Improvements in Rivet Fastenings.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 1st July, 1887,
Certain Improvements in Rivet Fastenings.
I, MATTHEW ARNOLD, residing at No. 57 Silver Street, in the city and county of
San Francisco, and State of California, one of the United States of America,
Mechanical Engineer, 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 :—
My invention relates to an improved rivet for securing flexible articles, such as
leather, together. It consists of a circular or other suitably-shaped head having two
or more pointed legs or extensions projecting from it at right angles with its plane so
as to pass through the articles to be united; the points being folded or bent over upon
the opposite side.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
:-
Figure 1 is a view of my rivet, showing three arms or prongs, (corrugated.)
Figure 2, is a section of two united pieces, showing one method of folding the
points of the rivet.
Figure 3 shows another method for the same.
Figure 4 is a view with three prongs (plain.)
Figure 5 is a plan of the same.
Figure 6 shows a rounded head.
A is the head, which may be circular or other suitable shape, and B B are legs or
projections which are formed with it.
The whole may be cut out of suitable sheet metal and struck up by die or machine
so that the legs or extensions stand parallel with each other, and at right angles with
the plane of the head.
These legs or extensions are formed with points upon the ends opposite the head A,
so that they may be easily driven through the leather or other material which it is
desired to fasten together, and after they have passed through the material, the points
which project slightly upon the opposite side may be folded down either inwardly or
outwardly, as shown in the drawings, thus securing the rivet firmly in place. In the
present case, I have shown three extensions or legs, but it will be seen that any other
number may be used with satisfactory results.

page_text: As the head A is approximately circular in form, it will be seen that the legs or
extensions will be curved in their transverse section by reason of their width, and this
gives them sufficient strength to enable them to be safely driven through the articles
which are to be secured.
It may be found desirable to so construct the forming dies that the legs or
extensions will be corrugated or fluted, to give additional strength, so that they may
be driven without buckling or bending.
When these legs are forced through very heavy leather or other material, there is a
tendency to bend them outward, or spread them at the angle where they meet the
head; and in order to prevent this, I construct the forming die so that this angle of
the legs is forced under or within the rim of the head, so that when pressed into the
material to be fastened, the legs are in a line beneath the rim with which they are
formed, and the pressure of the punch is thus exerted in a direct line so that the legs
will be forced straight through without binding or spreading.
By this construction, I do not cut away or separate any of the body of the leather
or other material, but leave it united, and simply make sufficient openings through it
to admit the legs or extensions, and when these are folded down, the whole is very
strongly bound together.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim, is-
A rivet, having a circular, flat, or hemispherical head with transversely-curved or
longitudinally-fluted legs projecting therefrom so as to enter the material to be
fastened, said legs standing within the exterior circle of the rim, substantially as
herein described.