (or formed of one piece with
it) a hollow cylinder; a section or portion of this cylinder at the centre thereof
is cut away or removed, and this section (or a piece of similar form) is attached
to the edge of the other leaf or plate, so that upon the two plates being placed
together the cylinder is made perfect. In order to lock the moveable section
of the cylinder, when thus placed, a bolt which slides in the other part of the
cylinder is forced forwards by a spiral spring. On the other hand, when it is
desired to release the two parts of the clasp this bolt is forced back by pressing
against a pin or stud which projects. through the end of the cylinder.
The third part of my Invention applies to what are known as barrel snaps,
and are used principally for necklaces. The simplest modification of this part
of my Invention consists of two cylinders capable of sliding one within the
other, one cylinder being fastened to each end of the necklace byta small ring.
The larger or outer cylinder has a short pin or projection on the inside, and
the smaller or inner cylinder is provided with a corresponding slot or opening
in the form of a bayonet slot, so that upon placing one within the other and
turning one of them partially round the two become firmly locked together.
Another modification of this kind of snap has a piece in the form of a double-
bitted key instead of the inner cylinder. The end of the outer cylinder is
closed by a plate having a corresponding key-hole, and at the back of this
plate is cut a notch of the same form, but at right angles to the key-hole. At
the back of this plate is a loose plate fitting the inside of the cylinder, and
behind this is a spiral spring. The key is passed through the key-hole so as
to press back the loose plate; it is then turned one quarter round, when the
pressure of the spiral'spring upon the loose plate will force the bits into the
notch, and the key will be held firm. To remove the key from the barrel it
must be first pressed back, and then turned one quarter round.
The fourth part of my Invention relates to fastenings for brooches and
other articles of ornament wherein a pin hinged to the brooch or other article
at one end is secured at the other by being passed into a hook or catch. This
part of the Invention consists in making such hook or catch in the' form of a
self-closing spring, so that the pin cannot be withdrawn therefrom without
considerable pressure..
:
: 1
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page_text: Such being the nature and object of the said Invention for "Improvements
in Clasps and Snaps or other similar Fastenings," I will now proceed to
describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be
distinctly understood 1 have annexed hereuntoaSheet of Drawings illustrative
thereof, and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference
corresponding with those in the following explanation. thereof, that is
to say:-
In the annexed Drawings Figure 1 is a front view, partly in section,
Figure 2 an end view, and Figure 3 a plan view, of a clasp or snap made
according to the first part of my Invention, and suitable for jewellery and
other purposes.
a is the box, and the tongue, the upper edge of which
where it enters the box is provided with a notch c, into which the catch or
tooth d near one end of the lever e takes. The latter is mounted upon a pin
or pivot at f, and is provided with a knob or projection g, by pressing upon
which it can be thrown up into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.
h is a spiral spring for forcing the lever back into its original position as soon
as the pressure is removed from the knob or projection g.
Figure 4 is a front view (partly in section), and Figure 5 a pian view, of a
modification of the above wherein a slide i is substituted for the lever e; the
other parts are the same, and have the same letters of reference. Figures 4*
and 5* represent a still further modification, in which a double catch is
employed.
Figures 6 and are front and plan views of a clasp made according to the
second part of my Invention. a is the front plate, and 6 the back plate, which
latter may be either a simple plate or made double in the form of a box, as
seen in Figure 7. It is provided with an opening c in the form of a double
key-hole (or of any other convenient shape). The plate a has a central hole
through which a pin d passes, carrying at the back of the plate the key or
catch e, which fits the key-hole, and provided at the front thereof with a
rosette or other projecting device f, by means of which it can be turned
round. It will be evident that upon placing the plate a over the plate b the
key e will pass through the key-hole c to the back of the plate 6, and that if
the key e be then turned partially round by means of the rosette or other
device the two plates will be firmly locked together. The back plate b may
be furnished with two stop pins g to limit the movement of the key e, or if a
puzzle lock be desired these pins may be dispensed with, and a private mark
(or other equivalent means) may indicate the required position of the key.
Another form of clasp applicable to the same purposes as the above is

page_text: shown at Figures 8 and 9. a and b are two plates, to one edge of the former
of which is attached a hollow cylinder c, a portion of such cylinder at or near
the centre being removed and attached to the plate b, as shown at d (or the
parts c and d may be made of one piece with their respective plates). Inside
the cylinder c slides a bolt or catch e, provided with a pin or projection f
passing out through the bottom of the cylinder, and a spiral spring 9 at the
top. The form of this bolt is seen best in the detached view, Figure 10.
Figures 11, 12, 13, and 14 illustrates the third part of my Invention.
Figure 11 is a section of a barrel snap suitable for necklaces. a and b are
two cylinders or barrels, the latter being smaller in diameter, and capable of
sliding within the former. These two cylinders are connected one to each end
of the necklace. The cylinder is provided with a double bayonet slot c, and
the cylinder a with two pins d, or if preferred a single bayonet slot and one
pin will answer the purpose. Inside the cylinder a is also fitted a sliding
plate e, which is constantly pressed forward by a spiral spring f. To fasten
this snap place the cylinder inside the cylinder a, and press it forward
against the spring e until the first pin reaches the end of the bayonet slot,
then turn the cylinder & partially round, and upon removing the pressure the
spring f will force the pius d into the part of the bayonet slots, when the
snap will be perfectly secure. To unfasten the snap press the cylinder 6 into
the cylinder a, and turn it partially round in the reverse direction, which will
release the pins d.
In the modification represented in Figure 12 a piece 6 like a double-bitted
key is substituted for the inner cylinder. a is the outer cylinder; e, the
sliding plate; and f, the spiral spring. The key-hole is formed of a block g,
having an opening in the form of the key (see front view, Figure 13), and
terminating in a fixed plate h, at the back or inner side of which is a recess of
the same form, but at right angles to the key-hole. The key b is passed into
the key-hole and through the plate h. It is then turned one quarter round
(as shown by dotted lines in Figure 13), and released, when the spring f will
press the bits of the key into the recess at the back of the plate h, and thus
the key will be held firmly. To release the key press it inwards, and turn it
one quarter round.
Figure 14 is a further modification of the above, wherein the block g and
plate hare dispensed with, and the stem of the key shortened by simply
making the recess for the bits of the key at the back of the plate, which
closes the end of the cylinder.
Figures 15, 16, 17, and 18 illustrate the fourth part of my Invention,
a being the pin of the brooch, and 6 the spring, hook or catch, which is so

page_text: formed that the pin cannot be withdrawn therefrom without considerable
pressure, and hence the liability of the brooch to become accidentally loosened
is greatly reduced.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"Improvements in Clasps and Snaps or other similar Fastenings," together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion, that I claim as my Inven-
tion the various novel and peculiar constructions of clasps, snaps, or other
similar fastenings, as illustrated by the Drawings annexed, and above par-
ticularly described, or any mere modification or imitation thereof, operating in
substantially the same or a similar manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alice Isabel Lucan Gordon, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
GEORGE DAVIES,
C. E. and Patent Agent,.
London & Glasgow.
A. I. L. GORDON. (L.S.)