IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR DRIVING AND OTHER BELTS OR BANDS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR DRIVING
AND OTHER BELTS OR BANDS."-A communication from abroad by John
Ashton Greene, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States
of America.
Sealed the 30th July 1867, and dated the 26th February 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th February 1867.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR DRIVING AND
OTHER BELTS OR BANDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain means of fastening together the ends of
machine or other belts or bands, whether made of india-rubber, leather, or
other suitable material.
The improved fastening is of such a construction and form that when
applied to the two ends of a belt (across from one to the other of which it
extends) by passing the fastening through a longitudinal slit or slits made in
the belt at a suitable point or points its action upon the belt will be in the
direction of its thickness, or in other words at an angle of inclination either.

page_text: more or less great to the length of the belt, or to the tension or strain thereon
when running, thereby relieving the slits made in the belt to receive the
fastenings from all strain, and consequently obviating all possibility of the
tearing out or away of the belt at such points, which in the case of rubber
belting or banding especially is of great importance and advantage. The two
ends of the belt to be joined have slits formed in them in the direction of the
length of the belt, and at equal distances apart to receive the fastenings which
are intended to embrace the turned-up ends of the band. For this purpose
the fastenings (in one form) consist of a bar having a cross head at each
extremity, the length of the bar being equal to the double thickness of the
belt. In inserting the studs in the slits of the belt their heads are first passed
edgewise through them, the one stud head through one end of the belt, and
the other through the opposite end, when by turning them their heads are
brought across the slits, so that their flat sides are upon the surface of the
belt with their stems or shanks extending across and from one end of the belt
to the other. As the fastened belt passes from time to time about and around
its pulleys the stems of the fastenings become finally bent or curved in the
direction of their length from one end to the other, bringing the belt at its
joint to a perfect bearing on the pulleys as it passes about and around them.
If desired or deemed necessary the ends of the belt may be scarfed to cause
them to lie the more close when united or joined by the fastening studs.
As a modification of this fastening the stem may carry two eyes instead of
cross heads, and a cross wire or bar may be run through the eyes and extend
from one edge of the belt to the other, and upon both sides of the line of joint
to the belt; these wires or rods at each end being properly fastened in the
studs' eyes, and in use acting on the belt surface in a manner precisely similar
to the separate cross heads. Or in lieu of joining the studs at each end by a
continuous wire or rod the studs. at one end may be provided with separate
heads, and at their other with eyes suitable to receive the joining or connecting
wire or rod.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County s
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Heṛ
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special licence that I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all timeş
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 FASTENINGS FOR DRIVING AND OTHER BELTS OR BANDS," being
a communication to me from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 Inven;
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and inmediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to certain meaus of fastening together the ends of
machine or other belts or bands, whether made of india-rubber, leather, or
other suitable material.
The improved fastening is of such a construction and form that when
applied to the belt extending across from one end to the other by passing the
fastening through longitudinal slits made in the ends of the belt at suitable
points its action upon the belt will be in the direction of its thickness, or in
other words at an angle of inclination either more or less great to the length
of the belt or to the tension or strain thereon when running, thereby relieving
the slits made in the belt to receive the fastenings from all strain, and con
sequently obviating all possibility of the tearing out or away of the belt at such
points, which in the case of rubber belting or banding especially is of great
importance and advantage.
In the accompanying Drawing the improved mode of fastening belts
embraced by this Invention is illustrated.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a plan view of the coupled ends of a belt which is joined or secured
together by a novel form of stud fastening, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal
section of the same taken in the plane of the line x, x, Fig. 1; Figs. 3 shew
the several sizes of studs composing the belt fastening required for the varying
thicknesses of belts, the several sizes of studs being represented or drawn of
the proper length for use, the longest for the thickest belts such as double or
triple leather and six ply rubber belts, and the shortest for the thinnest rubber
or leather belt, with the intermediate sizes for the thicknesses of belts between
the thickest and thinnest belts; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the coupled ends of
a belt representing a modification in the form of the studs as well as the
manner in which they act upon the belt as compared to that embraced in
Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 6 is a side
view of a tool or implement for punching or cutting the slits in the belt to
receive the studs.
A in the Drawings represents the two ends of a belt B that are to be joined
or secured together by the improved fastening embraced herein; C, the studs
composing the fastening, all of which for the same belt are of uniform size
and length, the length depending upon the thickness of the belt. These
studs C, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, as well as in Figs. 3, where their various
sizes or lengths are represented, are provided at each end with a flat segmental
or other suitably shaped cross head or bar c, the end of which cross heads
project equally from each side of the stud at its two ends. By the studs C the
two ends of a belt are joined or fastened together, each end for receiving them
having longitudinal slits cut or punched through the thickness of the belt as
well as at such distances apart, whether equal or unequal, that when the two
ends of the belt are brought together they will be opposite to or correspond in
position with each other.
In inserting the studs in the slits of the belt their heads are first passed
edgewise through them, the one stud head through one end of the belt and
the other through the opposite end, when by turning them their heads are
brought across the slits so that their flat sides are upon the surface of the belt
with their stems or shanks extending across and from one end of the belt to
the other. Having thus inserted the studs in the belt the fastening or joining
of their ends together is secured and the belt is ready for use; the stems or
shanks of the studs as the belt passes from time to time about and around its
pulleys becoming finally bent or curved in the direction of their length from
one end to the other (as shewn in Fig. 2) bringing the belt at its joint to a
perfect bearing on the pulleys as it passes about and around them, while at
all times the action of the fastening studs upon the belt through their heads,

