IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR CRAVATS AND NECKTIES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hinks and Thomas Hooper, both of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers, and Francis Robert Baker, of
Birmingham aforesaid, Mechanical Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hinks, Thomas
Hooper, and Francis Robert Baker at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 27th October 1880.
JOHN HINKS and THOMAS HOOPER, both of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturers, and FRANCIS ROBERT BAKER, of Birmingham aforesaid,
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR CRAVATS AND
NECKTIES."
Our Invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in fastenings
for cravats and neckties; our said improvements being applicable principally to
cravats in which the band passing round the neck is fixed at one end to a triangular
or heart shaped front or overlapping ends covering the chest, the other end of the
band being capable of connection to and disconnection from the cravat or neck tie.
Our Invention is also applicable to neck ties having in front bows and ends or
other shaped front parts.
According to one of our improvements we pierce from a plate of thin sheet steel
a pointed tongue, joined at its base to the plate of steel. Its pointed end is bent
at right angles to the plane of the plate. A lever jointed to the plate engages
under the tongue, and when the lever is raised it lifts the pointed tongue, the said
tongue tending to return to its normal position by its elasticity. The plate is
attached by sewing to the underside of the piece of millboard behind the front of
the cravat, and between which millboard and the front of the cravat the free end
of the neck band is passed, the lever passing through the covering of the millboard.
By raising the lever, the end of the neck band can be passed to the required
distance behind the front of the cravat, and by then depressing the lever the point
of the spring tongue enters the band and fixes its position. By raising the lever
the spring tongue is raised and the band liberated. Or the separate lever may be
dispensed with, a protruding part of the spring tongue serving as a lifter to raise
the spring tongue.

page_text: The springing action described may be dispensed with, and the lever may be
made to turn by a bar at its rear, being sewn to the millboard referred to. On the
underside of the lever, and near its middle, is a tooth or a series of teeth. The
raising and lowering of the lever is effected by its fore end.
According to another of our improvements we cut or pierce a short spring tongue
in a narrow strip of thin steel. The ends of this strip are engaged in holes in a
bow shaped support, the said support pressing against the ends of the strip and
causing it to assume a curved form.
When the strip of steel is so curved that its concave face is presented to the
concave side of the bow or support, the tooth carried by the strip is raised from the
bow or support; but when the strip of steel is pressed towards the bow or support
so as to make it curve inwards, its convex side is then turned towards the concave
side of the bow or support, and the spring tongue enters a hole in the bow or
support. The bow or support is fixed by sewing to the cravat, and the free end of
the neck band passed between the bow or support and strip of steel carrying the
tooth. By depressing the strip of steel its tooth fixes the end of the band, and by
lifting the strip of steel the end of the band is liberated.
According to another of our improvements we make the fixed pointed tongue
used principally for fastening neck ties, but also applicable to cravats in the
following manner-We cut or pierce from an oblong or other shaped plate of steel
a pointed tongue attached by its base to the said plate. We then fold the said
plate at its middle, so that the millboard or other stiff part of the neck tie or cravat
may be inserted between its parallel sides, the point projecting in the plane of that
side to which it is attached. Fixed pointed tongues of this kind retain their
position in use much more readily than fixed tongues of the ordinary kind.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Hinks, Thomas Hooper, and Francis Robert Baker in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd April 1881.
JOHN HINKS and THOMAS HOOPER, both of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturers, and FRANCIS ROBERT BAKER, of Birmingham aforesaid,
Mechanical Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR CRAVATS AND
NECK. THES."
Our Invention consists of the improvements herein after described in fastenings
for cravats and neck ties; our said improvements being applicable principally to
cravats in which the band passing round the neck is fixed at one end to a
triangular or heart shaped front or overlapping ends covering the chest, the other
end of the band being capable of connection to and disconnection from the cravat
or neck tie.
Our Invention is also applicable to neck ties having in front bows and ends or
other shaped front parts.
According to one of our improvements we pierce from a plate of thin sheet steel,
a pointed tongue joined at its base to the plate of steel.
Its pointed end is bent at right angles to the plane of the plate.
A lever jointed to the plate engages under the tongue, and when the lever is
raised it lifts the pointed tongue, the said tongue tending to return to its normal
position by its clasticity. The plate is attached by sewing to the underside of the
piece of millboard behind the front of the cravat, between which millboard and the
front of the cravat the free end of the neck band is passed, the lever passing
through the covering of the millboard.
By raising the lever the end of the neck band can be passed to the required
distance behind the front of the cravat, and by then depressing the lever the point
of the spring tongue enters the band and fixes its position. By raising the lever
the spring tongue is raised and the band liberated.
