IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTING THE ENDS OF METALLIC STRAPS APPLIED TO BALES OF COTTON AND OTHER MERCHANDIZE."
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Maury, of New Orleans, in the State of
Louisiana, one of the United States of America, but at present
residing at Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTING THE ENDS OF METALLIC STRAPS APPLIED
TO BALES OF COTTON AND OTHER MERCHANDIZE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Murray at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th January 1868.
I, JAMES MAURY, of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, one of
the United States of America, but at present residing at Liverpool, in
the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTING THE ENDS OF METALLIC STRAPS
APPLIED TO BALES OF COTTON AND OTHER MERCHANDIZE," to be as follows (that
is to say):
-
The object of this Invention is to connect the ends of flat and round
metallic bale straps, but is chiefly applicable to those formed from wire
or strands of wire, and has also for its principal object connecting the
ends of such straps that they may be disconnected and taken off without

page_text: destroying the bands by cutting or otherwise as now practised, so that
they may be again used without addition. Now it has been found
difficult heretofore to tie the ends of wire strands or wire rope securely
together, indeed the plan hitherto adopted in fastening the ends of wire
together has been simply to twist the same, which mode is objectionable
on two grounds; in the first place the wire is greatly weakened by being
thus twisted, and is nearly sure to break whenever the bale to which it is
applied becomes subject to a sudden jar or concussion, and in the second
place the ends when thus twisted together they become so inflexible
that they project beyond the surface of the bale, and consequently are
liable to injure other objects into which they may come into contact,
and are exceedingly liable to be broken off; in either case the effect is
the same, the bale is unbanded.
This Invention is mainly intended to apply to wire, wire strands, and
wire rope bands, and consists in certain improved means for attaching
the ends of the same in such a manner as to obviate the objections to
the use of such bands.
! The first part of this Invention relates to a peculiar mode of tying the
ends of the wire, wire strands, and wire rope bands surrounding bales,
by a peculiar knot which will be readily understood by reference to the
annexed Drawing, Figure 1, which is performed as follows:-One end
of the wire is folded in the manner shown by the end A at b, c, d, the
wire being then put round the bale; the other end B is passed through
the loops e and f, and round the first end near d and back again through
the loop e as shown on the Drawings. No amount of tension can jam
this tie, and hence when the bale is compressed for transportation, there
is no difficulty in shortening the wire so as to accommodate it to the
reduced size of the bale, nor can the ends of the wire ever catch upon
other objects; passed under that portion which is subjected to strain,
they lie close upon the bale, being in fact to some extent, embedded in
it and protected by the bulging cotton on either side of it from all
danger of this kind.
Although the herein-before described mode of fastening the ends of
the bale straps is very superior to the ordinary mode, still it may under"
extraordinary pressure injure the rope strand or wire in consequence of
the abrupt bending required to make the knot, therefore in most cases
to insure the maximum strength of the rope, strand; or wire, it is,

page_text: preferred to use a buckle or tie piece similar to those herein-after
described for connecting the ends.
A convenient and good tie piece or buckle for connecting the ends of
the bale straps, and by the use of which the straps or bands may be used.
over and over again, may consist of a plate of wrought malleable or cast
metal, cut by a suitable machine, in such a manner that two sets of
flanges are produced, which when folded over towards the centre of the
plate provide a support for the loops, which are formed on the end of
the wire strand or ropes in which there are no angles or edges to abraise
or cut the same, but on the contrary a smooth round surface that is
sufficiently extended to prevent all contingency of the short bend of
the rope at the point of junction. In doubling over the two sets of
flanches, a shoulder is develloped at each end of the plate, which not
only prevents the loop from slipping off the same, but also serves to hold
the loop in such a position as to bring the tension upon the part of it
that rests around the points of support, but the form will be better
understood on reference to the Drawings, Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Figure 2 shows a plate A in which a set of the projecting flanges, the
one marked a, the other a', are folded upon opposite sides thereof, that
is to say, one set upon each side of the plate. In this Figure it will
be observed the loops on the ends of the wire rope, which are formed
by simply twisting the said ends as shown at all the Figures upon the
Drawings, pass over the plate from opposite sides.
Figure 3 is a plan or top view. of the same plate in which are shown
the flanches as when folded over for use, that is to say, one set of said
flanches. Both Figures 2 and 3 show the position of the wire rope in
relation to the plate and its collars b, b', at the ends thereof when the
Invention is in actual use.
Figure 4 exhibits a view of the bottom side of the plate, by which
is meant the side that is placed next the bale, when both sets of
flanches are turned upon and the loops at both ends are supported from
the same side of the plate. When this form of plate is used it is
necessary in order to facilitate the pulling of the loops around it that
it should be bent as shown by the side view at Figure 5. The loops it.
will be perceived are nearly circular, and consequently they have
nowhere any abrupt bend, no matter what may be the degree of tension
to which they are subjected, and hence also inasmuch as the parts are

