shearings, or other substances "in a finely comminuted state.” Or the fabric may be formed by saturating a bat of cotton, wool, or similar material with a solution of gutta percha or of gutta percha and caoutchouc, the solution containing by preference sulphur and colouring matter.

Articles made of gutta percha alone or mixed with caoutchouc are formed by casting them in cored or other moulds; when they are cast in pieces, the joints are united by passing a hot iron over them.

Articles, now ordinarily made of unsulphurized caout66 chouc," are improved by exposing them for from 30 to 60 minutes to the fumes of sulphur in a close vessel heated to from 210° to 250°, and by immersing them for the same length of time in a bath of melted sulphur.

[Printed, 4d. No Drawings. See Repertory of Arts, vol. 9 (enlarged series), p. 170; London Journal (Newton's), vol. 28 (conjoined series), p. 432; Mechanics' Magazine, vol. 44, p. 269.1

A.D. 1845, May 31.-N° 10,694.

2

MASTERS, JOHN.-"Improvements in trouser fastenings and "in attaching the same, and also in the application of an "elastic material or fabric to trousers and other articles of "dress." The first improvement relates to trouser straps. To each leg of the trousers is attached on the inside " a pair of eye plates," and to each end of the straps a hook plate which takes into one of the eye plates. The top of the eye plate is cut with " a three-way slot," by means of which the plate is made fast to two buttons sewn to the trousers.

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The second relates to braces; these are connected at the back by making three or four eyelet holes along the edge of each brace, and by passing a lace through the holes.

The third relates to trousers; these are made to fit better to the shape of the body by letting into the back part a piece of some elastic fabric. Waistcoats may be improved in like

manner.

The fourth relates to gloves; the fourchettes and quirks, being the parts "most liable to strain" and "the first to give way and become out of shape," are made of some suitable elastic fabric.

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[Printed, 6d. Drawing. See London Journal (Newton's), vol. 28 (conjoined series), p. 169.]

A.D. 1845, June 3.-N° 10,699.

READING, JOHN.- "Improvements in fastenings for articles "of dress." This invention comprises (1) a stock fastener, (2) a substitute for a clasp, (3) a substitute for a hook and eye, (4) a substitute for a buckle.

1. A rack is attached to one end of the stock, and a plate to the other end. On the plate are guides for the rack, a bolt, and a spring. One portion of the bolt "slides in front of the 66 plate," another portion "slides at the back," and the lower portion "slides in an opening or slot in the plate." The lower portion is prevented from falling from the opening by a "guide plate fastened to the back of the plate." On the end of the lower portion is a tooth, which engages in the teeth of the rack by the pressure of the spring. The parts are separated applying pressure against the upper end of the bolt.”

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2. One plate has "a rectangular opening" in it and a spring which "presses against the said plate immediately opposite to "the opening.' The other plate has one part “raised above "the plane of the other portions thereof to a height somewhat 66 greater than the thickness" of the metal. The raised part is introduced under the spring and pushed until it is opposite the opening; the pressure of the spring causes the raised part to enter the opening. To effect a separation the plate having the raised part "must be depressed so as to form an angle' with the other plate. Two modifications of this arrangement are described in the Specification. This clasp may be "applied "to a trouser strap."

3. The part to constitute the eye is a piece of wire bent somewhat into the shape of an ordinary eye with one end passing-up the middle and acting as a spring. The hook is bent in such manner 66 as to form a loop at one end." The parts are united by pressing the loop against the under side of the spring so as to raise it; the hook is then inclined; the upper edge of the loop passes the end of the spring, and on bringing the parts again into the same plane "the two parts are fastened securely together."

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4. The substitute is described as affixed to a brace :-A rectangular plate having a guide at each end is attached to the end [of the brace. A like-shaped plate of such size that it slides in the guides and carrying two studs is attached to a web

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or band "of a length equal to the range of lengthening to be given to the brace." One end of the web is connected to the brace at such a part that when the brace and web are stretched tightly the plate carrying the studs "is immediately 66 over " the other. The removable end is a leather strap perforated to correspond with the studs. The studs are thrust through two of the holes in the strap; the plate and strap are placed on the other plate, and the former "is introduced into "the guides" and pressed in until its shoulders come into contact with those of the latter.

[Printed, 8d. Drawing.]

A.D. 1846, January 13.-No 11,037.

BENBOW, THOMAS MOORCROFT.—(Partly a communication.) -"Improvements in fastenings for surgical and other bandages, "and for articles of dress."