Or the separato lever may be dispensed with, a protruding part of the spring
tongue serving as a lifter to raise the spring tongue.
According to another of our improvements we cut or pierce a series of spring
tongues or teeth in a narrow strip of thin steel. The ends of this strip are engaged
in holes in a bow shaped support, the said support pressing against the ends of the
strip, and causing it to assume a curved form.
When the strip of steel is so curved that its concave face is presented to the
concave side of the bow or support, the tooth or teeth carried by the strip is or are
raised from the bow or support, but when the strip of steel is pressed towards the
bow or support, so as to make it curve inwards, its convex side is then turned
towards the concave side of the bow or support, and the tongues or teeth are
presented to the bow or support.
The bow or support is fixed by sewing to the cravat, and the free end of the
neck band passed between the bow or support and strip of steel carrying the tooth.
By depressing the strip of steel its tooth fixes the end of the band, and by lifting
the strip of steel the end of the band is liberated.
According to another of our improvements we make the fixed pointed tongue,
used principally for fastening neck ties, but 'also applicable to cravats, in the
following manner-We cut or pierce from an oblong or other shaped plate of steel
a pointed tongue attached by its base to the said plate.
We then fold the said plate at or about its middle, so that the millboard or other
stiff part of the neck tie or cravat may be inserted between its parallel sides, the
point projecting in the plane of that side to which it is attached. Fixed pointed

page_text: tongues of this kind retain their position in use much more readily than fixed
tongues of the ordinary kind.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing
the manner in which our Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in back elevation a portion of a cravat to which a fastening
constructed according to our Invention is applied; Figure 2 represents in section
and plan the fastening detached, drawn to a larger scale, with the spring tongue
and lifting lever in their raised or non acting positions; Figure 3 represents the
same in their depressed or acting positions; Figure 4 is an end elevation of
Figure 2, and Figure 5 is an end elevation of Figure 3; Figure 6 represents the
lifting lever separately.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
and 6.
a, a³, is the pointed spring tongue of the fastening made from the steel plate b
forming the body of the fastening. The pointed end a³ of the spring tongue a is
bent at right angles to the plane of the other part; c is the lifting lever jointed
by the cars c, c, to the body b, the said ears o², c³, working in pockets at 6³, 6ª, on
the said body b. The said lever is engaged under the spring tongue a, the said
tongue passing through a slot d made in the lever. When the lever c is raised
into the position represented in Figures 2 and 4, it lifts the pointed tongue a, a²,
the said tongue tending to return to its normal position by its elasticity. When
the lever c passes over the centre c², c, on which it turns, it is held in that position
by the pressure of the spring tongue a, a², and the fastening is thus held or locked
out of action.
The heel of the lifting lever c constitutes a stop and prevents the lever being
moved beyond the position represented in Figure 2, by bearing against shoulders
on the body b. On shutting down the lever c the spring tongue a, a³, bearing
upon it forces it into the horizontal position represented in Figure 3, and locks or
holds it securely in that position.
The body of the fastening is attached by sewing to the underside of the piece
of millboard f behind the front of the cravat (see Figure 1), the edge of the piece
of millboard being engaged with the trough shaped end b3 of the body b. A slot
or opening is made in the millboard at in which the spring tongue and lever
work. Between the millboard f and the front of the cravat the free end h² of the
neck band his passed. By raising the lever c into the position represented in
Figures 2 and 4, the spring tongue u, u, is lifted from the neckband ², and the
latter is released and can be passed to the required distance behind the front of the
cravat; and by depressing the lever c the parts take the positions represented in
Figures 3 and 5, the point end a² of the spring tongue entering the neck band h²
and fixing its position.
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The fastening described may be modified by dispensing with the separate lover c,
and using in place thereof a projecting part at the free end of the spring tongue,
the said projecting part serving as a lifter to raise the spring tongue to unfasten
the cravat or necktic.
This modification is represented in plan in Figure 7 and section in Figure 8;
Figure 9 represents the pierced blank from which the fastening is inade; b is the steel
plate from which the spring tongue a is made, the said tongue having at its free
end the lip piece or projecting part a³ by which the said tongue can be lifted for
unfastening the cravat or neck tie. The pointed part or spike a of the spring
tongue is made by piercing the latter near its end, as shown at a³, Figure 9, and
bending the pierced part at right angles to the spring tongue, as seen in Figure 8.
When the spring tongue a is in its normal position, its pointed part or spike a
enters the neck band h² and fixes the said band. By lifting the spring tongue by
the lip or projecting part a³ the spike a is withdrawn from the neck band h and
the latter is released. This fastening is secured to the piece of pasteboard or
millboard f of the cravat or neck tie by bending the front ends a³, at, around the
edge of the said pasteboard or millboard, in the manner illustrated in Figure 8,

page_text: by
millboard.