page_text: doubled at the point of junction with the plate the rope will yield
or break anywhere along its length before it will at said junction..
In practice of this Invention the plate may be attached to one end of
the rope before it is applied to a bale, or both ends may be attached to
the plate as the operation of banding the bale is being performed. The
method of applying it in either case is so very obvious and simple that
the dullest labourer will at once understand it. After the bale of cotton
has reached its destination and the bands need to be taken off the simple
cutting of the plate at the point c with a pair of shears or other proper
appliance is all that is necessary, and thus the rope is preserved without
being shortened or injured in any way, and so may be used again in
Landing another bale and so on.
In place of forming the buckle of plate metal as herein-before
described, the tie may be formed from wrought or cast metal, which may
consist of a plate, on one end of which is formed a semicircular stud,
the face of which is at right angles, or nearly so, to the back of the
plate, and of sufficient height to allow a split pin to be passed through a
hole in the top thereof above the wire rope or strand, so as to keep
it in position. The reverse end of the plate is also constructed with a
semicircular stud, having a small piece of metal worked or cast on front
so as to form a hole through which the wire rope or strand is passed
previous to applying it to the bale. The form of this peculiar tie,
which it is intended to be used near the ends of the bale, will be
readily seen on reference to Figures 6, 7, and 8 of the accompanying
Drawings.
A is the plate or bed; B, the semicircular stud, the circular face of
which is nearly vertical, and is hollowed out at the back for the sake of
lightness, and is fitted with C, a split pin; D, a semicircular stud, which
is also hollowed out at the back for the sake of lightness, and which has
à nose piece or connexion with the plate, thus forming a hole through
which one end of the band is passed, and thereby prevented from
slipping off the stud.
In using this last modification it is proposed to connect the buckle
piece with one end of the band before applying the same to the bale, and
when the pressure is on the bale all that is requisite is simply to pass
the end round the stud piece and bring it back and twist it round itself,
put in the split pin, when the operation is complete. When it is

page_text: required to remove the strap from the bale all that is requisite to do is.
simply to withdraw the split pin, and if the strap does not fly off itself
all that will be necessary is to elevate it slightly with a short lever when
it is instantly released. This last modification of the buckle or tie-
piece enables the band and tie-piece to be used over and over again. It
is proposed to use the knot for connecting the ends of the straps near
the ends of the bale, and the plate ties formed from the rectangular
sheet metal, and using the plate tie fitted with the split pin between
them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said James Maury in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MAURY, of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, one of the United
States of America, but at present residing at Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her.
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of January, in the year of
our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-first.
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said James Maury, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Maury, 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
CONNECTING THE ENDS OF METALLIC STRAPS APPLIED TO BALES OF COTTON AND
OTHER MERCHANDIZE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
James Maury, 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

