US478285A - Buckle - Google Patents

Description

F. H. LA PIERRE.

BUCKLE.

(No Model.)

Patented July 5, 1892.

- Winesses:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. LA PIERRE, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

.BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 478,28 5, dated July 5, 1892.

Application filed April 6, 1892. Serial No. 428.060. (No model.) h

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK H. LA PIERRE,

, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to buckles for belts, garters, and the like; and theinvention consists in the novel construction of the same, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Figure 1 is a transverse horizontal section showing the position of the parts when in use. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the tongue or clamp opened for adjustment. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the buckle with the tongue raised, and Fig. 4 is asectional view showing the parts made wholly of sheet metal.

The object of this invention is to produce an ornamental buckle for use 'on belts, garters, and the like, and which, while so constructed as to hold the-belt or garter secure against slipping or getting loose and permit of ready adjustment, shall at the same time have no prongs or tongues, which puncture the belt or material to which the buckle may be applied.

To construct a buckle on my plan, I first. pro- Vide a frame A of any desired external form and preferably made fiat on its front and rear faces, slightly curved transversely, as shown, and having a central opening rectangular in outline. On the under or rear face of this frame, near one edge of the opening, Isecure a bar d, Fig. 3, by means of short arms at each end, bent at right angles to the body of the bar, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, so that said bar (1 is made to stand out a little from the rear face of the frame A. I then provide a plate B of a length corresponding to the central opening, but somewhat narrower than the opening, so that when set therein a small'space will be left between its edges and those of the frame, as shown in Fig. 1, and through which the belt or ribbon will show when the buckle is closed, though these spaces are not absolutely essential, it only being necessary that there be sufficient space to permit the plate B, which is pivoted on the back or under side of the frame, to swing outward, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. I prefer, however, to have the spaces at opposite sides of the plate, as by a rectangular frame a little wider than the plate B, as shown in the several figures, it projecting a little beyond the front edge of the plate and leaving sufficient space to permit the belt or ribbon to be passed through and folded around the bar 0, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. At the opposite side the plate B is hinged to back side of the frame A by pintles 0 at each end, which fit into eyeseon the back of the frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the bar or wire 0 extending from one eye to the otheracross and a little way from the rear edge of the plate B, the same as at the front edge, so thatthe opposite end of the belt or ribbon can be secured thereto, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Care is taken to make the offset in the bar cljust sufficient to bring the outer faces of the'plate B and frame A in line when the plate is shut down, in which case its front loop 0 will rest upon the bar d or on the interposed ribbon R, as shown in Fig. 1.

The manner of applying and using this buckle is as follows: One end of the belt or ribbon R is passed around the rear or righthand bar 0 and sewed or pinned fast. The opposite end 6 is then passed around the front bar 0 and thence underthe bar d and between it and the uncut portion of the belt or ribbon R, as shown in the several figures, when the plate is shut down, as shown in Fig. 1. The result of this arrangement is that the loose end '1 is doubled around the bar 0, then back around the bar (1, and is finally clamped between the body of the belt R and the bar D,

so that the greater the tension or strain on the bolt the tighter the loose end is clamped. When it is desired to tighten the belt, it is only necessary to take hold of the loose end t and pull on it, at the same time raising the plate B slightly, and to release it the plate is raised a little and the pull made on the main portion of the belt, theraising of-the plate in all cases tending to loosen orrelease the hold or clamping effect,-which the bars 0 (Z have on the belt or ribbon.

It is obvious that instead of using a wire to form the offset or bar (I the same -may be formed by leaving a surplus width of metal on the inner'edge of the frame at that side in the form of a lip, which may then be bent inward and then backward, as shown in Fig. 4, it answering the same purpose in all respects. So, too, it is obvious that instead of fastening the wire 0 to the plate B to form bars for the attachment of the belt at its opposite sides the same result will be accomplished by making the plate B enough widerto have its edges bent down to form lips at right angles to its body, there being a slot punched or otherwise formed in each lip for the reception of the belt or ribbon, such construction being also shown in Fig. 4. It is merely a matter of choice for the manufacturer as to which is the cheaper planto use the wire and solder it fast or to punch and bend the metal of the plate and frame. WVhen made heavy of solid silver or gold, it may be more convenient to use the wire; but when made of thinner plate or sheet metal the bending and punching will be preferred.

The face of the buckle may be ornamented by engraving orotherwise forming ornamental figures thereon, or by enameling portions, or by inserting jewels or other ornaments, as may be desired. By this construction I am enabled to produce a buckle that can be made highly ornamental, one that will hold the belt or other article to which it is applied securely, that can be easily and quickly adjusted and that does not puncture or injure the belt or ribbon, thus forming an article that is espe cially adapted for ladies use.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The herein-described buckle, consisting of a frame A, having a central opening, with an ofiset bar orlip along one side of said opening, with a plate B, hinged to the frame at the opposite side of said opening and having a bar or slot at both its front and rear edges for attaching the belt or ribbon,substantially as shown and described.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a buckle consisting of a frame A, having a central opening, with an oifset along one side of said opening, and a plate B, hinged to the rear side of the frame at one side of the-opening and provided at its edges with a slotor opening for the reception of the belt or ribbon, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK I-I. LA PIERRE. \Vitn esses:

TIMOTHY KIELY, MORRIS E. STERNE.

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