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The first part of this invention relates to fastenings which are applicable to stays as well as to bandages :-A strip of whalebone or metal is enclosed on each edge within the fabric to be united. Each strip has several semicircular pieces cut out of the outer edge, and at each indenture is fixed an arm carrying a pulley so arranged that the pulleys "do not project or project but slightly beyond the edge" of the whalebone or metal. The cord is connected at its ends so as to form an endless cord; "beginning at the upper part it passes over the "two upper pulleys;" then from one side to the other " "alternate pulleys to about the middle," where on each side "there are eyelet holes through which it passes, and thence "back again over the other pulleys." The stays are fastened "to any required degree of tightness" by tying together the portions of the cord left beyond the eyelet holes.

over

The second part relates "to the formation of hooks" to fasten articles of dress :-Additional fastening parts are placed "close to the part of the hook which is turned up to pass into "the eye,' an arrangement which prevents the hook from hanging loosely.

A hook, particularly applicable in fastening the parts of gloves together at the wrist "is formed with an eye at the "back;" or an equivalent for the eye may be made "by the "bending of the stem." A tassel or ring is attached to this

eye or bend, and by pulling it "the hook will readily be "released from its eye.

The third part relates "to the formation of eyes used with "hooks" :-The parts by which the eye is fastened to the garment "are brought close together," and the part over which the hook passes "is shortened so as to prevent the collapsing "of that part."

The fourth part consists in covering springs "used in 66 making caps and other articles of head dress to retain them on the head; " these are described in Division I. of the present series.

[Printed, 6d. Drawing. See Repertory of Arts, vol. 8 (enlarged series), p. 175; London Journal (Newton's), vol. 29 (conjoined series), p. 99; Patent Journal, vol. 1, p. 168.]

A.D. 1846, March 18.-No 11,135.

HANCOCK, THOMAS.-"Improvements in the manufacturing " and treating of articles made of caoutchouc, either alone or "in combination with other substances, and in the means "used or employed in their manufacture." The other substances named are fibrous substances, linen, cotton, pitch, resin, wood, and cork dust.

The first claim is for shaping articles from combinations of caoutchouc with other substances in or upon moulds, plates, or forms, and retaining the articles therein or thereon during the process of vulcanizing, "whereby the form of such articles "is rendered permanent.'

The second, for shaping articles of caoutchouc in or upon engraved or otherwise ornamented plates or moulds, and after forcing the caoutchouc into the moulds by pressure and heat,

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submitting the whole by means of a water or steam bath or any other suitable mode to a high temperature, whereby "the articles are sufficiently set to be removable from the "moulds." The articles may afterwards be vulcanized if

desired.

The third and last, for manufacturing articles by combining caoutchouc with some of the above-named substances, and then vulcanizing them.

Among the articles manufactured by the patentee are "embossed fancy articles of dress, bracelets, collars, orna"mental edgings and borders, military epaulettes, belts, and

"other similar articles, imitations of crape, and of cord, lace, "and fringe.”

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[Printed, 4d. No Drawings. See Repertory of Arts, vol. 10 (enlarged series), p. 28; Mechanics' Magazine, vol. 45, p. 400.]

A.D. 1846, March 25.—No 11,149.

SMITH, CHARLES." Improvements in cooking and culinary utensils, and methods of heating and suspending or fasten"ing articles of domestic use, and similar purposes.' Amongst the many inventions claimed by the patentee are methods of " fastening stays from back to front," and of making "metal buttonholes and hook-and-eye fasteners” and dress-suspenders.

The stays have fastened to each side at the back laces or tapes, which crossing at the back are brought to the front and buttoned or otherwise secured to elastic straps.

The buttonhole (or substitute for an eye) is cast in a mould or stamped out of a tin plate; it has as it were two slots connected at one end. The hook is formed with a shank which enters one slot and passes round into the other. Sometimes one of these eyes is fixed on each side of the fabric, and the intervening fabric is cut away. The eye may however be made in a variety of fanciful shapes, for example, as a hand with one finger crooked, &c. &c.

Dress-suspenders consist of any two figures, a part of which can be fashioned to serve as a hook and eye. This "is susceptible of a vast variety of forms."

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[Printed, 3s. 6d. Drawings. See London Journal (Newton's), vol. 29 (conjoined series), p. 356.]

A.D. 1846, July 18.-N° 11,300.

THURMAN, WILLIAM.-" Improvements in the manufacture "of gloves, stockings, and other hosiery goods." This inven tion consists in applying to the stocking frame or other machine of that class an apparatus "for producing a nap or pile 66 on knitted fabrics." This nap or pile is raised on the surface at the time that the fabric is descending from the "needles to the work roller."

A horizontal bar is attached "to the hand bar" of the machine, and on it slides a carriage " provided with antifric