Improvements in Fasteners.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fasteners.
A communication from abroad by JULES DUFAUX, HENRY MATHIEU, and
ERNEST ANDRE, all of 89, Rue de la Mare, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Manufacturers.
I, GEORGE CLEMENT DOWNING, of 8 Quality Court, London W.C., Patent
Agent, 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:―
The object of my invention is to manufacture an improved form of fastener,
suitable for locking or securing card board boxes, work boxes, glove and other
boxes, Gladstone and other bags, satchels, reticules, pocket books, purses, doors,
windows, and other articles requiring the same.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 shows the invention, unfastened.
Fig. 2 shows the same, fastened.
Fig. 3 shows one method of fitting the invention to an ordinary box.
Fig. 4 shows the application of the same to a purse or pocket book.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate methods of applying the invention to the slats of
corsets.
The invention consists of a hook pivoted to a plate, and a stud arranged to enter
a slot in the plate, and become fixed therein by means of the hook.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 A is the stud, which is fixed to the box lid, pocket
book flap, or analogous portion of the article, 6 is a plate, which is fixed to the
front of the box or other article, o is the slot or opening in the plate for the passage
of the stud to its position for locking. f is a forked hook, pivoted to the plate b
at p. When the device is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the descent of the stud
causes contact with the arm f1 of the hook f and the stud turns the hook upon its
pivot to the position shown in Fig. 2. The arm f" is thus caused to embrace the
stud, which becomes locked in the angular recess.
When the fastening is required to be unlocked, the hook fis turned to the
position shown in Fig. 1. This may be effected by hand, by moving the lever l, as
shewn in Fig. 1, or by means of a square stud to be turned by a key, as shown at p,
Fig. 3, wherein the device is shown fitted to a box, the stud A. being attached to a
tab fixed to the lid. The pivot p is in some cases prolonged so as to project outside
the box; or it may be arranged so as to be visible outwardly; or it may be
concealed so as to form a secret fastener.
In Fig. 4 the invention is shown as applied to pocket books, port-folios, purses,
and the like. The plate is furnished with riveting spurs d d, which pass through
the fabric and are riveted over at the back. The hook is provided with a lever
arm for opening the fastener.
In Figs. 5 and 6 the application of the invention to corsets is illustrated.
C C¹ are the two slats of the corset. Studs A. A' are fixed to one slat, C, and non-
rotating hooks B 6¹ are fixed to the slat C. The locking hook fis pivoted to the
hook B at p, so that when the slat C descends from the position shown in Fig. 6 to
that shown in Fig. 5, the hook fis rotated upon the pivot p, and the relative
positions of the slats C C' are secured, as shown in Fig. 5. Generally only one of
these composite fasteners is used for each corset, this being preferably fixed at the
bottom of the slat, the upper fastenings being formed with fixed hooks b' having
slots o' for the studs A' to fall into. All the studs A and A¹ being fixed upon the

page_text: slat C, act conjointly; and, when the lower stud is withdrawn from its eye, by
turning the hook with the aid of its lever l, the pressure exerted upon this stud
causes the slat C to rise, so that all its studs A A' are simultaneously withdrawn from
their corresponding fasteners, and the corset is opened throughout its length. The
rotation of the hook may be limited by a stop i formed therewith. To fasten
the corset it is sufficient to press the lower stud A into the fastener B, which is
then automatically closed by the forked hook f, the remaining studs falling into
their respective hooks automatically and securely.
In Fig. 7 a modification of the corset fastening is shown. In this case the
hook B is formed similarly to those now in use for corset slats, and only differs
therefrom in the lateral opening. The forked hook B is provided with two, nearly
similar, prongs; one of which, viz. :-that closing the opening, has a claw g, pivoted
at p, holding the stud A in the eye of the hook. The elbow e, closed by the
claw g, is combined so as to cause the forked hook to prevent the stud being with-
drawn; the stud which is hooked in the usual manner in the hook B, enters the
eye in such a manner that it cannot move back, being prevented by the claw y.
To still further secure the closing of the hook B by the claw y, the tail g' of the
latter is pressed by a spring r, fixed upon the slat, and held under an arms of the
hook B.
It is obvious that the corset fastenings may be very much varied in matters of
detail, while retaining the principal parts, consisting of the hook having a side
opening o, and the fork having an elbow e so formed as to cause the pressure of
the stud A to retain the hook in a secure position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved fastener consisting of the combination of a stud A, a slotted
plate b, and a pivoted hook f, the hook being so formed that when the stud enters
the slot o, the hook fis caused to rotate upon its pivot and securely retain the stud
in the fork e-of the hook, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
the drawings.
2. The application and use of the improved fastener to the slats of corsets, in
combination with fixed hooks B b' and studs A' severally operating substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings.
3. The modification of the improved fastener in its application to the slats of
corsets, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Fig. 7 of the
drawings.
4. The general construction arrangements and combinations of the several and
respective parts, together forming my invention of improvements in fasteners,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated 29th September 1891.
GEORGE C. DOWNING.