IMPROVEMENTS IN GLOVES AND IN FASTENINGS FOR THE SAME AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Stean, of East Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Furrier and Glove Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GLOVES AND IN FASTENINGS FOR THE SAME AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES."
Sealed the 4th January 1878, and dated the 18th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Stean at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th July 1877.
LOUIS STEAN, of East Road, in the County of Middlesex, Furrier and Glove
Manufacturer. " IMPROVEMENTS IN GLOVES AND IN FASTENINGS FOR THE SAME
AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES."
.
My said Invention is chiefly designed to improve the quality of gloves by making
them more convenient with regard to their fastening and unfastening, and making
them fit better than heretofore upon the hand.
The ordinary manner of making gloves and providing them with fastenings does
not permit a glove to possess the advantages of a good fit with easy putting on and
taking off, as the glove having no other elasticity at the wrist than that due to the
nature of the kid or other material of which the glove is formed, must be made of a
size at the wrist and other parts which will render it very difficult to put on and off,
otherwise the glove will be too large when on the hand, and will have a very
unsightly appearance. The slit or division in the part of the glove that covers the palm
of the hand, and which extends inward from the edge of the glove, prevents a perfect
fitting of the back of the glove to the hand, and detracts from the appearance of the
inside of the glove. But by my Invention I obviate these inconveniences as
follows:-I make the body of the gloves of kid or other suitable material, and of
any desired size; and to ensure their fitting properly, and at the same time render
them easy to put on and off, and to fasten and unfasten, I incorporate with the kid
or other material of the glove, a closing device arranged in combination with a
peculiarly formed fastener. The said closing device draws together the two sides or
parts of the glove on the palm of the hand, and thereby causes the glove to fit com-

page_text: fortably but closely to the palm and also to the back of the hand, while the fastener
is so contrived that when the glove is on the hand it can be immediately fastened
without any stretching or straining of the glove at the wrist, and without any
danger of splitting or tearing the glove, or detaching the fastenings, or hurting the
fingers; and when fastened it may be as easily unfastened, though it will not be
liable to accidental unfastening.
This fastening device in one form consists of two small flat bars or pieces of very
thin metal inserted inside the kid or other material of which the glove is formed;
or between this material and its lining if the glove is lined. The said pieces render
the two edges of the divided part of the glove straight, so that they may be brought
closely together. At the termination of the slit or opening in the glove, that is to
say, the part farthest from the wrist, the two thin flat bars are hinged or jointed
together, while their other ends are unconnected. Therefore the glove will open
freely at the wrist to allow the hand to be inserted in the usual manner; but when
the glove is closed and fastened, the two bars turning on their hinge will be brought
quite close together, and there will then be no opening or 'gap" in the glove
exposing the palm of the hand, as in ordinary gloves.
"
The fastener or fastening may be formed on the ends of the said closing device.
In some of its forms my improved fastener consists of two slots or eyelet holes formed
in enlargements on the ends of the closing device, a double hook-shaped piece which
enters the said slots, and is held in one of them by small ears or studs, but is free
to enter and leave the other slot in such a manner that the said hook-shaped piece
may be made to engage with or disengaged from the said slot by a very slight and
easy manipulation.
Instead of the said slots and double hooked piece, I may use a fastener consisting
of a spring clasp, one part of which is a socket formed or fixed on one bar or arm of
the closing device, while the other part consists of a spring blade or tongue, which,
when the glove is fastened, enters the said socket and fits tightly therein. A small
knob or button on this tongue projects through the kid or other material, and by
depressing this knob the said tongue is released from the socket. Or the fastener
may consist of a hooked piece and socket so formed and arranged upon the glove
that the socket has its aperture at the back or side farthest from the hook, and the
latter passes over the top of the socket to engage with the same.
Instead of forming the fastener or fastening in one piece with the closing device,
they may be formed and fixed to the gloves separately. In the latter case they
have thin lugs or plates which are placed under the kid or other material, or between
the same and the lining, and are perforated with small holes to facilitate the sewing
of them upon the glove.
The said fastening device may in some instances be provided with a spring at
its joint to ensure its closing upon the hand.
