T, TICHE,

FASTENER FOR PURSES AND BACS,

APPLICATION FILED NOW, 30, 1912,
1074,910. Patented Oct. 7, 1913.
 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
THOMAS TIGHE, OF CLAREVIORRIS, IRELAND.
FASTENER, FOR PURSES AND BAGS.
1,024,910. Specification of Letters Patent.
Patiented Oct. 2, 1913.
Application filed November 30, 1912. Serial No. 734,333.
To all whom, it may concern:
Be it known that I, THOMAS TIGHE, of shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the member which
Claremorris, in the county of Mayo, Ire One half oftheonefunction
performs of a bolt consists of
of the knobs. As now de
land, captain in His Majesty's Army, have Scribed,
invented a certain new and useful m cal, andthese one
knobs are assumed to be spheri 60
of the knobs is divided into
provement in a Fastener for Purses and two hemispheres
Bags, of which the following is a specifica over the other B one
tion.
of which A can slide
in their plane of contact.
This invention relates to automatic safety This movement is limited and is controlled
0. catches as applied to a type of fastener by a spring C or equivalent that tends to 6.
commonly used on ladies' bags, purses and the make an edge of one hemisphere overhang
other to the extent of about one six
the like, which consists of a pair of smooth teenth of an inch and thus form the catch
knobs at the ends of curved arms Secured or projection E. The remaining sphere D
to the lips of the purse or the like, and so
15 arranged that during the closing together of has a corresponding groove or recess F to 70
receive this projection. The sphere D and
the lips the knobs slide past each other in hemisphere
contact and grip together by the resilience idly by armsB are H, J
respectively mounted rig
upon the lips K, L of
of the frame, a twisting action of thumb the hinged framework.
and finger releasing the grip when it is de The hemisphere A is secured to its com 75
20 sired to open the purse. Now it is obvious
panion B by means of a shoulder M which
that the security of fastenings of this kind projects
as hitherto made must depend partly upon housed infrom the flat face of B and is
the force exerted by the frame and partly in A. As shown in Fig. 5,recess
a corresponding
this
or run N
shoulder
upon the amount of mutual overlapping of and recess are so shaped as to hold the 80
25 the knobs. If either of these factors is in hemispheres together while at the same time
sufficient the purse is liable to open too easily allowing such a slight sliding motion as
and is insecure, the smoothness of the knobs will cause the catch E to project sufficiently
facilitating opening as well as closing. toward the sphere D and to retire until even
My invention is intended to avoid this
30 objection without materially altering the with the other hemisphere. The spring C 85
general appearance of the fastening and closed is compressed within the run N at the
mode of release. With this object pro at firstend open,
nearest to E. The other end is
but when the spring has been
vide that the knobs when in the closed posi placed in position and the shoulder M in
tion are effectually locked together by the
35 automatic shooting of a member forming serted and pressed thereon, that end is also 90
part of one of the knobs into a groove or re closed In
by a plug O.
the forms shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 the
cess in the other, means also being provided two hemispheres
to facilitate the withdrawal of the said mem P passed throughare held together by a pin
ber for the purpose of opening the purse so as to act as a pivot.ofThe
40 or the like.
both them eccentrically
sliding action 95
Some forms of the invention are shown shaped will thus be circular, and the recess N is
in the accompanying drawings, where centric with accordingly as an annular arc con
Figures 1, 2 and 3 show a preferred form N need not beP.shaped The shoulder M and recess
so as to hold the hem
in three successive positions, namely when
45 the purse is open, nearly closed, and closed ispheres together as in the form first de 100
respectively. Fig. 4 is a central section of scribed, otherwise the arrangement is similar.
Modifications may of course be intro
the lower knob having a slidable member as duced; for example
in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section of the knob on upon the shoulder Mthemay spring which acts
be placed on
line 5-5 in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a section of the
50 knob on line 6-6 in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a cen the other side of M and be arranged as a 05
tral section of a knob with pivotally slidable tension spring R as shown in Fig. 9.
member. Fig. 8 is a section taken along the the parts of theopening
To facilitate in any of the forms
line of division between the two halves of receive the pressure of theofthumb
surfaces the knobs which
and finger
the device shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a simi during the opening of the purse may
55 lar section showing a modification. be con 11.0 .
veniently roughened or corrugated.
In the preferred form of the invention In all the forms described, the action of
 2 1,074,910
the catch is as follows:-Assuming the purse knob and to lock the two together when the
frame is closed.
to be open, on the lips approaching one an 2. In fasteners of the type described, a
other the smooth part of the projection on. knob consisting of a pair of hemispheres
one of the knobs is brought into contact one of which is rigidly fixed on the frame
with the other knob which is grooved and and the other is slidably mounted upon its
the pressure between the two is so directed companion so, that One part of its edges
as to cause the projection to retire until it can project beyond that of the latter, a 30
comes opposite the groove, whereupon it spring located in a recess: between the two
shoots into the groove and locks the catch hemispheres adapted to cause the said part
LO until released by the usual twisting action of the edge normally to project and a second
of thumb, and finger. knob rigidly mounted on the opposite frame
What I claim and desire to secure by Let jaw having an indentation adapted to re 35
ters Patent of the United States is:- ceive, the aforesaid normally projecting part.
1. In fasteners for purses, bags and the and thus to lock the two knobs together until
5 like, of the type in which a pair of knobs released by the ordinary twisting action of
are mounted rigidly upon the lips of a
hinged frame so. as to grip together when thumb and finger. T. T.G.H.E.
the latter is closed, a member projecting Witnesses:
from one of the knobs and depressible R. H. KING,
20 against a spring within the same adapted to LOUISA MITCHELL.
engage automatically in a recess in the other.
Copies of this patent...may. be obtained for five: cents each, by addressing the “Commissioner of Patents,
Washington, D.C.’ -