A CERTAIN POCKET FASTENING TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF PROPERTY
Year: 1799

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, JAMES
BELL, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Taylor, sends greeting.
WHEREAS the said James Bell did, by his petition, humbly represent unto
His present most Excellent Majesty, King George the Third, that he, the
said Petitioner, had, after much trouble, labour, study, and expence, found out
and invented "A CERTAIN POCKET FASTENING TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF PROPERTY,"
and that the said Petitioner was the first and true Inventor thercof, and that.
the same had never been made or used by any other person or persons, to the
best of the Petitioner's knowledge and belief; and the said Petitioner therefore
humbly prayed His said Majesty to grant unto him, the said Petitioner, his
exors, adiiors, and assigns, His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of
Great Britain, for the sole use, benefit, and advantage of his said Invention,
within that part of His Majesty's Kingdom of Great Britain called Eng-
land, His Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, for the
term of fourteen years, according to the Statute in that case made and pro-
vided; and His said Majesty, being willing to give encouragement to all arts
and Inventions which might be for the public good, was graciously pleased to
condescend to the said Petitioner's request, and did therefore, by His Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date at Westminster, the Fourth day of November,
in the fortieth year of His reign, of His especial grace, certain knowledge, and
meer motion, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto the
said James Bell, his exors, adñiors, and assigns, His especial licence, full

page_text: power, sole privilege and authority, that he, the said James Bell, his exors,
adiors, and assigns, and every of them, by himself and themselves, or by his and
their deputy or deputies, servants or agents, or such others as he, the said James
Bell, his exors, adiiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter, during the said term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend
His said Invention within that part of lis Majesty's Kingdom of Great
Britain called England, His Dominion of Wales and Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, in such manner as to him, the said James Bell, his exors, adiñors, and
and assigns, or any of them, should in his or their discretions seem meet; and
that he, the said James Eell, his exors, aditiors, and assigns, should and
lawfully might have and enjoy the whole profit, benefit, commodity, and advan-
tage from time to time coming, growing, accruing, and arising by reason of
the said Invention, for and during the term of years therein mentioned; to
have, hold, exercise, and enjoy the said licence, powers, priviledges, and
advantages therein-before granted or mentioned to be granted unto the said
James Bell, his exors, adñiors, and assigns, for and during and unto the full
end and term of fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent
next and immediately ensuing, and fully to be compleat and ended, according
to the Statute in such case made and provided; in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso that if the said James Bell should not particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of his said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be used or performed, by an instrument in writing under his
hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within one calendar month next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties
and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine,
and become void, anything therein-before contained to the contrary thereof in
anywise notwithstanding, as in and by the said Letters Patent, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, he, the said
James Bell, doth hereby describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be used or performed, as follows, that
is to say
I form the component part of these apparatus or pocket spring fastenings of
various materials, such as steel, iron, or any other metal, horn, whalebone, or
any other substance which may be found sufficiently elastic for the purpose.
Fig. 1 is a view of the back part of my new apparatus or pocket spring
fastning, represented shut. A represents the bolt; B is the back of the

page_text: lever, which bears upon the bolt, and unlocks the bolt; C is a set-off, which
comes through the lining of the garment in which it is wore; D, D, are two
hinges or joints, one at each end of the back, to which are two hinges or joints,
one at each end of the back, to which are connected two small plates E, E,
which by screw, hinge, or otherwise, connects the front part or slides, and I
vary them in number or situation as I find convenient. F shows the staple,
which, as it comes through the cyc of the back, bears against the bevil of the
spring sufficient to lower it to catch the bolt.
Fig. 2 shows the front of the same pocket spring fastening. G, G, are studs,
which are fastened at each end of the front springs when being shut or opened;
II is a ring with a joint, which is fixed to the lever, and by moving the ring in
either direction, causes the lever to bear upon the bolt, which immediately re-
leases the staple, and causes it to open, as seen in Fig. 3. A key, unconnected
with the apparatus, may be substituted at pleasure, in the room of the ring.
Fig. 4 represents the front view of the apparatus or fastening which is worn
by ladies for the security of their property, and is represented open to view in
Figs. 5 and 6. A is a button with a screw in the center of the front, which I
vary if necessary in number or situation, and which screws into the back
when shut; B, B, B, B, are holes in the back, which when shut receive the
bars or pins C, C, C, C, which are fixed to the front; D, D, D, D, are four
points, which secures the fastening to the dress; or I secure it by nuts and
screws, or by a bolt and key, as described in Fig. 1; E is a hinge or joint,
which connects the front of the apparatus to the back.
Fig. 7 is a circular apparatus or fastening, to shew that the ladies' apparatus
or fastening I vary in form at pleasure.
Fig. 8 represents a pocket fastening open, which has a hinge or joint at
each end of the back, as at A, A, which connects the two side springs B, B,
which bears against the front spring C, and forces the apparatus or fastening
open; D, D, are studs at the end of each the front or side springs, which
slide in the groves, when shutting or opening; E is a button and screws,
which when shut screws into the hole F, and fastens it, or I make the fasten-
ings to correspond with those 1 described in Fig. 1.
Fig. 9 is principally to shew a small rise A, which is on the front spring,
for to hold a staple or screw, which I vary in number or situation as may be
requisite or proper; B, B, are springs which I fasten to the back of the appa-
ratus or pocket fastening to throw it open.
Fig. 10 is a view of the apparatus or fastening for the breeches or other
pocket when shut, which consists of two plates connected together by joint er
hinge at each end, as at A, A, which I also vary in number or situation. B is

page_text: a button with a screw, or I fasten it with a bolt, as before described. Fig. 11
is a view of Fig. 10 when open.
Fig. 12 represents an open view of an apparatus or pocket fastening dif-
ferent in form to those before described, which consists of four plates, or more,
connected together by hinges or joints, and which I fasten by the different
means before mentioned. Fig. 13 is a view of Fig. 12 when shut.
In witness whereof, the said James Bell, hath hereunto set his hand
and seal, this Twenty-third day of November, in the fortieth year of
the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the grace of
God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the
Faith, and so forth, and in the year of our Lord One thousand seven
hundred and ninety-nine.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the said
James Bell (being first duly stampt)
in the presence of
W AVIS.
CAMEL ITA..
JAMES BELL. (L.S.)