I may modify my Invention by using instead of or in combination with the said
closing device a spring tension band or elastic ring or stretcher on the wrist of the
glove. The said band or ring is composed of short metal tubes or ferrules of very
small diameter threaded or strung upon a spiral spring. The said ferrules and
spring are made flat to render them more convenient and comfortable. The tubes are
secured to the portion of the glove surrounding the wrist in such a manner that when
the glove is on the wrist the spring makes it fit with the proper closeness or tightness
around the same, but it will yield readily to allow the glove to be easily put on or
taken off.
Instead of having an elastic ring or band completely surrounding the wrist, I may
employ a short elastic piece consisting of small vertical tubes or ferrules strung upon
a spiral spring, which is secured at its ends to the two sides of the glove. Or I
may use a tension or closing piece composed of one small tube fitted within another
tube and enclosing a spiral spring. One tube is secured to one side of the glove,
and the other tube to the other side thereof, and the spiral spring tends to draw and
keep them closed, but allows them to open readily in putting on or taking off the
glove.

page_text: In applying my Invention to gauntlets or long gloves, I employ on the part.
of the same, extending up the arm, a series of peculiarly formed fasteners consisting.
of a swivelling hook and a knob or button. The said hook is pivoted or pin-
jointed upon a small plate which is sewn or otherwise attached to the kid or
other material, and the knob or button is formed or fixed on another plate
similarly secured on the gauntlet. When the latter is put on, its two edges are
brought together around the arm, and the said hooks are turned on their pins to
engage with the necks of the said knobs or buttons, thereby forming a secure and
comfortable fastening.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Louis Stean in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th January
1878.
LOUIS STEAN, of East Road, in the County of Middlesex, Furrier and Glove
Manufacturer. IMPROVEMENTS IN GLOVES AND IN FASTENINGS FOR THE SAME
AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES."
My said Invention is chiefly designed to improve the quality of gloves by making
them more convenient than heretofore with regard to their fastening and un-
fastening, and causing them to fit better than other gloves upon the hand.
The ordinary manner of making gloves and providing thein with fastenings does
not permit a glove to combine the advantages of perfect fitting with facility of
putting on and taking off, as the glove, having no other elasticity at the wrist than
that due to the nature of the kid or other material of which the glove is formed,
must be made of a size at the wrist and other parts which will render it very
difficult to put on and off, otherwise the glove will be too large when on the hand,
and will have a very unsightly appearance. The slit or division in the part of the
glove that covers the palm of the hand, and which extends inward from the edge of
the glove, prevents a perfect fitting of the back of the glove to the hand, and
detracts from the appearance of the part covering the palm. But by my Invention I
obviate these inconveniences as follows:-I make the body of the gloves of kid or
other suitable material, and of any desired size, but to insure their fitting properly,
and at the same time render them easy to put on and off and to fasten and unfasten,
I incorporate with the kid or other material of the glove a peculiar fastener, herein-
after termed a closing device, which may be provided with a snap or spring or
other like fastening, or may be used in combination therewith. The said closing device
draws together the two sides or parts of the glove on the palm or side of the hand,
and thereby causes the glove to fit comfortably but closely to the palm and also to
the back of the hand, while the said fastener is so contrived that when the glove is
on the hand it can be immediately fastened without any stretching or straining of.
the glove at the wrist, and without any danger of splitting or tearing the glove, or
detaching the fastenings, or hurting the fingers; and when fastened it may be as
easily unfastened, though it will not be liable to accidental unfastening.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn my Invention embodied in various
forms, and I will now proceed to describe the saine.
Figures 1 to 6 illustrate my improved device for closing and fastening a glove.
Figure 1 shews a front and edge view of one form of this device. This closing

page_text: fastening device consists of two small flat bars or pieces a of very thin metal, which
are to be inserted inside the kid or other material of which the glove is formed, or
between this material and its lining if the glove is lined. The said pieces render
the two edges of the divided part of the glove straight, so that they may be brought
closely together. At the termination of the slit or opening in the glove, that is to
say, the part furthest from the wrist, the two thin flat bars a are hinged or jointed
together, as shewn at a¹, while their other ends a² are unconnected; therefore the
glove will open freely at the wrist to allow the hand to be inserted in the usual
manner, but when the glove is closed and fastened the two bars a, turning on their
hinge a¹, will be brought quite close together, and there will then be no opening or
gap" in the glove exposing the palm of the hand, as in ordinary gloves. One of
the bars a has attached to it a spring b, which has a hooked piece at b¹ arranged to
engage or snap over a small flange c on the other bar a, and thereby fasten the same
when the glove is closed. I provide the hooked piece b¹ with a small hand 62 or
other device, by depressing which the said bars are released to permit the glove to
open.
