Time to pick your brains

[txkickergirl]

Found this at an old army mule training post. I usually find lots of rusty stuff there, which is cool to find. I found this it appears to be made of brass I think it is soft and pliable. It has a scroll work design. It looks like a strap of some kind was in the wide part.
It does have writing on the back. on side says pat EB 179 and the other side says PAT DEC 9.90

Sorry the pics aren't that great.

 

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[Gypsy Heart]

It almost looks like a trunk buckle for a ladies steamer trunk or valise

 

[txkickergirl]

I guess I should tell you the size its 1.5 x1.5 inches
It bends really easily

 

[TreasureTales]

Looks like the clasp to a valise or a small suitcase or brief case. Patented, apparently, on December 9, 1890. I don't know if the other alpha/numeric clues are the full patent number or not. IF so, they could be entered online and the patent itself could be viewed, thus telling you exactly what the thing is and what it's purpose was.

 

[TreasureTales]

Try this database, but you'll need DSL or similar. http://www.uspto.gov/patft/

 

[txkickergirl]

Cool site, but this is all that came up and when I clicked on images it just opened a blank page

Full text is not available for this patent. Click on "Images" button above to view full patent.

United States Patent 179

Issue Date: April 25, 1837

Current U.S. Class: 33/2R ; 119/77

 

[TreasureTales]

Yep, I saw that, too. Looks like the patent EB 179 was for a tailor's tape measure. Don't think your clasp was part of a tape measure, do you?! LOL As I alluded to earlier, that alpha/numerica stuff may not be a complete patent number.

The other way to approach the online patent database would be to enter the patent date and the general descriptive term and go from that angle. "December 9, 1890 -- Clasp" might work. I'm too lazy to try it myself.

 

[jeff of pa]

Double Check Pat #

I got

Results of Search in PGPUB Production Database for:
"EB 179": 2 applications.
Hits 1 through 2 out of 2





PUB. APP. NO. Title
1 20040010049 Adhesive composition for optical disks
2 20010046644 Process for manufacturing information recording media and the information recording media

P.S.
when you see:

Full text is not available for this patent. Click on "Images" button above to view full patent.

Click Images.

 

[TreasureTales]

Using the Quick Search, if you have EB 179 as the patent number, it has to be converted to a 7-digit number before the database will seach for it (e.g. EB00179). Then you need to type in the Patent Date as 12/9/1890. Be sure to enter "and/or" in the center dropdown box. Then click on the option "1790-1975" for the range of years. Now click search. You should get all the patents issued for 12/9/1890 -- over 500 of them! I didn't see any of them that had the Patent Number of EB00179. And I didn't feel like looking at each and every Patent that came up to see if it had a clasp. I looked at the first 50 and then gave up. Good luck!

 

[txkickergirl]

thanks everyone what an exhausting search, but I will keep searching some more tonight. It looks like there could of been another letter or number at the beginning and end of it, but it was hard to tell if something is there or if its just a small scratch.

what does the old panty hose garter things look like? Guess I will search that out too.

 

[TreasureTales]

Does this part of the clasp move? If it does, I am quite sure it was half of a closure for a leather valise or carpetbag. Since you found this thing at an army mule training camp, I would say the ID fits perfectly for that site...lots of men coming and going and therefore needing bags for their personal gear.

 

[txkickergirl]

yes it does bend back and forth

 

[geo4472]

suspender clasps?

 

[Red-Coat]

Just tidying up some blasts from the past (including some very ancient ones), largely for the benefit of anyone searching the site for information.

t looks to be J.A. Traut’s patent buckle:

Justus A. Traut was a prolific inventor for The Stanley Rule & Level Co. of New Britain, CT but filed a number of non-tool related patents.