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Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 represent a fastening constructed according to our
Invention, in which a thin strip of steel carrying tongues or teeth is supported by a
bow shaped support. Figure 10 represents in side elevation the fastening in its
open position, and Figure 11 represents the same in its closed or fastening position.
Figure 12 is a plan of the fastening; Figure 13 represents an end elevation of
Figure 10; and Figure 14 represents an end elevation of Figure 11. i, i, is the
narrow strip of sheet steel, the ends of which are engaged in holes at k, k, in the
ends of the bow shaped support 7, the said ends of the support pressing against
the said steel strip i, i, and causing it to assume the curved figure
represented.
At one edge of the said strip i is a series of tongues or teeth m, m, for gripping
the neck band of the cravat or neck tie. The bow or support i is fixed by sewing
to the cravat or neck tie, and the free end of the neck band is passed between the
bow support and the steel strip i carrying the tongues or teeth m, m. When the
steel strip is in the position represented in Figure 10, that is, when its concavo
side is presented to the bottom of the bow support 2, the tongues or teeth m, m,
carried by it are raised from the said bottom of the support, and the fastening is
open.
When however the steel strip i towards the bottom of the bow shaped
support so as to make it curve inwards, as represented in Figure 11, its convex
,
side is presented to the bottom of the bow shaped support 7, and the tongues or
teeth m, m, are pressed forcibly upon the neck band, and fix the said baud by
gripping it between the said tongues or teeth m, m, and the base of the bow shaped
support, as will be understood by an examination of Figure 11.
The spring tongue and lifting lever of the arrangement represented in Figures
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 may be combined with a bow shaped support. This modification
of the fastening is represented in sido elevation in Figure 15, plan in Figure 16,
and end elevations in Figures 17 and 18, the spring tongue being represented in its
raised position in Figures 15, 16, and 17, and in its depressed position in Figure 18.
In this modification the thin piece of steel from which the spring tongue a, a², is
made is of a cruciform shape, the arms b, b, of the said piece of steel being con-
nected to the sides of the bow shaped support p. The action of this fastening is
the same as that of the fastening represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and
corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of reference.
The fastening shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9, may be combined with a bow shaped
support.
Figure 19 represents in front elevation, and Figure 20 in side elevation, a
fastening for a neck tie or cravat constructed according to our Invention, the said
fastening consisting of a fixed pointed tongue or spike and a fixing forked plate.
Figure 21 represents the blank from which the fastening is made.
In making this fastening we take an oblong piece of steel of the kind represented
in Figure 21 and marked q, r, and we pierce from it a pointed tongue or spikes,
attached by its base to the said piece of steel. The pierced blank is next folded at
the dotted line, Figure 21, so as to bring the two parts q, r, of the blank parallel to
one another, as shown in Figures 19 and 20. By the bending of the blank as
described the pointed tongue or spike s is made to project in the plane of the side »
of the folded blank to which it is attached, as seen in Figure 20.
The edge of the millboard or other stiff part of the fastening is inserted between
the parallel sides 7, 8, of the fastening, and the said fastening is sewn at the
piercings t, t, to the millboard or other stiff part of the necktie or cravat.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our
Invention,-
First. The improvements in fastenings for cravats and neck ties herein before
described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the accompanying

page_text: Drawing, that is to say, the construction and combination of the spring
tongue a, a², and lifting lever c, for the purpose and substantially as described and
illustrated.
Secondly. The modification herein before described and illustrated in Figures 7, 8,
and 9 of the accompanying Drawing, in which the lifting lever is omitted and the
spring tongue is lifted from the neck band of the cravat or necktie by a projecting
part or lip at the free end of the said spring tongue.
Thirdly. The improvements in fastenings for cravats and neck ties herein before
described and illustrated in Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the accompanying
Drawing, that is to say, the construction and combination of the curved strip of steel
or other elastic metal i, i, provided with tongues or teeth, and supported upon a bow
shaped support l, substantially as described and illustrated.
Fourthly. The combination of the spring tongue and lifting lever, or the spring
tongue alone, with a bow shaped support, as herein before described and illustrated
in Figures 15, 16, 17, and 18 of the accompanying Drawing.
Lastly. Making a fastening for neckties and cravats consisting of a fixed pointed
tongue or spike and a forked plate for securing the fastening to the necktie or
cravat in the manner herein before described and illustrated in Figures 19, 20, and
21 of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, wc, the said John Hinks and Thomas Hooper, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty first day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
SAMUEL GEORGE MOORE,
Harborne Road,
Edgbaston.
JOHN HINKS.
(L.S.)
THOMAS HOOPER. (L.S.)