Improvements in Holders or Suspenders for Ladies' Dresses.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 26th May, 1892-Accepted, 2nd July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Holders or Suspenders for Ladies' Dresses.
I, THOMAS PILLING SHELMERDINE, of Station Road, South Shore, Blackpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Bank Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention is designed with the object of providing means for raising and
lowering the skirts of ladies' dresses when in wear which can be easily and readily
reached by the hand of the wearer.
To the band of the skirt at one side I attach a clip or catch which will allow a
cord or tape to be drawn through it in either direction but which can be locked to
secure the cord or tape, and to the back of the band I attach one or more pulleys
or runners over which a cord or tape may be drawn.
The clip or catch that I have designed for the purpose is constructed with a
pulley or runner over which the cord or tape passes and a lever or catch which
engages with the pulley and the cord and grips the two to prevent any movement
thereof. I prefer to use a square or angular pulley with a groove for the cord.
The lever or catch is pivoted and one end is formed to grip the pulley and cord
with teeth or projections which press into the cord and at the other end is formed
with a loop through which the free end of cord passes. By pulling the cord in one
direction or the other the lever is moved into or out of contact with the pulley.
To the skirt I attach a piece of calico or other material or a number of tapes to
which a cord or tape can be attached. I prefer to employ a piece of stiff material
with a ring through which a cord can pass and which will engage with a ring loop
or bar attached to the end of the cord. Where a train forms part of the skirt the
end of the cord or tape will be affixed thereto so that the train can be lifted
independently of the rest of the skirt.
The lifter or suspender is intended to be placed so that it can be moved from the
pocket and for this reason an eyelet-hole is formed in the pocket and the cord or
tape is passed through into the pocket and provided with a knob or button to
prevent the end being drawn through the eyelet-hole.
By being placed in the pocket the cord is out of sight and free from observation.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Holders or Suspenders for Ladies' Dresses.
I, THOMAS PILLING SHELMERDINE, of Station Road, South Shore, Blackpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Bank Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention is designed with the object of providing means for raising and
lowering the skirts of ladies' dresses when in wear which can be easily and readily
reached by the hand of the wearer and free from observation.
To the band of the skirt at the back or side I attach a clip or catch which will
allow a cord or tape to be drawn through it in either direction but which can be
locked to secure the cord or tape, and if desired to the back or other part of the
band I attach one or more pulleys or runners over which a cord or tape may be
drawn.

page_text: The invention will be fully described with reference to the annexed drawings.
Fig. 1. Front elevation of dress with the holder applied thereto part of the front
being cut away to show the attachment thereof.
Fig. 2. Front elevation of the clip or holder enlarged.
Fig. 3. Front elevation of same with plate removed the catch being shown as
gripping or holding the cord.
Fig. 4. Front elevation with plate removed the catch being shown with the cord
released.
Fig. 5. End elevation.
In carrying out the invention I attach the clip or catch A to the band B of the
skirt. The clip A may be attached in any convenient position to the side or back
of the band B, and is provided with a cord or tape C one end of which is attached
to the skirt of the dress and the other end passes through a hole or eyelet into the
pocket. At present I prefer to attach the clip A to the back of the dress band,
but if desired it may be placed to one side and a pulley or runner placed at the
back to bear the direct pull of the dress.
The clip A is constructed with a pulley or runner a over which the cord or
tape C passes and a pivoted lever or catch D the point b of which engages with
the cord C on the top of the pulley a and locks it to prevent any backward
movement and the other end is formed with a loop d for the cord to pass through.
The cord as it passes down through and bears upon the loop d, by the weight of
the suspended dress forces the lower end of the lever back and causes the point b
to be held tightly against the cord. By pulling the cord passing through the
loop d of the lever D in the direction of the arrow and thus counteracting the
weight of the suspended dress, the cord is released and runs free by the lifting of
the point b.
The form of pulley I prefer to use is square or angular with or without a groove
in it for the cord.
To the skirt I attach a piece of calico or other material E or a number of tapes
to which the cord or tape C is attached. I prefer to employ a piece of strong
material such as E.
The lifter or suspender is intended to be placed so that it can be moved from
within the pocket F and for this reason an eyelet hole is formed in the pocket
and the cord or tape C is passed through into the pocket and provided with a knob
or button to prevent the end being drawn through the eyelet hole. For convenience
of connecting the cord or tape to the dress pocket I affix the eyelet f to a small
piece of linen or other material which can be easily attached to the side of the
pocket and pierced through with a stiletto.
When the appliance is in use the clip A is attached to the skirt band the cord or
tape C passing through it and over the pulley a one end being attached to the skirt
of the dress and the other end passing through an eyelet for other hole into the
pocket F. The skirt is raised by pulling the end of the cord in the pocket and the
cord is locked and the skirt held in a raised position by the lever D at any height
required. The skirt is lowered again by pulling the dress sidewise in the direction
of the pocket F which lifts the point of the lever D and releases the cord.
By being placed in the pocket the cord is out of sight and free from observation
when lifting the dress.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The combination with a lady's dress of the self locking clip or catch A
provided with the pulley a and locking lever D and the cord one end of the cord
being attached to the skirt and the other passing into the pocket substantially as
described.
2. In a clip or catch A for holding or suspending ladies' dresses the combination
of the angular pulley a over which a cord or tape passes the eccentric lever D one

page_text: end of which is formed with a projection or point to engage with the cord and the
other with a loop through which the cord passes and a supporting cord C passing
over the pulley a one end to be attached to the skirt and the other to pass into the
pocket substantially as described.
D
out
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.