IMPROVEMENT IN STOCKS, CRAVATS, OR STIFFENERS
Year: 1837

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HUGHES, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Truss Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Seventh day of November, in the first year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas
Hughes, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I
the said Thomas Hughes, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Thomas Hughes, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention AN IMPROVEMENT IN STOCKS, CRAVATS, OR STIFFENERS;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Thomas Hughes,
shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Hughes, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascer-

page_text: tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon
(that is to say):
My invention relates to the internal elastic frame of stocks, cravats, or
stiffeners, whereby greater ease and comfort is obtained to the person wearing
the same, and also the stocks, cravats, or stiffeners having my improvement
applied thereto will retain their figure and shape better than those heretofore
made.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the frame of a stock, cravat, or
stiffener; « being the front and 6 the back; a is a bent spring of metal, which
I prefer to be of tempered steel; & is another bent spring of metal like that
at c. These two springs constitute the top and bottom framing of the stock
*cravat, or stiffener, and it should be observed that the effect of this arrange-
ment of springs is such that any pressure which may have been exerted on
the front of the springs c, d, and has caused them to approach each other, the
springs c, d, will have a tendency to assume their original position, and will so
assume their original (or most separate position) on being released from such
pressure, such springs c, d, having free movement up and down from the back
to the front, as will readily be understood on examining the arrangement
Figure 1, where it will be seen that the springs c, are combined together by
further springs e, by which springs e greater freedom is given to the person's
⚫neck when wearing a stock, cravat, or stiffener of this description, for the
springs e in addition to giving vertical movement to the ends of the springs c, d,
will bend with freedom and at all times have a tendency to obtain theirnatural
position and also to assist the springs c, d, to assume their natural position.
The springs c, d, and e may be fastened on to the other by soldering or
binding with wire, or in any other suitable manner.
The above arrangement shews the parts so arranged as simply to obtain
elasticity up and down in respect to the springs c, d, by their movement from
back to front, and by such an arrangement of frame a stock, cravat, or
stiffener may be made having a most easy elasticity to the wearer, at the same
time the stock, cravat, or stiffener will at all times assume its shape, when
impressed on by the chin of the wearer, but the wearer will find on stooping or
sitting long in an inclined position to read, write, or otherwise, the pliability
of the springs c,, will not offer pressure to the throat, nor will any part of the
stock, cravat, or stiffener, as is often the case even to an oppresive degree with
stocks, cravats, or stiffeners of the present construction, caused by the stift

page_text: matters used bending inwards and pressing against the neck and throat of the
wearer.
Figure 2 shews an arrangement for giving greater strength to the sides of
the stiffener by applying the springs f,f, but according to this arrangement
the springs c, d, are still free to move up and down in front, which is an
essential novelty in the construction of stocks, cravats, and stiffeners according
to my Invention.
Having thus explained the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
combining the same, I would have it understood that I lay no claim to any
of the parts separately, and it should be stated that the frame so made is to be
covered with silk or other fabric according to taste, as heretofore practised,
and if additional height be required I add leather or other suitable substance
on the top of the spring e, as shewn at Figure 3; but what I claim as my
Invention is the mode of constructing the frames of stocks, cravats, or stiffeners,
as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hughes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight.
THOMAS (LS) HUGHES