AN IMPROVED GLOVE FASTENER
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert William Southcombe, of Yeovil, in the County
of Somerset, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED GLOVE FASTENER."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert William Southcombe
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th January 1880.
HERBERT WILLIAM SOUTHCOMBE, of Yeovil, in the County of Somerset.
"AN IMPROVED GLOVE FASTENER."
My Invention relates to an improved device or appliance for conveniently and
securely fastening gloves upon the hands of the wearer, the construction of the said
device also permitting the gloves to be quickly and conveniently unfastened or
opened when it is desired to remove the same from the hand.
In carrying my said Invention into practice I employ two metal arms pivotted
together at one end in such a manner that they may be moved to or from each
other on the pivot. These arms are designed to be secured to the glove in such a
manner that one arm is on one side of the slit or opening ordinarily made in gloves
to facilitate putting on and taking off the same, and the other arm on the other
side of the said opening, the pivotted portion or head being at the lower part of the
latter.
The device above described, consisting only of the the two arms and the pivot, is
well known and does not form any part of my Invention, but it has been found in
practice that if the said arms are not provided with means other than the ordinary
spring for holding them when in the closed position they are liable to open when
not required to do so, for instance, when the hand of the wearer is shut or moved
into certain positions.
According to my said Invention I construct one of the arms in such a manner
that its lower end, namely, the pivoted end, forms a small disc, a portion of which
is cut away for a certain distance, leaving the periphery of the disc of loss radius
at one part than at the other part. The portion of the disc at which the widest
part terminates thus forms a shoulder which acts as a catch or stop. The other
arm terminates at its lower end in a disc, through which the pivot passes to fasten
the two arms together. On this arm I provide a lever which lies closely upon the
upper surface of the arm and is pivotted thereto a short distance above the lower
or pivotted end of the arm. The lower end of this lever lies in front of the
Paving G71

page_text: shoulder or catch, and it is impossible for the latter to pass the end of this lever
unless it is moved out of the path of the disc. A plate or cap is provided above
the disc, and the end of the lever works between this cap and the disc forming the
end of the second arm A portion of the metal of the lever above its pivot is cut
out longitudinally so as to leave a very narrow strip on the inner side, and the
upper end of this strip lies against a stud secured to and projecting upward from an
ear or lug on the inner part of the arm to which the lever is attached. There is a
corresponding stud on the end of the wider portion of the lever, the two studs
being thus parallel with each other. By laterally pressing the stud on the lever
toward the other stud the long arm of the lever moves inward and the short or
lower arm below the pivot moves outward far enough to allow the catch or shoulder
of the disc to pass the lower end of the lever, consequently when this is done the
arms are free to open. The said narrow strip of metal forming part of the lever,
and whose upper end rests against the stud attached to the ear, forms a spring to
cause the lever to resume its normal position when the arms are again brought
together. When this is effected, as in closing or fastening the glove, the wider
portion of the disc slides over the lower end of the lever keeping it pressed outward,
but immediately the point of the shoulder or catch passes the lever-end the latter
springs in front of this shoulder and the arms are again locked until the stud on
the upper part of the lever is again pressed inward.
When the said device or appliance is fixed to a glove the two studs will be at
the upper part of the opening, that is to say, in about the same position as is
occupied by the button on an ordinary glove. The locking or fastening is effected
by simply closing the slit or opening of the glove, and to unlock the arms the
wearer has only to press the two studs with his thumb and finger, and as long as
the moveable stud is pressed to the other stud the arms may be opened.
From the above description it will be seen that the locking parts are situated at
the lower or pivotted part of the arms, which arrangement is found to be much
more convenient than providing appliances to hold the arms at their upper or free
ends.
It will be obvious that instead of employing a pivotted lever, as above described,
for effecting the operation of locking and unlocking I may use a sliding pieco or
any similar device, the essential feature of my Invention consisting in providing
parts which lock and unlock the arms at the lower or pivotted end of the latter.
I may in some cases provide a spring by which one of the arms will be thrown
outward immediately the lever end is removed from the shoulder or catch.

page_text: securely fastening gloves upon the hands of the wearer, the construction of the said
device also permitting the gloves to be quickly and conveniently unfastened or
opened when it is desired to remove the same from the hands.
My Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which―
Figure 1 is a face view of my improved glove-fastener when closed, and
Figure 2 is a similar view shewing the same opened.
Figure 3 is an edge view of the said glove fastener.
Figure 4 is a face view, and
Figure 5 an edge view of a modified form of the said glove-fastener.
Figures 6 and 7, Figures 8 and 9, and Figures 10 and 11 are similar views to
Figures 4 and 5, representing various other modifications of my improved glove-
fastener hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
In carrying my Invention into practice, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3, I
employ two metal arms a, b, pivotted together at c in such a manner that they may
be moved to or from each other on the said pivot. These arms are designed to be
secured to the glove in such a manner that one arm is on one side of the slit or opening
ordinarily made in gloves to facilitate the putting on and taking off the same, and
the other arm on the other side of the said opening, the pivotted portion or head
being at the lower part of the latter.
The device above described, consisting only of the two arms a, b, and the pivot c,
is well known, and does not form any part of my Invention, but it has been found
in practice that if the said arms are not provided with means other than the ordinary
spring for holding them when in a closed position, as shewn in Figure 1, they are
liable to open when not required to do so, for instance, when the hand of the wearer
is shut or moved into certain positions.
of
To obviate this liability of the said arms to open I construct one of the said arms
b in such a manner that its lower end forms a small disc b' which is provided at
62, 63, with shoulders which act as catches or stops, as hereinafter described. The
arm a terminates at its lower end in a disc a¹ through which the pivot c passes to
fasten the two arms a, b, together. On this arm I arrange a lever d which lies
closely upon the surface of the said arm, and is pivotted thereto at d', as shewn.
The lower end d of this lever d, when the two arms a, b, are closed, as shewn in
Figure 1, engages with the shoulder or catch 62, and renders it impossible for the
latter to pass the end of the lever d unless this lever is moved out of the path of the
disc. A plate or cap (not shewn) is provided above the disc b¹, and the end
the lever d works between this cap and the disc b¹ forming the end of the arm b.
A portion of the metal of the lever d above its pivot is cut out longitudinally, as
shewn at d³, so as to leave a very narrow strip d' on the inner side, and the upper
end of this strip lies against a stud e secured to and projecting from the inner part
of the arm a to which the lever d is attached. A corresponding stud f is secured
to the end of the wider portion d³ of the lever, the two studs e and f being parallel
with each other, as shewn. By laterally pressing the stud f toward the stud e the
long arm of the lever d moves inward and the short or lower arm below the pivot
ď moves outward far enough to allow the catch or shoulder 62 of the disc b¹ to pass.
the lower end of the lever; consequently when this is done the arms are free to
be opened, as shewn in Figure 2, the extent of their outward movement being