page_text: 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 James Maury, 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 (that is to say) :-
:-
The object of this my said Invention is to connect the ends of flat
and round metallic bale straps, but is chiefly applicable to those formed
from wire, or strands of wire, and has also for its principal object
connecting the ends of such straps that they may be disconnected and
taken off without destroying the bands by cutting, or otherwise, as
now practised, so that they may be again used without addition. Now
it has been found difficult heretofore to tie the ends of wire strands
or wire rope securely together. Indeed the plan hitherto adopted in
fastening the ends of wire together has been simply to twist the
same, which mode is objectionable on two grounds; in the first place
the wire is greatly weakened by being thus twisted, and is nearly sure
to break whenever the bale to which it is applied becomes subject
to a sudden jar or concussion, and in the second place the ends
when thus twisted together they become so inflexible that they project
beyond the surface of the bale, and consequently are liable to
injure other objects into which they may come into contact, and are
exceedingly liable to be broken off; in either case the effect is the
same, the bale is unbanded. This Invention is mainly intended to
apply to wire, wire strands, and wire rope bands, and consists in
certain improved means for attaching the ends of the same in such a
manner as to obviate the objections to the use of such bands.
The first part of this Invention relates to a peculiar mode of tying the
ends of the wire, wire strands, and wire rope bands surrounding bales by
a peculiar knot, which will be readily understood by reference to the
annexed Drawing, Figure 1, which is performed as follows:-One end of
the wire is folded in the manner shown by the end A at b, c, d, the wire
being then put round the bale, the other end B is passed through the
loops e and f, and round the first end near d and back again through the
loop e, as shewn on the Drawings. No amount of tension can jam this
tie, and hence when the bale is compressed for transportation there is no
difficulty in shortening the wire so as to accommodate it to the reduced

page_text: size of the bale, nor can the ends of the wire ever catch upon other
objects. Passed under that portion which is subjected to strain they lie
close upon the bale, being in fact to some extent embedded in it, and
protected by the bulging cotton on either side of it from all danger of
this kind.
Although the herein-before described mode of fastening the ends of
the bale straps is very superior to the ordinary mode, still it may
under extraordinary pressure injure the rope strand or wire in con-
sequence of the abrupt bending required to make the knot, therefore in
most cases to insure the maximum strength of the rope strand or wire
it is preferred to use a buckle or tie piece similar to those herein-after
described for connecting the ends. A convenient and good tie piece or
buckle for connecting the ends of the bale straps, and by the use of
which the straps or bands may be used over and over again, may consist
of a plate of wrought malleable or cast metal cut by a suitable machine
in such a manner that two sets of flanges are produced which when
folded over towards the centre of the plate provide a support for the
loops which are formed on the end of the wire strand or ropes in which
there are no angles or edges to abraise or cut the same, but on the
contrary a smooth round surface that is sufficiently extended to prevent
all contingency of the short bend of the rope at the point of junction.
In doubling over the two sets of flanges a shoulder is develloped at each
end of the plate which not only prevents the loop from slipping off the
same, but also serves to hold the loop in such a position as to bring the
tension upon the part of it that rests around the points of support; but
the form will be better understood on reference to the Drawings, Figures
2, 3, 4, and 5.
Figure 2 shows a plate A in which a set of the projecting flanges,
the one marked a, the other a', are folded upon opposite sides thereof,
that is to say, one set upon each side of the plate. In this Figure it will
be observed the loops on the ends of the wire rope, which are formed by
simply twisting the said ends as shewn at all the Figures upon the
Drawings, pass over the plate from opposite sides.
Figure 3 is a plan or top view of the same plate, in which are shown
the flanches as when folded over for use, that is to say, one set of said
flanches. Both Figures 2 and 3 show the position of the wire rope in
relation to the plate and its collars b, b', at the ends thereof when the
Invention is in actual use.