"
Figure 2 is a front view of the said closing device, consisting of two bars a jointed
or hinged at a¹, as above described, but with an extension a³ in the form of a fishes
head, whereby the said device is stitched upon or inside the material of the glove.
This device moreover has perforated parts at a for stitching it to the glove, and is
also provided with a snap d, which is hinged to one bar, and hooks over the other
bar to fasten the two bars together.
Figure 3 shews front and edge views of the said closing device, in which the two
bars a are formed of ornamental wire hinged at a', and provided with a hinged
snap at d, as above described. This device is secured to the glove by means of a
pin and washer, shewn detached at e, which pin is passed through the joint a¹ and
the material of the glove.
Figure 4 shews similar views of another form of this device, which may be
applied either to the palm or side of a glove for the purpose above specified. This
device has no snap or fastener, but closes automatically by means of a spring f
which is secured to the back of one bar a, its free extremity projecting beyond the
joint a¹ and acting on a projecting piece of the other bar to close the device.
Figure 5 shews in two similar views a further modification, in which this closing
device has a spring f fitted between two jaws a', which form part of one of the
bars a, and the free end of this spring projects beyond the joint a¹, and acts on the
other bar a as above described. In this modification the said closing device is
provided with a spring snap g on one bar, which engages with a catch or flange h
on the other bar, as shewn.
Figure 6 shews a front and edge view of another modification of my closing
device, in which the arms a are formed of wire jointed at a¹, and provided with a
fish-head shaped projection, as and for the purpose above described. This device
also has a fastener consisting of a small curved piece i hinged on one of the bars a,
and arranged to engage with the other bar by folding over a small lug or pro-
jection j thereon.
In some instances I may use a closing device in which the joint is provided with
a spring like that used for snuffers.
My improved fasteners made separately, or without attachment to one of the
aforesaid hinged closing devices, are illustrated in Figures 7 to 22.
In Figure 7 A is a plan of the two parts of the fastener detached; B is a side
view of the same; C is a plan of the two parts fastened together; D is a longi-
tudinal section thereof; k is a flat socket forming one part of this fastener, and
provided internally with a spring tongue k²; k³ is the other part of the said fastener
formed with a hook, which enters a slot in the part k, and is held therein by the
aid of the spring k¹.
In Figure 8 A and B shew a plan and side view of a modification of this
fastener, wherein the spring k¹, the hook 2, and the slot ³ are made narrower than
in Figure 7.

page_text: In Figure 9 A is a plan of the two parts of the fastener detached; B is a side
view of the same; C is a side view of the said two parts secured together; D is a
transverse section of a portion of one of the said parts. The part is a hook,
which engages with the other part by hooking over the same, as shewn at C.
The part consists of a staple-formed piece, as shewn at D, whose prongs
passed through the plate 13, which is inserted inside the glove or between the
material of the glove and its lining; the small ears or lugs prevent the lateral
displacement or slipping of the one part from the other part of this fastener.
Pare
In Figure 10 A, B, C, D, shew views corresponding with those in Figure 7 of
another modification of this fastener. The part m is a hook, which when the glove
is fastened projects over and into the part m', which may be termed a reversed
socket.
In Figure 11 A, B, shew a plan and side view of another modification of this
fastener, in which the part o is a hollow disc formed with a slot o', and the other
part o³ is a small hook which enters the said slot, and thereby fastens the glove as
shewn at C, which is a longitudinal section of the two parts of the fastener.
In Figure 12 A, B, C, are similar views to those shown in Figure 11, illustrating
another modification in which one part of the said fastener is a concave piece p
with two small studs p', and the other part is a convex piece p² with two holes p³,
into which the said studs are inserted when the glove is fastened; the said studs
may have heads to keep thein from accidental detachment from the part p².
In Figure 13 A is a plan of the two parts of another form of my fastener, and B
is a side elevation, showing these parts united or engaged with each other. One
of these parts has a ball or knob q, and the other part q¹ has a hole through which
the said ball is passed to fasten the glove.