page_text: in consequence of the strain or tension upon the belt, is in the direction of the
thickness of the belt, or, in other words, at an angle more or less great to
its length, and not in the least degree in or upon the slits made in the belt to
receive the studs, whereby all possibility of the belt being torn out or away in
the direction of such slits is obviated and overcome. As the fastening studs
do not act upon the slits in the belt, but always through the belt thickness, it
is thus plainly obvious that the slits may terminate extremely close to the ends
of the belt, which enables a more perfect and flat joint to be obtained.
If desired or deemed necessary the ends of the belt may be scarfed to
cause them to lie the more close when united or joined by the fastening studs.
The number of studs for the belt will of course depend upon the width
thereof, but in all belts it is deemed best that they should be at equal and
regular distances apart and at such distances that the heads to the several
studs will form, as it were, a continuous bar or rib across the entire width of
the belt, or nearly so.
For cutting the slits in the belt to receive the fastening studs the tool or
implement represented in Fig. 6 of the Drawings will be found most desirable,
as by it they can be all cut or punched at equal distances from the end of the
belt, the tool being constructed similar to an ordinary pair of st
scissors,
that is, with two arms L pivoted together at M with a blade or
the outer end of one arm and a guard O on the other.
ér N on
In using the punch above referred to the end of the belt is first placed in
the guard O, and by its end brought against the stop piece P of the same
when bringing the two handle ends of the arms L together; the cutter N is
thereby made to cut or punch the leather, as is obvious, the stop piece to the
guard O always limiting the distance to which the belt can be placed in the
punch for being acted upon by its cutter blade.
In Fig. 4 and 5, in lieu of forming the several studs with cross heads or
arms, as above described, the heads to the studs are given by a cross wire or
bar S, that is, run through the eyes T at the ends of the studs from one edge
of the belt to the other, and upon both sides of the line of joint to the belt, as
plainly shown in the Figs. just above referred to, these wires or rods S at
each end being properly fastened in the stud's eyes and in use acting on the belt
surface in a manner precisely similar to the cross heads of the several studs.
Or in lieu of joining the studs at each end by a continuous wire or rod the studs
at one end may be provided with separate heads, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,
and at their other constructed with eyes suitable to receive the joining or con-
necting wire or rod, this Invention consisting in a fastening for the ends. of
belts, that while forming a connection between the two ends of the belt will

page_text: and can only act upon the surface of the belt and in the direction of its
thickness, or at an angle more or less great to the length of the belt.
In conclusion it may be here mentioned as among the many advantages
of the improved belt fastening, that it is simple, easily and readily applied,
passes smoothly over the driving pulley, and to insert or attach it no
portion of the belt is required to be cut away, it is moreover strong and
durable.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of improvements in
fastenings for driving or other belts or bands, as communicated to me
from abroad, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent, I claim,-
First, the employment of double-headed studs as fastenings for belts or
bands when acting substantially as and for the purpose described.
Second, the employment of two-eyed loops or links or studs in combination
with the connecting rods or wires, acting substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Third. the employment as a fastening for belts or bands of a series of studs
or } having an eye at one end and a head at the other with a connecting
rod passing through the eyes of the several studs, substantially as above set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my band and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of August, in the
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
year of
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)