New or Improved Means for Repairing Stockings, Socks, and other Hosiery and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 13th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 27th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Means for Repairing Stockings, Socks, and other
Hosiery and the like.
I, MARY ELIZA WIDDICOMBE of 10 Leinster Square, Bayswater, in the
County of London, Widow, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Great difficulty and expenditure of time are usually experienced in the repairing
of stockings, socks, and other articles of hosiery, and the like, for it is well known
how quickly they become worn into holes particularly stockings at the knees, toes,
and heels, so much so that the trouble and time that would be occupied in making
the repairs by darning, in many cases, especially with children's hosiery, cause the
stockings to be discarded and replaced by new, whereas if there was a ready means
at hand to effect the repairs the worn articles would often be repaired, or at any
rate oftener than they are at present. Now the object of my invention is to
provide means whereby such articles as those before mentioned can be repaired
with great facility and neatness, and in many cases to reproduce the article in as
good a state for all practical purposes as when originally purchased.
According to my invention I provide detached those parts of a stocking for
example which usually wear most, such as knee pieces, toe and heel pieces, and
other parts where thought necessary, such as flat parts of any desired shape, and
I propose that such parts shall be made up in packets for sale, although of course
they might be supplied singly or in sets. Say there is a hole in the toe part of a
stocking to be repaired. I take the worn stocking and cut off the toe part to the
length of the new toe piece, and to the edge of the worn stocking I connect the
new toe piece; in its simplest form this might be accomplished by bringing
the two edges together and without any overlap where that is possible, and the two
edges connected by what is known as herring bone stitching. Some little skill
however is required to effect this without producing a seam, but in order to over-
come the difficulty I provide all round the edge of the toe piece to be attached a
series of loops or double loops made in a piece with the toe part or separate
therefrom and connected thereto, and so making as it were a lace-like edge all
round the rounded part of the toe piece to be connected to the worn stocking, or
the edge of the toe pieces may be knitted (especially for thick stockings) of single
ply fabric, whereby the edge to be joined would be thinner than the remaining
part of the stocking, or the parts might be made with double edges or bands;
I then take the raw edge of the cut stocking and insert it in between or on the
loops or thin edge around the toe piece, and finally connect the loops and raw edge
by stitching in the ordinary way. By this means a new toe piece is quickly
applied and in such manner that there is no appreciable seam to interfere with the
comfort of the wearer, while I have applied a new toe to the stocking and without
daroing. The same or similar arrangement applies to the heel or other part of
the stocking or other article to be repaired. The repairing parts should be made
and sold in varying sizes and colours to suit requirements.
Articles constructed or manufactured according to my invention form a new
manufacture and new articles of commerce applicable to a daily want, and provide

page_text: a useful means for alleviating a work which in some families, at any rate, is now a
laborious, tedious, and monotonous task.
Dated this 12th der of June 1894
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicant.
New or Improved Means for Repairing Stockings, Socks, and other
Hosiery and the like.
I, MARY ELIZA WIDDICOMBE of 10 Leinster Square, Bayswater, in the
County of London, Widow, 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 :-
Great difficulty and expenditure of time are usually experienced in the repairing
of stockings, socks, and other articles of hosiery and the like, for it is well known
how quickly they become worn into holes, particularly stockings at the knees, toes,
and heels, so much so that the trouble and time that would be occupied in making
the repairs by darning, in many cases, especially with children's hosiery, cause the
stockings to be discarded and replaced by new, whereas if there was a ready
means at hand to effect the repairs, the worn articles would often be repaired, or
at any rate, oftener than they are at present. Now the object of my invention is
to provide means whereby such articles as those before mentioned can be repaired
with great facility and neatness, and in many cases to reproduce the article in as
good a state for all practical purposes as when originally purchased.
My invention will be readily understood by the following description having
reference to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 showing my improved means for repairing hosiery, the example
illustrating a stocking so repaired or in the course of repair.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a part (detached) used, and having a loop
attachment.
Figure 3 is a diagraphic sectional view. Figure 4 is an elevation and Figure 5 a
section on line X Y of Figure 4 showing a braid attachment.
Similar letters refer to like parts in the several figures.
According to my invention provide detached those parts of a stocking for
example as at Figure 1 which usually wear most, such as knee pieces A, toe
pieces B, heel pieces C, and other parts where thought necessary, such as flat
parts of any desired shape, and I propose that such parts shall be made up in
packets for sale although of course they might be supplied singly or in sets. Say
there is a hole in the toe part of a stocking to be repaired, I take the worn
stocking and cut off the part as is shown at Figure 1 to the length of the new
toe piece B, and to the edge D of the worn stocking 1 connect the new toe piece;
in its simplest form this might be accomplished by bringing the two edges together,
that is the edges of the toe piece B to the edges D of the stocking without any
overlap and the two edges may then be connected by what is known as herring
bone stitching. Some little skill however is required to effect this without
producing a seam, but in order to overcome the difficulty I provide all round the
edge of the toe piece or other part to be attached, a series of loops or double
loops E so making as it were a lace-like border all round the edges of the piece to
be connected to the worn article. I generally prefer to form a series of double
loops E around the edge of the part to be joined to the worn article, such as is
illustrated applied to the heel piece Figure 2, and these loops may be knitted
coincident with the manufacture of such separate parts; where it is not convenient
to form the loops during manufacture, I may apply a lace-like edging to the part,

page_text: which edging may be sewn or otherwise secured thereto, to project over the edges
in a series of required loops. In some cases the edges of the pieces may be knitted
(especially for thick stockings) of single ply fabric, whereby the edges to be joined
would be thinner than the main part of the stocking; or the parts might be made
with double edges or bands E E as shown at Figs. 4 and 5 such being either made
with the part, or applied thereto by sewing or otherwise. I then take the raw
edge such as D of the cut stocking and insert it in between, or on the loops or
thin edges E E around the piece such as the toe piece B, or knee piece A, and
finally connect the loops E and raw edge D by stitching in the ordinary way.
By this means a new part such as a new toe piece is quickly applied and in such a
manner that there is no appreciable seam to interfere with the comfort of the
wearer, while I have applied a new toe to the stocking and without darning.
The same, or similar, arrangement applies to the heel, knee, or other part of the.
stocking or other article to be repaired.
The repairing parts should be made and sold in varying sizes and colours to suit
requirements.
Having thus described the practical application of my invention to a stocking
it will be readily understood that such means for repairing is equally applicable to
the repair of knitted vests, combination garments, and like articles.
Articles constructed or manufactured according to my invention form a new
manufacture and new articles of commerce applicable to a daily want and provide
a useful means for alleviating a work which in some families, at any rate, is now a
laborious, tedious and monotonous task.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :-
1. In repairing socks, stockings, and other hosiery and the like, the separate
parts manufactured of proper shapes and sizes, according to the description of
garinent to be repaired, applied by cutting out the worn parts of the garment to
suit the shape of the said separate parts, the latter being inserted and secured by
sewing, such separate parts being made and sold in packets, or singly, or in sets,
as required, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In repairing socks, stockings, and other hosiery and the like, the separate
parts manufactured of proper shapes and sizes according to the description of
garment to be repaired, applied by cutting out the worn parts of the garment to
suit the shape of the said separate parts, the latter being inserted and secured by
sewing, in combination with a looped, lace, or braided edging, whereby the said
parts may be attached edge to edge with the garment to be repaired, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Dated this 13th day of March 1895.