page_text: Figure 4 exhibits a view of the bottom side of the plate, by which is
meant the side that is placed next the bale, when both sets of flanches
are turned upon and the loops at both ends are supported from the same
side of the plate. When this form of plate is used it is necessary in
order to facilitate the pulling of the loops around it that it should be
bent, as shewn by the side view of Figure 5. The loops it will be
perceived are nearly circular, and consequently they have nowhere any
abrupt bend, no matter what may be the degree of tension to which
they are subjected, and hence also inasmuch as the parts are doubled
at the point of junction with the plate the rope will yield or break
anywhere along its length before it will at said junction.
In practice of the Invention the plate may be attached to one end of
the rope before it is applied to a bale, or both ends may be attached to
the plate as the operation of banding the bale is being performed. The
method of applying it in either case is so very obvious and simple that the
dullest labourer will at once understand it. After the bale of cotton has
reached its destination, and the bands need to be taken off, the simple
cutting of the plate at the point c with a pair of shears or other proper
appliance is all that is necessary, and thus the rope is preserved without
being shortened or injured in any way, and so may be used again in banding
another bale and so on. In place of forming the buckle of plate metal
as herein-before described, the tie may be formed from wrought or cast
metal which may consist of a plate, on one end of which is formed a
semicircular stud, the face of which is at right angles or nearly so to
the back of the plate and of sufficient height to allow a split pin to be
passed through a hole in the top thereof above the wire rope or strand, so
as to keep it in position. The reverse end of the plate is also constructed
with a semicircular stud having a small piece of metal worked or cast on
front, so as to form a hole through which the wire rope or strand is
passed previous to applying it to the bale. The form of this peculiar
tie, which it is intended to be used near the ends of the bale, will be
readily seen on reference to Figures 6, 7, and 8 of the accompanying
Drawings.
A is the plate or bed; B, the semicircular stud, the circular face of
which is nearly vertical, and is hollowed out at the back for the sake
of lightness, and which has a nose piece or connexion with the plate,:
thus forming a hole through which one end of the band is passed,
and thereby prevented from slipping off the stud.

page_text: In using this last modification it is proposed to connect the buckle
piece with one, end of the band before applying the same to the bale,
and when the pressure is on the bale all that is requisite is simply
to pass the end round the stud piece and bring it back and twist it
round itself, put in the split pin, when the operation is complete. When
it is required to remove the strap from the bale all that is requisite
to do is simply to withdraw the split pin and if the strap does not
fly off itself all that will be necessary is to clevate it slightly with a
short lever when it is instantly released. This last modification of the
buckle or tie piece enables the band and tie piece to be used over and
over again.
Figures 8 and 9 represent another modification of a tic or buckle
which consists of a button and stud mounted on a rectangular plate of
metal, one end of the wire taking into the score on the edge of the
button, and the other held on the stud by a transverse key wedge.
It
Figure 10 is a plan and Figure 11 a side elevation of a similar tic,
but in place of using a key wedge a split pin is substituted therefor.
is proposed to use the knot for connecting the ends of the straps near
the ends of the bale, and the plate ties formed from the rectangular
sheet metal, and using the plate tic fitted with a split pin or key between
them.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my
said Invention, and the best means I am acquainted with for carrying
the same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise dimensions or proportions of the several
parts herein-before described and illustrated, as it will be readily seen
the same may be considerably varied without departing from the
Invention; but what I claim as new and my Invention is,-
First. The peculiar knot herein-before described and illustrated by
Figure 1, substantially in the manner and for the purposes stated.
Secondly. The peculiar buckle or tie picce herein-before described
and illustrated by Figures 2 and 3; also the modification of the same,
illustrated by Figures 4 and 5, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein-before described and set forth.
Thirdly. The peculiar tic or buckle piece illustrated by Figures 6 and 7
of the annexed Drawings, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein-before described and set forth.

page_text: And, lastly. The peculiar buckle or tie piece herein-before described
and illustrated by Figures 8 and 9; also the modification of the same,
illustrated by Figures 10 and 11, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein-before described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Maury, have hereunto set
my hand and affixed my seal, this Sixth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.
JAMES (L.S.) MAURY.