Improvements in and relating to Strap Fastenings for Trunks and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Strap Fastenings for Trunks
and the like.
We, ORVILLE ANDERSON STONEMAN and ERNEST FLOYD WHITE, Gentlemen,
both residing at Norfolk, in the County of Norfolk, and the State of Virginia, .
of the United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to improvements in straps and strap fastenings for
trunks and other articles, and the purpose of the same is to provide a strap of
improved construction that is adapted to be adjusted for application to trunks of
different sizes, and a simple and effective fastening therefor by means of which
the meeting ends of the strap when placed in position may be readily and
conveniently connected and tightened to the desired tension and as quickly and
easily disconnected.
With this and other minor objects in view, the invention consists of certain
novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be
hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a trunk strap and fastening embodying my
invention.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale of the fastener
and meeting ends of the strap.
Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the adjustable slide or take-up.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the fastening device, showing in broken lines
the movement of the lever in tightening the strap.
Like reference letters and characters designate corresponding parts throughout
the several views.
In carrying my invention into practice, I employ a strap or band A made of
leather, canvas or some other suitable material and having the meeting ends b
and c, to which the parts of the fastening device are attached. The end 6 con-
stitutes the extremity of one end of the band proper, while the end c constitutes
the closed terminal or return bend portion of an adjusting loop formed by folding
or doubling the opposite end d of the band over upon the exterior of the body
portion thereof and connecting the extremity e of said end, which constitutes
the opposite or free terminal of the looped portion, to an adjusting slide or take-
up. The adjusting slide used in the present instance consists of a substantially
rectangular link F having a central cross bar g to which the said extremity e
of the band is connected. The body portion of the band is passed under the end
portions or cross bars of this link and over the central cross-bar thereof and
the said strap extremity e attached thereto, and is thereby 'held firmly by fric-
tional engagement against movement. By adjusting this slide on the body
portion of the strap in one direction or the other, the end d thereof will be drawn

page_text: upon to lengthen or shorten the strap to adapt it for application to trunks or other
articles of different sizes, in a manner that will be readily understood.
The fastening and tightening device comprises in its construction a yoke G and
a lever H connected respectively, to the meeting ends b and c of the strap. The
yoke G consists of a U-shaped frame having parallel side arms h, and a closed
end formed by a cross bar i to which the meeting end 6 of the strap is secured.
Adjacent to said cross bar the arms of the yoke are offset inwardly to form
shoulders j, for a purpose hereinafter described, and said arms are provided at
their free ends and at the open end of the yoke with hooks k facing in the direction
of said cross bar. The lever H consists of an elongated rectangular link frame
having parallel side bars or arms connected at their inner ends by a cross bar m
and at their outer ends by a cross bar n. The meeting end c of the strap is passed
around the cross bar m and the folds or plies of the looped portion thence extend
rearwardly under the cross-bar n. For the purpose of allowing the said looped
portion of the strap to lie within the plane of the bottom of the lever and
approximately within the plane of the front cross-bar m, to prevent chafing,
buckling and slipping of the same longitudinally and transversely the side bars
of the lever are tapered on their undersides, as shown at o, from a substantially
medial point to their outer ends, and the cross bar n recessed in its underside, as
at p, so as to permit the folds to fit snugly therein and in close contact with each
other. The side bars of the lever are also provided centrally with inwardly
extending offsets 7 and just in advance of the same with outwardly projecting
trunnions r, said trunnions being adapted to engage the hooks k of the yoke
and thereby pivotally connect the lever eccentrically to said yoke. The purpose
of the inwardly extending offsets is to decrease the width of the lever frame
immediately in rear of the trunnions so that the trunnions may be readily and
conveniently slipped into the hooks when the front end or short arm of the
lever is inserted from above down into the yoke to connect the meeting ends of
the strap. Notches s are provided in the upper edges of the arms of the lever
to receive a locking device composed of a ring or link t which is slipped thereon
to hold the lever closed or in locked position and the end of the looped portion of
the strap in place.
In operation, the strap is primarily adjusted through the medium of the
slide F to suit the size of the trunk or other article to which it is to be applied
and is then carried around the trunk in the usual manner and its meeting ends
brought together. The front end or short arm of the lever is then slipped down-
wardly in a substantially vertical position into the yoke and the trunnions
thereof inserted into the hooks of the yoke. When this is done, the outer end
or long arm of the lever is employed as a handle and forced down to bring the
front end or short arm thereof between the arms of the yoke, whereby the meeting
end of the strap is advanced and the strap drawn upon and tightened. The
ring or link is then slipped into locking engagement with the notches s to hold
the lever closed down. When it is desired to disengage the fastening to disconnect
the meeting ends of the strap, the ring or link t is removed and the lever turned
to a vertical position and slid forwardly so as to bring the trunnions out of engage-
ment with the hooks on the yoke. In connecting and disconnecting the lever,
it will, of course, be understood that ease of operation is ensured through the
provision of offsets q which permit the parts to slide readily upon one another
when slipping the trunnions into or out of engagement with the hooks.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that after the strap has been
primarily adjusted, no further adjustment of the same is required for subsequent
applications to the same article. Also that the device is simple and inexpensive
in construction and efficient in operation, and may be quickly and easily applied
and removed. It will, of course, be understood that changes in the form, pro-
portion and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the
invention, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages
thereof.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A fastening and tightening device for the meeting ends of straps and the
like, comprising a yoke having a cross bar at one end to receive one of the
meeting ends of a strap, hooks at the free ends of its side arms, a lever comprising
a rectangular link having cross bars at its ends, the front cross bar being adapted
to receive the other meeting end of the strap, trunnions located eccentrically upon
its side arms, and a link to engage the rear cross-bar of the lever to hold the same
closed.
2. A fastening and tightening device for the meeting ends of straps and the
like comprising a yoke having at one end a cross-bar to receive one of the meeting
ends of a strap and its opposite end open and provided at the free ends of its side
arms with hooks facing in the direction of said cross bar, a lever comprising an
elongated link frame provided at its inner or front end with a cross bar adapted
to receive the other meeting end of the strap, at its rear end with a cross bar
recessed upon its underside and provided on its side arms with trunnions in
advance of its center to engage the hooks of the yoke, and a link adapted to engage
notches in the side arms of the lever adjacent to said cross-bar to hold said lever
closed.
3. A strap fastening for trunks, etc., comprising a strap or band having an
adjusting loop formed by folding one of the ends of the strap upon itself, an
adjusting device slidably engaging the body of the band and connected to the
free end of said looped portion, a yoke having a cross-bar at one end to which the
opposite end of the strap is secured and hooks at the free ends of its side arms, a
lever having trunnions located in advance of its center to engage said hooks and
front and rear cross bars, said front cross-bar having the closed or return end
of the looped portion of the strap passed therearound, and a link adapted to
engage notches in the side arms of the lever adjacent to said rear cross-bar to hold
said lever closed in fastening position.
Dated 101
C
1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.