US480217A - James stovell - Google Patents

Description

(N0 Model.)

J. STOVELL.

BUCKLE.

No. 480,217. Patented Aug. 2, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES STOVELL, OF \VATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE VATER- BURY BUCKLE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,217, dated August 2, 1892.

Application filed July 23, 1891. Serial No. 400,416. (No model.)

T on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES STOVELL, of Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, haveinvented a new Improvement in Buckles; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the same, and which said [O drawings constitute part of this specification,

and represent, in

Figure 1, a front view of the buckle; Fig. 2, an edge view of the same; Fig. 3, a vertical central section of the same; Fig. 4, the frame with the lever detached; Fig. 5, a transverse section on line 00 a: of Fig. 4, looking downward; Fig. 6, the lever detached; Fig. 7, a modification.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of buckles which are designed especially for suspenders, and particularly to buckles of this class which are made from Wire and in which a clamping-lever is hung in the frame so as to swing backward and forward to correspondingly release or produce the clamping effect upon the suspender, the object of the invention being principally to provide a locking device to hold the clamping-lever in the closed position, but from 0 which it may be readily disengaged as occasion requires; and the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

The frame of the buckle, made from a single piece of wire, consists of an upper side A and a lower side B, connected by ends 0 O, the wire being bent into the required shape to produce these sides and ends.

The two ends are connected by a clampingbar D, usually made from sheet metal, this bar beingarranged so that the suspender, being in troduced from one side of the frame over the bar, may be passed down across the bar and through the frame below and so as to rest upon the clamping-bar, that the clamping device upon the other side of the suspender may engage the suspender upon the said bar.

E represents a lever, which is hung to the upper bar A of the frame. As here represented the frame is constructed with an open space a between the two ends I) Z) of the wire which forms the upper bar A, as seen in Fig. 4. The lever E is also made from wire and as here represented is constructed to form the hook F, by which the Suspender-ends may be attached to the buckle. The lever is formed by doubling the wire, as seen in Fig. 6, and bend ing the doubled end to form the hook F. The two branches extend upward and are then turned to the right and left, as at d d, Fig. 6, and then turned downward to form prongs e e. The length of the branches (1 (1 corresponds to the distance between the two ends 12 b of the upper side so that this lever part may be set between the two ends, as represented in broken lines, Fig. 4, and then a sleeve f, closed around the upper side and the parts cl d of the branches, secures the lever to the upper bar of the buckle and forms ahinge upon which the lever may swing, the lever extend- 7o ing down below the lower bar of the frame.

The points of the prongs e e are turned backward toward the clamping-bar D, and the bar D is constructed with corresponding holes 9, so that as the lever is turned forcibly downward upon the Suspender passing between the bar D and the said prongs the points of the prongs will be forced into the suspender so as to securely engage it against the bar D; but for this clamping or engaging device other known clamping devices may be substituted.

To secure the lever in the down or clamping position, the lower side of the frame is bent backward at the center, so as to leave an opening it through the side B somewhat narrower than the width of the lever E, and to give elasticity to this side of the frame, so that it may yield to permit the lever to pass through the contracted opening 72, a loop i is formed in the part B, extending backward from the opening h. This loop-like formation of the side B gives a length of metalsufficient to permit the elasticity necessarv for the entrance of the lever through the openingh and into the loop at the rear, and as indicated in Fig. 5. This spring-opening It forms a clasp, which will so engage the lever in its down position that it will firmly hold its clamp upon the suspender, but yet so that I00 the lever may be drawn forward by applying sufficient force thereto when readjustment of the suspender is required.

In some buckles of this class the hook is formed as a part of the frame. In such case it may extend down from the loop, as indi cated in broken lines, Fig. 4, and thus be made independent of the lever; but the lever will still be interlocked with the frame in the same manner as before described, irrespective of whether the hook be formed as a part of the lever or apart of the frame or whether the hook be dispensed with altogether, as in some cases.

\Vhile I prefer to make the bendin the bar or side to form the interlocking opening or recess backward and in the form of a loop, as I have described, the bends may be made forward, as seen in Fig. 7, forming substantially the same opening with which the lever may interlock as first described. The invention is therefore not to be understood as limited to any particular formation of the interlocking opening for the lever, it only being essential to the invention that the locking-recess and opening into it shall be in a plane at substantially right angles to the plane of the lever which is to engage with it.

I do not wish to be understood as claiming, broadly, a buckle having a tongue hinged thereto and the side of the frame upon which the tongue rests provided with an elastic holder into the grasp of which the tongue may be pressed, so as to secure the tongue in the closed position, as such, I am aware, is not new.

I claim-- 1. In a buckle, the combination of aframe made from wire with a lever hung in said frame and adapted to swing backward and forward as a means for engaging the strap passing through the frame, the said lever extending across and beyond the side of the frame opposite its hinge, the said opposite side of the frame bent backward at its center and forming an open elastic loop, the plane of the bend to form the loop being at right angles to the plane of the frame, and the loop of greater width than the width of the lever, but the openinginto the said loop somewhat narrower than the width of the lever, said loop being an integral part of the frame, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a buckle, the combination of aframe made from wire, composed of two sides A B,

a connected by ends 0 C, a lever E, also made from wire doubled, the doubled end bent to 1 form the hook F, the two branches above turned to the right and left, the ends of the l branches returned substantially parallel with the lever and so as to form prongs e e, the lever hung to the side A of the frame as a Y hinge upon which the lever may swing, the

other side B of the frame bent backward to form an opening it, and a loop iin rear of said opening h, the said opening it corresponding in position to the lever, but somewhat narrower than the width of the lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES STOVELL.

Witnesses:

G. E. MINTIE, H. L. SLAUsoN.

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