Figure 14 shews at A, B, similar views of a slight modification in which one part
of the fastener is a socket q², into which the ball or knob q is inserted to fasten the
glove.
In Figure 15 I have shewn a plan of another modification wherein one part of
the fastener has a swivel hook, which when the glove is fastened engages with
a stud or knob r¹ on the other part.
In Figure 16 A is a side view of two parts detached, of another form of my
fastener; B is a plan shewing the two parts united, and C is a side view of the
same; the parts is formed with a tube s¹, and the other part 82 is formed with a
smaller tube, which will slide endwise into and out of the tube 8¹ to fasten and
unfasten the globe. The tube 8' has a longitudinal slit, which permits this sliding
of the one part into the other part of the fastener.
In Figure 17 A is a plan, and B is a side view, shewing the two parts detached
or disconnected of another modification of my fastener. One part t has a spring
tongue t¹, which has shoulders at t2 and a knob t; the other part t is a flat socket
with lips at to. When the glove is to be fastened the said spring tongue is pushed
into the socket, and is held by the lips to engaging with the shoulders t².
In Figure 18 A is a plan, and B a longitudinal section of a fastener, consisting of
a hook u ornamented in any desired manner, and an eye u¹ with which the said
hook engages to fasten the glove.
Figure 19 is a side view of a fastener, consisting of two hooks v, vl, which engage
with each other, as shewn, when the glove is fastened. One of these hooks is pro-
vided with a plate u², which is pressed outward by a small spring and prevents
their disconnection until the said plate is depressed.
Figure 20 shows another modification of the said fastener; A is a plan of its two
parts disconnected; B is a side view, partly in section, of the same; C is a sectional
side view of the two parts connected. One of these parts is a disc w with a
hook w; the other part w is a hollow disc with a hole at w³ for the admission of
the said hook when the glove is fastened, and which is also provided with a small
spring w to assist in holding the two parts together.
Figure 21 is a side view showing a modification of this fastener without an
internal spring.

page_text: Figure 22 shows another form of my fastener, A being a plan shewing its two
parts detached or disconnected, and B a longitudinal section, shewing them fastened
or connected. These two parts x, x¹, are hooks, and one of them has a small spring
tongue projecting through a slot at 2 to keep the two parts in engagement with
each other.
Figure 23 shows part of a glove, provided with the fastener shewn in Figure 20.
Figure 24 shows part of a long glove or gauntlet, provided with a closer and
fastener on the palm according to my Invention.
Figures 25 and 26 are front and edge views of part of a glove, provided at one
side with a spring closer according to my Invention.
I may modify my Invention by using instead of or in combination with the
said closing device, a spring tension band or elastic ring or stretcher on the wrist
of the glove. The said band or ring is composed of short metal tubes or ferrules
of very small diameter threaded or strung upon a spiral spring. The said ferrules
and spring are made flat to render them more convenient and comfortable. The
tubes are secured to the portion of the glove surrounding the wrist in such a
manner that when the glove is on the wrist the spring makes it fit with the proper
closeness or tightness around the same, but it will yield readily to allow the glove
to be easily put on or taken off.
Instead of having an elastic ring or band completely surrounding the wrist I
may employ a short elastic piece, consisting of small metal tubes or ferrules strung
upon a spiral spring which is secured at its ends to the two sides of the glove. Or
I may use a tension or closing piece composed of one small tube fitted within
. another tube, and enclosing a spiral spring. One tube is secured to one side of the
glove and the other tube to the other side thereof, and the spiral spring tends to
draw and keep them closed, but allows them to open readily in putting on or
taking off the glove.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same,
I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The improvements in gloves, consisting in providing or combining with
the same a hinged or spring-closing device in either of its forms or modifications
shown in the Drawing, and with or without a fastener formed or fixed thereon, or
a separate fastener or fasteners attached to the glove independently of the said
closing device, as above described and for the purpose specified.
Second. The application to a glove provided with a closing device, operating as
above described, of either of the improved fasteners or fastenings, constructed as
shewn in Figures 7 to 22 of the Drawing, and attached to the glove, and operating
in the manner specified.
Third. The closing device with or without a fastener, and constructed as shewn
in either of its forms or modifications, illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 of the Drawing,
and operating as set forth for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Stean, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
L. STEAN. (L.S.)