page_text: determined by the end d² of the lever d coming in contact with the shoulder 6³. The
narrow strip d forms a spring and tends to cause the lever d to resume its normal
position when the arms are again brought together. When this is effected, as in
closing or fastening the glove, the portion 6* of the disc 6' slides over the lower end
of the lever d, keeping it pressed outward, but immediately the point of the shoulder
or catch b² passes the lever-end d² the latter springs in front of this shoulder, and
the arms are again locked until the stud f is again pressed inward.
When the said device or appliance is fixed to a glove the two studs e, f, will be at
the upper part of the opening, that is to say, in about the same position as is occu-
pied by the button on an ordinary glove. The locking or fastening is effected by
simply closing the slit or opening of the glove, and to unlock the arms the wearer
has only to press the stud f toward the stud e with his thumb and finger, when the
arms may be opened.
In Figures 4 and 5 I have shewn a glove fastener in which the portion d³ of the
lever d is of less length than the corresponding part shewn in Figures 1 to 3. In
combination with this portion do of the lever I employ a pivotted lever de provided
with a stud at f. By this arrangement I obviate the necessity of employing the
stud e, as in the fastener first herein described, and effect the withdrawal of the
lower end d³ of the lever to permit the movement of the disc b¹ by pressing the
stud foutward.
In the glove-fastener shewn in Figures 6 and 7 I effect the locking of the arins
a, b, when closed by employing a sliding piece or plate g, which is provided at g¹
with a slot to allow it to move longitudinally upon the pin h secured to the arm a.
This plate is provided with a stud at g2 by which the lower end g* of the plate
may be withdrawn from the notch in the disc b'. i represents a spiral spring
which tends to constantly force the end g* of the plate g in the direction indicated
by the arrow in Figure 6, to effect the locking of the two arms a and b when closed.
Figures 8 and 9 shew a glove-fastener in which the plate g is pressed in a
contrary direction to that in Figures 6 and 7 to unlock the arms a, b, that is to say,
in the direction of the arrow, Figure 8. The said plate is in this modification
formed with a hook-shaped portion g** to enter the recess or notch b¹ in the plate b¹,
and the spring i tends to constantly retain the said portion g** within the
said recess b⭑.
In the further modification, illustrated in Figures 10 and 11, the sliding plate g
instead of being provided at its end with a hook or projection to enter the recess
in the disc b', is attached to a pivotted dog or catch j, provided at j¹ with a tooth
or projection adapted to enter the notch b₁ and lock the arms a, b, when closed, as
above described. When it is desired to unlock the said arms the plate g is pressed
in the direction of the arrow, Figure 10, in a similar manner to that described with
reference to Figures 8 and 9, and in a contrary direction to the tension exerted by
the spring i. Instead of using a spiral metal spring i, as shewn, I in some cases
substitute for the same an india-rubber or other suitable spring.
From the above description it will be readily understood that the locking parts
are situated at the lower or pivotted part of the arms a, b, which arrangement is
found to be much more convenient than providing appliances to hold the arms at
their upper or free ends.
I may in some cases provide the aforesaid arms a, b, with a knife-spring, as
ordinarily employed in glove-fasteners, or any other suitable spring may be made
use of in combination with the devices above described, by which one of the arms
will be thrown outward immediately the lever end or sliding plate is withdrawn
from the shoulder, catch, or recess in the disc b¹.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. A glove-fastener consisting of two arms pivotted together at one end and
provided with suitable means at or near their pivot whereby the the said arms are
securely locked or fastened when closed in such a manner that they may be readily
unfastened or opened when desired.

page_text: Second. A glove-fastener consisting of two arms, one of which carries a pivotted
lever, as shewn in Figures 1 to 5 of the Drawing, or a sliding plate provided with
or connected to a catch or hook, as shown in Figures 6 to 11, which lever or plate
is operated in one direction by a spring, and is adapted to engage with a notch or
recess upon the pivoted end of the other arm, substantially as above set forth and
for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert William Southcombe, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty second day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
HERBERT WILLIAM SOUTHCOMBE. (L.S.)